Amy & Rob's wedding at Stout's Island Lodge in Northern, WI.

I'm doing something different for my journal entries this year. Instead of weddings and shoots being displayed in a linear timeline style, I'm going to drop highlights in random order. Well, not completely random. But, it may appear that way. When I go through a wedding I've photographed, certain moments jump off the screen and bring me back in a way others just don't.  Sometimes its what happened in front of my camera, other times its a moment of inspiration or unique light, etc. Memories of the past usually hit me randomly and out of order, then my mind puts the pieces together and I feel something. I'm hoping to give it a try through these entries this year. Random, often mundane moments, strung together as an abstract collection of records of the past. 

Amy and Rob are amazing. Most of my clients are this way. More interesting, smarter, cooler and better people in general than me. I'm usually left wondering why they hired me? But, I must be doing something right because they keep coming back and keep telling their friends. I'm absolutely blown away. Amy and Rob will go on to do amazing things and travel the world together. They fit. Together. It was a high privilege to spend a weekend with them and witness their love and commitment to each other. I'm just blown away.     

Tons of thanks to my friend, Josiah for helping me with this wedding. A few shots in this post are his. 

2016 / Year in Review

Thank you to everyone who helped make 2016 such an inspiring and rewarding year for me and my family. You have been my biggest fans and strongest support. You've left amazing reviews for me and I didn't even have to ask. You have gushed over your photos and brought tears to my eyes. Your transparency in front of a camera is an honor to witness and I'm left searching for words to describe my thankfulness. 

My clients have been amazing and I consider most good friends. Not just amazing, but a breath of fresh air and fuel for my bones. Looking through the tens of thousands of photos from the past year gave me such tremendous satisfaction and happiness. I love how photographing people is such a joint effort. Its humbling and exciting and I felt inspired in 2016. Couples invited me along to some great destinations and mixing in a little travel was extremely rewarding. I shot more film, in various formats, this year than any previous year and was left wanting to use it more. I had an amazing assistant (Josiah) all year, and what a blessing he was during such a busy season. 2016 was full. Maybe too full. But, its exactly what it needed to be and I'm so grateful. 

2016 was also a year of firsts for me, in a way. After 6 years of pursuing this, it was my first complete year being a full time photographer. I must say, it was eye opening how much time I spent not doing photography, even though it was my busiest year to date. It seemed for every hour I was actually behind a camera, I spent 5 behind a computer. I'm still wrestling with how to handle this moving forward, because I was burnt out by the Fall. I'm realizing, in order to continue this as a sole job, I need to change some things and learn how to say no.. This will be really hard for me. Especially when its saying no to some really amazing jobs and people. I don't desire a crazy, rockstar, photography life. I really just want to faithfully document the people who come my way. I want to be around my family more. I want to have time with them and with friends and enjoying other pursuits in my life. To be honest, I haven't fully processed what 2016 meant to me and how to move forward into 2017. We sold a home, moved, and are currently completely remodeling a new one and my attention has been pulled in so many directions already, I'm still feeling a little burnt out from it all. 

To my 2017 clients and future clients who have yet to reach out...Its gonna be an amazing year. I'm beyond excited for you and that you've chosen to invite me into your life. Looking back has helped motivate me for 2017 and beyond and it'll be an absolute honor to document part of your life this year. One frame at a time. 

-Ryan    

Flora & Bryan's Wedding / Family Farm / River Falls, WI

I love when couples infuse so much of who they are into a wedding. Flora loves pink, vintage touches and elegance. Bryan loves nature. He spent his whole childhood adventuring on this property and learning about various plants. So, they had a very elegant, nature and pink filled wedding on the family farm and totally pulled it off. They kept the guest list short and sweet and threw one great party. Though it was hot and humid, you can't even tell from the photos. Everyone really enjoyed the day and as the sun set, a cool breeze carried any thought of sweat and stickiness away.

Bryan and Flora contacted me through Rivets and Roses, a wedding studio in NE Minneapolis i'm currently a part of. I'm totally booking weddings on my own, too...but, I really desire to work alongside other amazing photographers and rub shoulders with people I normally wouldn't get a chance to. So, find me. Tell others. Spread the word. I'm currently booking for 2015, 2016 and 2017 and would love to fill up my calendar with whatever you can throw at me. I already have some amazing weddings ahead of me for 2016. Just wait and see. Thanks so much for the support! This job is tons of work, but I love it and its such a collaboration with all of you amazing people.

THANK YOU.