Waterproofing.

Some friends of mine are getting me to shoot their wedding at the end of the month. It’s cool ’cause a couple of other photographers are invited as guests and I think they’ll probably bring their cameras along so there will be a slew of points of view to explore.

So anyway, we went out to the space and wandered around. I brought my point-n-shoot and had to work pretty hard to shield it from the rain. It was cool ’cause there was this mist floating across the water behind them and there were lots of cool places for portraits. I’m definitely gonna try to go back for a different project or two.

The other thing that’s interesting is that I used this software to make this collage. It was recommended to me by the woman who publishes this cool food blog. While I’m not sure that the software’s exactly what I need, I can be certain that I’ll be checking out the blog on a regular basis.

Something Different.

I didn’t, as a rule, shoot weddings.

They’re high stress enough knowing that some bride might take my head off because I missed some moment of her special day that I thought wasn’t interesting enough. Moreover, wedding photography has become focused on a photojournalistic style and I tend to like having total control of my images. That’s something I have to relinquish to capture the joy of single moments. There was a time when only some photographers shot this kinda stuff. Everyone does it like this now.

Despite all that, when a friend for whom I’d done some baby portraits awhile back suggested that she knew some folks who was searching for a photographer for their special day, I was intrigued. Y’see Angel and Roger aren’t getting married. They’re committing themselves to one another.

To be sure, this isn’t the first same gender wedding (’cause c’mon, that’s what it is, innit?) but it’s the first in a long time and the first for which I’ve ever shot engagement photos.

We met up on a rainy Saturday and Joe came along to assist. Roger complained of having a cold so he had some trouble smiling for all the shots, but it wouldn’t be for a few days that we’d find he had walking pneumonia.

Against all odds, we got some pretty neat images, I think. I’m really looking forward to their ceremony. It should be a hoot.

A Hitchin’.

I should say that I don’t often shoot weddings.
Honestly, I’m as nervous as the brides and grooms are up to the day the event happens and I’m always afraid I’ll start watching the ceremony instead of documenting it. I never do, but it’s one of the things I worry about.

I put that fear aside a little while ago and shot a wedding with Joe’s help. We got some AMAZING results. Since it was a Brainchild Collective project, Joe’s doing post on the images, but this one is surely one of the best.

I’ll pop a few more up when I get them.

For what it’s worth, the ceremony was here, and this was the post about their engagement pictures.

Reconnoiter.

I’m shooting a wedding early next month with Joe and we decided to take a quick jaunt out to have a look at the space. Turns out, the Inn at Warner Hall is amazing. It’s the kind of place I’d like to have free run of to shoot a clothing line. The spaces are decadent and rife with natural light. The views are breathtaking. I’m gonna see if I can’t get my wife to run away with me there sometime soon. ‘Course, someone’ll have to babysit the kids… Wanna help?

I shot these as grabs with the G10, ’cause no matter what anyone tells you about how “real” a photographer he (or she) is, it is far easier to take snapshots with a point and shoot camera.

This is the view that greets you upon entering the house:

And this is the back porch:

And there’s this amazing outdoor chess/checkers set:

This wedding is gonna be fun!

All Tatted Up.

I’m diggin’ back through the archives until I get some new stuff to put up and I thought these might be a nice pair.

The first is from a wedding I shot (pro bono for a friend, as the assistant). The bride’s mother had made her gown and it was amazing. Really, the photo doesn’t do it justice. It shimmered in ways that I could never capture on film. I did the best I could, but cross processed film is persnickety. Her tattoo was amazing in the middle of this dress.

The second was this girl, although I never shot this as a part of the series she asked for. It’s the serenity prayer, which is kind of a cool thing to have with you at all times.

We Don’t Do Weddings.

But the people who do have my undying respect.
Here are a few shots from one (yeah, four in four months — go figure) we went to over the weekend.

The whole thing was outside.

The temperature hovered near 100 degrees. And that thermometer is in the shade. Thankfully, I had on a kilt.

The bride and groom each had two kids. The children were part of the ceremony and did a great job.

They didn’t make a huge deal of cutting the cake. Luckily the photographer was all over it. My grabs are small.

There are a few more images over at Flickr, should you be interested. Aside from the heat, it was a great time.
And, if perchance you’re getting married and want the perspective of a bride-to-be, have a gander at the Grove Avenue Bride’s blog. She’s a hoot.