Thursday, September 30, 2010

The rythmn and blues bride got married in a cheeseshop ...

Laura sent me this message on facebook the day before the wedding, "We are getting married LAST MINUTE tomorrow at Baumgartners by a judge  (we've been trying to get it done for 3 years) I told Jimmy we should have YOU do us the honors of being our photographer". I called her and she sounded nervous as a long tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs. No time to get a fancy dress, manicure or hairdo. I assured her that the important thing was that they were getting married and that they were doing it "their way". And I thought to myself, "Isn't Baumgartners a cheeseshop".



Next morning I drove to Monroe for the 11:30 ceremony. Sure enough, Baumgartners is a cheese shop. The crowd was small but enthusiastic, the ceremony was sweet, and the cheese and salami sandwich the groom bought me was the best I'd ever had.





Jimmy is Jimmy Voegeli, a Madison musician well known for his keyboard playing and singing, most recently with the Jimmys, but he's also part of the Voegeli dairy farm family; five generations of award winning dairy cattlemen in Monroe WI. Laura says that when Jimmy isn't playing music he's cleaning manure out from under his fingernails.The Voegelis sponsor the World Dairy Expo. Turns out Jimmy and Laura set the last minute wedding date right before the Expo when things in Monroe would be focused on the festive activities around the world famous event.

It was a great wedding, and they did it their way. If you're ever in Monroe WI stop in at Baumgartners and have the best cheese and salami sandwich you'll ever eat. Congrats Laura and Jimmy!  -  Terry


Madison WI photographer Terry Talbot

Sunday, September 12, 2010

Senior Portraits by a Madison WI Wedding Photographer?

I love being a Madison WI wedding photographer. There's nothing like being a special part of a couple's wedding day and knowing that you're creating images for them that they'll cherish for years to come.

However; it's that time of year when I get a lot of calls for last minute senior photos from anxious parents hoping it's not too late to get their son'e or daughter's pictures done before the yearbook deadline. I love doing senior photos. Most of the time these young folks are a little leary about the photo shoot and it's great fun to see them warm up to the shooting situation as we move along. Soon they're having great fun too (and getting getting great photos at the same time). I like to create my senior photos out-of-doors on location using natural light, and try not to be too 'posey'.


This was a quick shoot for Jon. All the photos were taken around the Memorial Union with one clothing change, and the whole thing took half an hour. Although it was a rather gray and drizzly day, I think the photos turned out rather nice!

Jon with his mom Queenie


http://www.talbotphoto.com/



Madison WI photographer Terry Talbot

Thursday, September 9, 2010

An Inspriational Story - The Day Shay Got to Play

I recently read this story on the internet. Don't know if it's a true story or not, but I found it inspiring and perhaps you will too.

At a fundraising dinner for a school that serves children with learning disabilities, the father of one of the students delivered a speech that would never be forgotten by all who attended. After extolling the school and its dedicated staff, he offered a question:

"When not interfered with by outside influences, everything nature does, is done with perfection.. Yet my son, Shay, cannot learn things as other children do.He cannot understand things as other children do.Where is the natural order of things in my son?"

The audience was stilled by the query.

The father continued.

'"I believe that when a child like Shay,who was mentally and physically disabled comes into the world, an opportunity to realize true human nature presents itself, and it comes in the way other people treat that child."

Then he told the following story:

Shay and I had walked past a park where some boys Shay knew were playing baseball. Shay asked, "Do you think they'll let me play?"

I knew that most of the boys would not want someone like Shay on their team, but as a father I also understood that if my son were allowed to play, it would give him a much-needed sense of belonging and some confidence to be accepted by others in spite of his handicaps..

I approached one of the boys on the field and asked (not expecting much) if Shay could play. The boy looked around for guidance and said, "We're losing by six runs and the game is in the eighth inning. I guess he can be on our team and we'll try to put him in to bat in the ninth inning."

Shay struggled over to the team's bench and, with a broad smile, put on a team shirt. I watched with a small tear in my eye and warmth in my heart. The boys saw my joy at my son being accepted.

In the bottom of the eighth inning, Shay's team scored a few runs but was still behind by three.

In the top of the ninth inning, Shay put on a glove and played in the right field. Even though no hits came his way, he was obviously ecstatic just to be in the game and on the field, grinning from ear to ear as I waved to him from the stands.

In the bottom of the ninth inning, Shay's team scored again.

Now, with two outs and the bases loaded, the potential winning run was on base and Shay was scheduled to be next at bat. At this juncture, do they let Shay bat and give away their chance to win the game? Surprisingly, Shay was given the bat.

Everyone knew that a hit was all but impossible because Shay didn't even know how to hold the bat properly,much less connect with the ball. However, as Shay stepped up to the plate, the pitcher, recognizing that the other team was putting winning aside for this moment in Shay's life, moved in a few steps to lob the ball in softly so Shay could at least make contact.

The first pitch came and Shay swung clumsily and missed. The pitcher again took a few steps forward to toss the ball softly towards Shay... As the pitch came in, Shay swung at the ball and hit a slow ground ball right back to the pitcher. The game would now be over.

The pitcher picked up the soft grounder and could have easily thrown the ball to the first baseman. Shay would have been out and that would have been the end of the game. Instead, the pitcher threw the ball right over the first baseman's head, out of reach of all team mates.

Everyone from the stands and both teams started yelling, 'Shay, run to first! Run to first!' Never in his life had Shay ever run that far, but he made it to first base. He scampered down the baseline, wide-eyed and startled.
Everyone yelled, 'Run to second, run to second!'

Catching his breath, Shay awkwardly ran towards second, gleaming and struggling to make it to the base.

By the time Shay rounded towards second base, the right fielder had the ball . the smallest guy on their team who now had his first chance to be the hero for his team. He could have thrown the ball to the second-baseman for the tag, but he understood the pitcher's intentions so he, too, intentionally threw the ball high and far over the third-baseman's head.

Shay ran toward third base deliriously as the runners ahead of him circled the bases toward home. All were screaming, "Shay, Shay, Shay, all the Way Shay". Shay reached third base because the opposing shortstop ran to help him by turning him in the direction of third base, and shouted, "Run to third! Shay, run to third!"
As Shay rounded third, the boys from both teams, and the spectators, were on their feet screaming, "Shay, run home! Run home!"

Shay ran to home, stepped on the plate, and was cheered as the hero who hit the grand slam and won the game for his team

"That day", said the father softly with tears now rolling down his face, "the boys from both teams helped bring a piece of true love and humanity into this world".

Shay didn't make it to another summer. He died that winter, having never forgotten being the hero and making me so happy,and coming home and seeing his Mother tearfully embrace her little hero of the day



(Unknown author)





Madison WI photographer Terry Talbot