Wedding Photography Advice
October 30, 2008 | Filed Under Uncategorized | Leave a Comment
Liene from Blue Orchid Blog posted a recap today of some of her great posts from the past full of wedding photography advice, and I wanted to be sure to point out a few of them!
– Wedding Makeup Tips - great makeup helps us take great photos! Wearing makeup doesn’t mean you have to look like someone you’re not — they can do very natural makeup that will look wonderful in photos.
– Bring Hangers for Your Photos - we all LOVE a good dress shot, but do you really want your dress shot to be of your dress on a wire hanger? No more wire hangers! (Sorry, I couldn’t resist.) Put your dress on a pretty hanger, and it will look even more beautiful when you look back at your photographs.
– Know Your Rights - I offer a DVD of wedding photographs to clients, which includes a print release (or a reproduction release). I try to emphasize what that means, but this post goes through it in even better detail. I’ll be writing something similar myself soon. The post also talks about the perks of seeing one another before the wedding day.
I love reading the different wedding blogs out there, and I’m always looking for new ones! What are some of your favorites? All of my favorites can be found over at Weddings.Alltop.com!
WPJA Quarter 3 Contest Time!
October 24, 2008 | Filed Under Fun Stuff!, Wedding Photography, Weddings | 2 Comments
I just finished entering my photos in the Wedding Photojournalist Association 3rd Quarter Contest! Now I have to anxiously wait for the results!
The above photo is one of my favorite entries. It is from Leah & Ryan’s wedding on September 13, 2008 - the day that Hurricane Ike hit Houston. We were in New Iberia, Louisiana at The Gouguenheim, the absolutely stunning venue for their wedding. Leah’s father had just come into the room where she was getting ready, and this was his response to seeing her for the first time. This moment was so palpable, so full of emotion, of his love for his daughter, his pride, him being overwhelmed by taking it all in when seeing her in her wedding dress.
I have to admit, by the time I got to this frame - I was crying too. Almost every wedding has a moment that makes me tear up, but this wedding day was so full of them. Some days I feel like I’m always gushing about how each of the couples I work with are so awesome, great and wonderful — but I truly mean it. I’ve been blessed to work with so many great people, and I’m so grateful to be a part of such an important day in people’s lives.
I say it often - I really, truly do have the best job in the world.
Spice Up Your Holidays!
October 21, 2008 | Filed Under Fun Stuff! | Leave a Comment
I first discovered Spice Paper Designs when I still had a space at the Two Be Wed Studios here in Houston. Every time I would go in, I would swoon a little bit over the Letterpress awesomeness. (Ok, so I sort of have a thing for paper products.) So I was giddy when I spotted the fabulous Holiday Cards that they are offering this year!
Even better, she gave me permission to share the special code here to get you save 15% when you order your cards by November 15th! Just mention “Early Bird” when you place your order!
If there is a photograph from one of our sessions or weddings that you would like to use for your holiday cards from Spice Paper Designs, and you would like to get a copy of it - all resized and perfect for the card of your choice - please let me know! (And of course - if you wanted to send me one of your cards when they are complete, I would be thrilled!)
Need a holiday card portrait? I’ll have several dates available later this month and in November for mini-sessions lasting 30 minutes, with 10-15 proofs from your session available to choose from for a photo for your card - whether you print them with Spice Paper Designs or someone else. Please use the contact form above to set up your appointment time! Sessions are $75, available in the Greater Houston area, and include the photo shoot, online gallery of proofs, and one digital file of your choice for printing. Other prints and files are available for purchase through the gallery.
Tricia & Daniel’s Review - Wedding Photography in The Woodlands, Texas
October 15, 2008 | Filed Under Wedding Photography, Weddings | Leave a Comment
Tricia & Daniel were married in September at Sts. Simon & Jude Catholic Church in The Woodlands, with a reception afterwards at The Woodlands Resort & Conference Center. After their wedding, Tricia posted a fabulous review over on WeddingWire. But for any wedding photographer, the personal email is the best part. What I really loved was the email she sent to me after her proofs went online:
I’m so grateful for everything you did to make our wedding a blast. I had a ton of fun with you, and I hope you and Elaine had fun too!
As for the photos: HOLY SMOKES THEY’RE AMAZING. I absolutely adore them–thanks so much! I’ll be glad to “favorite” them and I can’t wait to see us on your main blog. I think they’re just beautiful and they absolutely captured the energy and atmosphere of the whole day. My family loves them and I just adore them, and I can’t thank you enough.
Seriously? That is the BEST email that any wedding photographer can receive. My goal with every wedding is to capture the feeling of the wedding day!
Here are a few more photos from their day — I’ll be doing a full write up on it soon! Tricia & Daniel, their family & friends were so much fun to work with, and it was such a joy to be a part of their wedding day and to get to know them through the planning!
If you are a friend of Tricia & Daniel and you have the access code, you can view their full wedding gallery here.
Sarah & Jason - Engagement Photographer in downtown Houston, Texas
October 10, 2008 | Filed Under Engagement Sessions | 4 Comments
Sarah & I became instant friends the first time we met. It was truly like we had always known each other. Maybe the fact that we are both knitters - and have some knitter friends in common - helped. All I know is that during the planning of this wedding, it never failed - if we planned to meet for one hour, we might end up talking for three or four! So I was really looking forward to our engagement shoot so that I could get to spend some time with Jason too!
Years ago, Jason’s family owned a storefront on Main Street in downtown Houston, right at the base of the Rice Hotel. The name is still in the sidewalk to this day - so we had to be sure to include it in the shoot!
I love this wall in downtown - but it really did have a distinct odor this Saturday morning. Sorry about that, Jason! But thank you for being a good sport about it, because I love the shots we got there!
Heehee! I think they needed to break the tension just a little bit!
Lindsey & Shelby - Engagement Photography Houston, Texas
October 10, 2008 | Filed Under Engagement Sessions | 1 Comment
I recently met up at the Houston Zoo with Lindsey & Shelby for their engagement session. As soon as Lindsey told me that they were thinking about doing the shoot at Hermann Park because their first date was at the zoo, I knew the zoo was where we needed to go! I also knew it was all cleaned up after Hurricane Ike, so we wouldn’t have to worry about storm debris like some other spots in town - a big factor for a photo shoot!
I hadn’t met Shelby before our session, so it was great to get a chance to spend some time with him too before their wedding. I include an engagement session (a LOVE Session!) with all of weddings because it gives me a chance to see how people are in front of the lens - and what types of shots are their favorites afterwards. That way, when we get together at the wedding, everyone is so much more at ease!
When I realized that there was an aquarium building at the zoo, I had to get the shot above - and they were such great sports about doing it! We were there at the opening of the zoo, so it wasn’t crowded yet, making it even easier to pull off!
This was actually one of our first shots. I was really trying to work the flare for this shot, so I started to get down low to the ground … and managed to fall over backwards! It was in slow motion too, like a scene out of the Matrix. I was cracking up, and once they made sure that I was ok, they were laughing too — resulting in the shot above! I do love the flare!
Shelby commented after this that they used up all their kisses & are going to just have to shake hands at the end of the wedding ceremony! Heehee!
How could we pass up a ride on the merry-go-round?
We had plans to have lunch at Rice Village - so we had to make a stop at one of my favorite walls there!
