Tis the Season

This is my season of "Meet and Greet."  Truthfully, I love it.  I get to meet new people and share with them my passion for photography.  (Two of my favorite things!)

Here's how it goes:

1. I get a phone call or email from someone who is looking for a photographer for their wedding.  They've usually checked out my blog/facebook/website.  They know our work.  AND THEY LIKE IT!!
2. Which leads to the second step - we meet face to face.  This part of my business is SO MUCH FUN for me!  I get to hear their engagement story.  They look through albums.  We go over the contract and any questions they might have.  In general, we establish a relationship.  (This is when I start to get EXCITED to capture their wedding and engagement images.)
3. They leave.  They talk it over.  They email to let me know the deposit is in the mail.

Today, for instance, I met with Adam and Amanda.  By the time they left, I was so psyched to shoot their wedding!  It's in June 2012, outside, and I would love to be there with them!

So, now is the time that I wait.  Let them choose.  It's their day.  And, ultimately, I want them to have a perfect fit.  Whether or not that includes me.  But, it's hard to keep from hoping that they'll choose us!  I don't know if every wedding photographer goes through these emotions.  But, I sure do!    

Niagara's Honeymoon Sweets' completely edible chocolate picture frames!!

Mary Ann Hess of Niagara's Honeymoon Sweets invited me over for tea and to photograph her beautiful chocolates.  Now, I'm a chocolate-LOVER, so in my mind, chocolate is functional, but doesn't have to be beautiful.  When I first saw Mary Ann's picture frames, I was amazed!  They are beautifully detailed.  EVERYTHING, including the picture, is edible.

Just look at this detail:

It's so beautiful, you almost don't want to eat it.  But, just then you think, "HELLO, it's CHOCOLATE!"

These are 2 frames, dusted with edible "gold" and "silver."

This is a little camera.  You can put a photo or logo in the front circle.

I just couldn't get over the depth of detail.

And, this is a finished product.  My very own photo in a 5x7 edible picture frame, stand, and camera ornament.  (It's sitting on my mantle.)  :)

Mary Ann does fabulous work.  I will be offering these (she does favors, too) to my clients this year.  If you're interested, give me a call!

For those who like to talk GEAR . . .

Toward the end of last wedding season, Kevin and I made a huge plunge from Olympus camera gear to Nikon.  We had been thinking about it, and planned to make the change when wedding season was over.  But, then, while photographing a senior in August, my bread-and-butter Olympus lens, the 12-60 f/4.0, BROKE!  This just happened to be a Friday evening, the night before a Saturday wedding.  I spent the morning calling every camera store in the area, trying to buy or rent a replacement.  No one stocked Olympus lenses.

To make a long story short, my friend, and fellow wedding photographer, Kelly Jankowski, lent me her 3rd string Nikon gear.  That gave me the opportunity to play with a Nikon for a day.  Well, I loved it.  By the end of the next day, I had decided to make the plunge.  I bought the Nikon D700 body, the 24-70 f/2.8 lens, and the SB-900 flash.

One of my favorite things about the Nikon D700 is the very low noise at high ISOs.  Receptions can be DARK!!  I routinely shoot at ISO 3200, but can go up to 6400 without worry.  And, when there is opportunity to shoot at lower ISOs, I am in LOVE with the absolute silkiness of the skin tones.

We plan to add more lenses and an extra flash this year.  I'll keep you updated!