weddings: photographing with the sun

Ask anyone and everyone who has ever asked me about the best time of the day to photograph a couple on their wedding day, or for an engagement session, and I will tell you - it's all about the evening light. And while we can be picky about the time of day to shoot your engagement photos, and sneak outside just before sunset at your wedding reception (more on that in another post), the wedding day schedule doesn't always allow for the majority of the portraits to be taken during that time. From day one of my photography career, one of the most important things to me to succeed at is using beautiful, natural light in a way that it makes the image all the more lovely because of it . . . Here is a selection of photographs taken by yours truly that show the light either directly above the subject, directly behind, or somewhere in between . . . I adore this photo of Nisha and Matt, taken this past April in Charleston, South Carolina . . . one thing this photo reminds me of on a technical level is the challenge of photographing in a heavily-treed area - there are lots and lots of shadows that may or may not be in favorable locations to what you want in your background, so it is important to put the subjects in either full shade or, preferably, full light where the sun is either above or behind them. A little evening light and flare . . . Backlight can look just as beautiful in black and white . . . And when you can get the low sun into your image without obstructing the subjects, all the better . . . I always work with my clients on the timing of the wedding day to ensure that we can work with the best light possible combined with the setting and where the majority of the photographs will be taken . . . but don't fret. If your wedding day is overcast, that light is just as delicious for a totally different set of reasons, and those images will come to you in a separate blog post. :) Happy Monday!

dr. and mrs. :)

Since I didn't take one stinkin' photo on my wedding day, here is a beautiful poppy from my garden to feast your eyes on while I share with you some fun little tidbits from our day . . . Ah, where to begin? I am a married woman. And I am so incredibly happy and blessed. I will tell you that the morning of the wedding, I woke up with business in mind, needing to get out to the home of Lauren Brown, where our wedding ceremony and reception were held. I was greeted by my amazing Assets, my group of girlfriends who would do anything for me, come hell or high water. Angela created the most amazing flowers I've laid eyes on for my bouquet and the centerpieces. Leslie and Elsa helped design the beauty underneath the tent and brought in so many beautiful details I would have never thought of including in the day! From there, I journeyed to Theory to have my hair styled by the amazing Brittney, and from there I visited Deirdre at Indulgence, who made me look so fabulous that I - please don't judge - cried when I looked in the mirror. No, I am not conceited, but the way she transformed me took my breath away and I felt like a hundred million bucks. I traveled back to Lauren's home, where our families and some friends had already gathered, to slip (a/k/a double team-up on the stuck zipper) into my Jim Hjelm Blush dress (purchased locally from Avant Bridal) and get ready for portraits. Doug Loneman was our amazing photographer, and working with him was enjoyable, effortless and fun. We opted to do toasts and cocktail hour before the ceremony, which was absolutely beautiful and meaningful and set the tone for the rest of the day. After a simple, sweet ceremony that ended with a perfect kiss and some hoots and hollers, we scooped up the shorties and made our way back down the aisle . . . and the party began! Our dinner and desserts were prepared by the amazing Sarah Knecht, who I have worked with on a few projects now, and I can't tell you how many people raved about her incredible menu. And Joe Trudgeon spun the tunes all night, keeping our quaint company on the dance floor for hours. The day was amazing - I have never felt more naturally high or intoxicated in all of my life. Joe and I are still blown away by how perfect the day was, how special it was to have only those nearest and dearest to us. I know everyone has their own idea of what their special day will and should be like, and for us, it was executed flawlessly. I can't wait to share photos of this amazing time, and keep you all updated on the amazing journey we have officially begun as husband and wife. Until then, Happy Day to you!

all grown up: jorden

Our beautiful niece, Jorden (technically speaking, she won't be mine until next weekend) is a big bad senior this year . . . which for me is still unbelievable even thought when I met her she was just in Junior High. Joe met her the day she was born and has watched this beauty grow up right before his eyes, so I can't imagine his feelings about the woman she has become! She is smart, beautiful, and an incredible athlete and volleyball player . . . and very, very loved!

a week of work and reflection

Happy Monday to you! It is a beautiful day in Montana, and a beautiful week is ahead of me complete with final edits and weddings out the door, a couple of boudoir shoots, wrapping up my own wedding planning, and endless prayers and good wishes for a day of no rain on August 26th! I am going to start the week with a sneak peek of Katelyn and Wade, who were married on August 4th . . . Kate and Wade stepped outside with me after dinner for the yummy sunset shots I just love, love, love to incorporate into the photographs of the day. It is a wonderful break for the couple, and so lovely to have a different feel to the final set of portraits . . . This past weekend I traveled all the way to beautiful Fort Peck, Montana, to photograph another beautiful couple and gorgeously-designed wedding that I will be sharing with you soon (a sneak peek is on Facebook if you want to head over and "like" my page there . . . ). I am filled with magnitudes of gratitude to my clients this year, for trusting me, wanting me, enjoying the process of working with me, and taking the time to give me the heartwarming feedback they do. This career is truly amazing, and I'm learning to look at even the setbacks and disappointments as opportunities, and reasons for growth . . . I have a full week of blog posts to share with you, so stay tuned!

maegan and chris: june 2, 2012

Maegan and Chris are just about the most joyous couple I ever did meet . . . kind, warm, happy beyond happy, loving towards each other and everyone in their presence. They wed in June back east in upstate New York at The Queensbury Hotel, and in true form to me traveling back to New York to shoot a wedding, the weather was dump, dump, dumping rain. In true form, it stopped long enough for us to step outside into the beautiful light for a few portraits. Nothing put a damper on this couple's incredible day, and I wish them nothing but an amazing life together! The boys were a riot! And yet quite handsome and dapper . . . Beautiful girls :) Maegan and Chris, with all of your love for one another and the amazing support from your families and friends, the two of you will move mountains. Much love to you both!

things I'm loving :)

Another month has gone by in this busy little life of ours! Tomorrow officially marks the start of our wedding month . . . in 26 days, Joe and I will say "Hell, yes, we do!" in front of our closest family and friends, celebrate with amazing food, wine and music, and be so thankful it's over when we lay our heads down to sleep . . . I'm learning to balance more and more, and summer is always the tricky time of year to achieve this. The girls go to daycare three days a week so I have uninterrupted work time, but those days are also filled with errands, housework, and a leisurely long lunch al fresco with Joe or a girlfriend or two. I am everything to everyone, and while it is so easy to sit at the computer and get lost in photography world, I'm rediscovering my love for a few certain things I thought I'd share with you on this lovely Tuesday morning . . . 1. Shopping! I am not a big spender on myself because I always talk myself out of things I love and want. But two new recent websites have my love for all things beautiful sparked again. Vestique and Ruche. Vestique is a little boutique based in North Carolina that sells gorgeous clothes that are exactly my style, beautiful jewelry, and everything is under $100 - and most things are under $50. Ruche is very similar to Anthropologie without the mongo bongo price tag. It doesn't get much better than that! 2. Food blogging. My food blog is up and active again! I have missed writing, sharing recipes, and blogging in a way that doesn't have any sort of impact whatsoever on my business. It's my pleasure blog, but I promise it's filled with yummy recipes that you MUST try. 3. Reading. Oh, how I have missed reading. It seems since I've had the girls, my only reading has been a few select parenting books, and when I am traveling alone for shoots. I was even ballsy enough to bust out Fifty Shades of Grey, paperback edition, on a flight from New York last month, much to the horror of my kindle-owning friends. :) Here is a shortlist of my favorite recent reads: The Happiness Project is my most recent start, which I picked up over a year ago and never finished. I was craving something inspiring and have recently been reminded of how much I love reading in the bathtub and in bed every night, and the way the author writes will honestly make you want to re-invent your life, make a list of all the ways you want to live, and fly out of bed every morning with determination to make it the best day of your life. It even makes Monday not so bad. :) So simply put, get out there and do things that make you nothing but happy, for nobody but yourself. A happy mother and a happy wife make nothing but a happy home. Cheers!

summer preview . . . so far!

I am so excited to be in such a wonderful blogging place right now . . . 2012 weddings are in full swing, but it's such a manageable schedule for me that keeps me excited and creative, which are two areas that us wedding photographers can start to lose it a little bit if we overbook ourselves. My weddings so far this summer have been simply beautiful, with genuinely in-love couples . . . and my own excitement for them I hope is palpable. Here is a little preview of my beautiful couples so far! Travis and Kyndra were married June 23rd at The Woodlands at Cottonwood Canyon. One of the most important things about why this venue is so wonderful is that no matter what time of the day you have your ceremony, the light is incredible with the way it filters through the trees . . . and you have so many places to roam and chase light as it changes in the evening hours. Kyndra was beyond gracious and so present in the moment of this special day. She told me she didn't think she'd laughed and cried so much in the same day, and it was true . . . Claire and Ted were married on June 29th at Big Sky Resort, where they both spend their winters instructing ski lessons and just being incredibly fabulous! I had only met Claire prior to the wedding and immediately was drawn to her infectious spirit . . . when I met Ted, I felt I understood their connection completely. He is kind, soft-spoken, lovable, and so gentle with Claire. Their wedding day was filled with blessings and joy from their family and friends, and they also went out of their way to make me feel like a very welcome guest . . . Michelle and Jorden were married on July 7th at Rocky Mountain Farms, which was such a perfect and unknown venue . . . we dealt with a little bit of everything when it came to the weather, but by the end of the evening the skies were lit beautifully. Michelle and Jorden have been together for quite some time, so this day was a long time coming. The emotions were present and the couple was so wonderfully relaxed in front of the camera . . . Brittany and Matt were married on July 21st at the beautiful home of Brittany's parents just outside of Bozeman. Shooting this wedding for me was a milestone in my business, as the couple went with their hearts in choosing the vendors to make their day happen. Brittany kept saying it was the best day of her life, and that all of her dreams came true. Angela Klotz with Fresh Designs created a masterpiece and provided the support and beauty that made the ambiance out of this world. And this past weekend, Lyndsey and Doug were married on July 28th with their ceremony at Rockhaven and their reception at Lazy B Farm. This is another couple who I just adore and have built a solid relationship with. Their family and friends were just as enjoyable to spend my weekend with, and I left with so much love in my heart and happiness for these two. I am on to two more weddings this weekend and next, and then I am off to embark on my own wedding adventure . . . :) Happy Monday!