Kisa Koenig Photography

Come visit my new blog site!

2009-02-18T08:58:00.003-07:00

I'm happy to announce the move of my blog to a new site. This site will remain up and running so you can visit past posts. I hope you enjoy the look and feel of the new and improved Kisa Koenig Photography!

Holland, Michigan

2009-02-12T14:50:00.006-07:00

I was not expecting Lake Michigan to be mostly frozen when we got there. With the snow on top, it was beautiful. The lighthouse and swans seemed perfectly suited for the harshness of it and added some life to the whiteness of it.

My boy had a bit of a meltdown here that day, hence the tears. It's tough being two.

Family Vacation

2009-02-03T07:48:00.006-07:00

My husband, son and I got to spend a week in Long Boat Key with my parents. It was such a treat to spend time in warm weather. As I've mentioned, we are on a month long journey through Ohio, Florida, Michigan, back to Ohio and then home to Idaho. The event that spurred the vacation was a wedding I'm shooting here on Saturday. The couple is Jayna and Tyler and there wedding is shaping up to be a beautiful event. I'll post photos as soon as I can afterwards!

Playing in the surf with Papa and Giddee ("grandfather" in Arabic. My mom is Lebanese and my dad decided to have Owen call him this.) This is Owen's second trip to the beach, but the first time he was old enough to really appreciate how fun the sand and ocean are.

We went to the GWiz Science Museum. This is Chris and Owen in a mindball game. The ball rolls towards the person who is most relaxed. Chris dominated in this game and beat all of us until I figured out to close my eyes. Owen's brain activity was all over the place...probably typical for a 2 1/2 year old.

Lastly, a few shots of me and my boys at sunset on the beach.

Keplar Craft

2009-01-27T15:05:00.006-07:00

Just so everyone knows, I am on vacation and doing some work out of town. I should have posted this a while a go, but I'll be back in Driggs on February 11!

I'm finally posting a blog. Horrah! We've been traveling around Ohio, Florida, and now Michigan to visit family and we got to meet the newest edition, and first first-cousin to our Owen, Keplar Craft. Such a sweet boy! I could follow him all day taking photos and did get a real photo shoot with his parents too! They are doing an incredible job and truly make it look easy, although we know it's not! A few pics now...

I need to get up early more often

2008-11-06T17:55:00.003-07:00

...especially when they do a controlled burn in Darby Canyon and it makes the sunrise incredible! This is what I saw out my window the other morning...

Allison and Todd

2008-10-28T15:14:00.013-06:00

So, you may remember some "teaser" shots of Allison and Todd from an earlier blog, but here is the entire event. Allison and Todd flew in from San Francisco (my old stomping grounds) to wed at the Chapel of the Transfiguration in Grand Teton National Park. Following the ceremony was an intimate reception at Todd's parent's home in Jackson. I had such a wonderful time with this couple. They were as eager as I was to explore beautiful sites for some sunset portraits later in the evening. We found several spots and had a lot of fun exploring and photographing. Congratulations again Allison and Todd!

Megan and Jerad's Album

2008-10-26T17:04:00.003-06:00

Take a look at a newly completed wedding album. Congrats again Megan and Jerad!

Another Mia Update

2008-10-24T15:09:00.004-06:00

About two weeks ago, I posted an update on Mia. Sadly, she had to go back to the hospital. They initially thought there was another blockage, but after an exploratory procedure on Monday, they discovered her bowl had twisted.

Her surgery was yesterday and it went very well, so they are hoping to be able to take her back home in a few weeks.

My sister sent some photos and I was just so amazed to see how grown up and beautiful she's become since I last saw her.

Worst Blogger Ever

2008-10-24T14:43:00.005-06:00

Ok, so maybe I'm not the worst, but I've been pretty lame lately. I have neglected to post so many photos of what I'm shooting these days. I have weddings from August that have not been posted and so many others...Alas, as winter approaches and work slows, I promise to make blogging a priority!

Here are a few shots of Owen and Marin, who were my subjects the other day at Huntsman Springs.

Huntsman Springs is a new client of mine and I am really enjoying exploring the property. They have an incredible boardwalk that runs over 2 miles through a native wetland. A unique experience to be able to be out there, not in waders. A few from the other evening. Hope the snow holds out a bit longer!

Welcome Home Mia!

2008-10-08T08:52:00.004-06:00

Some of you may remember that my sister's dear friend, Susan, delivered her first little girl at 28 weeks in her pregnancy. I went to the NICU and took some photos of her and posted them on my blog here.
Well, after almost 7 months in the hospital, she is finally going home today! It is truly a miracle and I can't wait to watch her grow up! This is an overwhelmingly happy day for her parents and all of us who know them.

The Aspen Trail

2008-09-29T16:32:00.003-06:00

It's been almost a full year of my blog and since I began this journal with some photos of my son, Owen, on a fall afternoon in Teton Canyon, I thought it would be appropriate to post some photos of a hike we did a few days ago. We hiked along the Aspen Trail and it was a beautiful day in Teton Valley. I can't believe how quickly Owen is growing up!

Teton Home and Living Magazine

2008-09-26T16:26:00.003-06:00

The new Teton Home and Living magazine is on newsstands. For one of the features, I had the pleasure of photographing a house that sits near the Teton River. The owners are from Tennessee and brought an old cabin to Driggs. This is another house that John McIntosh of Snake River Builders built and the craftsmanship is beautiful. From handmade doors, all from reclaimed wood (built by Bob Pfaltz) to details such as copper trim and reclaimed wood, this house is a piece of art in itself.

Donna and Max

2008-09-19T10:18:00.011-06:00

Donna and Max had a very lovely, intimate wedding at the Chapel of the Transfiguration in Grand Teton National Park. It was just the bride and groom with four of their friends at the ceremony. They followed the service with cocktails at the Amangani, where their daughter joined them. A few weeks later, they had a reception at their beautiful home in Jackson. A few of my favorite moments from their ceremony day.

Cinderella and Family

2008-09-19T10:18:00.007-06:00

I had the pleasure of photographing the Janssen family at the Lodge at Palisades. It was a beautiful location and since Michael (the dad) is a flyfishing guide there, we had permission to roam the property and photograph. Part of the motivation for this shoot was taking some pictures of their third child, Stella, since they had not done a family shoot since she was born two years ago. She put on her Cinderella dress and danced around for the camera.

Here are some of the whole family.

And lastly, a really sweet shot I got of Stella as I was leaving. So precious and such two-year old behavior. Paige and I were pregnant at the same time (and actually met in prenatal yoga,) and her little girl is just a bit younger than my son. I too have a little one peaking out from behind my leg quite often.

Congratulations Katharine and Freddie!

2008-09-10T15:40:00.008-06:00

A BIG welcome to little Walker, who kindly waited long enough for us to get this photo shoot done:) Congrats on your growing family!

Megan and Jerad

2008-09-10T15:14:00.006-06:00

Wow, I have been REALLY bad about posting blogs. But the craziness of August weddings has ended and I am making it a priority to get some posted.

I'll start with Megan and Jerad who got married at Megan's parent's home on the Teton River in Driggs. It was a beautiful summer day with not a cloud in the sky (ok, we photographers actually prefer a couple clouds!) But the ceremony was beautiful and a crowd of about 300 people were there to watch Megan and Jerad join as one. I really enjoyed shooting this couple and meeting their wonderful families. Here are a handfull of my favorites:

Allison and Todd - a teaser

2008-08-25T16:53:00.004-06:00

Just a few teaser pics of Allison and Todd that I'm so happy with! They were so much fun to shoot and were totally game for finding some beautiful spots to take photos. I'll get them finished as soon as I can, Allison and Todd!

(There are a lot more weddings to be posted soon, so stay tuned!)

Let's Talk about the Tetons

2008-08-15T14:54:00.004-06:00

One of the most frequently asked questions regarding family portraits is "What do we wear?" I address this question in my FAQ section of my website. The second most common question is "We want to get our family in front of the Tetons. What is the best time of day to shoot?" When you are shooting from the Idaho side, this gets tricky. The sun sets in the West and therefore, makes the sun point right in your eyes. If at all possible, it is best to do this LATE in the day, as late as 8 or 9pm in the summer. This is a difficult time for little ones, so be warned that if you do this earlier in the evening, you will probably have squinting issues!

This wonderful family had to do their shoot earlier (around 5pm) to accommodate the kids. But as a result, there is the issue of the sun in the eyes. If you decide to do an earlier shoot, I encourage you to try another shot with the sun behind you or in the shade. Obviously, we can't get the Tetons in the background, but an equally wonderful photo of the family can result. Here are examples of two shots from the same shoot. (Remember, you can click on any image to enlarge.)

Here's just a cute shot of the little boys...

Blue Eyes

2008-08-13T14:28:00.007-06:00

I was out strolling around with my friend, Andrea, and our kids yesterday and we came upon Sorayah. Three years ago, I photographed her parent's wedding and it is so fun to see the family growing. I just love this photo.

It's fun for me to see how different girls are since I only have a boy. They bring dolls and push each other on the swings and just have a different bond. We ran into Hannah at the park who was the only one allowed to push Anika!

Andrea asked if I had many photos with Owen and of course, I don't. So she took a few for me...thanks Andrea!

Got Milk?

2008-08-07T13:49:00.005-06:00

I have had the pleasure of photographing these girls for two years now. Each year, their mother comes up with a great Christmas card idea and this year was no exception. The theme was "Got Milk", and I scouted the valley to find one of a few dairy cow farms. The girls showed up in perfect hair and outfits and the use of toothpaste worked perfectly for the milk mustaches. I told their mom she should be a photo stylist and since she used to work in advertising, she was no stranger to photo shoots. When you look at her girls, you'll see what I mean.

We had so much fun on this shoot and the girls were so cooperative, even when we told them we were going to hop the fence and hang out with the baby cows. The babies were a bit afraid of us at first, but we managed to get close enough for some great shots, without causing anyone too much trauma.

Now, the Christmas card idea is top secret, and since they live in Chicago, I'm hoping none of their friends and family get tipped off about this blog!

On the River's Rim

2008-07-24T12:59:00.007-06:00

The other day, I was shooting a house for an excellent Teton Valley builder, John McIntosh (of Snake River Builders.) He is a true craftsman, and he custom built this house for his 6'10" homeowner. The doors are extended height as well as the countertops. This house is absolutely stunning when you walk in to find yourself on a balcony overlooking the great room with floor to ceiling windows that perfectly frame the Tetons.

Not very often do I get to have much conversation with the homeowners, such a different situation than shooting weddings or portraits. But, this was not the case with John, who accompanied me throughout the shoot. We discovered we are both Kentucky born and avid Cincinnati Reds fans. I discovered he has 6 sons, is an excellent interior designer (he's decorating the entire place himself), and is currently a lawyer in Washington DC when he's not living in his beautiful new home, that is. He quizzed me on the name of the dome-like structure on his roof, modeled after most homes in Kentucky, a cupola. (I didn't pass the quiz, by the way...I mean, I was 6 when we moved over the river to Cincinnati.)

Anyway, it was a treat to meet John and to photograph his beautiful home that sits on a cliff above the Teton River. A few photos:

Sarah and Neil

2008-07-18T11:59:00.005-06:00

Sarah and Neil's wedding took place at St. Francis Church in Alta, Wyoming with the Tetons as a backdrop. It was a beautiful wedding in Tiffany blue and yellow and everything coordinated perfectly. Turns out the couple is moving to my homeland, Kentucky, soon so best of luck to you both! Enjoy your photos!

Hot Air Balloons

2008-07-11T10:10:00.005-06:00

We woke up the other morning to this sight outside our window. Our two-year old, Owen, thought it was pretty cool to have 2 hot air balloons land on our street.

A Miracle

2008-07-09T21:24:00.005-06:00

Yes, sometimes it just happens that you put 20 people together outside on a very sunny morning and you get not only one, but several photos where no one has their eyes closed! It's impossible to tell while you're shooting, so you shoot a lot and sort through them later. I was so pleased!

Ginger had her extended family in town, including her mom, the matriarch of the family. We started with all the grandkids grouped around the old "family car", which luckily runs well enough to pull it out of the garage and position it where we wanted. Then we tackled the big group. Twenty people in all and luckily for me, none were still in diapers.

A Florida Family

2008-06-16T13:21:00.005-06:00

As you had probably gathered from my blog, I had not been so happy about our wintery weather in June. A few folks who sure didn't mind it were the Durands from southern Florida. Although the majority of their first week or two was covered in gray clouds and had several days of snowfall, they were not discouraged to hit the trails and spend the majority of their time outdoors. The cool weather was a welcome respite from the humid heat of Ft. Myers.

After rescheduling about 3 times, we decided to go for it even though the day was still cloudy, windy and a bit chilly. The kids were sports for several photographs and I really enjoyed spending time with them. Now for a few photos from the shoot.

Website Update

2008-06-16T10:43:00.007-06:00

I'm excited to announce I've added a lot of new information to my website including album photos, pricing, faq's and even a new bio photo (taken by my husband, Chris...my assistant-in-training.)
My goal is to make the process of finding a photographer a little easier for potential clients to see what services I offer. Stay tuned, because there is a lot more to come!

We just started summer a few days ago here in Teton Valley so we're all heading outdoors for some recreation (even though most of my days include too many hours on a computer.) Here are some shots from a shoot I did yesterday for one of my clients. We got up early to go play in the Big Holes.

FYI, The mosquitoes are out in full force up there, so bring your bug spray if you plan on enjoying yourselves! Because this is what it really felt like:

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Sissy getting ready

2008-05-29T15:19:00.006-06:00

My sister got married this weekend! Being the matron of honor, I wasn't able to capture a lot of the wedding, but got a few of my sis getting ready. She looked so beautiful!

By the way, we found a GREAT local photographer in Cincinnati. Her name is Tine Hoffman and we can't wait to see all the photos.

This is Driggs in May

2008-05-09T21:17:00.004-06:00

While the rest of you enjoy your warm, spring evenings in the USA, we in Idaho watched THIS just a few hours ago. Will it ever end??

After the bath

2008-05-09T21:10:00.002-06:00

The MOST wonderful, snuggly time of the day...

My little boy's growing up

2008-05-06T12:44:00.003-06:00

It's amazing to watch Owen grow up. He's a toddler now, walking, talking, running, dancing...and has so many great expressions!

Sidewalk Chalk

2008-05-06T12:27:00.003-06:00

Prayers Needed! Mia Mary McDonic

2008-04-25T06:45:00.004-06:00

I visited my sister's very good friend the other day at Children's Hospital. Her little girl, Mia, was born at 28 weeks and weighed in a just over 2 lbs. After a series of ups and downs, she is still pushing on after a perforated bowel, an infection, operation and many more unhappy experiences (and far too many needles.) Her mom, Sue, was also hospitalized and is on the mend, but could use a prayer too. And you can imagine what her husband, Graeme is going through. Here are a few photos of her. When I arrived, she had her eyes wide open, an unusual treat.

Nadia

2008-04-17T11:59:00.008-06:00

A quick posting of some of my favorites from a recent shoot. The Kostoffs have been family friends for a long time. I had the pleasure of shooting the newest member and first grandchild, Nadia. We also had fun doing a family portrait. Both of the parent's heritage is Macedonian and they love some of the old family photos they have hung all over the house. This is our attempt at getting the same look. The patriarch of this family is an Eastern Orthodox priest, who consequently is the same priest who married my husband and I and baptized our son. Although much fun was poked at his hat, I feel it really makes the photo!

Update on Elias

2008-04-03T14:07:00.004-06:00

I spent the other day at the Wendland house. I was taking some family photos of the whole gang and got to see how Elias was doing. (His first photo shoot) Since the feeding tube has been internal, he has gotten a lot of nutrition and I immediately noticed he looked "healthier" and had gained some much needed weight. He is no longer able to smile, but you can feel how much he loves his family who is always around him to kiss and snuggle with. His body occasionally gets stiff and pretty uncomfortable, but it seems to pass and his parents know just how to soothe him.
I got to spend some time with Livia and Leo this time and had so much fun with them. We hung out at their house and had some lunch and played at the park and even managed to get a decent photo of the whole family! I can't imagine how hard it is for them to understand what is happening with Elias. I know it's confusing for them, but hopefully someday they will be able to see how much love surrounded their brother.
I continue to have so much respect and awe for Steve and Emma in how much faith and patience they have at this time. Here are a few more photos of their family.

Family in Chicago

2008-03-19T11:28:00.006-06:00

This weekend, we were in Chicago visiting family. I did a handfull of shoots and here are some of my favorites.

My cousin Yasmin, due in mid-April

My cousin, Lisa's kids: Grace, Roger and Frankie, who all have been my subjects many times in the past

And my cousin, Dori with her son Griffin, who just yesterday was a toddler!

Evan and Trent

2008-03-12T11:06:00.007-06:00

I can't explain how sweet these two boys are. First of all, I never heard one of them cry in the two hours I was there. And we certainly were deserving of it since we moved them all around and definitely interrupted naptime (which is most of the time at this age.)
Evan and Trent came very early and weighed in at 2 lbs. each at birth. After two months of being in the world they've hit 6 lbs...much less than my own boy at birth. I think their mom's due date is coming up soon, but has not even happened yet. It's always a miracle to have a new life brought into the world, but to see such tiny fragile babies be healthy after arriving so early, it deserves an extra "Thanks" to God, in my opinion.
Shelly and Jonathan are their parents and I see again and again that mellow, laid-back parents really do tend to have mellow, laid-back kids. (Of course those sweet kids can sometimes make us not so mellow too!) I had so much fun meeting this family and spending some time with them. I stayed and hung out for a while and loved hearing all their stories. Enjoy these photos. Believe it or not, this is an edit of my favorites because there were many more cute ones.

Flying with Grandpa Doug

2008-03-05T12:39:00.013-07:00

Owen had his first ride in Grandpa Doug's airplane. Since he's no novice to flying, he didn't get scared at all. We took off and landed a couple times. He got very excited when he saw other planes taking off and landing and got to see skydivers jumping out of planes as well. I loved taking pictures of him running around at the airport. His toy du jour seems to be airplanes and he makes quite a good plane sound too.

My son, King Kong

2008-02-29T11:17:00.005-07:00

Hailey

2008-01-16T12:38:00.003-07:00

Back in 1997, I moved to San Diego with my friend from college, Amy. I only stayed a month and a half before heading north to San Francisco. She stayed a couple years and eventually moved to Brooklyn with husband, Brad. They had a daughter named Hailey who you'll see here. It's been a fun experience reconnecting with old friends and introducing our kids to each other. These were taken when she was visiting Cincinnati and we got together. I'll get her on my website soon, Amy!

Back to Basics

2008-01-08T19:24:00.003-07:00

I was sitting here tonight watching my son, Owen, find endless entertainment looking at the lightbulb in the lamp sitting on the end table. The light was so beautiful on his face and it reminded me of the kind of pictures I used to take: simple lighting, simple photo. I often think, "I wish I had my camera right now" and as I thought it this time, I realized my camera was sitting behind me, memory card in it and all ready to go. So I grabbed it and took a few shots. He's sleeping now, but when I showed him the photos on the back of the camera, he touched the screen and said, "Baby."

Swings and Slides

2007-12-30T09:17:00.003-07:00

A few of my favorites from a shoot that was a couple days ago. The weather was not the best, but the kids kept warm by running around. Once we hit the slides and swings, the real fun began. In the end, though, everyone was happy to climb back into the warm cars!
Some of the kids are Margot Madison's. She runs a great stationery store in O'Bryonville (Cincinnati) and just launched her website so check it out at www.margotmadisonstationery.com.

Elias

2007-11-30T11:05:00.002-07:00

I was supposed to photograph Elias and his family on Saturday, but we found out that he had to be admitted to the hospital and they were going to be putting a feeding tube in his nose today. We rushed over to the hospital in just enough time to get some photos of him and a couple of the family. Steve, his dad, and his brother and sister got to the hospital in time to take a family photo, literally as the nurse was waiting to take him in for the procedure.

Two weeks ago, Elias was officially diagnosed with a very rare disease called Krabbé disease. It is one of a group of genetic disorders called the leukodystrophies. These disorders impair the growth or development of the myelin sheath, the fatty covering that acts as an insulator around nerve fibers, and cause severe degeneration of mental and motor skills. (info taken from http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/krabbe/krabbe.htm) As I understand it, if it's caught early enough, there is the possibility of bone marrow transplantation that could help. In Elias's case, however, it was not diagnosed in time and all they can do now is try to make him as comfortable as possible. It is so incredibly sad to see this precious baby have to go through so much pain and equally upsetting to know his parents and family have to watch their child suffer. As a parent myself, I don't think I could be handling this situation with as much strength and faith as Emma and Steve are and my heart and prayers go out to them and their family.

Hello Again Cincy

2007-11-14T15:18:00.002-07:00

We live in a neighborhood called Northside. The whole time growing up here and living here, I never discovered this great part of Cincinnati. We're a couple blocks to the main street that is loaded with cool stores and coffee shops, markets, hair salons, tatoo parlors, pet stores, bars. It really needs it's own entry so that will be my next project. Stay tuned.

We've been here almost a week and made it in time for some midwest fall colors. I have this love/hate relationship with the Catholic church across the street. It's truly a beautiful building and has some gorgeous trees on the property. It's a nice thing to see when we walk out our front door every morning. However, there is a 7:30 am daily mass that calls its followers by loud bells that seem to ring forever. I suppose it beats a shreaking alarm clock.

Oh yeah, and Owen started walking this week.

Farewell Tetons

2007-11-01T14:32:00.001-06:00

What a beautiful evening we had last week. This is my goodbye to Teton Valley as my husband, son and I head off to Cincinnati for the winter. We'll be returning in late April for another full season of photographs and landscaping. I'll continue to post photos from my new home as well.

Kerry and Paul's Wedding

2007-10-06T13:41:00.002-06:00

Since there seems to be a fall theme here, I thought I should post some photos from a wedding I shot on September 21. The color was amazing in Grand Teton National Park and just the time to have a wedding down at Schwabacher's Landing. Kerry and Paul, as well as their families, were a pleasure to work with and so happy to be in the mountains on such a spectacular day. I always am moved when I witness a union of families, not just a couple. I hope they enjoyed their honeymoon in Italy. I'm not sure they've even seen the photos yet!

Olivia Sol

2007-10-05T15:06:00.002-06:00

This weekend, I photographed Olivia Sol again. Our first shoot was when she was a bump in her momma's tummy and now she's quite a character. In short, cool parents make cool kids. Olivia's parents know how a photo shoot should be....fun. They're willing to let her run around and play and have a good time, and it really shows in the photos. Their house is surrounded by aspens and they were in their best fall color. The beautfiul evening gave us some excellent light as well.

Christina and Olivia, April 2006

Olivia, July 2006

Let's try this out.

2007-10-05T11:20:00.004-06:00

Well, this is my first posting and something I'm very excited about. So here goes...
Yesterday, my husband, Chris, and I took our son, Owen, to play in Teton Canyon. A rather overcast, grey day but surprisingly nice light. Fall is definitely here and soon the leaves will all be gone and we'll settle in for another long winter. You'll probably see a lot of Owen since I follow him around constantly with a camera.