Our friend photogs from Down Under, Matt & Katie, were feeling a little bored last night … so they decided to make this video and broadcast it to the world.
That oughta make anybody GLEEful. Happy Monday! 
Archive for November, 2009
Don’t Stop Believing
Nov 30
2009
Wedding Photography Tip #2 :: Ask Questions
Nov 29
2009
Brides (and future brides), this is for you. Just a few tips that will hopefully ensure that you are 150% happy with your wedding pictures. Happy reading!
So you’ve found a potential photographer for your big day. Their prices are good, and you like their style. A meeting has been setup. What should you bring? Well, you bring your cute self, your honking big engagement ring, and a clear picture of what you’ve envisioned for your wedding day.
This meeting isn’t just important for you, it’s also very important for the photographer. They’re going to see what you’re like in person, and vice-versa. So dress like yourself. Be yourself. Because that’s what we really want to know. And a smart photographer will do the same. When I’m meeting a client, I dress appropriately: completely true to myself and how I’ve marketed my photography.
When discussing a client’s wedding, I often view it as, well, like a marriage itself. I have certain ways I like to do things because I believe it ensures the best pictures, and my clients have a clear idea of what they want. So this meeting is often a discussion of How can I make sure the bride has her dream wedding while giving me the tools to do my job to the best of my ability?
Do not be afraid to ask questions. Ask them how they’ll achieve certain shots you want. Ask them where they’ll be during the ceremony. Ask them what they think of your timeline for the day. An experienced photographer will have incredible knowledge and insight on how to achieve what you’re looking for, so use it to your advantage! If you like a certain style of photography, ask them if it’s achievable with your timeline. For example, if you want plenty of pictures with you and your groom, but you’ve only scheduled 15 minutes right before the ceremony, your photographer may request more time than that (and perhaps also suggest that you spend the 15 minutes before your ceremony relaxing instead of rushing around). It’s important to bounce idea off of each other.
Also important is to know what you want. Don’t be all bridezilla about it, but there is nothing more nerve-wracking for a photographer who is working with a client who doesn’t know what they want. The chances of success are severely diminished at that point. Are you really into the vintage trend right now? Or are you more 1940s Hollywood classic? Beach/surfer girl chic? Do you prefer traditional over photojournalistic? Believe it or not, these can dictate the way your photographer shoots & edits your pictures. Have you been scouring wedding magazines and ripping out pages of pictures that you love? Bring them and show them to your photographer (we LOOOOOOOOVE idea boards!). Is there a certain item of significance to you? Bring it! The best mindset to bring to this meeting would be This is what I would like, this is what’s important to me – is this achievable and how?
As always, since posts are almost more interesting with a picture, here are some images of my newest sample album from Forbeyon! This is a 12.5×5 leather-bound flushmount album, using images from Brandon & Megan’s engagement shoot. Smaller than your traditional album, but it is a lovely option for an engagement/guest/boudoir book. Or sometimes it’s nice not to lug around a 20-lb wedding album. Please excuse the nicks and scratches on our dining table. 
What is that delicious-looking cover material, you ask? Why, it’s Forbeyon’s finest-grade leather called Autumn. It’s buttery-soft and oh so yummy!
Happy Sunday!
Be a fan on Facebook!
Top 10 Things I Am Thankful For
Nov 26
2009
David Letterman style! Excuse me if I sound a little crazy – I think it’s the food coma talking.
10. VERY thankful that my love of shopping online will come in handy tomorrow during Black Friday. I’m planning on staying away from the herds!
9. My photography fans and clients. What can I say? You’re constantly pushing me towards this new venture that I had never planned on taking. It’s like slowly breaking in your first pair of skinny jeans. You don’t quite know what others will think of you at first, but as you learn more about what to do (and what NOT to do), you slowly gain more confidence and realize there is this whole other world you’ve just discovered. Full of endless possibilities (yes, that applies to skinny jeans too!). Oh, and that reminds me, I’m also very thankful to every person who has complimented me on my recent skinny jeans look. I know I look hot, but it doesn’t ever hurt to hear it.
8. McDonald’s ice cream sundaes. I was just telling Aaron this past week as we drove through Freddy’s Frozen Custard for a late night sugar rush – my favorite ice cream sundae I’ve ever had is from McDonald’s. The one that tastes like plastic? he grimaced. Yep. Oh yes. With the hot fudge and the salty nuts. Oh, and by the way, this is proof that we are not necessarily food snobs! Yes, we enjoy good food. But we eat at Chick-Fil-A at least 3x a week! Ever watch “The Best Thing I Ever Ate” on Food Network? 99% of those places are hole-in-the-wall joints.
7. The Internet. It’s well known that if I could marry the internet, I would. Especially the wireless variety. Of course, the obvious benefits are … obvious. But it has also allowed me to grow my business, stalk other blogs, and reconnect. Just this past week, I’ve reconnected with people as far back as when I was 8 years old. FB & Twitter – you guys are amazing!
6. Friends. We watch at least one episode every night, either because there’s nothing else on or because we need something to fall asleep to. We’ve seen every episode at least 30 times. Well, maybe except for the last episode. I’m not allowed to watch that – it’s too sad, and Aaron can’t quite handle it. And then he gets mad that the show is over, so I have to put in the 1st episode to cheer him up. It’s a vicious cycle.
5. Friends. You know who you are. I would hope that we do the same for you that you do for us. Without your friendships, we really wouldn’t amount to much. Who would we share inappropriate jokes with? Who would text us at 11:30 pm when we should be asleep? Who would laugh at us when we do something stupid? Who would help me decide where to go for lunch? Seriously, we need you guys in our lives.
4. Our kids. Oh, what would I do without our kiddos???? The other morning, I was about to hop into the shower when Tele was still laying in her bed. Usually, when I get up, she’ll get up with me and sleep in the bathroom while I get ready. But this time, I guess she was still super-sleepy, so she didn’t move. But I knew she was awake. So I crouched down by the bathroom door and motioned for her to come for her morning rubdown. And sweet thing – she drug herself out of her bed, moseyed over here like she was drunk, tail a-wagging, and let me love on her. At that moment, I knew that her body was saying, Let me sleep!, but her heart said, I want some love! And she listened to her heart. And that is why I will always love her. And the cat? Well, I love his occasional back massages when he’s feeling lovey-dovey. I love his meows when he’s hungry, like he’s about to die. I love how fat he is. He was my first real pet, the first pet I could truly call mine. And as I’m typing this, I think he’s trying to kill a bug or something. ‘Cause he’s running around like a maniac. Very good exterminator. Cheap, too.
3. Family. There have been so many things that Aaron & I have been able to accomplish this past year strictly because of family’s generosity. You continue to help us reach for our dreams, and for that, we don’t know what we’d do without your love and support. You remind me of the importance of family traditions and get-togethers, something I hope to pass down for many generations to come.
2. Aaron. Geez, what do I say to the man who agreed to marry me 3.5 years ago? Thanks for saying yes! Hope you don’t regret it now! But seriously, marriage has been the most wonderful and the most difficult thing I’ve ever done. And I hope it continues to be that way for the rest of my life. Because then I’ll know that he loves me when I’m hot, and even when I’m not so hot. When I’m being nice, and when I’m being not so nice. Selfless and not so selfless. And I’ll be changed for the rest of my life because of that love. Muah! You are so cute right now. 
1. I know it’s so utterly cliche, but I know if I don’t say this, I’ll be labeled a heretic. God. Father, Son & Holy Spirit. Lately, I’ve been trying not to just talk to Him when I need something, when I’m looking for an answer or when I need Him to intervene for something. I figure, how terrible is it when I just communicate with Him when I’m in need??? But I’ve also learned that part of being a father is provision. Good fathers love to provide, love to tackle new problems and find solutions. So I’m trying to find the balance. But me & Him are cool. He’s dope like that.
This year was our first Thanksgiving alone, by ourselves, just the 2 of us. And not that we don’t love spending Thanksgiving with family, but we were actually very excited about just being able to lounge around at home all day. I got the turkey recipe from Claire Robinson (5 ingredients or less, fool!), and the sweet potatoes & green bean casserole were from Aaron’s mom.
Now, it’s 10:00 pm, and I’m hungry again. Time for more leftovers! Happy Thanksgiving!!!
