Yes

I want very much to do this story justice so please bear with me if this goes on. About 2 month ago my good friend Drew approached with an idea. He wanted to know if I would be willing to photograph he and his lady Candis in what would be a pre-engagement session . He was actually taking me up on a suggestion that I had made to Candis a month earlier about photographing the two of them. The background was I had observed them one day in our church (we all go the same church) full of obvious love and adoration for one another; it was completely compelling and truly beautiful. So Drew was looking to make the shoot happen but with a twist, he was going to ask Candis to marry him at some point during the session. Background on Candis, not only do we go to church together but Candis also works at our studio as the best graphic designer in the city IMO not to mention Tricia and I both love her silly. Everyday coming to the studio was challenging because this was to be a complete surprise for her. Long story short it was a surprise; Drew planned well and managed to keep is head though is heart was about to blow up and Candis said yes again and again.
So what began with dancing turned to tears of joy and then dancing again!

Thank you Drew and Candis for allowing me the complete privilege of being apart of your engagement, it meant so much to be there.
God Bless you both… it seems that he has.

Northern Lights

I had sometime to go with 3 other gentlemen (my uncle Rusty, cousin Hunter and friend Tim) on a canoe trip
to Quetico Canada. It is in my opinon some of the most beautiful
and unspoiled country to be found. Serene, quiet and soul cleansing
to be sure.

Enjoy

Romance

Kristin and Patrick were like characters
from a Jane Austin novel.
He was her handsome and
considerate gentleman and she his beautiful
and cultivated lady.
It was great to be completely disregarded in the wake
of their obvious love for each other.

Thank you both for a wonderful day.

bling!

When I first met Zeta and Jeff, I felt like a party had just arrived in my studio,
Seperatley they are both extermely engaging but together they are electrical.
They, as well as I, enjoyed every second of their day.

What fun

beaming

Meegan has been blessed with this amazing smile and when she is with Bryan it's like sunshine.
They're both wonderful people and even better together.
God bless you both.

light

these were all taken in about 15 minutes. there was this intense light
blasting through our house and everything took on just two tones.
Anyways at the end, I was like "that felt good!" It was always the exploration
as well as the challenge of light that made me keep showing up to my photo
classes in school. I would even dream about it. Light has this transformative power
to it, so much so it can even make even a toilet look inspirational, sorta.

honored

Well sometimes the last thing you expect happens
and all you can do is go Thank You God! I guess honored is the word
to have received this sort of recognition epsecially so since there are
so many wonderfully talented photographers in this city.

I must give all credit though to God. If you know Tricia and I then you know
of the health issue we have faced over the last two years, a crazy spinal inflammation that put me on a cane and then to crutches over a span of 10 months.
(yes, by the grace of God I shot weddings on crutches) The challenges
were many and the mere fact that we are still in business is miraculous.
Recovering has been like a moving down a long road that only gradulaly gets
shorter but I am recovering!! The whole ordeal has showed me the power of hope and what it means to trust God.
So the good news is that I can now walk for miles, hold and carry my boys, take out the trash
and run around the block. LIfe is slowly coming back to normal and normal is a dream come true.
So to receive this "best of" accolade is just crazy cool and I'm so grateful.

So thank you to all who hoped and prayed for me, that told me not to give up
and picked me up when I was low, that gave me hope when all was depleated
and reminded me God uses all things for good.

Thank you Ken Pease for being the best friend a man could hav
as well the best photo assistant a photographer could ask for.

And Thank you Tricia, my beautiful lady, for believing, for holding our family
together and for loving me so well.

"I will be with you trouble,
I will deliver you and honor you,
with long life will I give you
and show you my salvation"

psalm 91:54'sh:)

Lost and Found

I had the pleasure of photographing Catherine and Jeff.
It was an intersting experience for me because as the session
progressed we talked less and less and I was noticed less and less.
I took no offense, in fact I would have it no other way. To see
to people get lost in the same moment and wander around in there
is something in itself, to have camera in hand, well let's just say
I was privileged to have been able to document so much beauty.
enjoy

favorite faces on the planet

Here are my favorite faces on the planet. As a photographer there is this objectivity expressing a moment.
Taking the visual and hopefully giviing it context, taking on technical aspects with some sort of compentency and
last and most importantly hopefully giving the image some soul while expressing some of my own. That objectivity gets tossed out the window when I photograph my family. It all becomes reflex and sweet musing. It's just them on their own terms and me on mine. No objective other than to hold on to this time just a little longer.

here are the latest and greatest from the fam.

Moving forward

Well I’m not going to prattle on about how long it has been since posting to this blog.
I’m just going to put my best foot forward, do my best keep this updated and hopefully create some momentum. Summertime translates to busy time here at Keels photography.
We have had wonderful portrait shoots, beautiful weddings, interesting commercial projects and studio remodeling to boot. We also would like to introduce our new office manager Patty Perkins. She’s a delight to our lives to say the least and brings charm and warmth to our client side services. We are blessed to have her. Stay tuned; tomorrow I’m posting some of my favorite images of late. Thanks for taking the time.