What is it that weddings and welcoming a new baby into your life have in common?  They are both major life changes that most people hire a photographer for– but they cannot be recreated later if the images don’t make your heart sing.  Many people want newborn photography, but the cost often dictates the photographer they decide to trust with the task of capturing their brand new little one and preserving those early days with your  for  when all the adrenaline, frequent sleep interruptions and whirlwind of visitors leave your memory of that magical time a wee bit blurry.  I remember searching for a photographer for my wedding– I wanted the best, because I would never hire another wedding photographer… makes sense, right?  Yet when my first little one was born, I didn’t hire anyone to capture her with all her newness– little back wrinkles that disappear so quickly, soft baby fuzz, pouty little lips and just how deliciously squishy she was.  Do I regret it? Absolutely.    I didn’t regret it until recently however, because I didn’t hire a custom photographer for my 2nd, or 3rd babies either– it didn’t seem like it was in the budget, we were new to town and my husband was deployed or getting ready to deploy… I had loads of reasons for not finding someone to photograph our newest family member.  Now?  Yes, I regret it.  Even with my own photography business, I never really understood the importance until my 4th little one arrived and I had another photographer capture him (because really, in that first week being hunched over a beanbag trying to pose him was much less attractive to me than say, a nap!).  Now I get it.  I have images of him that remind me just how tiny he was– and none of those with my other kids.  Sure, I have the pictures of daddy holding them in the hospital,  them being held by siblings, laying in the crib, etc… but none of those snapshots really captured the little newborn details that custom photography does.

When searching for a photographer to document this unforgettable time in your life, I try to encourage people to choose the right photographer for them based on the photographer’s style, the products & packages they offer, and their personality, rather than just their cost. There will always be expensive photographers and cheap photographers, but what is most important is that you love your photographer’s work– because that is what you will have to remember this fleeting time by.

www.dragonflystudiosphotography.com

www.dragonflystudiosphotography.com

www.dragonflystudiosphotography.com

]]> http://chicagoillinois-weddingphotography.com/guest-posts/dragonfly-studios-newborn-photography-guest-post/feed/ 2 http://chicagoillinois-weddingphotography.com/proposal_photography/chicago-proposal-photography-giveaway/ http://chicagoillinois-weddingphotography.com/proposal_photography/chicago-proposal-photography-giveaway/#comments Thu, 22 Mar 2012 14:51:04 +0000 Corlis Gray http://chicagoillinois-weddingphotography.com/?p=1624

Whoa!  Did you hear that right?  Yes you did!  Gray Photography, that’s Megan and I, and The Heart Bandits are teaming up together to give away not 1 but 2 Proposal Photography + Proposal Idea packages!  The Heart Bandits will work with you to create the perfect personalized proposal idea and then Gray Photography will be there to capture the moment. The rules are simple.

1. Email us at info@chicagoillinois-weddingphotography.com
2. Include a picture of you and your special lady.
3. Write a couple sentences about how much you guys are in love.

To see more of The Heart Bandits, visit here: The Heart Bandits

We simply have the best clients!  Justin and Karianne are just the nicest couple, have a beautiful welcoming family, and are REALLY funny.  (especially Justin…lol…”do your best Jagger”)  We simply LOVE all of the details in this stunning wedding.  The temperatures were a bit frigid in downtown Joliet, IL, but that didn’t stop us from getting some great shots.  Justin and Karianne were real troopers.  Stay tuned for the full post for this wonder Chicago wedding.

If you would like Corlis and Megan to capture your special day, you can contact us through our nifty contact form by clicking the link at the bottom of this post, in the menu, or to your left in the first tab.  You can also give us a ring at 630-800-7582 or email us at info@chicagoillinois-weddingphotography.com.  We would love to hear from you!!!

You might also like some of these awesome Joliet weddings: Joliet Wedding Photography and Joliet Wedding Photographers

Here’s a sneak peek at Taylor and Tom’s amazing early fall wedding at the beautiful Danada House in Wheaton.  I love the intimate ceremony and the vintage styling.

See more Patrick Haley Mansion photography here.

This wedding took place at the beautiful Patrick Haley Mansion in Joliet, IL.  Lexie was such a beautiful bride her new husband Rich was a hoot.  We had a great time together.  We started the day at Lexie’s mothers beautiful Shorewood home.  Then traveled to downtown Joliet for some fun shots near the Realto Square Theatre.  We ended the day at the Patrick Haley Mansion where the ceremony and reception took place.  It was a beautiful day and we had a blast partying the night away with an awesome bride and groom.

Thank you Lexie and Rich for the great time and the new friendship!!!

Chicago Photo Booth | Downers Grove Wedding Photographer | Chicago Wedding Photographer

When it comes to beautiful ceremonies, this one takes the cake!  This beautiful wedding began at Starved Rock State Park in Utica, IL.  The ceremony took place at the exquisite church Queen of the Holy Rosary Roman Catholic Church which is  located  LaSalle, IL.  Finally, the reception took place at Oak Ridge Golf Club in Seneca, IL.  As a Chicago wedding photographer I get the opportunity to travel to a lot of wonderful locations all over Illinois.  These are some of the best when it comes to rustic beauty!  See more Seneca Oak Ridge wedding photographer photo’s here, and Seneca Oak Ridge wedding photography here.

The natural light coming through the stained glass in this church was simply amazing.  It allowed me to shoot without a flash and capture all of the shadow and light detail.  What I love about this photograph is stunning shimmer of the gold wall.

Shooting from the organ/choir loft here gave me a different perspective and allowed me to capture more of the detail of this beautiful wall.

The shallow depth of field in this image draws your attention to the emotion in Audrey and Marks faces without losing the beauty of the background.

Here the architectural detail of the balcony adds to the drama of this high fashion group shot.

Getting down low and using the low sun to silhouette

Thank you guys for the wonderful time!  We had a great time taking the golf carts for a ride and freezing our butts off LOL.

-Corlis :: Contact Me

Chicago Wedding Photographer | Naperville Wedding | Destination Wedding Photography | Chicago Photo Booth Rental

Here is the classic story of two highschool sweethearts  dating for 10 years then finally taking the plunge.  Ok, so maybe that’s not so classic, but it’s a nice story anyways.   I could tell it was worth the wait by the way I kept catching these to gazing at each other like it was still puppy love.  They hadn’t let the years dwindle the fire that still burned uncontrolled within then.  It was very romantic.  The wedding and reception took place at CD & Me in Frankfort, IL.

Wedding Photography | Naperville | Chicago | Photographer | Frankfort, IL

Wedding Photography | Naperville | Chicago | Photographer | Frankfort, IL

Wedding Photography | Naperville | Chicago | Photographer | Frankfort, IL

Wedding Photography | Naperville | Chicago | Photographer | Frankfort, IL

Wedding Photography | Naperville | Chicago | Photographer | Frankfort, IL

Wedding Photography | Naperville | Chicago | Photographer | Frankfort, IL

We had a great time partying with you guys!  Thank you so much for letting us spend your special day with you.

-Corlis :: Contact Me!

Frankfort, IL | Destination Wedding Photography | Chicago | Naperville | Wedding Photographer | Chicago Photo Booth

I couldn’t tell you where this location was exactly.  Our initial meeting place was going to be Gebhard Woods in Morris, IL, but when I arrived there the park was closed! Oh no! As usual I showed up about an hour early, so I started driving around frantically looking for another location.  Ben and Emily had expressed to me that they wanted a nature “theme” for their engagement session.  So I immediately thought back country roads, which aren’t in short supply in Morris.  I came across this parking area in the middle of nowhere that looked as though there were hiking trails.  I took a quick stroll and surveyed the area.  This was it!  A quick call to the happy couple and some, albeit, hazy directions and we were all set.  Ben and Emily were great sports and we ended up getting some wonderful shots.  See more Morris, IL engagement photography here.

Wedding Photography | Naperville Wedding | Photographer | Morris, IL | Chicago

Wedding Photography | Naperville Wedding | Photographer | Morris, IL | Chicago

Wedding Photography | Naperville Wedding | Photographer | Morris, IL | Chicago

Wedding Photography | Naperville Wedding | Photographer | Morris, IL | Chicago

Wedding Photography | Naperville Wedding | Photographer | Morris, IL | Chicago

Wedding Photography | Naperville Wedding | Photographer | Morris, IL | Chicago

It was a beautiful day with some beautiful people.  Thanks for all the fun you guys!

-Corlis :: Contact Me!

Morris, IL | Destination Wedding Photography | Chicago | Naperville | Wedding Photographer | Chicago Photo Booth

This amazing wedding took place at Starved Rock State Park in Utica, IL.  Just about an hour and a half southwest of Chicago.  Starved Rock has to be one of my favorite places for a wedding getaway.  The lodge is beautiful and the scenery is second to none.  This wedding was no exception.  I have to say, Laci and Ian are, what I like to refer to as, “beautiful people”.  We all wish we were as good looking as these two.  At least I do, lol.  It was virtually impossible for me to take a bad picture of them.  To top it all off, they were genuinely just good hearted people which made my job just that much easier.  For this Chicago wedding photographer, this is as good as it gets.  See more Ottawa, IL wedding photographer photo’s by Corlis Gray here, and Ottawa, IL wedding photography here.  You can also see Laci & Ian’s Chicago engagement session here.

I probably looked pretty silly from other people’s perspectives, but laying on the floor and adding a slight camera tilt, gave this shot a little edginess.

Here the shallow depth of field draws your attention to the groom gazing at his soon to be wife.

I love the very editorial look of this photograph.  The punchy colors ad to the drama of this photo.  Just a small note, this was NOT posed.  I just captured a really stunning moment of Laci gazing out the window of the trolley, just soaking in the days events.

Here the shallow depth of field and the sharpness of Laci really brings out her eyes.  They are almost mesmerizing.  It doesn’t hurt that she’s done some modeling either.  LOL.

In this image I placed a flash behind Laci and Ian as they were dancing to capture a silhouette of them dancing while using another flash to give a slight fill light.  With the long shutter speed I could grab some of the ambient light surrounding them and in the background.  I think it’s a wonderfully romantic image.

Ian and Laci, you are truly two very wonderful people, and I wish you all the best.  Your wedding was almost as rockin’ as you!

-Corlis :: Contact Me

Chicago Wedding Photographer | Naperville Wedding | Destination Wedding Photography | Chicago Photo Booth

Thanks again guys for being so fun to work with.  I can’t wait until the wedding!!!

-Corlis :: Contact Me!

Naperville | Wedding Photographer |Destination Wedding Photography | Chicago | Chicago Photo Booth

So being that they have more school loans than the U.S. deficit, but all the love in the world (literally).  God was smiling on them one day and led them to me.  I just so happen to do 3 pro bono weddings per year for couples in exactly their predicament.  After reading the most heart warming email from Abby, I decided to meet with them.

We met in a little coffee shop in Morris, IL called Brewed Awakenings.  From there we sat over a couple hot cups of joe and got to know each other.  The rest is history.

See more Starved Rock engagement photographer photo’s here,  Starved Rock engagement photography here, and Starved Rock engagement photos here.

Here is their engagement session shot at Starved Rock State Park in Utica, IL

Thank you Abby and Ben for the great time we had!

Your Friend,

Corlis – Contact me!

Destination Wedding Photography | Chicago | Naperville | Wedding Photographer | Chicago Photo Booth

Ben is a VERY talented pianist in Chicago.  Abigail studies monkeys in Africa.  When I put it that way you might assume these two couldn’t be more different, but you’d be wrong.  Being that Ben is a musician, and his name isn’t P-Diddy or John Mayer, he isn’t exactly making billions.  Abigail is, what I consider to be a genius of sorts, holding something like 1,000,000 degrees in anthropology, so she’ll be paying off school bills until her grand-kids have grand-kids.  They don’t have all the money in the world.  What they do have in excess is LOVE.  Not just any kind of love.  Hot pink, Hollywood, roman candle, kinda love.  I thought I knew what love was until I met these two.

So being that they have more school loans than the U.S. deficit, but all the love in the world (literally).  God was smiling on them one day and led them to me.  I just so happen to do 3 pro bono weddings per year for couples in exactly their predicament.  After reading the most heart warming email from Abby, I decided to meet with them.

We met in a little coffee shop in Morris, IL called Brewed Awakenings.  From there we sat over a couple hot cups of joe and got to know each other.  The rest is history.

Here is their wedding shot in Seneca, IL.  Just a couple hours outside of Chicago.

See more outdoor DIY wedding photography here.

The shallow depth of field and the grainyness of this image really add an artistic feel to this image that I love.

There is nothing better than capturing the true happiness and excitement of a bride.

Ben and Abbi, I just can’t say enough great things about you guys.  You are two very wonderful people and I wish you all the best throughout your lives.

-Corlis :: Contact Me

Chicago Wedding Photographer | Naperville Wedding | Destination Wedding Photography | Chicago Photo Booth

This beautiful wedding took place in small town Morris, IL.  About an hour southwest of Chicago.  As you’ll see, we found a hidden treasure of this old rundown building.  While traveling to Gebhard Woods, a small community park, I got a little lost, lol, and found this great place.  It really contrasted the elegance of the wedding attire.  Here’s a small sample of this truly gorgeous wedding.  See more Morris, IL wedding photography here.

The cross process look and extreme sharpness of this image give it a very editorial feel.

I love the smooth tones and contrast of this image.  This old iron stairway gives it a really grunge/urban feel even though it was shot in a small rural town.

The shallow depth of feel gives this image a artsy feel.  While the fast shutter speed freezes the tiny candy hearts in mid air to really add to the detail in this action shot.

Here the vintage process applied to the image gives a really dramatic feel to another very urban feeling image.

In this image I wanted to give the impression of a high fashion magazine style image.  The contrast and bright colors really make it pop.

Another vintage treatment with a GQ style pose really makes this image stand out.

Thanks Joe and Ashley for not letting the weather dampen your spirits.  You were truly great sports.  We gad a great time and hope you love your pictures as much as we do.

-Corlis :: Contact Me

Chicago Wedding Photographer | Naperville Wedding | Destination Wedding Photography | Chicago Photo Booth

Chase and Karen had a beautiful destination wedding in the Bahamas.  Unfortunately I wasn’t invited LOL, but I did get the opportunity to photograph their reception when they returned.  The reception took place at Grizzly Jack’s Grand Bear Resort in Utica, IL.  At first I was a little apprehensive about what the quality of their banquet facilities might be since this is more of a family getaway facility with water parks and carnival rides.  But I have to admit, the banquet hall was stunning!  It was really well decorated with beautiful lighting and a superb staff.  Not only that, with a “carnival” near by it was ridiculously fun!  hopping on rides with a wedding party is more fun than you might think .  Here’s a little taste.

See more Ottawa, IL wedding photography here, from Ottawa wedding photographer Corlis Gray Photography.

I caught these two love birds having a quiet moment outside of the banquet hall.  I love the direction lighting falling on the couple and the tonality it adds to the picture.

I thought this cool ambiant light the DJ had set up along the wall really made the cake pop.  A little camera tilt gave the image a little more flair.

This silky black and white image beautifully captures Karen and Chase happily gazing at each other during their first dance as husband and wife.

I know this seems out of place but I just couldn’t resist.  At Grand Bear they had this cute baby leopard.  Check out the bling this cat is rockin’!

The lovely couple riding this awesome carousel at the amusement park.

And last but not least, who can resist a quick kiss in front of the swing buggy?!  It’s like blinky light heaven! LOL.

A special thanks to Chase and Karen for the amazing time we had at your beautiful reception.  And an extra extra special thanks to the wonderful staff at Grand Bear Resort.

-Corlis :: Contact Me

Chicago Wedding Photographer | Naperville Wedding | Destination Wedding Photography | Chicago Photo Booth

It was about 11 am.  I started packing up my camera bag with all the essentials…you know…camera’s, lenses, flashes, cards.  I headed out for a quick brunch and ran some errands.

Sounds like a normal day as a photographer.  I headed out at about 2 to scout the area where I’d be shooting Tim and Madison’s engagement session.  Little did I know I’d be driving around for the next 2 hours back and forth past the very place I needed to be.  LOL.  Nobody’s perfect right?  Good thing I left 2 hours early.

Enter Gebhard Woods in Morris, IL.  A pleasant little treasure trove of green foliage and manicured lawns.  We had a great time hiking and getting a little dirty to get some great shots

See more Morris engagement photography here.

Thanks to Tim and Madison for the great time

-Corlis :: Contact me!

Gebhard Woods Morris, IL | Destination Wedding Photography | Chicago | Naperville | Wedding Photographer | Chicago Photo Booth