Joel Cookston Photography

BOOKMARK AND RSS FANS

2009-09-30T14:31:00.002-04:00

My Blog has found a new home! I'm so excited for the new launch of an easier to use Blog format. This new and improved layout has Categories and Search functions will help everyone find exactly what they're looking for.

So, BE SURE TO UPDATE YOUR RSS FEEDS AND BOOKMARKS!

AND GO HERE>

www.joelcookston.com/blog

Senior Session with Rachel

2009-09-28T11:11:00.002-04:00

Senior Sessions are sooo much fun for me! I always tell everyone that if you find an excellent Wedding Photographer then you've found an outstanding portrait photographer. With Weddings we have to be on point just about every minute of the day, looking for fun spots to shoot with good lighting all within 10-20 minutes. With Portrait Sessions and Seniors we can take our time and craft lighting, backgrounds and outfit changes to create amazing images without worrying about people waiting on us or timeframes.

So, with that said ~ this Senior session was definitely one of a kind. Rachel is in The Anderson Young Ballet Company and is very talented at many forms of dance. I have had the priviledge of photographing this Ballet Company for a number of years and every year it's so sad to see the Seniors leave... but it's great to see new talent come up through the classes.

Rachel is the Snow Queen in this years Nutcracker. So, she brought her outfit along with her point shoes to capture a few images in the Studio. For this shoot I found a Victorian Era couch which was the perfect match to her outfit!!! I was sooo excited when I found this couch online...

We started in the Studio and then went outside to capture some natural images as well!

Thanks Rachel for being you and loving life! You were soooo much fun to work with~

Enjoy~

Monika & Scott E Session

2009-09-25T11:07:00.003-04:00

So this was the krazy fun couple we shot the E Session video with below! Check out yesterday's post if you haven't seen it~

Monika & Scott are from Dayton Ohio and will be getting married at a gorgeous resort/golf course there next year. I'm so excited to work with them again - they were so easy and fun to photograph. A few nerves in the beginning from all the cameras around them, but we got them into their groove and they were naturals in front of the camera. Thanks again you 2 for coming over to beautiful Indianapolis!

I luv my job!

Enjoy~

This was krazy fun!

2009-09-24T09:20:00.002-04:00

This was sooo much fun for all of us! Scott and Monika came over from Dayton Ohio to shoot their E Session in downtown Indy. I had referred them to FocusRight Productions for videography and they went ahead and booked them for their E session as well! So, we had 2 HD video camera's following us around to help capture some beautiful moments for us.

I've known these guys for quite a while now... The quality and creativity they continue to produce is at the top of their industry. Brandon Wiseman (co-owner) put this trailer together for me to show couples how a typical E Session works.

A lot of time, people can be intimidated by the camera and going on a "photo shoot" especially if they haven't done it before. I wanted to make this trailer to show my clients and future clients that we have an incredible time hanging out and capturing amazing images together. It's about developing a relationship (which is my favorite part) to help everyone be comfortable together and capture real moments as a couple. Personality is everything in my business - and I hope this trailer shows how much fun I try to make every shoot.

And, thanks again to Brandon Wiseman over at FocusRight Productions for creating this video series for me!

Joel Cookston Photography & Design from Focus Right Productions, Inc. on Vimeo.

Shelley & Greg

2009-09-23T10:05:00.006-04:00

Looking back on my Blog I don't think I ever got around to posting this wonderful couple's E Session - which is oh so sad - so, had to post a few to start with... Shelley & Greg are such beautiful people. They are such caring individuals and obviously have a very strong connection. They were married a few weeks back on a GORGEOUS August Saturday at East 91st street Church.

Shelley and her girls met me at Flirt Salon in Fishers. It was a perfect place to shoot. Many of the salon's I've shot in b4 are quite tight and they hardly ever sit everyone together. So, if you're planning to use multiple stylist's definitely suggest everyone sitting together. This makes for great images of everyone getting beautified! :)

The Bridal Party got ready at E 91 and we started with the Greg and his guys - then finished up with Shelley and her girls b4 the ceremony. The bubble line out of the church was so fun! Bubbles are super clean and create krazy fun images. The Oak Hill Mansion was the site of their reception, so we were able to shoot around the property for a few minutes before they were introduced.

One of my favorites from the day is the stairway shot. We captured this just a few seconds b4 they walked in... Such a cool moment in time.

Whew... Hope you all enjoy the images!

Thank you both again for choosing me to capture your Wedding Day~

Let's start with a few from their E Session...

And on to the Wedding Day~

The infamous cloud of hair spray!

Luv, luv this 2 image series... so much personality. Workin' It~

The vibrance of the cloud reflection in the windows was a pleasant surprise...

This wooden Church was built by this gentlemen (Shelley's Grandfather). I think they told me it had been used in 14+ Weddings so far. It's a beautifully detailed gift/card holder.

Thanks Brian! Brian has worked with me on many Weddings. It's always great having someone I can trust to shoot along side me and one I don't have worry about... Having 2 photogs is great on many occasions where we MUST shoot fast and we need lots of images in a short amount of time. And the creative angles are a must have. :)

Now this is what I call yummy lighting...

I absolutely luv how everyone laughs

The Beautiful Baker Family

2009-09-09T14:26:00.002-04:00

I have the privilege of shooting with the Baker Family twice a year and every time it is sooo much fun for all of us. They obviously have good genes running through them which makes photographing that much easier to do!~

Most of the (adult) kids now live all over the US, so it's very special for me that they ask every year to help capture their family at each stage in life. 3 of their 4 kids are single, but brought their dogs (kids) to get some images as well. Most of us start out with dogs to make sure we can keep things alive before having kids of our own~!

Enjoy~

Adam & Natalie

2009-09-02T08:30:00.002-04:00

This E Session was soooo much fun. These two are incredibly easy to photograph and their personalities are insanely fun to top it all off! Their wedding is in January and I can't wait to shoot with them again!

I know I get krazy excited about this stuff - but what can I say - i luv my job and my clients!

Enjoy~

Summer Vacation 2009

2009-08-04T14:21:00.007-04:00

Ok - so I've finally been able to take a small breather this year. My schedule worked out this year that I could take the entire month July off (with the exception of a few dear clients) and spend time with my family and my beautiful wife. I've been soooo, soooo, soooo krazy busy this year it's been amazing! I feel blessed to meet so many beautiful, funny and sweet couples. Honestly I have the best job in the world! Of course it takes a lot of time to shoot and process so many Weddings, Families, Newborns and Seniors that every once in a while I have to stop and enjoy doing nothing - which is krazy hard for me to do!

Well July was an insanely great time to be with my family on vacation and just hanging out by the pool. Here are just a few images from our time together! The first set of images are from our family vacation in Michigan City and the second set of images are from our trip to Jamaica. Jese and I took the Jamaica trip alone ~ which, oh my, was so relaxing. If anyone wants to go to Jamaica for their Honeymoon you absolutely have to check out Couples Tower Island. It was amazing!

Oh, and yes I have tons and tons of postings to put up - E Sessions, Families and Newborns that I couldn't get posted during the first part of the year due to all the Weddings I was shooting.

If you follow my Blog and we're not connected on Facebook PLEASE do look me up! I post and tag a bazillion images for my friends and clients!

Enjoy~

It's hard to get great shots of my family with me in them!!! My Dad helped us capture this one~

And this one~ My beautiful family :)

My beautiful girl ~ She luvs to dance like her mommy...

Profile pic!

My beautiful wife~

Richelle & Daniel

2009-07-21T12:16:00.003-04:00

I knew this Wedding was going to be so much fun from the beginning... You might remember the E Session with these 2 OR the B Shoot I did with Richelle's ladies before the wedding - and from these 2 sessions I knew there would not be a dull moment with this group. Richelle and Daniel are the sweetest couple and Richelle's Bridal party had energy for days! It's so easy for me to capture life and emotion when people are just oozing with it!!!

Richelle and the ladies got ready at a hotel suite in Indy which made for some beautiful images. It was also nice to have everyone in the same place and capture all the interaction between her Mom and her Grandmother - who did all the ladies hair!!!

Following the reception their stretch Humer limo almost got stuck in the turn around in front of the church. The driver had to pull up onto the sidewalk in order to make the turn! Everyone was blowing bubbles and cheering for them - it was soo much fun!

Thank you both again for allowing me to capture your day! It was so, so, so much fun to follow you both through your Wedding Day and experience all the emotions and festivities!!! I wish you both the very best!

Enjoy~

Full Wedding Slideshow:

Kaelyn & Ryan

2009-06-30T13:58:00.007-04:00

It just doesn't get any easier than these 2 lovely people~ Kaelyn and Ryan were married at The Garrison on the east side of Indy. It was an absolute gorgeous summer day. The Bridal Party rented one of the historic homes at Fort Ben so everyone could have their own room and get ready together. Kaelyn's Wedding Dress fit the location perfectly. The lines of the dress and the detail work was so beautiful and her Bridesmaids' dresses had so much character for a fun summer wedding. Golf courses are some of the best locations for weddings due to the beautiful landscaping and rolling hills.

Thanks again you 2 for choosing me to tell the story of your Wedding Day. The images we were able to capture are absolutely amazing.

Enjoy~

Wedding Day Slideshow>

Lisa & Austin

2009-06-23T22:37:00.006-04:00

Summer Weddings are sooo much fun! Lisa & Austin married on a gorgeous June Saturday at Purgatory Golf Club in Noblesville, IN. Ok, so yes, the name of the golf course is tongue in cheek, but the grounds and lodge are absolutely stunning.

To start with, in the morning the Ladies all met at Chateau Bijou Salon & Spa in downtown Noblesville. This was such an intimate salon they actually had their own room with 3 stylists, mimosas and lots of emotion! While Lisa was having her hair done she was handed a card from Austin which he wrote to her the night before. OMG - emotions were flowing and the whole room, including the stylists were crying happy tears as Austin's Mom read the card aloud. It was such a sweet moment and I'm so glad I was able to experience such a strong connection between all the Brides Maids, both Mom's as well as the stylists.

We then headed over to Purgatory Golf Club where Lisa and her ladies had their makeup done and slipped into their dresses. Lisa's dress was gorgeous - as you can see in the images below! The sun was out in full effect, so we had to jump from shadow to shadow to stay cool and allow everyone's eyes to relax (which is always the hard part outside in full sun).

After Lisa and Austin met on the putting green the rest of the day went crazy fast and we were able to capture some amazing images! I'm so happy with the images and can't wait to share them with everyone!

Thanks again you 2 for allowing me to capture your day! You both are amazing people and the love you have for one another is so evident!

Enjoy~

luv her dress in the background of this one~

her shoes were amazing~ seriously r u kidding me!

her mom was so, so sweet the entire day - here she was fitting the glass slipper :)

absolutely yummy lighting on this one~

her Dad was the sweetest~ they both were tearing up during their pictures, it made me think of my little 2 year old Alaina doing this one day... ugh~

luved the back tented ceremony location~

and yes, the dress again is so gorgeous - she added jeweled straps before the first dance, very classy~

Jennifer and Matt

2009-06-19T13:21:00.002-04:00

What a fabulous Wedding! Jennifer and Matt were married at the Church on the Circle which is a perfect location - and perfect locations make for gorgeous images! These two currently live in Ireland and most of their family is from Nova Scotia - so they all have a thick Northern accent which is so much fun! Both families were sooo easy to work with and made the day one to remember! Their reception was at the Crown Plaza (Union Station) and was again a perfect spot for beautiful images!

Thank you both for choosing me to capture your day! I had an amazing time with everyone and can't wait to see you all again soon!

Enjoy~

Rachel & Nathan

2009-06-09T17:19:00.002-04:00

Another gorgeous weekend for a summer wedding! Rachel and Nathan are wonderful friends who go to our church. They're both very laid back, none assuming people who are so, so easy to get along with. And, when it comes to wedding days this type of personality is absolutely wonderful to work with.

Thank you both for allowing us to capture your day! We had a great time with everyone!

Enjoy~

Richelle & Her Girls

2009-06-03T09:36:00.010-04:00

What an absolutely KRAZY time I had with these four ladies. They were so much fun to photograph and had energy for days it seemed!!! They never stopped laughing and enjoying hanging out with each other. Great friends are everything...

We were really worried about rain that day so Richelle brought the purple and green umbrellas (which, yes, match her colors for her wedding this month). Along with the color coordinated outfits everything went great and a ton of the images turned out amazing!

I especially like the yellow back-hoe, construction shots and the round, silver AC/vent thingy... (what do you actually call those things?)

So, enjoy the images and don't be shy - leave me a note!

:)

;)

Had to rock the ole school piece sign! >

Amy & Tony

2009-06-02T09:33:00.005-04:00

I luv beautiful couples~ And, as we all should know> beauty is on the inside. These two have an amazing story of how they met and their luv was so evident throughout the whole day ~ Amy and Tony met when Tony's Dad was diagnosed with cancer. Amy currently works at a cancer center where she has helped Tony's Dad and Family. There they both fell madly in luv and yes the rest in history. They are perfect for each other and I wish them nothing but happiness for the rest of their lives~

They were wed at an intimate church in Indianapolis and their reception was beautiful. It overlooked a lake with the warmth of the setting sun giving us a perfect backdrop for evening images.

***The FotoBooth was again an INSANE time for everyone! The backdrop even came down at one point!!!! It is SO MUCH FUN to see the crowd gather around as people bring props and their krazy personalities!!! If you are looking for a way to capture everyone at your reception this is it! And really, who likes their picture taken at their table while their eating? NOT ME!!!!

Thanks again you 2 for allowing me to capture not only your Wedding Day, but also the luv and beauty of your lives together.

Enjoy~

Just a few from the Fotobooth that night!!!

Meagan and Eric

2009-05-26T09:38:00.003-04:00

I had the priviledge to hang out with 2 wonderful people a week ago on one of the happiest days of their lives together. Meagan and her bridesmaids were pampered that morning with multiple stylists and makeups artists in her home. All the ladies were saying how much they loved how everyone came to them and they could stay relaxed and at home... :) The make-up artists were using air brushes to apply a beautiful base which apparently works great with high-end digital cameras like the ones we use - who knew~!

Their ceremony was held at St. Mary's Church downtown Indianapolis. As most people know~ this location is always amazing! The architecture and space is gorgeous, so it was easy to get great images~ After the ceremony I stole them both and grabbed a quick shot in the old stairwell which has sooo much character! Thanks to them both for allowing me to be creative and grab these amazing shots!

Congrats Meagan and Eric on a gorgeous wedding!

Enjoy~

Whitney & Justin Get Married!

2009-05-18T09:38:00.003-04:00

Oh my~ This wedding was sooo beautiful. First we start with a beautiful Saturday in May, then we add a Suite at the Marriott in Downtown Indy, several thousand people running just outside the hotel (the Indy Mini), the Capital Building everyone knows is absolutely GORGEOUS and then throw in a PERFECT Carriage ride after the ceremony to the Circle. Whew!

I can't say enough about these two! They both were so much fun to work with and the Bridal Party was definitely full of life! I wish I could post hundreds of images from their day, but I don't think the blog could handle it! Whitney and Justin you both are genuine and perfectly made for one another!

If you'd like to see more images check out>
http://joelcookston.com/StrangeSlideshow

Thank you both for choosing me to capture your day! We had a beautiful time with you all!

Enjoy~

Kaitlin Smith + Senior Shoot = GORGEOUS!

2009-05-08T09:30:00.006-04:00

MTV comes to Greenfield!

So I received a call a few weeks back from a mother of a Senior in Greenfield. Now, typically it is the mother who calls me to schedule a session, but this one was a bit different. She went on to tell me her daughter had been selected by MTV to be on the show called "Made". This is where they take high school kids and give them a wish come true. Well, Kaitlin Smith wanted to ride in a MotoX dirt bike competition. SO, for the past month she has been training with a coach MTV flew in from Orange County, CA. The MTV film crew has been staying in Greenfield shooting everything Kaitlin Smith does.

We finally got a break in the weather and were able to go out this week to shoot. I'll admit it - I'm quite proud of these images. I used a new toy which allows me to take a beautiful studio light outdoors and create amazing images.

Good luck Kaitlin at the race this weekend!!!! I know you'll do great!

Enjoy~

Rebecca & Bob

2009-05-08T09:10:00.006-04:00

Another glorious Saturday brought Rebecca Riegle and Robert Steuer together! We've been quite lucky the last few weekends with rain through the week and beautiful weather on Saturday! I just hope it lasts until mid November!!!

Both Becca & Bob are the most layed back people you'll ever meet. Their personalities and even their facial expressions were so very similar - I could just tell they were meant for each other. :) The ceremony location was absolutely beautiful with sun drenching the entire front of the sanctuary. The warm glow of the setting sun and the stained glass windows directly behind made for spectacular images! We all then headed downtown Indy to shoot and party the night away at the Rathskeller.

Thank you both for allowing us to capture your day and be with you every step of the way!

btw - Brian White helped me shoot this wedding - I just luv that guy!

Enjoy~

luv this one> father & son

The heels just had to come off!!!

Beahm Family

2009-05-05T11:05:00.002-04:00

Life is a such a beautiful thing and the opportunity to capture and preserve Life's moments is the best thing about my job! Drew and Carrie Beahm have been in our lives for a long time now. We all met in High School and now they actually live 2 minutes from our home. When Drew and Carrie found out they were having twins - it was quite the shocker amongst all of us! Needless to say it's been absolutely wonderful to shoot Carrie's Maternity as well as the new arrival of their beautiful girls (2)!!!

Since we did the Maternity session sooo close to the arrival, it's nice to have both sets of images in one post!

Enjoy and Congratulations you 5!!! ;)

Bridget & Michael

2009-04-28T09:07:00.004-04:00

We had an amazing time with these two last weekend! I absolutely luv it when my couples plan to take time out of their Wedding Day and plan a trip just for their images. So, after the ceremony we all packed up and drove over to the IMA which is a perfect backdrop for just about anything! The weather was perfect and everyone had such a great time on this warm spring day!

During the reception "Josh and the Empty Pockets" played original songs and cover songs. This band, by the way, was insanely good. I'm a pretty harsh critic of music and bands, but when 3 of the 4 band members can hit all their notes with style, well lets just say I'm a big fan now! If you can book this band for your Wedding Day YOU SHOULD!!!!

Enjoy of the images from this beautiful wedding AND thank yo Bridget and Michael for allowing us to capture your day!

FOTOBOOTH!!!! This was our first time to setup our Fotobooth during a Wedding Reception and it was soo much fun! Brian White helped me pull this off as there were A LOT of people lined up to have fun in the Fotobooth. As you'll see from the images - this is a great way to capture EVERYONE at your reception!!!!

The limit of 3-4 people at a time went out the window! How many people can we fit in the Fotobooth!!!

The Father of the Bride feeling the pains of paying for the Wedding! :)

AND, yes, Brian and I just had to get a few as well!

Yes, the bottle was empty! ;)

PureFun 2009

2009-03-13T08:12:00.009-04:00

Last night was the annual Pure Fun event hosted in Greenfield, IN. I've been blessed to be apart of this thriving event since it began about 4 years ago. Basically it's a rally for middle schoolers and high schoolers to promote the luv of Christ in Schools and in our community. It's also a strong push for sexual morality through these insanely tough times for kids.

This year they had a battle of the bands/ comic stand-up and asked me to shoot images for promotion. It was so much fun to hang out with these young kids!!! I forget how awkward we were in middle/high school.... it's so nice to grow and find out who we are and not have to worry about what others think (as much:).... All of the bands and the comic stand-up did an amazing job! Seriously... I couldn't imagine getting up on stage back at 15 and performing to an audience of some 700 peers!!! I was thoroughly impressed! I wish I had video to share...

Post a comment on the subject - luv to hear your thoughts - or give a link to a bad middle/high school pic! :)

**By the way - these images were not taken in the studio - I had to shoot these in the hallway at Brandywine Church in Greenfield! (this is where creativity comes into play:)

Enjoy~

Baby Boy - Hudson

2009-03-11T09:43:00.003-04:00

This family of 3 was sooo sweet. I just luv newborns and new parents. They are so gentle and sweet to their little ones. lol - Not saying that those of us with multiple little ones are not sweet and gentle - we just have more practice at cleaning up the kitchen and talking on the phone while changing a diaper without missing a beat! ok maybe not me -but I've seen Jese do it just about everyday. :)

So this trio of sweetness came to the Studio just 6 days after lil' Hudson came into the world! I'm so blessed to see these tiny creations so early in life! Thanks again Sarah and Brian for coming such a long way!

Enjoy~

2009 Wedding Dates

2009-03-03T09:30:00.004-05:00

2009 is going to be an unbelievable year of GORGEOUS Weddings! I so excited for April to finally get here and get into full swing with weddings every weekend! In the mean time I'm working on a few new websites which will bring larger images and a cleaner look.

Also, for my 2009/2010 Brides we will be offering Bridal Sessions in the New Studio come the Spring time. You'll get to "practice" wearing your beautiful dress and shoot in a comfortable studio setting. We can provide Stylists and Make-up Artists so every image is just gorgeous! More info to come!!!

Oh and 1 more thing - as many of you know we are offering our FotoBooth for Wedding Receptions this year. We will be posting images soon from an event coming up! The FotoBooth will be setup during your reception and we will capture your guests in their true form!!! :) Our FotoBooth is a per hour fee and you will receive all the images and the usage rights to print them. We will also be offering a flip book so you can view every image!

2009 OPEN WEDDING DATES
June 20
July 25
Aug 8 and 15
Sept 12

If you refer a client to me you will receive a very nice gift along with your Wedding Package! :)

And I just can't post anything without images! So, here's the latest Wedding Album Design!

Happy Friday!!!!!!

2009-02-20T10:38:00.005-05:00

For some reason I'm super HAPPY today! Maybe it is b/c I shot 2 sessions yesterday on a new backdrop I just finished up for the Studio... Everyone knows how much I luv to shoot outdoors and so I've always wanted a blue sky on a rainy, cold and windy day... so I made myself one!

Here are a few teaser shots from yesterday with my sister and her 2 beautiful girls Jillian (the older) and Lauren (the younger) I can't get enough of these 2!

AND - many of you know Brian White. He is my partner in crime on just about every wedding I shoot. He's fantastic with people and luvs to find creative angles to capture beautiful moments.... And he's going to start shooting on his own which is so exciting! His website will be up shortly so everyone has to give him luv! Check his blog out at BrianAllenCreative

He posted a few of these shots as well - and yes when we get together there's no telling what's going to happen!

Enjoy~

Studio Luv

2009-02-13T09:54:00.004-05:00

Happy Friday everyone! I can't believe we're already half-way through February 09'. This year is going to fly by - I can just see it already! So, the other night Jese and I decided to head out to the studio (which is in the back of our property :) and have some fun shooting the fam. Needless to say all kids sessions usually are the same - a ton of krazy images and every once in a while you get that one image. And we all know what image that is - it's the one where the child is still, calm and looking directly at the camera. It's like when a butterfly lands on you... you stop breathing for a split second hoping to capture the moment before it quickly disappears. At least that's what I think...

And yes, I do know where Aaron get's his energy and krazy personality from!

Enjoy~

Michael and Bridget E Session

2009-02-04T14:34:00.003-05:00

If images could speak these would be frozen! Michael and Bridget braved the elements and the chilly weather to make sure their engagement images were done in time for their save-the-date cards. They both assured me that they loved the cold weather and not to worry about them during our time together. Despite the chilly temps we all had such a great time walking around downtown Indy shooting their E session. I'm really looking forward to their wedding this year which is also downtown on the circle!

Thanks again you 2 for making my job so easy!

Enjoy~

New Studio Sessions!

2009-02-04T07:28:00.020-05:00

Happy Wednesday to everyone! I'm so excited to share with everyone the first few studio sessions of 2009. Instead of a traditional posting with images I thought what better way to show multiple shoots than to create a slideshow set to Barlow Girl's - "No One Like You" - these girls rock and have a great style.

So, thank you to all of my clients who continue to ask me to capture their growing families and changing lives!!! My family continues to grow with every new person I meet. Have I said lately how much I luv my job!!!

Thanks to the Misch Family, the LaRosa Family, the McConnell Family, the Collins Family, the Smith Family, and the Manship Family! You all are so great to work with!

Enjoy~

Studio Slideshow Link

Beautiful Products

2009-01-29T13:23:00.003-05:00

Happy Thursday everyone! One of my couples recently ordered a large canvas print and I just wanted to brag on them for a sec... The image was one of those that just happened and I was lucky enough to capture it! Apparently they luved it just as much as I did and ordered a 24x36 Canvas!!! It just arrived today and looks gorgeous!~ I'm so excited for them>

Taken in the New Studio> (i'll post more images of the Studio soon - still waiting on prints for the walls!)

And I had to post a snap shot my beautiful wife took of Aaron and I playing in the snow! We absolutely luv the snow!

Sears Wedding

2009-01-19T10:28:00.011-05:00

An absolute beautiful start to 2009! Josiah and Lyndee had a beautiful winter wedding. You might remember them from their E Session this past summer. Lyndee and her Bridesmaids started out early at the salon and were treated to a delicious breakfast table in the Salon. Josiah and his groomsmen were more laid back around the kitchen table in the home of his best man. The dynamics of both parties getting ready is so much fun to experience with my clients.

The sanctuary at Park Chapel was so beautiful! They had decorated the entire stage with 10 foot live pine trees, snow and giant vases with candles and white lilies - GORGEOUS! The weather also turned out perfect - around 40 degrees that day - so after the ceremony we cruised downtown to shoot around the circle!

The Reception was hosted at the Eiteljorg Museum which Sarah Bean is an all star there at the Museum. She is the point of contact for the Museum Events Scheduling. Thanks Sarah for all your help!!! Also, Cons Catering not only prepared the exquisite food for the evening, but also did an amazing job of food design.

David Jackson from Premiere Events coordinated everything at the reception. David and his team did an amazing job of keeping everything running smoothly and were absolutely great to work with!

Tony Ferris from McNamara Florist designed and arranged all the floral pieces for the event as well.

Thanks to all the vendors who made this wedding spectacular!

And thanks to all my friends at Park Chapel, the Sears and Arnold Families for truly making this a beautiful wedding for Josiah and Lyndee!

Enjoy~

Several Brides have asked if I create "formal" images of family and friends - so I wanted to show a few formal images (still relaxed and fun!)

Check out the Groomsmen's Chuck Taylors!

A few gorgeous details at the reception.

This image came after the "smoosh the cake in the face" series! I chose this image of all the Bridemaids cleaning Lyndee's face! Priceless!

One of my favorites - Josiah (the groom) catch'n some air!

A Photographers Dream! 100+ people on the dance floor!

The Young Apprentice

2009-01-12T13:13:00.003-05:00

So, over the Holidays I had several large family shoots in the New Studio... The image below is from the session with my Dad's Mother and Brothers (and all the kids!). Aaron (my boy :) got a little plastic camera for Christmas and during the shoot started mimicking me. It was to greatest thing for me to see! He would even look at the back of his camera to preview the image... like me.

The greatest job in the world...

**Several Shoots coming to the Blog from the New Studio and a few E Sessions from Downtown Indy from over the Holidays as well.

Enjoy~

Remembering Christmas

2009-01-09T10:40:00.003-05:00

Hi All~

So, I know it's past Christmas and most of us have recovered... i hope! I came across this video on Becker's Blog and I just had to share it. Whatever your beliefs are it's good to re-evaluate what we do...

The Advent Conspiracy Promo Video from theadvance on Vimeo.

HAPPY 2009!!!!!

2009-01-05T09:59:00.004-05:00

OH MY! And a Happy 2009 to Everyone!!! This past weekend was extraordinary in so, so many ways! First we started off on Saturday with the FIRST WEDDING OF 2009! And what a way to start off 2009! It's hard to describe just how beautiful everything was. The companies and vendors involved did such a unbelievable job - thanks to everyone who made this day perfect for Josiah and Lyndee Sears (I'll have a listing of vendors as soon as we have the all the images done).

Below are just 2 gorgeous images from our Day on Saturday... If you attended the Perfect Wedding Guide Show at the Scottish Rite this weekend you are the lucky ones who got to see many more images of this wedding!. And speaking of the Show on Saturday and Sunday... If I missed you on Saturday please feel free to call and arrange a time so we can meet at my Studio and talk about your Wedding Day!

Also, BluFalls Arts and Events Center was with me at the Show and FYI - they will be the BEST CEREMONY AND RECEPTION FACILITY IN CENTRAL INDIANA by the Summer of this year. Clark Costerison is the owner of BluFalls which is scheduled to be completed by February (it's Brand Spank'n New). Please check them out b/c I really want to shoot there as soon as it opens! (www.BluFalls.com)

Enjoy and Happy New Year!

Michael and Ashley

2009-01-05T08:35:00.007-05:00

What a beautiful wedding this turned out to be... Everything was all set for the ceremony and the reception. The locations were gorgeous and everything was perfect... until - the weather changed the Friday night before the wedding and it rained about 2 inches. Needless to say the outdoor heated tent could not survive sooo much water. So, all morning on Saturday all the vendors and companies involved moved EVERYTHING indoors which was unbelievable to see!

In the end everything was perfect - the ceremony was beautiful and the images we were able to capture were priceless. We really liked how there was a balcony overlooking the ceremony (similar to the Scottish Rite Cathedral).

Thanks again Michael and Ashley for lettings us capture your day!

**On a side note I am using one of Ashley's images on my new marketing and promo material! I think the image is gorgeous!

Enjoy~

Exciting Updates!

2008-12-16T15:28:00.003-05:00

Ok - So there's a reason why I haven't been on top of things lately (i.e. the BLOG) - seriously. As some of you know, over the last 6 months we have been building a studio here in Pendleton where I can shoot without constraints and with limitless possibilities. Now then, I am not (repeat), not, your typical portrait studio shooter. I've never been quite excited about going to a "portrait session" of sorts. I remember the photographer twisting and turning my head in weird and unusual positions. And, those backdrops just kill me! Now - I know there are a lot of people - a lot - who like the traditional poses and backdrops, and that's why there are photographers who like to do this type of shooting.

However, I like to think outside the box - way outside the box and see what fresh and exciting ideas can be had! Ok - so I'm on my soap box and rambling. The exciting update is that the NEW STUDIO is almost complete! If you remember back in May we were having the concrete poured. Well after 6 months and some hard work (I've never worked sooo hard on something in my life!) we are about to open the doors. The NEW STUDIO will be equipped with a digital backdrop where my clients will be able to choose from hundreds of images, colors or provide me with an image of their choice. How cool is that! :)

Of course I've had a few sessions already among the dust and power tools. In fact, here are a few beautiful images from the last studio session!

Enjoy~

Wedding Preview

2008-11-17T17:22:00.002-05:00

We had a beautiful time this past weekend with Michael and Ashley! There we a few huge last minute changes (like the location!!!) that really worked out oh so well and the images are spectacular...of course I'm bias though.

Here's a preview of what's to come!

Enjoy~

Whitney and Justin

2008-11-12T14:19:00.002-05:00

E Sessions in the Fall!!! Oh how I miss the warm days and the leaves full with color... This fall went by entirely too fast! Fortunately for these two we were able to put in a day at the IMA when the leaves were in full color and the weather was much, much warmer!

I'm really looking forward to there wedding next year! Whitney and Justin were so much fun to work with and had great ideas which we just ran with!

Enjoy~

Lyndee and Josiah

2008-11-05T08:28:00.002-05:00

I'm so excited to work with these two! As many couples as I get the chance to hang out with and photograph, I always, always love to shoot couple who are krazy in luv! Well... it does make it uber easy for me because they're all over each other and I don't have to coax them into funny looking positions! Not to mention they're both very easy on the eyes!!! I can't wait to shoot their wedding this January at the Eiteljorg, downtown indy.

Also, at their wedding we will be premiering our new photobooth setup for our couples during their reception. This gives everyone the opportunity to have fun, candid and krazy photos taken for the B&G. More to come on the photobooth!!!

And, yes... I went a little krazy on posting images from their E Session! :)

Enjoy~

Jacks at the Orchard

2008-10-31T08:34:00.002-04:00

Ok - so hands down the best place to shoot on the East side of Indy is Tuttle's Family Orchard. The lighting was perfect and the kids were having soo much fun! And as we all know when the kids have fun - the adults can enjoy themselves!!! :)

I get the opportunity to shoot these 2 families every year and it's so much fun to see the kids grow and change more and more every year! Course us parents seem to stay the same - at least let's hope so!!! :)

Enjoy~

Richelle and Daniel

2008-10-29T11:24:00.002-04:00

Luv these 2! Another great couple I get the opportunity to work with and meet! Have I said lately how much I luv my job! :)

Enjoy~

Ashley and Michael

2008-10-27T09:36:00.006-04:00

This E Session reminds me of warmer days!!! I can't believe how cold it is today!

I had a great time with these 2! Ashley and Michael are getting married in 2 weeks, so this E Session was great for all of us to hang out and get to know each other!

I can't wait for their wedding! I'm sure we'll have a blast shooting at the Life Center!

Enjoy~

E Session!!!

2008-10-24T13:14:00.008-04:00

Updating my Blog is soo much fun for me... really!! :) It's just that I don't have near enough time to Blog every session!!! :(

Update: THE NEW STUDIO IN PENDLETON IS ALMOST COMPLETE!!! HOORAY!!! STARTING NOV. 14TH STUDIO SESSIONS WILL NOW BE AVAILABLE!!! HOORAY!!! I'll post some pics up as soon as all the construction trash is removed. It looks like a war zone now!!!

Ok - so onto catching up on the Blog...

E Sessions to come on the Blog:
Kaelyn + Ryan
Shelly + Greg
Richelle + Danielle
Ashley + Michael
Whitney + Justin
Lyndee + Josiah

Family Session to come on the Blog:
Jack Family
Hoovermale Family
Smith Family
Cherry Family

OMG! I just realized I'll be blogging non-stop for the next month - which is now my new goal!

Enjoy!

Balich Wedding

2008-09-30T14:04:00.009-04:00

Oh my! You might remember these two energetic luv birds from their E Session back in July. We had an unbelievably great time at their wedding held at the Paramount Theater. I think the images speak for themselves, but Kelly was such a gorgeous Bride. And, Chris had charisma oozing out his ears!

Thank you both for allowing us to capture you wedding day and meet all your krazy friends! :)

Enjoy~

To see the full slide show click here.

As the night progressed things got a bit krazy! Here Chris's bestman downs a fish in his beer. Click on the image to enlarge and see the protein in his drink! :0

Album Shoot

2008-09-30T13:15:00.003-04:00

Every now and then I get the opportunity to work with up and coming musicians. For this shoot I worked with Gaither Studios to concept, shoot and design a new album for Erica Schwartz. Her music is throw-back 40s, 50s and 60s. So we just had to use an old school microphone and a vintage car. Thanks to Lyle for letting us use his 60' Corvette!

Enjoy~

Jack Twins

2008-09-30T13:06:00.003-04:00

Dan and Marj Jack are such wonderful people. We've known them both for some time now, first meeting them at Park Chapel where we hang out with many, many, many other good people!

Their oldest boy Ian is our son's age, so they play together quite often. Anyhow, they just had the most gorgeous pair of boys a few weeks ago. This way my first newborn twin shoot and it was sooo much fun.

Thank you, Dan and Marj, for allowing me to share in the first few days of your beautiful little boys!

Enjoy~

Russell and Anne

2008-09-22T08:31:00.009-04:00

You might remember these 2 from their E session back in May. Anne and Russell are so full of life and energy you can't help but to sing along to their impromptu karaoke and air guitar sessions! There wedding was in Downtown Greenfield at a gorgeous old church. The windows were all stained glass and a giant pipe organ gave us a gorgeous backdrop! We then headed to Greenwood for their reception. It's always sooo much fun when people fill the dance floor! Even Anne's Grandma came out to show us some moves!

Thank you both for letting us hang out with you and capture every moment of your day!

Enjoy~

luv, luv this one with her Dad in the background with a smile on his face from ear to ear!

Lil' Vacation time...

2008-09-22T08:12:00.008-04:00

Between the wedding, newborns and family shoots our family was able to squeeze in a few weeks of beach time in Michigan City this summer. These images bring back such fun memories it's hard not to go back every weekend! We were fortunate enough to rent a house right off the beach and the water looked like the Caribbean (which completely surprised us all).

Has summer 2008 already passed by... I guess it has, but on a high note we enjoyed our time SOOO much we have already rented another house for next year!!!

Enjoy!

Aaron (our energetic boy) and Jillian (my sister's daughter)

Alaina (our lil' one), Jillian and Aaron

Brad and Naomi

2008-09-22T08:06:00.002-04:00

What a beautiful day it was to shoot an E session with these 2 luv-birds! I had so much fun with these two and I'm sure there wedding in Jamaica next year will be gorgeous!

Enjoy~

Ian and Rachael

2008-09-05T15:35:00.012-04:00

These 2 are hard to keep track of! Ian (the groom) is currently working in Chicago and Rachael (the Bride) is finishing Grad school in Michigan. They actually got married in Cincinnati, so it was a tri-state affair. Funny story - there was a marathon taking place the morning of their wedding day which was completed unexpected. The roads opened for traffic about 30 minutes prior to the wedding.

Needless to say everything went so well! Ian actually surprised his Bride at the reception flying in his Quartet partners from across the country and serenaded his new Bride. The crowd went crazy after they were done and they received a standing ovation! I could hardy shoot, I wanted to clap sooo bad!

It was a wonderful weekend from the Rehearsal dinner on Friday night through the post party even after the reception concluded!

Thanks, you 2, for warmly invited us to capture and experience the entire occasion!

Enjoy~

If you would like to see their entire wedding slideshow please click the link below:

http://joelcookston.com/MartinezWedding/

Kate Baker

2008-09-05T15:26:00.002-04:00

What am absolutely gorgeous little girl Kate is! Her parents Kristi and Keith have brought me along on her journey through this world shooting her newborn images almost 6 months ago! I can hardy believe it's been 6 months already.

It's an unbelievable opportunity for me to experience these beautiful kids grow!

Have I said lately how much I enjoy my job...course it's not really work for me!

Enjoy~

Blogging Update!

2008-08-27T08:30:00.005-04:00

Hi everyone! So, I've caught a lot of flack lately due to the fact I haven't posted anything is some time now!

Well, the past few weeks have been absolutely packed with fantastic, gorgeous and spectacular weddings - weddings and more weddings. Between all the weddings I managed to squeeze in a few newborn sessions and family sessions. Over the next few weeks look forward to these amazing images captured.

So, here's the first few...

The Foley Family has warmly made me apart of their family! You might remember their family session last fall. They asked me to come and share the first few moments in their new one's life - Gareck Foley. He is a beautiful little one...

Enjoy~

Chris and Kelly

2008-07-21T14:23:00.003-04:00

So these two were about as energetic and krazy as they get!! And I luv-d every minute of it! I'm really looking forward to their wedding at the Paramount Theatre which should be very dramatic and rich!

Enjoy~

Trying something a little different with the color... thoughts?

And back to full color rock'n...

Smith Family

2008-07-21T14:18:00.003-04:00

I absolutely love following my clients and friends through life! This little guy I was lucky enough to capture on the 4th day being in the world... and now he's 6 months! We had a beautiful morning at the park hanging out and playing with toys (as all boys like to do!).

Oh, and the first outfit was Chad's (the little guy's dad) when he was 6 months! Of course this was a mandate from Chad's mom! :)

Enjoy~

Ritz Charles Bridal Show

2008-07-08T10:08:00.000-04:00

As many of you know I recently attended the Ritz Charles Bridal Show last month. Normally I wouldn't blog about attending a Bridal Show, but when I received the Advertising Packet for next year's show (2009) I just had to post this!!!

While the design and photography could use a little bit of a redesign, needless to say I made the cover. How much fun... I'd like to give the couple in the photo beside me a $200 wedding album credit just for fun!

If anyone knows them - do let them know!!

Enjoy~

The Davis Family

2008-07-08T09:55:00.000-04:00

Oh, the Davis Family! This family is near and dear to my heart. My sister (Marlo Cookston/Davis) married into this lovely family several years back. I also went to school and played varsity soccer with Joe Davis at AU. So, needless to say I shot a gazillion images for these happy people!

They were actually all packed up for their family vacation which they were leaving for right after the session. The lighting was perfect and all the little ones did sooo well!

Thanks again Davis Family!

Enjoy~

Ian and Rachel E Session

2008-07-08T09:23:00.000-04:00

These two were sooo much fun to work with! I can't wait for their wedding date next month! We actually went into a furniture store and they both jumped into the window display with the plastic cheesecake and coffee mugs!!! I luv it when my clients are themselves around me! :)

Enjoy~

Michael and Jenna

2008-07-07T17:40:00.000-04:00

These two were so easy to work with. On the day of their wedding lightening struck the church where we were shooting and all the power went out! The sound system and the lighting board blew out when the bolt hit. So, there we were with emergency lights in the sanctuary and no sound or lighting system for shooting. Luckily they were able to manually turn a few lights on for us and away we went!

I never heard them once complain about the situation or even start to worry! The ceremony was beautiful and all the music was acoustic due to the sound being down. :) After yet ANOTHER storm rolled through the Country Club, where the reception was being held, the weather finally cleared. The walls came down off the reception tent and I was able to shoot some fantastic images for them!

Thanks again to Michael and Jenna for being such wonderful clients to work with!

Enjoy~

Michael and Jenna

2008-06-26T14:27:00.000-04:00

Wow! What an unbelievably busy weekend! Weddings on Friday and Saturday as well as the Indianapolis Monthly Bridal Show at the Ritz Charles in Carmel on Sunday. Whew...

So here's a quick image of Michael and Jenna Hardy from over this past weekend. Their wedding was one I'll never forget. I'll blog more when I have the images done... let's just say I've never been hit by lightening before!!!

Mavris Shoot

2008-06-26T13:38:00.000-04:00

This was not my typical wedding event! Simple Decadence Catering hired me to shoot for their wedding event last Friday at the Mavris in downtown Indianapolis.

I was asked to creatively document the entire event design including room layout, food prep and hosting, table presentation and of course the fabulous cake. Clark Costerison from Simple Decadence Catering hired Kelcy Scott from A Slice of Heaven Cakery to provide the fabulous cake design. Kelcy is a fantastic baker and cake design professional! In fact Jese and I always have her supply us with every cake we need from birthdays to graduations and of course all of our wedding clients!

On a side note: the Bride and Groom were wondering all night who I was! :)

Enjoy~!

The most beautiful kids in the world!

2008-06-19T09:48:00.000-04:00

Ok, so I'm bias - just a little bit. These two are ours! Aaron is turning 3 in August and Alaina just turned 1. Aaron is a firecracker and is nicknamed "Hurricane" b/c of the damage he can do in a short period of time! Alaina is the sweetest thing and smiles all the time (unless hungry, tired or needs a quick change!).

I absolutely love how my career allows me time to hang out with these two during the day and enjoy watching them grow and explore their new world. I'm getting mushy so here' a few cute ones!

Enjoy~!

Alaina Newborns>

Alaina 6 months>

Alaina 8 months>

Alaina 1 year>

Aaron 2 years>