Oh man! Busy, busy summer. Now, fall is in full swing and weddings and portraits and seniors and babies are everywhere. This is probably my favorite time of the year to shoot. It’s nice and cool (although I shot a fantastic session on a 100 degree day this year!), colors are turning here and there,  and skies are interesting.

Just a few from last week.

These were the flowers from yesterday’s wedding, the first wedding of October which is one of my favorite wedding months. I love the fall colors and weddings always reflect this time of the year, even when things may still be a little green. Mark Frye and his talented crew at Creative Occasions did these and  I have to say I thought they were spectacular. Rich with color and texture and set off by my favorite of all colors….purple. I just had to share a peek at these.

Certainly one of the more creative ways to toss your bouquet! Look at this pretty bride in her reception dress made especially for bull riding.  Fun couple with some fun guest entertainment in the form of a mechanical bull this past weekend at Silver Hearth Lodge on Bent Mountain. I am certain that it was the first wedding I’ve shot with a mechanical bull but I hope it’s not the last. Wow, look at that sunset would you. The weather was a little iffy but brought two big bonuses. 1) It was about 15 degrees cooler than life in the city and 2) with a storm clouds you get sunsets that can be pretty amazing.

More to come on this wedding in a few weeks, but in the mean time I’ve got a few more that I have to get posted. Busy, busy summer with much to do! 

I got a call today from a distraught bride. Not my client. Could have been. But, sadly they weren’t. This is the third time I’ve gotten a call like this, but unlike the others this bride had what I can only deem a true disaster on her hands and she was devastated by it. To make a long story short, this bride had what I would call a significant budget wedding, beautifully thought out with details that she had worked on for over a year. It was at a gorgeous venue and she was thrilled. The day was perfect except for one thing.

Uncle Bob shot her wedding.

Let me explain for any of those who may read this and don’t know who Uncle Bob is. He’s really not a “real” person. In fact, he’s not always a he. Uncle Bob is the name given long ago in professional circles to the relative or friend who well intentioned couples get to shoot their wedding. Sometimes it’s someone they know, sometimes it’s someone that a relative or friend vouches for as someone who takes “great pictures”. But, the bottom line is that in more cases than not, it’s a cost cutting move that has the potential for broken hearts when one of the most important days in a couple’s life is left in the hands of an unskilled amateur with less than adequate equipment and experience.

From all I can tell of the situation with today’s caller, that is exactly what happened. The photographs are awful, there’s very few of them, none of the details were captured, some family members are missing from the lot, and the portraits are nothing more than them standing there in nice clothes. She pleaded for me to help her out. She was even willing to recreate some of the details. rent another tux for the groom, and try to salvage her photography as best she could. She asked if I could take Uncle Bob’s photographs and make them look like mine.

I truly felt sorry for her, but frankly, there’s really not enough money that makes me want to come behind a mess that someone else created and clean it up. It’s just not fun. The day is done and you just can’t make it right.

I did offer to help by suggesting that she contact her guests and ask for all of their photos to see what she could find. I gave her the name of an album designer that may be able to work some magic and put something together that will be better than what she has. So, I emailed her a link to their contact information and that is when it became apparent that this all could have been avoided. Her email address was in my database and sure enough in June of 2010 I had received an email from her asking for my price list. I send it to her and never heard back.

I sometimes wonder what happens to those folks. Now, I know.

Is it any wonder why people love getting married at Sundara? Everything always seems perfect.

The day started out a bit sketchy but the forecast was for a clearing right about the time Shannon and Mark planned their ceremony. The clouds were getting darker, and then came a drop here and a drop there. Then it became inevitable that we were going to have a rainy day. So, as the day progressed and Shannon relaxed a bit with a bottle of wine as she dressed, there were peeks out the window here and there just to see if there was any hope that things could stay outside. Didn’t look promising. Right around 30 minutes before the wedding, a final call had to be made and what happened next was pretty amazing. All of a sudden, the skies brightened and a strong sun started coming through the clouds, just out of nowhere, and enough that I had to quickly change up the lighting strategy for the window portraits. So, the forecast was actually spot on and a perfect window of opportunity for an outdoor wedding magically happened.

Vows were said, rings were swapped, family pictures were done, and finally we had an opportunity for some beautiful garden portraits. Just as we were finishing the last portrait series, the clouds thickened and once again the world darkened. Off to the reception we went for a fun evening with a crowd that was ready for fun. And the rain came, and came, and came for the rest of the evening.  And I was glad to be inside for this one :)

I don’t photograph many cats but the fact of the matter is that a cat was my first paying portrait customer when I was 14 and first starting out. There were actually two cats, Burmese twins, skinny little critters who managed to scatter under everything in what was my bedroom/studio back then. Herding cats, that was indeed my very first job.

So, when Calvin came along he probably knew that I was a very experienced cat handler so, he cooperated….. kinda. Needless to say, he stood still long enough to get some “relaxed cat portraits”. He’s a beautiful specimen and a good boy. I like Calvin. Jack liked sniffing where Calvin had been. Which was almost everywhere.

So normally this time of the year I’m all about sunflowers, but this year I got a hydrangea bush and I’ve never had one before. So, I’ve been pretty impressed by how long the blooms actually last on a hydrangea bush. It’s amazing that these big, huge beautiful flowers last weeks and in living color the whole time. My bush currently blooms from pink to lavender-blue, and I’m hoping the pH where I planted it is going to be able to keep the color same cause I think they are just about the perfect. Here’s one of the shot I liked most.

I’ve already booked one wedding for next year at The Patrick Henry Ballroom and after seeing the completed renovations today I’m pretty stoked about the potential this venue has for some stunning photography. Little vignettes for couple portraiture all within the building itself and beautiful details everywhere. The ballroom is the PERFECT color to lend atmosphere to any wedding or reception and will make everything glow. The architecture within is exceptional with palladium windows, crystal chandeliers, a gorgeous fireplace, and beautiful floors ready for the first dance. The bridal suite (at least that’s what I’m calling it) has gorgeous light and room for even the largest wedding party. And here’s the added bonus, it’s right downtown within a block or two of all the other shooting locations that make for a great backdrop on your wedding day. It is a key part of the continuing downtown Roanoke renaissance and it’s a job well done by people who care all the way around.

Here’s a few shots I snapped today. Of course, nothing is decked out quite yet and it still looks amazing.

What do you do when you’re in the middle of wedding season and it’s hot outside? You blog a wedding from cool and colorful October. This was a fantastic wedding and we are finalizing their album so I’m loving their images all over again. I’m missing 60 degree days, too!