This set of senior portraits in Raleigh is no different.  I know Taelor from photographing her sister’s Bat Mitzvah a few years ago.  After talking with her a bit, we decided that as golf has been such a big part of her life that we should definitely hit the golf course.  We met up at Prestonwood Country Club in Cary and, due to some creative scheduling, we had the golf course to ourselves.  Add in a friend of Taelor’s with a golf cart and we have a recipe for a great shoot!

We started out with a golf theme because, well, we were at a golf course.  As we worked on Taelor’s swing, sans golf ball, someone (I can’t remember who – I think her friend) made a wisecrack and it just rolled on from there.  Taelor has an infectious smile and we spent the entire afternoon laughing at different comments made by either her, her Mom, her friend or me.  After a bit Taelor changed outfits and got some beautiful portraits of her using the golden sunlight.  We ended up behind the clubhouse working some more getting a mixture of “serious” shots and quite a few “Taelor” shots.  As luck would have it, her caddy was around so we grabbed a few shots of them together as well. I had such a blast with Taelor and cannot wait for them to come in and see these photos!  Hope you enjoy a few select examples of my Senior portraits in Raleigh.

As luck would have it, I also donated a prize to the raffle we have at each event.  Prizes are donated by different wedding vendors with all of the proceeds benefiting the Interfaith Food Shuttle.  On this occasion at the Greystone Inn, I donated a “business makeover” that consisted of a commercial photography session for the winners business.  This is a pretty large prize as the photography, editing and licensing were all included.  The winners of the auction was American Party Rentals.  At the time of this post, I have already photographed their beautiful facility and will be making another post with that included.

If you have never been to the Greystone Inn, you really are missing something.  The mansion has a storied history and was purchased from the Greystone family descendants by the current owners.  They painstakingly renovated the entire property, including the furniture, to bring it back to its original beauty.  I really have an affinity for historic architecture so, as you can imagine, I really enjoyed photographing this event.  I’d like to thank the Triangle chapter of NACE, the Greystone Inn and everyone involved for this meeting.  Now, on to the photos of this breatakingly beautiful facility.

The auction was held by the Kirk of Kildaire church and the proceeds benefited the children of Guatamala.  This is the 2nd year I have donated family portraits in Raleigh and I have gotten such great feedback that I plan to continue donating my services as often as I can.

For the portrait session, I met the family at the MacGregor Downs country club.  This is a beautiful club located in Cary, NC and just happens to be the same location my wife and I held our wedding reception.  Instead of doing a full family portrait, my client just wanted her kids photographed as, like many families, it is hard to get everyone in one place once they are out of school.  We photographed around the lake, boat house and behind the club.  We really were eyeing the golf course but, unfortunately, it was blistering hot and no one looks good when they melt.

I hope you enjoy the family portraits and I want to thank the Christopher family again for bidding on my auction prize.

As I was helping run the competition, I could not enter but I really wanted to photograph anyway as the facility is gorgeous.  I also wanted to play with using different lighting techniques that, if they didn’t turn out as hoped, would not disappoint a wedding client so these are certainly a little different then other Bridal portraits in Raleigh, NC that I photograph.  The end results were, in my opinion, beautiful!  Using somewhat of an unorthodox lighting method, I ended up creating a very dramatic, timeless and alluring bridal portrait.  It should be noted that while my model, Kim, is not a bride, she also had no modeling experience so was just as nervous in front of the camera as anyone else would  be.  She really rocked the shoot and I really love the end results.

I’d like to give a big thank you to  the RTP Marriott staff for letting us use their hotel, our models and makeup artists, the Wedding Photographic Society for helping hold the event (there are 5 of us who help run it) and our lovely “clients” who donated their time and put on wedding dresses for us.  On to a few photos that I hope you really love!

The Highgrove is a beautiful historic home that sits atop a hill overlooking a lake. With a beautiful arbor and lawn large enough for 120 or so people, the Highgrove is a perfect places for a southern outdoor wedding.  With all of their wonderful food prepared and cooked on-site, any change I get to visit the Highgrove is one I certainly do not want to miss.

This years tasting at the Highgrove featured quite a few different stations featuring wine, appetizer, dinner and dessert offerings for wedding clients.  The tasting is a great opportunity for me, as a wedding photographer, to meet future clients of the Highgrove, possibly some who are in need of a photographer, as well as see how extraordinarily talented they are with putting on a larger event.  When I have a wedding at the Highgrove, many times I am too busy to really appreciate the class, style and elegance exuded by their property and entire staff.  I want to thank Vicki, Roxanna and the entire Highgrove staff for their hospitality!  Dinner was, of course, terrific and I have some wonderful photos to share!

Now, before I get too far, I have to tell you the coolest thing about this session.  While most people will call me to schedule their session, this was not the case with Tonya & Madi.  Their close friend called me looking for a Raleigh Family Photographer as a surprise for her friends birthday.  Karen, their friend, had schedule a girl’s day with them visiting a day spa to get pampered and primped.  She then made an excuse to come to downtown Raleigh where I was waiting.  When they walked up, they had NO idea who I was or why I was talking to them.  Classic!  Needless to say, they were thrilled and they both fell right into hamming it up for me.

We walked around the downtown Raleigh area looking for different and cool places to photograph.  We definitely went with more of a fashion and glamour feeling for their family portraits because, honestly, that is exactly who they are.  We shot for a really long time, into full on darkness.  We even ran into a video crew making a music video and both Tonya & Madi had a small cameo in the filming.  Not sure if they made the final cut but, either way, how cool.  We wrapped up well past the hour of when “normal” photography takes place.  Personally, I think the results were out of this world!

We had plans to visit downtown Apex, where my photography office is located, to shoot some more urban and “downtown” type portraits but the weather decided we should stay indoors.  Working at someone’s home actually has alot of advantages, especially when working with babies as they feel more comfortable in familiar surroundings.  So, we instead shot in and around the house with Jenn & Chris having fun with Cale (and with each other).

After we wore out poor Cale, it was a perfect time to grab a few unique baby portraits of him as he was cooperating at this point (i.e. sleeping).    I’m just kidding here as I really enjoy photographing babies and Cale was so much fun to work with (not to mention squishy and cute as a button).  I hope you enjoy a few of my Family portraits in Raleigh NC.

When I met up with Mary Channing and Jay, we just decided to walk around the area to see where they are most comfortable and take some great engagement pictures.  Downtown Raleigh has a wealth of architectural and artistic scenery to use in engagement photography and we certainly took advantage of quite a few unique locations.  Engagement sessions are a great way to get to know your clients and, as it’s just the three of us, it’s a much more intimate environment to work with each other.  On the wedding day, any awkwardness and unfamiliarity with each other is gone.

I love how their engagement pictures turned out and I hope you will enjoy a few select photos from their session.

We shot all the food photography in the pub itself and used the surrounding elements to bring a little more feeling to his dishes.  I must say the favorite of mine was the hamburger.  It really was that tall and I can speak from experience when I tell you it was delicious as well.  I hope you enjoy a few photographs that will, hopefully, make you a little hungry as well.

Bon Appetite!

As we arrived back at the hotel, I get the feeling my Washington Duke Inn weddings are cursed as mother nature decided we should have a beautiful indoor affair instead of the outdoor ceremony.  Seems like the wedding day theme, so far, was all about change.  Gladly no other surprises were thrown our way so I went up to the bride & groom’s room to get a few shots of them getting dressed and meet the families & bridal parties.  I do want to mention that I ended up riding down in the elevator with Kimberly and her father.  Having a young daughter myself, these moments really get to me and I am so thankful I have the opportunity to understand how precious those last few moments with a bride and her father are.  The really great thing about Washington Duke Inn weddings are the hotel affords many small nook areas that you can have a nice moment alone like this.

Kimberly & Jacob had two officiants at their ceremony which was pretty cool.  Last time I shot a Washington Duke Inn Wedding, it was two ceremonies and two officiants (separate occasions) so it looks like my string of two’s is still running.  With it raining outside, we managed to get a quick shot without trashing the dress but opted to stay indoors the majority of the time for the formals.  Having just given a lighting class on “guerrilla lighting”, I was pretty excited to go have some fun with unusual and beautiful lighting techniques.

We headed back into the reception hall where their ban, the Party Nuts, got the wedding reception going with thei first dances.  Everyone had a chance to relax and enjoy a fabulous meal from the Washington Duke Inn while live music was going on in the background.  After the Bride & Groom walked around to greet everyone, they enjoyed a great toast from their best man and maid of honor.  Then to the cake cutting that was surprisingly nice (I lost a bet with myself that a smash would occur) then everyone partied down with the band.  Kimberly and Jacob exited the Washington Duke Inn with an array of rose petals tossed in the air (and a few into their faces).  From start to finish, the entire wedding was a beautiful event and their friends had flown in from as far as Russia (Moscow) to attend.

It was a pleasure meeting everyone and congratulations to you both!  Please enjoy a few of the photos from their Washington Duke Inn Wedding.

A very well known local photographer, Mike Bayley, took pity on my and helped me better understand the ins & outs of senior photography (Big thanks Mike!!!). The artistic side is a small piece of the puzzle as each school has different rules and guidelines when it comes to actually using senior photos in yearbooks. So, armed with my new found knowledge, I met Leigh & family in Downtown Raleigh (my favorite place) to walk around and shoot urban styled Raleigh senior portraits.

When I met Leigh, I immediately knew we would get along well, as long as the 1½ ft difference in height wasn’t too overwhelming. It wasn’t. She really posed it up for the camera and, by the end of the day (after walking probably 2 miles) we had such a great time, we kept shooting into the evening. For my first Senior Portrait session, it was a wonderful experience and something I will definitely look forward to doing again as often as possible.

So, on to a few of the photos!

We were originally slated to meet in Wrightsville beach for this family portrait session.  It was 4th of July weekend and while I knew it would be busy, I had no idea how bad traffic would be at 4pm.  I think it took 45 minutes to go 1 mile.  I ended up calling my clients and turning around to meet them in Topsail as it didn’t make sense to have them come through the same traffic also.  So up to Topsail Beach I went and, honestly, it was a smart decision.  The beaches were fairly open and they have beautiful dunes, houses and all around gorgeous scenery.   I hope you enjoy a few photos from the session.

This trip was no different.  Since we shot in the morning & early afternoon, the heat wasn’t too bad (from the weather – my clients, however, are smokin hot) so we were able to walk all over the area and work with some lovely gritty backdrops that are perfect for this type of photography.  Wilmington wedding photographers have a lovely diversity of scenery at their fingertips and, during my short duration here, I took advantage of it all.  As we were finishing up the session, I think we all realized that no food had been consumed so we stopped by the “Slice of Life” for a few slices of really good pizza.  Another reason to walk around and see what you can find – great pizza!

I want to thank Elizabeth & Jeremy for making the trip, being so awesome to work with and generally having a great time with my in Wilmington, NC.  It was a blast working with you both and I cannot wait for your wedding!

We had over 60 people in attendance plus WRAL (Raleigh TV Station) also paid us a visit.  It just happened to be when I was speaking which, admittedly, made me a tad bit nervous.  The presentation I gave was really an incredible experience for me and, hopefully, everyone in attendance.  Speaking at a wedding photography convention is incredibly challenging and rewarding at the same time.  The room was filled with people who inspire me and, hopefully, I inspire in return.

The 2nd day of the convention involved mentoring sessions for wedding & portrait photographers and two “lens lessons” which involved all 5 speakers leading their own hands on photography demonstration.  My photography class was on “Guerrilla Lighting” techniques and how to use often overlooked lighting and techniques to get a stronger photo.  Wedding photographers rarely have the luxury of time or controlled areas to work in and I pride myself on taking these “disadvantages” and using them to get truly unique photographs.

Overall, it was the most rewarding experience I have had the pleasure of being a part of in my photography career.  We have already begun planning the 2011 Wedding Photographic Society convention and, if early thoughts are any indications, it is going to be fabulous!!!  I have posted a few shots below that I took during my lens lessons.  I will be posting a few photos of me speaking in the near future.

What photography style is your style? Has that ever crossed your mind? The majority of us go about our lives without thinking so much about whether we have a traditional taste versus modern or contemporary. It’s not something we consciously ponder throughout our life, until our wedding, family reunion or promotion comes up that it can make all the difference.

A photographer’s style can be as diverse as a style of home. When you are looking to buy a house, you have specific requirements atoned to your personal taste, and finding the right photographer isn’t much different.

You want a photographer that will bring out the essence of you, whether it is the highlights in your hair or holding your newborn in the right light. You want your pose to be just right for that picture that’s going on your new business cards or brochure and captured in the right way. Are you traditional? Are you modern? Do you like candid shots that offer a creative edge?

Look no further than your neighborhood photographer who will offer you creativity, originality, professionalism and experience. Look to your Raleigh NC photographer that offers all of this and more.

Have you always wanted a professional portrait done of you or your family but never found the time to actually do it? Raleigh NC photographers offer depth to their pictures, creativity unlike any other and proven testimonials from past clients so you know what you’re getting before you commit. Mostly, they listen to your needs.

Have you ever hired a photographer with your hard earned money, told them your specifications for the job but instead they just listened to their own? Chances are you didn’t hire a Raleigh NC photographer. Raleigh NC is filled with award-winning photographers and from a wide range of specialties: wedding, new baby, commercial, senior portraits and more. They offer you what you want, specify and desire and without overcharging.

Raleigh NC photographers work with their home turf, which is nothing short of a beautiful and natural landscape. Raleigh photographers know the area and are full of portrait suggestions should you want them. Do you want to be photographed with the state park as your background, or the plentiful oak trees that make Raleigh so popular?

What about the beaches, cityscape view or the golf courses? No matter what your taste is, your Raleigh NC photographer can offer you a beautiful package of everything you dream of for your portrait and more. You know what you’re paying for before you commit and in turn are handed error- proof portraits to last you a lifetime. Guaranteed.

Who wants to buy a house and later realize it doesn’t reflect them? Choosing a photographer is an individualistic choice as well, but when you look to Raleigh NC for your photography needs, you’re getting the best because simply you deserve the best. And your Raleigh NC photographer knows that.

Back to the top Raleigh NC Photographer

The day started off with Carly getting ready in the reception hall just behind the church.  I had never been inside this building before so it was nice to get a first hand look at the hall before the festivities started.  As Carly was getting her hair & makeup done, after a few photos of course, I headed up to the sanctuary where James and his brothers/best men were getting dressed.  The sanctuary was built in 1856 and added onto over the years.  This makes the interior a pretty cool place with lots of neat features that are very historic in creation literally beside cutting edge technology.  My one favorite was the old art deco door with a round glass cutout (never did walk thru that door though).  In my opinion, Raleigh Wedding Photographers really have the best of both worlds with both urban and rural churches within an easy commute.

The bride came up shortly after and, well, we had a wedding!  This church just recently allowed wedding photographers back into the sanctuary after, well, let’s just call it an incident with a not-so-professional wedding photographer.  This was exciting news for me as the interior is gorgeous and I couldn’t wait to photograph the ceremony.  After the ceremony and formals, we opted to go straight into the reception as the thermometer was still showing “broil” outside.  We had 3 great dances and a few tears, of course, to start off the reception.  Food was in plentiful supply and the cake cutting started off a “smashing” affair. 

Carly and James chose a bubble wedding exit and with no wind, it made it perfect to photograph them coming out of the reception hall.  We met in downtown Fuquay-Varina to catch up on the portraits we missed due to the heat.  It was still hot outside but with the sun going down, it was bearable and made for some lovely light to work in.

I’d like to thank Carly, James & their parents for their hospitality and graciousness!  Congratulations to you all and I hope you enjoy the photos!

We had everyone on deck for Carly’s bridal portrait with her mother and sister coming out to help.  We could not have asked for a more beautiful day and, as such, the gardens were teeming with people.  While my life is certainly not like this, people rarely see a bride outside of a wedding so, of course, we had our own gaggle of spectators watching us work.  Carly handled the attention like a pro and we ended up with some beautiful portraits for her wedding day.   I hope you enjoy a few of her Duke Gardens Bridal Portraits.

We started off at the Renaissance hotel where Meri was getting ready.  After a little bridal preparation and family photography, Meri hopped into a Rolls Royce and rode to Duke Chapel with her father.  Interestingly enough, generally when I have an idea for a shot, something always seems to throw a wrench into the place but, fortunately,this day the stars aligned and I was able to get the shot I had visualized.  When you have a limo, classic car, etc, they will park directly in the center of the driveway.  Fortunately, there were no other cars around so I was able to get the shot I wanted with the Rolls Royce in front of the hotel without it being congested by other vehicles.  The shot of the Rolls Royce in front of the Renaissance Hotel was one I had always wanted.  I’ve shot a quite a few Duke Chapel Weddings, so I wanted to photograph the Rolls Royce again in front of the chapel but, as you can see from the photos, it was a great thing I got it in front of the hotel as time was limited after the ceremony.

The day was, well, a little warm (95f) so we limited what we were doing outside to a few quick portraits.  Besides, with Duke Chapel weddings, you can’t throw a rock without hitting a great spot for photography.  After the grooms & bride’s portraits, we headed inside the chapel for the ceremony.  On the way out, as it tends to happen in North Carolina, the heat had built up and summer thunderstorms were rolling in quick.  While a little nervous we were going to get soaked, I managed to get a couple of quick shots in front of the chapel with some beautifully menacing skies in the background.   As we left the chapel, it poured… when I say poured, I mean dogs and cats were stuck on my windshield wipers.

We had planned more photographs at a gazebo and headed in that direction hoping to outrun the rain.  As an aside, Wade sings in the Duke Choir for other Duke Chapel Weddings and events so I think he had an arrangement with someone to hold off the rain as we arrived at the Gazebo, it was dry with still more beautiful skies.  We, quite literally, just got back into our cars before more huge & juicy raindrops fell.  At the Renaissance hotel, the food was hot, drinks were cold and the halls were packed full of wedding guests.  After everyone entered into the wedding reception, Wade and Meri shared a lovely choreographed first dance as the dance floor was surrounded by their family and friends.  As the evening continued, it was obvious how happy every person was for Wade & Meri – cheering at every kiss and clinking their glasses at every opportunity!

Wade & Meri – Thank you so much for having me as your wedding photographer.  It was such a pleasure working with you both!

So, as you can imagine, it was the day of the wedding when I finally met Nick. We got to know each other a bit while I was busy with the wedding photography and, while talking, I tried to hide my amazement that somehow, almost every groomsman he had was taller then I was (and I’m 6’5″).

The wedding took place in downtown Raleigh NC at the 1st Presbyterian church and the reception was held at the Crabtree Marriott in Raleigh. It was an absolutely gorgeous day and Amber made for a breathtaking bride! I really enjoyed working with the both of them and their families through the day (and night) and I look forward to their return from the honeymoon to show off some of the amazing wedding photos we were able to capture on their joyous occasion.

Before I start getting into everything, I will say it was 95 degrees outside and both the ceremony and reception were, you guessed it, outside.  Despite the heat, both the bride & the groom looked awesome and we were lucky enough to be in a chauffeured golf cart to do couples shots around the museum of life & science complex.  I think we probably covered two miles in the cart so I would like to send a special thanks out to Rachel, our driver and venue coordinator for helping us!  In the end, we drove thru every part of the museum and got some absolutely wonderful photographs from around the complex including the lake, dinosaurs, rock climbing and we tried for the wolves but they stayed inside where it was cool!

As the ceremony started, the sun gave us a break and went behind the clouds to give beautiful lighting and a beautiful blue sky.  There ceremony was mostly traditional with a few Jewish elements thrown in.  The mothers planted a flower as part of the ceremony and Erika & Corey watered it as a symbol of the marriage.  I haven’t seen this done before so I definitely thought it was pretty cool.  After the ceremony, and a few high fives, we all hopped on a train and took a few turns around the track.  I was lucky enough to be able to ride on the locomotive and get some great, great shots while dodging the occasional tree branch.

Back at the reception, after some really heartfelt toasts, dances and, of course, an awesome dinner, the party got started with some champagne and great music!  Before we knew it the night had slipped by and it was time to leave for the evening.  Even after going all day, the party was still hopping and I heard alot of plans to continue it in downtown Durham somewhere.

Congratulations to you both Corey & Erika!  Thank you so much for having me capture your day!  It was a lovely wedding and I hope you love your photos!

On Saturday, I met the bride at the Washington Duke Inn for their wedding ceremonies.  The Hindu ceremony was first and as all the ladies prepared, I felt like I was in the middle of a tornado!  Don’t get me wrong, I am used to being in the middle of a flurry of activity, but with the beautiful and vibrant colors, around 12 people in the room and all the ceremonial accoutrement with a Hindu Wedding, I almost went into photography overload.  So many wonderful photographs to be taken.  Anyway, before I digress, with the ladies in their final stages of wedding preparations,  I headed over to the groom’s room where Twix bars and jokes were the orders of the day.  In stark contrast to teh flurry of activity in the Bride’s room, David and the guys were relaxing and David only looked slightly nervous about his upcoming ride on a horse for the Barat.

We all headed downstairs and into the Washington Duke Inn parking lot for the Barat (Hindu wedding element where the groom rides a horse to meet the brides family surrounded by his family and friends).  As we made our way thru the parking lot, everyone was singing, dancing and, well, just making great photography moments for me!  Of course it wasn’t for me, but I certainly took advantage of it.  Once David had dismounted and gone inside, more traditions followed.  I will have to let the images speak for themselves on this because I don’t want to get the names and meanings wrong.  Either way, it was a beautiful entrance and from here everyone entered into the ceremony room.  After the exchanging of wreaths, everyone sat under a beautiful Mandap (Made by JW Walton) and the ceremony began.  The bride’s parents are very involved in Hindu ceremonies so they also sat in with Gita & David while coconuts, flower petals and other items were exchanged.  After the Hindu ceremony ended, we got a few quick formals then back up to the room to change for the Jewish ceremony.

Back downstairs for the Jewish ceremony, the couple signed the Ketubah (a marriage agreement of sorts) and then started the Jewish wedding ceremony.  With the exchange of the rings, the smashing of the glass and, of course, a big “Mavel Tov” from everyone at the wedding, we ran outside for more formals and some one-on-one time with the now twice married couple while their guests enjoyed their cocktail hour.

Once into the wedding reception (which if you haven’t been to a Washington Duke Inn Wedding, is something everyone should experience), things got started immediately by a dancing entrance by the wedding party then into the first dance.  For being a big guy, I think I blended in pretty well because I got some of my favorite candids during Gita & David’s first dance.  I want to talk more about the reception food but first, I would need a dictionary and, second, I could write another two pages.  Let’s just say it was fantastic!  After the toasts, cake cutting and bouquet toss, I think every wedding guest was out on the dance floor helping the happy couple celebrate their wedding.  Even though it felt like it could go on until the morning, the evening eventually came to a close and the lovely couple exited to a flower toss (of which I had to include two photos – as one is just hilarious) and the evening came to a close.

Gita & David – It has been a real honor to work with you and I hope you enjoy your wedding photos!

Back to the top of Washington Duke Inn Wedding

We visited every corner of the Gardens, photographing and generally just having a great time.  My engagement sessions tend to take on a life of their own as I want to make sure my clients are really themselves.  So as we walked around the gardens we would just pick a place that looked cool and started working there.  With the cloudy skies we weren’t limited in where we could shoot and we certainly took advantage of it.

After the Duke Gardens, we went into downtown Durham to get more urban surroundings.  Now, it has been some time since I did a “walkabout” in downtown Durham.  I was really impressed with the art, boutique shops, restaurants and just the overall feel of the area.  Last time I was down here, let’s just say it wasn’t like this.  We promptly got lost walking around (disclaimer – not really lost, just no idea where we really were).  and found the absolute coolest places to photograph.  This is why I love walkabouts…  you run into things you would just never find otherwise.

At the end of the night, we were treated to a spectacular sunset.   I mean spectacular!!!  I kept telling Anna & Steve “One more time” as I couldn’t bear not shooting everything possible with that gorgeous backdrop.  I’m really looking forward to shooting your wedding in November and I hope you enjoy the photos!

Brook and Ashley are getting married at the Mast Farm inn next year so, in keeping with that theme, getting some Duke Gardens Engagement Photos definitely was fitting.  The skies were nice enough to hold off on us and provided some really cool light to shoot their engagement session with.  I’ve been to Duke Gardens on quite a few occasions for bridal portraits, wedding and engagement sessions but, for some reason, I had never really gone over to one side of the area.  Not sure why but Brook and Ashley knew their way around and it was like discovering an entirely new world.  A beautiful white bridge spanning the water and, what I can best describe as a jigsaw bridge were just two features that we came across.  There are so many beautiful places in the gardens that, honestly, I could take photos everyday for a year and still not cover the entire park.

I’d like to wish Brook & Ashley a very happy engagement and am really looking forward to your wedding next year!  Here are a few photos to enjoy!

Having never shot a Rock Barn Wedding, I really had no idea what to expect.  So I started my day really early and went with my wife, Ginger Mullins, to do the bride and bridesmaids wedding day makeup.  When we pulled into the “neighborhood”, it hit me that the Rock Barn Golf & Spa really was a destination and all of the outlying areas (condos & homes) were vacation property and available to rent.  Kristin did exactly that getting a beautiful 4 bedroom condo for her and her bridesmaids to sleep in and prepare for her wedding.  As Ginger worked on the makeup, Lynette (from Douglas Carroll Salon in Raleigh) worked on the hair.  I, being the helpful wedding photographer that I am, didn’t get in the way.  Of course, I shot a few photos of everyone getting their hair & makeup done but as we had 4½ until we had to leave, I tried to spare everyone the obnoxiousness of a camera constantly going off.  Little did I know I’d have plenty of chances to get more makeup shots soon. 

As we got to the church and everyone started getting ready I ran into Shawn Schindler, a very talented wedding planner in Raleigh making sure all the details were in place and helping the bride & groom with whatever they needed.  These moments before the wedding really are my favorites as the emotions are really showing and so many months of planning come to fruition.  As Kristin opened a card from Todd, the tears started flowing and well, it was just a great moment.  During the ceremony, I could see huge smiles on both of their faces even from the church balcony.  I’ve had a great run of awesome kisses and this was no exception!  I think I counted 3 of them and a hug for good measure.  After the church formals, we headed over to their parents house to get a shot of them with their longtime friend, a beautiful boxer named Dallas.  Unfortunately their dog has cancer so this was a very important photo for them.

At the Rock Barn, the couple was introduced to 150 of their friends and family and shared a beautiful first dance.  After a great dinner, we headed outside to get some portrait work with just the two of them under the most glorious storm clouds I have seen this year.  To say I am happy with the results is an understatement…  back inside to the parents dances where the father of the bride had a nice surprise – slipping in Bubba teeth during their dance.  If you aren’t familiar with Bubba teeth, please see the photo below.  This pretty much summed up the entire day.  So much emotion, laughter, joy & tears.  What a great wedding and they happy couple left to a sparkler send off back to their condo.

Kristin & Todd, thank you so much for allowing me to capture your wedding.  I truly enjoyed getting to know you and your entire family & friends.  I hope you enjoy the photos below!

The best news about this is the cost! It’s only $150 for two days of immersive learning from working wedding photographers. The convention will differ from a workshop in there will be ample opportunities to network with other photographers, set up your own shoots, party down with members of the Raleigh wedding industry on Sunday night and, the best part, we are donating all proceeds from the mentor sessions & party (party is free, donations are asked for) to Give Kids the World.

This convention will be huge and just to name a few sponsors we have supporting us:

B&H Photo
Finao Albums
Kendall Hartcraft
Alienskin Software
Marathon Press
ProDPI

This workshop is also different in one huge respect.  There will be nothing on a table in the back of the room for sale.  We have had an overwhelming response so far and the mentor sessions are almost all gone! To get more information please visit the Wedding Photographic Society. If you have any questions you can email me directly from my website or from the WPS website.  Look forward to seeing you there!!!