an engagement session with a little bit of rain and a brilliant evening glow (Hannah + Austin are engaged!) – Janesville wedding photography

Posted on June 12, 2014 by Kaia Calhoun

First of all, I apologize for the excess of images in this post. Obviously I had too much fun with Hannah + Austin. But, I promise they are all worth it!

Hannah + Austin are dear friends of mine. Turns out, I have the honor of standing next to this beauty on her wedding day! For their wedding gift I gave an engagement session and boy am I glad I did! Not only do I love getting the opportunity to photograph friends but this session couldn’t have been more perfect! The evening light and these two were so gorgeous I didn’t stop photographing for over 2 hours. There is also something beautiful about doing photography for free every now and then. It’s like I have a sort of release and my creative juices actually flow freer because I feel unabashed in asking for outrageous things – like having them climb up into the under workings of a train bridge or myself climbing up into a tree. This session was so wonderful because I had driven past these photo spots so many times I was dying to use them, I got to work with two creatives (they are both musicians and Hannah is also a photographer), and you can’t beat an evening glow under a little bit of weather! I mean, come one, the first shots look like we did our session somewhere in Ireland. Just downtown Janesville folks!

Hannah + Austin, I had such a blast with you two creating these images and I can’t wait for your big day! Whoot whoot!

For the full blog post of all the yummy images CLICK HERE. You’re seriously missing out of you don’t venture over there!

For more engagement photography CLICK HERE or wedding photography CLICK HERE.

a Photo a Day | June 2 – 8

Posted on June 9, 2014 by Kaia Calhoun

Almost a full Week in Photos!

For more “a Photo a Day” CLICK HERE.

Photo 1: We had a poll at our baby shower from a few weeks ago. Now it’s your turn!

What do you think we’re having? Boy or girl?
Date prediction (due June 11)?
And how big will baby be?

Photo 2: Tuesday morning I did devos with a full lap! Josh, Sam, Haley and baby belly all together 🙂

Photo 3: Sleeping cutie!

Photo 4: They smile really big when it’s time to go to the dog park!

Photo 5: I had a brunch date with this pretty lady!

Photo 6: Adorable and yummy bridal shower party treat!

Featured on the cover for the June issue of BRAVA Magazine!

Posted on June 5, 2014 by Kaia Calhoun

My interior design photography is featured on the cover of BRAVA Magazine this month!

A few more of my photos are peppered throughout the magazine, particularly in two articles: “Rethink Your Space” and “Change is a Choice.” See below to see the other spreads I’m featured in or CLICK HERE to see the full June issue!

a Photo a Day | May 26 – June 2

Posted on June 2, 2014 by Kaia Calhoun

A full Week in Photos!

For more “a Photo a Day” CLICK HERE.

Photo 1: One of my avocado seeds has finally taken to life!

Photo 2: These girls are the best friends! We decided it was a day for a picnic 🙂

Photo 3: My dear friends Hannah and Laura bought be some sunflowers as a pick-me-up. I had to miss a best friend’s wedding this weekend because I am just too close to having this baby!

Photo 4: Hannah took this picture of me with my happy sunflowers. Sunflowers are my favorite!

Photo 5: I finished my quilt for the baby this week. And I’ve been sleeping with it ever since…

Photo 6: At the baby shower last weekend we tie dyed onesies and look how lovely they turned out! Can’t wait to dress our little peanut up in these beauties!

Photo 7: I had a severe craving for one of Panera‘s cinnamon crunch bagels. It was a very loving bagel 😉

Citizen Way in Brunswick, Ohio

Posted on May 30, 2014 by Kaia Calhoun

It is my goal to make at least one show every tour. This time around, the closest Citizen Way got to me was Brunswick, OH… a whole 7.5 hours away.

I would like to share a few fun facts about my trip:

I traveled with my Mom and we had fun!
I was 36 weeks pregnant – that’s 9 months folks. My mom was petrified the whole time that I was going to go into labor, particularly when we were at a standstill in Chicago traffic.
We hit rush hour on the way there (adding at least an hour to the trip).
We almost ran out of gas about an hour out from my destination. Turns out, Amherst, OH is not the place to fill up because it seems to me they have made getting gas a sort of treasure hunt, hiding their gas stations from direct paths and plain sight.
We went 30 minutes out of my way when a construction zone blocked my exit. I turned into Little Miss Crazy Driver for about 5 minutes because that folly maxed out my patience quota for the day.
On the way home we sat in some more Chicago rush hour for 2 hours and 20 minutes.
We did all of this in about 36 hours. Nine hours there (thanks Chicago traffic and unnecessary detours), 17 hours in Brunswick (9 of those asleep), and 10 hours home (thanks Chicago traffic).

All in all, an exhausting trip right? But it was so worth it! Pregnancy hormones have made me a bigger sap than I ever could have imagined myself being and as I gazed at my husband on that stage the well broke and proud tears trickled down my face. My one method of saving face was hiding behind my camera. It was so fun seeing Joshua play saxophone for Mercy Me too!

Also, truth is, I laughed so hard with my mom in that 2 hours and 20 minutes of Chicago traffic that I almost wet myself – come on guys, I was 9 months pregnant, give a girl a break!