Geno Photography - Iowa City Wedding Photographer: Blog

Kalona Mini Buildings // Outdoor Lounge Product Photos

(Geno Photography - Iowa City Wedding Photographer) — Thu, 10 Oct 2024 15:15:00 GMT

This shoot was so much fun! When Kalona Mini Buildings reached out to schedule a time to photograph their new line of outdoor furniture I was excited to see what they had to offer. Let me tell you, these pieces are not only stunning they are solidly built and would be the perfect addition to any yard or patio.

We had an amazing location to set up these beautiful pieces. So serene and that fire pit made me want to pull up a seat and enjoy the evening.

The middle back on this rocker bench folds down to create a little table with cupholders. Love it!

Our second location for the evening was a stunning estate in Iowa City. What an absolute joy to work there! I love these blue chairs! They are so vibrant and just give all the summer vibes.

It was so much fun working with all the guys at Kalona Mini Buildings! They are amazing and the furniture they've created is fantastic. If you're in the market for new outdoor furniture you should 100% check them out!!

Colton + Abby // Lakewood Lodge Fall Wedding Sneak Peek

(Geno Photography - Iowa City Wedding Photographer) — Tue, 08 Oct 2024 13:00:00 GMT

What an absolutely perfect day! From start to finish, Abby and Colton's wedding day was a dream. Be sure to check back soon for more from their big day!

Dan + Kassie // Intimate Backyard Muscatine Wedding Sneak Peek

(Geno Photography - Iowa City Wedding Photographer) — Fri, 04 Oct 2024 18:00:00 GMT

What an absolutely perfect day! Dan and Kassie's wedding day was a beautiful day from start to finish. I hope you enjoy this little sneak peek!

Kalona Realty Inc. // Professional Branding Portraits

(Geno Photography - Iowa City Wedding Photographer) — Wed, 02 Oct 2024 16:00:00 GMT

I love working with the Kalona Realty team! They are truly the best. Hayley was our realtor when we sold our previous home and bought our current home. She made both processes so easy and was a joy to work with. If you're ever in the market for a realtor, they are fantastic. I met up with them at a stunning home for sale in Kalona. Seriously, this house was amazing! We had a great time going from room to room getting portraits of the team. Believe it or not, this is all still the same location. The kitchen was beautiful. The study was a fantastic. The living room was a dream. If I didn't promise my husband we weren't going to move again when we bought our current home, I'd have considered this one! After the first home, we headed to anther location in South Town just outside of Kalona. It was a lovely new build. I hope you enjoyed Kalona Realty's team portraits. It is always a joy working with them and I have so much fun during their branding sessions!!

Dylan + Stephanie // Amana Colonies Engagement Sneak Peek

(Geno Photography - Iowa City Wedding Photographer) — Mon, 30 Sep 2024 17:30:00 GMT

The clouds may have drown out the evening sun, but we still had an amazing time during Dylan and Stephanie's engagement session in Amana. Enjoy this little peek at their portraits and check back soon for more!

Noah // Keota High School Senior Sneak Peek

(Geno Photography - Iowa City Wedding Photographer) — Fri, 27 Sep 2024 18:15:00 GMT

There is nothing quite like senior year. Noah's senior session was so much fun! Between locations in Wellman and Keota we had a great evening. I hope you enjoy this little glimpse at his senior portraits! Check back soon for more!

Skye // Professional Branding Portraits

(Geno Photography - Iowa City Wedding Photographer) — Wed, 25 Sep 2024 15:15:00 GMT

I absolutely love working with Skye! She is the best! She is such a positive, bright soul and I have so much fun each time I get the opportunity to work with her. Skye is a fantastic HR professional who owns her own consulting business. I was honored to capture her branding photos a couple years ago and thrilled to have the opportunity to capture some updated portraits for her. We met at Voxman in Iowa City and it was a perfect location for her. I love Voxman. Such great light and a great variety of locations. I'd completely forgotten that it had this yellow wall, but it was absolutely the perfect spot to tie into her branding colors. Love it! Thanks so much to Skye for allowing me to capture her portraits again! It was a joy to say the least!!

Wade + Megan // Hancher Engagement Sneak Peek

(Geno Photography - Iowa City Wedding Photographer) — Mon, 23 Sep 2024 16:00:00 GMT

How lucky am I to get to spend gorgeous evenings capturing beautiful love stories?! Seriously, I have the best job ever!!

Here's a little sneak peek of Wade & Megan's engagement session. Check back soon for more!

Emma // Mid-Prairie High Senior Portraits

(Geno Photography - Iowa City Wedding Photographer) — Thu, 19 Sep 2024 14:00:00 GMT

Loved this session so much! Emma has been a friend of my daughter's since they were tiny. I'm not even sure how the time flew so quickly and senior year arrived. I'm pretty sure they're both still eight, running around and giggling. We started out the session at Wellman's North Park. I love the band shell there. It makes for a beautiful, simple background which was perfect with Emma's white dress and sneakers. Foster Woods, just outside of Wellman, is gorgeous in the evening light. The pond there is so serene, as are the woods. It was a perfect portrait location for Emma! Unfortunately the day before Emma's session, the Mid-Prairie track began demolition before it was repaved. We improvised and headed over to Highland's track in Riverside. The evening light here was stunning for this gorgeous girl! I absolutely love the portrait of her crouched on the starting line. Emma is a phenomenal track and field athlete, competing in long jump and sprints. I am so glad we were able to capture portraits that reflect that aspect of her life. Impromptu at the very end of the session, we had Emma change back into her beautiful white dress so we could capture a few portraits with the hazy sunset. It was dreamy!

Congratulations to Emma on her senior year! I hope you all enjoyed this little peek at her senior session!!

The Shull Family // Windmill Ridge Kalona Family Portraits

(Geno Photography - Iowa City Wedding Photographer) — Tue, 17 Sep 2024 13:45:00 GMT

kalona-family-photographer_0001 What a magical evening with this beautiful family! Their sweet little girl, Lennon, was an absolute joy to work with. So adorable and she did such an amazing job for photos. Golden hour is tricky during the summer because it's often past little ones' bedtimes, but Lennon was an absolute trooper. So many great smiles! kalona-family-photographer_0002 kalona-family-photographer_0003 kalona-family-photographer_0004 Lennon is going to be such a great big sister! kalona-family-photographer_0005 kalona-family-photographer_0006 kalona-family-photographer_0007 That a stunning family! kalona-family-photographer_0009 kalona-family-photographer_0010 By this point in the session, Lennon was losing interest in me and my silliness behind the camera. She instead found joy in picking the clovers. Thankfully, looked back for a moment and I absolutely love this moment! kalona-family-photographer_0011 kalona-family-photographer_0012 kalona-family-photographer_0013 kalona-family-photographer_0014 kalona-family-photographer_0015 I hope you enjoyed this look at some of the Shull family's portraits! It was a perfect evening at Windmill Ridge for sure!!

RMN // Professional Branding Portraits

(Geno Photography - Iowa City Wedding Photographer) — Fri, 13 Sep 2024 19:30:00 GMT

What a fantastic group! I had so much fun working with the team at RMN in Iowa City for their branding portraits.

Brian + Katie // Coralville Spring Engagement Portraits

(Geno Photography - Iowa City Wedding Photographer) — Wed, 11 Sep 2024 18:00:00 GMT

What a dreamy engagement session! Believe it or not, this whole session took place right by their backyard. How lovely is that?! Does it get much better than a sweet couple celebrating their love on a beautiful spring evening along the treeline, walking through a carpet of flowers with gorgeous golden evening light sparkling through the trees? How adorable are their pups? They were so well behaved for their portraits too! Flowering trees are my absolute favorite in the spring. Brian and Katie had this beautifully blooming tree in their back yard. Truly a perfect evening with these beautiful lovebirds!!

What a Wonderful, Busy Year!

(Geno Photography - Iowa City Wedding Photographer) — Mon, 09 Sep 2024 13:00:00 GMT

It's hard to believe the past year has flown by. It was a whirlwind of the best kind, but a whirlwind nonetheless. If you've been following my blog for a while, you know that there's been some down time since my last post. Last fall, I made the choice to prioritize time with my family and enjoying my daughter, Laurelin's senior year. I still photographed just as many weddings and portraits, but I took a step away from social media and blogging.

This decision was a good thing for me. I was able to be more present in the time our family spent together over the past year, as well as helping her through the many tasks that come with senior year, including applying to colleges, deciding on where she wanted to go, graduation, and everything else.

This past summer, between portraits and weddings, we were able to carve out two weeks to spend as a family in Italy. It was an amazing experience and I am so thankful to have been able to enjoy those moments together.

Now, she's moved into college and settled, my youngest is busy with school and activities and life is returning to a more normal routine. So I'm here to play a little (well, a lot) of catch up on sharing my amazing clients. I know I've said it before, but it is still as true as it ever has been, I have the best clients ever. It is such an honor to be asked to document their lives and capture their special memories. I am blessed.

For now, I will leave you with where I left off last year and the beautiful, intelligent, wonderful reason I stepped back from blogging last year. Laurelin's senior portraits were so much fun! We traveled to Decorah, a place dear to our family, for some. We also traveled to Washington, stopping in Seattle and out new Mt. Rainier. Wonderful family memories were made in the process! I hope you enjoy Laurelin's senior portraits!!

The Gunderson Family // Postville Family Farm Portraits Sneak Peek

(Geno Photography - Iowa City Wedding Photographer) — Fri, 15 Sep 2023 16:15:00 GMT

What a joy it was to meet up again with the beautiful Gunderson family! We could not have possibly asked for a better evening for their family portraits. I hope you enjoy this peek at their recent session. I have lots more to share, so be sure to check back soon for more!

Laurelin // Decorah + Seattle Senior Portrait Sneak Peek

(Geno Photography - Iowa City Wedding Photographer) — Wed, 13 Sep 2023 13:15:00 GMT

So, I may be a little biased, but I love these portraits! I cannot believe my oldest is a high school senior. How on Earth did that happen?! Also, today happens to be her birthday. Happy birthday, my dear!!

Anyway, I hope you like this little sneak peek of her portraits and be sure to check back soon for more from her epic senior portrait sessions.

The Fleming Family // Wellman South Park Family Portraits

(Geno Photography - Iowa City Wedding Photographer) — Mon, 11 Sep 2023 16:15:00 GMT

What a beautiful, fun family! It was a joy working with them all at their recent family portrait session. I hope you enjoy this little sneak peek and be sure to stop by the blog again soon for more from the Fleming's family portraits!

Emma // Mid-Prairie High School Senior Sneak Peek

(Geno Photography - Iowa City Wedding Photographer) — Thu, 07 Sep 2023 16:00:00 GMT

A quick peek at the beautiful Emma's recent senior portrait session. What a wonderful evening with this lovely young lady! Check back soon for more from Emma's session!

Skye // Professional Branding Portraits Sneak Peek

(Geno Photography - Iowa City Wedding Photographer) — Tue, 05 Sep 2023 16:00:00 GMT

A little peek at the gorgeous Skye from her recent professional branding portrait session. This session was a blast! Check back for more from her session later!

Dan + Kassie // Downtown Muscatine Engagement Sneak Peek

(Geno Photography - Iowa City Wedding Photographer) — Fri, 26 May 2023 13:15:00 GMT

Such a lovely evening in Downtown Muscatine with these love birds! Dan and Kassie were a joy to work with!! I hope you enjoy this little sneak peek at their recent engagement portraits!

The Ryan Family // Foster Woods Spring Family Portraits

(Geno Photography - Iowa City Wedding Photographer) — Wed, 24 May 2023 13:00:00 GMT

I think this session was a first for this beautiful family. Not the first time I've photographed them, as I've had the joy of chronicling their family since there little guy was just a few days old. It was the first time we had great weather for their session! Crazy to think, over all these years it's either been sprinkling or windy or gloomy. So happy to have a beautiful evening to spend with them! Their little guy is not only growing way too fast, but is an absolute pro model. Seriously, I didn't once have to pull out any silly saying or do anything funny to get a great smile from him. Absolute pro! We spent some time just outside of Wellman at Foster Woods. It is such a beautiful serene place. The woods and pond make for beautiful backdrops as well! Thanks so much to the Ryan family for once again allowing me to capture your beautiful family! It is always a joy working with you all!!

Brian + Katie // Orchard Green Iowa City Wedding Sneak Peek

(Geno Photography - Iowa City Wedding Photographer) — Mon, 22 May 2023 14:15:00 GMT

What an absolutely stunning wedding day! Brian and Katie's wedding at Orchard Green this past Saturday was a dream. I hope you enjoy this little sneak peek of their big day!

The Ryan Family // Foster Woods Spring Family Portraits Sneak Peek

(Geno Photography - Iowa City Wedding Photographer) — Mon, 15 May 2023 13:00:00 GMT

Here's a little peek at the Ryan family's recent portrait session at Foster Woods near Wellman. Such a lovely evening with this gorgeous family!!

Brian + Katie // Engagement Sneak Peek

(Geno Photography - Iowa City Wedding Photographer) — Wed, 10 May 2023 14:00:00 GMT

Our original date for Brian and Katie's engagement session wound up having strong wind and gray gloom, but man did we luck out with absolutely perfect weather for this gorgeous couple on our second try. I hope you enjoy this little peek at Brian and Katie's stunning engagement portraits. What a lovely couple!!

Bernard + Shaylee // Wedding Sneak Peek

(Geno Photography - Iowa City Wedding Photographer) — Mon, 08 May 2023 13:00:00 GMT

It was so hard to narrow down the sneak peek for Bernard and Shaylee's gorgeous April wedding day. I hope you all enjoy this little look at their big day!

The Speer Family // Sneak Peek

(Geno Photography - Iowa City Wedding Photographer) — Wed, 26 Apr 2023 13:45:00 GMT

What a beautiful evening with this gorgeous family! Here's a little peek at the Speer family's recent portraits at Morgan Creek Park.

Kalona Realty, Inc. // Professional Branding Portraits

(Geno Photography - Iowa City Wedding Photographer) — Fri, 13 Jan 2023 14:30:00 GMT

I love Kalona Realty. Hayley was out realtor when we were looking at houses in 2020 and helped us find our new place and sell our old home. It was a great experience and we highly recommend her! Brian assisted my in-laws in purchasing their home in Kalona when they decided to move down from Minnesota. When Hayley reached out asking if I would do some updated head shots and team photos for them, of course I said yes! I met with them at one of the new construction homes in Kalona. It is gorgeous in there! It served as a beautiful neutral toned background for their portraits while creating a great setting for these amazing realtors. After the first home, we buzzed over to another new construction, this time in South Town, just south of Kalona. I had not been out there previously, but South Town is lovely! The team also did a quick outfit change. I love how well they all coordinate without trying to match! I love this fireplace accent wall! So pretty! It was such a wonderful time working with the Kalona Realty team. If you're ever in the market for a new home, you should definitely check them out!

Kalona Realty, Inc. // Professional Branding Portraits Sneak Peek

(Geno Photography - Iowa City Wedding Photographer) — Mon, 09 Jan 2023 14:15:00 GMT

Last week, I had the pleasure of meeting up with the team at Kalona Realty, Inc. for their professional team branding portraits. It was so much fun! Enjoy a little peek at their session. Check back soon for more!

Colton + Abigail // Cedar Falls Engagement Portraits Sneak Peek

(Geno Photography - Iowa City Wedding Photographer) — Mon, 12 Dec 2022 15:45:00 GMT

That moment when you plan an engagement session for December, not knowing what the weather will be and not a snowflake in sight, and Mother Nature delivers beautifully!! Here's a little peek at Colton and Abigail's recent engagement portraits in Cedar Falls. Be sure to check back soon for more from their gorgeous winter session!

The Daniel Family // Greenwood Park Des Moines Family Portraits

(Geno Photography - Iowa City Wedding Photographer) — Wed, 07 Dec 2022 14:45:00 GMT

The forecast look bleak and it rained all morning. But, the hourly weather promised sunshine and boy did it deliver! I'm so happy the weather was on board for the Daniel family's portrait session at Greenwood Park in Des Moines!! I might have mentioned it a time or two, but I love extended family sessions. How amazing is it to get everyone together in one place and create memories?! Not to mention the amazing heirlooms you are creating for your children, grandchildren, as well as generations to come! When you choose to do an extended family session, you have the option of creating more groups than just the big family and each individual family. It's a perefct time to get grandma and grandpa with their grandkids, the cousins together, and photos of just grandma and grandpa. I love the photo of the cousins hugging! What a great moment of them together!!
I hope you enjoyed this glimpse at the Daniel family's portraits!

The Becker Family // Voxman Iowa City Generations Family Portraits Sneak Peek

(Geno Photography - Iowa City Wedding Photographer) — Mon, 05 Dec 2022 14:15:00 GMT

Here today with a little peek at this beautiful trio of ladies. I absolutely loved this session! What a beautiful celebration of family! Be sure to check back soon for more from their recent family portraits at Voxman in Iowa City.

The Daniel Family // Greenwood Park Des Moines Family Portraits Sneak Peek

(Geno Photography - Iowa City Wedding Photographer) — Mon, 28 Nov 2022 14:45:00 GMT

Here today with a little peek at eh Daniel family's recent portraits at Greenwood Park in Des Moines. What a beautiful afternoon with this lovely family!! Be sure to check back soon for more from their session!

Maya // Mid-Prairie High School Senior Portraits

(Geno Photography - Iowa City Wedding Photographer) — Fri, 18 Nov 2022 14:45:00 GMT

Meet Maya! She is a senior at Mid-Praire and absolutely rocked her senior portrait session. We met up in downtown Iowa City for her portraits. Unfortunately, the weather was a bit chillier and windier than we had hoped. However, I love how her session turned out! The alleys in Iowa City hold some absolutely fabulous hidden gems. I love the ivy and vine covered walls, the staircases, and the brick walls. It may seem odd to be wandering the alleys for photos, but it is 100% worth it! Can we just take a minute to appreciate Maya's shoes? I love the dress too, but those shoes just pop! As Maya was changing into her second outfit, the winds really started to pick up. We were able to find some sheltered locations (love the metal wall!) for those portraits. Then we retreated to the beauty and shelter of Voxman. The light in Voxman is dreamy and the whole building is beautifully neutral, perfect for portraits. By the time we got out of Voxman, in which we only spent about 15 minutes, the winds had picked up to the point we couldn't continue outdoor portraits at all. Making our final location of Terry Trueblood and impossibility. Such a bummer! However, we were able to sneak in a little outdoor session about a week later near my home just south of Wellman. The weather was perfect! Serious, how stunning is Maya?! She made my job easy. Narrowing down photos from her session was so hard! She looks great in them all!! I hope you enjoyed this little peek at Maya's senior portraits! Check back for more families and seniors soon!

The McCarthy Family // Old Capitol Iowa City Family Portraits

(Geno Photography - Iowa City Wedding Photographer) — Wed, 16 Nov 2022 14:30:00 GMT

What an absolutely perfect evening! I met with the beautiful McCarthy family at the Old Capitol in Iowa City. Their outfit colors with the fall foliage were perfectly on point! You know, I cannot express just how thankful I am for the amazing fall we've had. The colors have been beautiful, the temperatures have been pretty lovely, and overall it has been a wonderful fall. Seriously, how gorgeous are they?! I cannot believe how much their kids have grown. I know I say that a lot, but it really is a joy to get to see families grow over the years. It is an honor and a blessing! I hope you enjoyed a little look at the McCarthy family's fall family portraits! Believe it or not, there are still some more families yet to come here on the blog, so be sure to check back soon!

The Miller Family // Waterworks Prairie Park Family Portraits

(Geno Photography - Iowa City Wedding Photographer) — Fri, 11 Nov 2022 14:45:00 GMT

I look forward to October each year, not just because I love fall, but because I get to catch up with some of my favorite families! I recently met up with the Millers at Waterworks Prairie Park in Coralville. I'm sure I say this every year, but oh my word, time needs to slow down! I first met their oldest when he was a baby and now look at him! Both he and his brother have grown so much since their portraits last year. Each year I love hearing about the new sports and activities they're involved in. I hope you had fun seeing this little peek at the Millers' family portraits! Check back soon for more family portraits from this year's busy October. So many stunning families!!

The Adrian Family // Pheasant Hill Park Iowa City Family Portraits

(Geno Photography - Iowa City Wedding Photographer) — Wed, 09 Nov 2022 14:30:00 GMT

The weather was a little windy and chilly, but the Adrian family came dressed in style for the weather. I love their blues and neutrals!! How cute are their girls?! I swear they've grown up so much since last year. It is just crazy how quickly time flies! Their youngest is a hoot! She was full of giggles and energy. I absolutely love the foot pop in the photo above!! After Pheasant Hill Park, we stopped by their home for a few photos. They repainted their house this year and I'm absolutely obsessed with the color on their door! Love!!! For the past several years, we've done a few portraits of the girls on the hearth. So sweet! I love that there is now a little series of them through the years there. We also have a series of their beautiful family sitting together on their couch. I love it so much! Beyond being a lovely picture, I just adore the idea of having a photographing chronicle of their lives through the years centering on a place in their home where they spend so much time together as a family. Beautiful! I hope you had fun seeing the beautiful Adrian family's fall portraits. More families are coming your way soon, so be sure to stop back!

The Smothers Family // Terry Trueblood Iowa City Family Portraits

(Geno Photography - Iowa City Wedding Photographer) — Mon, 07 Nov 2022 15:30:00 GMT

Did I mention how much I loved October because I get to see my favorite families?! Well, coming to you today is another of my favorite families, the Smothers! It is so much fun catching up with them each fall! Again, their girls are growing so quickly! I first photographed their oldest when she was an itty bitty newborn. It just doesn't seem possible that she could be a fifth grader already. The October weather was warm, but the wind was blowing strong during their portraits at Terry Trueblood in Iowa City. In spite of the wind, they did a fantastic job during their portraits! Such great smiles! I hope you enjoyed this little look at the Smothers family's recent portraits! Be sure to check back to the blog soon for more of this fall's portraits and weddings!!

Maya // Mid-Prairie Senior Portrait Sneak Peek

(Geno Photography - Iowa City Wedding Photographer) — Fri, 04 Nov 2022 13:30:00 GMT

While my fall was pretty full up with families, a few seniors made their way onto my calendar as well. To start I want to share a quick sneak peek of the gorgeous Maya! Isn't she stunning?! Be sure to come back to the blog soon for more from her senior session!

The Saunders Family // Sutliff Bridge Family Portraits

(Geno Photography - Iowa City Wedding Photographer) — Wed, 02 Nov 2022 14:30:00 GMT

Another favorite family coming at you today! Say "hello" to the Saunders family! Aren't they adorable?! I met up with them on a chill, windy October evening at the Sutliff Bridge. Despite the cold weather, they did amazing! Their little girl was full of smiles and joy!! Can every two year old be this easy?!? The evening glow was dreamy and their outfits bring the perfect fall coziness and warmth to their portraits. Perfection! Plus, look at that sweet smile while she's getting loved on by mom and dad. Adorable!! I just loved seeing the Saunders family again and capturing their portraits! I hope you enjoyed this glimpse into their recent session! Check back soon for more weddings, families, and seniors!!

The Petersen Family // Greenwood Park Des Moines Family Portraits

(Geno Photography - Iowa City Wedding Photographer) — Mon, 31 Oct 2022 14:45:00 GMT

On a lovely October evening, I met up with the Petersens at Greenwood Park in Des Moines. Apparently, we weren't the only ones who felt it was the perfect time for portraits in the park, as I saw at least a half a dozen other photographers in the park as well. Busy place! I was a little worried at firs, but thankfully, we were able to find some amazing locations and not interrupt anyone, or have anyone interrupting us. How sweet is their little girl?! She was so smiley for her photos! Going into the session, I knew Eric and his wife Kanya. I have had the opportunity to work with Kanya on several photo shoots through the years, check out a few here and here). She owns Designed by Kanya Marie, creating custom dresses and doing alterations. She does fantastic work! You should definitely check her out! It was an absolute pleasure meeting the rest of the Petersens and capturing their family portraits! Be sure to keep checking back for more family portraits from this busy fall!!

The Adrian Family // Pheasant Hill Park Iowa City Family Portraits Sneak Peek

(Geno Photography - Iowa City Wedding Photographer) — Wed, 26 Oct 2022 14:30:00 GMT

I just love working with the Adrian family! They are all amazing and their girls are so sweet!! Here's a little sneak peek of their recent family portraits at Pheasant Hill Park in Iowa City.

The Petersen Family // Greenwood Park Des Moines Family Portraits Sneak Peek

(Geno Photography - Iowa City Wedding Photographer) — Mon, 24 Oct 2022 13:45:00 GMT

The people, the colors, the light, I love it all! How beautiful is the Petersen family?! Here's a little peek at their recent family portraits at Greenwood Park in Des Moines!

The Forsman Family // Terry Trueblood Fall Family Portraits

(Geno Photography - Iowa City Wedding Photographer) — Wed, 19 Oct 2022 15:30:00 GMT

How beautiful is the Forsman family!? I had such a great time capturing their family portraits at Terry Trueblood in Iowa City earlier this month! The last time I had the honor of photographing their family, their twins were just under one year old! Crazy how time flies! All of their kids have changed so much in the past five years and their new little guy is simply the sweetest!! Their previous family portraits took place on this same quilt with this same story book years ago on the beach at Palisades Kepler Park near Cedar Rapids. It was fun to bring them back out again for their updated portraits! Oh my word! The Forsmans were amazing! So much joy in this beautiful family!!

I hope you enjoyed a little peek at their family portraits. Keep checking back to the blog this month. A lot more family portraits are coming your way!

The Bottorff Family // IMU Iowa City Family Portraits

(Geno Photography - Iowa City Wedding Photographer) — Mon, 17 Oct 2022 15:45:00 GMT

I was so happy to see the Bottorff family again! I absolutely love working with them!! Not only are they all super-sweet and easy to work with, but they bring with them great smiles and fantastic fashion. I met up with them near the IMU on an absolutely perfect October evening. I just love the area by the IMU. There is such a great variety of locations in an incredibly small area. We were able to get a ton of variety! Their oldest was back home from college for break. It's still hard for me to wrap my head around the fact that she's in college already. The years fly by way too quickly! Such a great evening with an amazing family! I hope you enjoyed this peek into the Bottorff family's recent portraits. Keep checking back on the blog, lots more families to share yet this fall!

The Daniel-Way Family // Train Trestle Bridge Family Portraits

(Geno Photography - Iowa City Wedding Photographer) — Fri, 14 Oct 2022 14:45:00 GMT

Another one of my favorite families is coming at you here today! I just love working with the Daniel-Way family!! A little over 12 years ago, I had the absolute joy of capturing Lisa and Melissa's gorgeous wedding day in Iowa City. Seriously, it was amazing!! Then a couple years ago, their sweet little guy arrived and I again had the honor of capturing another beautiful milestone in their lives. It just doesn't seem possible that the years have flown and he's grown so much. It is so fun each year seeing how much he has changed. This was my first time out at Train Trestle Bridge near Boone. What a fun location! Not only was the bridge architecturally interesting, there were great opportunities along the wooded path and prairie areas nearby. Such a lovely setting for this beautiful family! I hope you enjoyed this glimpse at the Daniel-Way family's recent session at Train Trestle Bridge! Be sure to keep checking back for lots more fall family portraits!!

The Lundstrom Family // Wellman Country Family Portraits

(Geno Photography - Iowa City Wedding Photographer) — Wed, 12 Oct 2022 15:45:00 GMT

Oh my word! How adorable is the Lundstrom family?! It was such a joy capturing their family portraits!! I met with them at one of their friend's ponds in the country just outside of Wellman. What a gorgeous location! How sweet is their little one?! I just love her pearls (and her dress!!)! All of their outfits were on point! A perfect blend of lights and darks, neutrals and pops of color. Love it! I had so much fun capturing this lovely family! I hope you've enjoyed a little glimpse into their recent session. Be sure to check back soon for more families soon!

Tyler + Kelsey // Solon Boho Fall Wedding Sneak Peek

(Geno Photography - Iowa City Wedding Photographer) — Mon, 10 Oct 2022 13:30:00 GMT

What an absolutely stunning day from start to finish! Tyler and Kelsey's wedding was an absolute dream!! I hope you enjoyed this little sneak peek! Check back later for more from their gorgeous wedding day!

The Hagen Family // Terry Trueblood Fall Family Portraits

(Geno Photography - Iowa City Wedding Photographer) — Fri, 07 Oct 2022 15:30:00 GMT

I recently met up with one of my favorite families for their annual family session. This year, I met the Hagens at the ever-beautiful Terry Trueblood Recreation Area in Iowa City.

I know I say it every year, but how on earth is it possible that their boys are this big already?! They are growing so fast!! How sweet are they?! Seriously, these two are just too cute! They were filled with giggles (and some wiggles) for their session and did a great job!
April always does a fantastic job putting together their look. They coordinate so well without being match-y, which is exactly what you want in your family portrait wardrobe. Also, I love her dress!! How fun! I hope you enjoyed this little peek at the beautiful Hagen family's recent portrait session. Lots more families coming your way this month, so be sure to check back again soon!

The Forsman Family // Terry Trueblood Family Portraits Sneak Peek

(Geno Photography - Iowa City Wedding Photographer) — Wed, 05 Oct 2022 15:15:00 GMT

What an absolutely gorgeous evening with the stunning Foresman family! Such a joy seeing them all again!! Check back for more from their family portraits at Terry Trueblood!

Tyler + Kelsey // Terry Trueblood Boho Engagement Portraits

(Geno Photography - Iowa City Wedding Photographer) — Fri, 30 Sep 2022 14:45:00 GMT

Meet Tyler and Kelsey! They are the sweetest couple and we so much fun to photograph!! Our original date for their engagement session got rained out, but we could not have asked for more perfect weather for their make-up date! Okay, for starters, can we just take a moment to appreciate how perfectly Kelsey's dress make her blue eyes pop?! Gorgeous!!! The evening light at Terry Trueblood is so stunning. The glow just makes their portraits dreamy. I love it! Ok, now it's time to introduce the cutest pomsky I've ever met, Tucker! Seriously, this little guy is a ball of fluff and joy! Just look at his perfect little happy smile!! It was an absolute joy working with Tyler and Kelsey for their engagement portraits! Be sure to check back soon for their wedding images!! It is going to be a stunning day!!

Tyler + Kelsey // Terry Trueblood Engagement Sneak Peek

(Geno Photography - Iowa City Wedding Photographer) — Fri, 23 Sep 2022 16:00:00 GMT

I'm a bit obsessed over these sneak peeks of Tyler and Kelsey's engagement! What an absolutely stunning evening with this gorgeous couple! Check back soon for more from Tyler and Kelsey's Terry Trueblood engagement portraits!

The Aubrey Family // Terry Trueblood Family Portraits

(Geno Photography - Iowa City Wedding Photographer) — Mon, 19 Sep 2022 20:30:00 GMT

Okay, I'm pretty sure it was just last year that I photographed these two lovebirds' wedding day. Apparently, that was a little over four years ago. Seriously, time needs to slow down! I was so excited to meet their little girl! Seriously, how sweet is she?! Those cheeks melt my heart!! Their little one had so much fun exploring at Terry Trueblood. Did I mentions those cheeks?! Be still my heart! So cute!! Nana came to help out, so of course we had to sneak a couple pictures of them together! The Aubrey's live out of the state, so Nana was soaking up her time with her sweet grandbaby while they were back in Iowa. Love it! Oh my word! I had such a great time with the Aubrey family!! I an absolute joy to see them again and meet their sweet little girl!

The Aubreys // Terry Trueblood Family Portrait Sneak Peek

(Geno Photography - Iowa City Wedding Photographer) — Mon, 12 Sep 2022 16:00:00 GMT

A quick little peek at the beautiful Aubrey family's recent session at Terry Trueblood in Iowa City. Adorable!! Check back soon for more of the lovely Aubrey family!!

The Livingoods // Northeast Iowa Family Portrait

(Geno Photography - Iowa City Wedding Photographer) — Thu, 08 Sep 2022 14:45:00 GMT

When Katie reached out to me about capturing the Livingood's extended family portraits I was so excited. I adore this family! They are so fun and are just great people. Levi was best man at Josh and my wedding. I captured his and Katie's wedding, as well as both of their boys' newborn portraits. Anytime I get a chance to see them again it is wonderful! How special is it to have four generations together?! These two absolutely adore Grandpa Joe and I'm pretty sure he's just as smitten with his great-grandsons. I love these moments of them together! Levi's parents are great too! It's been years since I've had a chance to see them, so getting to catch up while taking their portraits was lovely!
At the end of the session, the boys got on their overalls and hopped on their John Deere. How sweet are they?! Ready to go off adventuring! A huge thank you to the Livingoods for having me over to capture their family portraits! It was an absolute joy seeing you all again!!

Colton + Sadie // Legacy Acres Williamsburg Wedding Sneak Peek

(Geno Photography - Iowa City Wedding Photographer) — Tue, 06 Sep 2022 14:00:00 GMT

Such an absolutely gorgeous day! Colton and Sadie's wedding was beautiful from beginning to end and an absolute joy to capture!! I hope you enjoyed this little sneak peek of their wedding! Be sure to check back soon for more from their wedding at Legacy Acres in Williamsburg!!

The Livingoods // Northeast Iowa Family Portrait Sneak Peek

(Geno Photography - Iowa City Wedding Photographer) — Mon, 29 Aug 2022 16:00:00 GMT

A little peek at one of my favorite families' recent family portraits! Such a joy getting to see all the Livingoods again and being out at their gorgeous family home in Northeast Iowa!! More from the Livingood's family portraits coming soon!

Kirk + Robin // Des Moines 10 Year Anniversary Celebration

(Geno Photography - Iowa City Wedding Photographer) — Fri, 05 Aug 2022 13:30:00 GMT

The heat index was well over 100, but that didn't stop the party for Kirk and Robin's tenth anniversary. What a stunningly beautiful day! Vintage Love Rentals knocked it out of the park with all of the design, decor, and flowers. Amazing!! We started the day with family portraits. All of their children were back visiting for the big event. Kirk and Robin have a wall in their home that is filled with an 8x10 of each of their children from 10 years ago when they first married. So they decided this would be a great opportunity to update those. Their grandsons are so adorable!! Did I mention how Vintage Love Rentals knocked it out of the park? I love everything about this decor! I'm obsessed with the vintage album covers used as table markers. Some of my faves were there! There children's corner was the perfect place for the kids to hang and play. Kirk and Robin hired a couple babysitters so guests could relax and enjoy the event sure that their kids were well looked after. Brilliant! What a fun celebration of love! Most of the guests were present at Kirk and Robin's wedding, and were just as thrilled to join them again to celebrate their anniversary. Before dinner began, Kirk thanked the guests for joining them again for this special day, followed by a prayer before the meal began. Kirk and Robin sure cut a rug on the dance floor. I love it! They look so joyful as they dance together!! Robin's sister and brother in law toasted the couple before the dance floor officially opened. Followed by a toast from one of Kirk's close friends who had driven in from Tennessee. A huge thank you to Kirk and Robin for having me out to your beautiful home to capture your celebration. Congratulations on your anniversary!! May you have many more years of joy to come!

Shane + Michelle // Riverside Casino Wedding Part 2

(Geno Photography - Iowa City Wedding Photographer) — Fri, 29 Jul 2022 13:30:00 GMT

Immediately following the wedding, we headed off to take portraits of Shane and Michelle during golden hour while their guests made their way over to cocktail hour in the reception hall. I'm not sure we could have asked for a more beautiful sunset for these newlyweds. The light makes my heart happy. I love golden hour and am so thankful Shane and Michelle were willing to sneak away for a little while for their portraits! As soon as we arrived back to the hall, the reception was ready to kick off. The speeches were beautiful, full of fun memories and excitement for Shane and Michelle's marriage. They opened up the dance floor with their first dance, followed by the father-daughter dance. Once those were done, Michelle's mom was asking the DJ to play Ed Sheeran and the party got started. Her mom is a HUGE Ed Sheeran fan! What an absolutely stunning day! It was an honor to work with Shane and Michelle, as well as their friends and family! Congrats to the newlyweds!!

VENDORS
Venue: Riverside Casino & Golf Resort
Catering: Riverside Casino & Golf Resort
DJ: Kyle Vik
Hair: Divaz Salon
Florals: Patty Netolicky
Cake: HyVee
Invitations: Zazzle
Menswear: Holley's

Kirk + Robin // 10 Year Anniversary Celebration Sneak Peek

(Geno Photography - Iowa City Wedding Photographer) — Mon, 25 Jul 2022 13:30:00 GMT

The July heat was sweltering, but that didn't damped the beauty or joy of Kirk and Robin's tenth anniversary celebration. Such a gorgeous day from start to finish!! I hope you enjoy this little peek at Kirk and Robin's beautiful celebration. Check back soon for more about their anniversary event!

Shane + Michelle // Riverside Casino Wedding Part 1

(Geno Photography - Iowa City Wedding Photographer) — Fri, 22 Jul 2022 13:30:00 GMT

The forecast wasn't kind for Shane and Michelle's wedding day. Thankfully the meteorologists predicted wrong and it turned out the be a lovely day! We kicked off the day with their first look, just behind their ceremony area at the Riverside Casino and Golf Resort. Their formal portraits took place in front of their ceremony arch. I've not had the pleasure of photographing and event at the Riverside Casino before. It is gorgeous out there! I lov eth eblues, teals, and pinks in their wedding colors. Michelle wanted a beachy theme and I have to say her bridesmaids' dresses are perfect for it! They kept their bridal party simple, with their siblings and their spouses, as well as their sons. Their neighbor and close friend officiated their ceremony. Their boys were "Flower Dudes". One threw flower petals, another blew bubbles, and the last handed out rubber ducks. So fun!! With perfect timing, the clouds cleared away as the ceremony began. It was stunning! Be sure to check back later for the rest of Shane and Michelle's gorgeous Riverside Casino wedding day!

Fletcher + Allison // Celebration Farms Iowa City Wedding Part 2

(Geno Photography - Iowa City Wedding Photographer) — Fri, 15 Jul 2022 13:45:00 GMT

Hello again! We're back today with the final installment of Fletcher and Allison's gorgeous June wedding. Fletcher and Allison chose not to share a first look, so following the ceremony we headed right in to family portraits. I love the blues and teals carried through their families' outfits! it beautifully ties in the wedding colors while adding interest and depth to the images. Their wedding party consisted of their close friends. It was so great seeing their best man and bridesmaid again. I photographed their gorgeous wedding day a few years ago. I love getting the opportunity to catch up with past couples!! Their reception kicked off with a bang, including a little Imperial March! Their mothers began the toasting by sharing their love and well wishes for their children as they begin their newly married life. The toasts from the best man and maid of honor were filled with a perfect blend of sentiment and humor. It is tradition in Fletcher's family for a poem to be written for the couple and read at the reception. His uncle and cousins stole the show with a humorous creation celebrating Fletcher and Allison. Fletcher and Allison kicked off the dance floor with their first dance, followed by the father-daughter and mother-son dances. Once the dance floor opened up, we popped outside to take advantage of golden hour. My heart lives for golden hour. The soft glowy light is beautifully romantic and a dream. While much of sunset is blocked by trees when at Celebration Farm, there are a few spots where the sun shines through the branches and is stunning! The rest of their evening was spent dancing and celebrating with their friends a family. Overall a dreamy day, filled with love and laughter.

Thank you so much, Fletcher and Allison for allowing us to capture your stunning day! It was an absolute joy working with you both!!

VENDORS:
Venue - Celebration Farm
Dress - David's Bridal
Hair - Thompson & Co
Menswear - Men's Warehouse
Florals - Sola Wood Flowers
Invitations - Minted
Cake - DeLuxe Cakes & Pastries
Caterer - A Touch of Class
DJ - Center Stage Productions
Officiant - Bill Casperson

Shane + Michelle // Riverside Casino Wedding Sneak Peek

(Geno Photography - Iowa City Wedding Photographer) — Mon, 11 Jul 2022 12:45:00 GMT

What an absolutely stunning day! Shane and Michelle's wedding at the Riverside Casino & Golf Course was a dream to capture. Here's a little sneak peek of their wedding day! Be sure to check back soon for more from Shane and Michelle's wedding!

Fletcher + Allison // Celebration Farms Iowa City Wedding Part 1

(Geno Photography - Iowa City Wedding Photographer) — Fri, 08 Jul 2022 13:45:00 GMT

It was a simply perfect June day, when we arrive at Celebration Farm in Iowa City for Fletcher and Allison's wedding day. It is rare I have the opportunity to capture the reception details before anyone arrives and I loved having time to photograph all of their beautiful decor. The vintage chairs for the bride and groom were lovely, draped with ivy. Their wedding colors of blue, yellow, and green were carried throughout the room, not only in the floral design, but also with the napkins at each table. Lovely! I absolutely adore their cake. The rainbow watercolor design added a bright splash of color and the gold leaf elevated the look. The petit fours had rainbow drizzles on top and looked absolutely delicious! In lieu of traditional flowers, Fletcher and Allison's florals were wooden. It still blows my mind that they are so soft and flexible. I think they made for a lovely design. Plus, no wilting or getting crushed while greeting guests. Allison's ring showcased a gorgeous peacock sapphire. It's blue-green-yellow hues were the inspiration for their wedding colors. I love it!! Fletcher's ring is set with two family diamonds, creating a new heirloom. I love when there is so much sentiment and history at a wedding. I'm absolutely obsessed with the heart the light created in her ring!

I love Allison's tea-length dress and sparkly shoes. What a perfect gown for a summer afternoon wedding and the perfect pop of color and sparkle!! Their ceremony was a beautiful celebration of their love story. They each wrote their vows. I love when couples do this! Not only does it take their ceremony to the next level, it is so fun to get to know them even better as a witness. I hope you've enjoyed this glimpse into Fletcher and Allison's beautiful wedding day! There's more to come! Check back soon for the rest of their big day!!

Lilou // Mid-Prairie Senior Portraits

(Geno Photography - Iowa City Wedding Photographer) — Wed, 06 Jul 2022 13:45:00 GMT

Say "hello" to the lovely Lilou! Lilou just finished up her senior year at Mid-Prairie High School. I was honored to be asked to capture senior portraits showcasing her love for dance team and ballet. Lilou's full senior session was done while she was in Paris last year by a local photographer there. How amazing is that?! Her mother is French and her father is American, so while they live in Iowa full time, they often travel back to France to visit family. It was so great to spend some time with her and capture the Iowa part of her life. For her dance team portraits, I met with her at her home, which is actually just across the street from my own! Their property is absolutely gorgeous and what a perfect, sentimental location for her senior portraits. The eveneing light was so lovely through their trees!

Lilou has been studying ballet at the University of Iowa since she was very young, so we met up for the ballet portion of her session near her dance studio in Iowa City. Another perfect location for her portraits, the studio where she has spent so many hours practicing to be an amazing ballet dancer. I hope you enjoyed this look at Lilou's recent senior portraits! If you have a class of 2023 senior and are ready to get on our calendar, be sure to reach out soon! I only accept a limited number of seniors each year. Head on over to our contact page to get the process started.

Lilou // Mid-Prairie Senior Portraits Sneak Peek

(Geno Photography - Iowa City Wedding Photographer) — Wed, 29 Jun 2022 13:45:00 GMT

Today, I'm bringing you a little peek at Lilou's recent senior portraits! It was so much fun capturing Lilou's ballet and dance team portraits! I cannot wait to share more!!

Blaine + Paige // Intimate Backyard Wedding Part 2

(Geno Photography - Iowa City Wedding Photographer) — Fri, 24 Jun 2022 13:30:00 GMT

What a serene day for Blaine and Paige's beautiful wedding. Their ceremony took place just behind her family home near Washington. The had a chair decorated in memory of Paige's father; a beautiful tribute to him! As ceremony time drew near, friends and family began arriving. The smiles on their faces tell it all. They are so happy for this sweet couple and ready to celebrate their marriage. Paige's grandmother was so sweet when she saw her for the first time in her wedding dress. Tears of joy! Paige's mother's partner officiated their ceremony, adding so many beautiful, personal touches to their service. And how sweet are these cute flower girls and ring bearer? Their nieces and nephew did such a great job!! Oh my word, the look of absolute joy on her grandmother's face is simply perfect! What a sweet moment! The first kiss was followed by pure joy! Their guests dined under the tent. Lots of laughter and celebration! Before I headed out for the evening, we went out for a few more portraits of the happy couple. Her mother's peonies, which were featured throughout the floral decor, were lovely and in full bloom. I love this series along the gravel road! The day ended with the cutting of the cake, and what a beautiful day it was!

Thank you so much to Blaine and Paige for allowing me to be a part of your wedding day! It was an absolute joy!

VENDORS:
Dress: Allure
Bridal Shop: Sarah's Bridal
Florals: Wolf Floral

The Juergensen Family // Riverview Park Marshalltown Family Portraits

(Geno Photography - Iowa City Wedding Photographer) — Wed, 22 Jun 2022 13:45:00 GMT

Say "hello" to the Juergensen family! How beautiful are they?! I have to say, I was so excited when Alyssa reached out to set up their family portrait session. What feels like yesterday, though somehow a couple years have passed, I photographed Cale and Alyssa's gorgeous wedding day. Now, they have a sweet little guy! Seriously, how adorable is he?!! I met with the Juergensens at Riverview Park in Marshalltown, a spot about halfway between their home and my studio. I have to say the park did not disappoint! It was a gorgeous location and we were lucky to get their session in before the storm rolled in and the skies opened up. Talk about timing! Of course, we had to get a few of Mom and Dad together. I think it's so important to take a couple moment for portraits of just them during family sessions. Yes, it is a celebration of family during a family session, but the core of any family is the parents. Their relationship is just as important as the family as a whole and should be honored. I just love their soft, pastel color pallet! Their little guy came ready to run and explore, but he did an amazing job with his portraits too. Lots of little breaks to get his zoomies out and he had lots of smiles for the camera. Love it!! Thank you so much to the Juergensens for allowing me to capture your gorgeous family! It was so great to see you both again and a joy meeting your sweet little boy!!

Fletcher + Allison // Celebration Farm Iowa City Wedding

(Geno Photography - Iowa City Wedding Photographer) — Mon, 20 Jun 2022 16:45:00 GMT

What an absolutely beautiful day filled with love and laughter! Fletcher and Allison's wedding day was such a joy to capture! Be sure to check back soon for more from their wedding day!

Blaine + Paige // Intimate Backyard Wedding Part 1

(Geno Photography - Iowa City Wedding Photographer) — Fri, 17 Jun 2022 14:45:00 GMT

The skies were gray, but no rain fell for Blaine and Paige's intimate backyard wedding. Their ceremony and reception were held at Paige's family home near Washington. It was a stunning location! What a beautiful view to serve as backdrop to the ceremony. Their custom built arch was draped with chiffon in pinks and white. Each chair was tied with burlap and adorned with peonies. The tent for their reception was beautifully decorated with fresh florals, most of which were grown by Paige's mother. I absolutely love the peonies!! How stunning is' Paige's dress? It's clean, classic is timeless. So elegant! I love the sleeves with their button details!! Paige's mother helped her get dressed for her big day. I love the soft pinks in the roses in her bouquet. The cascade of greenery and baby's breath adds movement and elegance to the design. Stunning! If you've followed me for any length of time, you know how much I love a first look. This is the moment you see each other for the first time on your wedding day; a moment you can embrace, talk, laugh, cry, and fully live in. The best part? It really doesn't take away from the impact of the moment you walk down the aisle to say "I do." That moment holds a weight and importance all it's own. The benefits of a first look are many. You can interact and have a breath together before the day unfolds. Much of your wedding day is going to include being surrounded by other people. During a first look, it's just the two of you (and your photographers, but we capture the moment then wander off until you're ready to continue because we understand how great it is to have some time together before the big day begins). After the first look, you can start in on portraits. Not only will you have that happy glow, you will be looking fresh from getting ready and be able to get the majority of your portraits finished before the ceremony begins. Why is that a great thing? Because, to be completely honest, once the ceremony is done, you've been announced as husband and wife and are ready to celebrate. Standing and posing for photos will be the last thing on you mind. Getting the portraits done ahead of time allows you to get to the party faster!
Seriously, how gorgeous are these two?! Before the ceremony began, we were able to complete their family and bridal party portraits. Their arch served as the perfect setting for the formal photos. How sweet are their little flower girls?! Their nieces were perfect for the role of flower girls and Paige's adorable little nephew was the cutest little ringbearer. I hope you've enjoyed seeing this first part of Blaine and Paige's stunning June wedding! Be sure to stop back by for more from their big day!!

Shane + Michelle // Lake MacBride Engagement Portraits

(Geno Photography - Iowa City Wedding Photographer) — Wed, 15 Jun 2022 13:30:00 GMT

How gorgeous is this family?! When Michelle reached out about wedding photography and engagement portraits, she wanted to be sure her son and Shane's sons could be included in their engagement session. My answer? Absolutely! Engagement portraits should reflect who you are as a couple. This is truly who they are, a couple in love yes, but also amazing parents who have created a beautiful family! Their boys did great, but were more than happy to go hang out as soon as their family portraits were done. Then we were able to capture their love story, just the two of them. I love Lake MacBride. It is beautiful out there! It was the perfect location for Shane and Michelle, not because of it's beauty, but because it is where he proposed. On this very bench, he tried to distract her by telling her there was a deer behind her. Michelle was skeptical, but played along. When she turned back, Shane asked her to marry him. Love it! And, I love that we were able capture their portraits in a location that is so special to them! I am still a bit obsessed with the colors in their second outfit. Gorgeous!! They coordinate so well and look amazing! We were fortunate enough to have some water cascading through the spillway that day. Such a serene setting! I had such a blast capturing Shane and Michelle's engagement. I'm so excited for their wedding in July! Check back soon for a sneak peek from their big day!

The Juergensen Family // Riverview Park Marshalltown Family Portrait Sneak Peek

(Geno Photography - Iowa City Wedding Photographer) — Mon, 13 Jun 2022 13:30:00 GMT

What a blast photographing the Juergensens! Their little guy is simply the sweetest!! Be sure to check back soon for more from their recent family portrait session!

Shane + Michelle // Lake MacBride Engagement Portraits Sneak Peek

(Geno Photography - Iowa City Wedding Photographer) — Thu, 09 Jun 2022 20:30:00 GMT

Oh my word! What a joy working with Shane and Michelle on a perfect summer's evening. I loved capturing their engagement portraits!! Here's a quick sneak peek from their session at the beautiful Lake MacBride park.

Blaine + Paige // Intimate Backyard Wedding Sneak Peek

(Geno Photography - Iowa City Wedding Photographer) — Mon, 06 Jun 2022 20:30:00 GMT

I don't think we could have had a more perfect day for Blaine and Paige's beautiful wedding! Here's a quick little sneak peek of their day.

The Poll Family // Rural Iowa Family Portraits

(Geno Photography - Iowa City Wedding Photographer) — Wed, 01 Jun 2022 13:45:00 GMT

Meet the beautiful Poll family! Aren't they gorgeous?! I met up with them in Joetown, in a lovely wooded area. I love their bright, bold colors! They coordinate so well without matching. How gorgeous our their kiddos?! It was such a joy working with the Polls! What a great family!! I hope you enjoyed this little peek at their recent family portrait session!

The Poll Family // Rural Iowa Family Portraits Sneak Peek

(Geno Photography - Iowa City Wedding Photographer) — Wed, 25 May 2022 14:00:00 GMT

What a lovely family! I had such a great evening with the Poll family during their recent family portrait session! Here's a little sneak peek. Be sure to check back for more of the beautiful Poll family!

The Ryan Family // Wellman Family Portraits

(Geno Photography - Iowa City Wedding Photographer) — Mon, 16 May 2022 13:00:00 GMT

Joining us on the blog today is the beautiful Ryan family! While the clouds may have been spitting rain, it sure didn't diminish this lovely family's portraits. I just love the portraits with the white fence. I think it looked lovely, especially with their outfit choices! Also, how sweet is their little guy?! He is growing way too quickly! I'm pretty sure we did his newborn session just a year or two ago. It is crazy how the year fly by! A big thank you to the Ryan family for allowing me to capture their family portraits! It was a joy! I hope you enjoyed this little peek at their session!

The Araguas Family // Waterworks Prairie Park Coralville Family Portraits

(Geno Photography - Iowa City Wedding Photographer) — Mon, 09 May 2022 13:00:00 GMT

Today I'm bringing you the Araguas family's recent portrait session. How adorable are they?! Oh my word, their boys are simply the cutest!! It's hard to believe that exactly one year before this session I was photographing their youngest's newborn portraits. How is that even possible? I love that they brought their pups in to join them for their session. They did such a good job too! There was no head swapping needed, which isn't often the case. They look so sweet and happy for their portrait!! Little Bruno wasn't quite as forthcoming with his smiles as big brother Oscar, but they are both so adorable! I mean, check out the cheeks on Bruno. Love them! I hope you had fun seeing the Araguas family's portraits! Check back soon for more here on the blog!!

Blaine + Paige // Washington Family Home Engagement Sneak Peek

(Geno Photography - Iowa City Wedding Photographer) — Fri, 29 Apr 2022 20:23:00 GMT

A little look at Paige and Blaine's engagement session from yesterday evening. What a gorgeous couple and a beautiful evening! Be sure to check back again soon for more from their engagement portraits!

Jane // Iowa City Newborn Sneak Peek

(Geno Photography - Iowa City Wedding Photographer) — Wed, 27 Apr 2022 14:15:00 GMT

Oh my word! Jane is the absolute sweetest! The hair. The cheeks. The tiny toes. Her sweet face. Everything!! I hope you enjoy this quick glimpse into her recent newborn portrait session! Check back soon for more!

Fletcher + Allison // Devonian Fossil Gorge Engagement Sneak Peek

(Geno Photography - Iowa City Wedding Photographer) — Mon, 25 Apr 2022 14:00:00 GMT

What an absolutely beautiful evening we had for Fletcher and Allison's engagement session at the Devonian Fossil Gorge! I don't think we could have had a more lovely spring day. It was such a joy working with these two! Be sure to check back soon for more from their engagement portraits!

Our Adventures in Mallorca // Days 5 & 6

(Geno Photography - Iowa City Wedding Photographer) — Wed, 13 Apr 2022 13:15:00 GMT

Our last full day in Cala Pi, was gloomy but we again lucked out with the forecast changing from rain to overcast. Due to the uncertainty in the weather during our trip, our daily excursions were all planned the day of, which adds so chaos to the mix. But thankfully, it worked out for us to go and do just about everything on our list.

On day 5, we booked ourselves a tour and tasting at an olive oil farm about 45 minutes from Cala Pi. Our tour wasn't until noon, so we spent the morning enjoying breakfast and exploring the fort on the coast again, this time during daylight. The sound of the waves crashing against the cliffs was so loud yet soothing. The sea waters were so beautifully blue. If it had been little warmer I could have just sat right there and relaxed all day. Our tour was at Aubocassa, and it was fantastic. The estate dates back to the 12th century, but was turned into an olive orchard roughly 25 years ago. We loved wandering the estate with our tour guide, hearing about their process and learning more about the trees. As it is early spring, they are in the process of pruning and the trees have yet to blossom or fruit for the year. Even so, it was beautiful walking among the olive trees. I'll be honest, I've never drank pure olive oil before. Dipped bread in it, cooked with it, drizzled it on fresh tomatoes and basil, but never straight up sipped it. Aubocassa produces two types of olive oil, one made entirely of their olives and one that is a blend with another variety from the island. We were all poured a small amount of each in a wine glass. Initially it was slightly cloudy, but we were instructed to slowly swirl the olive oil around the glass. As we did so, it became clearer and the fragrance popped. Then it was time to taste. It was a very new experience for me. I think I took too much in my initial sip, and my throat burned and tingled from the olive oil. A sensation, I'll admit I never expected. The flavors were fantastic though.

We tried both types and enjoyed each. Though as a family we all voted the Aubocassa oil our favorite. If you are a foodie and want to try some delicious, fresh olive oil definitely check them out!! We left Aubocassa to find lunch at one of the nearby towns. We, thanks to the help of Google, found a small Mom and Pop tapas restaurant where we ate. The menu was simple: three courses, with 2-3 options for each. For starters, you could choose paella or fish soup. We all chose paella. It was a more traditional version, heavy of veggies and just a little chicken here and there, no seafood. Gabby wasn't a fan, but she is our picky one so no surprise there. The main course was a bit of mystery, we knew the options were pork or chicken but we didn't know the translation for the preparation. Two of us went with chicken and two chose pork. The chicken was a schnitzel style, which wasn't very surprising as Mallorca sees a LOT of German tourists (in fact we were mistake for German several times while we were there). The pork was a braise pork shoulder in a tomato sauce. I'm not sure of it's name but it was so tender and tasty. For dessert, we could choose ice cream or flan. Gabby went with ice cream and the rest of us enjoyed a cheese flan. Our meal included mineral water and red wine, though we had to hit the road again so the wine was only sipped in a small amount.

On the top of a nearby mountain there was a monastery. We had seen it the previous day on the way to the Cuevas del Drach, and decided to make the assent. As were were going up the road, again a very twist, turny hairpin road that went up the side of the mountain, we reached the clouds and it began to sprinkle. The wind was also quite intense the further up we went. We got out and explored for a short time, then decided it was far to cold and windy to stay outside. Our final morning in Cala Pi, we ate breakfast at the hotel and enjoyed the sunshine while we did one last hike down to the cove. I do occasionally make it in front of the camera. Laurelin took my camera down with her while I finished checking us in for our flight the next day. She snapped this shot of me when I asked how it was going. After checking out, we headed to Palma de Mallorca to get our oh-so-fun-but-necessary Covid tests done. Then, we parked by our hotel for that night and hit the beach. It's kind of a bummer the weather was cold and dreary while we were there, but at least we were able to enjoy some time on the beach. The girls loved looking through all the seashells washed up on the shore. We grabbed lunch along the shore and managed to avoid the worst of the rain. After lunch we headed to the Palma Aquarium, which was so much fun! They have a large shark tank that you can walk through. It was so fun laying in bean bags, staring up at the water and watch sharks swimming overhead.

The rest of our evening was pretty chill. The next morning, we got up early and ate breakfast at the hotel. I have to say, the Iberostar Cristina had a phenomenal breakfast spread. So impressed with all they had to offer! I wish I had been more hungry!!

Then it was off to return the car and get ready to fly home. On the flight to Zurich, we were put in a holding pattern because they were backed up, which had me nervous since our layover was not long at all and we had to go through passport control. Instead of circling the airport, the pilot took us on a quick air tour of the Alps.

We flew Swiss Air both ways and had a really great experience with them. We again made it through passport control in Zurich, though this was a much tighter connection. We had the same amount of time between flights as before, but several planes must have landed at once and the lines were huge. The Zurich airport again was on point and had everything moving along as quickly as they could. We got to our next flight in time for boarding thankfully.

Getting back through Chicago, however, was a much longer process and I felt so badly for those with connecting flights. The line was massive, but at least it kept moving pretty well. We were all thankful to not have to rush anywhere. Though we were also very, very tired. We ended up driving home that same evening and were happy to sleep in our own beds.

Mallorca was an amazing trip! I highly recommend it!!

Romantic Winter Micro-Wedding // The Red Barn at Pine Creek Ranch

(Geno Photography - Iowa City Wedding Photographer) — Fri, 08 Apr 2022 16:00:00 GMT

red-barn-pine-creek-ranch-wedding_0001 When Katie at The Red Barn at Pine Creek Ranch reached out and said they wanted to collaborate on a micro-wedding shoot I said yes without hesitation! red-barn-pine-creek-ranch-wedding_0002 red-barn-pine-creek-ranch-wedding_0003 We began while our beautiful model had her hair and makeup done by Oasis Aveda Salon. I began by doing what I would on any wedding day, capturing the beautiful details of the flowers and jewelry. The flowers by Danny Gates were stunning! The colors, the textures, everything was perfection! The jewelry from Joseph's Jewelers was gorgeous too! Those earrings are simple and elegant with lots of sparkle and I love the rings!! red-barn-pine-creek-ranch-wedding_0004 red-barn-pine-creek-ranch-wedding_0005 The Bridal Shop Iowa provided the groom's suit. I love the green of the tie. It was perfect with the rich emeralds and reds of the wedding design! red-barn-pine-creek-ranch-wedding_0006 red-barn-pine-creek-ranch-wedding_0007 This gown from Jocelyn Taylor Bridal was the perfect combination of lace and sparkle! red-barn-pine-creek-ranch-wedding_0008 red-barn-pine-creek-ranch-wedding_0009 red-barn-pine-creek-ranch-wedding_0010 Inside The Red Barn, the intimate ceremony was set up with a simple, yet elegant backdrop. The floral design on the arch is stunning and perfectly complimented by the arrangements set on either side. The best thing? The arch makes a perfect backdrop for the head table later and the smaller arrangements become centerpieces. When thinking about your florals, remember you can make many things multipurpose, stretching your budget further and allowing for a little more extravagant design! red-barn-pine-creek-ranch-wedding_0011 red-barn-pine-creek-ranch-wedding_0012 red-barn-pine-creek-ranch-wedding_0013 red-barn-pine-creek-ranch-wedding_0014 red-barn-pine-creek-ranch-wedding_0015 11:11 Events Co., Anne & Ellis Events, and Popping Party Company came together and created a stunning setup for the reception and photo booth! red-barn-pine-creek-ranch-wedding_0016 red-barn-pine-creek-ranch-wedding_0017 red-barn-pine-creek-ranch-wedding_0018 red-barn-pine-creek-ranch-wedding_0019 red-barn-pine-creek-ranch-wedding_0020 Have I mentioned how stunning the flowers were? So lovely! red-barn-pine-creek-ranch-wedding_0021 red-barn-pine-creek-ranch-wedding_0022 red-barn-pine-creek-ranch-wedding_0023 A perfect reception set up for an intimate micro-wedding! red-barn-pine-creek-ranch-wedding_0024 red-barn-pine-creek-ranch-wedding_0025 red-barn-pine-creek-ranch-wedding_0026 The roses, the candlelight, the green velvet runner, I'm obsessed!!! red-barn-pine-creek-ranch-wedding_0027 red-barn-pine-creek-ranch-wedding_0028 red-barn-pine-creek-ranch-wedding_0029 Take the Cake made a perfect dessert bar. A simple two tier cake complimented by and array of cupcakes and mini-bundt cakes. Yum! red-barn-pine-creek-ranch-wedding_0030 red-barn-pine-creek-ranch-wedding_0031 red-barn-pine-creek-ranch-wedding_0032 red-barn-pine-creek-ranch-wedding_0033 I hope you enjoyed this peek at this beautiful collaboration with these amazing vendors:
Venue: @redbarnpinecreek
Dress: @jocelyntaylorbridalandprom
Suit: @thebridalshopiowa
Jewelry: @josephsjewlers1871
Hair/Makeup: @oasissalonaveda
Decor: @1111eventco
Decor/design: @anneandellis
Floral: @dannygatesfloraldesigner
Models: @_jennaniicole
Balloons: @poppinpartiesco
Dessert: @takethecakedesserts

If you're dreaming of a small, intimate micro-wedding, I hope you've been inspired!!

Our Adventures in Mallorca // Day 3 & 4

(Geno Photography - Iowa City Wedding Photographer) — Wed, 06 Apr 2022 13:00:00 GMT

Again, the extended forecast called for rain but cleared that morning, so we decided to head into Palma de Mallorca to explore Old Town. We again started off the day getting pastries. Gabby chose an ensaimada, Josh a delicious pork pie, and Laurelin enjoyed a coca de patata. I wasn't hungry and just nibbled a few bites of Josh's pie. It was phenomenal! The pork inside was seasoned deliciously and the pastry crust was buttery and flaky. I wish I'd been hungrier! We worked our way through Old Town to La Seu cathedral and the Palau Reial de l'Amundania, the palace of the royal family. Both were stunning works of architecture and design. With flying buttresses and gothic arches, the cathedral took me straight back to my art history days in college. It was so stunning, so very very stunning. We enjoyed touring the palace and seeing some more of the Mallorcan histrory, including artifacts from times with it was under Arabic rule as well as Christian rule. The island has so much history and culture. Josh being a great lover of history and myself being a great lover of art had such a great time learning. The girls are somewhat less enthusiastic than we are, but they managed not to complain too much when we lingered in rooms or try to rush us through. Gabby did say she would dessert us if we took a guided tour, ha!

She was fascinated though when we entered to chapel in the palace and behind glass was presented in great honor reliquaries of St. Anne. Apparently, I had yet to explain to her what reliquaries were. I guess we didn't encounter those while we were in France with the girls. Being Gabby, she found it fascinating. Laurelin was far less intrigued by the reliquaries, but she did enjoy the architecture. Out of respect for the cathedral, I did not photograph anything inside. There were many signs posted requesting photos not be taken, and I can understand their regard for their sanctity of their house of worship. It was amazing though. The stained glass had me in awe. Their rose window looked like a kaleidoscope, full of rich blues, reds, and yellows. The rest of the stained glass windows were beautiful mosaic works of art. There was art by Gaudi, a crown of thorns canopy above the alter. Throughout the wings of the cathedral were displays dedicated to many saints, each a unique display. There were also several reliquaries at the cathedral.

Being in the large cathedrals throughout Europe never fails to take my breath away. They are such stunning works of art and craftsmanship that took decades if not centuries to be brought to life. We wandered Old Town on our way back to the car, stopping to eat at a delicious bao place. Ok, so bao and dim sum are not in any way Spanish food and we failed in our diving in to the culture in that moment, but oh my word, those were delicious!! They were hand made, fresh and simply amazing. The girls also split a bowl of fresh ramen. Our final stop of the day was Bellver Castle on the edge of Palma. It is a circular castle with a stunning open courtyard. There was a beautiful view of the harbor in Palma, despite the rain and gloom. Unlike most of the towns we visited or drove through, Palma is very modern and highly populated. It was quite a contrast from the terraced villages we'd seen the day before. That evening we headed back to the resort, where we relaxed for a bit before headed out to supper. We ate at a restaurant in Cala Pi just a short walk from our resort. The food was fantastic! We shared a bread and olive plate with fresh green olives which were so good and I do not like green olives. I enjoyed lamb chops. Gabby shared some of mine and had a bowl of fresh tomato soup. Josh and Laurelin shared a beautiful pallea. Josh and I shared a delicious Spanish Tempranillo.

The next day the rain finally caught up with us. We took the morning to chill in the room while we tried to decide the best activity for a rainy day. We landed on visiting the Cuevas del Drach. I'm so glad we did! The drive out there was lovely, despite the drizzle. I don't have any photos unfortunately, as the rain discouraged us from stopping, but the blossoming trees were stunning! We got to the Cuevas del Drach before the tour time and enjoyed some chocolate caliente for the girls and espresso for Josh and myself, because there's nothing better on a cold rainy day than a nice warm pick me up.

The walk through the caves was pretty awe inspiring, so many formations. About two thirds of the way through the tour, we stopped at a seating area where we were all treated to a concert. The lights within the cave were turned off and lit boats slowly emerged from the distance, two guide boats and one boat containing a pianist and string quartet. The music changed as the boats drew closer and the sound echoed off different structures on the ceiling. It was very unexpected on our part, we weren't sure going into it what they meant by "the concert is included in admission." But it was a wonderful experience. I wish I had pictures of that part as well, but they requested no images of video be taken of the performance. Our room at the resort was a suite and included a kitchen. We needed to restock on a few things, so we decided to find a market on our way back to the resort after the caves. When Aldi popped up as an option, I was all in! So many different options for meats and cheeses, great fresh breads, a multitude of wine options, and Gabby's favorite thing: a machine that freshly squeezed orange juice with local oranges. It was a lot of fun shopping there! We even decided to grab groceries to make dinner at the resort that evening. Before, we'd just been keeping breakfast items on hand because none of us are morning people, so not having to leave the room to go grab coffee and food first thing is more our speed. Well, that's a wrap for days 3 & 4. Check back soon as there is more to come from our Mallorca trip!

Spring Wedding Event // Embassy Suites Des Moines

(Geno Photography - Iowa City Wedding Photographer) — Mon, 04 Apr 2022 15:45:00 GMT

embassy-suites-des-moines-wedding_0001 What a beautiful afternoon at Embassy Suites in downtown Des Moines for their Spring Tasting Event! Such a gorgeous venue and Cynthia with Vintage Love Rentals knocked it out of the park with the ceremony and reception setups! embassy-suites-des-moines-wedding_0002 The waterfall area makes for a gorgeous ceremony location for an intimate event. The atrium is filled with natural light! embassy-suites-des-moines-wedding_0003 embassy-suites-des-moines-wedding_0004 I love all of the greenery and baskets, such simple but beautiful textures! The seating compliments the carpets beautifully, picking up the reds and dark tones in the design. embassy-suites-des-moines-wedding_0005 Water-filled vases with floating candles were the perfect way to bring the fountain feature throughout the design. embassy-suites-des-moines-wedding_0006 embassy-suites-des-moines-wedding_0007 embassy-suites-des-moines-wedding_0008 Just before entering the reception hall, a lovely lounge was set. A perfect place for cocktails and chatting! embassy-suites-des-moines-wedding_0009 I'm a little obsessed with this tux from Skeffingtons! What an amazing textured jacket! embassy-suites-des-moines-wedding_0010 embassy-suites-des-moines-wedding_0011 I just had to get a few portraits of our beautiful model couple in the elevators! embassy-suites-des-moines-wedding_0012 embassy-suites-des-moines-wedding_0013 embassy-suites-des-moines-wedding_0014 embassy-suites-des-moines-wedding_0015 embassy-suites-des-moines-wedding_0016 embassy-suites-des-moines-wedding_0017 embassy-suites-des-moines-wedding_0018 embassy-suites-des-moines-wedding_0019 Beyond the reception hall and ceremony site, Embassy Suites offers some stunning locations for portraits. Their tall windows stole my heart! embassy-suites-des-moines-wedding_0020 embassy-suites-des-moines-wedding_0021 embassy-suites-des-moines-wedding_0022 Have I mentioned how amazing Cynthia is?! She created an stunning array of different tablescapes in the reception hall, including the floral design! embassy-suites-des-moines-wedding_0023 embassy-suites-des-moines-wedding_0024 embassy-suites-des-moines-wedding_0025 embassy-suites-des-moines-wedding_0026 embassy-suites-des-moines-wedding_0027 If you have a vision for your wedding, Cynthia can make that happen! She never ceases to blow me away with her designs! The array of chairs, tables, linens, florals, flatware, plates, cups, candles, and more she has is fantastic! embassy-suites-des-moines-wedding_0028 embassy-suites-des-moines-wedding_0029 embassy-suites-des-moines-wedding_0030 embassy-suites-des-moines-wedding_0031 I love the fern atop the golden stand. So simple, yet elegant. It has great impact! embassy-suites-des-moines-wedding_0032 embassy-suites-des-moines-wedding_0033 embassy-suites-des-moines-wedding_0034 embassy-suites-des-moines-wedding_0035 embassy-suites-des-moines-wedding_0036 embassy-suites-des-moines-wedding_0037 embassy-suites-des-moines-wedding_0038 embassy-suites-des-moines-wedding_0039 embassy-suites-des-moines-wedding_0040 embassy-suites-des-moines-wedding_0041 embassy-suites-des-moines-wedding_0042 embassy-suites-des-moines-wedding_0043 embassy-suites-des-moines-wedding_0044 embassy-suites-des-moines-wedding_0045 embassy-suites-des-moines-wedding_0046 The ballroom at Embassy Suites is beautiful, with elegant lighting, golden walls and lots of space for your guests to enjoy. Anne, the event coordinator shared, "What make us unique is our location. We are steps from both the East Village as well as Court Ave. Additionally, we have the largest single floor ballroom in the downtown area. I must say that what really sets us apart are our associates and teammates! We have so many people who have been here7, 8, 12 even 25 years. That speaks volumes in this industry!"

embassy-suites-des-moines-wedding_0047 embassy-suites-des-moines-wedding_0048 I hope you enjoyed this peek at the Embassy Suites' spring tasting event. It was such a joy working with all of the amazing vendors and models who helped make this event happen!!

Romantic Winter Micro-Wedding Sneak Peek // The Red Barn at Pine Creek Ranch

(Geno Photography - Iowa City Wedding Photographer) — Fri, 01 Apr 2022 18:30:00 GMT

red-barn-pine-creek-ranch-wedding_0016 I was so excited to be back at The Red Barn at Pine Creek Ranch! This warm, romantic, moody micro-wedding was gorgeous!!! red-barn-pine-creek-ranch-wedding_0025 red-barn-pine-creek-ranch-wedding_0026

I had such a great time working on this inspiration shoot with all of these amazing vendors! Be sure to check back soon for more!!

Photographer: @genophotographystudio
Venue: @redbarnpinecreek
Dress: @jocelyntaylorbridalandprom
Suit: @thebridalshopiowa
Jewelry: @josephsjewlers1871
Hair/Makeup: @oasissalonaveda
Decor: @1111eventco
Decor/design: @anneandellis
Floral: @dannygatesfloraldesigner
Models: @_jennaniicole
Balloons: @poppinpartiesco
Dessert: @takethecakedesserts

Our Adventures in Mallorca // Days 1 & 2

(Geno Photography - Iowa City Wedding Photographer) — Wed, 30 Mar 2022 13:15:00 GMT

We spent a week in Mallorca for spring break this year. It was amazing! We took an overnight flight from Chicago to Zurich, which didn't result in nearly as much sleep as I'd hoped for us. Thankfully passport control was on point in Zurich and we were able to make our connecting flight to Palma de Mallorca with our very short layover time. Once we arrived, tired as we were, we were so excited for our adventures to begin. We picked up our rental car from the airport and were on our way to our resort in Cala Pi.

We arrived at the resort around 4:00 and got settled in. We were all exhausted but knew better than to nap. Instead we pushed through and decided to go explore the cove by the resort. It was lovely going from Iowa, where spring hadn't quite coaxed the blossoms into life, to a place that was full of flowers and lush greenery. I think that's the hardest part of winter for me, the lack of color. At this point we'd been up for somewhere in the neighborhood of 24 hours, save some unrestful short naps on the flights. So the girls were a bit silly. I will refrain from sharing all of their "posing" antics, but trust me, many giggles and much silliness occurred. The forecast for our time in Mallorca was bleak. Lots of rain throughout the week. I felt slightly lied to by all of the articles that said it typically is beautiful and only rains up to 5 days in Mallorca in March. So, we decided to go ahead and do our family portraits that evening. We have a tradition of doing our formal family portraits during our travels. I love it so much!

Thankfully these amazing people put up with my crazy "we need portraits" attitude/demands. The tired lot of us, hiked back up to the room, got dressed and headed back to the beach. They even smiled!! Love them so much!!!!! These are just a few of my girls' portraits. Try as I might to get them to pose nicely, the giggles were in full force and goofiness was the name of the game. You'd think they'd never done this before. Though, I absolutely saved their goofy photos. As much as I love having a nice classic portrait, the "outtakes" make my heart happy too! I handed off my camera to Laurelin, who has started working as a second shooter for me, to capture some portraits of Josh and I. I think it's so important for parents to get portraits together, beyond the whole family. Later that evening, after we changed out of our dress clothes, we walked down the street to the little fort on the sea cliff to explore. After that, we grabbed a small supper, I don't think any of us were very hungry with how tired we were, and headed to bed.

The forecast for the next day cleared, so we decided to to drive out to Valldemassa, a town built in the 13th century and the birthplace of Saint Catalina Thomas, the saint of Mallorca. We began our day with breakfast at a wonderful cafe, enjoying Mallorcan pastries: ensaimada and coca de patata along with some chocolate caliente for the girls and espresso for Josh and myself. We sat on the patio, in the shade of citrus trees. It was amazing to see all the lemon and orange trees laden with fruit, so colorful! Josh and I tried out the girls chocolate. It was a thick, rich hot chocolate. So good!! I loved seeing all the plants! Every street we walked down was filled with potted plants. There weren't any yards to speak of, but the residents made up for it with gorgeous potted plants. While we didn't go in, the Carthusian monistary in Valldemossa was beautiful! We greatly enjoyed walking the gardens there. Did I mention all the plants?! Gabby and I were in awe of them all. After Valldemossa, we headed to Soller. I didn't get any pictures of it, but the road we took was full of hairpin turns, zigzagging it's way up and down the mountains. It was such an amazing experience. The only downside, is the very narrow road was also full of bikers and not a lot of opportunities to pass them, as the next hairpin turn was only about 100ft away. We didn't hit anyone, thanks to Josh's driving skills. I just focused my attention on the scenery and not looking down at the corners. I regret not stopping to get a picture of the road, but here's a google map image of the road we took:

road

We ate lunch in the square at Soller. It was delicious and it was fun to enjoy the town square. After lunch, we took a wooden tram down to the Port de Soller to explore. I have no idea what they were staring at. I think we were all still a bit jet lagged and silly. Gabby was spending a fair amount of her time while wandering taking photos of every cat she came across. After Soller, we hit the road heading towards the west coast, hoping to catch sunset. We didn't quite make it, but we sure had some great stops along the way.

Spring Wedding Sneak Peek // Embassy Suites Des Moines

(Geno Photography - Iowa City Wedding Photographer) — Mon, 28 Mar 2022 18:30:00 GMT

embassy-suites-des-moines-wedding_0001 What a stunning location! I had so much fun capturing images for Embassy Suites in downtown Des Moines for their spring tasting event! Be sure to check back soon for more from this lovely event. embassy-suites-des-moines-wedding_0020 Venue:
Embassy Suites Des Moines

Rentals and Florals:
Vintage Love Rentals

Tux:
Skeffinton's

Behind the Business // My Favorite Business Tool: 17hats

(Geno Photography - Iowa City Wedding Photographer) — Wed, 02 Mar 2022 14:45:00 GMT

17hats

Running a business is no small task, as any business owner will tell you. There is so much that goes into making it run smoothly that it can be overwhelming. I began my business at the end of my sophomore year of college. I’ll be 100% honest, I was young and naive. But I had drive and determination, so I figured out how to get things done. It was a clunky system, if you really want to call it a “system” at all. Everything for managing my business was scattered and separated; some on paper, some on the computer, and nothing at all online.

In January of 2016, I attended Imaging USA for the very first time and enjoyed perusing the expo during breaks. It was there, among the sea of vendors, I first encountered 17Hats. I’ll be honest, the initial thought of changing the way I did things was daunting, but after a night in my hotel room doing some soul searching on what I really wanted for my business had me realizing that it was worth the try. I wanted to make the things about business I didn’t like (hello, accounting) easier and be able to have a one-stop place that allowed me to know where I was with my business at any given point. So I took the jump and signed up for the trial. Before I even got to the end of my trial period, I knew 17Hats was something my business needed and paid for a bi-annual subscription.

So what did 17Hats offer me that so improved my business? Let me break it down for you.

Inquiries/Leads: Before, I was trying to keep track of anyone inquiring via my inbox, which often left me subject to things like follow ups getting forgotten, losing track of what date people were inquiring about, and feeling overwhelmed. I also felt completely tied to my inbox so I could respond ASAP to people as they reached out.

With 17Hats, my lead capture form allows people to contact me directly through my website, and maps important information such as wedding dates to an easy overview screen. The quick access to information about the lead all in one place on the overview screen, allows me to follow all of our correspondence as well. I can set up an automated response, send them a questionnaire right away to start gathering more information and getting them engaged quicker, and schedule follow up emails to make sure I’m nurturing the leads, rather than letting them grow cold. Because of this automation, I’m able to step away from my inbox and feel so much more present with my family. Folks, this is HUGE! I spent years stepping out in the middle of things to go answer emails, because I feel my clients and potential clients deserve timely responses. Now, I don't have to do that because 17hats has me covered!

Contracts & Payments: Prior to 17Hats, I was old school. Like, pen-and-paper and payment-via-check-or-cash old school. My contracts were printed on paper and signed at meetings or emailed pdfs that clients would print, sign, and mail back. Same with payments, pay in person or mail a check. Ya’ll, waiting on the mail for your payment is a form of torture; the worry if it got lost, because that had happened more than once. Plus, there is the added hassle of creating physical folders to keep track of contracts and payment receipts. My desk drawers were full and it was always a hassle to find things, even with a good system in place.

I had been looking into moving into the realm of digital, but it was overwhelming. For contracts, I had been looking at programs like DocuSign and the like, but kept holding back because it was adding yet another separate thing to keep track of for my business. Billing was the same, looking into various software that would again be adding another place to search for information when I needed it.

17Hats was a game changer! My lead wants to book? No problem! Once I had entered my contracts and products, I simply sent them a quote, which automatically directed them to the contract, and took them to the invoice where they could pay online. Voilà!! Bookings made easy. My client only had to spend about 10 minutes of their time and didn’t have to worry about printing contracts or making sure the check was in the mail. Plus, they could refer back to their documents at any time. Added bonus for me, again I could see everything in their client project page: contract, invoice, initial inquiry form, emails, wedding date, etc. I had just gone from shuffling through emails and papers and trips back to the office to one streamlined process that took a couple of minutes of my time.

Added note, since beginning with 17Hats, I’ve added Fundy Designer to my repertoire of business tools. In person/virtual photo sales allows me to better serve my clients and provide them a meaningful experience and beautiful printed artwork. With just a few clicks, I can pull up their Fundy order in 17Hats and create an invoice that they can pay right away. This saves me time, saves them time, and allows it all to stay within the client project in 17Hats.

Bookkeeping: Ugh, not my thing. I can do it, but it is just not something I enjoy spending any amount of time working on. I have a yearly accountant who handles end of year taxes, but the day-to-day running of my business has me in that position. In the old days, it was me, my bank statements, receipts, and a spreadsheet. Talk about a time consuming and overwhelming task! My knowledge of spreadsheets was enough to make this doable, but not enough to make it efficient. I’d tried using Quickbooks, but it wasn’t something that I really got into using as it wasn't intuitive for me and I never felt confident about using it. The process worked, but it drained my passion for business and took so much time away from my family.

17Hats lifted such a huge weight off of my shoulders with the bookkeeping portion of their program. Seriously, it freed up so much time and stress, pretty sure some angels started singing when I started using it. It syncs directly with my bank account and my credit card processor. Everything is imported regularly. I just have to go in and classify the income (if not automatically from invoicing) and expenses. Click a few buttons and I have a quarterly sales tax report. Click another couple times and I have my end of year summary. It still makes me smile. My accountant loves the end of year printout because it makes his job all the easier.

Workflows: Previously, I had a basic workflow of things I did for each client, but sometimes things would slip my mind (life happens). It wasn't written down or set in stone, more a running mental list of things to do for each client. Honestly, I’d never really thought to sit down and map out exactly what I do for my clients, what their experience should be, what I needed to make sure was happening.

Enter 17Hats. Their workflows got me to sit down and really think about what I need to be doing for each lead, each wedding couple, and each portrait client. I’ll be honest, my first few workflows were the most basic of lists. But now I have created workflows that elevate my clients’ experience: making sure I’m getting client gifts out on time, automatically sending useful information to help them prepare for their session/wedding day, automatically sending questionnaires to help me prepare for their session/wedding day, and SO MUCH MORE! This has encouraged me to elevate what I’m doing for my clients while allowing me to automate so much of the process that it takes very little extra time for me. Win-win! Again, that extra time for me is time with my family and that means the world to me. My girls are in their teens already and it won't be long before they're off into the world. I cherish the time we get to spend together and make memories.

Online Scheduling: So this wasn’t around when I first started with 17Hats, but you can bet I jumped for joy and did a little happy dance when they launched it. I used to email back and forth and try to keep track of everything in my inbox for scheduling. It was a juggle. I’d looked into other online schedulers, but it was again another program I’d have to use. Another site outside of my website to navigate clients to, which was unappealing.

17Hats introduced online scheduling and scheduling my fall mini-sessions became about a million times easier. My clients can see my availability, book their time slot, sign the contract, and pay their invoice all in one spot without ever leaving my website. The process takes about 5 minutes for them. Um, that is phenomenal!!! No more:

“Hey, we want to book a fall mini”
“Great! I have x, y, and z available”
... two days later “oh, we’ll take z”
”Sorry, that time slot booked yesterday”
… three days later “could you do q or r?”
And so on…

Now, my clients can see what’s available and pick what works for them. Other than setting up the schedule of availability, I had pretty much nothing to do once it launched. My dates filled. This year, I was able to enjoy my time on the beach in Mexico with my family (yep, that happened and I loved every minute of it!!) and my clients were still given the service and convenience they deserve. Such a great system!

Calendar: I used to use pen and paper in the beginning, but graduated to the wonderful world of Google Calendar. It’s great, but it only worked if I was sure to enter everything into it. If for some reason I didn’t get it put on the calendar (I have kids, things are sometimes distracting) then I ran the risk of forgetting. Thankfully, I never forgot a session, meeting or wedding, but the risk was there.

17Hats syncs with my Google Calendar and I can see everything at a glance. I can also have 17Hats cross reference my calendars so I don’t double book. It’s lovely!

Accessibility: If I ever forgot to grab the contract as I walked out the door and had forgotten to write down some key information, I had to call my husband or the babysitter to get me contact information or addresses from it in my office. In fairness, this was back in the days when GPSs lived in the car if you had one, not on your phone and phones had more limited connectivity.

With 17Hats, at the touch of a button, I can not only access the contact information, address of the wedding/session/meeting, but also see all of the information about any given project. I can send a quote, invoice, contract, questionnaire, email, or (if I’m super bored if I arrived too early, while I wait for clients) update my accounting. Ok, so that last part hasn’t happened yet, but the option’s there, just saying.

It is freeing to know that I can run my business from anywhere. Did I mention the beach in Mexico? Yeah, I ran my business from there, as well as from a winery in Italy, the Louvre in Paris, the Golden Circle of Iceland, and more. My family loves to travel. 17Hats allows me to do that without having to leave my business behind. It is such an amazing tool that has allowed me to be a better business owner, create a better experience for my clients, and to be an active part of my family without feeling guilty or dropping the ball for my business. It has improved my work-life balance, my stress levels and mental health, and given me more confidence in running my business. I am so thankful for my trip to Atlanta for Imaging USA that cold January all those years ago!

Blaine + Paige // Washington Family Farm Engagement

(Geno Photography - Iowa City Wedding Photographer) — Wed, 16 Feb 2022 17:15:00 GMT

The weather was cold and windy, but this gorgeous couple braved the cold for their engagement portraits. We met at their home near Washington for their session, where we did our best to find shelter from the wind. I love the hearts on Paige's sleeves!! Such a cute sweater! Despite the cold and wind, Paige and Blaine were naturals in front of the camera! But unfortunately, due to the cold and the wind, we only got about 20 minutes of session time before we were frozen through. Sigh, winter in Iowa is fun.

Blaine + Paige // Washington Family Farm Engagement Sneak Peek

(Geno Photography - Iowa City Wedding Photographer) — Mon, 07 Feb 2022 14:15:00 GMT

washington-iowa-engagement-01 It was cold and windy yesterday, but these two were amazing in front of the camera. Absolute naturals! Here's a little peek at their engagement session. washington-iowa-engagement-05 washington-iowa-engagement-11 Be sure to stop back soon for more from Blaine and Paige's winter engagement session!

The Bachman Family // Downtown Cedar Rapids Family Portraits

(Geno Photography - Iowa City Wedding Photographer) — Wed, 15 Dec 2021 15:00:00 GMT

One of my favorite families is back on the blog today! Say "hello" to the Bachmans! Such a beautiful family!! We met up in downtown Cedar Rapids, just down the street from where Brandi works. I love the area they chose! It is right near the HarMac and has such a great variety of backgrounds in a very small area. It was a chilly, windy day, so having access to that variety meant we were able to get an amazing amount of portraits in a very short amount of time. Crazy to believe their little guy is now three. I'm not even sure where the time has gone. Pretty sure we were just photographing Brandi's maternity session a couple months ago, right? Ayden did such a great job smiling at the camera this year! Love the green garage doors! Thank you to the Bachmans for allowing me to capture their beautiful family again this year! It is always an absolute joy!!

Kylar // Mount Vernon Senior Class of 2022 Sneak Peek

(Geno Photography - Iowa City Wedding Photographer) — Mon, 13 Dec 2021 15:15:00 GMT

mount-vernon-senior-photographer_0001 A quick peek at Kylar's recent senior portrait session. Love it! mount-vernon-senior-photographer_0002

The Noethe Family // Sutliff Bridge Family Portraits

(Geno Photography - Iowa City Wedding Photographer) — Mon, 06 Dec 2021 15:30:00 GMT

sutliff-bridge-family-portraits_0016 How cute is the Noethe family?! I've had the honor of capturing their family for a few years now and it is always a pleasure to work with them. sutliff-bridge-family-portraits_0017 sutliff-bridge-family-portraits_0018 sutliff-bridge-family-portraits_0019 Their little guys is simply the cutest! He was such a trooper too! It was a chilly fall afternoon when we did their portraits and he did such a great job. sutliff-bridge-family-portraits_0020 sutliff-bridge-family-portraits_0021 Such a sweet family!! sutliff-bridge-family-portraits_0022 Thank you so much to the Noethe family! It was a joy seeing you all again and capturing your family portraits!!