This wedding had it all! A beautiful Joplin church venue, a fabulously decorated reception at Downstream Casino, party buses, suspended cakes, epic speeches, the list goes on. But above all, we got to capture it all for our friends Lucretia & Taylor! Enjoy!
The Williams Wedding is coming to the blog next week! Get excited!!!
Trips to Northwest Arkansas always bring me great joy, but getting to spend the day with such good people like Lindsay and Greg and their families just made it that much better. They definitely got our 2015 wedding season started off right! Here are a few of my favorites from their big day!
One more share today!
"All the single ladies, all the single ladies..." More photos from Lucretia + Taylor's May Wedding will be up on the blog very soon! Stay tuned!
We are soooo excited to start going through and editing these pictures from Lindsay & Greg's Fayetteville wedding! More to come soon! Subscribe below to see the full album when it hits the website!
Here are a few of our favorites from Allison & Jessy's Engagement 'Shoot @ KU!
Allison & Jessy's KU Engagement Shoot is coming to the blog very soon! Subscribe below to see more!
A few of our favorites from Sage & Gabe's engagement-'shoot!
Here are a few of my favorites from Kaitlin & Jake's Engagement photo-shoot!
So, your engagement photo session is fast approaching. Maybe you're a little nervous or don't quite know what to expect. You don't know what to wear....You're not good at taking photos...You've never done this before...We know all the concerns you have! Rest easy. This list of tips for your engagement photo shoot will have you prepared to make a gorgeous engagement album that will last a lifetime!
Tip #1: Be Yourself
As your photographer, I want to capture the essence of you as a couple. The only way for that to happen is for you to relax and act natural. Talk to each other, laugh, hug and kiss, whisper sweet nothings :) , so on and and so forth. I always tell my couples not to look at the camera unless I tell them to. Many couples feel the need to pose, or hold in one spot. As your photographer, I will put you in the spot I want you, give you some direction, and start taking pictures. You shouldn't feel like you need to hold that one pose for the camera, or be perfectly still, or keep the same facial expression. Be yourselves! It will come through in pictures.
Tip #2: What to Wear
This is the question that I get asked most often by couples. First, I recommend at least one outfit change, even it is as simple as throwing on a different shirt. This will create some diversity in your engagement collection. I recommend one outfit that is a little bit fun that captures your personality, and one a little more dressy. Next, be true to your style and don't overdo it. Inspiration and style ideas are easy to come by these days with sites like Pinterest as well as many different wedding and fashion magazines. As a couple, don't try to match your outfits too much, but just make sure that you color coordinate and your outfit choices do go together.
Tip #3: Engagement Photos Are a Must!
You need to get engagement photos, and you need to have them done by the photographer who will be shooting your wedding, and probably not for the reasons you're thinking. The engagement photo session is actually an intrical part of having your wedding day go smoothly. This is the perfect time to get to know your photographer, establish a report, get comfortable with him/her, allow them to find out your likes and dislikes. Many photographers will not even shoot a wedding without having done the engagement shoot. That shows just how important it is to photographers. It should be equally as important to you as a client to get to know your photographer and establish a good working relationship before your wedding!
Here are a few of our favorites from Allison & Travis' engagement shoot. Enjoy!
Once again we were given another awesome day for an engagement 'shoot! Here are a few from Kaitlin and Jake's Session! More coming this week!
In a traditional wedding format, the first time Bride and Groom lay eyes on each other is when the bride comes down the aisle. There is a popular trend going on in weddings called a "First Look", or reveal. A first look is a scenario staged by the photographer for the bride and groom to see each other before the ceremony.
There are several benefits to going with a 'first look' as opposed to traditional format.
1. The intimate moment that they share before the wedding, seeing each other for the first time, is shared by them and them alone, as opposed to a traditional wedding, where you are sharing your moment with your guests.
2. The 'first look' occurs in a controlled environment with out all the bells and whistles and formality of the bride coming down the aisle. This usually makes for better pictures of them seeing each other for the first time. Many people choose to have their first look in the sanctuary, but another advantage of the first look is that it doesn't have to be where you are getting married. If there is a prettier location that you had in mind, that will just add life to your wedding album.
3. If you go with the traditional format and don't opt for the first look, most of your pictures are going to be after the ceremony. This can eat up a lot of time that you would probably rather be spending with your guests. A first look provides the opportunity to get as many pictures as possible out of the way before the ceremony begins.
Lastly, many who decide to go the traditional route and opt out of the first look tend to have the mindset that the moment is somehow less special because it wasn't in front of all your guests, or that you have somehow ruined the sanctity or tradition of the wedding day. I disagree with that 100%. The first look is an amazing, special, and intimate moment that you and your significant other can share alone and takes nothing away from your wedding. I would love to know what you think! Drop a line below!
It was beautiful early March day for some engagement photos! We took Allison & Travis to a couple spots here in Webb City. Here is a small preview. Stay tuned to the blog for more pictures this week!
It's been a long wedding day to kick off our 2015 spring season! Donya & Bradley were the perfect couple to get us started off on the right foot. As I was going through my uploads from camera to computer, as I often do after a wedding, I was looking for an image to share before I call it a night. When I saw this picture of Bradley in the sanctuary before the wedding, It dawned on me that we don't show nearly enough love to our grooms. Plus, I really like this picture! He's so ready to get married, wedding game face and all! There are so many more pictures I can't wait to share in the coming days, but for now, here it is...Mr. Moll!
Ok, you did it! You're engaged! Now it's time to get to work, and choosing your vendors can be a daunting task. But there are things you can do, and important steps to follow so that you don't get overwhelmed. Follow these 4 steps to finding the perfect wedding photographer....for you!
Tip 2: Budget
This one seems simple, but there are many factors to consider before just slapping a random figure on what you are willing to spend. A good wedding photographer is going to run you anywhere between $1,000 and $10,000 depending on a number of factors. You should be aware of what it is you are paying for and what is important to you. Some factors to consider... How long will the photographer be at your wedding? Will he/she be working with an assistant? How many proofs will you be getting back, and what form will they be in? Will you be getting digital copies of all your photos or will they come in a hard copy? Do you get all of the photos back or just some? These factors and many others are important to consider when setting your budget. They say you get what you pay for , so do your research!
Tip 1: Finding Your Style
This is definitely one of the most important choices you have to make. Do you prefer more posed shots, or candid shots? Are you partial to an artistic look and feel, or more traditional? These and many others are the questions you need to be asking yourself to find out what you like. We all have different preferences, and it's very important that you find yours early on.
Tip 3: Personality
You should think of finding your wedding photographer like hiring a new employee for the company you work for. You wouldn't hire someone that you just didn't mesh with. Taking phenomenal photos is just not enough. You need to get along and have a good report with your photographer at your wedding. Speaking with the photographer in person is an excellent start. If you are impressed with a photographer, read some of their reviews online either confirm or deny your inclinations about your potential photographer.
Tip 4: Be Thorough
There is nothing wrong with booking the first photographer that you interview. That being said, always make sure you have enough information to make an informed decision. If you know he/she is the one, then that's the end of it. Hire them, and be confident in that. But, by the time you make that decision, at a minimum, you should have scoured the internet looking at different photographers, their styles, and price points to know what you are getting into before you sign the wedding contract.
My 85 mm Canon lens has proven to be my favorite over the years for a number of reasons. While not nearly the most versatile, it has always been the most reliable in terms of wow factor, and churning out 'portfolio worthy' images. If you are into portraits, you must own an 85 mm! One awesome factor not mentioned below is that Canon offers a couple different pricing options for it's 85 mm lineup. If you don't want to fork over the big bucks for it's 'L' quality 85 (shown below), they do offer a more affordable option around $300.
1. Proximity - This lens is not too short, and not too long, meaning it doesn't require you to get to close or far away from your subject. Of course this is only important relative to the space you are shooting in (indoors).
2. Lack of Distortion - When using a prime lens like an 85 mm, the proportions of your subject will be nearly exact, unlike when using a wide angle which adds some distortion to your portraits.
3. Bokeh - This is the effect giving you those dreamy blurry backgrounds. Helps you isolate your subject, as well as work in low light.
4. Perspective - You don't have to worry as much about the composition of your shot with the 85 because it keeps the focus on your subject. Unlike a wide angle lens where often times the background is brought into the shot.
5. Versatility - An 85 mm doesn't have to be for just portraits. It can be used in a variety of situations where you don't want/need to get close to your subject.
We used some free time this past weekend to get away for a little R&R before the big wedding season starts back up again. I decided to take my son Tyson for some father/son skiing and snowboarding out at Loveland Ski Resort in Colorado. In April we start an 8 week stretch of weddings with no breaks in between, so free time will soon be at a minimum! All of the footage seen here was shot on a GoPro and extender pole! Happy Viewing!
