January 2012
5 posts
8 tags
Engaged! Andy & Meg // Cobden, IL
Engagements are such happy news — I realize this reality increasingly as more of my friends are becoming engaged to be married…it is such a joyful experience for everyone!
I met Andy and Meg at Vine, and they are such genuine people. As a couple, they are so very handsome together! Cobden and Alto Pass were fitting locations to express their fun-loving and peaceful personalities :)...
9 tags
Family: Eloise is One! // Carbondale, IL
Remember baby Eloise? She is ONE! Better believe it…PINK — everywhere!
Eloise’s outfit is fantastic - especially the crocheted crown/headband, the tutu, and glittery-squeaky shoes! Gorgeous birthday girl :)
and, of course, joyful parents :)
Eloise eating cake, non-stop :)
HUGE pink balloon!
Happy 1st Birthday, Eloise! I know you will only grow more and more...
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Musician: Danielle Kurant // Orlando, FL
I love Danielle Kurant.
Now that that is out there, I can go about my usual blogging :) I’m super excited that Danielle is coming out with a second CD! Her first CD, Beginnings, is fabulous. I also cannot believe that she trusted me enough to do her album portraits and layout. I have included some samples below…I get nostalgic seeing pictures I took with my first DSLR, a Rebel XT....
8 tags
Life: Mandy // Tampa, FL
One of my favorite things about being alive is experiencing friendships with creative people. Mandy is one of these people, loving photography, graphic design, the blogosphere, etc. etc. Her laugh is contagious, and we share a severe addiction to loose leaf tea :) We wanted to get some portraits of her made in order to showcase how gorgeous she is and so that she can use some for her sites.
...
6 tags
Family: the Nguyen's! // Seffner, FL
I’m excited to introduce our first shoot of 2012, featuring Dan’s family! Yes, this is THE “DN” in DN.JY and THE Dan Nguyen of Simplexity Studios :) This family is definitely near and dear to me, and it is fitting to start of a good year with some perfect subjects :)
We decided to do a morning shoot in the neighborhood, as the sunlight in Florida can get really harsh...
December 2011
5 posts
10 tags
Merry Christmas and Happy 2012!!!
Most of us think we want Christmas to be like this:
…when perhaps what most of us need is this:
May you all know true Love and Light that wrap around and around and around and never let go.
To all who gave me the privilege of helping to make memories with those you love, THANK YOU! You have enriched my life through DNJY more than you will ever know <3
Below is a slideshow of one...
7 tags
Community: Art for Change Project // Carbondale,...
WHAT: this is an experiment in the power of community. It’s smple: Art for Change!
“For every photo you take home, drop some change into the rice bowl.”
ONE full bowl feeds ONE child for ONE month
Common Grounds Coffee House, my favorite hangout and study spot in Carbondale, graciously hosted this community experiment this Fall. I heard about RiceBowls and thought it would...
6 tags
Family: Jenn & Yancey // Carbondale, Illinois
Jennifer is one of my really great friends from Vine — as my first small group leader, and partner-in-crime for so many videos and creative projects, sometimes I think she knows what I’m thinking even before I say anything :) It’s always good to have that kind of connection :)
Yancey has grown so much taller in such a short time! Super rambunctious and fun-loving personality...
6 tags
Family: the Emrick's // Carbondale, IL
It has been a wet start to the winter here in Southern Illinois. Normally, when it rains, people cancel shoots, but Nathan and Krystal braved it and came out anyway, and we had a fabulous stroll around downtown Carbondale :) One rule that has never failed is that an overcast sky is the best lighting!
I haven’t known Nathan and Krystal for long, but right off the bat I noticed that even...
13 tags
Family: Leah is Almost ONE! // Southern Illinois
This is a post that is close to my heart, as Omar and Mayumi were the first people who really reached out to me right from the first weekend I moved to Carbondale, and have since then become like family to me!
As with all families, there are ups and downs, and this year was definitely not an exception. This blog is my way of remembering Omar and Mayumi’s first year with Leah, and a...
November 2011
6 posts
8 tags
Family: the Franklin's // Cobden, IL
I love doing family portraits because every family has its own personality, and everyone in the family matters. Josh and Brittney’s family is unique in this aspect because every single one of them - yes, even Peppa - brings in a different flavor to the family, and together, they create a great masterpiece (see evidence below). I was going to say that it’s like they create an awesome...
11 tags
Engaged! Sarah & Kaleb // Carbondale, IL
She said, “YES YES!!!” :)
http://www.weddingwire.com/sarahandkaleb Music: “101010” by Sleeping at Last, “You Make My Dreams Come True” by Hall and Oates, “Next to Me” by Sleeping at Last
I am breaking the norm and blogging at the end this time. All I really need to say [after all these expressive portraits] is that every night, I...
7 tags
Teaser: Franklin Family // Cobden, IL
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Family: the Reedy's // Carterville, IL
Making portraits for the Reedy family was a riot - the really awesome kind of riot, of course :) Dan was introduced to me as the guy who knew everything about everything. I have now found that to be slightly inaccurate — the truth is that he knows more than everything. And then, I met his drop-dead gorgeous wife and fabulous children, and became speechless.
I am always SO THANKFUL for...
8 tags
Family: the Major's and Miller's // Bloomington,...
Today’s post is longer than usual because I am featuring two beautiful families, six kids total, and I like to give everyone enough blog space :)
Making portraits for these two families was truly special for me, as I got to visit Bloomington/Normal, as well as ClearView Church, one of our network churches. Honestly, no words can express how refreshing it was to spend time getting to know...
8 tags
Teaser: Reedy Family // Carterville, IL
October 2011
7 posts
7 tags
Teaser: Major Family // Bloomington, IL
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Family: the Miller's // Carbondale, IL
I love exploring new places, and for some reason, I had not been around to the old trains by downtown Carbondale, by the cool local art/crafts store and the Cellar, etc. So it was super fun to get Lauren’s request to do a family portrait session there :)
I didn’t plan it this way, but it ended up being a red-black color scheme, and the golden light complemented both subtly. Getting...
9 tags
Friends: One Fall Afternoon // Carbondale, IL
Fall is amazing. Fun is amazing. Friends are amazing. Question of the season: why not combine all three?!
I had the privilege to hang out with eight wonderful ladies who are friends through one of Vine’s awesome Monday-night small groups :) All of them had such great personalities and beautiful souls. Further, in ways I can’t completely put into words, when together, they become...
12 tags
Friends: Miranda & Tess // Carbondale, IL
October is always a great month — not only does it kick off the holiday season, it brings the joys of Fall, the breezes of change. The only downside to October is that students have midterm exams and papers and projects. Insert mournful sigh.
This particular afternoon, though, I was stoked to have something to look forward to after exams. One of the most awesome people I know from Law...
8 tags
married! aric & monica parker // south florida
There has always been a lot of debate about what makes a photograph beautiful. Some people claim that it’s the finest lens or the latest camera while other people ramble on about composition and the “decisive moment”. I’ve come to decide that all of these people are wrong, because the secret to a great photo is beautiful people and sparklers.
This was a truly unique wedding...
9 tags
Friends: Devin, Michara, Tashina // Carbondale, IL
First of all, there is a back-story to why this shoot started out in a laundromat. To summarize, I have enjoy exploring and I might be an old person. That’s not what this blog is about. This blog is about three lovely ladies I have gotten to know through my local church family, Vine.
Devin, Michara and Tashina met through Vine as well, sharing small groups and were also roommates! The...
9 tags
Married! Brent & Colleen Savard // Tampa, FL
Dan and I have always loved shooting weddings, but this one was special for the both of us. Not only did this shoot stand out because Brent is a good friend of our studio (he is a stand-up comedian!), this was the first time Dan and his brother Aidan shot the wedding in Florida and sent the files up to me in Illinois for post-production.
Dan is a stronger photographer than I am in many ways,...
September 2011
3 posts
9 tags
Family: the Heiple's // Murphysboro, IL
This portrait shoot is especially precious to me because I got to know THREE generations of the Heiple family in one afternoon. I had never been to Murphysboro Lake before, but it was definitely an easy scout for amazing spots just by driving around. The roads themselves are so beautifully surrounded by gorgeous trees that making portraits on the winding roads themselves would be perfect :)
...
10 tags
Family: the Evans' // Carbondale, IL
I met Keith and Katie through the Kemp’s, and it was definitely my blessing! We decided to make the portraits around Campus Lake since SIU is their alma mater. The weather had freshly started to cool down, and the breeze could not have been more pleasant. Baby Jonah did very well in the new environment, and it was great watching Keith and Katie love on Jonah, knowing exactly what faces to...
7 tags
Family: the Mohr 4 // Carbondale, IL
First of all, I have a confession to make: this was my first time making portraits of kids older than 2ish years old. I realized that I didn’t tell Michelle this fact when she asked to schedule a shoot…but that was because I, myself was not aware of this fact. I follow so many family photoblogs that I loose track of what I actually have experience with ;)
Now that I got that out of...
7 tags
Teaser: the Mohr 4 // Carbondale, IL
8 tags
Teaser: the Heiple Family // Murphysboro, IL
August 2011
6 posts
8 tags
Teaser: Keith, Katie, & Baby Jonah // Carbondale,...
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Retrospect: Tia's Headshots // Tampa, FL
This Retro post is close to my heart as it is the first shoot that Dan and I ever did officially as DN|JY Productions. Tia was a pleasure to meet and hang out with, as she was just graduating and starting out her acting career. She has been doing so well ever since, and has effectively proved herself to be extremely talented so far :)
About “Retrospect” :: Dan and I started this blog quite a...
7 tags
Teaser: Sarah & Kaleb, Engaged! // Carbondale, IL
13 tags
Setting: In Transit
This Setting post is about the first time I took a real train trip and fell in love with the whole culture :) Over Thanksgiving week, I went from Carbondale to Chicago to New York to Washington, D.C., to Chicago, then back to Carbondale (…when we jumped right into our first string of Law School final exams, yikes!) and had a grand adventure!
This post only includes images from being in...
July 2011
3 posts
14 tags
Setting: St. Louis, MO
This summer, I’ve been slowly but surely organizing all the pictures I’ve taken in the last three years, and I’d like to share some snapshots of my travels with you, in a series called “Setting.” As we live out our stories, we experience our surroundings like settings of the story, allowing them to shape and enrich us. For example, when planning for portrait shoots, I...
6 tags
Married! Neil & Amy Knight // Southern Illinois
I first met Amy while helping out with the Kids’ program at Vine, when she was introduced to me as the wonderfully meticulous designer and decorator, an artist in many ways. I was then introduced to Neil as Amy’s fiancee. I remember my first thought being, “This must be a great guy.” I thought this because a special person like Amy would be loved well, and the more I got to...
7 tags
Family: the Oster's // Carterville, IL
ENDURING.
The Oster’s were awesome enough to let me get a glimpse of their Love. I now understand a little more about how children bring out the amazing humanity of two people who are in love. Not only does Elias (“E”) reflect the great combination of personalities that make up Jeremy and Alanna’s relationship, he has a way of multiplying the joy, gentleness, and...
June 2011
5 posts
10 tags
Teaser: the Oster Family // Carterville, IL
E is for Elias!
9 tags
Teaser: Neil & Amy Knight, Married! // Carbondale,...
N + A = :)
Bubble bokeh! :)
As always, more to come :)
9 tags
Retrospect: Bollywood Cafe Salads // Tampa, FL
About “Retrospect” :: Dan and I started this blog quite a while after we first started shooting, so we have a lot of projects that have never been blogged but that we have a lot of fun revisiting. Hope you enjoy them!
This post showcases Bollywood Cafe’s Salads :) Bollywood Cafe was great to trust us with their yummy product even though this was our first product/food shoot :)...
12 tags
Family: the Adamow's // Carbondale, IL
Goodbyes have always been incredibly difficult for me. Even though I had only really gotten to know Chris and Emily these past few months, having to part so soon was hard. They are such special people. They moved away to start training in Minnesota for mission work in India (perhaps Nepal, too). In just a short time, they taught me how to love people better and how to be joyful. I can only imagine...
10 tags
Michael & Michelle, Married! // Southern Illinois
Here’s the situation:
Michelle: I liked him for 6 years before he ever asked me out ~ phew! That was a long time! (ps. I knew he would like me – my personality – if he got to know me).
Michael: When we started hanging out more, I would give her the flirty eyes every now and then. We quasi-dated, I panicked and called it off, then pined after her for another year before FINALLY asking her...
May 2011
3 posts
6 tags
Teaser: Michael & Michelle, Married! // Southern...
5 tags
FAMILY: Baby Eloise // Carbondale, Illinois
PICTURE PERFECT.
These are the words I would choose to describe the Kemp’s. Do not misunderstand me to mean that everything is perfect like how one would normally imagine a perfect family, but they are definitely picture perfect because their beauty is revealed from the inside and out — from the smallest elements of their home to their quality taste in music, every detail reflects...
4 tags
Teaser: Michael & Michelle, Engaged! //...
Michael “locked that in” :)
April 2011
3 posts
7 tags
Teaser: Omar's Surprise // Carbondale, IL
6 tags
Teaser: the Kemp Family // Carbondale, IL
7 tags
Matt & Ashley Bullock : Year[and-a-half] After //...
One of my favorite things about moving to Carbondale has been getting to know people. It hasn’t even been one year and already I have made so many meaningful friendships, met so many fabulously interesting people and every single amazing person that I have met has influenced me in lasting ways. Matt and Ashley are two of these people. We met while on set for the Robin Hood series of the Kids...
March 2011
1 post
8 tags
SIU Run from the Law School 5K Race // Carbondale,...
Wow, it has been WAY too long since we last updated our blog! Many apologies! Dan and I will be updating and back-blogging all of the exciting portraits we have been making these several months.
As you can see, I am now in Illinois as I started my first year of Law School here last Fall (hence the hiatus). This weekend, our Student Bar Association hosted a 5K race to raise money for Equal...
July 2010
1 post
7 tags
Ms. Esther Miller Grondahl & Her Kids // Music...
In May, when a friend contacted our production team about helping out a middle school chorus teacher with simple videos, I couldn’t help but jump on the project, even though I was on severe project overload :/ However, I do not regret taking on this project at the least, especially after I met and got to know Esther, known by her students as “Mrs. Grondahl.” She is genuinely...
June 2010
6 posts
7 tags
Allison Weiss does hood-rat stuff with her friends
Last Saturday, in what was arguably the hottest day ever, tens of thousands of people stayed in their respective air-conditioned homes. Tens of singles of other people gathered at Medard Park in Plant City, Florida to film a music video for hip-hop sensation Allison Weiss! The video was directed by Sarah Wilson Thacker. Shot by Sarah and Sean Brown. Starring Cameron Thacker, Dan Bakst, AJ, and...
8 tags
Teaser: Sairah & Waleed, Married!
I still cannot believe it, but I had the pleasure of making portraits for my friend Waleed and his family during the Florida celebration of his wedding. I won’t give too much away, since I don’t have all the images done yet…but here are two of my favorites :)