BlackBird Images Wedding Photography

Luray Wedding

2009-10-07T11:33:00.002-04:00

Direct sunlight can often not be our friend... but not this time.

Congratulations, Sarah and Brock.

Modern Bride Closes

2009-10-07T11:22:00.003-04:00

Sorry to hear that Modern Bride (along with other Conde Nast publications like Elegant Bride and Gourmet), has been closed and will no longer be published.

Too bad - we contributed fairly regularly to Modern Bride (both photos and occasional columns/articles) and enjoyed working with their editors. Declining ad revenue - along with pretty stiff competition from The Knot - caused Conde Nast to find cost-cutting opportunities.

From what we understand, Brides.com will stay in operation, and Brides magazine will go to a monthly publishing schedule to pick up some of the slack.

Ask the Experts Column

2009-08-18T10:05:00.002-04:00

Our first column for the OneWed.com Savvy Scoop blog is up. Once a week we'll answer questions from OneWed members about wedding photography and wedding topics in general. This month's column is about location shoots and permit fees. Check it out!

Critically-Acclaimed Bouquet

2009-07-24T18:14:00.002-04:00

Congratulations to Emma on her bouquet taste - a photo we took of her bouquet made the front page of OneWed. Here it is ----

A Little Recognition

2009-07-22T10:04:00.004-04:00

One of our photos was just chosen out of thousands of entries by OneWed.com, the largest searchable online database of wedding vendors, to be featured on their home page. (It's not up yet, so don't bother looking. It should appear in the next week or so.)

We also will be contributing to an "Ask the Experts" column on OneWed, answering wedding photography questions from OneWed readers.

Pretty cool!

Harrisonburg - JMU - Joshua Wilton

2009-06-01T08:40:00.004-04:00

Beautiful weather Saturday, great couple, fun families... could not have been a better day for Emma and Alan. We've barely started going through photos, but here is a sneak peek for family and friends to check out.

And congratulations to wedding planner Lynn Ianizzi of Finer Points, and the staff at the Joshua Wilton, for putting on an outstanding event. And to DJ Danny Craig for keeping the dance floor full for nearly three hours. (Never an easy feat.)

Clifton Inn, Charlottesville VA

2009-05-14T13:20:00.016-04:00

Rained in Charlottesville a couple weeks ago for Rebecca and Matt's wedding, but the Clifton Inn was nice enough to hold a tent over from the previous day's wedding... so everyone stayed dry. You know a staff cares when the Event Coordinator and Facility Manager are hard at work on umbrella duty. This was our third time at the Clifton Inn in the last couple years, and as always they did a wonderful job.

Congratulations Rebecca and Matt!

Bubbles over Rice (or Bird Seed)

2009-01-20T13:01:00.004-05:00

Another of our less than thought-provoking survey results:

Couples prefer bubbles by a 3 to 1 margin over rice or bird seed. Why? Less mess, less cleanup, and bubbles don't run afoul of increasingly tight venue restrictions. (A number of venues prohibit rice and bird seed in their contracts - they don't want to clean it up or avoid hungry birds later.)

Plus bubbles are a lot less likely to end up in your hair, your gown, or your eyes. And from our point of view they tend to make for better exit photos.

More Congratulations

2009-01-02T17:50:00.009-05:00

More congratulations are in order. We photographed Jeremiah and Erin Bishop's wedding several years ago....

Jeremiah is a world-class mountain bike racer, and last year he won the U.S. National Mountain Bike Championship in both the short track and the marathon classifications. (Just how good is he? In 2006 he placed eight at the World Championships, which is the highest placing of any U.S. male at that event in over a decade.)

He's also a versatile rider; above is a photo we took at the 2006 Tour of Shenandoah road race, an event he entered just to mix up his training (and as a favor to race organizers.)

He's also been invited to be on the panel of the Washington & Lee University Institute of Honor Conference this month, "Sports in America: Playing Fair," where he'll discuss his views on doping and illegal performance enhancement. (Quick summary: He's against it.)

It's quite an honor, since the conference features speakers like Myles Brand, the head of the NCAA, Travis Tygert, Senior Managing Director and General Counsel of the United States Anti-Doping Agency, and Jeffrey Toobin, lawyer, author, and legal analyst for CNN and The New Yorker.

Thanks for a Great 2008

2008-12-31T22:35:00.005-05:00

Thanks to all our couples for a wonderful 2008. We were fortunate enough to photograph weddings in Harrisonburg, Charlottesville, Lexington, Staunton, Waynesboro, Luray, Richmond, Woodstock, Roanoke, Lynchburg, Williamsburg, Virginia Beach, Fairfax, Alexandria, Manassas, Arlington, Reston, Woodbridge, Warm Springs, Winchester...

... Front Royal, Roanoke, Culpeper, and Staunton, plus out of state locations like Washington, D.C., Baltimore, Bethesda, Rockville, Silver Spring, Raleigh, Monterey, Philadelphia, and New York.

Everyone at BlackBird Images wishes you - and for a number of you, your recently born kids or kids on the way - all the best in the years to come.

Don't Be Afraid of Unusual Angles

2008-12-30T11:25:00.005-05:00

If the only times you've been professionally photographed were in a portrait studio, you're probably conditioned to the same old poses and camera angles. Even so, be open to trying something different - the results can be striking.

(It also helps that, in this case, there are picnic tables at JMU's Arboretum for us to stand on.)

... But Traditional is Also Great

2008-12-29T12:06:00.004-05:00

Our last post may cause you to think we favor non-traditional or heavily-stylized photos. In the end we favor making our clients happy: If you want non-traditional, we'll deliver. If you prefer a classic look, we'll deliver.

For example, one of our wedding favorites from the last couple years is this photo.

Why? It's not stylized or photoshopped or meticulously posed; instead it's clean, simple, clearly evokes a time and a place... and captures both Shelley's warmth and her sense of playfulness.

Most importantly, it's the look she wanted.

Bridal Portraits - With a Twist

2008-12-29T11:13:00.005-05:00

Traditional bridal portraits will never go out of style, but more and more brides are looking for something less conventional. In fact, some of the shoots we've done recently would never be defined as bridal, even though that was the clients' intent. They wanted something different... and we think you'll agree they got it.

Keep in mind these take time and effort to shoot - on our part as well as yours. Hair, makeup, location... all are critical. (For the photo above you need to be willing to stand partly unclothed in 40-degree temperatures on a windy beach.) Or you may want something a little less literal and heavily stylized ---

Again, you can't just roll out of bed and get this kind of look. (Great genetics help, too.) But a studio isn't always necessary - we pulled this off under natural light coming through a high window. It was a two-minute setup that turned out to be Michelle's favorite from the entire session, for reasons that are hopefully obvious.

Time of year is critical, too - the cherry trees were in full bloom for less than a week, but they're perfect for the look she wanted.

So if you're looking for something non-traditional, start talking to us now so we can pull all the elements together!

Shenandoah River

2008-12-29T10:58:00.002-05:00

We scheduled a sunrise engagement session a few weeks ago and while waiting for the couple to arrive were treated to this. Definitely makes getting up early worth it ----

Church Photos

2008-12-16T13:09:00.004-05:00

We tend to focus on faces - kinda natural, since we're wedding photographers, not landscape or architecture photographers. But we've gotten a lot of requests to see church photos, so here are some random ones from the last few months. Bonus points if you can name all four churches.

In order, First Baptist Church, Woodstock; Jackson Memorial Hall, VMI; First Baptist Church, Waynesboro; Parkview Mennonite Church, Harrisonburg.

Renewing Vows - One Week Later

2008-12-16T12:10:00.005-05:00

A few months ago we photographed a "second" wedding ceremony; the couple were married in Arizona, went on their honeymoon, then came to Virginia to hold a second ceremony for local friends and family. Here they are outside the Stonewall Jackson Hotel in Staunton (where we've photographed five receptions this year alone.)

We've seen more of this type event in recent years - destination weddings are still popular, but often the couple will limit the guests at the destination and then hold a second service (or just a reception) for those who were not able to travel.

Speaking of the Stonewall Jackson Hotel, they do a consistently great job with receptions. The location is great, the service is excellent... we're always happy to work there. If you're looking for a venue, check them out.

Old Hickory Golf Club - Woodbridge, VA

2008-11-17T18:59:00.006-05:00

A few more photos from Kirsten and Ryan's wedding in Woodbridge, VA. Foliage was pretty, but Kirsten looked even more spectacular.

Lucky with Light

2008-11-17T18:57:00.001-05:00

Every once in awhile the light is perfect... and you're there when it is.

Fall Weddings...

2008-11-03T08:41:00.004-05:00

Quick post to show the splendor of fall foliage... we were in Woodbridge, VA for Kirsten and Ryan's wedding. Kirsten had found this spot less than a mile from the country club where the wedding was held... perfect!

VMI Wedding

2008-10-31T09:36:00.011-04:00

Face it - we get to go to pretty cool places to photograph weddings. Last week's wedding was at VMI in Lexington, VA. Here's the bride before the wedding on the parade deck, the huge field circled by a majority of the campus buildings.

You can visit much of the campus anytime, but the barracks are off limits... unless you're with the right company, it seems. Here's the groom and his groomsmen at the entrance to the barracks area - this part of the campus you can see even if you're not a cadet or member of the administration.

So far so good, but then the guys decided they'd like to go inside for a photo where they used to live. What you can see below are the guys on the second floor balcony. What you don't see are the disapproving stares and muttered conversations of cadets who are not at all happy that visitors are inside the barracks. (According to one of the parents, they had only been inside twice during their son's four years at the school on official visiting days.)

I guess it helps to have seven alumni along, including Marine, Navy, and Army officers, if you're going to break a regulation or two.

The Chapel is beautiful; it's a wonderful blend of tradition and history. (By the way, the museum located in the basement includes Stonewall Jackson's horse, Little Sorrel; he looks a little the worse for wear - admittedly, we would too over a hundred years later, stuffed or not.)

The walk back down the aisle is interrupted by the saber arch, a military wedding tradition. (And kudos to the cadets in the honor party; they stood at attention for well over an hour before the service even started.)

The couple aren't allowed to pass until a kiss is exchanged; it's a very cute moment.

We decided to extend the saber arch tradition in honor of the groom's gift to his new bride; here they are in front of the new BMW he surprised her with while we were taking post-ceremony photos.

The cadets are incredibly professional, for want of a better word: They're dignified, reserved, respectful... very impressive. Their demeanor makes them seem older than their years. But right after we took this photo, one of the cadets asked me if we needed them for anything else.

We said we didn't, and thanked them for their help. He then whispered, "What's the deal with the car, anyway?" We told him it was a gift, and he softly said, "Sweeeet..." It was a very cute moment and a reminder that, inside the uniform and the discipline, the cadets are still just kids.

VMI is a neat setting for a wedding, but don't get your hopes up: You have to be an alumni. It is a memorable site, but it was also fun to watch the alumni attending the wedding reminiscing. Clearly the bonds built while at the school last a lifetime. Note in the photo below the groom's sash; that signifies his status as a VMI alumni.)

Congratulations to Jennifer and Parker!

Staunton Bridal Portraits

2008-10-20T15:03:00.010-04:00

We saved this post until today to make sure Jennifer's fiancee Parker wouldn't see her bridal portraits before their wedding Saturday - the dress, hair, etc were all a surprise for him.

Downtown Staunton has a number of neat locations... plus Jennifer's classic gown and veil fit right in with the old-town feel.

The train station is a perfect spot - lots of different looks and basically deserted much of the time. And right across the street is a quaint little street... we couldn't resist taking advantage of the red door.

And we also took advantage of the courtesy of a tour group. The city operates a few cable car-ish buses for downtown transportation. We flagged one down and asked the driver if we could use the bus for a few quick images. He was a hesitant, but the tour group (they all had name tags - must have been a tour group) talked him into it. Made for a classic image - and kudos to Jennifer for pulling off an amazing pose with about 50 people watching.

Wedding Planning Advice from Brides #3

2008-09-03T08:28:00.002-04:00

More wedding planning advice from couples after their wedding:

"Our motto all along was to keep it simple. We wanted the day to be special but did not want to spend such an enormous amount on the event. With a budget of under $10,000 I think we did a good job and were pleased with the experience. We were able to be budget savvy by utilizing the internet. Our invitations, flowers, vases, ribbon, and bridesmaid dresses were all ordered online.

"Things I loved about the wedding (other than our amazing photographers) were the flowers, the cake, and the bridesmaids' dresses. We saved a ton of money by ordering the tulips from a supplier in Holland. Folks got together the Friday before the wedding to help with the flower arrangements and I even made my own bouquet! The simplicity of having one type of flower throughout was stunning. The bridesmaid dresses were simple and ordered from an online JCrew sale. I know for a fact they have actually worn the dresses again!

"One thing I do recommend to all of my friends is to do a practice run for the hair. I was able to communicate with my stylist and we both understood what I wanted. As such on the day of the wedding I was calm and relaxed, knowing that my look would turn out exactly as I had planned. We also saved money by having the folks at Origins apply my makeup for free! "We were successful in not letting the planning overwhelm us and not get carried away with expensive details.

When I look back, I do sometimes wish we could have changed the venue from the church social hall to a local vineyard. Naturally, that would have cost significantly more money but if I could change one thing, that would probably be it. Overall, the day was wonderful and we were able to enjoy every minute of it. The details all reflected our personalities and style. We are so happy being married and believe that it was the best decision we ever made."

Want to Be a Great Wedding Guest? Here's a Not-To-Do List

2008-08-20T09:39:00.004-04:00

A few days ago we did an interview for Fox News, sharing wedding-day horror stories about rude or tacky guest behavior. For fun we thought we'd recap a few here. All the stories are true. Here are some things you should never do at a wedding:

Arrive less than 10 minutes early. Every wedding has a few latecomers, typically right when the bride is ready to walk down the aisle. More than once all the bridesmaids have entered, the music changes to signal the bride's imminent entry, the doors swing open... and ten people rush in and struggle to find seats. (We've even seen brides have to stop mid-aisle to wait for late arrivals who decide they'd rather sit on the other side of the aisle - and pick that moment to change seats.) The bride's entry is a huge moment - don't spoil it by being late. If you are running behind, linger outside until you know the bride has walked the aisle, then slip in the back relatively unnoticed.
Leave your devices on. Sounds simple, but at probably 1 out of 4 weddings someone's cell phone rings. You're not that important - turn if off for twenty minutes.
Dress down. While you may want to be comfortable (who doesn't), dressing up for the wedding shows respect for the bride and groom. If you're not sure what to wear, ask. Over-dressed is always better than under-dressed. Weddings aren't the time to express your individuality.
Mob the bride and groom immediately after the service. Some guests make a beeline to hug the bride and groom once the ceremony is over. It's a nice gesture, but it spoils any chance the newly married couple has to enjoy a semi-private moment together. Give them a chance to enjoy each other for a couple of minutes - it's the last private time they'll have until the reception is over.
Complain about the food. The bride and groom likely spent a lot of time planning the menu, even if it's simple and straightforward. There's no way they can accommodate everyone's tastes - don't expect them to. If you don't like what's available, nibble a little and then grab a bite on the way home. While you may think you're complaining about the caterer, in effect you're ultimately criticizing the bride and groom... after all, they chose the food.
As a matter of fact, complain about anything - or anyone. The bride and groom want their day to be perfect. Sure, another wedding may have been more fun, or more lavishly catered, or had a better band... but who cares? Comments you make are bound to be overheard - don't spoil the couple's day by complaining or gossiping. If you must, save it until you get home.
Make the wedding about you. Getting drunk and having to be carried out (literally) by security and loaded into the back of an SUV may sound like a funny story to tell your friends later, but for the guests... not so much. Undressing on the dance floor? Making a 15-minute toast explaining how important you are to the bride, instead of talking about how important she is to you? Deciding the bride has to throw her bouquet instead of giving it to her grandmother as she planned? Trying to change the reception schedule, on the spot, without even consulting the couple, because you're positive your way will be a lot more fun? Throwing a fit because the groom doesn't want a posed family photo that includes the guy you met a week ago? In the light of day those don't sound like good ideas, but we've seen every one of them happen. Let the bride and groom set the tone for the wedding, and act accordingly. It's their wedding, not yours.

Historic Sites as Wedding Locations

2008-08-20T08:59:00.006-04:00

We've noticed that couples are increasingly using historic sites as their wedding locations. Churches, resorts, and wineries are still popular choices, but many couples seem to be looking for something a little different. With a little research you can find a wide variety of venues offering a wide variety of services and amenities.

Some, like the Cyrus McCormack Far m in Steeles Tavern, VA (not too far from Lexington) simply let you use the grounds; everything else is up to you and your vendors to provide. Others, like Charlottesville's Ash Lawn (James Monroe's home) can provide everything, including on-site kitchen facilities for your caterer, tents, a pavilion... basically it's a full-service location.

Finding a spot in your area is easy. Use search terms like "historic wedding site fairfax" or "wedding location historic richmond" and you can find the local government site listing venues. For example, here's the site for Fairfax County, and here's the site for Prince William County. Another added bonus: Costs also tend to be somewhat lower than at for-profit locations.

Newspaper Wedding Announcement Photos

2008-07-14T14:15:00.006-04:00

Many couples send wedding announcements to local newspapers after the wedding. (Some submit announcements to multiple papers. The record for one of our couples - that we're aware of, at least - is twelve. Since every paper has different submission guidelines and editorial guidelines, we thought we'd discuss a few of the considerations.

Almost all newspapers allow you to submit photos online by uploading a hi-res jpeg. The problem is the same image may not work as well for different papers. Some prefer portrait images (say, 4 x 5 or 2 x 3) while others request relatively square images (4 x 4 or 3 x 3 is most common). And a few prefer landscape images. To make it more complicated, the New York Times requests portrait images for the announcement itself, but if they feature your wedding in their online section, they also request a landscape photo that's 3 x 6 or 2 x 5. Typically that photo is more of an "action" photo than a headshot; often whether or not your wedding is chosen to be featured is partially based on the quality of the additional photo.

The problem is the same image may not work well depending on the relative size requirements. For example, here's a landscape image.

And here's the same image, but cropped as a square.

From a newspaper point of view, the square image is stronger. If a landscape image was requested, we'd definitely crop the horizontal image differently, even though as is it looks great in an album or a frame. (How you'll display a photo makes a big difference in how it should be cropped.)

On a side note, the New York Times also has pretty specific photo specifications, at least as compared to most papers. Here's an excerpt:

"Couples posing for pictures should arrange themselves with their eyebrows on exactly the same level and with their heads fairly close together. Couple pictures should be printed in a horizontal format.

"Our policy on photographs has changed. While we continue to include formal portraits of couples and individual brides, we also include full-length images of brides in wedding dresses, as well as informal photographs of individuals or couples at home, outdoors or in other attractive settings. Those posing for pictures should be neatly dressed, and the images should be of professional quality."

So, while this is a great photo, the Times would be unlikely to use it due to their "eyebrow level" policy.

The bottom line? Tell us the guidelines of the papers you'll be submitting to, and we'll make sure your images look great while also meeting their expectations.

Wedding Planning Advice from Brides #2

2008-07-14T13:53:00.005-04:00

More wedding planning advice from couples after their wedding - this couple had a small wedding (less than 40 people) and were delighted with the outcome:

"We were thrilled to have had a small wedding with our closest family members. It was very meaningful to us to keep it small and intimate. We loved the venue (Kingsmill Resort in Williamsburg, VA) and were very happy with the overall process, planning, experience, and general logistics.

"If one has a smaller wedding, we would advise people to reach out ahead of time to close friends/family who are not going to be invited. Speaking to these friends/family members personally may help them feel included rather than excluded. This can help prevent mixed messages and post-wedding friction if people find out they are not invited through the grapevine.

"Despite all the stress of weddings, we wish that we could have relaxed more with the planning, preparation, and uniqueness of the event. Sometimes details can seem much more important than they actually are. We think we could have given each other a bit more credit for the planning items each was taking on. We would recommend taking some wedding planning time-outs to spend time with each other and remember why you’re getting married in the first place! At the end of the day, the wedding is not as important as the marriage."

Wedding Planning Advice from Brides #1

2008-07-09T10:08:00.003-04:00

We've been asked to write an article for The Knot about what couples wish they’d done differently in terms of wedding planning, whether it was picking a different venue, spending less money (or more money), putting together a different menu, serving drinks (or not), having an open bar (or not), picking favors and decorations differently, etc.

So we asked brides whose weddings we photographed over the last couple years to tell us what they were happy with and, probably more importantly, what they would do differently based on their experiences. We've gotten a lot of responses so we thought we'd post some. Here's the first!

"I was/am incredibly happy with the church that we chose for our wedding. It was a little more costly than some other options that we had, but it was exactly what I pictured when I thought of our wedding. Because we chose a more expensive ceremony venue, we had to be a little more conservative with the choice of our reception site. There were other places that we liked more, but it just wasn't in our budget to have the church we wanted and an expensive reception site. Although we were worried about how the reception would look, we were very happy about it that night. It all fit together very nicely.

"I think brides get so wrapped up in everything being 'perfect,' which I did A LOT. Although I was pretty level headed about the ceremony and reception venue cost, there were many things that when I look back on, I just have to ask, "Why?". Why did I spend almost $90 on red chargers for the centerpieces of the tables that have not been touched since the morning after the wedding? Why did I spend so much on my veil and tiara? The bridal boutiques reel you in. You find the dress you can not live with out, then they put the veil and matching tiara on you while you are standing in front of the mirror... and you can't leave the store without them.

"I am very happy about some things we cut costs on. The only real flowers we had were the roses sitting at each side of the altar (a last minute purchase the morning of the wedding). I am so glad I had artificial flowers. All of the bouquets were done two months before the wedding. I knew exactly what they looked like, so I didn't have to worry about wilting flowers or a bouquet that I did not like.

"As I said, brides get so obsessed with having the "perfect day". Well, I am sorry, it's not going to be perfect. You have to plan on that. You have to have a plan b and a plan c. Our soloist canceled on us just hours before the wedding. My fiance was so scared to call me and tell me; I was at the church getting ready and he tells me she isn't coming. I was totally cool with it, because I had already planned with the pianist in case that happened. My marriage did not depend on one person singing a song at the wedding.

"I'm not going to lie, there were plenty of days that I could strangle someone or totally call the whole thing off and elope. I just remembered to have fun with it. My sister (my matron of honor) thought it was hilarious that I woke up early that morning very nervous. She thought I was scared to get married or worried that something would go wrong. Truly the one thing I was worried about was forgetting the steps to our dance. At that point I had done all the planning I was going to do; if something went wrong then it would be wrong or we would just go without. No one will know what 'should' have happened. We just totally let go and enjoyed the day and I think everyone had an awesome time because of it. We wanted a big party and that's what we had."

Stolen Wedding Photos (Don't Worry - It Didn't Happen to Us!)

2008-06-25T11:40:00.005-04:00

Last week a thief in Milwaukee stole cameras and 9 rolls of film from an in-progress wedding. (Again, this didn't happen to us.) Despite everyone's best efforts, nothing was found and the culprit was not apprehended. Which means about 3/4 of the couple's photos were lost. If you're interested, here's the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel article.

Losing photos is a concern for every photographer, so we go to extraordinary lengths to avoid the possibility. First, we shoot 100% digital, so making backups is simple. Periodically throughout each wedding we download memory cards to a laptop, and keep the images on those cards (in our pockets) - that way we have two copies stored in separate places.

After the wedding we create another copy of all images on our server (for those of you who are counting, we're now up to three copies.) Then we pick through all images, editing and enhancing the ones we select... and we create separate copies of those images, and back those images up to the server as well. At that point we erase the memory cards, but if you are still keeping track, we still have two copies of all the original files, plus two copies of the edited files.

So - barring a catastrophe, your images are safe. While we definitely feel for the Milwaukee photographer, and even more so for the couple who lost some of their wedding day memories, a few simple steps could have avoided a catastrophe.

First Dance Songs

2008-06-18T11:52:00.004-04:00

A couple still in the wedding planning stages recently asked for music recommendations. While the best reply is probably, "Choose what you like - it's your wedding and everything should reflect your tastes," that's probably not helpful to someone who has no idea what they would like to play, especially during key musical moments like the first dance, father-daughter dance, etc.

So, here's an unscientific survey, in order of frequency, of the songs we've heard most often this year during the bride and groom's first dance:

At Last - Etta James
It Had To Be You - Harry Connick, Jr.
True Companion - Mark Cohn
Come Away With Me - Norah Jones

Also popular are mixes, especially when the couple developed their own dance routine for the middle/end of the song. It's always a crowd pleaser when the music shifts from gentle and romantic to something uptempo or funky.

But, if you're concerned about your dance skills, stick with sweet and romantic - that never goes out of style. If nothing else you won't look back at the video twenty years later and wonder, "What was I thinking?"

Advice on Tipping

2008-06-13T14:46:00.006-04:00

We don't expect to be tipped, but many providers do (or at least they hope to be.) The local ABC affiliate in New York put together a guide to tipping wedding providers that should prove useful.

Most of the advice makes sense, although we were surprised that tipping delivery workers (equipment rentals, cakes, flowers, etc) was expected. In many cases you won't even see them, since you'll be busy getting ready while your venue is getting set up.

Also a little surprised that tipping bartenders, wait staff, etc is expected, since they typically are paid a rate where tips are not assumed to be part of their compensation (unlike restaurant wait staff, for example, who are paid a couple dollars an hour in salary,with tips assumed to make up the bulk of their pay.)

In the end, you should do what feels appropriate, but the advice from WABC should at least give you food for thought.

JMU Arboretum Photos

2008-06-13T12:14:00.006-04:00

For all of you who mentioned that if we discuss a location we really should show photos, here you go: A few images from last weekend's wedding at the Arboretum.

Location Bridal Party Sessions

2008-06-11T12:05:00.007-04:00

A growing trend is for couples to request wedding day bridal-party photo sessions at locations other than the ceremony or reception site. We've done four or five this year, and clearly it's a growing national trend - check out this article from the Chicago Tribune.

Keep in mind that many locations require the payment of shooting fees. For instance, if you want photos taken on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., the National Parks Service charges an average of $250 for the privilege (including a $50 application fee just to consider your application.) Even a location like the Arboretum at JMU charges $50 for engagement or wedding photos; the fee is, fortunately, included in the overall cost if you book the spot for your wedding.

A couple factors to consider. Taking your wedding party to another location takes longer than you might think, even if you all ride together in the limo. (And your guests will be waiting while you're gone.) Many of our couples choose to do separate location photos before the service - that way they can allow as much time as necessary without inconveniencing guests. And don't underestimate how eager you'll be to get to your reception after you're finally married - what seemed like a great idea when you're planning your wedding might feel like an imposition (to you) when you'd rather be dancing, socializing, and celebrating.

Heat

2008-06-11T11:57:00.003-04:00

The last couple weekends have been incredibly hot in Virginia, so we thought - after two successive outdoor weddings in 90-degree plus weather - it might be nice to post a photo from a winter wedding at the Homestead in Warm Springs, VA.

We'll be just outside Charlottesville for a wedding this weekend, so think cool thoughts!

And More Wedding Planning Tips...

2008-06-09T15:54:00.004-04:00

Since we've gotten a lot of response from our recent wedding tips posts, here's another. Check out the article I Do's & Don't's: Straight-Shooting Wedding Advice from the NY Daily News. They're big on making sensible budget choices, especially on items that "most people won't remember anyway," as well as saving money on flowers and your gown.

On a different note: This weekend we photographed a wedding at JMU's Arboretum; it's the first we've shot there in over a year. (We tend to shoot more weddings in Charlottesville, Northern Virginia, and Richmond than in the Harrisonburg area.) It's a beautiful location - even in Saturday's 95 degree weather - but it's low on frills: the staff sets up chairs but that's about it... the rest is up to you. And if you have more than 150 guests, as Leah and Adam did, you'll have to rent and set up additional chairs on your own.
The reception was at the Festival Center - adjacent to the ISAT building - where the staff are both efficient and skilled (the two don't always go together, in our experience.) The space is a perfect size for 200-300 guests; while it holds up to 500, anything over 300 might feel a little tight, especially if you want your guests to be able to mingle freely.

Taking "Right Place, Right Time" to Extremes

2008-06-05T19:42:00.008-04:00

Some amazing photographs of the May 12 earthquake in China have surfaced, photos that exist because of the timing of the quake — in midafternoon, when several newlywed couples happened to be having their wedding photos taken near the town of Bailu.

Note while the wedding party looks slightly worse for wear, the groom is nonetheless up for a little texting.

The Associated Press reports (here's the article) that the photographer, Wang Qiang, was set up outside the century-old French missionary church there, no longer in use but still popular as a romantic backdrop for wedding portraits. He had already taken some shots and was waiting for the couple he was photographing to change clothes when the quake struck; he started recording what happened as the church started to crumble.

For more quake photos by taken by Wang, check out this Chinese news site - while you're there you can try out your translation skills.

The closest we've come to a disaster at a wedding (unless brides fainting at the altar can be considered a disaster) is when a carriage horse fell at Natural Bridge while bringing the bride and her father to the service; the combination of concrete and rain and metal shoes made for terrible footing. (Picture quality isn't great, but we were about 300 yards away at the time.) Oh - and note the Natural Bridge employee looking "official" so he doesn't have to participate.

The horse was actually calmer than everyone else - he simply stayed down until they unhooked his traces, then he got back to his feet and patiently waited to be hooked back up. Three minutes later they were on their way again.

And in case you were worried, here he is later, looking understandably sheepish but otherwise fine.

While it pales in comparison to an earthquake story... hey, that's fine by us.

Tips for Allocating Wedding Funds

2008-06-05T15:53:00.010-04:00

According to a recent news newscast on South Bend, Indiana's WSBT, "Weddings are said to be recession-proof, but the same can't be said for couples' budgets. As the economy takes a hit, many nearly-weds are looking for ways to scale back on a lavish wedding without sacrificing a special day." For example, we recently photographed a wedding held at the home of the bride's parents. As you can see, the setting was beautiful and relatively inexpensive compared to renting a venue, even when you factor in rentals.

And the fireworks were a fun touch, and were a surprise for the bride and groom.

Here's a summary of tips from the article:

Save On:

The guest list (reduce it, in other words)
Invitation costs

Favors

Splurge On:

The location

Photography

To check out the full article and the rationales behind their tips, click here.

Catching Up....

2008-05-29T10:27:00.012-04:00

It's been awhile since we've posted, so let's catch up a little. We've had a very busy spring and photographed a number of beautiful weddings in a variety of settings. To highlight a few, we've been to the Congressional Country Club in Bethesda...

Thanks to the staff (excellent as always) who let us park in the 10-minute parking area for 5 hours. And for not minding when we spent a little time on the putting green with the wedding party before the reception.

Since we're on the impressive-venue subject, the main atrium in the Hotel Jefferson in Richmond is a great spot for cocktails and hors deuvres...

And the ballrooms aren't too shabby, either.

In Virginia Beach, the Adam Thoroughgood House turned out to be a surprisingly nice location for pre-ceremony photos. (Sometimes historical sites are great to visit but not so accommodating for wedding parties; in this case the staff could not have been more gracious.)
The Lesner Inn, overlooking the Chesapeake Bay and the Lynnhaven River, was a beautiful spot for an outdoor ceremony on the deck (as long as you don't mind the occasional congratulatory blowing horns from passing boats), and the main room was perfect for dining and dancing.

And on a water theme, our first visit to the Washington Naval Yard in D.C. was a lot of fun. The venue is great, and the bride was very happy with the job the staff did.

We even got the chance to hear a Grammy-winning singer perform a couple songs during the service. (How often does that happen at a wedding?) Regina Bell was amazing - not sure how the bride landed her for her wedding, but congratulations for pulling it off, and congratulations to Tonya and Kevin!

Posing Tip

2007-11-30T07:41:00.001-05:00

Another quick posing tip for brides: Pay attention to your elbow and the angle of your arm. If you're in a pose with your side facing the camera, or even slightly turned at an angle to the camera - because, after all, you should never turn your body square to the camera - always leave a slight bend in your arm. If there's a small amount of daylight between your arm and your waist, you'll naturally appear more elegant and graceful.

It's easy to pull off when you're holding your bouquet, but you can also easily create the same effect by placing your hand on your hip. Using the angle of your arm can also have a slimming effect - even though some brides don't need it.

If you don't remember any of the posing tips we've shared over the past months, don't worry - on your wedding day we'll work with you to make sure you look your best. It's easy and painless - and you'll love the results.

Glenmore Country Club

2007-11-15T10:31:00.000-05:00

We normally don't comment on specific locations, but if you're planning an outdoor fall wedding, the Glenmore Country Club in Charlottesvile, VA, is a beautiful setting. Here's the view guests had at the wedding we recently photographed.

And while we're giving plugs, the musicians, Morwenna Lasko and Jay Pun, were outstanding. Here's Jay accompanying the bride's father.

Morwenna and Jay perform regularly at Charlottesville clubs; check out their website for more info.

Please note we have no business or other relationship with the country club or Morwenna and Jay - we just liked the location and their music.

Couples Pass on Their Advice

2007-11-13T19:20:00.000-05:00

While the following is in no way a statistically-accurate survey, post-wedding conversations with some of our couples (and sometimes their parents) indicate that many wish they'd done a few things differently - in hindsight, of course. We thought we'd pass on a few of our couples' "lessons learned" in case it helps with your wedding planning. Here they are, in no particular order:

"Spend more on food and less on 'favors'." A number of couples have said they wish they'd paid more attention to the quality of the meal and less time worrying about table favors or mementos. Many people feel the food they served is remembered for a long time, while the personalized golf balls are, well, not. (One bride said only about 30% of her guests actually took home the candy boxes she provided at each place setting.) A common theme expressed is the "quality" of their wedding was judged in large part by the food.

"Tell the DJ to be flexible." While everyone creates a schedule, some events are a little more time-critical than others. While it's important to start the meal on time, exactly when you do your toasts may not be. In one case, for example, the dancing came to a screeching halt - and never picked back up again - when the DJ felt he had to conform precisely to the schedule. Let your DJ know which times are important and which can be flexed in order to keep the fun going.

"Schedule traditional reception activities as early as possible." A lot of guests won't stay for four or five hours, no matter how much fun your reception is. (Older guests especially.) But most still want to see traditional events like the cake-cutting, toasts, bouquet toss, etc. If you space out those activities too much you'll either lose a lot of your guests, or they'll stay long past when they would have preferred to go home. A lot of couples choose to do the cake cutting and bouquet/garter toss immediately after the meal; then whoever wants to stay until the wee hours can, and the others can go home happy they saw all the traditional activities.

"Skip the limo." Clearly this is a judgment call; if you love the idea of leaving the church and arriving at the reception in a limo, go for it. But several couples said in retrospect they wished they saved the limo expense and put it towards something else. One said, "Our reception was only 10 minutes from the church, and we didn't leave in the limo after the reception... so it felt like a waste in the end. It sounded like a wonderful idea ahead of time, but in reality it didn't add anything to the day." That's just one person's opinion, though - if your heart is set on a limo, don't let that sway you.

"Get plenty of help lined up to clean up the church." If your wedding is on a Saturday evening, the church needs to be ready for Sunday morning services. Someone has to remove your flowers and decorations... not to mention your clothing, makeup... and that all has to happen during a time when you'd rather be rushing off to your reception. If you can, line up a group - hopefully made up of people who won't be in your post-ceremony formal photos - to take care of straightening up the church immediately after the service. By the time you're done with your formals, they'll be done with the church... and off to the reception you can all go. We helped several couples remove decorations, carry luggage to the car, etc. We didn't mind at all, but it was obvious they wanted to be doing anything besides policing up the church. Enlist a few friends to help out and you'll enjoy the day a lot more.

So - there are a few of our couples' lessons learned. If this was helpful, let us know and we'll post more tips in the future.

Another Photo Tip for Wedding Guests

2007-10-30T11:57:00.001-04:00

We received a ton of responses to our last entry about photography tips for wedding guests, so here's one more: Tell a story.

The best photos have capture a moment and a feeling. (There's an element of luck, of course, since you're by definition capturing fleeting moments.) But if you can capture the mood of the wedding in your photo, you'll continue to appreciate the photo in years to come.

Sometimes it's okay to be a little out of focus, or to have less than optimal lighting - any photo that tells a story, either about the day or about the emotions of the day - is a great photo. So take a step back and think about how you can tell a story with your photos.
Sometimes it's just a matter of moving a little so you incorporate other people or objects in the photo. Other times it's simply a matter of worrying less about your technique and more about what you're seeing. Technique is important, but having a great eye is critical.

Tips for Point-and-Shoot Photographers

2007-10-26T14:36:00.000-04:00

Wedding guests often ask us for photography advice, so here goes. Keep in mind this is aimed at point-and-shoot users, not people with professional-grade cameras.

Here's our best tip: Take lots of memory cards with you. If you have lots of memory capacity available, you can stop "chimping" (constantly looking at your camera's LCD to see how the photo you just took turned out) and concentrate on what’s going around you. While you're checking your photos and deleting the poor ones you're likely to miss the best moments. Sort your photos later.

Use your optical zoom (not your digital zoom) to get in close whenever you can. Forget about including legs and background objects when you photograph people. Pants and church steeples aren't particularly interesting - emotions and expressions are.

If you're using the long end of your lens to magnify the image, remember this will magnify your own body movements as well, increasing the blurring caused by camera shake. Learn to hold your camera steady and your percentage of "keepers" will go up.

Go where the light is: outdoors, near entrances, by windows. Even if you're using flash, adding natural light always improves a photo.

Try taking some shots where your target isn’t in the center of the frame. Focus on the eyes of your subject and then recompose to put them exactly where you want them. Keep background clutter out of the shot, put more space on the side of the frame a person is looking towards, and take advantage of dramatic diagonals and other “ambient” framing.

Take lots of photos. Experiment. Be ready. Watch for and try to anticipate moments of meaning or emotion.

And don't worry about taking photos of the cake or the flower arrangements, unless you're particularly interested in those types of photos. (Because some can be spectacular.)

Instead, focus on people - and on candid moments. When you get home and look through your photos, the ones that will make you smile are the ones you took that captured the personalities of your family and friends.

Flower Girls

2007-10-18T15:27:00.001-04:00

Sometimes it looks like fun to be young and wear a flower girl's dress...

And at other times, perhaps not so much.

Wedding Ceremony Lighting

2007-10-17T12:09:00.000-04:00

Some denominations and individual churches - and sometimes even individual celebrants - ban the use of flash or artificial lighting during the wedding ceremony. That's not a problem; even if we can use flash, we often take a number of photos using natural light. Sometimes, if the time of day is right, the results can be spectacular.

Other churches are equally beautiful, but catching natural sunlight through windows is impossible. For example, the Augusta Stone Church has large windows, but it's surrounded by trees, blocking any dramatic sunbeams. Depending on the time of day the UVA Chapel has very dramatic lighting - but conditions can vary greatly hour to hour.

But rest assured - if the light is right at the time of your ceremony, we'll catch it.

Atmosphere Photos

2007-09-20T15:33:00.000-04:00

Many of our clients enjoy wedding "atmosphere" photos: images of flowers, decor, the church... and we do our best to photograph each wedding in as comprehensive a way as possible. For example, here's a minister walking towards the church just before the wedding.

The key is to allow us enough time to capture these types of images. If your schedule is busy and we have just enough time to take all the pre-ceremony photos you want, then photograph the ceremony, then take post-ceremony posed photos under a tight timetable... then were off to the reception... we'll do our best to photograph the settings and peripheral events of your day, but our ability to do so may be limited. (Keep in mind neither of the moments shown were staged or posed - we just needed the few seconds necessary to notice and photograph them.)

If atmosphere and mood photos are important to you, let us know and we'll work with you to develop a schedule that allows us to capture everything you want.

"I'm Glad I Don't Face That Type of ID Check"

2007-09-20T14:57:00.000-04:00

It's by no means wedding related, but recently one of our brides saw the photo below and said, "Maybe showing two forms of ID isn't such a bad thing after all...."

Before each race all horses have their identities verified by checking the unique ID number that's tattooed on the inside of their upper lip, since names are easy to change but a tattoo is a little tougher...

... and that's what they're doing in this photo taken at Pimlico. It's not a particularly flattering angle, so in the spirit of fairness here's the same horse, on a different day, photographed under much better circumstances.

Safe Return

2007-09-11T09:51:00.000-04:00

Nicole let us know that her husband, Marine lieutenant Philip Anastasi, returned from a tour of duty in Iraq.

He left for Iraq a week after he and Nicole were married, and we're glad to hear he's home safe and sound. Our hope is the term "second honeymoon" takes on a new and very special meaning in situations like theirs. We extend our thanks and gratitude to Phil and to all the other members of our armed forces who are serving or have served overseas.

Veils Make a Comeback

2007-09-11T08:56:00.000-04:00

Our posts about wedding trends generate by far the most feedback from readers, so here's another one we've noticed this year. A few years ago we saw very few brides wearing veils - maybe once every twenty weddings or so. This summer alone four of our brides wore veils.

Depending on the gown, a veil can add a touch of additional elegance and grace. (But keep in mind if your ceremony will be held outdoors, the wind could play havoc with your veil, making it more of a distraction than an accent.)

It's worth noting that only one of our brides - in the last three years - wore her veil over her face as she walked down the aisle. While the moment the groom lifts the bride's veil at the altar is always a special one, most couples choose not to; that way guests have an unobstructed view of the bride as she walks the aisle - and she can see her guests clearly, too.

Destination Weddings - Redefined

2007-09-05T10:49:00.000-04:00

Destination weddings are as popular as ever - each year we photograph two or three weddings in exotic or distant locales. But many couples are redefining "destination."

How? Typically a "destination" wedding involves the couple meeting family and friends at an island location or resort for their wedding. But a number of our couples in past years have chosen a less distant location for their wedding, inviting family and friends to join them there for a week, with the wedding taking place either in the middle of the week or even at the beginning.

The wedding becomes a mini-vacation, albeit a vacation with a theme (and a vacation where bringing nice clothes is no longer optional.) And if you choose a destination like the Kingsmill Resort in Williamsburg, you may be lucky enough to be chauffeured around for post-ceremony photos by a friendly golf course employee.

When we talk to those couples afterwards, all have been very happy they chose to spend significant time with their families before and after their weddings. Most feel it's a great way to "blend" the families and give everyone a chance to get to know each other over a period of days rather than hours. Even small weddings benefit from this approach; you can always take over a bed and breakfast for the week or weekend.

Plus it's a more relaxed celebration - there's no hurry to make sure you spend a few moments with each guest... because you'll have plenty of time to catch up before and after the wedding.

Videotape Your Proposal

2007-09-01T17:59:00.001-04:00

We've seen a lot of cute ideas, but a couple months ago at a wedding we photographed Ed, the groom, pulled off something we'd never seen before. He enlisted the help of a friend to videotape his proposal to his eventual bride, Shelley. (We assume he didn't worry he'd run the risk of instead documenting the moment she turned him down.) His friend stayed out of sight and Ed never let Shelley know he'd arranged to videotape the moment.

At the wedding reception he surprised her by playing the video on a large screen. It was a really cute moment - she was very surprised, he was tickled he'd pulled it off, and it was a neat way to involve family and friends in their day. While it certainly took some planning, and required Ed to keep a secret for a number of months, Shelley's response was priceless, and it was a memory they - and their guests - will remember forever.

Floyd Landis Visits Harrisonburg

2007-09-01T16:45:00.000-04:00

Floyd Landis, winner of the 2006 Tour de France, in Harrisonburg this weekend for Sunday's Shenandoah Mountain 100 mountain bike race, signed autographs and met fans Friday night at Shenandoah Bicycle Company in an impromptu event. He's both famous and infamous: he won the world's preeminent bicycle race, and days later tested positive for performance enhancing drugs. (He lost his arbitration case, so he's no longer officially the TdF champion.)

Floyd had nothing to gain personally from the meet-and-greet; he wasn't selling anything, representing a sponsor, or pushing for media attention. He agreed to the event because the folks at SBC asked him to come by - his visit generated a lot of attention and brought potential customers (for the SBC) into the store. It was simply a nice gesture on his part.

After about 30 minutes a reporter from the Daily News-Record asked Floyd for an interview. Floyd said, "Sure... but only after there's no one left who wants to meet me or have me sign something ."

The reporter understood, but what impressed me is Floyd didn't seem concerned about accommodating the reporter, even though it's in his best interest to get his side of the doping story out. It was obvious he cared a lot more about accommodating the people who came by to see him.

I enjoyed speaking to him, however briefly, and was left with the impression he's a decent guy who, like all of us, tries to do the right thing even when doing the right thing means doing the hardest thing.

If you're interested in Floyd's doping allegations, the blog Trust But Verify collects daily news about the case and about Floyd. They don't appear to have an editorial opinion, but merely aggregate each day's media coverage.

Quick Posing Tip #2

2007-08-31T08:26:00.001-04:00

We received a number of responses to yesterday's quick posing tip, so here's another. It's the classic "model turn" (that's what we call it, anyway.)

Stand at a roughly 45-degree angle to the camera, stand up straight, then turn your shoulders until they're nearly face-on to the camera- but leave your hips and lower body in place. The result is a pose that's more dynamic and much more flattering.

Plus, it's a "slimming" pose - your mid-section will automatically appear trimmer.

You can even exaggerate the pose, turning your shoulders even closer to square, and tilting your head slightly the other way, like in this photo, taken seconds after the one above.

This variation creates an elegant look, but it can feel a little awkward if you're not used to posing. (Remember that professional models create a "reality." No one stands or sits or positions themselves, in real life, the way models do for photographs.)

Two things to take with you: When posing for a photograph, even a casual one, never stand or face square-on to the camera; and if a pose feels awkward, don't worry - you look great. Oh - actually three things. If we're posing you, really don't worry - we'll make sure you look great.

A Quick Posing Tip for Brides

2007-08-30T11:27:00.000-04:00

Unless you're a model, you're probably not super-comfortable in front of a camera. (Although, to be fair, most of our brides say they forget we exist about ten minutes into the day - we're really good at being unobtrusive and blending in.) But if you feel awkward posing with your (now) husband, here's a sure-fire way to relax: Lean your head against your husband's chest.

Not only does it help you relax, but your feelings for your husband will also show through in the photos, making for perfect images that capture the emotions of the day. Give it a try!

Wedding Insurance - Here's What We Think

2007-08-29T21:26:00.000-04:00

We get asked a lot of wedding questions not related to photography, and that's okay - we've probably been to a lot more weddings than you have. A question we've been asked recently concerns wedding insurance and whether it makes sense. If you're looking for wedding photography advice, skip this - we'll answer the question from a general point of view, not specific to wedding photography or even insurance covering wedding photography. This is by necessity a fairly long post, so bear with us ----

And before you ask, Dirk and Laura, pictured above, didn't need wedding insurance - their wedding went perfectly.

So - wedding insurance or not? Here's our opinion. Your most important investment for your big day may actually be a wedding insurance policy that will cover many of your costs if you need to postpone or cancel the ceremony and reception.

I know that doesn't sound too romantic or exciting, but let's focus on what's on the line here. According to TheWeddingReport.com, the average U.S. wedding cost more than $25,000 in 2007. You wouldn't pay that much for a car and not insure it, or if you made a $25,000 down payment on a home.

If you are planning an expensive or elaborate wedding, it makes sense to insure your wedding. Ask your insurance agent what policies are available -- some insurers offer wedding insurance in a Special Events policy. Or you can check out insurers that specialize in wedding insurance like WedSafe (www.wedsafe.com, who we have no business relationship with, by the way).

The premiums are relatively cheap when you compare them to the money you'll spend on the wedding. WedSafe charges around $200 for a policy that will pay up to $7,500 should your wedding be cancelled or postponed for "covered" reasons (more on that later.) For $35,000 in coverage, the cost is about $400. In case you're curious, it costs about $1,000 to cover a $150,000 gala.

Cold Feet Aren't Covered
The core of a wedding insurance policy is the cancellation/postponement coverage -- the reimbursement you'll receive for all deposits and charges you've paid to your wedding vendors, assuming the insurer approves your reason for cancellation or postponement. That last clause is very important: As with every type of insurance, you need to take the time to understand exactly what is and isn't covered in your policy. You should review the policy in detail with your agent to avoid any ugly surprises down the line.

Among the important caveats to many wedding insurance policies:

Weather: If you're planning an outdoor wedding and encounter drizzle or depressing gray skies, you're out of luck if you want to postpone the nuptials for a better photo day.
But should some extreme weather make it impossible for anyone in your wedding party or the majority of your guests to attend, then your policy will kick in if you need to cancel or postpone. Keep in mind "extreme" means snowstorms, hurricanes, earthquakes, or other major events that close down airports, highways, etc. If extreme weather damages your wedding site -- say a hurricane destroys the reception hall -- your policy will cover the costs of rearranging your wedding plans.

A family or wedding-party member's injury or illness: If someone in the wedding party or your immediate family (parents, grandparents, siblings, or children) is injured or too ill to attend, your policy will pay the costs of postponing or canceling the event. But read this coverage carefully -- typically an illness or injury caused by a preexisting condition that occurred within the past 12 months will nullify this coverage.

The caterer or reception hall goes out of business: If you're jilted by a wedding vendor you've hired, your policy will kick in. Note that a DJ not showing up isn't grounds for cancellation or postponement. Typically your policy will simply pay you a set sum for the DJ's absence.

Rehearsal dinners, engagement parties, bachelor, and bachelorette parties: Policies typically don't cover any of the ancillary wedding festivities.

Cold feet: Um, no. If the bride or groom decides to walk out before walking down the aisle, the insurance policy won't cover any of the deposits and costs you've already incurred.

Mental distress: If you cancel or postpone your wedding for a legitimate (covered) reason and it sends you into an emotional tailspin, your policy may cover the shrink bills.

To Love, Cherish, and Be Liable
When you throw a big wedding party, you also need to be insured in case anyone is injured at the event. For big-time celebrations, the space you rent for the wedding and reception will often require that you have liability insurance before making a deal with you.

If you're very close to the wedding date, look into the liability coverage offered through the wedding insurance policy. For about $200 or so, you can get the coverage you need.

Rings
A wedding insurance policy often provides coverage if rings are lost or stolen during the period the policy is in force (you can typically purchase a wedding policy from two years to two weeks before the event; your coverage ceases after the event). Even if the policy will reimburse you for the cost of the ring -- the coverage is tied to your level of cancellation/postponement coverage -- you want that ring to be insured after the wedding, too.

Your smartest move is to insure the ring through a floater/rider to your existing homeowner's or renter's insurance policy. Don't assume that your policy's existing jewelry coverage is good enough. Typically this covers you only if the ring is stolen. By adding coverage through a floater/rider, you will be covered for all risks. If you lose the ring or it's lost in a fire, flood, or other calamity, your policy will kick in. You'll even be covered if the stone falls out
and is lost.

The average annual cost for adding a jewelry rider to your policy to cover a $10,000 ring will be under $200. And make sure you have the insurance in place the day you walk out of the store.

So that's what we think. Again, it's just our opinion, so seek expert advice and shop around before you make a decision. It may not be a tough decision, though; wedding insurance is relatively inexpensive, and like most other forms of insurance, even if you purchase a policy you hopefully won't need it.

Best Wishes to Brent Bookwalter

2007-08-29T20:39:00.000-04:00

We'd like to pass on our best wishes to Brent Bookwalter, a bicycle racer we met in 2006 at the Tour of Shenandoah. Brent, riding for the U.S. National Development Squad, suffered a severely broken left leg in a crash in mid-April while racing in Europe. (From what we understand, he hit a metal light pole.) Here's Brent in 2006 right after the first stage of the race.

Brent won the Tour of Shenandoah in 2006, and we later sent his mom some photos gratis. Evidently cycling moms don't get to see their sons or daughters too often, since bicycle racing requires a tremendous amount of travel.

Not only is Brent a great racer, he's also a genuinely nice guy who took the time to respond in detail to a question we asked about host housing.

If you'd like to keep track of his recovery, check out his blog by clicking here. But be forewarned - the x-rays on his site make his leg look like an erector set.

A Quick Thank You...

2007-08-29T20:25:00.001-04:00

As we move into the fall, we'd like to thank all the couples - and their families and friends - we worked with this summer. Every couple was gracious and welcoming, and we also enjoyed some of the more fun receptions we've been to over the years. (And a few of the more interesting.)

Thanks again to everyone we worked with and had the privilege to meet. We're honored to have been chosen to photograph your weddings, and we're proud that our work will help your memories last a lifetime.

Rescuing Problem Images

2007-08-19T08:46:00.000-04:00

No matter how hard any photographer tries, some images aren't perfect. Stuff happens.

"Problem" images, or images that are under-exposed, have incorrect white balance, have picked up an odd hue due to light sources or reflections, can usually be corrected, at least to a degree.... Normally we don't need to "fix" images - we're good at what we do, and we always take a number of shots of the same pose or moment, just in case. But since we're often asked about digital editing, here's an example of a time where stuff did happen.

In the image above, just as the shutter tripped a lady with a red umbrella blocked the strobe. (The other four photos in the series were perfect, but this one clearly wasn't.) Not only was it under-exposed and muddy, but it also had a pretty bad orange/red cast.

It was definitely fixable, though. Here's the same image, in black and white, after about 30 seconds of digital corrections including adjusting levels, curves, and some selective dodge tool application.

Not bad, right? Here's the same image in color, after corrections. This version took almost five minutes to correct; the main difference in the black and white and color versions is the need to apply adjustments to ensure skin tones look natural (which can be a lot trickier than it sounds.)

Obviously we don't want - or need - to do this kind of work to every photo, but sometimes we capture a moment or expression we'll do just about anything to save.

Two More Recent Wedding Trends

2007-08-18T19:17:00.000-04:00

Oops - forgot a couple. (Check out the next entry for a number of other recent wedding ceremony and reception trends BlackBird Images photographers have noticed this year.)

Cakes and Cake Cutting. Decorating cakes with flowers has become more popular this year. It's a nice way to personalize your cake and, if you wish, extend your floral theme a little farther.

Also growing in popularity is cutting the cake earlier in the reception - even before the meal. A highlight of any wedding reception is the cutting of the cake, which traditionally occurs late in the celebration. By staging the cake cutting earlier - after the first dance but before guests dine, for example, there are at least a few advantages. You and your spouse had a chance to freshen up before your entrance, you're not tired and maybe a little frazzled from dancing, and all the guests should still be there to enjoy the experience. Plus, the catering staff has plenty of time cut the cake and do any last-minute plate decorating.

Weddings in the round. We've only seen a couple, but if the venue is right (especially if you're outside), some couples choose to have their ceremony in the round - the chairs are formed in a circular pattern around the altar. While not everyone will have a great view (some will be looking at your back, but that happens at most weddings anyway), no one will be more than four or five rows away from the front. It creates a more intimate setting, and will make you feel like you're closer to your guests. It's not for everybody, but it is something we've started to see....

Latest Wedding Trends

2007-08-15T08:38:00.000-04:00

BlackBird Images photographers have had a busy summer, and we thought it might be fun to share recent wedding trends (based, admittedly, on the very non-scientific "data" we collected solely from the weddings we photographed.) So while our "findings" may not be statistically accurate, they do reflect what we've seen...

More Popular:

Photojournalism. Almost all our couples want candid shots that capture moments, gestures, emotions, and real interactions. That may not actually be a widespread trend, though - we're really good at and work hard to capture candid and "un-posed" moments, and couples specifically seek us out for that reason. Regardless, from what we can tell most couples want natural photos that truly reflect the day, and not posed photos that reflect, well, how the photographer wanted people to look.

Destination locations. More couples are opting for weddings at resorts or B & Bs or other locations where guests stay for a few days or longer, both before and after the wedding. The result is a wedding, reunion, and vacation all rolled into one.

Facing the guests. Traditionally couples face an altar, the person marrying them, or each other. We've seen a lot more couples turning to face their guests during the ceremony, or at least standing at a diagonal with their bodies opened up towards the "audience," which the guests seem to appreciate (and so do we).

Creative cakes. We've seen an increase in the use of flowers to decorate cakes, as well as monograms, crystals, and other items. Lots of cakes are now tiered in different flavors and colors so guests have a choice.

Save-the-date cards. Cards are mailed about six months before the ceremony, announcing the date, place and time of the wedding. (Formal invitations follow at some point.) They may also include information on hotels, flights or rental cars — anything guests may need to plan the trip.

Presents for guests. Instead of party favors, some couples have given meaningful tokens—we've seen books of poetry, monogrammed wineglasses, tulip bulbs... things with a lasting value. But - small boxes of candy is still very popular.

And a Little Less Popular:

Pastels. In everything from invitations to bridesmaids’ dresses and centerpieces, stronger, richer colors seem to be in. We've even seen a few engagement rings with colored diamonds (and they're really pretty.) Colored diamonds are rarer (red is most rare) and more expensive than white diamonds, though.

Tight bouquets. A lot of brides chose a more natural look, with stems exposed, tied loosely with long, flowing ribbons. While they're a little tougher to carry around all day, they are pretty.

Elaborate receiving lines. This summer we haven't seen a single formal receiving line; everyone who choose to have a receiving line just included the bride, groom, and parents. The days of receiving lines with every relative included seem to be over (thank goodness).

Post-ceremony church photos. More and more couples want their posed photos outside the church. Church interiors normally have busy backgrounds and poor lighting... plus some altar areas are simply too small to accommodate larger group photos. Many of our couples want a few shots inside and the rest outside, using the church, the mountains, etc as the backdrop. We're all for this trend - if for no other reason than the people being photographed appear more comfortable and natural outside rather than inside.

Garter and bouquet tossing. We think it depends on the age of the couple; if you and your friends are under 30, the garter and bouquet toss can be a lot of fun. If you're in your 40s or 50s... not so much. A number of couples, even younger couples, skipped this part of the reception this year.

Creating environmental issues. Rice-throwing seems to be completely gone (birds eat it, but not always to such a great effect) and very few butterfly release weddings. And a lot of couples seem to be planning the reception with recycling in mind.

Country Club Receptions

2007-06-08T08:18:00.000-04:00

Two weekends in a row BlackBird Images photographed weddings at country clubs: Spotswood Country Club in Harrisonburg, VA and Kingsmill Resort & Spa in Williamsburg, VA. There's nothing like using the golf course for photographic backgrounds.

The golfers also tend to be great about our presence. While we try hard to not disrupt things, bridal parties of 15 to 20 people naturally take up some room... but the golfers never seem to mind the interruption. After all, it's a wedding - even people who aren't involved tend to get into the spirit of things.

On another note: We're a little behind on blog posting; in May we photographed weddings in Harrisonburg, Lexington, Charlottesville, Williamsburg, Richmond, Fairfax... and June is just as busy. Thanks to all the couples we've worked with this year - you were all great, and we are honored to have the privilege of photographing your weddings.

Tour of Virginia

2007-05-03T19:30:00.000-04:00

The Tour of Virginia (used to be the Tour of Shenandoah) finished up last weekend. BlackBird Images photographers went to the first two stages (at Natural Bridge and Lynchburg) and the Harrisonburg stage.

As we did last year, this year we're giving any riders and teams low-res images at no charge. Many teams operate on a shoestring budget, so we're glad to help them out in some small way. (We also let the Tour of Virginia organizers use any photos.)

If you'd like to see all of the photos we posted, follow this link or go to the BlackBird Images site, click Public Galleries, and follow the Tour of Virginia gallery link.

It's pretty impressive to see 180 cyclists all try to squeeze through the first two turns of a downtown race...

The finish of the Harrisonburg Criterium was somewhat controversial. Kayle Leogrande, multi-time national criterium champion shown below, "won" the race, at least for a few minutes.

After the race officials decided he impeded other riders in the finishing straight, and he was relegated to last place. I had a head-on view of the finish (I was probably farther out in the street than I should have been), and while the leaders did drift across the road, in all fairness the course narrowed at that point and almost everyone had no choice but to veer slightly. Here's Kayle with his team director, Frankie Andreu (who rode in the Tour de France nine times, some of them on Lance Armstrong's team.) Frankie has just explained the race officials' decision.

I have to give Kayle credit, though. He was visibly disappointed. Yet moments after I took this photo:

I sat beside him and asked what happened, and he was nice enough to talk when he obviously didn't really want to.

All in all a great event - congratulations to Matt Butterman, Dave LeMay, and the rest of the Tour of Virginia staff.

Flowers & Bouquets

2007-03-29T16:14:00.000-04:00

As wedding photographers we've seen a lot of flowers and a lot of wedding bouquets - many of them beautiful. At a recent wedding BlackBird Images photographed we may have seen our favorites (at leat as of this writing). They weren't elaborate, they weren't complicated... just simple and elegant and, well, beautiful.

They were purchased from a supplier in the Netherlands; the bride ordered them with delivery planned for the Thursday before the Saturday wedding. When they arrived they were still closed, but by the afternoon of their wedding they were opened perfectly. (Obviously the florist in the Netherlands knows what they're doing.)

Another couple at the wedding had done the same thing - the selection is broader, the quality is exceptional... it's a neat way to get exactly what you want instead of having to settle for what your florist has available. And, at least in this instance, reliability and delivery was perfect.We don't know the name of the firm, but a quick web search shows a number of florists in Europe who offer this service. Check it out!

Frequently Asked Question - Schedule Delay Origin?

2007-03-22T15:38:00.000-04:00

As we've met with clients over the last month to plan their wedding photography, many have asked us our opinion on where we think they're likely to encounter delays on their wedding day.

At the risk of offending the fine members of these professions... hair stylists and makeup artists tend to cause the most delays.

Some slippage is understandable; often the hair stylist is asked to do the hair of the bride and the bridesmaids, many of whom he or she has never seen, much less worked with - plus some bridesmaids think your wedding is a great time to try out a new and time-consuming style. If your hair schedule slips and your makeup schedule slips... you can easily find yourself half an hour or an hour behind, especially if the bride is the last person to have her hair and makeup done.

Our advice? When you meet with your stylist and/or makeup artist, stress the importance of your schedule, and make sure they know exactly how much time they have. Then, have someone in your group periodically remind them where they stand so they'll stay on track on your wedding day. (If you're the bride, appoint someone else; the last role you want to adopt on your wedding day is the role of the heavy.)

Photography Effects

2007-03-22T14:42:00.000-04:00

Let's be honest - we're not big fans of Photoshop effects. BlackBird Images photographers use Photoshop to edit images, but most of the time the more, um, "spectacular" effects some photographers use - especially on wedding photographs - don't enhance the photo. We never use an effect just for the sake of the effect instead of to enhance the photo.

With that said, though, we recently developed a Photoshop technique to make new images look like turn-of-the-century, sepia-toned photos printed on a coarse, linen-like paper. With the right photo it can look terrific:

Look at the enlarged versions closely and you can see the grain and linen overlay, especially near the bottom of the photo. This effect tends to work best when the setting makes the photograph appear it could have been taken decades ago. Choose the right frame and matte and if you like the look, some of your photos can have this vintage appearance, too.

Candid Photographs = Don't Look

2007-03-05T11:07:00.000-05:00

We feature a candid, photojournalistic style, and many couples ask us what they need to do to help with the process. If you like candid photographs, especially of yourself, the answer is easy:

Don't look.

We know it's hard - we've all been 'trained' to look at the camera. We tell all of our couples to ignore us unless we're taking posed photos. (Don't worry - you'll know when we are.) Greet your guests, enjoy your family, have fun... and don't worry about us. You'll enjoy your wedding more and you'll get great candid photos.

Of course, looking at us once in awhile is a good thing, too.

A quick note: As always, by this time of year we're almost completely booked, especially for the prime May through October period. (We only book one wedding per available weekend.) If you're considering us to photograph your wedding, contact us as soon as possible .

UVA Chapel Wedding

2007-02-07T13:38:00.000-05:00

Last weekend BlackBird Images photographed a wedding at the UVA Chapel. It's a venue incredibly in demand; the University schedules the Chapel by lottery a year in advance. With light like this, you can see why it's such a popular wedding location:

While it holds approximately 250 people, it also feels very cozy and intimate.

And yes, even when it's 35 degrees outside, some of our brides are happy to brave the elements - especially when the Rotunda and Lawn are right beside the Chapel.

A couple of notes about the Chapel: Parking is tough - the wedding party is allowed five parking passes. Everyone else is left to fend for themselves (we parked across the street near one of the frat houses). The Chapel is also tightly scheduled; your wedding may take place right on the heels of another ceremony or service. But if you went to UVA, or just want a beautiful non-denominational church, the minor inconveniences are definitely worth it.

Frequent Wedding Question #5

2007-01-16T11:52:00.000-05:00

Here's the last in our series of Frequent Wedding Questions:

"We think we want all our photos in black and white instead of color - is that something we should decide ahead of time?"

While you're welcome to make that decision ahead of time, you don't have to. We shoot 100% digital, so all images are originally in color. Any image can then be converted to black and white or a variety of tones. You can even get prints of the same image in color, b/w and sepia if you wish, for instance. Some photos lend themselvs well to b/w, others don't. For example, here's the same photo in color:

And in black and white:

Even though the photo is meant to be a "mood" image, we prefer the color version - it has more visual impact.

While it has become more common for wedding albums to be made up of all black and white photos, we're seldom asked to do so. (Some photographers only produce black and white - we're not sure why, unless it's a style or "branding" choice the photographer has made.) Your photos can be all color, all black and white, all toned, or any combination of the three. There's no reason to make that decision ahead of time, unless you're 100% set on how you'd like your photos to look.

Daily Peloton Photos

2007-01-16T11:38:00.000-05:00

A few of the BlackBird Images photos from the Tour of Shenandoah (now called the Tour of Virginia) were used in a feature article about Canadian cyclist Zach Bell on DailyPeloton.com.

To learn more about the Tour of Virginia, click here.

Frequent Wedding Question #4

2007-01-15T14:24:00.000-05:00

A lot of prospective clients ask popular question number four, but more should:

"My parents are paying for your services - does that mean they're in charge of what you do?"

No. While we'll certainly listen to parents' ideas and will try to make all of your family and friends happy, the bottom line is the wedding couple are our clients. We take the time to make sure we know what you want and how you'd like us to work with you, regardless of who is paying. From our point of view, it's your wedding and they're your photos - so our goal is to take care of you.

But we will try to make everyone happy. If a relative asks for a quick photo with a friend, we're glad to oblige. If your mother wants a photo with your grandparents - great! But if you'd like a photo along a fence, and your father doesn't think it's a great idea... you'll get a photo along the fence. You're our client and we'll do everything in our power to make sure your wedding photos are exactly what you hoped for.

Frequent Wedding Question #3

2007-01-12T09:19:00.000-05:00

If you're surprised this is one of our most frequently asked questions by prospective couples, we are too:

"You don't show testimonials on your website - why not?"

A number of couples ask this question - we guess it's because most photographers show testimonials on their sites. The BlackBird Images site does not, for a couple of reasons. One, if wedding photographers shoot a number of weddings a year, you would certainly hope they could get at least a couple positive comments from their clients. But the fact that a few clients were happy doesn't mean you'll be happy.

We also think our work speaks for itself. When we meet with you, we don't just show our twenty best photographs and hope you'll be impressed - we show complete proof galleries so you can get a true sense of how we work and how your photographs may look. (The same is true if we're corresponding by e-mail; on request we'll provide login details for complete galleries.) Not only will you get to see how our online gallery tool works, but you'll get a much better feel for our style.

If you'd like to see a sample gallery that doesn't require a login and password, click here.

So, we don't list testimonials. The only thing you'll learn from (probably edited) testimonials is that some clients were happy. We will, if requested, provide references - then you can call past clients and ask specific questions about our skill, our professionalism, and our service. While testimonials are fine, the proof is in the photos.

Frequent Wedding Question #2

2007-01-11T16:01:00.000-05:00

Today's question is an extension of yesterday's:

"We like 'atmosphere' photos - how can we make sure you include a few of those in our proofs?"

The short answer is to build in a little time. If you've booked us for four hours, for example, and you want an extensive list of pre-ceremony photos, a reasonable number of post-ceremony posed photos, and then we drive to your reception location for dinner and dancing... there isn't a lot of time for 'atmosphere' photos, since even with two photographers we'll stay very busy capturing all the moments and events. With that said, though, we still try to grab photos on the fly, like this one:

It only took a moment - the rings were available, the flowers were there... and in about 30 seconds we created a nice memory. No matter how tight our schedule is, as we move from shot to shot we always look for atmosphere photos we can include - but never at the risk of missing photos you've told us you want. It's a delicate balance to walk. At one wedding the groomsmen were dressing in a separate building, and on our way to the sanctuary we saw the minister strolling towards the church.

So, there are two answers to the question. One, we'll do our best to capture some of the atmosphere surrounding your wedding, no matter how tightly scheduled your events are. Two, if you want special photos of you or your wedding party, we'll need to factor in time for those in your overall schedule. Since each wedding is different, the only way we can establish a workable schedule is to discuss exactly what you're hoping for - then we can help you create a timeline that lets you get the photos you want.

Frequent Wedding Question #1

2007-01-10T14:02:00.000-05:00

We receive more calls (and book more weddings) each January than in any other month. We thought it might be helpful to cover some of the more common questions people ask. We'll cover one question each day.

Today's question is:

"How much time should I allow for my post-ceremony bridal party photos?"

We led with this question because almost every couple wants some amount of posed photos after the ceremony. To answer the question, first think about how large your wedding is and how many different photos you'll want.

Common poses include the bride and groom with:

Bridesmaids
Groomsmen
Bridesmaids and Groomsmen together
Bride's parents (and another shot including siblings)
Groom's parents (and another shot including siblings)
Both sets of parents (plus a shot of all siblings)
Separate shots with grandparents, siblings, and extended family

Then, most couples also want combinations of photos with the bride and her maid of honor, bridesmaids, and flower girl; then the groom with the best man, groomsmen, and ring bearers. As you can guess, the list can go on a lot longer. (We provide couples with a checklist of common poses so they can plan which photos they want ahead of time - we then use the checklist as our guide.)

So, with all that said: We work fairly quickly, and since we bring two photographers, we can make the post-ceremony photo session go faster and smoother than most photographers. The typical session takes 25 to 35 minutes, depending on how many different groupings you want. Then, if you and your spouse want to stick around for another 10 or 15 minutes, we can get a number of different photos of just the two of us.

The biggest variable, quite frankly, is how cooperative and attentive your friends and family are: If people drift away and have to be retrieved the session can take considerably longer. Some sessions have taken as long as an hour due to family members wandering away, although that's fairly rare. Because we work quickly and efficiently, most family members stay close by and try to help things move along quickly, too. (We try not to give anyone time to drift away.)

For more Frequently Asked Questions, visit the BlackBird Images website and our FAQ section.

December Weddings

2007-01-01T17:51:00.000-05:00

While the winter weather doesn't always cooperate, sometimes - like last weekend - we're able to take bridal parties outside for photos, even in December. BlackBird Images photographed a wedding just outside Harrisonburg and were able to take pre-ceremony and post-ceremony photos outdoors. Light in the winter is typically softer than in the summer, and with a little care we can easily create a nice "glow" in the photos. Here's the bride before the ceremony on the steps outside the church.

We took some post-ceremony bridal party photos inside as well (as we normally always do, if for no other reason than to create a greater variety of proofs for the couple to choose from), but we welcomed the chance to go outside. We always come prepared to work outside, even in the winter. (Click here to visit our website for more info on Our Approach.)

And as you can see, the results were great. If you're planning a winter wedding, take the opportunity to slip outside, even if it's just for a few quick photographs.

Tour of Virginia

2007-01-01T16:58:00.000-05:00

Congratulations to the Tour of Shenandoah organizers - in 2007 they're the Tour of Virginia. The scope of the race has been expanded: The six-day tour, running April 24-29, branches out of the Valley into two new cities, Lynchburg and Charlottesville.

Last year BlackBird Images photographed some of the stages, and we plan to do so again this year. (To see a gallery of images from last year's race, click here.) Tour Director Matthew Butterman says he expects the number of cyclists to grow from about 90 last year to 150 in 2007, which is the maximum number of riders allowed. If you get a chance, check out the race if it comes through your area.

Magazine Style Wedding Albums

2006-12-28T08:56:00.000-05:00

Magazine style wedding albums have become much more popular in recent years. All of our wedding packages include leather slip-in albums, and you also have the option of upgrading to a magazine-style album. If you've never seen a magazine-style album, here's a relatively simple example of a 2-page spread.

In effect your wedding album looks like a magazine; each page can have a number of photos in virtually any layout you choose. In the photo above, each "half" of the page is an 8 x 10 photo (pretend the gutter of the album runs down the center.)

We're happy to lay out and design your album, but unlike many wedding photographers we welcome your input and guidance. (After all, it is your album, so what's most important is that you love it.) Many of our couples go so far as to create PowerPoint mockup designs for us to use, while others simply write down the photos they want for each page.

We've created pages with over twenty photographs per page - the layout and design possibilities are limited only by your creativity. If you'd like to see a few other examples of magazine-style pages, click here to visit our Albums and Folders page at BlackBird Images.

Wedding Planning Resources

2006-12-23T19:48:00.000-05:00

In the last months we've received a number of requests for wedding planning tips. (Since we've been to a ton of weddings, and we're not wedding planners, we assume the interest in our opinions stems from the fact we have no vested interest in any particular product or service.)

So, we've created a Resources section at BlackBird Images. There are three main categories: Wedding Planning Tips, Recommended Providers, and Photography Resources. The Wedding Planning Tips contains articles on Initial Steps, Ceremony Planning, and Reception Planning. The Recommended Providers page includes links to providers we have experience with and can wholeheartedly recommend. (We have no business or financial relationship with these providers - we were just impressed by them.) The Photography Resources page will contain articles on photographic techniques and equipment - when we get the time to write them.

If you want information on a particular topic, let us know - we'll be happy to provide our advice by phone or e-mail, and if it's on a topic with broad enough interest we may write an article to include in the Resources section.

Wedding Cakes (Again)

2006-11-06T17:57:00.000-05:00

We've seen a lot of pretty wedding cakes lately; the one below is a definite favorite. Many couples choose to decorate their cakes with real flowers for spectacular results.

In this instance the cake was made by Chandler's Bakery in Charlottesville, VA, with flowers from Artistic Florist in Harrisonburg, VA. In our opinion, natural flowers are some of the prettiest decorations possible for a wedding cake - while you may have to place the flowers yourself, it's definitely worth a little effort.

Color, Black and White, or Sepia?

2006-11-06T17:18:00.000-05:00

All BlackBird Images photographers shoot digitally, which by default means in color - that way we can convert any image to black and white, sepia, or any other tone our wedding photography clients request. (Sepia is a brown tone meant to approximate old-fashioned photos.)

Which should you choose? That's up to you. Here are three examples of the same photo to give you an idea of the difference in each format. (We used it in a previous post since many people commented how they liked its natural and unposed look - which makes sense, since it was in fact unposed.)

The photo above is a fairly strong sepia - it works well with her natural skin tone If you have a darker complexion, depending on the contrast in the photo a weaker sepia tone may be a better option.

Which is the best version? Any of the three - it depends on your tastes.

Choosing a Wedding Photographer

2006-11-01T09:12:00.000-05:00

We're often asked for advice on how to choose a wedding photographer - which you have to admit is a little odd, since in theory any advice we give should lead you through a process that causes you to choose... well, us.

What do we say? Instead of giving advice, we discuss how we explain our services to clients. For example, most wedding photographers have an album of their best photos, or display their best photos on their website. If you've done more than a couple weddings, and you're any good at all, you better have ten or twenty great photos or you shouldn't be in the business. Anyone can show you their best work.

At BlackBird Images we take a different approach: When possible we show prospective clients all the proofs from a recent wedding. (If we wanted to get a feel for the photographer's skill, that's what we would ask for.) While we can't show photos from every wedding we shoot, since galleries are confidential, some couples give us permission to share their photos with clients. We let our potential clients look at as many photos as they like - because that's the only way to truly judge a wedding photographer's skill and style.

Virginia Horse Center - Wedding Reception

2006-09-05T19:40:00.000-04:00

If you read the title of this post and were intrigued, you're not alone. BlackBird Images has photographed weddings and receptions at a number of "unusual" places, but we have to admit when we were told the reception for wedding we recently photographed was to be held at the Virginia Horse Center in Lexington, VA, we were surprised... and a little dubious.
For no reason. The Horse Center is a state of the art boarding and training facility, but it also has first-class banquet and reception facilities. We enjoyed the venue almost as much as this little guy.

One entire wall of the very large room was made entirely of glass and looked down into the arena. There was easy access for caterers, a nice layout for seating around 150 guests, plenty of space for a dance floor, and even elevator access. While there wasn't a horse show going on, you could see riders training jumping horses. We have no idea what the venue costs to rent, and availability is probably limited during major events, so contact the folks at the Virginia Horse Center for more details. It's just off Interstate64, about 3 miles from Interstate 81, and is definitely worth checking out if you're getting married near Lexington.

"Cupcake Tree" Wedding Cake

2006-08-17T12:12:00.000-04:00

Recently BlackBird Images photographed a wedding where the couple choose a non-traditional type of cake. We called it a "cupcake tree" for want of a better way to describe it. As you'll see in the photo below, the top level is a "standard" cake the couple used for the cake-cutting ceremony; the cupcakes were for guests. It was very pretty, eliminated the effort of cutting and serving cake, and made it easy to provide guests with a variety of cake and icing choices.

As cupcakes were removed,the tree was re-stocked. We thought it was a great idea and was a fun way to avoid cutting (and wasting) a lot of cake; we heard the couple donated the "leftovers" to a church pot luck dinner held the next day. While evidently not everyone has seen a cupcake tree before...
... that doesn't mean you shouldn't consider one for your wedding.

BlackBird in the News

2006-08-17T07:09:00.000-04:00

The president of our parent company, BlackBird Media, was quoted in two different news articles recently: an article in the Fredericksburg Free Lance-Star about business outsourcing and ghostwriting, which you can read by clicking here, and an article in the Harrisonburg Daily-News Record about recent trends in the website development industry, which you can read by clicking here.
Why were we contacted for interviews? BlackBird Media is a full-service advertising and media strategy corporation providing site design, navigation structure, text, graphics, photos, and e-commerce solutions. In addition, Jeff has ghostwritten over a dozen books and hundreds of articles on subjects ranging from real estate and investing to pregnancy and breastfeeding (his lack of personal experience in those last two areas notwithstanding).

Bouquet Tossing Isn't Obsolete

2006-08-16T21:13:00.000-04:00

BlackBird Images photographers haven't witnessed this personally, but other photographers we've talked to recently say that many couples are choosing to eliminate the bouquet toss from their ceremonies. While we feel strongly that each wedding should be unique to each couple's desires (after all - it's your wedding, and it should be the way you want it to be), we really enjoy watching and photographing the bouquet toss. It's a neat tradition and while at every wedding some of thesingle women have to be coaxed into participating, the toss is usually a source of a lot of laughter. And some people still really want to catch the bouquet. Here's a photo of the bride at a recent wedding ...

... and here's proof some people still really want to catch the bouquet.

Again, your wedding should only include events you and your spouse want... but give it some thought before you decide to eliminate the bouquet toss. You may be tempted to assume it's a tradition that's become outdated, but you'll find it's a lot of fun.
And sometimes it can make one of your guests really happy.

Europe and Back

2006-08-16T09:34:00.000-04:00

Each year BlackBird Images shuts down its offices for our staff-wide vacation period. This year we were contracted to handle still photography in support of a travel video shooting in Europe, so we incorporated a little business into our vacation period.
Our agreement was that all "official" photographs remain the property of our client, so we don't have a lot we can share... but we did take a few quick shots of major sights that are okay within the structure of our terms. Here's a quick snap of Big Ben in the early evening.

At BlackBird Images we feel great photographs can often look better than the "real thing," and in most cases, given time, preparation, and skill, that's true - but not always. Photos simply don't do justice to the Eiffel Tower at night, or the Tower of London, or Notre Dame, or the Colosseum, or the entire city of Venice... because being in those places isn't just a visual experience. It's a combination of sight, sound, "feel," and the sense that you're standing where hundreds and thousands of years of history took place.
Next time you're planning a vacation, forget taking a cruise or going to an island... go to Europe. Visit London or Paris or Rome or Venice or, really, anywhere in Europe - it's absolutely worth it.

Joshua Wilton House - Award of Excellence

2006-08-01T19:03:00.000-04:00

Congratulations to the Joshua Wilton House Inn and Restaurant in Harrisonburg, VA, and in particular to their Wine Director, Sean Pugh, for receiving the Wine Spectator 2006 Award of Excellence. Out of thousands of restaurants, The Joshua Wilton was one of approximately 80 in Virginia to receive the award. Even better, Sean is one of only four Virginia wine director/sommeliers who were featured with an accompanying photograph (in Sean's case taken by BlackBird Images.) Here's the photograph we took of Sean that ran in the August issue of Wine Spectator.

The preceeding was the photo Sean chose to submit, but we also like this one.

The Joshua Wilton is a client of our parent company, BlackBird Media, and BlackBird Images has photographed a number of weddings at the Inn. We've developed a great relationship with Mark, Ann Marie, and Sean, the owners of the Joshua Wilton, and are happy to congratulate them for receiving national recognition from the country's leading wine magazine.

Oasis Winery & Vineyards Wedding

2006-07-19T15:49:00.000-04:00

We photographed a wedding at Oasis Winery & Vineyards this weekend and have already been asked for our impression of the facilities. Since the bride and groom haven't seen their photos yet we'll only post a couple (at least for now).
The winery is located about 10 miles outside Front Royal, VA, a little over an hour's drive from Harrisonburg and no more than an hour from Northern Virginia. Here's a view of the lake as seen from the Pavilion with the vineyards in the background. The wedding BlackBird Images photographed was held just to the right of this photo, with the lake and fountain (and mountains in the distance) as a backdrop.

The winery offers tours and tastings on a regular basis and is frequently used for weddings and special events. It has a large tasting room, outdoor patios with tables and umbrellas, picnic tables scattered around the lawn, and a large pavilion for receptions and events. They also have an in-house limo service and have facilities suitable for caterers, bands, dancing... virtually anything you might need for your wedding.
From what we could see the winery can easily handle a large and complex wedding and reception. The staff was friendly, courteous, and professional, and was attentive to all the needs of the guests.
Each staff member wears a radio headset which allows them to instantly communicate with other staffers and make the event flow smoothly, a nice touch we rarely see. (During the posed photo session after the wedding we asked a staffer for a hand towel for the bride to use - it was 92 degrees at the time - and she radioed up the the main facility and towels and bottled water were brought down in less than a minute.)

Compared to some of the venues we've visited recently the Oasis Winery is on the higher end of the price scale, but in return they offer excellent service and, if you like, a turn-key wedding package. (They even chauffered guests who were unable to walk down the hill to within yards of their seats.) The only problem we noticed was that the groom and his groomsmen had to use a storage room/office to get dressed - the space wasn't a problem in itself but the room wasn't air conditioned and on a 90 degree-plus day it was like a sauna.
The Oasis Winery is a beautiful spot for a wedding; address the issue of where your party will get dressed and your wedding will be perfect.

Weddings at the JMU Arboretum

2006-07-19T12:39:00.000-04:00

First a disclaimer: BlackBird Images hasn't photographed a wedding at the James Madison University Arboretum in Harrisonburg, VA. (We've used it dozens of times for family and model photos, though.) With that said, if you're looking for a pretty - and convenient - location for an outdoor wedding, the Arboretum is hard to beat... albeit with a few caveats we'll discuss in a moment.
The most striking features of the Arboretum are the small pond and the wooden bridge. Here's a photo of one of our brides-to-be on the bridge. (The ducks may decide to crash your wedding.)

The lawn surrounding the pond provides a couple different spots where your ceremony can take place; which you choose will depend on how many guests you have and the time of day. If you're getting married in mid-summer make sure you pick a spot that provides the most shade.
The price is very reasonable: for $250 JMU lets you use the Arboretum and will set up/take down chairs and provide an arch as a backdrop.
While you won't use them for a wedding, there are also a number of paths and trails through the woods; one path leads to a very pretty terraced garden area. The photo below was taken on a path leading to the terraces.

There are a few things you should keep in mind if you use the JMU Arboretum for a wedding. One, it is a public facility, so even though you'll have plenty of room for your wedding there can and probably will be people nearby walking on the trails, sitting on benches, etc; if you want complete privacy it's unlikely you'll get it. A bigger problem is parking: the Arboretum parking lot has room for 15 to 20 cars at the most. If you have a number of guests, your best bet is probably to have them park in one of the large lots across the street next to the CISAT buildings and figure out a way to shuttle them over.
For the price, there are few settings prettier, and the minor inconveniences don't outweigh the value you get. To visit the main Arboretum site for general information and more photos, click here. To visit the Arboretum's wedding-specific page, click here.

Website Photography

2006-07-06T17:47:00.000-04:00

BlackBird Images is frequently asked to create photos for commercial websites (especially since our parent company, BlackBird Media, designs and develops websites.) While photography is photography, web photography requires a different skillset and approach; instead of creating photographs intended to stand on their own, web images should be designed to fit seamlessly into the website's layout and structure.
For example, here's a photo of product emerging from a commercial dairy processing line shrink tunnel.

Granted, seen on its own it isn't particularly exciting... but now check it out in its natural habitat on the Bishop Firm website (the Bishop Firm is a client of BlackBird Media.)
Sometimes web photos can stand on their own, as is the case with this photo of a Bishop Firm engineer at a project site.

But again, check it out in place on the Bishop Firm website and you'll see it fits perfectly within the overall site design.... providing a more personal touch to an industrial website. Website images and graphics require a different discipline and approach - don't let your photographer create product, process, and personnel photos with no consideration for where and how they'll be used on your website.

Photojournalistic Wedding Photography

2006-07-06T16:58:00.000-04:00

We received a flood of responses to our recent posting about wedding photography styles - in particular about photojournalistic wedding photography. If you're unfamiliar with the phrase, "photojournalistic" wedding photography is really just a multi-syllabic way of saying "candid" wedding photography.
Here's an example of an image in photojournalism style: it shows the bride-to-be getting emotional when she hugged her brother right before the wedding.

Here's a different view, seconds later, of the same moment photographed by the second BlackBird Images photographer at the wedding (we always send two photographers for just this reason.)

Every wedding photographer poses some photos... or at least they should. For example, among images we pose are the traditional post-service wedding party photographs; we also work with the bride and groom to pose and create specific photos they've requested. (We then work hard to make them feel comfortable - and it shows.) At BlackBird Images we provide our couples with a blend of posed and candid or photojournalistic photos; it means we take a lot of photos (we average 1,000 to 1,200 during a 3-hour shoot), but it also means our clients get photographs - like the one below - with genuine expressions no amount of posing could produce.

Cyrus McCormick Farm Wedding

2006-06-21T14:14:00.000-04:00

BlackBird Images recently shot at wedding at the Cyrus McCormick Farm in Steele's Tavern, Va (about 15 miles southwest of Staunton, Va). It's a nice place for an outdoor wedding, with a variety of pretty spots available for the service. The couple we photographed chose to have the service in an open area near a few of the larger buildings. Here's a photo of the service, shot from a hill above:

And here they are just after walking back down the aisle as husband and wife:

Using the Farm for a wedding venue does pose one problem, though: the Farm won't let you use any of the buildings, even for dressing. The bride solved that problem by bringing a tent; she used it for last-minute makeup and wardrobe checks. So, it's a pretty place, but it's a little inconvenient, especially if you have a number of guests attending. Plus, if you're making last-minute hair adjustments, you could find yourself in a position like this.

1763 Inn Wedding

2006-06-02T16:58:00.000-04:00

Even though the summer wedding season is in full swing, we're already getting bookings for next year... based on the fact a lot of couples are asking for advice about venues, it seems many are choosing their wedding photographer before they choose the location for their wedding. So, in the next few weeks we'll try to pass on our thoughts about a few more Virginia wedding locations the BlackBird Images photographers have visited.
Last year we photographed a wedding at the 1763 Inn in Upperville, Virginia (not too far from Warrenton, VA - about an hour from D.C.). The Inn has a restaurant, a number of dining rooms (including one detached reception hall that, we're guessing, can hold between 75 and 100 people.) It also includes extensive grounds; in the photo below you can see a number of guests and a bridge that leads to the back half of the property.

And yes, the two white spots in the water are swans.
Even though there are rooms in the Inn itself, there are also a number of cabins in the woods behind the lake - there are 18 total rooms available. The Inn offers a nice balance: it operates like a bed and breakfast, and has a very cozy feel, but it also has more rooms available than the typical bed and breakfast and can accommodate a larger wedding party.
For the service itself you can either use one of the reception halls or a large outdoor patio overlooking the lake (with room for seating around 150 people).

Why the photo of this young man? (He's inside the reception building.) Over the years we've developed a simple rule of thumb: if the location is comfortable and flexible enough that kids can have a good time... it's a pretty safe bet that everyone will have a good time. The 1763 Inn is one of those places; great staff, service that was smooth and transparent, and plenty of room for everyone to enjoy themselves. To check them out, you can visit their website by clicking here (sadly, their website doesn't do them any justice at all - it's a lot prettier than it appears.)

Wedding Photography Styles

2006-05-16T17:41:00.000-04:00

We're frequently asked to describe our "style" of wedding photography - it's a question that lately seems to show up a lot in "Questions to Ask a Wedding Photographer" guides. So what is our style? Our style is... making sure our clients get what they're looking for. While that may sound like a cop-out answer, it's not.

Every wedding client is different. Some couples like a photojournalistic style, where most of the photos are candid and natural. Others want a very formal style, with nearly every photograph looking as if it was posed. Most couples want a blend of styles: some posed, some semi-posed, and a number of candid photos to choose from.
We work very hard to create outstanding posed photographs, especially the post-ceremony wedding party and family photographs. What we're most proud of, though, is our ability to capture candid moments. That's why we send two photographers to every wedding: our couples get multiple perspectives, multiple angles, and the broadest and most comprehensive coverage possible.

Our style is making sure our clients are delighted with their wedding photographs and with our service. We adapt to our clients' needs; we don't expec them to adapt to a pre-conceived notion of "style."

Photography for Billboards

2006-05-11T15:20:00.000-04:00

Many of BlackBird Images' retail clients use billboards to get their advertising message out. Photography intended for billboards is different from consumer photography; the goal is to create an eye-catching image that delivers a message... and that commuters won't get bored seeing day after day. (Effective advertising first has to capture attention, and then deliver the advertising message. And a billboard can't be cluttered - you only have a couple seconds to get your point across.) Here's a billboard we created late last year.

It works on a variety of levels, and most importantly enhances the customer's professional image. (Although it is a little disconcerting for models to see a 12 foot high image of themselves.) "Eye contact" is important - people naturally pay more attention when eye contact is made, and she definitely draws attention; this billboard was displayed in Virginia, but we've had people from other states mention seeing it.

This billboard uses a similar layout and has the same effect. (Consistency is important in advertising as you build a brand presence - customers should know it's your ad, even if the ad has changed.)
Next time you see a billboard, take a second and decide whether the photo and the design served the advertiser's purpose. Good advertising should deliver... not just look good.

Cycling News Publishes ToS Photos

2006-05-04T10:49:00.000-04:00

BlackBird Images photos from the Tour of Shenandoah bike race were published by Cyclingnews.com, the world's most-visited and widely-read bicycle racing website. While our main goal was to help out the Tour of Shenandoah organizers, we're always pleased to be recognized for photographic excellence. Since we were donating our services, our priories were a little different than the other event photographers, though - our goal was to create images that helped showcase the event and the event's sponsors. For instance, take a look at the photo below of Brent Bookwalter, the race winner.

The photo is of Brent's interview with Joe Lemire of Harrisonburg's Daily News-Record. The goal of the photo was to show the media covered the Tour and to highlight key event sponsors like discoverbath.com, the Homestead resort, and of course the Tour of Shenandoah. We were able to place the photo on Cycling News, creating additional exposure for the Tour, its sponsors, and Brent... so everyone wins (including Brent's mother, who called to request a copy.)
If you'd like to check out the Cycling News photos, click here. If you'd like to see the BlackBird Images Tour of Shenandoah photo gallery, click here.
If you're a rider or team sponsor, use this form to contact us and we'll provide you with image files from the Tour at no charge.

Wedding Cakes - Go for Form AND Function

2006-05-02T10:52:00.000-04:00

We've seen a lot of wedding cakes. A few are gorgeous, many are very nice, and some... well, some are neither. Couples ask for our opinion about wedding cakes more often than you might think, and while we aren't pastry chefs - far, far from it - we've attended many weddings and we've seen (and tasted) many wedding cakes.
Most couples focus primarily on how the cake looks. Our advice? Choose a cake that tastes good, that you'll enjoy eating... and then worry about how beautiful it is. You can have it both ways: this cake was made by the Joshua Wilton House in Harrisonburg, VA for a wedding BlackBird Images photographed - it was delicious and looked gorgeous.

You may not realize it, but many guests won't even see your cake before they try a piece. Even if it's prominently displayed, your guests are busy speaking to you, to family members, to friends... and few will make a point to check out how great your wedding cake looks. You may have spent a tremendous amount of time obsessing over cake choices, but your guests haven't... and most are more interested in talking to the people at your wedding than they are in how beautiful your wedding cake is.
They will, however, almost always eat a piece of your cake. That's why it makes sense to focus on taste first.
In the end it's your wedding - pick a cake you'll enjoy eating and you think looks great and you can't go wrong. In this - and all decisions you make about your wedding - don't worry too much about what your guests may think. You'll enjoy your wedding more if you make choices that make you happy.

Tour of Shenandoah - Final Stage Photos

2006-05-01T08:01:00.000-04:00

The final stage of the Tour of Shenandoah bicycle race was held yesterday in Waynesboro, Va, and since the BlackBird Images team had so much fun at the opening day's events, we decided to attend. The weather was gorgeous, the city of Waynesboro did a great job of creating a safe and exciting course, and the riders didn't disappoint. Here's Jeremiah Bishop, nationally- (and world-ranked) mountain biker and Harrisonburg resident cresting the steep uphill section.

If you'd like to know more about Jeremiah and the Trek mountain bike team, you can visit his website by clicking here. (Since BlackBird Images photographed his wedding last year, we know him on a more personal level, too.)
We can't stress enough how fun the event was. We know next to nothing about cycling, but we didn't need to know anything about the sport to appreciate how talented the riders are. It's always fun to watch people who excel at what they do - whatever their sport or skill. It's also hard not to admire anyone who is willing to put up with this level of pain.

We've posted over 250 photos from the Tour of Shenandoah on the BlackBird Images website - to see more, click here to go straight to the gallery.

Tour of Shenandoah Bike Race - Photos Online

2006-04-25T23:55:00.000-04:00

BlackBird Images photographed two stages of the Tour of Shenandoah bicycle race today: the Dayton, VA time trial and the Harrisonburg, VA criterium. We volunteered to photograph both events and donate images to the Tour organizers. The Tour of Shenandoah is a small (but definitely growing) grass roots bike racing organization staffed mostly by volunteers, and we were happy to help them out. Here's a photo from the Harrisonburg stage.

To see more photos from the first day of the Tour, visit the public gallery on the BlackBird Images website by clicking here.
Our photographers had never attended a bike race and were amazed at the speed and power of the athletes. (A Dayton police officer's radar clocked most riders at between 30 and 34 mph - on a flat section at the start of the race.) The atmosphere surrounding the event was even more impressive: the riders were friendly and accessible, the spectators had a great time, and the events were professionally-run while maintaining a casual, small-town feel.

The Tour runs through April 25th and covers most of the southern and central Shenandoah Valley. Click here to visit the Tour of Shenandoah website. If you can, see one of the races - they're definitely worth checking out; if you can't, take a look at some of our photos by clicking here. Congratulations to Dave LeMay and Matthew Butterman of the Tour of Shenandoah for putting on a great event.

Daily News-Record Article

2006-04-24T14:38:00.002-04:00

Jeff Haden, the President of BlackBird Media (the parent company of BlackBird Images), appeared in an article in today's Daily News-Record business section. The article is a (surprisingly, since he's usually long-winded) very brief look at some of the basic considerations for setting up an e-commerce website. A full-service advertising and media strategy corporation, BlackBird Media provides site design, navigation structure, text, graphics, photos, and e-commerce solutions for small and medium-cap companies. To see the article, click here.

Fairfax Hall Wedding - Waynesboro, VA

2006-04-21T13:36:00.000-04:00

Another wedding venue that's surprisingly nice is Fairfax Hall in Waynesboro, Virginia. A BlackBird Images team photographed a wedding there in early October of last year. The Hall is located on a hilltop overlooking the town and the views of the fall foliage are reminiscent of Skyline Drive... which makes sense since it's only a few miles away from the Afton Mountain entrance to Skyline Drive. Here's a photo of the bride and groom facing towards Fairfax Hall with the city behind them.

The Hall is a very nice reception venue: it has a large dining room that adjoins a glassed porch, and there's a sitting room down a short hallway that creates a private "escape" room for the bridal party - which is also handy for checking makeup, clothing, etc.
Fairfax Hall is also a city-run facility offering affordable housing for seniors. The blend of services is in no way a problem since the reception area is separate from the rest of the building, and residents we met were very friendly and gracious; they seemed to enjoy all the activity. Keep in mind that the venue offers room set-up, but does not offer catering or other services - you'll have to contract those on your own.
The BlackBird Images photographers had plenty of room to work in and a number of pretty building and scenery elements to incorporate into what turned out to be great photographs of an really nice bride and groom. If you'd like more information, you can visit the Fairfax Hall website by clicking here.

Oakencroft Vineyard Wedding - Charlottesville, VA

2006-04-20T08:34:00.000-04:00

We're frequently asked for our opinions about wedding venues, so occasionally we'll list some of the BlackBird Images team's favorites. Last fall we photographed a wedding at the Oakencroft Vineyard outside Charlottesville, VA. It's a few miles out of the city in a wonderful location for an outdoor wedding: rolling hills, a small lake, great views of the Blue Ridge Mountains in the distance.... The day we went to take a look at the location (we visit wedding locations we're not familiar with ahead of time) about fifteen deer ran across a hillside on the other side of the lake. Weddings can be held in the vineyards themselves (there are large grassy areas surrounded by rows of vines) or in the courtyard in front of the main building. The wedding we photographed was held in late afternoon and the light was fantastic. Here's a picture of the happy couple just after the ceremony.

A few other photos from the wedding can be found on the BlackBird Images website; to visit us, click here.
A couple things to keep in mind: The Oakencroft Vineyard doesn't handle catering and logistics; that's your responsibility. If you want a dance floor, tents, catering, etc, you'll have to arrange those yourself - in effect they simply rent the space. It's a working vineyard that doubles as an event venue, is a gorgeous site for a wedding and reception, and is a great place for beautiful wedding photographs. To visit the Oakencroft Vineyard website, click here.