Stories About The Photos

Brian Dunn Photographic - Family, portrait, and Christian wedding photography.

Our photo blog...

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A family session

Here's a family session with the whole group plus each branch of the family tree. (Furry friends are family, too!)

Married!

This is the younger sister of the twins whose weddings we have already photographed. Karen and Eric had an engagement session with us, and now we've photographed their wedding, as well! A First Look moment, an outdoor garden session, an outdoor ceremony, a ride over the Fox River on a bicycle-built-for-two, and a reception into the night... See their wedding in the wedding gallery.

Not sure about this...

Getting warmed up...

The final result...

Stack 'em high!

Ways to get six kids into a photo...

The low-key formal:

See their award winning prints in our Awards page!

Best friends

You can get a dog's attention by using a clicker or squeaker, but be sure the owner has a good grip on the leash first! We almost had to employ evasive maneuvers!

The Senior, and The Car

A blend of the sun and two flash units. Three dimensional sheet metal glory! Senior and car, paint and chrome, man and forest, pavement and stone, etc., etc., etc.

Celebrate 80

Off to Chicago to cover a birthday party!

Celebrate 80

A family blessing!

Several generations gathered for a family blessing, complete with a processional, a mass, and formals indoors and out. When we delivered the images and they started showing up on the big screen TV, they got on the phone and started calling all the relatives to come right over immediately to see the show! We had to beat a hasty retreat so that our car wouldn't be trapped in their driveway!

A Family Blessing

50th Anniversary! And another 50th Anniversary!

Magazine cover

A cover photo which we photographed for M.D. News magazine.

Album covers

From a senior session...

Dance lessons

Who is teaching whom?

Reflections in a double paned glass window...

Two layers of glass, so two reflections...

Glass Art

Artist selected glass pieces. Fractured colors. Ridges and valleys of wild changes. Bubbles suspended forever. Bent light. Depth. Delicate. Enduring. Unique character, magnified ten times into an award winning print! Contemporary art!

Fly!

While setting up and dialing in the lights, we were going to take a few test photos of the girls to check the results. Not to be left out, their brother flew in front of them just as I was taking the shot. He was going too fast and I missed him, so we took another and here it is!

Up Front

This is what can be done when the photographers are allowed up front during the ceremony. We use some long range lenses, and my wife stayed close the entire ceremony capturing things which I never saw from the back of the aisle. It really helps to have both positions covered.

The Most People

This is the most people we have posed in a single photo. Looking the other direction there was a beautiful valley in the background, but not everyone could make it down the hill to that position, so we used this instead, which worked nicely.

Let Them Play

We bring toys for little kids to hold when necessary. This particular photo has been "painted" with brush strokes on a graphics tablet. -- Update: Oops! Happened again! Different kids. Different bench. Same toys!

Variations on "Cool"...

Accidental Coolness

This was going to go into the other "Cool" collection, but it's especially interesting in that we were photographing the ladies for a few moments, and when I turned around, the guys just happened to be standing like this while they were watching, so up comes the camera and, Click Bang Flash, here is their formal! Authentic Candid Coolness!

Recruitment Poster

Amused

They're amused because the photographer is flat on the ground in front of them to get the right angle...

Spin!

"Spin in place, but don't fall over!!!" Not to worry, after a few revolutions your new husband will catch you!

Dance! Dance!

They don't even remember this moment, but it's a riot! Crazy kids are always going bonkers. Finally, some wild ambient mix.

"Forget the camera... just DRIVE!"

Ok, so we happened to get packed up after the ceremony just as the couple was leaving the parking lot. Hurry and follow them! Wouldn't it be neat to pull up beside them in traffic and take a few shots through the side window? Uh oh... It's such a short drive and they're in the left turn lane already and we're about there. Fine... Let's take a shot through the windshield!

A Few Candids

To find moments like these, what you need is a second photographer...

Evening Elegance

The couple was able to stand quietly at the window in the nice warm comfy cozy room while the photographer had to grab multiple layers of insulation and go trek outdoors in the bitter cold windy dark blowing wilds carrying tripod and camera... Of course, this made up for earlier in the evening when the photographer could wear hat and coat while the entire wedding party had to stand in the cold while we were doing outdoor formals. It was well worth it, though! Notice the bride and groom in the corner of the large room, and notice the entire bridal party in the background on the steps.

Everyone's Watching

One thing about posing in front of the church is that the whole world is watching. This was facing four lanes of traffic, and people kept honking as they went by.

Catch!

The garter and bouquet toss are interesting to photograph and can have wild results. People fly all over, you have to trip the shutter at just the right moment, and you never know quite what you will get because a quarter second can make all the difference.

The Second Light

We talk about our double lighting system so much because it can result in some really nice effects.

Another World

Stage productions can be a lot of fun to photograph. These were during the dress rehearsal, when I could use flash from several directions to bring out the three dimensional details. That street urchin is frozen in mid-air trying to annoy the guard, and the magician has just now exploded a streamer bomb all over the stage. Be sure you click on it!

Flashlight

Here's a cat lit up only by a single flashlight. The amazing thing is that she didn't move at all during the several seconds long exposure. The next photo is what happens when a cat discovers that you are assembling a cubic shelving unit. She's cross lit by two flash units.

The Best Prop

Sometimes the best baby prop is an older sibling...

The Little Car That Could

When renting an old car, be sure that it runs... It took a while to get this car started, and after they left the parking lot someone mentioned that they might be coming around the church and passing right by on the main street next to us. I waited and waited and waited... It seems that the car had stalled and had to be restarted yet again. Finally they pulled onto the main street and drove right by. You can see the happy couple waving at the camera as they are finally on their way.

Full Speed Ahead!

The ringbearer knew he just HAD to get down that aisle, and that silly little ring pillow sure wasn't going to slow him down! That pillow was whipped onto the floor, and off he went!

Baby Baby!

Everyone was set up for this photo in the living room when the little doggie named Baby decided to plop herself right in the middle of the carpet. Since her mommy was going to be in the photo, we decided to have her hold the dog for the portrait. This, of course, meant trying to get the dog's attention for the photo, which meant that my wife was jumping up and down calling her name to get her to look at the camera. Look closely and you will see everyone smiling and laughing...

Time To Run!

After I photographed this couple coming out the church doors, they got through the crowd outside the church then ran full speed for the car while I had to get around everyone and was backing up and trying to focus without falling over backwards. One shot was all I had, then it was over! Here they are running across the yard, and finally safe inside the car.