You’re invited
February 6, 2010
Please come see me at the Ramada Bridal Open House, Feb. 28, 1-4 p.m. in the ballroom of the Ramada Inn, 1450 S. Atherton St., State College.
You’ll meet wedding professionals from Simply Elegant Gowns, Avant Garden, Best Event Rental, Events by Hart, Daniel Vaughn Designs, Delectable Delights, Contempo Jewelry Designs and more.
It will be much more relaxed than a big bridal show.
Photography tips #2
February 6, 2010
The first rule of photography is: Assume you’re in the wrong place. In simpler terms: Move your feet.
Don’t assume that where you’re standing – or, worse, sitting – is the ideal spot. Should you be closer? Almost certainly. Farther to the left or right? Probably.
Most every picture you’ve ever taken could be improved by one simple step: Get closer. Actually, one step is rarely enough. GET CLOSER!
Whether you’re taking pictures of your kids or attempting to make art, the rule is the same: Assume you’re in the wrong place. Walk around your subject. Watch as extraneous clutter is eliminated. Notice how the background no longer seems to sprout out of little Jimmy’s head.
Now, do a knee bend to see if your shot would look better from a low angle. Stand on your tiptoes or a stool to see if it might be better from above.
When you’re sure you have the perfect spot, move an inch or two. You’re making order out of chaos. And camera position is your most powerful creative tool.
Alisha and Bill
January 31, 2010
What a great day! It was about 16 degrees outside, but I don’t think anyone noticed. It would be difficult to find so many smiling faces gathered in one place.
Alisha Witmer married Bill Simon at Calvary Baptist Church in State College. The reception was at Toftrees Resort.
An old favorite
January 23, 2010
Here’s an oldie that I love. It was taken some years ago in New York.
A great honor
January 21, 2010
I’m thrilled to have been voted “Best of Weddings” on The Knot, and I sincerely thank all of you who voted for me.
Abstracts
January 18, 2010
From April through December, I don’t have much time for “personal” photography, so at this time of year, I get to work on fun, new things. This winter, I thought I’d try my hand at abstracts.
All of these started as “real” photographs. After that, they did a lot of bouncing back and forth between Lightroom and Photoshop. Here are a few of my favorites.
While I’m playing around, I often discover things that make me a better wedding and portrait photographer.
Movie suggestions
January 15, 2010
Highly recommended: “The Hurt Locker” (DVD) and “Avatar” (3-D, of course).
Photography tips
January 12, 2010
“The best part of photography isn’t talking about it or writing about it or teaching it. It isn’t selling prints or having your work admired. It’s the excitement of being out there, the anticipation of the unknowable wonder that may appear over the next hill.”
— Fred Picker
Shoot from the heart.
Good photographs have little to do with expensive cameras, telephoto lenses or megapixels. Good photographs have everything to do with emotion. Think about the best pictures you’ve ever taken. What’s so good about them?
You cared, and it shows. Don’t just point your camera at anything and fire away. Photograph things that excite you: your children, the love of your life or a scene so powerful and so rare that your pulse quickens.
Almost everyone claims to be a photographer, and almost everyone has those pictures stashed away somewhere, never to be seen again. Why? Because they were “easy” – dull, lifeless, no heart.
Good photographs often have an element of mystery. They invite speculation. They’re more than pretty postcards. Great pictures are “inexhaustible invitations to deduction, speculation and fantasy,” Susan Sontag wrote in “On Photography.”
From time to time, I’ll offer some tips on improving your photographs. We’ll talk about cameras, lenses and composition. But we’ll try not to lose sight of the fact that the heart is as important as the eye.
Fun facts
January 9, 2010
Those huge lenses you see photographers use at football games sell for $7,500-$10,000.
Stephanie and Brian
January 2, 2010
Stephanie Frost wanted snow for her New Year’s Eve wedding, and she got her wish. Instead of viewing it as an obstacle, she turned it into an advantage. The photographs at Baker Mansion were some of the best of the day.
Stephanie married Brian McAleer at St. John the Evangelist Church in Altoona. The reception was downtown at The Columns, and it featured a countdown to midnight, a balloon drop and one heck of a good party.
Stephanie even sang.
