a phlog.

2011-11-18T09:49:00.001-05:00

Our phlog has moved. Visit the new site here... www.zachdobson.com/blog

donatello's italian restaurant

2011-02-15T16:36:00.003-05:00

It turns out a friend of mine from college and his parents own Donatello's Italian Restaurant on Main St. in Carmel. I stopped by recently and took a few shots. Be sure to stop by. The Tortellini Michelangelo is excellent.

a very photogenic family

2010-12-06T19:35:00.004-05:00

Here at zdp, we don't use the term "photogenic" lightly. However, we think it's justifiable with the Kight family. Click the image to see the photos.

kristine & caleb

2010-11-08T16:01:00.002-05:00

This is a shot from Kristine & Caleb's wedding taken at River Glen Country Club in Fishers.

private conversations

2010-11-02T13:38:00.001-04:00

mcl - homemade food. yum.

2010-10-20T16:46:00.004-04:00

MCL wanted to promote their catering services, so they turned to a fellow three-letter-abbreviated establishment for a little homemade documentary photography. Here are a couple shots.

Note: no food stylists were used on this shoot. Everything was created by MCL's chefs and bakers to be enjoyed by customers, so no product was wasted.

sarah and shaun. a wedding preview.

2010-09-15T10:25:00.005-04:00

Had a fantastic time photographing Sarah & Shaun's wedding. Very vibrant and unique venues and people.

Ball-Nogues Studio at the IMA

2010-09-08T13:28:00.004-04:00

The IMA Contemporary Art Society presents a member preview of Gravity's Loom, a piece by Ball-Nogues Studio.

panoramic view of moab, utah

2010-09-03T15:38:00.002-04:00

Here is a panoramic view of Moab, Utah from 8,000 ft up in the LaSal Mountains. The image below is just a small portion of the panorama. Click the image to view the full photo. *Note: If your browser scales down the full size panorama, just click on it to enlarge it to full size.

a kitchen in use

2010-09-02T09:12:00.004-04:00

eli lilly treasurer tom grein

2010-08-31T17:26:00.004-04:00

Here are a few photos from Eli Lilly that I took for Treasury & Risk Magazine.

donut burger at the state fair

2010-08-23T17:17:00.004-04:00

Cooking up some donut burgers at the Indiana State Fair. More images to follow...

april & peter at IMA 100 Acres

2010-08-18T15:07:00.004-04:00

I've been so busy lately that I haven't even posted this great image from April & Peter's portrait session. It had been two years since I shot their wedding and they thought it was time for some recent photos. We headed out to the recently-opened 100 Acres at the Indianapolis Museum of Art.

vote for best wedding photographer in indianapolis

2010-07-22T13:00:00.003-04:00

Zach Dobson Photography is up for best wedding photographer in Indy on the A-List. Please go and cast your vote!

the indiana fair project

2010-07-07T12:34:00.004-04:00

THE INDIANA FAIR PROJECT is a chronicle of the local festivals and county fairs that are celebrated around the state during the summer. Here are some of my favorites to date.

See all the galleries at zachdobson.com/fairproject

I'll update the page throughout the summer with all the events I cover.

Italian Street Festival - Indianapolis - June 11, 2010

Bremen Fireman's Festival - July 2, 2010

Shelby County Fair - Shelbyville - June 30, 2010

Bremen Fireman's Festival - July 2, 2010

Shelby County Fair - Shelbyville - June 30, 2010

Bremen Fireman's Festival - July 2, 2010

Shelby County Fair - Shelbyville - June 30, 2010

CarmelFest - July 5, 2010

Shelby County Fair - Shelbyville - June 30, 2010

CarmelFest - July 5, 2010

joanna & brian - chicago engagement

2010-06-23T15:14:00.004-04:00

On Monday I posted a preview from this engagement. Now check out some of my favorites from the whole shoot.

joanna & brian - chicago engagement - a preview

2010-06-21T13:24:00.003-04:00

Had a fantastic engagement shoot this weekend in Chicago. Joanna & Brian were great to work with and I think that comes through in the photos. Here are a couple preview images.

holy rosary italian street festival

2010-06-16T12:24:00.004-04:00

Saturday night I went down to take some photos at Holy Rosary's Italian Street Festival. I got about 30 minutes of shooting in before the thunderstorms came.

fireman's fund insurance company

2010-05-26T12:18:00.005-04:00

I've worked with Fireman's Fund Insurance Company a number of times now documenting grant presentations around Indiana. These events are more than the presentation of a big check. They're about showing appreciation to a group of individuals who dedicate themselves, at great risk, to protecting their fellow citizens.

Here are a few favorites of the photos taken in New Castle, New Salisbury and McCutchanville over a period of two days and 600 miles.

carmel high school builders

2010-05-11T15:19:00.004-04:00

Carmel High School's Vocational Building Trades class puts the finishing touches on the Flowing Well Project. Begun in September, the class took on this project instead of building a spec home this year.

annie + chris

2010-04-30T13:27:00.004-04:00

You may have seen the preview image from Chris and Annie's engagement session. Here are some more of my favorites.

purdue engagement shoot

2010-04-27T13:33:00.003-04:00

I had an engagement shoot this weekend with Chris & Annie at Purdue. It was Grand Prix weekend, so there was a colossal congregation of crapulous co-eds on campus. Here is a preview photo. We had a fun time and took tons of great photos, so I'll be posting more soon.

chefs academy graduation

2010-04-22T14:17:00.003-04:00

This was the fifth graduation that the Chef's Academy has had me out to cover. Capturing the looks of accomplishment on the faces of the graduates and the pride of their family and friends is always enjoyable. I look forward to working with them every April and November.

alcove at the conrad hotel - carol summers exhibit opening

2010-04-15T11:22:00.003-04:00

I shot this event in March at the Conrad. It is all done with a 50mm f/1.4 using only available light.

juli + doug

2010-04-13T16:28:00.002-04:00

Juli and Doug were married April 10th at the Canterbury Hotel in Indianapolis. Here is a preview...

arts & design district - a.m.

2010-04-13T11:54:00.003-04:00

Here are some photos I took yesterday morning on Main Street.

coca-cola at the final four

2010-04-08T15:42:00.005-04:00

Coca-Cola commissioned Zach Dobson Photography to document their VIP hospitality service during the Final Four weekend. The locations included the Conrad Hotel, White River State Park, and Lucas Oil Stadium.

The entry to the hospitality suite at the Conrad Hotel.

Coke showcased a new touch-screen fountain machine that includes flavors such as Orange Coke, which isn't available anywhere else.

Coke Zero sponsored a Countdown concert at White River State Park. Darius Rucker was a featured artist.

The hospitality venue at the concert.

Yes, that is Papa John's car. It could be seen around town throughout the weekend.

When asked about the half-court shot in his commercial, John said he got it on the seventh take. Better than I could do.

Shuttles to the games.

The view from the Upper Suites at Lucas Oil.

Top Chef contestant Richard Blais pours some liquid nitrogen before a hands-on cooking demo with Coke's guests.

carmel symphony orchestra

2010-02-15T14:10:00.004-05:00

Carmel Symphony Orchestra hosted their Family Fun concert on Valentine's Day. During a few of the songs, kids were allowed on stage to sit with the musicians and see them playing up close.

indyrunners groundhog 7

2010-02-10T14:19:00.002-05:00

A nice day for a run in the snow...

redesigned website

2010-01-15T16:50:00.004-05:00

Check out our newly redesigned website courtesy of yours truly.

St. Francis ER

2010-01-15T16:38:00.004-05:00

Here are a few images I've taken for St. Francis Hospital in December and January.

beth & ryan - engagement photos

2009-11-11T15:24:00.003-05:00

Beth and Ryan are getting married next May. We took these photos a couple weeks ago at Fort Benjamin Harrison State Park.

moab wedding

2009-10-23T17:38:00.002-04:00

Natalie & Dave were married on October 21 in Moab, UT. Thanks for choosing me to document your wedding. It was a great time and beautiful place!

carmel homecoming

2009-10-02T15:59:00.004-04:00

Carmel High School's homecoming parade went right by my house this afternoon, so I thought I'd take some photos. I decided to make my first attempt at traveling by bike while covering news. It went pretty well, so I'll have to do it again some time.

father larry + holy cross church

2009-09-22T16:11:00.004-04:00

These photos are part of a larger series documenting Holy Cross Church, its neighborhood and parishioners. First up is Father Larry.

julie + travis - a wedding preview

2009-09-16T16:53:00.003-04:00

Regular readers may recognize Julie and Travis from their June engagement shoot. They were married on September 5th at Pilgrim Lutheran Church and the Renaissance Hotel in Carmel. What a great, fun wedding with great, fun people. As you'll see, I'm more adventurous with my photo-taking than I am with my choice of adjectives.

Great natural light in the church made for some more interesting than usual aisle walking photos.

Great groom's cake from Classic Cakes. Tasted as good as it looked!

The first dance started normal enough...

... then they cut loose...

... and a little looser...

... until a little Thriller broke out.

The party was crashed by some soccer hooligans from Kentucky.

A mad dash for the bar at last call resulted in a little spillage.

Thanks for having me document your wedding! I had a great time!

artomobilia in carmel

2009-09-14T16:36:00.002-04:00

I had about an hour to go down to Artomobilia on Main St. in Carmel on Saturday. Some some great cars! Here are a few photos.

st. francis hospital

2009-09-11T08:15:00.002-04:00

Last week I shot an ad for St. Francis Hospital's Bariatric Center. Eddie used to weigh 430 pounds. Now he's under 200. He's an avid cyclist, so we did some photos with him and his 1971 Schwinn Latour.

garden

2009-08-25T10:23:00.003-04:00

This flower popped up in the middle of our garden unexpectedly. We never planted it and have no idea what it is. It sits on a stem with large leaves about four feet high. The light was nice this morning, so I took these photos.

Here is a crop of the above photo. There is a small spider living in the flower. She hid for a while, but finally came out for a quick shot. I tried getting a close-up of her, but she stayed hidden after this.

indianapolis ultimate

2009-08-12T14:03:00.002-04:00

What is that? A UFO? Nope, just an Ultimate disc. Whatever you do, don't call it a Frisbee®.

That is not legal. Contact is not allowed.

That is legal, although it shouldn't be. I'm referring to the jorts, of course.

Nice form!

To me, this looks like Leonardo da Vinci's Vitruvian Man

senior open at crooked stick

2009-07-29T12:01:00.004-04:00

I was at the first day of practice for the Senior Open on Monday and thought I'd share some photos.

Paul Trittler hits out of a bunker on 9.

On the green at 16.

Gil Morgan tees off on the 18th hole.

Mike Barge (right) heads to tee off on the 18th.

Right - Larry Miller lays up on 16.

Randy Cochran tees of on 17.

Tom Brandes from the fairway on 16.

rock the district

2009-07-13T10:46:00.001-04:00

Rock the district is an annual event in downtown Carmel with lots of great music and food. I had hoped to spend the better part of the day there, but due to prior obligations, my time was very limited. Here are a few shots...

annie + zach

2009-07-02T13:59:00.003-04:00

Annie & Zach were married June 6 at the Indianapolis Art Center in Broad Ripple. There was such a great atmosphere and mood that I feel really comes across in these images.

barrett eye care

2009-06-30T09:49:00.003-04:00

I'm taking photos for the Carmel Redevelopment Commission for some ads to promote the Carmel Arts & Design District. Here is one of the 17 businesses I've shot so far, Barrett Eye Care. More images from other merchants to come...

angi + chad

2009-06-28T12:06:00.002-04:00

A photo from Angi and Chad's wedding in the Village of Westclay last night. More to come in following weeks...

julie & travis - engagement photos

2009-06-05T17:11:00.003-04:00

Here is a preview of Julie & Travis' engagement photos we took last weekend at the IMA and downtown Carmel.

ashley & luke - may 29, 2009 - bloomington

2009-06-03T16:30:00.004-04:00

Ashley & Luke were married at Beck Chapel in Bloomington, IN on May 29th. We took a few shots on IU's campus and headed to the reception at the Bloomington Convention Center. Here is a preview of their photos.

2009 indianapolis 500

2009-05-27T10:59:00.005-04:00

This year I covered the Indy 500 for the Indianapolis Star from pit row. I was assigned to the south pits, which included Helio Castroneves, Ryan Briscoe, Scott Dixon, Tony Kanaan, Graham Rahal, Raphael Matos, Marco Andretti, and Paul Tracy. Here are some of my favorites from the starting grid to the celebrations.

Will Power had a great race, running as high as 2nd and finishing 5th.

Graham Rahal's crew says a prayer before the race

Team Penske makes adjustments to Will Power's car on the starting grid.

Each year the Speedway honors veterans as a part of the Memorial Day weekend race.

Helio pits during the race. His team was the fastest pit crew during the Carb Day competition.

Marco leaves the track following a disappointing crash on lap 1.

Marco waits for his car to be brought back out to run a few more laps.

Scott Dixon and team Chip Ganassi make a pit stop. Dixon lead for 73 laps, but finished 6th.

Team Penske won its 15th Indy 500 since first competing in the race in 1969.

Rookie driver Raphael Matos ran as high as 4th, but crashed with Vitor Meira on lap 173.

Pit crews wait for their cars to enter during a yellow flag.

Paul Tracy leaves the pits.

Helio Castroneves's girlfriend, Adriana Henao, and mother, Sandra, run down pit row to greet him when he exits his car after winning.

The festival princesses squeeze in to watch the victory celebration happening below.

Helio does his signature fence climb after winning his third Indy 500.

Helio is joined on the fence by his pit crew.

Dan Wheldon, the second place finisher, congratulates Danica Patrick on her third place finish.

Helio in the pace car, a 2010 Chevy Camaro.

Helio thanks his fans.

Keeping the tradition...

Helio is one of only nine drivers to have three or more wins in 93 years of the Indy 500.

Click here to check out all the images.

luczo dragon at the indy 500

2009-05-27T10:37:00.003-04:00

During May I covered Luczo Dragon Racing and their rookie driver Raphael Matos as they prepared for the Indy 500. Starting from 12th, they had a great race, running in the top 5 for a while, before a crash with Vitor Meira took them out late in the race. Here are some of my favorite images of the team.

To see all images, click here.

Henry Wayne Dobson

2009-05-11T19:18:00.003-04:00

Born May 11th, 2009, 1:05 p.m. 8 lbs. 12 oz. Henry is the newest member of the ZDP team.

Maternity Photos

2009-05-04T17:01:00.003-04:00

I've been taking photos of my wife during her pregnancy and she's been getting a lot of comments on them from her facebook posts, so I thought I would share some of those photos here.

Gerry & Amy

2009-04-30T18:04:00.004-04:00

Gerry & Amy were looking for some new portraits so we headed out to downtown Carmel to see what we could come up with. I think we got some cool, unique stuff that captured their personalities.

Amy giving "the look." With good reason, I'm sure.

We also stopped by Cool Creek Park for a few.

Mike, Megan & Devlyn

2009-03-31T15:31:00.003-04:00

Mike & Megan are friends of ours and they had a baby boy named Devlyn on March 5th. We stopped in to visit a few weeks later and I took some photos while I was there. Nothing posed. They were just feeding Devlyn and interacting with him. I especially like the first photo because it shows what some of their house is like, which I think will be really cool for Devlyn to see when he gets older. It's more than just a photo of people. It creates a sense of place and history.

ASMP Developing Imagemaker

2009-03-31T15:00:00.004-04:00

The American Society of Media Photographers (ASMP) is the premier resource for publication photographers. The Ohio Valley Chapter, of which I am a member, has reinstated its quarterly newsletter and I was asked to be featured as a "Developing Imagemaker." The publication can be viewed here: ASMP Spring 2009 Newsletter

The Scraps @ Melody Inn

2009-03-31T14:32:00.003-04:00

The Scraps are a Bloomington-based punk band. Click here to see more photos from this series with music from the band.

Alison's Senior Photos

2009-03-19T10:03:00.002-04:00

kitchen by russ herndon design

2009-03-18T18:13:00.011-04:00

a great kitchen in bloomington, ind. by russ herndon design.
click on photos to see the whole series.