I loved Louis’ attentiveness and curiosity as Father Rocca prayed over the children.

More photos to come! Congratulations Edward, Li Bing, Victoria and Louis on all your wonderful celebrations this weekend!

Daughter Victoria’s playful smile as vows and rings were exchanged

The Eucharist cup reflected its shadow in an interesting shape – a heart!

More photos to come from a weekend of many celebrations with the Haynes family!

Since it was our only free August weekend we made a getaway of the road trip and celebrated our 4th anniversary a few weeks early. With the kids at their grandparents’ we hit the road!

Big brother Mikey escorting Sarah down the stairs. It hits me that I’ve known these guys since each was in Kindergarten, and they’re part of the best stories growing up. Holy smokes we all grew up; Sarah’s about to get married.

Mike and Sarah at the end of the aisle. With friends like these guys it was like a big family reunion. I saw my own friends and former classmates since early elementary through high school, long time family friends, the list goes on. Weddings have a lot of emotion and tenderness even when I don’t know half the guests or extended family, Sarah’s big day was chock full of smiles.

The Ferguson family is renown for humor. Her father had passed away unexpectedly just months after her brother John’s wedding. His funeral, to be perfectly honest, was the funniest I have ever been to. Everyone had hilarious stories and memories to share. I know his laughs were missed on Saturday and every day since his passing.

Bradd, our youth pastor growing up, shared the mic with Sarah’s oldest brother John officiating the ceremony. He stopped to dab some tears and lightened the room a little during the ceremony.

Sarah’s son Tustin watching from the back. He was done being a ring bearer.

Sarah’s smile says it all here. She was a radiant bride!

I loved being “off duty” at the wedding. It was standing room only in the packed courthouse, and I planned on sticking to the back anyway. Interesting to see what photographers look like from the guest’s perspective. I saw a spot neither photographer was near and took the previous photo. One of the photographers liked my idea and I took it as a compliment when he shot alongside me. I chuckled to myself and just stepped back when he outright stepped in front of me.

Free tip: When you’re out of the way and a (hired) photographer goes out of the way to step in front of you, look for something they’re looking past.

Request: if I do that, kick my shins. (If I can’t find a good angle and do that I’ve earned it, I’ll thank you later)

The wedding was beautiful and seeing a friend become a newlywed is always a treat. After the ceremony we mingled throughout the ornate historic courthouse rotunda while the newlyweds, bridal party and family had portraits. Feeling a bit out of place and being in a beautiful venue, my wife Sara and I decided to tour the historic Allen County Courthouse and improvise a shoot of our own.

She found a little black dress for the weekend and asked me to take photos so I wasn’t about to pass up the chance! We went to the 3rd floor and had great backdrops of the rotunda and stained glass windows.

We went back after dinner, and heard it was time to cut the cake so I peeked down. I expected to see one of the photographers up there for a great view of the cake cutting none of the guests would have but… instead they both stuck with close ups and let me have the balcony shot. Thanks!

Tustin and the Flower Girl Emma came up to get a taste of the cake as soon as it was cut – I like those kids’ style!

Great weekend getaway full of friends, fun, Fort Wayne, and celebrating 4 years as husband and wife!

I met Brandi and Matt through rock concerts so it’s no surprise their customized, personalized wedding was nothing shy of ROCKING too. Elements of Alice in Wonderland, goth, punk, vintage pin-up styles, rock shows graced their celebration at the theatrical auditorium in the Scottish Rite building in downtown South Bend, Indiana.

We got special backstage passes to this rock show wedding as Sara joined the bridal party and helped plan this extraordinary celebration. (For all you newlyweds wondering what to do without wedding planning checklists or missing the rush of putting together a great ceremony… you’ll know why Sara jumped right in!)

Red and black were featured in everything from Brandi’s wedding dress, hairstyle, the gents’ tuxedos, bridesmaid dresses, and accessories.

Metallica’s “For Whom the Bell Tolls” rang out and the bridal party paired up and made their way to the front. Brandi entered with her parents to join Matt.

The lush red velvet stage curtain and wooden tones fit Brandi’s ideas perfectly.

I’ve seen a variety of different shoes for weddings, and think the groom and guys should have a little fun with their tuxes too. Matt had the first pair or buckle boots I’ve seen at a wedding.

‘Til Death – Custom coffin podium by the Father of the Bride.

Handfasting Ceremony, black Unity candle with skeleton hands. Love it.

Red and black ribbons, plaid, zippers, buckles, studded, heart patches… the bridesmaids styled them all. Great snap by JR, glad he could join me since Sara was among the bride’s partners in awesome.

Easygoing snap of Matt greeting the guests, window light does the trick. Red podium uplight for a little more sinister look, devious was an easy expression.

First dance to Green Day’s “Last Night on Earth”

Personalized & painted wedding cake topper couple and blood red drip frosting. Delicious.

Groom and groomsmen headbanging to Metallica with the Father of the Bride: priceless. Rocking reception soundtrack!

Favorite quote of the day – “It reall WAS a rock show – we had mic feedback, wardrobe malfunctions fixed with gaff tape, a big stage…” – and a rocking couple, I might add. Congrats newlyweds!

Whether it’s traditional or something a little different, we’d love to tell your story – drop us a line to see how we can tell your wedding story!

(PS, if you’re a fan on Facebook we’ve got more rockin wedding photos to enjoy! Come see!)

The name game

Disclaimer, I enjoy photography and enough web design to throw my site together. I’m far from an expert at either.

Late the other night I was checking web stats and got an idea. That led me to just flat out Google “eb photography” to see what happens when someone searches for my page instead of just typing ebphotography.com like it is on all my stationary, promotional materials, sample albums, etc. (This is an oddly high way that traffic reaches us when people search for a web address isntead of just type it in the address bar.)

My business’ name is far from unique, I’m very aware of this. I was required to make a business name and logo from my name or initials for a typography class and… hated the idea. When I wrote my initials together it either looked exactly like a video game store‘s logo or a butterfly. Then I scribbled something and fired up Illustrator and made the logo I have today, it stuck immediately. And so the slanty slashy figure 8 was born. I didn’t however, want to name it after my full name and make anyone try and pronounce my last name the way I do (Americanized German pronunciation I presume).

Here’s some of the other “EB Photography” listings that came up.

ebphotography.net – Emma Barnard

Mentions Reading and British English so I’m thinking Great Britain / UK across the pond. I had to look up the website registration to find any name, which totally puzzles me. Wouldn’t you want a prospective client to know who they’re contacting? “Hi is… EB there? Ebb, are you a photographer?” Hey there’s a Nikon camera on the home page!

ebphotography.org – Emily Bitterman

Denver, Colorado is mentioned a few places on the site. I gathered her first name from the email address listed. Script fonts are pretty till you have to read a paragraph of them. Also Photoshop comps with text are completely useless to search engines if you want your info to be found. Once it’s found keep it readable. Also had to look up registration info to find a name.

ebphotographyonline.com – Elizabeth Breakey

Raleigh, North Carolina – finally, a NAME and a LOCATION on the site. Big points.

Attack of the music! I started shutting browser tabs to find out which site was creeping in on my already-playing music. At least it’s bearable. (EDIT: I left this site open the longest so the kids could enjoy the calming music.) The scribbly scripty links were a bit to read at first. Nice flash site a little scrapbook background feel. Nice work too!

http://ebphotoanddesign.com – Elissa Barela

Santa Ana, California phone number lookup. Nice clean site, the “about” page text was miniscule to read though, and I already have glasses. Love the Nikon camera again. I’m no bride but if your “wedding” gallery consists of only ONE posed photo I’d be a little leary. Blog but it hasn’t had an update since last year. Had to get name off registration again.

http://www.ebphotodesign.com – Ellen Burke

Again, the registration info. One working link, and no contact page. Looks like the site was abandoned. Still pops up in the listings so I wanted to check it out.

Tips (Freebies!)

For starters, list your name & location if you want to be found! If people don’t remember if you’re EB Photography listed under ebphotography.com, ebphotography.net or ebphotography.org they can surely remember if they see your name and location.

Make it searchable. Might have to abandon the Photoshop comps, which brings us to …

Make it readable. I’d probably skip 2 of the sites if I hadn’t really, really, wanted to see what they were about.

Keep it fresh. Good reminder to me to keep adding new photos, posts, and interesting bits.

My turn! eBphotography.com

So it’s nice to at least know there aren’t any EB Photography photographers from these sites in this area. Wouldn’t want anyone to get confused. This began as a search to see if visitors who just searched for “eb photography” would know which one to choose if they were looking for eBphotography.com and turned up some really intriguing results.

So for all things equality… rip on my site http://ebphotography.com, it’s only fair. Hit me with your best shot… of constructive criticsm. Since these other EB Photography pages aren’t direct, area competitors there’s no reason I should slack on my work and not get an earful about the good bad and ugly of my own site. Tell your friends, enemies, and your enemies’ friends: it’s open season.

Game on.

eB

I was pretty excited when this Wedding Guest Book arrived so I grabbed the video camera and started rambling recording. Here’s a preview of the Custom Guest Books included in our Memoirs Photography Package and available for all weddings!

I’ve got to brag on the couple, the idea for the themed shoot was totally theirs. At our first meeting, the bride Caroline mentioned her fiance Josh was in the Navy and she wanted to shoot a 1945 themed engagement session in tribute to the famous photo of a sailor kissing a nurse in Times Square. (Note for couples looking for photographers – throwing creative, fun ideas at us will really make the brainstorms take off!) It was all downhill from there.

I’m thrilled with the hinged paper construction that lets guests write right up to the middle of the book, no bending down the pages to add your wishes near the middle of the book!

Closeup of the hinged paper wedding guest book design

Another added bonus was the thicker paper used for this design. One concern was that a pen would make indentations on the next page’s photos, but the thicker paper and using fine tipped Sharpie markers did more than enough to prevent this concern.

Tips on Guest Books from photographer and designer Eric Bucholtz -

• - Personalize! Anything personalized to your clients’ engagement and wedding story will always be a hit! The engagement session is entirely about the Soonlyweds to have a relaxing shoot away from wedding planning while getting a preview of your work to let them know they’ve made a great choice including your photography in their upcoming wedding day.
• - Album Design: Backgrounds. Unless your design concept is for an all white, black or solid page background, personalize your photography even further in the design process by including complimenting colors and textures on album backgrounds. For this vintage book light paper, sand, and other complimenting textures were used to give a freshly printed book a little age to match the feel of the session.
• - Sunset shooting. Especially out on the beach, stick around after sunset. Dusk is a colorful time full of sunset colors without fighting with the sun at the horizon. This means fewer silhouettes against the sun, less high power fill flash, and more available light photos with that great dusk coloring. Aside from the photographic technicalities, especially when the subjects are having fun, there’s no need to hurry and pack up as soon as the sun sets below the horizon.

Specs & Links

This 10×10″ book features photography and design by Eric & Sara Bucholtz, 1945 hairstyling by Genna Bucholtz at Kerri’s Avenue Salon. White House Custom Color printed the hinged paper / lay flat construction.

That smile and her laugh went with her everywhere, and was contagious.

Today we’re getting all the Bucholtz families and friends together today to remember and celebrate the 96 years of smiles she shared with us all. Family gatherings were never without laughter, and I don’t see us changing that tradition today either.

Eleanor V Bucholtz, at the age of 96, passed away at 8 PM Sunday, May 23, 2010. A two year resident of The Sanctuary at St. Paul’s Healthcare Center, South Bend, she was born June 20, 1913 to the late John J. & Blanche (Holewinski) Otolski.

On April 29, 1939, she was united in marriage in South Bend, Indiana to Remont (Joe) F. Bucholtz, who was the love of her life.

Surviving are three sons, Terry (Susan) of South Bend, Randy of Mishawaka, and Bill (Susan) of South Bend; 9 Grandchildren, Jeffrey Bucholtz, Lisa Bucholtz, Randall Williams, Samantha Hazelton, Eric (Sara Bassler) Bucholtz, Aliya (Ray) Caldwell, Genna Bucholtz, Wendy (Francisco) Jaramillo, Zack (Alethea) Williamson; 7 Great Grandchildren, Olivia Bucholtz, Adrian and Madeline Bucholtz, Olathe and Davia Williamson, Leonardo and Gabriel Jaramillo.

Preceded in death:
She was preceded in death by her husband Joe, in 1961; her parents; and four brothers, Edward, Joseph, Henry, and Clement Otolski.

Eleanor’s devotion was to her family and especially her late husband, Joe. Her eyes would light up whenever she could share her memories of their life and travels together.  She taught the importance of family values, Sunday worship, and prayer. She enjoyed humor, was a great polish cook, loved reading, and prayed every day for her family and friends. She will be remembered for many things, but mostly for being a loving and compassionate mother and grandmother to all. She was loved and will be greatly missed.

A memorial and Celebration of Life Service will be held on June 6th 2010, 3:30 PM at Historical Hamilton Church located at 31519 Chicago Trail, New Carlisle, IN.

Why is it I can’t get enough of looking at black and white photos from the early 20th century? These guys. Grandparents. Legends.

Last Sunday my Grandmother Eleanor V. Bucholtz passed away a few weeks after my 30th birthday and a few weeks before her 97th birthday. She was more than ready to meet her Jesus and see her beloved Joe again – the two people she never stopped talking about. Grandpa Remont “Joe” Bucholtz, a US Navy veteran of World War II,  passed away when my dad was just 6, 16 years after the end of the war. Grandma never ran out of stories to tell about him, and I never got tired of looking at old photos with her.

Grandma B -a name that stuck from before us grandkids could all say “Eleanor” or “Bucholtz”- was nothing short of an amazing woman. Friday I went to the hospital to be with her and my parents, aunts & uncles and 2 older cousins that live nearby when the family was notified that she was very near to going home to heaven. Even amidst somber moments reflecting on her life the gathering of family was the same ornery bunch and told the same crazy stories of our times over the years. It was there I realized it most that it had never taken a relative in the hospital to get us all together and talking on good terms; she had helped put so much love and care for each other into our family already.

That love and peace is a legacy and immeasurable inheritance to leave as an example for your family.

We’ll miss Grandma, without question, every time we think of her and tell her stories. She loved hearing about all the places I traveled so she was my pen pal when I traveled Scandinavia, Central America, and southeast Asia. I’m thankful for the 30 years I shared with her and all the time we spent together as a family. I’m grateful she was able to meet my 2 children, too. (My son Adrian even got to help push her “wagon” (wheelchair) for her when he visited.) Lots of her grandkids’ friends had her as an honorary Grandmother. She raised 3 sons and helped to weave a family together with genuine love for each other.

Also notably, she helped to instate the food groups of pirogi and Polish sausage as staple foods at family gatherings. Our matriarch Eleanor is the reason my family with a German last name calls itself Polish in honor of her heritage and various phrases said in Polish. (Mostly ones you’d say under your breath when you want to call someone a name they wouldn’t understand – told you she was ornery!)

In closing, the only obituary she wanted: “Eleanor’s gone.”

If you listen I’m pretty sure heaven’s playing Polka this week to welcome her as we miss her and celebrate her life with us from 1913 to 2010.

I merely supplied cameras and lighting, a little bit of arranging folks but the final edit far outshines the straight out of camera shots I left with Phil to begin his poster designs. I was excited to see how his ideas would transform the photos into his finished poster, and am thrilled to share it here!

But first, a word from the artist.

This was a labor of love that took a lot of time and help from some friends. This promotional piece is 54″x24″ and will be hung up at the Buffalo Wild Wings located in the Village at Coventry in Fort Wayne, Indiana. It may be at other locations but not many.

I am not making any profit off of this so if any of you work for BWW corporate, no lawsuits please.

The photography was done by my friend Eric Bucholtz of eBphotography.com.

The models are my roommates Austin (far left) and Kelli (girl on top of couch aka my gf), and the others (all employees of BWW Coventry) are myself, Alisa, Serena and Stephen.

I’m so glad I finally finished this. Thank you, to those that helped take from a sketch to reality.

I will not be selling copies of this poster (that would be illegal) but if you work at a Buffalo Wild Wings and think you’d like this poster displayed at your store, send me a message [through dA] or email me at illuminist.designs@gmail.com and I will inform you of the information needed. Thank you.

I’ll add that in addition to posters to display, drop Phil a line about your own creative promotional piece ideas to see more of his graphic work in action. Well done!

Get on with the pictures already!

Check out the full version here.

Back during his 5-ish years as the Underground Cafe’s resident DJ and lighting designer, Phil came up with some pretty slick shows mixing music between bands and lighting up the stage when they played. He left town to study graphic design and the concerts sorely missed his mixing and lighting skills ever since. (Trust me, I’ve filled in both areas and it’s not the same whatsoever. I am a tech geek that keeps things running smoothly, not a crowd-rocker.)

If you’re following us on Facebook I posted a behind the scenes video there last month for a little preview of the shoot – here it is again to enjoy before the final poster design is shown – enjoy!

Part 2 coming later today!