Truly Blessed

Today I was looking back at some of my past weddings in the last few years of shooting and I came across these images.....such beautiful moments in time!  It's just a reminder to me, how truly blessed I am to have this God given talent.  What a beautiful gift to be able to get a small glimpse into peoples lives on their most beautiful days.  I LOVE WHAT I DO!!

Free Wedding Photography?

Free wedding photography is a tempting prospect, but there are a few things you should take into consideration...Having a friend or relative in charge of your wedding photographs should really only be an option for people on an absolutely minimal budget, or those who really aren't fussed about good quality wedding photos.

Here are a few things to consider when you decide to hire a free wedding photographer:

1. What if a friend or relative takes your wedding photos on their digital camera and accidentally 'loses' them. How would you react? Would your relationship be strong enough to get through something like that?

2.  What if you get the prints back but the color look funny?

3.  What if they run out of batteries, memory cards or a piece of equipment fails?

A professional photographer should have all these bases covered.

First of all, she should have an effective file back-up system so files are never 'lost', but if they are he should know how to recover them.

Secondly, she should have a fully color-management work flow. This means her camera, software, computer monitor and printer are all calibrated to a set of internationally recognized color standards. So the color of your bridesmaids' dresses remains the same at each step of the work flow.

Thirdly, a professional photographer should never run out of anything and have back-up equipment. If the very worst should happen, she should have professional indemnity and public liability insurance, should you wish to seek compensation.

Wedding photography is an investment. It increases in sentimental value over time to become a treasured family heirloom. For this reason you should strongly consider having a professional wedding photographer. 

Lisa ∞ Brian ∞ June 25th, 2011

Lisa and Brian were married at The Forest House Lodge, what a perfect day for a wedding.  The details of the day were absolutely stunning!  What a beautiful bride Lisa was, just breath taking.  She arrived to the ceremony site in a 1930 Packard, drove by her Grandfather.  I loved the Tiffany blue bridesmaids dresses....and her bouquet was a stunning mix, it was beautifully vintage.  I am so blessed to be able to be a part of these kinds of days....I LOVE MY JOB, and I can't say that enough!

Sweet little Miss Wonders

This sweet baby is 9 days old today. I photographed her mommy and daddy's wedding a few years ago.  I love it when I get to photograph my wedding clients babies!

Boudoir Photography? Yes, please!!

Yesterday I photographed a boudoir session, one of my brides to be asked me if I did this kind of thing.  I had only done one before (just recently) and had such a great time so I figured why the heck not.  So I photographed my beautiful bride to be in the comfort of her home.  Ladies, if you are looking for a wonderful, fun, sexy gift for your groom, this is a great one that will top them all! 

8 tips to get the most out of your Engagement Photo Session

1: Be Yourself

Just be yourself. Play, cuddle, kiss, laugh. Work it. You are going to rock your session.

2: Location

For your engagement photos, pick a spot meaningful to you and your fiance. If no places come to mind, ask us for recommendations. Don't be afraid to think outside the box to find a location that will suit your style and personalities. We love shooting in places that have interesting elements, color, and textures. Some ideas: a used book store, an industrial city area, a carnival, a train station, a park, an open field, a farm, an arcade, buildings with interesting architecture, a coffee shop, a castle, the woods, a vineyard, a racetrack, a bowling alley- whatever suits your style!

3: Hair & Makeup

Consider wearing matte makeup (it photographs best) or getting your makeup applied by a professional. Not only will you look amazing, but the extra confidence will shine through your photos.  A smart thing to do is to schedule a wedding hair & makeup trial run appointment for the same day as your engagement session to kill two birds with one stone. If you are confident about styling your own hair, then wear it however you'd like. If you're not it's totally worth it to work with a stylist who will know what's going to photograph best. We have a list of recommended stylists if you need help.

4: What to wear

Our goal for your photos is to keep them fresh, modern, fun, and real. For the best results, we recommend for you to appear as the best versions of yourselves. Be you, be bold, and express your style. Plan your outfits to be appropriate for the locations you've chosen if the location is casual, dress casual. If it's trendy and fun, play up your outfit up as well. For the best photographs, we suggest that you think of each of your outfits as one large ensemble. If you were to lay both your outfits out on the bed would they go or would they clash? Do not match each other exactly, instead, coordinate within a color palette or choose one signature piece and build off that. Avoid an excess of loud distracting prints. Skip boring monochromatic outfits and wear colors that look great on you. Adding in fun accessories and pops of color take an okay outfit to an extraordinary one. Also be sure to avoid extra baggy or too- tight clothes, writing or logos, and lots of light colors. Darker, saturated color photographs best.

5: Be mushy

We promise to never say 'get a room'. We are used to it and we love it. These photos are for you. Let your guard down and show each other some love! We'll do all that we can to help you feel comfortable, and from there it's up to you to let loose. Hold hands, make each other laugh, give hugs and kisses, look into each other eyes. Stop to think why you are doing all of this, the photos, the wedding, everything. Those emotions will shine through your photos and those will be the ones you'll treasure and look back on through the times that are to come.

6: Down and Dirty

Be prepared to walk, climb, sit, lay down, laugh, and just get down and dirty. Dress comfortably! I am all for wearing crazy, impractical high heels for photos, but throw a pair of flip flops in your bag too just in case we have to walk.

7: Stay stress free

Try to have everything ready days ahead of time so that you won't be stressing out about details. Allow extra time to get ready and arrive to your shoot on time. Get plenty of rest the night before so you won't be tired out. On the drive to your session, loosen up to your favorite cd and crank it up! Make each other laugh and have fun together.

8: Grooming

Be prepared to be photographed head to toe, don't neglect details! Girls, make sure your hair, nails, toes, and eyebrows are done. Guys, get a haircut a week or two before hand and make sure your nails are clean and facial hair is the way you like it. In the days leading up to your engagement session make sure to drink extra water to hydrate your skin for the photos.

5 Tips for the day of your Wedding

There are a few things that I would recommend the day of your wedding to get the most out of your photography:

1.  Make sure you and your bridal party are ready when your photographer arrives.  This means you as the bride should have your hair and make up done.  Your bridal party should be dressed and ready to go.  You should be just about ready to get into your dress.  This will allow your photographer to have some time to take your bridal portraits before your ceremony.

2.  Make a list of your important family members for your photographer so you won't miss anyone in your family formals.  This will also help the family formal photos go much more smoothly.

3.  SMILE....all day, keep in mind that you are being photographed so smile as much as you can.  This will help your photographer get attractive candid photos of you.  Let your bridal party and family know too!

4.  Let your family members know if they are going to be in the family formal photos.  This will ensure they will be in your pictures, especially if your ceremony is in a different location than your reception.

5.  Appoint a friend or bridesmaid to keep pressed powder and lip gloss handy for touch-ups.