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being a wedding photographer is not only a joy, but it's a pretty important job too!
i know that i'm not a neuro-surgeon or an astronaut or anything, but couples are hiring me to document one of the most important days of their lives, and i take that seriously.
seriously, i take it seriously.
(sorry, my kids are always making fun of the amount of times a day i use the word 'seriously', so i wrote that to bug them, even though they don't read my blog)
i am a firm believer in open and honest communication, not only with my kids and hubby (and friends) but with my clients as well. sure, i'm being hired because my clients trust me and my abilities, but i would hope that if a couple has some things they wish to go over with me, that i would be open to hear those things.
i found a great article on another website, and it's specifically geared to making the most out of planning your wedding and planning your wedding photography.
the whole article is found here http://www.wedpix.com/articles/005/wedding-photographer-list/
if you are a bride or groom-to-be, please take a moment to read the article through, to make sure that you are optimizing everything you can get from your photographer and all the planning that goes into your wedding day.
on a personal note.....
yesterday we drove to Waterloo Ontario (which, from Windsor is a 3 hour drive) to visit our cute son and see him perform with the Laurier Symphony. as i've mentioned before, our Josh is currently studying cello performance at Laurier, and his orchestra puts on a concert every 6 weeks or so. i use these chances to bring treats and some food to my son, as well as get my quota of hugs for the month (i think i gave him about 8 or 9 yesterday, which isn't NEARLY enough). we also head out for dinner as a family, and just laugh with each other for a couple of hours. i do have to say, that i find it funny that my 18 year old son still LOVES animal crackers so much. he goes crazy when i bring him a bag of them as a treat.
now, a photo to make this blog post complete
there's nothing like a groom breaking into the "robot" while dancing with his new bride!
he's a dancing fool!
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130
i say "why not?"
a few years back, when photography took hold of me and wasn't about to let me go, i probably would never have dreamed that wedding photography would be the place i would end up.
i was one of those people, that thought wedding photographers were right up there with wedding singers (in the placement of all things wedding of course), and the thought of jumping into professional photography was not on the forefront of my mind.
now, if National Geographic would have come knocking on my door and asked me to travel the world and shoot nothing but underwater photography, then i would have been THERE!!!!
unfortunately, Windsor Ontario isn't known for it's lush , underwater reefs or beautiful, pristine wrecks, so underwater photography isn't really something that us Windsor-ites get into very often.
i do have to say, that scuba diving in the Detroit RIver was an experience that neither Darryl or I will soon forget. We could only see about 2 feet in front of us, as we dragged ourselves upstream with screwdrivers! LOL!
you couldn't swim against the current, and it was strong, so strong in fact, that Darryl and I had to be tethered together with a big rope so as not to lose each other!
thankfully, we didn't find any drugs or dead bodies, but it would have been cool to find a gun or something.
i digress.....
fish are awesome, no doubt there, but people are more awesome!
i love weddings, not a doubt in my mind.
i wake up every day, so very thankful that i am doing what i'm doing.
i lose sleep every night, thinking of all the things i need to do, ideas that i have , and dreams that i can't wait to implement.
every time i meet a new couple, or get an email from a bride, i get all giddy and excited!
NEW PEOPLE TO MEET, ANOTHER AWESOME WEDDING TO DOCUMENT!!!
YAY!!
yep, that's the sound of my inside voice as it yells loudly inside my head.
i even say "YAY!" inside my head!
i know, i need some help.
do you ever have that feeling that something awesome is about to happen, but you don't have a clue what it might be?
i have had that feeling all week, and i can't shake it!
it's like the feeling that you have on Christmas eve, when you are all giddy, excited, and nervous about what's going to happen tomorrow! you know that you're going to get presents, but you just don't know what they might be.
it's a great feeling and a horrible feeling, all at the same time.
ya know what i'm sayin'?
well, this crazy feeling has been plaguing me all week!
please make it stop.
thank you.
i am just in the process of putting some photos together for my gallery on EverythingWedding.ca which is, (if you've read my post from last week) a resource and website for brides in Windsor Ontario and Essex County, to get info on everything and everything wedding! of course this meant that i would have to go through all my weddings from 2009 and pick my 10 faves. did you know that picking favourite photos is NOT an easy job to do?
anyways, i found this photo of a flower girl and ring bearer, and i couldn't NOT put it up!
this was from a wedding that i 2nd shot for John Lyons, here in Kingsville, and this girl made me smile all day. she was a total angel and sweet to boot!
anyways, i love the 'serious' look that she's giving me, just before she walked down the aisle.
priceless.
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why wedding photography?
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129
there are always rules that govern us, and some of these rules are great (you know, like don't murder and steal) and some of these rules are silly (like not swimming right after eating).
as a photographer, and especially as a wedding photographer, i think , to some degree, i am expected to follow some rules.
when i took a photography course at the local college, we were given the task of photographing a model one evening. the model was set up in a chair, with her hands on a desk, and 25 photography students all stood or crouched right in front of her and fired away.
i didn't want to be doing what everyone else was doing (i'm the rebellious type), so i put my camera down, pulled a chair over to a spot not far from the model, and stood up on the chair.
i started taking photos from above, asking the model to look at me once in a while.
the instructor told me that what i was doing was wrong and not a flattering pose to any person.
i thought to myself, who made up that rule anyways?
why can't a photo from above be flattering?
why do we all have to be the same anyways?
i'm sure that the teacher was right, that it might not have made for a flattering pose, because he's probably done the same silly thing as i was trying, and figured it out the hard way. i appreciate when people try to share their wisdom with me, but......
this was a question that i pondered for quite a while, because i was actually doubting if i was right in questioning "the rules".
now, i would never kill someone or steal anything, but couldn't i break some photography rules once in a while?
i was just getting started on my journey as a photographer, and instead of wanting to learn the rules, all that kept my mind busy was finding ways to BREAK the rules and get the photos i wanted.
i think we can become so bound by what everyone else thinks is the right way to do something, that we sometimes forget to have some fun and try new things out.
i will admit, i am kind of a rebel.
seriously.
i am the woman that refuses to allow my hubby to open a jar for me, just out of principle!
once i began my journey as a wedding photographer, i had a goal in mind.
my goal was to be different, to find my voice, and i figured that the perfect clients would find their way to me.
i have been humbled by the wonderful couples that have chosen me to document their weddings, and i am enjoying getting to know every one of them!!!
today, i came across a list of "RULES" that were written by David Beckstead.
i appreciate David's work, because he looks outside the box, seems to always be having a great time, and is widely recognized by his peers in the photography world.
if you're a photographer , and you're reading this blog, then you might want to keep reading! i think we can not only get great photos by following some ground rules and the examples set by the countless AWESOME photographers in this world, but we also need to lighten up sometimes and just have fun. you never know what might happen.
here are the rules according to David~ (as found on www.prophotoresource.com)
David's rules to live by:
1. Break all photographic rules.don't leave any of them unbroken, at least once!
2. Take the safe shot.then break the rules with a passion!
3. From this point on the phrase "Breaking Rules" will be described as "Play".
4. You don't have to "Learn" the rules first before you are allowed to play!
5. When you play, it is for you..not the client. The client will benefit from your playtime!
6. Make sure that when you plan to play, that it will add some sort of twist to the image or composition. All blurry shots should be planned. Channel your playtime to maximize the chance of a great shot.
7. Learning to "Feel the dials and buttons" of your camera and "Hear you shutter" will help you play when you only have a few seconds.
8. Learn to play with the negative-spaces of a composition and bring them alive and useful to you.
9. Subject in the center is not always wrong. I love to break this rule!
10. Blowing out the highlights is not always wrong: especially when you are shooting backlit subjects.
11. Flare is great! Play with flare!
12. There is no "bad" light! This will be your mantra as you leave your house for the shoot. "There is no bad light! I will play today!"
13. Not looking through the camera when you shoot is a great way to learn the fine art of playing. If you are a wedding photographer: shoot at least 100 images a wedding without looking through the viewfinder.
14. Never tell a client that it was a mistake but the image turned out cool! Take credit for all great unplanned mistakes. Yet, try to duplicate the mistake later and add it to your stylistic repertoire. Never tell a client how many "play" images you took to get the killer shot. Show the client a few killer play shots as the shoot progresses. They will see that you are having fun and getting cool stuff and that will make them happy! Really!!
15. Make sure your future clients know you are a "Player". Show playful shots on your site and in your show albums.
16. The best time to play is when you are board, tired, apathetic, angry, hungry, hot, cold, have a headache, or when your mind tells you to hang and not play.
17. Play and your clients will love you for it!
1. Break all photographic rules.don't leave any of them unbroken, at least once!
2. Take the safe shot.then break the rules with a passion!
3. From this point on the phrase "Breaking Rules" will be described as "Play".
4. You don't have to "Learn" the rules first before you are allowed to play!
5. When you play, it is for you..not the client. The client will benefit from your playtime!
6. Make sure that when you plan to play, that it will add some sort of twist to the image or composition. All blurry shots should be planned. Channel your playtime to maximize the chance of a great shot.
7. Learning to "Feel the dials and buttons" of your camera and "Hear you shutter" will help you play when you only have a few seconds.
8. Learn to play with the negative-spaces of a composition and bring them alive and useful to you.
9. Subject in the center is not always wrong. I love to break this rule!
10. Blowing out the highlights is not always wrong: especially when you are shooting backlit subjects.
11. Flare is great! Play with flare!
12. There is no "bad" light! This will be your mantra as you leave your house for the shoot. "There is no bad light! I will play today!"
13. Not looking through the camera when you shoot is a great way to learn the fine art of playing. If you are a wedding photographer: shoot at least 100 images a wedding without looking through the viewfinder.
14. Never tell a client that it was a mistake but the image turned out cool! Take credit for all great unplanned mistakes. Yet, try to duplicate the mistake later and add it to your stylistic repertoire. Never tell a client how many "play" images you took to get the killer shot. Show the client a few killer play shots as the shoot progresses. They will see that you are having fun and getting cool stuff and that will make them happy! Really!!
15. Make sure your future clients know you are a "Player". Show playful shots on your site and in your show albums.
16. The best time to play is when you are board, tired, apathetic, angry, hungry, hot, cold, have a headache, or when your mind tells you to hang and not play.
17. Play and your clients will love you for it!
these are great rules, and i think that this coming year is going to be fun!!!
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128
i just sent my money to EverythingWedding.ca so that i can advertise with them this year, as one of their premium vendors.
i know, it's exciting isn't it?!!
i was never convinced that spending money on advertising, was the best thing for my small business. i have so many other expenses to cover, like updating gear, that i figured i would shy away from the big world of advertising. word of mouth would be just fine for me.
i guess things change.
recently, i have started to become good friends with Jayme Morrison, who is not only one of the brains behind Everything Wedding, but a phenomenal wedding photographer as well.
i am having a great time getting to know her, and she keeps telling me that i write hilarious emails and that i make her laugh! i am looking forward to getting to know Jayme even more this year, and i think we'll get along splendidly!
ok, sorry, i got all mushy and off topic.
Jayme approached me about joining Everything Wedding when they launch their vendor area in March, and i was super touched and deeply flattered.
i was flattered because Everything Wedding is only taking higher end, high quality vendors on their site, and to be asked (in my opinion) was a big honour.
i was especially flattered, because i found out that they are limiting the amount of photographers to only a handful , and that they are being very picky about who gets in.
ummmmmmmmmmmmmm...... so you want me? ok.
EverythingWedding is a site where brides from Windsor and Essex county, can not only become members of this area's ONLY Bridal Cafe (where they can chat about planning their weddings and all that goes with it) but where brides/couples can find everything they need to plan their wedding, in one location!
there are a few little (weird) sites already in use around Windsor, where people have tried to put together a list of local vendors, but they kinda suck in comparison to Everything Wedding (no offense you weird little websites).
i guess what excites me the most about getting on board with this project, are two things.
first off, i'm excited to have been asked to work and network alongside Windsor and Essex County's best wedding photographers. i am SUCH a big advocate of networking with other wedding photographers in the area, and this just means that i'll get to do it even more! i love supporting my peers, i love being able to refer clients to someone i trust (when i'm booked if course) and i just love meeting new people!
secondly, i am excited that Windsor and area brides, will now have a one-stop shopping kind of website, where they can find trustworthy vendors that offer great services, all in one place.
oh, and i also like the fact that i don't have to worry about there not being enough copies to go around, unlike the print ads.
The vendor part of Everything Wedding launches in March, but the Bridal Cafe is already up and running, so if you're a bride and you are curious about it, then give it a try, since it's free and all.
in other news.....
i've been sleeping crappy and i'm sooooooooo tired of it!
my brain is too busy with everything going on in my business, and i can't turn it off. i have so many brilliant ideas, so many things to say, and so many big plans, that sleep is becoming elusive right now. i toss and turn all night long, and it's making me insane (which isn't far from the almost-insane state that i regularly find myself in).
that's all.
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126
last weekend i had the chance to set up a booth at the Wedding Odyssey in Windsor, which is a local wedding show (if the name didn't give it away).
i struggled with the thought of actually DOING the show, because i couldn't get any definitive answers from any of my colleagues, and to whether it's really worth the money to participate!
it was years ago that i actually even went to a wedding show, and i've never been to any of the Windsor ones, so i had no idea if they were even classy events!
i bit the bullet, wracked my brains as to how i could set up a booth that would both reflect me (and my slightly odd ideas) and reflect my branding. i wanted to stand apart from the crowd and be unique, which i think i accomplished.
there is WAY to much black curtain at these events, and way too many boring tables, so i stepped it up a notch and brought in some LIME GREEN!!!!
yep, that's my colour!
i do have to say, that the traffic at the show was awful! we had hours that would go by, and not one person would come down the hall to see us (or anyone else for that matter). we were stuck in the ghettos of the show, which was actually at the end of a very long hallway and not even IN the main room of the event.
i will never get a booth in the hallway again!
actually, i didn't really have a choice in the matter, because i was kinda late registering for the event and didn't have any choice as to which booth i could get.
i do have to say, that even though there weren't many brides/couples, the ones that i did meet and talk to, were AWESOME!!!!
i am so blessed to be able to meet the best people in the world, and i am always so honoured when i get chosen to document a couple's big day.
the other big thing that i loved about the show, is that i was able to hook up with local vendors!
i got to meet Sarah from 'It's Your Day Bridal', and we really hit it off. i have heard so much about her bridal boutique, from almost every bride that i meet with, and it's always good things! i guess 'It's Your Day' boutique in Lasalle (Windsor) takes a different approach to serving brides, and i've heard that their wedding dresses are GORGEOUS!!!
i can't wait to head over there myself and check out the dresses , and i think i'll take my daughter with me, since what 16 year old doesn't love wedding dresses!!
i was also able to meet and talk with Diane, of 'Designs by Diane'.
Diane is a Windsor event and party designer, who has done some phenomenal work at weddings i've worked at.
i also have a current bride who can't stop talking about the awesomeness of Diane, so i just had to meet her and let her know that i really appreciate her reputation in the area. we had a nice chat, got to know each other a bit, and i admired her booth filled with BLING!! LOL!
i do have to say, that i did feel terrible for some of these brides-to-be, since by the time they finished walking around the show, they were laden with 20 lb bags of flyers and magazines, and had been bombarded with vendors JUMPING out at them and trying to sell their wares. many of these poor girls had such a glazed-over look to them, it was pretty overwhelming to a good chunk of inexperienced wedding show attendees!!!
i have already decided that i would like to do the Wedding Odyssey next year, since i would like to see what happens when i get a booth INSIDE the main room and not in the ghetto hall, and i would also really like to get a booth at the other wedding show that Windsor offers. Unfortunately, the Wedding Extravaganza (which have shows in the fall and winter) has a waiting list for photographers, which is something like 2 years to get in! seriously people?
here is a photo of my booth, which though small, was pretty darn cute (if i do say so myself).
John Lyons Weddings:
Your booth looks awesome Michele! I agree though, I wasn't happy with the turnout either! See ya,
j
Daniel:
Wow, I love the colors of your booth. Yes, it is cute indeed. I hope you got some wedding photography bookings from it!
(01.18.10)
Judene:
Great display. Great choice with the lime green. I agree to go to the Cioccaro next year... if you insist on trying another show(lol). I did the Cioccaro last year and I found that most of the couples there, also sign up with The Wedding Guide. Something to look into, in terms of advertising.
(01.24.10)
Boundless Photos Weddings:
Great looking stand that you have there, love the collage of small prints
(01.28.10)
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