Inspire Board -- Alyssa & Bowen

Here's a little theme inspiration for those of you planning a wedding out there!

I absolutely loved Alyssa & Bowen's grey and red color combination. A little too much in fact. Like I want a wedding do-over so I can copy it! :) Their bright gerber daisies just popped with color, and don't even get me started on how cute those red shoes were. Here are some of my favorite detail shots from their June wedding:

I would highly recommend their reception site, Legends of Bergamont in Oregon. It was simply lovely. Top it with their personalized decor, and it made for a great night. Can you tell there were some Cubs and Cardinals fans in the house?

Looking for more wedding ideas? Scroll on down to the bottom of the blog, and click on "Inspire Guide" under labels.

How to Take Better Pictures - Light

Being a professional photographer, I get asked A LOT what type of camera people should buy. But, there is so much emphasis on the equipment, the lenses, whether or not they have a point and shoot or a DSLR... and on and on. But honestly, I could have the best camera and lens combination money can buy and if I as a photographer use it in the wrong light - you wouldn't be able to tell the difference between my fancy smancy camera and a less expensive point and shoot.

The more I learn about photography, the more I find out that light can make or break your photos.

Let's take a look at some examples:

Looking at the top two photos, you can see two things. One, I really like to get desserts at festivals (but that's besides the point...) and two, can you see the difference an overcast sky makes? In the top left photo, it is noon, the sun is out and is HARSH. Noon on a bright sunny day is one of the worst times to take a portrait. Do you see how the harsh shadows are across my face and especially on my shoulders and chest? And it was so bright I didn't want to take my sunglasses off for this one.

This is in contrast to the photo on the top right, where it was a little bit later in the day and the skies were overcast. The clouds actually act as a large diffusor, and lessen the impact of light on my face. There are no harsh shadows, and the photo is evenly lit (meaning no one spot is brighter than another). I would love to have a session in the lighting conditions on the top right, where as on the top left, my clients would fire me! :) There are some tricks to shooting in bright noon light... but more on that later!

Let's look at the bottom two photos. Notice two things. One, my husband is very handsome (but that goes with out saying :) ) and two, the golden hour is happy clappy awesome! The photo on the bottom left was taken later in the day with overcast skies. It is very similar exposure wise to the photo on the top right. No harsh shadows, and there are not bright and dark spots in the photo. But look what happens during the golden hour.

Time out - what is the golden hour you ask? The golden hour is essentially the last hour that the sun is up before it is completely set. The light is golden, soft, and almost magical. In my opinion this is the best time of day for portraits (hence why I try to schedule all of my sessions during the golden hour when possible).

The light in the photo on the bottom right has the bright and warm, and look at how it pops the color in Brian's eyes. The light adds an extra dimension to the photo, and brings some interest.

Note that all four of these photos were taken with the same camera, but all four pictures are different. It wasn't the equipment that makes or breaks the photos, it is the light.

So, to recap, to create beautiful photos no matter what your equipment is:

- Avoid harsh light, especially between 11am and 1pm

- Overcast skies aren't that bad after all! They diffuse the light, and create great portraits

- The "Golden Hour" is the optimal time to take photos

Arroyo Family

I met the Arroyo Family at the Rotary Botanical Gardens in Janesville. We had a great time walking around the gardens and getting some family photos. It was so warm out, but this family spent some time in Arizona so they handled it like it was nothing!

Enjoy a few of my favorites from our time together:

What To Wear - Engagement Session

This is the first post in a series called "What to Wear". This series is designed to help my clients choose the best clothing options for their photo sessions.

First up, an engagement session.

Right away I am breaking the "matchy matchy" rule! I decided on a warm color palette because I really liked the bold citrus colors of this sun dress. Since I wanted to keep our color scheme warm, I added in the brown shirt for our lucky groom-to-be. Add in a few cute accessories and wa-la!

I chose a cardigan for the bride-to-be to add a little variation to her outfit. She can wear it buttoned or opened, have it on or off, or it would be cute off slug with one hand sassy over her shoulder. Plus, an open cardigan over a form fitting bottom piece can make the bride-to-be appear slimmer.

I am also a sucker for cool shoes, so I couldn't pass up these unique slip-ons.

Another thing I like about this combination is the variation in textures of the clothing. The dress is a nice soft linen, the cardigan a fine gauge sweater. The guy's shirt is smooth cotton, combined with the rugged dark jeans. All of this creates visual interest in the photo.

These bright colors are fun and flirty, and would be great for a summer or fall engagement session.

Well, there you have it! My inaugural post on what to wear, more to come. All clothes in the above picture are from Old Navy.

Mr. & Mrs. Daws!

(Bri's Picture)

Emily and Chad were married on June 12th at the Stoughton Country Club. There was no doubt that everyone was a little worried about the weather. Rain threatened their outdoor wedding plans all week long. On Saturday, there was no immediate threat of rain, so they decided to go for it. Confident and cool, I met Emily with her bridesmaids at the country club where she waited to marry the man of her dreams.

Emily fielded phone calls all morning asking if they were indeed going to have their wedding outside. I admired Emily's confidence in her plans with every passing phone call.

Even the guests were wondering if the weather was going to hold up watching out the windows of the Country Club.

Since our first meeting at Bariques many months ago, I'd noticed something special about the way Emily and Chad love each other. A cool, calm sort of love. One that moves confidently toward each other and towards the dreams that they want to pursue.

Therefore I should not have been surprised that something magical happened on their wedding day. The overcast skies loomed over the reception site until the moment Emily began her walk down the aisle. Her and Chad locked eyes, smiled, and the clouds parted. Blue skies shone through the clouds. They were given the beautiful outdoor wedding they had hoped for. It was simply beautiful.

(Bri's shot)

Do you see all that sunshine peeking through the trees? Amazing!

(Bri's Shot Above)

Yay! The brand new Mr. & Mrs. Daws!

Love this candid shot that Bri grabbed!

The groom and his bride:

Bri's shot of the guys

The girls flowers were simply beautiful

(Bri's shot above, left)

I think this one is my favorite!

(Bri's Shot Above)

The details were beautiful

Let's get the party started!

Emily & Chad surprised Emily's brother and his wife with an anniversary dance - they are celebrating ten years!

Thanks Chad and Emily for inviting me to be a part of your wedding day!