Happy New Year 2017!
Wherever your feet go, may your heart be fully present. Whenever there is fear, may bravery step in to lead. This is the year to be unstoppable, embarking on new adventures, and celebrating every step of the way. Happy New Year, wherever your journey takes you!
On the other side of the lens
I love what I do and I'm grateful for the opportunity to do it. This was a fun promo video shot by Roman Alaivi, music by Bensound.com.
Bed Bath and Beyond!
Welcome to my site - we are happy to be part of the Bed Bath and Beyond "Rock Your Registry" event tonight! Thanks so much for stopping by, we look forward to the upcoming wedding season :) For those who visited us at the event, we have huge specials for you, pay attention to the deadlines:
1. Engagement sessions for $100 during August or September. Must schedule by August 25th.
2. $500 off any wedding coverage booked by August 25th (no matter what your wedding date is!)
3. $1,000 off any wedding coverage booked by August 21st (for those of you with a wedding date, ready to sign right away!)
And here are a few things we want you to know about the way we do business...
Send us a message! We look forward to talking with you about your wedding.
Advice on choosing a Wedding Photographer
I had the opportunity to write an article for Lauren James Bridal last year, and I really enjoyed articulating the concepts I already felt so passionate about. This is the advice on choosing a wedding photographer. Take a minute to read, then check out Lauren James Bridal as well.
I often feel like a wedding planner, as well as a photographer. And it is important to me to be available to my clients as a resource through the planning process. I certainly don't know all the answers (there are benefits to actually hiring a wedding planner!), but I have photographed over 120 weddings, and I'm happy to share anything I've learned. Don't hesitate to ask, I'd love to help in whatever way I can. And good luck planning your wedding.
Bailey and Tanner Engagements
in Engagement
I don't remember the last time I worked with such a happy, playful, beautiful couple. They say (whoever "they" is) that smiles are contagious. I wholeheartedly agree - authentic smiles are contagious. :) How could you not smile looking at these two?
We started at Vivian Park up Provo Canyon, then worked our way past Sundance and through the Alpine Loop. One of my all-time favorite places during the fall season. If you have the chance, the Alpine Loop is even better by motorcycle!
To cheese or not to cheese? I spent many years of my life trying to be sophisticated, mature, and avoiding cheesy at all costs. But the older I get, the more I smile when people embrace the cheesy, sappy, silly, playful, ridiculous part of life and relationships. It's fun. So, with that in mind, we had to throw the leaves in the air.
That's all, folks!
Click here to see more of Bailey and Tanner's engagements
Another Fall Engagement - Julie and Mike
in Engagement
I feel like a giddy little girl every time I drive through the fall leaves! With Julie and Mike, we started at the bottom of Big Cottonwood Canyon with the intention of shooting up at the top, by Brighton. But, being overwhelmed with the beautiful surroundings, I, pulled the car to the side of the road about a dozen times before finally getting to the top! Everywhere I turned was stunning. The colors, the light, the water... Big Cottonwood was perfect for photos!
Julie and Mike were great also. (And didn't call me crazy when I'd stop for a moment and exclaim "Holy crap! Look at this beautiful place. This is Utah! I get to live here."
There are several stages to a photoshoot:
1. The planning. Choosing a location, a time, a day, etc.
2. The preparation. Being ready for the location, the weather, and any emergencies that might come up.
3. Taking the pictures. This is the first step that I get really excited about. As soon as I have a camera in hand, and we are walking through our location, laughing, playing, and shooting, I am happy. There is nowhere I'd rather be.
4. Importing and sorting the photos. I usually pass this job on to my assistant, as it is my least favorite part. He goes through the 600 or so files, finds the best of the set, and rejects any that are duplicates or out of focus. That leaves me with about 100 to edit.
5. The editing. This is my Zen place. I can practically edit while sleeping. It's some part of my brain that will work in any situation - even if I'm sick, tired, unhappy, or if I'm double tasking and watching a movie! Editing takes a long time. And I enjoy it.
6. Social media and blog. This is when the excitement from step 3 comes back into play. I'm remembering the moments, the personalities, and the emotions. I'm sharing the stories, finding the highlights. As I am writing this blog post I wanted to share the steps and the process with you. I am exhausted, but as I sit here and relive the experience of Julie and Mike's shoot, I have a huge smile on my face. My words may not always be eloquent, but I try to share what is behind the photos too - the heart.
And what amazing people these two are! My favorite part of my job, once again, is getting to meet and have my life influenced by so many different people.
A Wedding With a Style of Their Own
Every wedding is different. I have said this from the beginning and I will say it again in the future. They are unique people, with a unique relationship, unique style. Some couples value tradition, and if that represents their relationship, then wonderful! Sometimes, a couple will be so much pressure to do "what you're supposed to do" at the wedding that they will have a wedding cake when they don't even like cake. I applaud Emily and Cody for bringing in such a unique style, I can't help but smile looking through these photos.
With their two year old daughter :)
Emily sewed the majority of the two dresses, I am beyond impressed!
This is at the Train Station in Ogden - The Union Station, where they will be getting married today!
The Never-Ending Battle: Finding Balance Between Life and Social Media
in Other
It is always a battle. Whitney vs. Social Media, never know who's going to win. Now, don't get me wrong, having an internet presence is one of the single most important tools in maintaining consistent work for my business. I am grateful for it! As you have seen in reading this blog, I want to write and share about all of the experiences. What it's like to be a photographer. Behind the scenes from our adventures or photos from the shoots and the seasons transition. Engagements, weddings, portraits, landscapes, funny, dramatic, romantic... It's all amazing and I want you to see through my lens what a beautiful world this is! But every hour I spend shooting is followed with about 3 hours at the computer. This makes for long days sitting in my dimly-lit "cave" staring at a computer screen. Hence, never-ending fight to get away from technology and escape to sit on the grass in a beautiful park with the sun shining down and the wind blowing in my face...
Why am I even telling you that this is difficult? Well, I've seen a cycle on my blog where I don't post often, then I promise to post more, then I stop posting again, then I promise to post more. That's my battle - the desire to share with you, my readers vs. the attempt to cut the chord to my phone/computer/social media that keeps such a strong hold on my life. The freedom that comes from turning technology off for a few hours makes me feel weightless, like I could drift into the sky. But also, this is life too. Who's to say that connection online is less significant than connection to the people and things in the same room? The power to reach out and impact a life, the ability to learn from another person, and to feel like someone else understands are all part of connection.
I won't promise to write every day this time. That's a promise I'd break when this cycle comes back around. I will promise, however, to remember that communication through words is valuable, that a blog post can be a real connection, and that simply living in this world at a time when technology is developed enough to share experiences worldwide is something to celebrate. So, check back soon as I'll be catching up on countless shoots from summer and fall as well as travels - 8 National Parks, and many other places. Please, feel free to leave comments, let me know what you'd like to see more of, or if you have any questions. I'd love to hear from you!