Prayer

Poetry in Motion

I traveled to Illinois to take pictures for my first in-family wedding this weekend. . .the pictures were great, and one of the aunts or uncles said "watching David take pictures is like watching poetry in motion." That was very kind, but definitely made me laugh. Apparently they didn't see me trip over a chair or stick my camera into a ceiling fan!

I think I had arrived as a "professional" photographer when my family started to believe in me! They were always supportive of me taking pictures, and many of them are hanging on their walls, but it has been in last year or so that I no longer answer questions about when I'll stop taking pictures and go back to school. Now Arianna's parents have our promo brochures to hand out to their friends, and my mom loves looking at our sample albums. And it's a super-big deal that Mom suggested I photograph her nephew's wedding. How cool to be believed in!!

The other reason the comment cracked me up was it reminded me of this GREAT song:
(the video is incredible odd and lame, but the song rocks!)

Organic

Cool Canvas

I'm a big fan of canvas art prints - you can order them gallery wrapped (where the image wraps around the side of the frame) or in a frame, and either way they look beyond incredible. Below are several that we printed this year:











The picture above was a regular print, but I'm still very proud of it as a photoshop victory. There was a lot of detail in the background and two bridesmaids on either sides of the four sisters. I painted out the background and gave it a vintage treatment, and I think it turned out really well!

Top Shelf

I love doing pictures for creative people! Julie was in a photography class with me at Samford a while back and had me come do pictures for her little one. . .and she came up with this awesome idea!

Veils Rock

Veils are such a big part of making a bride look bridalicious, and I love 'em. I also love it when the bride keeps them on for the reception. . .the pictures below would not be nearly as cool without the veil. I'm sure it has to be uncomfortable having this long thing attached to your head as your dancing and eating and hugging on hundreds of people. . .but it looks sweet!

And on occasion I'll have a bride with a long veil use a shorter second one for the reception. . .that's cool too:)

Be Undeniably Good

I struggle sometimes with my self-image as a photographer, especially after I meet with brides who don't hire me. Ultimately I know it is better for both me and them, that they hire a photographer who is the best fit. But I can't help but think it is because I am lacking in charisma in the initial meeting. It does hurt my feelings, but I remind myself that the cornerstone of my business is not a vivacious personality - I am kind, good-natured, honest, thoughtful, and hard-working, but these are qualities that the couple does not fully notice until the wedding day and the months afterwards as we continue to stay in touch designing albums and filling print order!

Rather than building on a salesman's personality, my business is built on taking great pictures.

Steve Martin said about how to be successful: "Be undeniably good. When people ask me how do you make it in show business or whatever, what I always tell them and nobody ever takes note of it 'cuz it's not the answer they wanted to hear -- what they want to hear is here's how you get an agent, here's how you write a script, here's how you do this -- but I always say, "Be so good they can't ignore you." If somebody's thinking, "How can I be really good?", people are going to come to you. It's much easier doing it that way than going to cocktail parties.

So in that vein, I was told about two prints lately, "that is the best picture I've ever seen." Both came after people saw the large prints, and both were unsolicited comments - the best kind:) So hopefully the cornerstone of Unplugged, undeniably great picture, is growing more secure every day!

Welcome

I am a wedding photographer in Birmingham Alabama, and I have all of these ideas bouncing around in my head after weddings and shoots, and I think it's time to share what I'm learning about photography and life! So here goes!!

Picture by Lisa Marie