Brittany and Phil's Little Italy Engagement Session

I met Brittany and Phil at the playground in Little Italy for their engagement session. The sun was going down, it was one of the first nice days we'd had in a while, and I knew this engagement session was going to be good. We took a walk through Little Italy, stopping at the mural wall, going under the RTA bridge, and finally ending up in front of Presti's. Here are some of my favorite images from Brittany and Phil's Little Italy engagement session...

Congratulations guys. I can't wait to photograph your wedding next month :)

Cleveland photographer's image in Nashville singer's new video: I Will, I Do

Singer songwriter Bill Griese released a new video today for his wedding song I Will, I Do. The video features photos of real couples from 30 major cities across the United States. Lindsey Beckwith Photography is featured in the video, representing Cleveland.

Bill sent me an e-mail a few weeks ago, explaining that he was working on a video for his new song, I Will, I Do. He said the song was about getting married, and asked if he could use one of my photos? He even had one in mind, an image from Amy and Paul's spring wedding at Josaphat Arts Hall last year:

This is what I call The Moment After. After the vows have been said, the rings are on, the ceremony is complete, and the couple is officially married; the first flush of marriage. It is one of my favorite moments in a wedding, and this is one of my all time favorite images of that moment. I happily agreed to let Bill use it in his video. I had heard his song, Taylor Swift's Ex, which literally made me laugh out loud, so I was happy to contribute to his next venture.

Bill Griese is a Nashville-based singer and songwriter who performs original music packed with heartfelt lyrics. Bill has two original CDs, "For This Day" and "Too Long Coming," as well as several singles available on iTunes.

Elissa & Michael- a Spring Wedding in Downtown Cleveland

I have been excited about photographing Elissa and Michael's spring wedding at Tudor Arms Hotel ever since their winter engagement shoot in Tremont. We had so much fun that day, that I knew this would be a great couple with whom to kick off my 2013 wedding season.

I arrived while Elissa and her bridesmaids were still getting ready. She was fine while put her dress on, and fine while her mom zipped it up. She was totally fine--until she caught sight of herself in the full length mirror...and then I think it hit her. She was getting married. Her face crumpled. She laughed and cried in the same moment, fanning her face with splayed fingers. I quietly took pictures.

They saw each other for the first time that day in a stairwell at the back of the room where they would be married. The sense of relief and happiness when she was finally with Michael, was palpable.

It was cold and rainy outside, so we slipped into the Cleveland Museum of Art for some photos in their beautiful new atrium. If you haven't had a chance to get to the Cleveland Museum of Art since the renovation and expansion, go check it out. Architect Rafael Vinoly designed a light and airy atrium as the centerpiece of the $350 million expansion, and it's absolutely breathtaking.

From there, we went back to the Tudor Arms Hotel for their ceremony and reception. It was a beautiful day...

 

 

Baby Mariko's 100-day-old Portrait

It's a Japanese tradition to celebrate a baby's 100th day of life, and Kristen and Ryan decided it would be a great time for Mariko's first baby portrait session. I've known Kristen and Ryan since I photographed their Amasa Stone Chapel wedding a few years ago, so I was thrilled when I heard they had started a family and wanted me to photograph their new baby girl.

Mariko was asleep when I arrived, passed out on her parents' bed. I love photographing babies on full sized beds, because it shows just how small they really are. We took some formal photos in the living room, then finished up in her pale green nursery. I loved the special touch of a large M on the wall, created with some of the 1000 hand made origami cranes from Kristen and Ryan's wedding. Here are some favorites from Mariko's first baby portrait session...