Just Sharp Enough

The Phlog for Mark Kegans Photographs, Des Moines, Iowa Wedding Photographer

Thanks for dropping by

After 15 years as a newspaper photographer and looking for a change, my wife Kelly’s career carried us from our home state of Texas to Iowa. The change in scenery also shifted the focus of my work. While still pursuing journalistic work with organizations such as The New York Times and Getty Images, I have progressively devoted more of my career to wedding and portrait photography. Why? Well, I don’t see the 2 fields as so divergent. When I photograph a wedding or make a child’s portrait, I’m simply a documentarian on a more intimate scale. Those images will have at least as much, if not more, value to a family as, say, flood pictures will have for the readers of a newspaper (Support your local newspaper!).
My favorite, though oddly most reluctant, subject is my son, Evan, who I’m also training in the ways of the Jedi. We make our home in Des Moines, Iowa with our 2 kittens, Miss Mittens and Clooney, and Mickie, our new puppy.

Sarah+Joel: Des Moines, Iowa wedding photography

Tuesday, September 15, 2009

I’m not talking open-heart surgery here but there is a certain amount of pressure to not fail as a wedding photographer. In the case of Sarah + Joel, there was an extra layer of voodoo at work. Sarah’s mother (the MOB) is my wife Kelly’s boss. Now, my wife’s boss is a wonderful soul borne of the South who would never, and is likely uncapable of, any form of retribution because I underperformed at her daughter’s wedding. Nevertheless, Kelly did show more interest than usual in job details like the light quality and whether or not I was going to wear pants. Not to worry, always the puppy who just wants his belly scratched for being a good little photographer, I’m eager to please everyone from the bride and groom, naturally, right down to the scary limo driver.

Now, when I interviewed with Sarah + Joel, and not knowing whether the MOB would be present, I tucked my shirt in, buffed my pate and had eloquent discourses on the essential and timeless nature of black+white photography at the ready. Alas, here comes Sarah+Joel, she with a carefree smile and Mr. Right in a t-shirt bearing the word, “Doofus”, in a not so subtle font. I untucked my shirt, put my feet up and knew we were going to work together like ketchup and fries.

The settings of the ceremony at Hoyt Sherman Place and reception at the Des Moines Art Center were a perfect balance to Sarah + Joel’s proudly goofy natures. Thank you to everyone involved for making it such a success (and for giving Kelly one less thing to worry about).