However, it can be overwhelming.

As I’ve grown my business over the years, I’ve come to rely on a few very trustworthy, honest and talented people.  The busier I get, the more I have come to rely on them.  I am very honored to finally announce I have made it “official”, so to speak, and brought on one of these people full time into my business.  Jenn has worked with me, off an on, for the past 4 years and been an immeasurable part of our growth.  This month we finally made it official and gave her own brianmullinsphotography.com email address.

You can read more about Jenn on our Raleigh Wedding Photographers info page.  We tend to share a brain so if you call or email (or she calls or emails you), and get Jenn instead of me, rest assured that she knows my business just as well as I do.

So, welcome Jenn!  Here are a few fun shots we did of her in my studio.

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When I arrived that afternoon to start the shoot, the views, to say the least, were breathtaking and I literally had to compose myself for a moment before coming up with a game plan.  The location was, of course, gorgeous but when you add in the furnishings and design elements, it took it to a whole new level.  Each project I have worked with for design lines has really showed how talented they are with interiors – from simple color palette choices to entirely re-designing a room in a house.  Needless to say, I’m thrilled every time I work with them.

The photo shoot covered 3 main rooms – the living space, the master bedroom and the study.  We made the decision to photograph the main room with a  few different “looks”, both during the day and in the evening to capture the ambient light in downtown.  I’m thrilled to say design lines has submitted their images from this condo into a competition – here’s to hoping they win!

So without further ado, here are a few shots from the day!

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As you probably know I have been teaching a few Apex photography classes on Sundays.  On 4/15, I had a full class come out for a very hands on, jam packed class that has about 3 hours of classroom time and 3 hours of hands on shooting.  The classroom time was mostly spent on mechanics, adjusting your camera, flash techniques, natural light techniques and, most importantly, how to make it work for you.  The best (in my opinion) topic of the day was the auto modes vs manual mode.  The pitfalls of having the cameras make your decisions, even partially, vs the benefit of having it work faster. My goal for every class is to have each participant come out with a solid knowledge of WHY something look great, and more importantly, why it doesn’t look great.

I’ve got a few shots below that I took throughout the day to help illustrate the points we were covering.  I’ve explained each setup below to help not only everyone who was in the class see the results I got (as well as their own), but also let anyone who wanted to take the class see the results. tury painter used in their masterpieces, window light!) This was shot using a “pool” of light coming from windows in two rooms, then being funneled down by two doors.

Working with natural light (using what every 17th century painter used in their masterpieces, window light!) This was shot using a “pool” of light coming from windows in two rooms, then being funneled down by two doors.

Inside my studio using cool lights. Similar setup to using natural light but with more control.

Attendees shooting a setup using no direct light but indirect light bouncing off of a white wall (camera left, out of frame)

More practice turning the model INTO the primary light source (we found by looking at shadows). Completely covered overhead with open sides – aka “open shade”

Charlotte working with moving the subject AWAY from the wall to create a more polished photo.

How do you deal with direct sunlight? Turn your subject away and backlight them with the sun. No flash was needed for this particular shot (although you may need to fill flash)

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Thru my work with the WPS, I got to know the guys over at Alien Skin.  They have been one of the founding companies that has always stood behind the idea of helping other photographers and never failed to absolutely amaze us with their support.  They contacted me and request I consult with them regarding new product development & refinement – ya, I thought that was pretty cool as well.  I started with consulting about the UI for an upcoming version of one of their products, specifically for the user interface, the workflow process and how I would change things to make it faster, more intuitive and, well, just a better experience.  From that meeting with the programmers,  I received an email from the CEO asking me if I would be interested in writing articles for their blog.

Uh, ya!

So, make sure to look for my articles on their blog.  You should be checking it out anyway because they really do have some fabulous stuff on there.  All kinds of helpful tricks and tips for photography, software and lots of other goodies, all without talking you into buying their products.  If you haven’t checked them out before, I’ll happily recommend you look at “Blow-Up“, “Bokeh” and “Exposure 4” – 3 great products that are really fantastic to work with and, personally, saved me LOADS of time in post processing.

After you do that, make sure you take a look at my first post introducing, well, me, to their readers!

Brian Mullins – Alien Skin Guest Blogger

Since this post was about me, I’m throwing in a few random shots that I’ve taken recently!  Enjoy!  All of the shots with my banner were taken by me.  The ones of me (and the one of me and Cristobal Perez) were taken by Stacy Borelli.

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Like almost every bride I’ve worked with, there is always the nerves to work out.  Each bride is different, of course, in how long that takes.  Mandy was, well, about as good as it gets.  After the first few shots, and of course letting her see the results, we really got into it and really got some stunning portraits.  I’m so glad the wait is over now and I can finally post these as it’s definitely one of my favorite bridal portrait sessions I’ve ever had the pleasure of photographing.  I hope you enjoy Mandy’s State Club Bridal Portraits!

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After talking it over with her, we decided to get permission to use the High School softball field as one part of her portraits.  The field was actually in pristine condition and we got lucky with a beautifully sunny day to photograph her.  Now Alyssa in many ways is a typical high school student.  Active in sports, definitely has a sense of humor and was a little cautious or, nervous, when we first started.  After shooting a couple of frames and showing her the results, we went from cautious to wide-open!

The 2nd part of the shoot we spent in a large open field that used to have a great old barn (until a tornado took it out).  The field itself though is still gorgeous and you’ll probably recognize it from a few of my other portrait sessions.  The sun was getting low in the horizon and we were really able to grab the waning light to produce a few really stunning pictures of her.

I want to thank Alyssa for being such a great client and having so much fun with me on the shoot!  As always, here of her senior pictures.

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We had a small studio for our use and had 14 people in class – including WRAL executives and some of the best videographers in the business.  Nervous, sure, excited?  Absolutely!  We opted to use their existing lighting for the portraits so it was a true pleasure, and a little surreal presenting to such an accredited and talented audience showing the physics and nature of their own gear.  The class had many of the same elements as my normal photography 101 course, but for this course we really focused on lighting, angles and shadowing.  I can honestly say this was a true high point for my photography career and I am truly honored to be consulting with them for future projects!

As always, here are a few choice photos from that class!

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At this point I think everyone’s head was really full so we moved to the shooting portion where we used both natural light, on camera AND off camera flash.  This is where I stopped talking and everyone started shooting.  When you’re talking about camera operation and light in theory, it’s easy to make the connections.  When shooting though, many times that knowledge gets shortcut by the pressure of taking the shot, so this part of the class was really essential for us.  I am very happy to announce everyone in the class did a truly fabulous job and 100% passed the challenge – get one shot of a backlit subject using a manual off camera flash – with only one shot!  5 photographers, 1 exposure each on a subject that is, honestly, pretty difficult.  They really rocked the house on that shot!

As we ran late we decided to reconvene on another day and shoot in downtown Raleigh to practice what we’ve learned and put the natural light and flash techniques into practice. All future classes will be longer as I think the course material is perfect but want to allot more time to practice them.

I want to thank everyone who came out and give you my most sincere admiration in how far we progressed in just a few hours!  Happy shooting!  Here are a few photos of the class (with me in them) and lastly a shot taken with (gasp) on-camera direct flash.  That was just one of the techniques we learned in class.  Hope to see you at the next one!

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I spoke with one of the truly wonderful locations in Raleigh, the Renaissance at North Hills and got their permission to use their gorgeous property for the wedding portraits.  Not only is the inside of the property simply stunning, the surrounding grounds are simply perfect for an evening wedding portrait session.  I really cannot express how much I enjoy shooting these.  We had plenty of time, can make the small tweaks that, for me, take a really good photo and make it into a great one!  I hope you enjoy a few photos from Morgan & Matt’s wedding portrait session!

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I have recently made a commitment to be “arrested” for the Muscular Dystrophy Association on April 19^th. I need your help to bail me out. I am very excited to be a part of this Lock Up event and have set my goal at $2,500. This will send three children to summer camp or provide over 30 minutes of life saving research for our local families. Any donation you can make will be appreciated. Keep in mind that $30 pays for a flu shot and $74 pays for a minute of research.

You can make a secure online donation at www2.mda.org/goto/brianmullins or get in touch with me to make a check or cash donation. The donations are tax deductible and a receipt will be provided upon request.

The Eastern North Carolina District office located in Raleigh currently serves 18 counties with over 1,100 individuals living with a form of Muscular Dystrophy.  Funds raised through these Lock Up events benefit these individuals by providing extensive patient service programs through MDA clinics at Duke and University of North Carolina, our ongoing worldwide research and a week long summer camp for children and young adults.

Get excited with me about helping MDA find a cure. Thank you in advance for helping me break out of jail while providing hope for the local families served by the MDA.

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Anyway, for all of those who worry about having enough time on the day or weather infringing on your plans, day after sessions are a great way to get gorgeous wedding photos whether you wanted to spend more time with your guests or the weather/facility would not permit it.  I hope you enjoy a few select photos below!

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Brian had bought Lauren a gorgeous cello some time ago and he had an idea to shoot a portrait session with it.  After some discussion, we combined ideas and came up with Lauren playing the cello in a large field.  Combine that with a few spectacular dresses and some (what I would call) a pretty good photographer and you get some spectacular results!  I hope you enjoy a few photos from her session!

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There are no DVD’s on sale in the back of the room and I have a small book written that will cover all of what we discuss (plus a little more) to take home to reinforce what we discuss.

This class is not your basic community college course.  We will be throwing the cameras over to manual mode and adjusting everything ourselves to understand how the camera “sees” and how you can control it to manipulate the scene.   I can assure you, you will leave this class with a full brain.

For more information and details on how to register, please visit:  http://www.brianmullinsphotography.com/photography-101-classes

There are only 5 seats available in this class to insure plenty of one on one time with each participant.

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Maria and Scott both got ready at Fearrington Village – Maria in suite #1 and Scott was in the Red Room (yes, it’s really red) so it made moving back and forth really easy while keeping the couples hidden from each other.  If you aren’t familiar with how Fearrington Village Weddings and run, the B&R are in totally separate buildings to avoid any “accidental” run ins which also makes the photography part so much easier.  Did I mention it’s gorgeous out here?  You honestly would have to TRY and find a bad background. 

So as the ceremony go underway, the area itself was partially shaded with dappled light casting in thru the trees with a very bright background.  Not exactly the easiest scenario to photograph in but with such a gorgeous location, it was a spectacular ceremony.  I had my 2nd shooter go in behind the couple (hidden by shrubs – insert Ninja joke here) and get some really great captures of the bridge and groom during the ceremony.  After the ceremony, we all headed into the Fearrington sun room for champagne, some really yummy snacks and quick round of congratulations before we started the formals.  With the sun setting, I got some stunning (If I’m allowed to brag) photos of the (now) happily married couple in the garden area.  You may have noticed a little more drama in my portrait work lately.  I think it’s definitely a direction I am heading to add more texture into my work.

Their reception was actually held in a new location for me at the Fearrington – in the Garden Terrace.  The Terrace is a separate building that can either be open air or closed off, depending on the season complete with a gorgeous fireplace, wooden hearth and a gorgeous view of the brick pathways on the property.  Now each wedding reception is different and this one definitely had all the elements the happy couple and I had discussed – dancing, time to spend with family & friends, a few funny moments and, well, just a really wonderful celebration from a close knit group of people.

As always, here are a few various photos from Maria & Scott’s Fearrington Village Wedding!

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On their wedding day, both Shannon and Barrett had the familiar nervous excitement and as both the wedding and reception were being held at the Umstead Hotel and Spa, were surrounded by all their family and friends.  I really enjoy it when everything is at the same location because it means, generally, everyone is around and it makes for great getting ready photos!  Barrett and the guys were already dressed when we arrived and were waiting in the lounge area eating so delightful barbeque sandwiches while the ladies were getting their hair & makeup done downstairs. After everyone was ready, we had a wonderful opportunity to photograph the bridal party and each individual member before the ceremony.

As Barrett is a meteorologist, Shannon had requested perfect wedding weather – which indeed we received.  Partly cloudy, slightly cool weather made for a gorgeous outdoor wedding ceremony on the Umstead Lawn.  After the wedding, we shot outdoor formals as the sun was setting the headed up to the reception in the Umstead Ballroom.  The entire wedding and reception was sprinkled with personality – from the drink menu to the chalk blackboards with their initials to the personalized cookies at each seat – the wedding was really planned out to perfection.

I think their best man is in the running for the funniest toast of the year and the wedding reception itself definitely had the most people dancing at once (I think I saw maybe 10 people sitting down, everyone else was bootyshaking).  We ended off the wedding with some of my favorite evening portraits of the year using the Terrace and outdoor fireplace at the Umstead hotel as a backdrop.  We actually also did a day after session which, honestly, is tied for my favorite session of the year as well, but that is for another blog post.

I’d like to thank Shannon, Barrett and their families for their overwhelming graciousness and hospitality.  It’s the reason I love photographing weddings so much!  As always, here are a few selections from Shannon and Barrett’s Umstead Hotel and Spa wedding!

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For my very first Carolina Inn Wedding,  to add a little irony, it was also the very first time I had met Elizabeth & Andrew as they live in Louisiana and decided to travel to Chapel Hill for their wedding.  First of all, the suite Elizabeth was getting ready in was, well, gorgeous.  I knew from experience the Carolina Inn was a gorgeous facility but their bridal suite really caught me by surprise.  With hardwood floors, antique carpets, solid wood wardrobes, wall sconces and even a butlers closet, the room really is fit for royalty!  It really was a perfect location for my gorgeous clients as their entire wedding literally oozed class and the  understated southern charm you’d come to expect from people in the deep south.

The day of the wedding, the weather could not have been more perfect.  The nice part about having your wedding at the Carolina Inn is the sheer amount of locations, both at the hotel and around the downtown area, you have to have a wedding ceremony.  Elizabeth & Andrew wanted an outdoor wedding ceremony and the Bryan Courtyard at the Carolina Inn offered the perfect setting.  Just off the sun room, the courtyard is shaded by a huge oak tree and has a charming patio that overlooks the entire area.  One of my favorite officiants, Barbara Lodge, presided over their afternoon ceremony (and lollipop eating – check the photos).

After the wedding ceremony was complete, we strolled around the Carolina Inn grounds photographing wedding portraits for the couple.  There are, quite honestly, so many areas we didn’t get a chance to visit (which says a lot about the gorgeous grounds of the Carolina Inn) but with Elizabeth & Andrew giving me free reign, we really got some gorgeous photos.  Their reception was held in the historic Old Well room and the party was emcee’d by Alan of Spin.  Even though this was a Sunday wedding (which historically are tamer then Saturday weddings), Alan got the crowd jumping and before you knew it, the entire crowd was on the dance floor.

I want to really thank Elizabeth & Andrew for their endless hospitality, graciousness and, well, awesomeness!  It was a real honor to be present for your wedding and I am so happy I captured your day!  As always, here are some select photos from their Carolina Inn Wedding!

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Emily and I had coordinated completely over the phone as she lives out of town.  So the day of the wedding was the first time we had actually met in person, but having talked with her and her Mom over the preceding months, it really felt like like we had known each other for some time.  Emily and Patrick both got ready at the Kirk of Kildaire, in separate areas of course, but it makes getting shots of the both of them during the getting ready pretty easy.  We had plenty of time before the ceremony so I could actually play with the dress a bit and use the unique layout of the church to my advantage.  We took the guys outside to get their individual and group shots and, during this time, I realized that, well, they came to party!  Not at the church mind you, at the reception. 

After a great moment with Emily and her father seeing each other, we headed into the ceremony area.  Now, I am used to walking into churches that are, well, dark, but this was a real treat!  Floor to ceiling windows flooded the entire sanctuary with a gorgeous natural light and it made photographing there a real pleasure!  The ceremony was gorgeous and the church staff was honestly a real pleasure to work with.  After the ceremony and couples formals (including getting a bridal portrait beside a tree her father planted at the church when she was born), we headed over to the Renaissance Hotel for their wedding reception.

Now, the Renaissance Hotel in North Hill is a really gorgeous location and the architecture and art hanging on the walls.  So being able to photograph a wedding or reception here is really a treat.  The hotel staff is incredible and it seems like every time I have a wedding here, the celebration is, well, epic!  That was certainly the case with Emily & Patrick.  With the band getting the party started, and keeping it going, I think the entire congregation was on the dance floor.  It certainly made for some gorgeous photos and, even though Patrick will probably kill me for this, I had to post the “beer sling” photo.  Yes, it was that crazy!  After the party was over, I realized it felt like I had been in a full scale workout.  There was so much going on that I had shot a crazy amount of photos – almost all of them were spectacular shots also (except for a few shots of my shoes I always seem to get).

Patrick & Emily – thank you both so much for allowing me to capture your wedding day!  It’s always an honor for you to allow me into your lives on the first day of your new lives!  I had a wonderful time with you and both your families!  I hope you enjoy my view on your wedding and, of course, a few select wedding photos!

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We started their wedding day with Wendy getting ready in her parents home.   Words can really not describe how perfect it was for Wendy, her bridesmaids and family to all be in one location.  Of course, it helps when the master bathroom was the size of this one, but regardless, it was easy to see how relaxed the entire family and bridal party was just by being in familiar surroundings. We hung out for quite a while with the bride and her family getting to know everyone while still photographing the bride, all the preparations and details like the wedding gown, jewelry, shoes, programs, signs and, well, just name it, I probably got a shot of it.

The wedding was held at St Andrews Catholic Church in Apex, NC.  This was the first time I had been here and Wendy and her family had mentioned getting a shot with the fountain a few times.  In the hustle and bustle of the day, I filed that away as a “get” shot, but didn’t really go into it further – I’ll touch base on this after the ceremony.  I must say, St. Andrews is probably the most accommodating church I have had the pleasure of photographing in.   They actually reserved seats on both sides of the aisles for me, very near the front, so I could photograph without being a disruption.  I am a huge believer of it being a ceremony first and a photographic opportunity 2nd, so to have that done for me was very impressive (If anyone from the Church is reading this, thank you!).  After the Catholic ceremony and formal photos were complete, we headed back out to the fountain.  I went ahead of the group to get setup and saw the plaque on the fountain.  It was dedicated to Wendy’s brother, who passed away when he was 9 years old.  Now I always remind myself what the power of a photograph truly is – to remember.  When I took a moment to reflect on this however, it was pretty overwhelming and indeed one of the most special family photographs I have taken in my career.

We headed over to the Fearrington Village Wedding reception location, in the barn, and got to spend a little more time with the bridal party and, of course, the happily married couple.  The Fearrington Village is really gorgeous with no shortage of great locations for photography and we just touched on one corner of the property with the bride and grooms formal photos.  As the cocktail hour wore down, and the bridal party got ready to make their entrance, I noticed one thing.  People were ready to party.  LOL.  Seriously, I do this for a living and always love a good party, but the people were really primed and Jim Unger from Joe Bunn DJ Company was ready to light the fuse!

As the reception got down to business, one of the best toasts of the year was delivered by Wendy’s father.  I hope when my daughter gets married I’ll have that amount of poise, tact and humor. From here, well, the party just exploded and everyone, including myself and my assistant, got pulled onto the dance floor (thankfully I have not yet seen any photographic evidence that would convict me) and Jim literally blew the doors off the hinges.  By the end of the evening, I was literally exhausted with all of the nonstop activity.

I want to really extend my heartfelt gratitude to the wonderful families of Tyler and Wendy who were an absolute delight to work with.  Now, as always, here are a few choice photos from Tyler & Wendy’s Fearrington Village Wedding!

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Snipes Farm Retreat consists of a converted barn and surrounding buildings including an old grain silo (which I fell in love with as soon as I saw it), an outbuilding (for a bridal preparation area) and a small pond (with dock), and really just gorgeous fields all around.  This was the first time I have visited the farm and really look forward to going back whether it be to shoot, or attend, a wedding.

Melissa had her hair & makeup done at another location so when she arrived with all of her bridesmaids, they all went directly into the preparation room to get ready.  David arrived a few minutes later and was getting ready in the room “above” the reception hall area (not upstairs really as it’s a “ranch” style building, but there are stairs).  With it being a Jewish ceremony David & Melissa would see each other prior to the wedding for the Ketubah signing (which I always thought was a really cool element).  If you are not familiar with the Ketubah, it is essentially a marriage contract between the bride & groom and, more often then not, it’s completely in Hebrew.  The room was packed full of family & friends when Melissa, David and their two witnesses signed the Ketubah, making for some great wedding photos.

Shortly after the signing, we headed outside to the wedding ceremony area.  We had blue skies and a great breeze which made it a perfect day for a wedding!  As the ceremony progressed, I had a great opportunity to walk around a little (without being a distraction) and get a few different angles that are impossible in a church.  After the glass was broken and the couple recessed, we all got ready for the reception in the barn.  Another cool element of Jewish weddings are the fact that the couple goes away for a bit right after the ceremony, alone.  I’m not certain of the significance but David & Melissa had written cards to each other and took this opportunity to read those cards as well as grab a bite to eat before the reception.

Inside the Snipes Farm Retreat barn, the food was hot, drinks were cold, the Christmas lights wrapped around the wood beams (with tree branches) turned on and the DJ was getting everyone warmed up.  David & Melissa made their entrance and went right into their first dance while surrounded by their bridal party and family.  It was a very cozy setting that was really perfect for the wedding day the happy couple had envisioned.  As the night went on, the dance floor was packed and everyone really had a great time.  “Retreat” being in the name really was fitting as you could certainly feel the warm isolation of being on a farm but surrounded by family!

Congratulations to both David & Melissa on their gorgeous wedding!  Thank you both for having me at your wedding – it was truly an honor to get to know both you and your families!  As always, here are a few choice photos from their wedding!

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Because I was keeping tabs on them, I found out the wonderful news that Marianna & Brian were expecting their first child.  Marianna reached out to me from the West Coast to let me know she was wanting to shoot her maternity portraits in Raleigh when they came back into town.  Of course, in stark contrast, the day we scheduled to shoot her portraits was blisteringly hot and, given it was August, of course it was humid.

Marianna was, literally, open to anywhere and I had been kicking around an idea to shoot at a location I had never seen other photographers use.  The area is a river in Raleigh that I had always seen from above and it looked like it had awesome potential.  Little did we know how gorgeous of an area it was.  Of course, it was slightly difficult to actually traverse the terrain, but the end results were totally worth it.

I hope you enjoy a few choice photos from Marianna & Brian’s Raleigh Maternity session.

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Having never photographed at either Hayes Barton Baptist Church or the Stockroom before, I started my day a little early to setup lights and survey the church before the festivities got underway.  Mandy was getting ready at the Marriott City Center in downtown Raleigh, so it was a quick trip from their to both the Church and wedding reception.  There are so many different aspects of the wedding that I love but, honestly, being around while the bride is getting ready is definitely at the top.  It’s a great “quiet” time (well, most of the time it’s quiet) where I get to chat with the bride, her friends and family.  It really helps set the tone of the rest of the day and, as was the case for Mandy, just lends to the building excitement for the big day!

We headed over to the ceremony location where Mandy was getting dressed and I must say, it was a really great location!  I literally got to pick where the Mandy got dressed (of course I picked the prettiest room) with the best light.  Mandy & Cary decided to see each other before the ceremony and, yet another first for me, was having the bride give “bunny ears” to the groom before he turned around, LOL.  We got all the formal groups shot before the ceremony and, after we wrapped up, we all got a chance to kick back for a minute before the ceremony.  Hayes Barton church, having grown up in Raleigh, holds a special place in my heart as they’ve been broadcasting church services from there for quite some time.  Not to mention that many, many highly visible figures and politicians attend or hold services here.  So to shoot Mandy & Cary’s wedding was definitely a very cool treat for me.

After the ceremony, we headed down to the Stockroom in downtown where a live band, a huge assortment of delicious pies and cakes from Katrina at Sugarland were waiting for us.  While I will not incriminate myself, I can truthfully say WOW, the blackberry pie was amazing.    Surrounded by their close friends and family, Mandy and Cary came into the Stockroom (which has antique plank wood floors and exposed brick walls) and got right into their first dance.  After they and their parents danced, a great menu was presented (and subsequently decimated – it was that good) and a few emotional and funny toasts were shared, it was game on!  The band got the party started and the singer was in the middle of the dance floor keeping the party going.  Seriously, it was one of the most lively dance floors I have seen this year.

As we decided to head into the reception immediately following the wedding, we waited to do our couples portraits at night in and around downtown.  Unfortunately, the humidity was so overbearing that within 20 seconds of walking outside, my lenses completely fogged.  20 minutes later, they were still fogged so we stayed inside.  Call it divine intervention or just inspiration, but I think we made the right choice.  I hope you agree!

Mandy & Cary – thank you both for your overwhelming graciousness, hospitality and, well, just being so much fun to work with!  Here is a short sampling of their photos!

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In case you are a bit confused, here’s the explanation.  Chris & CJ decided to have their wedding in Cancun Mexico but have a reception locally so all of their family and friends could help them celebrate.  The Grand Marquise Ballroom, in Garner, is a gorgeous location which, before this wedding, I had not previously been in.  The room and foyer are all what you would expect to see in a high end ballroom with balconies, built in accent lighting (which changes colors), marble, mahogany, statues and, well, just an “air” about it.

As their friends and family weren’t present for the wedding, they decided to have an abbreviated ceremony at the reception before they started the party with their friends and family.  One of the really unique aspects of this wedding reception, given my unique nature of knowing Chris & CJ very well and having been a witness at their wedding ceremony, was they asked that I give a toast.  I was, well, quite honored and, of course, I did it.  I can honestly say that was a highlight of my career as a wedding photographer. After the toast and cake cutting (yes, my assistant did photograph me giving the toast), Ryan from Spin got the party going and before we knew it, the night was over (always the sign of a good party) and it was time to leave.

Now, you KNOW since Chris is a photographer we had to do some cool stuff.  We decided to get away from the Grand Marquise Ballroom and head into downtown Raleigh to get some urban portraits at night.  One of the surprises from the wedding was Chris renting Christine’s favorite car, a Dodge Charger, for them to leave the wedding reception from.  So, of course, we had to get that car into the act.

I want to thank Chris & CJ, from the bottom of my heart, for a wonderful experience with them through the past year.  I could not imagine your wedding being any more special, to me at least, then it was.  As always, here are a few choice photos from Chris & CJ’s wedding!

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The convention was held over 3 days and we a few of the best speakers currently touring – Amber Holrtiz, Neil Van Niekerk and John Michael Cooper (altF).   All in all, we had 12 speakers, 6 live shooting sessions and a HUGE industry party all arranged by the amazing team at Your Special Day.  Running these conventions is always an educational experience and with this being our 2nd year, we really, really raised the bar with the level of speakers, the activities and the overall operation and organization of the events.

On the 2nd day of the convention, I did a live shoot with one of my favorite models, Emily.  I did her senior portraits last year and this is the 2nd time she’s been involved in a lighting class, so ya, we’re pretty comfortable working with each other.  Without going into nauseous detail, we covered a few things in the photography class – shooting in bright sun, high speed syncing manual off camera strobes, bounce flash, blending flash with ambient, overpowering ambient then, finally, low light situations.  The photos below are from that session then a mini-session I did afterwards.

I want to thank everyone who came out both to the convention and those who attended my classes and shooting session.  I hope you enjoy the photos and, as always, if you had any questions about the class materials, please don’t hesitate to email me!

HSS on a Quantum T2 - 1/400th.

Lighting the backround THEN the foreground

Using a video light to create drama

Slightly changing the angle to create more drama

more video light work

Using a T2 with 20 degree grid

showing "ambient" helps it appear less flashed

Using a T2 with 20 degree grid

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Michelle & Kader’s wedding was much more of a wedding weekend for me as I covered the rehearsal, rehearsal dinner, after party, wedding and reception.  It was really a great change of pace for me to hang around for 2-3 days and document the entire event while really getting to know their family and friends.  The wedding ceremony (and, of course, rehearsal) took place in the NC Arboretum, which is an unbelievably gorgeous location (which makes me jealous of all Asheville Wedding Photographers)  nestled along the blue ridge parkway in Asheville, NC.  The outdoor amphitheater was a perfect setting with the stone steps leading down to the area which was surrounded by gorgeous pine trees.  One thing I learned about Asheville, the weather is even more fickle then the beach – raining one minute (just enough to spike the humidity) then the sun will come back out the next.  We did make it inside the bus just in the nick of time as the bottom dropped out of the sky.

Anyway, we headed over to the Grove Park Inn after the wedding rehearsal for a little dinner, a little dancing and a little dual piano bar hopping.  My last Grove Park Inn wedding was such a fun & gorgeous event I was really excited to be getting back again.  Dinner was served outside under a covered veranda with a breathtaking view of the mountains.  After dinner, and the best rapping toast I have ever heard (yes, I have heard more then one), we headed down to the dueling piano bar in the Grove Park Inn.   Funnily enough, I used to go to a dueling piano bar religiously so it was great to get back into one.  With quite a few people coming down with us, the wedding party essentially took over the entire corner of the bar and, well, I’ll let the photos do the talking.

The next day, the weather was perfect albeit a little warm for a mountain wedding.  After we knocked out the formal groupings before the wedding, we headed down to the ceremony area.  This time, not a cloud was in the sky and the entire ceremony went off without a hitch!  After the vows, the ring exchange and, of course, the kiss, we went up into a smaller area of the gardens where we could finish off a few formals, shoot a quick bridal portrait then the couples wedding portraits.  I much say, normally photographers are very picky about which direction we photograph (because we want a certain look & feel, and for it to be pretty of course).  In the NC Arboretum, you had to work to find a bad angle.  Seriously.

After Michelle, Kader & I wrapped up their couples portraits, we headed to their reception at the Crest Center on Crest Mountain.  This was yet another gorgeous location in the Asheville area with unlimited possibilities for photography.   I did get a few minutes outside, at dusk, with Kader & Michelle and, honestly, got one of my favorite photos of the year so far of them on the balcony.    The band was jamming, the food was great and the entire wedding party and congregation were having a ball.  It really felt like the night ended too soon as it was time for them to leave under a shower of sparklers.

I’d like to thank Michelle, Kader, their families and friends for such gracious hospitality and openness to having me around for the weekend.  I know this sounds a bit selfish, but it was a really wonderful experience for me as well as a gorgeous wedding weekend for you and your friends and family.  Thank you for having me come up with you!

I hope you enjoy a few photos from Michelle & Kader’s Asheville, NC Wedding!

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I will be blogging this wedding soon but if you wanted to check it out before I get a chance to write mine up, you can see if on their wedding photography website.  I did the actual writeup and provided the photos of the details (well, of the whole post of course) for their viewers.  I just took a quick peek at their monthly traffic and it’s pretty ridiculous.  Here’s to getting some great exposure!!!

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