Our Next Wedding

Just spoke with the Bride of our next wedding (end of August). I have yet to meet her! We handled everything via e-mail and the telephone. But we're planning a quickie engagement shoot, so they'll have a photo for the mat that everyone will sign at the reception.

It's kind of a crazy story. I always show up early for photos, especially when it's a location I've never been to (and haven't scouted out beforehand). This particular wedding party wanted to start out at Devou Park. I was so excited, because it was on my list of places I wanted to do photos! I heard the views of the Cincinnati skyline are fabulous!

It was a hot, late June day - with bright sunlight. NOT the best conditions for being outside and taking photos. I was walking around doing test photos, waiting for my wedding party to arrive, when I started chatting with a very nice woman named Barbara. She was helping out with another wedding and worked for the flower vendor.

Well, it turned out that her granddaughter was getting marred at the end of August and asked for my business card. Luckily, her granddaughter, Katie, called me and booked! Katie sounds super nice, and I can't wait to meet her and her future husband, Nick! Her small wedding will take place at her grandmother's house, and it sounds like it's going to be special, intimate and a beautiful event! We can't wait!

New David Ziser Webinar

Recently, I attended David Ziser's "Digital Wakeup Tour" when it came to Cincinnati. I was SUPER excited about it, and it was a fabulous evening! I learned so much - and am thankful that Ziser got me playing with my Kelvin WB settings. I now have a dream combo that delivers nearly perfect WB in certain situations. My 5D Mark IIs do a great job with natural light, but I needed to find the right setting for incandescent - now, I feel I have it! I have so many more techniques and tips that I want to master, but one thing at a time.

Got word that Ziser has a webinar coming up in a few weeks! I'll definitely be registering for this, and I also look forward to his book being published! I was lucky enough to meet David at the end of the Wakeup Tour seminar and hope to have future opportunities to learn from him.

More information on the webinar:
http://store.ziser.com/12excitinglightingandphotographytutorials-1.aspx

Vendor Recommendation : Jewelry

I've decided to start something new - vendor recommendations! The longer you're in this business, the more vendors you meet, and the better your recommendations get. Some of my recommendations are based on who I used for my own wedding - and some are based on the fabulous folks I've met and worked with at other weddings.

For my own wedding, I truly struggled with the dresses and jewelry for.....my bridesmaids! Yes, picking out my own dress was pretty easy. I went to David's Bridal and quickly had it narrowed down to two dresses. With the help of my stepdaughter, Taylor, and some very nice women at the store, I was able to settle on a dress (okay, okay, so it was about four hours later, but it was only ONE trip to the store).

After that, I spent countless hours searching for dresses for my bridesmaids - they even laughed at me for working so hard on finding THEIR dresses. I didn't want them stuck with ugly dresses that they would hate. Same for the jewelry - for them and me! After I did find dresses (also from David's Bridal), I spent weeks trying to find matching jewelry that wasn't tacky or cheap but something I could afford. NOT an easy task.

That's when I was lucky enough to find Redot Designs. I was actually able to custom design my own necklace based on earrings they offered. I mocked up the design in Photoshop and sent it to Rebecca Dotson (the owner), and the resulting necklace was perfect! I ordered all the jewelry for myself and my bridesmaids from Redot Designs and was VERY happy with the entire experience. One of my bridesmaids was wearing her necklace of black Swarovski crystals recently, so I'm happy to know that my gift is getting more use than one day!

I was just on the site and noticed they now have a "Christie" necklace. It's not the one I designed, but I love it and may have even ordered it for myself! It looks like they're going to start a big face lift/redesign, so I will be sure to check them out afterwards and possible pick up some bling for myself.

To learn more about Redot Designs or order their gorgeous jewelry, visit: http://redotdesigns.com!

The BEST Wedding Ceremony Entrance

Something else NEW I am going to do! If I come across a wedding video and think, "Wow, I really wish I had been their wedding photographer!!", then I'll share it here on my blog. With that said, let's get the show going...if you haven't seen this one, then you are in for a real treat! I have watched it several times and just love it.

Jill & Kevin's Big Day

Wedding Makeup - Beauty Tips for Brides

For years, I sold Clinique and did many make-overs. I was the top producer in both Ohio and North Carolina (when I lived in each state). I continue to do make-up, as needed, for photo shoots and weddings. Most recently, I did the make-up of my gorgeous bride, Diana, for her bridal shoot and wedding:

• Bridal Shoot Slideshow
• Wedding Slideshow
  

However, not everyone wants to or can hire someone else to do their make-up. Here are some tips for everyone. Taken from an Associated Content article:

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Every bride wants to be picture-perfect for their big day. You want to look like yourself - but different, more dramatic, fresh... it can feel like a big task. Many brides think that because a wedding is such a big day, they have to go big on the makeup. Well, you've got the perfect groom, the perfect dress, and the perfect flowers - don't overshadow that by making your face as grand as the day itself.

Here are some top tips for helping you create a beautiful look that you will treasure in your wedding photographs for years to come...

Read the full article by clicking here.

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I'll be posting more tips about skin care in the future! I got Diana started on a serious skin care routine months before the wedding, and the results were very evident! Her skin glowed, and her make-up looked more natural. If nothing else, I suggest you exfoliate. Otherwise, make-up can "sit" on your skin and look caked on. But more about this later!

What I Learned From a Week at the OBX, Part III

10. Chelsea is a good dog. One day, we were playing in the water, when I saw a black dog quickly walking off when a plastic baggy from our site. It had a mostly eaten sandwich in it. I retried the bag from this friendly dog, and that is how we met Chelsea. We came to learn that she’s a “local” who likes to play at the beach and befriend the tourists. You would have thought she was ours – playing in the surf with the kids and trying to make herself at home in one of our beach chairs. So, if you find a black dog with red collar who seems friendly enough, then check the tag – it might be sweet Chelsea.

11. The BEST corn I ever had in my LIFE came from a roadside stand across from the Cotton Gin on 158. We all gobbled it up. I really wanted to stop and take some home, but we didn’t have enough time. I plan to buy enough to eat it every day on our next trip!

12. Cameras steam up. As hot and humid as Cincinnati gets, I’ve never encountered this problem. But I ran into this issue constantly and missed several shots because of it. C’est la vie. Stupid me, though, tried to wipe it off one time and scratched something inside the camera that will require some work by Canon. I just hope it doesn’t cost too much to fix…..lesson learned for sure!

13. A distant thunderstorm from the comfort of your hot tub is awesome. ‘Nuff said.

14. Lastly, since I am a wedding photographer, I am now desperate to photograph a fabulous beach wedding in the OBX. Something at The Whalehead Club would be truly spectacular, I’m sure. Even something simple on the beach. Hopefully, I can book something in the next year and plan vacation around it. I’m glad I have already dealt with the lens steaming up, sand scratching something, the lighting conditions, etc. If you are planning your wedding at the OBX for next summer, then please consider contacting Gardner Photography & Design! We’ll certainly give you a great deal.

What I Learned From a Week at the OBX, Part II

5. Speaking of the Hobie Cat – they are SO much fun. We spent the entire time being wet, but the water is warm and not nearly as salty as the Atlantic Ocean. I really don’t like getting saltwater in my mouth – waaaaay too salty for me. But since the Atlantic can’t “feed” the Currituck anymore, it’s become less salty.

6. Wild mustangs are cool – no matter how many times you see them! We were lucky enough to see the horses every day, except the morning we left. It was pretty early when we packed up and said goodbye to II If By Sea. No horses to see us off. We were lucky enough to see a dolphin or two cruising for an early breakfast. And there were these crazy, little tree frogs stuck to the house. But no horses. I was excited every time I saw them and regretted when I didn’t have my camera. It was amazing the one time they grazed in our yard, just a few feet from us.

7. Dolphins are also cool – no matter how many times you see them! Andy got the closest for sure. He was out on the boogie board and thought he’d swim out a little father than usual. I was watching and noticed the school of fish jumping out of the water on the next wave. And then the familiar fins! Andy was right in the middle of their lunch. He said it freaked him out, all the fish under and around him. And he’s pretty sure he kicked a dolphin in his haste to escape! We just observed them from the water, as close as we could get. They did get very close to shore a few times – and it was magical being so near a wild dolphin.

8. The water in the Carova area was nasty – at our house, at least. Andy said it was well water and had sulphur in it. It smelled SO BAD. If we didn’t leave the lid down on the toilet, then the bathroom smelled. I wrongfully accused Andy of stinking it up several times! It nearly made me gag when I brushed my teeth, and we certainly never drank it. I was NOT prepared for the stinky water at all!

9. Good shells (like good men) are hard to find. I am used to this – having always vacationed on the Atlantic (growing up in GA and NC). We found plenty of broken shells and “junk” shells like mollusks – but nothing really worth keeping. I guess that’s what souvenir shops are for!