Last night we went out to see a baseball game. Tigers vs. Kansas City. Apparently we should have gone today instead (Tigers beat KC 4-2 today). Last night’s score was 3 to 13 — yup, the Tigers lost. Still, we had fun, after all, it’s hard not to have fun when you’re actually there watching the ballgame.
I didn’t take a camera, but I couldn’t resist trying out the phone on my camera. So… here are two images to share:
Mike will be/is a senior at Saline High School — and I hear he’s a pretty good tennis player. For Mike’s senior session, we went to a park in Saline, as well as doing the standard in-studio stuff. Mike’s brother, Matt, came along so that I could create a few images of the brothers together. All in all, it was a very fun session, and Mike had some great ideas! First, let me share a few of Mike by himself:
This was Mike’s favorite I think. Very serious. Very thoughtful.
I thought this one was neat — Mike is actually standing in the middle of the river! There was actually a dead fish somewhere out there, but we decided to leave that out of the portrait session (e.g. you can’t see it in this photograph).
And now for the two brothers. I thought this image was a neat way to show the guys in a more casual setting.
And one more of Mike and Matt:
Guys, thanks for a fun session. And of course, I know you had a great time — if the images from your session are any gauge, it was a success. Oh, and I hope the tennis match the other day went well, Mike!
The driveway is now firm enough to walk on, but we will be keeping vehicles off it for a while yet. When you visit, please remember that foot traffic is now allowed (there will be cones to help you remember not to drive on the concrete though).
A few more images to show the project. The weather cooperated with us long enough on Monday for the workers to pour the rest of the concrete. So, in total, there were 5 truck loads of cement. Bright and early Monday morning, the crew started working on the sidewalk:
The sidewalk… waiting for the cement to harden:
And the finished product. Well, obviously it hadn’t cured at this point…
In about 2 weeks, the cement will have hardened enough for the landscaping portion of our project to begin. We’ll keep you posted!
This past weekend was a whirlwind for the whole family; my brother-in-law, CJ, got married this weekend! Congratulations CJ + Lindsay! Everything was beautiful, and even though we had a few minutes of rain showers before the reception, things couldn’t have been nicer.
Now, I know you’re going to ask “did you photograph the wedding?” Well, kind of. My assistant did most of the photography so that I could spend the day helping CJ + Lindsay celebrate (how often does a wedding photographer get to relax during a wedding?). Now, I did take a camera, and I did succumb… but the images I created will be the “icing on the cake” when I design their wedding album.
Honestly, the wedding was too gorgeous to NOT photograph. The ceremony was at St. Thomas Church in Ann Arbor, which is a very beautiful church. Barton Hills Country Club in Ann Arbor was the reception location — also an amazing setting. Everything looked wonderful, and everyone had an excellent time.
Now for a sneak peek! Here’s Lindsay walking down the aisle with her father.
CJ + Lindsay holding hands during the ceremony.
Just before the exchange of vows…
…and JUST MARRIED!!
Now, being an aunt, I couldn’t resist getting all the nephews and niece together while CJ + Lindsay cruised around the block before coming back to the church for a few more wedding photographs.
CJ + Lindsay for their “official” first kiss (isn’t the train on Lindsay’s dress gorgeous?).
After wrapping things up at the church, and getting Lindsay’s dress bustled, we had a fun ride over to Barton Hills Country Club — CJ + Lindsay had an escort of at least 5 cars …and some car horns of course!
Here’s the wedding cake. I love the flowers and the icing… This cake really was scrumptious… as good to eat as it is to look at!
CJ + Lindsay just after cutting the cake:
After the cake cutting, the matron of honor, the best man (and “helpers”) gave their toasts and the celebration festivities continued over dinner. Here’s the groom and guys having a toast…
One of my nephews and my niece while waiting for dinner:
And after dinner, it was time to dance! CJ + Linsday danced first, of course:
And then the dance floor was opened for all to enjoy. This shot has my inlaws (groom’s parents) in the foreground. It really was a great party, and everyone had a blast.
CJ + Lindsay, congratulations! We’ve been looking forward to helping you celebrate for a long time, and I’m sure you’re so excited to finally be married. Have a great honeymoon, and enjoy the west coast!
Well yesterday was very busy here at the studio, with our driveway project! I spent the day overseeing the cement preparation and pouring; no, I am not an experienced cement worker, but I do like to see how things are done! The crew arrived at 7:30am to move dirt and start framing out the sidewalk and driveway. After the dirt (dropped off by dump trucks) had been spread and compacted, the surface was ready for the cement. The cement trucks (two so far) arrived later, around noon or so.
So, of course I had to document the project (to have proof, you know!). So here’s a series of images throughout the day. I’m going to share my favorite first. Instead of writing initials in the cement, our contractor mentioned insetting a 2008 penny! So… we now have a penny in our driveway; make sure to look for it the next time you’re at the studio.
And now back to the beginning. Most projects begin with excavation — and this one was no different. I’m just glad I wasn’t the one doing the digging this time! The straight metal thing behind the shovel is a bendable form (for making the edge of the concrete curve).
There were two dump truck loads of sand delivered. Initially there were plans to have the dirt delivered early (Wednesday) — we parked on the street that day, wouldn’t want to be trapped behind the big pile of dirt!
When moving dirt around, it is important to prep the surface by compacting… so that the cement driveway has a solid base. So that’s what this worker is doing:
Finally, once the dirt was compacted and the forms were finished, it was time for the cement! It took two cement trucks to complete the driveway from the back end to just past where the sidewalk will connect. At that point, the workers finished prepping the job site for the remaining 2-3 cement truck loads that would be needed (another day, of course). But I’m getting ahead of myself!
Here’s the cement being poured. The workers were very effecient in getting the cement pushed around — of course, the longer you wait to move cement, the harder it gets to move!
The cement truck driver got out of the truck to help get out that “last bit” of cement:
Another shot of the driveway and the cement truck:
After the workers smoothed out the cement, it was time to add the contraction joints. The crew put in three joints running away from the garage (the other 2 joints, running perpendicular, were actually cut into the cured cement the next morning). Then, they prepped the surface of the cement for the final textured finish.
And here is a more “all-inclusive” view of the slab that was poured yesterday. The worker on the left is brooming the concrete (to add those little lines for traction/texture), and the worker on the right is touching up the contraction joint.
All in all, yesterday was a productive day! This morning, the crew was here at 7:00am. Unfortunately, because of the forecast, the remainder of the job won’t probably be done today (impending rain). Work will likely resume on Monday — and since everything is prepped — it should *knock on wood* be completed in just one more day of construction! The driveway that is. The next step in the plan will be to make things look green and pretty ;).
It’s finally in the works! After a long planning period, our outside landscape is about to undergo a makeover.
Depending on the weather *knock on wood* …the cement crew should have prepped and poured the driveway by the end of the week. So, if you’re coming to the studio, excuse the construction! Once the cement is finished, we will put up cones for the duration of the curing process. I’ve been told we’ll need to keep heavy loads (e.g. vehicles) off the cement for two weeks — but I’ll have more details once the project officially begins. After the cement — the landscaping fun is scheduled to begin. But let’s just take things one step at a time for now.
Remember, we’re still open for business and taking appointments and sessions as planned (in fact, the next few weeks are quite busy!). If you have questions, please give the studio a call at 734-418-2089.
Hopefully you are having a great summer! It’s flown by very quickly… I can’t believe Labor Day is sneaking up on us!
I just found out that a number of blog posts from this summer were somehow caught in blog lingo! So, I’ll be adding them to the blog… with the date they were supposed to be posted. Go figure! Sometimes, technology is a bit tricky…. 
This past weekend I went to Columbus, OH for an educational program…. due to space constraints, it was a small gathering of photographers from across the country, but that made things all the more personalized! Now, in case you’re wondering who officially coordinated and led the event — it was me! The official topic of the program was “Studio Branding + Marketing: Creating an Experience” — and we spent time discussing lots of neat ways to make the photography experience fun and memorable for our clients.
And if you can believe it, we hardly touched a real camera all weekend!
Martin’s senior portrait session was fun! Martin is actually into photography himself… architectural photography, actually. So while we didn’t go to anywhere with striking architecture, we did go outdoors for the location portion of his senior session… and where better to go than home? Martin’s family has a gorgeous yard, and even though it was hot out, I was able to create some awesome images for Martin and his parents to enjoy.
First stop — tree climbing. I saw these amazing trees, and had an idea, of course! Martin was more than cooperative… after all, how often do you get to actually climb a tree during a portrait session? Here’s one of the images of Martin up in the tree.
Next, we went into the backyard, which has a lovely open area with this neat little hill. It looked like a great place for the next series of images! Here’s one portrait of Martin in the “field” — I really love how this one looks.
And of course, I can’t make a post without sharing something more “typical” …so here we go.
I always enjoy working with seniors… Thanks for a fun session Martin!
This weekend I went and stopped by the Airshow (Yankee Air Museum’s Thunder Over Michigan). We didn’t stay as long as initially planned (the rainclouds started looking awfully foreboding), but still had a great time. One of the events we spent the most time at was the WWII ground battle reenactment.
And, since I couldn’t make a post about the Airshow without sharing at least one image of an airplane… here’s one for you. The pilot’s flying skills were very impressive to watch… an image really can’t do them justice. You’d need sound, and video… but being there in person would be most effective.
If you’re free next year for the Thunder Over Michigan Airshow, make sure to add this to your list of summer activities. It’s a great way to experience history, and see some amazing planes and vehicles.
Wedding planning can be fun — but planning your honeymoon is more exciting! Whether you’re leaning towards a laid-back winery tour or thinking about a cruise to someplace warm, there are a lot of choices available to you!
Steven and I went to Hawaii for our honeymoon. We had a blast, and enjoyed the balmy warm weather very much. We planned for things to be more laid-back and relaxing — in fact, aside from our accommodations and flight plans, we only had three things in mind beforehand (snorkeling/scuba diving, a coastal island driving tour, and relaxing our first day there). The concierge at our hotel was a great source for ideas — both touristy as well as more “hidden” local attractions.
But, that being said, it is good to plan ahead. Even if you don’t book any activities, knowing your options will help you get the most enjoyment out of your honeymoon. And that’s where a travel agent is VERY helpful.
While we didn’t know her in time to get help planning our honeymoon, Josie Santiago, of A&J Travel (Manchester, MI + Ann Arbor, MI locations) is amazing! You can tell her what area you’d like to be, what types of activities you’re interested in, she’ll ask you some questions, and based on your responses, Josie will put together some options for you. Whether you just need hotel accommodations, or want hotel + flight + car rental — Josie can take care of it for you. In fact, I’m sure she’d be happy to help with not only honeymoon travel plans, but even with the wedding night hotel plans as well (just in case you don’t want anyone in the bridal party knowing where you are!). To contact Josie Santiago at A&J Travel, just call 734-428-8307. Tell her that Betsy Finn referred you!
Finally, I wanted to give you some ideas for your honeymoon (besides the unmentionable and obvious!). Whether you’re staying in the States or traveling abroad, these tips will help you make the most of your getaway.
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Betsy's Photography Studio | Ann Arbor Wedding + Portrait Photography is located in Dexter, Michigan, just outside Ann Arbor.