Derek Montgomery Photography >> Blog bio picture

Hello!

I'm a Wisconsin-born, Packer-backing, University of Wisconsin graduating, Ryan Braun lamenting, Ultimate Frisbee loving, Cheese Curd tasting photographer.

I started Derek Montgomery Photography a few years ago and it was the second best decision I ever made. First was marrying that beautiful wife of mine. I'm supported by that beautiful wife Kristin and entertained by my step-son Evan every single day and I could not be where I am today without them. Well maybe, but I'd probably be miserable, cranky and cynical. Aren't all former newspaper photographers like that? ;)

What do I like to do when I don't have a camera in my hands? The first sentence above should give you some ideas, but traveling, triathlons and watching movies are some of my other favorite things to do. I'm a little quiet when you meet me, but once you know me, that's the last thing you'd ever say about me. I pride myself on being able to mesh with just about anyone and any situation.

So enough about me, check out what's on the blog, on my website and if you like what you see, let's talk.

Valerie & Stephan :: Two Harbors, MN Wedding Photography

08.26.10

When it comes to outdoor weddings, you always pray as a wedding photographer that you aren't going to wake up and see a weather map like the one below. Sometimes those prayers go unanswered.

That's exactly what happened on Valerie and Stephan's wedding day. When I rolled out of bed and saw that ominous radar map, my eyeballs just about fell out of my head. I didn't think there would be a snowball's chance in hell that this wedding was going to go on as planned. That green, yellow, red and purple blob spanned the entire width of the state of Minnesota. That's 250 miles of wedding-photos-mood-killing-blah.

However, Mother Nature was dealing with Derek Montgomery and the DRock was 16 for 16 when it came to outdoor weddings and the weather playing out in his favor (that is an accurate number and I double-checked to be sure). Was this to be the haymaker that dropped DRock's perfect weather average from perfection? The Buster Douglas to Mike Tyson's championship streak? The Jim Joyce to Armando Galarraga's perfect game?

Not quite. It was a close call and was pouring buckets right up until it was showtime. I'd like to take credit and say the outdoor wedding went on as planned all because of me, but I'm not really that type of guy. On the other hand, opening up the Accuweather app on my iPhone and seeing that green, yellow, red and purple mass split up and go north and south of Two Harbors did help convince the couple to keep the ceremony outside. And I'm glad they did because that meant gigantic diffused softbox sky and maintaining my perfect outdoor wedding average.

With the weather drama aside, the ceremony went on as planned and despite new rain clouds derailing plans for more time to do outdoor wedding pictures with Valerie and Stephan, I'm happy that we were able to squeeze in the ceremony in spite of the crazy weather that the day presented. They were probably more happy than I was that this wedding stayed outside considering much of the groom's family made the drive all the way from Grande Prairie, Alberta. That's 1,489 miles if you take the short route according to Google Maps.

Since then I've had a few close calls, but the perfect average remains intact. Now that I've published this fact to the entire planet via this blog, I'm sure my average will promptly be ruined by rain clouds and thunder bolts. I guess better to get it out of the way now than in 359 days when I get married. Not that I'm counting or anything?

Back to menacing storm cloud wedding day... Here are a few selections from Valerie and Stephan's wedding below. The best of luck to them in the future and may their days be filled with slightly less rain clouds than their wedding day.