keep on bloggin' on . . .

In one of my latest attempts at becoming secure with the answers to how should I be marketing my business?, I almost gave up this blog. It was a bittersweet thought, because it has so hugely and importantly become such a large part of my business, and for so long it WAS my business . . . the feedback was constant and plentiful, and I didn’t even have a website. My clients got to know everything they ever wanted to know about me, my business, and much, much more because of this blog. Fast forward to the Facebook scene. Fast forward even further to when we realized how amazing Facebook was for marketing our work, and sharing photos not only with our clients who were anxious to see a sneak peek, but their friends and families as well. I wasn’t sure that it made sense to keep on blogging, when people seemed to be spending their mornings leisurely scrolling their News Feed instead of their Google Reader. I hesitated, because I enjoy sharing more of myself than the few lines that Facebook gives me. I swayed, because coming up with blog topics aside from showcasing weddings became harder and harder as I became so accustomed to those one-liners, and my personal life became busier and busier. And it seemed the only thing I was making the time to blog about was what I was going to blog about. And as much as I appreciate my mom’s endearing comments on how proud of me she is at the end of each blog post, I wanted to be sharing my work with people in a place where I could reach them, day in and day out, and get feedback almost immediately. When my beautiful bride from this past weekend walked me out to say goodbye late Saturday evening, in the midst of sharing a million thoughts with one another about her wedding, her photographs, and how amazing their honeymoon in Maui will be, it slipped somewhere that she still read my blog. You still read that thing? I asked her, a bit incredulously. I’ve been thinking of giving it up. I explained my reasons, of reading a blog versus browsing social media, and finding the time to do both if one simply didn't have an audience anymore. She shook her head furiously at me. No, no, no, do not give it up. I understand what you’re saying, but do not give it up. It’s how your clients get to know you. It’s what makes you real. And that’s all I needed to hear, almost 6 years after my very first post, that the reason I started it is the reason it is still being read. So I’m going to keep on bloggin’ on. I’m sure at some point it may seem more obvious than it is now that it isn’t reaching others the way other internet shenanigans can and will, with social media and all of the what-have-yous of technology. But today, I’m going to blog. And tomorrow, I’m going to blog. And I’m going to share myself with my clients, because that’s just what I do. And now you get to keep reading about these beautiful Montana weddings I get to be a part of, and how my daughters are going to have a sister or brother next year, and how Fall is my favorite time of year, and how much I continue to love, love, love that evening sunlight. So thank you, beautiful Katie, for your insight, for reading, and for sharing with me. If my blog is important to just one of my clients, it is worth keeping . . .

it's all in the details: fresh designs bouquets

One of my very best friends, Angela, created some masterpieces this summer with her glorious bouquets. My brides were elated . . . you simply can't beat what the color and texture of what Angela's flowers add to your wedding day! I'm a girl who is a sucker for pink, so I LOVED Claire's bouquet and all of the greenery added to the peonies. Perfect for a midsummer's day! Brittany's wedding flowers were centered around lots of succulents - they were simply breathtaking! Kate and her girls held bouquets of ivory and green, which perfectly complemented the brighter colors they had in their shoes and jewelry. Very vintage-modern! And Rachel's bouquet was an end-of-summer dream . . . the colors transitioned beautifully from the "pop-of-summer" feel to the warm tones of fall. Many more photos to come from each of the gorgeous weddings!

claire + ted: june 29, 2012

Claire and Ted were such a wonderful, laid-back couple! They got married at Big Sky Resort the end of June, on a breezy day with dramatic skies, a gorgeous sunset and surrounded by family and friends. It doesn't get any better than that! Claire and Ted, thank you for allowing me to share this very fabulous day with you both!

'tis the season: holiday family portraits!

It's a bit hard to believe, but the seasons, they are a changing! This is actually my favorite time of year . . . growing up in upstate New York spoiled me with the absurd amount of apple trees, orchards, pumpkin patches, blood-red maple trees, and sunshine in October. We have almost all of that in Montana, so no complaints on my part. Fall remains my favorite season, and I want to share it with you, giving you just what you need for a handful of beautiful family photographs to share on your holiday greeting cards! You can be smiling and relaxed . . . You can be goofy . . . You can throw your kids in the air . . . You can even bring your furry friend . . . And I promise to catch one of the two of you as a couple, as long as you promise not to make any comments like "oh, we have to pretend we like each other?" I hear that too much, and it's a bit sad. Sessions this year will be somewhat of a mini-session, meaning held in one location, one outfit (unless Junior has a blowout!), and will last about 30-45 minutes long. In the end, you'll receive 25 digital files that contain a mix of the entire family, the kiddos together and individually, and mom and dad together. The images are all high-resolution and ready for you to drag-and-drop into any holiday card template you find that pleases you . . . and holiday card templates are always available through me if you want to, ahem, keep it local. ;) If you are interested, shoot me an email at morgan@morganlamare.com, and I will send you over the rest of the information. Have a wonderful week!

the art of losing

The process of becoming a professional photographer is an interesting one . . . and lately there are so many quotes, sayings and tidbits floating around the internet that I stumble upon that remind me so much of where I came from in my journey to make this a career. One of the most profound quotes is something along the lines of, The only photographer you should compare yourself to is the one you used to be. The above photograph was taken recently this past April at a wedding I photographed in Charleston, South Carolina. The clients were from my hometown, and I was so honored they asked me to be a part of their very personal and intimate day, with just their immediate families and dearest friends. I took this image in Pioneer Park, the park where they married, and although it may be a very signature shot of mine, I'm extremely proud of it. I was so proud of it, and so confident in it, that I entered it into a wedding photography contest here in Bozeman, where the 15 semi-finalists' images will be on display during the last Art Walk of the summer. I was excited for entering my very first photo contest, even more excited that it was in the world of all things weddings AND local, and felt in my heart of hearts that I would be okay even if I didn't get selected. Well, I didn't get selected. And you know what? That is completely okay. (Well, it was completely okay after I sulked and pouted a little bit . . . losing sucks!) But in all honesty, I am extremely proud of this photograph. I am not only proud of the composition, but I am proud of how relaxed the couple looks and feels. Walking away from a wedding and hearing my clients tell me how enjoyable that part of the day was for them is one of the biggest compliments I can get. I know when it comes to judging any sort of art contest, or choosing a photographer to capture the moments of your wedding day, that it comes down to what's in your gut and what's in your heart, and art is completely different to each and every person. I am blessed to be where I am, I have made a cajillion mistakes that I remind myself of each day to never do again, I learn ways to avoid making new mistakes, and I am always seeking out how to be not only a better artist creatively, but a better business woman on the back side of things. So cheers to losing . . . but an even bigger cheers for being confident enough to put your work out there for all to see.

travis and kyndra: june 23, 2012

You really never know the atmosphere you are going to arrive to on a couple's wedding day . . . stress, anxiousness, nervousness, emotional, happiness, relaxed. Happiness and relaxed are, of course, a wedding photographer's favorite, and Travis and Kyndra were so much so - and emotional - that you couldn't help but be giddy watching them. I spent some time with Kyndra as she got dressed, and her warmth and love and emotions of marrying her best friend were palapable. Congratulations to this beautiful couple! It was an honor to be there and witness such beauty . . . Beautiful flowers by Leslie Lukas and The Woodlands was our backdrop . . . Travis and Kyndra, keep loving like you do. :)

yumtwist: chef sarah knecht

How much fun is this part of my job? Earlier this summer, I embarked on a set of shoots for local chef Sarah Knecht, a wonderful woman who is becoming a wonderful friend. Sarah and I have worked together at several weddings, and got to spend lots of quality time together bonding in Wyoming at a Dude Ranch wedding we worked last August . . . and when Sarah and I sat down to discuss the possibility of her cooking for my wedding, she asked me graciously to photograph the food and details for her up and coming cookbook, Yumtwist. And I kindly accepted. My love affair with good food is a widely known trait by now. ;) This was the second of three styled shoots that were held to make this project complete, this one being photographed at the simply gorgeous and stunning Double T River Ranch in Clyde Park. I arrived to this set up, designed beautifully by Angela of Fresh Designs and Elsa of The Woodlands at Cottonwood Canyon. Montana Party Rentals provided the gorgeous vintage tables and decor, which they choose carefully and make available for any event. This team was incredible! Here are some details of the edibles: This kind of kicks bacon-and-eggs ass, doesn't it? After the brunch menu was photographed, Elsa and I moved to one of the beautiful cabins to style and photograph a grilled cheese spread, reuben sandwich, pizza and grilled fish, and we finished the day photographing a glorious pan of mussels tossed with all sorts of things beautiful and worldly such as olive oil, red onion, garlic and fresh parsley . . . mmmmmmmmm . . . Sarah is an incredible chef - we used her at our wedding this past Sunday, and we were approached by numerous guests who could not stop ranting and raving about how delightful the food was. Click here to Like her on Facebook and get all of the good information on ordering her very first cookbook!