If you are ever in upstate New York you need to check our Saratoga Spa State Park. It’s a ginormous park full of trails, a river, playgrounds, buildings, even a hotel.
I met up with Tyler & Sarah on one of the coldest days. Winter isn’t the busiest times for portraits, so we had more than enough space to roam around. Even though it was so cold, we had a fun time exploring the grounds and capturing some fun images. I can’t wait to photograph their wedding this fall! Here is a sneak peek our of session from last weekend.
When it comes to choosing your wedding photographer before you even begin searching you will want to know just how you want your wedding to be photographed. Each photographer will specialize in a specific style so knowing what style you prefer can make finding a photographer a little easier. Most wedding photography will fall into one of these 5 styles.
Classic
When you choose a classic photography style the results are images that stand the test of time. These are the traditional black and white images, carefully posed and meticulously planned out. Most often the photographer specializes in capturing ordinary moments in a beautiful and elegant way. This style tends to be a bit more formal but can always be given a modern twist.
Artistic
If you want something that is more personal for you then an artistic style may be your ideal choice. Artistic images will capture unique, special moments and tend to utilize a lot more of the space around the couple instead of just capturing the couple full frame and up close. If you are open and willing to having a bit of fun with your photographer, you will be amazed by the results.
Lifestyle
Lifestyle is a type of photojournalism photography with a bit of a twist. Most images will appear to be candid, and most often they are. This style is a mix of candid, natural shots and images with some direction and staging provided to get the perfect shot.
Dramatic
While all styles will use different types of lighting, dramatic images make it a key component. This style will showcase a variety of different lighting techniques that the photographer has mastered to create truly breathtaking portraits.
Documentary
If you are not into the traditional posing or styling of shots, then a documentary wedding photographer is probably one you will want to consider. The documentary style focuses on candid and spontaneous images that truly capture the entire essence of you wedding day.
Trust is the key ingredient to any relationship and this is true for the relationship you have with your wedding photographer. There’s a reason you chose them to capture the most important day of your life. While you may have a vision of how you want some of your images to turn out, for the most part, you are going to have to put a lot of trust in your photographer. Trusting your photographer a little more in these main areas will not only result in better images for you to remember your big day by but will also relieve you of some stress as well.
1. Choosing the Location of the Shot
You wedding photographer will have taken the time to familiarize themselves with your reception location or areas around your ceremony site to find the best places to photograph. They’ll know where gets the best light and where the best scenery is.
2. Time of Day to Shoot
Lighting is key to creating beautiful images and using the natural light of the sun will produce the best lighting setting but that doesn’t mean any time of the day will give you the same results. Your photographer will know what time of day will be best to take those gorgeous outdoor shots that won’t leave harsh shadows on your face or when to sneak outside to take some night inspired shots.
3. Poses
Trust your photographer to know what pose is the most flattering for you. They can see how the light is illuminating you and what is in the background. While some photographers will take into consideration your picture ideas, you shouldn’t be offended if they shoot down your ideas. Most times you’ll be working with limited time and light and you don’t want to waste much of either on your big day.
4. Editing Your Photos
Trust your photographer’s creative eye during the editing process. They will know which images will look best in black and white, color, cropped and which ones to add special effects to, if any. Part of the editing process is a part of their style and this is one of the reasons you hired them. Trust them to use their skills to make each image stunning.
5. Handling Printing Your Photos
Your photographer knows where to get prints made and probably has a long-term relationship with a reputable printing company. The worst thing you can do is have a stunning image, order a large print and find the colors are off, the image is blurred or it simply looks dull. Knowing where to get your prints made, what size they should be done in and which ones will look best in your albums, wall art or thank you cards is part of the package you get when you hired a professional photographer. Trust them and listen to what they think will look best for what you want.
Erica & Lydia are a laidback & sincere couple, who genuinely care about each other and everyone around them. They work within the Boston area to help education, advocate, and support people within their community.
They reached out to me a few days before their wedding in need of a photographer since the one they had planned to used backed out last minute. I was excited that not only was this a Boston wedding but I was available on their day to work with them. Usually I have months to a year in which I help my clients plan and prepare for their special day. Since we only had a few days, I made sure to get as much information as possible to help capture their day as true to them as I could.
Like most wedding days, when I arrived things were running a little behind. No problem, I used the time to capture getting ready images, detail shots, and some canids. If I have time I also photograph the location & what makes it unique. For Erica & Lydia, once they were ready we walked the location together picking a few spots that they really liked. Through our prior conversations, I knew Lydia is a car person, so we had to make sure we captured an image or two with her car before we headed to their wedding venue.
Their venue Club Cafe was a unique venue that I hope I can photograph again. There was a nightclub, banquet restaurant, a few bars, & a stage for their performers. It was closed to the public so we were able to take images throughout the venue. Even though it was in the middle of winter my glowing brides had no problems baring the frigid weather for their beautiful images.
For all my weddings, before your event, we discuss your timeline and what you would like to capture. Each wedding is unique to each client, so not one is photographed exactly the same. This is especially important for small weddings, since usually I’m only there for a few hours. Those hours go by faster than you may think. Having a timeline and going over image expectations and what you would like for your gallery is invaluable. For some clients, the details aren’t as important as the people there celebrating with them. Or they prefer more candid images than posed. With limited time, we work together making sure we are on the same page, so I can capture your event as it unfolds naturally and with the style you are looking for.
A few weeks before Christmas, I photographed Linda & George’s wedding at The Delamar in Connecticut. It’s a beautiful luxury hotel that’s a great venue option for small weddings. When we talked about the wedding, Linda pointed out how important it was to have images of her children and George’s children. They also liked more candid with some posed of her family. They weren’t looking for the typical getting ready, bridal party, lay flat details shot etc. Knowing this ahead of time, I was able to capture images true to what they were looking for.
Picking a proposal location is a very important and personal decision. I always say the best location in one that means something special to the couple. Stephen’s location was special since it was where Laura first said I love you to him. What could be better than that? The timing and day couldn’t have been better, especially in January. It was an hour before sunset (which is great lighting), it just snowed so there was a fresh coat, and because it was cold there were less people to contend with. Here’s a few from their session with a full post coming soon.
“I love you not only for what you are but for what I am when I am with you.”
~ Elizabeth Barrett Browning
Proposals are one of my favorite types of sessions to capture. It’s such a happy occasion that is filled with so much love, one can’t help but love these sessions.
Proposals isn’t something you can plan quickly. To ensure the session goes smoothly we need to plan it together. Once I am booked, we set up a time to go over the day in details, answer any questions, and make sure we have a game plan. I go over the location, weather, timing, lighting (especially if you are doing a nighttime proposal), props, and more. You’re nervous enough already, so I try to relieve the stress as much as possible, making sure the only thing you have to worry about it is popping the question. Having photographed over 50 proposals, I’ve mastered the art of proposals.
Two days before Christmas, I photographed a proposal at a new light show in NH. La Belle Winery light show offers a unique in the season option for a proposals. This event goes well into the new year ending in late February. There’s still plenty of time to check it out. https://labellewinery.com/lights/
Timing and communication is key with proposals. So I waited for Jonathan to finish dinner and head to the light show. Since it closed at 9pm, he made his way around 8:30pm. Without realizing it, we had the entire place pretty much to ourselves. Once he proposed we were able to have fun exploring the light show and celebrating this special time for them. Below are some of my favorite images from Jonathan’s proposal.
Yesterday was a great day for an engagement session. Not only was it warm in Boston, but it was an overcast day, which I truly love. I met up with Zack & Brandy for a fun session exploring one of my favorite spots in Boston, the Fan Pier. If you haven’t been there before, it’s a great spot that offers so much within a small area. There are numerous restaurants, a few markets, historical sites, and so much more. You can see below why this is quickly becoming my favorite session location.
As we are moving into the holiday season, I wanted to share a recent fall session I capture for this beautiful family of two little ones visiting Vermont.
Kristen’s family was super fun, easy going, and full of energy. Her two young kids were all about exploring the spot they picked for their session. Their littlest one was off and running as soon as his feet hit the ground. His sister was all about climbing the rocks and playing with the leaves.
Since photographing children so young, we can get a few posed images but their attention span is very limited. Usually after 5 or if you are lucky 10 mins you find another way to capture images. For my sessions we can play games, explore the area by moving around, or use props to get the little ones attention. If they have fun and we make it enjoyable to them, we can throw in a few posed images along the way.
Kristen’s family had all sorts of things to explore and look around. The site was a church in Vermont that had beautiful trees, old stone walls, dirt road, and a small field. Since they are from the south, capturing each place within the spot was important, authentic emotions It was a gorgeous fall day which made highlighting this spot throughout their session easier. Perfect location for a family session!
My baby girl’s birthday is on Friday. We have a large family, she is the 5th child. Having two brothers and two sisters, isn’t the easiest at times. They do a lot of things before her, I wanted to create a special time for her. I asked her what the biggest challenge of being the youngest of a large family is. She said being heard, which is why she usually is louder than all the rest. Because of this, she is spunky, funny, and full of spirit. There is never a dull moment with her, making us all smile & crack up from her random jokes. She’s a mamma’s girl but Izzy is a close 2nd. She doesn’t go to sleep without cuddling with her dog.
12 is such an important age. The last year of being a preteen. To celebrate this moment, I knew the right location would make all the difference in her images.
We decided upon a local location so it would be more comfortable. And it’s easier to fit in a mini session. My secret location is one that people normally wouldn’t think twice about. A few years ago, while biking with my girls, we came across a tunnel that had colorful graffiti. I thought it would make for a fun backdrop and used it once, when I first started my business. I’ve always loved the spot and thought how great it would be for Arianna. Plus, I haven’t used it in three years. The location is local yet off the beaten path. It’s full of color & fun designs. And not overly used. Perfect!
There isn’t a lot of people using this part of the bike trail so when we went an hour before sunset, I knew there was no one to worry about. No photobombing or competing for the space. We had the whole place to ourselves. She brought along her sister and bestfriend for the mini session, helping Ari to smile. I don’t always recommend bringing a friend when they are so young, as they tend to not pose and get super silly. But it worked out well and I got some beautiful images of Arianna. And I got some great sister portraits, which is hard to come by these days.
Like my clients, I wanted lasting images that represent my daughter, highlight her beautiful spirit, and have a little fun doing it. The images I captured is something I will cherish forever. And that is exactly what I offer each of my clients.
