Results tagged “wedding photojournalist” from michele bowman ~ Windsor Ontario Wedding Photographer, London, Chatham Southwestern Ontario & Destination Weddings
162
another windsor ontario wedding~
Mary & Rick got married here in Windsor, in a lovely Polish/Catholic ceremony here in town, with the reception held at St.Francis of Assisi Church Hall. i don't think i have ever been served so much food at a wedding before. it was impressive!!!
Mary contacted me last december, about the possibility of documenting her summer wedding, and i'm so thankful that she did! Mary is the good friend of one of my brides, Laurie, and the two of them talked about all things wedding when they climbed Mt.Everest last November.
yep, you read that correctly.
two of my clients are cool enough (and maybe a little bit insane enough) to have climbed not only Mount Everest, but they also climbed Mount Kilimanjaro a few years ago!! these adventurous pharmacists do these crazy things to raise money for charity, and i think it's fabulous!!
ok, sorry...... too many exclamation points in that last little bit. i'll try harder in the next paragraph.
Mary & Rick are not only adorable together, but they are goofy as well, and have the greatest sense of humour. even in the insane and unbearable heat of last Saturday, they both just had fun & joked around, laughed at each other, and i wouldn't have been surprised one little bit if they'd put one another in a headlock or something.
it was HOT HOT HOT, and i'm sure they were thankful for the air-conditioned limo.
if there had been a pool at Branteaney's B&B (where we took some photos), i wouldn't have put it past them to just jump in fully clothed. the bridal party was ready to run through the sprinklers (but they decided that an air-conditioned limo filled with cold drinks and brownies was a good alternative)!
i don't normally get quite as much time to just take fun photos of the bride & groom, as i did on this day, so there are quite a few more styled photos than i normally take. it was fun to just try some new ideas and make some quirky portraits.
i am so blessed to work with clients that are not only interesting and adventurous, but that are genuine and real. i just love people who can just be themselves and have fun, show me their love for each other and those around them. it's just such a treat.
when writing about each wedding, i try to think of something out of the ordinary that i got to experience, and there was one thing that happened at this wedding that made me smile.
for the reception, they hired a DJ AND a polish one-man band for the music. i have to say, that i have never heard polish disco before, and now i can say that i have. that guy was great!
Mary & Rick, thank you for just being you. thank you for allowing me to document some of the special moments of your wedding day, and to have a small glimpse into your lives. i know that you will have a marriage filled with love and laughter (goat chin moves & head-butts), and i'm sure that your new home will be fabulous. i wish you all the very best, and thank you for the heartfelt hugs when i left your reception. i love hugs.
church~ Holy Trinity Catholic Church, Windsor
reception ~ St. Francis of Assisi Parish Hall, WIndsor
decorator~ Soiree Event Extraordinaire
flowers ~ Flowers by Phil Sadi, WIndsor
cake ~ The Pastry Table, Windsor
DJ ~ Donovan Mariani, Open Air Events
gown ~ Bridal Couture, Windsor
make-up~ Nayeli Castellanos, Karitas for You
hair~ Megan, Unity Salon
Listed below are links to blogs that reference this entry:
mary + rick + wedding ~ windsor ontario
. TrackBack URL for this entry:
http://www.michelebowmanweddings.com/darkroom/mt/mt-tb.cgi/159
161
a wedding here in Windsor Ontario~
it's that time again.....
BLOG TIME!!!!!
yes, it's a couple of days later than i hoped it would be, but i'm in the midst of wedding insanity around here, and i'm pretty much editing around the clock, so i'm hoping that no one will mind a blog post on Friday instead of Wednesday.
thanks a bunch.
last year, i got a phone call from a bride, we'll call her Stephanie, and we just hit it off immediately! i got a sense from this lovely bride, that she had some SERIOUS plans for her big day, and i couldn't get enough of her excitement!! you see, not only did Stephanie have some BLING BLING ideas for her wedding, but she was totally and madly in love with her fiance, and you could hear that in her voice.
when she asked me to be a part of her day, i knew that i was in for a treat!
i wasn't disappointed.
Stephanie & Kevin's wedding was last Saturday here in Windsor, and i think that the day lived up to Steph's expectations, in more ways than one. family & friends came from all around, to surround this couple with love and attention (and marshmallows), and i don't think i've ever seen so many tears of joy at any wedding thus far.
one thing that stood out to me, was the fact that Steph's grandmother flew in from Florida to not only be at the gown shop when Stephanie picked out her dress, but again when she had her dress fittings! that's the kind of love that encircled this couple last weekend, and didn't disappoint.
it was a HOT day yet again (imagine that.... a hot day in July) , but we tried to keep out of the blazing sun and spent some time finding a couple of shady locations for photos! let me just say, that an air conditioned limo-bus filled with cold champagne and beer always helps to keep people cool. just sayin'.
The ceremony was held at Assumption Church at the University of Windsor, and even though it was NOT air-conditioned, it was a beautiful service with lots of tears of joy.
Stephanie & Kevin picked the St.Clair Centre of the Arts for their reception , and i don't think they could have picked a nicer place. decked out in some BLING decor, with a cake that kept on going, the dinner and party was fantastic! i'm sure the party continued into the night, with dancing, hugging, and pelting with marshmallows (don't ask).
i want to take a moment to thank Stephanie & Kevin for letting me be a part of their wedding day. You guys obviously adore each other to pieces, and the commitment that you have for each other is wonderful to observe. you have had some crazy ups and downs with jobs and moving around lately, but all those things have made you guys come together and really commit to each other in such a great way. with the help if your 'lucky penny' , i'm sure that you will not only have the most awesome life together, but a life filled with adventure and love, boating adventures and the most wonderful family around.
big hugs to you both!!
scroll to the bottom of this post to see some of the awesome vendors that helped make this day special!
now.... the PHOTOS!!!
florist~ Girard & Co. http://www.girardflowers.com/
decor~ Designs by Diane http://www.designsdiane.com
cake ~Renee's Fine Cakes http://www.reneesfinecakes.com/
DJ & photobooth ~ Flashpoint Productions http://www.flashpointpro.com
wedding gown ~ David's Bridal http://www.davidsbridal.com
shoes ~ Deborah Thomson http://www.figgiephotography.com
reception ~ St.Clair Centre of the Arts http://www.stclaircentre.ca/
hair ~ Nicole White from Parlour, Windsor
invitations ~ You're Invited, Chatham http://www.youre-invited.ca
Emilie Bowman:
Looks like I get to be the first to comment :)
Beautiful photos as always momma, and even though I've told you a million times it doesnt hurt to say it again...You are so extremely talented!
Ps- I love the shoes! And the green and purple colours:)
(07.16.10)
Judi Beswick:
As the mother of the bride suffering post wedding blues, these remarkable pics of the wedding brought tears of joy and laughter. Mich, no question you have spectacular talent!
Judi
Stephanie BELL:
As the Bride - All I can say is ThAnK You!!! Thank you for capturing our day and making the memroies last on forever. Thank you for keeping the spirit light and fun even though we thought we might melt away. Thank you for making sure all the small details keivn and i were to busy to truly admire. Thank you for being so taleneted!!!
I couldnt imagin anyone else photographing us on our wedding day!!! I love the pics and cant wait to see the rest of them!!!
Your amazingly taleneted and so much fun to work with!!!
Cheers
Stephanie
amy:
looks like a fun couple!! love the colors they went with!!! i can see why the bride adores them!! they are really gorgeous images!!
(07.17.10)
paige ramsay:
i was lucky enough to be stephs "maid" on that special day and special it was...you captured it all...you have an amazing talent...thank you for helping in making stephs day so special!!!
(07.21.10)
Amelia Thornton / Flirt Photography:
1. Michele - WOW (again!)
2. Steph...please tell everyone where you got those shoes done...sooooo fabulous!
Stephanie BELL:
the AMAZING SHOES where Deborah . . www.figgieshoes.com. Not only is she amazingly talented but is the sweetest person I think I have ever met! Trough the whole process she was just as excited ( if not more ) than I was about the shoes. I didnt see them until the day before the wedding and didnt fret for one second. I knew they would be nothing short of amazing!!!! She does shoes for all occasions - not only weddings, birthdays a night on the town... what ever your looking for I would recomend her to create your one of a kind memory!!!!!
(08.19.10)
Listed below are links to blogs that reference this entry:
stephanie + kevin + wedding ~ windsor ontario
. TrackBack URL for this entry:
http://www.michelebowmanweddings.com/darkroom/mt/mt-tb.cgi/158
158
the other day, my daughter asked if i would do a little photoshoot for her and her 7 friends. yep, you read correctly, SEVEN teenage girls and me!!
i guess that's what you do when your mom is a professional photographer right?
everyone had to wear white and blue, and they were ALL wearing high heels!! it was kinda funny watching some of them try to walk in such high heeled shoes, but since they were ALL better than me at doing it, then i'd better not say much.
these girls are good friends, and they wanted a photo to commemorate the ending of grade 11 and the beginning of summer.
here is a collage of these gorgeous young ladies and an extra one of my daughter (because i'm the mom and blogger, and i think she's pretty awesome).
aren't these girls all GORGEOUS!!! seriously people, these are some STUNNING YOUNG WOMEN!!!
Amber C:
Michele, you are the coolest mom ever! And it says a lot when your daughter isn't just willing to LET you take her friend's photos - she trusts you and your non-dorkiness enough to ASK you to do it! Beautiful shots, and what a great idea! Wish I'd thought to do this with my friends when I was Emily's age. xoxoxox
(07.16.10)
Listed below are links to blogs that reference this entry:
good friends
. TrackBack URL for this entry:
http://www.michelebowmanweddings.com/darkroom/mt/mt-tb.cgi/155
157
i met with these two lovebirds last year, when the met me at a local Starbucks and they open their lives to me, and shared the story of their love.
true love.
i'm a sucker for a good love story, and one that begins in childhood & in the teen years, blossoms into something real and adult, and then culminates in a wedding, is.......
moving, touching, awesome, a gift from God, real.
real.
not without struggles, challenges and hard work, this love story has been through it all, and has arrived at the other side stronger and God-centered.
beautiful.
this wedding day was a bit different than normal, since it started out in Windsor, and then became a cross border event. the reception was being held at the Dearborn Inn in Dearborn MI, and i was excited to get the chance to check out another wedding venue! i do have to say, that i've been very blessed to be photographing weddings that aren't all at the same venue, which gives me the chance to experience new things and have a wedding adventure every weekend!
i'm just an adventurous kinda gal :)
let's see...... what kind of stuff happened on their big day.
well, there was the fact that i got to watch the groomsmen iron their shirts, which was great, because i always enjoy seeing men tackling domestic chores.
Matt was gifted with some ROCKING cufflinks, which were little mini yellow Jeeps!! fabulous!
i didn't get pulled over at the border, and actually got through really quickly, so that was great because i didn't have to get all ninja on a border guard (i wasn't going to miss this wedding, no matter what).
ok, i might not have got all ninja on the border guys...... it would have more than likely looked like big-baby tears.
i'm ashamed.
back on track now.....
when we headed out to take some photos of the bridal party, we were ATTACKED by throngs of mosquitoes!! it was INSANE!
luckily, i was surrounded by videographers that seemed to have sweeter blood than i, so they took the brunt of the attack.
according to Matt, God put an old Jeepster Jeep in the parking lot, just for us, so that we could get some photos near a cool car. he was a happy groom.
Christine had two surprises for Matt, which were a cool Jeep groom's cake (i LOVED it) and she also sang for him later in the evening. very romantic.
hmmmmmm..... looking back, i see that this was quite the Jeep centered wedding!! fun stuff!
i would like to take a moment and thank Matt & Christine for allowing me to be a part of their lives. you two are some of the most lovely people i know, and i am so thrilled to have been able to witness such an important moment in your lives. you are both funny, loving, and gracious, and i smile every time i think of you both.
i can't wait to see what awesome things God does in your lives, as your journey as a couple and a family begins.
very exciting stuff!!
God is good.
Michelle Bondy:
Michele, these are gorgeous. Such creative shots and I always love the candid shots.
(06.25.10)
amy:
these are gorgeous!!! love the candid shots!! great job on these they look so happy coming down the aisle!!
(06.25.10)
amie leigh artistry:
wonderful work! love how you captured all those candid moments!
(06.25.10)
Newcastle & Hunter Valley weddings and protraits :: Xanthe Roxburgh:
Fantastic mix of sweet/subdued and having fun images.
(07.07.10)
Steve Campbell:
Matt, I saw your grandmother at camp and she gave me this web link. Congratulations to you both! We are so pleased along with you that God has brought you to this point. Enjoy the ups and downs of married life!
Warm Christian love, Steve and Susie Campbell
Listed below are links to blogs that reference this entry:
christine + matt + wedding ~ windsor ontario & dearborn michigan
. TrackBack URL for this entry:
http://www.michelebowmanweddings.com/darkroom/mt/mt-tb.cgi/154
152
i'm home!!!
i feel so horrible that this blog post is a week late, but i've been away for the last 9 days, shooting 2 destination weddings, and i arrived home late last night.
i did try to get some work done while i was in Mexico, but the internet at the resort was very slow and very sketchy, so my well intentioned blog post did not happen.
so, i'm home and i'm back to work!!
on May15th, i had the honour and the pleasure of photographing Andy & Laurie's beautiful wedding in Amherstburg at Pointe West Golf & Country Club (which is just outside on Windsor Ontario)
i met Andy & Laurie last fall, and we had a super fun engagement session this past February, in the snowy cold.
their wedding day was definitely one for the record books!! it was a day of adventure and laughs, broken gear and a fun trolley ride!
first off, when we arrived at Andy's parents house, we found that we had a wardrobe malfunction with one of the groomsmen. i'll tell you right now, that duct tape isn't really made to hem pants!! of course, duct tape is pretty awesome and you can do so many great things with it, but you can't use it to hem suit pants, and it doesn't stick to neoprene (well, that's another story for another day).
after my gallant offer to hem this poor guy's pants, i quickly realized that i was supposed to be taking the photographs!!! soooooooooooo..... my 2nd shooter took to the task and hemmed away!
it was pretty funny.
thank goodness we didn't have any wardrobe malfunctions at the bride's house.
(always a good thing)
the ceremony and reception went off without a hitch, and i even got a ride in a trolley car into Amherstburg to take some photos.
who doesn't like a trolley ride?
i do have to admit that there was one little hiccup during the day. my main camera body broke, and i am so very thankful that i not only had an assistant that could run back to the trolley to get my back-up camera, but i actually HAD a back-up camera!!!!
public service announcement~ if you are a wedding photographer, you should NEVER photograph a wedding without a back-up camera body!
(you're welcome)
my camera is now in the shop, getting some lovin' and fixin' of the lens contacts.
because i was leaving the next day for 2 destination weddings, i had to go and buy another Nikon D700. fun stuff!
Andy & Laurie are away on their european honeymoon, but i'd publicly like to thank them for trusting me to document their wonderful day, allowing me to have a small glimpse into their lives, and for being such beautiful people that just adore each other to pieces.
nothing makes me love this job more, than witnessing true love between two special people.
i'm just a big softy for a good love story.
now, here are a few photos of the big day!!
awesome vendors~
cake~ The Cake Lady, Windsor
flowers~ Rainbow Flowers, Tecumseh
officiant~ Royal Wedding Gardens, Lasalle
venue ~ Pointe West Golf & Country Club, Amherstburg
wedding gown~ Becker's Bridals, Toronto
Amelia Thornton / Flirt Photography:
1. Your camera broke? OMG - worst nightmare come true!
2. I
3. F-A-N-T-A-S-T-I-C photos!!
Loni Oates:
All of your photos look gorgeous Michelle!! Looks like it was a super fun day, despite your camera issue, but you handled it like a pro!! =) Congrats to the new happy couple!!
(05.29.10)
Listed below are links to blogs that reference this entry:
andy & laurie {windsor ontario wedding photographer}
. TrackBack URL for this entry:
http://www.michelebowmanweddings.com/darkroom/mt/mt-tb.cgi/149
150
a couple of days ago, i met Melissa & Nick in Kingsville, for their engagement session. i live in Kingsville, and i love shooting here, so these two adventurers made the trek from Windsor and out to the county. they really wanted to get some photos in a flowering apple orchard, but no such luck. the apple trees were flowerless, but that didn't dampen the mood one little bit.
these two are quite the pair!! i know i say it all the time, but i think my clients are the best around, and these two are no exception.
they laugh, and laugh, and laugh together all the time. they make faces at each other, they tickle each other, and they just adore each other to pieces.
it's wonderful to see, and i told them how i could just tell how much they truly loved each other.
i am really looking forward to documenting their wedding in WIndsor, this coming fall, and i'm so very thankful that they have trusted me with such an important job.
Melissa & Nick...... thank you for allowing me to get to know you, and to have to opportunity to be a small part of your lives. i can't wait for your wedding, and your love is truly inspiring.
now, let's get on with a few photos!!
let's start with the sweet faces.
it wasn't 2 minutes into our session when the laughs started!! awesome :)
tickle fight! (Melissa lost)
we wanted to go into the candy shop, but it was closed. bummer.
there's nothing like finding a cool doorway and taking kissy photos of a couple in love.
just sayin'.
yep, more tickling and a bear hug all in one!
Melissa:
Love the pics Michele! Can't wait to see the rest of them! Quite the teaser!!
(05.12.10)
Terri Minoletti:
Great pictures...can't wait to see the rest of them.
(05.12.10)
Uncle Dave & Auntie Brenda:
Very cool pictures:)
(05.13.10)
Ken Teo:
Beautiful couple. I love how you got them so relaxed and comfortable in front of the camera.
(05.23.10)
Listed below are links to blogs that reference this entry:
nick & melissa | windsor engagement photography
. TrackBack URL for this entry:
http://www.michelebowmanweddings.com/darkroom/mt/mt-tb.cgi/147
148
last night, i met up with one of my super sweet 2010 wedding couples, and we braved the chilly temps for the sake of photography!
this great couple are getting married here in Windsor, this coming June, and i can't wait!!!
Matt & Christine are adorable, totally in love, and they can totally rock silly faces. Matt's version of 'Blue Steel' will go down in the record books. i know it gave me chills!!
we started out at Vito's Pizzeria on Wyandotte Street, which i HAVE to eat at one day soon. it smelled sooooooooo yummy!!!
afterwards, we had a stroll, looked for good light, and then ended up at Willistead Manor.
we grabbed some sunset and yummy light photos, spent some time hanging out with Matt's Jeep, and then played the silly face game.
i also found out that Christine loves nautical clothing. good to know.
i promised Christine that i would post a few photos from our adventure, so here they are!
Matt & Christine.....
i just wanted to thank you for hiring me to document your wedding and trusting me enough to allow me to be a part of your lives. i'm blessed to have met you both, and i'm very much looking forward to capturing all that makes your wedding day wonderful.
you are both adorable!!!
Christine:
THESE ARE AWESOME!! Thank you so much Michele!! What a huge sneak peak!! :)
(04.28.10)
Matt Curtis:
Alright, I'm dying now, bring on the Jeep pictures!
(05.05.10)
Listed below are links to blogs that reference this entry:
matt & christine | windsor engagement photography
. TrackBack URL for this entry:
http://www.michelebowmanweddings.com/darkroom/mt/mt-tb.cgi/145
147
this past weekend, i had the opportunity to shoot a wedding alongside my friend Arica Ingratta. We worked together a lot last year, but we are only getting the chance to work together a couple of times this coming year (very sad).
Fina & Nick got married at Assumption Church here in Windsor, and their reception was held at the Ciocarro Club at the south end of the city. it was a hopping club on Saturday, with ALL the party rooms filled with festivities.
one wedding even had 2 police officers standing outside their reception room. that one kept me guessing all night.
one of the things that i love about weddings, is the kids.
some people chose to have ring bearers and flower girls, and some don't, but there are ALWAYS kids at weddings.
they are SOOOOOOOOOOO much fun!!!!
at this wedding, there were 3 flower girls and a ring bearer.
two of the flower girls were old pros, one carried around her princess bag full of books, and the ring bearer was had a bit of stage fright.
all in all, it was a fun day to be a kid!!
it was story time during the ceremony. i had to laugh. they were TOTALLY oblivious to the wedding around them!!
this little one had had ENOUGH, and decided to abandon her books and look for a familiar face. too cute!!
these guys just had their own party going on. i wish i could tap into some of that energy!!
amy:
love the little girl coming down the aisle . my sister had 6 flower girls all in big puffy white dresses. soooo adorable!!
(04.27.10)
Listed below are links to blogs that reference this entry:
about the kids | Assumption Church & Ciocarro Club Windsor
. TrackBack URL for this entry:
http://www.michelebowmanweddings.com/darkroom/mt/mt-tb.cgi/144
146
it's been a few years since i got married and planned a wedding, and in all honesty, we didn't have a professional wedding photographer.
believe it or not, we asked a cop from our church to take our photos, because we heard he would do a great job.
ummmmmmm....... not so much.
that was a long time ago, but it's a shame that my photos kinda suck.
i still love my hubby though, so it's all good.
these days, with the digital age and the fact that there are so many photographers in most urban areas, i can imagine that it must be tough for couples to know how to choose the right photographer for them.
i feel badly for couples, because there is just so much to choose from, so many photographers that are trying to get clients, and so many websites to go through!!!
if you are recently engaged and have fallen upon my site, i just want to tell you that i can only imagine your pain.
it's like when i go to a restaurant and i'm handed a menu that is 15 pages long. how the heck am i supposed to choose what i want to eat?
too many choices!!!!!
how do you decide what you like, what you want, what's the best route to go?
so, you've Googled "windsor ontario wedding photographer " and you see that there are quite a few photographers in this area. what the heck?
you sift through the endless amount of websites and blogs, trying to narrow it down to maybe 5 or 6 photographers that you plan to meet with over coffee. great.
now, you've seen the photos, but you have about 30-60 minutes with this person, one on one, to see if you click and if they are the photographer for you.
tough decision.
recently, i read a post on another photographer's blog (Grant Perry), where he wrote something very similar to this list and i thought it was a super helpful idea. i decided to so something similar for my clients, since i want to make sure that clients hire the right person for them.
here are a few ideas for making it easier to chose who's the right fit for you (whether it be me or another photographer).
please don't mind the different font. i wrote this in Word and then cut and pasted it here.
1~ Relationship
the absolute, absolute, absolute most important aspect to you getting the results you desire from your wedding photography, is that you fall in love with your wedding photographer! you just need to click as personalities and as people.
also, a wedding photographer worth hiring doesn't just take pictures.
a fabulous wedding photographer should be an artist uses their camera to capture the art of your wedding day, not just any photographer or a good friend with a Rebel XTI. each and every wedding is filled with such emotion and so many passion filled moments, and your photographer is there to capture each moment as art. the art of the story and the art of the moment is what makes your wedding photos truly wonderful and unique. they are about you.
a photographer's images should, with one glance, create an emotion for the viewer . can you envision yourself in the photos that you're looking through?
anyone can take a picture, but you need to chose a photographer that you know will be able to capture your story, in a way that speaks to you
2~ Passion
so, you've booked a meeting at Starbucks with 10 different photographers. now what?
when you're sitting across the table from photographer #5, how do they make you feel on the inside? are you getting excited about your wedding day as they talk about how they might be involved? when they talk about their art and their product, do they get all excited for you, your dreams and your plans, or do you feel that they are they just selling something? what adjective comes to your mind to describe them if you were asked 5 minutes after you left the appointment?
if you leave the meeting and can turn to your fiance and say 'wow, that photographer has passion for their art!", then put them on your short-list and consider that a good meeting.
a great wedding photographer shouldn't be in this line of work , just to make a few bucks, but they need to be truly passionate about telling your story through their images, they need to truly care about you as people, and they need to be passionate about their art. PASSION!!!
3~ Fun?
sure, wedding days are full of timelines and schedules, smiles and hugs, but they are also supposed to be FUN!!!
when you sit down to meet with a potential wedding photographer, do you think that you might be able to have fun with this person all day long?
i guess it comes down to the relationship thing again, and whether or not you can just be yourselves and have fun with the person that will be working closely with you for up to 12 hours or so.
if you don't know what the heck i'm talking about and if you don't plan on having any fun on your big day, then you can just ignore everything i just wrote about the subject.
just kidding.....
you KNOW you want to have FUN! who wouldn't?
that's all i have to say, for now anyways.
oh, and a blog post is never complete without a photo
another one from Rob & Leslie's Willestead Manor wedding, here in WIndsor
Nick Everitt:
Great article, really good advice for couples looking for their wedding photographer and I love the image that you have included, thats an awesome first dance shot!
(04.21.10)
Philip Hawkins:
Good advice. I give similar advice over here in Scotland from time to time as selecting the right wedding photographer can be a daunting process to many couples. Excellent image choice, too...timeless!
(04.26.10)
Listed below are links to blogs that reference this entry:
the art of choosing a wedding photographer
. TrackBack URL for this entry:
http://www.michelebowmanweddings.com/darkroom/mt/mt-tb.cgi/143
143
i know i say it often, but i'm going to say it again.....
i LOVE my job and i LOVE being a wedding photographer!!
i'm sorry if you are getting tired of hearing that statement, but it's true, and i am blessed.
yesterday, i met with a wonderful couple about the possibility of documenting their super awesome wedding next year. i sincerely hope that they book me because they were wonderfully sweet and i'd love to work with them, and get to know them even better!
ok, that's not the point here....
what i am trying to get to, is that something came up in our meeting, that was the catalyst to me writing this blog post this morning.
it's about ENGAGEMENT SESSIONS (if you didn't get that from the post title already).
inevitably, the topic of engagement sessions comes up during my initial meetings, because they are included in most of my wedding collections and i frequently get asked "do i need an engagement session and why?"
i do have to say that it's normally the guys that are puzzled about e-sessions, but most brides are pretty pumped about the thought of having one done.
what i want to do here, is explain my take on e-sessions, and give potential clients some insight into how my brain works and why i LOVE doing them.
first and foremost, e-sessions are a great way to get to know your wedding photographer, and for me to get to know my clients on a more personal level.
when a client books me to be their wedding photographer, i want to make sure that i get to know them on a more personal level, so that on their wedding day i am just like an old friend coming to document their wedding. i put all of myself into every job and every client that i book, and i want your wedding day to just be a continuation of the awesome client/photographer relationship that we will have already built.
during an engagement session, i ask my clients to think of a way that i can document them doing something that is uniquely THEM. when i say this, i mean something like, if you aren't a pretty-park person, then posing in front of a bunch of tulips or flower beds and saying 'cheese' for the camera, is NOT a brilliant plan. if as a couple, you LOVE to go bowling with friends, then lets take some photos at the bowling alley! if you love to stay in on weekends, cook cool meals, and watch old movies, then i can come to your home and take some e-session photos of you cooking up a storm!
i think you get my drift with this stuff.
by following you on a 'date' and documenting what makes you 'special' as a couple, then i get a glimpse into your love, and into your lives, which will in turn help me to be able to better understand what i can do on your wedding day to make sure that your images reflect YOU !
the second reason that i feel that engagement sessions are important, is because most couples don't have any professional photos of themselves, and i want to change the world (one couple at a time).
sure, most couples have about 1,000 self-portraits, taken at arm's reach, with their iPhones or compact cameras. the other photos that most couples have, are one's from the last party or holiday dinner they attended. you know the type of photos i'm talking about, all out of focus and full of standard red-eye, maybe with a bit of their heads chopped off.
ok, so maybe you don't NEED an engagement session, but i'm sure that now that you've read my blog post, you WANT an engagement session!!
Listed below are links to blogs that reference this entry:
what the heck do i need an engagement session for?
. TrackBack URL for this entry:
http://www.michelebowmanweddings.com/darkroom/mt/mt-tb.cgi/140
142
hi all :)
when i embarked on the roller coaster journey of being a wedding photographer, i sat down an evaluated a few core beliefs and plans for my business.
the first thing i decided, was that i wanted to be able to give my clients the best possible experience !
how does a photographer give their clients a great experience ?
well, there are two things that i came up with.
first off, i would need to provide photos that capture the emotion and feeling of each and every client and their wedding day.
recently, while reading entries on a photography forum, a wedding photographer named David Murray posted a response to a discussion about wedding photojournalism.
"It is not so much that I want to focus on just the good things during the course of the day as much as I want to find and touch upon the things that we can all recognize as being part of a sublime testament to our shared human experience. Some times these moments are happy, sometimes they are quite or somber, sometimes funny, and sometimes they are filled with joy. But the common thread is that in an aesthetic way, they dig right to the root of what is best in all of us. That is what I strive for when I pick up a camera "
everything David says in this post, is exactly how i feel about what i do.
the second thing that i wanted to do for my clients, is provide them with great customer service. i want to be able to present my work to each and every couple, within a few weeks of their wedding, not months and months afterwards. there is no reason why anyone should be getting their wedding album a year or two AFTER their wedding!
to be able to be the best photographer, wife and mother that i can possibly be, i am only taking on about 20 wedding commissions per year.
i have almost reached that number, and i will not be going over it.
it is because each and every client is so important to me, that i'm limiting my number of commissions to 20.
the wedding season in Windsor is pretty darn short, and my summer is pretty much booked full (except for 1 or 2 weekends), and my fall has a couple of more weekends that i'm currently available.
if you are planning a wedding in 2010, and you're still looking for a wedding photographer, please contact me for more details about my availability.
i am currently taking bookings for 2011 and i'd love to hear from you as well.
my wedding season starts in 2 weeks, with Rob & Leslie's wedding at Willistead Manor, and i'm really excited about it. my biggest fear for the day, would be that we get some freakishly weird blizzard or something. Rob & Leslie are from Arizona, so i don't think that they would be too excited about sharing their wedding day with slushy snow.
here's a photo of Rob & Leslie, from their snowy engagement session i did for them this past Christmas
Brandon- Portland Wedding Photographer:
Congrats on filling up your season! That's always a great feeling. Very nice shot too.
(03.24.10)
Newport Wedding Photographer | Mark Andrew:
Beautiful image. I like your take on commissions. David is an awesome photographer and probably one of the best wedding photojournalists out there.
(03.25.10)
Listed below are links to blogs that reference this entry:
just a few spots left ! {windsor ontario wedding photographer}
. TrackBack URL for this entry:
http://www.michelebowmanweddings.com/darkroom/mt/mt-tb.cgi/139
137
last summer, i got a call from a bride that is living in Toronto, but getting married in Windsor. we talked on the phone for a bit, got to know each other better, and i soon found out that this bride is SUPER COOL!
not only was she sweet and easy to talk to, but she was getting geared up and trained to climb Mount Everest in November, to raise money for charity!
seriously?
this bride was Laurie, and her and her fiance Andy, were planning a wedding in Windsor and looking for a local photographer.
after meeting up on a Sunday morning while they were visiting family, they decided to book with me, and i was very flattered.
see, i am blessed with having some very cool couples hire me, and these two are no exception.
Laurie shared the story about how her and Andy ended up together , and it's a great story about perseverance, secret crushes, and long distance love.
in the end, true love prevailed, and this coming May, the two of the them will be getting married at Pointe West Golf and Country Club in Amherstburg. I'm very excited indeed.
i guess Laurie and Andy met, for a brief minute, while they were in high school. the meeting wasn't mind blowing or memorable, but it was the beginning of their journey.
come university, Laurie ends up meeting Andy again and finds out that they have a couple of classes together. i guess Laurie's secret crush on Andy kept her from really getting to know him for the first little while, but they soon hooked up and got talking.
Andy headed off to Chiropractic school in Toronto, and the two of them tried a long distance relationship, which , after a little while, ended.
once Andy moved back to the Windsor area, they hooked up again, but this time is was supposed to be 'only as friends'. it wasn't until Andy was supposed to move back to Toronto for work, that Laurie realized how much she was going to miss him! from what i was told, it took a couple of drinks for them to be able to finally confess how much they liked each other and Laurie decided to follow Andy to Toronto and continue their blooming relationship.
btw....
i grew up in Toronto, and it's a cool place to live!
at the end of my engagement session with these two lovebirds, i asked them what they love the most about each other.
it didn't take Andy long to share that his favourite thing about Laurie, is that she just lets him be himself. Laurie said the same thing about Andy, which i guess means he just loves her the way she is.
Andy also admitted that he loves the fact that Laurie loves to bake for him!
What man doesn't love a woman who bakes!
here are a few photos from our engagement session in the snow.
a big thank you to Andy and Laurie for allowing me to be a part of your lives and your special day!
Listed below are links to blogs that reference this entry:
andy & laurie {windsor ontario engagement photographer}
. TrackBack URL for this entry:
http://www.michelebowmanweddings.com/darkroom/mt/mt-tb.cgi/134
135
last week, i was really wanting a surprise.
i didn't really care what kind of surprise, but it had to be a nice one.
a big fat check in the mail would have been nice, maybe a box of Milk Duds, the loss of a few pounds, another wonderful client book me, even a cool catalogue in the mail! i wasn't picky, but i was just wanting something fun and different to happen.
i lead a pretty predictable life, which is awesome, but i like adventure and fun, and i LOVE surprises!!! i just needed a little somethin' somethin' to spice up my week.
well, Friday came and went, and nothin'
no gifts, no cheques, no chocolates, no fancy catalogue, no pounds lost, and no firm commitments from the few potential clients that i'm waiting on to book me.
nothing.
it was very sad indeed.
i didn't lose sleep over it or anything, because i figured that i have enough on my mind and a surprise wasn't really that important anyways.
well, i finally got a great surprise on Monday!
it was the end to an already pretty fantastic day.
ok, so i'll tell you about my great day and then i'll get to the surprise.
yesterday was Family Day in Canada, which is a pretty new holiday here. It's a full fledged holiday and i do have to say it's pretty great.
my son Josh is home this week for Reading week, and we all headed out for some good time family fun. it was also an early celebration of my birthday (which is Thursday).
we went bowling, which we usually do about once or twice a year around here (but usually in the summer) , we came home and played some cards (which i won) and then Darryl cooked up a great meal of steak and twice baked potatoes! after dinner i helped my daughter with some chemistry homework (i am a wiz at chemistry and actually took a course at the university just for fun a few years ago) and then we played some canasta.
great times.
so, in the midst of all this family fun, i checked my email.
SURPRISE!!!!
i have been invited by the WPJA to be a member of their association!
i applied to become a member , a few weeks ago, and then i put it out of my mind. i wasn't sure if they would think i had what it takes, especially since they showcase and allow membership to only the best wedding photojournalists in the world! well, i guess i made the cut and i'm tickled pink!!!
i realize that the best compliment to my work is booking great clients and documenting amazing weddings, but being recognized by an international association and by my peers, is something pretty new to me. i have to say that it has been good for my ego, and i've had a perma smile since yesterday afternoon!
now, this type of news might now give another photographer the perma-smile that i'm experiencing, but that's because i have been working at finding my hill.
i think i'm home.
when i first got started in wedding photography, i researched branding and marketing like crazy. there is a wedding photography forum , called OSP that i frequented for a while. a member of the forum, Kevin Swan, is not only a wedding photographer, but he's a marketing guru. one of the things that i took away from his writing, is the fact that to be a successful wedding photographer, you need to find your niche and stick with it. i decided right then and there that i'd be true to myself and find my way. i didn't want to be anyone but the person that God created. i needed to find my hill.
well, my hill is now Wedding Photojournalist and photographer in Windsor and Essex County.
i am the only wedding photographer in Windsor Ontario and surrounding area that is listed with the WPJA.
here is what the WPJA has to say about their organization ~
"The Wedding Photojournalist Association grants membership to the most talented professional wedding photographers in the industry--photographers who focus solely on using their photography skills in documenting weddings."
Listed below are links to blogs that reference this entry:
finding my hill
. TrackBack URL for this entry:
http://www.michelebowmanweddings.com/darkroom/mt/mt-tb.cgi/132
Wow! Beautiful Pictures!
(07.21.10)Beautiful work Michele! You've done it again!!!
(07.21.10)I love the bride's dress and bracelet! Gorgeous! Michele, some of my favourite pics you're doing these days are the compositions of all the wedding details (food, place settings, etc.). They compile all in one the vision the couple was trying to achieve, and you make it look so beautiful!
(07.21.10)Michele, these are incredible!!
(07.21.10)Love the detail pictures, they are so unique and different, the angles are great and the colors pop off the page. Love the unique set-ups of the formals and bridal party pictures. Great set of images!
(07.27.10)Loved all of the detail shots, especially the teddy bears on the cake and the rings in the m and m's. Beautiful wedding .
(07.30.10)OMG Michele...I am 100% in LOVE with every one of these images. Fantastic job!! So proud of you, my friend!
(08.06.10)