Shawnie & Justin

I had the good fortune to be found by Shawnie back in late August, she was in town visiting her dad and wanted to do her engagement photos in a desert location- something far different from the lush and dense wooded pavilion she will be wed at in Washington next September.

The session started in her dad's backyard and when we exercised almost every square inch of his fabulously designed backyard we took his vette out for a spin to Anthem Park (great place for family session) and these were just a few of my favorites.

We're still in the running to travel up north to photograph this fabulous couple, and fingers crossed I will be posting their wedding photos here, this time next year!

My Gift to You as the Holiday Season Approaches

For most of us, there is no better time to do a family portrait that the holiday season. It's a multitaskers dream: Updates the kids faces to distant relatives, documents the growing family, takes care of holiday cards.

I also understand that times are tough, and not looking any easier. I have always believed that you shouldn't have to spend a car payment to get a great portrait. And because I firmly believe in going to a professional instead of using the self-timer on your camera, I am committed to getting you that great portrait and a great price.

Starting October 1st and going thru December 1st- any 30 min portrait session is $55

*Want to combine your baby's 6mo photo with your holiday photo- 30min- $55

*Birthday cake photos and family photos- 30min $55

*Individual photos of the kids and a family portrait- 30min $55

This also includes the weekend of October 2nd in Sedona and October 3rd in Prescott

Make everyone the envy of your family photo this holiday season!

Demystifying Wedding Photography

I saw this on another photographers website/blog and I thought, even though one would imagine wedding photos to be self-explanatory...this might help fill in the gaps and explain why portfolios are a collection and not someone's entire wedding.

As I have found time and time again, better to over explain and sound boring, then leave room for misguided assumptions

That those 5-10 perfect moments we post on our blog the day after a wedding and the photos we share in our first meeting with a bride are our best work. I learned very quickly that my brides were expecting that level of perfection for every single photograph. Some were expecting me to do total magic and turn their fluorescent-lit, 1970’s carpeted town hall wedding into some sort of visual masterpiece. I don’t accept work if the venue is a shambles, by the way. Another perfectly good reason to turn down a wedding. Share with them the things about the album they’re looking at that made those photos some of your best. Tell them that the couple required no coaxing, pleading and begging to just ‘act natural’. Tell them that the location was carefully planned to take the photography into consideration. Tell them that the couple took your advice and didn’t place the head table smack in front of a gigantic window (also in my contract). Explain that you will also provide them with ‘regular’ pictures to record their day, their guests, their carefully planned details. But that perfect shot of the rings that took 10 minutes to style (it’s not easy hanging a diamond off a dew drop!) and then another 5 minutes to photograph will not be the norm for every one of their resulting 500 images.

Read more: http://www.digital-photography-school.com/two-things-i-tell-every-bride#ixzz10KOoZwc8

Renee & Keith part 1

A little photo heavy for a blog post, but HOLY COW, I love how these photos turned out. And as soon as we scheduled this session, I knew it was going to kick butt.

Keith, our handsome groom to be, flies independently for fun. Quite the hobby, right. So during the initial consultation I had with them, I jokingly mentioned doing a session with his plane. Well with some creative input from his lovely fiancée Renee, we spent Sunday morning at the Commemorative Air Museum in Mesa (insert bonus point for living only 10min away).

After the better part of an hour and lots of breaking normal museum patron rules, we ended up with an awesome collection of photos. Keith was like a kid in a candy store picking out his favorite planes and really being a stud for the photos. And Renee with her brand new "flight attendant" sultry dress, was just inches away from being a modern day pin-up. Such a great looking, fun and fabulous couple.

Thank you Keith and Renee, your session was out of this world!

Natalie & Joe's Engagement

Natalie & Joe are the quintessential dram couple for a zealous photographer like myself. Both ridiculously good looking, crazy in love and eager and willing to have fun in their photos.

With all the time I spent with Dave in the hospital I had been researching some fresh new ideas to spice up my photos and had been playing with the idea of using props in my images. Apparently, there's a whole industry dedicated to cutesty props on etsy just for this sort of thing.

So balloons, frame, parasol and bubbles in tow, Natalie, Joe and I spent just about an hour playing at Historical Heritage Square and the results were nothing short of my best engagement session EVER!

Thank you Natalie and Joe, I can't even begin to tell you how excited I am about your December wedding and all the fun ideas I'm putting together for you wedding photos.

We're Nickelodeon's Best Family Photographer in Phoenix

Thanks to all of our amazing clients- whom we proudly call friends and family, we've been recognized as the Best Family Photographer in Arizona.

To thank all of our amazing fans anyone who books a family session between now and the end of the year will receive one of the following (1) 16x20 board print or (2) 8x10 board prints or (25) holiday cards + envelopes

Let's book your session today!

and a very sincere and humbled thank you for giving me the opportunity to have the best job in the world. My success is because of you!

Getting the perfect fit so you always look photo ready

http://www.weddingistas.com/weddingistas/2010/08/six-tips-for-the-perfect-fit.html

Brilliant ideas to put into place, because it's not a lot of fun spending the day lifting your under garments and looking like the funky chicken

Winners of the Cute Kid Contest

Prize Categories

1. Most overall votes Motorcycle Michael 64

2. Most votes first day of voting Motorcycle Michael 24

3. ages 0-3mo Soccer Sport Xavier

4. 3-6mo Hydrangea Baby Hannah

5. 6-9mo SassyTayler Bug

6. 9-12mo Motorcycle Michael

7. 1-2yr Cuddling Kris

8. 2-3yr Rosey Ricki

9. 3-5yr no votes

10. 5-10yr no votes

Congratulations to our winners and thank you for participating in our contest

Having fun with wedding props

Special thanks to Rev Amy Miller @ Chapel At The Farm for her inspiration and fun finds on etsy for allowing me to take these fun fabulous images with her new wedding props- just for my photos!

Being loved is lovely

Average Monthly Temperatures

As you can see; January, February and December are fantastic off season wedding months where great deals can be found not only in vendors, but in seasonal decor.

Month High/Low

January 65/38

February 69/41

March 74/45

April 84/52

May 93/60

June 101/68

July 105/77

August 102/76

September 98/69

October 88/57

November 75/45

December 66/39

Making the Garter Toss AWESOME

http://www.austinweddingblog.com/2009/04/great-wedding-tip-throwing-of-wedding.html

Don't want to leave beer in a trunk, leave it with the DJ to present to the catcher!

What a fabulous blog

I ADORE this blog, love the ideas, the ideology and the ornate details.
Pardon my while I wipe the drool
http://hotpinkbrides.com/

Voting for Cute Kid Contest

http://www.momentsinfilm.com/Album_Contest/albumimages.php

This link and voting goes live at 12 midnight on Monday night.

Select the image you'd like to vote for, enter your email address in the comment section and submit

Rules:

1. Only one vote per day per email address

2. Multiple votes will disqualify your vote for the day

3. Unknown email addresses will be verified

Voting is from 12 midnight Monday thru 12 midnight Friday

Winners will be announced the following Monday

Prize Categories

1. Most overall votes

2. Most votes first day of voting

3. ages 0-3mo

4. 3-6mo

5. 6-9mo

6. 9-12mo

7. 1-2yr

8. 2-3yr

9. 3-5yr

10. 5-10yr

Who's doing your "thank you" cards

We want to do your thank you cards- at cost

We're looking to create a fun fabulous line of thank you cards using your fun fabulous wedding images.

Cards will be 4x6 in size with envelopes- custom printing is available.

We are offering this to the first 10 brides to respond and payment will be due after design is created.

I can't wait to share your beautiful images in a lasting way with your guests.

Letting Guests Take Photos-HELP

So here's the million dollar question: how do you maintain autonomy for the job you've been hired to do, allow guests to get their photo fix at a wedding and not lose sanity in between?

I'm really struggling with this; the last two seasons one of three things happened, someone got angry because I was directing and not allowing for guests to get the photos they wanted, I had no control over the situation and was pushed around or the worst, a few couples lost the opportunity for those fabulous sunset images every Arizona couple wants because I tried to be overly kind to guest photo requests.

What is the line between being too accommodating and not caring at all for the camera phone?

I ask because my fall season is approaching and no matter how many weddings I do I have yet to find that zen spot where everyone walks away happy- which as a people pleaser, is always my ultimate goal.

Some pros have told me to not be worried about guests, you were hired to do a job. One of my closest business associates told me at his kids football practice parents get 3 minutes for photos and then the rest is left to the hired photographer.

How do you make it work, who needs to be involved, will it always be a case by case scenario?

I genuinely want feedback- of all the things we do over the course of a wedding, this is our hang up. I will be the first to admit this is our Achilles heel.