If you are a current or past client, our past blog entries will stay up for about a year. However, try the new site. You may discover that your wedding and links are posted both places. No matter where you find it–everything is just the same, just a little better. And if you have any trouble finding what you’re looking for, drop me a line and I’ll help you straightaway.

And if you’re a new visitor to our site, thanks for stopping by. See our latest ideas and inspiration for planning your Northwest wedding at our blog–Aisle Style.

Our solution to the whole thing is to separate our work, by giving our wedding studio a whole new name and look. And this is your first preview of our new logo, which shows up in the 2010 Bravo! Wedding guide. Over the next four weeks, I’m working like crazy on updating our brochure, website and portfolios.

The official launch is scheduled for November 19th, when we will be celebrating with a kickoff party at the studio. If you would like to receive an invitation, please drop me a line. I would love to hear from any readers what you think of the new name.

Stay tuned for a full scale rollout of our new name and new look in the coming few weeks.

Here’s an excerpt from the article:

That’s when it dawned on me: A wedding photographer has to be everything. Today’s top-notch wedding photographer has to be well versed in almost every aspect of photography. As portrait artists and fashion photographers, we must be able to capture elegantly posed images, and yet make them seem fresh and vibrant. Whether working in the studio with lighting gear, or on location with natural and artificial light, we have to create a pleasing and well-lit scene. We have to think on our feet, find appropriate locations, and help our subjects feel comfortable, relaxed and beautiful. And then we have to be a Richard Avedon, producing magazine cover-ready images.

We also have to be photojournalists. While beautiful portraits are expected, I find it’s the little details of the day–the stolen glances, the giggling girls, the outrageous dancers–that really make my customers smile or cry. We have to capture these moments in every imaginable type of light, indoors and out, in cavernous cathedrals and dark dance halls, in bright sunlight and glaring snow. We have to be Henri Cartier-Bresson, capturing several hundred decisive moments in the space of eight hours. All I can say is: Thank God for digital.

Many other types of photographic disciplines also come into play. Wedding photographers must be able to compose grand scenic, landscape and architectural shots, capturing the beauty of the venue. We have to arrange still lifes and products–even macro shots–of details such as cakes, flowers, rings, tattoos and decorations. If we shoot destination weddings, we have to be experienced with travel, and travel-related photography. And, of course, we’re all paparazzi.

A professional wedding photographer must also be a people person, a real Dale Carnegie, able to make friends and influence people. We have to be enjoyable to be around, because we’re at the wedding all day long. We have to smile, make people feel comfortable, coordinate well with other vendors and occasionally bring ease or laughter to a tense situation. By the end of the day, we have to be everybody’s friend, or, at the very least, not their enemy.

And a bit more:

And, in the end, after every wedding is over and the gear is put away, we have to be able to pull together a cohesive photo essay, well edited and color corrected, and beautifully laid out in a lovely book, magazine or DVD. (Which means we must also be editors, producers, graphic designers and filmmakers.)

If you would like to read the entire piece, go here: The Mutifarious Talents of the Modern Wedding Photographer, by Fritz Leidtke.

The drawback of shooting digitally is that we always see an image the first time in color. And sometimes as an editor, I get a little crush on the color or the palette of the image. Times like that it can be difficult to subtract all those pretty colors. I get the same feeling from stepping away from a big bag of potato chips. At that moment, I really don’t want to, but afterward I’m glad I did.

As I look back on some of my favorite images, I’m glad we presented them in black and white. Doing so makes them more beautiful and satisfying.

One of the interesting things about this wedding at the Viewpoint Inn was how wonderfully beautiful yet uncontrived it was. While some couples use a color scheme as a starting point and then choose flowers, decor and perhaps even clothing based on that decision, I had the feeling that Roger and Lynn were guided by simply chosing what they loved. Rather than strictly “matching”, the flowers, decor, cake and setting were all unified by being standout beautiful. The flower arrangements were mostly green and white with a tiny hint of pale pink. The junior bridesmaids wore vivid salmon, the cake was decked with pale pink, light green and chocolate brown. The the limpid green of the rolling lawns and the soft setting sunlight played a unifying role–bringing all those gorgeous colors together. 

So remember Lynn and Roger if you’re deciding on wedding details. You can’t go wrong if it makes you happy.

This week, another post on the subject of simple weddings. If you’ve read my blog before, you know I’m a big advocate of simple, meaningful wedding celebrations. It was fun to go back through the files and recall this sweet wedding that John and I photographed at Breitenbush during the winter.

The celebration was as much a retreat and reunion for Jennifer and Brian who met up with about 50 family members and friends over a winter holiday weekend. Breitenbush is a special place for the couple, since they and many of their friends are holistic health practitioners. The day before the wedding you could find the couple and their friends soaking in the natural hot springs, hiking in the snow, or hanging out in the main lodge. It was a great way for everyone to meet and to get acquainted.

Mid-day on the second day, the group gathered round the stone fireplace for the wedding. Jennifer’s father officiated the touching ceremony. At the conclusion, the couple walked through what they called an “angel wash”. Think of a military recessional but in lieu of crossed sabers, the couple walk though a passageway of good will, kisses and hugs from all the gathered guests. Even though I was prepared to think it was silly, I found myself getting swept up and a bit teary just watching.

It’s easy to think of a wedding as something you invite your friends and family to attend. My impression after observing this wedding, is that the guests co-created the ceremony. Very cool.

Certain colors like apricot, are real chameleons. This soft pale orange is one of the colors that can look soft or striking, classic or modern. It can “pow” or “meow” depending on how you use it.  I think in this case, the look is fantastic. It’s fresh and modern-looking even though the shapes are quite classic. My favorite part is how the stronger corals and salmons in the b-maids flowers look against the chocolate brown in the dresses and groomsmen’s vests.

Windy’s accessories were chunky glass beads and a feathered hair ornament, which both complemented the clean look of her a-line strapless dress. Dan’s richly brocaded tie looked scrumptious with the rusty bronze vests that he and the g-men were wearing. Oh, and their cake was super cool–very simple and rustic and perfect for this setting. (Check out the gallery below for a cake pic.)

Anyone can make a great looking wedding by combining apricot + green + almost any other color. Pink? Mocha? Periwinkle? Try it, you’ll see it nearly always looks fantastic.

Here’s a year’s worth of my favorite flowers from our last season. I loosely named each photo based on the month when you might find those flowers in the market. Drop me a line if you have any questions about any of them in particular–I can look up which Portland-area florist created that bouquet. Stay tuned for a future post on my favorite boutonnaires from 2008.

The menswear in this wedding was particularly handsome and weather appropriate. The guys were reasonably cool in their khaki cotton suits, and I am certain the flip flops were a hit with both the men and the women. (By the end of the ceremony, I think I was carrying about 3 pounds of sand in each of my shoes.)

The cake was decorated with calla lillies and sprays of beach grass. The shape was unusual in that consisted of alternating square and round layers. Besides being yummy, it was elegant and lovely. Perhaps there’s an idea or two for you here is you’re planning a beach wedding in Oregon.

Steph’s maids wore simple knee length black dresses (wouldn’t  a girlfriend appreciate that!) and the guys were outfitted in basic dark suits. It was classy, stylish, personal and sharp without being too tux-ey or too matchy.