Behind the Scenes Secrets! - From Zach

Today we are going to show you guys how we do what we do and give you a little insight into a particular shot from a wedding this past season. Whenever we are shooting a couple - whether it is totally candid or a shot that we have set up and orchestrated - we are always looking at how we can take it from the best angle and shoot it in the most flattering way possible for that client.

We shot a wedding in Columbia, SC this past September 4th, with Paul & Laura Morris who are amazing and moved all the way to Nashville just to be friends with us (actually, for a job, but we like to say it was for us:)! After the wedding ceremony we were out taking some photos of them and when we were just about done, I noticed this little nook under a walkway and down through some big ol' bushes. I saw the shot in my head and knew how cool it would be, but to look at that little area, one might have thought Jody and I were nuts to take some wedding photos there. The bride and groom went along with it (what troopers they were) and we did a quick set up and took a handful of shots just before the reception began.

Here was the set up.



As you can see, it looks more like we should be taking shots of the handyman from the church there, and not a cute bride and groom! While it is very important to know what lens you need to use, what setting to put your camera on and how much of that big flash power we need to use, it is also equally important to know what to include in an image, and what not to include. Looking at the set up shot, you can clearly see a whole bunch of things that are not that pretty and would be distracting if they were in the final image. So when I framed the shot in the camera, I really wanted to emphasize the couple lost in this vine foresty place of bliss! So this is how I shot it.



The reason this shot works is because:

1. The light we put on them makes the couple the brightest part of the photo so you naturally look to them.
2. They are not directly in the middle of the frame, but off to the side, and the vines on the left "lead" your eye into the shot and make it more interesting.
3. There is nothing competing in the shot; meaning that the only truly interesting element is the bride and groom. There is nothing else distracting in the shot like those giant air conditioners, or the big railing just above them that you saw in the first shot.

All of those elements combined make for a powerful portrait of two really great people!

For those super tech nerds (like me) who want to know the hard info on the gear and settings used, here you go!

Camera - Canon 5D
Camera settings - f/5, ISO 100, 73mm
Lens - 70-200L 2.8 IS
Flash - Photogenic Powerlight 500 watts, 32 inch Westcot softbox, Triggered by Pocket Wizards
Color corrected on location with Expo Disc

Post:
Adjusted luminace of skin tones in Lightroom.

Shooting this way is how one can avoid spending tons of hours in Photoshop trying to make the image look like you want it! 5 seconds of post time and you're done!

Feel free to leave comments on the shot and any questions are welcome!!

AH! Bloggers are coming at us from every angle!

We often have others blog about us like Williamson County Weddings and Events, Cakes By Shara, Rhonda Patton Weddings, A Delightful Day Wedding Planning, and others, plus good friends like
Jeff and Ashley, and Cliff & Kristine. We love it when we know you have blogged about us so we can share the posts with our own blog readers!

Today we have the privileged of being blogged about by Darci on her With This Ring blog . Check out the first post that she has done on us and stay tuned for another blog with additional images from that wedding.



If you ever blog on us - let us know and we'd love to share it with everyone! We love spreading the blog love :)

Where to Find Midget Bowling

Ok, ok so many have you have asked where to find this mini-bowling and I will tell you, ONLY if you do not hog up the lanes when we want to go and bowl :) Besides, Amy and I are practicing to beat the guys for the next time!! Oops, did I forget to mention the guys won last time?

This great bowling adventure can be found at the Franklin Family Entertainment Center.

Mini Bowling Adventures

The other night Zach and I ventured out to the bowling alley with two other friends of ours to play some MIDGET BOWLING!! Yes, you read correctly - Midget Bowling. Ok, it's not really called that. I think the official name is Min-bowling, but nevertheless, everything is smaller and the little bowling balls are so much more manageable. It's kind of comparable to Canadian Bowling if anyone has ever done that in Canada!

You may recognize this lovely damsel with me - it's the great Amy Parman from CJ's Off the Square and Williamson County Weddings and Events!







And this handsome fella' with Zach is The Great Brendon Shirley! (just had to give him a cool title/association so he wouldn't feel left out :)





My husband's a goof! That's what I love about him! Enjoy a little video of Zach tearing it up!



As you can see from this following video featuring Brendon, mini bowling can be quite challenging!



Of course, have to show my mad mini-bowling skillz.. ha.



Amy blowing it outta the park!



Ok, and I had to post this one... We think the guys broke that lane... What NOT to do while mini bowling.



If you made it through all of these videos - we commend you. At least they weren't long and boring! Just trying to entertain that's all... :)

Vote for Your Fav Photogs!

The deadline is drawing near for Ashley's Bride Guide Best of 2008 Awards! Don't forget to vote for your favorite vendors including your favorite photographers, best blog, & best all around vendors! Bride & Groom and Parents can vote!

By voting you could win a $100 Visa Gift Card. Oooh ahhhh... :)

For more details and to vote, visit the blog she has set up for this!

Enjoy your weekend, folks and get excited for Monday's post! Two clues - Midgets & Bowling Pins..

Published: Enchanted Brides Magazine!

We had the privileged of having some of our images showcased in the Winter/Spring Issue of Enchanted Brides Magazine for Middle Tennessee! If you have yet to read their magazine or visit their site, you most definitely need to check them out!



Tyler & Sarah Enstice Wedding


(upper right image)




Coordinator: Gail Vandygriff
Lighting: Nashville Event Lighting
Florist: Branching Out Event and Florist
Venue: Loews Vanderbilt

Meagan & Jerry Grosvernor's Wedding


(upper right image)




Coordinator: A Delightful Day Event Planning
Venue: Cheekwood
Lighting: Nashville Event Lighting
Design: Sweet Life Designs
Rentals: Music City Tents & Events
Flowers: Vintage Florals

One of our images was also featured in an advertisement by our friends at Ambrose House! Our pic is the one of Joel & Michelle smooching away!



The people who run the Ambrose House are a great group of people who have renovated this 1890 venue in East Nashville, which is able to accommodate and group size up to 60 (seated) to 85 (standing) guests. This venue is available for corporate events, training seminars, weddings and receptions, as well as diners and social gatherings.

Anyway, just wanted to share!!

Rent Your Wedding Cake?

Happy Tuesday! Hope you all enjoyed your day off yesterday in honor of the great Martin Luther King, Jr and all he did for our country and the equality of people.

Today we want to share with you some more yummy looking cakes that we shot a little bit before Christmas! For those of you who attended the bridal show on Jan 3rd in Nashville, you might have seen these cakes unveiled in the flesh at Shara's booth (Cakes By Shara).

It's amazing how much cakes have evolved over the last few years. When we got married all we really saw were boring old cakes one after the other. We ended up having our cake dipped in chocolate and decorated with bright colored roses (see non-pro photo below) because we didn't want any white, boring looking cakes.

These days the options seem to be endless on what you can do! The cake wasn't made yet when we did our shoot with Shara, but at the show, she had a groom's cake of a Wii gaming system! We'll start with my (Jody's) favorite :)





This cake below is referred to by Shara and her daughter as "The Happy Cake." So appropriate we think!







Or you can go for a little more upscale look.









We have quite a few phenomenal cake makers here in Nashville. TN brides are lucky!

For those who are looking to save $$ on their cake and maybe spend more on other areas of their wedding, Shara has created a rent-a-cake! To read more, visit her site, click on "About Cakes By Shara" and then "Rent-a-Cake"!

A Birthday with a Giant Green Gorilla!

Zach and I had a nice time with our little anniversary celebration get-a-way! It was nice not to think about work (well, we tried as hard as we could), and to not worry about our email or anything. We closed our celebration out by attending the birthday party of one of our soon-to-be brides! Yes, her birthday was last night, but today is her real birthday!!!!! Happy birthday Amy!!!!!



You may be wondering why she is snuggling so close to a giant, green gorilla... Well, readers, it was the combined effort of all her friends who enabled her to get this new and furry buddy at Dave & Busters!


It was partially in part to this crazy & addictive game... which really it's not even a game, but with Eric's mad skillz, and some help from a few others, quite a few tickets were contributed to Amy's Green Gorilla Fund (he was over 6,000 tickets.. can't remember exactly how much :).



The cutest part of the evening was Amy had quite a few extra tickets and offered some to a little kid who had like 5 tickets. He later came up to her and gave her a hug thanking her for what she did. Awwww... it was so cute!



Of course, I had to get my photo taken next to it.

...and then Jeff, desperately wanted to be friends with him as well...

Amy, we hope to see Gorilla at the wedding in April... :) HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!

Anniversary Celebration Time!!

So yes, November 26th WAS our 3 year anniversary mark, but for our avid blog followers, our plans got a bit postponed, and then with the holidays coming, we were unable to celebrate..... until now!! We are taking the next two days and are having a little get-a-way.

Here's to three years of marriage! Look at us on our wedding day back in '05... awww...











A few pics from honeymooning in the Dominican Republic!





Boy does time fly! Hope you all are enjoying your week!

A Nashville Wedding Slideshow - Lee & Elisabeth

Thanks to everyone for the birthday wishes and kind comments! You guys are the best and helped to make my birthday even more special :)

We gave a sneak peek of Lee & Elisabeth's wedding photos awhile ago and thought we would share with you an overall glimpse into their day! Enjoy the slideshow!
(Please wait for it to load, and once it loads additional playbacks will be faster)



You will see one of the flower girls in there... her name was Ashlyn and she was dancing up a storm at the reception. She was so adorable and was definitely in the limelight that evening :) So cute!

A few more images for your viewing pleasure...






Lee & Elisabeth's wedding photos will be available for viewing any day now for friends and family. To sign into their gallery and to preregister for when the photos hit, visit Our Website, click on "Clients" in the bottom right hand corner on the home page, find their names and click, then follow the instructions!

A few vendor Shout Outs:

The flowers & reception decor were done by Rhonda with Rhonda Patton Weddings!
The awesome cake was done by Signature Cakes by Vicki.

The End Is Near!

JODY IS NOW TWENTY SIX YEARS OLD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Jody is my little sweet darling pookie pants and I love her soooooooooo much! So, with that said, show some love and leave a comment for Jody on her big day! Tell her how awesome she is and if she has had any impact on your life, tell her about it!



Love you babe and happy birthday!

-Zach