Jessica and Madden were up for anything for this shoot and full of smiles. I loved talking with them about their story on how they met, how they became engaged, and philosophies on life. We became instant friends, and I am so excited to be celebrating with them at their wedding in a few weeks.
I cannot wait until your wedding on June 22, 2013.
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After a few emails and text messages, we decided this would be the best place for their wedding; beautiful beach views without the hassle of walking through too much sand in heels.
You guys have a beautiful family, and I am so happy I was able to photograph your love. Congratulations!
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Their engagement session was full of laughing and joking, so I knew their wedding was going to be one to remember, and it was. I knew it was going to be hilarious when I received a response from Mike on my wedding questionnaire. One of the questions I ask about the photos of the bride and groom is: Do you have a location you would like to use? The answer Mike gave: "The venue, golf course, ponds, riding atop a stray pony".
Ceremony: Our Lady Guadalupe
Reception: EastLake Country Club
So yeah, this was going to be a fun one! Anyways, on to the photos:
Viviana was the first bride that I have photographed that was also a makeup artist, and thus did all of her bridesmaid's makeup!
And a fun one to end it on. I know its out of focus, but I do enjoy it!
Thank you Mike and Viv for making this such a fun day!
And here is the DVD for their wedding.
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It has been on my "photography bucket list" to do an engagement session at Disneyland, and this was the perfect situation. The proposal was adorable, and they even let me talk them into walking around the park for an hour to do the session.
Please enjoy.
I have a whole bunch of Cameron photo-bombing my photos. I thought Id at least give him a little air time.
It was odd doing and engagement session without my strobe, but I think it gave us a good amount of variety.
]]>Here they are.
They own and manage a children's boutique called The Royal Fairytale which hosts children's birthday parties and sells adorable clothing for the little ones.
We decided this year we want to do something a little different (we have done the families at La Jolla Shores and Balboa Park) so we went out to Julian for a fall family session.
Thank you guys for a great session!
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This is a little more dramatic than I normally like to go with lighting, but I think it was fun for something different and would really pop on a metallic paper or even a metal print.
Kim's boyfriend Ricky and David's girlfriend Kendra were able to join us and we took some photographs of them together. There are a lot of great ones, but here are a few of my favorites.
Here are a few photos of the canvas Kim ordered.
Thank you guys, and I look forward to photographing you both again!
]]>This fall family portrait was done at Mission Trails Regional Park in Santee - one of my favorite locations.
I was told that throwing rocks is a necessity on each adventure.
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It is pretty funny how things tend to go full circle, as Josh and I met while at Best Buy (he was my supervisor) and actually sold me my first camera back in December of 2009. Well, 4 cameras later and a BUNCH of other gear upgrades, we did ended up getting together for a shoot that held such variety in locations and scenes that I cant believe it was just one session.
As always, please enjoy the photos and feel free to share or leave comments.
Some of you may have seen this as an unedited sneak peek that I posted from the road while we were heading to our next location. As you can see here, the edit really shows how perfect the day and this beautiful couple really are.
Yes, these two are a what some may call "goof-balls" - we were laughing the entire time.
And although this isnt my typical editing style, I thought it would be an interesting twist.
This is going to be a fun wedding. Thank you Cristina and Josh for making this an incredible session!
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Recently, I have started moving more in the direction of highly stylized portraits, using a variety of lights and modifiers to get the look I want. With this style, I am able to get the grungy, dirty look I want like you will see in the following images, or light, beautiful, airy photos like I may do for a bridal portrait or a senior portrait. Stay tuned for another portrait session, this time using my new style to photograph a triathlete.
So, on to the photos. Please enjoy, and have a safe and happy Halloween!
Happy Halloween!
]]>Luther was a bit hesitant about the shoot, and after I asked him how it went and he gave me one of the best compliments I think can come from him regarding having his picture taken - "it wasnt bad". Thank you both for such a fun session.
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What a fun family photo session! I am hopefully going to be able to get to do a few more at this beautiful location!
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Thank you for including me in your celebration. I truly had a blast.
]]>I am pleased to show you Nick, Jessica, and their two adorable little girls!
Thank you guys for an outstanding session!
]]>Andrea and Justin had their wedding ceremony Friday, May 18th and I was honored to photograph it. With the plan originally being to just photograph their reception in September (another blog post will come along with those festivities), Andrea asked if I would go up to the Laguna Hills Civic center to photograph their small ceremony, and after a bit of deliberation, we decided this would be a great time to get reacquainted and to get comfortable with each other before their reception.
Anyways, please enjoy the photos!
When Andrea arrived, we decided to do a very quick first look (which I absolutely love)!
Then to the ceremony where it was only smiles (and some laughter).
After the ceremony, we did a few family photos and then headed off to the beach to do a few more portraits.
The bubbles were a fun touch.
Thank you guys. After getting to know you more, I know the reception is going to be so much fun.
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I started off with Chris and his guys while the girls came to the base after they got hair and make-up done. They of course rocked their suspenders and were a great group of guys!
Just hanging out watching some tv.
After the guys, I headed over to see the girls. I love the energy before a wedding, and with each wedding you have a different feel. There are always bouts of mixed emotions - joy, stress, nervousness, and anticipation with bursts of laughter.
We got there before Becca put on her dress so we could get a few details.
Her bridesmaids did a great job working as a team to make Becca feel as comfortable as possible.
The ceremony was beautiful overlooking Point Loma. we could have not asked for a better day.
As Becca walked down the aisle, Chris was overcome with emotion. It was such a beautiful moment, I cannot say there was a dry eye in attendance.
As an example of how beautiful the day was!
For those of you that remember, this was the day of the Solar Eclipse - Chris and Becca planned for this and brought special glasses to be able to see the eclipse and had everyone put them on for this image.
The reception was held out under the stars and was such a fun party.
Thank you guys both so much. I cannot wait until we print your album!
]]>One thing I try to do is obviously get clean, isolated photos to really fit my simple and elegant style I feel is consistent with my favorite style of photography, but I also try to include elements from the day that really help everyone remember exactly what the day was like. If that happens to be thousands of people walking by your wedding reception, or airplanes flying overhead while you are saying your vows, I do my best to portray that in a few photos as well. Anyways, back to Cameron and Katie.
Their wedding fun started out at the wonderful Ocean Beach Hotel where they both got ready in their respective rooms. Katie obviously had the suite.
The reception gear - Purple Converse and bow tie.
While we were waiting for the limo bus to take the guys to the ceremony, we ran across the street and found this character.
After the guys left, we headed over to see the girls.
It was an emotional time for Mom.
Look familiar? On the bus we played a little Catch Phrase
Shortly after the bus ride to Balboa Park Administrative Courtyard where the ceremony was held, Cameron watched as his bride was escorted down the aisle by her grandfather.
I am really happy how I am photographing formal photos now using a strobe to help overpower the sun. This gives us beautiful backgrounds as well as people (and incredibly cute children).
Here is a great example why I like to use my strobe. The first shot below I turned the strobe off. The second shot was with the strobe turned on.
Doesn't Katie make a beautiful bride?
And Cameron an extraordinarily handsome groom?
Poppin' Champagne
The reception was all smiles!
Cameron and Katie asked me to do one of my favorite things as a photographer - to go out during the reception and take a few more portraits of just the two of them. I love doing this because it gives us a few more minutes to take some portraits, play with the fun surrounding lights, and the stress from the wedding day has worn off.
Thank you Cameron and Katie for including me in your celebration. I had such a great time with you.
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Seeing that they are from the Bay area, they wanted something very San Diego so we decided to go to one of my favorite photo spots in Coronado.
Please enjoy!
We had to get the San Diego skyline of course.
Joe wanted some spotlight too, so we made sure we got a portrait of him too!
I cannot wait until you guys come back with the little one and we get to do another session! Thank you for being such professional models!
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I had so much fun shooting with them, it really reminds me why I love my job. Melissa was first apprehensive seeing she hadn’t taken professional photos since her High School Senior Portraits and she made sure to mention to me that “taking photos wasn’t her thing”. At the end, I asked her if the session was awkward, and she admitted she had a lot of fun. To be completely honest, making the session fun is one of my top priorities.
I wanted to try some new things, to put myself in a somewhat challenging situation (photographic wise) and chose to photograph in Mission Trails still a few hours from sunset with very little shade available. Using a strobe, beauty dish, a wonderfully supportive assistant/girlfriend and an adorable couple, we came up with these photos.
Please enjoy!
These photos were all done using natural light and a reflector to either fill or diffuse light. The following is where I used a strobe to really create some unique imagery.
And I will end off the post with a few of my favorite photos from the session.
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Viviana is a fantastic makeup artist, and Mike is an incredible graphic artist. Every once in a while, we would spot Mike's artwork on the back of a clipboard or the bottom of a receipt at Best Buy.
Once again, I love when clients become great friends, or when friends become great clients. I truly do love my job.
Viv was terribly worried we would get run over, but she was such a sport for running out into the street each and every time to get the shot.
Thank you guys for being awesome!
]]>Renee and Michael are so much fun we became friends instantly. Seeing that I love giving recommendations for places to eat, we went to dinner after the shoot at one of my favorite restaurants, Miguels in Coronado. If you haven't been, go, and you will be happy.
Anyways, on to the photos of this very happy couple!
Coronado and Mexican food - it doesn't get more San Diego than that! Thank you guys so much for such a fun shoot. I cannot wait until we get together again (and hopefully get some sunsets going).
]]>Luke had a great plan set in place - Sunday brunch at the Hotel Del Coronado, then a walk on the beach at Centennial Park where he would propose, and end the day sailing.
Anyways, on to the photos.
What a beautiful day in Coronado!
Needless to say, Cindy was surprised.
This is the moment Luke told Cindy that he had her best friend fly out from Canada to celebrate with them.
Cindy's beautiful new ring. If I heard correctly, Cindy's father set all of the diamonds.
After all of the excitement, I took them away for a few minutes to do some portraits of the two of them.
Congratulations you guys! You are both so cute together and I look forward to seeing you guys again soon!
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Yes, it is pageant season, and just as I finished up the 2012 Miss Santee and Miss La Mesa pageant, the Miss San Diego Cities pageant is fast approaching. Yet another event put on by 4 Points Events, this is bound to be yet another fantastic group of girls. One of the fairly unique things about this one is it is open to young women ages 13-26 from all over San Diego rather than limited to a certain city/county.
To prep for the pageant (April 15th, 2012), Miss San Diego Cities 2011 Kristen Paruginog and Miss Teen San Diego Cities 2011 Katarina Schweitzer and I headed down to Coronado for the program shoot. Alex wanted a symbolic San Diego shoot, and I had the perfect place.
Coronado is one of my favorite places to photograph, be it engagements, weddings, family sessions (even my families Christmas card this year). Any type of session, Coronado has something to offer. Please enjoy the photos.
Alex always likes to make sure she gets a shot for Facebook, so I made sure I got a photo of her.
Thank you very much ladies.
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This year I photographed the Miss Santee and Miss La Mesa pageant for the third year in a row. Victoria competed again this year, and I would like to say a few words about this pageant.
After seeing a few different events like this take place, I can honestly say that the crew from 4 Points Events are the best in San Diego at putting on pageants that I have witnessed. This year there was a lot of changes, and I must say that they were all for the better: optional reserved seating, all color program, as well as being timely and on schedule. Alex, Troy, Natalie, Sierra - Great job as always, but this year was especially deserving.
For those that believe this is simply a beauty pageant are unfortunately mistaken (I feel like I am about to sound like Sandra Bullock from Miss Congeniality, but that is alright). The girls went through a through physical and mental rehearsal process that readied them for the night of March 2nd, 2012. They rehearsed a choreographed dance, learned valuable conversation and etiquette techniques, and wrote an essay.
The day of the pageant started with interviews, where each participant spent 5 minutes with the judges to really show their personality. The judges were prepared, and had access to a write up about each young woman and even had the ability to search for the participant on the internet (technology these days!).
After the interviews, the girls came to see me where we did head shots in their interview outfits, and then went off to get ready for their onstage speech (which was opened to ticket holders this year). Including the dance number they had all practiced - and perfected - the ladies went on stage and answered an on stage question dressed in their formal evening gown. Needless to say, they all looked beautiful and gave an outstanding performance.
It was such a great show, and congratulations to the winners. This year's Miss Santee and Miss Santee Teen are Victoria Heyne and Casey Maynard. This year's winners for Miss La Mesa and Miss La Mesa Teen are Lindsey Palser and Jacyln Combs. Congratulations ladies.
To see all of the images from the event, feel free to view them here: http://redtiephotography.zenfolio.com/2012santee_lamesa_pageant
Now on to a few photos from the night. Seeing that there are so many wonderful photos of so many wonderful ladies, I just picked a few somewhat randomly from some of the categories.
Here are a few from the speech portion of the program.
Next (from the photography standpoint) came the head shots.
I believe the dance number this year was the best one yet.
The Teen and Miss contestants were run off stage by the rage of Princess contestants.
A few images from the formal wear and speech competition.
The previous year's queens are escorted to the stage and say their final farewell.
And the crowning moments. There was so much emotion at this time and so many more photos, but I had to try to keep the blog small. To see all of the crowning moments gallery as well as the other awards, view them here: http://redtiephotography.zenfolio.com/pageant/2012santee_lamesa/awards
Congratulations ladies.
To leave it off with one final photo. Victoria (my girlfriend if you must know) did fantastic this year, and I am so proud of her. I know she has a lot of things planned for this year, and I cannot wait to see her accomplish them all.
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Although the best time for a session is the first 7-10 days after the baby is born, the first time we could get together for a shoot was last week, almost a month after Greyson was born. He has learned a few things that seemed to impede our progress, especially that he liked to be held, but all considered, this little guy was a good sport.
One thing that I am trying to do is actually come to people's house to take portraits of their children. I find this makes both the parents and babies much more comfortable and there is everything you need at your fingertips.
Although Greyson was awake with no intentions of falling asleep anytime soon, we managed to get some cute photos of this little guy.
Please enjoy.
He has the biggest blue eyes!
Ashly hand made his little owl-diaper cover.
Such a cute family!
Thank you guys again. I really enjoyed it!
]]>Chris Koci and Kristen Anderson tied the knot on February 11th, 2012 at the Thursday Club in Point Loma, San Diego California.
Now where do I begin? This wedding was very special for me, seeing that this couple was my brother and new sister in law. Of course, when my brother told me he was getting married, I told him to let me take care of the photography.
After a series of unfortunate circumstances with other photographers that I had lined up, I told Chris and Kristen that I would be the one photographing their wedding (in addition to my previous agreed position of being a groomsmen). Everything I have read has told me to stay away from photographing family weddings, especially if I was going to be in the wedding myself. Well, needless to say, I ignored that warning and am so glad I did. It was one of the most fun weddings I have photographed in my life.
I was lucky enough to have a team of kick ass vendors, to whom I would like to gratefully thank for being their for my brother and new sister.
Coordinators: Jenn Mobley from Eventity Inc.
Officiant: Bethel from Ceremonies by Bethel
Caterer: Wahoo's Catering
Cake: Flour Power
DJ: DJ Average Joe from JMC Events
Video: Patrick from Anibaldi Wedding Video
Last but not least, I would like to thank Kevin Nguyen from PhotoQuest Studio for helping me out throughout the day. He had a bit larger role than being just a second shooter, and was able to lead shoot the ceremony and most of the open dancing for me.
Thank you all so much again.
Anyways, on to the photos that I promised!
I started off the day getting ready with the guys, and I literally mean getting ready with the guys (seeing that I was a groomsman as well). Here Chris is getting all suited up.
And I just love this photo with the painting Kristen did of a Cow's backside.
Chris and Kristen are animal lovers, and here is the kitty they rescued from my house, currently renamed Roo after I had given her the name Porch Kitty.
Instigator!
Seeing that Chris likes to drink, I found this quite fitting.
Now over to the girls. Kristen was dressed and ready for photos when I arrived, and she was such a beautiful bride. Here are a few photos with her and her bride's maids.
Why, of course they are wearing Cowboy boots. Kristen wouldn't have it any other way.
And this handsome fella is me! I know, I am not wearing a Red Tie, but even though the colors of the wedding didn't match with my branding, I still agreed to shoot it. Aren't I such a great guy?
Chris and Kristen decided to forgo a first look and see each other for the first time at the ceremony. Kevin played a huge role at this part of the day and got some great captures. And yes, if you must know, I still did decide to shoot the ceremony from the front of the ceremony in my groomsmen line.
Another of their furry faithful friends (or as most people call them, pets) Buckshot was their ring bearer.
For all of you with good eyes, you may be able to see me shooting in the background. I could edit that out, but I think I like it.
We were pressed for time, but still got some fun full bridal party shots!
And of course, a nice portrait of Mr. Buckshot.
The Chris and Kristen took her Grandfather's 1931 Ford Model A to their romantic session at Sunset Cliffs Park.
The reception was beautiful, with man hand made decorations.
Buckshot wanted to help with the garter.
There are many, many more images in the gallery (including the Photo Booth and their engagement session) located here: http://redtiephotography.zenfolio.com/olaf
Again, it was a pleasure photographing this wedding, and I hope they enjoyed it as much as I did.
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It was SO cute - while waiting in line to get their photos, Elizabeth walks up to me and say, "Bryan, I want you to take my photo".
You can view all of the photos here: Elizabeth and Zane Start T-Ball
Zane gave his "strong man" pose.
Elizabeth loves pink!
They were so good and posed for me, that afterwards we all got ice cream. Zane said, "Uncle Bryan, your the best!" It was such a sweet moment - these kids are the cutest!
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This is the Victoria I love.
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I am running a High School Senior Portrait Session promotion now and will be showcasing at Vahalla High School for their prom expo mid March. Feel free to contact me about pricing: [email protected]
Please, enjoy the pictures. You can see the entire set here: http://redtiephotography.zenfolio.com/senior/nicole_sch
Nicole has been dancing for quite a long time now, and we thought it was more than appropriate that we incorporated that into her session.
Thank you all for looking.
]]>Allison and I met back in high school at West Hills High School in Santee, and have stayed in touch for a while. She is entirely too sweet, and when she told me she was engaged and wanted to talk to me about having me photograph her wedding I was elated. She is quite the planner, and even though my portfolio was slim, she had faith in me and my growth as a photographer. The more I came to know Allison, the more I noticed how kind and genuine she was. I was really interested to see which man has stolen her heart, and after meeting Adam for a few minutes, I am not ashamed to admit he stole mine a little bit too (only kidding).
These two are obviously in love, and are extremely easy to get along with. I instantly became best friends with both of them, and love what I do all over again. Allison wanted a session in Coronado, yet something that screamed San Diego. I think we did a good job with it.
Right off the bat these two were comfortable with me “all up in their grill” (yes, this is how I speak during engagement sessions, doesn’t everyone?). Can’t you just feel the love between these two?
Allison is ticklish. Well, not if you ask her, but Adam knows her well.
That is Point Loma in the background.
Allison planned it perfectly to get a full moon during the shoot too.
Ok, maybe she didn’t plan the full moon. But with how much of a planner she is, it could be.
Stay tuned for their wedding – I can only imagine it being a spectacular affair.
Filed under: Engagements, Photography
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After hibernating for the majority of our San Diego “Winter” (Cold summer as I like to call it), I called up a friend to see if he was interested in doing a fun shoot downtown – something active and something that I could mess around with my lights. Skateboarding with his brother and friend was the consensus, and all three were fantastic … human light stands when they needed be. Oh yeah, they could skate too.
We started down 9th Street in Downtown San Diego and made our way down by the convention center.
Richard mentioned he liked this because he looked fast!
Then I started to take the lights out.
It was a really fun shoot, and something I look forward to doing a little more.
Filed under: Photography
I would like to introduce you all to Gavin and Nolan, the newest addition to the Conner family. The story behind these two miracle babies is wonderful, and after years and continuous support from their family, Jen and Josh received the wonderful news that they were going to be parents, double time.
The boys were born just a few days before Christmas, and I was able to photograph them yesterday, with Mom, Grandma, and cousins looking eagerly on, and what a great session it was. They only pee’d once, and it happened to be on big brother’s face for the most part. I think that will be a story that will be told at their wedding.
Anyway, I have made you wait long enough. Please welcome Gavin and Nolan.
Nolan
Q: How cute are his hands?
A: Adorable.
Good morning little one
Mommy loves you.
Gavin’s turn. Someone wanted to play peek-a-boo.
I don’t think I like this…
Ok, it’s not toooo bad…
Basket?
This has to be one of my favorite images. Someone got a little jealous and wanted to be in the session.
And of course Nolan gets his time to shine in the basket.
Throwing up some signs for the homies?
Who’s number 1?
And I believe this shot signifies the end of the shoot.
I hope you enjoyed the session as much as it is obvious the boys and I did. I would love to hear your thoughts!
Filed under: Kids and Family, Photography
]]>Ok, with out getting any more graphic, my brother is engaged. Although my brother and I are quite similar, we also have distinctly different personalities. Chris and Kristen are quite the goofballs, and I think it is noticeable in their engagement photos. They have plans to get married at the Thursday Club, in what is slowly becoming one super wedding.
Anyways, enjoy the photos!
Because it was overcast, I asked them to lift their chin a little.
I just love this shot of them!
Filed under: Engagements, Photography
]]>I am working on adding photos to demonstrate how I do it. Stay tuned while I continuously add images.
I am going to try to refrain from reiterating some of my previous posts linked above, and I am a firm believer there is more than one way to do any particular task. This is how I try to prepare and shoot a wedding that I think may be able to help others.I will also try to keep this photography related, and not get into consultations to delivering finished work. People write books on this subject, so everything I am saying here is the tip of the iceberg, but I hope it helps.
First things first – getting ready.
Getting ready for a wedding has a large range of responsibilities, and are an integral part of being prepared for the day. Here are some things that I do to get ready.
Those are a few tips that I feel will help get you ready, next is photographing the wedding itself. Here are a few overall tips:
The wedding is normally broken up into several parts, girls getting ready, guys getting ready, first look (sometimes), ceremony, family portraits, intimate/romantic portraits, and the reception. Lets look at each one a bit more individually.
Girls getting ready/Bridal party photos.
I normally spend a lot more time here than I do with the guys, as usually it take a bit longer. I am not going to give a straight shot list, but these are things I try to get.
I have all of my lenses accessible in my main bag, but I usually pack a few lenses in my shoulder bag for quick and easy access. I thought sharing which lenses I pack may help out. So, for the gear I pack in my bag:
Guys getting ready and bridal party photos.
Guys usually go much quicker than the ladies because there is much less prep. Many times I get there the guys are already dressed. I try to get similar photos as above.
Equipment I pack/use most often:
First Look
Many photographers like when there is a first look, and I am no exception. The intimate time between a bride and her groom when they see each other for the first time, when they can look, hug, kiss, embrace their partner and be alone (except for the photo and video guys that is). It makes for some great photos, and also frees up a lot of time. This way the photographers can get bridal party and sometimes family portraits done before the wedding, and frees up more time during nicer light to be with the couple and for them to enjoy their cocktail hour if they please. I use this time to let them be them, and do not pose or direct them besides the initial setup. Here are a few things I do.
Equipment I pack/use most often:
Ceremony
This is a time where it is really nice to have two shooters, and I am going to assume that you were able to beg/bribe someone to help you out, so these tips are how to shoot a ceremony with two people.
Equipment I pack/use most often:
Family Portraits
Most of the time, now that I have my strobe, I will set up my strobe off to the corner, ready to go before the ceremony starts. This way, I will be able to get up and ready in a matter of seconds, and will often have my second shooter fetch it while I am getting people situated. Here is how I like to run my family portraits.
Equipment I pack/use:
Intimate and Romantic Portraits
This is my favorite part of the wedding. It allows me to be creative, and is often during the best light of the day. This is what you will be showcasing on your website, and what many couples will book because. There is too much to put into this blog post on posing ideas, but I will give a few tips.
Equipment I pack/use most often:
Reception
Going from the romantic session to the reception can be the most hectic time, especially if the couple goes right into the first dance after the grand entrance. I like to set up off camera lighting, so it is often a rush to do this. Just be aware of that.
Equipment I pack/use most often:
After the wedding
There are even steps after the wedding, and I am sure this blog post will look like the work afterwards is less, but it often works out to be at least double the time you spent at the wedding. We have established that you have an editing workflow in the beginning of this post, so I am not going to go over that. But here are some less-obvious tips.
I know there is MUCH, MUCH more to say for each category. I plan to continuously add to this post, and I will differentiate it by adding the date on each new bullet. If you have anything to add, leave a comment and I will try to work it into the post.
Filed under: Tips and Recommendations, Tips for photographers
]]>Well, without further ado, the photographs.
After the poster shot, a few girls asked to have their photo taken individually. Here are just 2 of the individual photos I did.
And a few options for the cover of the pageant book.
Thanks for looking!
Filed under: Photography
]]>Audrey and Brian tied the not on August 6th, 2011 and had a beautiful wedding, with the ceremony at USD’s Founders Chapel, and the reception at Park Manor . To reintroduce you to them, click on their engagement photo to see their engagement session.
Anyways, back to the wedding.
The day started out at Park Manor (also known as Inn at the Park) in Hillcrest where Audrey and her girls got ready for the big day.
The guys usually get ready much quicker than the ladies, and with much less fluff. I often have two or three times more photos of the ladies than the guys getting ready (if they choose to get any photos of them at all getting ready). Of course, the boys are still represented!
One of my favorite things as a photographer is when the couple work in a first look. This gives us a beautiful moment with the bride and groom, and allows the photographer (that is me in this case) to have more time to creatively pose the couple.Some first looks last longer than others, but that look on their face when they see each other for the first time is great!
I love Catholic weddings, partly because I love Catholic churches. Being a Catholic myself, I appreciate the structure of mass, the beauty of the buildings and architecture, and the general lack of cell phones (sometimes). As I mentioned previously, Brian and Audrey chose to get married in the Founders Chapel at University of San Diego, one of my favorite churches I have photographed.
One thing that I have tried to do to improve my photography is really focus on family formals. I have seen many photographers just go through the motions, and I am constantly doing my best to improve this section. To some couples, these may be the most important images from their wedding, with their closest friends and family to celebrate with them, so I am doing what I can to make those memories as good as possible.
That being said, the church made it quite easy for me, but with a bit of light from my strobe, I feel we produced a pretty nice result.
There are more with their family involved, but they look pretty similar to the one above, but with more people.
The young girl cracked me up in this next one, so she gets a full 3 photos dedicated to her.
And finally, the reception.
The light was BEAUTIFUL in this room, which made taking photos quite exciting.
I love taking my couples out during the reception to do a few more photos after everyone has loosed up a little. Since it was still quite early, we didnt do any nighttime shots, but still got some real fun images.
Also please enjoy the slideshow from Audrey and Brian’s wedding.
Thank you for looking!
Filed under: Photography, Weddings
]]>Recently I received an email from a friend who informed me that his camera was stolen and asked for my advice. He was looking at getting a new camera (Canon) and wanted to know what I recommended. Although I am sure he was only expecting a few lines saying – “get this camera, its a good one” I proceeded to break things down for him, giving him quite a few options, something I am sure he did not expect.
I have a confession to make – I love having new camera equipment. The gear does not make the photographer, and I completely agree, but I sure do love buying it and being able to give different looks to my images. In this blog post, I will be giving my opinion on equipment to use for weddings, which I feel would be a great read for those just starting out or looking for their new toy tool. Then I will talk about my camera bag, what is in it and why, and what is on my wishlist. I will also talk about some of my gear that I feel every photographer should have. So buckle your seatbelt (click it or ticket), because this is going to be a long one.
Wedding Photographers and the necessary equipment.
A few disclaimers before I get too detailed. First, this is just my opinion. There are photographers out there that can do amazing work with less, and those that can do poor work with more, but this I feel is a good “rule of thumb” so to speak. Second, I am a Canon shooter. I think Nikon makes great imaging equipment, and has some things that are better than Canon, but I will be talking about my experience and my knowledge base comes from Canon equipment.
I truly believe that something more important than the top of the line gear is knowledge of how to use that equipment. It is IMPERATIVE that the photographer knows the basics of the camera; this includes everything from shutter speed, ISO, aperture, AI Servo and One Shot focusing, the difference between spot, evaluative, and center weighted modes, how to use flash and manipulate your camera, knowledge of post processing and editing your images, the difference between Av, Tv and Manual mode, etc. You dont have to use everything listed here, but you should know how to use it all. Failing to do that will leave you ill-prepared for the challenges and diversity of shooting a wedding. Now that I have said my piece, here is the equipment which I will break down into categories.
Camera bodies: It is obviously important to have something to take photos with, and in my opinion (as all of this article is) is needs to be something with interchangeable lenses. I prefer the semi-pro/pro bodies, but even a couple of rebels can suffice when you are just starting out. Some things to keep in mind when buying a camera.
So what camera options are you looking at?
Canon Rebel: This is the cheapest option, and best if you are looking to add some nice glass to it. While this will get you started, it isn’t something I would consider using full time for too long. The smaller, cheaper made bodies are not nearly as rugged as the larger ones, and many of the features are somewhat crippled. They are much smaller and do not balance nearly as well as some of the larger cameras, but getting them with a vertical battery grip would be beneficial.
Canon 60d: In my opinion (and many others) this has turned into a “super rebel”. Basically everything I said above applies, with a slightly larger price tag and a few added features.
Canon 7d: I just bought a 7d to compliment my 5d2, and absolutely love it. It has a super fast auto focusing system, and quite advanced. The way the camera feels is great, and with a nearly 100% viewfinder, it makes it much easier to see your subject. It also has a wireless flash command unit built into the popup flash which is great if you need it in a pinch, and of course video mode. It has a burst rate of 8fps (which is really fast) and can put out some great images. It also uses the same battery as the 5d2, which works great for me.
Canon 5d Mark II (5d2): What a beast of a camera, and I absolutely love mine. 21 megapixels, video mode, full frame censor which allows better color, more shallow depth of field, and great high ISO noise rendition (I often use 6400 without thinking twice), this is one of the best wedding cameras out there. Of course, it does have its flaws. Using a nearly archaic focusing system (especially compared to the 7d), achieving focus can be difficult. Also, using those large file sizes will fill up your hard drive, fast! And of course the price tag that comes with it, and the fact that you can no longer buy/use EF-S lenses with it somewhat limit your options, and is a big step when upgrading to buy all new lenses. If you are planning on buying this camera, plan so from the beginning so you do not have to re-buy all of your lenses.
Lenses:
Now that we have your camera body figured out, lets look into some necessary lenses. This obviously can change, but I feel it is the duty of the photographer to cover as big of a range they can, preferably covering from 16mm-200mm (full frame equivalent). Personally, I cover 15mm (fisheye, and then 16mm with my Tokina 11-16) to 320mm (with my 70-200mm on my 7d). I think it is my duty as a wedding photographer to be able to shoot when the lights are low, which is why I do not recommend variable aperture lenses (ones that change your f stop when you zoom) or anything slower than a f/2.8 lens as your main lenses. I will go over the gear I use in the next section and why I use that gear in particular.
So which lenses/ranges are a must? In order of importance: (I am only listing a few Canon lenses. There are third party lenses that are more affordable, but lack things like image quality and focusing speed/accuracy. I will mainly be posting Canon lenses
Normal Zoom lens: This will be your bread and butter lens. It can get you things from wide shots, formal shots, dancing, etc. A full time pro could most certainly shoot an entire wedding on this lens (not that they would absolutely want to, but it is doable). I prefer to use lenses at least f2.8, but you can do it with f4 and some good flash technique.
Canon 24-70mm f2.8L
Canon 24-105 f4L IS
Canon 17-55mm f2.8L IS (Crop sensor only – great focal length to match up similarly to the 24-70mm)
Telephoto Zoom lens: This will get you places your feet cannot. Close up shots at the ceremony, great candid expressions and wonderful background separation.
Canon 70-200mm – there are many versions with different price tags, but as I have been saying all along I prefer f2.8, IS is a plus.
Edit: I just bought a the 70-200mm f2.8 IS II and it is AMAZING. Before when I said IS is a plus was right, but after using it more, I find the lens is severely crippled without IS. Not to mention how sharp this lens is, wow! If you can afford it, go for it!
Flash
Still to come
Wide Angle Lens: Sometime the group is too big to get everyone in with 24mm. These are some popular options.
Canon 17-40mm f4L
Canon 16-35mm f2.8L
Canon 10-22mm
Tokina 11-16mm f2.8
Macro
Still to come
Primes: Primes go from wide to telephoto, and of course there will be more than I list here, but these are some popular ones, most I have had experience with.
Canon 24mm f1.4L I’ve heard great things, but 24 is a bit too wide for my shooting style.
Canon 28mm f1.8 I own it, and its a good lens, but it now sits in my backup bag, waiting to be sold.
Canon 35mm f1.4L Amazing lens. 99% of my dancing shots come from this lens, and it does great for getting ready too.
Canon 50mm f1.8 This is an affordable prime that will be the first prime for many people. I do not find it reliable enough for wedding work, seeing that at my first wedding, it broke and would not even allow me to manual focus.
Canon 50mm f1.4 Good lens, but I was worried about the build quality. So I bought the L
Canon 50mm f1.2L Great lens, and I could probably shoot an entire wedding with it if I had to. If I had the choice of 2 lenses though, they would be the 35mm and my new 70-200mm
Canon 85mm f1.8 Great little lens – sharp, focuses quick, light and doesnt take a lot of room in the bag.
Canon 85mm f1.2L I dont own this, but it is a great lens. That being said, I dont feel the need to sell my 1.8 to buy this.
Canon 135 f2L Great lens, and is my go-to for dark ceremonies and speeches throughout the night. It can create some magical images,
Canon 200mm f2.8 A lower priced option for a longer lens. Although I havent used it, I have heard good things about it.
Obviously I am still in the process of writing this blog, and will update it as soon as I can.
Filed under: Tips for photographers
]]>When I got there, I was told I was basically going to be doing some grip and grin photos (smiling while looking at the camera, publicity shot kind of things).
I was then approached and asked if I had another camera that I could lend to one of the crew at the field so they can take some photos, when I responded, “Can’t I just take the photos?” Little did I know what I was volunteering for.
He responded, let me check, and asked the pilot if he minded if I went up with him to take some photos – up in the air! Although I didn’t know that I was asking to do that, I was all for it, and jumped at the chance to fly.
Here was the plane I got to fly in, a T-6.
And my flying quarters
My previous job site – a little different view, with a little different job description
And finally, some of the good stuff!
Thanks for looking!
Filed under: Photography
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