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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Anyway, I’m catching up on some of the other shoots I’ve been doing over the year.  One of my favorites was the headshots for the CEO of the Museum of Life & Science in Durham, NC.  I did some commercial work with them last year to cover their gorgeous facility and they called me back to photograph their CEO.  It had been some time since his last shoot and we both decided to capture a few of the true “gems” they have at their facility.

We started out at one of the Apollo space capsules they have in the museum.  This actually was a much tougher shot then I imagined with the color of the lighting and the sheer lack of light in that part of the museum.  We moved over to the butterfly house (talk about a change of scenery in a hurry) then the insectarium where one of the insect handlers brought out a really cool surprise.  We finished off the session outside on the dinosaur trail where it was a steamy 90 degrees.  Barry, the CEO, was a great sport throughout it all and we ended up with some great headshots for their promotions.

I hope you enjoy the photos!

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The Hall & Gardens at Landmark, located in Garner, NC, has both an interior location for wedding receptions and a gorgeous outdoor garden area for ceremonies.  To be honest, it’s a very understated area so when you do pull into the area, it’s agreat and unexpected surprise. As it was my first time here (outside of Amber’s bridal portrait), and not having photographed a “live” event, it was a great treat to get play during their preparation times in both the brides and grooms rooms.  The guys room is a true testament to “guys”.  With a wet bar, floor to ceiling wood paneling (including the floor and ceiling), the room has a richness that parallels old speakeasy’s during prohibition.  While it could of been a photographers nightmare, the windows allowed a beautiful flood of light that made for perfect photos.

Jared had a great trick up his sleeve for a gift for his lovely bride.  She had been eyeing a coach purse, apparently for some time, so Jared had a great surprise to present to her before she got dressed.  It was a pretty unique experience for me to use that as a transition from one room to another, so it was pretty cool to be present for that part of their day.  So after everyone was dressed we headed out to their outdoor wedding ceremony.  To say it was hot would be, well, pretty accurate.  I think it was 95 degrees or so in the sun but, honestly, I really didn’t notice anyone who minded.  I think it was because everyone was so happy to be at Jared & Amber’s wedding.  m sure being at such a great location like the Hall at Landmark helped make the heat a little more bearable. Even the weather agreed with us as the wind and heavy rains waited to pick up until we were all done.  As I always say though, you can’t have rainbows without rain.

After the ceremony and wedding formals, we headed inside to some well deserved A/C, sweet tea, adult punch and good food.  Amber & Jared went right into their first dance before dinner.  Now, if you’ve never been to the Hall at Landmark, the inside is, well, a hall.  Ok… it’s a very ornate hall with a vaulted ceiling, gorgeous chandeliers, and warm colors, the place was a real treat to capture on camera.  After the dances and dinner, we all got dancing (yes, even me) to help celebrate their wedding.  As everyone exited the reception to send off Amber & Jared under a shower of sparklers, I was very honored to have a few minutes alone with a rolls royce that was waiting to take them away.  As always, I am so appreciative of  the graciousness of my clients and their families.  I, quite literally, felt like a family member with every single person I spoke with at their wedding.

As always, here are a few choice photos from Amber & Jared’s wedding at the Hall at Landmark.

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Katie & Matthew’s Highgrove wedding is the first time I have been back since their renovation and, I must say, the facility is gorgeous!  When I met up with Katie in the “bride’s room” upstairs, I could immediately see the excitement on her face.  There can be such a range of emotion on the wedding say and, I’ll be honest, excitement is my favorite.    After hanging out wither her for a few minutes, I went over to Matthew’s room to hang out with the fellows for a bit.  It’s always a (to me) slightly amusing experience to witness how different rooms have totally different vibes and feelings associated with them.  While Katie’s excitement was overwhelming, Matthew’s room was somewhat subdued in comparison and while the excitement was definitely present, I could also sense a touch of nervousness.  Drawing on my own experience, I know exactly how he felt – just wanting to spin the clock forward to start the ceremony.

It was a beautiful day for a Highgrove Wedding, albeit a bit toasty.  I witnessed a first, for me, with one of my favorite officiants, Kayelilly Middleton,  doing a little “cleanup” on the guys with a handkerchief.  Between the gorgeous sun coming down, a combination of excitement, nerves and black tuxedos made for a great moment at the ceremony.  Overlooking the water and underneath the trellis, the wedding went perfectly and finished with a great kiss and a very loud “Mazel Tov” to end the ceremony!  We all headed inside for a break from the heat to photograph the family formals then moved on to get some great & fun moments with the bridal party and couples wedding day portraits.

Heading back into the reception hall, the room was setup beautifully.  A head table was setup with the wedding cake (Ashley Cakes) off to one side.  Ryan from Spin was DJ’ing their gorgeous wedding and, as always, knocked it out of the park.  As you could probably tell from earlier, the ceremony had both christian and Jewish elements so, of course, the Hora was  coming at the reception.  If you aren’t familiar with the Hora, it’s a Jewish wedding celebration where the bride and groom sit in chairs and are lifted up and carried around the room.  I think there may have been a small miscommunication though as the chairs appeared, well, slightly unbalanced.  I think this is part of the tradition though as every person I’ve spoken with about the Hora has always mentioned a small element of fear.  Everything ended up well in the end and I’m pretty certain every single person was on the floor which made for beautiful photos.

The rest of the reception was filled with dancing, spinning, singing, more dancing, cake cutting, cake smashing, cake eating (innocent whistle here), more dancing and eventually a sparkler exit with the longest sparklers I have ever seen!   I want to take a moment and thank everyone involved with this wedding for their wonderful hospitality, flexibility and, well, awesomeness!  Having great clients, friends & families really make me love doing what I do!   Of course, here are a few select photos from Katie & Matthew’s Highgrove Wedding!

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Ross & Amy wanted a low key, relaxed environment so having their wedding at the NC Museum of Art was perfect.  The newly re-designed museum, if you haven’t seen it, from the outside looks rather minimalist but as soon as you walk thru the doors, you see what an incredible job they have done showcasing their art collections.  The lighting alone is something I could spend days playing with – the museum really outdid themselves with providing perfect light for viewing (and in my case, taking photos) of the entire facility.

Ross & Amy both got ready at the museum and elected to see each other before the ceremony.  They were going to just walk up and say hi to each other but humored me to build up the moment, just a little, in the front of an old wing of the museum.  One of the really fun things about being in an art museum is the ability to incorporate the surrounding art into their wedding photographs.  After we did their first look, we headed into the newer wing and shot all of the family formals.  It was quite a warm day so being inside for formals was a definite welcome relief from the heat of the day.  When I was shooting formals, it hit me how BIG the NC museum of Art is.

For the wedding ceremony, we headed out into the northern Courtyard of the museum which is a concrete paved area with water, fountains, lily’s, artistic pieces and trees surrounded on three sides by the tall glass walls of the museum.  This provided a beautiful light to filter in over the ceremony and make for really gorgeous photos of Ross & Amy trading their vows.  With so many cool aspects of the museum being present, I had to get a few “different” shots including reflections and one of the coolest pairs of tennis shoes I had seen.

After the ceremony, we headed into the wedding reception inside the museum where a table so long it would of made kings proud was waiting for the couple and their guests.  With the timing of the wedding, we decided to wait to do the couples wedding portraits near the end of the evening.  I did find a really cool opportunity, while everyone was eating, to do an “inception” style ring shot.  Funnily enough, I haven’t seen the movie yet but not long after this wedding, I did see a “spoof” of the ring spinning scene.  As their rings were not the normal metal (they are black wedding bands) I figured they would appreciate something a little different.  After the dances and the cake cutting, we did get the chance to walk around the museum and get some really cool wedding day portraits.  I always want my clients personalities to come out in the photos and, personally, I think I captured them perfectly.

Ross & Amy, thank you SO much for having me as your wedding photography.  It was really a pleasure getting to hang out with you and your friends and family. I hope you love your photos as much as I do!

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I met Chris a few years ago at a photography convention in Nashville, TN.  We talked occasionally after the convention was over and, funnily enough, he was back in Raleigh one afternoon so we sat down, with his wonderful Fiance’ CJ, and talked about the wedding business.  Well, *I* thought we were talking about the wedding business, he was talking about hiring me.  LOL..  ok, so I certainly have my moments but we got it all sorted out and, in the end, started planning for their destination wedding in Cancun.

I had never been to Mexico prior to this, so I was really excited as I flew into the Cancun airport.  Chris had arranged for a car service to drive me from the Airport to the Secret Capri Riviera Cancun, where they were staying and having their wedding ceremony on the beach.  The first night, we just kind of hung out, talked shop, had an amazing dinner and planned out the next day.  The resort had a TON of amenities included including Hobie Cats that you can take out into the Gulf of Mexico.  So here is where I give my disclaimer…  I do love original shots and capturing those, sometimes, that the desire to do that will override the common sense gene that was screaming against the idea.  So, yes, I hopped on the Hobie Cat with my camera and went out into the Gulf for a pre-wedding sail with the happy couple.

After we got back onto dry land, with a dry camera, Chris & CJ went back to their rooms and started getting ready for the wedding ceremony.  As he is a wedding photographer himself, of course part of the getting ready process was setting up his own camera to capture video of the ceremony. CJ, on the other hand, was busy in the resorts day spa getting her hair and makeup done.  The day went on as expected with the pre-wedding preparations on both sides, CJ getting dressed, Chris waiting patiently on the beach for the ceremony to begin.  What made this all the more special, for me at least, is I was one of two people in attendance at their ceremony.  This destination wedding had truly the perfect setting for such an intimate affair – on the beach at sunset with just myself and another guest witnessing the ceremony.

After the ceremony,. champagne toast and cake cutting (which was an awesome cheesecake), we headed out onto the beach and around the resort for couples portraits.  The whole facility was spectacular and had no shortage of beautiful locations for portraits.  As it was such a small affair, the wedding reception consisted of dinner on the beach for the 3 of us.  I know i’m saying this alot but I really was truly flattered to have been invited to join them that evening.  We were served dinner while sitting on pillows in a curtain enclosed hut right on the water.  The curtains were lit with gelled lights and it was, in a word, a spectacular setting at night with the resort lights on one side and the roar of the ocean on the other.

After dinner was over, we headed back into the resort to get one final set of shots.  On the top floor of the resort, there was, what I can best describe, as the “hall of lights”.  This was an open room at the end of a hallway that had at least 150 different lights hanging from the 20 foot ceiling.  Each light was unique and had glass or metal shades.  This is the first time I had seen anything like it and with the lights hanging so low, we had to weave in and out during the photos so we didn’t crash into them.  It was the perfect way to end Chris & CJ’s wedding day.

I want to sincerely thank Chris & CJ personally for having me down in Cancun to not only photograph their wedding, but to witness their ceremony and enjoy such a wonderful moment in their lives.  As always, here are a few choice photos from Chris & CJ’s destination wedding in Cancun.

Yes, that is me...

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Jenn’s Fiance’, Chris, is a golf pro so having their wedding at TPC wakefield was definitely a fitting location.  Set just off the 18th green, their outdoor wedding was in a shaded area of lawn just outside the clubhouse.  Both Jenn & Chris got ready there and this marks the 2nd time in 3 weeks I’ve photographed brides & grooms getting ready in golf locker rooms.  I know that doesn’t sound all that great, but these are seriously nice locker rooms complete with wood paneled personalized lockers, so we aren’t talking high school gym here.  In others words, a very fitting setting for a gorgeous wedding!

As the wedding processional began, I caught site of Jenn riding in the back of a golf cart.  Why this struck me as cool, I’m not quite sure why, but well, it was.  As Jenn walked into the center aisle of the ceremony, I had a firm eye on Chris.  While he’s gonna kill me for saying this, I knew he was going to, as I call it, “break” from the site of his gorgeous bride to be walking down the aisle.  When I shot their engagement session the UNC campus, I could see it then and, ya, he did.    The wedding was gorgeous and my 2nd shooter captured an amazing phot0 (as she always does) thru the treeline during this time.

After the wedding ceremony, we shot a few of their formal photos outside then headed over to the reception.  Now, as you can imagine, when a wedding vendor gets married, they know all of the possibilities and have really creative ideas.  Jenn’s wedding was certainly not a disappointment.   From photo booths to ice sculptures to the coolest name card arrangement and, well, other awesome vendors, the reception was gorgeous and I was, again, so honored to have been the one to capture everything for the happy couple.

Jenn & Chris, congratulations to you both.  Thank you again for having me capture your wedding.  It really was an honor and a privilege to be at your wedding.  Now, on to a few choice photos from their beautiful TPC Wakefield wedding!  By the way, yes, that IS me behind the DJ table…  we decided to switch roles momentarily. 

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Well it’s been a heck of a week.  My photography blog set a personal record with over 1100 hits in a single day, was commissioned by a national magazine (yes, I can guarantee you’ve heard of it) for a shoot next month and, now, I’ve had an article featured on a very cool website.  The-Unveiled is a website designed to provide wedding photography tips to other wedding photographers.  My Article, working in bad light, discusses how I shot a tough image with mixed lighting conditions (including camera settings and the thought process for the shot) and, if given an opportunity, how I would make it better.

As you may know (if you read my blog with any regularity), I love shooting at night, in tough lighting conditions and making something pretty cool and a little different in the process.  To me, it’s all about having some fun on the wedding day and producing something unique and gorgeous for my clients.  It was a real pleasure being contacted by Tobiah (who is one heck of a photographer himself) to submit something for his site.  Make sure and check it out and keep an eye out for future updates!

http://www.the-unveiled.com

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I could go on and on about the interior of the Barclay Villa, but I’ll let you see the photos to judge for yourself.  You may recognize their faces from their vineyard engagement photos we took last year.  I felt I set the bar pretty darn high at their engagement session so, honestly, I felt a little pressure coming into a new location and getting the unique, timeless and dramatic photos I know they love.

When I arrived I was immediately taken back by how large the dining hall was.  This is a two story room with the 2nd floor being a wrap around balcony with seating on all 3 sides.  The distinct feeling I got was the room was really designed to house kings & queens and their families.  Of course, this is a newer re-design but I was immediately inspired to somehow throw a more modern twist into this very stately room.  I went upstairs to see Jenna and meet her bridesmaid and family.  The room she was getting ready in, really, resembled a room you would NOT expect to see for  “rent”, but someone’s actual bedroom.  In other words, just stunning.  As with many rooms like this, however, photography can be a challenge with dark room, very contrasty direct sunlight coming thru the windows and having numerous people present.

As Jenna was getting ready, I headed over to meet the guys and got, what I think, is one of the best groom and groomsmen portraits to date using their pool table.  I really felt an almost “mafia” vibe and I think it really shows in their photo.  Back with Jenna, she was finished with hair & makeup (and was wearing a really cute white silk robe with “Bride” sewed with rhinestones on the back), was getting ready to get dressed.  I think there were 4-5 people helping her into the dress which makes me always want to capture both the intricacy and amount of hands helping get the dress on.  The bride, the dress, hair & makeup ALL came together into what was I can only describe as a magazine cover opportunity.  You’ll see the one I am talking about below.    (p.s. Jenna – I’m so submitting that photo for, yes, a cover).

As we headed into the courtyard for their outdoor wedding ceremony, the sun was setting behind there Barclay Villa house but highlighted my gorgeous clients perfectly.  The ceremony was beautiful and a little amusing with the lighter for the remembrance candles not working.  A tiki torch saved the day though and, as we say, the show went on.  After the ceremony we headed around the house, both inside and out, and got some  really fun & pretty sexy wedding portraits.  We headed into the reception where, seriously, Frank from the Bunn DJ Company melted the dance floor and swept the ashes outside.  Seriously..  I don’t think Barclay Villa will be the same after that reception – it was pretty incredible!

The couple exited the front doors of Barclay Villa with a sparkler exit showering them (well, hopefully not really showering) as they exited.  They actually ran back and forth a few times LOL.  I want to thank both Jenna and Jason for the honor of capturing their wedding day and being so open to having us document on of the most intimate affairs in their lives.  As always, here are a few photos from their Barclay Villa Wedding!

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We started out the day at the Embassy Suites in the Brier Creek shopping center where Ashley and her bridesmaids were getting their hair & makeup done.  The rooms at the Embassy suites are really cool with both modern colors and fixtures.  The downside is I always struggle with finding a good place in the room to get a good dress shot.  Well, necessity is also the mother of creativity so I simply took the dress from the room and with a little help, got what I think is a really cool dress shot.   From the hotel we drove over to the Brier Creek Country Club where Ashley used the locker room for the golf club to continue getting dressed.  I already knew the locker room was fitting of a country club but, honestly, I was blown away with how nice it really was.  After Ashley was dressed we went upstairs to go work with the guys a bit and pray the cloudy skies away.

As it came time for the ceremony, it was obvious that, well, the skies were not going to cooperate but, as always, Joy, a wedding planner (and owner)  from A Joyful Occasion, had arranged for a wonderful indoor location as well, just in case.  The wedding, even though it was indoors, was gorgeous and very fitting for such a beautiful venue.  Of course, during the ceremony the rain stopped and we returned to cloudiness which, as a photographer, makes me very happy as you can really manipulate the light on a cloudy day.  After our couples portraits, we headed into the reception hall where DJ Joe Bunn was gearing up to burn the house down, as usual.

As the reception waned down, I took a peek outside to see a gorgeous white convertible Jaguar (not sure of the year, but it was probably an early 90′s model) waiting for the happy couple to exit thru a shower of rose pedals and make their getaway.  Even though we had a little rain, the day made for an absolutely beautiful late spring wedding.

I want to thank Ashley, David & their families for allowing me in to document such a special and intimate day for you.  I’ve included a small assortment of some of my favorite photos and moments from your wedding day.

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It was bright & sunny when we got to Lassiter Mill which made for a beautiful setting as we started the session.  Now, if you’ve never had an engagement session, or even a portrait session, it generally takes a little while to get warmed up.  Well, that was just not the case.  Maeghan kicked off her shoes, we climbed all over the rocks and ledges and got some really great shots of both Tony & Maeghan.  The structure, scenery and light combined with a great couple really had the time flying by and, before we knew it, we needed to head into downtown Raleigh to continue their e-session.

Once in downtown, the sun was fading behind the buildings which is one of my favorite times of day.  We, as per my usual method, just took a walk about the area and found places with good light – either natural or my own.  By this point, both Tony & Maeghan had changed clothes to feel more “urban” and I was definitely feeling the need to go more dramatic and slightly sexy with the photography.  As we were wrapping up the session, someone started shooting fireworks off of a parking deck.  As hard as we tried, we could not get any in frame because, well, they were being slightly covert about it.  Regardless, it was a really fitting end to a really great engagement session.

I hope you enjoy the photos!

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The Mast Farm Inn is a truly gorgeous bed & breakfast with a beautiful tented reception area just across the street.  Being nestled in the mountains of NC, the scenery is, of course, breathtaking and the Mast Farm fits right in with their own gardens, horse, donkey, rabbits and beehives.  Their wedding area is an open field, beside the Inn, with a rustic cabin and pond right behind the bride & groom.  Writing about it simply can;t do it justice, so make sure to view all the photos below.

I covered every aspect of their wedding celebration, including the rehearsal, rehearsal dinner, after-party, wedding ceremony, reception and even a day after session. In other words, a ton of great photo opportunities with a really great couple.  After hanging out with everyone for the rehearsal and dinner (of course I was taking photos), we headed out to the The Game Keeper in Boone.  This place had special significance to Ashley & Brook so it was kind of cool to hang out with them, their family and friends and get to hear their stories and see the friendships.

Saturday turned out to be GORGEOUS!  You realy could not have asked for nicer weather.  Sunny, 70 degrees with a light breeze.  The ceremony and wedding reception were both held at the Mast Farm Inn.  Brook and Ashley were getting ready in different cabins that were just across the street from each other, so getting to capture both of them was pretty easy, except for the rather large elevation difference.    The outdoor wedding ceremony had a perfect setting with mason jars candles lining the walkway to the ceremony area and the rustic feel of wood cabins all around.

After the ceremony, formal photos and wedding day portraits, we all walked across the street to the tent for the reception.  Ashley had worked with Danielle, the Mast Farm Inn coordinator/chef/manager, to hang pink & white Japanese lanterns on the roof of the tent which really transformed the space nicely and was a beautiful contrast with the farm landscape.  The reception really was one for the record books.  We had donkey riding, a cake cutting interloper, and a group of close friends who really helped celebrate Brook & Ashley’s wedding.

The next day, we headed out to do a day after session at the Mast General Store.  The store is a local tourist attraction and has everything from bolts to fishing rods to fresh honey.  The creaky wooden floors and back porch music of the store really added to the ambiance of the location.  With wide open fields, crumbling barns and old, rusty signs, (I know i’m saying this alot) it just really brought the charm and atmosphere of the entire wedding weekend into a last great photo shoot for the happy couple.

I’d like to my very sincere congratulations to both Ashley & Brook.  Thank you so much for having me at your wedding and allowing me into you and your families lives to capture your wedding!  As always, here are quite a few photos from Brook & Ashley’s Mast Farm Inn wedding weekend!

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When we first looked at the topics for the convention, we took into account the feedback left from last years convention and the wide range of photographers skill levels who are attending.  Based on those two things, I decided to hold two lighting classes – a 101 and a 201 level course.  They both are designed for newer and intermediate photographers looking to either refresh their basics or learn more about advanced techniques.  I’ll be going more into what I’m going to cover for the 201 class in a few days, but this post will cover the 101 class.  Hope to see you there!

The Lighting 101 class will be going over basics of light.  The equipment, techniques, color, classifications as well as discuss flashes (both on and off camera), modifiers, reflectors, natural light, video light, triggers, manufacturer specific triggering systems (Nikon CLS & Canon wireless ettl) and third party systems (pocket wizards, etc).  This class is being held during the first session on Sunday only as the idea is to either refresh your skill set or help develop it so the rest of the convention can be used to build on this knowledge.  With an internationally known photographer, Neil Van Niekerk, speaking on Monday evening regarding flash (he has written a book on how to use speedlights), getting this basic knowledge is paramount to make the most of his presentation.

Drop me an email or comment if you had any questions or wanted something covered specifically in the 101 class.  Be sure to bring a notepad or laptop as we’ll be moving pretty quickly thru everything.

Here’s a few sample images that we will discuss the how’s, why’s and how-to’s in the lighting 101 class (every one was lit differently).  I truly look forward to seeing everyone there!

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For their wedding, we did things a little different. I met Gunar at the Washington Duke Inn where his bride would arrive to meet him in a limousine. I realized at the time, as many times as I had seen the groom waiting for the bride to arrive in a limo on TV, I had never actually seen one in person – so this was a pretty cool moment for me personally and, obviously, for Gunar as well. As the Limo pulled up, the ideas starting flowing for framing the shots and having some GORGEOUS light to work with, I was thrilled with the end result. After Nazli emerged from the Limo and greeted the families, we all headed over to the Duke Gardens for some wedding day portraits with Nazli, Gunar and their families. We moved around the park quite a bit and hit some of my favorite spots. We really had gorgeous light to work with so no matter where we went, the photos, in my opinion, were gorgeous!

We came back to the Washington Duke Inn where, in a pretty cool custom, all of the guests greeted Nazli & Gunar in the lobby of the hotel. Everyone then walked, together, to the reception tent where cocktails, snacks and champagne were being served. Everyone wanted photos with the bride & groom and it was pretty cool that everyone hung around and waited for the opportunity to get a couple of shots with them. After the cocktail hour, we headed inside to the reception room and got ready to party down. Having photographed wedding receptions for couples of Indian, Jewish, Pakistani and quite a few other nationalities before, I know one thing, when the music comes one, EVERYONE gets on the floor. Ryan from Spin did a great job with music that I’m sure he was not overly familiar with and everyone danced the night away! The evening ended with another very cool tradition – the entire wedding, guests included, danced to the head of the table to thank the parents. Really made for a cool photo that transcended the words spoken in Turkish. As always, here are a few of my favorite shots from the day!

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