we do things big in the AK

so yesterday we went to the alaska state fair. wow. incredible amount of trashy people and incredible amount of giant vegetables. how do they get them this damn big? you can see some of the normal size veges in front of the elephantiasis versions. enjoy. oh. and i won 4 dollars by betting on which color hole the rat would run into after being released. oh... what a rush. ;)

Tutka Bay Lodge Wedding

Another great wedding in a beautiful and unique place with a handful of close family and friends. I shot this on August 18th at the Tutka Bay Wilderness Lodge across from Homer via Kachemak Bay water taxi. The ceremony was threatened by rain showers, but the skies remained clear enough to go on with the outdoor ceremony on the deck overlooking Tutka Bay. After the ceremony everyone went in to relax and listen to some live music. Amanda and Gordon went out and explored the grounds taking advantage of the lodge's unique architecture and natural setting to get some really cool photos. A little rain wasn't going to keep them inside; grabbing a few umbrellas they were able to stay dry long enough to get a lot of nice variety.

Hope Wedding - Amara & Joe

Today Joe and I teamed up to photograph Amara and Joe's wedding down in Hope on what turned out to be a beautiful sunday. It was one of those weddings where everyone in attendance kept saying "I wish my wedding would have been like this." The location was charming but rustic and everything was very laid back and fun. Amara and Joe picked a ceremony spot overlooking Turnagain Arm and the mountains and had the reception in the Hope Social Hall. We'd never done a wedding there before and would reccomend the area for anyone still considering locations for their upcoming wedding. They even waded out into the river as thousands of Humpies (Pink Salmon) were swimming upstream all around them. With Joe's protection, Amara made it through that portion of the day unscathed, as she was a little affraid at first. I think the coolest thing about all these photos, is that this is a great example of what we can do with NO photoshopping. No crazy filters or effects, just good ideas with good lighting. We had so much time with them (probably about 2 hours) that it was hard to pick just a few for the blog, so we added some extras. (The last shot includes myself and Joe.)

UPick?... We Picked!

On Monday Madeleine, Joe, Brook and I went out to the U-Pick farm in palmer to harvest some fresh veggies and fruits. We got red and white potatoes, cucumbers, squash, snow peas, broccoli, raspberries, cauliflower, and various greens.. buckets-full, for only $50 between the 4 of us. If you're looking for out of the ground fresh stuff and don't mind getting a little dirty, take a trip to the valley and check it out for yourself. It doesn't get any cheaper or any fresher, and you help support local farmers. The place is called Pyrah's Pioneer U-Pick, and can be found by following these directions: Exiting into Palmer off the Glenn, access the Old Glenn Highway. At Mile 11, turn onto Bodenburg Loop Road. Pyrah's Pioneer Peak U-Pick Farm sits at Mile 3. Hours vary with the season so give them a call before heading out: 907-745-4511 -Nick

Anchorage Wedding - Laura & Mark

On Thursday Joe and I teamed up to photograph the wedding of Laura and Mark. They got married on a Thursday because August 2nd was the day they met. It was by far the rainiest shoot Joe and I have ever had. From the time we were pulling up to the Alaska Botanical Gardens until we left 2 hours later, it went from a light drizzly rain to an all out pitter-patter soak-you rain. The best part of all was that the bride and groom, and the small group of friends and family who were at the ceremony, didn't mind and had a beautiful outdoor ceremony. Sure, everyone was a little wet, but it all worked out great in the end. In order to protect our cameras, we wrapped subway sandwich bags around them and left a little opening at the end for the lens; this kept the cameras mostly dry. The reception was held at the Anchorage Historic Hotel which had a cool saloon-type bar with interesting woodwork. (Joe and Nick) Here are a few highlights..

Wasilla Wedding - Mark and Jamie

This summer i have had the pleasure of working with so many great couples and this weekend was no exception. Mark and Jamie had their ceremony on the edge of a lake in the backyard of Mark's parents' house and then followed it up with a great party. We had a chance to go and get some great shots by the lake and then at a neighbor's house with a trampoline. It was really tough to get these shots because everytime they would bounce, I would bounce towards the middle and get in the way. After some effort, we managed to get a few really cool shots. The one above is my favorite. It was also cool to see one of my former bride and grooms; some of their friends in attendance also happened to be a couple we photographed last month! -nick

Girdwood/Alyeska Wedding Deb and Travis

Some of you might remember Deb and Travis from the engagement that I did with them a month or so ago. We had a great shoot back then and they were just as great of models this time. They had a nice little ceremony out back of the Alyeska Ski Resort (stunning views of the mountains around), which made for some nice backdrops for the family photos. They and Carla, the wedding planner, had a lot of great ideas and everything turned out awesome. The cutest part was the five little flower girls that all trotted simultaneously down the isle. Too cute! -nick