Simon McConico | Valo Photography

I’m in Vegas baby! Time to brush up my skills and hopefully learn lots of new things to help me be a better photographer. There is something to be said about becoming better at your craft. If you are washing dishes or are a CEO, you can always be better, brush up, and focus on your craft to enhance what you do. I am excited for what this week has to offer and what I can learn from it.

I am staying at the MGM Grand hotel thanks to WPPI who picked my video to win for their video contest. Went to a Plus class today with the great Kevin Kubota and was soaking in his great Hawaiian wisdom. If I get as many ideas and things to implement as I did today, my head will, undoubtedly, explode. Here’s to my head going Boom!

We shot a few photos with the class today and tomorrow we are going to work on them, but I thought I would post a few for you to see.

12 Comments | In: Random Shoots, Uncategorized | tags: las vegas, mgm grand, simonmcconico, wppi. | #

Hey Mister! Thats my sister!

I was in Minneapolis this weekend and my sisters fiance was in from North Carolina.  They are getting married later this year and we went out to take a few photos while I was up there.  I will be shooting their wedding and it should be crazylotsoffun.

This was the first time I met Alex and… well… I am glad that I approve. He is a lil crazy and different, but who am I to speak? I am a lot crazy and different. These two fit well together and that makes me a happy brother. Here are just a few images that I shot.

1 Comment | In: E-Sessions | tags: milwaukee wedding photographers, milwaukee wisconsin photographers, minneapolis minnesota, minneapolis photographers, minnesota, minnesota wedding, simonmcconico, Valo, Valo Photography. | #

I love it when I get asked by someone that I know to be a part of their wedding. If it is being in the wedding, or shooting the wedding, I love it. Marquel and Nicholene knew that they wanted me to shoot their wedding even before they were engaged. Well… I KNOW Nic did because she told me every time she saw me.

I went to college with both of these folks and had a great time creating music with them. Marquel can pretty much sing any part in a choir and play anything on drums, keys, and probably lots of other instruments and Nic would bring down the house with her singing. Creating music is amazing, but creating amazing music is even better, which made it quite appropriate that they got married at Orchestra Hall.

I arrived in Minneapolis with my friend Paul Sparks to shoot their wedding and was super excited. The wedding was outside and in the morning it looked like the weather was not going to cooperate with us. Gladly, a few hours passed and the clouds moved along, taking their raindrops with them. The weather, other than being crazy windy, was perfect. Great light and a lovely location at Orchestra Hall made for some fantastic photos.

Marquell is from Milwaukee and Nicolene is from Jamacia, but they met and now live in Minneapolis. It was great seeing their family come together and have a great time at the wedding. Sooo… enough of me babbling… here are the photos:

2 Comments | In: Weddings | tags: @sparksphotog, canon 5d mark 2, milwaukee, milwaukee photography, milwaukee wedding photographers, minneapolis, minneapolis wedding photographers, minnesota, simonmcconico, Valo Photography, wedding. | #

Okay, so maybe I am not Tyra, but I sure can smile with my eyes. (If you don’t know what that is all about, I suggest you watch any season of Americas Next Top Model). While I am not a supermodel, I am looking for folks to model for me.  I am not looking for the most amazing and stunning person in the world, I am looking for the average Joe and Jane.  I shoot photos for iStock, which is a stock photo agency and am always looking for regular people to photograph to add to my portfolio.

If you would like to be a model for me, please shoot me an email at simon (at) valophotography.com and I will put you into my model database.  I always give photos retouched photos to the people who model for me in exchange for their time.  I am also always looking for great locations to use: Office Buildings, Spa’s, Gyms, Coffee Shops, etc. so if you know of any of those, please let me know as well.  So until then, keep smiling with your eyes.

1 Comment | In: Stock Photography, Uncategorized | tags: milwaukee, milwaukee wisconsin, simonmcconico, Stock Photography. | #

I love pictures. I love taking them, editing them, and printing them. I love showing them and giving them to people. There is something about catching a moment and putting it on paper. This last Saturday I went on a photo walk with some of my Flickr friends. (Flickr is fantastic for people from pros, to moms with cameras) We have been going on photowalks for about 4 years now and it has been great to meet new people and talk with other people who are passionate about pictures.

We met up at a place called Wolskie’s, which, if your from Milwaukee, you have probably seen their bumper stickers around town. From there we walked around Brady Street taking photos of places and people and ended at a place called the Nomad. There were lots of great photos taken and conversations had. If you shoot, want to shoot, or have fingers and a camera, you should come out to the next photo walk. To get more info, join flickr and then join the Cream City: Milwaukee group.

1 Comment | In: Random Shoots | tags: flickr, milwaukee, milwaukee wisconsin, photowalk, simonmcconico, street photography, wisconsin. | #

Oh my, oh my, oh me… Again, I can’t express how much I love shooting weddings of people who have a personal flair to everything that they do.  People who infuse their personality into everything from the vows to the shoes to the drinks to the wedding party.

Shawn and Cassie’s wedding had all of their awesomeness infused into one giant day which has now turned into one giant blog post.  I loved everything from the Chuck Taylors that the grooms men wore to the Crazy Booth that is going to be tough to top in 2010.

The wedding was at the Eisner Museum in Milwaukee’s Historic Third Ward, which has tons of really great places to take photos.  After the ceremony we went running around the Third Ward taking tons of photos, tripping on things, and dropping bridesmaids. (Wasn’t as fatal as it sounds)  From there, the Ceremony rocked and the Crazy Booth was brought.  By the end of the night I was exhausted, but had such a fun time shooting and capturing an amazing party for two amazing people.  Congrats Shawn and Cassie.

(now on to the photos which is why you are looking at the blog anyways)

2 Comments | In: Weddings | tags: @jakedavidrohde, canon 5d mark 2, eisner museum, historic third ward, milwaukee, milwaukee photography, milwaukee wedding photographer, milwaukee wisconsin, Photography, photos, simonmcconico, Valo, Valo Photography, wedding, wedding photography, wedding photos, wisconsin, wisconsin photography, wisconsin wedding photography, www.eisnermuseum.org/. | #

There are not many words that can describe these photos. Well… by not many, I mean none.

Oh. My. Lord. These are divine. Jowels.

Yeah… Shawn and Cassie were so much fun… pretty much love them. To be able to shoot for clients like them is a pleasure.

I know that was a mutha load of photos, but hope it was worth it.

p.s. pretty sure the booth makes the reception killer (well, your DJ betta be rockin it, but whateva)

Follow me on Twitter/Facebook
Valo Home
Shoot me some love: simon (at) valophotography.com

3 Comments | In: Crazy Booth | tags: @jakedavidrohde, canon 5d mark 2, milwaukee, milwaukee photography, milwaukee wedding photographer, milwaukee wisconsin, Photography, simonmcconico, Valo, Valo Photography, wedding photographer, wedding photography, wisconsin, wisconsin photography, wisconsin wedding photography. | #

Matt and Krista are awesome!  It was so much fun shooting their wedding at the Milwaukee County War Memorial.  The light was great, the people were fun, and the wedding was beautiful.  Matt is a cancer survivor and friend and it was a great honor for me to document this day for him.  Jake, Nicole, and I shot photos, danced a bit, and rocked the Crazy Booth all night long.  Enjoy the images, you two are great!

3 Comments | In: Weddings | tags: @jakedavidrohde, canon 5d mark 2, Lake Michigan, milwaukee, milwaukee county war memorial, milwaukee photography, milwaukee wedding photographer, milwaukee wisconsin, Photography, simon mcconico, simonmcconico, Valo, Valo Photography, wedding, wedding photography, wisconsin, wisconsin photography, wisconsin wedding photography. | #

Matt is one of the most amazing guys ever. And he can take down a groomsman like no one else… I got a post of sweet wedding photos coming up, but here are some Crazy Booth photos for you to chew on.

Air guitar at it’s finest.

One of us has to be responsible.

Guess it isn’t Jake

Body Surfing?

2 Comments | In: Crazy Booth | tags: @jakedavidrohde, canon 5d mark 2, Crazy Booth, funny, milwaukee, milwaukee county war memorial, money, Photography, reception, simonmcconico, Valo Photography, war memorial, wedding, wedding photographer, wedding photography. | #

this is why you need to make sure you rig the dollar dance.

Women… this is why you need to have the crazy booth at your wedding (because you ALWAYS win this and can gloat for years to come)

No Comments | In: Crazy Booth | tags: @jakedavidrohde, canon 5d mark 2, Crazy Booth, funny, milwaukee, milwaukee county war memorial, money, Photography, reception, simonmcconico, Valo Photography, war memorial, wedding, wedding photographer, wedding photography. | #