I had a fun shoot with Michelle Wednesday afternoon. I wanted to expand my fashion bridals portfolio a bit and she was interested in having some photos done. To make it a bit more challenging we chose to start the shoot at mid-afternoon, i.e. harsh, strong sunlight. There are a few of the edgier, “rock star” photographers that never shy away from harsh lighting conditions. I wanted to give it a go myself. Here are a few images from the shoot.
I had the pleasure of second shooting a wedding for Charo Photo, Wilmington, NC. Also helping out with the wedding coverage were Allegra’s Studio of Lynchburg, VA and Paige Buchbinder of Richmond, VA. I’d never worked as a second shooter before but it was really fun. Obviously you’re under a little less stress to get the “safe” shots but the really great thing is to watch other professional photographer’s in action… and one thing for sure, these three ladies know how to shoot some great images!
My introduction to second shooting wasn’t my only first for this job. It was also the first time I’ve photographed a traditional Indian Hindu wedding! The colors, sounds and smells were simply amazing! It was a wonderful expereince to say the least. The rehearsal dinner, prayers and mehndi were held at the home of the bride’s parents in Richmond, VA Friday evening. The wedding ceremony took place the next day at the Westover Plantation, a James River plantation.
I could easily post 25, 50 or 75 images from this event, but I’m trying to control myself. The following are a few of my favorites, though my favorites list contains many, many more! Hope you enjoy.
I had to be in Indiana on family business last week and enjoyed an impromtu portrait session with Ryan while there. He was quite proud of an old hat he’d acquired.
I had the honor of having an article on the business of wedding photography published on the world wide web recently. The wedding-photographers-directory, a site dedicated to helping brides find answers about hiring photographers, publised my article on professionalism in wedding photography. If you’d like to give it a read check it out here!
I’d love to have brides past, present and future as fans on my R. D. Decker Photography facebook page, as friends on Myspace and as contacts on Flickr. Look me up and become a friend and/or fan if you’d like!
This is always a slow time of year for portrait and wedding photographers. This is a time for playing catch-up and for planning ahead. One of the things I always do is decide what areas of the business/craft I need to work on and plan which seminars and workshops to attend. Some of the things I want to work on this year include: Lighting – I love creative lighting, both artificial and natural. I can never learn enough about lighting. Posing – If you’ve been one of my clients you know I’m not a real hands-on… look here… chin-up kind of photographer. I like to gently lead/coax folks in to natural situtaions rather than direct. But knowing more about posing certainly cannot hurt. Post Processing – My goal is always to create and image that can stand alone, straight out of the camera. But I also realize that a good solid photo can sometimes be something much more with the correct post processcing techniques. Plus all photographers get requests to change reality a bit via Photoshop. So growing my knowledge and skills in post processing is a high priority for this year. As a rule, I prefer the hands-on nature of workshops over seminars, but both can be useful in the quest to improve. So far for 2008 I’ve decided to attend the following:
Tricoast Photography 3-Day Workshop
Tricoast Photography, headed by Mike Fulton, is quickly gaining recognition as one of the top wedding photography studios in the country. Their artistic use of light and digital post processing techniques is winning them awards and peer recognition throughout the industry. They are currently offering a limited number of 3-day, hands on workshops, each limited to 20 participants. Day one will include some classroom work on their approach to location lighting for wedding and bridal shoots, followed by several hours of practical application via actual shooting. The following two days will focus on post processing, workflow, marketing and all the other little things that have helped them build a successful photography business. I’ll be attending the workshop at Columbia, SC, April 21-23. More details can be found at their website, http://www.tricoastworkshops.com/. You can enjoy some of Tricoast’s amazing photos by visiting their main website, http://www.tricoastphoto.com/.
Captivated by the Light with Ed Pierce.
This seminar will be held May 6 th in Raleigh, NC. The live portion (Ed Pierce) will cover lighting as it pertains to digital photography. All attendees receive a set of DVDs with additional speakers making presentations on workflow, business and other interesting topics. Details can be found at the seminar website, http://www.edpierceseminars.com/learn.php.
Very AltF Workshop
John Michael Cooper is frequently referred to as “the Grandfather of Trash the Dress.” JMC has been called “one of the world’s ten best wedding photographers”, and is known for his edgey, less than traditional approach to wedding photography. I’ll be attending the Atlanta, GA workshop in July. The workshop will focus on their untraditional posing methods along with their use of natural and “very unnatural” lighting methods. There will also be some time spent on post processing/Photoshop techniques. You can learn more about the Very AltF workshop at the workshop’s website, http://veryaltf.com/. To view their images and learn more about the AltF studio check out http://www.altf.com/ (just be sure to tell your mother to close her eyes!).
Thanks to everyone that stopped by my booth at the 2008 Crystal Coast Bridal Show. It was fun talking with all the prospective brides. I also enjoyed visiting with other local wedding vendors, both those I already knew and the ones I met at the show. Below are a few images of my booth.
I’m honored to of had one of my images selected for the “Admired by Beckstead” website. David Beckstead is considered one of the “Ten Best Wedding Photographers in the World.” One of his personal projects is AdmiredbyBeckstead.com, where he posts images from other photographers that he finds interesting, unique or of an above average quality. I’m simply thrilled to have been included. To view the image and to visit the Admired by Beckstead website click here.
Jennifer and Blake were wed December 23rd. It was a beautiful, sunny and warm North Carolina day. The ceremony was held outside with the reception in a tent. Rev. Bonnie Compton performed the ceremony. The wedding arrangements were made by Roger Carter Designs, (252) 222-4831. Entertainment was provided by D.J. John Drake, email. What a fun couple and a great wedding for my last of 2007! Congratulations Jennifer and Blake.
This was my first chance to meet Jennifer and Blake. I’ll be covering their wedding next Sunday. A fun couple with a nice sense of playfulness.
