Melissa and Eric

Long time no post! Lots has been happening, and I'm way behind on work. (Now there's a news flash!) Today between a rain-delayed start, and a rain-break during, I met at Sibley Park with Eric and Melissa, who will be married in September, and we did their engagement pictures. Their dog, Rascal, came along, too, along with Michelle, Melissa's sister. And after our rain break, my daughter, Stephanie, joined us too. She assisted and made a few images as well.

I had the pleasure of working with Melissa's sister, Mandy, and her husband, Justin, in 2006 for their engagement session, and on 7-7-7 for their wedding.

Sibley Park was, understandably muddy, but beautiful nonetheless. It offers so many varied photo opportunities. No wonder it's a favorite location for photographers. We began the day this morning close to noon under heavy overcast skies, and ended close to four with windy sunshine and mild temps...and soggy ground :)

Thanks for being such good sports, Melissa and Eric; and thanks for puppysitting, Michelle; and thanks for helping out and for Mother's Day lunch, Stephanie!

I love the early spring colors and buds popping all over!

I don't know when this arbor/gate was constructed, but it's a wonderful location for an engagement picture with its heart-shaped fretwork.

Taken with a fisheye lens, I laid in my back and shot almost straight up.

This image was made by Stephanie with my fisheye lens. I played with it in Lightroom and PS, adding a filter to enhance details. 

Little Rascal has to be on a leash, otherwise he covers a whole lot of ground :)

Melissa's sister suggested this shot, and I love it!

On my way home I drove past an eagle's nest with hopes of seeing the pair, and was lucky to see what appears to be one very large hatchling - better than half the size of the adult - probably closer to two thirds the size of the mature adults.

This one is carrying what appears to be a clump of grass.

I was near the nest for close to a half hour, and this one stayed perched at this spot the whole time. It's about 1/4 mile (as the eagle flies) from the nest, so I got this shot as I left.

They're difficult to see, but the adult "parent" is on the left, and the "baby" is on the right.