A few years ago, I met the super sweet and super talented Amy Hofacker, artist extraordinaire behind the whimsical watercolors of her business Funamals.  I was delighted by the colors and her technique and the art show I met her at was filled with her pretty work of not only pets, but woodland creatures, elephants and more. I snatched a card and ended up commissioning her to do a portrait of my own little pup Tanner last winter.

While enjoying a cup of coffee together a few weeks ago, we started chatting about her business, her new promotional materials and the excitement over her new handmade paper.  She wanted some pictures to promote her art and I couldn’t have been more delighted to spend some time with her and watch her work.  The art of photography is what I know and an artform I enjoy doing. But I have absolutely no skill when it comes to painting or drawing so to watch someone paint and have a picture come together before my eyes was a true delight!  Not only do I respect her work, but she’s also environmentally conscious by upcycling materials and using local vendors.  Her handmade paper is truly it’s own work of art…created by Whitney Korstange of Maple Street Paper Co. in Fremont, MI.

Amy specializes in painting custom pet portraits and has her work displayed on Etsy here.  She also does cards and other pretties so make sure to check out her work and follow her fun blog.  Funamals is also featured in local boutiques, including one of my personal favorites, Minty Keen.  Think of how unique a hand-painted watercolor of a loved little pet would be to a spouse, friend or family member!  Support our local artists and show them we value their work!

Courtney + Andrew + Logan found the very best day of the week to venture out to a favorite location of Logan’s for exploring, playing, walking, and enjoying the peacefulness of nature. Needless to say, following a three-year-old through the woods and around streams is definitely a workout, but it was incredibly fun and so worth it. It was an incredible privilege to capture meaningful photos for this happy family.

A few weeks ago I sat in my office, watching snow fall from my office window.  Those big, perfect fluffy snow flakes that even for those that hate winter, have to take notice and smile. It was one of those days I was inspired by the snow. The perfect white that covered all the dark and dreariness outside.  And it’s also just about the time of year that I haven’t shot any weddings in a few months and dearly miss photographing lovely people in love!

So a fun shoot was definitely in order and I knew that I couldn’t do it without collaborating with sweetie-pie Daisy of Pixel&Hank (remember some of our other fun shoots?).  And my dear friend Jamie and I have been talking for way too long about collaborating on something lovely together.  Jamie is the owner and talented videographer of Shutter Speed Productions and I just love her to pieces.  A few months back, the sweet couple featured here contacted me about the possibility of doing a ‘trash the dress’ session and I knew they would be perfect for this! I have known Jen since she was just a youngin’ and it still blows my mind she’s a married adult now.  She and Matt have big hearts and Matt loves this girl a lot.  For him to shiver through the session, rocking out a polka-dot bowtie in the middle of the woods…well, he didn’t do it for any other reason than for her alone ;).

A huge big thank you to the talented Stacy Jensen who came out to do hair and makeup (she rocks and it’s just not a collaboration without her) and to September’s Bride for the tux Matt wore.  And of course my parents who let a troop of girls take over their house and property.  Look for a little cameo from my little pup Tanner J. and my sweet little goats!   And make sure to click on the video link at the end of the blog post to see Jamie’s video of our shoot!

LOVE from Shutter Speed Productions on Vimeo.

When Nicole + Matt asked us to come out and photograph their family along with their beautiful baby girl, we couldn’t wait to meet her! It was also a great opportunity to see Nicole’s parents again and get photographs of some of their favorite things — their beautiful children, Jaye’s amazing home decor skills, Mike’s classic cars, and of course their gorgeous granddaughter, Ella. In her own words, Nicole penned the warmest note describing her thoughts about our history with this amazing family and what these photos have meant for the entire family:

At every family function, my mother’s homemade photo albums always end up being taken out at the end of the night. My two sisters, mom and I are usually cuddled up on the couch laughing and talking about something funny from a family holiday or reminiscing about our beloved dog Bernie Burns. Our family pictures are such a huge part of what makes us, us. My mother has instilled in each of us the love of our family albums and the time we spend together sharing our memories while looking through them.

That being said, meeting Jenni and Ulysses has been magical for us.  They photographed my wedding to my husband Matt in 2008 at Perona Farms, and when we met in person for the first time for our engagement shoot they greeted us with big hugs and made us feel so comfortable that they quickly became part of the family. At the end of our wedding, I remember actually feeling sad when they left, like saying goodbye to old friends.

Jenni and Ulysses take amazing photos without intruding on your special event.  Every year on our anniversary and even throughout the year, we receive friendly e-mails checking in to see how we are doing. They are very wonderful people that are not only amazing at their job but at making you feel special, as well. It was so much fun getting to do a family shoot with them and having my daughter Ella get to meet them.

More with Nicole + Matt.

Nicole + Mike have always been two of our biggest fans. And now we’re two of the biggest fans of their trio of gorgeous children! When you have a set of two-year-old twins along with an infant for an autumn beach outing, you know you’re in for a real treat! These photos have great importance to Nicole + Mike, and in their own words, here’s why:

Once our third child was born, Mike and I knew that we wanted to capture this very special time in our lives when all three of our children were still babies. We wanted to be sure that the portraits would capture the true feeling of our family and each of individual children’s little personalities. We knew from our wedding photos that Ulysses and Jenni would be a perfect match! We needed a studio that would be as concerned about the comfort of our children and the success of the session as we were. We also knew that we wanted art, not cute photos. We wanted this time in our family to be a permanent memory on our walls so that as our children grow we can always remember where we began. When we received the photos we were thrilled! They went directly from the box to the walls, where they will stay for years to come, just as planned!

We loved seeing this amazing twosome (now a fivesome… or a cinquesome?) again.

More with Nicole + Mike.

We’re so excited that Andrea asked us about taking portraits of their baby girl, Josie. We couldn’t wait to meet her! She was every bit as smiley and playful as we expected her to be. We love that Andrea shared with us her thoughts about what these photos mean to the family:

It was our first time taking pictures as a family, since I’m usually the one behind the camera! We really just wanted to remember this time with Josie since she’s been so cute and happy. Of course, it’s her first Christmas, too! We put her in a special winter outfit – her red Ralph Lauren coat and Ugg boots that were a gift from my mom. I especially love the photos of us on the front steps and at the park because Josie and I have spent a lot of time hanging out in both places! When the weather was warmer we would sit on the steps and watch for Joe to come home from work and, of course, we’ve taken many walks in the park. The canvas we ordered for our dining room is great – Josie noticed it right way and even pointed to it! She was smiling as I showed her all three of us: mamma, dadda and baby Josie.

More with Andrea + Joe.

Once again I had the fabulous opportunity to capture the Design 1 Fashion Show to benefit Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital this year.  The hair and makeup, as always, simply blew me away.  Photographing this looks is ridiculously fun…pink eyelashes, hair shaped into a sky-scraper? I died and went to fashion heaven.

A big round of applause to all those who made this event happen and done so fabulously.  The event was amazing and the biggest bonus was all that was raised for the DeVos Children’s Hospital!

The runway show was held at the JW Marriott in downtown Grand Rapids.  An amazing venue for this event.

Maryann + Rene enjoy a beautiful home and a life together filled with over 16 years of love and devotion. They commissioned us for an extended photo shoot that would show how in love they are, and the things they most enjoy doing together. We’re overjoyed at their reactions to the photos! Maryann shares some of their thoughts below:

Since I was a child, I have always loved looking back at family photos. It truly brings the past to life! So when Rene & I decided to put our house up for sale, we knew we wanted to remember it in a special way. You see, I wanted it to show up in photos as if it had been in a magazine!  I love looking at magazine shoots of beautiful homes! And my idea was a total success! 

When I first saw our house, it was in dire need of repair! It is truly an “old” house! The date was 1711! 

But what I saw was this beautiful house that needed some TLC! And we were just the couple to give it what it needed! We had people pass by on the street, cheering us on as the new roof went up! Others came to our house for the first time and said “Do you realize what a beautiful home you have”! We had such wonderful encouragement!    

The three fireplaces and the architecture of the mantels & one in the kitchen, so cozy! A porch we could sit on & decorate with the seasons! An old pump on the front porch! I was in love! 

I saw rooms that could be formally decorated & rooms that could be decorated with a rustic flair! Being an event florist, I was in my glory! I had the best of both worlds, formal & rusticity! 

Our backyard needed a solid place to entertain on, like a tumbled brick patio! We made a botanical oasis for ourselves as the years passed! We put all of ourselves into our home & spent such great times with all of our family & friends.

I still remember the first time we had a holiday party & we fixed up the basement, so the kids could have freedom to be themselves! Rene had this look in his eye as his eyes met mine in passing & I could hear him say to me “we did it”, we actually did it!

Since I so adore fashion of any textile type, it only made sense that I would want to “dress up” for each room we were being photographed in! I chose something formal to wear for our formal dining room & something casual for those rooms that were more rustic & the outdoor environment! And something in between with feathers….love feathers for those rooms in between! We had to be part of the photos too! It was such a treat to get dressed up & still be home! 

We had a wonderful time being photographed by Ulysses Photography. It felt like a vacation in our own home & incredibly fun & like we were entertaining ourselves! Ulysses and Jenni were the perfect photographers for us, they helped us to feel comfortable in front of the camera & totally enjoy ourselves! We cannot thank them enough for the wonderful experience they helped us to achieve.      

When we received our Canvas Wall Art, it was a fantastic feeling to hang such gorgeous photos of ourselves that we loved on our walls! When I glance at them while walking by, it’s still exciting!    

When our Art Book arrived, it was the most spectacular book I have ever seen! The photos look like we are right there still! They are so sharp & crisp! Just amazing! Some of the shots we decided on that were staged bring a big smile to my face when I see them over & over!

We will treasure that day & have the memories to see forever!

It was an unforgettable day! Thank you Ulysses & Jenni!

We can’t say enough good things about this renaissance couple. Their home’s varied charm combined with Maryann + Rene’s flair for all things chic made their dream session one of our absolute greatest pleasures of the year.