Turtle Pond Blog

Lillie’s birthday tea

natanda — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 03:40:19 +0000

For the first time ever, I was able to coordinate my schedule to be at my niece’s birthday bash! She had quite the snazzy little tea party with her girlfriends. My sister went all out, martha stewart style, and left no detail unturned. From tasty tea treats, to hats, fans and games, I’m pretty sure the girls were all aglow the entire time. Here’s a little peak…

Sarah and Tim

natanda — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 22:23:27 +0000

While waiting in the doctors office, the sign on the back of the door read, “your referral is the greatest compliment.” Cheesy, a bit, but it resonated with me at the same time. Having a client or friend refer us to one of their friends is truly the best compliment, and says a lot about how much they trust us to capture such an important event in their lives. Granted, we aren’t saving lives like doctors, but we understand and are very humbled by how important capturing someone’s wedding day is.

Sarah and Tim found us via a referral, and we couldn’t be more grateful. It was wonderful to be a part of their day, capturing so many beautiful moments that are here today and gone tomorrow. And what a beautiful day it was. Their outdoor ceremony and reception were held at the always beautiful ISM. Tim is one lucky man, as Sarah is one of the sweetest most loving people i’ve ever met. I can’t tell you how many times throughout the day I heard her thanking the people involved for making the day so special. Thank you Sarah and Tim for letting us capture your love for each other, much love to you both!!!

The guys took the morning to play some hoops at the Historic Hoosier Gym. This was the setting for movie Hoosiers. They even had jerseys made up to look like the ones in the movie. We snapped the above pic to mimic the official movie image, below, which hangs in the gym. Incidentally, we shot the image below in 2005 at a wedding reception at the gym.

Do you think Amanda had a foot fetish?

So many great family moments.

Love these socks!

Anyone who has shot at the Indiana State Museum knows this moment well.

Jennifer and Jonathan

natanda — Tue, 24 Aug 2010 03:07:58 +0000

A lovely summer night, paired with a lovely couple, and some lovely light…ahhh, bliss. I’m laid back, at times to a fault. Admittedly, I really jive with other laid back souls…and that definitely defines this wonderful couple. They are just so easy to hang out with, and capturing their love for each other was a true gift. We can’t wait to do it again, Cali style, in a couple of months. Thank you guys for sharing your joy with us.

ahh, puppy love.

love their genuine joy, and the creamy light is nice too

photogs, that’s all in camera in case you’re curious.

Can anyone tell me where this shot was taken? (besides at the IMA)

fun with finn

natanda — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 12:57:57 +0000

I tried to pick the warmest, most humid day to capture finn…that way he would LOVE the water feature at the park. Ta-da…it worked!!! Seriously, he’s adorable and was quite the rosy cheeked trooper. He has some rockin parents too, and a baby sibling on the way to boot! It’s such a joy to see families grow – Katie and Josh’s wedding was only a couple of years ago. Enjoy…so great seeing you guys again!!

Lindsey and Tim

natanda — Tue, 03 Aug 2010 22:18:30 +0000

Chicago, IL. Sometimes is rain is a good thing. Especially when you have an incredibly adorable, free-spirited couple that is up for anything. We couldn’t be more thrilled to capture Lindsey and Tim’s love for each other. Their connection is beautiful beyond words. I’ve had to wipe the tears from my eyes several times just to finish editing these. We are really looking forward to their wedding this fall.

II don’t think I’ll comment on these – you’ll feel the connection without description.

Jen and Andy

natanda — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 16:46:37 +0000

Chicago, IL. We had a lovely trip to chicago, catching up with old friends and making new ones. We also got to eat at a yummy raw food restaurant, which of course made me plum giddy. The weekend reminded me once again just how crazy blessed we are. We have amazing friends, amazing clients, and the honor of capturing so many beautiful people. Speaking of, Jen and Andy were quite a joy to capture. They are fabulously spontaneous and had such a wonderful connection with each other. We are looking forward to their big day in November!!

great view of a great city

you are so beautiful jen!

they both radiate joy

they are as fun as they are adorable!

and thank you nate for this comical relief.

lucia and liona, twins

natanda — Fri, 23 Jul 2010 20:22:44 +0000

Life is a miracle in and of itself. However, these little girls have an extra miraculous story. It wasn’t until Hannah was 5 months pregnant that she found out she was having identical twins. They were born two months early, and spent some time in the NICU, as they were quite small. The girls are doing very well now, and growing every day. They were about two months old in these photos. It’s awesome to see Hannah and Joe as parents, it seems like just yesterday we shot their wedding. Congratulations Mummert family….thanks for inviting us to once again capture your love and growing family!

humbly inspired

natanda — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 20:03:56 +0000

I woke up this morning with a big, ugly cloud over my head. Not just a cloud blocking the sun, the proverbial cloud that’s been frequenting my world a bit too often as of late. I consider myself a pretty free spirit, an optimist, the girl that always wears a smile even when she doesn’t feel like it. Unfortunately, it seems my free spirit has been misplaced in the pocket of some jeans and run through the wash cycle one too many times lately. Life has a way of distracting us from what really matters doesn’t it? It tries to get us to focus on ourselves, our needs, our wants…and before we know it we have a major case of the blah’s.

I find myself comparing my work to others, only to feel “not good enough.” Jealousy creeps in as I watch so many of my friends have children, a deep rooted desire in my life that’s not in the cards as of today. The for sale sign in my front yard daily reminds me that I still live in Greenfield IN, not the most desirable place for a soul with wanderlust. As much as I love what I do for a living, I constantly have a nagging feeling that I’m not making as much of positive impact in the world as I’d like. I could go on, but you’d be bored, and my struggles aren’t really the point here.

On second thought, I don’t actually have a point, or at least not an agenda. I guess I just wanted to be honest with you. It’s been a rough season here, but I’m optimistic that the sun will shine again. We all try to look like we have it together, that we are immune to life’s challenges. We fake a facade with a smile even when our hearts are frowning. But we are all human, and we all hurt from time to time, and it’s ok. It’s healthy to reveal our weaknesses, after all, we all have them. My life has been richly blessed with amazing friends, family, and the freedom to express and create…all of which I sadly take for granted more often than I should. When the blah’s strike, I love to run to “my happy place,” a place that always inspires and reminds me of what matters most. Nature has an enormous ability to sooth and heal. I recently took my camera to my happy place and captured some glimpses of it, but to my surprise I spent more time soaking in the moment. It was powerful and rejuvenating beyond words or images. I was going to share a few images, but realized that they weren’t as powerful alone as they were all together. Together, they represent an overall mood and energy.

So even as I write this, my heart is filled with warmth and reminded of the power of positive thinking, being vulnerable, and finding inspiration in the simple things of life. I’m thankful for all of you, for listening (if you made it this far), for your hearts, your friendship, and your honesty.
Much love, a.

Lindsey and Matt

natanda — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 04:19:19 +0000

Indianapolis, IN. First Baptist Church and The Indiana Historical Society.

Lindsey and Matt have know each other for quite some time. They have such a quiet, comfortable yet enamored confidence with one another. One that says we’ll weather whatever life throws our way, together. It was such an honor to be a part of their amazing day. We photographed his best friend’s wedding a few years back, and it’s always an huge treat to see former client’s (esp when they are expecting a bambino). As always it reminds me of what a beautiful gift it is to capture the many seasons of life. I’m also a very big fan of families that love to show emotion…so a big thanks for amazing families and their tender hearts. Congrats Lindsey and Matt…you guys are truly amazing!! We wish you all the very best, and thank you for sharing your love with us!

The weather was absolutely perfect!

REALLY!?!?! I don’t think a hollywood setup could have caught such a perfect breeze!

The newly remodeled IHS is a fantastic place for a reception.

I think Amanda has the knack for ‘capturing the moment’ eh?

Tom delivering the perfect best man speech!

Lindsey and Matt gave us some great dancing

Can anyone who hasn’t been to IHS tell us how this shot was made? No PS at all, sooc. $5 Starbucks card to the first correct answer.

We had a wonderful day with you two, right down to the very last minute. No charge for the ‘limo’ ride to the Conrad (;(;

Lorin and Braden

natanda — Wed, 14 Jul 2010 18:55:52 +0000

When Lorin and Braden’s friends showed up for their “engagement party”, they had no idea that later in the evening, the couple would exchange vows and be wed! About an hour into the party, Lorin and Braden slipped away, changed clothes, and prepped while guests were ushered into the ceremony location. It was so fun to see the looks on their faces as they realized what was actually taking place. It was a stormy night, and their uber romantic ceremony was held by candlelight and the glow of a barely lit sky that poured into the horse barn (hard to shoot, but absolutely the most romantic ceremony ever)! Wow, it still leaves me speechless just thinking about it. The cheer and celebratory hugs that followed was just fabulous. The rest of the night they celebrated with their family and friends in a most unique, laid back and beautiful fashion.

And kuddos to Lorin and her amazing designer David of David Reilich Occasions for putting together such a great look and fabulous details! Thank you guys for inviting us to be a part of your fabulous and unique wedding…much love to you both!

This image succinctly sums up the weather for the evening

“LWYMM” was a theme of the party. It was the acronym Braden used during a word game in order to propose to Lorin. So sweet (:

There were too many incredible details, pure delight!

It was so cool just being a fly on the wall at this moment. Hearing all the guests saying things like, “What’s going on? Is she really getting married? No, it must be a trick.”