the grand finale

It's been a wonderful year for us, no question. We've learned a lot. We've shot a lot. We've shared a lot. And so, 2010 comes to a close with one last post from two separate shoots.

These seven images were taken recently, all shot indoors (yes! it can be done -- just find enough light and enough space; a wide-aperture lens will help immensely.), and are sort of a flash-forward in time from a year ago when we met this beautiful girl and this charming lad!

For the sake of discussion, in most of these, we were able to create enough light using flashes to close down the lens to f/4 or f/6 -- except in one, where we shot "wide open." Can you tell which one?

grab a stick

Okay, so it's probably bad luck or something to talk about proud favorites and what-not -- sort of like saying a pitcher is well on his way to a no-hitter or a perfect game after 5 or 6 flawless innings. Just one of those things you just don't do, right?

Meh. No yielding to superstitions today. I mean, how many cracks have you stepped on in your life only to discover, to your relief, that it did not, in fact, break your mother's back? Precisely. So, with that in mind, we proudly present the Rodabough clan. Or, well, some of them.

Now, the heart of this post is about image #4, our dear friend who is secretly a ninja warrior and/or stick-wielding tyke. Either way, we have long thought this little snip of a man to be one of the funniest chaps we know. Full of character and of life. The one who's first to point out which kid has the smelly diaper in a room full of 2 year olds. The one who quickly but politely turns down a carrot stick after asking, "Where's the ranch?" and discovering there is none. The one who's growing up so quickly we can't believe it. Point of it all: it's so rewarding when a person relaxes and his personality transcends an image, as it has here.

And whether it ever makes it onto a wall or a Christmas card is truly beside the point. The point is, we absolutely love the shot. And hope you do, too. Hope it inspires you to go ahead and be yourself. You know, grab a stick or a leaf and just start swinging.

been to tower grove park?

Fall in St. Louis was a bit short this year as far as color goes. Except in Tower Grove Park, where I guess the buildings nearby and the tall perimeter trees protect some of the smaller, vibrant inner ones. If that's why Craig and Marianne chose to have their engagement photos taken there, it was smart. If it was by pure chance or for convenience based on that evening's plans, then good fortune is simply on their side.

It's been dry in St. Louis this fall, which is why the color was more muted than it has been in other years (again, I assume). Still, the locations they chose didn't necessarily need the vibrancy of a traditional fall shoot -- that park is great because of its unique structures and trees and lake. And, on top of it all, when it comes down to it, it's probably 1/5 location and 4/5 the attitude and the people involved. Congrats, you two. Not on the 4/5 part, but on the engagement... this is a somewhat-stressful-but-oh-so-exciting time!

Sweaters and Hairbows

One of the last warm days of fall brought us these beautiful family pics at Quail Ridge Park in Lake St Louis. Looking precious J, J and J!
And about the photos? Image 1: 50mm, with about 10 feet of separation between foreground and background and an average f stop of 5.6. Image 2: 120mm and fill flash to compensate for the sun's positioning. Image 3: 70mm and 200 ISO, with the sun at about 11 o'clock overhead.

PS, you're invited ...

Photos by Ben Munson.

so soon, the snow

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It's fall. And for the most part, it's felt like it. Occasional warm days, occasional cool ones. Breezy, sometimes gusty. Sunny, with sunsets that glow. But from the looks and sounds of it outside right now, that's all about to change. The cold is coming. Winter's still 30 days away, but somehow I don't think that matters.

So, here's to hot chocolate and happy holidays!* Glad we squeezed in a few more sessions over the past few weeks. Here's a sneak peek at some of the shots ... (Too many to discuss lenses and lighting and cameras, but if you have a question about one of them, don't hesitate to ask!)




* Here's to Becca and Marlie, as well, for standing strong for a string of shoots when I was, well, let's just say, less than healthy. Photo #9 is one of M's shots.

growing and growing and...

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The Missouri River Ward of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints just keeps on growing, this time thanks to our neighbors (well, sort of) Trent and Daniele. Congrats on the new addition!

Los Fish

Unsure whether there is a cuter "School of Fish" in the Northern Hemisphere. (We'll investigate and get back to you.) A quick shout out to our friend and lighting specialist, Marlie Hoyt, for helping make this shoot a success!

Years and years in the making

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You'd never know it, but the Finnegans have never had a family photo taken. Well, okay, so that's not entirely true, if you count the "everyone dressed up and in the studio," as they put it. But as far as trudging out into the long, itchy grass, under the bright sun, and battling chilly temps, this was definitely a first.

Most of the shots here were taken with a 70-200mm lens and our Canon 5D, various lighting arrangements. More to come...

The art of interpretation is not to play what is written.