Denise Hummel Art Photography

For Sarah

I am drawn to beautiful nature and landscape photography.  Although it is not currently my photography business style, the blend of serene scenery coupled with people is definitely a passion.   When composing an image, my eye naturally sees the background first before I see people in the shot.  

I met Sarah Limongelli through my daughter, Carley, while visiting So. California 2 years ago.  I remember hearing Sarah's father was a photographer and that she enjoyed photography too.  Sarah moved to Northern California to attend San Jose State over a year ago.  In our busyness we haven't connected much since then...until the last couple weeks.  Sarah's father was dying and she is home with the family to care for him.   Cancer took him today. 

Sadly, it wasn't until I learned he was dying that I took the time to look at his art.  Vincent James Limongelli gifted the world with beautiful images.  Although I had never met him, his death disturbs me on so many personal levels.  Disturbing because he was young; because he left a young daughter and devoted wife; because cancer strikes close to home again; and because he too chose to capture and share beauty in a world that is not always beautiful in return.  

The photograph above is just one Vincent's images.  He left his mark in life through his photography, and through his lovely daughter. 

Death in inevitable, or as a friend of mine reminds me "ain't none of us getting out of here alive".  We will all leave some kind of legacy when we go, Vincent left his.

This post is a little heavier than most --  it is written with a heavy heart -- it is for Sarah. 

 

(Sarah & Carley, 2010)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

God Bless.

A New Site for Photogs

Over the last year I have gone back and forth about acting on an idea in my head...I think it's difficult for photographers to know the quality of a photography vendor without first getting a referrals or learning the hard way.  There are a couple site's that do have vendor information, but I wanted more; more vendors and more information.  None of us want to learn the hard way at the risk of our customers' order.  

I finally decided to put the back and forth to rest and just do it.  After hours of research and building a database of vendors, it is finally done.  The result is a new website that lists tons of photography vendors and then allows their photographer customers to rate and review them.  Currently I have over 350 professional photographer vendors listed in over 45 different categories.  Now I just need help from my fellow photographers to rate their current vendors.  

I enjoy networking and helping other photographers (a/k/a photogs), from Michigan and all over the world, and hope this site is helpful for them and as well as the vendors listed.   Ultimately our customers benefit from our good vendors.

Visit the new site at www.fotogfufu.com.  Yes, it's a funny name...just trying to keep life fun!

God Bless.

Creatively Committed

Thank you to my clients who made 2011 my busiest photography year ever.  In my busyness, there were times that I felt overwhelmed with the amount of work in maintaining both a full-time job and part-time photography business. In the rare quiet moments I thought about those things that made me happiest.  Like most of you, family and close friends are at the top.  Expressing myself creatively through photography, cooking, crafts arts, home decorating and gift giving gives me great personal satisfaction.  Blending family time and diverse creative expression is life at it's best.

With that said, I have changed my photography offerings starting this year.  This new path fulfills the style and art of photography I enjoy most.  This change creates a healthier blend of family time with other creative pleasures. It's my perfect life smoothie! 

Believing that a real pro is one who is creatively committed, Dane Sanders, wise mentor friend, photographer and author, said it best:

“What we do is meant to be an expression of who we are, not the source of who we are. Identity is bigger than that.” 

As always, the value of art is suited to the viewers eye and budget.  I understand and respect that my new offering may not suit everyone, regardless I hope you will take a minute to visit my new website and a sampling of the style of art photography that I love.    

With this I remain creatively committed....and extremely grateful. 

God Bless. 

~Denise

 

 

 

 

 

Making it Meaningful

One of the first things I ask new clients is: where would you like to shoot the session?   Not everyone cares about where we shoot, and certainly the most important element of a portrait is the people.  With that said, I think connecting the people to their special places makes for a more complete photo story...and for more meaningful memories. Sometimes we take our special places for granted and think they will not be a good backdrop.  If given a choice, I will choose a meaningful backdrop over a scenic one any time.  Having both meaningful and scenic is like a really delicious hot fudge sundae with an unnecessary but dreamy extra layer of sprinkles on top! The featured shoot was originally to take place at a local park, but last minute, the Stanke's decided to use their home farm.  What a great choice!  Around each corner of their property was a natural prop, related story, and opportunity for meaningful photo memories.  Here they are with their two year old twin boys:

Thank you Jen and Brad for the dreamy extra layer of sprinkles on top!

God Bless.

 

Fills My Cup

In this busy session season it's easy to lose site of purpose and passion.  The Ames family came along just when I needed them the most.  A heartwarming afternoon with Sadie, Sam and their adorable daughter was just the dose of family fun needed to fill my happiness cup to the rim.

 

What a beautiful family!  

God Bless.

For the Love of Children

Most know that my passion for photography stems from my love of children. Capturing childhood character and creating memories in pictures is a priceless treasure. Photographing the entire Crandell family, blessed with 8 children, was truly heaven sent.  Doing their pictures at their cottage on Lake Michigan made for extra special memories for them and me.   A loving family with lots of beautiful children at their special summer retreat...what more could a photographer ask for!

What a awesome time with a great looking family!   

God Bless.

 

 

U-pick Families

There's nothing quite like a new baby for adding fun, happiness and more love to a family.   When the new baby is part of the "U-pick" family of the photographer...it's an awesome and heartwarming session for the photographer.

With U-pick families you get to do just that...'pick' them to be your family.   The Buchholz Family has been part of our U-pick for 26 years, through all life's seasons, good times and bad, happy and sad.  While it's often easy to take our blood family for granted, we don't do that with our hand picked family.

Here's the newest little U-pick addition...

Congratulation's Brad, Christie, and your entire family, on your precious new baby girl!

God Bless.

 

 

 

 

 

Wedding Moments

Early-on I decided not to include wedding photography in my list of services.  Concentrating on children, family and seniors satisfies my passion and fills my available time.  That said, I am always flattered by requests to shoot weddings.  Sometimes I feel guilty for saying no.  Recently I sort of said no yes, not out of guilt, but out of love, appreciation and admiration for someone who had held a special place in my life and heart for a long long time.

Do you remember having an awesome and cool babysitter when you were a child?  Mine was Diane. Diane was the awesome’ist and cooliest babysitter ever…40+ years ago.  Later, she married and began her own family raising three cute baby girls.  As Diane moved on in life, so had I, and we lost touch…until facebook.  To make a 40 year old story short, Diane recently asked me to photograph her daughter Trista’s wedding.  Standing by my original business decision, I respectfully declined, but offered to shoot candid’s of the day.  Not the primary photographer, not a second shooter, but a candid photographer to capture whatever I thought would make good memories.  

I loved the assignment, but most of all I loved spending a special day with some very special people.  The images captured are not much different than any other professional wedding photographer would do, and did.  Diane’s niece Callie Redder, also a professional photographer was their primary photographer.  Between the two of us, with big hearts behind our camera’s, I’m certain we captured a lot (hundreds thousands) of meaningful moments.  

So here they are, Trista (Winegar) and Nick Parisian, a special and oh so beautiful wedding to remember.

Wishing the new Mr. and Mrs. Parisian a future filled with love, fun, health, and happy surprises...and, someday to find an awesome babysitter of their own!

God Bless.

 

A Thousand Heart Tugs

Some posts don't need a lot of words...some pictures alone are worth a thousand words heart tugs all by themselves.  This precious 9 day old baby girl is as beautiful as the flower that shares her name.

God bless.

 

2011 Seniors | You're on Your Way!

Oh, the learning you'll do,

just when you thought your learning was through.

 

True, now you can pick  the places you'll go,

But remember, every good choice will be worth more than you know.

 

So as you go about your new journey, learning beyond reading and math,

May you be blessed with great faith, hope, and love that will last and last!

_________________________________________________________________

Dr. Seuss's 'Oh, The Places You'll Go' is one of my favorite adult books, and so well suited for graduating seniors.   Above is a creative silly lame attempt to create my own spin to it.  You can read the real version here if you want.  

A big sincere congratulations to my 2011 graduating seniors for all of their accomplishments; Tyler Allen, Ashley Anderson, Mandy Anderson, Samantha Freiburger, Trevor Marquardt, Jared Stapor and Josh Zaluga.   I feel so lucky to have been a part of your senior year experience.  

You are on your way!  God Bless.

 

[to see more of their senior pictures visit www.denisehummelseniors.com]