Dennis Lee Blog

Going the Distance

2010-10-06T15:12:00.000-05:00

I remember a conversation I had with my uncle some time ago. We talked about what it was like when we first start dating someone. He always used to say dating was a young man's domain because people his age didn't have the energy for it anymore. I chuckled at the humor of what he said but didn't really give it much thought. A few years later a friend of mine was getting into a new relationship and telling me about how they were spending their time. It was those stories that brought the conversation with my uncle back and made me smile at how right he was. At the beginning of a new relationship we will drive for hours just to see someone for a few minutes. We'll stay out til 3:00 AM on a date only to make it to work by 8:30. We'll spend weekends out of town, leaving right after work on Friday to barely make it back to work on Monday morning. It's something we've all done and many great memories and relationships have come out of that effort. It was in meeting Kevin and Sarah that I found out how much energy it sometimes can take.

Sarah is an avid runner. She's done multiple marathons and works hard to stay fit. Kevin started running longer distances as he got to know Sarah. It was what helped them bond and get to know each other. It was their time together. For Kevin though, he took it a bit further.

Sarah's passion for running eventually became Kevin's passion as well. With time, marathons weren't enough for him, he started running triathalons. One led to another and most recently Kevin finished an Ironman Triathalon. Now those not familiar with the Ironman, it's a 2.4-mile swim, 112-mile bike and 26.2 mile run all in the same day. Sarah had already agreed to marry Kevin before he did this so this had to be his own motivation.

I say I was impressed is an understatement. Any one event is a feat, add them all together and it's a major accomplishment for a non-professional endurance athlete. But more than the Ironman, I was impressed by how much of an interest Kevin took in Sarah that something she loved became something so close to his own heart. The best in her inspired the best in him.

As I write this I can't help smirk that no matter what Sarah has in store for their lives, Kevin will always have the energy to keep up and make their lives as fun and exciting as the first few weeks of a new relationship.

Check out the day at www.dennisleeslideshows.com/sarahandkevin

Click to Cure 2010

2010-10-03T23:55:00.000-05:00

I’d like to announce the third annual Click to Cure photo day to fight cancer. This year we are working to help Bear Necessities Pediatric Cancer Foundation, Inc. Bear Necessities Pediatric is a national organization founded in 1992 and has been actively contributing to children stricken with cancer. President Kathleen A. Casey and her 8-year-old son, Barrett “Bear” Krupa, started Bear Necessities during a long, exhausting str...uggle to defeat this devastating disease. Ultimately, the disease took the life of “Bear”.

Cancer is the #1 disease killer in children under the age of 15.

Bear Necessities is there to provide hope and support through medical research grants, information and support grants and their Small Miracle Program which works to fulfill special wishes to help brighten the life of a child going through cancer.

This year we selected Bear Necessities because so many of my former couples and friends were having babies. Everyone was asking when I was holding Click to Cure and asking if I could wait until the latest member of the family had a chance to arrive. With all the newborn babies, it was the perfect fit. Witnessing all the nerves, joy, excitement and worries that come with a new baby, I can’t even imagine what it must be like for families who have a child with cancer.

I get requests all the time for family and baby portraits and it’s not something I offer. This is the one day all year that I will be pulling out all the stops to spend a day making some great portraits.

Here’s how it works. For a minimum donation of $100.00 (you can always donate more and would love it if you did) I will spend 10-15 minutes doing a portrait session of you, your family, your pets, your friends or even something you want to sell on e-Bay. Just show up. You’ll get a large amount of images in that time; I shoot fast and everything is already set up. All the photos are burned to disc for you to take home. No reservation times needed so show up anytime, but expect a longer wait around 11:00 – 3:00.

Lastly, as in previous years, every single dollar contributed goes to Bear Necessities. The event is fully sponsored so you know 100% of the money is going to a fantastic cause.

So come and help out an important organization and enjoy the start of the holidays with snacks and great conversation.

November 13, 2010. Saturday
10:00-6:00
Studio 415
415 W Huron St.
Chicago, IL 60654

If you can't make it to the event but would still like to send in a donation, please mail a check made out to Bear Necessities and send to

Dennis Lee Photography
7311 N. Honore St. #3
Chicago, IL 60626

Just Call Me.

2010-09-14T17:53:00.000-05:00

So I don't text. Yeah sure, I know that might date me as much as one of my favorite sayings before I go into a wedding, "time to make the donuts" as a reminder of the hard work and dedication of the Dunkin Donuts man in their commercials of the 80's. While I like to know what my friends are doing, I don't think I need to know where they're currently having lunch. Maybe it's my disdain for texters who seemingly don't know the difference between there, their and they're or your and you're. I mean if someone writes, "your the best" can you really believe that? Now, please don't think I'm some grammar czar correcting all manner of grammatical sins, just read my previous posts and you'll see I'm not. Honestly, I still mix up my who and whom all the time. Could it be I just like human voice communication better? Wow what a crazy concept.

An old study I often reference says that 60% or more of communication is non-verbal. It makes sense. FBI, CIA special agents trained in detecting lies pay more attention to body language than the words coming out of a person's mouth. It's the tone, speed and inflections that really seem to get the message across. I doubt anyone reading this, who will be married, will mention texting in their vows as what they love about the other person or as something they built their relationship on.

I think the actual conversations are what helped build my closeness with Jeff and Cassie. Cassie would call me at random times asking questions or for insight into what I thought would work for the wedding. We planned photo sessions, timelines and details for the wedding. Even after the wedding, Jeff called asking my advice about digital cameras. By the way, I can't wait to see the photos from Hawaii.

Great photos may have great backgrounds and vistas but look in any museum or at photos of historical events, what you'll always find are moments and relationships whether between people or the subject and photographer. If Jeff and Cassie are so easy to talk to and build a relationship with, I can only imagine what they are like together. It's that interest in each other and ease of conversation that, I think, will keep their relationship growing for a lifetime.

Check out how fantastic Jeff and Cassie looked on their wedding day at www.dennisleeslideshows.com/cassieandjeff

You've Got The Look. The Look of Love. And Other Great 80's Songs.

2010-08-30T15:54:00.002-05:00

Here's a little secret. I don't own an iPod or any other portable music device. I was given an iPod but it quickly became the property of my girlfriend. I don't wear headphones when I exercise or play music when I'm working. You see I think my life and most everyone else's can be set to its own soundtrack. It's what I like to call the 'soundtrack of our lives'. It's the music that if played at any given moment would fit perfectly. Let me give you some of my personal examples.

When walking around alone on 5th Ave in Manhattan in the afternoon in the summer, usually Staying Alive by the Bee Gees is playing in my head. Go ahead, imagine it. It fits eh? Here are some more. Late fall in Chicago, it's Diana Krall's warm voice that I run errands on Michigan Ave to. When I'm working with models it's almost always INXS. It's this, uh...could it even be called a talent, that I find myself using at weddings.

Sure during dinner Michael Buble or Frank Sinatra may be playing but often a different soundtrack is playing in my head as I'm watching my couples. That was never the case more than at the reception of Stephanie and Matt. You see, from the moment they saw each other that first time walking down the aisle, they never took their eyes off each other.

All through dinner, there were looks and glances being traded back and forth. These quick looks were little moments alone between them in a sea of activity. It was a way for Stephanie and Matt to quickly reconnect during an event filled evening. Since I'm a big 80's music fan, of course all 80's was playing in my head.

You've Got the Look by Prince, The Look of Love by ABC, and other great 80's songs provided my soundtrack as I was photographing them. I can only think how crazy Stephanie and Matt will think I am once they read this.

Looking back to the wedding day, I wonder what in 10 , 20, 30 years will be the soundtrack of Stephanie and Matt's life. A life that started with so many great glances, stares and touches is going to provide enough great moments for one awesome compilation.

The day and the music can be found at www.dennisleeslideshows.com/stephanieandmatt

Beat the Heat

2010-08-30T14:07:00.000-05:00

This has been an interesting summer all around here in the U.S. My friends in New York have suffered through one of the hottest summers on record. Chicago hasn't been much better with a record number of hot days in a row. Now while I know that my other friends in Florida are laughing at us complaining about the heat, consider this. During the hottest months of the year, Chicago and Miami have only an 8 degree difference in average temperature. Yet, during the coldest month of the year there is a 46 degree average temperature difference. Thus Chicago gets near tropical summer temperatures during the summer and sub-freezing temps in the winter. All this combines to make for a very interesting wedding year.

Wedding planning in Chicago is always an exercise in contending with the weather. I think the smoothest weddings are the ones that work with the season. Eliane and Danny did just that. There wedding was not only in the summer but was also on July 4th, one of the busiest driving days of the year. How did they get around all this? Well, they planned for all their wedding festivities to be held at one location.

The Intercontinental Hotel with it's eclectic mix or artwork and gorgeous ballrooms made for the perfect plan to beat the heat. Without worry about the heat or travel, all the guest were quickly able to relax and enjoy a wonderful day. It's this level of planning and thought that really is typical of Eliane and Danny. From the first time I met Eliane we had much to talk about with her background in design. We talked about the potential designs of the album and how photographs should be displayed.

For those of you reading this who are planning your wedding, remember to work with the season and that'll help make for a fantastic day.

Check out Eliane and Danny's wedding day at www.dennisleeslideshows.com/elianeanddanny

Wedding Confidential

2010-08-12T14:22:00.000-05:00

This post comes at a really appropriate time. It's almost as if the cosmos had aligned Jill and David's wedding with my mood. This year also marks a certain anniversary that I'm sure goes unnoticed to most both inside and outside the food loving community. It happens to be the 10 year anniversary of chef, world traveler and food author Anthony Bourdain's ground breaking book Kitchen Confidential, which gave readers an unprecedented view into what goes on behind the scenes in New York restaurants. Why does all this matter? You see Jill and David are both avid food and wine enthusiasts.

So in celebrating the wedding of two foodies and with Anthony Bourdain in mind, I'm going to give readers a peek into the behind the scenes world of weddings. Will this raise a few eyebrows? Probably. But the more couples know, the better clients they are. Welcome to Wedding Confidential.

Jill's day started with great weather but unfortunately the hairstylist didn't do a good job on her hair. In fact, I could tell it was going to be something that would bother Jill. As a photographer, this is worrisome. If a bride can't relax, it shows in the photos. She's not interacting the same way, smiling or moving as if she was loving how she looked.

Luckily, Marcia Hemphill from An Urban Affair http://www.anurbanaffair.com/ was the wedding planner that day. Marcia and I have worked together for years. She hires and works with the best. Immediately, she is on the phone with hair dressers all over the city to see who is close and available to fix this. This is why you hire a wedding planner. If all a planner is doing is keeping the couple on schedule, they can just as easily ask a friend. A great wedding planner has great contacts. The best wedding planners make sure all the other vendors are taken care of and have what they need to make an amazing event. They facilitate but never get in the way.

Invariably the best wedding planners come from backgrounds in hospitality, catering, event planning, concert productions and even consulting. These are not the people who loved planning their own wedding and now feel qualified to be a wedding planner; there are too many of those. Sure it may have started that way, but these people have a deep background in organization. They work with people because they pick the best for their clients not because the vendors pay a kick-back or referral fee to the planner as some require, which is a little known secret in the industry.

Phillip at Parto Naderi http://www.partonaderi.com/ saved the day. He did Jill's hair as fast, beautifully and professionally as I've seen anyone ever work. Phillip and I have worked together before at another wedding. Phillip does great hair. I don't believe in "wedding hair", I think that's a term for a bad updo. I think it should just be great hair that is for a wedding. Wedding hair is in those bad hair magazines, an overly stiff and curled updo. Great hair can be up or down and works with the bride's style and you see inspirations of it in InStyle, Vogue, Elle, Marie Claire. Someone who can do great wedding hair is someone who just does great hair.

The rest of the day went as smoothly as anyone could hope for. The priest at Holy Name Cathedral was charming, gracious and worked with Jill, David and I to make sure we were able to make some fantastic ceremony photos. With Holy Name's status in the community, they could easily be overly strict and frankly prohibitive to work in as some churches are. The ceremony could take place in a historic church but the photographer may be restricted to a seat in the back, unable to move for the whole duration. Or my favorite, one church even requires you hire one of their "approved" photography studios for the ceremony. Apparently, the mass of weekend photographers the studios hire is somehow trained and certified to be respectful and take photos. Really?!? Or is it that there is some other reason. But Holy Name Cathedral has never gone to these lengths and thus remains a favorite church of photographers all over Chicago.

Thanks to great planning there was enough time to go to some of David and Jill's favorite locations and take all the photos we wanted. I love that time of the day. It's when the couple can just relax and enjoy time together. I prefer to just sit back and follow them with my camera. Watching for interaction and those little moments that can easily go unnoticed but say so much. They hired a Dusenburg convertible to take them around. I loved the vintage feel of the car and the classic style of Jill and David. I knew the photos would turn out with that vintage feel. Yet, there was no way I was going to Photoshop it to look faux vintage.

Every decade seems to have its own wedding photography look. I've always found this curious considering weddings are timeless affairs. In the 70's people were peering around trees or floating in brandy snifters or above the alter. In the 80's everyone looked all soft and foggy and the poses were contrived and overly stiff. In the 90's everyone was carrying each other; grooms being carried by the bridesmaids and vice versa. Then with the movie Resevoir Dogs, guys were walking with sunglasses in every alley in the city. In the early 2000's with Photoshop being accessible to the masses, skin became plastic and featureless; if perfection is great I guess more perfection is even better. Along with that everyone started jumping off things and fake cheering and fake dipping. Now the current trend seems to be faux vintage.

Photographers en masse purchasing the latest special effects created by other "celebrity" wedding photographers. It's difficult to color correct and work on thousands of images from a wedding and get them to the client on time. I'll admit, during the midst of the summer, I'm often a week late, but I think it's worth it to get it right. My pet peeve is black tuxes that somehow look blue in photographs.

My feeling is that vintage should be real like a wedding. It should come from years of the photo being displayed and stories that develop around it as it's passed around at family gatherings. Your children should laugh at what you wore and your hairstyle and how you danced.

In the end whether your hair looked perfect or where you had your wedding or even who photographed your wedding means less than the memories that you'll take away and the life that you'll build as a couple. Memories and stories, over time take on a life of their own and change and get rewritten as our memories fade with age and what was important 10 years ago seem less important now and are replaced with even more important things.

So to Jill and David, your love of food, wine and adventure does inspire and has even inspired this, my longest blog post ever. Thank you for sharing your class, style, ease, humor and spirit which once again has shown me why I love what I do and what the important things are.

The slideshow can be seen at www.dennisleeslideshows.com/jillanddavid

The Party of the Century

2010-08-09T16:04:00.001-05:00

I do love all things Chicago, I think this is a pretty well known fact by now. Chicago despite its problems has produced many of the iconic things we have come to know as America. Things like the ferris wheel invented by George Ferris. Many of us grew up with Cracker Jacks as children. What do these things have in common? Well both of them were introduced at the first Chicago's World Fair in 1893. The fairgrounds were known as the White City due to it's architecture. It was an historic event for the city even inspiring a recent New York Times Best Seller, The Devil in the White City. At the time it really was the party of the century.

Fast forward to 2010. It is summer again and white is still the theme of the day, but this time it was for the wedding of Bri and Chris. They had planned for this day for well over a year, meticulously going over all the details to produce a great celebration. Bri was all smiles as was Chris. As an aside, the best advice I can give couples for great wedding day pictures is to just laugh and smile and revel in the emotions of the day. Bri and Chris were doing just that.

The party they had planned was at the Field Museum, coincidentally it was the same day the Eagles, The Dixie Chicks and Keith Urban were to play right across the street at Soldier Field. The logistics were a bit challenging, but at the end all the activity just added to the energy of the day.

Chris and Bri, both big fans of the Cubs and things Chicago, chose the Chicago World's Fair as the design theme. Everything went perfectly and the party, even as I was leaving, was in full swing and just getting better. As I left, I looked back at the lights on the dance floor and felt the music resonating in the great room of the Field Museum, I had to smile as I thought, for Bri and Chris, just like the World's Fair this was the party of the century. And while nothing like Cracker Jacks or ferris wheels were invented, it was the start of a relationship that will have it's own history.

You can see the day at www.dennisleeslideshows.com/briandchris

Dirty Jobs

2010-07-30T21:27:00.001-05:00

I get to spend a lot of time with people on one of their most important days. Talking about what people do and getting the inside information on some very interesting jobs is always a highlight of getting to know my clients. I guess it's the "behind the scenes" feel that makes it interesting. Jobs are a funny thing. People who do the jobs and the people who see the jobs being done have a very different perspective. To an outsider, many jobs seem glamorous and interesting. To the person doing the job it can often be just another day at the office.

As a photographer I've met modern cowboys, dolphin trainers, police officers, countless models, private pilots, professional athletes, news reporters and even the CEO of Facebook when I photographed his sister's wedding. It's been interesting to say the least. Some years ago, my assistant asked me what it was like being a photographer versus what I imagined it to be before becoming one. It was the first time anyone had asked that question. I tossed the thought around for a few minutes and replied, "Being a photographer is more fun and glamorous than I thought it would be."

It was at Michelle and Brian's wedding where I again thought about jobs in general and the life they introduce us to. Michelle and Brian are huge fans of Mike Rowe from the show Dirty Jobs on the Discovery Channel. While I'm not as avid a follower of the show as they are I really do admire Mike Rowe and his accomplishments. He's been a professional opera singer, television pitchman, writer and now the host of one of the most popular shows on cable TV.

Michelle and Brian's fascination with Mike Rowe gave everyone a good laugh at the reception during Michelle's sister's toast. It also gave me one more glimpse into who they are. To be so interested in random jobs and wanting to get behind to scenes of those jobs and all the messy details that come with them told me they were two very curious people with a sense of humor and adventure.

I think Michelle and Brian's sense of humor and curiosity will take them on a lifetime of adventures big and small. I just can't wait to hear all those stories.

Their beautiful day can be seen at www.dennisleeslideshows.com/michelleandbrian

Rain Rain Go Away.

2010-07-25T00:11:00.000-05:00

Weather is never far from a wedding photographer's mind. Ask any professional and they can probably tell you about when sunset is on most any day of the year. I'm sure most have a weather application on their cell phones as well. Just as an FYI, for brides planning their wedding, other than the winter months of December through March, October is the driest month in Chicago.

This year has been one of the most interesting weather years across much of the country. First there was the snow in the east coast, then the rain and now the heat and rain in midwest and east. Since the weather can't be controlled, it's making for an exciting season. Sure perfect sunny days would make my job easier but I wouldn't change the weather I have. You see, changes in weather also bring changes in light. Sometimes it's sunny summer days, other times it's dramatic cloudy skies. Whatever condition, it makes for different light and the opportunity to take advantage of it.

As if Lauren and Charlie's wedding wasn't exciting enough, there was the threat of rain all day. In fact, it did rain. The rain would hold off as we were outdoors taking photographs and then start as we went indoors for their ceremony. Lauren and Charlie embracing the weather instead of fighting against it, brought their umbrellas and smiling attitudes that could have brightened any rainy day.

At the end of the night, as we were watching the finish of the fireworks exploding in the clouds over Nay Pier, the rain started falling. It sounded like wind rushing through trees but was rather rain moving across the top of the venue coming toward us. We made it indoors just in time to snap the last photo of the evening with Lauren and Charlie still smiling ear to ear.

The photos of the day can be seen at www.dennisleeslideshows.com/laurenandcharlie

CS Brides Bride of the Week Contest. Send in Your Engagement Photos.

2010-07-19T15:33:00.002-05:00

CS Brides is having a contest for brides to submit their favorite engagement photo along with the story of how they met or got engaged. I know I have some amazing brides and wanted to reach out to encourage everyone to send in their photos.

How to enter:

Send your Bride of the Week entry to modernluxurybridesonline@gmail.com and you could possibly be featured by CS Brides and even win a VIP ticket to An Afternoon of Bridal Luxury with complimentary entry for the bride and her guest ($90 value) if you are chosen as Bride of the Week. Please include the name of the bride & groom, the story and the name of the photographer. (Engagement pictures may be featured even if the bride isn’t chosen as Bride of the Week.)

So end in your entries and good luck.

You Are What You Eat...Yes, Another Food Post

2010-07-19T00:33:00.001-05:00

You Are What You Eat. I've heard this phrase since I was a child and it struck a cord with me. I'm not exactly sure when I first heard it but I've always said it and still believe it to be true. My view is that what is going on in food culture, whether in the home or even the greater outlook of a country, is a very accurate snapshot of the culture in general. In addition, consider the fact that what you are eating is what becomes the building blocks of who you are. So I think that the food habits of a person are very telling.

When I first met Monica and David, we immediately hit it off. Why? Well, the conversation almost immediately went to food. They talked about their rehearsal being at Spiaggia in Chicago and Tony Mantuano, one of Chicago's most revered chefs, doing the cooking for the rehearsal dinner. Looking back, I'm not sure how much we talked about the actual photography for the wedding. What struck me was their openness to foods and how they looked at the culinary scene. They were adventurous, passionate and interested in the happenings of the city's food culture. Considering that I think that most sushi is about as exotic as a pizza it was refreshing to spend time with people who have a similar outlook.

With Monica and David approaching their lives and each other with the same passion, interest and adventurous spirit they do with food, I can only imagine all the great moments they will have in their lives together.

Monica and David, may the Cubs win, the wine flow and the meals you share be as wonderful as the love that you share.

The beautiful day at the Drake can be seen at www.dennisleeslideshows.com/monicaanddavid

Summer Skiing

2010-06-25T12:02:00.001-05:00

It's mid summer in Chicago and while I do enjoy the heat, sunshine and dramatic storms, not to mention the early evening light which makes for great photography, I start to miss ski season and the excitement that brings. While most people love taking time off in the summer, I hold on for winter. You'd think that having spent nearly all my life in the midwest and thus some of the flatest land in America, it would have been easier to fall in love with a more accessible sport. But love like many things don't strike you at the time of your choosing.

It all started in Whistler, British Columbia, Canada. It was there that I first stepped into a pair of skis. Whistler being the largest ski resort in North America, you'd think I would have started smaller. I didn't know it at the time, but that day tumbling down all the green runs on Whistler and plowing my way through the first turns would lead to my love affair with skiing. What I also could never have imagined was that Whistler would start another lifelong love affair for Be and Christina.

Exactly a year before the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, I was in Vancouver to do some skiing. Sadly, when I arrived it was the worst snow season Whistler had seen in more than a decade. Thus, I found myself spending more time gripping a beer and looking for souvenirs than I did gripping my ski poles or looking for untouched snow. At that same time, unbeknownst to me, Ben was in Whistler as well, but he wasn't looking for souvenirs and probably couldn't care less about the snow conditions that day. Instead he was looking for a place to propose to Christina. We never met on that trip, but our lives would cross again months later.

On my first meeting with Ben and Christina, the topic of conversation went to skiing. When I told them about my trip Canada, we realized that we were all up there at the same time. We immediately bonded and I was very much looking forward to their wedding. The wedding was a beautiful affair that culminated with some of the most exhilarating dancing I've ever been privy to. All evening I was on my toes not to miss a laugh, look, tear or hug which there were plenty of.

But there is one photograph that I missed and so wish I could have gotten; the one with Ben proposing to Christina at Whistler. Being so close and yet so far away. Whistler is an amazing place, it started my love affair with skiing and the lifelong love affair that Ben and Christina now share as husband and wife.

You can see the day at www.dennisleeslideshows.com/christinaandbenjamin

Chicago's Best Photo Location Contest

2010-06-21T00:40:00.000-05:00

I've been spending a quiet Sunday evening after a long wedding weekend watching a show about some of Chicago's best things. Now anyone who knows me knows how much I love Chicago and its history and I firmly believe Chicago has some of the best things in the world. Logically, that means if it's Chicago's best, it's got to be some of the world's best. I love sharing my food, photography and stories with people. I'm always looking for new locations for my own photography and would love the people of Chicago to share their favorites with me. So I've come up with a crazy idea.

Here's the deal, let's combine two favorites, Chicago and photography, into one contest. Send me one photo you've taken of your favorite Chicago location and why it's your favorite in 50 words or less. Be creative and have fun with it and interpret it however you'd like. It's not about the technically best photo but rather the one that best showcases the location. We, here at Dennis Lee Photography International World Headquarters Limited as we jokingly call ourselves, will select our favorite.

The winner will receive a photography session with me and members of my crew. Everyone knows I rarely photograph family portraits, babies or glamour but this is one time I'm pulling out all the stops. I will photograph your family, you, your baby, etc. Depending on the shoot, I will provide the location, set, hair, makeup and styling.

Send photos via e-mail to info@dennisleephoto.com
Deadline: July 19th
Please keep photo size 500 kb or less.

Now all the boring rules stuff. The session is transferable but must be in Chicago. Date of session will be determined by what works for everyone's schedule. Session must be scheduled within six months of the notification to the winner. A copy of the original photo must be presented by the winner.

Best Wedding Meal Ever

2010-06-09T15:54:00.005-05:00

Since the day of Marisa and Eric's wedding, I have been waiting to write this post. Next to photography, food and Chicgo history are some of my favorite things to talk about. So here goes.

A part of Marisa and Eric's wedding story actually starts back in 1947. In that year a young man named Maurie, fresh out of the military, married his sweetheart Florence (Flaurie). A year later, to help pay for school, they started a small hot dog stand in a far northwest corner of Chicago that they would operate during the summers. This hotdog stand would eventually become the most iconic and well known hot dog drive-in in the city of Chicago, the famous Superdawg. For over sixty years, Superdawg has been serving up arguably Chicago's best hot dog. Some years after its opening, the now iconic 12 ft. Maurie and Flaurie hot dog couple beckoned hungry Chicagoans with their blinking eyes.

Fast forward to May 2010. Marisa now living in Michigan, where her sweetheart Eric is from, was back in Chicago for her wedding. Afterall, it was the city she grew up in and loved. In fact, they were getting married at the church her father attended as a child, the church he lived just down the block from. Coincidentally the church is right near Superdawg, a favorite of Marisa's father.

Marisa and Eric got ready for the wedding in the suburbs. Chicago is known for having some of the longest and most stressful commutes in the country. Not wanting to be late, Marisa and Eric planned for everyone to leave with plenty of time. Oddly, there was no traffic and we got to the church more than 30 minutes too early. Well what is a wedding party to do?

Marisa's father suggests we all go to Superdawg, I mean we're just a few blocks away, there is time to kill. It is in fact the only logical option. I have to give Marisa some credit. While most brides wouldn't go near a hot dog in their wedding dress, much less in their wedding dress prior to the ceremony, she is right on board and off we go.

It's not uncommon for me not to eat during the wedding day, there is just too much great stuff to photograph and I forget to. I've turned down prime, dry aged steaks from David Burke's Steak House. Foregone dinner served up at NoMi in the Park Hyatt. But when Marisa's father handed me a Superdawg, I couldn't resist. Camera in one hand, dog in another, it was the best wedding meal I've ever had.

Going to Superdawg was a great decision. It took some of the nervousness away and added one more great memory to a day already filled with them. Plus, Marisa and Eric got a little Maurie and Flaurie statue that would eventually replace what was on the wedding cake.

Maurie and Flaurie built something that has shaped memories for generations and something so simple yet so pleasurable as a hot dog has brought happiness to so many. Marisa and Eric, may you always be each other's Maurie and Flaurie and your love be something as simple yet amazing as a Superdawg.

Check out all of Marisa and Eric's day at www.dennisleeslideshows.com/marisaanderic

Let's Dance

2010-06-03T13:43:00.000-05:00

I see a lot of dancing. First dances, mother and son dances, father and daughter dances, rehearsed numbers and even some folk dancing. As someone who can't dance at all, I love to see them all. You'll often see me lip syncing to the song as I'm finding the best angles and moving to get the shot; I think the singing along helps with my timing.

While I love a wonderfully choreographed dance set, I find I'm most drawn in when I see great connection between the people on the dance floor. The laughs from the mis-steps, the way one person can almost sink into the other. Here's a bit of advice for the guys out there who won't dance despite their partners asking. Dance. Just Dance. She doesn't care that you can't dance, she just wants to dance with you. Go out there and have a great time. So it was at Katie and Mike's wedding that I saw dancing that moved me.

Katie and Mike started out with a wonderful first where it was all just about being together. Then when Katie and her mother danced, I couldn't help but to feel the connection. With Mike and his mother, all I saw was the way every mother should look at her son with adoration.

Katie and Mike thanks for bringing me out to be a part of your day.

Check out the dancing and the rest of the day at www.dennisleeslideshows.com/katieandmike

Arrested by You

2010-06-01T22:32:00.008-05:00

Anyone who knows me knows I'm all about the 80's. It was the era of the super model, MTV first arrived and who could forget the teen movies and the amazing soundtracks that came out of them. One of my favorite movies of that time is Better Off Dead starring John Cusack. If anyone reading this has not seen it, grab a bottle of wine, a good friend and pop in a beta...just kidding about the beta. Does anyone still remember those?

One of the songs I remember from that movie is Arrested by You by Rupert Hine. Typically awesome, cheesy, 80's music at its best. Thankfully I didn't set Tara and Rich's slideshow to that song, although I was quite tempted as the song is very fitting. You see, Rich is a police officer and Tara's father is a retired police officer and her sister is a police officer. Anyone who has ever been to a wedding with lots of police knows that it's a good time and laughs, hugs, hearty handshakes are the norm.

Tara and Rich's wedding didn't disappoint. It was an evening of great laughs, emotional toasts and wonderful closeness. Oh and I didn't have to worry about my equipment being stolen. LOL.

Congratulations. You can check out the whole day at dennisleeslideshows.com/taraandrich

The Blind Date

2010-05-06T14:37:00.002-05:00

Often when most of us hear the words blind date, we cringe and the inevitable "ughh" comes soon after. Now if it's one of our parents or uncles is trying to set us up on that blind date, those cringes, with the ughs get more pronounced and louder. For some reason we're conditioned to believe, from a very early age, that our older relatives just don't get it.

I mean I understand that feeling. I can hardly imagine my stoic, retired father, the man who prefers polyester dress shirts to cotton so he doesn't have to iron them, ever having danced or sporting the latest fashions. And the idea of him nervous trying to ask my mother on their first date; I chuckle at that thought cause for as long as I've known him, I have never seen him nervous nor sporting the lastest fashions. With our parents having spent so much of their time and energy on us, it's hard to imagine a world for them where it didn't revolve around us. Well that is until we move into adulthood ourselves.

As we become adults we start to get a glimpse into our parents' lives before us. We see our friends getting married and starting families and all of a sudden we see our parents in a new light. We see the same struggles and celebrations of raising a family and all through out this process, most of us think we're still pretty cool too. I guess when it comes down to it, we're just the next generation's version of our parents. That would mean our parents were cool, had fun, lived lives, drank too much, cheated on a math test, dated more than one person, road triped with their friends, and all the other things we believed to be our exclusive domain. I guess than they would be pretty qualified to even help us find a date.

Thankfully, Michelle and Vincent took the dating advice of her dad and his uncle who set them up on a blind date. I would say it was a success cause here we are, just over two years later, celebrating their wedding. Both of them looking as happy and nervous as I imagined their first date to have been.

Michelle and Vincent's relatives probably know them better than they assume. They have spent years watching them grow and develop into two of the kindest, most considerate and soft-spoken people I've met. But most importantly, their relatives have a deep caring and love that was obvious all day long. So I can't think of a better group of people to set up a blind date.

Congratulations.

You can see their wedding day at www.dennisleeslideshows.com/michelleandvincent

Great Movie Quotes

2010-04-26T18:48:00.002-05:00

There are some movie quotes that have become so popular they are entwined in the fabric of our culture. For instance, who doesn't hear Arnold Schwarzeneggar's voice when we here, "I'll be back." How about this one, "Say Hello to my little friend." We've all heard them and it's nearly impossible to hear those lines spoken without seeing the scene played out in our own heads.

Because quotes have such power, I think they are perfect whether used to add a bit of color into conversation or to really drive home a point with impact. The hard part is finding just the right quote for the right moment.

I recently read somewhere that one of the qualities of successful couples is time for conversation. I happen to agree with that. I think it's true deep conversations that help to form bonds and develop those relationships. In a world where there is more ways to communicate then ever, it seems quantity has often replaced quality. I think it's the quality of the dialogue that makes me love my favorite movie. A movie with some of the best lines of all time.

"When you realize you want to spend the rest of your life with somebody, you want the rest of your life to start as soon as possible." Billy Crystal as Harry from When Harry Met Sally said those lines. Misty and Bjoern used that quote on their wedding programs. When I saw the program I chuckled as I recognized the quote from my favorite movie.

The quote seemed perfect as Misty and Bjoern's wedding was all about great conversation. An intimate group all seated at a long table. No large stage productions planned but rather plenty of sofas and chairs to encourage people to gather and talk.

So as I think back to Misty and Bjoern's wedding, that's what I'll remember most, a great quote from a great movie that perfectly captures how they feel about each other.

Check out the slideshow at www.dennisleeslideshows.com/mistyandbjoern

Which Photo Should I Use in my Next Ad? You Decide.

2010-03-18T11:26:00.004-06:00

I am the worst at picking my own photographs. I think it's because I'm too emotionally attached to the photos and the clients in them. I remember the moments I clicked my camera and what the couple was doing. So I'm taking this out of my own hands and leaving it up to the readers of my blog.

Vote for which photograph will be used in my half page ad in CS Brides in June.

Poll to the right.

Selection 1

Selection 2

Selection 3

Selection 4

Selection 5

Snow Birds

2010-03-11T22:17:00.000-06:00

I've often heard the term snow birds and thought how nice it would be to spend the winters in some warm climate relaxing the winter away. Unfortunately, my love of skiing keeps me in the cold outdoors when the snow falls. When I do have the chance to spend time in the warmth during winter I question my decision to take up skiing.

I met Erin and Chris a few years ago while I was down in Disney World photographing a wedding. I distinctly remember her welcoming personality. So I was more than happy to year her voice when she called to tell me she was engaged. I couldn't wait to spend another few days in Florida photographing her wedding weekend. The weekend didn't disappoint.

Erin and Chris had planned the whole weekend with all her guests in mind. Rehearsal dinner started in Universal Studios with music and great food and ended with a picnic with more food the day after the wedding. Erin, originally being from New York, had many of her friends and family celebrating a great wedding and a bit of warmth in Florida. And it was the perfect time to leave the northeast as that was the week the big snow storm hit. Luckily everyone who needed to make it back did safely.

Erin, Chris thanks for having me down for your wedding. The theme of the weekend was beautifully done and beamed with all the personality that shows when you two are together.

Check out the slideshow at www.dennisleeslideshows.com/erinandchris

A Few Changes

2010-01-28T14:12:00.002-06:00

Over the past few months we've been slowly preparing for a few changes here at "Dennis Lee Photo World International Headquarters Limited" as my assistant Hillary jokingly calls our tiny office. We've recently changed our logo and upgraded to a new website that allows for more images to be displayed.

The slideshows that go out with every wedding have also been moved to a new location. You can now find all the client slideshows at www.dennisleeslideshows.com/brideandgroom
So, for instance Cheri and Adam's beautiful wedding at the James Hotel would be at www.dennisleeslideshows.com/cheriandadam.

Hope everyone likes the new look.

Playing Matchmaker

2010-01-14T16:31:00.008-06:00

After years of being a wedding photographer, one of the things I'm most proud of is that the bulk of the clients who hire me are still referrals from previous couples. Colleagues, siblings, doctors, aunts, cousins, friends, wedding guests, parents and even a rocket scientists have all either received or passed along my name when the topic of weddings come up. More than winning some random photo contest or having a wedding profiled in a magazine, to me this is the best validation of the work we try to do.

Thanks to the referrals it's not uncommon for me to know some of the wedding party, family or even guests. I have to admit that it's a little bit like playing the game Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon at some weddings trying to remember which wedding so-and-so was the bridesmaid at and how everyone is related. It makes for a very welcoming and comfortable day of photography but the good-byes at the end of the evening can often be pretty long despite my efforts to unobtrusively slip away in the darkness surrounding the lights of the dance floor.

Meeting Maggie and Mike was thanks to a referral. The first meeting often feels a bit like what I imagine being set up by a matchmaker would be. They've heard good things about me and I try to picture what they would be like based on what I know of the person who referred me. Based on what I knew of Maggie's friends I wasn't worried about her and Mike. Honestly, I was more nervous about them liking me and my work. Totally first date sort of stuff, eh?

As expected Maggie and Mike's wedding was beautiful. I can honestly say that I've never seen the University Club of Chicago look as gorgeous as it did that evening. Also as expected there were plenty of familiar faces I had seen at previous weddings, some whom I'd seen a few times. One thing about Maggie is that she is super fun. A great sense of humor coupled with great wit, so obviously her friends would be just as much fun. The dance floor was packed, laughter was being thrown around as effortlessly as the holiday cheer of the season. Near the end of the night, one of Maggie's friends comes up to me in a bit of a panic.

Maggie's friends realized that there wasn't another upcoming wedding where I would be the photographer so this would be the last time we would all see each other in the foreseeable future. Thus, she thought of a great idea. As anyone knows, great ideas are best hatched after lots of drinks and dancing. The plan was to play matchmaker and set up singles at the wedding thus creating weddings where I would, of course, be the photographer. Made sense to me. It was the best laugh I had all month long.

Maggie, Mike I've seen you together as guests of a wedding. I've photographed your engagement session and so much enjoyed the laughter and conversation. I think your friends are more than amazing. Thank you for letting me be a small part of the wedding process.

The slideshow can be seen at www.dennisleeslideshows.com/maggieandmike

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year

2009-12-18T12:48:00.008-06:00

I'm probably in the minority when I say this but I like winter. I really do. For starters it brings the holidays. A chance for me to spend time in the kitchen entertaining friends over bottles of wine. It's also when things slow down a bit for me. While I still photograph weddings all year the number of engagment sessions definitely drops off in November - March so I get to take a bit of a breather. Fall and winter fashion are the best of the season. Great coats and luxurious fabrics showcased at all the windows downtown. Lastly, I do love to ski and it's my one chance to get out west to tumble down a hill of deep powder white. Winter is truly a wonderful time although it's not Stacy's favorite. You see Stacy isn't a big fan of the cold.

Stacy and I met years ago at a wedding where she was a bridesmaid. Since then I've photographed the wedding of another friend of hers. It's always such a pleasure to see people from previous weddings as it ends up feeling more like spending a wedding day with friends then it does a day at work. Always plenty of laughs and catching up with how everyone is doing.

Spending the day with Stacy and JR downtown at the Knickerbocker Hotel didn't disappoint. The lights and buzz of the city perfectly set the tone for the day adding a festive air. The ballroom of the Knickerbocker was set beautifully. Stacy and JR both excited with a bit of nervous anticipation reminded me of waiting for Christmas.

Now let me get back to Stacy not liking the cold. I wondered why someone who doesn't like the cold would schedule her wedding day in December. The thought stuck with me all day as we were outside quickly taking photographs. Days later I came to realize the genius of her plan. By getting married in the winter she would always have her anniversary to look forward to and enjoy. The memories of a great wedding day, a wonderful husband and an extra gift in December will, I'm sure, always help to keep her warm. With so much to celebrate, this will be the most wonderful time of the year for both Stacy and JR.

Congratulations. A taste of the wedding can be seen at www.dennisleeslideshows.com/stacyandjr

Let's Get Physical

2009-12-08T16:21:00.008-06:00

There are few thing that are more important than physical fitness. I really believe it sets the tone for much of our lives. Regardless of what side of the health care debate someone is on, we can all agree that prevention and maintaining our health is the cheapest and most effective way to keep health care costs down. So I was excited to photograph Lauren and Nathan on their wedding day. You see both of them are personal trainers.

The timing seems perfect to talk about Lauren and Nathan's wedding as we head right into the midst of the holiday season. I think it's safe to say that getting in shape is in the top of many new year's resolutions. Well there aren't two better people to help get anyone into shape. How fitting than that they would find each other through their passion for training and helping others get into shape.

During the day I could see the humor, caring, sense of fun and ease in both Lauren and Nathan. I guess what makes a good trainer also makes a good marriage.

See the hightlights from the wedding at www.dennisleeslideshows.com/laurenandnathan

I Got it From My Momma and Theoretical Science

2009-11-24T23:34:00.002-06:00

This post couldn't have come at a better time. I'm a big fan of the Large Hadron Collider and its repairs were just completed. For those unfamiliar with the LHC, it’s the European Organization for Nuclear Research also known as CERN’s experiment to accelerate protons to near the speed of light and then collide them. With much fanfare the particle accelerator came online last year only to have one of its huge detectors, ATLAS, get damaged during early startup. The LHC represents the pinnacle of theoretical science. While theoretical science is interesting, I do tend to find science with greater practical applications more interesting. Take for instance Mendel’s experiments on genetics.

Johann Mendel was a pioneer in genetics and the study of hereditary transmission of characteristics from parents to children. His work really laid the foundation for modern genetics. At the time, his work, much like the LHC, was at the cutting edge of science. Now how does Mendel have anything to do with weddings? Well let’s fast forward a hundred some odd years to Cheri and Adam’s wedding day.

One of the events I always look forward to is the first dances with the parents. I admit it, I still occasionally get choked up when I see the close connections between the parents and their children on the dance floor. The moments are often touching, funny and sweet all at once. It was Cheri’s first dance with her mother where science showed its real world application.

Cheri’s father past away some years ago so she invited her mother and sister onto the dance floor. The song she had chosen was I Got it From My Momma by Will.I.Am. I had never heard the song until that moment. Three absolutely stunning women on the dance floor rocking out and having the greatest time. As I was shooting and smiling I could very much see how close they were and how much the two girls loved their mother and how much of her they both had. Over a hundred years of science was encapsulated in one song and three women.

The rest of the night was as good as that dance. Everyone having a great time, Cheri’s mother, Adam’s parents and friends just dancing the night away. Who would have thought that one hip hop song would help crystallize for me what Mendel was talking about. I doubt he could have imagined what the world would look like today when he was doing his research. But, I think if he saw the party he would have joined in as well despite being a monk.

Congratulations Cheri and Adam.

Father Knows Best

2009-11-22T21:40:00.007-06:00

Despite the number of weddings I've photographed something strikes me about every family and couple I photograph. I can honestly say I have never had a bridezilla. A part of me, mind you a very very small part, secretly hopes to have one someday if for no other reason than to be armed with the story when I get the inevitable question during some part of the day. After the question, "how long have you been a photographer", the next most common question is probably, "So what's the craziest wedding story?" I've probably just jinxed myself and will probably get more than I bargained for. While I'm never struck with crazy wedding stories I am often struck by moments, that while more subtle, have greater meaning.

I've said this before and I'll say it again; it's something I truly believe. I think the most significant expressions of love are not the largest but often the smallest. It's the little things that can so easily be overlooked after years of being together as a family. We no longer hold doors. We conveniently forget someone's favorite flavor of ice cream to pick up our own. Instead of being just a bit early to ensure we're on time, we arrive just a bit late. At Maggie and Tony's wedding that wasn't the case.

Maggie's father was at the house with all the girls getting ready. Unfortunately with me being the only other guy, I wasn't much help in tipping the scale toward the manly side of things. Yet being alone he was so calm and at ease during the morning. In preparation for the wedding party on the trolley he filled styrofoam coolers full of ice and refreshments. He sat back letting the events unfold, mindful to not get in the way of over a half dozen girls running around getting ready. As we left in the limo, without being prompted, he calmly makes a call to the church to let them know we are on the way. Doing all the little things that are so easily forgotten to make sure Maggie was at ease and her day would go without any glitches. At the church, just before the ceremony, even keeping an eye out to make sure the coast was clear for Maggie and him to get into position without anyone seeing them. It was all the little things.

While spending the rest of the day with Maggie and Tony I could see why she had fallen in love with him. It was the little things he did that I'm sure resonated with Maggie. Tony, cool and calm, just handling the day with ease by her side.

The saying father knows best is more often true than not. In Maggie's case she's just lucky enough to have not only a great father but another great guy in Tony.

Happy Holidays.

The Lake House

2009-11-11T22:07:00.011-06:00

When people think back to their childhoods, I imagine vacations and time away from home are often in the forefront of those thoughts. Whether we all crammed into our parents' station wagon, mini-van or SUV, there was always a sense of adventure and excitement that quickened everyone's step. With no school or homework in sight, we were able to focus our attentions to important matters such as what would be grilled for dinner or is there enough time for a quick jump into the pool before we had to set the table.

I think these vacations were not only important for the time spent with family but also the chance to learn new skills. Think of all the things you probably learned because of these trips. Maybe it was riding horses, skiing, hiking, building a fire or just how to grill the perfect brat. In all these cases our lives are changed in big and small ways because of them. That was the case with Amy and Will.

As children both Amy and Will spent much of their childhood up in Wisconsin. Both families have vacation homes that would act as a retreat away from the city and a place to spend time with family. As luck would have it Amy's family's vacation home wasn't too far from Will's family's place. In fact there younger sisters even attended the same camp and were very good friends. Thus a plan was hatched that would change Amy and Will's lives forever.

Amy's sister and Will's sister thought it would be a good idea to try to set the two of them up. Both are avid waterskiers. Both are really good to their younger sisters. Both love the outdoors and being in the woods. This would be the perfect match. While I don't know all the details of how that first meeting went, the fact that we were celebrating Amy and Will's wedding day told me everything worked out perfectly.

I have to say it was a pleasure and an adventure following them through their engagement. For Amy and Will's engagement session I went up to Will's family's vacation home in Wisconsin. It was a place that meant so much to both of them and was an integral part in building their relationship. It was a big part of their total wedding story. Being up there, I could see why they loved it so much. Just so beautiful and tranquil. The world falls away and all that is left is time with family and friends.

Oh and on a side note. Will did get me to attempt to waterski. You can see the photos below. Let's just say Amy and Will are lucky that I'm better with a camera than on a pair of waterskis.

Normally, I would end by thanking Amy and Will for such a great wedding, but today I think I need to thank the real culprits and that would be their two sisters. Thanks girls for making all this happen.

Just as I started to get up on the skis for the first time.

And then quickly proceeding to crash.

Home

2009-11-05T18:31:00.003-06:00

Home is an interesting word. It could mean many things. Home can mean both where you came from and where you're going. Few words, I think, are as hard to define but so easy to recognize. It seems we all know where home is when we arrive there.

At the wedding of Kristen and Terence, home seemed to be quite a central theme. Kristen, originally from the Chicagoland area now lives outside of Philadelphia. I've been to Philly a few times and have loved it each time. My favorite place is the Reading Terminal Market. It's a market done right. Maybe a hundred independent local vendors selling the freshest produce and great food. I could walk around there all day sampling various morsels and reveling in the smell of fresh food. Sadly, I fear something like that will never make it to Chicago as our mayor would probably just load the space with every large corporate chain restaurant willing to pay. But that's a topic for another time.

Oh and to go totally off topic here, I won't venture to say whether I think Pat's or Geno's has the best Philly steak sandwich in town. But if you're ever in Philly try each and pick for yourself.

The great city of Philadelphia is now Kristen's home. Yet I couldn't help feel the connection she still had to her childhood home. She spoke so proudly of its Tudor style architecture. She fondly reminisced about the balcony that overlooked the living room and times she spent with her sister. The home was filled with artwork done by her father and sister. Photos and thus memories, hung all through the hallways. I could see why she had such an attachment to it. It wasn't just the artifacts that made it a home though, it was her family. Parent's, her brother and sister, the closeness could be felt. Throughout the day I realized why Kristen was smiling, laughing and having the best time ever.

To have one place to call home is more than a blessing. Now with Kristen and Terry married and living in their home outside Philly, Kristen is lucky enough to have two. Each as much a part of her as the other. Each a place, I'm sure, she'll look forward to coming back to for a lifetime.

Congratulations Kristen and Terry.

Planning Makes Perfect

2009-10-29T17:22:00.005-06:00

There are many different types of people in this world. Fast walkers and slow walkers. PC people and Mac people. Morning people and the rest of us. When it comes to planning weddings I think there those who really love it and others who aren't into the wedding planning process as much. Both types of people will thoroughly enjoy their wedding, but I think how they like to get there is different. I think many things in life are like that. Most people want to get to a very similar goal but how we go about it differs.

If I were to characterize Jaclyn and Michael, I would quite readily say that they were planners. Jaclyn and Michael researched their wedding day to check the likelihood of rain. They looked carefully at venues and set the schedules with enough time for travel and backup plans. It was a well oiled operation. Well I can happily say that all the planning and worked really paid off on the wedding day.
Jaclyn and Michael's wedding day went off smoothly and without any stressful situations...well, there were two incidents but we'll get to that in a moment. But in terms of timing there was no stress. Oh and their weather research really paid off because it was one of the most beautiful days in September. Not hot at all and the perfect temperature to walk around the city enjoying the end of summer. Yet no matter how much we plan there are often unexpected events that threaten to throw a wrench into the day.

Unexpected event number one. Jaclyn had a minor new wedding shoes mishap causing a bit of blood to get on her wedding dress. A lesser bride may have freaked out at this. Jaclyn, laughing mind you, is standing barefoot as the limo driver is pouring water on her foot and another bridesmaid is using a Shout cleaner pad to remove the stain. Shout one. Blood Stain zero.

Unexpected event number two. Jaclyn during dinner spills soup onto her wedding dress. This is before all the dancing. Before she had a chance to greet all her guests. Jaclyn ever so smoothly walks out to take care of the spill. Again Shout to the rescue. If there was ever an endorsement for Shout, Jaclyn and Michael's wedding was it.

Despite the two mishaps, Jaclyn wasn't phased at all and had the confidence that her preparations would be enough to handle what the wedding day threw at her. All I and anyone else saw was a smiling bride with uncomparable poise and Michael by her side.

So while I'm not much of a planner and Jaclyn and Michael are, we're all after the same ending and that's a perfectly executed wedding day that allows everyone to focus on what really matters and that's fun and times with friends and family.

The Girls

2009-10-19T21:46:00.008-05:00

As a wedding photographer I feel it's my duty to watch every wedding movie that comes out. I like to call it research, well at least that's what I tell my friends it is. Before Monica and Brian's wedding I watched the movie, I Love You Man which stars Paul Rudd and Jason Segel. In the movie Paul Rudd is going to get married but doesn't have enough close guy friends who could be groomsmen to match the number of his fiance's bridesmaids. The movie humorously shows how men bond and develop friendships. I was able to find some of the deleted scenes and laughed at the portrayal of the guys getting ready on their wedding day. I didn't get to see Brian preparing for the wedding day but instead, spent a good amount of the time with the bride, bridesmaids and mothers.

It's often funny, touching, and to a man, insightful spending hours with the girls as they get ready for the wedding day. Without divulging any beauty secrets, let's just say after years of photographing weddings, I probably know more than any man really should about makeup, hair, and dresses. The one thing I always enjoy is documenting the relationships of the women before their wedding. The activity, the laughs, the tears all make for a great story. What struck me about the wedding was the relationship between Monica, her sister and their mother. Watching them together made me chuckle, smile and even get a bit emotional.

Monica's father had passed away some years ago so it was just the three girls. In some way I guess I saw myself in their relationship. Some years ago my mother passed away and it was just my brother, my father and me. So while for me it was just the guys for Monica it was just the girls. Monica, her sister and her mother all with such different personalities but with one common element of truly caring for each other. Sure our parents, siblings, children frustrate us sometimes, but it's always familly. And really, isn't it a good thing to have someone who can be totally honest with you and know they are saying it with your best interest in mind?

While Monica's father may not have been able to physically be at the wedding, his spirit was there. It was there in one beautiful bride, a great sister and their most gracious and caring mother and the relationship between the three of them.

As I write this and look back to Monica and Brian's wedding day I remember how Brian looked as Monica walked down the aisle. How he enjoyed spending moments with her alone while I sat back and photographed them before the reception. How he was the perfect host while still giving his undivided attention to Monica. Just two wonderful people.

Topics of Conversation.

2009-10-13T23:01:00.003-05:00

I often find it interesting what conversations develop on my first meeting with a potential clients. Some of the more interesting topics have been the number of working bridges in Chicago vs. other cities. The cost of boat fuel. English vs. western style riding. Yet, the most interesting conversations had to have been with Donna and her mother. You see Donna is an expert in the Classics. So she has more knowledge about ancient Greece than well, anybody I know and will probably ever know. In addition, she is from New York. As coincidence would have it, I've spent years in New York back in my corporate days. What's even stranger is that I had just read an article in Smithsonian magazine about how someone may have found the island of Ithaca from Homer's Odyssey. During our first meeting there we were talking about ancient Greece and favorite New York pizza places.

That conversation lead me to think about how people meet and what brings them together. It made me very much look forward to meeting her fiance Harry and seeing them together. To get a sense of who they are and the story that would unfold on their wedding day.

After finally meeting Harry for their engagement session and seeing them banter back and forth about topics spanning from architecture to the food selection for their reception, I could only imagine how much fun the wedding day would be. The wedding day lived up to and surpassed all my expectations. The timing of events was perfect. The guest list was intimate. The food, prepared by one of my favorite chef's, Rick Bayless, was delicious. Harry and Donna spent the day always looking at each other, smiling and acting not just like newlyweds but also best friends. Conversations that carried them throughout the day and flowed with ease.

I guess you can never predict what random topic will come up in conversation or where it will lead you. In my case it lead me to two amazing people and a wonderful wedding. For Donna and Harry, it brought them together in marriage and created a foundation of a great relationship.

It's a Small World

2009-10-08T11:11:00.008-05:00

We're all familiar with the phrase, "it's a small world". Nowhere is that more true than in weddings. I often see my favorite DJ's, bands, wedding planners and florists every weekend. I have to say that it's a pleasure working with people I really like. In addition to seeing the same wedding professionals, it's not uncommon that I see some of the same wedding guests. Often one person will hire me to photograph their wedding and over the course of a few years, I'll photograph their friends' weddings as well. It's really great to see former brides and grooms years later and to see them happy as ever. Sometimes a former bride will even recognize another bride on my blog.

When I photographed Colleen and Marc's engagement session earlier this year, we were all walking along the beach. When we ran into the lifeguard, Colleen knew his older sibling. By the end of this year I will have photographed three of Colleen's old schoolmates' weddings. It seems Colleen knows everyone. Anyone who's ever met Colleen would probably agree. You see, she and Marc have two amazingly magnetic personalities.

Immediately upon meeting Colleen and Marc, you're greeting with Colleen's amazingly gracious and warm smile and Marc's ease and charm. So when it was time for their wedding, I knew it would be a day full of laughs and great expressions that I would just have to frame with my camera and click the shutter.

So I guess it is a small world and close friends and family help keep those relationships tight.

The Perfect Hosts

2009-09-17T13:53:00.007-05:00

Science has always been fascinating to me. My father still says I should have been a scientist. In high school as my school mates were sitting by their lockers talking about the scores of the latest game or more often by the lockers of girls they liked, I could be found in the library reading Psychology Today and Discover. As you might imagine, I didn’t date much in high school. Heh…heh. Still, I was engulfed in trying to wrap my head around gravity folding space or that there might be the existence of a theoretical particle that could travel faster than the speed of light. In all that, one of the things that most interested me was nature vs. nurture. How many things are influenced by either? Is my ability to twirl my pen between my fingers a genetic talent or was it due to just hours of boredom in study halls in school? One area I’m very interested in is personalities.

As a wedding photographer I probably meet and spend time with more new people than many other jobs. Everyone enjoying and often stressing about their wedding day and all the planning culminating into one big day. No two people seem to handle stress, excitement, happiness, nervousness the same. Thus I’m often left wondering how much of a person’s personality is shaped by their environment and how much is genetic. Take Susan and Phu for instance.

Susan and Phu recently got married at Millennium Park in Chicago. The day they picked was the day of the Air and Water show and a Cub’s home game. Anyone from Chicago will tell you this makes for some interesting traffic. Well Susan was running a bit late to start the day. Then as the ceremony was about to start the person walking her down the aisle was nowhere to be found. Apparently, stuck in traffic. As someone in the family quickly stood ready to be a stand-in, here comes the right person running in the distance barely making it on time to cheers from onlookers. It was both comical and dramatic all at once. What made the moment even better was that Susan was laughing and giggling the whole time. She had such a good sense of humor about it. In fact she had a great sense of humor about the whole day. All day she and Phu laughed and smiled without worrying about time, after all the day would end with them being married and that was the most important thing.

The whole wedding day was Susan and Phu talking, laughing and genuinely greeting each person. During the reception they walked around constantly hugging and sharing toasts with their guest. Even the vendors at the wedding were treated like guests.

On the wedding day with all the stress and planning coming together it can be easy to forget that the reception is really the first party you are hosting as a couple. The best hosts make it look effortless and genuinely engage their guests and do a great job of making people feel welcome. Susan and Phu definitely get that charm from their families who are just as inviting. So when I think about whether it was nature or nurture that helped shape these two, I can’t pick. Rather, I would say it was both. Two happy people surrounded by great families who will now form their own family.

All the News That's Fit to Print

2009-09-09T21:49:00.007-05:00

If I were to say what my one inspiration in photography was, I would have to say it was news photography. Iconic photos telling stories of world events both comic and tragic have kept me interested in what was going on around me and in far off places I would have trouble finding on a map. Whether the photos were humorous or heartbreaking, I was always struck by how the photos gave me a sense of what it must be like to be there. The sense of timing, perspective and point of view all combined into a single moment to create a photograph that did more than show what was going on but also often communicated emotion. In fact one of my mentors who helped shape my photography was a Pulitzer winning photojournalist for her work in Iraq.

I know a few Pulitzer winning photojournalists, some who have covered the White House, and when we get together I hear stories about how George H. Bush used to hold horseshoe tossing competitions and was so gracious to the staff. Then stories of how the mood changed at the White House with the Clintons. Barbara Bush was always loved by the staff and photographers. Chicago's very own President Obama is by all accounts great to the staff and has even treated the secret service to dinner. Washington could use some Chicago hospitality and toughness I guess.

It would only be fitting that I would eventually photograph the wedding of someone in the news. I remember meeting Lauren for the first time across from her office at NBC News Chicago. We traded stories and talked about things to do in Chicago since Patrick was living in Boston. Lauren's constant smile and charm told me I would have a great story to photograph.

On the wedding day Lauren and Pat really were a wedding photographer's dream. Not an ounce of stress and two great smiles that lasted from the time I arrived to I'm sure well after I left.

Oh the title of this blog not only refers to Lauren being in the news but also has a second meaning. You see, "All the News That's Fit to Print" is the motto of the New York Times and Lauren and Pat's wedding announcement, along with a photo I had taken, made it into the New York Times.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/09/fashion/weddings/09jiggetts.html?_r=2

Lauren and Pat, thanks for letting me be a part of such a wonderful wedding day and thanks for my first ever photo in the New York Times.

The September Issues

2009-09-01T15:32:00.007-05:00

Those who have spent anytime with me, know my love of fashion. I always look forward to late August when all the largest issues of Vogue, Harper's, Elle hit the newstands. You'll often find me along with my friends pouring through thousands of pages sipping wine. Invariably the conversations get deeper moving into the impact of the economy and politics on fashion and whether fashion reflects society or helps to shape it or both.

This year, I must say that Harper's did a better job than I thought Vogue did. The photography was more striking, there was more of it and Harper's seems to have taken more chances with their content. So for the next few months I'll be glued to my magazines, all dog eared, as I revisit the photos that made an impression on me. I'll study the lighting and posing and see what I might want to bring back to my wedding photography.

It's only fitting then that the wedding of Farah and Kiumars is the first blog post after viewing the September issues. You see Farah and Kiumars are big fans of fashion as well. I remember their engagement session where Farah and I were talking about our inspirations and designers we liked. She tried to see if I knew where her shoes were from; it was a Prada pattern. Kiumars even borrowed my belt as his didn't match what he was wearing. I loved spending the day with two people who were so excited about their engagement session and really took an interest in the details. I could only image what the wedding would look like.

On the wedding day, I wasn't disappointed. The ballroom at the Four Seasons hotel, set for a Persian style wedding, looked immaculate. The detailing on the tables and the flowers were about the best I've seen the room look. And of course both Farah and Kiumars looked amazing as well. The best thing about this gorgeous couple is that their looks are trumped by even better personalities.

Farah and Kiu, I had a great time at the wedding. Thanks for letting me be a part of it.

It's Not Rocket Science.

2009-08-25T11:42:00.004-05:00

Most things are not as complicated as I think people like to make them. Weddings for example. Yeah, yeah, I know I'm a wedding photographer and part of the whole wedding machine. Yet when you look right down to it, at its simplest form a wedding is two people in love, someone to marry them and a few witnesses. At the end of the day, when the celebration is over, there you are just the two of you alone, very much like your first date that started it all. In some ways it's coming back full circle to start another stage in your life. Weddings at their core are very simple yet very complex intricate undertakings. In that way I guess they do mirror love; simple at its core but sure can get complicated.

When Thea and Bobby asked me to photograph their wedding, I knew I would enjoy the day. They really kept the wedding simply elegant. Everyone was staying at the same resort that they would get married in and have their reception at. All in one location. For a wedding photographer that's a blessing. No Mapquest directions. No travel times from location to location. All this allowing me to just focus on the photography. You see, Thea could have made the wedding day a very intricate affair with travel and multiple locations and have pulled it off beautifully. She's good at handling large intricate projects. Because you see she is a rocket scientist.

You often hear people toss around the term, "it's not rocket science" to describe everything from baking a cake to programming a home theatre system; although I think the latter is pretty close. Thea has traveled the world due to her work and knows more about large scale projects than almost anyone I know. Yet on her wedding day she chose to keep things simple and all in one location. This ensured that everyone had nothing to think about other than having a good time and enjoying one of the most gorgeous days of the year.

Congratulations Thea and Bobby.

An International Incident

2009-08-06T11:23:00.007-05:00

One of the favorite things about being a photographer is how many people I get to meet and really get to know. Spending days with couples as they progress from being recently engaged to their wedding day is a real honor. I get to see people during some of their most emotional moments. Moments of stress, excitement, sadness, elation, the whole gammut of human emotion. In photographing weddings, I've met people from all over the world and get the opportunity to hear their stories and to help capture another story. Unfortunately, I had not met Kate and Marc-Olivier until the day before their wedding.

Kate and Marc-Olivier live in Geneva, Switzerland. Marco was born in Europe and Kate, working for the Red Cross, moved there from Chicago. All our correspondence was via e-mail and phone. I regret not being able to spend time with them like I often do with other clients because of how wonderful they really are as people.

In recent times, some of those in our country seem to have focused more on the differences of Americans and other countries. I guess when you create an air of "us" and "them" it is easier to justify and accept certain actions and policies. Yet, when I meet people, regardless of where they are from, it's the similarities that I notice most. It's the laughs that all sound the same regardless of accent. The love of a good time. Tears flow the same regardless of border. Friendship and love are all expressed with handshakes, hugs and kisses, with only the number of kisses varying by country. The most striking difference I've ever noticed was in watching children play.

All young boys seem to love police cars and fire trucks. In the U.S. when children imitate the sound of a siren it goes something like, "WOOOooo WOOooo WOOooo". In Europe a child's siren goes more like, "NEE NAHH NEE NAHH". Now anyone reading this that has ever seen an action movie based in Europe knows the sound I'm making.

Spending time with Kate and Marco, was another instance where I saw how similar people really are. Marco's mother beaming everytime she looked at him is something recognized the world over. Kate leaning on her father for support when emotions well up, is an indication of the type of relationship any father would cherish with his daughter.

I guess I think relations, whether international or domestic, personal or professional would all benefit by focusing a bit more on the similarities instead of the differences.

Kate and Marco, thank you both for trusting me from such a distance. Thank you for letting me be a part of the celebration of two amazing families and an awesome group of friends.

Everybody is Kung Fu Fighting.

2009-08-05T00:40:00.006-05:00

I think people make a lot of assumptions based on what you do for a living or what your interests are. When people find out I'm a photographer, I think they are surprised to find out I actually started my life in technology in a very non-creative role. My assistant Hillary and I were talking about how people even take on interests based on what they think someone in that role would do. For instance, someone picks up a certain sport if they are in a certain career. Sue and Sven are not these people, they are quite unexpected.

Sue and Sven are very interesting people to say the least. When I say interesting, I mean it in a good way. Both graduates of Harvard, both down to earth and both just amazingly kind. Sven is the mild mannered math teacher at Frances Parker high school in the city. Sue and Sve have a small pet rabbit even. So it was a bit of a surprise to find that they were huge, I mean huge fans of the Ultimate Fighting Championships. It's the all out no holds barred mixed martial arts where two men fight in a cage. Now I have to admit that I'm a fan as well and have been following it since UFC 1. I think that is an element to what makes them so charming, that they are unexpected. They are just comfortable with who they are and together they are even better.

I had the pleasure of spending a few days with them during their wedding planning process. Each time being greeted with big hugs and lots of smiles. What stuck me most was that they did things because they loved doing them or thought it to be important work and never because it was what someone might think they should do. They really follow their own hearts. I think doing that takes a lot of self-confidence. When I see Sue and Sven together, I see where that confidence comes from.

Congratulations on your wedding and I'll be thinking of you both when I'm watching the next UFC.

The Longest Day

2009-07-23T01:17:00.005-05:00

When I became a photographer, there were things I planned out and knew I would have to do. Backing up data is one of them. Now each Monday, my assistant Hillary, whom I can't live without comes and copies the weekend's wedding along with any engagement sessions. I'm sure I have enough storage space to hold all the books in the Library on Congress a few times over. Yet there are some things, that when I started, I didn't think I would be doing. One of those things was following weather and sunset times so closely.

Since become a photographer, I've sort of become an amateur meteorologist. Name a date and I can tell you about when the sun will set. Of the months in Chicago where there is typically no snow on the ground, October is the driest month. Of the whole year February is the driest month but obviously, the little precipitation that falls equates to snow often measured in feet. So what does all this have to do with wedding photography and specifically Liz and Jake's wedding? Quite a bit.

Weather and light determine what equipment I'll bring, where I can photograph and often the timing of when the light is at its best for photographs. The start of daylight savings time is my favorite day of the year; yeah I know we lose an hour of sleep. On the bright side it signals the start of spring and later sunsets; I think I'll give up an hour for that. Yet my favorite day of the year to photograph weddings is the first day of summer. Why? Well the sun doesn't set till 8:30 which means I'll have glorious early evening warm light and plenty of time to photograph in it.

Spending the day with Liz and Jake walking the grounds of the Royal Melbourne Country Club, I couldn't think of a better way to officially kick off summer. Liz and Jake are quiet and have a sense of calm which tells me they are just enjoying their time together. So I stepped back and let them enjoy the day as the photographs just took themselves.

Liz and Jake, congratulations and thanks for picking such a perfect venue to spend the longest day of the year with two really fantastic people.

The Dream Job

2009-07-08T21:15:00.018-05:00

I remember the days of sitting in front of a computer in my cube back in my corporate days. Although the cube was actually triangular and it was called a pod. Leave it to Corporate America to just dress something up cosmetically and change its title in an attempt to make it something more glamorous than it really is. As William Shakespeare wrote, "A rose by any other name would smell as sweet." I think that goes the other way too. I spent more than a few hours dreaming about my perfect job.

Until I found photography, that dream job changed all the time. Once I dreamed of being a ski instructor. Another time it was a gymnatics coach. A human performance researcher for athletes. A travel writer. The list goes on and on. That all ended when I found photography. I truly feel like I'm living my dream job. Really it's my perfect job. Well, except for one job. It's a job that has always fascinated me and captured my imagination. Nicole, who recently married Aaron, has that job.

Nicole works with dolphins at the Brookfield Zoo in Chicago. Yes, she gets to play with, train, study and care for dolphins. Dolphins have always fascinated me with their almost mythical stories that are actually true. The stories are countless. How dolphins can sense a baby's heartbeat in the womb, how they have saved swimmers' lives in the open ocean, how they can understand sign language; all amazing stories. In fact, I've even looked up vacations where you can work with dolphin researchers and spend time in the water with them. So what a perfect bride for me. I honestly had to bite my tongue a few dozen times during the day so I wouldn't just ask some random question about dolphins.

While Nicole was a perfect bride it wasn't just because she has my dream job but because of how the day went. The dolphin thing aside, there were countless details about the day that made me so much enjoy the wedding. Nicole and Aaron were just easy people to be around. Always calm, always polite and so considerate to each other. The planning of their day was perfect. Never was their a moment where people were rushing. The scheduling of the day was impeccible, leaving ample time to enjoy the moments instead of looking at a clock.

Nicole and Aaron planned an amazing wedding day. It was perfect because they were able to give each other their undivided attention without worry about other details. I think that full attention and being in the moment not only makes for a great dolphin trainer but also a great way to approach a wedding.

DIY

2009-06-30T22:20:00.007-05:00

When it comes to certain things, I'm not much of a do-it-yourself type of person. Well that's not completely true. I guess I will eventually tackle it myself after some procrastination. Typically, having someone with experience and competence with the task at hand seems a much safer option than me getting knee deep in something I don't really know much about. Sticking to photography seems my best option. Thus, I'm always impressed when someone takes on a large task that I wouldn't even think to tackle. That's why I was so impressed with Kathryn and Marcus doing many of their own preparations for the wedding. Which I would guess maybe meant Kathryn did much of the prep for their wedding.

Walking in to Kathryn's home, I find her doing her own makeup and hair. A few minutes later the girls are going over the look of the bouquets and I come to find they had rearranged some of the flowers. At the reception location, all the name card holders, in the shape of various animals, were hand made by Kathryn herself. Apparently not only is she an amazing figure skater and engineer, but also a sculptor? Yeah needless to say I was impressed.

What impressed me even more is how Kathryn and Marcus handled the day. Sometimes I hear stories of brides who have a hand in every little detail of their wedding and have made everything themselves, it often accompanies stories of a stressed bride realizing she took on too much. That was so not the case with Kathryn. Instead, she was spending time sword fighting, yes...sword fighting with her bridesmaids laughing as it was the best day of her life. Yeah it was supposed to rain, it was supposed to be cold, but you would never have known by looking at Kathryn and Marcus smiling, cracking jokes and laughing all during the day.

A few days before each wedding, my second photographer and I will talk in preparation for the day. I often start the conversation with, "O.K., they're a really cool couple." or something similar. I think Milli, Bonnie and Cris are finding that phrase to be redundant. Kathryn and Marcus have shown me again why I'm really lucky to be a wedding phtographer.

Gets Me to the Church on Time.

2009-06-29T21:58:00.006-05:00

I've probably been in a hurry to more weddings than most people have been to or will ever be to a wedding. Not that I'm often late to my clients' weddings but more that they may get a bit behind and...well, since I am with them I'm late to weddings too.

I'm a big believer that how a person handles unexpected bumps in the road says a lot about them. Inevitably, in life, despite our best efforts, things we didn't plan for throw us a bit of a curve. I am actually a big fan of these little hiccups in life. I think they help me to keep perspective. They also allow me to people watch, another favorite activity, and see people making a bad situation worse. I often secretly chuckle as people get worked for something they can't do anything about. Airports, bus stops, restaurants are all locations that seem really conducive to minor setbacks.

I like to think of these little setbacks as great "war stories" that I can pull out at dinner parties where the conversation may be a bit slow. Now I'm not in any way diminishing real problems that come up in life, but think about how many times we've been worked up for what really amounted to nothing, it's those instances I'm talking about. It was a situation at Maria and Jose's wedding that really showed me who they were.

The trolley having arrived at Maria's to pick up the girls, left without them to get the guys. Apparently, there was a bit of a cross in communications. So there the girls were without transportation to the church. In wedding terms this is as close to meltdown material as you can get. Of course there was the initial shock and awe, but a few minutes later a plan to get everyone to the church had been hatched and Maria was happily on her way. By the time her car pulled up to the church, it was as if nothing happened and she was in great spirits. It's that attitude and ease that I know will help carry Maria and Jose through all that life throws at them.

Maria and Jose, thanks for letting me spend an amazing day with you. Now we all have a great little wedding war story to tell at parties and will only serve to make the memories of the wedding that much more interesting.

Click to Cure 2009

2009-06-17T14:43:00.003-05:00

It's that time of the year again! Come on out to support my annual Click to Cure event for cancer research!

I know many reading this blog know the story of my own experiences with cancer in my family. Since the Click to Cure event last year, a few more people I know have been affected by cancer. I've also heard so many stories from people. It's seems nearly everyone has some story about how cancer has affected them or someone they know.

This year, we are raising money for the Cancer Research Foundation in Chicago. It was started by the Goldblatt family, yes of the Goldblatt stores. They support new and innovative research that often large organizations or governments overlook. Yet it's often this new research that leads to great leaps in science.

On July 12th, I will be shooting portrait sessions for a minimum donation of $100 to the Cancer Research Foundation. Bring your family, friends, dogs, cats, anything you want photographed in the name of a great cause! Here are the details:

Studio 415
415 W. Huron St.
Chicago, IL
July 12. 10:00AM - 6:00PM

There are no reservation times. Walk in, we'll spend about 15 minutes taking photos, and you'll leave with a disc of all the images. We'll have food, music, and a lot of fun. One hundred percent of the funds raised will go to the Cancer Research Foundation.

If you can't make it but would still like to make a donation, please write a check to the Cancer Research Foundation and send it to my address:

Dennis Lee Photography
7311 N. Honore St. #3
Chicago, IL 60626

So come on out, support a great Chicago organization. Oh and it's my birthday too. Yeah I'm using anything I can to get people to support something so important.

A Rude Awakening

2009-06-17T14:12:00.005-05:00

I love my sleep. While pretty much nocturnal, sleep, when I can get it is something I really cherish. The only problem with sleep is the waking part. Invaribly, I will be in the middle of a great dream where I am flying and then wake up only to try and force myself back to sleep to the continue where I had left off. I think the term is called lucid dreaming where you can sort of take control of your dreams. It's something I love and hate waking up to.

I think weddings are sort of like great lucid dreams. You're an active participant and it feels surreal sometimes. And, as in great dreams, the day also goes by too fast. Then there is the wake up and back to reality. This blog was originally going to be about something else. It was still going to be about Christina and Mark, two unbelievably lovable, fun and easy-going people, but I was going to have a different start. But then I imagine Christina thought her first few days back from honeymoon would also have a different start.

The day after Christina and Mark got back from their honeymoon, the bank where she was at, got robbed at gunpoint; the guman standing right next to her. So there she found herself in a totally different surreal moment than the one of her wedding and honeymoon. Not the welcome back to reality that anyone would want. In fact, it may have been the ultimate rude awakening. All I can say is that words can't express how glad I am that she and everyone else made it out safely.

As I was working on Christina and Mark's wedding, I found myself reminiscing about the day. How Christina in her beautiful dress still wanted to walk along a wooded path to see Mark and have some private time together. While some brides treat their dresses like museum pieces, not even wanting to sit or move in them, Christina knew that more important than a dress was the time she wanted to spend with Mark. This was just one of many instances where I knew they are a couple that gets it.

So as I watched their slideshow again, I just went back to their wedding day and only remembered how great the day was and no event could overshadow that.

Check out their slideshow at www.dennisleephoto.com/christinaandmark

Laws of Attraction

2009-06-02T15:16:00.006-05:00

If you've been reading this blog for a while you've probably figured out that I have a facination with people and how they find one another and what brings them together. The stories are as varied as the personalities. I've heard stories of introductions from friends, random meetings, airport conversations, sporting events, etc. You name a situation and I bet people have met and fallen in love that way.

What I find really interesting is the process of people falling in love. The actual mechanics of it and how it progresses. It seems that as we humans fall in love, we see the person we are falling for in new ways. One example of this and one of my favorite psychological phenomenon is what is called the Pratfall Effect. Basically, it states that if we are interested in a person and find them attractive, that a small blunder or mishap will actually increase the liking effect. So if you're out to dinner and you like someone and they spill wine on themselves chances are that will cause you to like them more. Looking back at my personal experience I can say this is true for me. Someone has a small blunder and I think it's cute and endearing.

Then I guess the day on the canoe for Rebecca and Hector helped their relationship along. During the ceremony, I heard the funny story of how Rebecca and Hector spent a day on a lake. Let's just say that it wasn't smooth sailing. But I can only imagine the laughs and conversations the situation caused. If the Pratfall Effect held true, then each little mishap just helped push them a little bit closer to each other. Considering, that was the story told at the wedding, I would say the Pratfall Effect worked for them.

So there I was listening to the ceremony, chuckling and trying to hold my camera steady as I photographed two of the most kind people I've met on the most beautiful day of the year. Rebecca and Hector share this amazingly quiet intimacy that, without having to make a huge scene, just reveals itself. A quiet connection.

In a world that has become increasingly about putting yourself out there and telling everyone via Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, etc., exactly what you are doing at any given moment it was refreshing to see two people whose deep connection to each other showed more about themselves than any website ever could.

Vera Wang Fall/Winter 2009. Evening of Bridal Luxury

2009-03-26T21:14:00.010-06:00

I had the pleasure of working with Vera Wang Chicago to cover the Fall/Winter 2009 bridal collection at the Four Seasons Hotel, downtown Chicago. There were some trends I was very excited to see. Color finally taking hold in wedding gowns. No more stiff bright ultra white fabrics but rather soft draped organza and beautiful tulle overlays that accentuated not only the body but also the movement.

Sonia Roselli along with Jen Jackolin from Sonia Roselli Esthetique helped the models look gorgeous with makeup that was very fresh, matte with a slight sunkissed cheek that was complimented by nude lips. All of which kept in line with the natural ethereal look inspired by the gowns.

Chicago Social magazine helped put together an amazing event that also supported a cause that is close to my own heart, that of breast cancer.

So without futher ado, the 2009 Fall/Winter collection.

Partners in Crime

2009-03-16T21:52:00.006-06:00

I've always liked the phrase "partners in crime". It's one I reserve for very few couples. Couples who really seem to share not just life goals but everyday interests and personal passions. There are married couples where the guy is a sports fan while she may not be. They get along great and make a cute couple. Some couples have his interests and her interests. Then there are the couples who really share interests, where each person's interest is also the other person's. Maybe it's in the conversation that I sense that. The back and forth banter of familiarity and shared passion.

I guess the best way to describe this is to use an example.

I had the pleasure of meeting Maggie and Danny last year. We sat for over an hour talking about the wedding. Danny had as much interest in what was going on as Maggie; this is always a good sign. Never once did I feel like I was talking to Maggie with Danny just present. It was really three people engrossed in a good conversation sharing ideas and stories.

On the day we photographed their engagement session, we started talking about the planned honeymoon. Now I knew they were avid skiers, another really good sign; well at least for me. Jackson Hole is their home mountain. Well Jackson Hole is also the location of one of my dream resorts, Amangani. I asked if they knew the place. Maggie knew exactly what I was talking about and they had both debated whether to honeymoon at Amangani. They are getting married in winter and debating whether to go skiing for their honeymoon. Well, the warm weather honeymoon won. But throughout the conversation, I couldn't help feel that they were truly partners in crime.

In everything they did, there seemed to be this deep connection and shared interest and sense of fun and novelty. I think it's that, which makes them partners in crime.

Private Moments, Public Places

2009-03-02T19:26:00.006-06:00

As humans, we are odd creatures, beings that are seemingly often at odds with our own senses. There are some good examples of this, I think. Optical illusions for one. We see one thing but our minds interpret it in another way. Thus we see static images that seemingly move. Lines that you swear would meet but really they don't. If anyone has ever had motion sickness on a plane, boat or roller coaster you've experienced first hand this disconnect. Your eyes see one thing but your vestibular system in your ears which are responsible for feeling position, acceleration and rotation detect something else. I have a cousin like this. He can ride roller coasters and do back flips but get him on something that moves slowly and ever so subtly and he's not doing so well. So much so that he has to take motion sickness pills to ride up a ski lift. This disconnect seems to happen in many areas.

Our eyes see scenes as a progression. Seeing things in a fluid movement from scene to scene. Yet our memories seem to pick the scene apart, remembering only certain key moments during an important event. I guess it's a way for our brains to categorize alll that we take in. To remember every little detail would, in a sense, overload what we could recall at any given time. The pivotal moments seem to be what we remember best. The details surrounding a single moment in time. As a photographer it's those moments we try to capture.

With Kristen and Brian those pivotal moments weren't hard to find. The whole day was filled with instances that spoke volumes about the day. Quick glances, smiles and laughs happened as fast as I could click my camera. So as I looked back at their wedding day, I saw things I didn't notice when I first took the photo. I find it interesting to see people having a good time and feeling the emotion of a wedding day. You'll never know what people will do.

When people are caught up in the emotions of a wedding, it's amazing how many personal, significant, private moments happen in the most public of scenes. A glance, a hand hold or a quick kiss however fleeting says a lot. If those things do say a lot then Kristen and Brian's wedding speaks loudly to what a great relationship should be.

Holiday. Celebrate.

2009-02-26T22:21:00.004-06:00

O.K. this one is a bit late. Sorry, it's winter time and I was skiing. Being a wedding photographer has sort of relegated me to winter sports, thus I really look forward to all things winter. While people are dreading the sight of that winter snow storm I'm wide eyed looking forward to driving three hours to Devil's Head ski hill just so I can do some basic drills to get ready for my trips out west. But this is not to say that I'm a good skier, far from it in fact. Being a Chicagoan doesn't make for becoming a big mountain free skier. Just as skiing breaks me from my routine so I find winter weddings do the same.

Most wedding photographers it seems don't like winter weddings. In reality it is more difficult to photograph a winter wedding. There is typically no daylight by 3:30 or 4:00, it's so cold that you can't keep the wedding party outside for more than three or four minutes and let's be honest, gray colored slush on the ground and bare foliage don't make for the best backgrounds. While the typical things may not be available, winter weddings, especially those near the holidays, do offer something that no other time of the year can.

Winter weddings are great because everyone is decorating with beautiful lights and colors, not seen any other time of the year. One way to look at it is that the whole city is decorating itself for your wedding. In the case of Kristin and Bryan's wedding it couldn't have worked out better.

During Kristin and Bryan's wedding weekend it rained and it was foggy. In fact it rained so much that on the way home from the wedding I had to turn around because there was no way my car, being so low, would have made it through the flooded road I came on. It was the fact that it was a holiday wedding that gave us great light and backgrounds to work with.

The church was beautifully decorated with flowers and lights. The reception at Cog Hill offered the warm holiday backdrop that perfectly set the mood. Everyone was all smiles that were only intensfied by the season. Kristin and Bryan will not only have the winter season to celebrate for all its holidays, but also to serve as a reminder of the time they ended a year as single people and started the new one as husband and wife.

Yeah I would say winter weddings definitely hold their own against any spring or summer event.

Now That's Entertainment

2009-02-02T12:33:00.004-06:00

Is there anyone old enough to remember the show, Now That's Entertainment? Actually, I'm not old enough to remember it either but I did become familiar with the show during late night reruns as a child. It was a show that ran highlights from various old movies and muscials. I've always loved the old classics; movies, music and artifacts that have stood the test of time. I think that very much influences my photography. I rarely pay attention to the latest Photoshop technique that makes skin look plastic or the newest color effect that makes a photo all blue to give it faux mood. Often it's not the art that is the goal but rather documenting the moment. In documenting the moment, maybe the photograph will stand the test of time and thus become art; much like the old black and white news photos that are so popular today. Enough of my old-soul rambling, back to the entertainment part.

There are many aspects of being a wedding photographer that I like, one of them is the entertainment. I get to hear a band play or a DJ spin great songs every week. Then there is the running around and playing tourist for a day with a whole entourage as we take photos all over Chicago. But one of my favorite things is when a member of the family or guest displays their talent at a wedding. It's often unexpected and spontaneous thus adding to the already high level of energy. And that's what happened at Megan and Michael's wedding.

The wedding day started off just perfectly. Everyone was in good spirits and there was an already easily noticeable bond. It took me a bit longer to figure out who was a family member and who was just a close friend because everyone just seemed like they knew each other forever. Smiles, inside jokes and good natured ribbing.

Once the reception started the level of fun just kept rising. The Al Sofia band did a great job of playing some wonderful classics with a mix of high energy songs that kept everyone and I mean everyone on the dance floor. The evening ended with Megan's uncle getting up with the band and singing. Now it wasn't the sort of karaoke style singing we might expect from our own uncles but rather a smooth rendition of an old classic that had everyone cheering and even left Al Sofia impressed.

Megan and Michael's wedding was filled with great food, drinks, music and laughter that culimated with everyone cheering on a favorite uncle. So in the words of the old TV show, now that's entertainment.

All Smiles

2009-01-22T17:59:00.006-06:00

I'm a believer that there is a perfect photographer for every client. Whether you like your photographs to have a lot of effects on them or whether you perfer a more realistic natural look, you can get what you want. Some prefer to let the day flow naturally while others may want to be directed. I would definitely consider myself someone who enjoys taking photos as events naturally occur. No fake dips on the median in the center of Michigan Ave. with the wedding party fake cheering in the backgroud found here. Reality is always funnier, more poignant, more interesting than anything I can think of. I often tell people, when considering photographers, to get a someone who not only takes photos that you love but also someone who think you'll enjoy spending the day with and whose sense of style closely matches yours. Afterall, your photographer will spend more time with you than just about anyone else on your wedding day.

Often the photographer arrives as hair and make-up is being done and then stays until the party is in full swing. It's because of this, that makes it's important to find someone whose personality fits your own. When the bride, groom and family and friends sync with the photographer truly great photos can be made. So I find that I often have many things in common with my couples and with Christina and Louis it wasn't any different.

Christina and I were excitedly sharing our favorite restaurants and brainstorming ideas for where to take friends and family when they came to town. Louis is a pilot and I've flown more than most people and love being on planes. The only difference is that I also love to jump out of them. No worries for future brides reading this, I've stopped jumping out of planes when I became a wedding photographer. That excitement in conversation extended well into the wedding day.

Christina was all smiles as she, her mother, sisters and friends were enjoying the morning. When I finaly saw Louis later in the day he was, just like Christina, all smiles beaming with excitement. People always accuse me of constantly having a smile on my face. So I guess that was just one more thing that we had in common.