Classics at Car Show for Kids

DAVENPORT, Ia. – I recently had a chance to shoot the 2010 Hooters Car Show for Kids, a fundraiser for the Children’s Therapy Center of the Quad Cities. The event – organized by the Quad Cities Cruisers – was a HUGE success hosted by the Davenport Hooters restaurant. I shot this event last year, and there was no doubt this was the place to be in the QC if you love old cars. There were nearly 250 cars spread over the Northwest Bank parking lot (top and lower levels) and spilling into NorthPark Mall’s lot.

Here’s a glimpse of some of the classics that were in the show.

During the show, participants got to vote on their favorites. The top 12 will be featured in a 2011 calendar, and the cover will be the car chosen as the Kids’ Choice Award. The calendar is currently in the beginning stages of design, and is expected to be out later this year. Proceeds from the calendar sales will also go to the therapy center. Stay tuned for more on this after the calendar comes out!

Cheers,

Shuva

Paula and Matt ~ Engaged

If there is one word that comes to mind when I meet people who know Paula, it is “FUN!” I first met her in 2007 when she accompanied me to photograph a heart surgery at a local hospital. She was on the PR staff then. And while we waited for surgery to begin, I couldn’t help but be fascinated by the little tidbits she told me about her life as a former TV reporter, a stage performer and her involvement in pageants. (Never mind both our wide-eyed fascination of being only a few feet away from an exposed heart during surgery!).

Fast forward to 2009. A lot of great things happened in Paula’s life since that first conversation – among them a new job as the marketing director of Northwest Bank… AND the incredible guy in her life – Matt. After knowing of him from afar for some time, the two became a couple. In the process, there was a trip to St. Louis.

As Paula tells it: We took Matt’s 6-year-old son and 5-year-old niece to Six Flags. After a fun day at the park, we went downtown to visit the Arch. But tickets for the last trip to the arch were sold out. Matt decided to take a walk under the Arch and got down on one knee and said, “Will you marry me?” and held out an empty ring box.

Paula thought this was one of Matt’s pranks until…Matt’s son (Kieran) walked up with the ring and said, “My dad wants to know if you’ll marry us!”

Their engagement session at VanderVeer Conservatory this past rainy Sunday included Kieran, who will be the ring bearer at their summer wedding. And undoubtedly a FUN event to be a part of – I can’t wait!

Kieran taking a photo of me

She said "I do!"

Fun times!

Holiday at Northwest Bank

I had a chance to photograph Northwest Bank’s Christmas party recently, which was something different for me because it was a portrait session at the Outing Club. The employees dressed up for the occasion, and everyone looked great! And thankfully, a large tree decorated by the Outing Club staff served as a nice backdrop for the photos. Here’s a few from that evening’s shoot: