Aus10 Photoartists

vacation in [unique] paradise

 
All of this cold weather is really making me dream of an exotic vacation. While I love winter, sometimes a getaway is needed to make it through to spring! ;) Check out some of the most unique places to stay around the world as you plan your winter escape - http://welcomebeyond.com and let us know which ones are your favorites!!

Just looking at these incredible places makes me want to hop on a plane ;)

Cocoon in Wye River, Victoria, Australia

Gatsby House & Secret Cottage in Ardara, Co. Donegal, Ireland

Kolarbyn in Skinnskatteberg, Central Sweden, Sweden

Iglu-Dorf Zugspitze in Garmisch-Patenkirchen, Bavaria, Germany

on set with justin timberlake

On one of our final days in NYC this July, I decided that getting up early to see Central Park before the tourists arrive would be a good idea. And although I was a little tired, it definitely paid off. Walking into the W72nd entrance was rather peaceful - no bike and double decker tour guides yelling at you, no rickshaws lined up trying to get you to ride through the park, and not even anybody begging for food or money. Just some joggers and dog walkers. As I neared Bethesda Fountain I noticed that there were quite a few more people, and thought they must just like to beat the crowds, too. I sat down at the fountain to check some emails and people watch ... and before I knew it cameras and lights were being wheeled in, and security was now standing at the entrances to the paths that lead down to the fountain. And all those people down there with me? Extras in a movie. A full length movie starring Justin Timberlake. There were even paparazzi getting ready to photograph the actors. I realized then that I couldn't leave, or else I probably wouldn't be let back in! I started to talking with some of the actors, basically pretending that I was an extra, and supposed to be there, you know. The crew filmed several scenes of just background people, which I guess they will use in the movie to set the atmosphere. Then, out walked Justin Timberlake from underneath the bridge. The paparazzi was going nuts as they started filming scenes with him in it. I ended up standing just behind where the extras were waiting for their cues, and took this video! It was quite the experience, and really incredible to see how they film such short sections of a movie to put it all together. In case you're wondering, the movie is "tentatively" called "Friends with Benefits." (Classy, of course haha) It's supposed to come out in 2011, so I may have to watch it just to see how everything comes together! 

on set with justin timberlake from meghan feyerabend on Vimeo.

Linkhaus::The hippest hot dog joint on the block | Wichita Commercial Photography

We traveled to Wichita a couple of weeks ago to photograph this incredible hot dog restaurant. In the process, we also discovered that their food is quite tasty, and in fact I am still dreaming about those tater tots. ;) But back to the photos...

Bekah and Adam Wagoner recently graduated from Kansas State school of Architecture and instead of looking for small-time jobs at firms, they had the amazing opportunity to design a restaurant from scratch! The main idea of the building was to have two "boxes" connected in the middle by an open and airy eating section that feels almost outside. When looking at the building, the left side is the kitchen and ordering area, and the right is the bar and restrooms. I love all of their green details, especially the light tubes in the restrooms and bar area, and positioning the building so that it's out of direct sunlight in the summer but gets more in the winter to help heat. One of my favorite small details is the inlaid logo on all of the concrete tables, and the attention to branding throughout the design really helps them stand out. Even the dumpster area was designed ;)

Getting up at 5am to get the perfect morning light wasn't easy, but definitely worth it to photograph such a great modern building.

 

Back to the Blog!

Well, it goes without saying that the blog has been silent the past several weeks! But, after a month of almost non-stop traveling and weddings and high school seniors and models ... we're back! (and have a TON to share!) 

When things get busy around here, I love relaxing in the evenings with a cup of tea ... usually Nambarrie Black Tea from Ireland. However, I found a new tea that I LOVE last weekend. Matt and I spent some time in the Crossroads District in Kansas City on Friday for their "First Friday" celebration, when all of the art galleries, studios, and other businesses stay open late and showcase their new pieces. One of the last places we visited was Hammerpress, which is a letterpress studio that creates cards and posters, and also sells books, gifts and other fun things! I found some "Fez" Smith Tea, and while I bought it because of the awesome packaging ... the taste is just as incredible! It's a light green tea with a hint of spearmint ... even the bag it's in is beautiful. ;) And, you can order it from the Smith website!! So, I hope that you are inspired to relax each evening with a cup of tea, because there is something so wonderful about it. ;)

  

destination weddings

Being here on Maui for the past several days, we've seen a few different weddings and wedding parties on the beach and in the resort areas. Destination weddings are pretty popular, but can be difficult to plan. I found this blog, Pacific Weddings (which is also a magazine) had some GREAT tips and inspiration for destination weddings! So, check it out, and of course we wouldn't be opposed to photographing your destination wedding, either. ;) 

Lorraine's Shaved Ice // A real Maui gem!

 

Matt's parents told us about this little place to get shaved ice called Lorraines...they said it was up this one lane road in a little town in the mountains of Maui and that it was actually in a carport. Well ... they weren't kidding! The one lane road was pretty tricky - all of a sudden the state highway "ends" and it turns into a (recently paved) very skinny one lane around the mountain. One wrong move and, well, you get the idea! At one point we had to stop and help a van back into a turn off point so that cars coming in the opposite direction could get through. It was quite crazy. Once we got to the town we were trying to figure out where this place was ... and then we came upon a driveway that had a sign that said shaved ice and banana bread. We pulled in and it was kind of like going to your grandma's house ... she came out and greeted us, we went into her carport and there was the ice shaving machine and a bunch of flavors! Her secret? Putting ice cream into the bottom of the cup so you have a great finish! She also had a ton of different flavors, and none of us were allowed to get the same one ;) Once we got our shaved ice (and yes, it was INCREDIBLE) she showed us into the backyard where she had a few lawn chairs set up for people to enjoy the view. We also sampled her coconut "woodchips" and she showed us a fern that closes up whenever you touch it. So fun! Whenever we travel we love finding places like this where we get off the resort and out to meet real people. Enjoy the view from Lorraine's backyard ;)

 

Louis is coming home!

Today I have been totally fixated on the story of our friends, the Tugwells, who traveled to Haiti today to pick up their oldest son, Louis, who is in the final stages of adoption!! They landed this morning, drove to Petionville to get him, waited at the US Embassy for his Visa and are currently on a plane heading home!! This has been quite a ride for them, as they'd tried numerous other ways to get him home since the earthquake. Here are some photos that Lori took with her Blackberry that I pulled from Facebook of their epic journey to Haiti. Oh, and Noel's birthday is today so I can't imagine how much of an amazing birthday present it is!!

  

This is Louis' first plane ride home ... and the start to a new life with the Tugwells! God surely does move mountains :)

See their story on KNWA
   
 
 

Dan + Marcela | Mexico Wedding Photography

When Matt and I started our business a few years ago, we decided to each pick one friend who regardless of what they could pay, we would photograph their wedding. Matt chose his roommate in college and best friend, Dan, who is from Mexico City. Dan's parents are missionaries who were house parents at Niños de Mexico, an orphanage, throughout his childhood, and only recently left that role to serve the orphanage in a different capacity. We had visited them several times, so when Dan told us that him and Marcela were getting married we were thrilled to return and see all the kids and photograph his wedding. Here are a few photos - before the ceremony we went to some old ruins outside the city for portraits. It was a lot of fun to photograph in a different environment, and thankfully I remembered a lot of Spanish so we were able to get around. :)

Headed to Nashville

Just in case you're wondering where we'll be for the next few days ... we are heading to Nashville, TN for the Imaging USA National Photography Convention!! We always love these conventions - there's so much to learn, and thousands of photographers to hang out with. I am pretty sure that every professional photographer attends this! Most people would probably say it's a geekfest but we ... well, we'd agree. ;) 

One thing that we'll be doing is seeing all of the latest products - from camera equipment to frames, albums, printers, backgrounds and EVERYTHING in between! I am sure we will bring back a few new products to offer in the studio .. and lots of knowledge. Another super fun part of these conventions are the parties!! We've already signed up to be in a bowling tournament (haha) at Dave and Busters that is sure to be a blast. We'll have to keep you updated on how that goes! 

I'll be uploading photos (and maybe even a video or two) from our trip ... so stay tuned for those! Have a great weekend and stay warm!

09 highlights + faves! | Aus10 Photoartists

YAY!! First post of the new year ;) Super excited to share this with you, too. These are just some of the highlights from an amazing 2009. I also threw in a few of our favorite photos from the past year...there were way more but due to limited space we couldn't fit em all. ;) We traveled a lot, photographed a lot and got to meet a lot of truly amazing people. We can't wait to see what 2010 has in store!