Rick Jennisch Photography

Encounter with a Fox

On a Sunday afternoon back in October I had an engagement session at Loud Thunder Forest Preserve with my clients, Matt and Jennifer.  As usual, I arrived early to get some ideas about locations and lighting.  I was standing near the boat docks, there was not a soul around, and this red fox comes trotting down the road toward me.  I aimed a 200 mm lens at the fox and began to fire away!  But the fox kept trotting toward me!

He stopped about twenty feet away and just looked at me.  I started to get nervous at this point, because I have never been this close to a fox and I didn't know their their demeanor or the nature of their behavior.

The fox started to walk toward me again.  I was surrounded by boats and water, and the fox was inbetween me and my truck!  I was getting nervous as the animal was about four feet away!  I had a titanium monopod in my hands with $5000.00 of camera equipment mounted on top, and I stuck the monopod out in a defensive position.  I thought, "Oh my God...this animal probably has rabies!"

At this point, the fox is about three feet away.  It turns out that all he wanted to do is check out the lens I had laid down on the pavement.  Perhaps he thought it might be some food?  I'm sure the people that recreate at the park have left food for the animals.

Having realized the lens was not something to eat, the fox moved toward the water for a drink...I moved to my car for saftey!

Mr. Fox goes to the watering hole. 

I thought foxes were nocturnal.  I used to see them at night when I lived near John Deere Middle School in Moline, and they never approached humans.  That's why I thought this one might be sick when it walked up to me!

And here is Jen and Matt! 

What a beautiful fall day, and a perfect place to shoot an engagement session!

I have always used this  TypePad blog blog for my wedding photography business.  I considered eliminating this site since my new web site has a new blog for my business.  I have decided to keep this blog for a place to post  personal images and commentary.

The fall colors in October at Loud Thunder Forest Preserve.

Adam and Jann

August 18, 2007

Ceremony: St. Paul's Lutheran Church, Davenport, IA

Reception: Holiday Inn (Four Points), Rock Island, IL

Since VanderVeer Park is right across the street from St. Paul's, we walked over to shoot Adam and Jann's bride and groom shots.

Here is a series of images from that sequence.

This image has a subtle vignette on the edges to frame, and focus the viewer's attention on the subjects; Adam and Jann.

I used the fountain at VanderVeer Park for a backdrop in this image.

Adam and Jann wanted to do some photography down by the River with the bridge in the background.  Since it's a popular place I always try to look for something different.  In this image I set my camera on the rail to let the line lead to Adam and Jann.  And the lines from the bridge lead to them from the other side.  I have used a similar composition at other locations along the river without the camera resting on the rail.  I like the result of that choice!

Here is a color image at the same location.

Jann's Portrait in color.

Jann's portrait in black and white.

Adam's portrait.

Jann and the bridemaids were walking to the park in this black and white image.

This was about as formal as we got for group shots at this wedding...and that suits us just fine!

Jann was interacting with the Flower Girls, and I just stood back with a long telephoto and recorded the action.

I must say...I love my black and white images!

Here is one more from that sequence.

I had to post this image.  It was nap time for the younger Flower Girl when the ceremony started, so she slept her way down the ailse!

The older Flower Girl wasn't tired, but she wasn't into watching Adam and Jann take their vows either!

I will close with with this image of Keith and his two daughters.  Keith is a professional wildlife photographer, and he and his wife travel all over the US to shoot wildlife and landscapes.  Their work is outstanding!  You can view the photography at their website: www.imagesbydavenport.com

Special thanks to Adam, Jann, their families, and the wedding party.  It was a fun day.

Thank you for visiting!  I still have five more weddings we have already shot to post on the blog!  I will get them all caught up with in the next 2-3 weeks.

Michaela and Justin

Michaela and Justin

June 9, 2007

Ceremony: Davenport Country Club, Davenport, IA

Reception: Davenport Country Club

Floral: Staack Florist, Moline, IL

Entertainment: SAS Entertainment

Jinvites did the menu cards, table cards, and guest cards.

When you shoot a wedding at the Davenport Country Club, there are plenty of beautiful settings for the photographs.

But a little variety in the locations is the spice of wedding photography life.  We drove around downtown Davenport with Justin and Michaela as well as the entire wedding party.  Some of the spots have a grittier, urban look than your typical park images.  You just have to be careful with the wedding dress when you shoot near the old Freight House!

   

We had to cross these railroad tracks, so I thought i would try to use them in a black and white image.

 

This was one of my favorites at the session downtown.

I always try to find a fresh perspective when I shoot at popular locations.  This one was down on the levy along the Mississippi River.

Here is one of the many portraits we did of Michaela.  I like to describe my shooting style as informal, relaxed and laid-back, but I still love posed portraits!

Here is Michaela's head shot.

   

Here is another perspective at the same location.

Kristi Clark got this image while I was doing the one below.

Having two shooters makes a huge difference in the variety of images you receive, because you get two different compositions.

I thought the color of this old freight car was cool, so we tried it out. 

Justin's Portrait.

Here is another one of Kristi's images.

This one is Kristi's too.  She did this panoramic image while I was shooting the tighter image below.

This one was near the stone bridge on the golf course at Davenport Country Club.

Michaela's bouquet.  The flowers from Staack Florist are always perfect.

I like this image of the sunlight pouring through Michaela's veil.

Michaela and Justin are sitting at a downtown sidewalk cafe in this image.

And this one too!

The ring bearer decided he was not going to walk down the aisle with the other two angels.  And he didn't!

When i walked by this colorful cake table it caught my eye.

Here is what the cake looked like before they cut it up.  It's so stunning, and it's almost a shame it had to be cut!

I was going to close this post but wanted to show these menu cards from Jinvites.  If want to add a touch of elegance to your reception, call Jennifer O'Rourke at Jinvites.

 

Here is another sample of their work.

And one more!

I'm closing with this one of Michaela at the reception. 

It was a great day of shooting for Kristi and I!  We captured some great moments and the images are going to be fun to edit.  Thank you Justin and Michaela for having us as your wedding photographers.  it was a beautiful event!

I am excited about the new web site, which will have all new galleries of children, babies, seniors and lifestyle portraits, in addition to the most up-to-date wedding images.   I will also have a brand new Blog and online slideshows with music from every wedding!   So stay tuned!!!

Laura and David

Laura and David

June 2, 2007

Ceremony: Sacred Heart Cathedral, Davenport, IA

Reception: The University Club, Moline, IL

I saw these dramatic clouds overhead as Laura and Dave were leaving the ceremony.  As luck would have it, I also had this beautiful Cathedral to use in the background.

I shot this one directly into the sun.

David and Laura were sitting on a park bench in downtown Moline in this image.  We were right outside the University Club.

Laura's portrait.

David's portrait.

We also did a quick session with David and Laura in downtown Davenport.  I like to shoot at multiple locations, because my clients will have a better variety of images to choose.

Here is Laura with the bridesmaids.

And here we have the Jr. Bridesmaids.

 

Laura shares a moment with two of the Jr's...I think these Jr. Bridesmaids are sisters.

The ring bearer wasn't really into posing too much, but I got some great images of him doing his own thing during the day.

You already saw the Bridesmaid's faces, and here we have their shoes.  This was taken during the ceremony.

Finally, I will close with this image of Dave and Laura.  This was taken at Butterworth Center in Moline, IL.   It's a somewhat different perspective at a very familiar location for wedding photographs.

Thank you Laura and Dave for a wonderful day!  I can't wait for you too see all the pictures!

Kara and Matt

Kara and Matt

May 19, 2007

Ceremony: Holy Family Catholic Church, Davenport, Iowa

Reception: Starlight Ballroom, Davenport, IA

VanderVeer Park in Davenport was crowded with about five or six wedding parties and their entourages.  We took over the park with one of the largest groups of family, friends, and wedding party attendants I have ever seen in one place.

This image was taken at the park after ever one else left for the reception.

This image was taken at the church altar!

And this one of Kara was right outside the front door of the church before the ceremony.

Before we started shooting I walked all the way around the outside of the church looking for a good place to photograph Matt.  I found this rustic looking fence that was erected to block the air conditioning units...and it was perfect for one of Matt's portraits.

 

While I was shooting some portraits in the park, Kristi Clark captured this cool image of Kara and Matt's feet.  Most of my packages include a second shooter, and this is why it is a huge benefit to the variety of images we include in the proof set. 

This is another one of Kristi's images.  Sometimes I am envious of Kristi's role.  While I am busy making sure we get all the "bread and butter" images, she is free to pay closer attention to the details, and the moments that would be missed if i was shooting alone.

Getting ready shots are typically of the Bride, but here we have the father of the Bride helping out the Ring bearer.

I love bridal portraits...and we take a lot of them at every wedding.

This little guy is a family member of either Kara or Matt.  I was waiting for Kara and Matt to finish up the receiving line, and asked the Mother if I could photograph her son.  And he was happy to see his Mother's face!

I'll close with Matt and the Groomsmen at the park.

Thanks Kara and Matt...and Karen too!

I will be posting some images from Felicia's portfolio soon.  She will be shooting with me this Saturday.  She also started working on album design this week.  Felicia worked for a studio in Ohio while she was attending photography school, and she is experienced with the software. 

I have new albums available to all clients with no additional cost to their package.  You have more options for cover colors and design!   

Amy and Adam

Amy and Adam

April 28, 2007

Ceremony: Trinity Lutheran Church, Moline, Illinois

Reception: Stoney Creek Inn, Moline Illinois

Amy and Adam brought some Bride and Groom shades for the outdoor session at The Butterworth Center in Moline.

Most of my clients like these relaxed, not-so-formal wedding party shots.  This one was set up at the altar of the church.

I am always trying to find different ways to use the bride's veil in photographs.  Sometimes they work, and sometimes I look at them after the wedding and wonder what i was thinking!  I wasn't sure about this one when I was shooting the image, but I liked it in this black and white.

Here is another image from the same session.  I like the way the veil divides Amy's face in this image.

Adam at The Butterworth Center in a more candid image.

Here is a series of images I shot at the ceremony.  They are not the typical kind of images you might see, but are presented for the purpose of storytelling in the album.  No one will purchase these kind of images to frame and place on the mantle, but they are an essential part of telling the story of the day.

This one is of a guest signing the guest book at the ceremony.

And this is the hand of the girl handing out programs to guests.

Here is an image of a guest taking a photograph during the ceremony. 

And one more of a guest holding a program during the ceremony.

I got this one of Amy's ring just before the ceremony in the bride's dressing room.

And her shoes too!

One more at The Butterworth Center.

I will close with this image.  It's always a client favorite and most of the time one of these back-lit images is in the album.  As I have said in the past, it's one of my signature shots!

Amy and Adam....Thank you!

Ellie and Nick

Ellie and Nick

April 21, 2007

Ceremony: Christ The King Chapel, St Ambrose University, Davenport, IA

Reception: Rogalski Center, St. Ambrose University, Davenport, IA

Entertainment: Master DJ

Videographer: Ruby Media Services

Florist: Coleman's Florist

It was a perfect day for a wedding! We were outside doing some portraits of Ellie when the wind caught her veil and blew it all over her face.  Instead of holding back and waiting for her to get the veil straightened out, I kept shooting and got a great sequence of images. Which included this one!  I could not have got the great expression on her face in this shot if I had simply asked for it.

we were about ready to leave the chapel and I saw this great light coming through the windows as the sun was setting.  I asked Nick and Ellie for a few shots there before we left and they kindly cooperated; this black and white image was one of my favorites.

Here is Ellie with her  bridesmaids.  I must say this wedding party was not only fun to work with, but they were having a lot of fun themselves.  And it shows in the photographs.  They look happy!

We were on our way back to the bus, and Nick decided to do  a heel click without any suggestion from me.  I was just ready to capture the moment!

This image was taken at the Redstone in front of the River Music Experience.  I tried to find a unique perspective rather than the same old full length portrait, and I like the look of this one.

There is some great old architecture in the downtown areas in the Quad Cities, and they make great backdrops in photographs.

Ellie and nick were walking from the Chapel to the Rogalski Center at St. Ambrose, and the sun was low on the horizon.  The result was these really cool shadows!  I had to shoot directly into the sun, but that was no problem.  I actually like the look with the sun in the background and the lens flare.

Here is one during the same sequence without the lens flare.

And here is a different angle of the long shadows.

The Brides and Bridesmaids shot from the balcony at the Rogalski Center.

Ellie and Nick are on the levy at LeClaire Park in Davenport for this chapter of the day.  I love shooting directly into the sun because I like the results I get.

Time to close with a another moment shared between Nick and Ellie.

I thoroughly enjoyed shooting this wedding, but I feel that that way every week!  I love what I do, and I consider myself very lucky to have the opportunity to work with wonderful people every week, and to capture moments on their wedding day.

Angie & Jake

Angie & Jake

April 14, 2007

Ceremony: St. Malachy's Catholic Church, Geneseo, IL

Reception: The Mark of the Quad Cities, Moline, IL

Videography: Media Innovations

Entertainment: Black Tie Entertainment

Although my feet are still sore Sunday night after standing for over twelve hours straight on Saturday, I had a great time shooting this wedding!  Angie and Jake had over 30 people in the wedding party, and over 500 guests at the reception.  And the images look great because they were simple having a great day and having fun!

One thing I like about the blog, is the fact that I can make some personal comments about my favorite images.  This image was shot outside The Mark near the Mississippi River.  Angie and Jake did their own thing and all I had to do was choose the right lens and composition.

   

I chose two portraits of Angie.  This one features her great smile.

And this one features her eyes without a smile.  I like both of them!

Angie and Jake were leaving the sanctuary to get on the bus when I got this shot.

This one was taken in The Mark of the Quad Cities.  I love the converging lines in the architecture of the building, and wanted to use them in a photo with Angie and Jake. 

 

Here is another image that was taken outside The Mark.

I have more photographs from this wedding that I will post later in the week.  But for now I will close tonight with another one outside The Mark. 

Thank you Angie and Jake for the privilege of shooting your wedding!  It was great working with all of you!

Ashley and Zach

Ashley and Zach

March 24, 2007

Ceremony: Old St. Anne's Catholic Church, Long Grove, Iowa

Reception: The Abbey Hotel, Bettendorf, Iowa

Ashley and Zach live in the Silicon Valley Area in California, and Ashley is a wedding photographer and photography major in college.  it is always an honor to work for another professional photographer!

Prior to the wedding ceremony, Ashley and Zach met for the first time of the day in this image.

We had to contend with some rain, but that didn't effect the outcome of the photography.

Ashley was on her way to meet Zach for the first time, and I captured this image in the Abbey Courtyard.  It's one of my favorites. 

The Bride and Groom in the Honeymoon Suite at the Abbey.

Ashley's portrait.

Details!

Ashley and Zach sit down at the altar at Old St. Anne's.

One of the flower girls was watching me during the ceremony.

The Bride and Groom take a walk down the country road in front of the church.

Colorful drinks on their way to some thirsty guests at the Abbey!

   

Ashley and Zach captured in a moment at the church.

This was a great wedding to kick-off the season!  Congratulations to Ashley and Zach!

Kristin and Jason

Kristin and Jason

October 14, 2006

Ceremony: St. Francis Xavier Basilica, Dyersville, IA

Reception: Commercial Club Pavilion, Dyersville, IA

Bridal Gown:  Storybook Endings, Dewitt, IA  Designer: Maggie Sottero

Entertainment: Magic Audio

It was a chilly, blustery day and the wind caught Kristin's veil in this image and blew it all over.  The result was the kind of wedding photo you just can't set up!  Actually, the wind blew her veil all the way off and it floated about 25 feet in the air. 

This is the kind kind of image you can set up, but thanks to a couple of groomsmen behind me, I got this great smile and expression on Kristin's face.  And it is my favorite portrait of the day!

Jason is very tall, and I almost needed a ladder to get the proper composition with his portrait.    Actually, I did use a ladder!

These two ring bearers don't have blonde hair, but I thought they had a "Dennis the Menace" look in this photograph.

I have seen a lot of churches in the eight years I have shot weddings, but I have never seen one as beautiful as the Basilica in Dyersville, Iowa.

In-between the ceremony and reception we shot some images at the Park Farm Winery near Dyersville.  There were still some leaves and grapes on the vines, and the colors were stunning.

The Bride and Groom leave the church.

Jason holds the rings in this image, and the black tux makes a great background.

I Will close this blog entry with a moment from the first dance.

What a great day it was while working with a fun couple...thanks!