WPPI 2013 Las Vegas

So I'm in the process of gearing up for my annual track to Las Vegas. I'm going to WPPI which stands for Wedding & portrait photographers international. Now, that's a mouth full. I'm glad they abbreviated it.
What is WPPI all about?
It's a week long event, of all things photography held in Las Vegas at the MGM hotel & convention center. They have classes for just about anything a photographer would like or need to learn. You want to learn lighting, posing, billing, copyright info, branding or pricing. They have classes for you and then some.
 If you would like a good laugh and maybe some booty shaking? Then I would encourage you to check out any thing "DOUG GORDON". That guy is great, he gets a smile out of me every time I see him.


 They have group shoots where newbie photographers (and some seasoned photogs) can sign up to join a group going out on a shoot. Check with vendors that are sponsoring events or will be at the trade-show for joining shoots. There are usually models hired and a location appointed. Going on a shoot gives you some useful images you can use to buff up your portfolio.

Then there are the parties. There are many of them, it is Vegas after-all. So, one might expect to get their party on. There's a page on facebook dedicated just to keep you informed on the parties. It's a good way to stay in the loop.

I have saved the best for last. The best thing about WPPI is the friends you will make. Each year I come away with at least 200 business cards, 100 new facebook friends, 50 new pin-pals, 25 phone or skype buddies, 10 new friends that I visit during the year and 4 or 5 really good friends. Now I think one good friend is worth their weight in gold. But to have a really good friend who doesn't mind me blabbering on about photography and how much I love it, now that's something special. This will be my fourth year going and the thing I'm most excited about is seeing all of the really cool people I met in the prior years. So Cheers to everyone, You know who you are!!!! Love you guys.

*If we haven't met yet, thats okay Cheers to you as well. If you see a six foot red head with a stupid smile all over her face laughing and having a good time, that's me. Come say HI!!!!

Much Love, Whitney

Newborn Pictures

What makes a baby photogenic? Simple, babies are adorable so the camera loves them. 

They have tiny toes and tiny fingers and even when they cry they have cute little crying faces.
So one might ask, what makes a good baby picture then?
I've learned it's the simple things that make my newborn sessions successful.

My formula is: good lighting, cute outfits and simple back drops.

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How to get the best maternity pictures

I wanted to share some wordrobe tips I've learned over the years while photographing maternity pictures.

1. Wear something fitted, it helps to show off your beautiful baby bump!

2. Bring two outfits one formal and one casual.

3. Dress in layers. This helps you transition between looks easily during the portrait session.

4. Don't forget the accessories! Earrings, neclaces, shrug and scarves are a great way to add some drama to your look.

Kick Ball Game

 “The difference between ordinary and extraordinary is that little extra.” - Jimmy Johnson

Children play with all their might. Why? Because they have no reason not to.
~This Image was taken at the annual YMCA camp reunion in Ann Arbor Michigan.

Magic Smile

“Children see magic because they look for it.”

― Christopher Moore, Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal

I took this image at a recent baby shower. There were children of the guests just playing in a side room, while the adults attended to the festivities. The sun was reflecting off the back of the house spilling into the room, lighting up the kids faces. This little girl had a particularly angelic look and smiled quite naturally. Children have a graceful ease about them. They smile because they can, because they still believe in the possibility of anything!

How to properly beach comb

 I thought this would be a cute way to share some iPhone pictures from my vacation.

Step 1. Find a relaxing coastal place, such as Miami. 

Step 2. Make your way down to the beach early in the morning (after a few caramel lattes)

Step 3. During low-tide, walk gingerly along the shore

Step 4. Survey the spoils of the hunt.

Step 5. Choose your favorite shell. Perhaps one that resembles the Cheetos you ate for breakfast.

Step 6. Find a hammock and take a nap, because your on vacation!

Siblings

I shot this picture in ludignton while walking with the kids out to the Breakwater lighthouse.

It really is a beautful moment when a mother sees her children interact as siblings and freinds. This made me reflect on my own relationship I have had with my 5 siblings over the years. Did you know, only one third of siblings remain close into adulthood.  

I admit I only speak to 2 out of my 5 siblings. Some part of me hopes my kids somehow beat those odds. If there ever comes a point in the future when they are not speaking to eachother I will send them this picture to remind them of when they did.

"From the time that they are born, our brothers and sisters are our collaborators and co-conspirators, our roll models and cautionary tales.  They are our scolds, protectors, goads, tormentors, playmates, counselors, sources of envy, objects of pride. They teach us how to resolve conflicts and how not to; how to conduct friendships and when to walk away from them.  Sisters teach brothers about the mysteries of girls; brothers teach sisters about the puzzle of boys.  Our spouses arrive comparatively late in our lives; our parents eventually leave us. Our siblings may be the only people we ever know who truly qualify as partners for life.  Siblings are with us for the whole journey."

Katherine Conger - University of California, Davis

St. Patricks Day

For the first time in my life I officially celebrated Saint Patrick's Day.

I am part Irish (just ask my grandma). I'd never really seen the novelty in the holiday, I don't drink beer, so the thought of trying to choke down GREEN beer sounds even worse!

But this year my friend Jen said she was having a divorce party on St. Patty's day! Now that's a good enough reason to celebrate! So I met up with her happy crew downtown Ann Arbor. I was happy when she asked me to take pictures of the group of girls. To my surprise a large part of the group was from a facebook group for mothers of twins. How cool is that?? I didn't even know such a group existed.

 

I have tried to dress my daughters (who are 2 years apart) identically for years now, and they refuse. 

So, no twins for me.

I did get a change to visit with my favorite little leprechaun Saturday morning before the festivities got started. All he was missing was a little green hat, lol.

P.S. I'm well know for studying the origins of holiday and was asked several times during St. Patty's to explain. I have included links in this blog post from wiki for all you curiosity seekers.

WPPI 2012

WPPI is an annual photography convention that I attend in fabulous Las Vegas each year.
I met tons of amazing people this year. Which I'll be blogging about over the next week.

Caroline & Moon Morey win my cutest couple award. I met them while shooting out at the Nelson Ghost Town. Moon is originally from Hawaii, which explains his unique name. Caroline is a wedding photographer from Irvine California.

They were gracious enough to humor me and agreed to "model" while the group was between shoots. These two has such a playful camaraderie. It was absolutely delightful to see them engage in laughter as I was shooting.

If I had to give this image a title it would be called "Love Tap".

Post Cards- Mumbai

I've decided to start a new series called "Post Cards". I though this would be a great way for me to share some of my landscapes. It's sort of like a "HAPPY"card you can share with anyone you know who needs a little dose of goodness!

About the photo: This shot was taken outside the the Taj Mahal Palace in Mumbai. OnOne PhotoFrame was used for border and texture.

Dreams

Lately, I have been dreaming.
Vivid, enchanting, complex surrealistic dreams.
I think our dreams have a way of weaving together the impossibilities that our waking state does not permit us to perceive. Making something new where nothing existed before. Some of the greatest minds attributed their greatest break-through to dreams. So here's to all the dreamers.

The photo-centric engagement

I recently met with a future bride named Cassie . Over a caramel latte at Starbucks in Ann Arbor, she shared with me her amazing story of her Canon Christmas proposal.

Last year, Cassie was just starting out in photography. She had big photo dreams and had been diligently saving money to purchase her first DSLR camera.

 When Christmas time rolled around, Cassie and  her boyfriend Brandon got family & friends together for a Christmas party. Once everyone had arrived, Brandon handed Cassie a box and told her to open her gift. She felt worried because they had both agreed not to buy each other gifts that year. (Cassie’s brother stood by with video camera in hand.) When she opened the box she saw the word Canon and started shaking with excitement. Tears streamed down her cheeks as She took the Rebel Xsi out of the box. Brandon handed her a memory card to use in the camera. He said, “Check the card to make sure there aren’t any of my old photos on it”. She hit the play button and this is the image that popped up.

 When she looked at Brandon he was down on one knee. Brandon looked up at Cassie and asked “ I love you, will you marry me?”

Cassie just stood there in amazement, holding the camera, holding her breath, smiling, crying, looking at Brandon. Her brother, still holding the video camera shouted “Well, are you gonna say yes?” She looked around to realize that all eyes where on her, waiting for her to say something, anything.

She exclaimed “yes, yes, yes”, and the celebration began!

Brandon purchased Cassie the engagement ring in October & had planned on popping the question then. However, he decided to wait until Christmas because his brother had just become engaged.  Brandon knew how special the camera would be to Cassie and thought it was a perfect vehicle to deliver a proposal. Brandon took 72 shots to get the image above.

Their wedding is scheduled for June 2012.

As a female wedding photographer,  this is the kind of story that just pulls at your heartstrings.

How sweet, photography love to the umph power.

Novi Bridal Show

The experience of the Novi Bridal Expo was amazing. Each year exhibitors from Michigan gather at the event to provide brides with one stop shopping for all their wedding day needs. This year myself & Steve, my business partner in He Said She Said Photography were in one of the booths for photographic services.

We met some super cool vendors & played nice with everyone except the balloon guy (who shall remain nameless). One would assume that a balloon vendor would have the pleasant disposition of a daycare worker, after all balloons are happy & I am happy, but he was not. As you can see from the photo below I am happy, so very happy, because I have the best job in the world!

The very best part of the weekend was the brides. We met amazing women (and a few men) from all over the country.
What is the best thing about meeting new brides?
They are in love. They have found someone that they love so much they want to spend the rest of their lives together. Love is the most beautiful, flattering feature from a photographic standpoint.
  Love is the purest form of happiness. I could photograph happiness every day for the rest of my life and die with a huge smile.
I could go on and on about love, but I wont.
I'll just say "I love love".
There is something very genuine about the way a couple looks into each others eyes when they are in love. These are the stories I want to tell with my camera.

I have an amazing story from Cassie coming next week, so grab your camera & tissues because this is a good one. Not only is she a future bride but she is also just starting out in photography and her engagement story touched my heart.

Candle Light

My amazing, beautiful friend sara was kind enough to pose for me while we were in the process of a painting with light session.

I believe we had just under 100 candles burning. Shooting got warm very quickly, so I removed my camera from overhead tripod to avoid "cooking" my lens.

 There was also the spilling of wax & slight burning of fingers. All in all, I would say minus a few singes we managed to get a few "candle-lit" images that we are both pleased with.

I processed the image to push red tones in the shadows, it is Christmas after all. Enjoy the season & light a few candles!

Christmas Lights

The Christmas lights are all a-glow on Main street in down town Ann Arbor, so I drug my ever-faithful model/ best friend Erin out in the cold. I shot with my Canon lens 70-200 2.8 IS USM. I wanted to see just how far I could push that puppy (the lens, not Erin) in low light and freezing weather conditions.

The lens performed like a champ. Being able to shoot in low light with out flash allowed me to capture the ambiance of the scene. The lens weighs in at a hefty 3.3 pounds, how-ever my tripod weighs 5 pounds. You can do the math. For capturing moving subjects, easy transitions between backgrounds and low light, this baby gets it done.

This image was inspired by "The sunday Creative" weekly photo project- Frozen.

Gratitude note*Many thanks to Erin. My photographic Guinea Pig, who is insane enough to think my ideas are brilliant.

Update- I have added snow thanks to Photoshop Universe for the video tutorial

Finding The Perfect Wedding Gown

After all there is something about a wedding-gown prettier than in any other gowns in the world.  ~Douglas William Jerrold


On my quest to cracking the code on finding the perfect wedding gown, I have found the most popular recommendation: Know your body shape.


When I searched for body shapes and types, I found everything from fruits to letters analogies. Now, I don't know if I'm an "Apple" or an "H". I would guess hardly anyone else knows either.


 So, here's my 2 cents on choosing a gown. 
1. Take an honest friend with you, one who will tell it like it is.  
2. Ask the sales clerk, "Which type of dress will flatter my figure the best"?
3. Pay attention to where the waistline is on the dresses you like.
4. Different cuts will emphasize different parts of the body, so emphasize your favorite feature.


Good luck and happy hunting.
Now get out there and find something that will make his knees buckle!

My Personal Artist Custom Invitations Studio Blog: ABOUT

Just ran across this blog and I think it's the cats meow.

The artist, Michelle hand-paints invitations. Always in search of unique products for my brides, this artist wowed me with the beauty of her watercolors. There is a tab for wedding ideals. Even if you've already had your wedding invitations made, consider Thank-You cards. Any thing handmade lends a personal touch of gratitude. Best of luck in planning your big day!

See link below for artist's Blog

My Personal Artist Custom Invitations Studio Blog: ABOUT: "Michelle Mospens is a fine artist and graphic designer. In 1998, she started My Personal Artist from a small sunroom in her home so she coul..."

The End of the Season

Fall is one of those seasons to savor.
I just love this time of year. Pumpkin patches, hay rides, farmers markets, and oh those delicious pumpkin doughnuts.
The leaves are  falling and there is a crackling sound every time the wind blows. There is a soft chill in the air which is perfectly complimented by hot cider.

I have a sweet little girl who cries when the last leaf has fallen from the trees in the yard. She says, with a tear in her eye,"That means fall is over".

Fall in Michigan

I can't help but to want to photograph every tree I see, but there are so many trees and only one of me. It is just amazing that a tree you have seen 110 times during the summer can take on such a beautiful spectrum of colors in the fall.
 I always think the trees look so naked after all the leaves fall off. I sometimes wonder if the trees feel naked too?

On Which Hand Does A Bride Wear The Ring?

The right hand is the traditional hand for vows or oaths. It is raised when such an oath is given, so the wedding ring would here show the sincerety of the oath. A traditional reason to wear the wedding ring on the right hand stems from Roman custom and biblical references. The Latin word for left is "sinister", which in addition to this sense also has the same senses as the English word. The Latin word for right is "dexter", a word that evolved into "dexterity". Hence, the left hand had a negative connotation and the right a good one. (Source Wiki)

The finger is always the ring finger, but there are cultural differences whether the wedding ring is worn on the left hand or the right hand.

I was previously under the assumption that the wedding ring was always worn on the left hand.
Which just goes to show you, you learn something every day if you pay attention. . 
The ring shot is one of my favorite things to photograph. It is one of the few images where you, as the photographer get to completely design the composition of the shot. I prefer to juxtapose the rings with contrasting textures, shapes and colors.