WINTER ENGAGEMENT PHOTOS | PATTI & DAN!

The snow, the dreamy light – Patti & Dan's engagement session couldn't have been more wonderful! With Patti's parents backyard running into Rib Mountain State Park, it provided an idyllic setting to capture her and Dan together. The four of us hiked into the woods and found sunshine bursting through the snow covered evergreens - the PERFECT spot to cozy up! :) Chilled from the wind on the way in, we found ourselves nice and toasty in the woods. While creating pictures with Patti & Dan they took the opportunity to show just how adorable they are together in front of our cameras! Out of nowhere, Dan scooped Patti up and the smiles and laughter that followed had us smiling from ear to ear! We had SO much fun with these two and we could not WAIT to get their film scans back as soon as we left the session. These two are planning a Wausau wedding next October that we are already looking forward to being a part of!

Love, Kelsy & Butch

Winter engagement photos captured with Contax 645 or Pentax 67 on Fuji Pro 400H.

O' CHRISTMAS TREE

It was like we were LIVING in a Christmas movie. We both decided to indulge in a holiday beverage on our daily trip to our favorite coffee shop and were thoroughly enjoying the holiday tunes pumping out of Butch's truck's speakers. Parker was wearing his favorite holiday sweater, it was a wonderful Tuesday afternoon, and we were driving deep into the East side of Wausau to hunt for our Christmas tree! If you happen to follow us on Instagram here or here, you know that our faces couldn't hide one bit of the excitement we felt because, after all, this is one of our FAVORITE days of the entire year!! After borrowing a saw from the sweet attendant at Highland Trees, we were driving through miles and miles of trees and gawking out the window like tourists to find the perfect spot to start our search. After years of different Fir trees (Fraiser, Concolour, etc), we were in the mood for a Blue Spruce and were determined to find it. We finally made our way to the Spruce neighborhood and, we kid you not, the MOMENT we stepped foot out of the truck, it started SNOWING big fluffy flakes! It was as if someone up high in the sky flipped the switch, and we were blissfully tree hunting in a winter wonderland. :) After a little picture-taking, lots of searching and measuring with our arms, and non-stop smiling at Parker as he did mega sprints through countless trees, we found THE ONE. His name is Jack, and he is currently hanging out in our living room, all dressed up in silver and gold.

Traditions, pictures, cozy nights by the fire, Christmas movies, more cookies than any of us need, and holiday get-togethers... We hope this holiday season is just as joy-filled for you and yours!

Love, Kelsy & Butch

Images captured with Contax 645 on Ektar 100.

WAUSAU FAMILY PORTRAITS | THE MCCOOL FAMILY

The day after Thanksgiving we had the pleasure of photographing the McCool family in their beautiful home here in Wausau. Hank and Jack (the cutest twins on the planet!) stole our hearts immediately and we so enjoyed photographing this wonderful family!

Love, Kelsy & Butch

Wausau family portraits captured with Contax 645 and Pentax 67 Portra 800.

LIFESTYLE NEWBORN SESSION | LITTLE MISS HENRIETTA

There's no question about it: it is a GIANT honor to photograph a soon-to-be Mr & Mrs' engagement session and wedding celebration! But, you know what we consider the biggest honor of all? Being asked to photograph the next steps as our bride & grooms' families grow. :) Needless to say, when Jody & Chris reached out to us about newborn photography for their upcoming baby McGinley, we were beside ourselves!!

On a snowy morning we made our way over to Minneapolis to capture this new family of three (five, with their two pups!) and we could not wait to meet their new little lady, Henrietta Louise, on her 12th day of life. While capturing adorable & petite Henrietta, we couldn't help but smile at her big yawns, long legs, amazing hair, and sweet eyes. Seeing Jody & Chris as Mom & Dad warmed our hearts, as it feels like just yesterday we photographed their 2010 wedding and now they have this beautiful bundle of joy to shape their lives around!! :)

Jody & Chris, thank you SO much for inviting us into your home to capture such special moments and create these images together! We loved seeing you and hope you adore this session as much as you do Henrietta Louise!!

Love, Kelsy & Butch

Lifestyle newborn session captured with Contax 645 , Pentax 67 and Rolleiflex 3.5c on Fuji Pro 400H and Ilford 3200.

THE POWER OF A PHOTOGRAPH & WHY WE ARE GRATEFUL

When we really sit down and think about it, the moments we are invited to capture for a family are incredible. We're blown away by the honor that it is to document the love within a family.

The first glance you exchange as a husband and wife with eyes that say a thousand words and "I love you's". The loving way you hold your newborn baby, so gently, so overcome with a love you didn't know you could feel. The belly laughter you share during a family portrait session as your little ones let their personalities shine for us to capture. The way you watch your soon-to-be high school graduate pose for her senior portraits while thinking to yourself "I can't believe you're about to go out into the world; just yesterday I held you in my arms!"

... all of these moments of love and life, captured artfully and preserved forever. A photograph so easily becomes more than an image or a print. It's a treasure. A story. An heirloom that will be a part of your family history and passed down for generations, just as our parents, grandparents & their parents have before us.

Let's continue live a life filled to the brim with love. But along the way with how busy our days-weeks-months are, let's not forget to live a life that is also well documented so that our memories never live far away. Fleeting moments come right back while holding a printed photograph in your hands. As time passes, families grow & change and loved ones make their way up to Heaven. Universally, we all appreciate photographs even more with time. And, both personally & professionally, we can attest to this. We've seen the power of an image, and it's part of why we are truly blessed to call this passion of ours a 'job'. A moment... a photo that overwhelmingly captures the spirit of the one you love. The way a photograph warms your heart, and the overwhelming gratitude that we were able to capture their spirit and preserve those moments forever.

So, this holiday (and all year round!) take lots of pictures, both yourself and with a professional! Print your photographs, display them, and have albums made to sit on your shelf or coffee table. It's the first thing us & everyone we know wants to pick up when visiting a loved one's home! :)

Love, Kelsy & Butch

All photographs captured on medium format film with Contax 645, Hasselblad 500cm or Pentax 67.