About Wayde

I’ve been married 40 years, I have 3 children and their wonderful spouses, 6 grandkids with another one on the way…and two grand dogs. Life right now is pretty sweet. I feel I’m at a point where I’d like to be able to help teach and guide the upcoming generation of new photographers.  It’s always fun to see how others express and connect with photography.

Growing up, school was never really my thing; so right out of high school I started working for PCA based out of Chicago. During this time, I was traveling around the Midwest photographing kids and babies at the Kmart, Ventures, Jupiter, Target, and Shopko.

When I met my wife Lisa, I was training photographers. She also had an eye and passion for this wonderful craft. At that time, our friend Jim owned a wedding and portrait studio and needed some help managing it. We took on the opportunity and this is where we learned the importance of effective marketing and learned the realization that what we were doing with families was much more than taking pictures. We were helping them tell their story.

Joe Babboni had built a great business and name for himself so when the opportunity presented itself to take it over… it was an easy decision.

38 years ago we were on the corner of 96th and Greenfield in a 1200 square foot studio and we were THE wedding photography studio in the Milwaukee area. Back then, I had 30 staff photographer and we were shooting around 300 weddings a year, it was great!

Those weddings are what built the foundation that babbonis still stands on. Those couples brought in their babies and continued the tradition of having a family portrait done. Now, I’m shooting those kids for their senior pictures. Makes me feel a little dated, but humbled most of all.

The thing I love most about this industry is the people I come in contact with everyday. What I’m most passionate about is the work I’m able to do with mission agencies, churches and other charitable foundations.

My travels to India, Africa, Europe, the Philippines, Guatemala, and New Zealand have fueled my love for story telling through the lens. It’s been a great way for me to give back.

We have developed wonderful relationships with the MDA, Blessings in a Backpack, AHA, ALS, American Cancer Society, RMHC… some of which for many years…it’s always a compliment and an honor to be asked to benefit their charitable events.

Every year at the studio is different but what will always remain consistent is my love for photography and the people who are gracious enough to share their own unique stories.