I swear I'm not in the news or on TV very often, but this weekend has provided some neat exposure. Today, the Detroit Free Press wrote a story about me and my book in its Life section. The timing is to promote my first-ever book signing, which is set for 7:30 p.m. Wednesday (Sept. 8) at the Barnes and Noble in Royal Oak. I'd love, love, love to see you there, regardless of whether you buy a book.

Additionally, the story allowed me to explain why I love wedding photojournalism so much: "When you're a crime reporter there's no way to watch these things unfold and not be affected. I'm about the full human experience. So on weekends I capture what is usually the most joyous day of a person's life. And I've come to realize there's not much difference in how I approach the two jobs. I focus on the emotion and try to translate it through my words or my pictures. I want the audience to feel what my subjects are feeling."

The Cindy Zarzycki case is one that touched me personally and professionally -- just as it has touched pretty much everyone familiar with it. Tonight, NBC is re-airing a Dateline episode that features the case, as well as an interview with, and photographs by, me.

Be sure to tune in, and if you're inclined to give aid to an advocacy group borne from the case and created by Cindy's family, check out Cindy's Hope.

In the industry, we call them Uncle Bobs: Well-intentioned relatives who are more than eager to photograph your wedding as a gift. It sure is tempting, too, when you realize that professional photographers cost a few grand.

A colleague posted this fantastic article from the International Society of Professional Wedding Photographers, and it's a light-hearted -- but still very true -- look at the pros of using a pro.

Note: The term Uncle Bob is, of course, sexist. We see just as many Aunt Robertas!

Like a lot of our couples, Craig and Robin found us online and booked from afar. They had gorgeous (albeit hot) weather for their big day, and we hit a snag when a bridesmaid accidentally grabbed Robin's car keys from the salon (thank goodness Elijah could rush over a spare from the groom!). Those little hiccups just made the day even more memorable!

My favorite part of the day was knowing behind the scenes that Craig and Robin's friends were about to give them the most awesome wedding present ever: a vacation. They pooled up their money, got in touch with Craig's bosses to get him time off from work and sent them to the beach. Here's to hoping they came back with a tan!

Confession: I'm in love with bed and breakfasts. Anyone who knows me undoubtedly finds this odd -- the quaintness, the serenity, the early-morning breakfasts.

In fact, the early-morning anything.

It's a love I discovered while writing the book. I had trouble buckling down at home, where there's always laundry to do, photography to perfect, etc., so I hit three Michigan bed-and-breakfasts and another in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. I was reminded of this love during Renee and Jose's recent wedding (Renee got ready at a Detroit BnB), so I thought I'd share some images Elijah and I shot over the past year at a variety of spots. We loved two so much that I even included them in the acknowledgments of Dead But Not Forgotten (the Powell House in Lexington, Mich., and the unbelievably gorgeous Parador Inn in PA). I'm convinced that if we hadn't surrounded ourselves with such simple beauty, I'd still be writing to this day.

These aren't wedding shots, but we think they're pretty, and, hey, it's a photo site, right? :)

Elijah and I were just watching some TLC wedding show and had a little eureka moment. Here's the idea: We would love to follow a couple from the beginning of the planning process through to the wedding -- and even beyond. That means we'd tag along dress/tux shopping (or fitting, if you've already picked out the attire), maybe a food tasting, etc. We'd include the coverage we already build in to our highest-level package as well, and keep the cost reasonable so you don't have to be a millionaire to get star treatment.

Here's what it'd entail:

* Up to four pre-wedding events of your choice (about 1-2 hours apiece), customizable. Could include engagement shower and dress shopping/tux fitting, for example.
* Engagement shoot session, including interview time for you both to tell us your story for a video element in a multimedia project we would play at your reception. (Edited down to 5-10 minutes.)
* Two hours' rehearsal dinner coverage.
* Up to 10 hours wedding day coverage.
* 50-page, 10x10" custom-designed photographic wedding album.
* Foot-pedal "photo booth" setup at reception.
* Fine art intaglio print by Elijah based on wedding day image of your choice.
* 16x20" gallery wrap of favorite wedding day image.
* $100 print credit for engagement session; $200 print credit for wedding images.
* Digital negatives and reprint rights to edited and toned wedding day and engagement images, made available upon design and delivery of wedding album.
* 80-page digitally designed coffee table book of selected images during pre-planning, engagement session and rehearsal dinner.
* Post-wedding portrait session (such as a "trash the dress" or "get your money's worth from that tux!"). We'll provide hair and makeup artist as requested. Professional image re-touching included (beyond typical color correction). $100 print credit and 7x7 album of 20 best images.
* All final images properly sized and watermarked for social media sharing (Facebook, etc.).
* iPad with album pre-loaded with all engagement, wedding day and post-wedding portraits.

Talk about full coverage! Cost: $7,600. It's a worthwhile investment to capture and save this once-in-a-lifetime experience. Contact us if you're interested!

It was tough narrowing down photos from Kindra and Tony's wedding, mostly because of Kindra. She has the type of bubbly laugh that's so infectious, you can't help but smile when you see her happy. And on her wedding day, she absolutely beamed.

Kindra found me online. We'd met just briefly for the contract exchange before the Aug. 6 wedding. Even still, I felt completely at home with her friends and family and had a blast with them the whole day. Tony and his groomsmen were fantastic, too -- a great mix of goofball and serious that brought levity to poignant moments and depth to silly ones.

This wedding was especially moving, too, because the church where Kindra and Tony wed was the same church Kindra's late mother got married in decades ago.

Of course not! But that didn't stop Renee and Jose from having some fun with the idea. I'd love to tell you how we got access to this jailhouse cell, but it's just one of those things we lucked into thanks to a bridesmaid with a friend. I loved these so much that I thought they deserved their own li'l blog. They go to show how much fun photos can be when you're willing to go with the flow and take advantage of quirky opportunities when they arise!

Renee's father gave a fantastically written toast the night of their wedding, describing the day as a merging of cultures as much as a merging of two lives. Elijah and I met Renee at a bridal show (our first) in January, and we're so glad she found us.

The wedding had so many personal touches: Renee's dress was custom-made by a friend, the tabletops at the reception were adorned with images from our engagement shoot, and guests learned their seat assignments with thank-you gifts of homemade salsa.

Another note: Renee had the genius idea of getting ready at a Detroit bed and breakfast rather than at home. It made for gorgeous morning photos.

We're very excited to have a new addition to our album line-up. (That sounds a little bit like introducing a baby into the mix. This isn't quite that exciting, but we're still pretty geeked.) Our albums to date are awesome, high-end, digitally designed coffee table-style books. Now, we're also offering custom-designed books on photographic paper. The quality is outstanding. Our regular books are heirloom-quality as well, but the images are printed on press paper rather than photo paper. The pro is that they allow us to offer books at lower prices; the con is that couples wanting really, really high-end, expensive albums had to order through our commercial vendor rather through us, and with me designing your book, you've got someone who knows you and spent the day with you piecing together your album rather than a stranger in a lab.

Below are a couple of sample pages from one recent wedding (hi, Emily!). If you'd like more details, hit us up on the contact page.

When Amanda planned her planned her wedding, her biggest priority was making sure that everyone was comfortable and had fun. Sure, she donned some heels and a pretty dress, but others invited to the couple's baseball-themed affair (Detroit Tigers!) were told that jeans and tennies were welcome. For dinner, there were burgers and hot dogs.

But don't be fooled by the casual event. Nothing is classier than two people whose faces truly light up when they see each other. Amanda beamed; Eric got teary-eyed. They're clearly each other's worlds. We're especially in love with that portrait of them in the sun-drenched field.

Our engagement shoot with Mary and Dan was a rainy one (see blog below), and it seemed like their wedding day would follow suit. It absolutely poured the morning of the big day -- so much so that Elijah and I held our collective breath while driving through an absolute river to get to the church.

But it was one of those days when everything was just destined to work out. Just as the ceremony ended, the skies cleared. We shot our first outdoor portraits, then drove to a second location. On the way, the rain started again -- and then stopped just as we parked. (Insert angelic-sounding music here.)

Mary and Dan are not only adorable, but they're straight up in love, the kind of people others should aspire to be. Big congrats, you two.

If you check out the "about me" section of this Web site, you'll learn that I'm all about the full human experience, not just the happy, wedding moments. Enter here my first true crime book, "Dead But Not Forgotten," published by St. Martin's Press.

The year-plus endeavor hit bookstores today. While I'm obviously very excited and very proud of the accomplishment, I'm also hopeful that the book sheds some light on a gut-wrenching case and helps illuminate the behind-the-scenes workings of criminal justice.

My first book signing is at 7:30 p.m. Sept. 8 at the Barnes and Noble in Royal Oak, Mich. (500 S. Main St.). Please stop by!

We only got to meet Dave and Laura once before the wedding because they planned from afar, but it really didn't feel that way on the big day. It seemed like we'd known them for years.

Laura's my kind of girl. When told how gorgeous she looked (and did she ever), she quipped, "Yeah, I thought I'd spend a little extra time getting ready today." She hid some tissue in her cleavage so she'd be ready for Dave's waterworks -- only to have to use them herself. And Dave was one of the nicest, most appreciative guys we've ever had as a groom.

Thanks for making our day so enjoyable, you two.

We've had such a fun time with the new photo booth option. One recent wedding -- hi, Mary and Dan! -- was our first to feature the foot pedal, which we much prefer over hand shutter releases.

Linked below is the video I just posted with the outcome. Enjoy!

So often in this business, we end up really feeling like we've become fast friends with our couples. I suppose it's the nature of the day -- it's such an intimate, important time to spend together -- but I also like to think that the people who gravitate our way are just kind of cool by default.

Josh and Boyd are definitely our kind of people. They're an awesome couple, and their holy union was so much fun. Our only regret is that the week after their nuptials in Ferndale, they headed off for a new life in Alabama -- temporarily, at least. We can't wait to see them again.

Enjoy the south, guys, where air conditioning is king and the tea is always sweetened.

To any couples out there who think their pooches should be included in their engagement shoots, two words: Heck yeah! We loved shooting with Bubba, a friendly (and, let's admit it, slobbery) American Bulldog during Jessica and Cameron's engagement shoot.

The couple was pretty swell, too! Jessica is one of those amazingly organized brides who booked us this winter for her May 2011 wedding. A year out, we had this incredible engagement shoot with the adorable couple. They were so agreeable to everything we suggested. It was a blast.

I'm posting the Facebook album link here as well.

Of course, we love all of our couples, but Brian and Caroline booked us more than a year in advance, so it feels like we've known them for quite a while. We had a fantastic time shooting their engagement session (pre-blog, but the album's on Facebook if you'd like to peruse). By the time the wedding came, it felt like we were watching two friends tie the knot.

You can't tell it from these photos (ta-dah!) but it was crazy hot this day. I mean, ker-azy hot. Still, it was a lot of fun, and Sharon Mills (in Manchester, Mich.) made for a gorgeous backdrop. We'll send a quick thanks to Jen House (of A Moment in Time) for keeping everything going smoothly.

Big hugs to Caroline and Brian!

Emily was an amazing bride. She's fun, down-to-earth and as go-with-the-flow as they come. She even wore flats on her big day! All that came in handy June 5, when tornadoes hit -- yep, tornadoes -- during her outdoor reception in Chelsea.

Emily never flinched. She and Barry are great together; they stayed completely focused on each other and their guests, and everyone clearly had a fantastic time. We loved spending the day with them.

And for those wondering: This gorgeous venue is actually Emily's parents' home. It's just stunning.

Betsy and Todd's wedding will always be one of my favorites. It was out in California, and it was my first solo shoot several years back. Today I learned that they'll be adding an adorable young'n to the family! They're expecting their first child, and it's a girl.

Best to you both! And for the curious folk reading this, Betsy is the bride whose amazing back is featured in one of my all-time favorite detail shots (a close-up of her fastening a necklace).

Amber

We had an amazing time last weekend with Christine and Tony, whose wedding was a beautiful merging of Lebanese and Italian cultures. I absolutely loved Christine's grandmother, who immediately began singing blessings the moment she walked in the door.

It was our first time venturing to the Ford House in Grosse Pointe Shores, which has some gorgeous portrait opportunities. Then we were off to one of the liveliest receptions we've been to thus far.

Thanks for the wonderful day, you two!

Elijah and I were fully prepared for a second consecutive rain-drenched engagement shoot, but after a Saturday morning of drizzle, the heavens parted and the angels sang.

Or something like that.

And for this shoot, with locations at both Belle Isle and in southwest Detroit, sunshine was key.

Renee and Jose are getting married July 31. They're one of those what-a-small-world couples: We met Renee at a bridal show, but after she booked us, we realized we have overlapping friends. Sometimes things are just meant to be.

We had a blast shooting the couple on beautiful Belle Isle, followed by a stop in Mexicantown, where we played with the beautiful murals and sculptures.

The intaglio prints I began producing last season have now officially graduated from prototypes to successful works of art. We were notified recently that the etching of Liz and Chris (married Oct. 2, 2009) has been
accepted into the Ann Arbor Art Center's 28th Annual "The Print" juried exhibition!

To see the image, scroll down a few posts. It's the one showing the couple's first kiss inside the church.

Endi Poskovic, who is an Associate Professor at the University of Michigan, selected the print to be included in the exhibition with the work of several other accomplished Michigan printmakers.

There will be an opening reception from 6-8pm May 14; the exhibition will run through June 13. If you're in the area, swing by to see the print and some of the other artwork from other talented Michigan artists. The center is at 117 W. Liberty, Ann Arbor.

Elijah

OK, so tomorrow might not be your typical "ooh, I must get ice cream" kind of day weather-wise, but if ever there was a good cause to grab some soft serve, this would be it:

Dairy Queen in Eastpointe -- the spot where 13-year-old Cindy Zarzycki was last seen in 1986 -- is hosting a remembrance day for the girl, whose murder was finally solved in 2008.

The store, at 17207 9 Mile Road, is donating proceeds from sales between 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Saturday (April 17) to Cindy's HOPE, an organization her family created to raise safety awareness.

Constance Johnson, Cindy's older sister, will be on hand. She says the organization will be giving DQ folk an award at noon, and there will be a 4:30 p.m. balloon launch to remember the little girl who disappeared.

Cindy was kidnapped from the ice cream store by her childhood boyfriend's father. Her case remained unsolved for more than two decades before Constance and family finally learned what really happened.

Some Cindy-related events will be held at the Roseville DQ in Gratiot, too.

Elijah will be shooting some pictures of the Eastpointe event, and I'll be downing a root beer float. Come say hi!

Amber

Update: A selection of photos is available on our Facebook page (link below). To learn more about Cindy's HOPE, go to www.cindyshope.org.

Granted, this has nothing to do with wedding photography, but since our couples share their most intimate day with us, here's a little quid pro quo ... My first true crime book was just posted on Amazon for pre-order!

For those who haven't visited the "about me" section, a little background: I've worked at the Detroit Free Press for seven years, and my primary focus has been covering the gritty side of life. Last year, I took one of the cases I'd covered in Macomb County, pitched it as a book idea, and finished "Dead But Not Forgotten" last September. (I am a kung-fu master at multi-tasking. ... At least, I was last year. Now I'm a kung-fu master at ensuring I don't miss Project Runway each Thursday. Ah, the cycles of life.)

Somber topic aside, I'm obviously really excited, but if you read my work online and in this book, you'll understand why I love shooting weddings so much! Yin and yang.

Hopefully another book contract is on the horizon, but right now we're focused on the upcoming season of happy couples!

Amber

View Book at Amazon

So it turns out that not every day in Michigan is blessed with beautiful skies and sunshine. Who knew!?

Mary and Dan traveled to Detroit from Kansas City, and rescheduling their engagement shoot would have been tricky for everyone. So instead, Elijah and I stocked up on some eye-catching umbrellas and ponchos and set out to make some interesting rainy-day portraits. We're thrilled with the results.

It helps, of course, when the couple is sweet, funny and genuine -- and totally game for anything you suggest. We knew we wanted to hit Hart Plaza and the Spirit of Detroit. Everything else was improvised.

By the way, check out Mary's polka dot galoshes -- which we unwittingly matched with a polka dot umbrella we'd picked up for the shoot. We were stoked.

Hopefully this can be a reminder to couples nervous about their wedding-day weather that less-than-ideal conditions can make for great photos -- and unique ones at that.

We're a little behind on this update (thank you, much-needed spring break!), but we wanted to share Elijah's latest intaglio print -- also his last for the 2009 wedding season -- which he created for Sarah and Matt.

Unlike the prints made for Liz and Stephanie, this one is a drypoint instead of an etching. The difference is perhaps more noticeable in person, but in layman terms, the lines have a softer, more velvety quality here than in the previous two. Elijah felt drypoint was the right technique for this print because Sarah and Matt chose an image of their faces. The softer lines seemed more appropriate, he said.

Best of all, Sarah's feedback was flattering: "I got the print today and it's fabulous! Thank you both again for all your hard work and artistry!"

This officially marks the end of our prototype season! Begin the Sousa march!

Even in my humblest moment, I can't help but beam about Elijah and the intaglio prints we offer clients because we're proud to offer more than the expected as part of our packages.

As such, it seems appropriate to give a shout-out to someone else who also merges fine arts into her offerings: TwoFoot Creative.

Ana, who helms TwoFoot, is an event planner, so she coordinates all those little details that make each event special and unique. We've only had the opportunity to work with her on one wedding thus far, and she was just lovely, keeping everything on schedule, helping us gather guests for a big group picture, and stepping in to assist in bustling Susana's deceptively tricky (albeit gorgeous) dress. But her work doesn't stop after the wedding gifts are safely packed away at night. Ana's mother is an artist, so Ana coordinates with couples to use flowers from their bouquets in a one-of-a-kind painting.

To see examples of the work, go to Ana's Web site at http://twofootcreative.com/blog/?cat=8. In some cases, Ana's mother's business (CurlyArt, for those taking notes) mixes other elements with the flowers, such as lace from the wedding dress. In Susana's case, however, the bouquet was actually origami, so the end result is a straightforward painting that Susana intended to give to her parents.

Here, I've posted two photographs that include Susana's flowers, as well as two images of the painting Susana received via TwoFoot. Yay for creative keepsakes!

Amber

Some images just beg to be turned into intaglios. At least, that's how we felt about this picture from St. Peter Catholic Church in Mt. Clemens, which Elijah turned into an etching. I shot the picture of Liz and Chris kissing from the organist's balcony, and everything from the crucifix to the tender moment between the couple just seemed to work as a scene-setter.

Though Liz and Chris hadn't ordered a print as part of their package, they had been fantastic about singing our praises on The Knot and Wedding Wire, so we felt a thank-you gift was in order.

Without further ado, here's the final product. Up next: a drypoint from Sarah and Matt's wedding!

Amber

Pretty much every excursion I've taken in the past 10 years can be summed up with five simple words: part vacation, part business trip. (For proof, Google "Amber Hunt" and "Belize." Man, I loved it there.)

This week's jaunt to New York City was no exception. I headed to the John Jay College of Criminal Justice for a two-day journalism seminar, but there was no way I was going to hit NYC without taking in some sights. So I packed up Elijah (smuggled him as carry-on), hit up my friend Alexa to make use of her shoebox disguised as an apartment (love you!) and hauled my Canon around town for purdy pictures.

Naturally, we snapped our share of goofball tourist shots, too. And -- in the spirit of the photojournalism mantra "If you didn't shoot it, it didn't happen" -- I'm posting a couple here to, y'know, prove I was there. Or something.

Enjoy!

Amber

So a few weeks ago, Elijah and I made an appearance at our first-ever bridal show. It was an experience, to say the least. I'm not entirely sure how couples' heads don't explode upon seeing all the options facing them as they're planning, no matter how pretty and fun everything seems!

One thing that caught our eye, though, was the obvious popularity of photo booths -- those carnival-style setups that spit out four-count images in a single sheet. Sure, they're cute, but we took one look and thought, geez, we can do you one better! This weekend, we began solidifying the plan -- and our latest service offering was born! Ta-dah!

(How's that for dramatic??)

Instead of a stuffy, enclosed photo booth, we'll set up a real, quality camera that guests can fire remotely. The picture will be shot and stored in all its fun and goofy glory. For couples who want it, we can even project the images either on a laptop or external-monitor slide show, and if you want to get really fancy, we can print on-the-spot for night-of keepsakes.

We're really excited!! If you're interested, simply ask. We'll be getting things under way by spring.

Amber

We are very proud to announce that Amber Hunt Photography has been voted The Knot Best of Weddings 2010. Honestly, we don't know exactly how it is that we got such a great Knot reputation without being advertisers there, but we know several of our couples have been amazing when it comes to promoting us to others. (You know who you are!)

Seriously, thank you so much to the couples who helped make last season our best yet. This spring/summer is gearing up to be even better. Beyond the business side of things, Elijah and I are just thrilled that we've been part of so many special days. Thanks, everyone!

Amber

There's nothing like using artistic talent for a good cause.

Case in point: Elijah's dad, Bryan Van Benschoten, who's been hard at work for the past several months creating pieces to sell at three Adrian-area Empty Bowls events planned over the next few weeks.

Bryan, an Alfred University-educated ceramicist, retired about a year ago after 39 years creating pieces as Greenfield Village's master potter. Now he teaches ceramics and sculpture at Adrian College (where Elijah teaches 2D design and printmaking) - and he's pretty much been throwing bowls ever since.

That's throwing - as in, y'know, what potters do. When the clay's still wet. On the wheel.

You know what I'm getting at.

Empty Bowls is an international project that aims to end hunger by selling bowls created and donated by artists. The bowls are sold for between $10-$20 with donated food inside, and the money raised will be forwarded to the Salvation Army Soup Kitchen.

Adrian College is sponsoring three local events:

* 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Jan. 21 at Evans Street Station in Tecumseh
* 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Feb. 4 at the college
* 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Feb. 21 at the First United Methodist Church in Adrian

People with ties to Amber Hunt Photography might want to take special note: Bryan's next project will be to create prototypes of fruit bowls and wedding plates that we'll begin offering to clients.

The idea is still in its infancy, but we're thinking he'll customize the pieces to include couples' names and wedding dates as the next step in our fine arts offerings.

In the meantime, to see his work, consider swinging by the Empty Bowls events. He's made amazing pieces that would be beautiful buys for anyone with an eye for ceramics.

Amber

Two intaglio etchings finished in two weeks!

OK, so the first one took a lot longer than two weeks - it was Elijah's most intricate to date, and it was for the lovely Stephanie and Peter, so he took pains not to rush it. The second one, meanwhile, was a prototype to display at this weekend's bridal show (Brides To Be Expo, Jan. 2 and 3, at the Hyatt in Dearborn), to offer potential clients an additional glimpse at the work.

I'm so happy with both of them, though, and I love that we're offering something that throws back to centuries past, before the days of photography. This was one of the mediums used when royalty and the higher class wanted portraits done.

I recently shot Elijah as he inked the plate he had etched for Stephanie. I thought the etching process itself was grueling enough, but the inking is an hours-long endeavor. It's fascinating to see how the ink must be "charged" and mixed with a small amount of clove oil to slow drying time, giving him more time to work. After the plate is inked, the excess is wiped with a tarlatan. That alone is a lengthy and subjective process, as wiping too much causes you to lose detail, while not enough means there's too much ink on the print. After the plate is wiped, the paper is placed on top and it's run through a printing press. Then the inking/wiping process begins again. That's why each print is unique, with variations in the inking.

Thanks for reading! This is our first blog entry; no doubt there will be many more to come.

Amber