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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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...

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

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

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

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

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

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

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 .