Flowers & Bouquets

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?

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

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

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 .