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Friday Randomness : Narration
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S ometimes I proofread my blog posts...aloud. It feels ridiculous, but also a little gratifying. Gratifying because when I was 10 years old, I auditioned for the part of the Christmas play Narrator. I practiced my lines and added inflections to my voice for artistic flair, but when the audition came around, I couldn't read the script.
The part was given to Virginia Guzman...and I was casted as the Inn Keeper, a role originally slated for a boy but director simply painted a beard on my face to compensate.
All these years later, I occasionally proofread my posts in the Narrator's voice to prove to that director HE SO MISSED A GOOD THING.
And now for another installment of Friday Randomness...
Internet, who needs elegance when you have these glasses? ELEGUNCE, y'all! |
| This explains why I sit around in sweat pants most days... |
| It's always the red ones... |
| My kind of math problem... |
    
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FAQ : Shooting in Bright Sun
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L ike any wedding photographer will admit, there are things that happen on a wedding day that are completely out of a photographer's control. Sure, I can plan and strategically approach a wedding in a myriad of ways, but every ounce of work can be tossed to the side because of bad weather, schedule delays, or a bridesmaid's missing shoe (yes, it really happened). The most important thing to keep in mind is to stay in control. And smile.
Last Saturday--due to the expansive nature of the wedding venue--I orchestrated where I'd photograph bridal party and family portraits in advance. The bride and groom opted to have all formal portraits taken before the wedding ceremony, so the coordinator and I planned to meet in a place that could accommodate the 24-person bridal party in open shade.
Then plans changed at the last minute.
The reasons for the change don't matter, because--let's face it--every wedding photographer has been in a similar pinch at one point in time. But what particularly left me flummoxed was the fact that I had to photograph all the bridal party pictures in full sun. My insides went to mush and I wanted to panic, but instead I smiled and said, OF COURSE!
So here's where the rubber meets the road: it was bright and hot and I needed to photograph 12 groomsmen, two ring bearers, and the groom on a small patch of grass in the blazing sun. I positioned them on the small patch of grass in front of the hotel suite, with the sun just overhead, and captured this photo using the 24mm lens, also using the light-colored sidewalk in front of the groomsmen as a natural reflector to pop light back into their faces. I was able to light their faces in post a little as well, but the use of the natural reflector made it easier to highlight later... |
| In the meanwhile, JD captured this candid using the 70-200 lens, metering for the groom's face... |
| And I captured this candid of the ring bearer...yes, there are highlights, but given the sun's position, I'm okay with how things look and the 24mm helped me pick up nearby reflected light while I metered for his face. |
| Just before I photographed the bridesmaids, I captured individual photos of the groom and each groomsman with the 50mm keeping them in the same position as the group shot so I could leverage the natural reflector from the sidewalk, and ensured I also captured a photo of the groom and his brothers... |
At the end of the day, given our circumstances and last minute changes, I'm proud of what we produced in a short amount of time. Yes, I was panicked (and sweating like a swine about to be baconized), but it was important to take what we had and make it work. Now onto the bridesmaids.
Wanting a slightly different look, I utilized the hotel suite to position the 12 bridesmaids behind the bride and this is what resulted... |
In the photo above, I carefully placed each bridesmaid in the shade, but used light from reflected sources to illuminate their faces. Both the bride and the maid of honor are picking up light from the terracotta floor in front of them and the bridesmaids behind them are picking up light from the walls in the staircase, and the bridesmaids in the porticos are picking up light from the floor below them (and I also lightened them in post by using a Levels layer in Photoshop and masking it just to light those four girls).
I try to capture 2-3 poses of the bridesmaids (one editorial, one traditional, one casual), so here's another one that resulted as the videographer asked the girls to look at his camera... |
| Using natural reflectors on the floor in front of them to off-set the light behind them, I photographed each bridesmaid with the bride... |
Whew...so this post got entirely too long...good grief, I can really talk, eh? Talking is my specialty!!! In other news, I hope this post sheds light into how we approach shooting bridal party photos in atypical situations. Now I'm off to not talk anymore. JD thanks you.
Stay Fabulous,
j* |
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Terranea Wedding : Sonya + Eric
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© Jasmine Star. This post cannot be republished without permission. Stealing makes me sad. |
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S he complimented her bridesmaids as she rushed through the casita. That dress looks great on you...oooh, I love your hair...you look stunning. So often the day was made about others that her friends took the time to stop Sonya and remind her that the day was about her. And Eric. About them together, but it took getting used to because she's only ever been about everyone else. Selfless, that's how she's described by those who know her best and love her most.
Eric is equally as loved and deeply respected. Not only playing for powerhouse NFL teams, Eric served as captain for most of them, drawing the affection and loyalty of his teammates. He's lauded for his warm embrace anyone who crosses his path, be in on the field or one of his favorite beach hangouts.
Last Saturday, Selflessness and Warmth married at Terranea Resort...Sonya and Eric vowed their lives to each other in front of their friends and family, creating a day just as much about their guests as it was about them...and they wouldn't have wanted it any differently.
Sonya and Eric, words can't express how thankful I am to be a part of your love story. It was honor getting to know you and documenting your wedding day. Your friends and family are amazing and I have no doubt you're destined for abundant success with them at your sides. Much Love and Appreciation... j* |
| The day was gorgeous and every corner was a backdrop for photos...especially Sonya's Vera Wang wedding dress... |
| Sonya and Eric opted to see each other before the wedding ceremony for a private moment together...and seeing his stunning bride brought tears to Eric's eyes... |
| Many thanks to JD for capturing moments and details that personalize a wedding... |
| Sonya is beautiful on the inside and out...and many thanks to Contour Foussa for makeup and Sarah Daly for hair... |
| Just after the First Look, the bridal party headed to the wedding ceremony...obviously looking their best... |
| The day was slightly overcast, but the Terranea Resort always offers a gorgeous background... |
| The most evident thing about their love is how they make each other happy...they're always making the other laugh... |
| While guests enjoyed cocktail hour... |
| ...Eric and Sonya snuck away for a few more photos along the gorgeous coast at Terranea... |
| Eric joked that Sonya was getting all the photo attention, but little did he realize JD had his back with photos like this one... |
| I'd be remiss if I didn't mention just how amazing Erin + Angela of Sterling Social were in making this wedding truly perfect....their hard work, dedication, and professionalism made the day lovely and I was incredibly lucky to be alongside such a great team! Annnnnd if that wasn't enough, they suggested sparkly and sequence tablecloths from La Tavola for the reception...love them! |
| Like always, working with the ever fab R. Jack Balthazar for florals and design makes my heart happy...they're artists and incredible at what they do! |
| The First Dance from JD's perspective... |
| ...from my perspective... |
| I'll end on this note because the party was epic, especially with DJ Tendaji Lathan mixing the night away... |
| "Yes, you can be a dreamer and a doer too, if you will remove one word from your vocabulary: impossible." - Schuller |
O nce, not too long ago, JD and I cooked together in our kitchen. With the smells of sautéing vegetables, I chopped carrots to add to the mixture. JD kept looking over my shoulder and sighing. After much restraint, he sturdied himself against and the counter and said, you're doing it wrong. That's right, Internet. Apparently there's a RIGHT way to chop carrots. And just in case you don't know what that way is, MY HUSBAND WILL TELL YOU.
JD's attention to detail drives me crazy sometimes (have I mentioned how he organizes the beverage labels in our fridge to all face outward?!), but at least it applies to every aspect in his life, including photography. Which makes him an invaluable partner.
In business and life. |
| This is a photo from last Saturday's wedding...JD jokes that the less time I have to spent in Photoshop fixing this in post processing is more time spent with him and Polo, so HE DOESN'T MESS AROUND! ;) |
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