Robyn & Ty

Ok, seriously! Who knew lawyers could be this cute?! I met Robyn and Ty yesterday at Dorothy B. Oven Park for their engagement portraits and they are too adorable! I love couples who have a sense of humor about life and really have a great time together. They were so laid-back and I really had a blast!

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Wedding Photography Tip #4

Wedding Photography Tip #4-- Be Confident

Most people become self-conscious in front of a camera lens. They worry how their hair looks, if there is anything in their teeth, or if those pants do indeed make their butt look big. For the most part, the same is true for couples on their wedding day-- and it shouldn't be!

Most people never look better than they do on their wedding day! You have on very expensive clothes tailored to fit your body, you have hired someone to do your hair (and maybe your makeup), and most of all YOU ARE HAPPY!

While you might not be a model, you can have images from your wedding that make you look like a model! Most couples today want modern, contemporary, photojournalistic images from their wedding. To achieve this, your photographer needs something to capture. If you and Mr. Right just stand stiffly and stare at one another, its not documenting what you had envisioned.

The photographer should have a few tricks for getting you to relax and interact, but you also need to do your part. Let go of your inhibitions, trust the artist you hired, ham it up and have fun! Don't be afraid to laugh! My favorite images of all time are when I get a couple to laugh out loud.

Don't take posing too seriously! If something doesn't feel right to you, change it up! If you feel like kissing, running, skipping, etc. just do it! Your photographer will tell you if something isn't working, but if you are having fun, chances are they are getting a lot of great images!

A great way to prepare is to have an engagement session. Learn how your photographer poses, how they direct and how you both feel in front of the lens. The same advice holds true-- be yourselves and have fun! Once you see how awesome the images are, you will be even more ready for a great shoot on the wedding day!

www.LongsPhotography.com

Newborn and Maternity Portrait Special

Throughout July and August, we will be offering FREE newborn and maternity studio portrait sessions! (It's a great way to keep busy and stay out of the heat!)

Newborns must be less than one month old and sessions can be done either here in the studio or in your home. Mommies to be must be farther than 30 weeks and sessions will be done here in the studio. All sessions must be scheduled M-F, no weekend session times are available.

There are no minimum purchases or financial obligations whatsoever. Let us celebrate your joyous news with you!

www.LongsPhotography.com

Lindsay and Ryan

I got to take a backseat this weekend, as I assisted Monica and Jacob of IMJ Photography with Lindsay and Ryan's wedding. It is so nice sometimes to not be the main photographer-- I got to play around, get some fun shots and focus on the details of this elaborate wedding!


I really cannot say enough nice things about Lindsay, Ryan and their families. Everyone was incredibly sweet and welcoming! Although I didn't meet the couple until their wedding day, I felt like I had always known them.

Lindsay had the most beautiful bouquet of roses and peonies, in fact there were roses almost everywhere you looked!Since I had time to play, I had some fun with Lindsay's sexy shoes. Too bad they weren't the most comfortable!





Three photographers and strict rules on photography during the ceremony... forces you to be creative. The ceremony was broadcast into the lobby of the church, so at least this is one different angle on their ceremony!Rolls Royce, baby! You cannot have an awesome car like this and not work it into your portraits!We had a few brief moments out by the water before the reception. Lindsay and Ryan were such good sports-- 95 degree heat on a floating dock that was rocking back and forth-- what troopers!This image was a challenge from Jacob. During the father-daughter dance, he said that he wished he could get a photo of the dance with the chandalier and amazing rose arrangement in it, but the videographer was in a less than ideal location. So... there I am lying on the floor to stay out of the video and keep the video light out of sight. I love Lindsay's facial expressions-- she had so much energy and enthusiasm the entire day. She really kept me laughing all day!Is this an exit or what?? Lindsay's mom planned the whole thing as a surprise-- for the couple, the guests, even the father of the bride!

Our day of lost and found!

To know Olyn and I is to know that we are dog lovers-- especially bulldogs and boxers. On Olyn's way to work today, he saw a baby boxer running alongside the road dangerously close to traffic. Olyn stopped his truck and the puppy literally came running to him! What could he do?? He brought him home to me!!

We had signs up by 9am and we were so hopeful that puppy's parents would call. As the hours ticked by, I really started to worry. Where was I going to put another dog for the night??


We finally got the call we were hoping for! Puppy's parents were out hanging their own signs and they saw ours! As cheesy as it sounds, I had to hold back the tears when he ran to greet them. I loved having him for a day, but I was just so happy his family had him back! I can only image how distraught I would be if I lost Bella or Beau!


So, to share the fun we had with puppy (whose name is Kenji), I thought I would share a few quick photos I took this evening!

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Wedding Photography Tip #3

Wedding Photography Tip #3- Controlling the Paparazzi

Every wedding has them. The aunt, uncle, friend, etc. who is an avid photographer and sees your wedding as a great opportunity to practice their hobby. They have the best of intentions-- they want to capture some of the wonderful moments to share with the bride and groom! What could be bad about that?

These loving paparazzi can be one of the biggest challenges at a wedding. We have seen brides who cannot get down the aisle because of a horde of their loving paparazzi. We have been pushed aside so that a friend can grab a moment on a camera phone. We have literally thousands of group portraits where part of the group is looking at someone else's camera.

A professional photographer is hired to photograph a wedding and capture all of those special moments. Although the guests intentions are wonderful, the result is often less than ideal. We actually request that no other cameras are allowed during our formal portrait time so that we can produce as many outstanding images as possible during our limited time. We want our couples to not only receive amazing images, but we also want to get them to their reception as quickly as possible! Nothing makes a crowd more restless than a photographer who takes forever to get the couple to the reception!

What is the solution? How can you ask these dear friends and family to put down their cameras?? Well, you don't really have to. The best solution is to ask them to cover what the professional photographer cannot. While we are photographing formal portraits, there are lots of things we cannot be doing! We cannot photograph the cocktail hour, the mingling of your guests, or the decorated tables before any guests are seated. While we are photographing the first dance, we might not be able to see your sister at the back of the crowd with tears rolling down her face. Those memories are just as precious and are actually more of a gift to the couple than a duplicate photo of what the professional has already produced for them.

www.LongsPhotography.com

The Fauble Family

I was out in Quincy this morning to photograph the Fauble family-- the owners of the McFarlin House Bed and Breakfast. Not only are they an adorable family, but I swear the house belongs in a storybook!

www.LongsPhotography.com

Boudoir Marathon!

I did a boudoir marathon day today! I had so much fun getting to know Megan, Amanda, Katrina and Mary! I really think we got some awesome images! We should be scheduling another marathon day for later this year. If anyone is interested in participating, email Linda@LongsPhotography.com to be added to the list!

Not to keep teasing everyone about the new site, but we will have an entire section dedicated to boudoir photos! (Can you tell I'm like a kid waiting for Christmas with the new web site??)

www.LongsPhotography.com

Baby Hunter

Baby Hunter came by the studio this afternoon for his three month portraits. Looking at the images sent me into giggle fits-- this little guy has the most hilarious expressions! I really needed this fun session after a busy week behind the computer!

Here are a few quick favs!

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Wedding Photography Tip #2

Wedding Photography Tip #2 Hire Vendors You Trust and Have Confidence In

Probably the biggest part of planning a wedding is meeting with and hiring vendors. Whether it is your DJ, Cake, Dress, Venue, Photographer, etc. it can be an overwhelming task. The best way to start? Recommendations. Ask your friends and family. Once you have chosen a venue, ask them. Every vendor you meet with can also provide you with recommendations for other vendors. Typically, wedding coordinators, photographers and DJs can provide you with the best recommendations, as they are at events all day long and know other vendors well.

When you meet with a vendor, try to be as specific as you can about the things that are important to you. Look carefully at any samples the vendor shows you-- are they what you are looking for? Does the vendor seem to care about your concerns and your wishes? And finally, when you leave the meeting, do you have a gut feeling that the vendor will be able to fulfill your vision?

This is probably most important with your photographer. You need to have full confidence that your photographer is not only competent, but also that they can create the artistic vision you have in mind. Every photographer is not for every bride. Photography styles differ drastically between individuals, so it is important to look beyond price and package offerings.

When you trust your photographer, they have the ability to create masterpieces. You know they are the best and when they ask you to take a risk and try something new, you have the confidence to do it. When they tell you that the lighting at the beach at noon isn't the most flattering, that it would be better to take photos inside the beach house, or in the shade of the pier, you know they are right.

The trust extends beyond the images as well. You have to trust that the photographer will reserve your date, that they will show up, produce quality images, deliver the products and conduct themselves in a professional manner. If you doubt any of those things, then you need to continue your search for a photographer.

If you are a skeptical kind of person and your gut feeling isn't enough, don't hesitate to ask for referrals. A photographer should have no problem giving you a list of past clients that you can contact. You can also do things like contact the BBB, post on a local message board for feedback, ask other vendors about their experiences with the photographer, etc.

My biggest advice is to never sign a contract with someone you don't have full confidence in-- regardless of what the contract is for. Ask questions before the contract is signed and don't let any vendor pressure you into signing a contract with a special offer, a fear of losing a date or any other sales tactic.

When you have full confidence in the vendors that you have hired you are able to relax and enjoy your wedding!

www.LongsPhotography.com

Extreme Photography Makeover: Logo Edition!

That's right-- the makeover is underway! I think that everyone is going to like the new site- it has new galleries, new music, an integrated proofing system, an easier navigation system, etc. But I will just have to keep you in suspense a bit longer as we are working out the final kinks!

In the meantime, I wanted to share our new logo! The old logo was difficult for many people to read and I was asked many times if it was "Song's Photography"! So, goodbye old logo-- hello new logo!!

www.LongsPhotography.com

Please pardon our dust!

We are in the process of finalizing our bigger, better website! Of course, that means we are going to have some growing pains in the very near future! As we make the switch to the new site, our email may go down and the site may not be operational for a (hopefully) very short period of time.

If you are trying to reach us and you are getting no response to your email, PLEASE call us at 850.339.5799!

Thanks!

www.LongsPhotography.com

Wedding Photography Tip #1

The massive tidal surge of weddings and portraits has slowed slightly, so I thought I would start something new for the summer. As spring 2008 brides are now booking their vendors, I thought it would be a great opportunity to put out a series of wedding photography tips for brides. After more than 100 weddings, Olyn and I have pretty much seen and heard everything, so we thought we would give back a little and share some hopefully sage advice!

Wedding Photography Tip #1 Manage Your Time

Your wedding day will pass by faster than any other day in your life. There is no getting around it, so you need to have reasonable expectations for your time. Many of your vendors- photographer, caterer, dj, etc. will work with you to develop a timeline for your day. Staying on time with a wedding is a rarity, so the best piece of advice I can give you is to fib. That's right, just lie to your bridal party and family! Tell them they have to be dressed for photos at 3, when they actually don't have to be ready until 3:30. This gives them a half hour to be late (you hurry when you're late) and it won't affect your wedding day schedule at all.

I also recommend building in extra time for the unexpected. If your stylist says you will be finished at 1:00, just plan to be finished at 1:30. The worst that happens? You are early and you have time to sit, relax and check out all the details that you so meticulously planned! Or you have extra portrait time with your photographer and you get some really awesome shots! (YIPPEE!)

Weddings can be very stressful events and being in a time crunch magnifies the stress. Do you want to be a bride that is running ragged because she is late, or do you want to be a calm, serene bride who can take her time and enjoy her day?

www.LongsPhotography.com