Tuesday, September 29, 2009

How To Shoot a Best Friend's Wedding

Are you considering asking your photographer friend (or maybe they're more friend than photographer) to shoot your wedding? Wondering how to manage being part of the wedding party and shoot your best friend's big day? Save yourself some stress and opt for a shoot either before or after the wedding so you can get the full effect without the chaos!

My friend Laura's wedding was the second one I'd been in where I could have been carrying a camera instead of a bouquet, but thankfully we pulled off an early-morning shoot two days before the wedding with fantastic results! We also escaped just prior to the reception for a few wedding day shots (soon to come!) as well. Laura hired local photographer Kyle Perison to shoot the rest of the photos which would have been tedious to do if it'd had been left up to me! Equipped and organised as I may be, running from the tripod to the posed group shots was not how I envisioned enjoying Laura's big day!

Here's how we pulled off Laura & Jason's pre-wedding photo shoot...






















































Sunday, September 27, 2009

Monday, September 21, 2009

Making the Most out of a Rainy Wedding Day!

As summer fades to fall on much of the continent, brides-to-be will be nervously checking weather forecasts, booking backup locations, consulting their photographers, and preparing for what many brides consider to be their worst nightmare: RAIN. But FEAR NOT oh Brides, there is much to be had from a wedding day that finds itself surrounded by inclement weather! Read on to find out how you too can both prepare for and make the most of a Rainy Wedding Day!

Recently I had the pleasure of shooting a wedding for a creative and inspiring couple in Vancouver's Chinatown. It rained off and on throughout much of the shoot, but Denly & Jeff, as well as their Maid of Honour & Best Man, didn't let the classic Vancouver rains dampen their fun. Here are a few samples from their wedding that you might find helpful in planning your wedding day if rain is a good possibility...

While I couldn't find many interesting puddles without being sprayed by busy traffic, I did notice that the pavement had a beautiful black tone to it thanks to the fresh wash of rain. The gritty texture and rich contrast provided nice close-ups and the shimmer of water on asphalt created some lovely reflections on an otherwise dreary day.

Shooting downwards can also help to avoid rain drops on the lens as well as dull gray skies in the photos. Speaking of overcast skies, they are not all bad! Cloudy days that are still bright can provide great diffused lighting which eliminates harsh shadows (prevalent on sunny days, but there are ways to deal with that too!) and squinty eyes. Picking the right season, time of day, and locale can all help to avert sunburns and squinty eyes, which may be your best bet for photos if you're sensitive to the sun in any way.


























One surefire way to punch up your photos and the spirit of the event on a rainy/sunless day is to inject bright, playful colours into your accessories, flowers, and decor. Want to step it up a notch to ensure a stunning result no matter what the weather? Opt for venues that showcase either vibrant seasonal palettes, (fall leaves, spring blossoms etc., though timing is not entirely predictable) rich architectural gems, or aesthetically-pleasing cultural spaces. Denly and Jeff chose Chinatown for their wedding ceremony and photo shoot (Ceremony photos to come...stay tuned!) and WOW do their photos ever pack a punch!


























If you're wedding colours don't include electric hues and you're still wondering how to make sure your photos will still turn out great in the event of clouds and rain, request that more Black & White, Sepia or other monochromatic effects be applied to your images. You won't notice the colours OR lack thereof, and will instead be drawn to the timelessness of the style and obvious sentiment of the subject matter!

On the practical side of things, umbrellas of all sorts, shawls, gum boots and hats are practical props you can bring along in case of showers. If you're truly worried about heavy rains, scout out a few spots with awnings, porches, covered stairwells, trees with large canopies, and archways to allow for some cover should the heavens let loose. And if you're truly planning on cutting the cords on all tradition on your wedding day, run headlong into the rain and let your photographer capture a puddle-jumping experience to remember!


Monday, September 14, 2009

Another Menno Wedding



























Dan & Leanne both met a while back while living at the Menno Simons Centre--a church-run dormitory set in the middle of picturesque Point Grey near the University of British Columbia in Vancouver. I lived there the two years prior to Dan & Leanne, and through my involvement with the MSC I've made some great friends and have had the privilege of photographing those friends as they've walked through various stages of life. Mariko & Isaac were the first friends of mine who met at Menno and whose wedding I shot, Dan & Leanne are the second, and in a few weeks, Richard & Nicole will be the third. Actually for those of you counting, I'll be posting a blog within the next month of all the Menno alumni whose weddings I've shot...should bring back a lot of great memories!

Dan & Leanne were married in Langley, BC and a whole host of Menno alumni, residents, and affiliates came out for the event! Probably 20 of us in total! Thanks for the great excuse to get together D&L! For those interested, visit this slideshow to get a sneak peek at a collection of photos from their big day!


Thursday, September 10, 2009

The New & Improved Boulter Family!

The Boulter Family has had a few new additions this summer; a new son/brother-in-law joined the clan in July and a new daughter/sister-in-law was officially joining the Boulters just days after this shoot. Here are a few fun family pics shot in Vernon, BC. Click here to view a short slideshow featuring a few more...


Tuesday, September 01, 2009

Sugar, Spice & Everything Nice

How. Cute. Are. They!?  Alright, normally I'm not a sucker for pink and all things uber-girlie. Maybe that's because I don't have little girls of my own yet, I'm not sure.  (Read Kari Gienger's thoughts on how having two girls makes the colour pink virtually un-avoidable). Anyway, these two lovely girls, (daughters of friends of ours in Mississippi) this fabulous pink chair, and loads of shoes became the subject of a spontaneous photo shoot last month.  The eldest is apparently camera-shy and doesn't like to smile much when a lens is pointed her way (let's face it, a lot of adults aren't much better!) so I suggested using her shoes, which she's OBSESSED WITH, as a prop to draw out some natural smiles.  Well we were in for a treat because this blue-eyed gem got practically giddy at the idea!  Their youngest was just as sweet as ever and as expressive as her older sister.  Visit this slideshow on my website for more shots.  And if you're in the market for a fantastic photo shoot with or featuring your kids, just let me know!!!