by Judy | Nov 27, 2010 | Portraits
I met the Breuer family in 2009 when we scrambled to find a date for Ron & Eileen’s children and grandchildren to all be in one place at the same time for the family Christmas portrait. They are a lovely family, with the beautiful little ones infusing the sitting with a joyful energy. I was delighted when they called me again for their 2010 portrait, and after wrangling a few schedules, we managed to squeeze in a session over the Thanksgiving weekend. Here are some of my favorite images:
Amelia in holiday dress-up. Does she know how precious she looks?
As lovely as the color version is, there is something so timeless about black and white photos.
Holiday photos are a perfect way to watch a family grow.
The whole gang-three generations of Breuers. What a challenge to get all the kids to smile at once!
Kids just look so natural and comfortable in poses on the floor.
Emmaline in her Christmas PJs--so cute!
We keep it fun and give the kids plenty of breaks-usually everyone is still smiling when we wrap it up too! Thank you, Ron & Eileen-it was wonderful see how everyone has grown! I hope we can make this an annual tradition!
by Judy | May 23, 2010 | Weddings
A comment I often hear from my clients is how surprised they are that my assistants and I keep ourselves out of the way as we are covering an event. This comment never fails to please me because the Vivid Visions Photo team goes to great lengths to be unobtrusive. Our approach for coverage of every event, whether it’s the wedding of the year or a simple christening, is to record the special moments that will become treasured memories for our clients. The very last thing we want to do is become a part of it.
Of course there are times when my expertise in all things weddings is helpful in keeping the day flowing smoothly, and I will of course assist if I can. Typically, I am assigned the task of securely pinning the boutonnieres on the gentlemen in the wedding party, and I gladly oblige to assure that the flower remains secured to the lapel through the day. 🙂
But I prefer that to remain the extent of my involvement.
Apparently other photographers handle their event coverage differently. I safely assume this because since the first wedding I covered as a semi-pro photographer every officiant has made a point of discussing with me the rules regarding where the photography team is to be positioned during the ceremony. This is especially so for the religious ceremonies, whether in a house of worship or not.
I understand that my fellow pro photographers are just trying to capture the best images for their clients, and I assure you that is my goal as well. However, no matter how well-intentioned, these overly enthusiastic photogs do a great disservice to their clients and their fellow photographers by prompting officiants to limit us in our ability to cover as many angles and perspectives as possible.
The solution is simple, and one that I follow as often as possible and practical: First, have the photographer scout the location to determine the best places to set-up camp. Then contact the officiant and discuss your plans for the photographer to cover your event. (The rehearsal is ideal for this) Usually, when you demonstrate the proper respect for the ceremony, the officiant will help you determine the best way for everyone to do their jobs so the special day can be captured in images without compromising the solemnity of the occasion.
by Judy | May 13, 2010 | Uncategorized
When wedding photographers talk shop, a common topic is how to work around “Uncle Bob,” the proverbial wedding guest who fancies him- or herself a serious photographer with nice gear and is anxious to use it. Typically the discussion centers on how to prevent Uncle Bob from interfering with the hired pro as we work to capture the best images for the bride and groom enjoy.
As a photographer I can appreciate Uncle Bob’s perspective. Photographers are artists, and each one has a different creative vision. It is only natural to want to capture a special event like a wedding with your own style and vision. And perhaps Uncle Bob will have a perspective or vantage point to capture some great images.
Quite frankly, I welcome the participation of photographer guests at the weddings we cover at Vivid Visions Photo-Graphics. They are more familiar with the unique personalities and relationships among the guests, and will often recognize a once in a lifetime photo opportunity that the hired pro may miss. If they can capture such a moment in a photograph, I hope they will, and that they will share it with bridal couple.
However, I do hope, and if necessary will ask, the Uncle Bob of the day to respect my role as a fellow photographer, and more importantly, the hired pro, so I can do the job the bride and groom are expecting of me and my staff. We do our best to not interfere with the activities, but rather record them, and we ask Uncle Bob not to interfere with our work by jumping front of us to grab a shot or distracting the subjects while we are trying to work through the formal portrait session.
In the end, after all, we are all after the same thing-capturing images that reflect the emotion, style and beauty of this once in a lifetime event. If the hired pro and the photog guest worked together, the results can be wonderful.
Brides and grooms, do you have an Uncle Bob coming to your wedding? Tell us how you will prepare your hired photographer for him.
by Judy | Apr 22, 2010 | Uncategorized
Earth Day is a special day in my family. On Earth Day we used to celebrate with a special meal finished with a cake and candles. We are not kooky tree-huggers (not that tree-hugging is kooky by any means). As it turns out, April 22, designated as Earth Day in 1970, is also my father’s birthday. I have always thought that having his birthday designated as Earth Day was especially apropos for Beeb, as he was affectionately known, because he, along with my mother, had a quiet gentle way of teaching us that our natural world is one to be appreciated, admired and protected.
Beeb taught me how to be a bird-watcher. He showed me how to make our yard an environment that is welcoming to birds and wild life, and he taught me to enjoy the seashore without damaging the fragile eco-system it supports.
As an adult I can fully appreciate what I learned at Beeb’s knee, and I now understand how he marveled at the simple beauty of our natural world. From the sparrows at the feeder to the bluefish on the end of his fishing pole to the deer grazing in our flower garden, Beeb understood how they all had a role to play in this terrarium we know as planet Earth. To him, the opportunity to observe, and sometimes participate in, the activities of the wildlife surrounding us was a gift from God. A gift, he would remind us, that we must cherish so it will be here for the next generations to enjoy.
Taking care of a special gift is not a once a year endeavor. It is an everyday task, privilege even, to make sure that our human activities do not unnecessarily harm our natural resources. At Vivid Visions Photo-Graphics we take this privilege seriously, and are pleased to be certified as Premier level members of Greener Photography.
As a Greener Photography member, we seek every opportunity to conserve our natural resources while we undertake the just as important business of preserving our clients’ special memories. And you know what? It’s easy and it feels good.
I hope you, dear reader, will take a few moments today to think about how you can leave the world a better place. Then tomorrow, next week, next month, next year, please do just one thing to lessen your impact on this planet. Celebrate Earth Day every day.
Beeb would be so grateful.
by Judy | Apr 17, 2010 | Uncategorized, Weddings
Dear Brides and Grooms,
I’ve said it before, and I’m sure I’ll say it many more times. The one wedding expense you should not cheap out on is your photographer. And now a survey by online photo lab Shutterfly has the results to prove my point:
“ Should’ve spent less on the dress; more on the memories. Of survey respondents married within 12 months prior to the survey, 28 percent felt they didn’t spend enough money on the honeymoon; 22 percent felt the same about the photographer. 19 percent of the same sample reported spending too much on the bridal gown and food.”
Your wedding day is one that you have carefully planned, with every detail carefully considered. Perhaps it is even the day you have dreamed of since you were old enough to dream. Why would you put the job of capturing those memories into the hands of an inexperienced amateur? Would you go to a butcher to have a cavity filled? Or to a seamstress for heart surgery?
With the dawn of digital photography, everyone who can afford an SLR thinks that wedding photography is an easy way to make some extra cash, but I assure you, of all the photography specialties, capturing weddings on film is one of the most difficult to master. We are capturing a once in a lifetime event while keeping track of exposure, depth of field, and a myriad of other factors. Our photos must come out right the first time, because with weddings, there are no “do-overs” (we hope!)
So maybe your Uncle Bob has a beautiful Nikon kit, and he has many gorgeous images of his vacation in Tuscany hanging on his wall, but those are not wedding photos. As the saying goes walk a mile in the wedding photographer’s shoes before you take on this very important task. It is a big job, and entails quite a bit more than it seems.
When you have spent the better part of a year or more planning everything from the color scheme to the flowers to the menu and seating arrangement, you want to make sure the images captured that day preserve the details and evoke the emotion of this day of days.
Skip the sushi bar and hire an experienced photographer. You won’t regret it.
