Diana and Brad

It’s a very busy time of year: engagement portraits, a wedding, another engagement shoot, another wedding. I love it.

Diana Gallo, Brad Moehler and I wandered around West Chester, PA, on a really nice, overcast afternoon. (A little overcast softens the light and makes for much better pictures.)

They’ll be married in December in State College.

Carolyn and Chris

It had rained most of the day and we almost called off our shoot at The Arboretum at Penn State, then the sun came out. Clearly a good omen for Carolyn Cicippio and Chris Garneau.

We took full advantage of the big, puffy white clouds and the sunshine.

Carolyn and Chris will be married July 7 at Our Lady of Victory Catholic Church in State College. Their reception will be at the Nittany Lion Inn.

Kate and Daryl

Kate Schneider and Daryl Throckmorton are outdoor people, so we started their engagement shoot on a beautiful afternoon at Whipple Dam State Park. But they’re also Penn Staters, so we moved on to the Alumni Center and Old Main.

Kate and Daryl will be married in January in State College.

 

Becca

I love it when people are willing to take a few chances, and Rebecca Filson was willing to try anything. Because of that, we ended up with some great shots — a bit different, a bit unexpected. I love the bathtub.

Becca has a Scarlett Johansson thing going on here, don’t you think?

I also shot some traditional portraits, because I want my clients to have a mix of contemporary and old school.

Perfect eyes

You’ll be a lot happier with your photographs if you put a little extra care into your eye makeup.

Dark circles make you look older and tired (probably not the look you were going for), but they’re easy to eliminate. You can read a great article about makeup do’s and don’ts by clicking here.

To learn 8 simple steps for bright, natural eyes, just click here.

Both articles are on NittanyWeddings.com, where you can find boatloads of help for planning your wedding.

Sarah and Jay

Most of the time, faces are the key to good wedding photographs, but …

… feet can be pretty cool, too. This is the junior groomsman playing a video game before things got rolling yesterday. (Actually, he spent quite a bit of the day playing video games. Scroll down a little to see what I mean.)

I enjoyed second-shooting for my friend Drew Frank at the Nittany Lion Inn, where Sarah Mumford and Jay Kirk were married.

The fantastic up-lighting was provided by Eric Stoner of Nittany Entertainment. Up-lighting is super-popular, and it really “makes” the reception.

It’s here!

I just received Nikon’s newest, best camera! The D4 produces images that are sharper and more detailed, with great skin tones and vastly improved performance in low light.

“The D4 is a game changer,” says the incredible photographer Joe McNally. “Right off the bat, I was impressed with the file. It was, in a word, smooth. I know that’s not a techy description, but I was impressed by the detail and the creaminess of the pictures. No sharpness of contrast, or harshly defined lines of demarcation between highlights and shadows.”

The D4 is all about getting shots that someone else won’t, and it means your photographs will be better than ever.

For more, please see the “In My Bag” page.

The Simply Elegant Shoot

Simply Elegant Gowns and the McCann School of Art needed new photographs, and I was happy to help.

McCann is a beautiful spot for a wedding, a reception or both. And Simply Elegant has some beautiful new dresses that you need to see.

Special thanks go to Adeena Harbst for modeling.

 

Posing tips

I like to shoot as many candids as possible, but posed pictures are an important part of your day, too. Here are a few simple tips that will make you look better in your pictures:

● Position your hips and shoulders at a 45-degree angle to the camera. This is flattering, graceful and slimming. Facing the camera head-on, you’ll look like Lindsay Lohan in a police mugshot.

● Put your weight on your back foot. This gives you a curvy, relaxed look.

● Point the toes on your front foot. Even though your gown covers your feet, this makes a difference. Look at any female celebrity on a red carpet: front foot pointed toward the camera.

 ● Stand up straight. This may seem obvious, but it will make you look tall and elegant, and it will show off your gown to its best advantage.

● If it bends, bend it. Move your elbows out from your body. Not so much that it appears you’re doing the chicken dance – just a little. This, too, is slimming and looks graceful.

10 Ways To Spot a Fauxtographer

I recently came across a great article called “10 Ways To Spot a Fauxtographer,” written by Traci Turchin in Colorado Brides magazine. It’s worth a look. Click here.

Do you want a photographer with hobbyist skills, hobbyist experience and hobbyist equipment?

For my thoughts on the subject, I invite you to check “Choosing a Photographer.”