And we've been published... sort of.. :)

Last year, I arranged to do a shoot with the gorgeous Ashley Sickels. I had found the perfect space but it was 4 hours away and in a city where I barely knew anyone. So I got with some other photographers and we were able to get into the space I had seen and loved! The space was dirty, grungy, and full of texture. From the moment I saw it, I wanted to do a trash the dress in it.

I purchased the perfect dress, picked out the perfect jewelry to compliment my vision, and let the girls at Hy-Vee in Oskaloosa run with any kind of bouquet that matched a bag of inspiration I took in. I also lined up professional hair by Abby Bowker of Expressions Studio, and Racheal Ebelsheiser did Ashley's makeup before we left town.

Ashley was a trooper, her dress was strapless and it was cold.. By cold, I mean we could see our breath in the space. Seriously.....

Fast forward a year, Brandi (one of the other photographers who had access to the space I wanted to shoot in), sent in a few of the images she had taken at the shoot to a magazine. We found out a few weeks ago that it had been published on page 7 in Celebrity Hair Style Magazine, Wedding Edition which officially hit news stands today!

Check it out--page 7! And a decent sized picture!

While none of my actual pictures got chosen (none of my pictures were submitted) I am adding a few of them to this post. I love the pictures we got that day!!

Thank you so much to everyone that was involved!


I know these next few poses are very similar, but Ashley was so beautiful, I couldn't decide what to post. I think she is smoking hot in all of them. By this time in the shoot, the ever so smiley Ashley was actually able to pull off a really nice serious look..


I added texture here for some added depth.


um, yes, that's a dead bird on the floor. 'ew!

An old elevator shaft that had been sealed off (dont worry, we didn't put her in harm's way )

My favorite images of the shoot... Love the textured walls.

Again, thank you to Ashley, Brandi, Abby, Racheal, and the girls at HyVee floral in Oskaloosa. They all did a fantastic job with my vision.! I couldn't have done it without you guys!

Ashley and Mike's wedding

Yesterday, Mike and Ashley got married at College Avenue Friends Church in Oskaloosa, Iowa. What a beautiful wedding! When I started preparing to blog, I started with a huge folder of images and widdled it down to these images :) I still think there may be 100 or more images I could have blogged! ha ha!

I think this wedding was special because they incorporated Ashley's daughter into the wedding so much, Mike said something special to her during the wedding and she was even presented with a ring, she of course love it, she was a princess all day long!







Some details and candids

I did some cool lighting on the cake--okay--credit where credit is due--my daughter Grace held the flash for me. Mike got some $$ from the dollar dance!





Reese and the ring bearer.. The ring bearer said " I can't get my bubbles to blow!" ha ha.. Adorable adorable kids!



Reese (Ashley's daughter) was out like a light a few hours into the reception.



The rings of course.



The reception was held at the American Legion which was decorated beautifully! What a beautiful wedding!







Ashley and her dad dancing.


Mike and his mom dancing.

Trash the Dress....

Yesterday, Ashley Milburn and I ventured into the great white to visit some photographers I know in Burlington, IA. I had visited this location a few weeks ago and decided I just HAD to do a session here, no matter how far away it was! So I asked Ashley to model for me and she was a great model, even in the frigid weather. The place we went wasn't heated just an open floor plan on the 3rd and 4th level of the building. Needless to say, we all could see our breath while talking--yeah, it was that cold! The theme for this shoot was Trash the Dress. However, I must say, you don't always have to trash it, we just didn't worry about getting it dirty. This time the dress is completely salvageable and could be worn again. It is actually a 2nd generation trash the dress, it has been used before by another photographer. It was *almost* too pretty to get dirty.

I had multiple sponsors for this shoot and I'd like to take the opportunity to thank them all. Hy-Vee Floral did the flowers. I just handed them a sack of inspiration and they put the bouquet together for me. I told them it couldn't be ordinary and it turned our absolutely spectacular! Abby Bowker from Expressions Studio did the hair, Ashley's hair was inspired by country singer, Kelli Pickler's, hair. Abby rocked the hair! Racheal Ebelsheiser did the makeup, she rocks too, I emailed her the dress pictures and flower pictures and told her to work with the colors, she had full rein to do whatever she wanted. Ashley looked stunning!

Brandi was another photographer who shot with me yesterday: "Brandi"

Here is a great picture of the flowers.

Ashley and Mike

I can't tell you how much I love photographing friends. Ashley and her daughter have done some modeling for me in the past and now that Ashley is engaged, I am doing her wedding as well. Tonight I got to meet her fiance Mike, who I can't wait to get to know also.

Ashley asked me for romantic pics of her and Mike and she got them! :)





Um.. Favorite!! :)



Be serious, this is a lovey dovey shot... Got the shot..


and it turned into this.. :)


sick sunset light.. Sunflair, I love you! :)


Love this one too!

Reese

This little girl is so incredibly cute. We went out to Edmundson park and took a ton of pictures.. I think she looks like Reese Witherspoon a lot in #2! LOL.. Told you she was cute.. I had a heck of a time choosing what to even post on the blog!

Isnt the one of her pounting just the cutest thing !!





Edit: 10-2-08
Ashley, I'm adding one more picture for you to look at. I'm finished with your proofs, and I should be getting them soon. I'll call you when I get them in and we'll look them over. I seriously can't wait!



Edit: 10-10-08
Ashley, there's a gallery on my website with Reese in it. She's just too adorable.
Here's a link.
Link to www.foreverphotographybykelly.com

I can't wait to see what you figure out for pics! I always have a favorite and I can't decide this time!