Aliza Rae PhotographyJourneyman Hotel Engagement Session
Posted on May 23, 2018
Ami + Geoff’s wedding is just around the corner and I wanted to share their gorgeous engagement photos with the world! We started our photoshoot at The Outsider (9th floor of Kimpton Journeyman Hotel) for some champagne soaked cheers. (Bubbly for everyone!) Don’t you love how they look at one another!? After we made it to the bottom of the sparkly, we headed down to Bayview for some seasonal shots with their pup Wu Tang. That little Shar-Pei is the darn stinking cutest thing I have ever seen, and lucky for me I get to see him again at the wedding. Seriously, I think I have the greatest job. I get to photograph brides, grooms, and puppies! For now take this engagement session as a sneak peek for all the beauty that their wedding day is going to bring this blog.
Lakefront Winter Engagement
Posted on January 5, 2017
Sometimes the things we want just don’t work out. Thomas and Emily really wanted a snowy winter engagement shoot…but mother nature had other ideas and our initial lakefront winter engagement session was scraped. After 8 weeks of snow dances we decided to call it and go with a grey monotone theme instead. I’ve always loved the large rocks at the edge of where Lake Michigan meets Milwaukee, and we decided to tempt the wintry waves with our presence. To really play up the grey apparel and starkness of late February I chose to shoot mostly with a high speed black and white film for effect. Of course I had to bring out some color film to play up the bold coral lip Emily had on with the rosy/orange tones of the granite and the blue sky contrasting perfectly. Thomas and Emily made the best of their less than ideal engagement session, and quite frankly I love thinking outside of the box and creating one of a kind imagery for my one of a kind couples.
Kohler Andrae State Park Engagement Session
Posted on November 30, 2016
Boy oh boy! Wisconsin sure has some incredible gems, and I’m not just talking about Lauren and Joe. Kohler Andrae State Park has rolling sand dunes, Lake Michigan views, a quaint boardwalk, beautiful beaches, and more! It was truly the perfect location for this adorable couple’s engagement session. We had so much fun walking the boardwalk and frolicking at the lake’s edge just as the sun was getting low in the sky. Now I just have to wait until next summer to capture their wedding day magic on film!
Big Sur Engagement Session
Posted on September 30, 2016
I think it’s about time that I share this EPIC Big Sur engagement session since these two are getting married tomorrow. Sean, Tristine, and I go way back to our days of working together at the Bon-Ton photo studio in Milwaukee (where their love affair began). (Actually, I can take knowing Sean back even further as we took a dark room class in college together.) These two have long since relocated to LA, but planned their long distance wedding in their home state of Wisconsin. So, you can imagine how excited I was when these two asked me to be their wedding photographer! Sean asked Tristine to marry him at the Bixby Creek Bridge in Big Sur, so we thought it would only be fitting to have their engagement session at the scene of the proposal, and a few other insanely gorgeous locations. We had so much fun climbing hills, getting wet by the surf, and taking in all the views that Big Sur has to offer. Can’t wait until the wedding!
Sean and Tristine ~
Pleasant Valley Park Engagement Session
Posted on April 4, 2016
I met Cynthia and Ben at Pleasant Valley Park, in Cedarburg, for their engagement session. These two are going to have a destination wedding, but wanted an engagement session in their home state, so we planned on carefree natural setting. The sky was overcast and threatened rain, but we pushed on with the photo shoot. As we wandered further into the park it became apparent that mother nature wasn’t going to let us off the hook, but we continued since I had a fresh roll of black and white film that I had to finish! The sky had turned black at this point, and we were just hoping to stay dry just long enough, when I discovered the little trail…and those super moody images are my favorite shots. Sometimes it’s the lack of light that gives us the biggest opportunities to create.
Third Ward Engagement Session
Posted on January 7, 2015
My favorite kind of engagement sessions are the ones where I get an immediate sense of who the couple are, and these two are a GREAT team. About a week before our shoot Jessica emailed me letting me know that she had recently had knee surgery and might be wearing her big ‘ole therapy boot; however, on the day of their session, Jessica was sans boot. Being a gentleman (and an upstanding fiance), William helped her maneuver around the Third Ward without the non-photogenic accessory. It was light and laughter the entire time I spent with them. These two were so much fun to have in front of my camera – that I’m already looking forward to their June wedding!
