Ride Along

I like it when the Bridal party keeps me with them as they all travel from place to place. Usually folks have me either trail along in my own car or just meet them at a specific place. When I do travel with them though I get to not on get to know them all better but I can capture the shared excitement of the day. All a Bridal Party needs to do in order for me to ride along with them is have someone from their family drive my car from the church to the reception site.

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High-noon Shadows

Sometimes nature really plays along while doing portraits but you need to soften the shadows a bunch. It was nearly noon on this wedding day at Olbrich Gardens in Madison, Wisconsin. I wanted to capture the bridal party in the reflecting pool at the Thai Pavilion. The very bright overhead sun meant there were strong under-shading, which I didn't want. As the bridal party relaxed and we waited for the crowds to wander off I quickly set up my fill flash. I erected two 11' C-stands, each with three 600ex-rt flash heads. Both positioned just off camera and to the sides. They added the necessary fill flash to soften those high-noon shadows. Very simple, quick and effective.

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Hoarfrost Hunting

Teri and I slowly walked along the only free channel of the mostly ice covered Mississippi River. La Crosse was shrouded in a very dense fog. Only vague dark shapes of trees crusted in hoarfrost lace lined the shoreline. The open channel was a deep, slate gray ribbon that silently slid by. Occasionally we'd spot a duck drifting by, only defined by their ashen silhouettes. Then I spotted it. A dark hulking shape sitting motionless in the fog. I took a few silent minutes to angle closer without scaring it off. By the time I could find it in the fog with my zoom lens, focus, and take this shot it was doing this. Just sitting there with it's head tilted back, beak open. It never made a sound and soon began to preen itself. Soon after it simply strolled off, disappearing into the fog.

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His Lucky Socks

Typically I spend a lot of time leading up to the ceremony with the Bride as she prepares for the day. I also try to get a few shots of the Groom with his buddies as they too prepare. I basically just make self "one of the guys" and just do my thing. You never know what lighting conditions will be. Instead of relying on only shooting by "natural light" I have a default flash set up I use. I tie to the "natural lighting" as a fill light. A Canon ST-E3-RT on my camera's hot shoe however many Canon Speedlite 600EX-RT units I need. Sometimes I just have one or two mounted on modified Joby Gorillapods. One of which is my main light that I hold by the Gorillapod almost like a hatchet. I can shoot with one hand while bouncing light at whatever quick angles I need. with the other. Throw in assorted light modifiers and color gels to match ambient "natural light" and that's all. It's an easy and very quick way of covering these candid moments on the fly.

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Not So Formal "Formals"

There are couples that stand out to me when I recall weddings I've photographed. These two especially. I met Bee long ago while doing photo shoots of the elaborate historical clothing she loving created as a seamstress. She and I worked together at creating some very fun photo sessions covering everything from her seamstress creations to live performances. Years later being flown to Virginia Beach to photograph their entire beach wedding weekend was amazing. They're such an awesome couple. Spending so much time to really gett to know both of their families and friends really made for some intimate candid photos. When it came time for the "formals" it was almost impossible to be "formal."

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DJ's Make It Happen

Having photographed many wedding receptions I can honestly say having a GOOD DJ is essential. I've been to a wedding where they've only had a "cousin with a laptop" playing iTunes. No one danced. For contrast this was taken at a reception with an untypical cultural mix. Half the crowd was Turkish nationals, Koreans, and young professionals from the local tech sector. There were language as well as cultural barriers such as the non-drinking of the Muslims. This DJ did an AMAZING job unifying everyone to celebrate the Newlywed's big day. He was able to get everybody dancing and singing together! I always bring this particular instance up when consulting with potential clients. Don't skimp on the entertainment. Hire a pro with mad crowd pleasing skills!

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A Veil of Sunlight

Sometimes while photographing a wedding you just get lucky when it comes to lighting. As the Bride listened to her Groom's vows of love I moved to capture her expression. Just I began to take the photos the sun began to shine through a gap the nearby treeline. Thank you Nature!

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Saving Savanna

You know you've adapted to the Wisconsin cold when you think it's a perfectly warm day to go hiking just because it reached the 20°s F (-6°C). Teri I had time to take a nice stroll along the trails. This is a shot taken along one of the newer ones. In fact this particular section was one I myself worked on as volunteer a few years ago. Myself and a neighbor who is a tree cutting maniac cleared all the invasive Buck-thorn that had choked out this small piece of Oak Savanna. He'd cutting it down and Id haul it into a pile and BURN it all. There are times I miss working in the park. I should contact him and see if I can get back into it. Maybe? I really used to spend at least an hour/day on these trails in some way. I'll see what unfolds.

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Ready for the Big Day

As the Bride applies the final touch to her makeup her mother and MOH both look on. This was from a lovely wedding at one of the many amazing barn venues here in Wisconsin.

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A Father's Love

When I comes to photographing the Father-Daughter Dance during wedding receptions I have to admit I tend to get a bit "mushy." Being the father of a girl who recently turned ten I can't help but think, "This could be me someday?! I'm NOT ready!" Being able to relate to these men as they are overcome for the love of their daughters can be tricky. You see, sometimes I have to focus really hard to NOT tear up. If I do, I can't see through my viewfinder to take the photo!

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Hammerschlagen

This is one of my favorite moments to have photographed while on a wedding assignment. I rode along with the entire Bridal Party as they crossed town to their reception hall. There just so happened to be a Badgers Football game that day as well. After a quick "detour" we ended up at a house close to Camp Randall Stadium. The home owner's had converted a large garage and the entire backyard into an elaborately and loving done place to celebrate all things Badger's Football. Basically a permanent place to tailgate! You could hear the actual game while enjoying on various screens. They all had so much fun, especially playing this game called Hammerschlagen. Google that!

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