I love the witchy, dark, and moody vibe of early evenings in the fall, and Sara + Jared were totally on board! Enjoy these gorgeous photos and help me wish a big congrats to these two on their engagement!
-Sam
We roamed around the campus, stopping at Bascom Hall and the Allen Centennial Gardens along the way, and barely escaped the early evening rain (which I feel like is Wisconsin in a nutshell, so it’s a great way to spend the week before you move!) Congrats to Austin and good luck to him and Joe (and the puppies!) as they start their next adventure!
-Sam
Wedding number two was just as fun as wedding number one, but with more guests and surrounded by the whimsical beauty of the Madison Children’s Museum! Check out wedding Part One here!
These two were the first couple to have a wedding ceremony on the new Wonderground structure at the Children’s Museum. Their sunset ceremony was absolute perfection!
Help me wish a BIG congratulations to Terry + Leah, and enjoy the photos!
-Sam
Here are the vendors (with links) that helped make Terry + Leah’s wedding celebration awesome!
Ceremony & Reception Venue: Madison Children’s Museum
Officiant: Eldonna Hazen, First Congregational UCC
DJ: Vital Image
Videographer: Steve Donovan
Terry’s Wedding Gown: David’s Bridal
Leah’s Wedding Suit: Indochino
Bridal Accessories: Dress My Wedding, LLC
Wedding Rings: Jeweler's Workshop
Hair Stylist: Serena Hesse, Serena's Hair Now
Dessert Bars: The Roman Candle
Catering: Banzo
Which is basically the most convenient place you can have a portrait session, and it allowed us to sneak in some photos with the dogs indoors, and sneak in some outdoor photos in between rain drops!
Enjoy these fun family photos, and give all your doggos (and kitties) pets for me!
-Sam
When the couple whose wedding you’re photographing once dressed up as Ron Swanson from Parks and Rec and Karen from Will and Grace (the ultimate real-life power couple) for Halloween as an adorable inside joke, you know you’re in for a fun-filled and good time kind of wedding day! They even snuck their puppy Myles for some photos!
I met Tori + Kevin for the first time on their wedding day and was instantly charmed, not only by the two of them, but also by the vibe of the day, and how sweet and friendly everyone was, and the rest of the wedding day only got better as the sun got lower!
A BIG congratulations to Tori + Kevin, and enjoy these super sweet wedding pics below!
-Sam
Here are the vendors (with links) who helped make their wedding day awesome!
Ceremony & Reception Venue: Garver Feed Mill
Officiant: Justin Miller (friend of the couple)
Bridal Gown: Vera’s House of Bridals
Groom’s Suit: Men’s Wearhouse
Wedding & Engagement Rings: Brilliant Earth
Hair Stylist: Marie Hemming (my fave!!!) of Love + Light Hairdressing
Florist: Laura The Kind Flower
Wedding Desserts & Catering: Garver Feed Mill
Coffee: Ledger Coffee Roasters
Decor Rental: Event Essentials
Their wedding was one of the first weddings we’ve done this year that felt a little more like “the before times” and it was wonderful to get to see them enjoy such a long-awaited (and once postponed) wedding day in true Madison-style at the Memorial Union Terrace!
We loved getting to celebrate in style with these two and their friends and families (and it was so fun to be on a party bus again!) Congratulations to Patrick + Aaron!
-Sam
Here are the wedding vendors (with links) who helped make Patrick + Aaron’s wedding day awesome!
Ceremony + Reception Venue: Memorial Union Terrace
DJ: Amy Midle, Polished Entertainment
Hair Stylist: Nichole Mick, All About You Salon & Spa
Florist: Kelly Deterding, Heather Hill Floral Design
Dessert: Madison Sourdough
Catering: Wisconsin Union
I’ve been wanting to review the Sigma 35mm f/1.4 ART Lens ever since I first put it on my camera, but I’ve been so busy using it that I never got around to it, and then ultimately forgot about equipment reviews entirely for about 3 years (whoops…). Now that I’ve remembered though, the first lens I wanted to review is my all-time favorite lens, and the one both Rob and I use most frequently for weddings and portraits! For those who haven’t checked out an equipment review by us, we keep it pretty high-level and straight to the point, and our focus generally is on applications for wedding or portrait photography. With that said, here we go!
Great For The Following:
Wedding photography where the size of the space you’re in may change frequently
Portraits (the bokeh with this lens is amazing)
Family formals for small groups
Non-macro close-up shots
Low light settings like wedding receptions
Street photography
Would Not Recommend For:
Wide angle photography (there isn’t much I wouldn’t recommend this lens for, clearly)
If there is any “con” to this lens, it’s that from particularly far away, it isn’t always tack sharp, but that’s asking quite a lot from a single lens that is so amazing in all other ways. This lens is so incredibly versatile (whether you’re on a full-frame or crop sensor), and the bokeh is so beautiful (have I mentioned that yet?!) that I wouldn’t hesitate to use it in nearly any situation. It’s even amazingly sharp on fine detail, despite not being a macro lens.
Hands down, if I could only shoot on one lens for the rest of my life, this would be it! Check out the images below, all taken by Rob or I on our Sigma 35mm f/1.4 Art lenses (we each have one, that way we don’t have to fight over it), and if you’re so inclined, tell us what you love (or don’t) about the 35mm if you have one!
-Sam
If you're like me, you probably love looking at what equipment other photographers use! I find it endlessly fascinating (although admittedly, I'm a photography nerd). So, since I totally dig it when other photographers share what equipment they're using, I wanted to do the same!
Canon EOS R5 Mirrorless (Sam’s primary camera)
After making the switch to mirrorless, I can see what folks are raving about! The moveable LCD screen is very handy for getting shots from odd and interesting angles, and the performance of the camera is excellent. I love everything about it except that the battery life isn’t quite as long as DSLRs, so if you’re shooting weddings or other longer events, just make sure to have an extra battery on hand
Canon EOS 5D Mark IV (Rob’s primary camera)
This is a badass camera body, and it's the one Rob uses in his day to day and for weddings, and while it doesn’t have all the bells and whistles of the R5 (the LCD screen is stationary for instance), it produces excellent images and is the best DSLR for weddings hands down
Canon 6D Mark II (Sam’s backup camera)
I wanted a full-frame sensor for my backup camera body, since I do shoot with two camera bodies on wedding days to avoid a lot of lens switch outs, and the 6D Mark II is a great backup body that performs well in low light
Canon EOS 7D Mark II Rob’s backup camera)
If you don't need a full-frame sensor, the 7D Mark II is the way to go! It's a workhorse camera with excellent low light performance and so is great for wedding photography if you’re on a tighter equipment budget
Sigma 35mm f/1.4 Art Lens for Canon
I have barely taken this lens off my camera since I got it! It's sharp, fast and accurate auto-focus, and has the dreamiest bokeh imaginable (seriously gorgeous) and the focal length also makes this a very versatile lens as well - this is definitely my go-to lens!
Sigma 24mm f/1.4 Art Lens for Canon
In my time as a wedding photographer, I’ve struggled to “zoom out” and get those beautiful, wide-angle shots, in part because I’d never found a wide angle lens that I actually liked, but now that I’ve got the 24mm from Sigma, the world of stunning, scene-capturing wide angle shots is mine!
Sigma 50mm f/1.4 Art Lens for Canon
Okay, this is also an amazing lens, and I just love all of my Sigma lenses so much it's not even funny
Canon EF 100mm Macro f/2.8 Lens
This lens is a great prime lens to use as a telephoto during wedding ceremonies (particularly outdoors) and a great macro lens to capture close-up details like rings, etc. (This lens seriously takes the best ring shots)
Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L Lens
We call this lens The Beast, and with good reason! It's not for the faint of heart, or weak of arm! It's a heavy but magnificent lens that's sharp, great for getting that close up feel I love during moments where perhaps we can't get that close (wedding ceremonies anyone?) Be prepared to have sore arms the next day, but at least you’ll be able to admire the gorgeous images you got while you were getting in that upper body workout!
Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L Lens
This is such a versatile lens, particularly for wedding photographers, and even though I generally prefer prime lenses (lenses that don’t zoom), the 24-70mm will always hold a special place in my heart
Godox V1 Speedlites
I cannot say enough wonderful things about this flash. We have 5 of them, and coupled with using one as a wireless transmitter (that can also itself fire flash or not, as you choose, or we also have several wireless transmitters), they create the easiest and quickest-to-use wireless lighting setup for off-camera flash imaginable! Plus the batteries are rechargeable lithium ion batteries, so gone are the days of bringing 50+ AA batteries with us to every wedding! (The flash recycle time can wane sometimes if you’re shooting on ETTL, and that’s my only complaint about these, but that’s an issue with all speedlites, which is why I tend to shoot in manual mode on my speedlites and when I do that, the recycle time is much faster)
SanDisk 64GB and 128GB Extreme PRO Memory Cards
You can also never have too many memory cards, and these are our favorites
Peak Design Camera Bag and Straps
I just ADORE this brand! It's stylish, unisex, and sturdy. <3
Rose Anvil Two Camera Leather Harness
I like this first and foremost because I look like a badass in it (very important), but second, because it allows me to have two camera bodies on me at all times, with different lenses, so I’m always ready whatever the shot calls for, and it takes all the pressure off my neck and lower back (yay!)
Sipsey Wilder Hip Bag
Yeah…. I know fanny packs were unfashionable for a very long time, but they’ve come a long way since the eighties and nineties, and Sipsey Wilder makes super stylish hip bags (i.e. not your mama’s fanny pack) that I can throw a few extra batteries, memory cards, and chapstick in so I’m prepared during the wedding day
Adobe Lightroom
Lightroom for LIFE! I've been hooked ever since the Beta came out back in 2006, and although I've shopped around, nothing beats it for intuitive workflow. There are also mobile versions that make on-the-go editing and culling a breeze
Adobe Photoshop
There are certain things Lightroom can’t do as well as Photoshop (though very few in my opinion) and adding texture to images for a more fine art feel is one of them, so we use Photoshop for that
I am so excited to share our camera bag info with you, and if there is anything in particular you'd like to see a review on, leave us a comment and let us know!
-Sam
The two of them wanted to have a simple and beautiful wedding day, and they absolutely nailed it! All of the small details of the day were absolutely perfect, as was the Pizza Brutta and the Baron’s Gelato (yum!). The wedding ceremony itself took place in a little area of Westmorland Park that’s tucked away almost like a little secret garden and Olivia + Jim’s closest friends and family were there to celebrate with them and cheer them on as they tied the knot. Their wedding vows even mentioned one of Olivia’s favorite things, which is all the adorable pet names Jim has for her (I’m a big fan of pet names so I just think this is the cutest)!
Congratulations to Olivia + Jim, and enjoy the photos of their beautiful wedding day!
-Sam
Here are all the wedding vendors (with links) that helped make their wedding day magical:
Ceremony & Reception Venue: Westmorland Park
Officiant: Jason Kirkwood (a friend of Jim’s from college)
Bridal Jumpsuit (!!!): Rebecca Schoneveld jumpsuit (via Honey Bridal wedding shop in Chicago)
Engagement Ring & Wedding Bands: William Thomas Custom Jewelry
Hair & Makeup: Lyndse at Aniu Salon
Desserts: Baked goods from Batch Bakehouse, Gelato from Baron’s Gelato, and guest cookie packs from The Missing Pastry
Catering: Pizza Brutta Mobile Pizza Oven
And the views of the Capitol building and the Orpheum on the Madison Museum of Contemporary Art (MMoCA) in the heart of Downtown Madison didn’t hurt either. ;)
Their wedding day theme was world-building, with the colors of the sea and sky worked into the details of their wedding day. Abby’s bouquet was made of paper flowers which were in turn made out of pages of The Hobbit (no one knows more about world-building than Tolkein), and instead of a unity candle, they symbolized their union with two adorable little birds making a nest together.
Help me wish Abby + Matt a hearty congrats, and enjoy all the lovely details and big moments from their wedding day!
-Sam
Here are all the vendors (with links) that helped make their wedding day awesome!
Ceremony & Reception Venue: Madison Museum of Contemporary Art (MMoCA)
Officiant: Dana Pellebon (friend of Bride & Groom)
Bridal Gown: Vera’s House of Bridals
Hair & Makeup: Where it's At Studio (Bride’s hair) & Brideheads for other Hair & Makeup
Wedding Jewelry: Jeweler's Workshop
Paper Bouquet & Boutonniere: Made by a friend
Florals: DIY
DJ: John Frerick (DJ Senseless)
Catering: Fresco
Wedding Desserts: Batch Bakehouse
Rentals: Projector from Game Crafter
Fiona’s 1 year portraits (check them out here) were the last family portraits I did before the pandemic, so it was nice to get to see Fiona 18 months older and to meet her new little sister, Winnie, for my first family portrait session post-vaccination!
Welcome to the world, Winnie!
-Sam
Which makes total sense since these two met through ballroom dance competitions. (How cool is that?!)
Their wedding day was hot as all heck, but absolutely gorgeous and filled with tons of laughs, delicious food, great music, and that was all in addition to the beautiful ceremony and amazing dancing!
Congratulations to Caitlin + Nick, and help me wish these two all the best!
-Sam
Here are the vendors (with links) that helped make Caitlin + Nick’s wedding day awesome!
Ceremony + Reception Venue: Harvest Moon Pond
Officiant: Eric Whaylen (friend of the couple)
Bridal Gown: Love Couture Bridal
Groom Tux: The Black Tux
Wedding Bands & Engagement Ring: Washington Diamond
Hair & Makeup: Arch Apothecary
Florist: Sunborn Gardens
Wedding Pies: Hubbard Ave Diner
Catering: Blue Plate Catering
Decor Rental: Black Sheep Events (formerly Eventfuls) for the Wedding Arch
