Kentucky Engagement :: Rebecca and Dima

To those of you that know me (AJ), you know I taught high school chemistry for a semester to help a local high school fill a faculty need.  Those 5 months were some of the best I have had.  This is strictly due to the amazing students I had in my classes.  These kids were awesome...and just that...kids.

Well, was I punched in the age-ego-face when I found out one of my favorite students was engaged.  Dima was attentive, hilarious, and great at chumming up with his chemistry teacher who took the bait; hook, line, and sinker.  Well, when I got over my initial shock that I was this old, I got ahold of Dima and let him know that we'd be there for him if he would want us to be.  Rebecca made the final decision.

It was wonderful to finally meet Rebecca.  These two are perfect for each other because of each other's strengths.  I look forward to seeing them grow together.  It really will be a blessing.

Though I do not really enjoy feeling old, I loved every minute of this past Sunday morning.  Not only did I get to hang out with Dima and Rebecca all morning, I also had the privilege of working with a different assistant than normal.  Instead of Bethany, her brother Ben worked with me.  He has been interning with us this summer and I truly enjoyed working with him Sunday.  His help will be missed when he leaves to head back to Kenya.

Dima and Rebecca:  we can't wait until next month.  It will be wonderful working with you again!

Kentucky Engagement :: Kayli and Brant

Getting a jump on things, Kayli and Brant decided it was time to have their engagement photos done Saturday.  And they had a wonderful location in mind.

Kayli's grandparents live just outside of Maysville, KY where they own a farm.  Though it rained almost all the way up to the farm, it stopped just as we got out of the car and was gorgeous for the rest of the day.

Kayli and Brant were wonderful hosts and showed us around the farm as we took pictures.  We really felt like we clicked as the day progressed.  We found we have simliar interests (Brant is a music.... connoisseur and I like to listen to music...so that is one) and we all like blackberry cobbler (except for Bethany, apparently).  So all in all, the day went great.

Though the wedding is a year away, we really can't wait to work with these guys on their wedding day.  They are genuinely nice people and have a great sense of purpose and a wonderful sense of humor.  We felt just as much at home outside shooting as when we were inside sharing a meal.

To conclude; both Kayli and Brant are awesome.  And we hope this coming year goes fast so we can hang out again.

Kentucky Engagement :: Brianna and Ty

Saturday, Bethany and I got together with Brianna and Ty for their engagement shoot.  First of all, you need to know that these two are incredibly friendly and that they are entirely perfect for each other.

Brianna contacted during the winter and at the time, seemed ready for the end of the snow.  When we picked this past Saturday, I think we were all hoping for warm weather.  And we got that.  Plus a little bit of rain.  Or a whole lot of rain.  It actually poured and poured down on us.  So we surrendered to Subway.

And waited.  And waited.  And finally....

The sun came out, and it really turned out to be a remarkable day.  Both Brianna and Ty were in great spirits and I think that is obvious in the above snapshots of the afternoon.  

We loved every second we had with these two.  If you see them, wish them a happy engagement...again!  And wish them the best as they finish their wedding planning.  We can't wait to capture what they come up with for their wedding.  And we can't wait to work with them again.

Brianna and Ty, thanks for keeping the faith yesterday.  And we really hope that you two fall in love with your photographs.  

Tune in to Wells-Photo.com in two weekends.  You will get a chance to meet Kayla and Clay.

Kentucky Engagement :: Shannon and Wes

This past Saturday, our wedding season kicked off...with an engagement.  And what a great starter it was.  Shannon and Wes heard of us a through friends of theirs from college that had interviewed us.  Both Shannon and Wes are EKU alums and have stuck around the area.  

We met in the early afternoon, which gave Bethany and I a chance to scope out campus.  First of all, it really is a beautiful campus.  Being small school graduates, Bethany and I both agreed that EKU is definitely an agreeable size for a state school.  Second of all, it is full of neat nooks and crannies that were really ideal for an engagement session.  So, needless to say, we loved working there.

Shannon and Wes wanted to meet in the afternoon because they were volunteering with God's Pantry that morning (model citizens....that's right).  So immediately after volunteering they met us at EKU's half-a-football stadium.  From there we walked all over campus and ended at the Presidents Mansion.

You will be hearing more about Wes and Shannon this summer.  We are blessed with the opportunity to photograph their wedding.  Keep an eye out.  

Also, keep an eye peeled next week for our next sneak peak.

Liz and Brandon are ENGAGED!! Sneak Peak

A few weeks ago, our good friends Kristy and Fred let us know they had passed our names on to some friends of theirs, Brandon and Liz.  We set up a meeting with Brandon and Liz and loved the time we got to spend with them.  After they left, Bethany and I were really stoked about the possibility of photographing this couple.  Well, our wish came true about a week later.

Liz and Brandon wanted to go ahead and get their engagement photos taken this past Saturday; before it got too cold.  I am glad they did!  We had such a blast.  Not only were we able to go out and hang out around some sweet places, but we were able to really get to know this awesome couple.

Brandon is an IT Specialist with Child Care Council of Kentucky.  He has talked about how busy he is there and how much loves it.  Kinda makes me want to tag along one day.  Liz works at Bracktown Academy and used to be a social worker.  Needless to say, she is a giver.  Throughout the day, we had great conversation, shared a lot of laughs, and we were humbled to work with this couple who have dedicated their lives to helping kids in the Bluegrass area.

We spent some time shooting during the morning at Shaker Village.  We have mentioned being there before and on the morning of this shoot, it was the Harvest Festival.  We don't really have a clue what that means, but it sounded fun.  We spent most of the morning here.  There were just so many places there to enjoy.  We left there and headed over to High Bridge.  We had only shot there for fun, so it was a great experience to shoot there with Brandon and Liz.  Afterwards, we grabbed lunch and zoomed up to the UK-Fayette County Arboretum.  It was so busy.  With walking and running trails, flowers by the bushel, and a gazebo perfect for weddings, it is the place to be.  In fact, there were scheduled weddings at the High Bridge Park AND at the Arboretum on Saturday.

We really had a blast with Liz and Brandon.  We truly cannot wait to serve them during their wedding.  We are sure it will be just as beautiful as they are.

Thanks Liz and Brandon, and enjoy this sneak peak!

Thanks to Makayla and Jordan...

In mid-September, Bethany and I had the opportunity to photograph Makayla and Jordan in celebration of their engagement. That meant two things for Bethany and I. First, we got to spend a Saturday with a couple that was down to earth and incredibly kind. Second, we got to experience the Pikeville Cut-Through, not to mention Pikeville itself.

Bethany and I hopped in our car at around 5:30 AM to head down to Eastern Kentucky so that we could be there for the early morning sunrise. Late dawn and early dusk light gives way to some stunning photographs. So our hope was to be able to get the mountains and a sunrise as a backdrop for Makayla and Jordan. Unfortunately, the mountains did not cooperate. The whole area was covered in a thick blanket of early morning fog which decided not to lift until late morning.

With the weather acting the way it was, our first location for the session was at a friend's farm just down the road from Makayla's house. It was nestled in the cut-away hills outside of Pikeville. It showed of elegance and of brute strength, with the way rock walls were created where there were once massive hills. We had visitors about half way through that first session. A young couple of kids decided to follow us on their four-wheeler. I think they were just as interested in us as we were in them. We didn't speak, but they followed us for about 15 minutes.

Our second session occurred on the top of one of the local mountains. As we drove, Jordan explained the coal industry and how it operated in the PIke County area. He explained how the companies performed the removal of the coal in the mountains. It was all so fascinating that neither Bethany nor I wanted the small trip to end. But alas, we arrived to the top of the mountain and we had a small hike to the top of the summit. When we got to the top, we found a rock face that dropped at least 150 feet. We were above the trees. It was a view that just went on and on. It was truly a view from Heaven.

Afterwards, Bethany and I headed home. It was a great way to spend a Saturday. We hope that Makayla and Jordan enjoyed themselves as much as we enjoyed ourselves. We also hope that they enjoy this photographs for years to come. Congratulations, Makayla and Jordan. And good luck.