Inspired Images

Austin & Danielle's engagement

2009-08-24T22:28:00.003-05:00

Taking pictures for customers that live in other states can be tough sometimes making schedules coordinate and with Austin and Danielle living in Minneapolis that proved to be the case. Thankfully we found a Sunday that would work and were fortunate that the weather cooperated for us. We headed up to Ames to get some pictures on ISU's campus. Both Austin and Danielle are recent grads and knew of some great locations for their pictures. We had a really nice time walking around trying to avoid all of the new freshman that seemed to be everywhere! Here are a few of the shots from the evening.

Thanks again for showing me around, I had a great time hanging out with you guys. I hope your trip home went fast and was uneventful! Talk to you soon!

Erik - Inspired Images

Shane & Marcy's wedding

2009-08-24T21:58:00.004-05:00

What a beautiful day for an outdoor wedding! When I booked Marcy and Shane and we were sitting down talking about their wedding they mentioned that they were going to be getting married in the rose garden. My first thought was awesome, it's going to be so beautiful!...but then my mind quickly remembered what the date was! I was thinking 95 and humid but Saturday was the opposite with the temperatures almost feeling cool by the end of the evening. The wedding was gorgeous and being a 6:00 ceremony the light was being filtered by the huge oak trees which made for great shots. Following the ceremony we headed downtown to the Iowa State Historical Building for the reception. Before heading up I talked Shane and Marcy into going on a little walk to get some additional shots and it's a good thing we did cause they turned out awesome! The reception was gorgeous, and how could it not be with a great view of Des Moines' skyline to the west and the State Capitol Building to the east and the capper was watching the fireworks from the I-Cubs game! All in all it was a beautiful wedding for two wonderful people. Here are a few shots from their day.

Thanks again guys, I hope you had safe travels to British Columbia and have a wonderful time on your honeymoon! I can't wait to hear all about it. Talk to you soon!

Erik - Inspired Images

Ryan & Rachel's engagement

2009-08-24T21:29:00.004-05:00

We were finally we were able to get Ryan and Rachel's engagement pictures in before their wedding next month! We had a beautiful evening for pictures and we took advantage by heading first to Grays Lake and then heading downtown for a little bit of variety. It was a lot of fun chatting with both of them and talking about future plans. I can't tell you how much I'm looking forward to their wedding, it's going to be a lot of fun! Here are some pictures from our shoot.

Thanks again guys, can't wait to see you again soon!

Erik - Inspired Images

Maegan & Rich

2009-08-24T20:57:00.003-05:00

Maegan and Rich had their wedding a couple of weeks ago and HOT can describe a lot of things about this wedding, the temperature, the photographer, seriously I was sweating like crazy, the couple (and when I say couple of course I'm talking about the bride...sorry Rich but you know it's true!) Maegan and Rich are close friends of ours and it was a privilege to be able to not only be able to attend their beautiful wedding but to be able to capture the images. Following the ceremony we headed to a nearby park and everyone was great considering the temps. We got as many pictures as we could stand before heading to the reception. Of course if any of you have been to Audubon you know we had to get some pictures with Albert the Bull. Unfortunately I don't think I'll post any of them from there as it got quite interesting with all of the groomsmen. Here are some of the web appropriate pics!

I'm so happy for you guys and so glad that I was there, you are truly meant for each other and I couldn't be happier for you! Talk to you soon!

Erik - Inspired Images

Eastman Family

2009-08-07T21:18:00.004-05:00

It had been a long time coming to get this shoot in but it was worth the wait. On Thursday I had the privilege to take some family pictures for the Eastman's at their home. It was a beautiful setting and a wonderful family. Their little man Logan is just about the cutest kid I've seen, he was so full of energy and personality. We took advantage of their gorgeous wooded lot and were able to get some really nice pictures. Here are a few.

Thanks again for allowing me to spend some time with your family, I'm looking forward to working with you again in the fall! Talk to you soon.

Erik - Inspired Images

Dana & Renee

2009-08-03T11:53:00.003-05:00

I say it all the time, we have awesome clients! Dana and Renee were so much fun on Saturday. I went to school with Renee and her sister Michelle so it was awesome to get to see them again along with all of their family and friends. The wedding was held at the beautiful Our Lady's Immaculate Heart Catholic Church in Ankeny, with the reception following at Stoney Creek Inn. Immediately following the wedding we headed out for some more fun pictures, we ended up below the Saylorville Dam and were able to get some great shots. Everything went off without a hitch save for the fact that we had to have a scavenger hunt looking for Dana's lost sunglasses! It was a great time getting to hang out with old friends and to see two wonderful people commit their lives to each other. Here are a few pictures from the day.

I hope your flight was enjoyable to Mexico, have a wonderful time down there and just relax! Thanks again for everything, we'll see you soon!

Erik - Inspired Images

Jim & Val

2009-07-28T09:32:00.005-05:00

It was the second weekend in a row that I had an outdoor wedding and the second weekend in a row that the weather was awesome! Jim & Val tied the knot at the new Honey Creek Resort on Lake Rathbun. What a great venue and a very picturesque place for an outdoor ceremony. We started off by heading out to the golf course and jumping in some golf carts and driving to a nearby hole for some really nice group shots as well as individual shots of Jim and Val. We got back to the resort just in time for the beautiful ceremony. The reception followed in the resort. Here are a few of the pictures from the day!

Thanks again guys, you had such a wonderful wedding. I hope you are having a great time on your cruise! Talk to you soon!

Erik - Inspired Images

Abby

2009-07-25T08:54:00.003-05:00

Senior shoots are fun, it's great to get to hang out with young adults that are full of ideas but also want you to do your own thing. I had the pleasure of spending a little bit of time with Abby, her Mom and sister on Wednesday. Abby is a senior this year at Valley and was excited about getting her senior pictures taken. We hit up some local parks and ended the shoot downtown shooting her in a really cute dress. I had a great time and from the sounds of it everyone involved did as well. Here are a few pictures from our shoot.

Thanks again guys for finding a time that would work, I'm looking forward to seeing you again for some head shots. Talk to you soon!

Erik - Inspired Images

Mike & Jill

2009-07-21T12:12:00.003-05:00

An outdoor wedding in July with temps in the 70's? I don't think you could have drawn it up any better! Mike and Jill got married on Saturday in Cedar Rapids at A Touch of Class ,with a beautiful outdoor ceremony written by Jill. It was just perfect for the two of them filled with special messages to each other. It was a lot of fun taking their pictures as they are both great people and just perfect together. We started the day taking some formal pictures in a park nearby, I couldn't believe our luck having it be mostly cloudy and very comfortable for all involved. Following the wedding we headed inside for a very nice reception. Here are a few of the shots from the day.

Thanks again guys for letting me be a part of your day! Talk to you soon!

Erik - Inspired Images

Mike & Mary's engagement shoot

2009-07-14T17:32:00.003-05:00

So I got a call earlier in the week and it was Mary telling me that they were going to be in town and she wanted to see if I would have any time for engagement pictures this weekend. I had Jeff & Erin's wedding on Saturday but had an opening on Sunday morning for a shoot so we were able to get it in. We decided on going downtown and hitting up a few spots. It was a good time just walking around with them and getting to know them a little bit. They both live in Chicago now but Mary grew up in Des Moines so the wedding is going to be back here this fall. It was fun talking with them about Chicago, vacations, jobs, and probably the funniest thing Mike's hobby of doing headstands. I'm sure that most of you have already visited it in the past but you should check out his website at http://headstandman.com/ He has fans ranging from the everyday guy on the street to Bob Knight! I'm sure that he's available for public appearances so you might want to check in with him for any formal functions that you may have coming up. All kidding aside I had a great time hanging out with these two and we were able to get some really nice pictures. Here are a few from the shoot.

Did you think I was joking?Thanks again guys, I was glad to hear that you made it home safely! Talk to you soon!

Erik - Inspired Images

Jeff & Erin Wedding

2009-07-14T11:19:00.003-05:00

On Saturday I took the wedding pictures for a great couple Jeff and Erin. I had a great time getting to know them a little bit during their engagement shoot and found that we had a lot in common so it was good to see them again on their big day. It was a beautiful service performed by Erin's father, making it even more special. The wedding was held at Hope Lutheran Church in West Des Moines with the reception following at the Foxboro Conference Center in Johnston. After the wedding the whole wedding party and many additional friends all loaded up on a sweet Iowa Hawkeyes party bus, I have to admit that my thoughts turned to tailgating in a rig like that! Jeff and Erin had a beautiful reception and showed off some great dance moves and Jeff followed that up later in the evening with some old school rapping at the DJ station. It was a fun day all around, here are a few of the pictures.

Thanks again guys, I hope that we see each other soon!

Erik - Inspired Images

Syrus & Janelle

2009-07-09T08:54:00.004-05:00

We weren't even sure if we could get Syrus and Janelle's engagement shoot in with the weather in the area. We were scheduled to meet at 6:00 and the rains were coming down hard but we noticed that there was a little bit of lighter sky on the horizon so we decided to wait it out and fortunately for us the rains slowed and eventually stopped to give way to some good conditions. We walked around downtown and got some great shots, and all had a fun time talking about stuff. Here are a few pictures from their shoot.

Thanks again guys for waiting it out, I think we made the right decision! I'll talk to you soon.

Erik - Inspired Images

Eric & Jodi Wedding

2009-06-30T19:57:00.004-05:00

On Saturday I got to hang out with two awesome people and their friends. Eric (Murph) & Jodi's wedding was just beautiful, taking place at St. John's Lutheran Church in Des Moines. The architecture is gorgeous and it was just what Jodi wanted. Following the ceremony we headed out to Glen Oaks Country Club for the reception. I love to take pictures there it's such a wonderful venue. I think I saw some of the funniest and most original toasts yet, needless to say they lasted quite a while and most of them poked fun at Murph in some way! Following dinner we headed outside for the dance. The hot weather of the day gave way to cooler temperatures and a very comfortable breeze. Jodi and Murph had a great time partying with their friends and I had a great time capturing it! Here are a few pictures from their day.Thanks again for everything guys, you were awesome to work with and so so laid back! I hope you are having a great time in Mexico and can't wait to hear all about it. Talk to you soon!

Erik - Inspired Images

Heather & Jay's wedding

2009-06-26T09:41:00.004-05:00

On Saturday I had the privilege to take the wedding photos for two great friends of ours Jason er...I mean Jay and Heather :) With the way that storms were popping up daily last week we were very happy that the rainy weather had taken the day off though the heat was still there big time! It put a damper on some of our outdoor picture opportunities but we got as much in as we could. The wedding was beautiful taking place in Wyoming, IA with the reception following in Cedar Rapids. They had a great band at the reception called The Swing Crew Seriously if you want to have a good time at your reception you should look into hiring these guys. They played a great variety of music and even had some hilarious crowd interaction. One of the best parts was when they asked for a 4 year old volunteer to come up and my little buddy Wyatt quickly raised his hand. While the band had wanted him to pluck a string on the violin for the "Pop" in Pop goes the weasel, he had other ideas and sang the greatest version of Red River Valley that I have ever heard! It was so cute. Here are a few pictures from their day.
Bling - I can't say how happy and proud that we are for you guys! We love you so much and wish you all the happiness in the world! Thanks again for allowing us to be a part of your wonderful day, and we hope you are having a wonderful time in Nashville!

Erik - Inspired Images

Shane & Marcy

2009-06-22T10:55:00.004-05:00

With Shane and Marcy coming into town from Ohio for a wedding and me leaving town for a wedding in Eastern Iowa we had very limited time to take their engagement pictures. We made it work and were able to do them at 8:00 in the morning. I was worried that we may not be able to get them in with the very thick fog that had settled in the night before but throughout the shoot the fog continued to burn off giving us some great light. Shane and Marcy were great and didn't even mind that I took them down some muddy paths to get to the lake, of course I was the only one that lost my sandals and had to go barefoot the rest of the time! Here are a few shots from our shoot.

Thanks again guys for making arrangements to make it here before we had to head out! I'm really looking forward to your wedding and hope that you had a safe drive home. Talk to you soon!

Erik - Inspired Images

Nick & Michelle's wedding

2009-06-16T20:37:00.004-05:00

I had a great time at this wedding last Saturday, Nick and Michelle are such fun people and have friends that are just as fun. The wedding was held in Halbur with the reception following in Carroll. I had remembered from their engagement pictures that Nick wasn't big on being on the receiving end of my camera and during some of the pictures at the church it was apparent again. The pictures that we took after the wedding were a different story though, now I'm not saying that the goings on in limo ride to the park had anything to do with it, but it probably didn't hurt! :) Here are a few of the post wedding shots!

Thanks again guys, it was awesome hanging out with you. You are a great couple, good luck with all of your ventures! I'll look you up this fall and we'll have to tailgate at some IA games. Talk to you soon!

Erik - Inspired Images

Kevin & Jennifer's wedding

2009-06-06T23:00:00.003-05:00

Kevin & Jennifer got married today in a great little church located in the Living History Farms in Urbandale. It was a great location and we were able to take advantage with the weather giving us a break as well. Outside of it being extremely humid we lucked out and the rain that fell in the morning held off the rest of the day. Their wedding was beautiful and made even better by a fun group of friends and wonderful family. Here are a few of the shots from their day.

For any of you future brides out there, be sure to check out Cynthia Betts at Weddings in Iowa, she did a great job with the planning at Jennifer and Kevin's wedding!

Thanks again guys for everything, we'll talk to you soon!

Erik - Inspired Images

David & Kendra's wedding

2009-05-30T22:59:00.003-05:00

The first time that I had talked to David and Kendra they were thinking about a wedding date of June 6th, and in the time that they were thinking about it another couple booked with us. I was pleased that they were still flexible in their date and were able to move it back to this weekend! They are such a great couple and totally in love. It's a ton of fun hanging out with them and we were able to get some great pictures today at their beautiful wedding in Des Moines. Today's weather was quite different from the rain and clouds that we had experienced during their engagment shoot, today there wasn't a cloud in the sky. It was a picture perfect day for a wedding. Here are a few of the shots that we got!

Thanks again guys, I hope you have a wonderful trip to Colorado! I can't wait to hear about how you liked white water rafting! Talk to you soon.

Erik - Inspired Images

Cale and Trisha's engagement pictures

2009-05-26T15:46:00.003-05:00

I don't know what's going on with this weather but it's starting to get annoying. On Saturday night I had scheduled an engagement shoot with some old friends of mine from back in high school, Cale and Trish. About an hour prior to our shoot a big storm rolled through and dumped a bunch of rain, but it didn't last long so we thought that we had a chance to get out and shoot. We went out and of course it started to rain again. We were able to get a few in but decided that since they were going to be in town for the weekend that we would just try it again in the morning. Fortunately it was sunny and nice on Sunday and we were able to finish out their shoot. Here are a few of the shots that we got from our multiple sessions.

Thanks again guys for making the trip out from the Quad Cities! I had a great time taking your pictures, but an even better time hanging out at our party on Sunday. I'll talk to you soon!

Erik - Inspired Images

Nicole & Ryan's engagement

2009-05-19T23:04:00.006-05:00

Third try is the charm I guess as an unfortunate softball injury and then weather had postponed two of Ryan and Nicole's prior scheduled engagement shoots. We were able to get out on Monday and the weather was great, even a little bit on the warm side. We headed to a local park and had to work around seemingly the rest of the metro population that was there at the same time. It felt good to be out and about though and we were able to just take our time and hang out. I found that Ryan and I both share a love of the outdoors so I'm sure that we were boring Nicole with our hunting and fishing talk. It was a nice time though and we were able to get a nice mix of shots, here are just a few of them.

Thanks again guys and I'm glad we were able to find a time that would work. Ryan, be sure to let me know when you want to go fishing and we'll head out. Talk to you soon.

Erik - Inspired Images

Ryan & Christy's wedding

2009-05-17T10:21:00.004-05:00

I got a call about 45 minutes prior to when I was supposed to meet Ryan and Christy to take some pictures prior to the wedding. It was Christy, "What do you think about all of this wind, are we going to be okay"? I said lets go for it down at Valley Junction and see how it goes. We had to duck into some alleys to try to get out of the wind, and other than some goosebumps and eye watering gusts we made it through and the pictures turned out awesome! Christy was a real trooper, who would have thought that it would have been cold in mid-May?

They had a beautiful ceremony at Valley Church in West Des Moines, and the reception followed at the Science Center downtown. We didn't have a lot of time to get pictures in between the wedding and reception but we did sneak outside during the reception to get a few under the street lights. Here are a few of the pictures from their day!

Thanks again guys, I hope you have an awesome time in Italy and I can't wait to see some pictures! Talk to you soon!

Erik - Inspired Images

Maegan & Rich

2009-05-10T11:51:00.004-05:00

I looked at my watch as I saw the dark clouds rolling in, 4:15, my shoot with my good friends Maegan and Rich was scheduled for 5:30 and wasn't looking too promising. At 4:30 the rains came and they came hard with a substantial downpour. Thankfully they passed through quickly and before I knew it the sun was back out. We decided to go for it to try to get them in before more weather came through. Even though it was very windy we made it work and the pictures turned out great. It was fun hanging out and walking around some of the local parks. Here are a few shots from our shoot.

Thanks guys, we'll see you soon!

Erik - Inspired Images

Phil & Lindsey's wedding

2009-05-03T21:08:00.006-05:00

We had just an absolutely perfect day for a wedding on Saturday, and thankfully we had a lot of extra time to take some fun pictures with Phil and Lindsey. Following the ceremony we headed to downtown Des Moines and hit a few of the local spots and took advantage of the beautiful flowering trees in the area. It was fun hanging out with the wedding party and I had a particularly good time goofing around with all the the Gooding girls while trying to get them to pose! We finished up with the the outdoor stuff and headed to the reception at InPlay. When we walked in the door it was a nice surprise to see that we were going to be working with Urge Entertainment again at this wedding, we knew they always keep the guests dancing which allows us to get some great action shots. Stephanie East of An Elegant Affair coordinated the wedding and did an amazing job and kept the day running completely smooth. It was the first time that we had the pleasure of working with her but if anyone is looking for someone to help them out you should check out her website! Here are a few pictures from this extremely fun wedding.

I just had to add this picture of Lindsey's grandparents at the reception!Thanks again for everything guys, it was such a blast. To see a few more pictures head over to Kelly's blog. Talk to you soon!

Erik - Inspired Images

Jeff & Erin's Engagement shoot

2009-04-28T20:32:00.003-05:00

Thankfully the skies decided to clear up a little bit today and we were able to squeeze in Jeff and Erin's engagement shoot. We headed to a local park and walked around shooting the breeze and getting some sweet shots. With all of the rain that we had gotten over the last 3 days it was pretty soft out there but Erin didn't mind and hiked all over with her heels on. We had a great time and I'm really looking forward to their wedding. Here are a few pics from this afternoon.

Thanks again guys, hope you had a good time! Talk to you soon.

Erik - Inspired Images

Ryan & Jenilee's Engagements

2009-04-20T11:47:00.004-05:00

Well the first time I tried to take Ryan & Jenilee's engagement pictures the snow was coming down and the wind was blowing extremely hard. Well yesterday we were minus the snow but the wind was definitely around! We made the most of it though and headed down to Principal Park to get some fun shots at the stadium. Ryan and Jenilee are both big Cubs fans so it was fun to walk around the park when nobody was around. Well I shouldn't say nobody, some workers were there cleaning up after the game which made it interesting. We walked around the stadium and then found a guy that said it would be okay for us to head into the dugout and get a few shots down there too. It worked out really well and was actually a nice shelter from the wind. Following our shots at the park we headed downtown to get a few urban shots and Ryan and Jenilee were both getting into the shoot by then. We had a great time walking in some nasty alleys and climbing up rusty fire escapes. Here are a few shots from our session.

Thanks again guys, I'm so glad that we were able to get the session in this time! I can't wait for your wedding, we'll talk to you soon!

Erik - Inspired Images

Chris & Kathryn's Wedding

2009-04-20T11:35:00.003-05:00

While driving down to Pella to photograph Chris & Kathryn's wedding I can't say that I was too excited about the rain that was hitting my windshield. We had plans to head downtown Pella following the ceremony to get some pictures in the Molengracht. Throughout our formal pictures the rain continued and when the wedding had finished I was surprised to look outside and see that it had stopped, at least for that moment. Still hopeful that we could get some pictures in we headed downtown and walked around getting some great shots. The sun actually peeked out for a few and made it feel much more comfortable. Kathryn & Chris were a great couple and really shined when we got outside and we able to move around. Even with being a little bit shy in front of the camera Chris did a great job and you wouldn't know it by looking at the pictures! Here are a few from their day.

Thanks again guys, also you should head over to Kelly's blog to see some sweet shots she got of your rings. Talk to you soon!

Erik - Inspired Images

Josh & Nicole's Wedding

2009-04-05T22:05:00.003-05:00

I had a great kick off to our wedding season with Josh & Nicole's wedding on Saturday. They got married downtown at the Temple for Performing Arts building. It was an extremely beautiful setup which allowed for great pictures. We had a fun time walking around downtown getting a few shots prior to the ceremony and luckily with the exception of a little bit of wind the weather was much better than we had thought that it might be. Josh and Nicole are a great couple and a ton of fun to hang out with. Here are a few pictures from the day.

Thanks again guys for everything, even though a heads up as to which table I was sitting at during the reception wouldn't have hurt! What a bunch of rowdy bankers! :)

I hope you guys have an awesome trip to Jamaica and I can't wait to hear all about it. Talk to you soon!

Erik - Inspired Images

Josh & Nicole's engagement

2009-02-05T17:42:00.004-06:00

It's February 5th and temps were around 50...who would have guessed it? When we scheduled Josh and Nicole's engagement shoot weeks ago we were thinking that it would be more of the same sub-zero temperatures that we had been dealing with so we planned on going to the Botanical Center to get some indoor pictures. When we met there we decided to walk around and get some outside stuff first since we lucked out. We had a great time walking around and talking about the wedding and various other things. It was getting close to closing time so we headed in and got a few inside shots too. Here are a few that we got.

Thanks again guys, you'll have to give me a call on one of these Friday nights and I'll join ya for a couple! Talk to you soon.

Erik - Inspired Images

Hannah's Indoor pics

2009-02-04T20:58:00.003-06:00

I took Hannah's outdoor senior pictures back in the fall and recently she came out to Des Moines to get some indoor stuff taken. We had a nice time and it was great catching up with her and her mom. Hannah's great and always puts on an awesome smile. Here are a few of the pics from our shoot.

Thanks again guys for making the trip out, I hope that you were able to get a little bit of shopping in as well. I'll talk to you soon!

Erik - Inspired Images

Nick & Michelle

2009-02-04T15:38:00.003-06:00

We finally were able to get together on a time that would work after we had to reschedule our prior shoot because of some crazy wind! With the weather being really cold outside taking indoor shots was our only option but it worked well. Nick and Michelle brought along their adorable 18 month old and we were able to get a few shots of him, as well as all of them together. Here are a few shots from the day.

Thanks again for working with me on finding a time that would work guys! We'll talk to you soon.

Erik - Inspired Images

Christy & Ryan Engagement

2009-01-06T14:06:00.003-06:00

So it was cold and windy with a chance of snow but that wasn't going to stop Christy & Ryan from getting their engagement pictures taken! We decided to head down to the Botanical Center to get a few shots but thought we could all brave it for a while outside since the forecasted snow hadn't started yet. We walked along the Des Moines river for a while grabbing a few shots here and there with the city skyline in the background. When we all deceided that we were getting cold enough we headed over to the Botanical Center and got some great shots in there as well. It was fun to have a couple of different looks in one shoot. Here are a few of the shots from that blustery afternoon, I thought the B&W helped to show the conditions as well.
Thanks again guys, I'll talk to you soon!

Erik - Inspired Images

Grant

2008-12-10T22:31:00.003-06:00

While I was home visiting family over Thanksgiving I had the opportunity to take Grant's senior pictures. Grant is a good friend of Jared (who I also took his senior pictures) and also attends Bettendorf High School with him. Grant and I had a great time walking the riverfront, and hitting some spots around his home. We chatted about future plans, and traveling the world. Grant is a great soccer player and he's planning on playing when he goes to college. Here are a few of the shots that we got on this cool late fall morning.

Thanks again Grant, good luck with everything the rest of the year. I'll talk to you soon!

Erik - Inspired Images

Jason & Amber

2008-11-09T19:17:00.003-06:00

I'm not sure what happened to the warm fall that we were having but that went away this week and yesterdays wedding with Jason and Amber was COLD! They didn't let the weather affect their beautiful day though, and had a great wedding. The ceremony took place at St. Francis of Assisi Church in West Des Moines, and the reception followed at the Celebration Barn in Cumming. We had a great time taking pictures of them with their friends and families. The pictures all turned out really nice, here are a few from their special day.

Thanks again guys for allowing us to photograph your special day. For more pictures head over to Kelly's blog. I hope that you have a great time in Mexico and I can't wait to hear about it.

Erik - Inspired Images

Tim & Mary's wedding

2008-11-02T20:04:00.004-06:00

On Saturday we got the chance to take the wedding pictures for Tim & Mary. It was an absolutely gorgeous November day for a wedding, the temps were mild and there was barely any wind at all. The wedding was held at the St. Mary church in Elkhart, and the reception followed at the Holiday Inn in Des Moines. Following the lovely ceremony we followed the limo to a random farmer's field and got some cool shots in the newly picked corn field. With not a lot of time in between the ceremony and reception we had to head for Des Moines. Luckily we left when we did cause the limo ended up making more than one head scratching turns along the way. The reception was very nice, with toasts coming from their families as well as everyone in their bridal party. Here are a few shots from the day.

To see a few more shots head over to Kelly's blog. Thanks again guys, I hope you have a blast in Mexico and I can't wait to hear all about it. Talk to you soon.

Erik - Inspired Images

Eric & Jodi

2008-11-02T19:45:00.006-06:00

On Thursday night I was lucky enough to take the pictures for Eric (Murph) & Jodi. We had a great time walking around and talking a little bit. These two are just great together, with all their goofing around and having fun it was easy to see that they are in love. We headed to a park to take advantage of the fall color that was really beautiful especially since the weather had cooperated. I posed them several times and with a great amount of sarcasm Murph would say oh yeah, we do this all the time, which would make Jodi laugh. It didn't take much to make her laugh though, and the easiest thing to do was just to say, okay this one is going to be a serious shot....there was no chance of that! Here are a few from their shoot.

And a couple of outtakes....you see what I mean? This one is supposed to be "serious"...

And some random dude jogging through our shot.

Make sure to check out Eric during sports on the channel 5 news here in Des Moines. Thanks again guys, we'll talk to you soon!

Erik - Inspired Images

Paul & Mandy

2008-10-26T11:06:00.003-05:00

I'm having a great run of wonderful weddings right now. I can't believe how lucky we are to get the couples that we get. Paul & Mandy are a wonderful example of that, from the moment we started until the very last frame we shot they were fun, energetic, and completely in love. It certainly shows in the photography and makes my job a whole lot easier.

The ceremony was held in Ankeny at the very nice Ankeny United Methodist Church, with a very lovely service filled with a lot of arithmetic. (I think that was for Paul's benefit) Following the service we all headed down town to the Capitol and then down near Court Ave to get a few more shots and more importantly some more drinks. There was a polka band playing at the Hessen Haus and they got the whole wedding out on the dance floor when they played "No beer in Heaven". The time got short and we all headed to the Jester Park Lodge for the reception. It was really beautiful with candles lining the entrance adding to the ambiance. A nice touch to the evening was that they had Pianopalooza a dueling pianos duo instead of a DJ, it was fun as they were able to take requests & I think the highlight was when all of the men sang "You've lost that loving feeling" while on their knees to Mandy. This was such a fun wedding, I could probably go on forever about it, but I'll just post a few pictures here.

Thanks again guys, for more pictures you should head over to Kelly's site as I'm sure she'll have some up soon. Have fun in Mexico and we'll talk to you when you get back!

Erik - Inspired Images

Neela

2008-10-21T20:49:00.003-05:00

Last night I head out with Neela for a last minute senior shoot. We had a great time hitting up some of the great color that we have as well as heading downtown to get some grungy urban stuff too. Neela was up for anything and did a really great job, she was very natural in front of the camera. She wasn't all that familiar with Des Moines and I'm not sure that I took her to the best parts, but the pics look great! Here are a few of them.

Thanks again Neela, I'm so glad that you found us! We'll talk to you soon.

Erik - Inspired Images

Sutton Family

2008-10-21T20:28:00.005-05:00

On Sunday afternoon I took some long overdue family pictures for the Sutton family. I go to church with them and I used to work with Denice as well at LeMar Industries. I was glad to have the opportunity and they were a great group but I think Ally stole the show, she was so cute running around though she wasn't big on posing for me. I was able to get some cute shots of her when she didn't know I was around though! Here are a few of the shots from Sunday.

Thanks again guys, hopefully we'll see you more often at church though that's totally in Max's hands! Talk to you soon.

Erik - Inspired Images

Beelner Family

2008-10-21T19:57:00.003-05:00

On Sunday morning I took some family pictures for the Beelner family, and I'm not going to lie I may have been more than a little tired from the wedding that I had the previous day. We took some indoor shots and finally the boys started to warm up to it and we were able to get some good shots of them together. I totally forgot that the Des Moines marathon was going on and the park that I wanted to go to wasn't accessible so we hit another one in Beaverdale. It was a little bit chilly but the boys didn't seem to mind and they had a great time especially Duncan who was happy when he was able to play on the equipment. Here are a few of the pictures from the morning. Don't you just want to squeeze Griffin's little cheeks?? :)

Thanks again for working with me on a time guys, I'm so glad that we were able to do it. We'll see you soon sometime while we are up north. We'll have to get Griffin and Max together to play a little bit. Talk to you soon.

Erik - Inspired Images

Matt & Ashley wedding

2008-10-21T13:13:00.003-05:00

I don't know how we keep getting so lucky, but the couples that we book for weddings are just awesome. On Saturday we took the wedding pictures for Matt & Ashley. They were married at the beautiful St. Francis of Assisi Catholic church in West Des Moines. The ceremony was gorgeous, touching and humorous all at the same time. Following the ceremony the wedding party jumped into a trolley and we all headed to downtown Des Moines to grab a few more pictures and to party before going to the reception. We ended up at the Hessen Haus where they went through more than a few boots in the time we were there. The time got late and we all headed to Wakonda Country Club so that we weren't too late for the reception. We grabbed a few more pictures on the golf course and then hit up the party. Here are a few shots from this very enjoyable day.

Thanks again guys, we'll be in touch soon!

Erik - Inspired Images

Alyssa & Joe

2008-10-20T12:33:00.003-05:00

Last Thursday I was lucky enough to get to hang out with Alyssa & Joe for a little while and take their engagement pictures. Unfortunately they are getting married near Chicago and already have a wedding photographer, I say unfortunately because I had a great time getting to know them and enjoying a beautiful fall afternoon together. We headed to a nearby park and were greeted with awesome colors and great light and the results are fantastic. Here are a few of the shots that we got.

Thanks again guys, I'll talk to you soon!

Erik - Inspired Images

Zoe

2008-10-15T10:26:00.003-05:00

It started raining at about 2:00 yesterday and I wasn't sure if we were going to be able to get Zoe's senior shoot in or not. When she arrived it was barely drizzling so we decided to head out and see what happened. It turned out to be pretty decent even though I'm sure that Zoe was a little bit cold in some of her shots. We did some stuff around Beaverdale and then headed to the park to get some shots with the nice fall colors. Here are a few from last night.

Thanks Zoe, I'll talk to you soon!

Erik - Inspired Images

Jennifer & Kevin's engagements

2008-10-12T23:12:00.004-05:00

Tonight I headed down to Grays Lake and had a really great time hanging out with Kevin and Jennifer while I was taking their engagement pictures. We got a few with their dog Chase before Kevin's brother came and got him. The trees are starting to change now and the colors are looking great in pictures. We took advantage and headed off the beaten path for a while before heading back to the lake to get some shots with the sun setting. Here are a few that we got tonight.

Thanks again guys, can't wait for your wedding it sounds like it's going to be awesome! Hope to see you soon.

Erik - Inspired Images

Dusty & Shauna

2008-10-12T22:36:00.003-05:00

This weather has been so fantastic lately, and Saturday certainly was no exception. We had the pleasure of photographing the wedding of Dusty & Shauna in Madrid. The wedding was really beautiful with nice personal touches including a David Letterman inspired "Top 5" list about Dusty and Shauna delivered by Pastor Marcus. Following the wedding we followed the ISU bus (I refused to let my Hawkeye pride influence the pictures, though it was hard) to Jester Park to get a few shots down by the water. We had a great time and were getting some interesting looks from the campers and those having a picnic around the area. We then headed into Des Moines to the Sheraton and had a really fun time partying with their friends and family. Here are a few of the shots from the day.

Thanks again guys, for more pictures you should check out Kelly's blog here. She has a few additional pictures. I hope you have a good time on your honeymoon and we'll talk to you soon.

Erik - Inspired Images

Christina and Tim

2008-10-08T20:39:00.004-05:00

On Saturday we the pleasure of taking the wedding pictures for Tim & Christina. The weather was absolutely perfect for an October wedding. The ceremony was held at New Hope United Methodist Church in Des Moines, and the reception followed at the beautiful Hyperion Field Club. We had some time in between the ceremony and reception to hit a couple of parks and then head downtown to get a few shots there as well. We had a great time and Christina and Tim are a fantastic couple with wonderful and fun friends. Here are a few of the pictures from the day.

Thanks again guys, we had such a great time. I hope that you have fun on your honeymoon, we'll talk to you soon!

Erik - Inspired Images

Gavins

2008-09-25T20:38:00.005-05:00

I just got home tonight from a family shoot with some good friends of mine from back in Maquoketa. We headed up to Saylorville but the first park that we wanted to go to was closed (possibly still due to the flooding from this summer) so we headed up near the dam and were able to sneak around up there and get some great shots. We started with a few group shots to loosen things up and eventually that paid off with Avery warming up more and more as time went on. She's such a cutie and a really sweet little girl. Here are a few shots from the session.

Thanks again guys, it was really great to see you again. We'll be in touch soon.

Erik - Inspired Images

Jared

2008-09-22T22:52:00.004-05:00

So my weekend got even crazier as I had another senior session scheduled for Saturday as well. Jared is the son of one of my old friends from a previous job back in the Quad Cities. He's a wonderful young man, and one heck of an athlete. We got things started on Saturday late afternoon when we headed over to Bettendorf high school and got some pictures of him with his Jeep and Harley. I was so freakin jealous that I could hardly shoot the pics! ;) We got that finished up and headed down to the waterfront to get some sweet shots with the I-74 bridge as a backdrop as well as the Mississippi with the sun setting over the water. It was a beautiful night, though it went a lot faster than we thought it would. I had scheduled a wedding workshop for the next day, but had time in the morning to hook up some shots that we wanted to get in the night before. Of course with Jared being the running back for Bettendorf we had to head over to the high school again but this time to the football field to get some of him in his football gear. The lighting wasn't perfect by the time we made it out there but we made it work as I hauled some lights in, and it actually turned out really cool. Here are a few from our marathon session.

Thanks again guys, Jared you did a great job especially with all of the outfit changes that you had to put up with! Hopefully the next time we see you it won't be as long as this last time has. Good luck the rest of the season Jared, hope you guys can repeat!

Erik - Inspired Images

Hannah

2008-09-22T22:23:00.003-05:00

Last weekend I headed back home to get some pics for some old family friends. Hannah is now a senior at Maquoketa High School, and somehow we found a Friday night that would work out for both of our schedules. I headed out to their farm and we got some great shots on a bridge near their home which is named after their family. Following that we headed to a small acreage not far away and were rewarded with some great natural backdrops of birch trees and moss covered rocky bluffs. Hannah was a trooper hiking through all of the weeds and walking around in the timber barefoot. After that we headed to town to hit the country club while we still had some light to work with and got some really nice shots near one of the ponds and on the 9th green. Here are a few of the shots from our session.

Thanks again guys, it was so nice to see you again and get to spend a little time with you. Joel, you have a fantastic photographers eye, thanks for scouting out our locations! Hope to see you all again soon.

Erik - Inspired Images

Big Bad Brody G

2008-09-17T12:22:00.004-05:00

Brody came back today to get some pictures for his 1 year birthday. So we're a couple months late...oh well. It may have been easier to corral him when he was 1 year old cause now there's no stopping him! We were able to get quite a few cute shots, though it isn't hard when your working with this little guy. He and Max are running neck and neck in the cute department. Here are a few from this morning.

Thanks guys, oh Max wanted me to tell Brody that he wants to hang out sometime. You know, toss the ball around, scope some chicks, things like that. Have him call Max.

Talk to you soon.

Erik - Inspired Images

Alli's indoor shots

2008-09-17T11:39:00.004-05:00

Alli came back to the studio this week to get her indoor shots. Yeah, this is the same girl as in the previous post. She decided to go with dark hair for these shots and I think it works really well. Alli was a lot of fun and had some really cute ideas. I had another shoot this morning and yes, I did find a skittle on the floor! Here are a few shots from this fun shoot.

Thanks again guys, I hope to see you soon!

Erik - Inspired Images

David

2008-09-11T11:41:00.006-05:00

Last night I had a great time taking David's senior pictures. David is a senior at Urbandale high school, he was a lot of fun and a really interesting guy. We walked around and got some urban shots, and then hit a park and got some there too. The light was great when we started but by the time we finished it was really cloudy and looking like rain. We were fortunate to get it in when we did. Here are a few of the pictures from last night.

Thanks David, hope to see you soon!

Erik - Inspired Images

David & Kendra

2008-09-07T19:35:00.003-05:00

The outlook on tonight's engagement session with David and Kendra wasn't the best with rain coming through the area and with it starting just about the time we headed out, but we were hopeful that it would stay away until we could get some pictures taken. Luckily we weren't going far from the studio, just over to Drake's campus. Once there we just walked around and shot near many of their different buildings. It was a good time just hanging out, and dodging the rain drops. We were fortunate that the heaviest of the rain stayed away until we were getting to our cars, and that the clouds were light enough that there was good light throughout the session. Kendra and David are fun to hang out with and I can't wait for their wedding next May. Here are a few quick peeks at their engagement session.

Kendra you can see that I was able to get at least 4 shots without your mouth open so I would have to say mission accomplished! I hope you guys have a good week, we'll talk to you soon!

Thanks!

Erik - Inspired Images

Alli

2008-09-03T09:06:00.006-05:00

You just never know what you're going to get when you have to schedule outdoor sessions months ahead of time. The weather channel had been calling for showers and thunderstorms all day and when the 90+ degree heat gave way to the much cooler 70's just hours later you had an idea that the weather man might be right. Fortunately for us the skies just clouded up a little and even offered a few peaks of sun here and there, and it was just about perfect. We headed to a small horse farm near Norwalk to take Alli's senior pictures. She has a love of horses and wanted to get some with a horse named Khadillac. We had a great time taking pictures both with and without Khadillac in them. Here are a few from Alli's outdoor session.

You knew I had to add this one!Thanks again guys, can't wait for the indoor session. We'll talk to you soon!

Erik - Inspired Images

Jeff & Ashlei's wedding

2008-09-02T13:05:00.003-05:00

Last weekend we had the pleasure of taking the wedding pictures for Jeff and Ashlei Eganhouse. It was a beautiful outdoor wedding taking place on Jeff's parent's picturesque farm. The weather couldn't have been better with blue skies and moderate temperatures. Ashlei was brought to the congregation by a horse and buggy before being walked down the isle by her father, it was really pretty. It was a pretty quick but lovely ceremony with a surprise ending when Ashlei opened a box and released many monarch butterflies. Here are a few of the pictures from their day.

Thanks again guys, I hope to see you soon!

Erik - Inspired Images

Jordan & Amanda's Wedding

2008-08-19T14:52:00.004-05:00

Last Saturday we photographed the wedding of Jordan and Amanda Grimm. It was awesome! They got married in the Lutheran Church of Hope in West Des Moines in a beautiful bright sanctuary. We had a little bit of time to take advantage of the flower garden as well as the main church for some pictures. The ceremony was great and the pastor was really nice and funny, and he delivered a wonderful message. Following the ceremony we headed East on 235 and hit downtown for some shots. The group was in tow for some near the capitol building and then we were able to just get Jordan and Amanda away for a few more downtown. I think it should be mandatory for couples to allow this much time for pictures, it was a blast and we got some great stuff! They were great sports and we even picked Amanda up and put her in an old doorway for a couple! Here are a few shots from downtown, it was hard to narrow them down to just a few.

Thanks again guys, we had so much fun shooting your wedding. I can't wait to do a little quail hunting this fall Jordan, just give me a call! Talk to you soon.

-Erik

Annalise & Alex wedding

2008-08-12T19:38:00.003-05:00

It's hard to imagine two people more perfectly meant for each other than Alex and Annalise. They are two of the kindest and most personable people that we have had the pleasure to work with. It's apparent not only in how they are with each other and with friends and families but anyone that they come in contact with. This was one of the largest wedding parties that we have had with 7 on each side but it's easy to understand how they have so many friends that would want to be part of their special day. On Saturday we had the pleasure of taking their wedding pictures and we had a great time. The ceremony was beautiful and Alex's pastor from Tennessee made the trip up to not only see him get married but to give a very special message to the two of them. It's their faith in god that brought them together and he will keep them together always. Here are a few shots from their day.

This was taken straight out of the 1989 high school senior pose book, I personally think it's a good look.Thanks again guys, good luck with school starting soon. We'll see you soon.

Erik - Inspired Images

Cory & Heather's Wedding

2008-08-04T20:21:00.006-05:00

On Saturday we had the wedding for Cory & Heather Ohorilko. It was another beautiful day with high temperatures but plenty of sunshine and blue skies. Heather and Cory are extremely fun people and had friends in their wedding that were just as fun. We had a great time taking pictures and hanging out with them throughout their day. Following the ceremony we cruised around in their limo and were able to get some fun pictures, I think the highlight was when I passed the camera around and let some of the wedding party snap some shots...wait until you see some of these! The reception was a great time, and I think everyone enjoyed themselves. Here are a few shots from the day.

And this is why I'm in charge of taking pictures...Thanks for everything guys, can't wait to see you soon.

Erik - Inspired Images

Jon & Eliza's wedding

2008-07-27T21:58:00.004-05:00

On Saturday we photographed the wedding of Jon and Eliza Lower. It was a very nice day with overcast skies during the wedding and some nice sunshine following. The wedding was very pretty and took place in the newly renovated Christian Church in Runnells. Following the ceremony we headed back into Des Moines to get some fun shots near the capitol building. It's a little bit of a drive from Runnells to Des Moines, so the wedding party had plenty of time to get themselves ready for the pictures! They were a fun group and we took advantage by getting some fun shots. Besides Jon nailing me with the cork from his champaign bottle (I've got a picture to prove it) it went very well and everyone came out unscathed. We ran out of time downtown and had to head to the reception, which was also fun and I could tell that it only got better throughout the night. Here are a few pictures from the day.

This guy kept hounding me the whole night at the reception "Hey photographer, take my picture"...so I did. You guys have some weird friends! Just kidding Jason!

Thanks again guys, I wish you both the best. Talk to you soon.

Erik - Inspired Images

Jason & Amber's Engagement

2008-07-10T21:56:00.003-05:00

With the threat of rain in the forecast all day we were very fortunate that the weather held off long enough for us to get this session in. Armed with a big can of bug spray Jason, Amber and I headed to the park and were rewarded with great soft light and fairly mild conditions. We walked around for a while getting some beautiful shots, and then went to the car and got their dog Max (what a great name) for a few. This wasn't any ordinary dog, Max is an English Mastiff weighing in at around 185....luckily he was a good poser and we got some nice shots of the family. Here are a few from the session.Thanks again guys, we'll talk to you soon!

Erik - Inspired Images

Matt & Becky's Wedding

2008-07-07T22:08:00.003-05:00

We had another great wedding on Saturday. Matt & Becky were just a wonderful couple and their little girl Sophia is so adorable. The weather couldn't have been better for a July wedding which we were very happy for. The wedding went great and the reception immediately followed. It was beautifully set up, and it was a fun touch to play lots of Disney & High school Musical music for the children as they really seemed to enjoy it! Here are a few pictures from their day.

I'm totally jealous that Matt and Becky are reading this from their hotel in Hawaii, but I'm also so very happy for them. Thanks again guys, we look forward to seeing you soon.

Erik - Inspired Images

Cuties

2008-06-24T22:20:00.006-05:00

A couple of our very best friends Beth and Scott recently had twin baby girls. We were able to visit them on Saturday and meet the new additions to the family, and they are absolutely beautiful and perfect in every way. We couldn't be happier for them and we're both just so proud of Bessie and how amazing she was throughout the entire pregnancy. Their son Wyatt is also just adorable and I was able to corral him for a minute and got a pretty cute shot.
Now that we live in Des Moines we don't get to see them as often as we would like but when we do it's even more special.
If anyone is reading this from Eastern Iowa or Western Illinois and you are looking for a photographer you should call or email Beth at Hickory Hill Photography. Beth is a wonderful photographer and I'm sure that she would love to help you, just give her a few months! :)
Here are a few pictures of the kids.

Love you guys, can't wait to see you all soon!

Erik (Eek) - Inspired Images

Dusty & Shauna Engagement

2008-06-24T21:58:00.005-05:00

Holy mosquitoes Batman! Dusty, Shauna and I were planning to take their engagement pictures in a beautiful park near our studio but upon our arrival we quickly discovered that it wasn't going to be possible. We beat a hasty retreat back to my vehicle and decided that we would head downtown for the shoot. After killing the 20-30 mosquitoes that hitchhiked with us we arrived at our destination and got busy getting some great shots. Shauna and Dusty have a love of architecture and they taught me quite a bit about some of the unique buildings downtown. Here are a few of the pictures from our session.

Thanks again for being so flexible guys; my already badly bitten arms appreciate it!

Erik - Inspired Images

Jeff & Ashlei's Engagement

2008-06-24T21:50:00.004-05:00

Jeff & Ashlei are getting married near my hometown and being family friends I was happy to hear that they wanted me to take their wedding pictures. Finding a time to get the engagement pictures taken was a little bit of a challenge, but we made it work and it was worth the wait. I headed out to Jeff's families farm on Saturday and we were able to take advantage of the abundant rustic backdrops and beautiful landscapes. If only we could have taken care of those pesky gnats it would have been a perfect night. Here are a few pictures.

Thanks again guys, we'll talk to you soon!

Erik - Inspired Images

Matt & Ashley's Engagement

2008-06-17T21:13:00.007-05:00

Well we weren't sure how things were going to go tonight, with the way Des Moines has been fighting back the water lately. Ashley, Matt & I wanted to get some pictures downtown but didn't know if it was going to be possible but luckily the water receded enough that we had plenty of space to work.

I got the warning right up front from Ashley that neither her nor Matt were very photogenic and that I was going to have a challenge on my hands...I think you will see by the results that Ashley may have been overstating that just a bit!

We had a nice time just walking around downtown even though they both were unsure of the alley that I took them to right off the bat! It was nice to chat with Ashley's mom Connie again and I even put her to work a few times! We had wonderful weather for once and some great pictures as well. Here are a few.

Thanks again guys, we'll talk to you soon!

Erik - Inspired Images

Evans Family

2008-06-10T21:40:00.003-05:00

We had another night of nice weather and took advantage of it with the Evans family. Tamara, Jason and their children live across the street from us so it was fun to have a shoot with someone we know. We decided to go to a nearby park and had a great time, and got some great shots. The kids were mostly interested in the playground equipment instead of the shoot, and we eventually gave in and let them play. It's hard to believe how quickly the kids are growing up and they did such a great job at this shoot. Here are a few pictures.Thanks again guys, we'll talk to you soon!

Erik - Inspired Images

6-7-08 Ryan & Courtney

2008-06-08T19:52:00.005-05:00

This was one of those weddings where you are reminded why you are in the profession that you are in. Ryan & Courtney along with their family and friends were some of the kindest and most fun people that Tara and I have had the pleasure of working with. Yesterday was an extremely hot and humid day but Ryan and Courtney wouldn't be denied and Mother Nature held the rain off for the first time in what seems like weeks.

The wedding was extremely beautiful and took place at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in Ankeny. Following the wedding we headed west of Des Moines to a few locations for some outdoor shots. Finally we made it to the reception at Glen Oaks Country Club and it was really beautiful. Something that I thought was very unique and fun was that the whole wedding party got into some golf carts and drove down to hole 18, while in the mean time the crowd at the reception were notified that the party would be arriving at the rear of the club house. Everyone went outside to the balcony and watched as the wedding party rode in on their carts while a woman played the bag pipe. I thought it was a great way for them to arrive. The reception was a lot of fun, and Ryan, Courtney and their whole wedding party tore up the dance floor.

Here are just a few of the great pictures that we captured during the day.Thanks again guys, we'll see you soon!

Erik - Inspired Images

Jordan & Amanda's Engagement

2008-06-02T23:13:00.005-05:00

What a fun couple and a fun evening for pictures. We again were near the Des Moines river near the Saylorville Dam this weekend and got some wonderful shots of Jordan and Amanda. It was a beautiful evening and the company was even better. Talking about our hobbies and our love of the outdoors made this session fly by. I'm hoping that Jordan and I can get out and do a little bit of fishing this summer and possibly catch a walleye close to the size of the one we saw on a stringer that some lucky angler had caught. Here are just a few shots from the session.

Thanks again guys, I look forward to seeing you both soon!

Erik - Inspired Images

Alex & Annalise

2008-05-29T16:21:00.004-05:00

Alex & Annalise got engaged at the Saylorville Dam so we thought it would be appropriate to take some pictures there and in the parks surrounding it. We chose Memorial Day weekend to shoot the pictures, and even though it was busy with families camping we were able to find some locations with some privacy. We had such a great time walking around and chatting in between locations, they are both wonderful people and very in love. Here are a few pictures from the evening.

Thanks guys, and I'm really glad that the date worked out. I hope that you enjoy your summers off and your trip to Kentucky is fun! We'll talk to you soon.

Erik - Inspired Images

Tim & Mary Engagement

2008-05-23T10:10:00.003-05:00

On Saturday we headed up to ISU to take some engagement pictures for Tim & Mary. Our session was scheduled for the week before but because it was raining we had to reschedule. Saturday was beautiful but it was really windy, and that made for some tricky photography situations. We managed though and had a great time walking around the beautiful campus. Here are a few shots from the day.

Thanks guys, we'll talk to you soon!

Erik - Inspired Images

Phil & Lindsey Engagement Session

2008-05-21T22:17:00.004-05:00

Last Friday I had the chance to take some engagement pictures for Phillip & Lindsey. It was a beautiful night and we decided to go to Gray's Lake here in Des Moines. We certainly weren't the only ones enjoying the spring weather, but we still managed to find some areas away from the crowds. Here are a few shots from the session, better late than never right guys? (wink)

I can't wait for this wedding, it should be such a good time. Thanks guys, we'll talk to you soon!

Erik - Inspired Images

Brody's back

2008-04-30T21:44:00.004-05:00

Brody was back in the studio and this time he brought his cousin Olivia with him. We had a great time on Sunday getting some pictures of the kids. They did great and everything went smoothly. I'm sure that this won't be the last post with these two in it! Here are a few pictures.

Erik - Inspired Images

Cory & Heather's Engagement

2008-04-16T21:52:00.005-05:00

Tonight we took the engagement pictures for Cory & Heather. The weather was awesome and the wind actually died down some from earlier in the day allowing us to shoot for as long as we wanted. Cory & Heather are a great couple and were a lot of fun to work with, and we can't wait for their wedding to get here. We commented that the park that we went to had a lot of oak trees with the leaves still on the ground. It made it appear a little bit like fall, and that together with the sun getting lower in the sky made for some great pictures. Here are a few.
Thanks again guys, we'll talk to you soon!

Erik - Inspired Images

Max

2008-04-06T20:56:00.002-05:00

I've heard people tell me that he's cute, I've even thought it myself but tonight confirmed it. My son is CUTE! Tara and I had a little bit of time this afternoon and we thought we would see if Max was up for some pictures in the studio. He did really well and we got some great shots. If you are interested we started a blog with pictures of him. To view it click here Here's one to get you started.

Erik - Inspired Images

Matt & Leah's Wedding

2008-04-02T19:51:00.002-05:00

Despite the high winds on Saturday Matt & Leah had a beautiful wedding at the Celebration Barn in Cumming. Originally set to be an outdoor wedding, mother nature had other things in mind. Luckily the Celebration Barn is a great facility capable of housing the wedding ceremony as well as the reception. Following the ceremony we were able to take advantage of the beautiful grounds with some lovely outdoor portraits.

There was a fun reception to follow allowing us to capture some great moments.

Thank you guys so much, we had a wonderful time. We'll talk to you soon!

Erik - Inspired Images

Bruce & Sherry

2007-12-19T21:26:00.000-06:00

On Saturday I took the wedding pictures for two of my close friends Bruce & Sherry. Bruce is also photographer at Keepsake Portraits in Maquoketa, IA, and he actually took Tara’s and my wedding pictures over 5 years ago. He’s been a great friend and mentor to me as I have built up Inspired Images
They planned a mid-December wedding with a Christmas theme and the weather couldn’t have cooperated better. It started snowing early in the morning and continued all day, it put a small damper on the amount of outdoor pictures that we were able to try to get but the ones that we did manage were beautiful.
Their amazing children stood up for them at the wedding making it an even more special and beautiful event. The reception that followed the wedding was such a fun time and decorated following the Christmas theme, and there was even a surprise visit by the big man himself, Santa Clause.
Bruce and Sherry, thank you so much for having Inspired Images at your wedding, we had such a wonderful time and we wouldn’t have missed it for the world. We’re both so happy for you guys! We’ll talk to you soon.

Of course I can't resist all of the adorable children at the reception!

Thanks again!

Erik - Inspired Images

Mark, Jill & Brody

2007-12-02T17:47:00.000-06:00

Today my cousin Mark and his wife Jill brought over their son Brody for some Christmas pictures. Brody was very cooperative, and we got some really fun shots of him. He's at such a wonderful age, and he's starting to express himself a lot which is fun for Tara and me. Here are a few pictures from our session. Talk to you guys soon!

Erik - Inspired Images

Samuel & Ella

2007-11-25T19:38:00.000-06:00

Some very good friends of ours came over to have some family pictures taken this weekend, and we were able to get some really cute pictures of their children! Samuel & Ella had a great time playing with their wooden blocks. I thought they were so cute in their "grown-up" clothes. Samuel's jacket and Ella's sweater were their parents' as children, so it made the pictures even more special. Here are a few shots from the day. Thanks again guys, we'll talk to you soon!

Erik - Inspired Images

Jon & Eliza's Engagement

2007-11-24T16:46:00.000-06:00

We knew there was a chance that it would be cold when we scheduled the engagement pictures for today but we didn't think there would be snow on the ground and a very cool breeze to deal with as well! Jon & Eliza were troopers though and we were able to go out for a little while, and managed to get some great pictures! Here are a few from our cold shortened session.Thanks again for toughing it out guys! We'll talk to you soon!

Erik - Inspired Images

Nicole

2007-11-19T20:56:00.000-06:00

Following my indoor session with Michelle I took her good friend Nicole's pictures as well. I had a really fun time with Nicole since we were able to go outside and do a few before it started to get rainy. We drove all over Michelle's parent's acreage and we found some great spots & I think Nicole even had a good time too! Thanks Nicole, here are a few of the pictures that I have finished so far.
Erik - Inspired Images

Michelle's 2nd session

2007-11-19T20:45:00.000-06:00

I took Michelle's outdoor session a while ago, but since we were home for the wedding on Saturday I was able to take her indoor pictures. I set up my makeshift studio in her parent's home, and it worked out great! Michelle is a multi-sport star at her high school so of course we had to get some shots with all of her gear! Thanks again Michelle, hopefully we'll see you all again soon!

Erik - Inspired Images

Todd & Rhonda's wedding

2007-11-19T20:02:00.000-06:00

We had another wonderful wedding on Saturday, and with it being our second to last wedding of the year we feel so fortunate to have shared the day with so many wonderful couples. Todd & Rhonda were no exception. They are a couple of the most down to earth fun people to be around. The wedding was really beautiful, and took place in the gorgeous Lutheran Church in Dewitt Iowa.

The party got started following the wedding and what a party it was. Todd & Rhonda were greeted by a very large crowd and it seemed that everyone there was in the dancing mood!

I couldn't help but take a bunch of pictures of the adorable kids that were there as well!

If I don't see you guys before you leave on your honeymoon, I hope that you have a wonderful time! Thanks again, we'll talk to you soon.

Erik- Inspired Images

What a weekend!

2007-11-19T19:46:00.000-06:00

Well Tara and I had another crazy weekend where we had to travel back home to Eastern Iowa for a wedding on Saturday and a few sessions on Sunday as well. We had a great time at all of them, and were fortunate to have safe travels back home again on Sunday night. I will have a few pictures to follow as I get them finished.

Erik - Inspired Images

Engagement collages

2007-11-12T19:57:00.000-06:00

Check out some of these new collages that I've made from a few of my recent engagement sessions. For the few of you that I didn't include these on your engagement picture website they are of course available to you as well. I'll probably be adding a few more in the next little while so check back often!

Eric & Lainey

Matt & Becky

Ryan & Courtney

Paul & MandyErik - Inspired Images

Matt & Becky

2007-11-03T23:48:00.000-05:00

I had another fun engagement shoot tonight and amazingly enough some more perfect weather! Matt & Becky were really great and we had a lot of fun walking around the park kicking through the freshly fallen leaves. The colors are still really great on the oak trees and we took advatage of the beautiful backdrop. Here are a few pictures from their shoot. Thanks guys, I'll talk to you soon. I hope you have fun at The Bee Movie tomorrow!

Erik - Inspired Images

Eric & Lainey

2007-10-31T19:46:00.000-05:00

The temperatures are dropping and we are starting to run out of time to be able to get outdoor pictures in but today turned out to be a nice day. The wind was a little bit tricky at times, but we managed and Lainey was just acting like she was in a model shoot! Eric & Lainey were totally fun and came up with some great ideas too. We just walked around all over downtown and took pictures as we went. Eric and I almost had Lainey talked into going into the Hessen Haus for some pictures while drinking a boot, but we couldn't quite convince her. We finished up the session with some nice indoor pictures as well. Thanks a lot guys, I'm really glad that we could find a time that worked for all of us! I'll talk to you soon!

Erik - Inspired Images

Matt & Leah

2007-10-23T21:02:00.001-05:00

Tonight we had almost perfect weather for a fun engagement session with Matt & Leah. Being fairly new to the area I love to visit new places and try out some new things with couples. Tonight we went to Greenwood Park and it was absolutely gorgeous with the oaks being in full red color. We had a great time walking around and chatting with Matt's father. Here are a few quick shots from the session. Thanks guys, talk to you soon!

Erik - Inspired Images

Ryan & Courtney

2007-10-22T21:43:00.000-05:00

Ryan and Courtney are from Kansas City so we had to try to plan a weekend while they were back in the area for their engagement session. We couldn't have asked for a better day on Saturday, even if it was just a little windy. We agreed to meet at Glen Oaks Country Club where Courtney had once worked & it was absolutely beautiful. We jumped in a couple of golf carts and hit several places along the course, Courtney's mother Judy gave me the grand tour and put the brakes on anytime that I saw something that looked good (and there were a lot!). I had a great time talking with everyone and we were able to get some great shots. Thanks so much guys, I can't wait to see you again. Talk to you soon!

Erik - Inspired Images

Joe

2007-10-16T21:07:00.000-05:00

I had a really fun time with Joe tonight as we took his senior pictures. We started in the studio with some standard shots for the year book, and then headed to a few of the local haunts to get a couple of outdoor shots. It was really overcast and getting dark fast but we were able to manage. After coming back to the studio we did a few more shots of Joe doing some writing, something that he really enjoys doing. I think they turned out great. Thanks guys, we'll talk to you soon!

Erik - Inspired Images

Mandy & Paul

2007-10-11T21:44:00.000-05:00

Tonight I took the engagement pictures for Mandy & Paul and we had a great time. We met at 5:30 and drove to a park so we were cutting it a little close on time, but we were able to get in all of the pictures that we wanted to. These guys were great, and were up for anything. They brought their dog Tucker and even though he was a little excited about being there we were able to get some good shots with him as well. We took some shots all over the park and after the park ranger came by and closed half of the gate we figured we had better call it a night and get out of there. Thanks guys, I'll talk to you soon!
Erik - Inspired Images

Michelle

2007-10-08T23:00:00.001-05:00

After the great wedding that we had on Saturday I took the senior pictures for Michelle. We started early in the morning to avoid some of the heat, and luckily it was a little bit cloudy out. The location couldn't have been any better as we took all of the pictures on Michelle's family's acreage. The leaves are just starting to change and we took full advantage. This just so happened to be nearly in my childhood backyard so I knew of some other locations that we could try as well. Michelle did great and we had a really long session and got a lot of great shots, here are a few.

Thanks again Michelle, I'll talk to you soon!

Erik - Inspired Images

Matt & Lisa - The Wedding

2007-10-08T22:44:00.000-05:00

Who would have guessed that on October 6th the temperatures would be in the 90's, but that's what we had on Saturday. Just like during their engagement session Matt and Lisa were real troopers and we were able to get some great unique shots. The wedding was very nice and simple and very laid back. The reception was at a new venue in Maquoketa and it was beautiful. With a great outdoor area as well as a tent many of the guests enjoyed the night air as it cooled shortly after the sun set. I would like to thank Matt and Lisa for including us in their great day, and wish them the best in the future.

Erik - Inspired Images

Travis Stewart

2007-10-08T22:20:00.000-05:00

This was the second half of our session with Travis and we had a great time at East High. We took advantage of the great architecture there as well as the sunlight that followed the tremendous storm from earlier in the afternoon. Travis and I had a good time talking about where he was planning on going to school, as well as how his classes were going during his senior year.

Talk to you guys soon!

Erik - Inspired Images

Todd & Rhonda

2007-09-24T20:42:00.000-05:00

Following our wedding on Saturday I had the opportunity to take the engagement pictures for Todd & Rhonda. We met on Sunday morning in Bellevue and Todd had picked out some great places for the pictures. We were worried about the weather as they were saying that there was supposed to be high winds but we were fortunate again with nearly perfect conditions. We had a great time at the state park with the people that were oblivious that we were in the middle of a photo shoot, (I guess me posing them and having all of my camera gear wasn't clue enough) and then at the creek with the horse that just had to be involved in the pictures! Thanks guys for a fun time, I can't wait for your wedding!

Erik - Inspired Images

Chris & Ashley

2007-09-24T19:42:00.000-05:00

There couldn't have been a more beautiful day for an outdoor wedding than the one that we had on Saturday. The wedding of Ashley and Chris Trzaskos was a really wonderful event at the Maquoketa Country Club. Going back home for a wedding is always a fun. Ashley was a great friend to Tara and I all throughout highschool and beyond so it was just a great opportunity to be able to take the pictures on her wedding day. Having the golf course available as a backdrop was a nice touch and we took advantage. Being huge Iowa fans Ashley and Chris took that theme into the reception with a poem regarding Iowa football being read by Ashley and of course the Iowa fight song being played during the dance. Iowa nearly pulled the upset in Madison on Saturday night and gave the guests plenty to cheer about for the majority of the game.

I don't think that I can accurately describe the dance that followed, but I will say that a very good time was had by all.

Ashley and Chris, I hope that you have a wonderful time in Hawaii and I can't wait to hear all about your trip. Talk to you soon!

Erik - Inspired Images

A few New Zealand pics

2007-09-24T10:07:00.000-05:00

Okay, so maybe it's more than a few but I couldn't narrow it down and I will probably just keep adding additional blog entries on here until I find time to make a website for them.

Tara and I got up early one morning before the sun rose to see if we could see some of the rare yellow eyed penguins leave their caves and waddle into the blue ocean for the day. Luckily we did get to see 3 of them and were also treated to a beautiful sunrise.

This is Queenstown on the first night that we stayed there, we arrived early in the morning and drove through rain nearly the whole way, and little did we know that it would rain continuously the rest of the day harder than any other on our trip. We made the most of it going to little shops and eating at one of the local cafes. When we were sufficiently water logged we decided that we should go to a movie. Being such a small town we were limited in our selections since the theatre only had 3 screens. We settled on "The Simpsons Movie" and found it pretty funny. When we left the theatre it had stopped raining and we were able to grab this shot through the low lying clouds.

We were fascinated with all of the sheep and got many pictures of them, this is one of our favorites.

Abel Tasman National Park. This is where we were able to go on a sea kayaking trip and had a great time with our guide Eric. I still think that our rendition of "Go Cubs Go" should have taken first place in the Abel Tasman Idol competition that we had while kayaking!

A beautiful waterfall that we came across on one of our many little hikes that we took along the way.

I have a lot of wedding and engagement pictures to go through from this weekend so I will be posting those soon - keep posted.

Erik - Inspired Images

Kaylee Miller

2007-09-17T21:18:00.000-05:00

We had a great time taking Kaylee Miller's senior pictures last night. We started off taking some at their house in their beautiful back yard, and then some lounging in their really cool lounge chairs in the living room. We followed that up with a road trip downtown to get some with an urban feel. Thanks Kaylee, Michelle, and Marty we had a great time. Hope to see you soon!

-Erik Inspired Images

Jon & Kelly

2007-09-11T10:30:00.000-05:00

I've said it before and I'll say it again, we have the best couples! Jon and Kelly are a couple of the most fun and down to earth people we have met. Their wedding was really beautiful and everyone in their wedding was just great. We had a blast taking all of the pictures, riding the party bus, and hanging out at the reception. I'll be in touch with you guys soon. Jon, we need to go riding sometime before the weather turns cold this fall!

Erik - Inspired Images

Todd & Melanie

2007-08-26T15:18:00.000-05:00

Todd & Melanie Peterson.

What a fun day we had yesterday at the wedding of Todd & Melanie Peterson. The wedding & ceremony took place at the Scottish Rite Consistory in downtown Des Moines, and was absolutely beautiful. After a week where every day it rained most of the day, Melanie & Todd couldn't have asked for a better day for late August, it was gorgeous. Melanie, Todd and their whole wedding party were some of the most fun people that we had ever photographed. They were up for anything, and it was great! By the time we finished the formals it was getting a little close to the ceremony to try to get some outdoor shots, but we made up for that later when we all went to a park near the Consistory and had a lot of fun.

The fun didn't stop there, man did these guys love to dance!

We want to thank you guys for the opportunity to photograph your wedding, we had such a great time. I hope that you have a wonderful time in Tahiti and I can't wait to hear all about it. Talk to you soon!

Erik - Inspired Images

We're back

2007-08-21T12:49:00.000-05:00

Hesitantly we boarded the plane for the long flight home. We were sad to leave such a wonderfully beautiful place but also happy that we were able to experience it. It was an amazing trip and one that we will not soon forget. From start to finish it was magical. We are going to have so many great memories from driving a manual transmission car on the “wrong” side of the road, waking up before dawn to watch the yellow eyed penguins leave their nest and venture into the ocean while the sun rose behind them, Stewart Island with it’s laid back attitude and wonderful people, viewing the literally thousands of waterfalls on our drive into Milford Sound, walking on New Zealand’s 2nd largest glacier, and our sea kayaking trip with our guide Eric who taught us so much about the native Maori people.
We wished that we could have stayed a few more weeks, but we’re glad to be home as well. There are more things that we would have liked to have done, but as we say on every trip these things give us a reason to go back one day and I do believe that we will go back.
I have an extreme amount of work to get finished but I will publish some photographs from the trip as soon as I can.

Erik - Inspired Images

We're going to New Zealand!!

2007-08-01T14:42:00.000-05:00

This is just a quick note to let everyone know that we are going to be gone on vacation for the next couple of weeks & the next time that I will be able to check my email will probably be on August 20th. Don't worry, we'll probably do nothing but think of the business while we are gone :) Hopefully we'll have some beautiful landscape portraits for sale in the near future, check back soon!

Erik - Inspired Images