Lauren + Luke: Omaha engagement photos

Lauren and Luke are seriously the cutest couple. When I met Lauren and her mom over a glass of wine at La Buvette I was really hopeful that I'd get to be part of her wedding. She's obviously a gorgeous girl on the outside but more than that she just really shines. These two are just so happy together and I can't wait to be part of their wedding day.

If you know anyone that's getting married in Omaha, definitely have them get in contact with me at amandajkohler@gmail.com.  Referrals mean SO much to me!

New office!

I officially signed a lease on a new office space in the Farnam 1600 building on 16th and Farnam in downtown Omaha.  Yay!!  It's really small and there are some issues with the space, but it is mine and I love it already.

I invited the wonderful Jen Broderick over to the studio to help give me some perspective on what she'd do with the space and if she'd shoot in it and how she'd shoot it.  I literally almost never shoot indoor portrait work since I'm always off shooting on location or outdoors, so Jen was the perfect person to ask to help me.  She has a beautiful studio in the Hotshops building and does an amazing job shooting kiddos, families, and newborns both in the studio and on location.  If you're looking for family photos, definitely check out here work here.

I was thinking a totally different direction with backdrops etc, but Jen encouraged me to use the walls.  So I tried it.  On myself... And it's a tad embarrassing.  But  I was the only subject available since Kevin was busy watching the Husker game and I figured that I'm very used to looking at my own face and if I didn't like the way it looked in the light than I would never want to shoot a client like that.  Probably not the most proper way to do it, but I only want to photograph people in light that makes them feel beautiful.  I really love all the light in the eyes from that huge north facing window.  Also my office is literally tiny but I was pleasantly surprised with how much space I actually had to shoot.

I didn't always get the focus right since it was self focusing on the tripod, but I wanted to get a rough idea of the light.  I think Jen was right about the walls.

Also, I'm going to post this next embarrassing photo of myself to demonstrate the importance of over-doing-it on your makeup for photos.  I put makeup on in the morning.  I took these photos (not intending to post them - only to test out the light) around 3:00.  Obviously any lip gloss I might have put on in the morning was long gone.  I took the next two photos after putting on some bright red lip gloss and a ton of blush, and it still doesn't look like I have much makeup on, but my face definitely looks better.

Without lots of red lipgloss and blush:

The next two photos with "lots" of lipgloss and blush:

I'm a regular! Omaha wedding photographer: Client meetup!

There are few things that I like more than a great bottle of wine and meeting an awesome new friend. I took this picture a few weeks ago to celebrate the first time I got called "a regular" at La Buvette but I never posted it.  Yes, I realize that's embarrassing that I'm proud of that.  But I really love getting to know people and really getting to know a place, and La Buvette is one of my favorite places.  

Tonight I just got back from another amazing client meeting at La Buvette though, so I went back looking for this picture from a few weeks ago.  Laura and I spent the first 45 minutes talking all about traveling and then we finally got chatting about the wedding.  I'm so excited that I get to be part of Laura's wedding on May 3rd.  That makes me officially half-way booked for 2014 and completely booked in both May and June.  Thank you so much to everyone that's referring me to family and friends.  It really means so much to me.

I took this first shot of the bottle of wine to show how messy (yeah that's my kitchen and that's embarrassing) and not cool the scenario was, and then how simply by lowering my vantage point, and using the light from the overhead bulb from my kitchen light without moving anything you can create something much cooler.  Every time the background sucks and it's unavoidable, I get low.  It doesn't matter what camera you have -- if you don't like the background in your photo, getting a lower vantage point can make all the difference.  Or if possible I get high and shoot down.  If you guys like these behind the scenes shots let me know and I'll try to post them more!

Heather + Brett: Omaha Country Club Wedding Sneak Peek

August 27, 2013: Oh man. I should probably start taking it easy on these sneak peeks... I try to only post a photo or two, but I've definitely already gone overboard here. Heather and Brett are super awesome though so I can't help myself. Check out their beautiful wedding this weekend at Omaha Country Club in Omaha, Nebraska.  I love the shot of Heather's mom and Brett's mom dancing!  Such nice people.

If you like these photos and are getting married in the Omaha area or doing a destination wedding, I would LOVE to talk with you more.  My email is amandajkohler@gmail.com or you can shoot me a quick text at 402.677.4803.

Can't get enough of Heather and Brett?  Check out their engagement photos here.

Allison + Mike: Wedding Photography Sneak Peak

August 17, 2013:  Yesterday was the first wedding that I shot back to back weekends in the same church (Christ Community Church in Omaha, NE).  I had already found some places that I loved for the last shoot there, but I always want to make sure I'm creating something unique for each couple.  So Nina and I dragged this bench we found inside the church about 50 yards to the prettiest trees on the property and shot from a low vantage point so we didn't get the parking lot or interstate in the background. Big thanks to the groomsmen for dragging the bench back inside for us :) Allison and Mike had the most gorgeous August day and they are very much in love.  Really happy for them both!

Hope you guys enjoy this sneak peek!

If you know anyone that is getting married in the Omaha area, or doing a destination wedding, I'd love it if you'd pass along my name!  If you're a soon-to-be bride interested in availability or pricing, send me an email to amandajkohler@gmail.com

Audrey and John's Engagement photos! Omaha, NE

August 18, 2013:  Being a wedding photographer in Nebraska, you definitely have to deal with what the weather gives you. But this was probably the weirdest weather of the summer for engagement photos. It started off by raining (while the sun was still out), then getting super overcast, then raining again, then the sun coming out. What I've learned though is that sometimes its best to just fight through it because a lot of times the most challenging weather gives you the coolest photos.  And Audrey and John were super cool through the whole thing and we had quite a bit of fun.  I loved all the weird clouds and puddles that were hanging around. There was even a rainbow! Check out this engagement session for another example of a tough weather situation that turned out being really fun.  

Audrey and John, hope you love the photos and I can't wait for your wedding next year at Bev's in Sioux City.

If you know anyone that is looking for engagement photos or wedding photos here in Nebraska I would love to chat with them.  Or if you're a bride planning your wedding and you love these photos, email me at amandajkohler@gmail.com for availability and pricing information!