Welcome to the new blog.

Well, sort of.  Chris continues to work for the New York Times on assignment. Here is a link to his latest:

http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2010/08/03/greathomesanddestinations/20100803wyg_ss.html

If you are having trouble, click to go directly to YouTube

Bob’s 9 year-old daughter, Maddy, assisted her dad and Jenn at a bridal shoot last week in northern Michigan. Jamie Anne (the bride) had a great time flirting with Maddy’s camera. At one point Maddy had such great confidence to ask her aunt Jennifer to move out of the way. Below is a sample of her work from the shoot, and

one was displayed as an 8×10 at the wedding. We are so proud of our little Maddy!

We lost a very important person in our lives. Our dad was our rock and he will be missed.

Robert James Ocken Sr., husband and beloved father of five, passed away May 23, 2010, in Fort Wayne, Indiana, due to complications from heart surgery. He was 67.

Born March 2, 1943, in Evanston (Chicago), Illinois, Robert—or Bob, as he was known to friends—lost his father as a young man, before he had even graduated Central Catholic High School in Fort Wayne, which he did in 1961. He began college at Purdue University in Fort Wayne, and for a time made his living as a disc jockey, but then enlisted in the Air Force in 1964. He married Kathleen Duesel on March 28 of that year in Arcola, IN.

Initially stationed in Salina, Kansas, Bob’s Air Force service eventually moved his growing family to Guam in 1966, and there son Thomas David Ocken joined older brothers Robert James Jr. and John Martin, who had been born in Kansas. Bob served as an inventory specialist, ordering supplies to repair B-52 bombers being used in the Vietnam War.

The family returned to the United States in 1968, and moved to Missouri, where Bob was stationed at Whiteman AFB. He left the Air Force and returned to Fort Wayne in 1969, where son Christopher Michael was born, as well as daughter Jennifer Lynn. He applied his military know-how to a new career as a warehouse floor and operations manager, first for American Hoist in Fort Wayne, and later for Carter Precision and Atlantic Machine Tools in Houston, Texas, as well as Flexible Metal in Atlanta, Georgia.

But Fort Wayne was always his home, and he and Kathleen returned in 2001. Throughout his life, Bob was known for his easy laugh and his penchant for woodworking and home renovations, as well as for keeping everything he might possibly someday need in the basement. He loved to travel and will be remembered as always ready for an adventure with his children—whether on the golf course, through Texas and northern Mexico by VW van, or putting together a bridal show in Baton Rouge.

Preceded in death by his father, John (Jack) Ocken, and mother, Bernice Ketter Ocken, Bob is survived by his wife, Kathleen; his two brothers, Jack Ocken of Roanoke, IN, and Tom Ocken of Albuquerque, NM; his sister, Mary Ocken Hess of Roanoke, IN; and his five children, Bob Jr., John, Tom, Chris, and Jennifer, as well as 13 grandchildren.

Greetings! Hope this finds you ready for some cocktails! If so,we is pleased to invite you to Out of the Box Bridal’s An Engaging Cocktail Party

Thursday, March 11, 2010
5:30 to 8:30 pm

The Private Dining Rooms of Spiaggia
980 N. Michigan Ave, Floor 3

Join us, as well as a selection of other great wedding service providers, for an elegant evening as Chicago’s lake and lights spread out before you.

Enjoy complimentary hors d’oeuvres and beverages to taste, plus entertainment that will actually help with your planning. You’ll mix and mingle with an intimate assortment of Chicago’s hippest wedding service providers — without fighting a crowd of thousands!

Click here to RSVP and skip the registration line
Click here for more information
Click here to see the list of participating wedding service providers

Chris has returned from his trip to Israel.  I will be posting a gallery of photos soon.
But here are a few of my favorites!  Enjoy.

Everyone at Ocken Photography wishes you all the best, low stress and great joy during this holiday season.

Enjoy a look at our best wedding photos from 2009

Spider Cookies are scary and scary hard to make.  But ooh soooo good.

Join Chris and three other artist for some photos, paintings, jewels and pastries at Rebecca Burick’s OPEN Studio.
Sunday, Aug, 23 at 4pm
460 N. Austin Blvd – Oak Park, IL

Check out Rebecca Burick’s work - www.uncharted.etsy.com
Check out Laura Granlund’s work - www.intimidnation.com

Ocken Photography has been voted one of Chicago’s best wedding photographers (in the top 5%!) for 2008 by Project Wedding. We are honored by this award and thankful for the votes.

If you haven’t already, please feel free stop by the site and leave us a glowing review (hee hee hee): http://www.projectwedding.com/vendor/show/ocken-photography