Will's Christmas

Will and His parents Kate and Kirk had me over last week for some photos under the tree. He's getting so big! Merry Chistmas Will!

Michelle and Dan's E-Session

Michelle and Dan met Lauren and I at the riverscape ice rink last week to do their engagement session. I was looking forward to this shoot since last summer when we first met Michelle and Dan. They actually got engaged there last year, so the E-Session was kind of a little reinactment of that special nite for them. Though this night was arguably cooler because we got to do photos with the Zamboni, I know nothing can compare to their engagement story! Now Lauren and I are really looking forward to their wedding in May! Good luck with the planning! - Nick

Brittany and Zach

Brittany and Zach got married last weekend in the beautiful snow light snowstorm. It had been almost a month since we shot a wedding and we were just itching to get back too it, besides after all that turkey I needed to spend a day on my feet moving around heavy equipment! Brittany, Zach and their wedding party were such a blast to work with and we sure appreciated them allowing us to work outside it was well worth it. We just can't say thank you enough to everyone we worked with, it was truly one of those weddings where everything just went right and everyone had fun! Click 'Find a Wedding' to the left to view all the photos and leave your comments below. Thanks Brittany and Zach, you guys were awesome! -Nick

Don't forget to give this season!

808 Studios had their Annual nite out for charity tonite, we went to Sams Club and purchased 3 CARLOADS of baby items and pet supplies for our two favorite charities for the holidays, SICSA and the Dayton Right to life. I am so excited for this weeks delivery of all the stuff we baought I can barely type this blog entry - but more on that later! For now enjoy one of my favorite SNL sketches - "Give it on up to Homelessville" featuring the incomparable Justin Tiberlake and don't forget to give this Christmas - give until it hurts. It is even more important this year... -Nick

The 808 Studios Family grows!

World, meet Urban! Isn't he adorable! Urban Gabriel was born on November 20th to his parents Kim and Nathan. I Met Kim and Nathan many years ago when I was just begining my Business full time, they were one of those couples I just knew I would be friends with right off the bat. Since then I have had the utmost pleasure of photographing both of her sisters weddings, but my favorite part of being friends with Kim and Nathan is the huge perk of being part of their family. Her Mom and Dad, Pat and Brad, have welcomed me into their home more times than I can count and Pat and I sometimes meet for trivia nite at a bar in Brookville with her son-in-law and past groom of mine, Kevin. Their family now consists of 4 kids, 3 son-in-laws, 1 Daughter-in-law, 4 grandchildren, at least half a dozen dogs, and to top it off everyone lives in a different part of the US. From texas to Cincy and Indiana, I honestly don't know how they keep themselves straight but as far away as they are from eachother physically, I have never met a family more close to eachother, and I'm sure that has alot to do with the family's matriach, and my good friend, Pat. Btw, Urban shares a birthday with one of my dearest friends, and a birthday week with my grandma and I. You're in good company Urban! - Nick

Brad and I were friends way back in Jr High when we went to Van Buren and we just ran into eachother over the summer when I took my wrecked car into his shop at Frank Z. We havent had a chace to get that beer we've been talking about but I am really glad we had the opportunity to have him and his family into the studio for a portrait session for Shooting for the Soul. Normally we charge $50 for portrait sittings and that money is directly donated to a charitable organization that we work with, but this session was a little different. Brad's family recently lost most of their belongings in a house fire, and unfortunately they also lost both of their dogs. Brad's sister-in-law also joined us for some photos with her daughter Savanah, Savanah has yet to meet her father Nelson face to face. He is serving our country in Iraq and won't be here to spend her first Chistmas with her. Needless to say their portrait sitting was on me. I often find it a little odd that I set up Shooting for the Soul to help others in need. So commnly it's the ones in need that end up helping me by reminding me how important family and love truly are. As hard as the past few months have been on all of them I can see that the most important thing they have, Love, is really all you need. It's a reminder I often seek around Chistmas time to get me back in touch with the true meaning of the season. Thank you to the Hamiltons and the Steinkes for the opportunity to be a part of your family's portrait session and thanks for the little reminders.... -Nick

Olivia and Scott

So this is Olivia and Scott's wedding! All I can say is WOW! These two are good friends of mine and they blessed me with a very special role in their day, their photographer! What an awesome day to be able to spend with them, let alone getting the privilege to photograph them and the love they share! These two people, as individuals, are each so kind and generous, so it makes perfect sense that the Lord would bring these two together as a perfect match! Thank you to both of you for truly being the light of the love of Christ! Thank you for letting me and Nick be part of your special day as well, it means more than you will ever know! Also click 'Find a wedding' to the left to see the rest of the images from their wedding! Enjoy! ~Lauren

Amy, Brian and Brady

Brian and Amy Coleman had their Son Brady about 7 weeks ago, and we just had them in for a portrait session. Brady is one of the cutest little guys we've had here in a while, and his outfits are sure to please! The reindeer shots are sure to be embarassing when he gets older!

This is Shooting for the Soul

I was just way to proud of this image to not let it be posted!
This shot is what Shooting for the Soul is all about. I wanted it to be those fun shots that really inspire me to do a better job with my own work. Marissa goes to Carroll and She and I have become friends over the past week with her Senior portrait session. We met today at the Kettering rec to do some shots by the pool (shes a lifeguard at Splash Moraine in the summer) and I had been looking forward to the shoot all week, I even made some special gels to color the background of the photos blue! It was just super fun working with Marissa, She was so agreeable and just a joy to work with, Thanks Marissa! - Nick

Andrea and Brian's E-session

Andrea and Brian met me for their E-session last week at Cox. We had a gloomy day but it didn't but a damper on us. We got some great stuff! Really looking forward to the wedding, Thanks Andrea and Brian!

Emily and Jeff

Emily and Jeff had their wedding on November 8th and We couldn't imagine having a better time at a wedding! The wedding party, their families and everyone involved were just such a pleasure to work with. A special thanks to Elizabeth at the Shuster Center! We always love working with her because we know our clients are in very good hands! Emily and Jeff are such an amazing couple, It was just freezing outside but they didnt mind shooting outside one bit, never heard a peep from either of them, even when Emily was shivering she was smiling!! The reception was a blast start to finish and we got some really "unique" PhotoGuestbook pages. Please enjoy the show and leave your comments for Jeff and Emily below. Click "Find a Wedding" to the left to view all the images. Thanks E&J! - Nick

Jen and Chris and SNOW!

Monday was such a wonderful day to get outside if you like snow, especially if you want to photograph in it. I was pretty excited when I left the studio Monday afternoon to head to Cox to shoot Jen and Chris' E-session. It was snowing! I love the snow and it is really rare I get to shoot in it. Of course it was freezing but they didn't mind a bit. I'm sure it will be a little warmer on the 4th of July when they have their wedding. Thanks J&C, it was a blast!

A proud Papa!

While I'm not actually Lauren's Dad, and I know Her Dad is way more proud of her than I am, I just wanted to let everyone know how proud of Lauren I really am. Saturday was her good friends Olivia and Scott's wedding. It was just about the coldest and rainiest day I've seen in a long time but that didn't put one damper on the spirit of the wedding, nor did it put a damper on her creativity. She was totally there to rock this wedding and blow away Olivia and Scott (which I know will happen in a few days when they see their proofs!) It's a really hard thing to shoot your friends weddings, there is way more pressure, and sometimes it is hard to be taken serioulsy when all they want to do is hang out with a friend but Saturday she shined. She was right in there being a friend and a photographer! Putting on the brides shoes and bossing me around (I was her assistant, and thats what I do with her so I would expect no less!) She had a hundred reasons to be stressed out, the rain pouring down on us as we shot was not the only one, but I'll tell you, you would have thought she was shooting on the beach in Florida! It didn't bother her a bit. She has been working with me for almost 3 years now and just this summer she started shooting on her own, with a good friends sister's wedding to start off and a few more since then. She still impresses me and I know when she edits her work she will even impress herself! I am so proud of the photographer she has become, but I'm more proud of the person she has grown into. Lauren is definitely one of the most caring and thoughtful individuals I've ever had the pleasure to call a friend. She would do anything for anyone, works with a great sense of humility and has everything within her to be an awesome wedding photographer! It was truely a joy to see the learner become the master, and the best part is this blog entry won't even go to her head like it would mine :) Look at her do her thing!We even posed for the PhotoGuestbook!

Lindsey and Mike's Wedding in Columbus

Lindsey and Mike had their wedding in Columbus on November 1st and we just enjoyed the heck out of it! It was the most beatiful day we had all November and the wedding party and Lindsey and Mike we just up ofr anything. We shot at at least half a dozen spots, and there was inspiration everywhere! The wedding and reception were at the Greystone winery, Honestly I was a little nervous that it would be a little snug, and a little dark but it was a challenge I really was looking forward to and we have the best equipment in the world so it just all came out wonderful! Thanks you so much L&M for the opportunity to shoot one of the most unique weddings we have had in a long time! Please leave your comments for them below and click 'Find a Wedding' to the left to view all the images! - Nick

Jessica and David (the October 25 Jessica and David)

Yes we had a Jessica and David on October 18th too, you're not thinking things! Jessica and David got married right down the street from where I live, but I actually had a nearly 4 hour drive just to get there. I had a wedding the night before in Sandusky Ohio so we woke up at sunrise and hustled home for Jessica and David. It was totally worth all the hustle, we just felt like part of the family as soon as we got there! Their wedding was just the way we like them too, intimate and full of life. Thanks for having us it was a blast! Please click here to view the show full screen, or Email us for the embed code to add it to your blog, website or myspace page. Click "Find a Wedding" to the left to view all the images.

Mike and Ruth's E-Session

Mike and Ruth are getting married next October in Columbus, and we took advantage of a great evening in Miami and photographed their engagement session. I'm really looking forward to the wedding it sounds like it will be a great time! We're going to the concrete corn fields!? Yeah I said "huh?" too but it sounds like fun to me! Click here to view the show full screen. Email us if you want the embed code to post the show on your website or blog, and leave your comments for Ruth and Mike below.

Haley and Tim do Miami

A couple weeks ago Haley called me and asked if I do photography at Miami university, Well heck yeah I do especially when I have an amazing couple like Haley and Tim to work with! Tim will be leaving the love of his life and heading to Iraq to protect the freedoms we all hold so dearly in a few weeks so we took the opportunity of a great evening, a fun couple, and perfect scenery and came away with some amazing portraits! Tim and Haley you will be in the prayers of all of us here at 808. Tim we hope for your safe return, and look forward to your wedding, I know it will be a blast! You can view the show full screen by clicking here, or email us for the Embed code to share it on your blog or website, and please leave your comments for them below. - Nick

Chelsea and Mike E-session

This is Chelsea and Mike's engagement session I shot a couple of weeks ago. This was one of the first really chilly and windy days we had yet this fall but Chelsea and Mike were troopers as we did the session! I think the wind actually added a really fun effect to the session! Thanks you two for coming down, I hope you had as much fun I as did! Can't wait for the wedding! ~Lauren

Shelby and Adam, Rain, Rain Go Away...

Shelby and Adam's wedding was in Sandusky Ohio the last week of October. I was fortunate enough to photograph Adam's Brother Rob's wedding 3 years ago and His wife, Ala (who introduced Shelby and Adam) recommended me for their wedding. I couldn't be more thankful for a recommendation. This wedding had all the makings of "The Perfect Wedding" A gorgeous church, a beautiful wedding party, adorable ring bearers and flower girls, awesome backdrops, time to do whatever I we wanted and of course a wonderful couple. All the great things you need, accept the weather. I have to admit, the first thing I thought when I walked outside after the wedding and saw the rain pouring down was "crap!" We had planned for about two or three hours of photos outside at 3 different locations. I was really looking forward to shooting outside! Well we went on to Adam's Grandparents home on the lake and shot inside near the windows and actually went out in the rain with the umbrella for a few shots, we really milked the rain for all we could and subsequently completely gave up on shooting outside. So our last shot before we left for the reception was a really fun shot of the wedding party all piled of the front steps of the house huddled together to keep warm, and as we helped everyone get into the limo I looked up from the corner of my eye to see the slightest hint of a sunset peering though the dark and ominous clouds that ruined our plans for outside shots. I honestly felt like god had parted the clouds just for Shelby and Adam to do a few outside shots. I ran into the house and told Shelby we have to go outside. (Normally I would have asked, or given the option for going outside for a few more shots, but I knew I wasn't going to get a no from them!) We shot for less than five minutes and got the images I feel define Shelby and Adams wedding. When I finished with the sunset pics I shouted out a huge "BOOYAH!" ran up to S&A and let them see them on my camera. After Shelby saw the images she said four simple words to me that I will never forget for the rest of my life, They had such an impact on me and what I do for my clients that I honestly could never tell her how much they meant to me as a wedding photographer.

"You Saved My Wedding"

I knew we were all disappointed that it was raining but I know Shelby knew I was going to do everything I could to make sure she had images that portrayed the love and personality that She and Adam share. Shelby and Adam, thank you, sincerely, for the opportunity to work with you and your families, the pleasure was all mine!! Click 'Find a Wedding' to the left to view all the images. - Nick