Lea Jnice Photography

New Blog

2009-10-09T09:59:00.000-07:00

My new blog is up. This blog will no longer be used. If you are a follower, please continue to follow me on www.leajnicephotography.com : )

Thanks for reading!

Summer days driftin' away, to uh-oh those summer nights...

2009-08-16T14:26:00.000-07:00

Summer is coming to an end. The warm nights shooting live on the levee was one of my highlights of the summer. Free concerts, hot dogs,BBQ,bud light with lime(Mmmmmm),and just an all around fantastic time.
This summer I didn't get a chance to cover every night,but I enjoyed the nights that I was able to work. The meet & greets,the fireworks,watching everyone just having a great time. I love to watch people. I am a people watcher. “You shouldn't be so nosy” I have said to my husband more than once. I don't listen to conversations, I watch how people interact. A start of a laugh,a little girl teaching her baby sister how to do her ballet moves,an old couple holding hands as if they just started dating. Its the little things that sometimes people overlook or they just don't have time to notice. That's what I capture as an photographer. With my camera in hand I just see things a little differently than I would if I just looked at it. I have to slow down and stop to capture things. Even typing this out Its a reminder to myself to stop and smell the roses daily.

Opening Bands

Counting Crows

Angie Stone(notice my new logo : )

Guster

Ryan Miller of Guster^ said at one point I don't know if it's like this for all of you but I see the statue of liberty all the time. But this is awesome. "One of the coolest venues we have ever played"
The city museum is like "a playground for kids and stoners alike"
I love their humor off stage and on.
One of the best shows I have ever been too.

Yesterday I received a very kind thank you card from Julie Donnelly who is one of the
event managers. I'm not good with remembering titles...Let's just say shes the lady. Like he's the man...everyone at celebrate stl is great. I wanted to share the card..

Dear Lea
Please except the enclosed with my thanks and appreciation for your time shooting our event this summer. I hope you are able to use some of the pictures for personal use as we are able to use them for our website and future promotions. You and Caleb are great to work with.(Caleb aka bag holder,time keeper/husband)I can always depend on you to get great shots and you do it always smiling. Thanks again for all your help and I hope we can work together again.

Julie

Wasn't that nice... I love receiving thank you cards. Thats why I always try and remember to send them out. It just so happens that my new thank you cards have been custom designed for me and I will be ordering them shortly : )

I am looking forward to all the great things next years Live On The Leeve brings.

Yes I am totally rad...thanks for asking...

2009-07-14T16:46:00.000-07:00

I slept until 8:00 this morning. My son and I laid in bed watching Super Why & Clifford together until we decided we should probably move sometime today. I sent a message to my neighbor Jen(holla at cha girl) asking her what time the free laundry started. Once in a blue moon my apartment complex offers free laundry day. AKA fit as much crap in your hamper as possible day. Also know as pulling clean clothes off hangers just to clean them day just because. OK maybe not clean clothes,but we make sure we get our money worth. So we get all our blankets together and walk on over to our lovely free laundry day. I had about 4 loads. Not too bad. I chatted with my neighbors for a couple hours. (30 minutes to wash, 45 to dry) Let me tell ya it's exciting stuff. Well my entire day consisted of washing & drying. At lunch time I checked my twitter. Yes I am that cool. I have a twitter. I tweet. So like I said I checked my twitter and noticed that gettottallyrad(http://twitter.com/gettotallyrad) was totally having a contest today. A contest to win the amazing rad actions that I have been drooling about for such a long time. So I get the idea to take my camera over with me while I get the last load of laundry. I take a piece of paper and write “will work for TRA” totally rad on a piece of paper. I ask my son to hold it. It was nap time so this wasn't as easy as it sounds. He did inform me that we were going to win so I trusted his almost 3 year old judgment. So I snap the pic. Run my free tester actions that they offer on their site.(http://www.gettotallyrad.com) Tweak them to my liking and place them onto my facebook. It was the facebook contest. Well my son was right. WE WON!!! ow ow. Ram a lama ding dong..bang she bang she bang(ok song not so rad,but my son think's I am.

The winning image...

The lovely email I received..
Hey, Lea,
You won the TRA Mega Mix -- congrats! I'll just need you to e-mail(possible secret email)with the subject 'Facebook Winner' and I'll get 'em to you within 24 hours. :)

Well heck yes! So tonight I made us celebratory mickey mouse pancakes with sausage for dinner.Yeah we use shop and save syrup,because we are thrifty like that. Since I don't have to pay for my actions I think I spurge for the name brand next time. ; ) Here we come Mrs Butterworths.The blueberry's spell out T.R.A. I'm very excited to have won!

Also my new blogsite was finished today..I will be launching soon..Get ready for an awesome new site created by 805 collective...
Exciting stuff...

Lets get personal..petunias.

2009-07-01T17:01:00.000-07:00

Every year around this time I decide to play a little with my curb appeal. I live in an apartment so my whole "curb appeal" is that I plant flowers in my two flower boxes that line the outside of my apartment. Very chic... That's as good as it gets.
So like I said I plant flowers in my boxes. Well today was the day that I took my 2 3/4 year old son to lowes to pick out flowers and to buy some soil. Anytime I say your a bit too little to pick that up he reminds me " don't worry,I'm going to be three soon" in the most grown up way. Oh how time flys.So like I said I took my almost 3 year old to pick out flowers today and he informs me "all of these flowers look sad,they need water to make them happy again". I told him he was correct and we picked out some pitiful pink and purple petunias(say that 10 times fast,2 pts for those who tried it) in hopes of reviving them. We sat together in the dirt and planted our "beautiful" flowers.

While I was doing so I was remembering all the types of flowers I have planted there in the past 3 summers(and how the squirrels devour them) In June 2007 I planted purple daisy-like flowers. I still have yet to find out what they were. I took photos of them.

June 2007 was the time that I bought my 1st digital camera and the time that I decided that I was going to take my hobby and make it a career. That photo was the taken right after I started my business. I remember it was raining and I had my "big girl camera" and I held an umbrella over my camera terrified that I would get my camera wet. So 2 years later I'm typing in my blog about how I had dreams of being a professional photographer. July 2007 I took photos of Fair St Louis and sent them over email asking them if they were interested in my work for the Celebrate Saint Louis site.

They said yes and two years later I'm still shooting their advertising photos,just with a couple more perks...

(last year)

So 2 years later I'm still planting yearly flowers in my boxes and I'm still shooting for Celebrate Saint Louis (http://www.celebratestlouis.org/Celebrate/)
That hasn't changed,but both have changed me. Ok so not really. I just couldn't come up with a cheesy quote to finish this post.

Thanks for reading.

L

Adele & Rob-June 6th

2009-06-25T13:24:00.000-07:00

I never put much stock into the term "soulmate". The older I get the more it seemed that everyone has to work so hard at keeping their relationships healthy,exciting and fulfilled. As I still believe this is true, I met a couple a few weeks ago that tweaked my view on soul mates a bit. I still am not sure how I feel about the term "soulmate". However I know that if there are such a thing in this world Adele & Rob are truly soul mates.

Now to the details. Adele & Rob had their beautiful wedding & reception at Chantilly-DeMenil Mansion(http://www.demenil.org) in Benton Park.(side note to couples getting married: Fantastic place to get married. Great vendors,service,food,etc Keep this place in mind)

(they laughed throughout their ceremony.
"We cannot really love anybody with whom we never laugh"
Agnes Repplier

It was a beautiful night and one of most fun weddings Angie(www.toddstudiosphotography.com) and myself have ever shot.

(all images taken for Todd Studios)

Erin-This one's for the girls...

2009-06-18T20:19:00.001-07:00

When Erin emailed me about getting boudoir shots for her future husband done I literally said out loud "you go girl". I met Erin through a friend of a friend,Paul(shout out,holla at cha boy haha)(http://www.flickr.com/photos/coverkill)last year. The 1st time I met Greg & Erin I fell in love with their spirit. They both have a laugh that is instantly contagious. So months later when Erin booked her shoot I was stoked. I love boudoir shoots and I am going to tell you why. Not only are they an awesome gift that every husband to be would love,they are also for us.A gift to ourselves as women. The make us feel sexy. Beautiful. Powerful. Courageous. It's a message to the world that says I will show off my body and any flaws I that I feel I might have. I am beautiful and my husband loves all of me. Ok so I went on a little rant. I just wanted to share my view on these sessions,because it isn't just about taking naked photos. Back on track...

Erin

I give major props to Erin for allowing me to post this on my blog. You go girl!
So if your looking for a gift for a husband,a boyfriend,a girlfriend, or just for yourself! Email me for boudior prices.

And as a last message to all the ladys out there. I was listening to delilah(love someone tonight...) on my way home tonight.I just knew I need to add this song to this post tonight. So from delilah(http://www.delilah.com/home/home.html) and myself.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6MJwdY6Y0Hw

This one's for the girls
Who've ever had a broken heart
Who've wished upon a shooting star
You're beautiful the way you are
This one's for the girls
Who love without holdin' back
Who dream with everything they have
All around the world, this one's for the girls...

My son has a message for you..

2009-06-16T23:32:00.000-07:00

What that is I am not quite sure...ok I know,but it sounds so much cuter when you can't understand him.
"wanna see me mad..in the picture..chica poo..."

Sometimes we like to sit around the house and make videos. He is such a ham.
Hopefully that gave you a midweek laugh.

And they lived happily ever after...(John & Lisa)

2009-05-28T08:01:00.000-07:00

Im a little backed up on blogging. I have two others that I will need to get to soon. When my new blogsite launches...woot woot I will blog twice a week! Every week,unless I'm out of town. If I am I can't promise that I will blog as much.

Anyway this post is supposed to be about a wedding so let's get started.

Lisa & John were a fun couple to be around, not to mention beautiful!

Every once in a while I have a couple that when you look at them you can see that they belong together. They belong together.

"We belong to the light
We belong to the thunder
We belong to the sound of the words
We've both fallen under
Whatever we deny or embrace
For worse or for better
We belong, we belong
We belong together"

pat benatar moment! you can never have too many of those...

After the ceremony we got a chance to take a few romantic photos.

Lisa told us that when she was a little girl she dreamed about the dress that she would wear when she got married and that this one was it. It was stunning. She made the desision to skip her graduation from Webster University and marry the man of her dreams on that day instead. Im pretty sure she was happy with her decision.

Earlier in the day the sister of the groom was talking to us and had said "he has never acted this way before ever, he must really be in love" Johns happens to be a Marine(I'm sure you noticed : )and he is so in love with his new bride. I have a soft spot for military weddings so I was very happy that I had the chance to 2nd shoot their wedding.

During group shots we headed down to the arch grounds. The sun was very high in the sky which makes for blinding light & shadows. So quick caption. Angie had an idea to block the sun with the ushers jackets. If you were wondering. I don't know how, but It did work! Angie gets 2 pts for the jacket idea.

And so that is a taste of their wedding day. I hope they have many many happy years together...

Thanks to angie @ todd studios for allowing me to shoot this wedding season with her. We have many many more to come.

Rock and Roll Bride

2009-05-22T08:00:00.000-07:00

One of my weddings was featured last month on Rock and Roll Bride and I didn't blog it. So better late than never. : )

http://www.rocknrollbride.com/2009/04/vintage-in-vegas/

Rock ‘n Roll Bride promotes individuality and general awesomeness in a cookie cutter, pastel pink, poufy dressed wedding world. Don’t let the wedding industry define your day – let *you* define your day. That's what they are selling and I love it.

http://www.rocknrollbride.com/

Happy Wedding Planning!

Vows and Ows...Nikki & Joe

2009-05-08T09:58:00.000-07:00

Saturday the 2nd I woke up somewhat refreshed.I ran around my house trying to get my camera bag packed for the wedding I had in a couple hours. I felt a little out of it, but I wasn't frazzled.

After we arrived at the brides mothers home I took out my camera and after the 1st sound of the shutter I felt at ease. It always happens that way. We shot the pre ceremony/getting ready shots...
(all images taken under todd studios, woot woot..link-http://www.toddstudiosphotography.com/ new re vamped site coming soon)

We shot the beautiful ceremony at the jewel box and everything seemed to be going swell.(http://stlouis.missouri.org/citygov/parks/jewelbox/)

Then BAM. I was running out the side door of the jewel box and fell flat...No watch your step sign in site. As my ankle started to swell up all I could think of is "I can't have a sprained ankle at a wedding. I just can't. This did not just happen to me". So I closed my eyes for about 15 seconds hoping that the situation would just go away and I would walk back into the jewel box with camera in hand. My pain was about an 8 on the happy sad face hospital chart. I knew I was in trouble. I had to sit down. Thank god for wedding planners.They always have pain killers...

Yes that is my ankle on a planter. I am a photographer after all I had to document it. So I had to leave the wedding. Brian was now the second for the day. So very glad that he came with us that day. My husband and mother were both across the river so I sat on a park bench for a while waiting for a ride home. I did however get to watch another wedding party get their formals taken.I might even be in the background of a couple images...

So moral of the story. The jewel box needs a watch your step sign...and don't run out of a door that you have never gone out of before. I heard a story once of a wedding photographer who fell in a lake from a dock during the ceremony with camera & bag in hand. It could of been worse....

Happy Friday.

2009-05-08T09:19:00.000-07:00

I have't blogged this week so here is a photo I took from last weekend.

Thanks for reading my blog. I truly appreciate my followers.

Happy Friday.

Random.

2009-04-30T11:28:00.000-07:00

I figure I should be random in my blog, if I am random in everyday life. So here are a few pictures...
Thanks to Angie (http://toddstudios.blogspot.com/) for letting me tag along to her shoots.(add her!)

A pinch of weddings

A dash of engagements

And a handful of me....
(credit: Angie of Todd studios for these,pp by me)

I'm the type of girl who will lay in the middle of the street for a good shot no matter what I am wearing....
ps. I got hit by a car when I was 6. What are the odds of that happening again...

ahhhhhhhh

Get used to this face.
So yes those images will be used in my about me section, for my new blog site. It's coming..coming...soon...(wehrenberg...wehrenberg...wehrenberg...some of you will understand that, others disregard it.

Rock the frock 2009....

2009-04-27T17:28:00.000-07:00

The night was Saturday the 25th and we met in downtown STL for a rock the frock session. 3 girls 2 boys + one rad urban location= awesomeness.

That's Allison^ my 2009 senior rep. Her mother made her very chic prom dress. Props to mama on that one.(which reminds me I need 2010 reps so if you go to school in saint louis city,county,collinsville,edwardsville,troy,highland IL area feel free to contact me)

They look so dapper. Very stylish indeed.

Some b&w action

and one last one for giggles...

My husband and I
Collinsville High School Prom 2004.

Photobooth

2009-04-27T17:01:00.000-07:00

This Friday I had a fantastic time shooting Melissa and Jeremy (aka M&J's) photo booth. I always seem on have a smile stuck to my face during each photo booth I do and theirs was no exception. I had a rocken time and based on the images I took so did everyone else....

Jessika and Jon

2009-04-13T12:10:00.000-07:00

This weekend I had a engagement session with Jessika and Jon. I went to highschool with Jessika. We had choir class together. We haven't talked much since then so when she contacted be about getting photos done I was very excited to see her and to meet her fiance Jon. It was a beautiful day for a photoshoot. It was a little chilly, but almost perfect. You know the kind of weather where the wind blows and it gives you a chill until the sun shines down on your face and warms your body right up again. Thats the kind of day it was. Forest park was the perfect location for their shoot.We hung around the outside of the art museum(http://www.slam.org/) for most of their shots.

The sun was peaking over a couple trees so I had to do some of my signature sunflare shots. I can't help myself. Some might think its a mistake, but I do this on purpose.

So after we took a few shots in front of the green trees we walked over to a few beautiful flower covered trees. As much as I'd like to share what type of tree it was I have no idea. I don't claim to be a botanist...so I just call them the pretty flower covered trees.

The art museum...

Then it was time for me to focus on Jessika. Not only is Jessika and Jon getting married, but they are having a baby girl as well. I think every expecting mother should have a photo of herself when she is glowing. She told me a few different times that they are sorry that they aren't photogenic. How either of them could think that is beyond me.

^I thought I needed to do an Easter photo in this shoot so here it is.
Peep.

After I took a few of mommy to be : ) I had Jon sit down with her and just spend sometime together. I normally give a little direction on what to do and how to pose, but with couple I didnt need to tell them much at all. I love when couple ignore me and just interact with each other. The way he looks at her and how he brushed her hair back was just perfect. He adores her.

I asked her to close her eyes and she just had the hardest time not laughing. I love it.

Jessika and Jon I wish you much happiness. Enjoy the time you have together and that little bundle of joy.

Blessings.

A Wedding to Remember

2009-04-07T09:54:00.000-07:00

Viva Las Vegas.

On April 1st my husband and I along with 33(approx) others flew to Vegas for Melissa and Jeremy's vintage inspired Vegas wedding.

I had the pleasure of shooting their wedding day.
The weather was fantastic. The food rocked. Vegas is an awesome place for a destination wedding. I truly did not want to leave, but our spending budget started disappearing and you can't live on cocktails alone.

When Melissa and some of her friends had breakfast I laid in my ginormous(I spelt that right on the 1st try) bed and laid there thinking about how even when I am so tired and I don't feel like shooting after a night of vegas-ing it up..I still love my job and I adore being surrounding by people who are in love. Weddings are such a great time. I truly am in love with people who are in love. The more weddings I shoot the more I fall in love with my husband. There is just something about being surrounded by two people that only have eyes for each other. Its fantastic.

So lets get down to business.

Like something out of a movie^

I'm thinking about hanging one of these in my house : )

So we get to the cute chapel, It had a warm tropical vibe to it and of course they don't allow me to stand a shoot the ceremony. That's a tip for Vegas brides...When you bring your own wedding photographer the chapels don't allow professionals to take photos. I happened to get one as they were leaving....

Then after a yummy dinner at Trevi. If your ever in Vegas(its at Caesars and go to Trevi the Linguine al Frutti Di Mare is amazing. Ok I didn't order it, but hubby did and how can I not try it. They had the top floor of the restaurant to themselves, well ourselves : ) It's a really neat place.

Then after dinner I had a little time to get this couple together, because after all it is about them. I can't say it enough my favorite part of shooting a wedding is when I have the couple together. At least 50 people told them congrats while shooting. We had people taking photos of us taking photos. I have a photo of me taking a photo of them while strangers cameras are in the background. Funny stuff.

So congrats Mr and Mrs McFarland. I think I can speak for all 30 plus of us that we had a fantastic time oh and thanks for paying me to go on vacation....

Blessings

Viva Las Vegas......

2009-03-29T08:11:00.000-07:00

(ok so I don't draw planes very well)
In the early AM on tuesday I will be on a plane on my way to Vegas. Im going to "discuss" with my husband about who gets the window seat....

In 2 days I'll be in the 80 degree weather. I can feel the sunshine now. Goodbye 30 degree weather. I need a vacation. What better a vacation than having to get to do what you.. love click click click ; ) and being surrounded by awesome people.

So I might end up blogging after we get to the hotel...We are bringing a laptop to keep all the images on so I figure with wi fi I might as well keep everyone updated : )

So until then.. I will see you on the flip side.

Bridals...Melissa

2009-03-28T10:39:00.001-07:00

So this week Angie asked me to come along to the studio and shoot some bridals of my Vegas bride Melissa. Her veil is rocking. Im so jealous. If I could step back in time and redo my wedding day it would be so close to what they are doing. Bringing over 30 people to vegas for my wedding would be awesome. I love that shes going to have so many people there to support her on her wedding day.

A little vintage ; ) with that head piece how can I not have a vintage inspired one. I love it. The way the feather laid on her face. Magic ; )

I have more, but sometimes I go a little picture heavy on the same basic shot. If it aint broke don't fix it right. I like tight crops and always will.

So be looking out for her wedding photos.....We leave tuesday...

Rachel and Bill

2009-03-28T09:47:00.000-07:00

It's 38 degrees outside and rainy. Not a very pretty day, but perfect blogging weather...It's been a while since I updated my blog. Hopefully soon I will have a lovely new Blogsite...woot woot,that I can show off and I'll keep it updated! My new goal is to post about 3 times a week.

So lets dive right in.

A lot of new things have happened since my last post. I am now working with an awesome chica bonita name Angie..Owner of Todd Studios. Im sure I'll blog about all the fun things we do this wedding season. Such as Vegas baby. My lovely friend a beautiful bride Melissa will be getting hitched this week on the strip. I have so many ideas for her shots and I am stoked.

now on to wedding news...

Rachel and Bill

Last weekend I had the pleasure of second shooting for todd studios.

I made sure to be earlier. I am always early : ) We made our way to the gas station to

stock up on snacks. You know you have to buy some snacks for the day before a 9 hour wedding. We get hungry. So after we decided on which brand of water we wanted(seriously how many types of bottled water are out there)we made our way to Rachel/her rents house. We walked in and you could tell they were all very excited.Good energy : ) We took out our gear and started doing our thang...

Her coach sandals were fantastic.

After she put on her gown we took some of the formals and then made our way to the church, Saint Gerard Majella. We took some of the family photos/groomsman.

Then it was ceremony time.

After the ceremony we made our way to Laumeier Sculpture Park, for formals.

http://www.laumeiersculpturepark.org/

Their wedding party was fantastic. So easy going it was awesome. The groomsman had us cracking up all day long.

After we took the formals we had a little bit of time to shoot the couple..because after all it's their day. My favorite time of the day is when we get to be alone with the couples so that we can just focus on them and the love they have for each other. I love people who are in love and Bill and Rachel are in LUV.

After the park we made our way down the street to the viking which was where their reception was taking place. We made our round shooting the details and cake. Yum cake..

When it was toast time I laughed, I cried, they rocked at toasts. Bestman=funny Maid of honor=sweet Father of the bride=proud

Her father made me cry. Rachels brother is a Marine and during the toast he wanted to have a moment to remember the troops serving. As I watched everyone stand and clap almost in slow motion to me now as I remember it. I could tell that his family was so very proud of him. My BIL is a Marine and he is oversees which is why this pulled at my heart strings.anywhos.This family rocks. I had a great time shooting their wedding.

I wish them all the best.

Thanks to Angie for asking me to shoot with her : )

The 1st one of the season was great. Many Many more to come....

Im back...................

2008-11-24T20:29:00.001-08:00

Well hello friends in the web world....I have created a new blog and I hope you like it.

The purpose of this blog is to show you what I have been working on. Its a way for you to follow my photograhic journey as I capture moments in time. I want you to get to know me as a person. I want you to love me as much as you love the photos I give you. That is my goal. Now enough mushy stuff...

This past weekend I was a 2nd,3rd,or 4th shooter.. Im not really sure what my rank was considered...Let me explain. My friend Stacy(http://www.moltobellaphotography.com/) had a great idea to have a winter shoot. Imagine a dozen red cheeky tots running around screaming in 30 degree weather.....; ) It was so much fun. So the 4 of us girls ran around shooting the sticky faced kiddos. I don't normally photograph children, but when I do I always enjoy it. There was a point where I picked up a spitty candy cane off of the ground. Some how I knew I shouldnt of helped save the world at that moment because there was no trash can. Later I paid for it...After I found the half eaten candy cane/ wrapper in my coat pocket that I forgot about...Sticky city. Anywho I enjoyed myself. And now its peanut butter jelly time.

Thanksgiving will be here soon...bring on the turkey..