The Blog | Adventures and advice from an euphoric wedding photographer.

Passion, Love & Happiness. I'm on a journey to capture these emotions from people who radiate their inner beauty and joy into my lens. I photograph because I adore weddings, a spontaneous lifestyle and meeting amazing individuals who will change my life. I hope that next unique someone is you.

Would you like some wine with that cheesy smile?

May 10, 2010

Before my wedding in July of 2008, I wrote 5 journal posts describing my emotions before my wedding. I wish I had written several more as it really was an exciting time in my life, but I’m lucky that I took the time to write at least a few and have these memories to share with my children someday. (Gasp! Yes Mother, children will come SOMEDAY...) Enjoy these goofy rants and if you’re engaged, spend a few moments scribbling down your experiences before AND after the big day. You’ll be so happy you did. :)

Written October 6th, 2007

I’d like to think I’m a pretty relaxed and easy going bride. Rain on my wedding day? Big deal…. Rip in my dress? Who cares… My wedding will be perfectly planned so stress won’t be an issue….OR so I thought.

The night before my engagement photo shoot I was a mess. It might have helped if I had started planning things before 9pm, considering we had to be up by 5 in the morning to catch the sunrise. But who has time to plan?

I start to throw this and that into bags. Five pairs of shoes? Check. All the makeup I’ve ever owned? Check. A bottle of wine? Well you never know…Check. And as I start to fill the bags, I start to get a little nervous.

What if the weather is lousy? What if we don’t pose well? What if we’re uninspiring to Neil? And after filling the fifth bag, it hits me. I’m a wreck! Is this what the wedding jitters is all about? I don’t think I can get married!

I go to bed at 1am, worrying about my hair and makeup, so I never really sleep. When did I turn into such a Barbie? (Without the DD cups, *sigh) We get up the next morning and head out the door at 7am. Late as usual.

When we get to Letchworth Park, it’s absolutely stunning. I’m not a morning person (morning being any time before 11am) so I was captivated. Neil was setting up with the most tranquil music playing from his car. What a wonderful way to start the shoot. Ok, take a breath.

We pose for some amazing shots and head to the next location. “Stop being so stiff,” Billy says to me in the car, “just relax.” Wow, was it that noticeable? I peek at the wine bottle in the back seat. Maybe just a sip.

A few swigs later and I’m feeling much more Cindy Crawford. I couldn’t stop smiling or talking to Neil’s dead cat. (Don’t ask.) And I finally start to relax. The effects of the nasty drink didn’t last long, but it had served its purpose. To allow me to live in the moment.

I realized then that these photos weren’t relying on a flashy smile or the way I crossed my legs, but about how happy Billy and I were at that exact moment being with each other on such a gorgeous day. How could that photo not be beautiful? No wonder I love Neil & Liesl’s images. They know how to capture that moment.

And I laughed. Weddings aren’t about schedules or fresh flowers. They’re for living in a moment of immense happiness for the whole day. I can’t imagine. I can’t believe I was so stressed over nothing! I can’t wait for my wedding.

Posted In:
Engagement, The Deelicious Life, Wedding

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Spring Luncheon at Hillside Inn in Wyoming, NY

April 23, 2010

Today I attended a lovely luncheon for local business women at Hillside Inn in Wyoming, NY (a beautiful wedding reception venue) sponsored by some of my favorite clients, Laura Lane and Kelly Ashcraft of the Wyoming County Chamber of Commerce. It was almost as thrilling as speed dating (something I guess I won’t get to experience in this lifetime, rats!) as we quickly promoted ourselves to a table of new acquaintances for 5 minutes. I touched on my web design and photography, but of course photography is always more interesting so I received numerous questions and compliments while they browsed through my albums.

I really enjoyed meeting so many interesting people in a short amount of time and ended the afternoon with an offer to showcase my work in the local Art Council Gallery. How exciting! I’ve never put on a gallery show before, but as soon as it was suggested, my head exploded with ideas. Luckily, the director was open to a show based on wedding and love portraiture, as much of the photography in this area is of our beautiful landscapes, not people. I’ll keep you posted on details as this is an opportunity I don’t want to slip away!

Though I brought my camera for snapshots, the event was a little too fast-paced to get in any photo time, so I grabbed my girlfriend Bridget and we took this adorable portrait under a tree just waiting to burst with new golden leaves. I think this is the first time we’ve taken a nice photo together. I need to grab more portraits with family and friends, jeesh!

And PS....I’m wearing my favorite dress and shoes at the moment. Yeah, you can’t see the shoes, but trust me, they’re killer cute! Chances are you’ll see me sometime this summer in this dress because I wear it every chance I get. I love the color!!!

Now step away from your computer and go pick some daffodils!

Posted In:
The Deelicious Life

Tags:
hillside inn - ny - wyoming

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CinemaCake : Wedding Vendor Spotlight

April 01, 2010

Yes, it's true that I had the most fantastic wedding ever! Sure I cried like a baby, survived +90° weather and laughed my butt off when Bill said something naughty during our vows....but it was absolutely perfect. And I couldn't have pulled it off without 1. my amazing mother and 2. my awesome wedding vendors!

So to show you how beautiful my day really was, I thought I would share a recap of my wedding captured by CinemaCake of Philadelphia, PA. Many brides pass up hiring a wedding videographer, but as a wedding photographer who you know loves photos, just take my advice and FIT IT IN YOUR BUDGET!

How good is CinemaCake? Well let's just say I've never shown my full wedding film to an audience who hasn't asked to watch it till the end. Even Bill's friends comment on it's "movie like" style. (Yes you read that right, MEN do sit through our whole wedding video!) Dave Williams' work is original and really like no other.

Posted In:
The Deelicious Life, Vendors, Wedding

Tags:
pa - philadelphia - videos

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A new love for an old enemy

March 26, 2010

I tend to get impatient when I know the end is near. Last year at this time, I can’t believe I’m admitting this, but I was still shooting with a Canon Rebel. There are a lot of nice Rebels out there, but mine was a bargain at Wal-Mart for $500. We’re not talking high-class by any means. A friend sold me her Canon 30d and what an upgrade. It was the first time I felt like a professional and I was so excited to shoot with that camera, but my skills increased at a rapid rate and I quickly outgrew the camera. In fact, my poor mother had to hear about its ridiculous noise level after every event (noise=grain in a photo). Once I determined I was going to buy a new camera, I began to loath my camera. I know this sounds pretty harsh...but I had to wait 6 months for my new camera to be released and I was becoming impatient.

Shortly before Christmas, I took my 30d out on a rollerskating escapade with friends. My husband is a rollerskating superstar and I’m lucky if I don’t fall at least once before the night is over so shooting with my camera at my 5mph pace sounded fun. It took a few photos before I realized the low light in the rink wasn’t going to jive with my camera and of course, I started to dream of smashing it to pieces with a shovel.

I hadn’t touched my 30d in months and just last week decided to post these photos for friends. After viewing a few shots, I couldn’t believe my eyes. The grain and lack of clarity actually gave the photos a vintage feel and well....I thought they looked pretty cool! Could my 30d be used for a nostalgic look in the future? Hmmm...maybe it wasn’t such a bad camera after all. In fact, I think I’m in love with it again. :D

Posted In:
The Deelicious Life

Tags:
ny - pike - vintage

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Random happiness of the day

March 17, 2010

It might seem a little late to be excited about the new year in March, but it’s not totally random. Not like this morning when I couldn’t get the song Davy Crockett out of my head. That’s random. You see in 2009, I made a big change in my life. I started to become financially responsible. I know this is probably something I should have figured out way before turning 28, at least that’s how I felt last year.

You see, my problem is that I’m incredibly optimistic with everything. I don’t mind taking risks because I have a ridiculous amount of confidence in myself, but sometimes it can create a cloudy haze around a realistic situation. And in 2009, that situation was that I needed to be smart with my spending. It’s so easy in photography to get caught up in the latest technology or wanting a million lenses, and to be honest, I’m still fighting the urge to buy everything in sight, but there comes a time when you finally realize you’ve been irresponsible. And that was in June last year.

At that time, I was introduced to something that changed my life. That something was an accounting program and I know for many people out there, the same program wouldn’t cause such an epic response, but for me and my business, it’s been a lifesaver. My spending habits drastically changed and I could see that light at the end of the tunnel approaching very fast.

So flash forward to 2010. This is my year for photography and I’m hitting it full force. And with that mission, I’ve had to give up some things that the old Dee wouldn’t have let go. If you’ve read my previous posts or talked to me for 5 seconds, you know I just purchased a new professional line Canon camera. I knew this was essential to take my business to the next level, but I wasn’t going to fall into my old ways of just purchasing it with plastic. I had to say goodbye to my first 2 macs. Yes I know they’re just computers, but they’re like babies to me! I’ve given up shopping for new clothes. I don’t eat out at every meal. (I’ve learned to cook. Gasp!) I’ve literally learned to survive on $30/week. And yet I discovered something incredibly amazing to me.

I can endure as long as I’m surround by my family and friends. They really provide me with such happiness that money can’t buy, and I know that sounds cliche, but its totally true. I don’t miss anything I’ve given up and yet I’m a happier person now than I’ve been in ages. (And like I said, I’m pretty darn positive!) My possessions and interests have changed to spending more time with people I adore.

So to end this rambling, here’s a photo of some of my closest friends bringing in the new year. I was photographing a wedding at a holiday party where my friends could attend and I couldn’t believe I was doing what I love to do, surrounded by the people I love. Here’s to a fantastic year, even if it is a little bit late!

Posted In:
The Deelicious Life

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