Ragamuffins

   My husband and I went to the premier of a privately produced movie last night, "Ragamuffin, The Story of Rich Mullins". Excellent movie about the life of an exceptionally talented Christian singer/songwriter who died in a car crash. Rich Mullins was a chain smoking, angst filled man who enjoyed a drink quite often. What struck me is how alone he felt, despite having close, wonderfully supportive friends. He felt unworthy of love, broken, a ragamuffin.
    But really, aren't we all? No matter how we present ourselves to others, deep down inside, most of us are struggling with insecurities, grappling with fear. We feel that everyone else "has it together", and that we alone are obviously flawed and imperfect. The irony is that every single person on earth, old or young, rich or poor, great or small, at some point in their life has had that same thought and feeling.
   Not to oversimplify things, but in a way, that's why I love being a photographer. I strive to find at least one feature or characteristic of my subject and encourage them with their own beauty, inside or out. It might be their tentative smile, vivid green eyes, or graceful hands. Perhaps it is the way they describe how they met their fiance', with love lighting up their face. Each little nuance speaks to me of our shared humanity-our fears, hopes and dreams.
   When you look at a wedding photo or senior portrait or family reunion photograph that I captured for you, my wish is that it brings a smile, a remembrance of a happy moment, a confirmation of the light inside that makes you, YOU.

Cara and Dan's wedding

 

 Botanica, The Wichita Gardens, was the setting for the recent wedding of Dan and Cara. The weather had been cold just prior to their big day, but the morning of the wedding it was sunny and continued to warm to a comfortable 70 degrees-perfect!
   The best part of their wedding? Dan and Cara (and their moms) had planned out every detail of the wedding day, then they relaxed and enjoyed the wedding as it unfolded. They paid attention to minute details, like providing cheese and crackers and little sandwiches for the family and wedding party before the ceremony. The ring bearers were in shorts so they could enjoy the Gardens and "be boys".  They included personal touches, like having their professional musician friends play sets throughout the reception, and "planting a tree" as part of the wedding ceremony.Wright Focus Photography captured all the important moments, from Cara getting ready to the first dance of the bride and groom. Cheri's Bakery delivered and set up a beautiful wedding cake, "guitar" groom's cake, and money-saving sheet cake for the reception. Plaid Giraffe was the florist, providing table centerpieces with the necessary height to enable guests to talk easily without having to move to look around bulky, low arrangements. Just Say Cheese Photo Booth had a plethora of fun props for some one of a kind keepsake photos. They hired a wedding coordinator from Events by Ashley, to make sure everything went according to schedule.
   Why do I mention these details? Each item mentioned contributed to a more pleasant, comfortable, memorable event for their families and friends. The most important? That the key people ( bride, groom and their parents) all ENJOYED the day, leaving the professionals to do their jobs, so they in turn could relax and savor every moment.
   I personally loved seeing it all come together so beautifully. My wish for the newlyweds is that their married life continue to unfold in the same purposeful, yet with that "relax and revel in the moment" attitude. Congratulations, Cara and Dan!
 

   I came across THE CHECKLIST via Huffington Post in an article about weddings and what brides wished they had done differently regarding their weddings. Several interesting points, including regrets about time spent planning minute details (seating charts). I appreciated the candor of the brides who outed their own "bridezilla" moments, and the very basic wish to have used more lipstick during the day. 

   As a photographer, the 12% who wished they hadn't spent as much money on photos worries me. Did the photographer not live up to the expectations they presented? Or were the photos just so bad that even $1 spent on them was too much? (With the advent of  the "everyone with a camera is a photographer" mentality, I've known of this happening.)

   On the flip side, more than 20% of brides wished that they had spent MORE money on a photographer. Perhaps they had a "friend with a nice camera" as the "photographer" for their wedding, and once the results were presented, regretted their choice. Imagine the many stories of angst and anguish that are behind those survey results. On the other hand, look at all of the positive percentages and information.

   If you are planning a wedding, find proven professionals and hold them accountable for the service and talent they represent. The true professionals will consider that an honor and privilege.

Step into your life!

Yes, the title sounds awkward. Aren't we already in "our life"? Well, you may be...or maybe not...
   Look around. Do you see that man eating lunch with a friend, but frequently checking his cell phone and holding it like a mini-barrier between them? What about the mom pushing her child in the stroller with one hand, and holding her cell phone to chat with someone else with the other?  At your daughter's basketball game last Saturday-how many parents watched the game through the viewfinder of their iPhone? Do they really believe they will watch the game with their daughter later? Or do you remember the dad who barely glanced at the game in front of him, choosing instead to watch his favorite professional team on his phone instead?
   At a recent wedding that I photographed, the bride waited patiently for her mom to arrive before donning her wedding gown. She wanted to be sure that her mother was there to share that once-in-a-lifetime moment. Her mom arrived and immediately retrieved her phone out of her purse and began taking pictures, then looking down to send them to friends and family that couldn't attend the wedding.
   Your first thought may be that the mom was being thoughtful, sharing the moment with others not privileged to be there. In reality, I saw the daughter being laced into her fairytale wedding dress, disappointedly watching her mom- who was missing 90% of what was happening right in front of her because of her interaction with her cell phone.
   I was hired as the professional photographer for the wedding day. As the professional, my job is to preserve all of those moments so that they can be shared and enjoyed with loved ones for years to come. I also believe that the most important aspect of my job as the photographer, is to capture the memories so the bride, groom, bride's mom, groom's dad and maid of honor don't have to! They can then ENJOY each second, while it is happening, in the moment. Was it necessary for mom to send photos immediately to her friends and other family? Couldn't they wait a few hours and see them on a website later? Did the bride's mother really need to "step out of her life" and allow technology to get between her and that precious moment that should have been shared with her daughter right then?
   At a wedding last year, just before the "you may now kiss the bride" proclamation, I was caught off guard when the groom's father stood up and stepped into the aisle holding his cell phone. As the newlyweds shared their first kiss as husband and wife, the photo that I took and the one taken by my assistant photographer in the balcony, feature the father of the groom standing before them, as much as the bride and groom.
   I humbly ask that the next time you reach for your cell phone, tablet or iPad when you have the option of interacting with a friend or loved one right beside you instead,  please consider the question, "Is it really that important?"

 
 
 

Favorites from 2012

As a photographer, it always seems that my most recent portrait session or wedding (or horse show, or reunion, or anniversary...) is my favorite. Perhaps that's because I strive to improve each time I pick up a camera, and see that reflected in my work. Hope that is the case.
   Following are a few of my favorites from 2012. Already have weddings and horse shows and other events on my 2013 calendar...can't wait!

Changes

   This is the time of year for transitions: summer to fall, greens to golds, warm weather to cool, t-shirts and shorts to jeans and long sleeves, sandwiches to soups.
   It's also the time of year that attitudes shift from the lightheartedness of summer to a sharper focus toward school, college studies, and careers. With the pending presidential election, moods are nervous and political.
   In my photography schedule, the shift is from horse shows, to autumn weddings, high school seniors, and family portraits in preparation for Christmas cards and gifts.
    Following are a few samples of what I've been doing the past 30 days...
 

 

Experience matters

   In the past 10 days I have been booked to photograph weddings on October 11 and  April 20. For each of those weddings, I met with the bride-to-be and her mom. The first question they asked:

HOW LONG have you been photographing weddings?

   I appreciate this question, and the underlying concern it reflects. The upcoming wedding is a huge event for the family. Friends and relatives will all be together to celebrate the uniting of the couple in marriage-it's a milestone in their lives. It's a memorable day not only for those in attendance, but for the children and the grandchildren yet to be-photographs of the wedding day showcase the day their family was founded. Each generation looks back at the photographs of the wedding of their parents, their grandparents, great-grandparents, and a fortunate few have a photographic history that goes even further. Wedding day portraits are a family's lineage.

   So, how long have I been photographing weddings?

22 years. 

Trained and experienced in how to pose the bride to flatter her figure and her wedding dress? 

Check.

Trained and experienced in arranging groups quickly and easily? 

Check.

Trained and experienced in all types of lighting situations, 

from candle lit churches to outdoor ceremonies in full sunlight?

 Check.

Trained and experienced in proper use of artificial lighting?

 Check.

Back up equipment in cameras and lighting and anything else that might fail? 

Check.

Fluent and competent in a variety of  photographic styles, from traditional to candid to photo-journalistic? Check.

Familiar with various faith traditions and rules? 

Check.

Ability to remain calm when the "wedding day whirlwind" is at it's peak?

 Double check.

   Consider this: How would you like for your wedding to be the first one photographed by a spentalotofmoneyonthisnewcameraandnowcallmyselfaphotographer photographer?

Do professionalism and experience matter? They do if it's your wedding.