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I know some wedding photographers who photograph nothing but weddings. They see it as a business and they’re good at what they do. But I think it’s important to understand other aspects of photography in order to do them all better. For instance if you’re good with landscape photography, you’ll understand composition a little better as well as horizons, light, foreground/background, etc. Macros for ring shots, family photos to help with formal photos, etc.

So what does photographing models have to do with wedding photography? Well, a good model will know how to pose. So if posing people isn’t your strong point, then watch how they move, watch how they use emotion, expression and pose to make themselves look flattering. A great model knows how to take the attention off themselves and sell something. Jewlery, a hair design, clothing… not themselves. They’re just there to model something else. That’s why when I see models do nude photoshoots… just what are you modeling? Skin cream?

Tiffany was one of the first models I photographed back in 2009. I met her while doing a boudoir shoot; she was their makeup artist. She also likes to design clothes, so she contacted me and we headed up into the burnt hills of Santa Barbara and had a great time doing fun shots like this.

Now that I own a couple Alien Bees and a 22” Beauty Dish with honeycomb grid and sock, I’m hoping to get a little more experience in the beauty/glamour department. I have one model shoot scheduled for next Thursday after work down at the beach and I’m hoping to know what I’m doing by then. Anyone want to come and hold a reflector?

I try to stay out of Los Angeles and “the city” when it comes to my weddings. I don’t market myself down there and I don’t go out of my way to book any weddings down there. I’m much more comfortable doing weddings in barns, gardens, open spaces, etc, than I am at hotel ballrooms, conference centers and urban parks. But when I was asked to shoot a wedding at a Long Beach art gallery, it sounded fun. Time for the formal photos and… not many options, so we used the back alley with the girls and I actually like how it came out.

But let me say that this is NOT “modern vintage”. As an aspiring old fart, I really dislike the concept of tinting photos and the over-use of props for engagement and wedding shoots for the sake of it looking like it was in the 1920s. This goes along with Vintage Circus, Flora Bella, Steam Punk, Café Racer vintage, etc. Now I know that every girl over 15 who spends hours on Pintrest will disagree with me, but I think it’s just a fad and look forward to creating more classic, properly-exposed, less-Photoshopped wedding photos.

I had a bride inquire about photographing their wedding with the expectation to make the photos look “vintagey” and “old-timey” aka “vintage modern”. Mind you, the venue was a ballroom in a hotel in the suburbs. I told her the location didn’t match that theme, but if they changed their venue to a 1920s barn which had lots of memorabilia, perhaps an old gas pump, and a guy with a unicycle juggling bowling pins, then perhaps that look could be accomplished. I didn’t get the gig because my look is more modern, not pretend-old.

Bah humbug.

As the guy, the best part of planning getting married is planning the honeymoon. I’d love to go somewhere I’ve never been before (Iceland, Patagonia, Prague, Russia or Nepal) but I also have to consider who is going with me. Jessica has never been to Europe, so I’m hoping to introduce her to a whole bunch of new foods, culture, experiences and hours of me driving a stick shift rental car.

Looking forward to seeing Heidelberg again. Quintessential Germany.

Prost!

We have had a LOT of amazing sunsets here lately. If Summer is wedding season, then this is absolutely sunset season. And it’s almost got to the point where I drop everything to go and chase a sunset. Race to a new location, try to find an interesting foreground and then my tripod & filters ready, get a great sunset. It’s exhausting. The best sunset of the year (yes it’s only 26 days old) was a few days ago, and I only had my iphone with me. I took a photo, but I had this feeling like, “MAN, I wish I could have just had all my equipment and been somewhere new and cool and got a great shot…” But then there I was with my 6yo and fiancé riding our bikes around the park in mid-January… and I was complaining. At least I got to experience it with them.

No regrets

Man walks into a bar. Sees a beautiful blond woman across the bar by herself sipping on a martini. She looks up at him with clear blue eyes and flashes a crooked smile. He gasps and mummers to himself, “Wow… I bet she has a great personality…”

I know it is wrong to comment on a women’s physical beauty before really getting to know her, but at just over a year old, she really knows how to work a camera. This girl’s eyes and beach blond hair was just so amazing. All I wanted to do yesterday was get one good shot of her eyes wide open to showcase those eyes against that hair. I got it. And this really wasn’t retouched much at all. This is the beauty that God gave her. Wow. Trouble ahead.

Not only that… but she does have a great personality. Loves to give hugs.