Wendi Riggens Riggens Photography

I was contacted by Shelby last November about shooting a secret session with her brother and sister.  Why was it secret?  They were doing it as a Christmas present for their parents! We had a great time playing in Crapo, and I had a hard time picking my favorites. These three really show their beautiful personalities!

Yesterday I posted about the workshop.  Today, I talk about the models.  I didn’t shoot much in the morning session, instead leading the others and talking about lighting and posing. My wonderful clients Annie and Shane modeled for us, and they were so much fun!

I want to dedicate this post, however, to a woman who is more than just my client.  I consider her a friend, and one of the strongest women I know.  I met Heidi back in 2006, and her wedding was one of the first weddings I ever photographed on my own.  She was a beautiful bride, and has such an amazing spirit.  Heidi suffers from fibromyalgia, and is in pain almost constantly.  She has had a rough year physically, and had to close the doors on her fitness studio to take care of herself.  When I started thinking about models for the workshop, I knew I wanted someone that was more than just a pretty face.  I wanted someone that truly deserved something special.  Heidi and her family came to mind almost immediately.  Each photographer, as part of the workshop requirements, must provide 5 images of the models at the end of the weekend, and these images are then given to the models as a thank you for their time.

Here are a few of my images of Heidi and her family.  They had so much fun modeling for us, and we had such a great time “shooting” them!

This is an idea I borrowed from my friend, Bing, an amazing photographer from Memphis. I had them each write one word on their palm that they thought described their family. They were not allowed to look at each others hands until after I took this shot.

Moments like this make me cry!

These kids are so beautiful!

Playing with OCF

We couldn’t resist doing a group shot with them!

Baby Olivia just melts my heart! I joined Eric and Ang at their home in Keokuk when Olivia was just 4 days old, and she was so cooperative and sweet!  Except for one icky incident involving the lack of a diaper and a prop, it was a perfect session!  Newborns are so wonderful to work with when they are under 10 days old.  They pretty much let you position them however you want!

This is, hands down, my favorite image from the session. Those lips are just so squishy and cute!!

This orange wall in their bedroom matched one of my tiny little hats perfectly!

An after shot

A while back, I posted this maternity session. A couple weeks later, I joined Eric and Ang at the hospital to welcome baby Olivia into the It isn’t about photographing the moment of birth, but remembering all the moments leading up to it, and immediately after. The look of determination on a mother’s face, the glint of worry in her husband’s eyes, the pride and joy when they hear the first cry of their newborn – these are moments that are so intimate and meaningful, and I strive to retell the love that takes place through my images.

I love this intimate moment between husband and wife right after the baby arrived. It brings tears to my eyes!

Welcome, Baby Olivia. I cannot wait to get to know you and to watch you grow up!

Stay tuned tomorrow for images from her newborn session!

Baby Kaylee and her daddy just melted my heart!

I can fly!

Two and a half years ago, I stood in a church in Keokuk, watching these two people recite their vows and devote their lives to each other. Two weeks ago, I stood in their living room, looking a a beautiful piece of wall art – an image from their wedding ceremony hung in a gorgeous antique frame above their fireplace while we set up for their maternity session. In two days or so, I will be present at the hospital to witness the birth of their daughter.

Following families through their lives like this is what makes being a professional photographer so absoltuely amazing.

Eric and Angela welcomed me into their home for their maternity session. So many times I hear “my house is too small” and to that I say, “I am a professional, I can make it work!” I know how uncomfortable the end of pregnancy is, and how tiring life with a newborn is, and by shooting in your own home, not only are you the most comfortable, it gives me new locations and new ideas to try. And when I ask your husband to grab that ladder from the basement so that the two of you can lounge around in bed while your crazy photographer – me – hangs out above you, trust that you will get an image that is truly custom to you and your session. Images to follow to explain… :)

Something a little more dramatic, taken in their living room, OCF setup (off-camera flash for you non-photographers). I love clients that trust me explicitly, especially when I start moving furniture, plucking things off the wall, and rearrange figurines, all while blocking the football game on TV!

And my favorite images from the session, something I have had in my mind for a long time and finally was able to do…

Here is a quick pull-back to show how I accomplished this. We ended up moving the ladder to another spot, and I hung precariously over them balancing off the headboard by one toe, but I got my shot. I love this couple!

Ang, Eric, thank you for letting me invade your home and for having me as a part of your life. I am so proud to be your very own ninja photographer, and I cannot wait to meet your beautiful daughter and spend the rest of my life photographing you all!