Behind the Scenes 2016

Do I love my job?  You betcha.  I love the people I work with, my clients, and te stories I capture.  I like to have fun and there is never a dull moment in the wedding photography business.  For your viewing pleasure, some of my favorite behind the scenes moments of 2016!

This is Elizabeth.  She shoots weddings with me even in hurricane winds.

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She’s a joy to work with and a great friend.

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SOmetimes I shoot weddings by myself, which allows me to show off my juggling skills.

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We can’t forget about Danielle!  She has made many appearances on past Behind the scenes, even though she sadly only photographs babies and families now 🙁
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villanova wedding photogrpahywedding-photography-behind-the-scenes_3242wedding-photography-behind-the-scenes_3243When the groom makes this face, you know the day is going well.
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Sometimes when waiting in line for food we try to take trendy photos, which ultimately fails since we have 0 blood sugar and cares left.

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And sometimes our cameras sync their cycles and set off phantom flash.

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Chewing gum is tough.  So are photoshoots in Target.

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That one time when my couple fed me cake after they cut it 🙂

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It helps to have a strong, graceful shooter by your side when there is literally nothing to hand the dress on (it also helps to be able to photoshop her out).

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Mannequin Challenge should be banned in limos  for safety reasons.

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2016 was amazing.  Bring it, 2017.

Front Street Station Wedding | Amy + Derek | Selinsgrove Wedding Photography

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Have you ever wished to experience the 4 seasons in just 8 hours?  It’s not something I can say happens too often, but Amy and Derek picked a once in a lifetime day for their wedding.

Amy and her girls got ready at her house, AC blasting on a rare 75 degree mid November day.  The sun was streaming through the windows as hair was pinned and dress was fluffed.  We headed down to the river walk along the Susquehanna for her first look with Derek, and by the time they had turned and seen each other for the first time, sweeping tears from cheeks, dark clouds were moving in and what remained of the autumn leaves were being whipped from their branches.  We endured a gale force wind storm along the river for portraits and made it to the church just in time for the skies to open up.

Thunder and lightning lit up the sky outside as Amy walked down the aisle.  They said their “I Do’s”, danced on over to the Front Street Station for their reception, and ended the night kissing in the snow.

Amy and Derek are two of the kindest people I have had the privilege to work with.  While they may seem laid back, their passion and love for one another led to many tears of joy throughout the day.  This was an incredible day for so many reasons and it is one I would not have wanted to embark on with anyone else.

Continue reading “Front Street Station Wedding | Amy + Derek | Selinsgrove Wedding Photography”

Sand Spring Country Club Wedding Photography | Erin and Morgan |Hazleton PA

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With air conditioners on full blast and water flowing, a heat wave of close to 100 was not going to put a damper in the beautiful day at Sand Spring Country Club that Erin and Morgan had planned.  Erin gathered her something borrowed and something blue, linked her arm through her Father’s and took the first few steps down the aisle to the steady cadence of the harp towards her soon to be husband.  Erin had been waiting for this moment all morning, with a smile unwavering from her face.  Dreams of marrying Morgan were finally becoming a reality, and she knew that her life was about to change for the better.  As they stood hand in hand with a welcome breeze swirling the draped linens behind them, Erin and Morgan exchange vows and promises and spoke of their love for one another.

Erin and Morgan spent their day surrounded by friends and family and stepped out for portraits not once, but twice, which made for one very happy photographer.  There was such a peacefulness about their day, and everyone was so incredibly loving and calm.  Sweet toasts, and well wishes from a best friend deployed, turned the atmosphere into a party as dancing carried the couple into the night. Continue reading “Sand Spring Country Club Wedding Photography | Erin and Morgan |Hazleton PA”

Encouragement Small Business Owners Need to Hear | Wedding Photography

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Small business. Yeesh it’s a doozy. Today, I plan on encouraging as many of my fellow entrepreneurs as possible because a fellow photographer reached out and gave me the encouragement that I needed during this extremely busy and stressful week.

“Small business ins’t for the faint of heart. It’s for the brave, the patient,, and the persistent. It’s for the overcomer.” – Unknown

Everything – EVERY LITTLE THING- that you are doing day in and day out, every mundane task, every nerve-wracking meeting, every time you put your creative best out there, you are doing something braver than many others would dare. You aren’t afraid except of being afraid! Afraid to try, afraid to explore, afraid to create, afraid to overcome. You are doing enough, and unfortunately, small business has a way of making you feel like you aren’t.

Keep fighting the uphill battle because to create, it’s one of the best gifts we can give ourselves.  Keep chugging along because settling with the “what if” is not an option.  Keep picking yourself up because your vision— it is valuable!

Today is Thursday, Encourage someone. They just may need it more than you can imagine!

Wedding Day Timeline | For Brides | Allie Skylar Wedding Photography

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THE dreaded timeline.  You might cry though it, but you can’t live without it.  As much as we would love to throw caution to the wind and simply let a wedding day flow, realistically, it just isn’t the best idea if you are hoping for some stunning results. But you DON’T have to cry over the timeline!  It really is pretty simple if you attack it with chunks of time in mind.  I’ve been photographing weddings for close to 5 years, and by now, I can write a timeline in my sleep.  So for all of you brides out there, working through your wedding photography timeline, here are the best tips I can give you.

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Pick what is most important and start there.

If you are my client, I am going to tell you that the most important part of your wedding day is the 40 (YES) minutes of uninterrupted bride and groom portrait time.  40 minutes, you read that right.  Do I sometimes work with just 30 minutes?  You betcha.  Even less.  But going into a wedding, I know that 40 minutes is the goal.  Since a wedding is a living event, things are bound to get delayed.  So if we aim for 40 minutes and end up with just 30, that’s okay.  But I would hate to aim for 25 minutes and get 10.  I’m pretty sure I would have a heart attack.

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Segment your events into blocks.

Generally, here are estimates for times needed for different portraits throughout the day.

Note: these are times for photographic moments that need directions and staging!

Details pre ceremony (dress, rings, shoes, etc)- 30-40 minutes

First look– 10 minutes

Bride and groom portraits– 40 minutes

All wedding party photos- 20 minutes

Family photos (depends on family size)– average of 15 minutes

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Include buffer time.

You are going to have to pee.  You may want to fix your hair or freshen up.  Or you may get stuck talking with your Great Aunt even though family photos were supposed to start 10 minutes ago.  So always include at least two 10 minute buffer times throughout the day.  Trust me, most likely you won’t actually be able to use those times to pee.

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Give it to someone else.

I work hand in hand with my couples to create a timeline that suits us all.  And then I take charge.  I keep it on my phone and put a copy in my bag and I gently remind people of what is next and when.  Then, the bride and groom don’t have to worry about the timeline at all.  They shouldn’t have to, after all!  That’s why they’ve surrounded themselves with a good team.

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