Tara and Adam’s Engagement Session

I met Tara and Adam at the Silver Bullet in Grand Rapids for a few quick photographs with firearms and then we headed to downtown Grand Rapids.  We had a great time walking around downtown and visiting some favorite spots.  Tara and Adam are getting married on June 6th at Windmill Island in Holland and we will be there capturing every special moment.

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Featured Business Owners – Jess and Mike Leupke of Valeo Personal Training

If you have spent any time looking at our work you might recognize Jessica and Mike from other posts we have done.  In particular everyone remembers the photographs of Jess water skiing in her wedding dress!  Clike here to see photographs of the wedding and here to see the Trash the Dress Session.  We loved working with this couple for their engagement, wedding and trash the dress photographs and are so excited to see their business thriving.  Jess and Mike are the owners of Valeo/Personal Training.  Just talking with them and reading about their business and passion for fitness is inspiring to me.

The name VALEO (vuh-lay-o) is the Latin word for “strength” and means, “to have strength, have power, be effective”.  Jess spent six months in Florida attending a vocational school for personal training and had the opportunity to learn under some nationally-known trainers who specialized in functional strength training.  The main objectives were to help people get stronger and more powerful and have the workouts be purposeful for their lives.

Jess began working in corporate wellness but after a few years knew that she wanted to make a more direct impact on people.  Jess felt that the best way to do that was to put wellness into action and lead people through becoming healthier.  Mike had a similar background from his experience at Purdue and joined the business when they got engaged.  “We see what exercise does to more than just the external appearances and truly believe that the Lord created us to move and be dependent on exercise in order to function proplerly.”

Jess and Mike love the freedom of working for themselves and they are doing something that they are really excited about – teaching others to be more fit and healthy.  They love the variety of people they get to be “strength coaches” for – from a teenage Olympic hopeful to an elderly woman recovering from a stroke – and seeing the progress they make whether it’s getting a stronger kick in the pool or simply gaining independence to do everyday life a little easier.

“If you’re ever going to work with a personal trainer, and he/she asks you how active you’ve consistently been the last few months, do not embelish your abilities in attempts to impress your trainer. Intending to give you a good workout, you will be pushed to said-level of embellishment. If you puke, it is your fault…and your trainer will wear that 4 ft stain on the floor like a badge of honor.” 🙂

Just The Facts

Name of Business:  Valeo/Personal Training

Name of Owners:  Jess and Mike Leupke

Type of Business:  1-on-1 and Small Group Fitness Training

Years in Business:  Jess, 4 Years and Mike, 1 Year

Location of Business:  Independently Contract with Ultimate Fitness and Health, Hope College’s Wellness Program, Outdoors and at Client’s Homes

Phone Number:  Jess, 616-502-4680 and Mike, 616-834-7878

Website:  www.valeotraining.com

Blog:  www.valeotraining.com/blog

Email Address:  info@valeotraining.com

Getting married and want to feel your best?  Jess and Mike are offering a special program for brides-to-be at a special rate called “Buff Brides”.  For more information on this program visit www.valeotraining.com/services/buff-brides and see how they can help you look and feel your best for your wedding day!

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“I shot my first politician!”

Last weekend while we were visiting family in the Detroit area we had the honor of photographing an old friend of Steve’s, Marc Goodson, who is running for the office of State Representative of District 28.  We met Marc at the Warren City Hall and Library which was a great place for the shoot.  It was a pleasure to talk with Marc about his beliefs and what he stands for.  Steve was excited to be talking with someone whose beliefs are so similar to his own and also because he can now say, “I shot my first politician!”

Biography

Marc Goodson grew up in Detroit. He graduated from the city’s Osborn High School before earning a B.A. in political science from University of Michigan – Dearborn. While a student there, he learned that the federal government had transcended its primary role of securing personal liberty and justice to indiscriminately finance need, desire, misfortune, and failure.

With this knowledge in store, Marc earned a M.S. in finance from Walsh College. A relevant degree in finance should acquaint one with a detailed understanding of how and why to raise certain funds for specific objectives. The currency for said funding is money. Having concentrated in corporate finance, Marc learned that money has a very special purpose; it’s a tool of exchange. The only reason it has value is because of those who produce products and provide services that people want to buy. Without those special participants, there would not be any use for money.

As a commercial banker, Marc got a firsthand look at the risks associated with operating a business. He analyzed the financial statements of local companies that had faired poorly as well as those that had done well. As a private banker, he had the opportunity to do the same with individuals. From his banking experience, he concluded that the capacity to raise or earn money is a distinct and separate skill from that needed to manage it. Managing money successfully from a personal or corporate perspective requires the same attribute as the successful management of one’s personal, private freedom, self-discipline.

After about five years of banking, Marc left the industry to become a teacher. While earning his certification to teach American government and business, he substituted at Lincoln High School and Center Line High School. He also experienced the culture of a couple local charter schools. He has since determined that the most urgent need for education lies with our population’s adults. With this in mind, he is campaigning for your vote, your money, and your time.

In exchange for what, should need, desire, misfortune, and failure be financed?

http://www.theamericanfaith.com

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Kathryn and Brian’s Spring Engagement Session

Kathryn and Brian are getting married on Saturday, July 31st at one of our favorite venues in Saugatuck, Twin Gables.  They live in Chicago and came to Holland when they were in town to visit for their engagement session.  We got lucky and had a gorgeous April day. 

Congratulations Kathryn and Brian!  We are looking forward to your wedding and are so excited to be working with you.

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The Murray Family

Getting a call from Whispers (NILMDTS) is never easy but we know what a blessing the photographs are to families who lose a child.  These photographs are something to hold on to, something to honor the memory of their time with the little ones they love and have to say goodbye to.

Steve met Julie and Tim in July of 2008 at Spectrum Hospital in Grand Rapids when he arrived to photograph them with their baby, Will.  At 18 weeks Julie and Tim were told that Will would not make it.  He was born early by C-section and they were blessed with 52 precious hours with him.  To read about their last day with Will please visit http://murraymemo.blogspot.com/2008/07/our-last-day.html and be sure to have your kleenex handy.

Julie called us at the end of February and told us that she and Tim are excited to once again be pregnant.  They are nervous and filled with anxiety and excitement.  Julie and Tim are 22 weeks pregnant now and things are going good.  Julie sees the doctor weekly and they know that they will be having another son.  We are so happy to be able to document this important part of Julie and Tim’s life (and baby too) and we pray that things continue to go well.

Julie and Tim invite you to share in their journey as they continue to mourn the loss of baby Will and celebrate the new baby they are waiting to meet.  Please visit their blog at http://murraymemo.blogspot.com/ where you can read their story in their words.

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