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Reflections : Photographing a Wedding in the Rain
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| Being a wedding photographer in California has its perks, namely the weather. Heck, I'll just come out and say I'm spoiled with year-round sunny goodness...with the exception of this month. For some reason, fall hit Californians with unusual rain and everyone had to make last-minute changes to their weddings...except K+J. They decided--regardless of the weather--they were going to have their Pelican Hill wedding outdoors. In the rain. |
| K+J dreamed of marrying under the Rotunda at Pelican Hill, so their creative team made it work the best we could (special thanks to Katie+Meg of Intertwined Events!). Because we knew it was going to rain, we made proper accommodations in advance. So this is what this post is about: photographing a wedding in the rain. Sure, I've done this only once, but here's a few things I learned along the way for a Reflections Post... |
1. Carry what you need (you will not have the luxury of keeping gear off to the side).
It was pouring during the wedding ceremony, but the Rotunda provided just enough protection...and I stood behind a pillar most of the time. I'm a great hider...but my camera? Needs some practice. (pee ess, this is a joke...of the many photos JD captured, this was the only where I'm showing...we've learned to shoot around each other after all these years together!) |
2. Buy a collapsable umbrella with a latch/string that can tie easily to the camera bag you're carrying.
Like I mentioned before, I stood behind a pillar so guests couldn't see me, but JD shot from the side for a bit and made sure I was in the frame so I could complain about it later. Ellie (my assistant) stood off to the side in the rain with an extra large umbrella and when I was done in this position, we ran to the end of the aisle for the First Kiss and Recessional. |
3. Bring an umbrella holder. Why, yes. Yes, this seems so P. Diddy wannabe, but I can't express how helpful it is to have an assistant. I hired Ellie M. to join me just for the wedding ceremony, but I wish I had her around during the bridal party photos earlier in the day because she provided the latitude I'm used to while shooting. There were times when I had to hold my umbrella, instruct a group during a photo, and photograph simultaneously. While difficult, it's not impossible...but it was SO nice to have someone over my shoulder allowing me to focus simply on shooting.
4. Have a plan of attack. I spoke with the officiant before the wedding ceremony and he told me the ceremony was condensed to six minutes. Yes, you read that right. Because we had a limited amount of time due to the pouring rain, I told JD where I'd stand and what photos, specifically, I needed from him before the First Kiss. We divided out the ceremony and established where we'd stand for the First Kiss and the Recessional. In six minutes, we photographed the wedding ceremony and I'm so proud of how hard JD worked...especially because he held his own umbrella! ;)
5. Be an educator. Most of time, clients will stress out in the rain. I speak with certainty because it rained on MY wedding day. Besides photographing memories, it's important to keep smiling and letting clients know what to expect, where they need to be, and when they need to be there. Bad weather throws a lot of curveballs, so be sure you're a pillar and not a pain.
6. Have a Plan B. And Plan C...and Plan D. Throughout the day, JD and I stayed in contact because things were changing every minute. To avoid stress and miscommunication, we texted every 10-20 minutes to ensure we kept our schedules in sync which in turn kept our clients happy. And happiness is more than I could ask for!
If you have other tips to add that'll help other photographers shoot on a rainy day, feel free to add them in the comment box. Or you can just say hi. I like making friends on the web. HOLLLLLLA! |
    
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Engage!11 Conference : Cayman Islands
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© Jasmine Star. This post cannot be republished without permission. Stealing makes me sad. |
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L ast Tuesday I had the immense honor of presenting at Engage!11 Conference in the Cayman Islands. I attended this conference for the first time last year and I walked away with a deeper appreciation for the wedding industry. This conference caters to wedding coordinators/designers, so when I was asked to speak, I wondered if I'd be able to connect in an impactful way. And, no, impactful isn't a word, but I use it all the time because I love it!
Rebecca Grinnals and Kathryn Arce--our gracious hosts--opened the doors to the Ritz Carlton and every detail was impeccably set, every color coordinated, and every hair in place. Each day was filled with speakers and I have a notebook brimming with inspiration and new ideas. |
| By the time it was my turn to take the stage, I nearly doubled over with nerves...no, really, I could've kissed my knees. I'm usually nervous before I speak, but standing in front of such an incredible group of people, I almost lost my marbles. What am I?! 80 years old? Who says that?! Anyway, I took a few deep breaths and started...then laughed my way through my presentation... |
| Just kidding. I tried to form coherent thoughts and deliver a speech on How to Build a Personal Brand...I've aimed to do this with my wedding photography, but the idea applies to almost any business. |
| Later that day everyone boarded a catamaran and sailed through the Cayman Islands. This was, by far, one of the most memorable experiences and will be a highlight of the year. I was incredibly thankful to sit back and reflect on the the past eleven months. I sat by myself for a bit and tried to memorize everything, if only for the briefest of moments. |
| We docked in Rum Bay (don't worry, mom, I drank the non-alcoholic rum!) and I was taken with the island beauty... |
| I'm incredibly thankful to Rebecca and Kathryn for their generous invitation...and their faith in me. I feel so blessed to have them as allies and friends. |
L ast week I received an email from a loyal blog reader...and friend. Her words hit me hard because, maybe, I hadn't done the best at explaining my approach to life...and then I felt like I was speaking from both sides of my mouth. Which is so not a good look for me. In light of this (and with her permission), I'm responding to her email publicly to clarify any miscommunication...
Quitting and following your dreams is so romantic...it's so perfect that I find myself asking, "am I happy?" over and over again. I entertain the idea of quitting because what you say resonates somewhere deep inside me...but today you did the opposite. You said the journey is long....its hard....but give it one more try before you throw in the towel. So now I wonder...why didn't you keep going in law school? Why didn't you go back and give it one more try?
Clarification: I didn't go back to law school because I, instead, chose to pursue the dream of becoming a professional photographer. If things didn't work out becoming a wedding photographer, I might have gone back to law school and given it one more chance, but--thankfully--the wheels of my dream started moving.
Was law school never really a dream of yours?
To be honest, I was in love with the idea of what being a lawyer would mean...to me, to my family. I'm a first-generation Hispanic, so I held tightly to the notion that education and a healthy paycheck meant freedom...but when I got to law school, I realized I couldn't be free if I was shackled to the unhappiness of an unfulfilled life.
Were you ever confused as to what your "dreams" were?
YES! When I left law school, I felt totally and completely lost. Everything for which I worked so hard now meant so little and I clung to this harebrained idea I could pick up a camera and make it work. To be honest, my dreams--then and now--are in a constant state of recalibration, but it was just as important to know what I did not want to do. Whether I could bring myself to say I dreamt of being a photographer isn't the point...it's knowing I didn't want to be a lawyer. Knowing this, I had to make decisions to move me away from the direction I was headed.
I've heard you say...you gave yourself a year and if it didn't work out you would go back to law school...but what was your measure of "working out"? What was your milestone?
Everyone has their own measure of success/milestone/"working out" and what worked for me may not apply to anyone else. When I made the decision to not return to law school, I worked part-time three days a week. My goal in 2007 was to book 10 weddings as the lead photographer...I figured that this would be a nice jump for my first year and something I could handle. Luckily, I booked 38 weddings and I was able to pursue photography full-time, but if I hadn't set a goal, I wouldn't have anything to measure my first year success.
How do you decide whether its just a rough patch and you should battle through...or if you wave your white flag?
Every day was a rough patch in law school (here's a reminder), so I battled the best I could. When I received news of my mother's relapse with brain cancer, I held up a white flag in full surrender because I couldn't do it anymore. "It" being the ability to go through the rough patch. Sure, not everyone gets a distinct wake up call, but when I did, I left and didn't look back.
I'm just confused because you say quit. Now keep going...
Clarification One:
In the past ten months, every ounce of me was put to the test publishing EXPOSED Magazine. In addition to travel, wedding photography, at-home work, speaking engagements, and life, I was pulled in every direction. I quit working on the magazine because I was overwhelmed, not because I didn't want to pursue it. Essentially, I sold myself short. This is completely different than when I quit law school because I knew that at the end of the day, I didn't really want to be a lawyer.
Clarification Two:
QUIT what you don't love and don't want to spend the rest of your life doing (of course, taking proper steps to protect you and your family from financial distress). And, more than anything, quitting can be a frame of mind as much as an action. You can quit believing you're destined for a cubicle for the rest of your life, quit thinking you'll never make third quarter sales projections, and quit doubting your ability to be enough.
KEEP GOING when you believe your path is what you were called to do (even if this is part-time or full-time or you're simply pursuing a passion) or simply for the reason you can look back on your life and know you gave it your all. |
| To those who have poured out their support online via Twitter and Facebook, THANK YOU...I'm truly blown away by your kindness and encouragement! I can't wait to see what the future holds for you...and us...and our connection to following our dreams! |
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Friday Randomness : Skype + Flux Capacitors
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I 'm just gonna come out and say it: I feel way fancy when I Skype. I don't know what it is, but it makes me feel like I'm in Back To The Future...sans the flux capacitor. I've been away at a conference this week, but trying to check in at home as much as possible and computer chatting was the thing that kept me from getting {too} homesick. I sang to Polo, talked to JD just enough to annoy him, and used my computer to share my view of the clear ocean from the hotel room. Now if I could find a way to microwave a miniature pizza into a full fledged dinner, I'd make Doc proud.
In more banal minutia, here's another Friday Randomness post...
A misplaced price tag could lead to disastrous results...
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| I have no idea why, but this picture makes me laugh every time I see it. And, yes, I know I have a terrible sense of humor... |
| If I wore a tie, I'd look like this. Well, with bigger hips. |
| I can't tell if is this totally inappropriate or completely hilarious...hurry and help me decide! |
| Today's weekend is sponsored by the following message. |
| I laid on the deck of the boat and closed my eyes, willing myself to remember. Everything. The sounds of the crashing ocean, echos of laughter at the helm, the trace of salt water on my lips. I opened my eyes and watched sunset. Beginning, middle, and end, the orange clouds spreading like threads of cotton candy. I couldn't remember the last time I watched the sun set, but I vowed to again soon because it held the promise of an even brighter tomorrow. |
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