Sneak Peek III: Vintage Glamour Wedding Shoot!

Final installment of my three part series... meet Emily and Brek, an incredibly cool retro couple! 

One of the best features of a vintage wedding is, in my opinion, the headwear! Emily's pillbox hat and veil channels a red hot trend, having been featured recently in a TheKnot.com's style articles. Brek's top hat (his own!) is a jaunty nod to a classic and formal men's accessory, recalling the elegant dancers such as Fred Astaire and smooth crooners like Bing Crosby. And goodness! Check out that mega-watt smile :)

This image at left demonstrates what I feel is the essence of good photojournalistic coverage in a wedding. More dramatic lighting here, because I wanted to show off a bit of the architecture of the location. I knew that if I could skim the light off the sides of the rough-hewn wall, the shadows would throw the texture into relief. Emily's honest pose in combination with the light create an unguarded moment, yet the patterns of the wooden louvres and the shadows are dramatic. Capturing unplanned moments in an artistic way is the best of wedding photojournalism, in my opinion.

Our flower girl, Dailey, really took a liking to Brek by the end of the shoot, as you can see. The simplicity of her dresses really allows her sweet innocence and beauty to just shine, and the color enhances her peaches and cream complexion. So beautiful!

Happy Valentine's Day! (Special deal alert and mega-cuteness!)

Dear Friends,

If you've been thinking about having me as your wedding photographer, RUN don't walk over to the Wedding Channel Deals site today. In honor of Valentine's Day, I'm offering a very special deal that I have never done before! I'm very excited because it allows wedding couples who are considering me for their big day to work with me and see how they like it... and for a 50% discount too.

Now THAT'S amore...!

I just love Valentine's Day. Always have. What's better than Love in your life? Seriously! And not just romantic, passionate love (though that is definitely yummy)... but how about the love of your family? Your mom, your dad, your sib? Your best friends? 

And don't forget about your furry friends!

I photographed this adorable little scruff-ball a few weeks ago. Igloo was saved from a high-kill shelter in the area by my friend Lisa, who is like the Dog Whisperer in female form... she just understands them so well. She and her human family are so kind to open their home to homeless dogs here in the KC area, giving them a temporary place to stay and be loved until they find their forever home.

Well, I took one look at Igloo and I fell in love with his white fur and pink nose. And he SMILES! I'd never seen a dog with a pink nose and so I was determined to have him be my "Poster Pet" for this month, and an ambassador for all the homeless pets in our area who are looking for someone to love. While I wouldn't recommend suprising someone with a pet for Valentine's Day (because pets do take a lot of commitment - trust me, I've got two cats and two dogs - all from shelters - so I have firsthand experience with this), I would say that if you've discussed it and are wanting to increase the Love in your life x a zillion... check out your local animal shelters for some wonderful friends.

Sneak Peek II: Radiant and Beautiful Bridal Shoot!

Second round of favorites from the incredible wedding photo shoot that I did at Caenen Castle a couple weeks ago. Keep your eyes trained on this spot for one more fabulous look to come. Today, I feature a glowing Mindy and our adorable flower girl, Dailey.

As you can see, I created a completely different feeling with the lighting to suit the softer style of Mindy's look. I love the look in her eyes here - you just know she is looking over and seeing the love of her life, her groom! :) The light here has less shadows and contrast, and there's a fantastic glow along her arm and shoulder. The light is gentler, more poetic, tender. (Can light be 'tender'? you might ask. The answer is YES!) Which brings me to something I strongly believe in - storytelling light. It's just not enough for me to make images that are properly exposed and color-balanced. A clear and properly exposed wedding image is honestly the rock-bottom minimum, in my opinion. So brides, don't settle for less! I offer so much more for my wedding clients, and for myself.

I also can't give enough love to Johanna, our make up artist for the shoot... she is a genius. And so wonderful to work with, as well. The braids along the crown and the loose curls in the back of Mindy's beautiful chestnut hair were so perfect to create a sweet and dreamy feeling that pulled it all together.

For more images from this photo shoot, be sure to friend me over at my Facebook page, by clicking on my Facebook badge over there on the left side of this blog. I often post special offers, behind-the-scenes info and other goodies there that you can't find anywhere else!

Sneak Peek: Drama and Romance at Striking's Bridal Shoot!

So I've been going on and on about the fabulous photo shoot we held last weekend at Caenen Castle (nee' Renee Kelly's)... it was sooo much fun! We had three gorgeous models: Brittani, Emily and Mindy; our beautiful little flower girl Dailey; and the dashing Brek as our groom.

Here are a few of my favorites with Brittani... these were shot in the amazing wine cellar in the basement of the castle. The entire room is lined with rich wooden wine racks, and as any sommelier will tell you, a basement is a wonderful place to store wine since the temperature and humidity are close to ideal. Sconces line the walls and cast a warm glow. Chef Renee told me that this is a very popular place for the groom and groom's men to hang out prior to the wedding ceremony - definitely man-worthy!

I wanted to create dramatic, romantic lighting for these images, as I think we'll be seeing a return to lavish romance on the bridal front, both in terms of fashion and style. I have it on very good authority (perhaps the highest, in England at least? --- princess-to-be Kate Middleton's dress designer) that lace is going to be making a big comeback, as are modern takes on traditional necklines instead of the pervasive strapless which has dominated the scene for so long now. The dresses at this photo shoot were graciously provided by Cathy Rasmussen of Vintage Vogue, whom I highly recommend for your wedding or any special event where you are looking for unique, vintage clothing. Cathy has consulted with numerous magazines, Hollywood productions, and is an incredible resource, not to mention one of the nicest ladies in the business!

Brides, if you've always dreamed of feeling like a princess on your wedding day, I highly recommend you check out Renee Kelly's as a potential location for your big day. And don't forget to tell them that Striking Photography sent you! If you enjoy the decadent romance of these images and would like to create some beautiful, memorable images of your own on your wedding day, please email me via my website or send me a message on Facebook....

Sneak Peek: Business Portrait!

I was so pleased to make the acquaintance of Teresa, an attorney with over 30 years of legal experience, specializing exclusively in the areas of social security disability, veterans' disability, and short and long term disability claims. She has recently relocated to a wonderful office in the Corporate Woods of Overland Park, KS and asked me to create some great images to go with her soon-to-be-launched new website. We shot a great combination of classic headshots (showing only head and shoulders) to more artful headshots that could be used for print advertising or editorial layouts (a headshot with lots of empty a.k.a. 'negative' space which leaves room for copy). In addition, we did some great office interior shots featuring an absolutely fantastic lamp that she has - that was the most photogenic lamp I have ever shot! lol

 

Can't wait to see the new website once it's up and live. It was great working with you, Teresa!