Bryan Rupp Photography

Moving Day!www.bryanruppphotography.wordpress.com

2008-09-14T23:08:00.000-07:00

Well, I finally figured out some things about Wordpress so we're going to move back over there for a while. I'm sorry to jump around so much on our wonderful readers...but believe me, it's all for YOU! We're trying to find the best place to land right now (the place that you will most enjoy visiting) and Word Press seems to be prettier with more options.

Let me know what you think, and if you absolutely hate change (like i do) speak up and let me know about it. We can always come back to dear old blogger. Oh dear, do we have commitment issues or what? :)

Click here for a link
The New Blog

There you will find pictures of the lovely Erika (our first senior photos for the year)

Also, many of you who are considering us for a wedding have been asking to see what an entire wedding looks like. I think that Jake and Michelle's would be a great example. Go to the website, select client viewing, Jake and Michelle, Wedding Day parts 1 and 2.

See you at Word press!

~Surprises~

2008-09-13T10:05:00.000-07:00

Most of the time, photography seems to take a lot of thought and intention. But...
...every once in a while you get a surprise that you weren't counting on.
You take a picture of one thing, and get something entirely unexpected.
In this picture, Bryan thought he was simply photographing Michelle's dad as he watched his daughter get married. It wasn't until editing time that we realized:
1) there is a tear on his cheek...so touching
2) in his sunglasses you can see the reflection of Michelle and Jake!!

I love surprises.

On another note ~
We had a record number of comments on our last post of Michelle...8 comments! Yay.
I had promised a $5 coffee card to anyone who posted, however I'm going to change it to $8, a dollar for each comment. You guys got lucky because I accidentally posted a response twice.

The next time we break the record, with 9 or more, I will get some more (or the same) people hooked up with some coffee. All the gift cards will come from Chapters, unless you specifically tell me otherwise or live in another area.Yay Stumptown.

Thanks so much to everyone who follows our adventures in photography. As we build up our little business, it makes all the difference in the world to have so much support, encouragement, and advise.

Jake and Michelle's pictures are up on the website under client viewing. I'm sure they wouldn't mind people taking a look at what an amazing day they had.

Bryan's off to Milwaukie to shoot a wedding, and I am heading to Tigard to shoot as a second photographer (my first time without Bryan, Yikes!)

Have a relaxing weekend.

Love,
Leah

Michelle Behind the Veil

2008-09-07T21:25:00.000-07:00

Michelle Wade...

Rode in on a horse-drawn carriage
Had an adorable flower pooch (yes, a dog) instead of a flower girl
Has a beautiful smile, is always laughing
Went to Jamaica on her honeymoon
Has been married over 1 month!

Today I've been working hard on Jake and Michelle's wedding and wanted to show you this picture which really stood out to me. The rest of their pictures will be completed by this weekend.

Weekly Update:
I wanted to start sharing a bit more that will hopefully help all of you get to know us a bit better...and feel connected to what we are doing here at Bryan Rupp Photography.

Here is something to get you started:
1) Place where we met: Boise, Idaho
2) Favorite Drinks: Sonic!, coffee and British tea
3) First wedding photographed: summer of 2006 in Washington
4) Colors in our apartment: Orange, cinnamon, green, brown
5) Favorite camping spot: Hurricane Creek in the Wallowas
6) Color of our future children's hair (no, not yet) : blonde!!!! :) call me crazy, but I just have a feeling about this one :)

Luke and Drea will be receiving a little something in the mail to say thanks for their referrals. Also, anyone who attended the art show and wants to leave a comment below will receive a $5 coffee card or a free 8x10 print from one of their sessions.

Thanks so much to friends, family, clients, and blog stalkers for your amazing support !!! We love you!

Leah

Website stuff again!!

2008-09-06T20:29:00.000-07:00

Hey everybody, if you're trying to get to the website...please try www.bryanruppphotography.smugmug.com for now. the other web address should be back up in two days (www.bryanuppphotography.com)

Thank You (from the bottom of our hearts)

2008-09-06T01:01:00.000-07:00

I just want to take a moment to say thank you to everyone who took time out of their Friday night to visit our Art Walk Show. We were so humbled by the amount of positive feedback and support that we received. The most amazing thing was getting to watch people see pictures of themselves on the wall...so much fun!!!

We loved getting to see all the different faces of friends and clients and clients who are friends. Seriously, we are so blessed and we know it. Also, we made a few new friends and we appreciate that as well.

Thank you, Thank you!!!
P.S. see, I told you there would be yummy chocolate!!!

Love,
Leah (and Bryan feels the same way)

Emily and Isaac ~ Sneak Preview

2008-08-31T14:28:00.001-07:00

Emily and Isaac got married at Willamette Valley Vineyard on Friday. We shot this wedding for Jourdan Moore who is another local photographer in the area.
Isaac and Emily are as beautiful on the inside as they are on the outside and it was a joy to be a part of their special day.

We haven't got a chance to do much editing to these pictures but we're really excited about the gorgeous golden light. Enjoy!
Isaac and Emily we wish you all the best. To their friends and family: thank you for making it such a wonderful experience for us.
Love,
Bryan and Leah

Problems in Website Land

2008-08-30T11:51:00.000-07:00

A couple people have noticed that Bryan's website isn't working properly right now. We think there's troubles with his domain...and we're working on getting it fixed. For now, you should be able to reach the same website at:
www.bryanruppphotography.smugmug.com

Thanks for your patience, we'll get it resolved soon.
And...I think I'll go back to blogging on this blog for now since I had troubles figuring stuff out on the new one.
Hope you have a lovely Saturday,
Leah

P.S. Yesterday we shot Isaac and Emily's absolutely gorgeous wedding at Willamette Valley Vineyards. We were hired by Jourdan Moore (another local photographer) to shoot this wedding since she was already booked for the day. I will be posting a couple of pictures of that tomorrow...and I think they are our best so far this summer!!!!

Don't forget, if you're in the Newberg area to stop by Honest Chocolates for our show (during Newberg's First Friday art walk).

New Blog in Progress

2008-08-26T00:12:00.000-07:00

We're trying out a new blog for a while, but will keep this one up and running for now because we may come back to it...just a little blog experimentation. Rest assured that we will always keep you dear readers informed of where to find us.
For now, go to www.bryanruppphotography.wordpress.com
With Love,
Leah
P.S. I'll be posting some more photos tomorrow

Sweet Baby Taylor (and her fan club) - Eugene, OR

2008-08-21T23:10:00.000-07:00

We traveled to Eugene a few weeks back to photograph little Taylor with her mom, dad, and cousins. Is she precious or what?

Here she is with Daddy, showing off with a little drool.

And with Mommy, looking beautiful.

Here are her little toes...

...and a shot to commemorate her first nature walk :)

These are her cousins:
Bailey...

...and Jonah (you've seen him before)

And everybody's bare feet in the green, green grass. Bailey was so great with the babies.

We had so much fun getting to see Taylor cry, smile, drool, nap...and just be amazingly special. What a blast to get to play with three children in the park!

I know it's been a while...

2008-08-21T09:01:00.000-07:00

We've really got a lot of catching up to do on this blog, so I promise tomorrow to show you three really adorable kids!!!

Art Show in Newberg

2008-08-17T10:57:00.000-07:00

Our latest news is that we're going to be doing a show for Newberg's first Friday art walk on September 5th. We were told there would be free chocolate samples so of course we agreed to do it immediately :).

We're going to be using portraits of all of you lovely folks. I'll post a list of who we will be using (after asking your permission of course) so you can come on down and check yourself out.

Also, Honest Chocolates are delicious and a great local business to support. See you there!

http://www.honestchocolates.com/

More Paige and Ty

2008-08-11T09:16:00.000-07:00

For all you Paige and Tyler fans (and I know there are a lot of you), here are some more pictures of their beautiful day! Enjoy.

Jake and Michelle - In Sickness and in Health (Sneak Peak)

2008-08-07T22:06:00.000-07:00

Jake and Michelle were married last Saturday in Arlington, Washington. Their wedding was especially beautiful because of all the obstacles they had to overcome (not the least of which was Jake being extremely sick). They showed amazing poise and maturity by enjoying their day anyway and keeping their focus on what really mattered.

Jake was such a trooper, putting a smile on his face and posing for all of the family pictures even though on any other day he would have been bed ridden.

And Michelle shattered the stereotype of spoiled bride by being completely supportive of Jake and smiling no matter what happened. How refreshing!

We were joined on Saturday by Chris from Digital Circle Creative Group who was their videographer. He was wonderful to work with, and if anybody out there is looking for a videographer, you should check out his website. He is based out of Seattle but said that he really likes the Portland area as well.

There are so many great moments from this day, but here are just a few for starters.

This shows how happy Michelle was!

..and how great she looked in her dress...

And how beautiful she was! I would say radiant, don't you think?

The look on Jake's face when his bride was walking down the aisle!!!

They left the ceremony in style!

Well, that's all for now, but there are many more pictures of Jake and Michelle to come. Trust me, you'll want to stay tuned to see their "flower pooch". Yep ladies and gentleman, she is a flower girl and she is a dog.

On another note, we have a lot of catching up to do on here. Before the summer is over, I would like to do a final blog posting for Chase and Bridgette; Luke and Drea; Paige and Tyler; and of course Jake and Michelle.

Also...we've got some fun baby and kid pictures coming for Jonah, Taylor, Indie, and Bailey. Seriously, these little ones will make you wanna have a baby because they're so charming. Ok, maybe not. But...they are really precious kiddos.

Also, the contest that I was talking about is going to be the first annual Bryan Rupp Photography People's Choice Awards. Yes, I know that we are not anywhere close to the end of the year, but I kind of consider our photographic year to be from summer to summer...or, wedding season to wedding season.

So, we'll throw up several nominations for each category and let you vote on what you like the best. The winners will receive something...I don't know what yet, but it will be bigger than a pat on the back and smaller than a trip to Hawaii. You know, somewhere in the middle...or more towards the smaller end :).

Anyways, what do you think the categories should be and what should the winners get?
I need to get some brainstorming going.

Here are my ideas:
Best ring/bling shot
Best bouquet
Most debonair groomsmen/beautiful bridesmaids
Most creative wedding favors
Yummiest looking food
Funnest family shot
Something for ring bearers and flower girls
etc, etc.
Oh, and most adventurous engagement shot (i think the engagement sessions should get some love too).

Also thanks to everybody who has been referring their friends to us. We love to meet new people! If you have referred someone and I haven't sent you a little something in the mail yet, I could probably use a gentle reminder.

With Love,
Leah

Paige and Tyler (Sneak Preview)

2008-08-03T20:37:00.000-07:00

There is so much to be said about Paige and Ty's wedding in Spanaway, Washington, but I will keep this post short and sweet since it really is just a preview of things to come. Suffice to say that it was a touching ceremony and the bride and groom were surrounded by warm and loving people all day long. There was a very good mixture of tears and belly laughs which makes for a beautiful event overall.

For those of you who have been waiting very patiently (cough, Hannah) ;) here is something to tide you over for a while. Once again we've got some color zappage going on with blogger (I just created a word, derived from "to zap")so if anyone knows a brilliant solution to that, please let me know.

P.S. We teamed up with Brian Zaro for this wedding so later on we'll be getting a hold of his shots too and combining all the pictures as one body of work. I'll also post a link to his website and tell a little bit more about him and how talented he is.

Paige and Ty, we hope you're having a fabulous time on your honeymoon. Your wedding was so special and we hope you are getting to look back on it with fond memories! See ya soon.

Facts about Jade Didriksen

2008-07-30T20:42:00.000-07:00

Date of Wedding: June 7th, 2008
Location of Honeymoon: Mexico
Name of Hubby: Kyle
Location of Kyle's Wedding Ring: Somewhere off the Coast of Mexico
Puppy: Cirrus
Status of Wedding Dress: Trashed (one month after wedding)

Come on everybody, you have to admire this girl for being so adventurous and confident. Jade has that intelligent-beauty thing going on and is so full of life. Kyle is amazing because he really got into the pictures. Not just that "I'll-smile-kind-of-because-she's-making-me", but honest to goodness enthusiasm.

I love the earthiness of these photos in contrast with the Didriksen's amazing style. But more than that, I loved getting to see the way that Jade and Kyle are starting off their life together as husband and wife with lots of laughter and unconditional love.

To see more pictures, with better color quality than blogger has to offer, go to www.bryanruppphotography.com - client viewing - Jade and Kyle

Jade and Kyle,
We had so much fun wading around in the water with you. What an amazing experience and a beautiful night. These pictures are your reward for being brave enough to try something new and different! Thanks for Everything!
With Love,
Bryan and Leah

And for tomorrow...

2008-07-28T23:59:00.001-07:00

I will be posting Jade's trash the dress pictures.
In the meantime, you can look at their gallery under client viewing on Bryan's website.

Thoughts on Children's Portraits and the Lovely Miss Cora

2008-07-25T21:42:00.001-07:00

Lets say goodbye to the good old days of making your kids miserable for portraits! We'd rather capture them naturally as they play in the comfort of their own home or explore a new setting. Bryan took little Cora's pictures in her bedroom and backyard. We think she is such a cutie with a whole lot of personality. These were taken several months ago but we never got to share them with you. Enjoy!

Here's a girl who knows what she wants!

Hopefully you'll be seeing a lot more of this little gal on the blog. Thanks to her mom Crystal for trusting Bryan with the important job of documenting this stage in her baby's life. And thanks to Staci (the beautiful pregnant woman standing by the refrigerator) for introducing us to her.

On another note....
We will be heading to Eugene next weekend to photograph sweet little Taylor Young(2 months old) and her cousins Bailey and Jonah.

and then....heading to Seattle for Jake and Michelle's wedding. You can find their engagement photos on the website under client viewing. They looked pretty amazing on the beach in Lincoln City. We're really excited for their wedding, because as you can see, they're very fun and full of life.

That's all for now. I've got some news about a contest coming up at the end of the summer. It will involve everyone who has been photographed this year for weddings/engagements/child or family portraits. I'll need some suggestions while I'm putting it together. We'll talk soon :).
Leah

Chase and Bridgette's Pictures are up

2008-07-20T22:24:00.000-07:00

...or at least most of them anyways. If you are and Chase and Bridgette fan and want to check them out, go to the website: www.bryanruppphotography.com and choose client viewing. Then choose their album. There will be 100 more coming shortly, including the getting ready shots taken by yours truly (please keep in mind that I am the very beginningist of begginers).
Sweet Dreams,
Leah

Trash The Dress Pictures Coming Soon

2008-07-19T14:27:00.000-07:00

Things to Come...

2008-07-17T22:40:00.000-07:00

So sorry for the lack of blog activity. We are moving right now and don't have internet at the moment...but stay tuned next week for our very first ever TRASH THE DRESS session at Silver Falls. We just got back from that and it was a blast.

Also coming up Paige and Tyler's wedding in Tacoma and Jake and Michelle's in Seattle the following week. Maybe we should move to Washington :).

Moments + FuFu

2008-07-10T00:39:00.001-07:00

Bryan was showing me part of his final edit for Chase and Bridgette and I couldn't resist posting a couple of these wonderful moments....even though it's a little early for the finals, and a little late for the preview. Why hold back, ya know? Also, I wanted you to see their amazing Jones Soda bottles with their picture on it. They also had Cream Soda, but FuFu Berry is my fave. Now, is that a great idea for a wedding reception or what?

Thanks to all of you for continuing to stop by the blog to support us and your loved ones that are in the pictures. Let me know what you would like to see more of around here. We do take requests. But for now, sleep tight.
Leah

Last Luke and Andrea Preview (Part 3)

2008-07-06T21:17:00.000-07:00

So, I have to say that the colors Drea picked are much more bright and vibrant than this blog gives them credit for. For some reason these particular colors are REALLY getting drained out by blogger when we post them, so you'll just have to check out the real pictures on the website in August. We'll keep you updated on when that will be (or you can ask Luke and Drea).

Let's start this blog out with a story, or a bit of a script if you will to go along with these first two pictures.
Bryan and Leah: Ok, Rick and Peggy(grooms parents) can you please link arms with your son?
(see below).....
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Rick: Men don't link arms
Bryan and Leah: Oh really, well then...what do men do?
Rick: This is what men do (puffs up his chest and grabs Luke)
Luke (laughing): What is wrong with you?

Here are both sides of their absolutely amazing family!!! Seriously, everyone made us feel so welcome. We feel like we gained a whole new set of friends. You can tell that they are just so proud of their kids.

Here we have the lovely Miss Makenna who did her job as flower girl with flair, even though she wasn't feeling well.

This handsome guy is the ring bearer Jack. He was such a trooper even though it was a million degrees outside.

Here is Luke's posse of super quality groomsmen. I have to tell you that I have never had the door opened for me so many times at a wedding. Very impressive.

And here are a couple of shots of Drea's gorgeous bridesmaids who are never too dressed up to kick up their bright pink heels and have a little fun.

And last but not least, some beautiful details...Drea's bouquet and the cake. Again, please note to Drea's credit that the colors were gorgeous and bright (not dusty rose like it appears).

Well, that's all I have time for. We're actually heading out to pick up the honeymooners from the airport.
Luke and Drea, you guys know that we love you and wish you all of the happiness in the world. We are here for you if you need anything. Thanks to all of their family and friends who made it such a warm and encouraging experience for us.
Love,
Leah

Luke and Drea Fletcher Part 2

2008-07-05T18:26:00.000-07:00

Here are some more pictures of Luke and Drea. As usual, I'm having a harder time narrowing it down than I predicted...so...I'm going to do a Part 3 either tonight or tomorrow with the handsome groomsmen, adorable ring bearer and flower girl, and the promised family pictures.

We first met Luke and Drea at a meeting when they were considering booking Bryan for their wedding. I think it was sometime last summer. We really hit it off when we took their engagement photos, and ended up becoming great friends! Luke makes some killer chicken curry, and we've spent some nights eating, studying, or just chatting. This wedding was a double blessing for us to be a part of because we felt so connected to them as friends.
Here they are praying during their ceremony

a sweet mommy moment

ROCK!!!

Ok, so I'll post some more later and then you'll just have to wait until the finished product!
With Love,
Leah

Luke and Drea Fletcher Part 1!

2008-07-05T12:56:00.000-07:00

I have so much to say about Luke and Drea's wonderful wedding. For now here are a couple of pictures to get you started. I will post several more this evening that will include the wedding party (a group of seriously fun people), and their supportive families. There was so much love going around at this wedding and we hope that looking at the pictures gives you even a small taste of what a joy it was to actually be a part of this day. See you later tonight for part 2!

Luke and Drea Coming Soon!

2008-07-05T00:13:00.001-07:00

If you're looking for the preview of Luke and Drea's Pictures, they will be up today (July 5th). Bryan is off to a wedding early in the morning, but I should have them up by noon or so.
And...I think you're gonna like em!!!!!

Ben and Staci's Baby Girl

2008-06-29T20:12:00.000-07:00

Ella Dawn is going to be a lucky little girl because she has such amazing parents. Right now she is featured safe and sound inside her Mamma's belly.

This was Bryan's first ever maternity session, so thanks to Staci for being brave! Doesn't she look beautiful?

Here are a few of our favorites. I may blog the rest of them after we get caught up on weddings.

We'll be posting a preview for Luke and Drea's amazing wedding on July 5th, so stay tuned for that.

Also, I wanted to let everyone know that I just changed the settings on the blog so that you can comment even if you don't have a google account. Silly me, I didn't realize that I was excluding non-gmail or blogger people.

Now you can post a comment as "anonymous" but be sure and sign your name so that we can thank you, get to know you, or answer any questions you might have for Bryan.

Love,
Leah

Even More Chase and Bridgette

2008-06-26T23:25:00.000-07:00

This is the the last of the three posts for Chase and Bridgette's preview. We'll blog some of the rest later on when the whole wedding is done.
When we arrived at the wedding, I went to the cabin by the river where Bridgette was getting ready...

...with her girls: Dot, Christy, Prisha, and Mary Kate.

Meanwhile, Bryan was having a lot of fun with Chase and the guys (maybe a little too much).

Here are the proud families looking beautiful and happy.

And last but not least, wedding attire is never complete without amazing shoes!

Chase and Bridgette,
We hope that you had a wonderful honeymoon and are enjoying getting all settled in. We know that the future holds many good things for your marriage. It was a privilege to be a part of your special day. Thanks for trusting Bryan (and me) to document it for you.
Love,
Leah

Mr. and Mrs. Tedrow Continued

2008-06-25T00:11:00.001-07:00

Chase and Bridgette - FINALLY Married

2008-06-24T22:47:00.001-07:00

I say "finally" because that was the first word I heard them say after their beautiful ceremony in Shedd, Oregon last Saturday. They met at their church youth group as teenagers and have been falling in love for the past six years.

Here is a preview of some of their wedding photos. There are many, many more to come.

These two have so much fun together! Chase was goofing around with Bridgette's veil during their couples pictures. Here comes the...ummm....groom!?!

Chase couldn't keep his eyes off of his gorgeous bride, and it's easy to see why

Isn't she the perfect bride?

Stay tuned for more of the Chase and Bridgette Preview tomorrow (or tonight if I feel like staying up late). Tomorrow I will post some of the wedding party and their lovely families.

Lets get some love going for Chase and Bridgette in the comments below. If you were a guest at their wedding, what was your favorite part?

P.S. Thanks for your patience on the lack of blogging. We returned from our wonderful vacation in Boise, Idaho and have so many wonderful pictures to share with you from the last few sessions. If we're lucky, we just might get permission to share our first ever maternity session.

Goodnight,
Leah

Jonah's First Year

2008-06-11T19:21:00.000-07:00

So we've got more pictures on the way from Jonah's session (little guy with the red airplane below). One of the biggest joys in photography is getting to watch children and families grow along with your business.

Jonah was the first child that Bryan photographed. He was three months old at the time and is going to celebrate his 1st birthday this month! I love this progression of pictures because through them, you can see Jonah transition from an infant in a basket (he wasn't too happy about that), into a joyful toddler who really keeps his parents on their toes.

Check out the changes in this little guy, and note how Bryan's photography skills have improved.

Jonah at three months

and six months

And stay tuned tomorrow to see more of him at eleven months!!!

A Question for You!

2008-06-11T19:05:00.000-07:00

Photographs are powerful because they are really the only way that we are able to look back on our past (physically anyways). Perhaps that is why we can never get enough of them. New memories are always being created, and we want to hold onto what is happening to us right now. Which pictures have been the most important in your life? Which ones do you treasure the most, look at the most often, or smile everytime you see?

This one of my dad and I has always held a special place in my heart.

Comment below and let me know which photographs have been important to you.

P.S. If I get enough requests, I just might post a picture of baby Bryan! Bet you can't guess what color his hair was. hee hee

An Introduction and Things to Come

2008-06-11T18:48:00.000-07:00

Leah here, I'm Bryan's wife and the "studio manager" for Bryan Rupp Photography. Hows that for a title? :) You're going to be seeing a lot more of me around this blog, as we transition into the next phases of our business.

This is our second wedding season, and the first one that I have been heavily involved in. I'm going to be taking over more of the client communication stuff so that Bryan can focus on being an artist, and showing up for your photo shoot full of ideas and creativity.

I hope that you'll stop by this blog site often. We hope to make it a place to share our lives with you, and let you in on our journey. Our dream is to turn our love for capturing people's memories into a business that can grow up with our family.

Some of our dreams include:
~A studio space where we can welcome clients and display new ideas
(for now you will be meeting with us at the local coffee shop...yay Stumptown)
~Spending months or even years in Kitale, Kenya where I grew up (working with people in the slums and researching different ways that people can climb out of poverty).
~Providing amazing leather photo albums from www.kissweddingbooks.com (hopefully for the 2009 wedding season)

See you around,
Leah

Jonah Julius.

2008-06-05T21:17:00.000-07:00

One cannot look at Jonah and one of his huge grins without smiling right along. He is such a fun child to watch and shoot pictures of. I had such a great time during our session, and spent much of it laughing as he tried to put numerous objects in his mouth, several of which were made of wood (pine cones, woodchips...), but first of course he would look to his parents with this little grin saying, "You know, I'm going to eat this." Here's the first and there's more to come.

2008-06-02T19:29:00.000-07:00

Yey, bigger pictures! I was just messing with getting my pictures bigger and now they are, and I also plan to put new pictures up as well!

silver falls. (camping)

2008-05-27T22:56:00.000-07:00

Two weekends ago, Leah and I found ourselves on a beautiful Saturday, with the option of doing whatever we wanted. We packed up and headed for Silver Falls State Park, to spend a night out under the stars. Of course many others shared the idea as well, so we found ourselves waiting in a long line for a camp site, and ended up having to stay in an RV spot, which we were bummed about because we were wanting to be IN the woods, but we were happy to be out in nature for a while. We hiked in to one fall, called winter falls which was very beautiful. Sunday morning I awoke early and headed out on my mountain bike. I really love mountain biking and when Leah and I lived in Boise it was the way that I would get away because trails were so close to our house. In Western Oregon the trails aren't so close, so I look forward to any opportunity I get. Leah actually pointed the mountain bike shot out to me when the butterfly landed on my muddy bike, we thought it a beautiful contrast. Leah and I really enjoyed ourselves, although we fell asleep on the couch when we got home, because we had no sleeping pads and the ground wasn't too forgiving. That's what camping is all about though.

mainstreet (grand Junction, CO).

2008-05-19T22:04:00.000-07:00

On our trip to Colorado, I was so thankful to get to spend some time with a dear friend, Caleb. I met Caleb in Boise, and we used to go out and take pictures together whenever we got the chance, so it was nice to be back at it again, and to get some time to catch up. Main street in Grand Junction was filled with a Jazz and art Festival, which provided some interesting photo ops, which was a lot of fun, although I was so enjoying talking with Caleb, so I wasn't too focused on my surroundings. Caleb always inspires me with the way that he cares for people. Every time Leah and I make it to Colorado he and his wife always do whatever it takes to come and see us, whether it means driving all the way across town or staying up late into the night. This always means so much to us, and I use it as a reminder to care for people in the same way.

home.

2008-05-16T20:05:00.000-07:00

I'm not sure why, but the desert seemed more beautiful than ever on our last trip to Palisade. We arrived during the best part of the year, when the desert plants are thriving and the harsh sun has yet to kill everything away. We had such a wonderful time with my family, and had the privledge of going on several hikes with my parents. The middle picture is of some petroglyphs which we hiked up to. It was beautiful to see them in such great shape, and to try to imagine what was happening in the story which has been shared. The top picture shows the valley where I grew up, the Colorado river winding its way through the bottom. The place where you grow up always holds a special place in your heart especially when there's so many people that you love and have shared so much life with.

karl & melissa.

2008-05-13T22:37:00.000-07:00

During our stay in Colorado I was so thankful to spend time with my lovely sister and her husband. One night we managed to sneak in a little portrait session in downtown Grand Junction which proved to be full of wonderful settings. Karl and Melissa are both on the volunteer fire department, which explains why I focused on the "fire department connection". It was so wonderful to see both of them, and share a bit of life with them. Going home really makes me sad that I live so far away from my family. It was so great to see everyone, and to see home again. I will be posting some more pictures of my home in the near future, but I couldn't wait to work on these pictures of Karl and Melissa, so they're the first ones up.

taylor.

2008-05-07T22:59:00.000-07:00

Sunday I had the treat of taking pictures of baby Taylor and her family, Kiley, Erin and Joe. At seven weeks old Taylor is one of the tiniest and youngest babies I have ever been around. She is such a beautiful and sweet little girl. It was a very fun session, as we were in a beautiful location outside of Newberg that I discovered on my recent backroad extravaganza. Tomorrow morning we're headed to Colorado, but I'll try to throw a few more up from this session, but right now it's time to pack.

biking joy.

2008-05-01T20:08:00.000-07:00

Here's my beautiful wife riding her bike. My favorite thing about this shot is the way she appears to be in pure bliss with her eyes closed, and her beautiful smile.

spring's battle.

2008-04-30T17:07:00.000-07:00

I recognize my repetitive theme, but I've got to work with what I've got, and that is rain, hail, clouds and sunshine, in 15 minute rotations. The color shot helps point out the current array of weather. The blue in the water is the blue, post storm sky reflecting.
I am amazed that no matter how many shots I take of rain drops they are all so different, and uniquely beautiful. Due to a new telephoto lens I was able to hunker under the protection of our apartments car port, at a safe distance, while getting much closer shots than the last time I shot this subject. I'm sure our neighbors also enjoyed watching me as I laid on the ground. Only one comment was made, i think he said, "so that's interesting." I also think he meant this as a question.

Dirt roads and local pictures.

2008-04-22T19:34:00.000-07:00

Although the calendar says it should be spring, Western Oregon has decided otherwise. We had one really beautiful day two weekends ago, but otherwise it has remained cold, and hail storms are not unknown to be a normal part of every day.
I was recently hired to shoot some local pictures of Newberg, which has given me a good excuse to drive on dirt roads and spend hours taking pictures. This has been wonderful. I love both dirt roads and pictures. These are a few pictures that I took on my journeys. I find that nature photography gives me such a greater appreciation for the intricate world we live in, as I spend hours staring at the tiny shapes and colors on spring blooms and blades of grass. Watching landscapes searching for a pleasing composition I am met with the wonders of the world, so beautiful, and plentiful, they are everywhere. There are times in my life when I am aware of the wonder all around us, those are the times when I see God everywhere in everyday. When I forget to see, photography helps me remember.
(note: this blog is very good and taking beautiful colors out of pictures and putting them somewhere else.)

AND THE WINNER IS....

2008-04-18T17:39:00.000-07:00

Jessica Gardner and friends! Jessica, email bryan at bryanruppphotography@gmail.com to set up a time on Monday!
Congratulations!

P.S. The word from our judge is that everybody deserved the shoot, and it was a hard decision to make!

Thanks everybody for entering, it was really fun to read all of your stories.

Friend Photo Shoot Contest (GFU)

2008-04-10T16:49:00.000-07:00

We're giving away a photo shoot to a group of friends who are graduating. The shoot will be on dead day (the Monday of finals week), and will be a chance for you to document the bond that you've shared for four years.
To Enter:
Write a comment for this post, telling us

a. The names of your friends (approximate maximum of five, minimum of 3, but no we
wont make one friend stand out in the cold if you have six friends). You don't all have to be seniors, as long as the main point is that some of you are graduating.

b. Why you deserve to be photographed together before you graduated. This is where you
get to be creative. You can tell the story of how you met, or tell us why you've shared a
special bond. Funny stories are welcome. Or, you can make us feel sorry for you (i.e. you're all moving far, far away and will never see each other again). Do whatever you have
to do to convince us that you should be the winner.

Note: No, you may not use our sister as a claim to fame :). Actually, go ahead and try. But this is an equal opportunity contest and will be judged by someone outside the George Fox community.

Post your entries by Wednesday (4/16), and the winner will be posted by that Friday (4/18).

Go.

2008-04-08T22:02:00.001-07:00

Rained.
It is certainly time for spring. The problem is that I got my hopes up when we had a week of sunshine a few weeks ago and naively thought that spring had arrived. Today I found the rain beautiful though. It poured down on our roof as I wrote my papers which are due tomorrow and I found it kind of comforting. Seeking a break I grabbed my camera and stepped outside in an attempt to capture the water splashing down. Here's my favorite one.

2008-04-04T23:37:00.001-07:00

A Hike in Dundee.

2008-04-03T23:57:00.001-07:00

This week has given me a lot to think about, as a friend was killed in a car accident this last weekend. I have thought of many memories with him, and despite my deep sadness especially for those closest to him, I am inspired by his life. It's too bad that it takes something so drastic to give me a little perspective, and I hope I can cling to it for a long time. Thanks for the inspiration Ben. Thanks for living a beautiful life.

2008-03-30T18:55:00.001-07:00

Hail yea!

While typing my previous post, a loud crash of lightning, and the steady pounding of hail caused me to run out of the apartment camera in hand and head for Mountain Top Road. The hail didn't last for long, but it was intense enough to leave a white dusting over the streets of Newberg. I had hoped there would be a lot on Mountain Top Road, but there was little more than in town, but I managed to find this cool log and I had a spectacular view over the valley as the storm gave way to blue sky and sunshine.

2008-03-30T16:50:00.001-07:00

Hood River. anniversarydos!

Although our 2nd anniversary was nearly 4 months ago, Leah and I finally took our overnight vacation to Hood River this weekend. Hood River is such a beautiful little town located on the edge of the Columbia River. We had somewhat of a rare view from our hotel window where we could see snow lining the hills of the Colombia Gorge, due to some late March snow that Western Oregon has had.

We spent a lovely Friday night and Saturday roaming around Hood River looking for windsurfers, picture opportunities, and reading together in a local coffee shop. On our way back we drove along the Historic Columbia Highway and were caught up in a serious storm, which put an end to any plans of hiking or taking pictures. This explains the 2nd picture which is of Multnomah falls, taken through our car window because the storm was too fierce. The 1st picture is a tree in the gorge which shows the effects of constant wind.
Our night away reminded me to take time to get away with Leah more often. I had so much fun with my lovely wife and it was so refreshing to step away from all the homework and the work, and just spend time building a deeper friendship and adventuring. These times remind me of how easy it is for me to take Leah for granted, and how wonderful she is. I am such a lucky man to get to spend the rest of my life with such a beautiful and dear friend. Thanks for everything Leah, I love you.

2008-03-27T17:40:00.001-07:00

Stephanie Hescock. Senior Portraits.

2 Weeks ago, I had the joy of photographing Stephanie Hescock. Despite the cold Western Oregon winter day, Stephanie stayed strong, even while wearing flip flops. We managed to get these finished up between rain showers.

2008-03-20T17:20:00.000-07:00

Jake and Michelle ~ Engagement Session
Lincoln City, OR

Lincoln City is a special place for Jake and Michelle. They were brave enough to risk getting their engagement pictures taken at the beach on a day when the forecast said there would be rain every hour. As you can see, we got a beautiful day instead.

Michelle and Jake, Thanks for being up for anything! Your pictures show what an adventure life is for the two of you. Your dedication to each other is evident and your story is beautiful.

Michelle: "Today I prayed for God to make a fool out of the weather man"

(blog post by Leah Rupp)

2008-02-22T22:02:00.001-08:00

These tulips spent several days in our house, so I took a few pictures on two separate days. All my favorites came from the day the flowers were dying. They had such unique shapes, and were so delicate that a mere bump caused the petals to fall to the ground.

2008-02-15T22:34:00.001-08:00

Inspired by my trip to Mt. Hood last weekend, and a day off from work, I drove to Timberline today. The whole drive Mt. Hood served as a beautiful backdrop, completely white and contrasted against the rare blue sky of an Oregon winter. These pictures are what I saw on my hike. Both the peak and the valley behind me were extremely beautiful. I was reminded that when hiking in the snow it is always worth taking the time to put on snow pants, as I climbed into my car in wet jeans. It was a beautiful day, and I was so thankful for some time to get away and think and get out and breathe some alpine air.

2008-02-02T21:52:00.001-08:00

For the majority of my life babies have been a source of slight fear. I really love them, but don't exactly know what to do with them. This fear, plus a few negative crying experiences, have led me to my current state. However, Jonah is a baby that is helping rid me of this unnecessary fear. I have been grateful to get to watch him grow up and spend some time with him from time to time. He is such an animated baby, as these pictures hopefully show. He is also such a happy baby, his smile taking up his whole face. I can see why though, his parents do such a great job of loving him.

inside winter.

2008-01-26T00:06:00.001-08:00

All of the seasons have something beautiful about them, and winter is certainly no exception. Oregon is one of the most beautiful places I have lived during the winter, not because of snow, but because everything stays so green. Western Oregon also has a very mild winter climate, yet it still requires that one spends more time inside. Here's the result of spending a lot of time inside, taking pictures of ourselves making faces. I should also mention that surrounding this picture is a series of shots with Leah bobbing her head back and forth, so that if they were put in a flip book then it would show the motion. I thought she had a great idea.

2008-01-12T20:34:00.000-08:00

One thing I have certainly learned about myself is my tendency to try to get all my work done before doing the things I love. My blog is certainly a testimony to this, and thus does not get updated very often. However, this is something that I am certainly working on, because all work and no play, is not that much fun, and there are so many wonderful things in this life.
Here finally are the pictures from the last day of Joel and my adventure. We spent the morning in Princeton and then left to spend a few hours roaming the streets of Philadelphia prior to my flight. I am amazed at the history on the East Coast, we certainly have nothing like that on the West Coast, we are still too young. The only thing that I actually know the name of that we saw was the liberty bell. Philadelphia seemed like a neat city though. After a few hours I said goodbye to Joel and left for home. I will certainly miss Joel this spring, and look forward to his return to Oregon during the summer. Thanks for the adventure Joel, and I'll look forward to more in the summer.

dayfour/dayfive. Kansas City to Princeton.

2008-01-05T20:13:00.001-08:00

Leaving behind the rockies, also meant leaving behind the most beautiful spots on our journey. We headed into the midwest and prepared for the long haul, we had our day for photos and now it was time to drive. Day 3 we drove from Grand Junction to Kansas City taking 14 hours, and on this drive I didn't take a single picture. Day 4 we drove for roughly 21 hours making the trek all the way from Kansas City to Princeton. We arrived early this morning.
The top picture is Joel in Kansas City, giving another great early morning pose and the bottom picture is at a rest stop in Illinois.

daytwo. Moab to Grand Junction.

2008-01-05T20:02:00.001-08:00

Okay, unfortunately I got a bit behind on my posting, so I am going to attempt to catch up now. Here are the pictures from Moab. It was so beautiful there, Joel and I were left in awe. We woke up at 6:00 and headed for Mesa Arch to be there for sunrise. We barely made it in time, racing the sunrise the whole way. We got all setup and shot for about 30 minutes before the cold forced us to pack up our gear and run back to the car. We spent the rest of the day driving around Canyonlands and making the slow trek to Grand Junction watching for photo ops the whole way. Joel spotted a frozen waterfall in a canyon which we hiked to, only to find two professional photographers had already staked out the spot. They eyed us as we neared, so we decided to hike past them, discovering another frozen waterfall higher up.

dayone. Portland to Moab.

2008-01-01T22:55:00.000-08:00

My posts over the following week are dedicated to my wife Leah, in an attempt to do something I love, share beauty with her. After two years of marriage it was so hard for me to leave her this morning. Here's what I'm seeing Leah, and thinking of you.
The first leg of our trip from Portland to New Jersey consisted of Oregon, Idaho, Utah, 17 1/2 hours of driving and a late arrival at Moab.

2007-12-23T21:55:00.001-08:00

The rainy afternoon in Portland led Leah and I to the Tao of Tea on Belmont. We enjoyed a delicious cup of Gold Darjeeling which was nicely complimented by an Indian Dessert. The Tao provided a cozy retreat from the rain topling down.

2007-12-23T21:51:00.001-08:00

Today, a beautiful rainy day in Portland, the Morrison bridge raised giving the opportunity to shoot the rain against the faint sky line. This is called "green light on morrison."

2007-12-22T00:11:00.001-08:00

This evening I was just sorting through pictures on my computer when I came across this picture of my lovely wife Leah. I like this picture because it captures so much of Leah, and in doing so makes me smile to myself. I am so thankful for her, for who she is, and all that she adds to my life.

Luke and Drea

2007-12-02T23:22:00.000-08:00

Luke and Drea are high school sweet hearts from Corvallis and they were a joy to photograph. They have such a strong connection that is evident to anyone who spends time with them. Their obvious love for one another is something that cannot be posed, but only captured. I'm looking forward to photographing their wedding day.