Red Gecko Studio

Katy & Joey :: Fun & Frozen! :: Wisconsin Wedding Photographer

Mandie Haberman — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 03:58:54 +0000

A couple of weeks ago I had a VERY fun opportunity to photograph two lovely friends of mine, Mr. & Mrs. Katy & Joey. It was not until after Katy & Joey were married (and their wedding photographed by the fabulous KB Images of Milwaukee) that Katy & I reconnected after working together a few years ago. I loved Katy’s dress, and it turns out she liked my photographs- so when I put a shout out for some couples to have fun in the snow in their wedding attire I heard from Katy right away! This couple, whom I’m lucky to consider friends, were a blast to work with. They were such good sports in the cold, too!

We started right outside the Memorial Union, where Lake Mendota was frozen over enough to traipse around on the surface with ice fisherman and a group of people reconstructing the sunken Lady Liberty statue from a 1970’s prank.

As interesting a backdrop as that was, it wasn’t what we were expecting…the finished sculpture. Guess they fell behind! But it turns out that the frozen tundra look was fun all on its own!

Mmmmm, toasty looking…it almost seems like it could have been a nice, warm day!

The scene was enhanced by the castle-like figure of the red gym.

And even more amazing is the Union Terrace as a backdrop…you don’t get that very often.

The dip…not so easy on a frozen lake…

I was super lucky to have Mike and Luke from The Visual Soundtrack accompany us on this shoot. It was great working with them! Here’s Luke in action…

I love the architecture of the Union.

A cover of white snow is reflecty. Fun to shoot on!

I love that you can’t tell here where the pier ends and the lake begins… And if you’re not a Madisonite, it might not even be obvious that this IS a pier (if not for the no diving sign).

I even got Katy to sit in the snow. Go Katy!

One of the things I really admire about Luke & Mike’s work is that they know their stuff about studio strobes. They set up an off-camera strobe light and got some fantastic shots…then they generously turned over the cord to me so I could grab a couple well-lit shots!

I’ve been a teensy bit action-heavy lately, I’ll admit it…

After all was said and done, we revisited the scene of the crime: The Orpheum. Katy & Joey’s wedding reception was held here barely six months ago!

To Katy & Joey: Thanks so much for being troopers through the cold and snow for this shoot! I know all three of us photographers had a wonderful time. Hopefully we can do another portrait session soon, perhaps for a one-year anniversary? He he he! You guys are just too fun.

For details about hiring Red Gecko Studio as the photographer for your upcoming wedding, please use the Contact section of this blog! Red Gecko Studio proudly serves weddings and special events in Madison, Milwaukee, and southeastern Wisconsin. Travel to any other location in the world can always be arranged,so don’t hesitate to ask about your destination wedding! Thanks for visiting, and please take a moment to leave your thoughts as a comment!

Best of 2009 :: Wedding Dances :: Wisconsin Wedding Photographer

Mandie Haberman — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 03:37:01 +0000

Well, everyone, I’m on the verge of catching up with several projects, and that includes the Best of 2009 series. One last fun category to go, and that is DANCES!

Wedding dances always bring a little moisture to my eyes. They are filled with such tender moments. In the midst of a very public day, the first dance between a husband and wife is just a little more intimate than any of the other events of the day. The smiles that bounce between them, the whispers exchanged that nobody can hear, the spontaneous laughter or stray tear that escapes an eye… These are quickly becoming some of my favorite parts of the day. Even a touching dance between a bride and her dad or a groom and his mom can steal my breath.

And so, as at the end of every wedding comes the dancing, here I’ll close our Best of 2009 post series by sharing some sweet dancing portraits. Enjoy!

#1:

Melanie & Joe's First Dance (with Studio Noveau)

#2:

Scott & his Mom at Songbird Hills Country Club

#3:

Carolyn & Chris's First Dance at the Eisner Museum in Milwaukee

#4:

Julie & Matt at the Hilltop Resort in Wisconsin

#5:

Marianne & her Dad at Blackhawk Church in Madison Wisconsin

#6:

Another Father-Daughter, Megan and her Dad in Verona Wisconsin

#7:

Ashley & Jason Break it Down Destination Wedding Style in Mexico!

#8:

Katie & Greg at the Madison Concourse Hotel, with Jessica Kempen Photography

#9:

A Sweet Kiss at Alli & Mike's University Club Wedding

#10:

Beth & Dan's Wedding at the Monona Terrace

Thank you everyone, for following this series and sharing your comments. Please take a few moments to vote on the other Best of 2009 posts and share some love. All voting will be closed on THURSDAY of this week, March 5, leaving me just enough time to post winners before I leave for a week of photography networking, inspiration, and education in fabulous Las Vegas.

To ensure your vote is counted, leave the NUMBER of your favorite image in the comments section below! The couple belonging to the winning images for each post will receive a FREE 8×10 of their featured image!

Sneaky Peeky :: Winter Bride & Groom Shoots! :: Wisconsin Wedding Photographer

Mandie Haberman — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 21:57:27 +0000

It has been a BUSY busy few weeks, but what fun! Coming up soon: the last Best of 2009 post. But very quickly, here’s a peek at what’s coming up on the blog!

A very snowy Replay session on the frozen Lake Mendota:

A fun in-home professional portrait session with a local Personal Trainer:

And finally, a daring bride & groom on ice skates at Milwaukee’s Red Arrow Park:

Until then, please check out all of the Best of 2009 posts and cast your vote before winners are chosen on Sunday, February 28!

Best of 2009 :: Details, Details! :: Madison Wedding Photographer

Mandie Haberman — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 21:17:08 +0000

Winter has passed its peak and here in Wisconsin, we’re eagerly awaiting spring. I’m so thrilled that by the time I return from Vegas in just a few short weeks, March will be nearly half-over and my favorite season will be on its way.

Along with spring comes a very exciting wedding season. I’m thrilled to begin! However, before that happens let’s finish up our Best of 2009 series so we can announce some winners and award some prints. YAY!

As you already know, I LOVE details. So, let’s take a look at some bouquets, rings, and other things from 2009’s lovely weddings. Remember, vote by telling us what your favorite image is in a comment on this post. The couple whose image gets the most votes gets a FREE 8×10 of that image!

#1:

Anne's Beautiful and Colorful Bouquet at the Capitol in Madison

#2:

Anne's Grandmother's Locket

#3:

A Combo Rings-&-Bouquet Shot from Gwen & Scott's Wedding

#4:

Wedding Rings with Boat Motor Propeller at Carolyn & Chris's Wedding

#5:

Cute Planter Placecards at Julie & Matt's Wedding

#6:

Megan & Darcey's Wedding Rings in Red Boxes

#7:

A Lovely Bridal Bouquet from Ashley & Jason's Mexico Wedding

#8:

A Bridesmaid Bouquet from Jesse & Bridgette's Wedding

#9:

A Stunning Cake from Katie & Greg's Wedding with Jessica Kempen Photography

#10:

Another Lovely Cake from Alli & Mike's Wedding

#11:

A Pair of Ring Shots from Beth & Dan's Wedding with Studio Noveau

#12:

A Unique & Beautiful Necklace from Alicia & Jason's Wedding

Don’t Forget to vote for your favorite by leaving a comment below… Thanks for voting!

Always More to Learn :: A Posing Workshop in Madison :: Wisconsin Portrait & Wedding Photographer

Mandie Haberman — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 01:40:27 +0000

Education is priceless. There is never a point in life where you can sit back and say, “Now I know it all.” Of course this is true in any profession, including photography. As a professional photographer, it’s my job to make sure I am learning all I can to improve my art. Keeping myself aware of learning opportunities is important not only to me, but to you- my clients! I want to give my very best to my brides & grooms.

Here in Madison I’m finding that we have a wonderful network of local photographers who I can call friends. Pierre of Pierre’s Portrait Art is a great artist and dedicated to sharing his knowledge and inspiration with all of us. On Superbowl Sunday I had an amazing time attending Pierre’s workshop on posing. We got to photograph another fellow photographer and her hubby, who have been married for five years this year. They were fun to work with and did a great job of putting up with all of us!

Here are some of my images from the day, both portraits and candids of my fellow classmates and our mentor in action. Let’s start with our beautiful couple. Even a hotel hallway can provide a portrait backdrop:

Pierre’s lovely wife Anna showing us how to instruct our subjects:

Pierre in action, too – they make such a great team!

Larger workshops mean that you don’t always get the greatest angle on the subjects, but you work with what you get.

This one is absolutely my favorite from the day…

Yummy window light:

An exercise in perspective and size:

Gotta tell both sides of the story, of course!

I just adore this hallway. And ya gotta love a classmate who’s ready to go model when it counts! Thanks, Mike!

The fabulous Pierre shows off his mad posing skills!

Thank you, Pierre, for being so generous with your time and your expertise. It is photographers like you who push and enable all of us to become better photographers and business owners- and that in turn has a positive impact on all of our clients and couples! To all my friends from the workshop, I hope to see you guys again!

Downtown Fun :: Meet Andy! :: Madison Portrait Photographer

Mandie Haberman — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 21:50:33 +0000

I am horribly belated in the posting of this preview, but as I’ve got one more week before I’m officially free of daytime employment once again I decided to post a quick and fun peek at one of my December portrait sessions. Meet my buddy Andy!

Andy & I met when we worked together at a local software company. I can’t believe that was over three years ago! We remained friends after I left the company, and I love reading Andy’s quirky and amusing status updates. Everyone needs one friend like Andy: lighthearted, playful, and completely genuine. His positive qualities don’t stop there- this guy has mastered the ability to create positive change and momentum in his life. Since moving to Madison, he’s fallen in love with jogging and cooking and has adopted an inspiringly healthy lifestyle. I saw our portrait session as an opportunity to document his success in this endeavor. What fun!

We met downtown at a coffee shop and chatted for quite a while before we realized that we’d better get moving! Our session was super fun. We started at the Capitol, visited the holiday tree inside, and then strolled on State Street for a bit before transferring our energy to the efforts of shopping. Fun, casual, coffee, shopping- what more could I ask for in a portrait session?

Without further ado, heeeeere’s Andy!

I loved the colors & lights in the tree in the capitol.

We wandered around inside for a while. I always love these lampposts!

We got several nice shots, but this portrait just feels the most like Andy to me. It says, “oh, hai!”

And this is Andy’s tribute to Zoolander, appropriate for his first official modeling gig:

Time to get serious.

And one last favorite from the day. You know, just hangin’ around on a ledge…

Thanks, Andy, for letting me create these portraits for you! I look forward to our next coffee and shopping meet-up on State Street.

Another Year, Big Plans, & New Shoes :: A Birthday Post

Mandie Haberman — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 05:46:40 +0000

Today is a day that has been filled with some of my favorite things. I ate my favorite things (sushi and chocolate!) and I spent time with some of my favorite people. I must say that today was a wonderful little birthday. Leading up to today, I’ve been a tad unsure of what to think. I’m now officially much closer to 30 than to 25, and I’ve been a legal adult for a decade. Weird! Despite all of the things I’ve been through and accomplished – getting a degree, getting married, buying a house, starting a business – I still don’t feel “grown up.”

A few days ago, I realized one thing about this birthday that makes me very happy. In some capacity or another, photography has officially been my preferred method of artistic expression for HALF MY LIFE. I find it somewhat amazing to have done or been any one thing for half of a lifetime. What started as a class I took in school just 14 years ago, at the age of 14, has now become my daily passion and my career.

It is with this milestone in mind that I step into this new year of my life with a barrage of emotions and ideas. This year, I will grow my business. I will hone my craft. I will attend my first conferences and workshops as a professional photographer and entrepreneur. I will do my absolute best work for each bride and groom who have entrusted me with the documentation of their special and unique wedding day. I will meet new people. I will give my all. I may even write a book.

My birthday is a day that I’ve come to see as an excuse to splurge a little on myself. This year, I thought it appropriate to splurge on some new shoes to wear on some of my adventures. I walked into DSW Shoes (my very favorite shoe shop) with every intention to buy a pair of sensible, responsible, and comfortable shoes for the blustery winter months. And then, I laid eyes on a pair of fun, sexy, and very IMPRACTICAL red heels…

This year, I will shoot a session in these shoes. This year, I will splurge on more cute heels. Life isn’t always practical, so why treat it that way?

Thank you so much to my family & friends for being so supportive to me on this journey into adulthood – I love you all so much. Thanks also to my Facebook friends, who showed me more love than I think I’ve ever felt from friends on any other birthday, and to you guys- my blog readers who put up with my silly posts about big plans & cute shoes.

Triple The Fun :: Meet The Triplets! :: Milwaukee Baby Photographer

Mandie Haberman — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 04:15:26 +0000

I will be the first to admit that I don’t consider myself an expert baby photographer. I have had wonderful experiences so far photographing some adorable little ones, and I hope to continue working with teeny tiny clients! This weekend I had the opportunity to meet three very special girls. The miracle of life is amazing in and of itself, and when a couple is blessed with not just one little miracle, but three, it is truly a beautiful thing to witness!

To start off, here’s the promised color version of yesterday’s sneak peek. Pink Chucks! I LOVE them!

The shoes above were chosen because of their appearance in Mommy & Daddy’s previous portrait shoot, but the shot below features a whole family of Chucks:

We started off with a quick little all-family shot. What a happy family of five!

Then we moved onto some individual portraits of the girls. Get ready for some serious cuteness, and gorgeous blue eyes! Three pairs!

After their close-ups, we moved on to some cute and girly shots! Mariah, my sister and fab artist, put some adorable tutu’s together this past summer. Such adorable little ballerina babies:

All together, these adorable little ones are unmistakable sisters!

I just can’t wait to get more opportunities to photograph these sisters as they grow up. I can’t even fathom how beautiful they’ll all be with those blue eyes!

To the B family: Thank you so very much for inviting me into your home to meet these precious little sisters. I had a wonderful time getting to know them and I look forward to more photo shoots in the future!

A Quick Peek :: Triplets! :: Milwaukee Baby Photographer

Mandie Haberman — Sun, 31 Jan 2010 04:30:12 +0000

In the midst of a hectic weekend, I wanted to share a very brief teaser from today’s shoot. I’ve been looking forward to this shoot for MONTHS! I had the privilege of photographing three of the most adorable little girls I’ve ever seen…triplet sisters! They are beautiful girls with gorgeous blue eyes, but you’ll have to wait another 24 hours or so to see them. In the true essence of a “teaser,” here’s one of my favorite shots from today:

Even babies can have shoe shots! Aren’t these the CUTEST little baby tennies you have ever seen? Tomorrow I’ll show them in color, but today’s version is a throwback to honor the inspirational shot from Mommy & Daddy’s portrait session:

Best of 2009 :: The Ceremony! :: Madison Wedding Photographer

Mandie Haberman — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 20:25:56 +0000

Today’s Best of 2009 post focuses on the meat and potatoes of the wedding day: the ceremony! The details, the portraits, the dancing, and all those other shots are fun, but this part of the day is what we’re all really there for, isn’t it? I have to admit, I am thankful for waterproof mascara. I’m the sentimental type, and I’ll be the first to tell you that it’s a must when I shoot a wedding.

Just as each couple is unique, each ceremony I shoot is different in its own way. I was lucky to be included in some incredibly unique weddings in 2009, and I’m excited to share my favorite moments with you!

#1:

Melanie & Joe's Olbrich Ceremony :: With Studio Noveau

#2:

Gwen & Dad Share a Hug at Songbird Hills Country Club

#3:

Carolyn & Chris's Eisner Museum Wedding in Milwaukee

#4:

#5:

Marianne & Corey's Blackhawk Church Wedding

#6:

Darcey's Mom Lighting Candles in Oregon, Wisconsin

#7:

A Sunny Ceremony for Katie & Greg :: With Jessica Kempen Photography

Dave Romances Becca at Devil's Lake

#9:

A Curious Flower Girl at Erin & Nick's Paradise Park Wedding

#10:

A Good Laugh During Alicia & Jason's Orpheum Wedding

#11

The Most Unique Groom's Entrance I've Ever Witnessed!

To vote for your favorite, please leave a comment below… Thanks for voting, everyone, I know the winning couple will be thrilled to receive a free 8×10 copy of their featured image!