Martha Stewart weddings...

If you've been following this blog for very long, you may remember posts from a wedding last September that involved some crazy weather.

I had traveled to Long Beach Island on the Jersey Shore to shoot a wedding with Stacey Kane (I'm known as her "boy Friday") and we ran into the most outrageous weather - heavy rains, gale force winds, along with astronomical high tides that led to some serious flooding (you can read the originals posts here and here).

Luckily the weather broke just in time for the ceremony to be held on the beach and all went perfectly.

A few days ago Stacey emailed me to let me know that the wedding is being featured on Martha Stewart Weddings!

How cool is that... ;)

Here are a couple screen shots, if you click on either they will open up larger in a new window, or you can just head over to Martha Stewart and see the entire post.

We are heading back to Long Beach Island for another wedding next month, I hope the weather is just a bit better.

WIN YOUR WEDDING FILM!!

Viva la wedding doesn't usually blog about each and every wedding related contest out there but when we heard that { First Kiss Films } was giving brides and grooms-to-be a chance to win their wedding day film, we had to spread the news!

Shot entirely on the beautiful and timeless medium of 8mm and 16mm stock, in either colour and/or black and white, { First Kiss Films } uses traditional cinematic techniques to capture the emotion of your day. Not only will your film allow you to be transported back to your wedding day time and again but it makes for a truly unique heirloom that you and your family will cherish for generations to come.

About the lovely Bridget:

{ First Kiss Films } was born when Bridget Farr the artist fell in love, got married, and became Bridget Redmond the artist and wedding cinematographer. Now Bridget is applying her 15 years of film making and photography experience to capture the beauty of once-in-a-lifetime moments. A graduate of both Film Studies and the Photographic Arts, her numerous award-winning films have been screened at international film festivals and events on all five major continents. Her photography has been exhibited in galleries and museums around the world and on numerous touring exhibits including Oprah's "Live Your Best Life" Tour.

Head on over to the { First Kiss Films } blog for details and contest rules. You have until 5pm (EST) Friday April 30 2010 to enter with the winner being announced Tuesday May 4 2010. Good luck!!

Just one more week to go...

Until I'll plunk my ample butt in a chair to absorb everything Joel Grimes has to offer.

Joel will spend two days (April 1th & 18th) teaching his workshop "Taking your creative vision to the next level" at our new studio here in Biddeford Maine.

I'm also excited about the chance to meet with and share information, techniques, and business ideas with other like minded photographers.

For complete workshop details and to reserve your seat visit the workshop page here, and please feel free to email me if you have any questions.

See ya there!

THE CHIC CHANDELIER

The chandelier trend continues this year. They're poping up on wedding stationary begining with the invitations and then carried on through to the programs, menus and labels for guest favours. We've seen them hung in tents for backyard weddings and from the branches of large trees around outdoor ceremony sites. Sometimes their use is practical, they provide lighting at night. Sometimes their sole purpose is decor. Regardless, when done right, incorporating chandeliers into your wedding can give it that chic vintage feel so many brides are after.

We just couldn't resist these images from Elizabeth Messina's wedding. Elizabeth collected the chandeliers for more than a year (many of them now hang in her home) to create this oh so chic setting. Wouldn't you just love to dine at that table?

DIY lighting for macro photography...

Here is our most recent video showing some (very) inexpensive DIY lighting for macro photography.



The online store where I bought my LED lights is currently out of stock but I do have some alternatives for you. You can get them here for $3.98 for 10 (free shipping), here they are $3.95 for 7 or $6.40 for 14 (free shipping), and here they are $3.50 (but there is a shipping charge).

To give you an idea of how well these LED lights work, the first three images were taken in a dark room (after sunset with no other lights on) using 9 LED's and the final images were taken with a lamp on in the background using 7 LED's. All were shot with a 60mm macro the lens within 6-8 inches of the subject.






If you are a subscriber you know the drill, the YouTube video does not come though with your subscription so you really will want to return to the blog or head over to YouTube to watch it.

WEDDING DRESS WEDNESDAY

This month's Wedding Dress Wednesday features Fifi, a beautiful strapless gown from Badgley Mischka Bride's 2009 Fall Line. The silk satin organza bow at the waist and the diagonal ruffles on the skirt give this gown a light flowy feel. Very romantic! Visit Badgley Mischka Bride to see their latest collection.

Getting gear back to baseline...

Ever pull out your camera and start to shoot and wonder why what you see on the display just isn't right then realize that your ISO was at 1600 or you were using the custom white balance from a previous shoot?

Yup, me too. Unless of course you're a client reading this, then I NEVER do that!

So I put together a “back to default” list to go through after each and every session, so that when I grab my gear for the next shoot I’m ready to go.

I do this after a shoot rather than before so I can be concentrating on the task at hand, the shoot (NOT resetting gear).

This was not an “original thought” on my part but an idea I got from the list Scott Bourne uses for himself.

So here’s my list:

1. Remove any and all filters (NOT lens protector/UV filters)
2. Turn off VR on all stabilized lenses
3. Set all lenses to autofocus
4. Set white balance to AUTO
5. Set ISO to 200
6. Put camera on MANUAL set shutter @ 1/200 & f11
7. Put camera on APERTURE priority and set @ f2.8
8. Put camera on SHUTTER priority and set @ 1/125
9. Reset focus point to the center
10. Run camera auto sensor cleaning
11. Turn camera bodies off
12. Remove and recharge all camera batteries
13. Set all flashes to MANUAL (1)
14. Flashes off
15. Remove all flash batteries (2)
16. Break out goat hair brushes, cleaning cloths, and canned air (3)
17. Remove all equipment from camera bag and my “bag of light”
18. Thoroughly vacuum both bags
19. Clean all parts (4) of all gear
20. As it's cleaned, return it to its appropriate bag/place (5)

(1) I use my flashes in manual 99% of the time which is why it's my default setting, if you use your flash in a different mode then that should be your default setting.

(2) I take these batteries home as there is plenty of life for game controllers and remotes. I start each shoot with new AA batteries (incorporated in my pricing). I have had just enough problems with rechargeable batteries that I no longer use them. Plus they won’t hold a charge for very long at all, so recharging 36 batteries just before a shoot is a task I do not need.

(3) Don’t grab just any can of air, get something made specifically to be used with cameras (like Beseler).

(4) By “all parts” I mean ALL PARTS - things like brushing both sides of the lens cap, removing (and cleaning) the screen protector, and using a rocket air blower in the cameras battery chamber.

(5) If you shot with me last year or shoot with me next, you will find everything in the exact same place (not only in the same place but positioned the same way too), so that when I need it during a shoot I know exactly where to find it (some would call that anal, I call it organized).