At the same time, Ann Choo was looking for someone to help with the photography for her wedding. I love weddings. I love photography. I’m free that day. It will be fun to shoot something new. I’ve never shot a wedding before. I’ll send Anna a note. Long story short, Anna asked me to help out with the photography for her wedding. Little did I know that as I was capturing the start of a new family, I was also starting a new career. Weddings were everything I love and I felt like I was the luckiest guy on earth whenever I was asked to document the start of a family. As my business grew and I made a name for myself, Icon Exposures didn’t feel right. I always felt like I needed to explain the name and as time went by, I realized I was ready for a change. My photography also changed. I started as a wedding photographer. Then my couples were calling me back to shoot their maternity pictures. After the babies were born, they were asking me to take family portraits. Through each phase of their life, they were asking me to contribute to their family history. Weddings, pregnancy, babies, families… Everything centered on people loving each other. People were passing my name around and I decided to change from Icon Exposures.com to Kevin La Presle.com. It’s still me, but it’s a better fit and when my new website is up and running, it will show more of my work. So for now, please bear with me as I change things. I’ll start blogging again and my blog will slowly evolve. My old website will take you to my new website and the old emails will still come to me. I’ve come along way from Anna and Mike’s wedding. Fast forward to now and my first client, Anna Choo is now my friend Anna Elmers. She’s still just as warm and kind; still just as pretty. Her husband Mike is still the consummate gentleman and they have two beautiful girls. They are a family.

And I am a Kevin La Presle, I photograph people in love.

So, as usual, I am rambling. Here are some pictures of a couple of wonderful, innocent kids. One hasn’t a care in the world, all he wants is to be held. The other’s only concern is his pumpkin and fireman costume. Here’s to being a kid and being loved by those around you, it doesn’t get any better.

Getting Busy

Very scary....

Colby, Bennett and Megan

No comment needed...

Too bad he's not having fun

Just chillin'...

The final inspection

Megan holding Bennett

This is why I love what I do. I’m a sucker for this romance stuff, (I always get choked up during the father-daughter dance…. Someday that will be me and my angel) There is so much joy and love where ever you look. Anyhow, as much as I love doing this, I couldn’t have done it without Jo Ann. (Understatement of the year…) I love shooting weddings with her, she’s so gifted. I can’t believe I ever shot a wedding without her…

Anyhow, as I’m writing this, the Pretty One and I just ticked off another year. We’ve been married 28 years (and a few days now) and as I watch Michael dip Suzanne for “The Kiss” I am so honored to be there. I know where this goes, I’ve seen this movie before and I’m so excited for them. I think marriage is a roller coaster. There’s the wait in line, wishing it would get here soon. The boring part where you’re slowly pulled uphill, waiting for the fun stuff. Then the rush of wind in your face as you crest the top and scream for joy. You’re flying along, having the time of your life when suddenly  that hard turn that comes out of nowhere and snaps you around. Once, twice, taking you places you didn’t imagine. Some you like, some you don’t. But you stick it out and eventually the ride comes back around to where you started and that’s when she kisses you and you know that getting on this ride was the right thing to do.

And you never want to get off.

Thanks for letting me ramble. Here are a few images from their day.

welcome

some details

an invitation

His and hers...

Needs no comment...

That's love.

The reception

The happy couple

Good times

Does anyone else hear Etta James signing "At Last"?

Thanks for letting me be a part of your day.

“How delicious is the winning of a kiss at love’s beginning.”  I think this quote by Thomas Campbell sums up this last picture.

As always, I appreciate you stopping by. Thanks!

Next weekend I have the honor of capturing Jackie and Brad’s wedding. I love this part, the anticipation and planning. All the things I want to do, the shots I want and how I’ll deal with the fading light. So that 27 years from now, they’ll look back and remember bits and pieces about the day they started out as a couple, husband and wife. Here a few pictures from their engagement session. Thanks for reading this and have a great day.

on their way...

Anyhow, forty-eight hours ago it was raining and all of the snow had melted away, leaving brown dirt, grass and puddles. As quick as the rain came in, it moved on, making way for a cold front that dumped three feet of snow in twenty four hours. I woke up this morning, walked to the sliding door in our room and saw this:I took a couple more shots of the house in the snow. This was the view from the window by our bed:I ran into town this afternoon and took these next two at the end of a beautiful day. The front of our home, please marvel at the snow free driveway. It only took 2 1/2 hours to clear this morning.This is the back of the house.Thanks for letting us share these with you. We’re proud of the house and love it. Come by some time…

Nine months goes by so fast for something so remarkable. (I guess for the guy it goes by fast. Rita Rudner said “Life is tough enough without having someone kick you from the inside.” I might have a different opinion if I had to go through it) I’m in the camp that thinks pregnant women are so attractive; I think it’s so feminine and giving. Anyhow, here are a few pictures from our time together.

Sometimes it seems like there aren’t many gentlemen left out there. Then I sit and watch Aidan listen to Kacie while she tells me about the little details. I watch Guillermo get up from his seat when Monica returns to the table and I’m hopeful. As Jonathan takes off his sweater and drapes it over Annie’s shoulders on a cool evening I think to myself that these guys are doing a good job.

Chivalry isn’t dead, it’s alive and well and I’m surrounded by it.  Picasso said, “Love is the greatest refreshment in life.” And he was right; I drink it in when I’m around my couples. It moves me and I want my wife by my side. I want her hand in mine and I want to enjoy these quiet, simple moments with her.

Drink up, take it all in and enjoy. Happy Valentine’s day.

Mike

The Pretty One and I went to an Inauguration party the other night. It was at Nancy and Mike’s house and our friend Camille had invited us, “It’ll be fun. You should come down for it.” When we walked into the kitchen I realized that we had met Mike and Nancy before. Mike hugged us and thanked us for being there, Nancy made sure we were introduced to the other guests. Action all about; Camille bossing Greg around as he helped with the pizzas, Nancy making sure everybody had a drink or food, Mike getting drinks for those without. Amazing food and wine everywhere you looked.

We watched the day’s festivities that Mike had recorded and as the evening progressed, the numbers grew smaller. Pretty soon it was Mike, Bernhard and I sitting at the corner of the island. Mike broke out a fist-sized piece of the most incredible foie gras, a bottle of Sauterne and Nancy whipped up some toasts. I raised a glass in honor of our new President and our host as well for the once in a lifetime snack. Mike’s eyes teared up when he tried to put into words what this night met to him. As he explained his journey, I realized this guy had been waiting for this for a long time. Longer than me or anyone I knew. Mike was there when Robert F. Kennedy when he was shot at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles. He was there at the 1968 Democratic Convention in Chicago. He was one of the first people to push Barrack Obama to run for President and one of the very first to donate to his campaign. He’s been there since the beginning, fighting for a better future for his kids, for our kids, for our country. Why? Because he cares. He has nothing to gain from it other than a better world for others. On the evening of the Inauguration, when he could have been in DC at the ceremony and the parties, he chose to spend a quiet night at home with friends. His voice trails off and his eyes well up as he looks back on the day’s events and I realize how lucky I am to share this evening with a remarkable and humble man.

Cheers, Mike