A New Look at Boudoir

Here is a great PDF article link on boudoir photography.
www.ppmag.com/current_issue/pdfs/0907/0709divas_web.pdf

FAQ: What time do you want me to do my hair?

For a while I thought this was only going to be asked a couple times but it looks to be an on-going question so let me address it.
The answer is: I have no idea. I'm not being sarcastic here, I'm being honest. Because I don't know your hair type or hair dresser and how long it takes them, along with what style you are doing. Even if I did know the style, I'm not a hair dresser, that's their expertise. I leave that up to you two to determine. I just show up and take photos of it in any shape or form. You could be half ready and the show must go on! Some want photos of their hair being done, some want photos of their hair after only. Some want make-up being put on and some what it already on when I arrive. Up to you.

I cover up to 2 hours of getting ready, what you do in that time is up to you and I take photos as it happens. If you want formal photos taken of girls only, allow a half hour for them before the ceremony or before the limo picks you up. If you want formal photos done of you and your future husband before the ceremony, push getting ready up by 1-1.5 hrs before the ceremony starts or the limo picks you up. Simple as that.

Happy 70th Birthday MOM!

Wish we could be there. You may be miles away from me but you are always close to my heart. Enjoy your day and we love you!

Holly & Jim

Announcement: 108 Weddings!

I was just thinking the other day that I should be around my 100th wedding captured... and sure enough eight weddings ago we reached it! Mr. & Mrs. Welliehausen was our 100th wedding!

It's you but it's not.

What happens when editing goes too far? It's in every photographer magazine I see and it bothers me. I am a true believer that you are who you are and it is very hard for me to understand those that what to be someone they are not. I mean, after all, they did marry you and not someone else. Everyone sees you as you are, wouldn't it be strange to show your photos and something about you is dramatically changed?

Sometimes a graphic license is misused and it is getting out of control. I see more and more filters and programs out there that are manipulating images so much that it doesn't even end up looking like the person that it's supposed to be. Making a fine line between cool and creepy. Suddenly they have fuller lips, a nose lift, no face lines and an unnatural chin. I personally cannot stand it and have hard time adjusting mentally to anything that changes them into someone different. I occasionally get a bride asking for some of these changes and I may try a small selected few but mostly I say no. Let's be honest, it's not easy to do all these enhancements and it takes a considerable amount of time. In any case, what happened to real life? What happened to being who you are and preparing for your day with diet, exercise, tanning, make-up? What is too far and what is OK? These are all questions I ask on a weekly basis. I was discussing recently with a fellow photographer friend that said most brides end up not even looking anything like themselves the day of their wedding. Where have our traditions gone and is it really a real day or is it in fact just a fantasy day?

Some touch-ups are a given and I do basic editing such as acne, lighten dark circles and decrease some wrinkles, stretch marks, shine or age spots. But I keep it real. If you are unhappy with the natural idea, please don't have me take your photos unless you plan on enhancing them yourself. I've considered in the future to only do them on request on a limited basis at an extra charge per photo. Some forget that I take an average of over 1,000 images per wedding, it can take months to do such enhancements so I would never offer every image.

I recently saw in the media about Kate Winslet, she was upset about a cover photo that was printed and the graphic artists made her into a shape she is not in real life and wanted her photo to be reprinted as the original on the cover. Finally someone stood up to this new fabricated way! I agree with her on this, although I don't think they reprinted it.

The mural of the story is, just because we can doesn't mean we should.

MY CURRENT PROJECT: Bill & Sarah Engagement Photos
SONG STUCK IN MY HEAD: Halo by Beyoncé (out to my husband)
CRAVING: to dance. and to turn the tables.
NEEDED A MOMENT: Family Court? I mean REALLY.!? So, we are cool enough for you to think you can try to get your wedding photos done for free by your ex-husband's wife but you can't approach us about your child's braces who's father has had braces twice in his life? REALLY? Wow.
BEST MOMENT: An awesome day with my husband 4Wling

New prices

New prices in effect Monday, July 13, 2009.
www.outoftheordinary.biz/prices.html

In-basket

If you haven't noticed the new in-basket page, check it out. It gives you a look into my world and work load left to do. It shows where your event is on the list and is updated every day or two. I process everyone in order to keep it fair. The only exception to this is sometimes small events such as family photos or engagement photos. I can usually squeeze those in between depending on the deadline because I take less photos for them. But I carefully analyze what is doable without throwing me off schedule too much. I've added this icon to every new page I'm working on so it is always easily accessible to you. I think it's kinda fun to see who moves up on the list!

MY CURRENT PROJECT: Tesoriero Wedding and Bill & Sarah Engagement photos
SONG STUCK IN MY HEAD: I need you by Faith Hill & Tim McGraw
CRAVING: more
NEEDED A MOMENT: the dempsey fish going crazy in the tank
BEST MOMENT: my sweetie sleeping