R+J | Married [Sneak Peak]

A peak into the gorgeous wedding day of Rachelle + Jaryd! Stay tuned on Thursday for the full post! 

The Selby Stories | 2nd Edition

Daylight savings got you down? This morning I was NOT happy to be getting up while it was dark outside. However, I'm thrilled it will still be light out tonight at 6:30! 

Last week (I don't remember which day) was international women's day. I love nothing more to empower my ladies! I found this quote and it spoke to me: 

"She was free in her wildness. She was a wanderess, a drop of free water. She belonged to no man and to no city." 

Go and get Monday. Make it yours. 

P.S. How gorgeous is this ring from Saturday?! I just couldn't not share!

Love, Your Photographer | Advice

This is my first "Love, Your Photographer" post. The purpose behind these posts is to share with my clients things that might be helpful, for their wedding day or engagement session.  

Today we are talking about light! And why it should be important to you! 
 

Hands down I look for amazing light over the background. I can shoot with a tight crop, and a wide open aperture and make even a parking lot look soft and romantic. But bad light is bad light, and its hard to change that. 

Instead, I plan my sessions around the time of the day that will give me the best light, so I don't have to compromise on location or light. 

The best time of day tends to be an hour before sunrise and 1-2 hours before sunset. 

Why does this matter to you? I'm a natural light photographer. I adore soft, glowy, romantic light. It wraps around you in the most magical way. 

When we are picking the time to start our shoot, this is my biggest focus! If a day doesn't work for you to get there to allow maximum golden light shooting, I recommend we pick a better day. I  have yet to have a client say they don't want to shoot during golden hour! Its just so perfect! 

When planning your wedding timeline, consult with your photographer. That way we can help you maximize the best photos, at the right time and flow with the rest of your day. 

But my wedding is mid-day and not a cloud in the sky! 
Fear not! There are many ways to combat the harshness of direct sunlight during the day. I often look for open shade. Maybe from buildings, or trees (not right under them or you will look very green), or position you in such a way that the sun is behind you and I'm exposing for shadows. 

Of course this does depend on the time of year, and if it's cloudy out! Fear not, cloudy its a good thing too! It acts like a soft box. Gentle diffuse light. No bad angles, or shadows! I still get gorgeous photos on a cloudy day, in a totally different way. 

The most important thing to remember is its about you two. Your love for one another. That will come through regardless of the light situation! (But pretty light never hurt anyone!) 

Below are some of my favorite light soaked photos! 

Love, 
Your Photographer

Why you should do a First Look | Bridal Advice

First Looks are something that have become more popular over the last couple of years. I always felt on the fence for my own wedding (in 2 months!) about doing one. I'm getting married in a big church and the walk down the aisle is going to be so magical. I love the idea of walking down and Bryce seeing me for the first time. But I eventually decided on doing a First Look. 

Why? 

Your wedding day is as much about all your family and friends as its about you. For 99% of the day, you are surrounded by all these people who are so excited for you, to talk with you and give lots of hugs! Oddly, you get very little time with your new spouse.  A First Look gives you the opportunity to have 20-30min of time together, just the two of you, to take in the moment. I can guarantee, that emotion comes through the photos more than you think it will. It's incredibly touching. I cry at most First Looks. Just a little tear. I love it. 

There are other kinds of First Looks also. Recently I did a First Look with the bride's parents (individually), the bridesmaids and finally her groom. It was so fun to do this big reveal to all these important people. I know I'm doing one with my dad for our wedding. 

First Looks can take as little time or as much time as you would like. We can turn it into your portrait session, so I don't have to grab you later, or just a way to increase your bridal photos. 

Here are some recent "First Looks". Consider adding a first look to your wedding day timeline! 

Z+B | A Wedding in St. Michaels

Allow me to set the stage for this stunning wedding on the water. Zach and Becca chose to get married in St. Michaels, at the Miles River Yacht Club. Their color palate couldn't have been more dreamy, as it completely matched the water at sunset. Becca's maids wore navy dresses, and the boys a light blue shirt with navy bow ties. The flowers were a mix of pinks and oranges. See guys, sunset on the water, I told you. I'm so thankful that Brittany, of Brittany Thomas Photography brought me along for this beautiful wedding!

The guys looked so sharp! If Zach was nervous about seeing Becca for the first time on their wedding day, he definitely didn't show it!

Don't you love Becca's bouquet?! And her necklace! It was a special gift from her grandmother.

Don't you just LOVE how Zach looks at her during their First Look?! It's pure love. And my favorite shot is when he looked right into my camera, almost to say, "Do you see how lucky I am? Are you capturing this?" Such a sweet moment. I'm really a believer in First Looks. It helps to get rid of the jitters and gives you some time before all the craziness begins. So much of your wedding day is spent with a ton of people (which is great because everyone is celebrating you!) but a First Look is a great time to have a few private moments just the two of you. Additionally, who doesn't want more portraits? 

I love the moment when the flower girl is looking up at all the bridesmaids. It's so sweet! She's taking it all in with big eyes and bright smiles! Such a dapper group of guys as well! You would never know it took a half hour to get the bowties just right!

And they are MARRIED! Time to party! 

Gosh I love the golden hour, and lens flares, and couples madly in love. You just can't go wrong with that combination. Congratulations Zach and Becca!