I love the phrase, “our wedding’s going to be on private property”—especially when that property is the bride’s childhood home and a working livestock farm full of the bride’s sheep. When the property outshines most actual wedding venues, that’s just an added bonus. There’s something so personal about being with the family in the place where so many memories were made & witnessing a huge new memory being made. I’m sure that adds to the emotion of the day. It also helps me feel more at home since being in a close family is something with which I’m very familiar.

I’d also like to add that this wedding continues my run of rain-free Seattle weddings. It rained every day surrounding the wedding, but wedding stayed dry. I’m not saying I can control the weather, buuut…

It was another special day for the reason that I got to see another one of my recently married couples who were guests. That’s happening more and more often and I love it (Hi Sarah & Will)!

Not posed or staged in any way: 

What an amazing way to start off the wedding season! If I had to pick a wedding to jump back in to things with, it would be Jamie & Seth’s for sure. It’s always a special day when I get to see one of the couples who’s wedding I’d photographed at a wedding I’m photographing. It’s an especially great treat when I get to see two, as was the case here. It’s an especially special day when I get to see their families as well! They were married at the St. Thomas church in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho & later had the reception at the CDA Best Western. In between we spent some time in downtown CDA (I feel like EVERY couple should experience hanging out in public on their wedding day) taking some pictures & thanking well-wishers.

The groom tied flies & had them put in the groomsmen’s boutonnieres. A great touch, I think.    Let’s just say I love being on the dance floor—especially when I’m surrounded (literally) by such great people at an awesome party!

I’m fascinated by creativity & inspiration—where it strikes & how it takes shape. Most books I read are concerned with the subject on some level. I’m sure it’s fascinating to me because it can be so fleeting. There’s no guarantee that the inspiration will lead to the creation of anything that is even interesting. Since I’m usually so busy with wedding & engagement pictures, it’s hard to find time to create just for the sake of creating. I’ve done it a couple of times during this off season & have enjoyed it so much. It’s something that I need to do more of going forward. Part of finding success in that is going to be sustaining my ability to actively seek inspiration & opportunities for creating.

Now on to how this photo started. The location was first. This is a site that I drive by during the summer & spring when it’s a solid mass of greenery. Then this winter I drove by & noticed how the solid wall of green became this forest of small trees & dead leaves. After that I asked Jessica from Soiree Event Design (or ‘the producers’ as I call them since they have a knack for just making things happen) if she & her husband would model (and WOW, they could not have been more perfect!). She found a perfect Titanic-style gown at Storybook Bridal & we were on our way. I acted as stylist, found the other suitcase & ribbon tie—which I love & could see myself wearing along with the vest. I wanted to follow a dark narrative in the photo so I settled on using a torch which acts as a ‘reason’ for there to be some light in the frame. Plus, I love fire. I like to think of myself as a dry pyromaniac.

Usually during a session I’m attempting to make as many photos as I can. This shoot is a little different that most in that I just wanted one single photo. The weather was beautiful all day—until one minute before meeting the crew to set up the shot. The rains decided that would be a good time to start falling. We waited, but after a half hour of hoping it would stop, we rounded up some plastic bags & headed to our location—rain be damned. As soon as we made it to the mini-forest, the rains stopped. Thank goodness. Fortunately, the rain had the effect of adding to the scene’s texture as well as making it a little easier to work with the fire later on. The only drawbacks were that it made taking care of the dress a higher priority & it pushed our schedule back almost an hour.

I can’t be more thankful to everyone who helped me make this photo possible. I put out the call for helpers via Facebook & immediately had enough volunteers so if you want to be aware of the next time I need helpers make sure you follow me on Facebook. Thank you to this shoot’s assistants, Michael Kinney, Tanya Smith, Logan Westom, & Sean Gavan. Jessica’s makeup was done by the amazing Make-Up Studio. There’s no way to overestimate how much everyone’s help means to me. Most importantly, this is a photo that only existed in my head for a month. And now it’s a reality & it looks just like it did in my head. That’s inspiring to me for next time.

For photography nerds only: The set up was 4 lights total. The first 2 are Nikon SB-700 flashes to the left & right of the scene with blue gels on them. I wanted them to bring out the texture in the scene & wrap around the trees. I gelled them a pretty deep blue to mimic the moonlight & make up for the fact that I didn’t gel the main light orange for the fire. The main light is an AlienBees 800 with a 64″ reflective PLM (umbrella) at camera right. I wanted this to come from the same direction as the flame. The last light was a bare AB800 in the back of the scene pointing at the camera (hidden by the flame). It’s job was to give depth to the scene & light up the fog. Without it, the scene would have ended about 10 feet behind the models. With it, the scene extends out of the frame. It also adds to the narrative that the couple is traveling since it makes it look like there’s a trail descending the hill. The batteries we were using only let the fog machine give us one puff. Fortunately it was enough & the scene’s ambience greatly benefitted from it.

Anything I missed? Feel free to ask.

Notice the idiot who turned his head just as the shutter clicked. I think he’s on the wrong side of the camera. :)

So, a few weeks ago I taught a 2 day workshop that was hosted at my friend, Ifong’s studio in Spokane. Since it sold out so quickly I felt a little extra pressure to give the attendees a great experience. It kept me from getting much sleep leading up to it, as I was prepping the presentations so hopefully I was successful. It seemed like it went really well & everyone enjoyed it. I really love teaching & get as passionate about that as I do while taking pictures.

It was set up so the first day covered the stark outlook of the photography industry & the need to rise above the mediocrity that exists by being creative & pushing forward or else we will fall into the failure pit that captures so many photographers. We also went over the elements of a photo that we can use to accomplish what we want which includes building our ‘photographer’s toolbox’ & stuffing it with tools which we can use to solve the myriad problems we face while on the job. We wrapped the day up with a real engagement session with Sadie & Luke, one of my couples who’s wedding I’m shooting this year. I’m so thankful that they agreed to act as ‘models’ for the workshop. They were perfect & so patient as I talked about what I was doing in between taking photos.

On day 2 we started with a discussion about how important inspiration is as we build our visual vocabulary to inform our unique voice. After that we moved in to branding & marketing, the difference between the two & how to use each to attract the best clients for you & ultimately build a stronger business. I also went over the most important tool we have available as photographers to get better quickly (any guesses?). Then day 2 wrapped up with a ‘bride & groom’ photo shoot starring Ryan & Alissa (of Ferguson Films) who likely have a future in modeling should they choose to pursue it in lieu of making gorgeous wedding films for their clients. After that I showed some of my post processing & workflow before calling it a wrap.

Thank you to all 14 people who attended & gave me the opportunity to share. It really meant a lot to me to have you all there.

Trust me, there was a fair amount of mocking of David Jay & his collection of terrible advice known as ‘the system’ throughout the weekend. :)

flash at mid-day(!)…

These next few photos are examples of how we can use natural light when it’s available or create the light with flash when good light isn’t readily available. The first two are natural light & for the last one, the sun dipped behind the clouds so I got out a flash instead.        My biggest regret from the workshop is that I didn’t take the opportunity to take a group photo of everyone who attended. FAULIRE! So in lieu of that, I’m posting some ‘behind the scenes’ photos taken by some of the attendees.After this first iPhone photo of Ifong’s studio, are a series of photos taken by Paddy Hoy, Tanya Smith, & Ana Hopkins. Fortunately I had enough foresight to have Logan Westom shoot some video of the workshop so I think I’ll have some viewing to do so I can figure out what I can do better next time!

I’m so excited to share this project that began when a group of us Spokane wedding vendors decided it was high time we worked together on something, so we brainstormed exactly what you see in these photos. I can’t believe how similar it looks to what the vision was. It was a lot of fun to experiment with the lighting since it was 100% supplied by me.

The theme was ‘Timeless Love’ to play off the fact that Anemone’s amazing handmade paper flowers do indeed last forever. For models, we found a beautiful mother & daughter team to help us play off the theme a little more. Thank you Mariah & Deborah! I feel so lucky to have such a great group of friends to work with & make this come together. I can’t wait to do it again!

To get a real idea of the production that went in to this, you have to watch the behind the scenes video toward the bottom of the post. Ferguson films did an incredible job. While watching it, I felt like I was there all over again.

The All Star Team:

aNeMonE : paper florists : handmadepaperflowers.com

Mango Ink : cards + wall art : mangoink.com

Ferguson Films : videography : fergusonfilms.com

Marcella’s Bridal : gowns : marcellasbridal.com

Soiree Event Design : production : designbysoiree.com

the Attic : vintage rentals : atticrentals.com

The White Room : venue : tptglobal.com/specs

The Make-Up Studio : themakeupstudio.net

Heather Washburn : hair : www.heatherwashburnweddings.com

Thanks to Logan Westom for assisting me with the photography!

The team!

The “behind the scenes” video:

Timeless Love from Ferguson Films on Vimeo.

The rest of the family stopped by to see what was going on, so we took the opportunity for a family photo!

A few behind the scenes photos that will give you a little idea of the production.

I can’t tell you how excited I am to officially announce my Spring photography workshop! For those of you who have been around me on a shoot to see my excitement levels, I’m easily approaching that level with this workshop. I. Can’t. Wait.

• What: This will be a fairly structured 2 day workshop with a focus on strengthening your business through your marketing as well as your photos. I hope to also leave enough time to answer questions & focus on the needs of the attendees—which is why I’m limiting the numbers of spots available.

There will be at least 2 different shoots. One of a couple I’ve never met before in an engagement type shoot where we cover a couple of different locations and another shoot of a couple I have met that is more of a wedding/trash the dress type shoot where the focus will be overcoming the obstacles that rear their ugly heads on most wedding days. While these are couple based shoots & that’s my primary focus as a photographer, most of these principles will cross in to all types of portraiture. I’ll demonstrate some of my normal lighting techniques, showing how & when I use them while I’m shooting. I’ll also cover some workflow and post processing techniques as well as some basic marketing ideas including a live demonstration of my #1 most important marketing tool. We’ll talk about the most important tool for a photographer to have in their arsenal, vision. You’ll see the importance of preconceiving a photograph so you can make the jump from a photographer who’s waiting for a lucky shot, to one who makes the photo regardless of what’s in front of them.

This won’t be a ‘fill your portfolio’ workshop where dozens of photographers are shooting over each other’s shoulders with long lenses. It’s going to be an intense, two-day focus on developing your vision & creativity to strengthen your business.

• When: March 31 & April 1 Rain or shine—just like a real wedding day. All day. I bet I can out last you all.

I’m a little sad to post the last wedding of 2011—at least I’m going out on a high note! It was such a great year & I’m already excited about what’s coming in 2012! Jenn & Rick wanted to be absolutely positive that they’d have a snowy winter wedding so they enlisted Elkins Resort to make that happen. Good thing too since even though it was plenty cold in Spokane, there was zero snow. Elkins is a beautiful venue with so many beautiful, natural features. Of course I was thrilled to be back photographing in the snow! If you hadn’t noticed, I kinda enjoy taking pictures in the white stuff. Even though we didn’t have much day light, we used it to our advantage because while it was there, it was wonderful. Then when the moon came up, we employed it for light as well. Thank goodness for an amazing camera (Nikon’s D3s) that dominates every other camera with its ability to take pictures in low light (at least until the D4 comes out).

Also, thank goodness for a couple so willing to let me try a few things in the 12 degree weather. Fortunately they had a fire waiting for them. My couples are the absolute best.

Photography nerd warning: The ceremony was so dark that I shot it at ISO 12,800, F/2.8, 1/25 shutter speed. I then pushed nearly 2 more stops in Lightroom. Like I said, thank goodness for my Nikon D3s. I really don’t like using flash during ceremonies—especially when it would ruin such an intimate ambiance. 

Yup, that’s the moon and no, the rolling fog was not added in Photoshop.

We had one snow storm this year (so far). While most are probably happy with that, I am certainly not. I love taking pictures in the snow. The texture it creates in addition to the romantic feeling make for wonderful wedding photos. Even more than that, what it does to light is magical. Fortunately for me, I had a couple of weddings to photograph during this one single storm. After Katie & her bridesmaids were ready we headed up to the beautiful & extremely cold grounds of Arbor Crest so Justin could see his bride for the first time & take a few pictires. I can’t imagine viewing these photos without really being able to feel the excitement the bride & groom felt. The wedding & reception were held at Eastpoint Church in Spokane Valley. After the festivities were wrapped up we snuck off downtown for a few more portraits (including a few at The Davenport Hotel) before calling it a (cold) night.

As 2011 comes to an end I reflect on what an amazing year it’s been. Really. Not a day went by when I didn’t actively thing about how lucky I am. Lucky to be doing exactly what I enjoy. Lucky to be able to support a family by taking pictures with a camera. I make a living by making art. Since quitting work as a graphic designer exactly one year ago I can say I’ve never been happier. Photography took us to Hawaii, NYC, & Seattle several times—as well as places in between. Truly a dream come true. That couldn’t happen without having such amazing couples to work with. I can say that without reservation while speaking of every single couple who’s wedding I photographed this year.

Rather than take on the impossible task of choosing all of my favorite photos (& risk ending up with a 300+ photo blog post) I’m taking the easier (& admittedly lazier) route of just choosing a single photo from each wedding. In many cases they aren’t even necessarily my favorite from that wedding. Really, I could spend months trying to choose if I tried to choose favorites. If you want to see more from these weddings (except for a few I still have yet to blog) just use the search bar at the top of the page.

Melissa & Jared. Woodland Park Zoo, Seattle

Katie & Olin, Lewis and Clark Plaza, Lewiston, ID

Kailin & Bret, Schweitzer Mountain Resort, Sandpoint, ID

Amber & Sam, The Davenport Hotel

Kelli & Kevin, Georgetown Ballroom, Seattle

Samm & Nathan, Davenport Hotel

Tove & Jason, Normanna Hall, Tacoma, WA

Chelsey & Barry, Waimanalo Beach Park & Honolulu Polo Club, Waimanalo, HI

Brittney & Nate, Clayton, WA

Ashley & Mike, Spokane Masonic Center

Talia & Justin, Beacon Hill

Christie & Paul, The Glover Mansion

Renee & Bob, Riverfront Park

Rachelle & Steve, Dance Street Ballroom

Katie & Dan, The Glover Mansion

Paul & Stefanie, The White House, Coeur d’Alene, ID

Tara & Spencer, Point Defiance, Tacoma

Laurel & Jack, Gonzaga University

Rachel & Tucker, The Mazama Ranch House, Mazama, WA

Alicia & Aaron, Landmark Event Center, Des Moines, WA

Maggie & John, The Parkside Event Center, Coeur d’Alene, ID

Nikki & Clayton, High Country Orchard

Sarah & Nate, The Glover Mansion

Kristy & Brian, High Country Orchard

Lindsey & David, Spokane Country Club

Sammie & Darrin, The Glover Mansion

Gracie & Chris, Beacon Hill

Charissa & Erik, Trezzi Farm

Rachel & Houston, Backyard wedding, St Maries, ID

Kortney & Aaron, Pine River Ranch, Leavenworth, WA

Rachiah & Andy, Arbor Crest

Sarah & William, Red Barn Farms, Colton, WA

Patsy & Kevin, Beacon Hill

Tiffany & Nate, Blue Ribbon Culinary Center, Seattle

Kathy & Matt, The Glover Mansion

Flori & John, The Davenport Hotel

Lauren & Darrick, Wallace, ID

Lindsey & Jaron, Gonzaga University Chapel & The Glover Mansion

Katie & Justin, Arbor Crest & The Davenport Hotel

Terese & Kurt, The Glover Mansion

Jenn & Rick, Elkins Resort, Norman, ID

Erin & Jim, Trezzi Farm

—

Last but not least, I owe the biggest thanks to my family without who’s support I couldn’t do this. I don’t even mean support, I mean SUPPORT!!!! Happy new year everybody. Here’s to an even more amazing 2012—with 30 weddings already booked, it’s looking like we’re well on our way!

I’m happy to finally post this wedding because no matter how impressive a single photo is to some, a wedding day meant to be represented in an entire set of photos. The first photo caused a bit of a ruckus across the internet (well, a different version of the photo—I like this one a little better) and lead me to write an entire post about how it was created. You can see that post here. Lindsey & Jaron were married at the Gonzaga University Chapel Chapel & their reception was held at Spokane’s Glover Mansion. The time in between was spent taking a surprise in the weather & turning it in to something special.

A couple of months ago Gina & I got to take a trip to NYC for work & play. Who am I kidding—most of my work is play. One of my favorite photographers & online friends, Ryan Brenizer was hosting a workshop at his Manhattan home. Since I appreciate his creativity, the way he pushes himself I figured this would be a workshop that’s right up my alley. Plus, who could turn down a trip to one of the most exciting cities in the world. It was amazing. I can’t wait to get back there. Here are some pictures from the trip.

These first photos were taken during the workshop. There were many others but it’s really important that I only show photos that are my vision & not Ryan’s or anyone else’s.  So these photos are all set up by me & not technically ‘workshop’ photos. I have plenty of those, but you’ll never see them because I don’t think it’s fair to try to pass off photos that were set up by someone else as my own. I think it’s a little silly when photographers post photos from a workshop where every photographer has the exact same photos that they all took in the same place, during the same time, of the same models.

I also have to add that the workshop was immensely valuable to me. In addition to the techniques that I’ve already implemented to great success, it was a great time to recharge my photographic batteries. Ryan answered every question & was an outstanding host. I can’t imagine a workshop that holds a better value. If the workshop mirrors the value he gives his clients, those are some very lucky people.

The view from Ryan’s roof.

Valerie (an incredible photographer herself) was a wonderful model & completely up for adventure. So when I wandered from the group while in Central Park & found this stream, waterfall, & sun combo, I ran back to the group & asked Valerie & a couple of other photographers to come check out what I found, she was completely up for it. This is the result. Magic.

I felt like that shot needed a full crop to see it’s full beauty.

After that shot, I ran around the big rock & saw the light hitting her. Again, magic.

Not a bad location for a workshop.

Valerie again. While waiting for the subway to take us to Harlem I figured it was a good time to take some photos.

Getting our learning on.

In Central Park. I’m convinced it wasn’t an accident that Ryan stopped to teach by this tree. See Ryan’s book, “Subliminal teaching techniques.”

Some NYC wildlife was on display.

An amazing place. Inspiring on so many levels. All photos in MOMA were taken with the Fuji x100.

Jackson Pollock. I spent a solid 15 minutes staring at this piece, section by section, & as a whole. Seeing it in person was definitely a highlight of the trip. The textures are shocking. Half of the beauty is lost by viewing it on a paper page. I tried to capture it in my close up (my current desktop photo). The textures of all the pieces were wonderful to see. I’d seen so many of the works on display in 2D. They beg to be seen in 3D.

ICP, AKA the International Center of Photography. No photos allowed inside for obvious reasons. 9/11 memorial was on display. I’ll never forget some of the photos on display. The power of photography was on full display.

Got to meet up with some friends & walk around. Brittany (during her USA walkabout), Heidi, Dennis (the only local among us), & Luis.

Some attempts at street photography.

I love contrasts. Especially the contrasts of buildings & trees. Normally in NYC you’re surrounded by buildings & can see some trees. Central park makes the opposite true.

Central Park. One of my favorite places in the world. Even while suffering with massively bruised ribs I had to go for a run in Central Park. Every step hurt, but it was fun crossing the New York City Marathon finish line which was set up for the race.

On the streets of NYC.

What can I say, I love taking picture of couples. It’s what I do.

So many landmarks that, to me, had before only existed in movies, music, & on TV.

The only place in the world where you hear the word ‘subway’ & sandwiches are the second thing you think of.

The amazing food was one of the things I miss most about NYC. Our hotel was on the edge of Hell’s Kitchen. Since we walked most places, there was great food everywhere. These photos were taken at eatery nyc. Yumm.

We stayed at the Hudson New York Hotel. This is the lobby. Definitely a cool place. I could have spent hours photographing the different places just in the hotel. Our room was TINY. I’d have taken a photograph of it, but my macro lens wouldn’t fit inside. But that’s what you get when you want to stay a block away from Central Park. Hey, it’s Gina (talking to our girls)!

The end.

Weddings at The Davenport Hotel & Tower are automatically classy events. It’s such a beautiful place with so many little places that lend themselves to beautiful photos. It helps when you have a couple like Flori & John who, in addition to being supremely photogenic, were willing to follow me wherever I wanted to go in hopes that we’d find a little photographic magic. I think we did, but I’ll leave that up to you to decide.

Once again, I’m posting a wedding where there were so many subtly wonderful moments that came back to me as I looked through them again (& again). Just one of the little parts of my job that I love so much. In addition to that, it’s yet another couple that I’m such a huge fan of. Over the nearly 80 weddings I’ve photographed, I have yet to work with a couple that I don’t love (knock on wood). My couples are the absolute best. I’m a pretty lucky guy.

Best. Table. Decoration. Ever…

4th time’s the charm. I’ve shot several weddings at the lovely Beacon Hill, but it wasn’t until this last one that I got a truly stunning sunset. Finally. The day began with Patsy getting beautified by Shasta Hankins & the beauty continued throughout the entire day. The weather played nicely with us & the event—from the beginning to the end was a blast for everyone involved. I think you’ll see that.

Bet you’ve never seen a wedding party photo like this one…

Ok, just like the scenes added to movies after the credits, I really felt like this photo had to be here, but it didn’t work with the rest of the story. I crack up at it every time I see it. The look on Kevin’s face is priceless.

Taken on Gonzaga's campus in Spokane, Washington 11.12.11

Last night I did my usual thing & posted a handful of preview photos following a wedding before heading off to bed. What I woke up to was a little different. One of the photos went viral on Facebook & has been ‘liked’ more than 1200 times, gathered 370 comments,  been shared by 90 people—in one day. To give an example of how crazy this is, I’ve worked for the past couple of years to organically (with almost zero self promotion outside of posting & tagging) build my FB page to 1,000 ‘likes.’ It crossed that mark last week. I’m amazed at that number. AMAZED. Thanks to everyone who has clicked the button on Matt Shumate Photography.

Over the last day it’s jumped more than 600. 2 years to get to 1,000. 1 day to get 600 more. If you’re one of those. Thank you. Hopefully I’ll find a way to add value to your Facebook experience.

That got me thinking that I could do a little more. There were a bunch of people asking questions about the creation of the photo so I figured I could at least create a post where I break down the photo & how it was made.

When we got to the church earlier in the day the weather was relatively pleasant, if not just a bit chilly, but dry. After the ceremony was over we looked outside & saw that the weather had changed drastically. I love shooting in the snow. Love it. Love. It. I got pretty excited, but this wasn’t a normal winter snow. This was a very wet autumn snow. It was like being in a rain shower where the drops were the size of quarters. Fortunately we were able to wrangle a couple of umbrellas to get the bride & groom from the church to the car. It also was much darker than I felt it should be. Of course, nobody asked my opinion about the sunset time.

I popped my flash (Nikon SB-700) into a Lumiquest III mini soft box & asked a bridesmaid’s boyfriend to help me out. I gave him the other umbrella, set the flash to 1/4 power (a good guess), & told him to follow behind the couple 10 or 15 feet & keep the flash pointed at them. I didn’t have an exact shot in mind but I knew I wanted a backlit photo because it would make the snow show up clear. Fortunately Lindsey (the bride) was a trooper & had zero complaints about being cold. She just kept reassuring us that her dress had lots of layers so she was fine.

I had a little more urgency since I was uncovered, & although I know my Nikon D3s is one hardy machine, I didn’t want to risk having water from the instantly melting monster snowflakes short something out. Partially to give myself some time to formulate a plan & partially because I knew I wanted to use the brick walkway in the background I asked the newly married couple to walk the long way around Gonzaga’s roundabout toward the parking lot. Once we got in front of the walkway I found my composition I asked Lindsey & Jaron to keep each other warm with a romantic moment. I scooted to the side to let one of the pathway lights to peek around Lindsey’s dress giving the shadow a reason to be there (even though we all know what really made the shadow) I made a couple of camera adjustments, quickly snapped a few photos, & we all took off for the cars.

My goal with the composition was to show the beauty of Gonzaga’s campus at dusk on the evening of the year’s first snow. For the couple, I wanted to convey the feelings they were having after being married moments before. For the exposure I wanted to keep the skies dark enough to see the white flakes hit with the flash & bright enough to keep the blue color & show the dark flakes in shadow. I wanted the flash to be bright enough to light the edges of the couple & produce a nice cast shadow in front of them but not so bright that I’d get nasty wrap-around flare. I figured that the flash would bounce a little light off their faces & even though they’d still be a little underexposed, the D3s file would withstand brightening them up quite nicely.

I used Lightroom to balance out the exposure, bump the contrast, & fix the colors. There was a girl walking through the background and a bit of the umbrella from the VAL (voice activated lightstand) that I cloned out in Photoshop. Both things I would normally correct in camera were we not under the duress of time. I have to add that I feel like this is a special but imperfect photo, but that’s ok. I can think of at least 4 things I’d do a little different next time. Gotta keep pushing.

Camera settings: Nikon D3s, Nikon 24-70mm @24mm, 1/100, f/3.5, ISO 3200, Nikon SB-700 1/4 power in a Lumiquest III. Triggered with Cybersyncs.

Hopefully that’s helped someone make a better photograph. If there’s something I left out, feel free to ask & I’ll try to answer.

I think I’d like to make this a regular feature (maybe as video next time since I kinda suck as a writer) so if you’d like to see a certain photo broken down, please ask.

Normally when I blog I try to show the photos in a way that tells the best story. But there are times when I take a photo that is so special to me because it tells the best story all on its own. When that’s mixed with a light that is nothing short of magical, even I get a little humbled. That usually happens when I have nothing to do with the photo, but I happen upon a scene and able to capture it. That’s the case with this first photo (the texture, the light, the gown, the light, the reflection, the light, the room, the light, the symmetry, the light, & the vail hanging on the lamp). It’s definitely one of my favorite photos I’ve ever made & if you press me on it, I don’t know if I could come up with one that I love more. Most amazingly, this is pretty much what the photo looked like on the back of my camera.

For the rest of the post, I’ll mention that the wedding was held at Trezzi Farm on a day when nature decided to be as friendly as it’s ever been. The light was gorgeous. The clouds & skies were perfectly dramatic. And the temperature was perfectly—which was helpful since Erin’s vintage gown (which has been worn by several brides in her family) wasn’t made of a terribly forgiving/breathable fabric. Erin’s beautiful makeup was done by DeAndra Toney & her hair was done at Elite Salon.

When you add to that a wedding where everyone was encouraged to wear various & sundry hats (yes including a viking helmet!) you have a recipe for a great day (& great photos).

I’m so excited to share Sarah & Will’s wedding with you. It’s been a while since I’ve posted. We spent a week in New York (blog post coming) & a weekend in Seattle for family time & I feel rejuvenated & ready to edit, edit, edit, shoot, edit—well you get the point. I’ve got a ton of work in front of me & I couldn’t be more excited about it!

The fact that I was able to shoot Sarah & Will’s wedding was nearly an act of God since so many things had to go right for it to happen since her first (very excited) email asking if I was available (I wasn’t). Add to that the fact that their wedding was held at one of my favorite wedding venues, Red Barn Farms. Sarah’s beautiful makeup was done by Shasta Hankins which helped her become the radiant bride she was.

Enough words, on to the photos(!)…

I’m a huge believer in the power if ‘nice.’ Terribly uninteresting and non descriptive as an adjective, it’s importance comes from action. There’s no better way to describe the actions of everyone on the day of Rachiah & Andy’s wedding at Arbor Crest Winery. Rachiah’s parents are two of the nicest people I’ve ever met—& I mean ever. Of course I already knew this since the flower girl & one of my daughters are buddies & my daughter’s spent lots of time at their house. It would stand to reason that Rachiah would be the same & of course Andy as well. I feel like that comes across very clearly in the photos.

Arbor Crest is an insanely beautiful venue. There are so many places to explore for a photographer looking for interesting things. I can’t wait to go back!

I just have to say that Pine River Ranch just outside of Leavenworth, Washington is one of the most amazing venues I’ve ever seen. It’s like a photographer’s play land. There’s the manicured lawns, a pond with a rowboat, a trail to the river, a tall grass field, purple wildflowers in a shady grove, & a great dairy barn that’s been transformed in to a modern wedding venue without losing it’s personality. In my day there, I barely touched all of the photographic opportunities. I imagine I could shoot several weddings there without reusing any ideas. Add to that a bride with lots of personal flare, a great theme, & the number one color choice of 2011—purple—& you have a recipe for great photos. I just had to get out of the way & capture it.

For this wedding I’ll comment throughout the post. The amazing floral arrangements were done my Personal Touch Floral in Cashmere, WA.

Maybe my favorite wedding party photo of all time.

Note: antlers, peacock feathers, & purple. You’ll see them again. This is how you build a theme.

A running joke with Kortney & Aaron & their friends is that they’re cousins (they’re not). It’s pretty believable.

Sometimes me moving to the side a few inches is enough to make magic. I love this photo. Mmm…symmetry.

A surprise for dad. Kortney & her dad got to share one of their favorite past times before the wedding. The ranch’s neighbor let us use their range.

Crack shots, both of them. Note the exploding targets in the ‘after’ shots.

Seriously, a shady field of purple wildflowers. Are you kidding me? We drove by it on our way to the range & my eyes just about fell out of my head.

Aaron’s Willys Jeep was a great touch to the day.

Note: Ginger squared. Awesome.

Such a great post-ceremony moment as Aaron helped Kortney in to the Jeep.

The antler in the bouquet was an amazing touch.

The following photo is a special request for a photo that the couple could frame in a 4 pane window frame. I took several photos & stitched them together to get the resolution I needed. For photographers: The photo after this is a 100% crop just to show the sharpness.

100% crop.

Yes, Kortney’s dress was a tearaway. It was a secret until “the reveal.” It was an alteration she had done. You’d never know it to look at the full gown.

Not sure what to say about this backyard wedding that took place in St. Maries, ID. Many times Rachel attempted to describe the area where her wedding was going to be. I thought I had a good idea of what to expect. I was very wrong. It was more amazing than I could have imagined. Of course it paled in comparison to the Rachel herself. Again, I’m posting a wedding with so many huge smiles & laughs culminating of course with me donning Rachel’s dad’s swim shorts & jumping in the pool with my camera to catch the bride & groom in a celebratory plunge!