2011.

This post is entirely too large, so I apologize in advance to you viewers on a slow connection.

Of course, a huge thank you to all the clients who made this year so great for me and my family.

2011, like every year before it, was above all else interesting to me. The ebbs and flows of creativity, vision, and life are so intangible that it often seems like a retrospective is the only way to really see what was going on. Looking back across the year I’m very proud of the work I’ve done. I see a vision solidifying and a voice starting to speak an intelligible language. After six years of doing this as a job, the fact that I still have passion for it is, to me, astounding. My temperament for impermanence usually has me vacillating from one passion to another multiple times a year, but it would seem that the ‘photographer’ label might have been put on with some permanent adhesive.

To complete the nostalgic experience, how about listening to Vitamin C’s ‘Graduation Song’ in a new tab while viewing the images.

On a related note, don’t do that.

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Adam Sallee - December 31, 2011 - 6:05 pm

wow, that last shot is FLAWLESS! hard to believe our wedding was LAST year…Cheers, mate~!

Mac McLaughlin - December 31, 2011 - 10:51 am

BEAUTIFUL pictures, Graeme. You are a true talent! Can’t wait to see what work you will be doing in 2012!

Pamela - December 31, 2011 - 4:19 am

Gorgeous, luscious, delicious, and superb!

Katherine Kluseman - December 31, 2011 - 3:22 am

Yup. I totally teared up by listening to the song suggestion while viewing the photos. Most excellent work Graeme.

Mark Tierney - December 30, 2011 - 10:23 pm

Superb photography Graeme :)

Andrew + Jenn

My last wedding of 2011. *sniff*

Andrew and Jenn’s wedding brought me out to Colorado for a week, which was an amazing trip. I got to reconnect with old friends, make some new ones and experience the entire thing in one of the most beautiful states in the nation. The whole trip seemed like an adventure; the airport losing my bag, chopping down wood in the mountains, hanging out in gorgeous little snowy towns, driving through blizzards, getting quite sick, and the busy wedding experience could certainly classify it as a rollercoaster. I think that’s a fitting end to a photographic year that was similar in it’s highs and lows. This is a very intense, emotional job and sometimes we as photographers can miss the forest for the trees. Dealing with bills, managing clients, taxes, failing gear, constant processing, muddy vision, and the rest can sometimes overshadow the fact that this is one of the best jobs in the world.

A huge thank you to all my clients this year – I think it has been my best.

Andrew and Jenn, I wish you guys the best. Hope your honeymoon to warmer temperatures was fantastic. Your candlelit ceremony was one to remember, and I don’t think I’ve ever had a bride and groom rock the stage like the two of you did! Thanks for letting me crash in your awesome house for a night, and for getting me back out West for a bit!

Aron - December 30, 2011 - 6:47 pm

Bomb!

Pamela - December 10, 2011 - 4:52 pm

Now THIS is wedding photography. Exquisite.

Linda Dalton - December 9, 2011 - 2:13 am

Beautiful images and so tack sharp!

Matt Allen - December 9, 2011 - 12:17 am

awesome dude! colorado suits you well :)

Clare | Senior

Clare was my last senior session of the year, and I think we went out in style. We spent the chilly November afternoon on and around her property, and the sunset that graced us was worth the cold hands and ears. I always enjoy seeing Nathan shiver while holding the lights.

Clare is a swimmer, and had just recently competed at the state level! She probably has 200% more muscle on her body than I do, and both her and her sister could easily take me in a fight.

Jake and Wendy | Engaged

For the past 15 minutes I’ve been trying to come up with a ‘smoking’ pun for this write up, but they’ve all crashed and burned. Jake works at Churchill and Burns, a tobaccoporium™ in Galena, and that’s where our session started. I’ve shot tiny Galena many times, so I made a challenge for myself to try and get new ideas as we walked around downtown.

And get this, Wendy and Jake met each other at a wedding I shot early this year! How cool is that?

anita jennings - December 1, 2011 - 8:40 pm

Hee! Hee! I was there when they met! Love these two. Love all the pictures! Really love all the backgrounds! Guess you found some good new spots!

Amanda + Alex | Married

Quite a few of the guests at Alex and Amanda’s wedding had never experienced a Midwestern autumn, and luckily the cold stayed away long enough for a few of the trees to keep their colorful leaves. Out of all the weddings I’d shot, this was the first one I’ve done in the gorgeous Julien Hotel. Both the getting ready and reception were held there.

I knew this wedding would be a fun one after meeting these two a year ago, and I wasn’t disappointed. You can see by the reception photos that these guys know how to have a good time!

Cathy Oostendorp Doria-Medina - November 27, 2011 - 2:23 am

Wonderful photos Amanda and Alex … I had a great time in Dubuque.

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