Courtney & Ian Wedding

Whenever I shoot a wedding without meeting the bride face-to-face, I get really nervous not knowing what to expect. The afternoon of Courntey & Ian's big day I knocked on the door of the bridal cottage at Chandor Gardens. I hesitantly peeked my head in and was welcomed by a huge smile. Courtney greeted me like we were old friends and at once I felt relaxed and all my earlier worries disappeared. That is Courtney- her sweet spirit makes everyone around her feel at ease and her joy is absolutely contagious. Ian fits her bubbly personality with his own quieter and relaxed disposition. They have an amazing connection and their love for each other was nothing less than palpable. Congrats, you two- it was a joy to photograph your wedding!

Guests threw lavender as the couple made their exit. Some fell in my shootsac and it smelled fantastic! :-)

MINI Sessions!

We are excited to announce that we are now offering MINI sessions- a shorter version of our full portrait session! With the MINI, you get:

• 1 photographer
• 1 hour on location session
• Generally time for 2 outfits
• Unlimited photos taken
• 10 edited photos
• DVD of copyright-free images

MINI sessions must be booked for during the week (Monday - Thursday). Contact us for availability- the weather is now perfect for shooting!

Courtney & Ian Wedding Sneak Peek

I am in the middle of editing 3 weddings right now but wanted to share a few photos. I was so excited when Courtney & Ian elected to see each other before the ceremony- their first look was so sweet, and we were able to finish all the pictures before the wedding began!

How to Look Good in Front of the Camera

It happens all the time, you are together with your friends and someone pulls out a camera- nothing super fancy but something to capture the moment of hanging out. They take the picture and of course you have to check the results. Ugh- you look uncomfortable and the shot is unflattering. Redo!
I usually feel the same unless I remember a few simple tricks...

• Hold your arms slightly away from your body instead of pressed against your sides- this makes them slimmer and gives them definition.
• Try and be photographed from above, not below if at all possible. If you are all seated at a table, have the picture taker stand up and back up a few feet.
• Take the “celebrity red carpet” pose. There is a reason every starlet poses with one foot slightly in front of the other with their hips angled away from the camera and torso slightly turned towards the camera. It makes everyone look great!
• Lean your torso ever so slightly toward the camera to give your waist a slimming effect. This should be slight- not a 90 degree angle. :-)
• Think happy thoughts and try to make yourself laugh to get a more natural, unforced smile. Even better, try to get those around you laughing too.
• Grandma was right- no slouching! Shoulders back.
• Check yourself if you have a chance- glance in the mirror to make sure you aren’t pulling an Alfalfa a la Little Rascals.
• If you are wearing glasses that reflect light, take them off. This will prevent glass glare. If you aren't you without your glasses, learn the right angle to tip your head to avoid the glare.

Wednesday + Whatnot

Around here we are gearing up for another big wedding season, with two weddings this coming weekend and many more to follow. I am so excited for everything to pick up again, especially with the warmer weather and trees blossoming everything looks so lovely. It is easy to get inspired by sunlit scenes of green grass and the endless colors of flowers blooming. There are so many things that inspire me:

• Changing seasons in nature, from the bright greens in spring to the linear simplified shapes of winter - God did a darn good job!
• Fashion - whether it is an actual clothing piece or an amazing ad seen while flipping through a fashion magazine, I can almost always find a springboard to work from.
• Other photographers. C'mon, let's be honest and say that most of us have certain photographers that we can't help but ooh and ahh over their latest work. The fact that there is always something new and a rule that was (successfully) broken is inspiring in and of itself.
• Stores & boutiques - just walking around in Anthropologie makes me happy. The colors, the textures, the use of seemingly random objects brought together so elegantly that it takes your breath away. *Sigh*
• Vintage or antique anything. Okay, maybe not anything, some of those old dolls give me more nightmares than inspiration. But the drawings in old books and maps, vintage glass bottles, the shoes that were my grandmothers, funky old chairs - these help me view things differently. Just walking around an antique mall for an hour will most likely give me loads of ideas.
• Movies. I love movies, I know, who doesn't? But there are some that really get me to thinking about how they were shot and the angles that were used. Scenes like the end of Pride & Prejudice (the new version) with the forehead lean backlit by the sunrise. Haven't seen it? Do it. Now. :-)
• Paint swatches- the options of colors are endless and are a great way to figure out color combinations I want to try and shoot.

What are sources that inspire your creativity?

Building located in the old fort in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Nicole - Senior

This shoot was more about teaching art direction to a photographer so I did not take a ton of shots, but here are a few. (She makes such a great model, I couldn't resist snapping a couple!)

Birds

I love birds, which you probably can tell by my previous postings of my bird tray and bird figurine. I love hearing mourning doves while I work in my office. I love when a cardinal catches my eye as it lands in the tree in our front yard. I love hearing seagulls because it makes me feel like I am at the beach.  :-)