Family Reunion

Even with strong winds and rain from Hurricane Gustav the Newsome Family would not let it affect their Reunion. Lots of Love and Laughter was the only thing raining down on their celebration. It was a lot of fun hanging with this bunch and photographing this special event.

Getting the attention of all 95 guests was the trick. But everything worked out great in the end thanks to everyone.

Tis the Season for Seniors!

After two days of photographing between the rain storms, we finally finished Jordan's High School Senior photoshoot. We made sure to photograph her on the courts since she will be lettering in Varsity Tennis.



Another favorite is one from the beach.

Lakewood Ranch High School Seniors have thier pictures taken in the summer before their 12th year. Yearbook images and invitations for the upcoming gradution are on their minds.

Thanks Jordan.

Florida Professional Photographers Conference

I met up with fellow photographers this weekend at the 2008 Florida Professional Photographers Association's Conference. It is an honor to be a part of this organization. Mentors from all over Florida shared invaluable information.

Outside Wedding Fantasy

What a fun couple to work with. Chanel and Jason's Longboat Key wedding was truly magnificent. Always laughing and playing around, this was a wedding I will always remember!

Lovely Manasota Beach Club Wedding

Shawna and Ryan enjoyed a spectacular sunset after their wedding ceremony. It was such a pleasure photographing their wedding at the Manasota Beach Club. The location could not have been more perfect. The flowers, by Pixies & Posies, were exquisite.

Webinar a Refresher Course in Marketing!

The PPA Webinar with Photographer Laura Novak was refreshing and enlightening!

While I have been in business for years, it is always important for me to revisit my business practices and apply new information gained from others. Laura Novak presented for an hour yesterday, sharing her success as a wedding photographer. I found her information invaluable.

One interesting point: She creates lovely custom promotional pieces using http://www.designaglow.com/. I highly recommend her seminars and webinars to anyone interested in growing or trying to brighten up their existing photography business.

Margaret

Watch the Saturation!

After a recent wedding, I was reviewing the images an employee edited. The saturation was way off and look at the difference. When it comes to people and Adobe Bridge, I prefer to keep the saturation at "0". This keeps the skin tone from turning too orange or pasty looking. Contrast, clarity and vibrance can be played with. If you have some areas of the dress that need to be brought out, recovery helps alot.

From My Point of View!

This image was shot with a Canon 1 DS Mark II, 70-200 2.8 Lense, f/9, 1/1000, ISO 400, with a monopod. Crisp and clear! Keeping my distance and out of the traffic was the dificult part.

It is only a little Glass!

There are no reshoots for wedding photographers! We get one try to make it all happen and sometimes, well more often than not, we are faced with glass and mirrors! The Baughman Center in Gainesville, Florida, is a lovely location for a wedding. The location is often booked back to back with weddings. Any bride would love it as her wedding venue. Location, Location, Location!

But, when it comes to photograpy, all the beautiful glass, and trying to expose the lovely grounds, can be a nightmare for any photographer. Alicia and Jesse chose this location for their wedding. I had the pleasure of photographing this wedding with Mathew O'Malley, and between the two of us we had plenty of spectactular and lovely images, some with our flash hitting the glass. Shooting in RAW allowed for easy Bridge adjusting and fixing the flair and flash in photoshop was a small chore. When it comes to shooting, of course it is all in the angle but sometimes you don't have a choice.

And just when we are getting frustrated with all the glass and reflections, we capture that one image the bride and groom love and the parents enlarge for a cherrished memory. A lovely image, and a happy bride. Who could ask for more?