Client Tips

Key Ways We Capture Genuine Emotion

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Whether its your wedding day, portrait session, or milestone event, we strive to capture emotive images that tells the story. To accomplish this we have to make sure our clients are happy and comfortable to be able to capture their pure and natural emotions. Over the years we’ve gathered a lot of experienced and came up with a few ways we achieve this goal.

  1. We get to know our clients– We aren’t just a shoot and burn business. We are a professional full time photography company, so it’s important to us that we get to know who we are working with and that they get to know us. It’s a partnership. Some of the ways we accomplish this is through phone calls, meeting, in person sessions, questionairres, just to name a few. The more we interact with each other, the easier it is to relax and capture emotive images.
  2. Sometimes it’s good to be a wall flower– If someone doesn’t feel comfortabe you can’t capture their true and raw emotions. We approach our clients and their guests in a very gentle way. We act like wall flowers. We move around each event in a delicate way, never forcing someone to take a picture or make them feel uncomfortable. This way everyone can enjoy the event and we can capture their genuine smiles and laughs.
  3. We encourage you to enjoy yourselves and have fun– We use our humor to make our clients laugh and feel relaxed. This may seem like a given, though this extends much farther than you may think. Being able to make small talk with each other can relax the clients and help them feel comfortable during the session, which is very helpful with the comfortability of our clients.
  4. Directing the couple in a gentle way– This helps us pose our clients in a way that feels natural and comfortable for them. Posing makes or breaks an image. So while it is important for our clients to pose in a natural way, sometimes we may need to push them slightly out of their comfort zones, but in an inviting and comforting way. We try to ease our clients into posing by complimenting them or saying something comforting.
  5. We are prepared to capture spontaneous moments– Anything can happen during a session so we are ready to capture everything, which is the biggest reason why we usually have two photographers at our jobs. We encourage spontaneous moments by having the couple or the group look at each other and talk amongst themselves, which generally makes everyone laugh and smile.
  6. Use natural light to enhance the warmth and seritonin– It is said to be true that daylight and natural light releases more seritonin into our brain. So we try to incorporate as much natural lighting into our sessions as we can to help our clients feel happy and more secure. Fresh air and warmth is always fulfilling and makes our clients feel content.

Proven Tips for Stunning Proposals

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Congratulations on your upcoming proposal!

We all know planning a romantic and meaningful proposal can be a daunting task, however with a little creativity and planning, it can be a truly special moment. Here are some of our best tips to get you started:

  1. Think about your partner’s interests: What are your partner’s passions, hobbies, and favorite things? Incorporating them into your proposal will make it extra meaningful.
  2. Be mindful of the time of day: If you choose mid day the lighting is harsh and not flattering compared to an hr after sunrise or an hr before sunset. Mid day sun causes harsh shadows espcailly around the eyes.
  3. Get creative with the location: Choose a spot that has special meaning to your relationship, the place you two first met or your favorite spot in town are great choices.
  4. Posing: side shots are best as you want to see the ring and both of you. You’ll be able to get a reaction shot as well as long as you follow #6.
  5. Don’t forget the ring: Make sure to have the ring on hand before planning the proposal. You don’t want to ruin the surprise by forgetting it!
  6. Plan 1-2 mins for the actual proposal so we have time to capture a wide shot, up close, and their reaction….No two second proposals please.
  7. Personalize it: Keep your partner in mind when you’re planning. Consider adding a personal touch to your proposal, like incorporating a favorite song or poem.
  8. Limit the props: simple is better and way less stressful for you. No need to add extra stress worrying about props, you have enough on your plate.
  9. Flower petals are pretty but they BLOW AWAY. If you want to use them, use them in shots after the proposal.
  10. Dont mention getting nails done: this is the BIGGEST giveaway that something is coming and their reaction may not be as emotional as it could be. If you know they would want their nails done in the images, purchase some presh-on nails (with nail glue or nail stickers) for your soon to be fiance to put on after being proposed to. Don’t know what to buy, remember your family and friends are here to help!
  11. Giving us a photo of you and your partner is HIGHLY recommended: We need to know who to be on the lookout for especially if it’s in public.
  12. When in public, there may be people in your shot: A few ways around this is picking a less traveled spot, weekday verses weekend, or cold weather verses warm.
  13. Do NOT have your proposal in bad weather: Freezing rain is the WORST! It’s hard to focus, it could affect our cameras or our hands, and it’s hard to get sharp images. If the weather doesn’t look good and you can’t be indoors, please pick another day, a backup day for your proposal. It’s such an important moment to waste on bad weather and subpar images when you could get stunning images on a better day.

I hope these tips help you create a truly special proposal for your partner! Need more help or would like us to capture your proposal, feel free to reach out to us. We love capturing this wonderful time for couples and would love to capture yours.

Here’s a few links to some of previous engagement sessions:https://everchangingphotography.com/boston-common-sneak-peek/ https://everchangingphotography.com/boston-fan-pier-sneak-peek/

Top 7 Photos With Your Bridesmaids That You Absolutely Need to Take

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There are plenty of photos you have probably considered taking on your wedding day. From getting ready, the ceremony to pictures with your family and of course with the groom but what about the ladies that are helping you and have helped throughout the entire wedding planning process? While you know you’ll have some time to take group shots of the entire bridal party you’ll want to make sure you have these photos with your bridesmaids as you get ready on your big day.

1. Showcase The Back of Your Wedding Dress

The back of a wedding dress is hidden with beautiful details you’ll want to capture. You can pose with all of the bridesmaids to show off their dresses as well or have some great close ups of the bridesmaids helping button, zipper or lace up the back of your dress.

2. First Look With Your Bridesmaids

You have heard about the first look for the bride and groom but what about when the bridal party sees the bride for the first time? The bride’s first reveal to her bridal party can result in some emotional and memorable photo opportunities.

3. Having Fun

As you are getting ready everyone’s nerves are a little on edge because everyone wants to look their best. There will be moments when you just need to let loose to relax a little and having a little dance party, jumping on the bed or just being silly are moments that can make for great photo opportunities.

4. Matching Robes or Shirts

Most brides will have getting ready attire for their bridesmaids and you’ll want to capture everyone in their cute and thoughtful pre-wedding wear.

5. Bouquets and Bridesmaids Dresses

Bouquets won’t last a lifetime but the pictures you have of them will. The bridesmaids and bride bouquet photos are ones that you will definitely want to have. There are many ways you can showcase the bouquets as well as the bridesmaid’s dresses. From lining everyone up and holding their bouquets out to the camera or hiding their faces to forming a circle around the bride; this is another shot that you can get creative with

6. The Shoe Shot

You can’t forget about the shoes and what about those pedicures? You’ll want to get a group shot that showcases everyone’s shoes.

7. Celebrating Shot

You’re getting married! There is bound to be a bottle or two of champagne being opened in the bride’s honor. Take a minute to pause as you toast away your single life with your bridesmaids for a picture-perfect shot.

Wedding Photography Style Explained

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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.

5 Things You Should Trust Your Wedding Photographer With

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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.

Intimate Weddings, Timelines, & The Details

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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.

Planning a Photo Booth? – Here are Some Tips

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If you’re one of Sarah’s returning clients we may have met before – Hi Again! If you’re one of Sarah’s new clients thinking about booking a booth for your event – Nice to meet you! And if you’ve wandered into this blog from Google or Instagram, having never booked with Ever Changing before – Hello to you too! I hope we get to meet soon. I’ve been working with Sarah for a few years now. Sometimes as her second photographer, sometimes as her substitute, her website designer, content marketer, but originally as her Photo Booth Attendant.

I’ve run enough Photo Booths to know that it’s more than an accessory for your wedding or daughter’s Sweet 16. It’s an experience. That’s the key word. An experience.

Guests are doing more than taking pictures to fill time. It’s not about taking a photo of your best side. It’s about wearing goofy glasses and posing like Charlie’s Angels with your girlfriends. No strings. No complications.

For an experience that’s so spontaneous by nature, it’s almost ironic how much careful preparation needs to be involved to have a successful booth. Preparations that you, as the event planner, will have to decide when picking your venue, layout, and vendor. If you’re thinking about getting a Photo Booth for your next event, here are a few things to consider based on my experience:

Location, Location, Location

You know the phrase, “location, location, location” for a reason. It matters. When deciding where to put your booth, the location can make the experience. If you decide to put it in the same room as the party, all of your guests will see it. They’ll also see other guests using it and will be encouraged to use it themselves. Usually that means high intensity traffic.

Booths not set up within eyeline of the entire party are more likely to promote privacy and comfort. Guests are encouraged to enjoy it at their own pace. They’ll still have a blast at the booth, but in a more controlled environment. Booths can be a great way to encourage guests to explore the venue and find places for quiet conversation away from the party. Just make sure your DJ gives it a shout out or two.

If you want your booth to have that high-energy party vibe, its good to have it in the main space. Boa feathers may get everywhere (we’ll clean it up) and your cousin may start photobombing every other group, but your guests will feel that energy. If you want a booth that allows for a more private and orderly experience, putting it in a separate room, garage, or distance away from the main event may midgait traffic. At no cost to the fun-factor of course.

Whichever is best for your event is up to you – just make sure there’s an electrical outlet near by!

“Siri, What’s The Weather Today?“

We love outdoor events. We love the natural light, the open feeling, and welcoming the mood it sets. Keeping an eye out for storm clouds is no trade secret. But there’s a more egregious threat to your outdoor event you might not even be thinking about. The silent party-killer: Wind.

If you’re going to have an event outside, consult with your Photo Booth vendor on how their setup holds up in windy conditions. If their booth is a trailer space – great! But if it’s an open air booth, the wind could take down the backdrop, scatter the props, and make it difficult for your guests to pose. Always have an indoor location planned as a backup.

But How Much Space Do I Need?

Make sure to consult your vendor on the dimensions of their booth. Ever Changing’s most popular booth is an open air. This means no walls: just a camera, a backdrop, and you in between. The best pictures are taken in an 8 x 10 ft space. We also offer enclosed booths at several sizes. Then factor in any tables or additional surface space. Your vendor will probably require a prop table at least. They may bring there own, or the venue may provide one, as long as the space details are communicated.

Discuss the dimensions with your vendor to help get an accurate idea of the venue’s final layout. The more accurate the details, the better prepared your vendor will be. And don’t forget about the overhead space. Height matters!

Communication is Key

In the end, the most important part of preparation is communicating with your vendor. Sarah and I want to give you the perfect booth. We want the backdrop to be just what you imagined, the props to match your theme, and fabulous printouts. If you want sunflower props at your grandmother 90th birthday party, we want that too! But those can be hard to find or have shipped a few days before the event.

Sometimes its not possible to make changes the day before. We want to get you that custom backdrop, but our backdrop vendor has a lead time. You don’t have to know you want your grandmother’s 90th birthday party to have rolling fields as a backdrop and sunflower props – but letting your vendor know as soon as you do will help them accommodate you.

Photo Booths are more than opening an old drawer to find a picture of everyone dressed in boas and hats, jumping in mid air. Photo Booths are the memory of how half the family failed to get the timing right, and then laughing at the resulting picture. Persevering the emotion in the time families and friends spend together is what Photo Booths are about. The little details go a long way to making that possible.