Rachel and Chris - Engagement

Rachel and Chris are getting married in April at the Historic Trinity Lutheran Church in Soulard.  We got together on a Sunday afternoon recently and shot their engagement pictures.  We started with a few shots in and around the neighborhood near Trinity Lutheran and then proceded downtown for some shots at Chouteau's and Laclede's Landings.  We even managed to avoid a few trains!  :)

You wouldn't believe it if I told you...but the shot below was taken under a railroad trestle!  The tracks and ties in the section directly overhead had been removed and this nice spot of light came in quite nicely to this little spot.  :)  I love finding great little spots like this...we here at Daniel J. Watkins Photography are known for being able to find great little off-the-beaten-path locations!

Jessica and Daniel - January 3rd, 2009

Jessica and Daniel were married on January 3rd, 2009 (great way to ring in the new year...just keeping partying, eh?!) at the Ninth Street Abbey in Soulard.  It was a great day for a January wedding...in fact it was a balmy mid-50's day!  :)  We had the opportunity to steal away from the reception and do some pictures outside in the night fog...awesome!  Maria and I were blessed to have Maria's cousin (once removed) Stephanie Brunig -- who is a senior studying photography at Northwest Mo. State -- join us to shoot Jessica and Daniel's wedding.  What a fun night it was for all of us!

I've shot a number of weddings at Ninth Street Abbey before...but never in the winter.  So I guess that's why I've never discovered the upstairs rooms back behind the main building...there was this cool narrow hallway and we had to do some post-wedding bridal shots in this little hallway.  Jessica was totally up for it!  (And, hey, we work quickly!)

Here we are out in the night fog!  This shot is completely lit by an outside security light shining from one of the condos across the street.  The bus in the background -- nicely shining his lights through the fog -- mad for a nice touch on this shot.  In fact...I only made him back up and re-shoot this shot about nine times until we got it just right.  ;)  (Just kidding...)

Here is the beautiful bride dancing with her 94 year-old grandfather!  He danced the night away with his daughter and grand-daughter...just to name a few of the people on his dance card!

Emily and Barry - Engagement

Emily and Barry live...um...somewhere on the east coast...West Virginia, perhaps?  LOL  I'll have to check their facebook pages.  :)  Despite my geographical short-comings...I was able to meet up with this fantastically fun couple over the Christmas break and we shot their engagement pictures at Shaw's Garden.  I cannot wait for their October 2009 wedding...they are SO MUCH FUN together!  They were both wedding party members of past weddings I've shot (and not the same wedding either...get that!).  I'm honored, though not surprised -- he-he, that they chose me to photograph their wedding day.  :)

2009 Weddings - First Edition Shots - Jessica and Daniel

Last night we shot our first wedding for 2009 -- Jessica and Daniel were married at the 9th Street Abbey. Here is an image we captured around 10 PM just outside the reception site -- fog was in the air which made for a fun little impromptu session...who will look back at the images and think that they got married in January??? :)

Happy New Year 2009!

I resolve to do a lot more blogging this year!  Check back often too keep me honest.  

I hope everyone had a great Christmas and holiday season -- may the best of health, wealth, happiness and peace be yours throughout the new year.