Columbia Missouri Photographer :: Justin Kelley Photography Blog

Missouri vs. Oklahoma State College Basketball Photos {Columbia, Mo.}

February 18th, 2012

I photographed the Missouri Tiger’s basketball game against Oklahoma State earlier this week, and this was the first Missouri basketball game I photographed this season. Missouri played one of their better games of the season and were up by more than 20 points in the second half.

It was a fun game to shot and Missouri ended up winning the game 83-65. The win also gave senior’s Kim English, Marcus Denmon, Steve Moore, and Jarrett Sutton their 101st career win, which set a school record.

Left: The Missouri basketball team prepares to take the court before their game with Oklahoma State Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2012 in Columbia, Mo. Missouri won the game 83-65 giving their senior class a school record 101 wins. Right: Missouri's Steve Moore and Ricardo Ratliffe jump in the air during player introductions.

Photograph of Ricardo Ratliffe goes for a jump ball against Okalhoma state during a NCAA College basketball game in Columbia Mo

Missouri's Ricardo Ratliffe and Oklahoma State's Michael Cobbins go for the opening tip off during an NCAA college basketball game Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2012 in Columbia, Mo. Missouri won the game 83-65 giving their senior class a school record 101 wins.

University of Missour basketball photography in Columbia Mo.

Oklahoma State's Le'Bryan Nash is pressured by Missouri's Ricardo Ratliffe while going up for a shot during the first half an NCAA college basketball game Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2012 in Columbia, Mo. Missouri won the game 83-65 giving their senior class a school record 101 wins.

Picture of Missouri Basketball player shooting a free throw in front of the Missouri Student Section at Mizzou Arena in Columbia Missouri

Missouri's Marcus Denmon shoots a free throw during an NCAA college basketball game against Oklahoma State Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2012 in Columbia, Mo. Missouri won the game 83-65 giving their senior class a school record 101 wins.

Missouri basketball star Kim English goes up for a shot photographed by Columbia, MO photographer Justin Kelley

Left:Missouri's Ricardo Ratliffe takes a shot over Oklahoma State's Philip Jurick during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2012 in Columbia, Mo. Right:Missouri's Kim English takes a shot during the second half of their game versus Oklahoma State Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2012 in Columbia, Mo. Missouri won the game 83-65 giving their senior class a school record 101 wins.

Missouri basketball defense at Mizzou Arena in Columbia, Mo. by Columbia Mo sports photographer Justin Kelley

Missouri's Matt Pressey pressures Oklahoma State's Markel Brown during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2012 in Columbia, Mo. Missouri won the game 83-65 giving their senior class a school record 101 wins.

Mizzou basketball bench photographed in Columbia, Mo

Missouri's Laurence Bowers (center) jokes around with teammates on the bench during an NCAA college basketball game versus Oklahoma State on Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2012 in Columbia, Mo. Missouri won the game 83-65 giving their senior class a school record 101 wins.

Photo of Missouri's Marcus Denmon pushes the ball up court against Oklahoma State during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2012 in Columbia, Mo.

Missouri's Marcus Denmon pushes the ball up court against Oklahoma State during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2012 in Columbia, Mo. Missouri won the game 83-65 giving their senior class a school record 101 wins.

Mizzou basketball versus Oklahoma State in an NCAA college basketball game in Columbia Mo at Mizzou Arena. Columbia Mo Sports Photography

Left: Missouri's Marcus Denmon goes up for a layup over Oklahoma State defenders during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2012 in Columbia, Mo. Right:Missouri's Kim English battles for a loose ball with Oklahoma State's Keiton Page (12) and Le'Bryan Nash (2), during an NCAA college basketball game Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2012 in Columbia, Mo. Missouri won the game 83-65 giving their senior class a school record 101 wins.

Photograph of Mizzou's Kim English taking a jump shot over an Oklahoma State defender during a game at Mizzou Arena in Columbia Mo. Missouri Sports Photographer Justin Kelley

Missouri's Kim English takes a jump shot over Oklahoma State's Michael Cobbins during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2012 in Columbia, Mo. Missouri won the game 83-65 giving their senior class a school record 101 wins.

Mizzou Basketball 2012 Season, photography by Columbia Mo based sports photographer Justin Kelley

Left:Missouri's Matt Pressey takes a shot over Oklahoma State's Le'Bryan Nash during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2012 in Columbia, Mo. Right:Missouri's Ricardo Ratliffe cheers after being fouled by an Oklahoma State defender during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2012 in Columbia, Mo. Missouri won the game 83-65 giving their senior class a school record 101 wins.

Tags: basketball, College Basketball, Columbia Missouri Sports Photogapher, Columbia Mo Photography, Missouri Athletics, Missouri Basketball, Mizzou, Mizzou Basketball, University of Missouri Athletics
Posted in Columbia, Sports | No Comments »

Photo of the Week: Feb. 11-17 {Snowy Missouri Landscape}

February 17th, 2012

I have been busy working on developing a new website over the last month and that has taken up most of my free time, now I am pleased to announce that my new website has gone live at: www.jkelleyphoto.com. Please take a second to check it out and let me know what you think about it.

Due to the website building process it has been a while since I have put a Photo of the Week blog post put together. Now I will have more time to devote to getting out and taking pictures. Columbia finally saw a little bit of snow on Monday this week, it was barely enough snow to cover the grass but I decided to get out and try to make a few wintery and snowy photographs. I was driving down a gravel road near Rock Bridge State Park when I saw this weathered barn standing in a field as the snow was falling and thought it would make for a nice picture. It was getting close to the end of the day and the light was fading fast.

Here is my favorite photo from my snowy adventure earlier in the week, and check back next week for another photo of the week.

Tags: Barn, Barn in Field, Columbia Mo. Landscape, Landscape Photography, Red Barn, Snowy Missouri
Posted in Photo of the Week, Places | No Comments »

Missouri Gymnastics Pink Out {Hearnes Center: Columbia, Mo.}

January 25th, 2012

I had the opportunity to photograph the annual Missouri Gymnastics Pink Out meet last weekend. The meet helps to raise funds for the breast cancer program at the Ellis Fischel Cancer Center.

Gymnastics is one of the harder sports to photograph. The athletes are flipping, twisting, and flying through the air and it can be difficult to freeze the action. Add that to the fact that I only photography gymnastics about once a year and you never quite know what you will come away with. I got a few photos that I was happy with, I hope you enjoy them.

Tags: Columbia Mo Sports Photography, Hearnes Center, Missouri Gymnastics, Mizzou Athletics, Mizzou Gymnastics, Mizzou photography, Mizzou Sports Photography, Pink Out, Sports Photography, University of Missouri Athletics
Posted in Sports | No Comments »

Pokey LaFarge and the South City Three {Mojos Columbia, Mo.}

January 7th, 2012

I posted one photograph from Pokey LaFarge and the South City Three’s performance at Mojos in Columbia, Mo. a couple of weeks ago, and now here are the rest. If you like American roots music make sure to check them out. The band has been featured on NPR and the BBC and tours worldwide.

Mojo’s is a smaller club and is a great place to catch a show with its intimate setting. It is also on the darker side, I photographed most of the concert with a Nikon 50mm F1.4 lens wide open. The big aperture of the lens helped get a fast enough shutter speed to freeze the action on stage. Music photography is always a challenge with the lack of light and moving musicians, but it can also be a lot of fun.

I actually went to high school with Pokey so it was great to catch up with him. It is always a lot of fun photographing old friends and catching up with them. Here are a few more photos of Pokey LaFarge and the South City Three’s Columbia performance.

Tags: Columbia Missouri Photography, Columbia Mo Photography, Live Music, Mojos, Mojos Columbia Mo, Music Photography, Pokey La Farge, Pokey La Farge and the South City Three
Posted in Columbia, Personal | No Comments »

Sarah and Jeremy’s Wedding Photography {St. Louis, Mo}

January 7th, 2012

I had the opportunity to travel to St. Louis over the summer to be the second photographer for a wedding that Ryan Gladstone Photography was shooting. We started and got the detail photographs of Sarah’s dress, shoes and jewelry shot of before photographing the girls getting ready for the ceremony. We then headed to St. Agatha Catholic Church for the wedding ceremony. The church is a beautiful old Polish Roman Catholic Parish and made for a great ceremony.

Sarah and Jeremy live in the Soulard area of St. Louis so we headed there for some portraits with the rest of the wedding party. Soulard is a great old neighborhood and offers a variety of locations for pictures. Next we headed to Tower Grove Park where I made one of my favorite wedding photographs. A family reunion was taking place in the park and they had a large bounce house. All of the bridesmaids and Sarah decided it would be fun to jump around in it wearing all of their wedding attire. I can say that was a first for me and it made for some really fun photos. It is always great to take advantage of different situations when photographing a wedding.

The reception was at Windows on Washington which is a great venue to photograph in. It is nice and open and gives you great views of downtown St. Louis and the City Museum. Sarah and Jeremy’s friends were all a lot of fun and the wedding reception turned into a great party.

Here are some of my favorite photographs from Sarah and Jeremy’s wonderful St. Louis summer wedding.

Tags: bounce house, Columbia Missouri Photography, Columbia Missouri Wedding Photographer, Columbia Mo Photography, Columbia Mo Wedding Photographer, Soulard, Soulard wedding portraits, St. Agatha Catholic Church, St. Louis wedding photography, Tower Grove Park, wedding bounce hosue, Windows on Washington, Yellow, yellow bridesmaids dresses, yellow wedding color
Posted in Ceremony, Portraits, Reception, Weddings | 2 Comments »

Photo of the Week: Dec. 31-Jan. 6 {Rock Bridge Memorial State Park}

January 7th, 2012

I received a new toy camera for Christmas and have had a roll of 120 film in it for the last couple of weeks. I had a few free minutes during the day earlier this week and was able to shoot the last two frames on the roll and get it developed. The new camera I got is the Holga 120PAN, which is a panoramic camera that photographs a 180 degree field of view. It uses 120 film and I have stated calling it the “Holgarama.”

The first roll of film through a toy camera is usually more of a test roll to see how the camera reacts while shooting. I used a roll of Kodak Ektar 100 film. I’m used to using film that is rated at 160 iso, so the film I used on this roll is a little slower which means it records less light.

Here is one of two frames from Rock Bridge State Park. This frame is shoot in the creek bed before it goes through the rock bridge. I like how this camera gives you a wide field of view. I really like the way the winter light streams through all of the trees and across the rocks. The rocks almost look like a mountain range. If you are ever in the Columbia area you should try to check out Rock Bridge State Park, it is a pretty cool spot.

Rocks in stream bed at Rock Bridge Memorial State Park in Columbia MO photographed with the Holga 120 PAN Panorama Camera

Tags: analog photography, Columbia Missouri Photography, Columbia Mo Landscape Photography, Columbia Mo Photographer, film, Gans Creek, holga, Holga 120 PAN, holga photography, Missour Landscape, Rock Bridge Memorial State Park, Toy Camera, Toy Camera Photography
Posted in Photo of the Week, Toy Camera | No Comments »

Alix & A.J.’s Wedding Photos {Kansas City, Mo.}

January 5th, 2012

I traveled to Kansas City this fall to photograph Alix and A.J.’s wedding. We started the day at Second Presbyterian Church, which has a great little courtyard. This made for the perfect setting for Alix and A.J.’s first look photographs. It is always a cool experience to document a bride and groom seeing each other for the first time in such an intimate setting. After Alix and A.J. saw each other for the first time, it was off to the grounds of the Nelson-Atkins Museum for some portraits with the entire wedding party. There were still some nice fall colors on the trees which made for a great backdrop for the photographs.

After the beautiful ceremony at Second Presbyterian Church, Alix and A.J. made their grand exit through all their family and friends on their way to the Sawyer Room in downtown Kansas City for the reception. The Sawyer Room was a great wedding reception venue with lots of architectural details and plenty of space to party. The bride and groom are both University of Kansas graduates and surprised their guests with the appearance of Baby Jay, the KU mascot. Baby Jay made for some pretty fun photographs as kids, young and old, danced around the reception hall with her.

I hope you enjoy a few pictures from Alix and A.J.’s wedding this fall

Tags: Baby Jay, Columbia Missouri Photographer, Columbia Missouri Wedding Photographer, Columbia Mo Wedding Photographer, Kansas City Mo., Missouri Wedding Photographer, Mo Wedding Photographer, Nelson-Atkins Museum, Second Presbyterian Church, The Sawyer Room, Wedding Photography
Posted in Ceremony, Portraits, Reception, Weddings | No Comments »

Photos of the Year {My favorites from 2011}

January 2nd, 2012

It is hard to believe that another year has come and gone. The past year has been a great year, I had the opportunity to photograph quite a few beautiful weddings, cute kids, sporting events and ad campaigns in 2011. I also successful completed personal project over the summer, taking a photo a day using a film Holga camera. I spent a lot of time scanning negatives but it was a great experience and got the creativity flowing.

I am excited to see what 2012 has in store for me. I am currently working on developing a new website for my wedding and portrait photography, so stay tuned for updates. Now here are a few of my favorite photographs, in no particular order, from the last year.

Bride photographed gettings out of bounce house in wedding dress at Tower Grove Park in St. Louis

Bride Sarah exits a bounce house after playing in it with her bridesmaids while taking wedding portraits at Tower Grove Park in St. Louis.

Bride and groom enter their back yard wedding reception in Mobile Alabama, Columbia Mo Wedding Photographer

Shane and Annaleigh enter their backyard wedding reception via yacht in Mobile, Alabama.

Engagement session photograph on the University of Missouri Campus in Columbia Missouri

Kerri and Brian engagement photo session in Columbia, Mo.

Competitors in Missouri State Criterium Championships round a in Jefferson City. Columbia Mo Sports photographer

Missouri State Championship Criterium cycling in Jefferson City, Mo.

Mizzou Football photograph of Kendial Lawrence, Columbia Mo Sports Photographer Justin Kelley

Missouri tailback Kendial Lawrence fumbles at the goal line during an NCAA college football game in Columbia, Mo.

Missouri senior wide receiver Jerrell Jackson is carried off the field by teammates T.J. Moe, left, and Marcus Lucas, with his rock following their victory over Texas Tech Saturday, November 19, in Columbia, Mo. Missouri defeated Texas Tech 31-27. Members of the senior class are carried off the field by their teammates following their final home game at Faurot Field.

Missouri senior wide receiver Jerrell Jackson is carried off the field following his final home game at Faurot Field in Columbia, Mo.

Missouri basketball star Kim English photographed at Mizzou by Columbia Mo. photographer Justin Kelley

Missouri basketball player Kim English and University of Missouri Children's Hospital patient Brycen photographed for Toughness campaign.

Brenden Columbia Mo Children photography

Brenden photographed at his home in Collinsville, Ill.

Summer of the holga, analog photography, Columbia Mo toy camera photographer

Summer of the Holga photograph, Mike jumps in at Lake of the Ozarks.

Sailboat on Lake Hennessey in Nappa California

Sailboat on Lake Hennessey, Napa Valley, Cal.

State Champion Burr Oak Tree in McBaine Mo photographed by Missouri Photographer Justin Kelley

Missouri state champion burr oak tree at dusk in McBaine, Mo.

Tags: 2011 favorites, Columbia Mo Engagement Photographer, Columbia Mo film photographer, Columbia Mo Lifestyle Photography, Columbia Mo Photograpy, cycling photography, Missouri Football, Mizzou Football, Mobile Alabama Wedding photograpy, St. Louis Photography
Posted in Columbia, Engagement, Illinois, Lifestyle, Places, Portraits, Reception, Sports | No Comments »

Photo of the Week: Dec. 17-23 {Pokey La Farge}

December 23rd, 2011

Here is one of my favorite photographs from Pokey La Farge and the South City Three’s performance at Mojos in Columbia last weekend. I have always really enjoyed photographing live music performances, but it is one of those things I don’t get to do very often. After Pokey’s main set they joined opening act The Wilders in the middle of the venue for a little jam session. Members from each band took turns standing on a chair and playing as the audience surrounded them. It was a really cool moment and I’m glad I was there to experience it and be able to photograph the jam session.

Check back in a few days for some more photos from Pokey La Farge and the South City Three and my favorite photos from 2011. Hope everyone has a very merry Christmas.

Pokey La Farge and the South City Three photographed jamming with members of the Wilders in the middle of Mojos in Columbia, Mo.

Pokey La Farge and the South City Three jam with members of the Wilders in the middle of Mojos in Columbia, Mo.

Tags: Columbia Missouri, Columbia Mo, CoMo Music, Live Music, Mojos, Music, Music Photography, Pokey La Farge, Pokey La Farge and the South City Three
Posted in Photo of the Week | 2 Comments »

Beth & Sean’s Wedding Photos :: Jefferson City, MO :: Mockingbird Hill

December 21st, 2011

I had an opportunity to help my friend and talented wedding photojournalist Kyle Coburn photograph Beth and Seans’s wedding in Jefferson City, MO earlier this fall. The ceremony was at the ornate St. Peter Catholic Church across from the state capital and the reception was held at Mockingbird Hill.

Beth and Sean had a perfect fall day for their wedding. I was fortunate to be able to photograph the reception at Mockingbird Hill, they only host a hand full of events in their barn during the year. It is a really cool reception venue and the grounds are beautiful which makes it an easy location to photograph at.

Painting with light photograph illuminates red barn at Mocking Bird Hill Wedding reception.

Kyle and I broke out a techinque called painting with light to illuminate the grounds at Mockingbird Hill during the wedding reception. It is always great to be able to use a skill taught by Rita Reed in the Missouri Photojournalism program.