More Than Centerpieces Thursday, March 11, 2010

This photo and its accompanying blog post made my day. It's from one of my favorite photographers, Ryan Brenizer.

Mr. Brenizer is a wonderful wedding photographer based in New York. I found him on Flickr a while back and have read his blog for a couple years (as well as his photography column for Amazon.com). One of the things he does best is capture unscripted moments, often the wackiest ones.

I believe many wedding photographers fall into the trap of shooting the same moments over and over again, in the same way, at every wedding. It's easy to do -- there is a sameness to weddings, after all -- and a mediocre photographer could probably make a living out of it.

One of the reasons Ryan is so great is that he consistently rises above that. This glimpse into his photographic thought process is helpful for photographers and brides alike:


Photos like these are why I am a “moment junkie.” This is a cheerful hug between the bride, her father, and her grandfather, right after Viviana and her grandfather had a featured dance. Is it envelope-pushing art? No. Is it a picture that will have meaning for Viviana for the rest of her life? I’d imagine so. Let’s not forget that weddings are about moments like these more than centerpieces.

Chicago! Monday, January 18, 2010

Today I got an email showing that our engagement portraits were up. This is an email I'd been simultaneously dreading and looking forward to since the session last month. I waited for FH to sit with me and we looked at them together.

The verdict? Pretty good! Of the 90 shots given to us after our session, we marked half of them as our favorites. I'm not sure what we'll do with these shots. I plan to put at least one or two on our wedding webpage, and I'm going to order a print or two to display at our rehearsal dinner.

Three favorites from the photographer's blog:

 

 We very much enjoyed the snow! It was unbelievably fluffy and fun to walk on. Here's a shot of me gleefully kicking some snow towards FH. Take that!

 

There are more great shots, but I'm limited to showing the ones from the blog at the moment -- the rest are watermarked and on the photo-viewing page.

After I saw these, I said to David, "Wow, I sure look as though I love you very much!" It's nice to see so many shots of me looking adoringly at my future husband. It felt weird to see pictures of us kissing! And I am still disappointed that I never found the right coat. There are a few shots of me with the coat open (before I got too cold), and I like them -- it's like, "Hey, I have a shape under there!" Oh well. It was all I had. I am very happy that I was able to let it go and relax -- I think it shows in the pictures.

So that's the story of our engagement photos! As soon as I get some more blog-worthy images, I'll post them. I can't wait to show you the shots of our "snow dance!"

Engagement shoot redux. Monday, December 28, 2009

So we've recently come back from our engagement photoshoot in Chicago. Our photographers were every bit as wonderful in person as I anticipated, and it was fun to work with them. I loved the city, and we had a wonderful trip. We even stopped in Memphis on the way back and saw some museums.

I don't plan on using the photos for much; I hope to have a couple of shots for our wedding website, maybe one to frame in the house, one to display at the rehearsal dinner... and that's probably it. But coming away from the shoot I was worried about several things.

I never really found a coat to fit me. I kept ordering coats, but I have a lot of returns to process -- nothing worked. After we got to Chicago, a city where a stylish coat is practically mandatory, I found that there were many, many choices in my size -- but by the time I arrived, they were all gone. :( I ended up wearing my own camel colored pea coat, which only looks good open. But it was so cold that I had to close it, which means it looked weird.

I ended up having to wear my hat, which I purchased and didn't really intend to wear. A snowstorm that wasn't in the forecast ended up making things very cold and very wet -- and in several of the shots, I ended up wearing this little funny hat. I do not wear hats. I wish I had spent more time thinking about my accessories!

The aforementioned snow meant that we got very little pictures of my makeup & hair which I had worked hard on.

The good news: I was not worried about any of this during the shoot, which is great -- an uncomfortable subject ruins the shot, no matter how stylish! I imagine we got some good shots of us playing in the snow. We had a great time and FH insists that my little hat is adorable. (?)

Because I love blogging so much, and am so confident in my low readership, I'll post this picture of me, taken during our engagement shoot! While walking around, we spied this spectacular snowman and I asked FH to take a picture of it with his cameraphone. My students had just learned a song about snowmen, but most of them have never seen one! He even has a real carrot for a nose. This is down by the Chicago River, where it was super cold and windy!



There's nothing to do but wait & see... but I do wish I was better prepared. Oh well!

A trip, a photoshoot, and a deadline Thursday, December 17, 2009

It's almost time for us to leave for Chicago and I'm super excited. This week, I decided to tackle several things (maybe too many!).

I decided to meet with the last few vendors I can before the holidays. It has just hit me that our six month countdown is fast approaching. I figure many girls will be getting engaged over Christmas and New Years' (like I was) and will want to plan their summer weddings! I decided I'd better get on it and met this week with both a wedding planner and an officiant.

Also, and perhaps more immediately, I needed to figure out what makeup I'll be wearing. Lately my skin hasn't been looking so good; ever since I quit using Mary Kay skincare about two years ago, it just hasn't been as bright and has been full of blemishes. After a few disastrous trips to the MAC store and to Sephora, I finally settled on a combination that, in a few short days, has made my skin look better than it has in years.

My face was looking ashy in pictures, and it turns out that my super-dry skin wasn't being exfoliated enough. I also needed some photo-worthy foundation with a fair amount of coverage.

I wash with Dr. Susan Taylor's RX for Brown Skin, the "Bright & Even" wash. I tried it years ago, but it was a sample and I couldn't afford it then. When the Sephora consultant suggested exfoliation, I thought of it right away. The cleanser is about $25 and it's definitely worth it! I only use it in the morning; too much exfoliation can bother your skin.

The moisturizer in this line just isn't enough for me, so I use L'Occitane's Ultra Rich Face Cream, but only once, in the morning (because at night it's just too heavy to sleep in). FH remarked right away how much softer my face felt. How nice!

For makeup, I use the highly recommended combination of the Smashbox Photofinish Primer (colorless) and Makeup Forever's HD foundation in shade 175.

At night, I use a drugstore-brand facial wipes with a light moisturizer.

I could have added a concealer and some other stuff, but I'm just not worried about it -- I don't expect too many close-ups from our photographer, and to me it's more important to take care of what's under the makeup before worrying about anything else. At the very least, I am getting my skin in shape for the big day!

Other than the makeup drama, I'm just packing like crazy and looking forward to a great time in the very Windy City!

But what will I wear? Wednesday, December 2, 2009

Ever since we hired our photographer, who is based in Chicago, I have really gotten more interested in the city. I've always loved big cities and the allure they hold; the convergence of people & culture... and I'm excited to visit a place I've only heard about in near-mythical terms.

Well, I'll get my chance -- in about three weeks, we're having our engagement pictures done - in Chicago! The area I live in (Dallas) is no slouch in the "city" department, but it will be so much fun to visit a new place. We'll be having our pictures done somewhere downtown, which I imagine will be decorated beautifully for the holidays. It might even be snowing!

Since FH has ties to the area (he went to grad school there) and I am just excited in general, we've decided to make a little vacation of it. We've planned a couple of activities to do and hope to hang around and see how the locals do it. So many things to plan: hotels to book, plane tickets, what to do with the cats while we're away, booking a pre-photoshoot hair appointment, figuring out WHAT TO WEAR.

I am someone who gets *very* cold, so being cute while freezing is just not on my agenda. I have to come up with some way to be stylish and photogenic while keeping warm. Since I'm in the market for a new coat anyway, I might as well incorporate it into my look!

I have a couple of inspirations. One is this lovely engagement-in-the-snow portrait (plenty more beautiful shots where these came from):

I love the white coat in the snow. Of course, part of the drama of this shot is the falling snow, which I have no idea whether we can replicate. But she looks nice. Here's another, more dramatic shot (different couple, different photographer):


Yesterday, I found this paparazzi photo from jezebel.com:


I like this look very much. While I don't think I want my fiance to attack my ear to buy a printed coat, I love the casual structure of this look, the way the scarf fits, the sleek gloves. It helps that I love her hair as well. This is a good example of how I'd like to look... but without the ear-biting guy, thanks.

So, now I need a coat. I love the look of a light color, because I know photographically I'll just disappear in black. I fell for this Old Navy coat. It was perfect: a good length, some waist definition, the little pockets, the fabric across the back... but when it arrived it wasn't nearly as flattering as it appeared.




The length was all wrong (it fell halfway between my calves & my ankles), the waist was too high, the sleeves didn't fit. I ordered two sizes; one was too small, and one was too big. Back to square one!

I found this military coat at DrJays.com, which bills itself as an "urban" clothing store:


Not sure if it's what I'm after, since it only comes in black. But I love the cut & the length. There's certainly plenty of structure there! I also love that Dr. Jays' plus size section features one model, and it tells you what size she's wearing in the picture. So helpful!

Then I found Avenue.com, which features Jessica London coats. Jackpot! My three favorites:



My only complaint is the length. I'm not nearly as tall as these models! Of these three, my favorite is the walking coat (shown in camel; I'd get gray), with the tweed coat a close second. I love those open necklines!

For accessories, I'm thinking some pretty drop earrings, a scarf in a beautiful face framing color (maybe a dark pink, to go with the gray coat and my brown-ish hair) & gloves. Add my jeans & a sweater, and I'll be set!

How much thought did you put into your engagement portrait outfit?

In Front of My Face Sunday, October 4, 2009

So finding a photogapher became a full time job. I started scouring websites, posting in message boards, looking for recommendations. I had one "dream photographer" in the DFW area, but I thought he was way too expensive. Once I had my unfortunate epiphany, I found a way to afford him... but by then he was booked. So, back to the drawing board.

And what kind of wedding will we be having? I asked myself this repeatedly as Jessica Claire's words rang in my head.

• Style: I imagine our wedding to be timeless & classic. We're not using a lot of "trendy" ideas or superfluous stuff. Okay, that's easy.
• We are not a particularly "wacky" couple... so someone who focuses on capturing wild and unexpected moments probably isn't for us.
  
• Time of day & location: Well, it's Dallas in the summer, so our wedding is indoors. This would eliminate anyone who does primarily outdoor, sunset, California-style weddings (or those featured on the wedding blogs lately... when are they going to stop with all the outdoor weddings!).
  

What do my instincts say? I realized that I react most to beautiful, classic images taken with film; black & white images capturing emotion, moments with family & friends, private moments between couples, fine art-style detail shots of dresses and veils and other details.

I came up with a rating system that helped me sort based on personality, technical know-how, customer service, and a few other things. But pretty quickly it came down to one thing: feeling.

I had to see images so good that I wanted to go back to them again & again. They had to be good enough for me to feel something every single time, to say, "Oh, how cute!" instead of "nice lighting." An absence of gimmicks, overprocessing, or images that were technically brilliant but lifeless. The images needed to tell the story of the day and give me a sense of who the couple is, and make me react, again and again.

But who? Whose images do I keep looking at? And it turns out the answer was right in front of me. There's a blog I subscribe to that has beautiful images. Every time this photographer posts a new wedding, I always take time out to stop and look at the slideshow, or at the pictures, or whatever. I consistently loved them. But I never thought of him for our wedding. He's too far away! Too expensive! And besides, he's like a celebrity to me, someone whose work I've studied and loved for two years or so.

Eventually, I got over myself and dared to click over to his pricing page. Hey, it was in our budget! And he's not as far away as I thought! I sent an inquiry for availability, and while I waited, I looked at the images repeatedly and in-depth. It seemed perfect. Plus, his artistic style meant that FH was on board, too.

Two days later, I got word -- he's available! The past week has been spent with emails back & forth, spreadsheet calculations, telephone consultations, and finally, we submitted our package request and are waiting for the final contract. Success!

I'll make a formal announcement and introduction when it gets closer to the wedding. I can't wait! I can't believe the answer was in front of me the whole time!

Photographers, Seeking Same Tuesday, September 29, 2009

Knowing that I was looking at photographers in a different way than most brides, I decided to quit looking at endless websites & photographers' blogs and just think about what I wanted from this particular vendor. And who better to listen to than someone who's already faced this dilemma?

Wedding photographers! And this week, I've been listening more closely than ever. As I continue with this drama (not much happening at the moment, just in between meetings & phone calls, and evaluating portfolios), here's what's been ringing in my head:

"I don't believe [that] every photographer (or any photographer) is the best at everything. I think that certain people are the best at specific things, and Jose [Villa] is the best at the particular kind of wedding that Jeff and I are going to be having." - Jessica Claire

Hmm. What kind of wedding are we having? Better answer this one, quick.

"My priorities for a wedding photographer were [...] that I be able to look at the wedding photos and know undoubtedly that he/she did the best job with our day that could be done..." - Jessica Claire

No pressure, right??

"On my wedding day itself, I want the day to just unfold organically and I want to remember the story and all of the little stories that make up the big story. I want to see moments in my pictures that maybe I wasn’t even present for and I want to be able to relive the way the day felt. So, knowing this I knew that I wanted to go with someone who is a photojournalist…someone who can tell a story with an image…someone who can create images that say more than what is at first obvious to the viewer. Images that make you want to look a little deeper and stare a little longer." - Justine Ungaro

This one I'd already considered... one of my long-standing marks of a good photographer is that his/her images make me cry, even when I don't know the people in them.

I needed to do some soul-searching, think long & hard about how I want our wedding to be remembered, and fast.

*Photo of Justine Ungaro on her wedding day by Greg Gibson

First Bout of Wedding Anguish Monday, September 28, 2009

Hey, what's a blog without a little drama, right? Well, for the past week, I've had plenty of internal drama.

So I'm a photographer, and I've been informally studying photography for years. For the past two, I've been seriously into wedding photography. If there's a top name out there, I know it.

But since I can't afford those top names, I started looking for a local & affordable photographer the minute I got engaged. After seven months, I found one. I met him, he was nice, and I booked him.

Sure, there were some shots that needed better lighting. Sure, I would need to process some of the shots. And maybe some of them should have been in black & white. But it's okay. He's been in lots of magazines. He's world class. He gets good reviews! And besides, I don't need any of those high-class photographers. What would they do with someone like me, anyway?

This conversation went on in my head for weeks. The truth is, for some strange reason, I was totally intimidated by the idea of hiring one of the best. They kind of scared me. And I was somehow unable to fully admit how incredibly important photography is to me. I just didn't want to face up to it -- the wedding is one event, over in one day, and every decision counts. Especially this one.

Once the original photog cashed my check, it really hit the fan. I started seeing his blog posts, and the photography has actually gotten worse. Technical issues galore, allowing strange people to second-shoot... it was awful. Finally, after one weekend looking at wedding photog's sites and thinking, "Wow, I'll never get a shot like that from _____," it was time to make a choice.

And I've decided to fire my photographer. I feel awful... we'll be walking away from our 25% deposit (and I hope we don't owe anymore), and I feel terrible that my lack of self-esteem and poor judgment led to such a money- and time-wasting decision. But at least it's not at the expense of my wedding photos.

I also want to add that this guy is a wonderful photographer, for many happy clients a year. But just not me. I've realized that I want a style of photography that he just doesn't offer, and my technical picky-ness isn't a reflection of his talent. But in order for me to be happy, I have to move in a different direction.

Making that decision gave me the most peace I've felt in weeks.

And now we start again...!

I never thought I'd... Wednesday, July 1, 2009

When I started out with this whole wedding planning thing, there are some things I didn't allow myself to dream about. I spent today's wedding planning session actively considering two of them: professional lighting and videography.

I grew up looking at my mom's wedding pictures, and ever since I was little, I always marveled at how beautiful she looked and how young she was. My mom looks great at any age, but she just looked so bridal. It's amazing! The photos are even more important now since my father passed away.

It sounds far reaching, but often when I think of my wedding I think of how it will look in 30 years, when my husband & I can barely remember trying to choose a dress or a venue or a shade of pink, when our kids are grown and showing these photos to our grandchildren. "Look at those weird clothes!" the kids will say. "Look how young they look!" And we will look at each other and wonder how on earth we were ever so young! And look how naïve we were, taking those vows! So optimistic! So unblemished!

Thinking of my wedding in these terms makes me acutely aware of the moments we're creating, and how fleeting they are. So of course, I'm in the perfect position to be suckered by a Super8 video.

This one seems particularly poignant; I can imagine them treasuring for years the sound of their voices as they take their vows and then walk back down the aisle. They sound so young! Their choice of song is especially effective.

I don't know that I can work this into my budget, which makes me a little sad. I do plan to put together a musical slideshow of my favorite wedding photos. Will it have the same effect? Hm.

Push Me, Pull You Friday, June 12, 2009

I've been a little agitated because negotiations with our intended venue seem to be a bust. Each time we talk with them, we end up with more questions than answers. We love this place and want to make it work for us.

So I jumped online to look at some backup options (being prepared to walk away, whether you state it or not, is always a good bargaining chip) and found some great ideas, and then got sidetracked by--what else?--wedding photography.

I remembered what I always promised I'd do while planning my wedding, and that is to focus on what the wedding is all about. As long as our guests are happy, and we're happy, and there's good music, good food, and good photography, what else matters? It could be in a barn or in the rain and as long as we have these things, it will be a wonderful & memorable wedding.

Here is the shot that helped me remember that (taken while the bride says good-night to her mom):

How Sweet...

How sweet is this engagement shoot from photographer Jonathan Canlas?

Been There, Done That: Brides' Advice Thursday, April 30, 2009

I love that photographer Samantha Warren asks her clients to offer advice to future brides. In her column "Bride's Side," Warren has collected quotes & interviews from brides on what they'd do differently. Notable quotes:

Detail that was worth it: The placement settings were a huge hit! Female guests found their table by picking up a paper Eiffel Tower with their name on a heart at the top. The guys were thrilled with the silver, black, blue, or white matchbox cars that bore their names. They were like little boys when describing the car they received, or traded for, or even stole from a friend at their table: “I'm not a PT Cruiser, I'm a '69 GTO!” --Andrea & Cory, 2/14/09


What I wish someone had told me about getting married was that you will feel every emotion possible, from feeling overjoyed to overwhelmed, to excited to fed up! This comes from something else that I didn’t realize—that everyone has an opinion about what you should do, but if you are lucky they will help you stay true to what really is important to you. While it is very important to do what makes you happy, please do not ignore logic! --Diana & Jason, 6/20/08

Prepare for the rehearsal dinner well in advance. Giving yourself plenty of time to plan your ceremony and reception is obvious - giving yourself plenty of time to select the right gifts, wrap them and write heartfelt cards for your closest friends and family is much easier to overlook. I was 30 minutes late for our rehearsal dinner because time ran out and ended up writing all the thank you notes when we returned from the rehearsal. I would not recommend this strategy. --Stephanie & Bryan, 5/10/08

Sometimes, the best moments are ones you didn't see coming. At our wedding, we requested a specific last song that had meaning to us. In the middle of that song, all of our guests gathered around, tears flowing and there was a spontaneous, emotional group hug. Jimmy and I did not see it coming (could never have planned that) and we still get teary thinking about it; that song gives us chills now and is extra special to us. It is our favorite moment of the day. --Kristina & Jimmy, 5/24/08

Yes! More from Bershan & David's Wedding Monday, April 27, 2009

I love it when a bride takes something traditional and steps it up a little--this is certainly the case with Bershan & David's wedding! My most favorite creative element was the ceremony arbor--I've never seen anything like it. Enjoy!

I love Bershan's dress. It's not something I'd pick for myself, but without even knowing Bershan I'd say it seems to fit her personality. At the end of the night, she changed into another beautiful gown:

All photos, of course, by the amazing Justine Ungaro. Check her blog to see more of Bershan & David, and see all the movers & shakers present at their wedding!

Wedding Wednesdays Wednesday, April 8, 2009

Before I got engaged, my photography career was a great excuse to look at beautiful wedding photos! Now I can openly look at all the wedding eye-candy I want, and I'm lucky enough to have the chance to share with my readers.

Every Wednesday, I'll be featuring a beautifully photographed wedding for your enjoyment. I'll be giving special preference to the weddings of African Americans, minorities, plus-size brides, gays/lesbians, and others not represented in mainstream bridal media. Photography counts! I love to see a wedding where the pictures are clear, gorgeous, and full of emotion!

This week features the wedding of Sonya & Janssen of Washington D.C., photographed by the incredibly talented Kate Headley. The group shot is featured in the Spring 2009 issue of Martha Stewart Weddings.

As with all beautiful weddings, the details are wonderful. I especially love the use of color, from the bridesmaids' orange shoes to Sonya's own purple sweater, which she wore for some of the outdoor photos.