Sunrise, SFO

Waiting for United to fix the front wheel on our plane. Love how we can find beauty at the most unexpected times, in the surprising places.

Freezing

There was a buzz about the neighborhood about legions of tundra swans off Yahara Place Park, so I took a late afternoon break to go look. There were probably 300 swans and some tagalong ducks on the small pieces of open water, resting on their way to warmer climes. Not being much of a birder, I was distracted by the soup-thick sky and the incredible blue tones the fog and snow were creating. And the lake itself was caught in that short window between ice and water, showing off a gorgeous abstract quilt of snow and slush and ice. Every season has its beauties and I felt lucky to catch this scene right then.

Shoveling

I don't know how it happened, but I married a California girl who loves to shovel snow. May God bless her.

Thanksgiving in Muscoda

Headed west on Saturday for a family portrait session on Saturday. Jeremy said his family built their cabin near Muscoda because they felt it was "kinda off the radar." Yeah, I'll say. I had only been through Muscoda once before, and though I was enamored with it, I did not think I'd ever be back there for a portrait shoot. But opportunity struck and I was psyched to follow State Route 60 (aka The River Road) down the Wisconsin to the 40-acres retreat these folks use to escape the city.

A few notes: 
• A "cabin" does not always denote a humble log cabin affair in the woods. Sometimes a "cabin" is really something more.
• It's pronounced Musk-a-day, not Mus-co-da. I'm not sure how anyone would figure that out on their own.
• There's are numerous hidden sandstone parapets and buttresses in the driftless terrain west of Lone Rock. These guys had two really neat formations hidden in the trees, up on the ridge. Wondering if there could be a secret climbing crag somewhere in the territory?

Frosty Times, Downtown Madison

I might be in the minority, but I think the best holiday cards look seasonal. The holiday season is cold, but we can't let that stop us, especially when we all have layers and layers of wool, leather, and down in our closets. It's usually in the 10's or 20's here in December, so when I see families looking bundled up and cozy together, having a great time despite the minor inconvenience of 7-degree windchill factor... those cards gets to be on top of the fridge. Solidarity!

On the other hand... those conditions are tough to shoot in, and I never wish for that kind of weather. But that's what we got last week, and this family pulled through in high style. I compliment their spirit and love the shots we walked away with. Thanks for setting the record for my coldest portrait shoot ever!

Ebert's Greenhouse Adventure

I shot Jon and Ann's darling son George last summer when he was just a few days old, and now he has gorgeous long curls and a wonderfully stubborn disposition. Ann wanted to bring the entire family together at Ebert's Greenhouse Village in Ixonia, which seemed like a good idea to me. Turns out there is a LOT going on at Ebert's, so we ducked through the greenhouse complex and found the corn field, complete with tractors and a warm, quiet greenhouse.

Headshots and Group Portrait at Hawks Quindel Milwaukee.

Attorneys at the Milwaukee office of Hawks Quindel, S.C.

I visited the Milwaukee offices of Hawks Quindel, S.C. earlier this week to update their firm portrait and a few attorney headshots. These folks have gorgeous offices in one of the great old warehouse buildings in Milwaukee's Third Ward, with lots of brick and exposed steel beams. Always nice to be in this neighborhood and a good excuse to stop in MIAD, across the street, to check out student work.

Hawks Quindel is one of the premiere plantiff-side Wisconsin employment law practices, helping workers of all kinds deal with issues like harassment, discrimination, severance agreements, workers compensation, social security disability, etc. HQ also has a strong Milwaukee family law practice, led by attorney Amy Shapiro who was named best divorce lawyer in Milwaukee a few years ago. Rich Saks was one of the attorneys at the lead of the Wisconsin voter ID law challenge, and Tim Hawks and Barbara Quindel have been representing big unions for educators, journalists, healthcare workers, and others for years. If you ever need a good attorney in the employment or family realms, these folks are the best.

Molly & Steve

Schedule the shoot... cancel because it looks like rain. It never rains. Reschedule for next week... the forecast calls for rain. Discuss two hours before the shoot... Molly wants to go for it. Drive to small town under dark skies. It begins to rain. Scout the small town, looking for places that make offer any kind of shelter. Rains gets harder. Start thinking about restaurants and bars. Molly calls and says, "It's totally cool, let's just shoot in a bar or something. That will be more fun anyway." Ten minutes before the shoot, the couple calls and says they are early. Rain stops, right then. Go to an industrial area, upon the Molly's request. Explore. Have fun. Get a little dirty. Get a little spooked. Go home.

If every engagement shoot was like this, that would be okay with me. Thanks you two.

Kathleen + Tyler

Tyler somehow managed to stop cracking jokes long enough to get some really wonderful romantic shots. And Kathleen somehow managed not to flip out on Tyler for being a total goof ball. Enough said. Looking forward to the wedding next year!

Ski Hi Fruit Farm in Baraboo

Autumn means apples in Wisconsin, and for me that means stopping in at Ski Hi Fruit Farm after rock climbing at Devil's Lake. Two minutes west of the Park, on a high hill overlooking the Baraboo valley and range, Ski Hi is a pretty nice place for an apple farm. The property has been an apple orchard since 1907, when Arthur Kamp Bassett mowed down the forest and planted apple trees in the stump holes. Though you can't pick your own fruit at Ski High, the store/warehouse has a classic, rural Wisconsin feel to it. Choose your apples beneath the watchful gaze of mounted deer, pay the cashier who lives down the road. No frills, no tourist trap crap, lots of love.