Inspiration & Design Photography BLOG

Michelle & Curt's Engagement

They had dated for a while and things got real serious, real fast.  Curt admits he got a little scared and decided to spread his wings out in the world for a while.  It didn't take long for him to realize he had made a mistake; Michelle was the love of his life.  Meanwhile she had gone to Paris with friends still trying to move on with her life and get over him. 

But recently Curt had come back on the scene. Michelle didn't know what to think of these phone calls from her lost love, one of which was suppose to occur while she was still in Paris.  Little did she know that the longing in Curt's heart had caused him to fly to Paris to surprise her!  As she complained to her friends that Curt still hadn't called, they tried to console her as they secretly worked in cahoots with him trying to set up the surprise meeting. Instead what occurred was a wild goose chase at the Eiffel Tower!  Just missing each other by moments. Well they finally did meet up later. . .and the rest is history. 

I have never met a man so tender, so loving, so protective, as Curt is toward Michelle.  Their engagement session was the first time they'd seen each other in a week, and absence definitely makes the heart grow fonder. Almost the entire time they looked lovingly into each others eyes as Curt gently stroked her hair and kissed her. You could tell that wrapped in Curt's arms is the warmest, happiest, safest place she'll ever be.

As a photographer it's pretty amazing not only to be in the presence of that kind of love, but to capture it...WOW!

When I do a session, I try my best to capture the true essence of the subjects personalities.  You have to let them be who they are. Guide them, help them to get comfortable and have some fun.  I hope I have honored Michelle and Curt with these images showing the varied emotions they expressed that day.

 

Seriously there was steam coming off my camera lens!

 

 

How happy they look as they frolic through the grass!

 

 

I had trudged my way through very tall growth making as much noise as possible, hoping to scare away any lurking snakes (eeew) to get those Peonies. I just had to have them.  After I gathered my bouquet I ran all the way back feeling the Heebie Jeebies! I wasn't so brave anymore! I didn't necessarily get them for the shoot, I wanted them for a vase at home.  But Curt and Michelle were tenderly baby sitting them the rest of the evening.  Thanks guys!  They are still in my Mason jar and three more blooms have begun to open.  I am enjoying them IMMENSELY :)

 

Digital is soooo sensitive to white.  It's real easy to blow out areas and have no detail if you're not careful. I tend to under expose a little to make sure all my white has detail, then if needed I lighten up the skin tones to the brightness I want.

 I LOVE the way the light perfectly highlights Curt's face and Michelle's hair.

 

If you find an area with good light. . .Work it! Do as many poses as you can.

 
 
I like the playfulness of this shot and Michelle's expression

Hey guys I'm up for chips and salsa anytime! 

Lauren & Jared's Wedding - May 15th, 2011

I think Lauren & Jared got special weather favor because they are so incredibly wonderful. They shine light from with-in. Even though all the forecasts were for rain & thundershowers, shortly before I left for the wedding the sky parted and blue sky came peeking through the puffy clouds! The weather was perfect.  Not a drop of rain and warm sun that filtered in and out most of the day. We were all very thankful that our prayers were answered.

Lauren designed and planned her wedding down to the last detail and wants to do event planning for a living. You've got my vote!!  With the help of family, friends and their church, the wedding day events were executed with precision. It was BEAUTIFUL!!

Lauren is very quiet, but says volumes with her eyes.  While I was selecting my favorite images from the day, I gazed at the image before me. The tears began to fall as I shared the emotions that were silently spoken between Lauren and her dad as he looked into her eyes knowing that he was releasing "daddy's little girl" to the care of another man who loved her too.

Jared is always smiling and happy; he was probably a perfect baby that never even cried. He's outgoing and full of life. Together this beautiful couple compliment each other perfectly!  The love they felt for each other was palpable. In personality they may be opposites, but reflect the same heart-of-gold spirit. Kindness, honesty, love, patience, joy and true inner peace.

The more time you spend with these two, the more you grow to love them.  I am beyond honored that I was chosen to capture their wedding memories and was greatly blessed to share in their joy.

Lauren and Jared, you have a permanent special place in my heart. I hope that's okay with you :)

Their wedding was held at Braeloch Inn, in Vinton, VA.

I loved the quality of light in these shots.  

 

Good lighting is so important to a really good image.  Always try to find directional light if you can.  I asked them to move to the window for this shot.  That way I could get dimensional light on Lauren's sister and rim light Lauren's hair.  It makes the shot so much better than it would have been; away from the window with direct florescent light from above. 

I love color, so rarely do I convert an image unless it truly makes it better.  In this case the color of the knotty pine walls were distracting. In sepia tone the expressions and the pattern on the umbrella became the focus.

The shallow depth of field really helps to bring the viewer's eye right to moms adorable expression as she looks at her daughter. I've used the window again for directional light and as a glowy background light for the picture on the right. 

I have chosen to have the light go across the dress, this brings out all the details and texture.  It also gives this image a moody feel.  I have used the mirror as a frame for Lauren on the right and have also used the light to come across her.  The highlights and shadows bring added interest to the image along with her expression.

I brought this white chair from home.  I thought it would add interest to her images and give me an opportunity for more variety of posing.  It harmonizes with the environment and doesn't detract from the gorgeous bride. 

This is one of my favorite images. The quality of light and narrow depth of field enhances and draws the viewer directly to Lauren's stunning face. I have placed her in 2/3 face view, which is the most complimentary angle. 

I love to use texture in my images, which is why I placed Lauren in front of the leaves hanging down, they are enough out of focus that they just create a soft texture as well as the trees in the background and the tall grass behind her. They create layers of texture. 

 

You will see in both of these images I have used directional light. The light pattern on the left image is called "short lighting" because from camera view the shortest or smallest side of her face is the highlighted side.

 

By shooting this from the side it is more interesting, additionally I wanted to add depth by using the foreground foliage coupled with the dark trees in the background which also frames the image.

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More texture and a manly pose.  I have the groom sitting on a two step stool which I also brought from home. Here I am out in the open sky, which as you can see comes directly down on the subject and is less flattering.  Open shade is best.

I really like the image on the left.  I am shooting down on him from my step stool. The angle and close cropping of the image is flattering for Jared. 

 

 

The guys were really fun and playful.  I like the symmetry of this image, but I don't like where the horizon line falls behind them, but luckily it is fairly out of focus.

 

AAAHHH Details you know how I love them!! When shooting details with wide aperatures decide what part of the image you want in focus, because everything else will be soft.  Also it's best to light glass from behind since it is so reflective.

 

 If you have natural light DO NOT use your flash, especially on details! Yuck!!! You'll lose dimension and probably darken your backgrounds.

 

Now if you try to let your internal meter chose your exposure, it will be dark.  That's because of the bright window in the background. You have to shoot in manual.  Even with your exposure compensation which is two stops + or - it may not be enough to properly expose this image.

 

 

 

 

This is a tricky exposure because of the combination of bright sun and shadow areas.  You don't want to blow out your highlights, missing pixel data on your image is just aweful. So expose for the sun and use photoshop to bring the skin tones up a bit to balance the image as best as you can.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

I love the kiss of light on the bride's hair and cheek. 

 

This is a semi silouette, so that the details of the clouds would be brought out.

 

 

 

As you can see I did not use flash, only the existing light on the dance floor. Much more moody, romantic and interesting. 

 

As always I hope that is helpful.  Please let me know if you have a question or a topic you would like covered.

Happy Shooting!!!

Brittany & James Engagement

I am such a sucker for cowboy boots and this cute couple wear them so well! Aren't they adorable? They go together like milk and cookies. Although they do not live in the area, they decided on photos in downtown Roanoke, since that was where they had their first date.  James had his heart set on some brick backgrounds. I love this location because it has so many different textures, colors, a rustic feel and some BRICK! I have been able to use it a few times and render a different look each time.

Before I start photographing a subject I like to analyze the shape of their face so that I can photograph them using the best angles.  I determined that Brittany has a round face & James has a heart shaped face.  In this case I will slim the faces using angles.  You can also use lighting to slim fuller faces as well. 

When I meet with my clients to begin a shoot I always see the beauty in them.  I think everyone has something really special, unique and awesome them and I can't wait to bring that out and capture it in their images. However, I have found almost every one has something they don't like about their appearance. It's always helpful to find out what that is for each person. The big one is the dreaded double chin, of course. Don't we all want to avoid that like death & taxes! But sometimes it may be something that the photographer wouldn't notice or think is unattractive, because we are our own worst critics!  Am I right? That's why it's important to ask, so you can do your best to shoot in a way that they feel flatters them.

Over the many years of sessions, including boudoir, at times I have had people say "this feels really awkward", but I assure them it looks good.  Think about it...if your comfortable, you probably have your shoulders a little slumped, your legs are probably stick straight and your tummy is relaxed and maybe pooching out. Not a good look. The photographer can see the subject and can make adjustments to the pose that greatly flatter them and create a more refined image. More about that below.

Clothing. Very important. When deciding on your outfit, look at it in a full length mirror from different angles, including the back.  Remember, what feels comfortable may not always be flattering. I will be covering this in the following images. 

This sun dress was really cute, but the shape and fullness of it and the fact that it gathered in the middle, added deceptive bulk to her midsection. I had them place their hands on the area of the dress that was full and bulky. I chose this location because I liked the color harmony between the background and the clothing. Less distraction and you can focus on the couple's expression. So cute! The angles really slim the faces.   I have created a triangle with their bodies; a very strong composition. They look comfortable and relaxed and I have been able to show off Brittany's GORGEOUS LEGS!!!!! Hey you want to trade?

 Remember I said to look at your outfits from all angles? The image on the left makes Brittany look much wider than she is, because of the boxy shape of the sweater and the fullness of the skirt. Although it's a cute pose and expression, in my opinion the clothing doesn't flatter as much as it could. In the second image I asked Brittany to take off the sweater, then I had her pull the bulk of the skirt and hold it with her right hand. MUCH BETTER, wouldn't you agree? Also leg placement is very important.  Get those legs apart; the upper and lower body is more balanced and creates movement. 

 

I love these images.  Notice how much better the black looks? The more form fitting outfit really shows off her cute figure. I LOVE these two images.  They are real, casual and tell a story about their relationship. I love the one on the left, their legs are perfectly matched. I absolutely love the expressions of the one on the right.

 

 So MODEL-Y! James you're looking so manly sexy, and Britt you got some sass!! Look at how well the hands are posed yet look natural.  I have balanced the visual weight with the patch of grass on the bottom right.

 

This is just plain cute, cute, cute! You guys are awesome!

 

Notice the body angle for Brittany, turning her hips at an angle from the camera is slimming as well.  You want to get those arms away from the body to create space and not add thickness to the waist. James pose is casual and masculine, their expressions are matched. On the right, I love using those leading lines and showing off Brittany's legs again! I really had to get her to sit up straight for this pose. I like James in the dominate position. 

 

 I always like the couples touching when they kiss or get close.  I see photos where the couple is kissing and the arms are straight at their sides; it doesn't give you the impression that they are really into the kiss or each other.

 

Notice how the angle and hair across her face slims.  I am in no way saying there's anything wrong with round faces, but most people would rather have their face (and body) look more slim. 

 

 Something different....

 

 

 

I really love their expressions; you can tell they love looking at each other! By pulling her in close and her leaning back, you accentuate her feminine curves. The fence leads you to the subject and helps frame them, along with the train, and the black bridge above. I love that the red train went by at the perfect time. You guys are smokin hot!

 

 

Some sunset romance. I love the gritty urban feel softened by the shallow depth of field; the light on the tracks...and this sexy couple.

 

 

Forgive any typos, or missing words, etc. I didn't finish this post until after 1:00 am.

 I hope you enjoyed this information and found it helpful.  I know you enjoyed looking at Brittany &  James!  I would love to hear your thoughts about the new informational format.  Thanks!

Erin & William's - Engagement

When I first met this lively couple in my studio, I knew they were going to be fun! We just hit it off and knew we would be a great match for their wedding. Thanks you guys for making me laugh until my stomach hurt!  I hope we have that much fun at the wedding!!!

The day we had scheduled for their engagement session was the day before the first big storm.  The clouds were rolling in, the sky was getting dark, but they were already on their way from Charlottesville; running about an hour behind due to traffic. So what do you do?  You shoot! And you do the best you can.  Erin & William decided they wanted fun & playful shots for the most part and of course me being me, I have to throw in some romance. Who doesn't love romance?

Luckily I had found a wonderful field of yellow wild flowers in my happy color...YELLOW!  By the time we got there the sky was pretty gloomy and flat (no real direction to be able to create dimension).  The light was coming from the open sky behind them.  I shot that direction, because I wanted the hill of flowers to be my background and also wanted to show off the clouds.  When shooting with a light background like this sky, you should shoot in manual (I only shoot in manual).  The sky will really throw off your internal meter.  Since it was so gloomy, I leaned towards a slight overexposure to brighten up their faces and the yellow flowers.

I love the stormy dark clouds as a background. 

 If you look close, the clouds above them are forming a heart;

I have placed them at the missing bottom of the heart. 

 Do you see it? 

Normally you do not want the horizon line going through the subject,

 however, in this case I wanted to showcase the sky and heart.

I love the casual, comfortable pose it really fits the setting they are in. 

This time I changed my postion so that my horizon line is above them.

In this image, I caught a moment of natural expression that was so charming I didn't want to take the time to change William's arm position, which is a little distracting,

but I feel the expression is strong enough to carry the image.

 

I used a wide aperature to create a sense of depth and used the foreground flowers to frame my subjects. 

By the time we got to our next location, it was dark.  I don't usually shoot in the dark, but I decided we would just play and see what we got. I used the ambient lighting to light my subjects.  I love the contrast of the cool blue sky against the warm ambient lighting. In the picture on the right we tried several takes.  Once I got Erin's hair in a ponytail so you could she her face and got the leg positions just right it turned out good. The legs should be apart for both subjects.  Erin's legs should not be too overdone in their position or it will look fake.  This position looks very natural.

 
 

I really liked the lighting in this spot and felt it had a moodiness I wanted to capture. I like the image, the only problem is the reality of the shot.  Why would this couple be here like this at night.  But I can create fantasy, it doesn't always have to be reality. Right? 

  

I like this one better because the expressions are perfectly matched. Moody & romantic like an old black & white film.

 

Erin & William are really funny, fun people which made the session so fun we didn't stop until 10:00 p.m., but it made it harder to get these moody romantics that I wanted to match the scene.  In the next one this is the image I wanted, but every time I tried, they would be laughing. Finally I said, "come on you guys, think of dead kittens or something"....

 

This is the image that resulted in that request!!! It makes me laugh out loud every time I look at it!

 

Here's what they said. "The pictures are AMAZING!!!!!  William and I absolutely love them!!!  We keep looking at them and really are amazed at the work you did.  Thank you so much for being flexible, we had a great time! I definitely wanted to send you a quick note letting you know how much we liked the photos!" 

 

Happy Mother's Day!!

Being a mother is the hardest & most important job we could ever have. But the rewards are enormous!  I know personally being a mother has been the best thing that ever could have happened to me.  My two boys are my best friends and have filled my life with companionship, love and laughter beyond measure. I thank God for the gift of motherhood.

This snapshot was taken about 4 years ago while on vacation; my youngest is now taller than me. It looks like I didn't get the memo about the brown & blue color scheme ;)  (I think it's time for a new family photo.)

 

 

Real Mothers don't eat quiche;
they don't have time to make it.

Real Mothers know that their kitchen utensils
are probably in the sandbox.

Real Mothers often have sticky floors,
filthy ovens and happy kids.

Real Mothers know that dried play dough
doesn't come out of carpets.

Real Mothers don't want to know what
the vacuum just sucked up.

Real Mothers sometimes ask 'Why me?'
and get their answer when a little
voice says, 'Because I love you best.'

Real Mothers know that a child's growth
is not measured by height or years or grade...
It is marked by the progression of Mommy to Mom to Mother...

The Images of Mother...

4 YEARS OF AGE - My Mommy can do anything!

8 YEARS OF AGE - My Mom knows a lot! A whole lot!

12 YEARS OF AGE - My Mother doesn't really know quite everything.

14 YEARS OF AGE - Naturally, Mother doesn't know that, either.

16 YEARS OF AGE - Mother? She's hopelessly old-fashioned.

18 YEARS OF AGE - That old woman? She's way out of date!

25 YEARS OF AGE - Well, she might know a little bit about it!

35 YEARS OF AGE - Before we decide, let's get Mom's opinion.

45 YEARS OF AGE - Wonder what Mom would have thought about it?

65 YEARS OF AGE - Wish I could talk it over with Mom.

The beauty of a woman is not in the clothes she wears, the figure that she carries, or the way she combs her hair.

The beauty of a woman must be seen from in her eyes,
because that is the doorway to her heart,
the place where love resides.
The beauty of a woman is not in a facial mole,
but true beauty in a woman is reflected in her soul.
It is the caring that she lovingly gives, the passion that she
shows, and the beauty of a woman with passing years only grows!

Valerie & Joe's Engagement

What an absolutely sweet couple! And so in love! They are the kind of people you just want to give a big squeeze! I'm looking forward to their wedding in September.  Valerie and Joe, thanks for being so wonderful, kind, adorable and just plain fantastic! Luv you guys!

They wanted a beautiful park like setting and love the mountains.  I have an awesome neighbor whose property looks like the Garden of Eden and is surrounded by mountians. Luckily for me, she's kind enough to let me use it on occasion. It was exactly what they wanted. They decided on a classic/romantic look to their images.

Here's where I would like to talk a little bit about clothing.  Valerie & Joe did very well bringing very cute outfits that harmonized in color and style.  However one of the blouses she brought was not flattering due to the elastic bottom and the over all fit.  As women we want to look as thin as possible in the waist area.  This shirt was not form fitting and because of the elastic, didn't lay well.  Therefore, it did not flatter her cute figure.  I tried pulling it down as tight as possible, which helped, but still didn't render the look we would have preferred.  So this is something to think about if your going to be photographed, or you are a photographer guiding your clients clothing choices.  Something may look cute, but not be the best choice for photos.

See how well they harmonized? Do you see what I mean about her shirt?

It worked well here, since I have zoomed in past the problem area. I used the low setting sun to rim light them.

 

This was a very cute black sweater, however it created a lot of

 contrast and didn't look well with the soft pastel of the flowers.

 

In this one I asked her to take off the sweater, look how much better the image looks.

 I also used a pastel filter at low opacity to bring out more pink in the flowers,

it also rendered a nicer blue in his shirt.

Cute picture showing off the mountains, but a lighter sweater would have looked a little better.

I have used the rule of thirds for subject placement.

The hedge serves as a leading line to the subjects.

 

Again they did a GREAT JOB with color and style. 

I like the way the white blossoms in the background help to make

them stand out more and the darker areas create a natural vignette.

 This was taken right after the sun set, which gives that warm glow to their skin.

 

 I wanted to showcase the mountains again.

 I used a graduated orange filter to bring out more orange in the sunset.

The evergreens on either side act as leading lines to the subject, once again.

A playful one to finish off the session!

Since their faces area the brightest area of the photograph,

immediately directs your eye to the subjects.

 

Aren't they soooo cute?!?!

Well I hope that helps.  If you have any questions, be sure to send me a comment.  Happy shooting!

Today's chat - Engagements

 
I have decided to steer my blog posts in a more teaching direction. There are many readers who I feel would benefit by my discussion of some of the nuts and bolts, thoughts and background information that I will be sharing.  I hope to help brides as well as other photographers who may be trying to learn as they embark on their photographic careers.

This year I decided to offer complimentary engagement sessions to my bridal couples. In this tough economy many wedding budgets have been stretched very tightly; wedding couples can't always afford the things they'd like to have.  By offering them the gift of my time, I am enriching our relationship and adding additional value to my wedding package.   It's been a rewarding experience. It feels good to give and my payment is the joy they express regarding how much fun they had and how much they LOVE their pictures. Spending time during the session is a great way to get to know each other.  I enjoy all the laughing; we have a lot of fun as we play & experiment during the session.  I also believe this is invaluable in learning the best way to help them feel comfortable and look their best on their wedding day. We will also relate more like friends on the wedding day and increase everyone's comfort level.

I always try to guide my couples about the best clothing choices (more on that in a future post) and find out what kinds of locations they would like, as well as the over-all style they are wanting.  For instance, do they want pictures that are cute & playful, romantic, classic, or even a little on the sexy side, or some combination of those.  When you don't know your couple that well at first, you don't want to photograph them in a style that is not them.  Sometimes they may not feel comfortable expressing that they don't necessarily like to be romantic in front of others for instance. So it's best to ask. You always want to allow them to be themselves.

When it comes to locations, see if they have a location with special meaning, it will always make their images more special to them. Sometimes this might be where the groom proposed or where they had their first date or it could just be a general location that expresses who they are or what they like to do as a couple.

Here's a peek at Valerie & Joe's engagement session coming in the next post.

 

 
 
 

Rest along the journey

My dear friend always says "Debrah, you have to eat the elephant one bite at a time", but it seems I love to feast on this pachyderm to the point of gluttony!

My long list of goals both business & personal that I piled on myself in recent months, left me feeling: overwhelmed, stressed & just plain zapped my creativity; which in-turn left me feeling confused about how to proceed. Goals are good, but I needed to pace myself!  I think as artists many of us are perfectionistic-high achievers, thus prone to temporary burn out.  I want to encourage each and every one of you who may feel burnt out by the demands of this busy life we live...take time for yourself. It's okay. I am here to tell you that when you feel the treadmill of life taking you on a journey you don't want to go on, it's okay to get off that treadmill for awhile.  You'll be better for it.  How many times do we really listen to OUR needs?  Aren't we too busy taking care of everyone and everything else? Thinking we have to achieve all these things? I know I have.

Granted I wanted to lay on the porch like a lazy coon-dog until I felt like coming back to the pressures of life, BUT instead I just focused on what HAD TO BE DONE and put everything else on hold in an effort to recharged my batteries as best as I could.  That was a GOOD decision! I knew I risked losing some readers by my spotty appearance on the blog-o-sphere, but also knew that in the total scheme of things it was for the best.

I feel refreshed and ready to give my clients and readers more of me. I also feel like I have a fresh perspective about goals, business, life and the direction I want to take my blog readers!

When I dubbed 2011, "The Year of New", I had no idea what an appropriate Label it would be for many areas of my life this year so far. I hope you will join me on this journey and see where it leads us.

Your friend,

Debrah

Here's our journey, it looks like a fork in the road ahead (smile).

 

I LOVE yellow! Doesn't it just make you feel happy? 

 

 Have a sunny day!