dan woolf - wisconsin photographer

Headshot/Promo session - Jesse

2011-12-28T18:44:00.000-08:00

Now that Winter is fully upon us, things start to slow down a bit
for us Photographers. We take the time to get caught up on things,
spend time with family, or even get out of town for a while.

Not too mention that most folks aren't interested in location shooting
in Winter, but that didn't stop Jesse from wanting a few in addition to
some headshots for his modeling portfolio. Now that he lives in the Los
Angeles area, having shots that are out of the norm are are something
that he was looking for. So, we finished the shoot on a frozen lake. Nice!

We also were fortunate enough to have the assistance of Erika Zilisch,
who knocked it out of the park with hair and make-up for Jesse.

She is available for on location shoots, weddings, or her salon in Neenah.
Check Erika out HERE

Now onto my favorites from the day

Have a great new year everyone!!!

Dan

2011 Ugly Christmas Sweater Party

2011-12-11T11:29:00.000-08:00

This is our second year that Megs and I put on our Ugly Christmas
Sweater Party. It's a great chance to reconnect with friends, and enjoy
the holiday spirit.

Of course one of the best parts are the horrible sweaters. I must say
that this year was really impressive. Everyone stepped their game up
and brought some awful sweaters. We even had dudes rockin hot pants!

In the end it was a pair of candy cane stripped socks that was the tie
breaker for the win. Who knew it was going to be that tight of a competition?

Here are some offerings from the night. Enjoy!

Have a happy and safe holiday season everyone!!
Cheers!

Dan

Family photos -Myers Family

2011-10-13T19:42:00.000-07:00

The Myers family came to me to get some pics of them/maternity shots.
I'm not known for my maternity photos, but I'm always up for doing
shoots that are outside my comfort zone.

I was really happy with the outcome as they have a little different vibe than I
normally shoot. I have to say what I great time I had with them, and sharing
a special time in their lives. It meant a ton to be able to work with them.

Soon after these were shot, they welcomed the new baby into their lives, and
all are doing great. What a gift. For me and the Myers family. You guys rock!

Senior portraits - Alex

2011-10-06T19:08:00.000-07:00

Alex, his dad, and I spent a night getting some shots in a few weeks ago.

Getting Senior pictures made for dudes is usually tough. They don't want
to be there, the 'rents are making them, "just get it over with!"

Thankfully Alex was game. Plus, once he realized that it wasn't going to be
your standard "knee-shelf" photo shoot, he quickly loosened up, and we
spent the rest of the night joking about Jim Rome and the Pack.
My favs from the night.

Engaged: Nicole and Scott

2011-08-27T13:15:00.000-07:00

Nicole and Scott are going to be getting hitched soon out of town, but wanted to
get some great pics made for their engagement. I've been waiting to use this old
junkyard for a shoot all year, and Nicole and Scott were up for the challenge.

So we made sure we were up to date with our Tetanus shots and off we went.
This place was just a photographers dream for locations and interesting stuff
to shoot against. Not too mention that Nicole and Scott were old pros with this.
Enjoy and congrats guys!

Senior portraits - Emily

2011-08-06T06:33:00.000-07:00

Things have been fast and furious around here lately. It's great!
This next round is from a senior portrait session with my cousin Emily.

It's always interesting making pictures of family members. They can be
brutally honest, which is what I'm all about as I love constructive criticism.
You don't grow as a photographer from people telling you how great you are.

Don't get me wrong, it's great to hear how a photo you made really impacted
someone. Even a photo that you are personally proud of is cool. In small doses.
I'm a perfectionist by fault, and I have to be growing or I feel like, why bother?

These photos ended up being exactly what she was hoping for though. WHEW! ;)

Emily is from the Lacrosse area, and didn't want the same locations
that everyone uses over there. So, we hit up some interesting spots
and we ended up getting some killer images. Check 'em out!

A couple more engagement shoots

2011-06-16T19:25:00.000-07:00

I spent the past few weeks getting some engagement shoots in
before the summer madness kicks in. I know I've said this before,
but I do really enjoy engagement shoots. During the day of the
wedding it's so chaotic that being able to spend a few hours getting
to know each couple more is needed for great wedding pics.

First up is Kelly and Tim. These guys are huge foodies so we had
tons to chat about. They also are huge into golf which is something
that I've been meaning to pick up. I just need to find some free-time. :)

Here are some of my favorites:

Next is Tammy and Kevin. These guys braved some cold and windy
weather to get some great shots. Total troopers. Between talking
motocross and marathons I felt like one out of shape dude.

Here are the ones I dig from their session.

It's been great to get to know my clients better and I can't wait to be
a part of their big days that are coming up in fall.
See you guys soon!

:Dan

Shoot-night with the big kids

2011-06-07T18:23:00.000-07:00

Every once in a while the kids are patient enough to spend a few hours
with me to make some fun pictures. Both of the older kids have lost quite
a few teeth lately, so that was my feeble excuse to drag them out for a
shoot-night. While Megs watched our youngest, the three of us braved
mosquitoes and those nasty June bugs. They were total troopers.

We had a ridiculous time, and I spent more time laughing my arse
off than taking pics. It's been such a blessing to have these three
crazy kids in my life, and I wouldn't trade being a dad for anything. :)

Here are some of my favorites

Until next time,

Dan

Family day at Bay Beach

2011-06-04T14:51:00.000-07:00

We took the family to Bay Beach in Green Bay today.
Had a wonderful time riding the new Zippin Pippin,
which is a replica of Elvis' favorite Roller Coaster.
So many great memories there for me as a kid, and it
was great to see my kids having such a good time.

I brought just my phone, and grabbed a few shots
in between rides, ice cream, and a nice sun burn.

I have an app for my phone called retro camera
It's a fun little app that applies vintage effects
onto your photos.

They don't have the "normal"? feel that my photos
have but, these are just for fun anyway.

I hope everyone is enjoying their weekend.

Take care,

Dan

Amanda Cupcake: Artist/Chemist/Bringer of happiness

2011-05-30T17:17:00.001-07:00

Once in a while I get to shoot food which is always good for me as I would
consider myself a "foodie". So, when Amanda asked me to if I could get some
shots of her famous cupcakes, I jumped at the chance.

It's great to work with other creatives in the Fox Valley. Weather it's music, food,
theater, you name it! Her baking skills are impressive, and the best part is she's
right here just outside of Appleton (Waupaca to be exact).

Here is how to get a hold of Amanda. You'll be glad you did! :)

Amanda Cupcakes blog

Amanda Cupcakes FB page

Here are just a few ideas of what she can put together for you. Also, not shown are
cupcake pops, regular sized cakes, and just about anything else that you can throw at her.
She's quite the talent. Now, onto the sweet treats!

Red Velvets inspired by one of my tattoos.

Cupcake Kaleidoscopes (what a fantastic idea)

Salted Caramel (Megs favorite)

Chocolate Cherry Red Velvet (Chocolate goodness)

Strawberry Margarita (So rad! They look like something out of a Dr. Suess book!)

The Fauxstess cupcake (My personal favorite)

Of course we had to get some fun portraits in while we ate those little pieces of heaven.
She was great in front of the camera. It was a blast making these pics for her.

Cheers!

Dan

A model, a chair, and an apple orchard

2011-05-26T13:46:00.000-07:00

I promised myself that I would do more personal work this year.
As much as I love shooting portraits and weddings, I need to stay
fresh. I must keep pushing myself to learn more while having some
fun in the process. That brings us to this next series of images.

This involved a fair amount of location scouting, hiring a stylist, and
getting a model to spend a few evening hours to make some images
for my portfolio. I wanted them to have a darker and more mysterious
vibe to them. Multiple lights were a must.

I have to say how happy I am with these. I'm finally starting to feel like
my work is getting to the point where I am getting the results that I was
originally envisioning when planning the shoot out. It's been awesome.

Huge thanks to Shawna Tassoul at Innova Salon in Neenah for her hair
and makeup work. You should give her a call to get your hair did.
She does fantastic work.

Innova's website

Of course the pics wouldn't have been so rad without the talents of
Ms. Luella Helton who works with Herbalife in Appleton. Give her a
buzz if you need to get your nutrition back on track. I know that I
personally could use some help here.

Luella's FB page

Onto the pics!!

Engaged: Laura+Chris

2011-05-23T20:59:00.000-07:00

Recently, I had the opportunity to spend an evening with Laura and Chris who
will be tying the knot this fall. Wedding days move so fast that we don't get
much time to get to know one another. So, engagement shoots are a great time
to joke around and take some time to celebrate the commitment that each couple
is making to one another. It's a huge honor for me to partake in such a personal
time in peoples lives. I can't wait to be a part of Laura and Chris' big day. Killer
sunsets and great conversation were the highlights of this shoot.

Here are some of my favorites:

Back in action!

2011-04-24T17:07:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone!
First off, my apologies for not blogging much. Things have been
like a tornado here. Literally! Between a crazy storm coming through
(typical spring in Wisconsin) and the "tornado" that hit my desk. It's
been a busy past few months. I've been working on my new website
and branding which has been great.

I have been working on more personal and studio work lately as well.
I have had a great time learning how to push myself with this camera of mine.

Our little girl, Charlotte, is 9 months today and I'd thought it would be
a great time to get some pics. Here are some fun "studio" type shots.

Yea, they're cool. I'm digging them, but let's keep pushing to do new things.
After watching Jeremy Cowart on CreativeLIVE I was itching to try these.
How about an experimental pics that I took through the viewfinder of on old
Ensign film camera from the 50's using a 100mm macro lens?

Cool eh? Now mix that along with some long shutter speeds and a pen
light we made something that I'm really excited about. Enjoy!

Keep an eye out for my updated website in the next few weeks.
Stay tuned!

-Dan

2011 Wedding Giveaway Contest Winner!!

2011-02-13T18:34:00.000-08:00

Over the past few weeks, I've received dozens of entries.
Megs and I read through all of them. We laughed, and even
teared up on a few. We were both so happy that all of you took
the time to share your personal stories. It's been wonderful.

One thing that we noticed is how much love you guys each
have for one another. It was really inspiring to read the
stories of how each couple met and how life has shaped their
relationships. I can't even express how much fun this has been.

So without further ado, the winner this year is.....

Amanda Wright and Dan Eberhardt!!!!

Both originally from Wisconsin, they each moved on
their own out to California to experience all that the
left coast has to offer. They met at work (Billabong)
and after some shy exchanges, Amanda & Dan started dating.

Orange County, CA is quite the romantic location to start
dating. Walks on the beach, killer sunsets, and the sound
of the waves. Pretty breathtaking for a couple of kids from
Wisconsin. Things were like a dream at first.

As their relationship grew, they faced several challenges.
From job loss to family and personal illness. Even with
those challenges they stood by one another, picking each
other up when needed, getting through the rough parts.
Dan knew this was the girl that he wanted to spend the
rest of his life with.

Dan's proposal was so thoughtful. You see, Amanda is known
for her baking prowess. Cupcakes to be exact. He had cupcakes
made that said "Marry Me?" He took her up to park called
Treasure Island and unveiled the contents of the box. With
shouts of yes he gave her his Grandmother's engagement ring.
Nice job Dan!

We really admired how even with all of the adversity, their
love grew, and they have gotten through things together.
Megan and I both identified with them because of the challenges
of starting a new relationship and coping together when life
gets tough.

After reading their story, we knew that these two would be
the couple to receive the Wedding Giveaway this year.

Congratulations Amanda and Dan!!! We can't wait to share
your big day with you!!!

Happy Valentine's Day everyone

:Dan

GO Pack GO!

2011-02-07T18:14:00.000-08:00

With the Packers winning the Super Bowl yesterday, I thought that
it would nice to showcase some of my favorite pics from the Miami
game that I went to this year.

Enjoy and Congrats to the Green Bay Packers on their 13th Championship

Dan Woolf - Baby photographer??

2011-01-26T15:29:00.000-08:00

You're damn right I am!!!
Our little girl turned 6 months yesterday and I had to get some great
portraits of her. I couldn't believe what a pro she was. If all babies were
that animated and cheery, I'd do more. Maybe I'm a bit partial. hahhaaha!
Anyway, here are some great shots that I made.

and a natural light one just because :)

2011 Free Wedding Photography Giveaway

2011-01-22T11:42:00.000-08:00

Wait, you're doing what?!? You heard me! I'm shooting a wedding FOR FREE!

Every year, I have the opportunity to work with fantastic couples, to
share their big day with them, and make beautiful images in the process.

I can't even tell you how excited we are to offer this. We are in search of
a local couple who, for whatever reason, deserves to have their wedding story
told by me. Giving back is something that is really important, and this
wedding giveaway is a way for me to do that.

This is what's included in the giveaway:

- Free Engagement shoot

- up to 10 hours of wedding coverage

- disk with around 300 images from your day along with 4x6 proofs

- a $200 credit to use towords a wedding album if you wish

Normally this would cost $1800, but it's going to be free for
one deserving couple this year. No catch. Since we are going
to be telling your story, we want to know some more about you.

Here are the particulars:

- Send us an email at danielwoolf@ymail.com with the couples names and
contact info. We want you to tell us the story of how you guys met, when you
are getting married, location of wedding and, reception, etc., and why you both
would be a great choice for the giveaway.

- Your wedding must take place in Northeast Wisconsin during the 2011
calendar year and we must have that date open in our schedule.

- You can't know either my wife Megan, or me personally. Since we will be
reviewing your stories, we want this to be impartial.

- Finally, attach a picture of you two so we can get to know you, and we will
use that image when we announce the winner!!

Entries must be emailed to us by the end of the day February 10th

We will be announcing the winning couple on Valentine's Day 2011!

We can't wait to hear from you!
Cheers!

Dan

Five year plan - Part 3

2011-01-20T16:16:00.000-08:00

We live in a society where winning is viewed as the main goal.
2nd place is the first loser, right?? I believe it's wrong. It's
wrong, and it gets in the way of creativity and personal growth.

I think that it's fitting with the big Packer-Bear game this
weekend, to use a Lombardi quote or misquote as an example.

Most people think that Lombardi stated "Winning isn't everything,
it's the only thing," which is incorrect. What he did state is
"Winning isn't everything, but wanting to win is."

I find it interesting how that quote got twisted around into something
that sets people up for dissapointment and self-loathing. The idea that
perfectionism is an acceptable goal is ubsurd. Striving for excellence
should be the goal. Failure needs to be accepted as part of the process.

I think that failing is crutial to growing. When I failed at something
as monumental as a marriage, I picked myself up, and learned from my
mistakes. It took away the power that the fear of failure had over me.
I felt liberated.

That empowered and motivated me to strive for success in the future with
a different method. Take risks, fail more and enjoy today. I've applied
it to everything in my life. Relationships, work, and my photography
endeavor. It would help me deal with something that hit me like a ton of
bricks and would shake the foundation of my life forever.

It was the Friday before Mother's Day. This was my mom's favorite weekend
of the year. Indy 500 qualifiying and Mother's Day. I had picked the kids
up from my parent's house. My mom watched them a few days a week. She
said they were "absolute angels" that day. Every Friday my mom would go
down to her local hang-out to have a few drinks with her friends, unwind
and catch up. She asked that I drop her off before I took the kids home.
I said no problem. I dropped off my mom and said "see you tomorrow."

That was the last time I would ever talk to my mom.

At 6:08 Saturday morning my dad called. I couldn't really understand
him. All I heard was, "your mom, couldn't wake her up, she's gone."
I walked into the bathroom. In shock. I splashed a bunch of cold water
on my face to wake myself up from what I prayed was a horrible dream.
It was not. I called Megan right away and gave her the news. She came
over right away and watched the kids as I went to my parents. That
was the start of the worst day of my life.

Looking back, I was so thankful that I went through the divorce. It gave
me perspective. My mom spent a lot more time with the kids in the last
year she was here with us. Megan was my angel. She took care of me, held
me when I woke up at 2 am and starting crying. I knew she was the woman
that I wanted to wake up to every morning for the rest of my life.
My best friend.

Megs and I been married for two and a half years now and I love her more each
day. We have a beatiful life together. It's not all unicorns and rainbows,
but we have realistic goals, great kids, and a home filled with love.

My ex-wife found love again as well. They dated for a year or so, and were
married last fall and he is awesome with the kids. That's all I could ask
for, and I'm happy for them.

You might be wondering about "Ryan" as well. He left "Amy" and went back to
his wife. They ended up divorcing about two years later. I haven't run into
"Ryan" since the only time I saw him about five years ago. I'm okay with that.

My five year plan from now is simple. To be a better person than I am today.
As I stated in part one. If you would have told me five years ago that I
would be where I'm at today there is no way in hell that I would have
believed you. I've realized that things like "winning" and perfection are
things I don't want any part of.

In regards to my photography. Most of my Spring will be taken up with
experimenting with multiple lighting sources, shooting film, and shooting
at night. All of which I hope will enable me to become more well-rounded,
more confident and most important - to grow. Hopefully flourish.
I hope you do as well and thanks for sharing this with me.
All the best,

Dan

Five year plan - Part 2

2011-01-18T21:33:00.000-08:00

There I was. Completely upended. Like a bucket of ice water to the face.

After a few months, I made the choice to move out. The new house was
already a place of bad memories that I wanted nothing to do with. I wanted
to just sell the damn house, but Amy wanted to keep it for some reason.
I didn't care. I was done.

A co-worker at the time, had an awesome analogy that made sense.
He said. "Dan, you and Amy are swimming in a pool together, and Amy
just took a huge crap in the pool." He continued. "Now, you can either
keep swimming in the shit, or get the hell out of the pool."
So that's what I did. I got out of the pool. Amy and I filed for separation.

So, there I was. A soon-to-be single dad and scared to death.

It was overwhelming at times. Where do I go? How am I going to pay
for all of this crap that I have to buy? What do I tell the kids? What do
I tell my parents? I was living one hour at a time for a while. Thankfully
I'm a positive person and was able to snap out of it.

There were plenty of bright-points though. Thank god I had my mom and
dad to talk to, some great friends to listen to me, and an understanding
employer who only wanted the best for me. I had two amazing kids
and a ton of determination to do the best that I could for them.
One of the brightest points would come into my life just in time to
pick me up and make sense to all of the craziness.

One night, while out with the guys just trying to relax and have a few
beers, maybe forget things for a while, we ran into one of my best friends,
Travis', co-worker named Megan. Now, Megan and I had met before a few
times and had brief conversations about her work, VW's and about Trav.

Some history. Megan went on a few dates about a year prior with Trav and
from both sides it was awkward and just didn't work. They remained friends
though and continued to work together.

Back to the story. Now, I am talking to Megan at the Bar when she asks
"How's married life treating you?" My response was "I wouldn't know."
As her mouth hung open I began to tell her the story of Amy and I, her
new love life, and how I was dealing with things.

Megan was so wonderful. She asked if I needed help and I told her that
I just got a place to live and could use some help getting what I needed
to live there. I don't think she knew what she was in for. :)

So between furniture shopping, bedding, supplies, food, silverware, etc.
You name it, I didn't have it. I had to get a home set up for myself and the
kids. So we furnished my modest duplex, and I was on my way. Megan
was a blast to hang out with too. Beautiful, funny, real, caring, and a bit of
a smart ass like myself. I told her that we should spend more time together,
and we did.

Over the next few months Megan and I became closer. We started to spend
a lot of time together. I wanted to make sure that I was doing things for
the right reasons. Most of our friends were very skeptical of our relationship
at first. Her friends didn't want her to get involved with a guy with two
kids, who wasn't even fully divorced. My friends didn't want to see me
get hurt again. Not to mention the fact that I was spending most of my free
time with Megan and not hanging out with them. They felt slighted. I was just
trying to make sure that I didn't make the same mistakes again. That would
damage some of my close friendships, but my close friends would understand
and we would eventually hash things out. As thats what friends do.

After 6 months, the divorce was finalized with my now ex-wife. The kids were
getting used to their new surroundings. I was spending more time with friends.
I even scrapped together enough money to buy a used camera from my friend
Raf, and starting shooting quite a bit. Megan and I were getting along great.
In fact, we were very happy with how things were progressing and talked about
one day moving in together. We wanted to wait for a year or so to go by and
things to settle down. Life was good. Things were moving forward.

Are you ready for a break yet?? I'm sure you're asking yourself. "This is a
crazy story, but what does it have to do with your photography?" It's quite
simple actually.

It's about failure. The fear of failure and what it does to people. It's about
taking risks and throwing caution to the wind, even though others say it won't
work. It's been like that for me a lot in my life. From my relationships to my
photography. You have to be committed to succeed.

In my final installment tomorrow I'm going talk about the worst day of my life,
button up some up stories, and touch base on thoughts to the future.
Thanks for spending some time reading this.

Dan

Five year plan - Part 1

2011-01-18T16:50:00.000-08:00

Taking a break from photos to air some things out. It's been long enough.

If you would have told me five years ago that I would be where I'm at today
there is no way in hell that I would have believed you. I would have put
a million dollars on it. Little did I know the roller coaster that I was on.

(Grab a beer or a coffee. This is going to be a long one.)

Some of you may, or may not know, but five years ago I was happily married
to my first wife. For this public of a forum I will call her "Amy". We had just
had our second child, and moved into our first house. Everything seemed
like it was going so well. We had it all. Underneath though fractures in our
relationship had started, and it was only a matter of time until they blew
open into a fiery implosion of horrible proportions.

I was working a ton of hours. At the time, I was the only source of income
for us as Amy was finishing her master degree, and finally her landing a
great corporate job. I was completely stressed at my intense job, and I let
that stress carry over into my home life. I wasn't there emotionally for Amy
and even though my intentions were good, I was letting caustic feelings erode
our marriage. That was my fault. My cross to bear.

So caught up in working, and surviving that I didn't realize the thing that
I held so dearly was slipping away. Then, certain choices would lead to
irreparable damage.

Amy had become involved in a "relationship" with a guy at work. What
started off as lunch dates turned into more and became physical. One day,
She came home from a company trip and dropped the bomb on me that not
only was she seeing someone else (he was also married with a child), but she
wanted to end our marriage and continue on with "the other guy".
We will call him "Ryan" in this post.

Things got really ugly from there. Night after night sleeping on the couch.
Having Amy run off with Ryan whenever she felt like it. The fighting. Ugg.
It ended with Ryan wanting to talk to me "man-to-man". Then, his wife
calling me at work to ask where my wife was. I replied, "Probably with
your husband". It was really messed up. Finally, we sat down to settle things.

I told her that we were at a fork in the road of our relationship. One path leads
us on a road together. It wouldn't be easy, but we have the kids, jobs, our
home. The other path, I said, leads to two homes. Broken. Damaged. Never
the same. I also explained that down that road, she would have to see me
happy with someone else and have to deal with that. At the time I don't think
it really resonated with her as to the choice she was making.
She was dangerous to herself. Selfish. Hurt.

I gave her a week to think about things and we would meet again to come to
a decision. One, long week later we talked. She had made a choice.

She said she'd rather be alone, than be with me. It was crushing.

Those choices would destroy a family and eventually would lead me to a
second chance at love. Not without a price though.

In the next installment, I will explain my transition into being a single dad,
the chaos that followed and why I'm spilling my guts on the interwebs.
Until tomorrow

-Dan

New year, new family members

2011-01-10T20:29:00.000-08:00

You might have noticed some furry friends in the last
blog post. Those two yahoos are our new Pugs.
Named Morton and Stanley.

Quick background on them. Someone had abandoned them
in the Madison area at a local bar. They hung around in the
same spot for like 4 hours before a passer by saw them and
called the humane society. There they stayed for about a month.

They had fleas, skin issues, ear issues. They were not neutered,
so the folks at the humane society took care of that and the two
of them went off to a foster house and hung out for a few weeks
until they were cleared to come home with us.

Morton and Stanley are loving their new home. They have been
just fantastic. Such awesome dogs, and I can't believe someone
would just ditch them like that. Don't worry dudes, you're stuck
with us now!! On to the pics....

The pug brothers

Morton (aka Mortimer, aka Mo' Money, aka Moklahoma)

And Stanley (aka Stan the man, aka Stantastic, aka Stand by me)

Things are chugging right along here. I need to sit down and gather myself,
reflect a bit about the past few years and vent it here. Stay tuned.
Cheers!

:Dan

Woolf's Ugly Christmas Sweater Party

2011-01-10T19:50:00.000-08:00

This past year was just too much. Good, bad, ugly, you name it.
We have been so caught up in our own BS that we didn't spend
the time with friends that we should be.

So, we thought, what a great idea to have a GTG finally at the
house, have some friends over and throw on some ugly-ass
sweaters in the process. It was a breath of fresh air for Megs
and I. Got caught up with some old friends, exchanged some
ridiculous white elephant gifts, and just laughed a lot.

I thought it would be hilarious to set up a mock "set" with a
real stately vibe to it. Something regal feeling. 'Cause when
you think ugly christmas sweaters you think regal. hahhaa!

Thanks to all who came and braved the snow to hang out.
We love you guys! So, here are some of the standout apparel.

Engaged: Wendy+Troy

2011-01-10T19:25:00.000-08:00

Well guys and gals,
The holidays were great, lots to do and family to see.
It was great to catch up with them, but now it's time to
get off my duff and pull things together here too.

Up next is Wendy and Troy. Super laid back and open
for whatever I wanted to throw at them. They were great.

Upon arriving downtown Oshkosh I saw like 5 other shooters
there, so the first thing was to get out of there since that
area was obviously used a LOT.

We had a blast though. Joking around about pet snuggies and
slinging pizzas. I had a really good time getting to know them.

Here are some of my favorites...

Appleton Family Photography

2010-12-01T19:32:00.000-08:00

Families. They all come in different dynamics and sizes.
I'm a family guy. I love being a dad, a husband, a brother.
So, when I get the chance to do family photos, I'm all for it.

There is something so elemental about how we interact with
the ones we love. It is powerful, wonderful, truly inspiring.

Here are some from a few recent shoots that I've done.
Real families, great stories, something just draws me into these.
Enjoy!!

Appleton Wedding Photographer: Jill + Joey

2010-11-22T18:27:00.001-08:00

Up next is the wedding of Jill and Joey. The day was really nice.
Weather was good, and included a bit of fun with the Father
forgetting to turn his cell phone off and having a "call from god"
during their ceremony. I must say, that's a first for me.

Speaking of firsts, they even had their dog rockin' a tux. I'm telling you,
these guys know how to have a great time, and I did with their whole family.
Here are some of my favs.

Appleton Portrait Photographer - Alison's Sunset Shoot

2010-09-15T18:38:00.000-07:00

Last week I took some time to catch up with (and shoot) Alison,
who is the Assistant Editor for Fox Cities Magazine. It's hands down
my favorite local magazine and covers Art, events, people, food.
Speaking of which, the annual Golden Fork awards are coming up.
So, check it out

Fox Cities Magazine

We had a kick ass time talking food, work, school, you name it.
I found a small barn on the outside of town that we started at
and finished up downtown. The sky was fantastic so we snagged
some great shots. Here are my favorites.

Another wedding and Graduation pics to come.
Cheers!

Dan

Married: Courtney+Aaron

2010-09-05T14:26:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago, I had the opportunity to spend the day with
Courtney and Aaron, their family, and friends on one of the
biggest days of their lives. What a beautiful day for a wedding.

These two make such a great couple and their ceremony took
place at Smith Park in Menasha, which is always such a nice
location for a wedding. Throw in an ultra rare 1929 Buick vert,
lovely dresses, skate shoes and a killer DJ all made for one
hell of a wedding. I had such a great time shooting.

Here are some images from the day. Enjoy and congrats you two!

Family pics and an old friend

2010-08-21T10:17:00.000-07:00

Up next are some family pics of Renee and her two kids. Now, Renee
and I go waaaaay back. We both grew up about two minutes from
each other in Neenah. Did the whole Jr. high gig, nights spent at the
roller rink. Ran into each other over the years, but life gets in the way.

Facebook has brought me back in touch with several old friends. It's been
nice. Admittedly, for a while, I hated Neenah, the facade, hated the cliques,
it was so polarizing there. The Haves and the Have-Nots. I grew up the latter.
I wasn't a "cool kid" I wanted no part of it.

Over the past few years though, I've caught up with old friends. Started to
appreciate my hometown more. I still can't stand the fact that Bergstrom
tore down half of the downtown (not to mention the theater) for his ugly-ass
buildings. I've learned deal with it I guess. Not like I have a choice. hahaaaaa!

Jeez, I'm getting off-track again. So getting re-connected with old friends
has been great actually. I've found I have so much in common with my old
classmates and it's been awesome to see and hear what they are up to.

Now on to the pictures. Renee and her kids did a great job. Had some
issues with the flash transmitters, but we worked around it can made
some pics that I'm really digging. Here you go!!

Next post will be Courtney and Aaron's wedding! It's a good one!!
Cheers!

Dan

Symco Shakedown

2010-08-15T16:21:00.001-07:00

This past weekend Ethan and I went over to the 2nd annual
Symco Shakedown. Talk about a kick ass car show. Old hot rods,
rat rods, even some Rockabilly all packed into the small, but cool
town of Symco. It's located just northwest of New London, WI.
Here is a link the their website.

http://www.symcoshakedown.com/Main.html

This has to be one of the best car shows that I've been to in quite some time.
Chill atmosphere, killer cars, live music, affordable prices, and a great venue.
What else could you ask for in a show??

So, we spent the day there checking out the cars, people and grabbing some
chow from the burger barn. It was a little soggy at the show from some rain
the day before, but no one cared as any day you can spend hanging out with
fellow car folks is a good day.

Here are a few shots I snagged through the day. Hope you dig 'em!

New gear, new locations, new energy

2010-08-02T19:38:00.000-07:00

I just recently scored some new lighting and mobile power supply
via Alien Bees/Vagabond. So I recruited my cousin Emily to do some
modeling for me. She put up with gnarly skeeters and sand bags.
She's a trooper.

I really wanted to start to scout for some new locations as I've been
shooting in the same places lately. So, we hit the road and I must
say I'm amped with how well they turned out. As Emily would say
they are pretty BA.

Plenty of posts to come with multiple weddings, family shoots and
maybe a new website rollout if I can get to it.
Cheers!!

Dan

Weddings and new arrivals

2010-07-25T18:21:00.000-07:00

I have to say that yesterday was one of the craziest days of my life. One of the
best days. It started to get interesting at about 9:30 in the morning when my
wife, Megan, states that she thinks her water just broke. At that time I was
loading the car and getting ready to shoot Lea and Shane's wedding.

Talk about unfortunate timing...

Thankfully, I have a back up plan and call Mr. Neal Kreuser to help me out. I
had spoke with Neal the day before and told him that I didn't think that we had
anything to worry about with Megs and I should be just fine for the wedding.
I spoke too soon.

Neal being able to step up and help out was paramount. Not only is he a great
photographer, but also a stand up guy. Check his work out. You'll be glad you
did.

http://nealkreuserphotography.com/

So, Neal and I start off shooting the wedding and I wait for Megs' call that she
needs me at the hospital. We get through the portraits, ceremony and formals
and it's time for me to go meet Megan at the Hospital. Here are a couple from
the day that I really dug.

Now at the hospital, Megan is settled in for a long, hard night. I am there to coach
but let's be honest. My wife and the baby are the stars of the show. It's time.

My wife was strong. It was inspiring. She worked into the night to try and deliver
our newest bundle of joy on her own. As I have learned in life, sometimes things
don't work out the way you planned or hoped. We were lucky enough to have
some talented doctors who worked into the a.m. to safely get the baby into the
world. I have the highest respect for them.

So, without further ado. I am so happy to share the arrival of Charlotte Marie
Weighing 6 pounds 13 ounces and blessed with one hell of a set of lungs.

One of Charlotte and one amazing woman

and a pic of proud papa. It's hard to tell with the mask on, but I'm just
about smiling from ear-to-ear.

Cheers!!!

Dan

Staying loose

2010-07-09T15:55:00.000-07:00

I'm trying to stay fresh with camera and shoot as much as possible.
Admittedly, it's been tough with getting everything ready for the new baby.
There is so much excitement around the household, that the past few weeks
have been a blur. Only a few more weeks and our family will welcome a new
life. We truly are blessed.

This past weekend we were up in door county. Did I get pictures of sailboats?
Nope. Did I get pictures of beautiful landscapes with surreal sunsets. Nada.
Cool, old, run down barns with broken down tractors with killer patina'd paint.
Failed there too.

This was a weekend for family and I took just a few minutes to snag some fun
photos of the kids. This past weekend I was reminded just how great being a
dad is and how having these two rugrats around makes me a better person.

Hopefully these will be last pics without a watermark as I'm working on my
branding/logo with a talented, local designer. Ms. Jackie Johnson.
Stay tuned and enjoy!!

Dan

Breaking the Rules with Dave Jackson

2010-06-16T20:41:00.000-07:00

What a week this has been already. I had the opportunity to shoot with
some fantastic photographers at Dave Jackson's workshop titled
Breaking the Rules. I've been checking out Dave's work for the past
3 or 4 years as he shot a mutual friends band. I love his Pics and
as soon as I saw that he was doing workshops, I jumped at the chance.

The workshop was a solid 15 hours of shooting and we covered everything
from off-camera lighting, to workflow, to posing. You name it!! This is a
must-attend workshop for any photographer who wants to step his or her
game up. Get ready to get real and learn a vast amount of info. Any shooter
who can make it to Appleton to attend one of these must do so!

Here are some of my favorites from the day. The models were super easy
to work with and made shooting a breeze. Thanks to Kristina, Riccardo,
Lyz, and Nate. I hope you dig the pics!!

Also, big thanks to Dave and Trevor for putting this together and huge
props to all of the photographers I got to work with. You are all very talented
and having the chance to shoot and chill with everyone was something that I
is really gets me stoked to keep pushing to get better. Truly inspiring.
'till next time

dan

Music promo - Steve Hetland

2010-06-05T20:26:00.000-07:00

These next photos are some that I shot a few days ago
for Mr. Steve Hetland, a local musician.

Steve and I met at a local wine bar (Red and White) being
that we both are into music, food and wine we had a ton
to talk about. He is a super down to earth guy and I was
stoked that we were able to get our schedules aligned to
get some pics.

Steve played in a band called Still Remains. Here is their link

http://www.myspace.com/stillremains

Now, doing a solo project he needed some promo/press kit
photos to promote his new venture. I've been working very
hard to push myself out of my comfort zone for shoots and
these turned out pretty damn well If I do say so myself.

Here are a few of my favorites

Headshot extravaganza

2010-05-17T20:25:00.000-07:00

During my Photo 101 workshop down to Atlanta. My
mentor, Zack Arias, had asked us to start working on
some headshots, aka portraits of 10 different people.
I fell short of the 10 mark, but I'm starting to get some
in. I'm hoping to have them all in by the end of the month.
**crosses fingers**

Technically some of these aren't "headshots", but it's my
blog, so I will break the rules if I dig the photo.

Shawna - A super-talented hairstylist/make-up artist who works at Innova in Neenah

Tara - Freelance writer/copywriter extraordinaire.

Here is here link to her website. She will make sure your
engrish is in line.

http://www.wordgirlworks.com/

and a really cool Children's book she wrote with a rad title.

http://www.amazon.com/What-Kind-Bean-This-Chihuahua/dp/0982256094

I will be doing some more headshots in the next couple of
weeks. So, if you are interested, please get in touch.
Cheers!

Dan

Engaged: Courtney+Aaron

2010-05-17T19:59:00.000-07:00

Last weekend Megs and I fired up the Cabrio and took
it down to Smith Park to get some photos of Courtney
and Aaron. They will be getting married in early August.

We got some great photos of the two of them and their
dog booker. Dogs can be a little unpredictable sometimes
but he was a champ.

I had more problems with my umbrella than Booker. Time
for a new one. Maybe a softbox is in order finally. Anyway,
I'm going on a total tangent again.

Courtney and Aaron were a total breeze to work with and
even though Aaron thinks he's a little camera shy, I'd say
he did a kick-ass job.

Here are some of my favorites

Engaged: Eric and Ginny

2010-05-10T20:06:00.000-07:00

As I start to get into the wedding season, things are
going at a frantic pace here for me. My basement studio
is coming along and my shooting is progressing.

One thing I love about what I do is meeting new people.
Once in a while I do get to take pics of my friends
which is a nice change of pace for me.

This set is from my friends Eric and Ginny. They are
going to be tying the knot here in a couple of months.
I'm super excited for them as they make a great couple
and are always in for a good time.

Here are a few of my favorites

Congrats to my favorite Frenchman and his bride-to-be!
I can't wait celebrate with you guys!

-Dan

truth in art

2010-05-07T19:30:00.000-07:00

After seeing a recent post from Mr. David E. Jackson about what
drives you to be a photographer. It really started to get my gears
turning.

I thought that this would be a great opportunity to take a few
minutes to put the camera down and tell my story about where
my road started with photography, what's it's meant to me
personally and where I hope to go with it. I'll try not to make it
a snooze-fest.

Not growing up in an "art" focused family. Most of my days as a
kid were spent at a race track, on a BMX bike, or playing Atari.
I'm dating myself here.
Now, as an adult (I use that term loosely) I spend my work days
in the printing industry. So being around design and images is a
daily norm for me.

My first camera was a used Digital Rebel that I bought from my
friend Raf. At the time I had no intention of making any money at
photography. I just knew that there was something drawing me to
pick up a camera and try to learn how to use the damn thing! I took
a ton of car pictures that first year. Still no idea how to correctly
use it, but I was enjoying it. I was on my way.

**Now things get a little heavy. Stick with me here.
Three years ago (to this weekend actually) I learned an unbelievably
hard lesson about how truly important being a photographer is. It
was Mother's Day weekend and I had planned on going over to hang
out with my mom to watch qualifying for the Indy 500 which was a
tradition at the Woolf household.

At 6:00 Saturday morning I got a call from my dad that my mom
passed away overnight unexpectedly. I was destroyed. The week
before I had my camera with me and grabbed this pic. Technically,
it's awful. It's Blurry, my mom is in the middle of the frame. I could
care less though. It's the last photo I have of her and I will cherish
it forever.

She was really an amazing person. I've never met someone with
such street smarts and compassion for other people. She helped
me through some horrible times and having that pic makes me smile.
Having the ability to capture a memory for someone is what being a
photographer is all about for me. It's a gift that I can give while
having a creative outlet for myself. It helps to keep pushing me to
learn and grow.

Over the past three years I've shot as much as I could. Made
mistakes, learned, laughed at myself, shot some more, and came
up with some pics that I'm really proud of.
This one is a favorite of mine.

For me, being a photographer is having the ability to capture a
moment, sharing it with people while staying true to yourself and
where you've come from. I've shot a fair amount of weddings now
and this pic from last weekend really captures where I've come from
and where I'm going.

As I move forward, I will be continuing to shoot as much as I can
and attending some more workshops to push myself as a shooter
and maybe have some fun along the way.

Now, after experiencing Zack Arias' Photo 101 workshop, I can't
stress what a value some workshops can be. I learned more there
in three days than what would have taken me three years of screwing
up and figuring it out on my own. Be careful, some are full of fluff
and BS. Real nuts and bolts and simple truths are what you are
looking for. Talk to other shooters that have been to the workshops
you are thinking of attending. You will be glad you asked around.

Next, I'm hoping to attend Michael Howard & Dave Jackson's
Light + Vision workshop in a few weeks. I think that it's a great
balance of creative vision, practical knowledge and just some down
and dirty shooting. It would certainly help me to get the creative
juices flowing which I could apply to my weddings and portrait
sessions. Hopefully give me that shove off the ledge that I need.
In stead of just dipping my toes in the deep end.

Here is some more info for you kids that are interested.
Money well spent.

www.davidejackson.com/blog/?p=370

Thanks for reading that novel and Happy Mother's Day
to all of you Moms out there!!!

-Dan

Married: Emily and Travis

2010-05-03T21:20:00.000-07:00

My camera and I have been seeing a lot of each other lately.
It's been great. Tons of shoots which I will be getting up
here soon. I just have to get my studio moved down into my
basement which is still a bunch of unfinished walls and wires.
I'll save that for another post though.

Last weekend I had the opportunity to celebrate Emily and
Travis' wedding day. Now, I've known Travis since he was
6. I used to race BMX across the midwest with his family.
They are good people. Basically my second family while
i was in my teens. Lots of great memories.

These guys were a lot of fun to shoot. A larger wedding
party which kept me on my toes and they were up for
some different locations so we did some InFormals by
an old warehouse. I also have been mixing things up
with the A standard ring shot. The decklid of Travis'
66 Charger was a perfect choice. It was bitchin.
Here are few from the day.

Maternity shoot!?!?!?!!

2010-04-27T19:24:00.000-07:00

Okay, I have to be honest here. I don't do Maternity shoots.
I will take pictures of pretty much anything. People get into
these, but it's just not my bag. I love being a dad, I think
pregnant girls are awesome. It's amazing to me.

I just can't wrap my mind around maternity photos though.

So, with Megs and I expecting in August, she wanted a few
pics of her while in "baking" mode. When these were taken
she was about 22 weeks along so it's been a few weeks since
I took them. Well, here they are in all of their glory!

A huge thanks to my beautiful wife for taking good care
of the baby while it's getting ready to take on the world.
You are one amazing woman. <3

Dan

Engaged: Jill and Joey

2010-04-11T19:26:00.000-07:00

This weekend was full of time with the camera. It was great!
On Saturday I got to spend time with Jill and Joey (and Bear as well!)
I will be taking part in their big day in September and I'm really
looking forward to it. We shot in the morning which for me is a
little out of the norm, but it worked out perfectly with the weather.
So here are some of my favorites from the day.

I have a ton of shoots coming up so stay tuned for a lot more
posts coming up in the next few weeks.
Cheers!!

Dan

Time to move

2010-03-15T19:33:00.000-07:00

After this past month, I was hoping to be a lot further along,
but I'm still happy. My dad is doing better and I'm starting to
get all of my ducks in row for my photography.

So, I haven't touched my camera since I got back from Atlanta
and I've been really motivated so here is my first series back.

I snagged the kiddos and we did a spur of the moment shoot
in the back yard. The trees in the background made for some
nice elements and I got to use my off camera flash now that
I know a bit more what I'm doing.

So here are the results

Photo 101 follow up / Update on Dad

2010-03-03T19:53:00.000-08:00

Hot Damn!
Well, it's been out of control since I have returned from
my workshop with Zack. My dad's Liver has taken a turn
for the worse and he is currently waiting down in Madison
for a new one. My thoughts are with him and I have spent
most of my time down there. I'm praying that he gets
another chance at life. So, if you have a minute to send
some positive thoughts down his way I would appreciate it.

Here are some of my favorites from the workshop. I can't
even begin to tell you guys how great it was. My fellow
photographers were fantastic people, the weather was
great and I got to learn from one of the best photographers
in the nation. Thanks for everything Zack!

I'm ready to bust my arse to accomplish big things this year.
Keep checking in to see what I'm up to.
Cheers

Dan

Day 1 - Photo 101 with Zack Arias

2010-02-20T05:51:00.001-08:00

Just a few from yesterday. Most of the day was spent
in the classroom. It has been quite an eye opener
for me. Zack made us take some basline photos to
see where we were at. I was paired up with Carlos
from the great state of TX.

These were taken with black tape on my lcd so I
couldn't use that as a crutch. I was really surprised
at how much I looked at it when I shoot.

Today should be fun. A lot more shooting and getting
out and working it. Family shoot and Senior photos
coming up.

Cheers

Winter doldrums and new beginnings

2010-02-16T16:17:00.000-08:00

Winter life in beautiful Wisconsin is a mixed bag for me.

It has so much to offer, if you like being outside in the
cold......I do not. I'm a Nancy when it comes to winter temps.

So, I've been pretty busy with side projects, my work is great,
and some great news of a new baby on the way for Megs and I.
We are truly blessed.

I have been taking some time to read and try to learn some more
with my camera too. Which brings me to Mr. Zack Arias. If you
are not in the photography world, you may not have heard about
him. He's is an Atlanta based photographer who has a ton of real
world experience shooting for the Music industry, weddings, etc.
He has been in the trenches and knows what it takes to be a
successful photographer.

Zack offers workshops to photographers to hone our skills, learn
everything from basic camera techniques to advanced lighting to
what it takes to be a photographer for a living.

This weekend, I have the opportunity to work with Zack down in
Atlanta. I can't express how excited I am for this and what It
means to have someone with Zack's knowledge take the time to
work with me. So off to Atlanta I go!! Hopefully I can grab some
sweet tea too.

I'm not sure if I will be able to get some pics up during the
weekend, but after I will try to at least recap the trip. I'm stoked!

Here is a link to Zacks website.

http://www.zackarias.com/

Also, a link to Scott Kelby's guest blog that Zack did a while ago.
The video that he made really spoke volumes to me and it's
something that I think that any creative person can relate to.
It is quite profound.

http://www.scottkelby.com/blog/2009/archives/3433

Cheers!!

D

2010 - Your best year ever??

2009-12-27T17:30:00.000-08:00

So, we are all fighting the good fight. Working hard, paying bills, trying to have a little fun in between if we can. In the trenches of life, it can be easy to forget about what is truly important. Think of this is a call to action for all of my friends and even people who I have yet to have the pleasure of meeting. What are you going to do in 2010 to grow as a person? What personal challenges are you going to take on this year to enrich your life and other people around you?

Inspiration has countless forms and what can be simple and elemental for one person can have a profound influence for others. Sometimes it's the smallest things in this world that can change our perspective on how we view, process and appreciate our environment. Like the crisp, winter air that brings clarity to the roar that is modern life.

As we dip our toes into the new year I ask that you all to take some time to take stock of what your current surroundings are and what you can do to expand them. Pushing yourself out of your comfort zone might just be the catalyst that helps this be the best year for you. Don't be afraid to stumble, fall, scrape your knee. It's because of these daily challenges that we truly experience the world around us and become more than who we were before.

The outlet that you choose is not as important as the effort you place into it. Just be sure to be honest with yourself, as wonderful as you are. Invest the time into becoming more than who you are today. The gift of the new day brings with it hope, promise, joy and a new chance to make the world a better place. Take this opportunity to make choices to grow, learn and bloom. You will be glad you did.

Happy New Year and Best Wishes!!

-Dan

Married: Holly and Matt

2009-11-11T20:03:00.000-08:00

Life has been moving at a frantic pace for me lately.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining about being
busy, but damn, I need to get my feet back on the ground.

In effort to get my bearings, I'm going to try and get this
little blog back on track. It's on, like donkey Kong!!

I shot some engagement photos for Holly and Matt a few
months back and I knew this was going to be a fun
wedding to shoot.

Holly and Matt are real down to earth, fun people that
are very close to family and friends. Megs and I had such
a fantastic time with them throughout the day.

Here are some of my favorites

>
>

Katie (Senior pics)

2009-09-24T20:37:00.000-07:00

I've been dodging the weather all year and my senior shoot
with Katie was no exception. It's been raining off and on and
it didn't look good at all for getting in some Senior pix for
Katie. We decided to take a chance and head on Wednesday.
Thankfully things cleared up for late afternoon so we could
grab what we needed.

I've been wanting to use this location for a while now and
finally had the chance to do so. It's in a run down area in
the valley and I can't say I felt totally comfortable here. The
metal gates were amazing and with Katie being a trooper
we grabbed what we needed and hit the road. I can't tell
you how happy I am with this set of pics. Just awesome!

Finally we finished up on in an old industrial area that had
some great brick and glasswork. It really "popped" against
Katie's tie-die shirt (Those who know me, know that I can't
stand the use of the word "pop" in design/art) LOL!

It was a blast as usual and Katie was super comfortable in front
of the camera it made for a fun night. Time flies I guess!!
Thanks Katie!

Senior photo shoot - Kelsey

2009-08-27T19:03:00.000-07:00

Today I must admit, I was a little nervous about the weather.
It was really nice yesterday and I hoped that my shoot with
Kelsey wasn't going to be a washout.

Lucky for us, the weather turned out quite well.
After some scouting and a nice tip from Kelsey's mom,
we took some shots at an old barn which had some
wonderful patina. Now, you might have seen a few
of my pics with a little solar flare in them for fun.
I'm starting to refine angles/exposure. I dig it!

We decided to go downtown Neenah and torture ourselves
with the smells from Cannovas which happens to be one
of our new favorites. An old walkway made for a great spot.

Now, everyone and their brother has shot down at Doty
park and it's really challenging to try to bring something
new and fresh to the table when it comes to pics there.
We started to lose light from the sun at this point and
had to break out the off-camera flash for a few.

Things went quite well tonight and I'm really starting
to feel like the direction my photos are going in is
the right one for me. Only time will tell where it goes
from here. My main goal is to keep learning and shooting.
We'll see where it goes from here!
Take care

-Dan

Senior photo shoot - Abby

2009-07-29T19:49:00.001-07:00

Tonight was pretty much the best. weather. EVAR!

I got to spend the evening taking pics and
man, did I having a great time doing it.

Tonight Abby was on deck and we had a blast
shooting down in Neenah. She was awesome at
tip-toeing around glass and balancing on rocks.

Shooting behind Cy's bistro was making us hungry
but we stayed strong and pushed through.

The sun was just amazing tonight and made for
some awesome pics. Since my trip out to visit
my good friend Travis in L.A. I've been working
on using the sun more for flare effects. It's
not perfect yet, but I'm liking where it's going.

We finished the night up at the Neenah harbor
and Riverside park. Always a great location.
Big thanks to Abby and her mom for hanging
out tonight and sharing stories. Hope you like
the first few pics.

Engaged: Matt and Holly

2009-07-26T19:53:00.001-07:00

Matt and Holly are a really fun couple who have asked me to
shoot their wedding in September. We took some time down
in the flats to get them used to me sticking a camera in their
faces.

It also gave me a nice opportunity to work more with my
off-camera flash set-up that I've growing to like very much.
It's really nice being able to throw some extra light when I
need it. I really like it.

The weather was great and even though there was a unreal
amount of people down there we were able to be discrete while
still getting some nice shots.

I'm really stoked to be part of their big day and I can't wait to
try out some new ideas that I have rolling around up in my head.
Until then I'll just keep on brainstorming
Later

Dan

Chandler (Senior shoot)

2009-07-02T18:42:00.000-07:00

Tonight Megs & I had a blast taking some senior photos of Chandler.
She was an absolute natural in front of the camera and I was really
happy with how they turned out. I think that she'll dig them too!

We had 4 locations tonight and we did a great job of getting some
great shots and moving on. It was quite smooth

(click on the pic to get the full view)

For this pic I gave it vintage treatments that I've been playing with.
I really like the vibe in this one.

Megs had some sunflowers that she brought along and I thought
that they were perfect for this section. Great job hon!

It was great. My remote triggers worked well 95% of the time,
the weather was great, and we ended up with some rad pictures.

Now off to Door County for the 4th of July. Have a great weekend everyone!

Chunk-o-matic

2009-05-25T18:57:00.000-07:00

My good friend Tyler came over on Sunday to introduce us to the newest addition to his family. His name is Chunk. He rocks!

You see, Tyler is a hardcore Goonies fan so it was a fitting name. So we introduced him to our Pug, Lola.

They were a little scared of each other at first, but after about two minutes it was on like donkey kong. They were all about playing, chasing and even some "off the top rope" wrestling. Being a Bulldog he was all about the rough-housing.

The weather was amazing. We did some grillin', some drinkin', and talked about our dogs most of the day. My kids loved Chunk as well (can you blame them?) and I can't wait to snag some more pics of him as grows up. For now he likes to lay low and chew on stuff. Ah, the life of a puppy....

Back home again, in Indiana

2009-05-14T16:24:00.000-07:00

Going back to Indianapolis is something that has been two years in the making for my family and I. My mom had passed away unexpectedly two years ago and Indy was a place that she loved to go. Not to mention that it was mother's day weekend, so we figured that it would only be fitting to go to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway for the time trails. Before we said our goodbyes I got a lock of my moms hair that we brought with us to the track. We got to spend one last weekend with my mom and on Sunday right before we left the speedway both of the kids let my mom's hair go on the yard of bricks at the start-finish line. I think that my mom would be pretty happy about how things played out over the weekend and it was nice to reflect on the past two years and how things have changed.

Of course, I brought my camera and took some pics. I really learned a lot about panning and shutter speed. I was pretty happy with how they turned out and after I got them uploaded I decided to give them a vintage feel. Most of my pics are always really saturated with color so it was nice to do something a little different.

It was super cold and windy on Saturday. Which made it really sketchy for the drivers. We did see one crash and thankfully the driver was okay. Sunday the weather was much improved. Sunny, less wind, temps were a little higher. Qualifying speeds were about 224 mph so they were really moving. The sound of the cars ripping around the track is something that will always bring a huge grin to my face and I am always stoked to see drivers pushing the limits.

One of the highlights of the weekend too for me was Ethan getting to briefly meet Tony Kanaan, who is a driver in the series. What a kick-ass guy and one hell of a driver to boot. He signed Ethan's hat and I hope that when he gets older he really appreciates how cool that moment was. After two full days of watching the cars and eating track-dogs it was time to say goodbye. While walking out I looked at the scoring tower and realized how amazing it looked juxtaposed with the trees. It was my final pic of the weekend and probably my favorite. It was a great weekend and I think that it helped to heal a lot of pain from the loss of my mom. She was an amazing woman, and I was lucky enough to call her my mom. I love you!! :)

Happiness is a pug

2009-04-11T09:37:00.000-07:00

While taking a few pics to send to my friend Ethan out in Baltimore I was thinking back to when we first got Lola. I remember when we first started looking for a dog. We wanted a dog that was fun, goofy, happy, short (like us) LOL! After checking around Northeast Wisconsin for a quality breeder we met a great lady out in Clintonville. She was awesome and we looked at a new litter of pugs to find the one that we would bring home. There was a spunky little one that kept sneaking out of her kennel. We picked out Lola that day. After waiting a few more weeks until she was ready we had her home. She was such a little burrito!

She was a handful at first, but now, talk about the best dog evar! Yea she sheds, belches, snores, licks people to death, but we love her all the same and I don't know how we would get along without her. She's great with the kids and always keeps us laughing! Maybe we will get her a brother or sister down the road, but for right now we are happy with having her in our lives. What a pug!!

My love affair with bacon

2009-03-24T04:54:00.000-07:00

I admit it. I'm a bacon-junkie. While enjoying some bacon with friends over the weekend I came to grips with my addiction. Just about everything is better with bacon on it. It's basically my 5th food group. Now, don't get me wrong I am not looking to die by the time I'm 35 due to bacon-wrapped aorta, but damn a few times a month some good 'ol Nueske's bacon does it for me.

Speaking of bacon-goodnes. Here is a link to a thread on VW vortex that pretty much sums it up for me.
I give you......the bacon lattice sandwich (Disclaimer - That is not my creation)

http://forums.vwvortex.com/zerothread?id=3681182

wedding shoot

2009-03-18T20:18:00.000-07:00

Now I've done a few weddings before, but this was my first true wedding gig.

So I had the opportunity to shoot Ali and Murph a few weeks back. They are a really cool couple and I had an absolute blast taking pics of the day for them.

Being a "winter wedding" some people think that can be limiting due to the lack of green, but I thought that with all of the fresh snow that we had made for some great pics.

We also had our way with the trolley. I added some treatments in post production to give it an old film look. I'm happy with how they all turned out. My main goal is to have several weddings/lifestyle shoots throughout the year so hopefully this is just the start of things to come.

pre-spring shoot with the kiddos

2009-03-15T19:14:00.000-07:00

.......winter has been an absolute bitch this year and I'm super stoked to be finally over with it. Since it was so nice out I dragged the kids out for my first outdoor shoot with them this year. They kindly agreed after I bribed them with dinner at Red Robin after. I found this kick ass mural when I was out and about this past week. I put it to good use and experimented with off-camera flash as well. I'm really excited with how it turned out. Here are a few of my favorites that I am going to use on my website that Bill is helping me with. Comments good, bad, whatev are appreciated.

The rest of the pics can be viewed here:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/danielwoolf/

-d

So this is what the kids do nowadays

2009-03-15T13:16:00.000-07:00

with this being my first post I should extend a warm welcome to anyone who decides to visit me here. The plan is to have this as my outlet to let everyone know about what I'm up to with my photography and life in general. Myspace has worn out it's welcome with me and facebook isn't as modifiable as i'd like it so here I am. Bad spelling and all.

ha ha!

So with that being said. Enjoy. Have a newcastle on me!