Jesse Boone

Jordan + Melissa Married!

2010-07-30

Melissa and Jordan were a dream couple for a photographer.  They love photos!  They like taking photos as well.  Many of their friends and family loved taking photos!  What that meant for me was lot's of FUN photos. But before the fun could really begin Melissa needed to get ready.

I bet even that bird thought this shot was cool.

I loved the colors of the bridesmaid dresses with the flowers.  So much so, that I had to get them involved with these pictures.

This really shows the attitude of this group.  They all had such a fun time together.

These shoes just reach out and grab your attention.

I think this next one is my fave of the day, but the reception entry is close.

Lebron James entry!  The full sequence!  Jordan almost pulled the plug on this after Lebron skipped town, but hey why not be the last person in Cleveland to take hold of this epic entry?  Besides, with a name like Jordan you should figure he can get it done a little better than Lebron anyway:)

Congrats to you both on such a fun, exciting day and a wonderful future together.

 

 

Tags: cleveland wedding photographer, destination wedding photographer

Mat Crawford

Rachel and Ryan - Married!

2010-07-29

I am no landscape photographer - that is for sure.  It is not that I could not capture a beautiful scenic view - it would not be that difficult given my occupation.  The reason landscapes have little appeal to me compared to portraits of people is the lack of human connection.  I can enjoy a great landscape shot, but the photos that mean the world to me are pictures of the people I love.  It is so neat to think we wedding photographers have the ability to capture beautiful photos of so much emotion on one day.  Looking at Ryan and Rachel's wedding shots I was reminded of all the emotions that Kristin and I were there to capture and to witness.  There was plenty of laughter, silliness, crying, and just about every other true human emotion.    It is an amazing thing to no only see but preserve.  To be reminded of the emotional memories that slip away from us is one of the greatest gifts, and we are honored to be a part of Rachel and Ryan's remembrance.

The boy-band pose to the bottom left is good stuff.

I love this next series.  Rachel's laughter and faces make the shot - the location was not that bad though.

These next shots were not only my favorite of the day - they are up with my top for the year. 

I must tell this next story.  We were catching a few extra shots outside the reception near the golf course and Kristin and I suggested Ryan kiss Rachel's shoulder.  He proceeded to give her some gentle pecks.  Rachel then tells us that the pecks reminded her of her twin baby nieces because they are "nursing" (if you know what I mean - and I think you do).  I of course didn't let that opportunity to question her connection with her husband and a nursing baby - and on came some legit laughter.  It is cool to see the joy captured. 

The entrance were Lebron's jersey was stepped on and the most built groomsmen came in in his wife's dress (she wore his tux) has to win the prize for most entertaining bridal party entrance.

I usually don't put pictures of speeches in the blog, but Ryan's brother describing how he vomits so violently that he breaks the blood vessels in his face if he drinks too much the night before had to be shared.

The next few family shots were so emotional.

I would like to title this next was "drawers".

Tags: wedding cleveland ohio east side cleveland wedding Willoughby Hills wedding photography philadelphia wedding photography Pine Ridge country club

Nelli Boone

Home sweet home: Erin and Cam's wedding...

2010-07-22

I have been very excited about this blog post... probably the most exciting post I've had.  Here is why: 
Every summer Jesse tries to get at least 1 wedding in Montana for us to shoot.  He will have a listing on google directed at brides in Montana, that way, when we do get hired for a wedding, we will plan a family trip around that date.  You see, both me and Jesse grew up in Montana.  In fact Jesse was born there, and I moved there when I was 6 months old.   We both lived in the same little towns our whole life, until we went to college, and then we moved to the town of Missoula, MT and then got married.  We lived there a few years after we got married, and moved to Ohio and started Finest Moments.  So getting a wedding in MT is a great way to get us home in the summer. 

Jesse got Erin's call in September of 2009.  She was living in Wyoming, so we never ended up meeting her.  She hired us, and then it was time to get all the details.  First Jesse asked where her wedding was.  A lot of the weddings we get in Montana are in the town of Missoula, or Butte.  Both are one of the biggest towns in MT.  But she said she was getting married in Stevensville.... 
"Stevensville?!  That is the town that Nelli grew up in," Jesse told Erin.  (This is a very small town about 30 miles outside of Missoula.)
"And what is the address of the ceremony and reception?" Jesse asked.
"It is just outside of Stevensville, kind of out in the country.  On a long dirt road called Tripp Lane, " Erin explained.

Ok... now let me stop this story here.  I grew up in Stevensville.  The long dirt road I lived on WAS also Tripp Lane! 
So it turns out that the ceremony and reception site was just 1/2 mile down the dirt road from the house that I grew up in.  In fact, my parents still live there, and when we go back to Montana to visit, we always stay there. It was to be in a field by a creek, the same creek that I would swim in as a kid!  And to make it even more ironic, the artistic photos were to be at the top of a hill where you can see the whole Bitteroot Valley and Rocky Mountains, all the way from Idaho clear into Missoula.  It is a piece of property that me and Jesse always ride the four-wheeler to, and gaze at the beauty of the mountains.
What a coincidence-  We would be shooting the wedding practically walking distance from my home! 

Now, the reason that I had never met Erin growing up, is because she didn't live there all year.  Her dad built a log cabin right on the creek about 30 years ago, so they actually lived in Eastern Montana and would only come to the cabin in the summer for a few weeks. 
I had been looking forward to shooting this wedding all year.  And when the day finally arrived, it was amazing.  So much planning and thoughtfulness went into this wedding.  They had cleared out a huge field in order to have the ceremony and reception there, right in front of the creek.  They built the dance floor out of tall logs and hung lights all above.  They had hay bails set out as seats and even a few handmade log benches.
We arrived in Stevensville about a week before the wedding.  Each day we would see more things being built(like the awesome dance floor) and saw as the big white tent was raised. 

Here is the Erin and Cam's wedding... I think one of the most special weddings I have ever shot.
 

I got pretty excited that we got to hang her dress outside in the tree!  We've never done that before.

Here is her detail shots on the carriage that took her from her house down to the ceremony site.  She wore the same pearl necklace that her mother and grandmother wore at their wedding.

Right as we got there, the cake had toppled over from the heat!  But fortunately, they were able to call the bakery and have another one made up.  As I was editing these, Josiah my 2 year old son was very interested in these pictures.  He kept saying, "uh-oh...  what happened!" And would want me to show him this picture over and over!

This is Erin and her sister and mom helping her get ready.  They all had such a strong love for eachother.

I should mention also that Jesse took most of these photo's.  I was only his assistant this day, Jesse was the main photographer, but we both did the editing.  I think this is a very dramatic shot of Cam.

And I must say that I think Jesse is getting pretty good at the tilt-shift lens!

Oh ya, I forgot to mention that she had a really awesome veil.

I love this shot Jesse took of Cam... wow.

I think that they picked the perfect spot to have the ceremony.  Under a tree so you don't have harsh sun, and the sun was low enough to get a sun flare.

My fav of the day...  She is so cute!

So here is Jesse pulling out his tilt-shift lens in the ceremony.  He is pretty daring, but it pays off!  What a great shot he got.

So after the ceremony I was super excited about the kiss shot I got.  I told Jesse, and he right away was telling me that he was super excited about his kiss shot.  Mine is the one on the left, his on the right. 

Even the horses are posing!

This is the cabin that her dad built!

After dinner, we took them up to the top of the hill to do some artistic shots.  The sun was painting the sky so pretty.  They drove in his dad's old jeep, and we took my dad's old truck to use as props. 

Jesse took all these night shots and processed them for me.  I really think they turned out pretty!

So romantic :)

Erin and Cam, you guys have such fun personalities! 

And I love this last shot.  They had one last dance.  I saw how Erin just grabbed hold of Cams waist and hugged on to him so tight.  They were truly in love.  I feel so blessed to be able to be a part of this wedding.  I really believe it was meant to be. 

 

Tags: Finest Moments Wedding Photography

Mat Crawford

Ross and Kristen - Married!

2010-07-22

We had the pleasure of shooting Ross and Kristen's engagement last summer and the time finally came for us to be a part of their wedding day.  The element of their wedding that was most memorable for me was an abiding sense of peacefulness.  Weddings are stressful events - even though most are full of fun as well.  However, Kristen and Ross  were able to enjoy their day fully while experiencing it in a calm way.  It was so nice for Kristin (my wife - who has an "in" as opposed to the bride's "en")  and I to go through our day shooting with the two of them (as well as the families and friends) without any added pressure.  I am certain this is do to Ross and Kristen's great personalities.

Love this next shot - I have seen a lot of feathers and flowers in bridal headpieces recently and they look great.  Kristin's creates an overall look that was perfectly fitting.

The small rings here were Kristen's grandmother's rings.

The church was insane - it was modeled after a church in France and it made us feel like we were in Europe.

Kristin (my wife) suggested I shoot through this lead-crossed window and I threw in a bit of flash around the corner on Ross and Kristen - and one neat shot was produced - of course this would all be for naught if the love was not there!

the girls did some silly peaking over their flowers...

and the guys must have been jealous and wanted a bit of flower action themselves.

One of my favorites - the photo is nice - but the emotion is very meaningful - I am humbled to be able to shoot things like this and provide a way of remembering such a special time.

the table centerpieces were terrific.

Good luck guys (especially while finishing up your doctorate Ross)!

Tags: wedding cleveland ohio east side cleveland wedding shaker wedding photography

David, Jim & Tiffany

Zach and Jessica Married!

2010-07-22

I shot Zach and Jessica's wedding with Jim a few weeks ago in Walnut Creek, OH. It was a little over a two hour drive for the both of us, but it was worth it for sure. I really enjoyed getting to know the couple throughout the day as I was able to see their love for one another behind the lens of my camera.  The details were elegant and well-coordinated.

We were able to capture some really neat shots during the day, especially at the arboretum we stopped on our way to the reception.

Love this detail shot by Jim

Later on, we decided to step outside of the reception hall just before sunset and took some of my favorite shots of the day!

It was such a fun wedding to say the least and I really enjoyed the opportunity to capture these moments for Zach and Jessica. I hope that these photos will always be a reminder of their love and faithfulness to one another. Congratulations Zach and Jessica.

Tags: Ohio wedding photographers