Light Walk

I think I’ve said it before; the best part about a wedding for me is the emotion. I just love how the very visible commitment between two people brings out the lump in my throat. I was, however, surprised to see the pastor “lumping up” while he was performing the ceremony; you just expect that a pastor is sort of immune to that kind of thing But not here, which added to the wonder. I think my favorite part of this wedding was right after the ceremony. I followed the bride and groom outside to let all the guests head over to the reception hall and she just couldn’t stop giggling. She was completely giddy! What a blessing to see her excitement and pleasure. May your life together be filled with laughter, fun and blessing!

Everyone was having fun here:

Ring Bearer and Flower Girl Enjoy the Walk Down the Aisle

Debra Can't Stop Giggling

The fine folks over at WeddingWire have recognized imageclectic photography with a cool award – this is what they say about it:

The annual Bride’s Choice Awards recognizes and celebrates excellence in quality and service within the wedding industry, as determined by recent interviews and extensive surveys from over 500,000 newlyweds.

I must say I am certainly pleased and blessed to be in an industry where I can make a difference for people and enjoy every minute of it. Thanks to all our newlyweds and friends who helped make this possible, and to WeddingWire for being such a great resource!

Earlier this January we had the opportunity to photograph Scott and Luci at Chapel Dulcinea at night; it was cold and awesome! That place is really something, especially when you have a fantastic evening twilight in the background. We absolutely love the view and the moments we shared there at the wedding. Even though some people believe wedding are more alike than not, I find that every wedding is unique and special and this one was filled with so many fantastic moments. We love weddings!

At the end of the evening my hands were frozen to the camera body, but I figure it was a small price to pay for a beautiful set of photographs commemorating a new marriage!

The Wedding is about to Start

A Long Aisle Walk in the Night

The Wedding in Progress in Chapel Dulcinea

The Happy Couple

Just A Kiss on the Wall

A Kiss Waits for No One...

While a bride can order prints or images from her wedding day from almost any photographer, our preferred result from a wedding day is a custom crafted wedding album, designed to showcase the complete story of the day. An album has the ability to distill a series of wonderful moments in time into a framework to remember, something that family and friends can hang their favorite memories on for the rest of their lives. A box of prints, or even a few portraits hung on the wall simply don’t tell the story like an album can.

There are many approaches to the design of an album; we generally start with the best images showing the whole story in it’s timeline order. We then place related images together on one or more two-page spreads in the album (a spread is two pages that are open at the same time). Sometimes a moment in the story is so compelling that it deserves it’s own spread (for example, the first kiss, or the first dance), other parts of the day have many images that are combined to create an overall impression from that portion of the day in a single spread (for example, important guest candid moments or really funny situations.) Selecting the images to be used can actually take a fair bit of effort; there are so many photographs that could be included that simply won’t fit in most albums and so we have to choose not to use what otherwise are wonderful images. Of course, some book printing styles afford more pages than others. If we are designing a coffee table style album we can generally have more pages than if we are doing an album that has lay-flat pages.

When we’re done, we have a draft design that the bride and her family can review. If necessary, the bride can make a few changes to remove that strange party crasher that showed up uninvited, or perhaps add some focus to a best friend. Since we are dealing with digital design we can create custom family versions of the main album, perhaps with additional group photographs or a family sequence slightly different from the main album. These can all generally be done very quickly based on the main album and released to print at the same time.

Whether we create an album for a bride or not, we always make images available for the family and friends to order, and we also place some of the best images on our Facebook page so everyone can see and comment on the things that they remember about the day and the people.

An album Hannah designed earlier this year is below to show an example. Note that most albums start and end with a single page, following the general book-making practice of starting page 1 on the right hand side.

 

A beautiful wedding! A wonderful venue! A gracious and fun family! Oscar and Amy were married Saturday at the Intercontinental Stephen F Austin Hotel in the Capitol Ballroom and we were so impressed with the staff; they were very helpful and accommodating to us and to all that goes on in a wedding. Their Christmas decorations really helped give color and fullness to the ambiance. WOW Factor Design did all the flowers and they were stunning (I’m partial to red roses!).

Some awesome moments during the day and eveing:

• The Maid of Honor presented the couple with a little “Onesie” with a Star Trek emblem on the front, wishing them many wonderful children.
• The Best Man, Oscar’s brother, regaled the couple with tales of growing up and specifically how protective Oscar was in his life. It was very cool to hear this related over to Amy and how Oscar would certainly be as protective and loving as he is of his brother!
• For several of the special dances, they would sing the song to each other that the DJ was playing. I love that!
• The bridesmaids sang “Jeremiah was a bull frog” and “it’s a small world” to help Amy get dressed
• Amy’s coordinator was amazing; she had something wrong with her right ankle and yet she was hoping all over the place all day. She started out with crutches but quickly decided that she didn’t have time for that so she ditched them and moved faster. That’s dedication!
• Photography on the grand staircase was a breeze; the hotel has it decorated so it’s almost impossible to capture a bad image.

The Bride & Groom:

The Bridesmaids with Amy on the Hotel Staircase

Up Against the Wall

Just Married and Happy

Out on the Balcony

Beautiful Amy on the Staircase

Sassy Amy

Life is Good

Hotel images:

SF Austin Continental Wait Staff

The Big Christmas Tree

Mel the cool DJ:

Spinning those (real) discs

The theme for the wedding:

A Flapper Style

Other Fun:

What makes a “perfect” photography shoot? I think there are several critical factors involved:

• Relationship: The subjects and the photographer all connect and learn something about each other. They relate, and find common ground for relating. They enjoy and feel energized. They work together to create a perfect portrait.
• Involvement: Everyone is working together to create something they will cherish. The photographer is as involved in the moment as the subjects are. Fun happens.
• Permanence: When everything is said and done, the portrait stands the test of time.

So, how does all this happen? Personality of the photographer is important. Love for the art of creating beautiful portraits is also big. But the best thing that all involved can do is allocate the right time and place for the process to take place. A location where the people in the portrait are really able to enjoy themselves and since forth their inner kid is what we’re going for. A location where movement is allowed helps (no one likes to be still!). Time of day and time of year can be selected to give the most energy and the right people to fill up the portrait (like a reunion, not at nap time, etc.). And of course time involves commitment; having a dedicated time slot for everyone to plan on and schedule gives value to the moment so it can be captured.

I Can't Believe You Caught That!

There’s a very good list to keep in mind if you are getting married and plan on using a photographer over at Austin Weddings. Check it out!

Over the course of a wedding day, it is always interesting to spend a little time looking at the details of the preparations. Sometimes we just end up with great photographs for the album page backgrounds, other times we capture something that is important for the family to have a memory of. But it’s always fun and you never know quite what to expect. I don’t know if the guests notice many of these little details, but we do!

 

I came across an excellent blog post today that I thought would be useful to Light Walk readers. Each of these ideas is standalone; you can implement any or all of them. In my experience each of these ideas can really help to make the wedding day move along well, with awesome photography. My favorite one is #1, simply because it is really all about getting to know your photographer and learning how to work together before the big day. Obviously that can be done lots of ways, but the best is to simply work together in creating a portrait of some kind (could be an engagement, a bridal or any other type). Enjoy the read and be sure to comment on junebug’s post so they know what you think!

10 Tips For Getting the Best Photographs on Your Wedding Day

I am a father. It’s a true joy in life! So when I’m photographing a wedding I look for “father moments”; points in time where the love and emotion a father feels toward his daughter break out of his normal “fatherness” and shine for everyone to see. These moments are sometimes brief, sometimes long, but always there. Obvious times are walk up the aisle and giving away his daughter, and perhaps the first dance. But, other times come and go as thoughts run through his mind about his little girl when she was five years old, or when she went off on her first date. I love to be nearby, ready to photograph when those things pass through his mind, so I can perhaps capture a moment in time for remembrance later.

Here are a couple of photographs taken over the past few weddings we’ve been a part of that might just capture these kinds of moments. My life is always enriched to be a part of these moments; I hope they bring warmth to your heart like they do to me…

Just Waiting Before the Walk

Father - Daughter Dance

Watching from the Side

Dancing for the First Time

I came across a pretty helpful blog post that gives some great thoughts about hiring a wedding photographer. It’s a series of questions answered by photographers based on questions similar to those you might have. It’s worth a read!

Instead of showing several images from this past weekend, I thought we’d start off with just a portrait from the wedding of Micah and James. This particular portrait is one of my early favorites; there are so many! This was taken at a wonderful place called Chapel Dulcinea out at the Wizard Academy. It’s a very cool place. They were married at Hope Chapel, but came out here for portraits after the reception and before the family get together. They were very patient and really enjoyed getting to take some photographs while all dressed up. We’ll have more from the wedding soon, but in the meantime, enjoy this one!

Micah Near Chapel Dulcinea

By the way, this image uses a technique called “high dynamic range” photography (HDR), which combines several photographs into a single image using a combination of algorithms and Photoshop editing / layering. It works on some images, not on others; I think it works well here because it brings out the texture in the sky, rocks and trees.

Something for your Wedding Day

I am a member of BridalTweet; if you’re on Twitter and either planning your wedding or getting ready to, then you should consider joining as well! BridalTweet posts lots of useful information that you can use, and they have announced a new contest that anyone can register to win; it’s called Red Carpet Wedding. If you win, you get to wear a pair of diamond earrings on your wedding day. That’s pretty cool! Join BridalTweet and you’re in the contest. I hope you win!

It’s our birthday today! (Well, we got our sales tax number on this day, so that’s probably the best day to celebrate.) imageclectic.com photography is two years old. I can hardly believe it. We started this endeavor thinking we already knew enough to run a business, but of course we have learned way more than I really expected. It’s been a wild, fun ride, and we love it! We still have a lot to learn, so keep watching and comment on what you see.

Our first wedding (pre-blog days!) was with David and Laura in Round Rock at a church building that is now True Life Fellowship; here’s a fun shot from that day:

David is Not So Sure

A wedding photographer’s dream is to capture the special moments of the day that really demonstrate the connections between people and the beauty of the whole event. I just wanted to post some more shots from a recent wedding that exemplify this kind of photography.

Just before the ceremony

Looking at the badge

Something Shared During the Ceremony

Dancing alone with everyone

Another Shared Moment

This past Saturday, Hannah and I photographed Halei and Austyn at the Hamilton Twelve venue in South Austin. We had a wonderful time, especially just being around all the great family and friends as they celebrated the bride and groom. The venue is a wonderful outdoor spot with a great setup for a distinctly circular wedding. The awesome thing was, we were allowed to photograph from wherever we wanted, so we walked around the ceremony as needed to get all the right shots. What fun!

Dancing in the Dark

In the Round

Dad Knows His Stuff!

Chillin' in the Freezer

Checking Out the Bar

Dancing Like You Mean It

As a photographer, I’ve learned to go with the flow, and go prepared! This wedding provided a little test for me; before we even made it to the ceremony my main lens figured out how to detach itself from the front of the camera and completely shattered the front and bent it so it would not function at all… Man was I glad we carry several lenses for different perspectives and views! I just had to modify my shooting style a little. Of course, the fact that we always shoot with two cameras brings overlap that gives great photographic coverage even when something goes a little wrong; generally one of us shoots with a long lens and one shoots with a shorter lens to get both wide and narrow views. So even with a hampered equipment set, we have what we need to make beautiful images.

Gravity is NOT your friend

A quick call to my insurance agent confirmed that I indeed have this lens fully covered, so it’s just a matter of the down time without the lens while it is repaired or replaced. Whew!

The Sanctuary on a Moonless Night

Hannah and I photographed these guys on Saturday; what an emotionally moving wedding! The whole day was spent at The Sanctuary in central Austin. Aside from the “usual” (dad gives beautiful bride away, groom receives and loves her!), Avery’s aunt was able to come to the wedding and that was a huge thing for the whole family. We captured some great photographs for them, along with our long-time photographer & friend Erick Nelson. Some early picks for me are here with more to come later as we have a chance to refine and edit.

One of the things I have heard other photographers do at receptions is to have a quick slide show from the ceremony up and running at some point during the night. I have to say, I thought this was a great idea but was afraid to try and squeeze that in with all the hustle of moving from one place to another, equipment setup, image load and review, etc. But, I went ahead and gave it a try for this wedding and the result was awesome. (This is a perfect example of the benefits of working as a team; Hannah was still photographing all during this little time away form the camera!) I spent about 15 minutes just loading one camera memory card and reviewing quickly; the result was a great 34 image show that we were able to have running during the reception. It was fun to see people standing around the laptop enjoying the images for the rest of the evening.

God bless you guys on your honeymoon and for the rest of your lives!

Here are some of the images we captured during the day. My favorite is the one where the flower basket has fallen into the pond just seconds before the photo was taken; no big deal really but the surprise created a wonderful memory!

View of the Capitol from the Chapel

While we are still working on the album for this wedding, I thought it would be cool to show a few more images from that evening. It was a fantastic day, with lots of emotion and beauty. The wedding was held at the United Methodist Chapel next to the Texas State Capitol. It is a very intimate place and the family and priests brought in some wonderful tradition from their own culture. I loved hearing the words the priest spoke (when he was using English ) and his absolutely wonderful smile as he addressed the people and the couple. It was a great honor to be there capturing the day among their family and friends.

Crowning the Bride

The Bride and Groom are Introduced

Exiting the Chapel as Man and Wife

The reception was over at the Austin Hyatt (see my earlier post). We were treated to dancing, dancing and dancing, some awesome toasts, amazing food and it was all beautiful. I have no idea how everyone could be moving so much for so long… Hands were in the air constantly and music was always lively. A lot of the family from from out of state and clearly enjoyed being with the couple and the extended family.

Austin looks great even in reflection

Dancing, Dancing, Dancing!

Austin Really Is The Backdrop

All in all, an amazing wedding and family; we were blessed to be a small part of the celebration. Best wishes to you both!

What a fantastic wedding! Texas Old Town is a wonderful location for a wedding, and we had a great time yesterday photographing. Ok, it was hot, but it didn’t dampen the celebration! As I stood behind the altar watching the union of these two joyful people I remembered again why I love to do this: it is so emotionally satisfying to be a part of the start of a new life. As photographers,  our job is to blend technical skill with vision and emotion, and the moment with permanence so the family can remember how they felt on this day. How great is that! I love it.

Congratulations you guys, and I pray you will live a blessed life filled with the joy you showed all evening!

Becca & David Symbolize Their Union

Last Friday we photographed at a wonderful reception venue; the Austin Hyatt Regency in the 17th floor ballroom. One entire wall is glass, allowing a great view of the city. The reception started in full daylight and as night set guests kept going over to the window to gaze at the scene below; it was always stunning. The staff and coordinator were super helpful and provided great service to everyone that I saw, including Hannah and me! I love photographing there and hope to have the opportunity again.

Austin Hyatt Overlooking the City of Austin

If it weren’t for light, we’d have no photographs… Aside from that, it’s important where the light comes from and where the light doesn’t come from; light directionality brings shape and interest to a photograph. One of the distinctive features of a beautiful portrait is the difference between light and shadow and where the light falls on the subject. In the case of people, it is generally more realistic and natural for light to fall on the person from a different direction than the camera. If the light comes from the camera direction it’s usually very “flat”; there is no shape to the face and we don’t see something that looks like reality. Unfortunately, that’s pretty much where all light comes from when you use a simple point-and-shoot camera; the flash is right there on the camera!

When we photograph people, we shape the light so that the portrait has a natural look to it. Here are some examples:

Light is coming from a large flash on the ground to the left of Cindy. Note the shadow on the left side of her face.

The light is coming from a small flash to camera right, creating a nice glow on Adam's left side.

Light for the floor is coming from camera left, creating a nice shape on her face.

We have light coming from directly behind Halei as well as from the general direction of the camera, creating a nice hair glow and sunset burst.

We've hidden a small flash in one of the windows to cast light directly on Halei's face.

There’s a very cool place in South Austin that I highly recommend: Dunvegan Keep. The owner has hand crafted all of the decorations and the plants to give a very “elsewhere” look and feel to the environment there. If you are looking for a fun place to go for a bridal or engagement portrait, or even for a whole wedding, this might be it.

Let me in to your heart!

Come on over to my side!