Things are growing and evolving over here at Jennifer Bowen Photography, professional and personally. I am very excited about several things in the works and think you may be happy to know of some cool new packages and products yet to be announced -- and maybe an updated look for some things as well :) Watch for new announcements through the fall and early next year.
On a personal note, I want to "officially" share that we are expecting our second child (a boy) in late January. Some of you may have guessed with some of the subtle hints I've dropped along the way, and if you are a Facebook friend, you may have heard the news already. (If you are not on Facebook already, why not?! Join all the fun!) Jordan, our 3 year old daughter, had previously only wanted a little sister, but she is warming to the idea of a little brother and I think will be a great helper. We are excited to round out our little family and it should be fun to experience both relationships.
So what does that mean for my business and what things will look like for next spring and fall? I have already booked up the spring wedding season and obviously took a few less weddings than I normally do for March, April and May. The summer will be probably be pretty normal here in hot AZ with fewer weddings anyway and the fall will resume as normal.
As for this fall, I don't expect much to change at all. I am busy with several weddings through November and my portrait shoot slots nearly booked up in 1 day, so it will be a very hopping October & November as normal. I wont be doing many (if any) portrait shoots in Dec or Jan however, but of course the business side of things will still run with some additional assistants.
**The Next Workshop** I will be dedicating the next post to our November 1, 2008 beginner and intermediate workshops. Kim Jarman and I have worked out most of the details and we are excited to formally announce it. The details are coming within 24 hours.
Thanks to all of you contacting me about the second shooter opportunity. I wont be responding to any emails until Tuesday, 9/9 so if you don't hear from me until then, don't worry. I'll be in touch soon.
I am looking for a qualified second shooter for October 18, 2008 for a wedding in Scottsdale/Paradise Valley. Person ideally must have experience with shooting weddings and MUST have an online portfolio they can share with me, as well as their own gear (camera, cards, etc). References are a big plus too! Hint hint.
Interested photographers can email me at jen [at] jenniferphotography dot com. More details will be shared with qualified applicants. Thank you!
Holiday Sessions are now booking for October and November.
We still have some select dates available (current and past clients received first word on available dates and have booked many already). They sold out quickly last year, so please reserve your date early. We will not be doing any shoots in December this year - November 30 is the last available date.
There is a $150 non-refundable retainer deposit required to hold your spot, which is applied toward the total session cost of $300. All sessions include 1 hour at the location of your choice.
(Recommended public locations include: Scottsdale Civic Center Park in Old Town, The Farm at South Mountain, Kryene Park or Freestone Park). Im sorry, but we won't be doing any "mini-sessions" this year.
***All new designs for 2008 Holiday Cards***
Click below to view the cards and pricing. All cards are customizable with text, lettering styles and in some cases the colors. You pick your favorite image(s), place your order and we design and ship to you within 10 days. All cards come with white matching envelopes.
The following slideshow will show you a "gallery" view at the end of the show, so that you click on the individual images again for longer viewing (such as the pricing page). The first set shows the new folded cards that we have worked with a design firm to create, followed by the pricing, and the second set shows the flat 5x7 style cards that we offered last year, as well as a couple new designs for this year. Click play on the image below to view.
You can also view the show in an alternative web browser by clicking here.
So I almost went and bought another Canon 5D today and then thought, "You know, I better see if I can find any more out about those pesky 6D/7D/3D (oh, what will it be named) rumors circulating. I mean, it has been 3 years since the 5D release and Canon is well overdue for an upgrade." And sure enough, after digging through multiple sites, I think I found some decent sources here and here indicating the 5D replacement might be out later this month or next month in time for the Photokina show. I don't know that I would lay all my savings on that bet, or even if these specs are 100% accurate, but I know they will want it to compete with the latest Nikon D3 and am hoping it might be right around the corner. Canon: I really want this before my big wedding at the end of month in San Diego, hint hint.
I just saw that Sheryl and Dane's gorgeous wedding from this past April was featured on the equally gorgeous Southern Weddings Magazine blog site! They have such a great blog with so many beautiful weddings and amazing ideas for those getting married, that is a real honor to be included. I absolutely love their blog and check it almost every day. Check it out for yourself
Here are some of the amazing details from Sheryl and Dane's wedding at The Valley Ho in Scottsdale, as featured by Southern Weddings blog.
I have to say, I think square tables add an entirely different dimension to an event, especially paired with the chiavari chair. I loved this set up! Ashley Stone, owner of Something Blue Events, produced their wedding and did a great job! Bridesmaid dresses are from Twirl Boutique, cake by La Dolce Pesca, and flowers by the fantastic Gina at Fiori Floral Design. I have done several weddings with Gina, and she never ever disappoints.
I have a spot that opened up for the beach sessions in Manhattan Beach next week. If you live in the area or will be visiting the general LA beaches area between Aug 13-18 and would like to set up a session, please contact me at jen {at} jenniferphotography dot com for more info.
I will be over in California for two weeks visiting friends, doing these shoots, photographing a wedding in San Diego, and trying to cool down in those lovely beach breezes. I'll still be working from there, so please to contact me if you need anything.
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*Fall Photography Workshops - Save the Date!*
I have been receiving lots of emails about our next photography workshop for beginners so I wanted to pass along some preliminary info, so you can "Save the Date!" Kim Jarman and I will be teaching two more workshops on November 1, 2008. One for beginners, just like this one, and one for intermediates, that will feature an actual shoot with live models and will work off the fundamentals taught from the beginners workshop. If you already took the beginner workshop, or know how your camera works pretty well, and just want to take your photography to the next level, this might be the one for you.
We will share more information in September about the times and more details, so please stay tuned. If you have sent me (or Kim) an email requesting more info, you will also receive an email from us sometime in September as well.
I've started receiving emails about holiday photography sessions this fall, and I wanted to let you know that I will be offering some special packages again this year. I should have the schedule up in the next couple weeks, along with the package info. Current and past clients will also receive an advance email with more details and a little something else. :) Stay tuned for more info soon! The majority of sessions will be available in October and November, in time for the holidays.
Every fall my Mom plans a fun all-girls trip to the Big Apple. I think this is her 10th year coordinating the excursion and I have gone at least 6 or 7 of those years, and always have such a great time. I have loved New York City since I was a little girl, and held this huge desire to move there during my early 20's and do the single-girl-in-the-big-city thing. My life took a different path and I didn't ever make it there to live, but I still visit as often as possible and just pretend I live there when I go. I did however live vicariously through my younger step-sister Alexia when she lived there for a few years and worked on 5th Avenue at the Nicole Miller boutique.
At any rate, I would be going again this year, but my fall schedule is a bit heavy, so unfortunately I cannot make it this time. :( But I wanted to share the info on this trip in case any of you out there love doing fun girls trips with your girlfriends and are up for a seeing the city all decorated for the holidays. It surely is beautiful that time of year.
My Mom is a certified travel planner/agent and has specialized in group trips all over the world for the past 20 years or so. She has done A-M-A-Z-I-N-G excursions to Greece, Switzerland ski tips, South of France (Monte Carlo, Nice, Morocco, etc.), Australia, Italy and much more, but these New York City trips are always popular with the ladies (and mothers-and-daughters). Great shopping, great food, great nightlife, Broadway theater, etc... there is just so much to do and see there.
Me and my cute Mom back from 2000 or 2001 (scanned from film)
My friend Corinne and I there. We had just seen the Rockettes Christmas Show (which is great by the way). I think we also caught Mama Mia that year as well - also a great Broadway production.
And my Mom and her best friend Ann, and me and Corinne taking a cold but nice carriage ride through Central Park that same year, before hitting the Park Plaza for drinks. (To warm up of course!)
I was excited to see that one of the photographs from Sonja and Marcus's wedding at The Boulders Resort & Spa was featured as the final Bon Voyage photo in the most recent issue of Arizona Bride Magazine. They had a beautiful wedding last fall and I'm so happy they chose the image as their send off! Arizona Bride is a wonderful magazine for couples getting married here and is available at major newsstands (Barnes & Noble, Borders, etc) now.
Kim and I held our first Photography Workshop for Beginners yesterday. We are so grateful to have met each of you and appreciate your great reviews and good feedback! Based on all you said, we feel it was a success and look forward to doing more in the future. Everyone said they learned something new and some of you felt it was a tremendous help to understanding your cameras and the fundamentals better through the hands-on instruction.
We will likely share some video clips in the coming days, but here a few snap shots from yesterday. Unfortunately the flash was inadvertently turned off on the point-and-shoot, so these pictures are pretty grainy and dark. (Thanks Katie, for helping to capture part of the day.)
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Future Workshops::
We will definitely hold another workshop or two in the fall; likely the beginners workshop again as well as a more intermediate version that will include models and a live shoot. As of now we do not have a date selected, but if you are interested in being on the mailing list for our future workshops, please send me an email and we'll make sure to keep you updated! All of you who attended yesterday will be automatically added.
Thank you to everyone who attended yesterday and helped make our first workshop a success! We can't wait to see your work and how you evolve from here!
Well this is a "red-letter-day" for me, as my Grandma used to say. First, I have received two incredibly touching phone calls from perfect strangers today complimenting me and my work. Both calls touched me deeply and really made my day. Thank you Theresa and Pat for your kind words.
Second, I just saw that Michelle & Craig's b-e-a-u-t-i-f-u-l wedding from last summer has been published on The Knot. Whooo hooo! You may remember images from their wedding at Desert Mountain in Scottsdale last June, but if you would like to view their album or slideshow, here they are again :)
I was excited to see one of my images from Charlie and Kent's wedding this part March placed in the most recent quarterly WPJA contest. I got 16th, but I'm just happy that I placed at all considering they are uber-picky and it's hard to place at all!
Workshop Update We still have some seats left for our workshop. Many of you have inquired, so please send in your registration forms if you have not already to ensure we hold your spot. You can view the flyer and registration form here. If you know any parents or hobbyists that might be interested, please feel free to forward them this link.
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Assistant Position Update Thank you to all of you who have sent me emails about the assistant position! I am planning to go through the emails this week and will then get in touch with you.
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August Beach Sessions in California We are pretty much booked up for the week Aug 10-17 with various photo shoots. I may have 1 spot left, but be sure to email me and book quickly because it wont last much longer. Please note that beach sessions are $350 because they are longer and a little more work than non-beach sessions. (And you will likely get a little wet!) But I do throw in some extra goodies for you :-)
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Gas What in the name of Mary is up with the gas prices??!! This is getting ridiculous. I paid $4.39 two days ago and didn't fill it up because going over $80 for a tank of gas just seems to fly in the face of principle, so now I'll need to fill it up again and it's probably going to cost me at least $4.50 now. Im planning to drive to CA this summer, at and this point I could fly over there for substantially less than it will cost me to get there and back. We have got to start coming up with alternative energy sources, and stop relying on the middle east for oil.
Bob Englehart, Hartford, Connecticut -- The Hartford Courant
Kim and I are excited to announce a date for our photography workshop specifically targeted for beginning photographers, hobbyists, or parents simply looking to taking better pictures of their kids. Please click here for the full flyer and registration information. If you have any questions, please send me an email.
I am looking for an entry level photo assistant to help at weddings and occasional portrait sessions. The primary responsibilities will be to help carry gear, set up off-camera lighting, help download images, hold reflectors, and other duties as needed. There may be limited second shooting opportunities down the line, but this position is primarily an on-location, non-shooting type opening. Please email me some information about yourself and experience (if any) if you are interested and I will respond to inquiries in mid-June. No phone calls please.
So for those of you that have expressed interest in the beginners photography workshop, we finally have a date! Kimberly Jarman and I will be hosting a 3 hour workshop for those just starting out in photography and for parents or amateurs that simply want to take better pictures. It will be Saturday, June 28, 2008 from 1:00-4:00 PM. Kim and I will be posting more details soon, so check back early next week for more info and how to register.
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On Monday it was 108 degrees here in Phoenix (a record high for this time of year) and today it is is 57 degrees and raining (I think a record low for this time of year). What a crazy weather week! I love the rain since we don't see it very often but hope it clears up in time for Tracy and Tom's wedding tomorrow. It is actually out at Circle Bar Ranch and the very last wedding they will hold there. Management has changed hands and I guess they will no longer host events, which is too bad, because it seems like such a unique and beautiful venue.
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Tomorrow will mark my last wedding before a 6 week break -- and a much needed vacation to Hawaii! We leave very early Wed morning and to say I cannot wait to have my feet buried in the sand and an umbrella-laden-drink in my hand would be an understatement. For the most part, the studio will be closed May 28-June 6, but I'll sill have periodic access to emails and blogging. If I'm slow to respond, I hope you understand its only because I'm getting some much needed R&R on the fantastic island of Maui. :)
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In other random news, has anyone else noticed that every single street in Phoenix seems to be under construction? In Scottsdale alone, Hayden, Scottsdale Road, Indian Bend, Via de Ventura and of course the 101 freeway all all under construction, and that's just a 5-10 mile radius from my house. Is it just me, or does it seem to take forever to finish those projects? Hmmm, I think the city needs to reassess how many streets they decide tear up at one time. Traffic is a bear right now.
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And just so you don't think I'm slacking, I'm working on my favorites from JD and Andriana's wedding in Tucson last weekend and should have up soon! But here is a teaser...
We are now offering beautiful canvas gallery wraps! Actually, I have been offering these for awhile, but lately I have had so much interest in them I wanted to post an example of what they look like. I love these!
The come either 3/4 inch deep or 1-1/2 inch deep on the wrap (as pictured) The canvas is spray protected, durable and comes already assembled with the wall hanging kit (if you opt for that).
Where to hang them or need some ideas?
Go big! These gallery wraps work really well as stand alone large prints for your wall and also work well in a series. Think 3 in a row (horizontal or vertical), or if you have a large open wall, you can fill the space with 9 smaller wraps (8x8 or 10x10 in size), stacked 3 over 3 over 3. Sizes are available from 8x8 (or 8x10) to 30x30, or even larger if you need a custom size for your specific space. If you want something 40 or 50 feet tall, it is doable.
Since we live in such a digital, e-mail world now, I hear more and more people saying all their images are on their computer. Get your great images on your walls! The beauty of a wonderful, timeless image is that even if your kids grow, that image need not ever come down or out of the frame.
Here are a few other ideas I've stumbled across over the years for placing art, be it gallery wraps, large framed prints, or smaller images:
4 canvas wraps, grouped together - photo from Pottery Barn
Love this room! I really, really enjoy walking through model homes, not only for the dream factor of what I want someday, but to get good ideas from professional designers on everything from colors, fabrics, flooring, art work, furniture and ideas on hanging artwork. (This has been my goal for our bedroom, but I'm not quite there.)
Love this too. In the right space, this could also work with panoramic pictures or gallery wraps. Or turn them the other way, and you have three long verticals - perfect also for canvas wraps.
Okay, this one is really more for the sunburst - I LOVE THIS! Does anyone know where I can find a piece like this? But also, small pictures above the toilet in the bathroom. Not a bad way to liven up the space :)
And last idea for the day, I know this isn't a print, but it's such a great size for right over your kids' bed(s). Children love looking at pictures of themselves, so why not put a big 20x20 or 30x30 canvas wrap above their bed. Another advantage is that its so light weight that if for some odd reason it fell down (or got pulled down), it wouldn't do much damage to their noggin!
Summer is almost here (at least in Arizona, where it's already 95 degrees)! That means it's time to head back to the beach and cool down a little.
I will be in Manhattan/Hermosa Beach, California August 10-17 and am now scheduling a few beach (or off-the-beach) portrait sessions for that week. If you are interested, please send me an email and we'll get a session scheduled. Click here if you would like to view a slideshow from a family session last summer.
I will also be in San Diego the weekend of August 22-24 for a wedding and possibly available for a session or two down there on Aug. 25 or 26. If interested in a slot for those dates, just let me know and we can schedule! Here is another slideshow in case you like beach photos :)
On a related note, I will also be in beautiful Santa Barbara the week of August 18th for a super exciting retreat with my sister... more details coming very soon! We have something pretty unique planned for people seeking balance (literally and figuratively), creative expression, and goal realization. I won't be doing any family sessions there, but I will share a good deal more about this in the weeks to come...
I was excited to see that Michelle and Craig's wedding from last summer was featured in the March-April volume of The Wedding Chronicle. Their wedding was absolutely gorgeous and so, so much fun. Unfortunately, Michelle's last name (Lombardi) was spelled incorrectly in the issue, but it was wonderful to see their images in there. The Wedding Chronicle is a great resource for couples getting married and can be picked up for free at any AJ's Fine Grocery Store or other local wedding-related boutiques.
Rumor has it that Michelle and Craig's wedding might be published somewhere else soon... :-)
We are hard at work getting all the weddings and portrait sessions processed and up. It's been an incredibly busy 8 weeks with 6 more busy weeks ahead (and then I'm off to Hawaii!). Thank you for your patience clients as we work to get your images released! Here is what is on deck if you are checking in...
If you are seeing red "x" marks as place holders for images, I apologize. Someone just made me aware of that issue. I have been making all my posts from my Mac in recent months and have not noticed any issues when viewing in Safari or Firefox, however when I pull my blog up in Internet Explorer (which 75-80% of web visitors still use according to my website stats), I'm seeing the x's. I'm working to resolve this as soon as possible.
Let me know if you are seeing these x's and what browser you use?
I have been receiving a lot of emails from aspiring photographers in the recent months and have decided to start offering one-on-one training and/or small, group workshops depending on the number of people interested.
Aspiring Wedding or Portrait Photographers: One on one training will include hands on experience with your camera, detailed Q&A sessions, the fundamentals of f-stop, composition, lighting and posing techniques. One on one training will also provide the opportunity to attend a portrait session or wedding with me, as well as tailored discussions on your branding, marketing and pricing strategies. It is highly recommended you have a digital SLR for this training.
Parents Looking to Take Better Pictures of Their Kids: I also receive a lot of questions from Moms & Dads who are looking to take better pictures of their children. Many have already purchased a digital SLR camera and want to learn how to use it more effectively and get those great shots where you turn off the flash, get more of the background blur, and how to use light effectively. These workshops are open to parents or hobbyists looking to take their photography to the next level. Digital SLR cameras recommended, but point and shoots okay as well.
If you are interested in either one-on-one training or a group workshop, please contact me for more info.
So my friend Ryan Brannen just told me about this new website/blogging tool/chat site called Twitter. Are you familiar with it? I've only signed on a few hours ago and its kind of addictive! Check it out.
Just in case you are wondering if I fell off the face of the earth, I haven't. Right after I came home from Vegas, I caught that terrible 4-5 day flu bug that completely knocked me down. I don't wish this virus on anyone -- it's complete with chills, migraines, major body aches, and fevers for several days. My client's with whom I had to adjust some meetings and shoots have been very understanding, and I appreciate it. I'm finally back amongst the living and feeling much better! I have several blogs posts coming in the next 24-48 hours, so there will be lots of updates soon, I promise. I've also received a lot of emails from aspiring photographers in the past couple weeks and I will have another post for you guys soon too.
Just a quick post to say Happy Easter and let you know that I will have lots up this week. I hope you all had a nice Sunday! Stay tuned for the final round from Charlie and Kent's Wedding, images from a super HOT engagement session, more kids and babies and another wedding...it's officially busy season here!
I'm leaving first thing tomorrow morning for Las Vegas and another fun year at the huge, annual Wedding and Portrait Photographers convention. I think it's the largest in the industry, so there will be thousands and thousands of photographers descending upon the Paris and Bally's Casinos & Hotels. There are tons of products and new equipment I want to check out, not to mention see lots of friends, so I'm excited. I'll be posting and sharing from the road, as well as have full access to email, so I won't be out of touch.
I had meant to get the rest of Charlie and Kent's images up before I left (the emotional and more PJ shots), but I had another wedding this past weekend and lots of other things going on, so I'll get those up when I return later this week.
This was a very H-A-R-D decision for me! After receiving several entries from you guys out there, it came down to two, both talking about sibling relationships, and both within the last few days...but without further ado, the winner is:
Juan (and Wally) Gonzalez!
Here is the winning entry:
Together, no matter what. Every time I see this picture I get so excited. To see how much my kids love each other and support one another is amazing! At barely a year and a half (at the time of the picture), Paulo understands love and shows it every time to his big sister Bianca (4 at the time). Bianca in turns deeply cares for her baby. Here they share a moment of silence for a lost ball down the stream - their hands holding as if to say, don't worry, it is going to be ok. As a parent, this is all I need...to know they will always be together, no matter what, supporting each other. Their love is what keeps me going each and every day. They are the simple pleasure in my life! - Juan
Lucy (and Shaun), your entry was a very, very close second! So on that note, I'm going to send you a 8x10 of each image you entered. Those entries got me too :-)
Thank you everyone for participating and congratulations to the Soto-Gonzales family!
The entries are coming in for this contest and there are some very touching ones. It is going to be hard to choose! I'm actually going to extend the contest deadline by 24 hours because I have an engagement shoot tonight and want to get some pictures up from Charlie and Kent's wedding this past Saturday, and want a little more time to mull over the entries that have come in thus far. So if you want a free photo shoot and haven't yet entered, you have a little more time...
You may remember several weeks ago I hosted a contest for those who had terrible wedding photos when they were married. Cristi and Curt won the contest (here is their story and original pictures) and this past Sunday, we met up to take some new, fun pictures of them! This August will be their 5th wedding anniversary and no doubt their love has continued to grow over that time, which I think we were able to capture a little. While we certainly couldn't recreate many of the moments from their wedding, we did have a blast spending a couple hours getting these pictures. I cannot say enough about Cristi and Curt. They are such a genuine, caring, nice couple and I honestly had a great time hanging out with them. Cristi is that rare mix of being a stunning beauty, coupled with an absolutely adorable personality and sweet soul -- and a total pro in front of the camera! And Curtis is just an absolute class act and quite the pro too :) I'm getting all mushy here, but I just loved these two!
I have almost 100 favorites from our session! But since I cant post all of those, here are a bunch that I love with the slideshow to follow very soon. Thank you for sharing so much of yourselves with me guys and I hope you enjoy these :-)
Thank you again you two! You both are amazing people.
Just a quick reminder that if you are interested in a **free photo shoot** to submit your entry in our contest give-away! The deadline is next Tuesday, March 11th. Click here to read more and enter today.
Hello blog readers! I wanted to take a quick poll to see who is out there reading my blog. Will you vote below just to let me know a little more about you? I can't see any other info about you than how you vote. Thank you!
I've lost the past several days to that nasty flu bug going around -- boy is it a tough one! It has really wiped me out. I think I'm finally starting to get better though. Good thing it hit me now; just two weeks before my busy spring wedding season kicks in.
But on to much more fun news: It has been about 10 months since I updated my portraits website, so if you click here, you'll see lots of new images and perhaps some familiar faces from the past year or so. :)
I just checked Open Source Contest and saw that one of my family shots from a few years ago placed 5th! Yippee!
The cool thing about the highly addictive website is that is a photo contest for photographers and voted on by photographers -- not a panel of judges. Photographers can often be a hard group to please photographically speaking, so this is very flattering! Be sure to check out this site and see how addictive the voting is. :)
Incidentally, this candid shot of Mark and Andrea Hiland (and their daughter Ava) was used by a local developer on their website last year because they are such a beautiful family!
And the winner is...... Cristi and Curtis! The girl whose terrible wedding photos inspired this very contest just couldn't be topped. So congratulations Cristi and Curtis! We'll get your new shoot scheduled and go capture some new images of you two-- and your love for each other 5 years later.
Here is their story and five of their original wedding images... (remember, these images were not an exception to the rule - this is what the rest of her images look like too, if not worse.)
Cristi and Curtis's Terrible Wedding Photos Story
While planning our wedding, so many things went wrong that I remember a co-worker saying “Good thing you don't believe in signs, otherwise you probably wouldn’t be getting married." At that time her comment didn't really bother me. I didn't really care about where my wedding was going to take place, what my flowers or cake looked like, or that my custom-made dream dress had just gotten ruined. The most important thing to me was to have amazing pictures and I knew that I had an amazing photographer and that made me feel so incredibly lucky. Unfortunately, not for long. My amazing photographer had some personal problems and had to cancel shooting our wedding about 3 weeks before our wedding. Ok, maybe now I should believe in signs. However, I'm a very positive thinker and I believe that everything happens for a reason.
The same day that I found out I no longer had a photographer I went out dancing with some friends. There, I met a girl whom I had worked with while in college. I told her my story and she said the magic words: "Don't worry my husband is a wedding photographer! Let's meet this week so you can see his work and I'm sure it will all work out. The meeting went great. I really liked his pictures, they gave me a big discount and she even offered for me to wear her veil (they had just gotten married a couple of months before). Let's stop here for a moment. We met at a restaurant, he brought one photo album, with pictures of lots of different weddings and had a list of poses for me to check off. I told him I wanted more of a photojournalistic approach and thought I was covered. When you choose a wedding photographer, make sure that you see a few whole albums of just one wedding to give you an idea of what yours will look like. Make sure to be critical and not overly positive like I was.
Our wedding was so beautiful and so much fun! We left for our honeymoon and when we got back all I cared about was seeing our wedding photos. I remembered first looking at them and wanting to cry, but they were both there with big smiles on their faces saying “aren't they beautiful?" and “they turned out so great”, “you looked so beautiful” and so on. So I took the pictures, gave them the check, grabbed my purse and ran to my car. I called my husband crying telling him how bad the pictures were. He calmly said, “I'm sure they are not that bad. You just had really high expectations. I'm sure they are great. Come home.” I drove home and prayed that he was right, as he usually is. I ran inside and handed him the photos. As he looked through them, he avoided making eye contact with me and proceeded to go trough each picture a little faster than the one before. Pretty soon, he stopped, as he had given up. He looked up at me and said “I’m so sorry, honey." My heart sank and I cried – a lot. He hugged me and held me while I cried. Then I realized that I had something a lot more important than pictures, but still I wanted the pictures.
I called the photographers and told them how disappointed I was. She said that their style of photography was great and that she was sorry I didn’t see it the same way. When I went over to their place to return her veil, they gave me back my check so all I paid was a deposit (about $1,000). I explained to her that it really wasn't about the money. I had dreams of displaying my wedding photos all throughout the house, being able to relive my feelings on that day and sharing those photos with my kids and grandkids but now I would never be able to do any of that. She said she was sorry. I know she was, but it still didn't make me feel better. They were really nice people and I was never mad at them. I think I was disappointed in myself for letting this happen.
Now, I'm thinking this all happened so I can win this contest and have some truly amazing and special pictures. And also to be able to tell my story so this doesn't happen to others.
This August, we'll celebrate our 5th wedding anniversary. I know that the wedding day cannot be recreated but I also know that we love each other more today than we did the day we got married. The feelings that can be captured now could not have been captured 5 years ago. Plus, when we got married I had my grandma's ring and now I have my own!
Picking the worst 5 pictures was no easy task as there are so many! I picked the ones I really wanted to have: the first kiss, walking out of the church, in the car on our way to the reception, a view of the church during the ceremony, and a “posed” picture outside on the bridge by the beautiful lake on a beautiful day. So here they are. Please don't cry, I'm okay now! And If I win this, I will be REALLY happy!
Tonight at midnight is the deadline - so hurry and send in your entries or send out to others you know who may want some free photography :-) This contest was inspired by someone I met recently. A sweet young woman named Cristi emailed me several months ago asking me to coffee so she could pick my brain about photography as she is at a bit of a crossroads professionally and is potentially interested in starting a photography business because she loves it so much.
I am happy to meet with anyone who puts forth the effort in starting their own business because it was the single best thing I ever did for myself, and there were many along the way that helped and guided me. I'm still learning and am constantly influenced by other photographers and business gurus, so it feels good to be able to return the favor. During our conversation, she shared her experience in hiring an affordable (read: uber-uber-affordable) "wedding photographer" for her wedding several years ago. Couples/parents who are simply price shopping for the cheapest photographer you can find, take heed.
The result was disastrous and it still brought tears to her eyes to share the story with me. She told me she cried for months after they received their pictures back as most of them were way too dark to see, or extremely blurry that you couldn't even tell who was in the picture, or otherwise awful. All the important moments were missed and very few shots, if any, were usable. I don't know who the photographers were (and mind you, they were photographers, just not experienced at all in weddings) so this is not a bash on anyone in particular. All I saw was a poor young woman who has no usable wedding pictures from the most important day in her life thus far.
After I saw the actual pictures, my mouth dropped in horror, and I felt terrible for her. I just wanted to do something to give her some decent pictures of her and her husband. So on this note, I am launching a contest to give away a free photo session. I know there are others of you out there who have had similar experiences. If you have terrible wedding day images and wish you'd hired another photographer, this contest is for you.
Unfortunately, there is no way to recreate your wedding day short of renewing your vows (and even then, it's not the same...) but the winner will receive a 2-3 hour photography session with me to at least capture some cool images of you two together .... and ladies, you in your dress if you still have it. You can wear whatever you want and we can go anywhere in the Phoenix Metro area to shoot it (that we are allowed). We can at least capture some fun, trendy, stylish photographs of you two together now. And if you are planning a vow-renewal ceremony in 2008, even better! (Up to 3 hours coverage.)
The Jist:
1. You must have been married in the past 10 years (anywhere in the US).(Note: this was 7 years previously, but I edited to include those who may be doing vow renewals for their 10th anniversaries). 2. You must prove your pictures are very bad. Please scan and email, mail, fax or otherwise get to me 5 images from your wedding day. If you need me to return actual prints, please include a self-addressed, stamped envelope so I can put them back in the mail to you. Bad means they were grossly underexposed, overexposed, way too blurry, or otherwise technically flawed in nature. We can't account for stylistic changes that happen over time.
3. Tell me your story... how did you find the person who photographed your wedding and what happened?
4. What would winning this contest mean to you and your spouse?
The Deadline: January 31, 2008
The Winner: 1. Will receive a 2-3 hour photo shoot of you and your spouse together. If you would like to bring your kids along for part of it, that is fine too, but remember, the purpose is mainly to capture images of you two together.
2. Must be willing to have your story and pictures shared on this blog. Don't worry, the original photographer will not be mentioned (I don't even request that info).
3. Must complete the photo session in 2008. The actual shoot will be scheduled once the winner is picked.
4. Must live in the Phoenix-metro area or be willing to travel to Phoenix for the shoot.
The winner will be picked from both the pictures they submit and their story. Stories can be emailed or faxed to 480-503-8149 and must be received by midnight PST January 31, 2008. The winner will be selected and notified on my blog by February 4, 2008.
Do you know people who have had this experience? Send them this link so they can enter.
