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Reflections : Choosing an Engagement Location
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I have opinions. In fact, my opinions have opinions, almost like my mouth is a factory mass producing opinions by the nanosecond. There are times when JD is like, LET ME GUESS YOU HAVE ANOTHER OPINION, RIGHT?! I just feel my thoughts will go wild if they stay locked up in my brain, so cut me some slack!
A few weeks ago, I mentioned my clients choose the location for their engagement session and I don't have much say in the matter...and I prefer it that way. I want my clients to be invested in the shoot and take ownership in how their love is documented.
Last week, however, I received an email from a client who told me she and her fiance brainstormed locations and thought shooting at Santa Monica Pier would be "easy and fun". Then she asked for my opinion. This is the part where JD is standing somewhere in the distance whispering, NOOOOOOOO!
The minute she asked for feedback, I knew she was still searching for the right spot and needed a little guidance...here's my response:
Hi Sonya!
What great email timing you have! Love it! :)
Okay, so here's what I think (and please know I'm only ever honest with my clients)...
I will shoot wherever you think is best and wherever you and Eric will feel most comfortable. More than anything I want the session to truly reflect everything you are and how you love. In light of this, if the beach/pier is a place you spend a lot of time and really oozes how you love, then great! Let's go there.
If, on the other hand, the location is easy to get to and pretty, then maybe we can add a layer to the shoot to personalize it....because sometimes easy doesn't necessarily mean the best place for you. If, say, you're beach goers and it fits your personalities, which beach do you go to? How far do you live from the beach? Is there any way we can find a location that incorporates who you are and how you spend time together? The sky's the limit!
I'm great with either option, I just want to make sure you know of all your options. Once we lock in a place, I'll solidify the time (as it's based on the available light in that given location).
Can't wait!!!!! :)
Stay Fabulous,
j*
The important thing for me was to act as a guide and ensure the engagement session was a true reflection of their love and this is how I did it. Sometimes offering an honest opinion is difficult with a client, but I couldn't be more proud of her new location of choice. After thinking things through with Eric, they chose the Viceroy Hotel in Santa Monica to start their shoot, as it was where they celebrated their surprise engagement party.
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| Educating clients, offering insight, and (dare I say) pushing them to define what they want will yield a better experience and likely produce images that appeal to clients' sensibilities and sentimentalities. I hope this adds a little more insight into how I work with my clients and engagement sessions. When I started my business, I tried to navigate these sometimes difficult conversations so, perhaps, this might help one person find their voice and grow their business stronger in a shorter amount of time. |
    
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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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Reflections : Maximizing Indoor Lighting
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O kay, so after yesterday's lengthy blog post (I know some of you were thinking, you're killing me, Smalls!...$10 itunes gift card to the first person who can name that movie), I decided to keep this post short and sweet. However, seeing how I've already gone on one tangent in the first sentence, I'm not sure if I can actually make it happen.
One of the great things about hosting a photography workshop is I get to do it with JD. He's actually the person who does everything...I simply show up and talk (which is something I'm way good at...duh). JD also shoots behind-the-scene photos, so I thought I'd snag a few and talk about the photo exif data and how we worked with the light, both indoors and outdoors.
Whenever I start a photo shoot for a workshop, I set up the couple, explain what I do, photograph the subjects, then step back for questions or allow the students to practice given the same set up. Here I'm standing about four feet from my subjects, just in front of the window so light from my right side doesn't become a distraction in my frame... |
| Here I'm explaining how I photograph a groom, which can sometimes be difficult since guys are less likely to be comfortable/work it for my camera than a bride. I strategically placed Dan at the edge of the window frame so it could illuminate his face, but also in a way that there wouldn't be too much light behind him, which may cause distraction and less depth of field... |
| I stood at the opposite edge of the window (as you can see from the light on my arms and shirt), so I wouldn't block the window light from Dan's face... |
| I then positioned Dan and Rachel on a couch, but the windows (our natural light source) was behind them, so I coached them into turning their faces outward, instead of into each other, causing deeper shadows, and angling Dan's face to the light as much as possible... |
| While the couple sat in virtually the same position, I asked Rachel to look at my camera...but, specifically, to sit behind Dan's face, closer to the light source (the windows to the right of the frame), so the illumination was natural and soft... |
| We went outside for a bit and while it was slightly overcast, the day was still bright. I pulled the couple just out from under the shade of the tree, then directed them to walk toward me... |
The best part of the day was learning from the attendees. They all brought their personal style and flair, so watching them work their magic with the models was fun and exciting...I am pretty sure we all walked away stronger photographers because of our interactions. I hope this helps you, too, in one way or another!
Happy Thursday! |
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Reflections : Maximizing a Photo Shoot Location
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H appy Tuesday and I hope everyone had a happy and safe holiday weekend! A couple weeks ago, I asked JD to come along to a photo shoot with me (due to complications with my back). He carried my gear and also took a few photos, most of them documenting behind-the-scenes action for Shane and Mikaela's Laguna Beach engagement session.
As with all my engagement sessions, I arrive 20-30 minutes early to scope the location and plan the layout of the shoot. Mikaela suggested we'd start at the Laguna Beach TraveLodge hotel and when I arrived, my mind quickly went into overdrive. With my clients' permission, I'm blogging about how I approached the shoot.
In full candor, I walked the premises of the TraveLodge hotel and was struck with its small size then made a mental map of the location. It was a rather basic hotel in a U-shape, a pool in the center, and seemingly similar backgrounds (white walls, windows, and shrubbery)...okay, so now what? I asked myself how I could photograph the location and make it feel: 1. not too hotel-ish; 2. not too similar; and 3. not too simple. A few blog readers might remember how I employed the 10 by 10 Rule during my first creativeLIVE course (this is basically shooting 10 poses in a 10x10 feet space), so I revisited this rule as I walked the premises. The first third of the engagement session had to occur in a 30-foot space so I made a mental map of how I'd approach the shoot once it started. Here's a look into my head... |
Location One: Beneath the Bridge
At the top of the frame you can see bits of the bridge overhead. I started the session at this location because it's pretty straight-forward and a great place to get a couple comfortable and relaxed in an aesthetically pleasing location. It's nothing to write home about, but it's a time for me to talk and get to know my clients for who they are in front of my camera. |
Location Two: On top of Bridge, shooting down.
I moved the couple a few feet while I got situated on top of the bridge. It's still the same location, but by changing my vantage point, I was able to secure an entirely differently image. Oh, and please don't ask why I was wearing that jacket...the weather changed unexpectedly and it was the only thing I had in my car...tragic, I know... |
Location Three: On steps.
While on the bridge, I asked the couple to sit on the steps. They smiled at me, then I smiled at them...then the photo wasn't working for me. Because they were just sitting there. I asked Mikaela to adjust her scarf and prompted Shane to look at my camera... |
Location Four: Bottom Story, next to window.
While I walked the premises before the shoot, there was a hotel room undergoing construction. The window was missing and there was junk in the room, but I realized I could creatively crop what I didn't want to expose from my frame... |
Location Five: Top Story.
This location was directly above Location Four. The second story provided better light, so I moved the couple to find complimentary natural light and placed them within a frame...something I'm fond of doing.
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Location Six: Parking Lot.
When I realized I depleted my shoot locations at the hotel, I took the couple to an adjacent parking lot. Sure, it was a parking lot, but I tried shooting it in a way that didn't reveal that it was, at least initially anyway... |
There was a total of seven locations at the hotel (JD missed one behind the scenes set up...he's SO FIRED!) and I posed the couple two or three different ways in each location. The hotel portion of the engagement session yielded around 35 images, then we headed the beach to end the session. For this Reflections blog post, I specifically focused on the hotel portion of the shoot since it was the most difficult. When I walked into the hotel courtyard, I felt a wave of nerves, but then immediately set out to do what I know I can do...what I know anyone can do given the same situation. I hope this helps and if not, I'll try again soon!
Happy Tuesday! |
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Reflections : A Wedding Review
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T here are plenty of things I do as a photographer that I simply do without thinking, almost as if a portion of my mind is consumed with photographic technicalities. Sometimes JD jokes that I become a machine on a wedding day and he's learned not to stand in my way or me and my camera may RUN HIM OVER. I move fast, shoot faster, and try to stay out of the way as much as possible. After I posted Marie and Charlie's Pennsylvania wedding, I received a few technical questions from fellow photographers, so I thought I'd answer them in a Reflections post for the benefit for anyone who may be interested.
How did clients in another state find your work and hire you for their east coast wedding?
My clients find my work in a myriad of ways, but Marie discovered me via a wedding blog while she scoured the web for wedding ideas. She visited my website and blog (reading for a bit before she decided to contact me) and after a few emails, we scheduled a time to chat. The minute we spoke, we knew we were a perfect match. She's the peas to my carrots. A week later, I received a signed contract.
The church was dark, what lens did you use and what were your settings?
Before the ceremony started, I asked the priest what the photographic restrictions were for the church during the ceremony. With the exception of the procession and recession, flash was not allowed. Now, if you were to see how dark this church was, you might have felt the knots in my stomach multiply. Exponentially. The bride and groom were slightly removed from guests as they stood/sat on the church stage. Because of the distance, I used the 70-200IS 2.8 for most of the ceremony. I fluctuated slightly depending on my location, but the setting for the following pictures is: f/2.8 2500 ISO 1/40. |
What did you tell Marie in order to find the train tracks?
Because she knew I was unfamiliar with the area we were shooting for her wedding, I simply asked her to find a location that might work somewhere between the church and the reception location. She's a blog reader, so I knew she was familiar with good location scouting! I try to schedule 30 minutes for the First Look and an additional 10-15 minutes after the ceremony for sunset pictures if the bride and groom are up for it. Because the church and the reception location were 30 minutes from each other, Marie scouted the area in the weeks leading to her wedding...and I trusted her judgment. I think she did better than I could have (and, yes, I tried).
Photo by JD |
What were your settings for the purple flower picture? What lens did you use?
I used the 85mm, 1.2 lens. The settings were: f/1.2 160 ISO 1/800 |
How did you set up your flash for the reception pictures?
I primarily used my on-camera flash pointed toward the low-ceiling (which was white) and also used my bounce card. Here's an example...
Lens: Canon 35mm, 1.4.
f/2.8 640 ISO 1/40 |
As the room darkened, I used a mix of on-camera and off-camera flash. Here's a couple examples...
Without off-camera flash
Lens: 24mm, 1.4
f/2.8 640 ISO 1/40 |
In this photo, I triggered the off-camera flash (as seen behind Charlie's head) to add a little more dimension to the room and lighten a darker portion of the dancefloor.
Lens: 24mm, 1.4
f/2.8 640 ISO 1/40 |
I hope this helps a little bit...if not, I'll try again next time!
Happy Tuesday! |
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