some randoms…

All we need is love.

Expectations

Getting married

Love is a beautiful thing

Random video find.

http://vimeo.com/3045052

 

 

I just liked the above video.  Enough said

Taking your Engagement Photos

If you have recently gotten engaged, it’s time to start thinking about getting your engagement pictures taken together.  Some professional shots together as an engaged couple will add to your collection of memories, hang on your walls, and also serve as engagement announcements, thank-you cards for the wedding attendees, guestbook decor, and so on… It is a good idea to try to get these photos taken within the year prior to your wedding date.  

 

Before your engagement session, have a conversation with your sweetie about what kinds of photos you both would like – casual, formal, posed, candid, or a blend of everything.  Keep certain details in mind:  How do you plan to use the pictures?  Will they be framed and hanging on relatives walls?  Favors at your wedding in some alternative form such as stickers or stamps?  Do you want to use the photo results as Save-The-Dates, Invitations, or Thank-You cards?  All of these elements are worth thinking about before you take your engagement photos to make sure you get what you hope for out of the entire session.  

 

Personally, I think it is a great idea to incorporate your Save-The-Date cards and your Thank-You cards into your engagement session.  This will save you time, money and stress knowing that you have done some multi-tasking and you have gotten 3 birds with one stone so to say… Your engagement photos are complete, and you have a base to go off of with announcements/save-the-dates and thank-you cards.  I like to create images according to what you are going to use them for.  For example, I will find a way to place the words “Thank you” into the photo or think of a way to make the photos into guest-book pages at your wedding.  

Think about your favorite locations and where you like to hang out with each other.  Outdoor spots, urban or rural, make great backdrops for engagement photos.  Your home can also be a good place to make yourself feel comfortable and look your best in front of the camera. Although more creativity can be found in larger outdoor or downtown areas, your home and the surrounding areas can be a wonderful way to relax and be yourselves.   Don’t be afraid to get close to your fiance… hug, hold hands, show off your love for one another!  

 

When choosing what to wear, just be sure not to clash by wearing stripes and plaid, one dressed up another dressed down, and so on.  Be sure to coordinate slightly and try not to mismatch too much.  On the other hand, you don’t want to be identical and wear the exact same outfit either!  Solid colors are the best way to pull off successful photos.  Patterns, plaids, florals, etc. are best left at home so your outfit isn’t too loud.  Picking a neutral color is a good way to play it safe for all sorts of backgrounds, and be sure to pick a color that you both like and look great in, so it shows in the photos that you are comfortable!  Keep the jewelry simple… and don’t forget we will want to show off that ring!  

Matthias.

Love!

Spring is Here!

Practice Practice Practice

It is amazing how much there is to learn in the subject of photography. It is such a vast field and the opportunities for learning are limitless. With this being said, I have decided that in order for me to get enough practice and experiences to feel comfortable enough spending the enormous amount of money it takes to buy my dream camera equipment wish list…it only makes since to offer a heck of a deal to those of you who are interested in getting some quality family or child portraits done this spring/summer. Not that I haven’t learned a ridiculous amount of information yet, but I feel that there is still so much more to discover!

$100 for 1-1.5 hour portrait sessions for families and children of up to 4 people. Including a DVD of your images, and a private online proofing and ordering gallery for 15 days. Unlimited outfits and at a location of your choice. And memories for you to cherish forever. Are you with me?
Visit my website www.283photography.com  and contact me via the contact form if you are interested in this great opportunity for both you and me!

Spring is Here

Don’t forget, spring is the season for beautiful flowers and other things that are definitely worth taking advantage of with some great photojournalistic portraits of you, your family, your pets, and more.    

 

TeamWork

Some of the pics in this post were actually shot by my friend, Cameron.  I had the liberty of editing all of the photos after we photographed his sister’s wedding day together.  It was a great time, and I enjoyed working with him and his family!  

 

Picture Perfect Bride

More to come from this wedding, which took place in Downtown Saint Paul at the Landmark Center.  Such a beautiful evening wedding in March.  An even more beautiful couple and overall ceremony and reception!

Green Dress

My Great Grandmother’s dress.  This will be seen in multiple photos I have a feeling

BBC: Genius of Photography

Genius of Photography:  a video that reminds me of the mystery and magic behind photography

Family Portraits

Eli and Vicky have the most beautiful family. It’s almost “angelic” how well they fit together!

Photography is a lifestyle.

Once photography becomes a passion, it consumes everything else in life.  This isn’t necessarily a bad thing.  It can be a good thing if you know how to put it to use and combine photography with the beauty of every day living, breathing, eating, playing, dreaming, well.. you get the picture.  My favorite part of all is the memories I personally have of each and every photo shoot.  Reviewing the photos bring back the moments that made that day special, and I hope the wonderful people in the photos feel the same way!

This is something I am constantly learning.  FAST.  I am yet trying to figure out how to balance my passion of learning more and more each day about the art of Photography with the many other events taking place in my life.  This blog will help me along the way to keep track of the little things I am learning, and the big things that are going to make a difference.  

Step by Step

I have been researching, reading, studying, and searching like crazy for ideas and wisdom for my business.  This is only the beginning and I know how much potential there is here!  I am so excited and having so much fun.

artsy

Still exploring with display ideas and marketing ideas for the site.  Testing the waters for now, while I have time on my hands…

Your kids can be artwork

Oh let me count the ways you can display your favorite people in your home!   I keep this in mind as I take each photo and decide which shots could make great pieces of art for your family and friends to enjoy when they stop by.

Care Free

More weddings please?

I have a goal of shooting more weddings this summer.  Below is the very first wedding I was in and I attempted to shoot some photos and be a bridesmaid at the same time.  I didn’t get a chance to capture every great moment since I was in the middle of all of the action! But I am glad I got to experience it.  Did I mention she’s my aunt?  Very close in age!

 

Preparing for your shoot

Deciding what to wear or bring to your photoshoot can be a little stressful.  I want everything to be fun and easy for you during this exciting time! Don’t fret about anything at all, but if you desire some guidance still, here are a few minor tips for a care-free experience

• When choosing your outfits, the most important thing is that it fits the personality!  I want you to be as comfortable as possible when taking your picture, so your brilliance shines through the results… 
• Although your personality may be bright and bubbly,  do try to avoid heavy patterns or stripes.  Make sure that if one person is wearing a pattern or stripes, that it matches the rest of the group in one way or another… clashing colors and patterns doesn’t look the best when there are multiple people being photographed!
• Solid, neutral colors usually work best for traditional photos.  However, I encourage bringing along any or all the outfits you would love to be photographed in to your photoshoot!

When you are posing for the camera, sometimes it may feel a little uncomfortable or you might be wondering why the heck I am asking you to do what I just asked you to do!  Be honest with me, and if you disagree or feel uncomfortable, please let me know!  Also, I encourage you to ask me questions and give me ideas before, during and after your session.  If you have specific poses in mind, speak up and I will be happy to try them out!

Peekaboo Twins Fan

Smarty Pants