Jesse Daniels Photography

New Blog | www.JesseandGena.com

2011-04-12T22:54:00.000-07:00

It just occurred to us that we left this old blog for our new blog in a cloud of dust and never looked back - if we have any wondering web souls who happen to dig this blog up please check out our new blog and see all the great new Midwest wedding photography goodness you have been missing!

http://www.jesseandgena.com/

and of course you can always check out our website

http://www.jessedanielsphotography.com

Cheers!
Jesse & Gena Daniels

Ryan & Nicole’s Lincoln State Park Engagement Session

2010-07-08T12:38:00.001-07:00

Life tip #178: When someone asks you to follow them into the woods, proceed with extreme caution. Unless of course it is your fabulous wedding photographers, Jesse & Gena, then you should follow them to the ends of the earth no questions asked! And that is exactly what Ryan & Nicole did for their engagement session. Actually, Lincoln State Park is a special place for the couple and it was their request to have the esession take place there – so kudos to them. Nicole is an old friend and she has found a great guy in Ryan; they are nothing but fun together and we can’t wait for their October wedding.

Rory & Courtney’s Downtown Evansville Engagement Session

2010-07-07T11:57:00.001-07:00

Courtney and Rory currently live in Atlanta Georgia (aka The ATL, Hotlanta… you may have heard of the place), therefore limiting the days when we could meet up for their engagement photography. Nonetheless, we were able to schedule the session on a weekend when the couple was traveling in town for some wedding planning, and then we crossed our fingers that the weather would cooperate. Needless to say it stormed most of the day leaving us all with sad pouty lips and nearly broken hearts. But then towards the end of the daylight hours we got a break in the weather and just went for it. No more sad pouty lips, just beautiful people and the occasional rain puddle. I know it’s boring to talk about the weather but did I mention beautiful people?

Lynsey & Mark’s Evansville Wedding

2010-07-01T00:03:00.001-07:00

Down here in good old Southern Indiana, before we ever heard the name Danica Patrick we all knew of Lynsey ... and Mark was chasing after her! This is another adorable couple who is currently featured on our website. Mark and Lynsey were married at Immanuel Lutheran Church and held their reception at the 4H grounds in Evansville. If you are ever in need of quality body work for your car you should go see Lynsey and her family at Ted Brown's Quality Paint and Body Shop in Newburgh, Indiana. And if you ever want a great outdoor experience give Mark at Lamont Outdoors a call. And if you want to experience the outdoors in an automobile get off your computer and go outside … but not before checking these out.

Zack & Leanne’s Evansville Wedding

2010-06-30T22:46:00.001-07:00

We have such a great time with some couples that we not only feel the need to feature them on our website but we just have to give them a little blog time too! Case in point, Zack & Leanne. These love birds were married at Saint Paul’s in downtown Evansville and then threw, not only a beautiful but also, a kick-butt reception at Cambridge Golf Club! (We hope the term kick-butt is not overly offensive to anyone’s sensibilities but you can only say awesome so many times!). Anyway, here is just a sampling of their beautiful day and if you would like to see more you could always check them out in the featured gallery on our website.

Matt & Meredith’s Evansville Indiana Wedding

2010-06-28T20:53:00.001-07:00

It is hard to say what exactly makes a particular wedding special, but all weddings have their own spirit. It’s an emotional concoction made up of so many varying factors. Obviously the powerful dose of joy surrounding any wedding is enough to touch your heart. But some weddings have extra emotional momentum; Matt and Meredith’s wedding ranks off the charts in heartstring tugging! It also ranks off the charts in general awesomeness involving awesome people. Meredith and Matt were such a laid back and fun couple, their entire day was not only a beautiful celebration but also a blast to be a part of. The evening ceremony took place at Aldersgate United Methodist Church and the ~~reception~~ party went well into the evening at the Discovery Lodge in Evansville.

Technorati Tags: Evansville,Indiana,Wedding Photographer,Wedding,Discovery Lodge,Aldersgate

Aaron & Randi’s Evansville Wedding

2010-06-03T21:40:00.001-07:00

Ah . . . the outdoor wedding; wonderful in concept, slightly trickier in reality. Rain loves to harass an outdoor wedding. But don’t fret, this here is no sad blog, this is a happy blog about an outdoor wedding that looked rain in the face and then made some real magic happen. Randi and Aaron are so laid back; they were probably the only ones who weren’t a little stressed over the weather. Did it rain? Yeah, it rained. Did it wait until the ceremony and bridals were over? Heck yeah it waited! And then one of Gods small miracles . . . a rainbow. It was the perfect wedding day gift for a much deserving couple. And if that isn’t a sweet story then we ask, what is? This beautiful fall ceremony was held at the Vanderburgh County 4H Center, Jill V from Simply Fresh handled all the beautiful flowers, The Cake Lady handled the sweets, and last but not least doing the knot tying was the best civil officiant you will ever work with, Pastor Jerry!

Technorati Tags: Wedding Photographer,4h,Evansville,Indiana,Wedding

Gino & Heather’s Wedding

2010-05-21T21:10:00.001-07:00

It was a beautiful early fall day - you know the kind that gets you all excited to drink apple cider and wear cozy socks, yeah, that kind. Great day to get married, and nothing was going to keep Gino and Heather from doing just that; although an extremely close Notre Dame/Michigan football game didn’t exactly speed things along ;) Luckily the guys had a TV in their dressing room and the wedding fell somewhere around halftime. Truth is, the whole day was a celebration. Two truly great families having a blast, and we enjoyed every second of it. The ceremony took place at The Methodist Temple and the reception followed at The Royale Ballroom in the Evansville Marriott. This story has bonus points - these families get to celebrate again because word on the street is that the stork will be paying Gino and Heather a visit in the very near future – congrats guys!!

Happy Anniversary Mike and Megan!

2010-05-17T22:34:00.001-07:00

You know we love you guys! We can’t believe it has been a year. You two deserve all of the happiness and great things life has to offer. Congratulations!

Happy One Year Anniversary, eh!

2010-04-07T23:57:00.001-07:00

Houston Texas couple Eddie & Leigh Ann tied the knot last year in Vancouver Canada. We were extremely honored that they flew us in to document their entire wedding weekend – it was truly a wonderful experience as they were married overlooking the bay in one of the most beautiful cities in the world. Such an honor and joy for Gena and I. Happy 1 year Anniversary Ed & Leigh Ann! Normally, we would only post one picture on an Anniversary post – but seriously, it was Vancouver!

Christmas in March – Newburgh Engagement Session

2010-03-31T12:45:00.001-07:00

Okay so Christmas was a small handful of months ago and it’s almost Easter (yum … candy), but love is the gift that keeps on giving - right? This Christmas engagement session in downtown Newburgh was just so cute that we had to post about it. We first met Amy and Byron at the gym and we are glad we can call them friends now. We are also excited that their wedding won’t be nearly as cold as their engagement session was! Check out all the fun we had!

Boating, Weddings, & Sunsets, Oh My!

2010-03-09T15:41:00.001-08:00

Which reminds me of a really fun engagement session from last year. Beth and Brian were so much fun! You can rest assured that there is only one thing they love more than boating – and that is each other! Take a look at these Ohio River loving lovers!

Happy Anniversary Tyler & Lindsay - Colorado Wedding

2010-03-01T23:14:00.001-08:00

Oh how we love Tyler & Lindsay, not just because the flew us to gorgeous Steamboat Springs Colorado to document their wedding weekend, but because they are just great people. An amazing couple who have started a beautiful family built on tons of love. Well, it is the one year Anniversary and we know they enjoyed it because we keep in touch! Happy Anniversary, the first of many more.

Daryl & Maggie Evansville Wedding

2010-02-18T22:51:00.001-08:00

We don’t blog about all of our weddings but when we do we always think , what is one word that sums up this particular wedding or couple? With Maggie and Daryl’s wedding that one word is lovely! When you can look back on a day or a couple and think of the word lovely, what more can really be said? Maggie and Daryl were married at Christian Fellowship Church in Evansville and held their reception at Quail Crossing in Boonville.

Happy Anniversary Tricia & Tony

2010-02-09T09:06:00.001-08:00

Wow! We can’t believe it has been a year since the big day – or should I say big snow day! We love celebrating the anniversaries of our happy clients - Happy 1 year Anniversary Tricia and Tony!

Lesley & Andy’s Evansville Wedding

2010-02-04T23:10:00.001-08:00

In Luxembourg they have something called Luxembourgish, which I imagine is kind of like Newburghish. You see with Newburghish all locations are identified by their proximity to the Donut Bank, the riverfront, or the man with the spotlight and giant Christmas ornaments (great guy by the way). Only kidding, actually Luxembourgish is the national language of Luxembourg, a small country bordered by France, Belgium, and Germany. And I know this because Andy & Lesley told me so. And who are Lesley and Andy you might ask? Only the coolest world traveling newlyweds you will ever meet. I mean these guys honeymooned in Africa! Lesley and Andy currently live and work overseas which is why all of the face to face meetings we had were with Lesley’s mom Carolyn. Carolyn is an absolute saint and we truly enjoyed working with both of these families; so much so that if we keep talking about it you might start blushing. The ceremony was held at the always impressive St. Mary Catholic Church with the reception being held in The Schroer Room at Rolling Hills Country Club. All of the flowers were by one our favorite professionals, Jill Vieira of Simply Fresh Floral. Now take a peek!

Melanie & Flynn’s Newburgh Engagement Session

2010-01-26T22:33:00.001-08:00

This is Part VI of Evansville’s Excellent Engagement Extravaganza, so excellent in fact, it took place in Newburgh. However, we politely ask that you pay no mind to that because today we offer you a break. A break from the constant bombardment of celebrity particulars and scandalous gossip. A break from this self absorbed age of excess and reality scum. Today we offer something real. Don’t you find yourself saying, “it sure would be nice to see two genuine people who are genuinely in love”. Two real people who are really devoted to each other … REALLY! Well look no further because today we present to you, Melanie and Flynn.

1. Melanie and Flynn (noun): Healthy young lads who love to travel. Flynn may have Irish roots and a better than average golf game. Melanie will definitely out run you; in fact, she will be racing back from Boston so she can walk down the aisle. Oh, and did we mention they are definitely, really in love!

Jenna & Joe’s Evansville Engagement Session

2010-01-26T22:07:00.001-08:00

This is the unofficial ‘Roman Numeral V’ installment of our very official Excellent Evansville Engagement Extravaganza (or E4 as it is known around these parts). Today we take a look at the lovely Jenna and Joe’s engagement session. It was one of those perfect fall days at Garvin Park with lots of leaves, sunshine, and lovebirds! Oh the lovebirds….

1. Jenna and Joe (noun): Patriotic sweethearts whose courtship was played out in Karate classes. They will kick your butt with kindness and/or roundhouses – the choice is yours!

Andy & Liza’s Perfect Wedding

2010-01-19T23:34:00.001-08:00

I think we have mentioned this before, but it is worth mentioning again; we follow the idea that our website is our business card and our blog is our handshake … okay, more like our hug! Gena and I truly love weddings and we love being a part of the ceremonial beginnings of such amazing relationships.

The single greatest aspect of our business is the wonderful families we get to work with – it is a major perk of our job or maybe it is just a blessing of grace. Either way, we have had the honor of working with some of the coolest families in the tri-state. If any of you know Andy and Liza or their respective families then you know exactly what family is all about – truly wonderful people who love each other to pieces (not to mention they know how to paartay!)

The wedding was held at Aldersgate United Methodist with the lovely Rev. Lynn Renne officiating. The event was beautifully decorated and coordinated by Ms. Nancy Bennett of Limelight Events, with the ceremony being held at the Evansville Country Club. The Pits rocked out the entire night as they always do, so you can rest assured that there wasn’t a single dull moment. Seriously though, enough gush – here is some proof!

Evansville's Excellent Engagement Extravaganza! (Pt IV)

2010-01-18T23:03:00.001-08:00

Welcome to our blog! If you are an old friend thanks for coming back. If you are a new friend sit down and stay awhile. Of course you were probably already sitting down but how would we know that, we wouldn’t!

We just watched Julie & Julia – a super cute movie that reminded us of two things, we are not the best of cooks and we should be blogging. So here we are back on the World Wide Web avoiding the temptation that is online shopping.

And the defining continues…

1:) Zack and Leanne (noun): Z-Anne as they are known in our made up tabloids. A power couple known to be completely awesome and completely cute. They don’t mind the occasional photo shoot at an abandoned bus station. Once sighted enjoying freshly baked artisan breads at Panera.

Evansville’s Excellent Engagement Extravaganza! (Pt III)

2010-01-08T22:42:00.001-08:00

This is part three of our in-depth look at what we have dubbed Evansville’s Excellent Engagement Extravaganza. Reminiscing about middle school English lessons has been great fun; however in a moment of blog seriousness (seriously) we want to thank all of the teachers who played roles in our upbringing. In what is often an extremely thankless job, we owe a great deal to the teachers who made us who we are today. So a very sincere thanks to all of you.

This also brings us back to the tabloid-esque trend we have started where we’re defining our bride and grooms as the nouns they really are.

1. Shane and Megan (noun): Hilarious couple who are too good looking to be goofy and too goofy to not leave you thoroughly entertained. Random dancing may occur if Megan is excited.

Excellent Evansville Engagement Extravaganza! (Part II)

2009-12-08T19:25:00.001-08:00

Today we continue our compelling series entitled, for lack of better words, Excellent Evansville Engagement Extravaganza! You may have learned last blog about a certain past middle school English teacher. Well, our friend and recent bride Katie reminded me of Mrs. Schmitt’s remarkable Aquanet supported up-do. While one of our lovely brides to be, Nikki, reminded me that Mrs. Schmitt was quite good at giving detentions. But all of this pales in comparison to Mrs. Schmitt’s ability at anchoring alliteration so far into my brain that here I sit today boastfully blogging ‘bout it. But as is so often the case, I digress. And continue to define.

1. Patty & Ryan (noun): Beautiful outdoorsy University of Evansville grads who enjoy the occasional baseball game and obscure country musician. April showers will definitely bring them May flowers.

Excellent Evansville Engagement Extravaganza! (Part I)

2009-12-01T23:13:00.001-08:00

Ah… good old alliteration. Remember that from middle school English class, Mrs. Schmitt would be so proud. But this is an absolutely accurate and appropriate alliterative application. Yes! I did it again, now that’s double points which would make my high school English teacher, Mr. Hendrix, very happy.

Let’s get down to business; we have a lot of blogging to do and for the time being we are going to focus on engagement sessions, or e-sessions for the readers who are hip to photo lingo. I kid you not, we have an all star team of ultra awesome couples for 2010 – it’s amazing! We couldn’t have went out and picked them any better than they have just come to our door. So let’s begin! We have decided (just now) to start defining our couples – Merriam-Webster style.

1. Justin & Brittany (noun):
A power couple secretly disguising themselves as a normal engaged couple but living a double life as world traveling runway models. I mean seriously, look at these two!

Joe & Julie’s Wedding – It was a blast!

2009-11-18T15:36:00.001-08:00

Last night I posted about the redesign of our website, www.jessedanielsphotography.com. Well, in the last 24 hours we have consumed lots of caffeine and southwestern style Baked Lays but more importantly, we are posting another blog. You may say, “those things don’t go together at all” and you would be absolutely correct. But you want to know two things that do go together perfectly . . . Joe & Julie! Here is just a little sampling of how their oh-so-fun wedding day unfolded!

Same Address, New Website!

2009-11-17T21:35:00.001-08:00

That’s right, we completely redesigned our website - www.jessedanielsphotography.com is all new! Hopefully this explains the lack of bloggin’ we‘ve been a doin’! Seriously, we are extremely proud of the new site and are very grateful for all of the amazing couples whose special wedding days have made it possible. A lot of great things have been happening here and our primary goal remains the same: provide our wonderful clients with the best service imaginable, not to mention the wedding pictures they always dreamed of. The new website has lots of pictures and five featured galleries right now. The purpose of those galleries are to give a glimpse of how we capture the story of a couple and their wedding day. So over the next few blogs we are going to show some of the couples and their moments which you may find featured on our website, and we will start with Cody & Kaleigh’!

Tyler and Samantha’s Yummy Wedding!

2009-10-21T16:11:00.001-07:00

It seems like we have known Tyler and Samantha for years but actually it was just less than a year ago that we were working around the great ice storm so we could have our first meeting. The truth of the matter is Tyler and Samantha are just a great couple with great families. There were so many really cool things about their wedding day, but one of the most exciting for us was the fact that it took place in Washington, Indiana which provided some stunning open landscapes and backdrops for their wedding day.

So you may ask why it was a yummy wedding – well really, the wedding was just lovely– it was the reception which was truly yummy! The beautiful color palette really shined at the reception hall which was filled with lots of goody treats and a fabulous dessert table – seriously wait to you see it, you might get a cavity just looking at it!

Katie & Luke’s Newburgh Sunset Engagement Session

2009-09-22T21:19:00.001-07:00

That header is a mouthful isn’t it? Sunset sessions are a personal favorite. There is something magical about a sunset, not just from a photography and light standpoint, but on an emotional level – I mean, is there anyone who doesn’t love a sunset? A sunset is right up there with puppies and babies. And on that note, is there anyone who doesn’t adore Luke and Katie – I doubt it. Gena and I certainly do and we are very excited for their wedding which is right around the corner.

Commercial Photography in Evansville

2009-09-22T17:24:00.001-07:00

Our primary focus is weddings and they keep us extremely busy – in fact, we are so busy that Gena is really getting a lot of gray hairs lately – hehehe. Don’t tell her I said that though. Actually, I am completely kidding. The truth is, I will go gray way before her. Anyway, what I was getting at was sometimes people approach us with really neat jobs that we can’t help but get involved with. Such was the case with The Duells Evansville Kia, Mazda, and Volvo who asked us to do a shot of their buildings for a new website. The shot turned out great and is now being used on their site which you can check out here: http://www.evansvillechrysler.com/

Evansville, Newburgh, Boonville Indiana Engagement Sessions.

2009-09-04T12:14:00.001-07:00

It takes a brave soul to navigate all of the counties, townships, and borrows which make up Southern Indiana, but someone has to do it for the sake of awesome engagement sessions. Luckily, Gena and I have some of the best clients (aka Bride & Grooms) who are up for just about anything. We are sort of behind on posting engagement pictures (some of these couples are already married…shhh, don’t tell their parents!) So blame our navigations systems if these posts are a tad bit behind but let’s do a little engagement session catch up. Premarital photo counseling if you will.

Joe and Julie’s Evansville Engagement Session

Jennifer and Mike’s Newburgh Engagement Session:

Kaleigh and Cody’s somewhere in the country Engagement Session:

Katie and Brian’s Evansville Wedding.

2009-09-01T13:41:00.001-07:00

Katie and Brian are your typical couple who happened to live and work in Dubai, which for us geographically challenged individuals is next to Saudi Arabia and not left of New Zealand and just right of Russia as I originally hypothesized :) But alas, the show must go and young people in love must still get married. And that is exactly what they did. We joined Katie at Impulse Hair Salon in Newburgh where her and her bridesmaids had a blast getting beautified. Then it was off to Epworth United Methodist Church for a perfect wedding ceremony. The reception followed at the always impressive Quail Crossing Golf Club. At the reception they mingled with friends and family all the while enjoying an ice cream bar, and not to mention some of the best cake you have ever tasted!

Busy Wedding Season!

2009-08-04T10:56:00.001-07:00

We do two things these days – photograph weddings and drink coffee. It’s really a vicious cycle and we must be completely insane because we love every minute of it. And really between remodeling the studio, proofing weddings, working on our new website, keeping up with our clients, etc etc etc – we actually do a million different things, but they all involve coffee - sometimes red bull. And I know my doctor wouldn’t like reading this because of the mass caffeine consumption and lack of sleep which fuels us. And I know my high school English teacher would be mortified of how many times I start my sentences with “and”. And I apologize to them both because they know I know better :) But I digress. Somehow between all these weddings we still have time for our kids. I call them our kids but they belong to other people we just take their pictures.

Joe and Laura’s Evansville Wedding

2009-08-04T10:15:00.001-07:00

Joe and Laura tied the knot on a perfect spring day. These guys were great and their kids were a blast (Gena and I spent the majority of our between time playing paparazzi with all the kiddo’s – they loved it). The beautiful ceremony was held at Salem United Methodist Church and the reception followed at the Executive Inn’s Crystal Room where everyone was treated to some phenomenal cake, great dance music, and all the tasty food and beverages they could ever want.

Destination Wedding from Evansville to Colorado!

2009-07-17T00:03:00.001-07:00

Steamboat Springs to be exact, a lovely place that reminds me of historical New Harmony, Indiana – that is if it were covered in 6 feet of snow and surrounded by the Rockies. Well this is where Tyler and Lindsay wanted to get married. During their time living in Colorado they skied and enjoyed the great outdoors with there beautiful daughter Lily. So naturally, since they fell in love with the place, they decided to get married there. And get married they did, and flew us out to shoot the weekend they did, and grateful we are, and as it turns out, very happy with their pictures they are!!!

In all sincerity, it was a great time getting to know all of the family and be apart of such a special and unforgettable weekend in Tyler and Lindsay's life – we know we have some new great friendships because of their wedding. We had so much fun trucking around in the snow for the best pictures possible, and we thoroughly enjoyed all of Lily's birthday weekend antics!

Kristen and Matt Engagement Session

2009-07-14T00:10:00.001-07:00

Kristen and Matt are Harrison Alumni like Gena and I, so that in and of itself makes them the coolest (don’t tell our westside friends though!) But that was then and this is now … but guess what they are still the coolest. Okay this is starting to sound less like a professional photographers blog entry and more like a yearbook entry so I will get to it. We had a great time walking around downtown Newburgh, Indiana – only stopping traffic a couple of times. It was a beautiful day for an engagement session, which is always a great omen for the wedding day (I made that up but I like to believe it). We also rolled around in dandelions a bit which is a personal hobby of mine. We absolutely can’t wait for Matt and Kristen's wedding and in fact we won’t have to wait much longer.

Evansville Winter Wonderland Wedding Continued!

2009-06-25T08:39:00.001-07:00

Alright kids, gather around the fire because it is time for part 2 of Tricia and Tony’s winter wonderland wedding! Sorry for the suspense but to make this long story a short one; the wedding was a huge hit! Forget about all the frosty fingers and cold noses, we had what we needed most; clear enough roads, heat, and electricity! Heck, the slickest thing we had to deal with was the newly buffed dance floor at the reception hall, it was like a slip ‘n slide!

All sliding and snowing aside, I think it is safe to say no one will forget this beautiful wedding – I know we won’t. Oh, and kids – Tricia and Tony are living happily ever after!

Liza and Andy’s Evansville Wedding is Approaching Fast!

2009-06-23T22:08:00.001-07:00

So we met with Liza and Andy on a rather windy day which moved our original riverfront plans inland to the arts district. All the better because contrary to what this couple will have you believe, they are actually both secret agent models! I mean seriously how easy did they make this. We just had to dodge some sketchy Haney's Corner fountain folks and we were good to go! Seriously though, Liza and Andy are a truly awesome couple and we can not wait for their wedding!

Dominic is Dom-adorable!

2009-06-23T21:56:00.001-07:00

Dom’s first year went so fast – he is turning into quite the sophisticated little man! He is sooooooo adorable that I really can’t think of anything else to say – check this little guy out!

The Heimer’s Winter Wonderland Evansville Wedding!

2009-06-07T15:22:00.001-07:00

When I first met with bride to be Tricia, she was very adamant that she wanted a winter wonderland wedding. Now winter happens to be one of my favorite times of the year, so I couldn’t wait to immerse myself in the pretend game of all things snow and ice. In the back of mind I was thinking we would be lucky if we had a strong gust of wind and light snow drizzle come January 31, 2009. Oh, but how Evansville Indiana has a way of showing you who can predict the weather. It was a winter wonderland alright – the entire city was essentially shut down with over a foot of snowfall. The tri state was battered with two rounds of ice, sleet, and snow. Some 70,000 people were without power and the wedding was full steam ahead. I will never forget going to the rehearsal at St Mary’s Catholic church downtown and the only light we had was candle light! It was shaping up to be quite the event. Here are some never before seen pictures from the candle-lit rehearsal!

Stay tuned for the beautiful wedding which followed despite mother natures best efforts!

Brianna’s and Marks Wedding

2009-06-03T22:53:00.001-07:00

Okay so I skipped a month of blogging, sue me! This one is way overdue – Gena and I were more than happy to be apart of Brianna and Marks special day. Brianna’s mom Nancy is the only person who has ever cut Gena’s hair! Which by the way, if you need a great haircut call Nancy at Today’s Image on Morgan Ave! Now, I won’t tell you how old Gena was when she got her first hair cut because Nancy might hurt me or even worse mess up my hair ;) But I digress. It was a beautiful wedding, and an all around great day, we worked around some windy conditions but who hasn’t! The entire wedding was special, but I thought it was really neat that Nancy did Brianna’s hair for the wedding.

Wedding Photographers Busy Season?

2009-06-03T21:47:00.001-07:00

This is indeed our “busy season”. I am somewhat skeptical of that statement though because Gena and I stay busy all year round. Not only with our awesome clients but also by constantly improving our skill sets, offering the best products available, strengthening our brand, etc. etc. It is no secret that we have been quietly building the best wedding photography company in Evansville, Indiana.

We are currently over hauling our website to reflect the direction of our brand. This is all technical mumbo jumbo in deed, but we just want to let our clients (current and future) know that we are busting our collective buns to make your wedding photography the absolute best all around service you will find in the tri-state area.

We are all set to launch our brand new online proofing and ordering service which will allow you to order any print or product we offer from the comfort of your home. You will also be able to crop your pictures, make your own B&W’s, have favorite folders, etc etc and on and on. This is a part of our website that we had painstakingly programmed for Jesse Daniels Photography, we own it – this is not a third party service. It is a special shopping experience completely controlled by us – all prints and orders will be processed though our hands. All kinds of good stuff will be available at our online storefront and proofing site – so as they say, stay tuned!

Kylie before and after baby Brooklyn!

2009-04-13T23:24:00.001-07:00

Gena’s friend Kylie just had a beautiful baby girl and she named her Brooklyn. She is precious, adorable, and perfect. Being that we are in a our home remodeling phase we took before and after pictures (aka maternity and newborn shots!) I know, it’s not that funny of a joke but hey – work with me here!

Old Friends: Megan and Fam.

2009-04-13T22:27:00.001-07:00

Megan and I graduated from the great old Harrison High School a decade ago! We have been friends for a long time so naturally she would call me to take her family pictures! This was also an impromptu engagement session as her and Mike will be getting married in about 3o days (with none other than our studio hired on as the photogs). This is the great thing about our job and friends in general – every now and again a friend from way back marries someone awesome and you get to know someone great by default. That is how I feel about Mike and the boys - just a great family all around. And don’t worry I will absolutely post pictures from Megan and Mikes special day.

50th Anniversary Party

2009-03-20T22:51:00.001-07:00

Who doesn't like a party!? And who doesn’t like a love story!? Well this was a party for a love story – so how about that. Robert and Rita just celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary. Lifetime sweethearts these two have built a beautiful life and family on love and faith. They exude happiness and their children are proof of the great people they are (we had a great time photographing their son Kevin’s wedding last year). Anyway, they asked if I would cover this lovely event which was held at and catered by Kirby’s Private Dining. And if all of that wasn’t romantic enough – the event was also a surprise renewing of the couples vows! Robert presented Rita with a red rose in the presence of their pastor and 50 wet eyed people.

Katie and Brian

2009-03-11T00:14:00.001-07:00

A romance spanning half way around the world. This is a couple of the jet setting type. Working hard in a land across the pond and far away, their love continues to grow closer – as does their wedding planning! Of which we are a part of and we just couldn't be more excited. Katie introduced me to her fiancée Brian and we got out some engagement pictures the day before they had to catch flights back to their far away jobs. See all things are possible, even great engagement photos during an ice storm when you are planning your wedding from a different city :) I would also like to say this shoot was great fun, and I apologize to Brian for the over use of the elevator ;)

Guess Who is 9 Months old?

2009-03-04T22:17:00.001-08:00

It’s one of my favorite little guys Dominic! This little guy just keeps getting more adorable. If this smile wont melt your heart than you could definitely use some therapy.

Mema’s 80th Birthday Party

2009-01-16T16:43:00.001-08:00

My hero would have to be my Grandmother, Lucille – or Mema as she is affectionately known to our family and the world as far as I am concerned. She is beautiful, she is the best cook on the planet, she is an amazing artist, she taught most everything good that I know, and she gets more done in a day than most people do in a week. So the family decided to through her a little pizza party to celebrate her birthday. Here are some snapshots from the day.

New Years Resolution…. BLOG MORE!

2009-01-16T16:18:00.001-08:00

I was a pretty steady blogger during the wedding season and then the holidays came and my blogging hit a wall. I don’t know if anyone has ever gone through the process of selling their house and buying another, but if you are thinking about it – DON’T! Not just kidding, we are super excited about our new location in Newburgh, but needless to say we have been extremely busy and I have been a bad blogger! But alas, that is so 2008 and this is 2009! We have big plans this year for Jesse Daniels Photography – so be on the look out for some exciting announcements in 2009. We will continue to advance every aspect of our studio and can’t wait to share all of our plans with you.

We have so many great weddings booked this year and we couldn’t be more excited for all of our new clients, so come back often and check out all of the upcoming weddings as we blog about them. We have already been to Phoenix this year and we have weddings everywhere from Colorado Springs to British Colombia, Canada in the next few months. Cheers to 2008 it was a great year but 2009 is going to be amazing!

Here are some random pictures of friends and family for your viewing pleasure.

The Best Thing About Me

2008-12-02T00:13:00.001-08:00

I contemplated doing 12 days of Christmas blog posts dedicated to my lovely wife Gena. However, I soon realized she would blush a lot and tell me that I should focus on other current projects. And she is right – but that doesn’t mean that I can’t post some pictures we recently took. I guess I should let everyone know that my wife is beyond gorgeous, and that if she wanted to, she could be modeling regularly right now. I will spare you the details but long story short – we are young and just enjoying life – luckily, I have a camera and she isn’t sick of me yet. Amor Infinitus.

Beautiful Family: Maddie, Drew, and Morgan V.

2008-11-20T10:18:00.001-08:00

Fall is an awesome time. There are some amazing parks in Evansville and I am an advocate of everyone using our local parks – there are a few that are really beautiful but probably best enjoyed during daylight hours – you know what I mean? Well, this particular park is one of those amazing, best enjoyed during the day parks.

That was just my friendly disclaimer and thank you to the family for braving one of the more interesting parts of our Evansville area to have these beautiful fall photo’s captured of their priceless children. Maddie, Drew, and baby Morgan are like that family that is already pictured in the frame when you buy it. They are adorable and they love each other in the perfect way you could only hope your kids would love each other. But enough gushing – check this adorable trio out for yourself!

Sisters Are Different Flowers From The Same Garden.

2008-11-20T09:47:00.001-08:00

I believe Hallmark taught me that, but how true it is! I didn’t have much daylight with these two beautiful girls but I didn’t need it because they were on point and didn’t miss a beat. Something about girls, they seem to know how to smile and pose – is it a gift you are born with or do you young ladies practice in the mirror all day long? Either way, I think these two were just born with it.

Kinsley is a Baby Model!

2008-11-20T00:52:00.001-08:00

You may notice Kinsley from the home page of our website. She is the adorable baby on the right. Well, she is still that adorable baby, she just happens to be growing up too fast like they all do.

But like I was saying – Baby Kinsley is a model in the making. She has great signature looks and angles, and she always finds the light. These are things great models do – problem is, like most models she does it on her own time, not in large groups, and usually not with a smile. She has also been known to wear boots which hinder her runway walk.

Lets get past discussing Kinsley's future modeling career and talk about the pictures she is taking these days! Because they are great.

Cody’s Senior Picture Session

2008-11-20T00:25:00.001-08:00

I am always extremely flattered and honored when a client travels a great distance to have me photograph them. That was exactly the case with Cody B who traveled down to Evansville to have his pictures taken on what was possibly the windiest day in history! But he was a champ and rocked it.

Burkett Quads: That’s 4 Babies People!

2008-11-20T00:07:00.001-08:00

That’s right, FOUR babies born virtually at the exact same time. They are all adorable and well behaved (at least they were around the photographer). I can’t say enough nice things about their mom and dad so I won’t try. Their mom does a great job running her very own blog that you can check out by clicking here.

You have probably seen this family on the news or maybe out and about. They are local ~~celebrities~~ – no, scratch that - they are local celebri-babies, and deservingly so!

Custom Fit Personal Fitness

2008-11-19T23:16:00.001-08:00

My personal trainer/work out partner’s name is Eric Patterson - we have become great friends over the years, and in fact I photographed his wedding several months ago. Eric knows very well that I go back and forth between listening to him and listening to the voices in my head which frequently request fried foods. But I digress.

Custom Fit, located on Evansville’s eastside in the same complex as Brinker's Jewelers, is a great personal fitness gym. If you are looking to get in shape for the holidays they have a special boot camp going on right now that is both fun and a great work out. I was able to swing by for just a few minutes one morning before a wedding and get a few pictures for their website, and in the spirit of the upcoming holidays I will share a few with you.

Adeline and Michael Dylan – Growing Up So Fast!

2008-11-19T22:55:00.001-08:00

It has been awhile since I have posted so I figured I would come back with an overload of cuteness. I have photographed these two before, but I tell you what they are getting more cute with age it seems! They have a great set of parents and I look forward to watching them all grow up together.

Baby Dominic’s First Halloween!

2008-10-30T22:02:00.001-07:00

I know Dominic is super cute because I have taken pictures of him in the past – but I wasn’t prepared for just how cute he has grown up to be! I mean he is literally a ball of cute overload. Thanks to Matt and Ashley for letting me share in your beautiful baby boys life. Also, I want you to know … I don’t hold it against you that you are Chicago Bears fans! ;o)

The Jacobsma Family Photo Walk

2008-10-30T21:25:00.001-07:00

As an artist and a photographer one of the things I pride myself on is our unique style of photographing, not only weddings, but families and children. I have noticed that most people have come to expect a predictable and boring family photo experience. Well, that isn’t our style at all. In fact, as a business model, we aim to be more recorders of the present day, producing magazine style pictures. I won’t go too much into the specific definition of our style because we are about to post that on the website. However, I will say that the Jacobsma family is an excellent model family for our style. There session was laid back and free spirited, with a focus on their newest family addition. Here are a few of my favorite shots from their morning family photo walk.

Fall Festival

2008-10-22T12:37:00.001-07:00

Okay, so I have been slightly behind in the blogging world. I have been super busy with fall portraits making life quite hectic. No complaints from me though, I absolutely love meeting all the new kiddos and families, and not to mention reconnecting with lots of growing babies and families who I have photographed over the years.

This post though is a little more on the personal note. These are some pictures from a leisurely trip to the West Side Nut Clubs annual Fall Festival! This is always one of the highlights of my Fall – I love the weather, the crazy fried foods, and all the interesting people. The interesting people in these photo’s are my dad, aka Pastor Jerry, and my niece, Alayna. I get to meet all of your families, so from time to time I like to show you mine.

AJ Alexander

2008-10-22T11:59:00.001-07:00

I went to high school with AJ; in fact, we were in day care together during the grade school years. I think we were both Hebron Hoppers too, but that debate is neither hear nor there.

Well, AJ is all grown up now and is a very successful model/actress. Incidentally, she happens to be the most famous person who will answer my phone calls regularly, so it seems fitting that we have a photo shoot. We had a great time running around downtown Evansville – I was even able to use some pyrotechnics which is always fun. Anyway, here are some of my favorite shots from the day.

Jenna M Senior Pictures

2008-10-12T00:01:00.001-07:00

I have known Jenna and her family for many years and I always planned on taking her senior portraits when the time came. Well, the time came and luckily they planned the exact same way I had! Jenna was a model senior. And I mean that in several different ways but mainly that she was very prepared and that she takes beautiful photographs! While we were attacked by some killer Newburgh bees, the session was a joy and the afternoon went over with out a hitch!

Victoria National and the Governor

2008-09-24T09:38:00.001-07:00

I just received this sweet email from Laureen the Event Coordinator at Victoria National Golf Course where I photographed Governor Mitch Daniels for a fundraiser.

“Hey Jesse! Thank you for lending your time and talent to the Governor's Tournament at Victoria National!

The pictures are so great and everyone who worked on the tournament was really impressed! I forwarded a few on to the Governor's office and they may be contacting you to use some of the photos....or at least that's the word on the street!

Take care and if there is ever anything I can do for you, please don't hesitate to call.

Well, I had a great time that day and was more than happy to help. Laureen is great, as were all the staff at the course. Maybe when life slows down a little but, I will learn to golf ;)

Meet Our Kids

2008-09-23T23:02:00.000-07:00

Okay, so we don't have any kids just yet - but we do have dogs! This first guy is Bray, or Brayton Rain Daniels if he is in trouble. Anyway, this first picture is him prepping for his bath time – he looks a little pathetic here but don’t be fooled he secretly loves bath time. Bray is the oldest of our two dogs. He is a gentle giant and spends most of his time caring for his younger sister, stoically begging for human food, and studying the ways of the neighborhood squirrels who in turn taunt him daily.

And this is Berkley, she is a the most loving dog I have ever met. She is a special little girl and she owns me more than I own her. She is all the way from South Carolina - we see her as somewhat of a southern bell. In this picture you can see her winking her way into my heart.

So our "kids" are inseparable. They love each other so much it is guaranteed to melt your heart.

Wendy and Leonard USI Labyrinth Ceremony

2008-09-18T22:16:00.001-07:00

Wendy and Leonard both have doctorates and are extremely smart. So luckily for me, all I had to do was photograph their wedding, which incidentally took place on the University of Southern Indiana's campus where Dr. Wendy and Dr. Leonard work. Now, no exaggeration, this day was just right - great big blue skies, the temperature was spot on, the violinist sounded great and played beautiful music throughout the ceremony - you have to love an outdoor wedding that goes off without a hitch!

Once the ceremony was complete everyone moved to the reception hall which was delightfully set up for guests to find out which famous "horse track" table they would be seated at. The reception was classic and very entertaining. Besides the giant chocolate fountain, which I was fascinated with, there were so many classy and elegant touches. The guests were well fed as they were entertained by some great live music. I was very happy to be a part of Wendy and Leonard’s wedding and wish them all the best in their future. Lots of favorite shots from this wedding so I will just post a lot of them :)

Tatum Kiddos!

2008-09-18T22:16:00.000-07:00

Shannon is my wife's cousin, and she is awesome! And her husband Art is awesome! And her kiddos are awesome! I know that isn't a very poetic narrative but sometimes the go-to adjectives are very appropriate for people. ANYWAY, you won't see Shannon or Art in this photo session because it was all about the kids. It was around July 4th and we went for a very backyard BBQ feel. Very real moments, but really we just wanted an excuse to let off some fireworks (which is an opportunity I never pass up). Shannon actually ordered three 12X12 canvas prints of just the kids faces which we both agreed turned out . . . well, AWESOME!! While I try and find my thesaurus, you can check out some of my favorite shots from that summer afternoon.

Brianna and Mark Moonlit Engagment Session

2008-09-17T22:49:00.000-07:00

YES, I HAVE POWER!!!!! Thank you to the gods that are Vectren for restoring my energy and sanity in one fell, midday swoop. The dark nights with nice big moons reminded me of a recent engagement session with Brianna and Mark. They did have a little sunset but they also had a lot of moonrise. Not to mention a football practice and multiple random stray dogs as we ventured throughout the park. We had fun though and the pictures turned out great. I can't wait for their wedding, and from what I am hearing the entire day is just going to be beautiful.

Ashley D. Senior Session

2008-09-08T18:30:00.000-07:00

When Ashley called us to make the appointment for her senior session she said she wanted to include her boyfriend and best friend, and that she wanted some nontraditional looks. Let me tell you, we had so much fun just hanging out and running around the park. Ashley also told me she may want to study graphic design in college and that she loved the extra artsy touches that we have become, known for. Needless to say, Ashley and her friends are pretty much rock stars so this was a really fun session for me.

Cassandra and kiddos

2008-08-26T23:31:00.000-07:00

It has been a few years since Cassandra and her boys were photographed so it was time to do it our way. What a better place to go than a playground! Playgrounds are some of my favorite places in town - even though I have lost the ability to swing up to my grade school heights for long periods of time with out getting dizzy, I still love the playground.

I don't know how excited the boys were at the original concept of having their pictures taken but by the end of the session they were choreographing all kinds of new shots that they just had to have - it was a lot of fun!

Yeah, We Changed Our Name...

2008-08-26T23:14:00.000-07:00

Just wanted to give everyone an update of what we have been up to. We have been super busy lately - wedding season is in full force and many seniors are still getting their pictures taken. That reminds me, all you slightly slacking seniors don't be afraid to call - we have been doing some awesome senior stuff lately that will blow away what some of your friends are having done (not that it is about having the best, but...).

On with some announcements, If you have been watching over the last year or so you have noticed a gradual shift JDaniels Studio to the name and logo of Jesse Daniels Photography. As we originally planned to do once we built up a steady clientele, we are officially dropping the name JDaniels Studio and switching to Jesse Daniels Photography. Being an LLC this wasn't a terribly difficult task. And while this is not a big deal to most of you, it is a major accomplishment for us. When we originally started we only hoped our photography business would grow the way it has and we have lots of plans for the future. The new and final name represents who we are and the foothold we are planting. My very talented and beautiful wife has done a vast majority of the design work and we are currently planning all of our marketing for 2009.

Sorry of this was a little dry, but I consider all of you my stock holders and wanted you to know what is going on with the business aspects of our brand.

Little Bit of Praise!

2008-08-18T21:59:00.000-07:00

My wife and I are modest and humbled with our fast growing business and the praise we receive, but when we do get some kind words or a nice letter we sometimes feel the need to share it.

I am sure everyone remembers the absolutely perfectly adorable Mckenna - this is a little note I intercepted from her lovely mother, Jennifer:

"New pics...by an awesome photographer! ... Jesse Daniels recently took my daughters pictures, and they are GORGEOUS!!! .... If you have babies or kids, I highly recommend you give him a call! He did my daughter and my niece's and both are better than I have seen in a long time!"

And, Jennifer, we thank you for those kind words - your entire family has been a blast to photograph. I am sure it won't be the last time.

------------------------------------------------------

I also received this little note from the Garrisons whom you may remember from a few weeks back that I completely loved shooting their storybook riverfront wedding.

Thanks Janet and Dave, we really wish you all the best. You guys are meant for each other. Can't wait to hear about your days in Texas.

Sabrina - 2009 Henderson County Senior Ambassador!

2008-08-18T00:00:00.001-07:00

While we held back our high school senior targeted advertising campaign this year, we have been shooting a select group of seniors lately - and they have just been an absolute blast. Sabrina is our model ambassador for Henderson County High. It was an easy choice really - she is in my opinion, a model in the making! Sabrina and I met first at Audubon State Park where we had lots of fun running around the park chasing her awesome dog. We then went to the Old Evansville Courthouse, one of my personal favorite places in the city.

So luckily, Sabrina is apart of our team this year and we couldn't be happier about it - she is extremely talented and we wish her all the best in her senior year, we are sure this is not the last we have seen of Sabrina!

The Garrison Wedding

2008-08-12T13:47:00.000-07:00

Janet and Dave are one of those couples that you can just tell have a blast every second they are together. They currently reside in Texas but came to Evansville to marry on the Newburgh Riverfront before their friends and family. Luckily for me I was referred to Janet and the rest is history - and marital bliss!

The weather was gorgeous and the privately maintained courtyard they married in is a true work of art. Janet's twin nieces sure were cute as flower girls and, along with their brother, certainly were not the least bit camera shy!

Moms are usually the first to get emotional - understandably so!

This is one of my favorite shots of the rose petals after the flower girls spread them down the aisle.

The pictures really do speak for themselves in this one - it was truly a gem of a ceremony with a beautiful bride and groom to match. Thanks Janet and Dave good luck in the lone star state, that is what it is called right ;)

Mckenna on the River

2008-08-11T23:22:00.000-07:00

Today I will continue my efforts of spreading the joy that has been presented to me in the form of awesome clients wanting their pictures taken! I recently spent some time with the undeniably gorgeous Mckenna and family - I would mention Mckenna's mom and dad but really this day was all about her. We started out just walking along the river with the sun slowly starting its descent. Mckenna is a fireball and likes to explore what ever is in front of her.

She was truly a joy to shoot and she freely gave all the smiles we wanted - no begging required.

She was also such a trooper - as us adults showed our age with presperation she didn't break a sweat running from one river front location to another.

The heat index is irrelevant when you are young and playing in a fountain!

She is just a beautful little girl and I can't imagine not continuing to take pictures of her as she gets older - I know mom is into photography, but hopefully she gives me some more chances to photograph her beautfuil little girl. Because I mean really look at these last two pictures and tell me she isn't jusgt the coolest cutest kid you have seen in a long time?

Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels

2008-07-25T12:23:00.000-07:00

When Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels made a private stop in Evansville, the good people at Victoria National Golf Course asked if I would photograph the event. I was honored and gladly accepted.

Governor Daniels (no relation, unfortunately) arrived a little early and was able to watch Tiger Woods win the U.S. Open. For those of you who are not golf fans - Tiger won on the 91st hole in a sudden death show down - it was fantastic - and when you are in a bar full of Golf lovers, well it is even more special. The Governor drink water and mingled effortlessly with everyone. I was quite impressed - his people skills are phenomenal and he comes across as an extremely genuine individual.

Indiana Congressional Candidate Greg Goode was in attendance as well as were many of Indiana's currently elected Republicans.

The Governor gave a brief but poignant speech about the future of Indiana.

I had a lot of fun standing back and photographing the Governor and the day went great. The event furthered my already good relationship with Victoria National and I look forward to my next trip to their truly amazing club.

and as a side note...

I am a Harrison alum but on my drive home from Victoria, I couldn't help but pull over to take some pictures of the Castle Knights water tower which graces the Paradise, Indiana landscape. I am sure my 2009 seniors at Castle High will appreciate me laying down my loyalties long enough to get this shot ;)

Mary and Nathan's Wedding

2008-07-22T19:48:00.000-07:00

Sometimes the stars align and you just have a perfect wedding uniting two great people. That's what happened with Mary and Nate. The day started out with Mary getting ready at Shannon Alexanders, a great local hair salon. Everyone got a good laugh when Mary's hair was teased to the max in preparation for the updo.

Mary might hunt me down if I post the biggest hair of the hair teasing pictures - so we won't do that! When then traveled to the Discovery Lodge for the rest of the wedding preparations and the beautiful ceremony. Mary's husband is a class act and was great to get to know.

Mary's mother and the rest of her bridesmaids were all so attentive. There were so many great moments from this day that just picking several is almost impossible.

A truly romantic first dance from the Bride and Groom was one of my favorite moments of the entire day - you can tell these two are truly in love. I can't wait to take pictures of any and all babies they may have in the future :)