Posts Tagged: fearless wedding photographers
Lighting, Weddings and Musts to Know
We thought – with so many in the depths of planning weddings – that we would share some of our expert advice about timing. This is not timing as in “did he propose in the middle of your grandfather’s funeral?” (Guys: don’t do that, mkay?)
We’re talking about timing so that your photographer can get the shots you really want on the day of your wedding. Brides and grooms have gone to the trouble of thinking through what moments and people they would like captured, where they are having their weddings and choosing the season. But one of the things that needs to be considered most during planning is timing. It’s important in comedy and it’s important on your wedding day.
- What time does sunset occur?
- What time should your ceremony start and how long will the ceremony portion last?
- Do you want lots of shots taken outdoors?
- Where will your reception be and do we need to allow for drive time while the sun shines?
Much of our pricing depends on the amount of photo coverage hours needed, so planning ahead is key.
Ryan and I begin photographing approximately two hours before the ceremony for those couples who do not plan to see each other beforehand, which is customary. I work with the bride, bridesmaids and the bride’s family for an hour and can capture shots of her getting ready and transforming herself and spending quality time with specific people. This allows us to get all the fun of the preparation while still giving the bride time to freshen her make-up and ready herself for walking down the aisle. If a bride wants photos of her hair and makeup being done, we’ll need even more time, but we can help you get that sorted out when we speak.
Ryan photographs the groom, groomsmen and groom’s family during the second hour. This allows us to complete all photos that do not include the bride and groom together before the ceremony gets underway. You’re up, you’re fresh and ready and excited and it just makes sense. It makes the process more efficient following the ceremony and allows the couple to get to their reception sooner.
Following the ceremony we need 30-45 minutes (depending on wedding party and family size) to photograph the bride and groom together with their families and wedding party. We prefer to begin with family first, then the wedding party, and then with just the bride and groom for the most amount of time. We know that you want to join the party that is YOUR celebration, so having a plan and knowing where the sun will be if you want outdoor photos is something we can anticipate and create for you.
If you’re interested in seeing more of our weddings, visit that page of our blog where you can see the anticipatory beginnings, tender middles and lovely ends to ceremonies across seasons. Here is also a blog of ours for those interested in seeing how lighting can affect the details of a wedding and make them truly shine.
During the reception, we photograph candid moments of all kinds and do not interrupt the bride and groom for posed photos. We want you to mingle and celebrate, dance, eat and enjoy your day. Those moments make amazing photos anyway. The only exception we make is if the couple requests sunset photos at which point we will watch for the perfect moment before stealing the couple away from the reception for a minimal amount of time.
Most receptions last 3-4 hours, so if a couple plans a formal exit complete with sparklers, bubbles, and a getaway car, they will likely want us to photograph that exit and stay until the end. However, if a couple does not plan a formal exit and anticipates staying until the last guest leaves, then they can plan on less photography coverage hours and we will slip out (after hugs, a last check-in and goodbyes) and let you keep partying.
For us, lighting your day is important and we know how to handle it. You have other things to think about, so once you’ve chosen place, season, type of wedding and time of day, we’ll know how to counsel you and make things work.
While your wedding is photographed to memorialize it and is a big production, it is also one of the biggest milestones in a person’s life. We want you to feel the joy of the day and not just like you’re modeling or being posed. So consider the season, the time of day, time changes for daylight savings if those apply, how much of the behind the scenes you want captured, as well as the outdoor and natural light and we’ll do our best. To help, here is a favorite website we use to determine sunset time.
After all the planning, it’s an adventure! Let the magic happen!
We love family portraits whether they are set in the studio, the great outdoors, a specific location like the mountains or high country, or on our property in our outdoor portrait garden. Pixels on Paper photographs, engagements and weddings, brides, and special events and portraits of all kinds in our Wilkesboro, NC studio. We would be honored to meet with you, learn about you and your family and be a part of taking special portraits that will become, we hope, family heirlooms.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 United States License
All photos are ©2018 Pixels On Paper. Do not copy, crop, or remove watermark.
Scottish wedding with rain, bagpipes, celtic tunes, a rose and her beloved
O my Luve’s like a red, red rose,
That’s newly sprung in June:
O my Luve’s like the melodie,
That’s sweetly play’d in tune.
As fair art thou, my bonie lass,
So deep in luve am I;
And I will luve thee still, my dear,
Till a’ the seas gang dry.*
*Robert Burns is perhaps Scotland’s most famous poet. He loved, and believed in, luve. And that poem is particularly sweet because it’s about waiting for the one you luve, no matter how long it takes. More on that later. First – you should meet our red rose, bride Rebekah Bolick (nee McDonald). She was radiant and one of the most serene brides we’ve photographed in a long time… porcelain skin, raven hair, rose-red lips and a gorgeous dress. In other words, worthy of poetry.
Both Rebekah and her groom, Josh wanted to incorporate as many personal details into their wedding and reception as possible. There was nothing but live music for the entire day, starting with a bagpiper who provided the processional. The bride’s father wore a kilt and a celtic band played the reception. Josh’s deceased brother was honored and remembered with photos and music provided by his best friend, the decorations were handmade by family members, the flower arrangements were made and coordinated by the bride’s mother, the cake was created by her aunt, and her amazing headpiece was made by one of her best friends. There was no wedding planner and they clearly didn’t need one since they had a vision they were all thrilled to execute together. It was simply perfect – every element!
While the sands o’ life shall run.
And fare thee weel, my only luve,
And fare thee weel awhile!
And I will come again, my luve,
Though it were ten thousand mile.
St. Mary of the Hills Episcopal Church, Blowing Rock, NC
So a little note on that last stanza of the poem (above). Rebekah and Josh actually met (and even “dated” for 2 weeks) in the 6th grade when they were only 11. So it wasn’t “10 thousand mile” but it was 8 years or so, when they reconnected while both were attending Appalachian State University. Rebekah was nursing a broken foot and basically laid up for the summer. Josh heard she was immobile, remembered that they lived only a few miles apart and went to visit her and keep her company one afternoon.
Rebekah: “I had no idea at the time that such a pleasantly unexpected visit would bring about the deepest love and friendship I ever could have dreamed for. We proceeded to spend almost every day of that summer together. I couldn’t do much because of my injury, but he made doing the most simple things so enjoyable. We share a mutual love for baking and while we waited for cookies, scones and cakes to rise we built jigsaw puzzles at the kitchen table and talked about any and everything.”
While the wedding day was less sunny than that summer memory, the weather did not beat us.
It didn’t just rain the entire day of their wedding, it poured. We might as well have been IN the highlands of Scotland. After assuring Rebekah and Josh that we would use the rain to our advantage and make the most of this once in a lifetime moment, we captured some of our absolute most favorite images in the rain. With umbrellas in tow, they were cheerful and beautifully romantic while trusting our direction for the only outdoor photos that we would capture that day.
Their reception was lively and fun and filled with all of those thoughtful and beautiful details and care provided by family and friends.
Rebekah: “The best thing about our wedding day was how stress free we were. We were just so happy to be getting married and to have all of our dearest people with us to celebrate. We had so much carefree joy that day. Wedding nerves were a non-issue. I just remember my face hurting at times because I could not stop smiling and laughing.”
Celtic tunes for the reception at The Green Park Inn, Blowing Rock NC
One takeaway as a photography team from this rainy day adventure is that if we cast away our own fears and doubts, our worry about equipment getting wet, dresses getting dirty, hair falling, etc. then our clients will also have no fear or doubt in our capabilities and the amazing images will be worth whatever adversity they face. A second takeaway is that no matter the place, the day, the weather, the couple or the circumstances, we love, luve, LOVE what we do!