More to come!!!
Thursday, March 20, 2008
Sunday, March 9, 2008
Leap Day - Part II :: Friday, February 29, 2008
Rachel and Ali chose a very unique day to be married. Leap day comes once every 4 years... I'm not sure exactly why they chose that day - but I really think it totally unique and sooo very them! Rachel is a wedding photographer based in Boston. I'm pretty sure she chose this day in February because this month is usually pretty slow for weddings. (She shoots weddings all over the world. I am second shooting for her in Boston in September. She is a co-moderator for a pro-photography forum with me.)
So the wedding was held at the Bentley Reserve.... a very nice place with a beautiful interior. The ceremony and reception were both held here. The ceremony, a traditional Persian wedding was something I've never witnessed before. It was formal, yet casual. I was lucky to get some security guards to grant me clearance to a balcony that was under construction. All of my shots of the ceremony are taken from above. I just love being in a place where no one expects me to be.
After the ceremony I was able to do some family and friend group shots. I actually like doing these kind of shots.... as long as the people are cooperative and look at my camera - not all the people taking photos around me ;-)
Between the ceremony and the reception there was a break in festivities. Gwyn, Marina, Liz (makeup artist from HI) walked down the street to eat and the bride and groom where whisked away in a taxi for a private dinner. After we were finished eating we made our way back to the room with all our gear and downloaded files, chatted on flickr and blogged. Rachel got a quick makeup and hair refresher from Liz... and then it was time for the Grand Entrance.... and Grand it was!!!
So the wedding was held at the Bentley Reserve.... a very nice place with a beautiful interior. The ceremony and reception were both held here. The ceremony, a traditional Persian wedding was something I've never witnessed before. It was formal, yet casual. I was lucky to get some security guards to grant me clearance to a balcony that was under construction. All of my shots of the ceremony are taken from above. I just love being in a place where no one expects me to be.
After the ceremony I was able to do some family and friend group shots. I actually like doing these kind of shots.... as long as the people are cooperative and look at my camera - not all the people taking photos around me ;-)
Between the ceremony and the reception there was a break in festivities. Gwyn, Marina, Liz (makeup artist from HI) walked down the street to eat and the bride and groom where whisked away in a taxi for a private dinner. After we were finished eating we made our way back to the room with all our gear and downloaded files, chatted on flickr and blogged. Rachel got a quick makeup and hair refresher from Liz... and then it was time for the Grand Entrance.... and Grand it was!!!
Friday, March 7, 2008
Leap Day - Part I :: Friday, February 29, 2008
The morning of the wedding I had to shower and get ready in the hostel. They had 2 showers and one toilet on our floor. It was pretty nice, but they had no hooks except for inside the shower stall. So in order to change and shower in private you needed to put your towel and all of your clothes inside the shower stall with you. I managed to keep everything dry except for my socks.
Soon after I was ready I called up the Sir Frances Drake hotel, my accommodations for the rest of the trip. They were able to get me into my room at 10:00 am! I was so happy because I was stressing out on how and were I was going to store my gear and luggage.
When I arrived at the hotel my draw hit the floor. It was so gorgeous!!! It was like I went from budget traveler to 4 stars in 15 minutes. My room was beautifully decorated.The bathroom had Aveda products, animal print bathrobes and slippers. It was a nice welcome.
Marina arrived in San Francisco a little early and I invited her to join me in the room. She had the chance to change a camera strap and figure out the big daddy - the D3!!! Check out this shot she got....
Our first photo session of the day happened in China Town. Rachel and Ali are pretty cool and really wanted to urban setting for their bridal session. Marina was the main photographer but she was nice enough to let Gwyn and I tag along for a little second shooting. I ended up holding the reflector for some of Marina's shots. A reflector is a large white or shiny disk that reflects light into the subject. It adds light in shadows and into the eyes. I love the look of a reflector so I was excited to hold it for Marina.
Here are some of the shots I took:
Soon after I was ready I called up the Sir Frances Drake hotel, my accommodations for the rest of the trip. They were able to get me into my room at 10:00 am! I was so happy because I was stressing out on how and were I was going to store my gear and luggage.
When I arrived at the hotel my draw hit the floor. It was so gorgeous!!! It was like I went from budget traveler to 4 stars in 15 minutes. My room was beautifully decorated.The bathroom had Aveda products, animal print bathrobes and slippers. It was a nice welcome.
Marina arrived in San Francisco a little early and I invited her to join me in the room. She had the chance to change a camera strap and figure out the big daddy - the D3!!! Check out this shot she got....
Our first photo session of the day happened in China Town. Rachel and Ali are pretty cool and really wanted to urban setting for their bridal session. Marina was the main photographer but she was nice enough to let Gwyn and I tag along for a little second shooting. I ended up holding the reflector for some of Marina's shots. A reflector is a large white or shiny disk that reflects light into the subject. It adds light in shadows and into the eyes. I love the look of a reflector so I was excited to hold it for Marina.
Here are some of the shots I took:
Thursday, March 6, 2008
Into the City :: Thursday, February 28, 2008
Gwyn and I got picked up at the Super 8 Motel during an impromtu photo session. Gwyn snapped this photo of me right before Ali and the guys came to pick us up. I love the vision she had and the way she composed the shot.
That afternoon we drove up to the city... I ended up not having a place to stay with the rest of the girls so I booked a bed at the Pacific Tradewinds Youth Hostel. I got dropped off at the hostel and needed to hike up four flights of stairs to register. The hostel greeted me with open arms and a glass of water from a handsome Scottish man. There was a guy from Chicago, another from France and a couple of girls from Sweden. I was lucky to stay in an all girl room, but I had to sleep on the top bunk.
That night myself and a couple of people in town for the wedding went in search for the "Saloon" but ended up at the Giovanni Brothers bar. This bar was so unique. First off, it was decorated in Pittsburgh Steelers memorabelia, served hamburgers and sandwiches with slaw and fries on top and had live Bluegrass music every night.
After a few drinks we decided to explore the city. On the way to Lomard St. we stopped at a gelato shop and got some tasty gelato. Then we found it, the curviest street in America - or is that in the world? Anyway, we walked right up to the street and up the hill. Susannah and I took the "safe" route up the stairs while the two boys walked right up the middle of the street. On the way back we ooo'd and aahh'd at all the neat architecture and we were all so happy to be in the city!
That afternoon we drove up to the city... I ended up not having a place to stay with the rest of the girls so I booked a bed at the Pacific Tradewinds Youth Hostel. I got dropped off at the hostel and needed to hike up four flights of stairs to register. The hostel greeted me with open arms and a glass of water from a handsome Scottish man. There was a guy from Chicago, another from France and a couple of girls from Sweden. I was lucky to stay in an all girl room, but I had to sleep on the top bunk.
That night myself and a couple of people in town for the wedding went in search for the "Saloon" but ended up at the Giovanni Brothers bar. This bar was so unique. First off, it was decorated in Pittsburgh Steelers memorabelia, served hamburgers and sandwiches with slaw and fries on top and had live Bluegrass music every night.
After a few drinks we decided to explore the city. On the way to Lomard St. we stopped at a gelato shop and got some tasty gelato. Then we found it, the curviest street in America - or is that in the world? Anyway, we walked right up to the street and up the hill. Susannah and I took the "safe" route up the stairs while the two boys walked right up the middle of the street. On the way back we ooo'd and aahh'd at all the neat architecture and we were all so happy to be in the city!
Wednesday, March 5, 2008
ATW - SJC :: Wednesday, February 27, 2008
All week I thought my plane left in the early evening. On Tuesday I realized that for California my plane left at 7:00 am in the morning. Rush mode kicked in.... and I started freaking just a tad on the details and logistics. If you have ever went on a trip on your own, not really knowing where you will end up that night you know the feelings that were running through my body.
I was able to pack my gear in my carry-on - this time a little more secure with a Pelican Case divider I bought from B&H. I can fit almost all of my gear in this carry-on with a little room to spare. I also packed my suitcase full of clothes...my stay in CA was 4 nights and 5 days.... I needed to look cute at the wedding and all so I also had to pack my beauty aides ;-) Ladies, you know.... your own hair dryer, make-up and products. I did a trip to Boston a few months ago without these items and I felt a little lost. Not that it matters how you look really but it just feels good to feel the normalcy of your daily routine.
My flight took off from Appleton without any delays or weird things happening. Except that one of the girls I was planning on hanging out with got extremely sick and was unable to fly out. Beyond that major bummer - my voyage went off without any hitches... that is until my shuttle from the San Jose airport arrived at the address that Rachel gave me.
When I arrived at the house I noticed that the house looked under construction and a sign out front made it look like it was for sale. I ended up getting in the house and was greeted by Ali's uncle from Iran. He offered me tea and I sat outside and soaked up some sunshine. That sunshine renewed my soul from the inside out. I was so happy to have made the trip and on my own.
Later that day Ali came home to do a few things and offered to take me along with him while he ran some errands. When I got out to the drive and saw that he was driving a porsche convertible I was so happy that I agreed to go with him. He put the convertible top down and we were off - I could not stop smiling!!! We arrived at a botanical gardens and explored a trail looking for Rachel's friends. Ali and I hiked up a very steep path and talked about the wedding, their honeymoon and other stuff. Ali is a great guy, very down to earth and very much in love with Rachel. I was fortunate to have spent some time with him.
Soon after our little hike, we finally found Rachel's friends. Todd - a smart, plant loving botanist who was totally geeking out on all the neat plants and trees around. James - an accomplished sailor and beard boasting participant on the wiskerino.org site who is a grad student in Hawaii. Susannah - a sweet girl with a great laugh who is very intellectual and likes to talk theology. Maria - Rachel's dear friend and the girl who got things done. About the same time I finally met Rachel in person. I know everybody thought it was strange that I meet my friend for the very first time in person the days before her wedding. That is the thing about our Flickr group. We are pretty close...but we are all over the country. When we have the opportunity to meet up and shoot some photos we jump on it. I was very honored to have finally met Rachel face to face ;-)
Later that night Gwyn and I left the hustle and bustle of the Persian household and headed to our Super 8 Motel oasis. We dined at the Mexican restaurant at the hotel - I had my Negra Modelo and she had her 2nd burrito in 2 days! After that we headed up to our room and Gwyn started to make Rachel's veil... yes her veil. Gwyn is so very talented and does a great job visualizing and implementing her ideas.
California was starting to become one of my most favorite places...
I was able to pack my gear in my carry-on - this time a little more secure with a Pelican Case divider I bought from B&H. I can fit almost all of my gear in this carry-on with a little room to spare. I also packed my suitcase full of clothes...my stay in CA was 4 nights and 5 days.... I needed to look cute at the wedding and all so I also had to pack my beauty aides ;-) Ladies, you know.... your own hair dryer, make-up and products. I did a trip to Boston a few months ago without these items and I felt a little lost. Not that it matters how you look really but it just feels good to feel the normalcy of your daily routine.
My flight took off from Appleton without any delays or weird things happening. Except that one of the girls I was planning on hanging out with got extremely sick and was unable to fly out. Beyond that major bummer - my voyage went off without any hitches... that is until my shuttle from the San Jose airport arrived at the address that Rachel gave me.
When I arrived at the house I noticed that the house looked under construction and a sign out front made it look like it was for sale. I ended up getting in the house and was greeted by Ali's uncle from Iran. He offered me tea and I sat outside and soaked up some sunshine. That sunshine renewed my soul from the inside out. I was so happy to have made the trip and on my own.
Later that day Ali came home to do a few things and offered to take me along with him while he ran some errands. When I got out to the drive and saw that he was driving a porsche convertible I was so happy that I agreed to go with him. He put the convertible top down and we were off - I could not stop smiling!!! We arrived at a botanical gardens and explored a trail looking for Rachel's friends. Ali and I hiked up a very steep path and talked about the wedding, their honeymoon and other stuff. Ali is a great guy, very down to earth and very much in love with Rachel. I was fortunate to have spent some time with him.
Ali seen here posing as Fidel Castro (minus the hat).
The beard was part of a beard growing contest at www.wiskerino.org -
the shave off day was February 29, his wedding day!
The beard was part of a beard growing contest at www.wiskerino.org -
the shave off day was February 29, his wedding day!
Soon after our little hike, we finally found Rachel's friends. Todd - a smart, plant loving botanist who was totally geeking out on all the neat plants and trees around. James - an accomplished sailor and beard boasting participant on the wiskerino.org site who is a grad student in Hawaii. Susannah - a sweet girl with a great laugh who is very intellectual and likes to talk theology. Maria - Rachel's dear friend and the girl who got things done. About the same time I finally met Rachel in person. I know everybody thought it was strange that I meet my friend for the very first time in person the days before her wedding. That is the thing about our Flickr group. We are pretty close...but we are all over the country. When we have the opportunity to meet up and shoot some photos we jump on it. I was very honored to have finally met Rachel face to face ;-)
Later that night Gwyn and I left the hustle and bustle of the Persian household and headed to our Super 8 Motel oasis. We dined at the Mexican restaurant at the hotel - I had my Negra Modelo and she had her 2nd burrito in 2 days! After that we headed up to our room and Gwyn started to make Rachel's veil... yes her veil. Gwyn is so very talented and does a great job visualizing and implementing her ideas.
California was starting to become one of my most favorite places...
Tuesday, March 4, 2008
Back from the City!
I am back from my fabulous, amazing, wonderful trip to California!!! There is so much to talk about.... I am planning on blogging about each day individually so I don't forget to talk about something!
Here some shots from the FABULOUS Marina Miller of Red Heart Photo who took these shot of me during the bridal session in China Town - click on them to see them LARGE. Marina is my new favorite photographer!!! I want to be her when I grow up ;-) Actually, I am trying to figure out when I can go to Hawaii for three weeks and babysit her kiddos.... and maybe shoot some photos - just kidding about the babysitting.
By the way.... she shot these photos with the Nikon D3.... for all you photo enthusiasts out there - that camera is jaw dropping amazing!
Here some shots from the FABULOUS Marina Miller of Red Heart Photo who took these shot of me during the bridal session in China Town - click on them to see them LARGE. Marina is my new favorite photographer!!! I want to be her when I grow up ;-) Actually, I am trying to figure out when I can go to Hawaii for three weeks and babysit her kiddos.... and maybe shoot some photos - just kidding about the babysitting.
By the way.... she shot these photos with the Nikon D3.... for all you photo enthusiasts out there - that camera is jaw dropping amazing!Thursday, February 14, 2008
Happy Valentine's Day!
©2008 Ardent Photography LLC
Happy Valentine's Day!!!
Hearts and flowers
Hearts and flowers on Valentine’s day.
heart shaped candy, help me say:
I Love you in a special way,
because love is the reason for Valentine’s day.
because love is the reason for Valentine’s day.
Valentine’s day is a special time
for songs to sing
and poems that rhyme,
a happy time for everyone.
I’m so glad you're a friend of mine
for songs to sing
and poems that rhyme,
a happy time for everyone.
I’m so glad you're a friend of mine
Thursday, February 7, 2008
the ball is rolling...
My website is even closer to being completed. Yay! Hopefully it will be live soon. I have spent many hours the last few weeks working on the images, content and layout. I am thrilled to have a beautiful site that I can update periodically with new images.
My old site I designed and programmed myself in 2005. My background is in graphic design. In 2005 I knew enough about html to be dangerous. So I went to the library and got a book on Adobe Go Live... a program I never worked in before. It took me a whole week to design and program the site. Unfortunately, I was not smart enough to program it to be easily updated. So, to say the least the old site has not been touched since it's original launch. What's worse is that many of my "galleries" were programmed in Quicktime. Which I later found out does not work on the typical PC.
My new site is flash. It has tons of photos, a calendar, about, and contact page. In the works are a password protected "client" section. This section will be a place to see highlights from your wedding day, in addition to your online ordering site.
Another future section will be called "spotlight". This section will showcase one of my couples and their wedding day. The section will also include the vendors that helped make the day so amazingly beautiful. I hope to change this section four times per year. Let me know if you would like to be one of my "spotlight brides"!
Keep watching for the site to go live. Hopefully all of the bugs will get worked out quickly... if you have trouble with the form you can always email me at info@ardentphoto.com
My old site I designed and programmed myself in 2005. My background is in graphic design. In 2005 I knew enough about html to be dangerous. So I went to the library and got a book on Adobe Go Live... a program I never worked in before. It took me a whole week to design and program the site. Unfortunately, I was not smart enough to program it to be easily updated. So, to say the least the old site has not been touched since it's original launch. What's worse is that many of my "galleries" were programmed in Quicktime. Which I later found out does not work on the typical PC.
My new site is flash. It has tons of photos, a calendar, about, and contact page. In the works are a password protected "client" section. This section will be a place to see highlights from your wedding day, in addition to your online ordering site.
Another future section will be called "spotlight". This section will showcase one of my couples and their wedding day. The section will also include the vendors that helped make the day so amazingly beautiful. I hope to change this section four times per year. Let me know if you would like to be one of my "spotlight brides"!
Keep watching for the site to go live. Hopefully all of the bugs will get worked out quickly... if you have trouble with the form you can always email me at info@ardentphoto.com
Friday, January 18, 2008
Wedding Photography Trends - 2008
What are some of the latest trends emerging in wedding photography?
Day After sessions are one of the latest trends in wedding photography. Gone are the days of 'pre-bridal' sessions and worrying about getting your dress dirty. Brides and grooms can participate in a variety of fun, romantic and even sexy sessions after their actual wedding day. Sessions can be done one week, one month or even years after the big day.
There are a variety of session types including the "trash the dress" session that has been making national headlines. A typical "trash the dress" session starts out with a bride in her wedding gown and a unique location. Artfully posed in a beautiful environment with dramatic lighting lends it's style to a high-fashion type of photo. Most of the trash the dress style sessions end with the bride in her gown laying in sand or dirt or even in a pool of water.
The name "Trash the Dress" is sometimes misleading. It is a catchy name for artistic photos taken in unusual places. I like to call my sessions the "fearless bridal". Because whether or not you actually trash your dress is up to you. Most of the time a little water doesn't hurt the dress and a little dirt can be dry-cleaned making the dress as good as new. If you are worried about ruining your dress you can talk to me before the shoot about location options or even wear another gown.
The reasons some brides choose to do a day after session:
• Want to try a different hair or makeup technique
• Wants to be more sexy with poses
• More time to get artistic photos in another location
• Less stressful
• Not worried about getting the dress dirty
• Feels so beautiful in gown and want to wear it again
• Gift for groom
• Fun!
I had the honor to quote on this trend in the most recent issue of Wisconsin Bride Magazine. For more info see the next post.
Day After sessions are one of the latest trends in wedding photography. Gone are the days of 'pre-bridal' sessions and worrying about getting your dress dirty. Brides and grooms can participate in a variety of fun, romantic and even sexy sessions after their actual wedding day. Sessions can be done one week, one month or even years after the big day.
There are a variety of session types including the "trash the dress" session that has been making national headlines. A typical "trash the dress" session starts out with a bride in her wedding gown and a unique location. Artfully posed in a beautiful environment with dramatic lighting lends it's style to a high-fashion type of photo. Most of the trash the dress style sessions end with the bride in her gown laying in sand or dirt or even in a pool of water.
The name "Trash the Dress" is sometimes misleading. It is a catchy name for artistic photos taken in unusual places. I like to call my sessions the "fearless bridal". Because whether or not you actually trash your dress is up to you. Most of the time a little water doesn't hurt the dress and a little dirt can be dry-cleaned making the dress as good as new. If you are worried about ruining your dress you can talk to me before the shoot about location options or even wear another gown.
• Want to try a different hair or makeup technique
• Wants to be more sexy with poses
• More time to get artistic photos in another location
• Less stressful
• Not worried about getting the dress dirty
• Feels so beautiful in gown and want to wear it again
• Gift for groom
• Fun!
I had the honor to quote on this trend in the most recent issue of Wisconsin Bride Magazine. For more info see the next post.
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
Wisconsin Bride Magazine Spring/Summer 2008
I have been interviewed in the trash the dress article in this issue of Wisconsin Bride Magazine. I was contacted last summer by the writer of the article. She found my information right here on this blog. I am very honored to have been selected to share my views on this growing trend.
My bride Janelle Jandrain was also quoted in the article. We had so much fun during her after session! She told me it was one of the coolest things she had ever done.
I will write a little more today about the fearless bridal sessions that are available from Ardent Photography.
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