Chelsea & Richard

The bar had great drink specials, and a pretty girl. The 2 for 1 special got Richard in the door, Chelsea is the girl that kept him coming back, and the rest is history. I love hearing stories about how people met, and hearing these two recount their story was no exception. These two were so much fun to photograph, and they were such good sports despite the extremely hot (and humid) day we had last Sunday. Chelsea is going to make a beautiful bride, and although he says he's not photogenic (lies, all lies!!), I have a feeling Richard will look pretty good in a tux as well.

As some of you already know, Chelsea and Richard will be my very first wedding this October and I'm so thrilled to be photographing their special day. And now, onto the photos...(prepare yourself, I think this is the largest preview yet)






I just love the way Richard looks at Chelsea...isn't that how all guys should look at their fiancee?



And the way Chelsea looks at Richard is pretty sweet too...










All of the following photos were taken by Josh:









Still haven't gotten enough? There are a few more in the set HERE.

Summer Sale - 25% off Session Fees!

Memorial Day is the official start of summer to most people, and to celebrate I thought I'd offer 25% off of session fees* to anyone who books a session this month (session can take place any time, just needs to be booked by the end of June, so book your session now and save!). Click here to see my prices (25% off will be taken off of the session fee listed below each type of session) and here to check availability. *Baby's First Year and Senior packages are not included in this discount. Sorry for any inconvenience this may cause.

Email me at madiganphotography@gmail.com to book or if you want more information! Hope to hear from you soon - have a great holiday weekend!

Gone Fishin'

Last weekend my little brother came to hang out with us while my parents attended the graduation ceremony at the University of Iowa. After a delicious breakfast at Hamburg Inn, Josh took Sam fishing at the lake across from our house. I joined them to snap a few photos (fishing really isn't my thing) and although I was out there for about 45 minutes, I still managed to miss him catching an actual fish! Despite not having documentation of his catch, I did get some photos that I love and wanted to share with you all. (By the way, all of these were taken with the Canon 85 mm 1.8 which I bought several months ago. To be honest, at first I wasn't sure I liked it but now I am IN LOVE.)

I adore his tiny little freckles. So cute.

Showing off what he caught most of the morning...weeds!

The photo below is my absolute favorite one of the day...I couldn't believe how smooth the lake was, I don't think I've ever seen it so still.

When I was taking these photos I was thinking something like this would make a great session idea for children or families. Is there something (fishing, camping, mini golfing) you and your family do in the summer months that you'd like to make into a photo shoot? Send me an email at madiganphotography@gmail.com to discuss your ideas and book a session!

I am...

I am...

• a daughter
• a wife
• a sister
• a friend
• a nanny
• a fashion blogger
• a photographer
• Einstein's adopted mom

Like most women (well, people in general), I am a lot of things. One thing that I always was, until recently, was healthy (about 99% of the time). However, after having strange joint pain and swelling that jumped around my body for two months, leaving me in constant pain and feeling frustrated because I didn't know why it kept happening, I finally got my answer from my doctors. At the end of March, I was diagnosed with lupus. I feel lucky because I was diagnosed quickly (some people go years before being diagnosed!) and the medication seems to be helping reduce my symptoms. Although lupus isn't curable at this time, it is treatable, so I am hopeful that the medication will keep me from having too many major issues in the future.

I wasn't sure whether to share this on here, as it's a blog about my business, but as a photographer - my business is also about me as a person. Plus, I wanted to mention it because until I was diagnosed, I didn't even really know what lupus WAS (according to lupus.org's website I wasn't the only one - it's estimated that 80% of people know little to nothing about the disease) - and May has been designated Lupus Awareness Month. If you have a minute, it would mean a lot to me if you'd click here to sign the petition to help raise awareness of lupus.

I also wanted to take a minute to say thank you to everyone for their support of my photography (and my friends/family/husband for their support of me, especially recently), it really means a lot. Thank you for reading my blog, for allowing me to document your lives, and for supporting me as I chase my dreams. I appreciate it more than you know.

Happy Birthday Josh!

"In this crazy life, and in these crazy times, it's you, it's you. You make me sing. You're every line, you're every word, you're everything." - Michael Buble

Josh and I met because of a chain of seemingly random events. All of these little things led to a blind date, which led to three years of dating (adding a dog to the mix along the way), an engagement, and 4 1/2 years after that first date - a marriage. All in all, we've been together for 7 years, and will be celebrating our 3 year wedding anniversary in July. But enough about all that - today is Josh's 28th birthday and I wanted to take a moment to share just how special he is to me.

Josh, thank you for all that you do. For always taking Einstein out in the mornings (in rain, snow, sleet, whatever) because you know once I'm awake I can't fall back asleep. For letting me hog the remote. For vacuuming the house every Friday. Thank you for making me smile when I'm in a bad mood. For supporting my dreams. For your patience, love, and understanding every single day. You are my rock, my safe haven, and I wouldn't know what to do without you. Being your wife is the best part of my life and I love you.

Happy Birthday Josh, I hope your 28th year is as wonderful as you are.

Life is a Highway...

Happy Friday!! Today is the last day to schedule a session and get the 50% off discount. I hope everyone has a great weekend - I'm heading to Chicago with my sister and some friends, can't wait to do some shopping! Hope you all have a great weekend as well.

By the way, Josh was driving - this photo was taken from the passenger seat! I don't want you all to think I'm a reckless driver. :)

Thankful Thursday

The other day I was driving home from work, and Josh was behind me in his car with Einstein. As we pulled onto our street, I looked in my rearview mirror and just had to smile. Hanging out the window, big ole' ears flapping in the breeze was my fuzzy little buddy Einstein. He was having the time of his life, enjoying the beautiful spring day...at that moment I was wishing I had my camera with me (although driving and taking pictures....probably not a good idea). Seeing my favorite pup so happy, which in turn made ME happy, reminded me to take time to appreciate the little things in life. Some of my favorite "little things" at the moment:

1. Getting a ride to work (thanks Josh). It's not so much about the early morning drive, but I love the days when I don't have to drive home!

2. Naps - wishing I was in kindergarten again when they MAKE you take one every day!

3. Tulips - a sign that spring has sprung! I love seeing these as I drive around town.

4. The Pit. Mmm...BBQ.

5. Getting to snuggle with my buddy Einstein when he gets cold in the middle of the night and looks for warmth.

I hope your Thursday is going well - I also wanted to mention that there's only ONE MORE DAY of the 50% off session fee special! If you're interested in booking, please email me at madiganphotography@gmail.com. Hope to hear from you soon!

And as I've mentioned before - every post is better with a picture, so here's a photo I took of my cousin Maddie while we were at my grandma's house for Easter dinner.

Feeling inspired...

"Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter, and those who matter don't mind." - Dr. Suess

Last night I attended an event at West High which featured the talents of a special group of students, one of whom holds a very important place in my heart. This event allows the students to show their friends and family the powerpoint presentations they've been working on for months, and this year's theme was Heroes. It was very interesting to see who/what all the students chose to feature, which was everything from service dogs to military personnel. The students also perform several songs, and it was great to see them singing (and kazoo-ing) proudly for everyone (I admit it, I got teary-eyed when they sang Imagine...something about that song just gets me every time).

I was sitting there last night watching the kids singing and enjoying themselves and I couldn't help but be reminded of how inspiring they all are. Every day these kids face challenges that most of us have never had to overcome, and they do it all with a smile on their face, loving life, and never complaining. Wouldn't it be great if we could all be more like them? It's definitely something we can all (myself included) work on. Stand up and be proud of who you are, love your life despite the challenges that may come your way, and above all don't worry so much about what others think of you. Be yourself.

And because a picture of Einstein makes every post better, here's a sunny picture on this rainy Friday... (and also HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my dad!! Hope it's a great one!)

Hanna and Joey

When you first see these pictures of Hanna and Joey, you might think they are a head over heels in love newly engaged couple...or maybe even newlyweds. You'd be wrong. This gorgeous couple has actually been married for 4 years and are still as much (maybe more) in love as they were the day they tied the knot.

I met Hanna and Joey back when I was planning my own wedding, and their marriage reminded me of what I had to look forward to when I wanted to pull my hair out with all of the pre-wedding stress. Hanna was there to lend an ear when I needed to vent about table arrangements or flowers, and Joey was there to remind Josh that it would all be over soon.

Hanna and Joey have the kind of love that everyone wants in their relationships, but not everyone is lucky enough to find. Don't get me wrong, I'm sure they would say their relationship isn't perfect (and really, is there such a thing?) but they have the ability to laugh with (and at) each other, which in my opinion makes all the difference in the world. My session with them was incredible, partly because they're so gorgeous, but mainly because they have an undeniable chemistry that really shines through in these photos.

Hanna & Joey - I hope you like the rest of your preview! Thanks again for a fantastic session.

This one is a little more "artsy" (according to Josh) but there's something about it that I just love...

Taken by Josh:

Taken by Josh:

Investment in my future

"I can't do it. Will you?" I ask, looking over at my husband Josh as my hand hovered precariously above the "purchase" button.

"Sure", he said, taking over the mouse and clicking as I looked away.

You may be wondering what I was having such a hard time purchasing (especially coming from this seasoned online shopper - clicking the purchase button is usually no problem for me!), so I'll tell you. It was the Canon 5D Mark II camera body. It was something I'd saved up for, but it's price tag was staring me in the face, taunting me and making me wonder if I was worth it. I'd never purchased something so pricey (besides my house and my car, and somehow the financial burden of those seem so much easier when you only pay so much per month...), and was worried I wouldn't like it, or I would break it, or worse. I read review after review until finally Josh asked how long I was going to read more good reviews and would I just buy it already??

So I did, well...Josh did, since he was the one that finally pushed the purchase button. We bought it together, I guess you could say.

When the box finally arrived, I was still a little intimidated. What if it was more camera than I could handle? The box sat unopened on the table for a couple of days (I used the excuse that my fingers were painfully swollen - which they were *story on that to come at a later date, gee thanks Jimmy John's sprouts!*- to avoid opening it and diving right in). Finally I took it out of the box, and started messing with it, reading the manual, changing the settings, and taking some photos - we slowly started to become friends. This past weekend, I used my new camera at both of my photo sessions (bringing along my old one "just in case"). Now I absolutely adore this camera and it has moved from being ignored on the table to having a sweet home in my new camera bag (see below). So, I wanted to share a photo of my new friend (I think I'll name him Mark)...


I also bought a Kelly Moore camera bag back in February but finally got the chance to use it on Sunday (I could have used it on Saturday but forgot it at home and took my other bag instead). If you are looking for the perfect camera bag that doesn't really look like a camera bag, this is the one for you - trust me. I love it because I can keep all of my lenses in there while I'm shooting and I don't have to run back to where my bag is sitting every time I need a new lens. I just put all of the lenses in without caps and could easily switch them throughout the shoot with no problem. I also like the little pockets in front (and a zip pocket in the back) which can hold my cell phone or keys and I'm not worried about them falling out as I'm running around. If you don't like the grey, it comes in other colors too, so definitely check out Kelly Moore's site if you're in the market for a new camera bag (I just saw that they added a new style, which I also love!)


I've also recently revamped my "About Me" page, so check it out!

50% off special extended!

Hey everyone, I just wanted to let you know that I have decided to extend the 50% off session fee special until April 30th (it was originally supposed to expire tomorrow, 4/14). If you or anyone you know is looking to have family photos taken, recently got engaged, or was wanting pictures just because - please email me at madiganphotograph@gmail.com to book a session! Please note, the session does not need to take place before April 30th - it just needs to be booked by that date. My summer is filling up fast with all of the things the warmer months bring - birthday parties, weddings, and vacations (we'll be traveling to San Francisco - can't wait!!), so make sure and book early if you can (plus you don't want to miss this discount!). You can click HERE for pricing info, and HERE for availability.

Also, if you haven't already become a fan of my Facebook page, please do so! I'd love to reach goal #67 on my 101 in 1001 so I can cross it off my list!

Hanna and Joey (just a tiny peek)

I promise that I have more photos (seriously, I'm not sure how I am going to narrow them down!) from this shoot that I want to share with you all. However, I absolutely could not wait another minute, so I decide to give you a tiny taste of the full preview (which will be posted on the blog soon - hopefully by the weekend!).