Jake Rohde | Valo Photography

We just met Ashleigh and Brandon, and they wanted to get their engagement session done before the end of the year, so they could use their images in their wedding planning for things like their Save the Dates… Simon and I are all about shooting whenever, so we were down. Ashleigh and Brandon braved the cold and we made some great images down by Lake Michigan, Alterra at the Lake (one of their first date spots), Brady Street, North and Farwell by the Oriental Theatre, and we ended the day warming up at Von Trier with some tasty beers. These guys are awesome… and here are a few of my favorite shots from the cold, but very fun, shoot with them:

2 Comments | In: Engagment Session | tags: Alterra, Brady Street, Engagement Photographers, engagement session, Lake Michigan, Lakefront, Oriental Theatre, Photography, Von Trier. | #

As the year draws to an end I finally have some time to start putting together all my thoughts from the year and develop them. A while back I found myself wondering what could make family sessions better. I started thinking about the portrait sessions I was shooting versus the weddings I was photographing. In both cases I like things to be natural, but at a wedding there is a lot more time to capture simple moments, laughs, expressions… the stuff that makes up life. I get a glimpse of this in a portrait session, but never really get into it… never get to develop the story completely. So I am working on some new things for next year. Celebrating the simple moments in life, I will be offering “Day in the Life” sessions next year, along with a slightly shorter version in the form of a “Lifestyle” session, as well as the regular portrait sessions. The Day in the Life sessions will not be limited to families either… a single, a couple, you and a pet… any combination of things could be documented in a Day in the Life session. It is all about documenting the meat of life… the simple moments that make up a day…

I had the opportunity to photograph my first Day in the Life session the other day with the fabulous Mathewson Family. This is the story of their day:

Each session is finished with a Fine Art Book of the day. Collecting these days year after year will produce an amazing volume of stories… More details about the sessions coming next year! If you want to schedule one before then, drop me a line: jake@valophotography.com

6 Comments | In: Family | tags: Celebrating the simple moments, Day in the Life, Family Photos, Milwaukee Family Photographer. | #

Tucked away in the woods, warm and cozy, two of the kindest souls I have ever had the pleasure to meet celebrate the first day of their lives together. I was lucky enough to be there to capture the day…

1 Comment | In: Wedding Photography | tags: Hubbard Park Lodge, Milwaukee, Valo Photography, Wedding, Wedding Photographers, Wisconsin. | #

Jason, now that your wedding is over, you are free to grow the most amazing mustache that has ever been grown…

Kate, I am sorry about that.

We met Kate and Jason last November, and Jason was working on a killer stash for Movember. Simon and I, of course, tried to convince him to keep growing his mustache until the wedding… and I think that almost lost us this wedding Kate and Jason heard about us because Kate was in Liz and Dave’s wedding… which I had the honor of shooting about a year ago. It is such an honor when someone that works with us on another wedding or project hires us for their own wedding or event. It means a lot and I think it speaks to the experience and product we provide.

Jason shaved for the wedding, so he looked good. Kate needed nothing, she already looked good and was ready to go. Take a look at some of my favorites from their day:

1 Comment | In: Wedding Photography | tags: Marcus Center for the Performing Arts, Milwaukee, Wedding, Wedding Photographers, Wedding Photography, WI, Wisconsin. | #

Yep… that’s about it.

No Comments | In: Crazy Booth | tags: Crazy Booth, Milwaukee Wedding Photography, Photo Booth, Valo Photography. | #

I love being stranded, lost or delayed.

Why?

It gives me time to wander, look, and explore in spaces I might not normally be… and create personal work, the stuff that got me into photography.

The last post, the engagement session with Becca and Bill was down in Chicago. Simon and I traveled down via train. After the session, which was awesome, we headed back to the train station, only to find out that we missed the afternoon train and we would have to wait for a couple hours to catch the next one…

Awesome!

I included some of these in Becca and Bill’s post, because I thought it fit in well with their session. Really all of these would have fit in with their session. There isn’t much difference between the work I make for my clients and the work that I make for myself… maybe content, since the main focus of what people hire me to do is usually photographs of them… but I include little snaps of the day and surroundings in most of my sessions as well, I just think it is all part of the story… it is all part of the day.

Anyways, here are a couple shots from being stranded in Chicago:

I am starting to collect some of this work over on our proofing site, if you are interested in looking at more… or purchasing some prints. I am slowly adding to it, so check back every now and again. Right now the only category is Chicago, from this most recent trip, but I am going to start posting other personal work and projects. Check it out over here.

No Comments | In: Personal Work | tags: ABS, Chicago, Personal work, staying fresh. | #