2015 Favorites: Wedding Edition: Jacklyn Byrd Photography: Peoria, Illinois Wedding Photographer

During the month of January is a time us photographers can finally catch a breath and possibly have a life outside of the craziness of wedding/portrait season.  And I began to prepare and miss wedding season.  Maybe it's the cold weather and wanting spring to arrive. Who knows!?!   I have been going back through this years weddings and thinking what I loved about this wedding, or what I could have done different and how can I grow.  So here are some of my favorite images from 2015!

I love fun and this wedding party was all about it! 

Framing.  I have been working hard to take a step back and frame the couple.  

The groom.  Let's not forget about the groom.  

Sunset. The golden hour.  I wished the golden hour was ALL day during a wedding. 

A moment.  I want these to last forever.

These flowers are STUNNING! 

Snuggles! I tell all my couples to snuggle in and squeeze each other. 

Just beyond gorgeous and sweet. And it poured down rain on us about 2 minutes after this photo. 

My favorite part of the wedding.  The after you say I do, kiss, and you walk down the aisle.  It is official.

A good speech makes the BEST photos.  

Grandparents are the best. Take that moment to say hi, give them a hug and take that picture.  

Location and light.  This image is just so nice. 

Baby "W" - Peoria Illinois Photographer - Jacklyn Byrd Photography

I got to meet this little guy last week!  This family is a past wedding couple I did 2 years ago and I am so happy to get to capture their new little guy.  Isn't he adorable?  

Resolutions

As a photographer - you'd think I'd have my sh!t together and have actual albums, or prints made.  I am great about taking photos alllll the time.  My phone is full, I always have my camera out on the big holidays to get photos of Hunter, I am usually pretty good about getting our photos taken yearly to see how big Hunter is.  But the thing I am NOT good at is printing, organizing and framing.  That is one of my resolutions this year.  (side note- I still have yet to get MY wedding album printed and we have been married 5 years ago.)

So I realized I haven't printed any of my iPhone photos since December 2014.  OPPS.  So I have uploaded and backed my phone up.  (And thank God for the iCloud.) Onto uploading and decided what photos are important enough to print.  Does anyone else have this problem?  I realize that we now live in an era that everything is accessible easily via the internet.  But there is something so amazing at looking at a photo on your wall.  It instantly brings you back to that moment.

So today - I share some of those photos I am getting printed!

Here is Hunter riding his bike for the 1st time in our new neighborhood.
 

Lego is 11 years old now and I cherish each moment/season with him.  He is my 1st baby and Hunter just adores him.



My sweet boy.



The hubby and I on our trip to Nashville.  We had a blast on our 5 year anniversary trip.

Welcome to 2016

So I have failed to post any photos in 2015 of my work on the blog.  I apologize.  Life got in the way.  I started to only post my previews on Facebook because I was in a hurry.  Well it's the 3rd of January and I am ready to revive this ol' blog.  So welcome to 2016! I hope to post some of my work this year and add some personal posts along the way.

Today, I start with a personal post.  One of my fellow photographers mentioned in one of her posts to always take the time to at least take 1 photo at a session for you.  I sometimes forget, but I have tried it.  So here are some of my passings during my session, or the drive over.

My first love when I started taking photos was documentary work.  I wanted to tell a story of a place I was at.  Back in college I'd take long drives in the country to unknown places to myself in search of the perfect photograph.  Sometimes I wished my eyes could just take the photograph.  You can't always stop to take photograph and sometimes you lose your moment when the light is absolutely perfect.  And then of course I kick myself for not stopping or finding a road to turn off.  But, here are some of those moments where I did stop.

This was taken during a reception back in April.  It was a barn wedding and the most perfect sunset.  I got the couple out for a couple of images, but this was breath taking.


This is a client's backyard.  I love the field off white little weed flowers.  Spring is just lovely.


Another Spring/Summer photo of the Illinois midwest weeds/flowers.  Now that I have a garden I appreciate any kind of flowers.


I had an engagement session in downtown Chicago in March.   It was a prefect spring day to be out and about.  I love the pastel coloring, the quietness of this photo even though I know behind me is the city that is loud, crowded and busy.


Here is another from Chicago.  When I lived in Chicago I hardly spent time in the "tourist" attractions because it was busy and I of course was a city girl.  I wished I had been a tourist in my own town.  I am always looking for the abstract.  It always attracts my eye.

Melissa + Michelle: 6/13/14 Jacklyn Byrd Photography