The Groom

What I like about this image is how the photographer utilized the lighting in the room (likely a hotel room) to set the mood. The Groom is looking away from the camera and this also adds to that affect. I love the composition/placement of the Groom in the photo as well. Having him slightly off-centre and looking into the negative space gives you the feeling that he may be looking over at his Bride or something else of interest. The tungsten lighting and colours in his outfit, along with the casual feel of this image (hands in pocket, un-buttoned jacket) give a wonderful overall balance - making this a great shot!  

Photo Credit: Martin Hillary Photography (www.mhillaryphotography.co.uk)

Bride & Groom

Probably one of my favourite wedding photographer's of all-time has to be Yervant. I guess the best way to describe his work is "inspiring"! He's an Australian photographer that is recognized world wide and has won several awards for his imagery. I would describe his work as "fashion-art". His ability to capture moody, sexy, innovative, and captivating images is what attracts me to his style. He's not afraid to take a couple and create an image that you might see on the cover of a Harlequin Romance novel! Other times, he keeps things simply; like in this image below. What I like about this image of the Bride & Groom is that although they are 'in a moment' on their own, Yervant has managed to reference his brand (fashion-art) with the Mona Lisa on the wall. To me, the overall colour and feel of the image gives you the warm feeling that they are being watched-over and will be taken care of in their life-long journey. Yervant's images are well worth checking out. Visit him at www.yervant.com.

The Wedding Party

When you have this many people in your wedding party, you HAVE to be creative! Not only is this meant as a fun shot, it is actually quite beautiful thanks to the mountains in the background and the colour of the dresses that compliment the sky. The only thing I would have liked to see different is that the Bride & Groom were directly center with the yellow lines on the road. This could have been done by shifting the others around but again this is not a posed, formal shot so it's kind of irrelavant. Overall, I think the photographer did a great job with this image!

Photo Credit: Jamee Photography - www.jameephotography.com

Bold, Bright, and Beautiful

I have followed Jeff & Julia Woods for a number of years now. Whether they're shooting weddings, engagements, or portraits, you can almost instantly recognize their "brand" or style. In many ways, I try to emmulate them to a certain degree. I love their use of bold, bright colours in many of their images, as well as the artistic flare they try to add to each of their photo sessions. In this engagement shoot, the warm colours and relaxed feel of the image is what I'm drawn to. It's not all about the couple themselves and that to me makes this (and most of their work) interesting to me. To see more, visit www.jeffreyandjuliawoods.com.

Full-length Bride

This is a beautiful shot of a full-length bridal portrait! Using all of the basic elements of photography (composition, leading lines, etc), K4 Photography (www.k4photography.com) managed to use the surrounding architecture and even Mother Nature's wind, to create this stunning, elegant portrait that I'm sure the Bride fell in love with! I would have loved to have seen what the colour version of this shot looked like as well but given the environment, and shadows created by the side lighting, the decision by the photographer to change this to black and white may have added to the impact this photo has on the viewer.

It's All About Shoes...

One of the most important things a wedding photographer must do during the consultation with their couple (usually the Bride!) is find out what details are important to them on their wedding day. In almost every circumstance, it is pretty certain that 'shoes' will be near the top of that list; right up there with the rings and flowers. I've attached a couple of shoe images taken by Photographers I admire that do the little extra things to make what could otherwise be a dry, boring shot, into something that perhaps tells a story or simply makes them stand out. This first image was taken by a very talented photographer named Parker Pfister (www.parkerjphoto.com). I love the way he used backlighting and reflection to make the shoes come alive in this picture! 

In this second image you can see how Zach & Jody Gray from Gray Photography (www.grayphotography.com) used the background (and accompanying image) to tell a story. I get the feeling that this was an outdoor wedding with a rustic, nature-feel to it. Even the flowers on the shoes add to this image and the fact that the photographer chose to place the shoes in a muted setting allows the blues in the shoes to "pop"! 

Another example of a storytelling image. At first, I wasn't really sure if I liked the fact that a fishing rod looks like it has fallen over into the background of the image? After thinking about it for a second, the photographer must have put it in there on purpose because it's quite obvious in the photo. There has to be some meaning behind it. Do the shoes represent the Bride and the fishing rod the Groom? Does the Bride love to fish? Either way, the image makes you think and that to me is why this image is successful. I would call this image "Gone Fishing"! This one was taken by Viera Photographics. You can visit their website to see more of their images here: www.vieraphotographics.com.

Location, Location, Location

Attention all Brides! Are you the adventurous type? Well, I have a client wanting to do their wedding photos in a "colourful, nostalgic, looking space" in the next couple of weeks. I think I've found some interesting locations but need your feedback as to whether or not you would venture into places like these given that you may be in high heels and a long dress that likely will get dirty? What concerns would you have that I may have missed? Safety? Accessibility? I'm looking to present these to my client in the next day or two so any help would be appreciated. Keep in mind they are a young couple but may have parents/grandparents taking part as well...

Late Night Snack

Three requests for wedding photos in a grocery store in the same week - what are the odds? Recently, I shot Dwayne & Carol's engagement photos for their upcoming wedding in August. As we talked throughout the day, I found out they love to watch old movies on the weekends and that popcorn was not their 'snack of choice'. As it turns out, they both have an insatiable LOVE for Twinkies! Their first encounter was at their local grocery store as they both reached for the last box of Twinkies. With neither of them wanting to give it up, Carol noticed Dwayne's "Casablanca" tattoo on his arm and offered a truce. As chance would have it, there was a viewing of "Casablanca in the Park" the following Sunday evening just outside the Main Street Theatre. It had to be a sign - so she offered to share the Twinkies if he joined her on Sunday. He hardly knew her and wasn't sure that he could trust her to hold onto them for 3 days without eating them but he showed up. She had the Twinkies. And it sounds like they'll live happily ever after..."Here's lookin' at you kid!"

Breakfast. The Most Important Meal of the Day.

So, I spoke to a couple the other day that wants to do their wedding photos in a grocery store! Naturally, I said, "Hey, that's great! Frozen foods section or fruits and vegetables?" To my surprise, they wanted to shoot in the cereal aisle simply because "breakfast is the most important meal of the day". Well, I guess I can't argue with that, can I? As it turns out, both of them are Doctor's and lead very busy lives. Breakfast is not only important for their physical health, it is also one of the few times of day they actually get a chance to see each other and spend some "quality time". Great conversation, a bowl of Corn Flakes and a cup of coffee are all that matters with this couple...I just hope I can fit their kitchen table down the aisle!

Price Check in Aisle 10!

As a young couple, Dan & Julia filled me in on a little "adventure" they want to re-enact on their wedding day. 20 years ago, when they were College sweethearts, admittedly "living in sin", their love for Nascar Racing got them in some hot water at the local grocery store. Deciding it would be fun, Dan pushed Julia around in the shopping cart and took the turn in aisle 10 on two wheels. Trying to straighten the cart, he lost control and they crashed into a pile of canned soup that was stacked in the middle of the aisle! Luckily today, you don't see stacked cans of soup too often (probably thanks to them!) but for their wedding day, I suggested we use this location, as aisle 10 contains a much more comfortable landing!