Yesterday afternoon, I had the pleasure of hanging out with some friends at their home.  It was great to see them again, but I was there on a mission.  Laura and Josh are expecting and I wanted to document this special milestone in their lives.  Laura is due at the end of this month, so we really got her at the end of her pregnancy.  It was fun to do some maternity photos for once and I look forward to documenting their daughter soon when she is brought into this world.  The biggest thing I noticed with the two of them was their emotions.  It reminded me a little bit of the love I see when photographing a wedding, but it was also a little different.  The look they gave each other constantly was one of the warmest I have seen.  I can only imagine that having a child might refresh feelings and make those more evident to one another as well as others.  It was nice to see this, as it was something unexpected when I went to their home.  We got a lot of great images inside and out and I had a hard time not posting more.  Enjoy you two and thank you so much for sharing this huge event in your lives with me!

We started out with some of momma by herself…

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This is how big she is…

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Laura, you look great!!!

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Enter daddy…

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See, only a woman can carry a baby…

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So cute…

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I think pappa loves his girls!

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L-O-V-E  it!

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Once I took a peek at the light in the bedroom, we moved into there for some more intimate shots…  Josh reminded me of the scene from Benny and Joon as Laura was doing this….hilarious!

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A great portrait of Mamma June!

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Can ya feel it?

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Fav!

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We then went outside on the ice to get some fun shots in the snow…

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Adorable!

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Such a fun couple!  I can vouch for that and I have many pics to prove it 🙂

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I’m tellin’ ya, this guy loves it!

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Mom and Pop with their house in the background.  This will be their last winter there.

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Here we are.  Good times with good friends!

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  • Melissa - Great job Dustin! Laura and Josh are going to treasure these images forever! I especially like the “heart” hand shot, the close up of Josh kissing Laura’s cheek and the outside shots are so much fun! Congratulations to them! They are going to LOVE being parents!

  • Phyllis - Dustin, these pictures are so beautiful and touching. You did such a wonderful job with your first maternity session. I will certainly be keeping an eye on your blog from now on.

  • Laura - I never knew a photograph could convey such emotion. I see these pictures and I feel what I felt, all over again. Dustin, we couldn’t be happier with these images. You have helped us etch an experience in time. It’s priceless. So many thanks…. (L,J & baby girl).

  • Mom - I am speechless and overwhelmed… thank you Laura, Josh and baby for sharing such intimate, beautiful photographs…and your beautiful future to be with your new one…
    and to my amazing son…XOXOXOXOXOXO

  • Navy Sou - That’s a perfect round belly if I ever saw one!!

  • Velia - Your images are absolutely beautiful. I love the clarity in all of them.

  • Kay - Oh my gosh, these pictures are absolutely stunning. Josh and Laura are so very fortunate to get pictures like this. The emotions in the pictures are amazing.

  • Jen - What beautiful pictures of the two them! What a get way to capture the love and excitement they have for each other!

Wanda and Rourke tied the knot last night with a small, intimate wedding and dinner after.  They said their vows at the St. Joseph Catholic Church in Troy with the dinner following at Andiamo’s downtown Royal Oak.  They are having a big destination wedding in Mexico and will be moving to Manhattan very soon.  For their honeymoon, they are going to Brazil, which sounds like so much fun and I’m pretty sure they should take me with them.  Have fun you two and thanks for being so great outside in the cold last night!  Here’s a few pics…

I love happy faces!

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Husband and wife…

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Andiamo’s is where they went on their first date….cute

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Even the food was LOVE ly.

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The cake was so yummy AND pretty!

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TOAST…I mean KISS!

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We got lucky when we ventured outside for a few minutes…it was very romantic.

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Now that’s a great looking couple!

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I think Wanda’s toes might have gotten a little chilly…

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Are you kidding me?  Gorgeous!

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The beauty…

_dfs9477 And the, well, groom.  Rourke cracked up right after this shot.  I think he had a hard time keeping a straight face 🙂

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Snugglin’ close to stay warm…

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Thanks again you two!!!

  • Megan P - WOW! Rourke and Wanda what amazing pictures, good things come to those who wait…for the photographer that is. Congrats! Nice work Dustin.

  • kendall - OMG!!! once again, you have done an amazing job!!! i LOVE LOVE LOVE these pics…wanda looks gorgeous!!!

  • Erin and Andy - Your wedding was beautiful!!! We are so happy for you both! We love you!

  • Michelle - Dustin these are so beautiful! You did such an amazing job. I love all the ones that you took outside in the snow in Royal Oak. The bride looks absolutely stunning!

  • Bella Taylor - Oh my god Dustin, these are absolutely gorgeous! I love all of them especially the street photos outside at night it must have been freezing! We don’t get snow here even in the coldest winters I would love to photograph a couple out in the white stuff!

  • Andrea - These are great pictures!

I was approached a couple months ago about featuring one of my fav weddings ever in Metro Detroit Bride magazine, which is an Hour Media publication.  The wedding featured, was none other than Zayna and Rani.  Zayna and Rani had a huge wedding back in September that was too much fun to put into words and if I had to, I would say it was schnatatasticallymarvelouciouslyyummerific.  I now see why they wanted a classic image in front of the Birmingham Theatre, as it is the opening page to the Wedding album section of the magazine.  I feel honored and blessed to have worked with such a fun couple as well as have their wedding featured in Metro Detroit Bride.  The magazine is on newstands now, so pick up your copy or check it out…(pages 88 & 89)!

 

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Here’s what the spread looks like:)

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  • Melissa - Congratulations Dustin! The spread looks amazing! I am so excited for you to be published!

  • Paul Retherford - Congrats Dustin! Great work!

  • Cheryl - Dustin, how exciting!! We are so happy and so proud of you. Cannot wait to get a copy. Your work is beautiful and being featured in this magazine is just so wonderful. Congrats to our number (1) photographer from your number (1) fan. Love Cheryl & Dad

  • Wendy - That rocks! Yeah- “My friend Dustin, he’s been published”… I’ll be bragging all about you!!
    Congrats!!

  • Zayna - OMG…this is amazing! I can’t wait to have a copy…So proud of your work!!!

  • Jessica - Nicely done! It looks awesome! Great promotion of a great job.

  • Greg - Awesome awesome awesome!

  • Marcus - Great job, dude! Your work is awesome….

  • Josh - your work is awesome! That image of the theatre is etched into my brain forever. It’s a classic.

  • nicole - Congrats! The spread looks beautiful.

  • Mom - HOT, HOT, HOT! I picked up my 3 copies from the newstand as soon as you called-one goes to New York, one to Georgia, and one on my wall! Love you. MOM

  • reese.nawrocki@gmail - Zayna + Rani… this is awesome!!! All of your pics are fit for a mag!

  • Sharon - Dustin, sweetheart!!!! You are a TRUE,TRUE artist!! (I think you must get that from ME):-)! Such beautiful work-I am SO proud of you! xoxoxoxoxo

  • ben + laura - congrats dustin .. the spread looks great! you deserve it!

Here’s another image from the Law Quad from ’06.  I love this one because of the symmetry as well as the distinct foreground, mid ground, and background…I would love to see this in 3D.  I have gotten a lot of response from you local photographers who want to get together and shoot.  When should we do it?  The more the merrier!

 

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  • Jim Shields - I’m ready any time….
    Dustin, is this actually three images combined…eg. foreground, mid ground, and background? I’ve been wanting to try this myself as I have heard quite a bit about it. Love the look.

  • Jackie Blair - we should trash my dress. =)

  • Melissa - I would love to come along if I could work it out with the baby!

  • Mom - surreal…..or so real?

  • Felecia - Dustin, Your work is amazing….I truly love it!!!