Alli & Joe....A little unusual!

Alli and Joe are different...and we love different!  At the consultation I remember throwing at engagement session ideas and a cemetery shoot has been at the top of my list along with the library shoot we just did.  Joe loved the idea from the start and Alli, with her love of skeletons and trench coats said she was game too!  We set our sites on Greenwood Cemetery in Downtown Orlando, one of Florida's oldest cemeteries.  Since the couple is having a summer wedding I went with our rule of opposites and planned the shoot for winter in Florida.  We were hoping for cold weather and lots of browns and tans to work as our backdrop.  We actually ended up with temps in the 40's (for Florida that's cold) and we really enjoyed our time with this couple!  Alli's gorgeous red hair and Joe's cool guy swag really made everything pop!  These shots are just some of the great ones...we did include a series we have of Alli (a former dance team member) who said she was having trouble not doing spirit fingers and cheesy smiles...we worked with her...got her to laugh and she did great the rest of the shoot.  Joe...he just showed up :)  We paid our respects to the deep history of the cemetery and made sure we followed the rules!

We worked with our frame again (an idea now requested by many couples since our first time using it with Mike and Dawn in August).  Each time we use it we try to do a different spin on it...and this one came out great too!!

And the Winners Are....

Thanks to each and every person who voted and supported our BEST OF 2011 Contest!  It's been fun and we can't wait to do it again next year with even more photos and new faces!!  Even if you're not a contestant next year make sure to drop in and show some love for those that are!!  And now...for the results (I'm pretending to be Ryan Seacrest).

BEST ENGAGEMENT PHOTO:

Jessica and Zac from Tampa have won a romantic evening and VIP Treatment at Florida's tallest lighthouse, Ponce Inlet.

BEST RECEPTION/CANDID PHOTO:

Mike and Dawn from Ohio have won some of our personal favorite Florida Wines from the Florida Orange Groves & Winery out of St. Pete Florida!  We'll be shipping them some fabulous wines and two AMC movie passes to enjoy a night together!

BEST WEDDING DAY PHOTO:

Vivianne and Jared from Orlando have won 2-one day Park Hopper Passes to Walt Disney World Resort to enjoy a day filled with magic and long lines (but oh so worth it).

Congratulations to all of our winners and thanks again for everybody that helped make this contest a success!  If you're in the market for a wedding photographer and you voted we'd like to thank you with 10% off your total package price!  If you're looking for family or maternity photos we'd like to extend the same thank you with 10% off any of our portrait packages.  Just let us know you're a fan and you voted!!!

THANKS AGAIN!!

Your Photographers for Life,
Bill and Rachel

Last Minute Wedding??

This time of year is popular for engagements and quick weddings...and we'd love to be your photographers!  BOOK today through February 1st for your February 2012 wedding and receive a 10% discount off any of our packages of 4 hours or more!  WEEKDAY WEDDING in FEBRUARY or MARCH...book before FEBRUARY 1st and receive 15% off of 4 hours or more.

Email or call today to schedule a consultation!!

Orange County Public Library Engagement Shoot

When it comes to engagement shoots...we LOVE them!  It gives us the opportunity to feel more comfortable with our clients and the same thing goes for them.  We get a chance to spend more time with them, learn what makes them feel good...when I gush over how beautiful the photos are as I'm shooting...does it make our bride blush from embarrassment or pride?  After an engagement shoot we know!  When it comes to ideas and themes for our engagement sessions...I've got a list of a hundred ideas...so if you book us and you're in need of engagement photos...I'll come up with an out-of-this-world idea that will still showcase you.  I met Kat nearly six months ago for her consultation.  She seemed shy and reserved and anybody that knows me, knows I'm not...so I worked to pull some information out.  The more she spoke the more I thought I had found my LIBRARY bride!  She loved the idea as she said her and Mike met in college and spent a lot of time together in the library!  I adore books...libraries, the quiet...the endless, ever awaiting comfort of a good book and the maze of shelves adorned with colors and depth...

Bill worked on getting permission to do a quiet shoot but there was no other library I wanted the shoot done in than the Downtown Orlando Branch.  We'd like to say a HUGE thank you to Tracy Zampaglione the Public Relations Administrator of the Orange County Library System who so kindly worked with our scheduling needs and escorted our team throughout the library to make sure we weren't disturbed (or more like we didn't disturb anyone...but we didn't).  The photos came out better than I hoped for.  Kat and Mike are NATURALS in front of the camera and I actually had to get them not to smile so much.  We used books for props and my creativity sparked and I found a book about diamonds to work in some of our magic!  We ended our session on the tracks at Church Street Station for the iconic factor...but really we hit this one out of the park!!  Thanks again to everyone involved in helping make this another success.  We can't wait for their spring wedding at Mystic Dunes!

Jess and Rick, Autumn Ohio Wedding

I'm REALLY trying to make more of an effort and keep this blog up-to-date. Recently there have been so many weddings and just not enough time to do it all!! So we've decided to highlight one wedding every few weeks!

Jess and Rick were married the weekend following Thanksgiving.  Jess planned the wedding herself and knew exactly what she wanted.  She dreamed of warm autumn colors mixed with a rustic theme, to highlight the beautiful pavilion she and Rick were married in.  The pavilion sat on a golf course overlooking a beautiful lake in Southwest Ohio.  The day was too good to be true with temps in the upper 50's and a warm golden fall sun!

We met the bride at her home not far from the venue.  She was a little nervous and needed a few comforting words.  We assured her we had everything under control and she seemed to begin to breath deeper.  Jess asked me before she got dressed how I thought we could incorporate a small golden locket that Rick had given to her before they were both deployed (military couple) years ago.  I suggested wrapping it around her flowers...and she and her bridesmaids loved it.  Jess' mother then gifted to her a token from her grandmother, a small golden angel which we used on the flowers as well.

Jess' bridesmaid were her two best friends and sisters...some of the silliest and most relaxed girls we've ever had the pleasure to photograph!  They sipped white wine and helped Jess slip into her gown before heading to the venue...where we met the most adorable flower girl and two really goofy ring bearers!

The ceremony was sentimental, as the couple lit a candle for those that couldn't be with them, and had a officiant who involved the guests by asking for a prayer from them as a whole.  Our backdrop for formal photos was just outside the pavilion.  We set external lights on each side of the group, as the outside light was rather dark, however made for amazing sunset photos!

We stayed for a few hours into the reception, making sure to photograph the couples' first dance and the tear jearker mother/son and father/daughter dances!

The Alfords Family Christmas

We've had the pleasure of photographing their family twice now and their wedding!!  TALK ABOUT LOYAL CLIENTS!!!  All our love!!!

Your Photographers for Life,

Bill & Rachel