I'm not even sure what to say about this shoot. It started as just a small labor of love, wanting to do an inspirational shoot in my hometown last summer. I found this gorgeous model, Maria, who has now become a good friend, and teamed up with a few other local artists to pull this together. I am so obsessed with how all the images turned out, it was hard to narrow down which ones to share!
Not only did the full editorial appear on The White Wren back in May, but one of the images (the last one in this post) was a finalist for the Belle Lumiere Image of the Year awards AND Maria's twisted up hair style was featured on Cosmo one day. Say whaaat?! VENDORS: Photography & styling: Chelsea Q. White // MUAH: Love Notes by June // Dress: Truvelle // Flowers: Flower Kiosk // Invitation suite: August & Ocseola // Ring: Model's own // Film processing: The FIND Lab // Featured on: The White Wren, Belle Lumiere, Cosmopolitan
0 Comments
Engagement sessions seem to be the first thing people want to cut from their wedding photography budget. They wonder what on earth they’ll do with all those photos of them when the true photo-sharing event is on the horizon: their wedding. Or they have a a friend with a nice camera and think they'll just have them snap a few photos.
I absolutely LOVE engagement sessions with my brides so I thought I would share why and how doing an engagement session can actually help you have better wedding photos (it’s true!) First, let’s make sure we’re all on the same page about what is an engagement session: Plain and simple, an engagement session is a photo shoot with you and your fiance in non-wedding clothes. A lot of couples choose to do their photos in a location that is representative of who they are. Go to the lake a lot? Let’s shoot at White Rock! Like to go for long walks? How about Arbor Hills Nature Preserve? Prefer a sleek city setting? How about downtown near the Dallas Museum of Art. Here’s why I love engagement sessions (and you will, too!): 1. You can use the photos for your save-the-date and/or decor at your wedding reception. I love when couples display a few framed images on their gift table or use their images in their guest book. And trust me, guests LOVE to look at your engagement photos. 2. It’s a relationship-builder with your photographer. Whenever I talk to brides, I tell them I notice a huge difference in the quality of the relationship and images of a couple who I’ve done an engagement session with versus a couple I might’ve only met in person once for an hour at a coffee shop. By the wedding, you’ve been in front of the camera and know how much guidance/direction you need from me. You know what angles/poses you like and we can recreate them on your wedding day. We also know what didn’t work for you and avoid those. We also have time to talk to each other and learn about each other. 3. It’s a great time to do a hair and makeup trial before the wedding - especially if you’re not doing a bridal session before the wedding (can I get a haaaaay from all my Southern girls?!) 4. It's a really sweet season to document and celebrate. Being engaged is something that only happens once and the season often flies by. It’s a short time between dating and marriage, that deserves to be documented and commemorated. The engagement photos I did with my wedding photographer are still some of my favorite of us. So I'd love to know: What do you think about engagement sessions? Do you want to do one? We all know there is a wealth (er, overabundance) of wedding-planning information out there for brides on sites like The Knot, Style Me Pretty, Wedding Wire, Martha Stewart, Brides … the list goes on and on. If you’ve been a bride for more than five minutes, you know how overwhelming it can be to sift through all the information about how to find the perfect vendors to fit the vision for your big day.
This next statement is going to sound biased but I don’t mean it to: Your wedding photographer is perhaps one of the most important vendors you will hire for your wedding. Think about: You spend more time with your photographer than you do with your husband on your wedding day (crazy, right?!) and your photos are the only thing you take with you after the cake is eaten, the flowers have wilted, and your gown has been cleaned and preserved. Your wedding photos are forever. I’ve heard horror stories of brides who have hired less-than-professional photographers and completely regretted it years later. I don’t want you to be one of them! So in addition to loving your photographer’s work and trusting their business acumen, here are a few things I wish brides would ask photographers to get a better idea of who they’re hiring:
I've found that while the questions you should ask your photographer lists on Pinterest and The Knot can be helpful, usually the average bride doesn't understand the difference between Canon and Nikon, or off-camera flash vs. natural light. But I'd love to hear from you! What else do you want to know about your wedding photographer? Courtney and Andy were some of the most laid-back and easy-to-talk-to clients I've had so far this year. Their late April wedding took place at the DEC on Dragon in the Dallas Design District against sweeping views of the Dallas skyline. These two planned a heck of a party and it was so clear how well-loved they are by all who attended. I loved how they kept most of the details modern (like those gorgeous Gatsby-esque bridesmaids dresses and the sharp groomsmen's tuxes) but had a few softer elements like the pale pink floral palette and Courtney's BREATHTAKING blush Essence of Australia gown. It was a complete showstopper!
They kept everything so real and down-to-earth, it was a breath of fresh air. Don't even get me started on how much I loved Courtney's choice of shoes! Congrats, Mr. and Mrs. Sholl! I'm so honored to have been such a big part of your story. VENDORS: Photography: Chelsea Q. White // Venue: DEC on Dragon // Courtney's dress: Essence of Australia // Bridal stop: Bridal Boutique of Lewisville // Groom & groomsmen tuxes: Culwell & Son // MUAH: La Bichette // DJ/Entertainment: Le Force // Film processing: The FIND Lab I remember planning my wedding in the spring/summertime and being so frustrated that all the blogs were showing spring/summer weddings. How on earth was I supposed to find inspiration for a winter wedding?!
Thankfully, I managed but I do wish the wedding inspiration world operated a bit more like the fashion industry. Alas, here is my meager attempt to rectify the situation (I know, one blog post ain't gonna change the world). This shoot was a collaboration with my local film photographer friends and some of our favorite Dallas-area wedding vendors. The past few wedding seasons have seen a lot of pastels and neutrals but I absolutely loved this fresh take on saturated, vibrant colors. I hope you find it as inspiring as I do! VENDORS: Photography: Chelsea Q. White // Planning: Chic and Pretty Events & Kate Pease Photography // Venue: Nasher Sculpture Center // Cake: Sweet Somethings by Ashleigh // Dress shop: a&be bridal shop // Dress designer: Sarah Seven // Furniture: Beautiful Event Rentals & Bella Acento // Paper suite & calligraphy: Letter Love Studio // MUAH: Amanda Carrette // Ring: Shapiro Diamonds // Model agency: Wallflower Management // Film processing: The FIND Lab // Featured on: Wedding Sparrow I'm sure you wouldn't be surprised to learn that when I was younger, I was always the girl with the camera. My friends and I would arrange photo shoots in our backyards and shoot rolls and rolls of film (cuz no one had a digital camera at that time besides the pros!) I loved dropping off the film to be developed and picking up the thick white envelopes full of prints and negatives. It was so fun to relive whatever memories the film had captured just a few days before. You know what I'm talking about -- someone blinked with a crazy look on their face or you captured the perfect mid-air jump on the trampoline. I still have so many of those photos (organized by year with written descriptions and ages of everyone in the photo OBVIOUSLY) in my home office. I've said it once, I'll say it a million times: there is nothing like flipping through those tangible stories of my childhood. You can imagine my excitement when I found out a few years ago that a lot of the photographers I followed and admired had started using film in their business. And y'all, it has come a long way from one-hour developing at CVS. Film has a lot of benefits but many brides have no idea why someone would choose to shoot film over digital -- and sometimes, they have no idea what film is! (For reference, it's not video. It's the stuff we all used to put in our cameras before digital cameras burst on the scene in the early 2000s). Some brides get concerned when they hear their wedding photographer is going to shoot film at their wedding -- and I get it! We can't see the back of our camera and there's a lot that can happen to damage a roll of film. But if you're hiring a pro (and you should!), they will have safeguards in place to make sure that even if the worst happens, you have every aspect of your wedding documented beautifully. NOTE: I do not shoot everything on film on a wedding day. I utilize digital all the time for numerous reasons (lighting, time constraints, etc.) but I always have digital backups of anything I shoot on film. Either I take the backup or I have my second shooter do it while I shoot film. Just thought I'd throw that out there so we're all on the same page. Without further ado, here are some reasons why I personally love incorporating film into my work: Film is timeless Ever seen wedding photos of someone who got married in 2009? I bet the editing style is pretty different from what's popular today. Of course it's difficult to plan a wedding that won't look dated on some level but I would hate to look back in 10 years and have very dark, moody, and muddy images that are so 2017, ya know? Film has a timeless look. That's why your parents wedding photos (aside from the hideous bridesmaids dresses) still look like they could've been taken today. No weird editing filters. Film captures most detail better than digital What do I mean by this? Well, I'm going to try not to get overly technical here but basically on super bright days, if there's a lot of light behind you, because of the way the digital sensor works, the background will look almost white. The background is blown out. With film, because it is so hungry for light, I'm able to capture the couple and also all the pretty detail in the background. In the photo below, it would have been really hard to retain all the details in the clouds and ocean had I been shooting digital. But because of how film works, I was able to capture all of the texture. Film also make skin tones look really pretty. Skin looks smooth and has a realistic color tone. With digital cameras, sometimes it can take a lot of editing to make uneven skin look even and like the right color. Digital sensors are more sensitive so skin tones are more likely to have colors casted from the environment (i.e., bright green grass can make your skin appear green). Film has made me a better artist
Because each roll of film has a limited number of shots, it forces me to slow down and really think about what I'm shooting instead of just clicking the shutter rapidly. It helps me make sure your hair looks perfect and your husband's tie is straight because I don't want to have to reshoot it. Film is expensive so I think very carefully each time I compose an image. Film has helped me see light differently (and better!) and I truly believe it's what has elevated my work over the past two years. I believe shooting film is one of the best ways I can serve my clients and provide them with beautiful romantic and timeless images. My clients tell me all the time that although they weren't sure about film at first, they absolutely love the look of their images on film! Weddings like Ali and Jordan's was such a sweet reminder of why I do what I do. I photograph couples who are madly in love and tell the beginning of their marriage story, and the Corona wedding was no exception to that.
Ali's joy radiated all morning. She was always asking if everyone was OK, if they needed anything, how they were feeling. When a bride is serving her bridesmaids and families that way, you just know she's going to make one heck of a wife. I loved all the thoughtful details throughout their day. Ali is originally from Nashville and had a lot of her roots represented: Her sandals were from ethical fashion company, Nisolo, and their wedding rings were made by local jeweler Consider the Wildflwrs. Their whole wedding and every single person there was filled with joy, service, love, and grace. I can't tell you how many times I choked back tears during the day. Their ceremony was filled with worship and the people who gave toasts at the reception overflowed with encouragement and nothing but wonderful things to say about the two. I am so honored to have been welcomed into their families for the day to document the joining of these two into the newest Corona family. Thank you just doesn't seem like enough to express how incredibly grateful I am to have been a part of their day. Vendor team: Photography: Chelsea Q, White // Planning & coordination: Wedding Day Consultants // Venue: DaySpring Baptist Church // Bride's dress: Pronovias // Bridal boutique: White Dresses (Nashville) // Rings: Consider the Wildflwrs // Bride's shoes: Nisolo // Groom's suit: Stitch It & Co // Groomsmen suits: Combat Gent // Bridesmaids dresses: Azazie // MUAH: Stellar Beauty by Casey // Hairpiece: Ellen Hunter NYC // Floral design: Wolfe Florist // Cake: Tulip & Rain Bakery // Film processing: The FIND Lab Spring weddings can be really tough with all the rain that showers North Texas but luckily it held off for these March nuptials. Meredith and JR's downtown Fort Worth wedding was beautiful and luckily, rain free! I loved how Meredith chose saturated colors for her bouquet and bridesmaids' dresses -- and how cool is that mismatched look?!
Congrats to you, Mr. and Mrs. Mauricio! Thank you for letting me part of your wedding day. VENDORS: Photography: Chelsea Q, White // Planning: Treasured Heart Events // MUAH: Stephanie Nelson Makeup & Hair // Venue: Celebration Community Church & 809 at Vickery // Bridesmaid's dresses: Show Me Your Mumu // Floral design: Blushington Blooms // Cake: That's The Cake // DJ: DJ Sean Lee It's hard for me to believe that four years ago at this time, I was planning my own wedding. The experience was not exactly what I pictured or what wedding magazines make it out to be. Can we be honest for a second? Planning a wedding is hard. Most people I've talked to have not had the picture-perfect Pinterest planning experience but it seems like no one wants to talk about it. Well, today we're going to get real about wedding planning.
Am I doing something wrong if wedding planning is more difficult and stressful than it is joyful? Oh sweet girl, no no no. Even the most kind and gracious individuals have been thrown for loops when they start planning a huge event like a wedding. Why? Because people get involved. Truth: Everyone wants to know how this event is going to be significant for them. Our pastor told us that little nugget of wisdom while we were experiencing some turmoil and it really helped us frame how we interacted with friends and family members. Weddings are a big deal which is why people tend to get emotional about it. Reassure your loved ones that they are important and their presence on your day matters. Involve them in some decision-making so they feel included. Thank them for their time and support of your future marriage. Truth: Think about how you want to remember yourself during this season a year or two from now. Can I be honest? There were moments when I wanted to lash out and scream at the top of my lungs. Was a wedding really worth the stress? At the end of the day, we wanted to be married and certainly that could happen is we just eloped ... Yep, go ahead and throw out the "e" word. It'll make you feel better. If that doesn't help, go for a run, take a bath, or have a vent session with an impartial friend. Find a way to release your stress that does not include screaming matches or slammed doors. While I was engaged, I took a long walk with a dear coworker/friend of mine one day, and she told me about a friend of hers who recently posted on Facebook about regretting how horribly she had treated everyone on her wedding day instead of enjoying the fact that people took time and money to share in their celebration. She regretted it so much she wrote about it on social media on her one year anniversary. Oof. It made me realize I didn't want to look back and have those same feelings. I wanted to look back and see someone who rolled with the punches, who was gracious and kind, despite the circumstances, and who's focus was on marrying their best friend -- not ripped bridesmaids dresses or limp flowers. Four years later, I can tell you those little things do not matter, even though we had some big things go wrong on our wedding day (a story for another time). What matters is the marriage covenant you're creating with your husband in the presence of the people who love you most in the world. If you're feeling stressed out or just plain want to cry, I want you to know I hear you and I feel you. I remember being where you are. I wish I could take you out to coffee (or let's be serious, WINE), hug you fiercely, and tell you it will all be OK. Because honestly, the moment you say "I do," it'll all melt away and the wedding plans won't matter anymore. Your marriage will. Natural light has become quite a buzzword in the photography world the past few years. We as photographers understand what it means but it can be confusing to clients or people who aren't in the photography world. I've had many conversations with wedding professionals and potential brides alike about all of the misconceptions surrounding natural light photography, and I thought it would be a good time to dispel some of the myths. First, let's talk about what natural light photography is and what types of images it produces. Natural light photography means using available light (i.e., the sun) to create an image without the use of additional lighting sources (i.e., flash). You know what creates all those gorgeous, glowing engagement photos you see in your Instagram feed? Natural light. Or what creates light and airy bridal portraits? Natural light. Sure, you can use external lighting to create it but it's not quite the same as the golden hour sunset. As always, I want to give a disclaimer that all of this information is simply related to my style of photography. There are many photographers I admire who are not natural light photographers and that is OK! It works for them. Natural light and learning to manipulate it to create beautiful images is how I've developed my style and since there are many misconceptions, I want to educate brides about what it means for their wedding day. Misconception #1: Natural light photographers will only shoot your wedding if you do a first look. Truth: In a word, no. In a few words, no no no. Someone told me this one time and it blew my mind. Do I love first looks? Of course. Can I still give you beautiful portraits if you choose not to do a first look? YES! If I have a couple who doesn't want to do a first look, I work with them on their ceremony timing to make sure we have enough available natural light after the ceremony to create those beautiful, romantic images they hired me to create. In the photo above, Brooke and Ben did not want to do a first look so we did their portraits after the ceremony and look how gorgeous they are. Misconception #2: Natural light photographers can't photograph a reception because it'll be dark. Truth: Before I answer this (because it's a little sticky), please ask a photographer to see a full wedding gallery before you hire them so you can see what their reception photos look like. Most natural light photographers know how to use their flash enough to photograph your reception but there are a few (likely less experienced) photographers who dub themselves natural light because they do not know how to use their flash. This is a very rare case but it happens. Like I said, look at a photographer's work -- their blog, their portfolio, and their online wedding galleries -- to make sure this doesn't happen. The majority of the time, we work hard to make sure we know our flash and can create beautiful reception photos of your cake and your first dance without making it look like a bad family portrait from the 90s. In the photo above at Megan and Brandon's wedding, I wanted to preserve the romanticism and emotion of the morning so I set my flash power low so as not to create harsh shadows or a flat image. I think it worked pretty well, don't you? Misconception #3: Natural light photographers don't know how to use flash or work in dark lighting situations.
Truth: This is sort of related to misconception #2 but I want to expand on using flash in other wedding day situations. Sometimes bridal suites or hotels are really dark. Sometimes churches are really dark and there is not enough available light to photograph without a flash. In those situations, I will put my flash on my camera and again, dial down the power to create soft images that mimic natural light and don't look like bad 90s portraits. Is it my favorite thing to do? No. But I've learned enough over the past few years to know that when it's a complicated lighting situation, flash can save me hours of work in post-processing. Jasmine and David's New Year's Eve wedding started after the sun set and to make matters more challenging, the chapel was really small and dark. This image was taken with flash but still looks like there was plenty of light flooding in. So rest assured that if you don't want to do a first look, your wedding photographer can work with that and will also be able to give you beautiful reception images. Natural light photographers prefer to use sunlight as a light source to create beautiful images but that doesn't mean they need the sun. Be sure to check out their wedding galleries if you have any doubts and don't be afraid to ask questions! Are there other misconceptions about natural light that you'd like to know about? Let me know in the comments! |
About meI'm Chelsea - a photographer, writer, adventurer, traveler, wife, Christ follower and mama to the most adorable rescue pup. I'm passionate about telling authentic stories with meaning and purpose and spreading joy through photographs. Grab a cup of coffee and stay awhile. Categories
All
|