Category: Weddings

To Be or Not to Be...in the Wedding Party

8/21/2014

Felicity & Timothy's Wedding, July 2014, Philadelphia PA :)

I'm giving this advice as a former bride, a former bridesmaid, AND as a wedding photographer. Not all of my tips will apply to everyone, not everyone will agree with my advice. But there are some common themes that I hope will be helpful to everyone considering becoming a member of a wedding party.

Being a member of the wedding party is a big responsibility. It's signing on for months of activities, dress fittings, traveling, parties, expenses. It is time consuming, it generally costs quite a bit of money, and it's also an honor to be asked. The bride and groom are asking you to stand beside them on one of the happiest days of their lives, bearing witness to their love, their commitment, and pledging your friendship & support as they start their journey as a married couple.

As a wedding photographer, I see all kinds of wedding parties, from intimate groups of just a best man and maid of honor to a grand party of 30. I really enjoy taking wedding party pics...it's a chance to show off not only the hair & make up, gowns & tuxes that took forever for the group to decide upon, but a way to express the kind of couple you're representing. But it's also one of the biggest challenges I face as a photographer, especially when someone (or someones) aren't really into it.

Perhaps you accepted the duty because you felt obligated. Maybe the bride or groom was in YOUR wedding party. Maybe they're a family member. Maybe they asked you in front of a room full of people and you said yes because you didn't want to say no or because you didn't have a chance to think it through. On behalf of brides & grooms and yes, wedding photographers everywhere, when you're asked to join a wedding party, give it some thought. Make sure you have the time in your schedule, the money in your bank account, and the joy in your heart.

Be responsive to emails/texts/phone calls. It doesn't matter if they're asking you to pick out a pair of shoes or give them your size or if you'd prefer crab cakes or chicken. The more timely your response, the easier you're making things on the bride & groom. I know it's not as important as responding to say, your boss, but maybe you could pretend that each email question has a deadline.

And on the big day...be helpful. Ask the bride & groom how you can help them best. Maybe it's letting the groom crash in your spare bedroom the night before. Maybe it's giving grandma and grandpa a special ride to the reception. Maybe it's keeping an interfering relative away from the bride. Maybe it's being in charge of the gifts or assisting the DJ in identifying key people. There are a gazillion and one tasks to be done and many times, the bride & groom don't want to ask their wedding party peeps to do more, feeling that they've obligated them enough. But seriously...you've come this far. You've spent the money and thrown the bridal shower or the bachelor party. You've been to ten dress fittings. You're wearing the most uncomfortable shoes you've ever worn, a ridiculous vest, or a dress that cost you $500 that will never see the light of day again. So ask how you can help. It will be appreciated more than you could ever know.

Remember...smile. Smile a LOT. The camera sees more than you realize. Believe it or not, I can tell if you're jealous of the bride, if you think the groom isn't good enough for her, if you hate your tuxedo, if you think the bride's dress makes her look like a Vegas showgirl or an oompa-loompa. Most of all, I can tell if you would rather be getting a root canal than standing beside your cousin/sister/bestie from third grade/coworker you barely know. IMHO, if you really don't want to be there, you probably shouldn't accept the offer...but if there was no way around it (it's hard to say no to family especially), consider it the acting role of a lifetime. :)

Be wary of the open bar. I know it's tempting to drink everything in sight and then dance the night away, but you want to make sure that you are still "on call". Maybe you're a designated driver, or you're keeping an eye on the kids under 12, or you promised to direct the out of town guests back to the hotel. It's totally ok to kick up your heels and truly celebrate your friends and the special night, but do it responsibly.

As far as the formal photos go, usually taken right after the ceremony, trust me-I know it's hot, you're tired, and you really just want to get to that open bar and stuff some appetizers in your face and then exchange those stilettos for some flip flops. But make the effort to enjoy the photo time. Stay nearby, tell your friends & dates you came with to enjoy the cocktail hour while you do your photo duty, and don't leave the immediate area until you're officially dismissed. All in all, it's about 20 minutes of formal portraits. If everyone listens carefully and does what the photographer asks, it will go that much more smoothly and quickly, everyone will look great, and you AND your bride & groom will have a very special keepsake to grace the walls of the house for years to come. And hey, if we get through all the formal posed ones, we'll have time for some funny ones, creative ones, jump shots, model shots...you name it, we can make it happen. But it takes dedication and cooperation. If you have suggestions for fun poses, pull the photog aside privately and make your request. I personally LOVE ideas and try my best to accommodate all requests. If you feel like some specific pose is lame, remember...chances are the bride or groom made the request for that specific shot beforehand. When it's your wedding, you can call the shots on posing...until then, just try to smile and enjoy it as best you can, however cheesy it may feel. :)

I hope I haven't scared anyone off of their lifelong dream to be a bridesmaid or a groomsman. I've always been so honored to be in the weddings of dear friends and family. If you don't know what that honor will entail...ASK. Ask the bride or groom. Google proper wedding party etiquette. That will help you make an informed decision and really be the best kind of friend to have in one's wedding party.

Hugs,
McCall :)

P.S. Having wedding party members who help out the photographers?
Bonus. At my most recent wedding, I had the lovely Tara regularly asking how she could help us, pointing out who people were, where things were located, answering our random questions, and even offering to get us food & drink. It rocked. :)

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Diana & Francisco, Engaged

7/26/2014

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Diana & Francisco met when she was a tender 14 years old. They eloped at 17, had their beautiful little girl Giselle a few years later, and are now celebrating TEN years together! And to that end, they are having the big wedding they didn't get to have all those years ago. So on August 30th, their wedding/vow renewal will be lovingly documented by Brian and me and we can't wait! We photographed their engagement/couples session at the DC Harbor and couldn't have asked for more perfect golden hour light, breezy summer weather, or a more charming couple. Brian took great care of Giselle (some of those photos will come later) while I focused on Diana & Fran. It was a great evening and we are counting down the days till they dance the night away at The Other Barn in Maryland. Congratulations, you guys...10 years together is amazing! :)

Please enjoy their photos. Remember...click on the horizontal ones to enlarge them! :)

Love,
McCall & Brian :)

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Emily & Paul, Engaged! :)

5/15/2014

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We met Emily & Paul at dawn in their beloved DC. It was a chilly but beautiful April morning and we had budding cherry blossoms, the monuments, and then the awesome urban area that is distinctly DC, with mosaic murals, graffiti artwork, and coffeeshops. These two computer minded people found love at the party of a mutual friend, and it's been going strong for two years now. Emily couldn't be sweeter and I finally realized who her celeb doppelganger is: Detective Juliet "Jules" O'Hara from Psych! She had some serious style going on for her session and I could have photographed her and handsome Paul all day long...we had so much fun that nearly five hours went by before we realized the time! Thank you for trusting us with your engagement session, guys! Hope your 2015 wedding is as beautiful as you both are!!! :)

Photos by McCall & Brian Doyle :)
Hint: Clicking on the horizontal images will get them to open up for you! :)
P.S. My watercolor image of Emily's engagement ring just won an Honorable Mention in a Wedding Accessories contest: Inspire

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High Tech Tuesday-Cowardly Lighting ;)

1/28/2014

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Baby E in her Minnie Mouse hat, snoozing peacefully. :)

Hi! So, one wedding down, two to go. Everything must be caught up by the next wedding I shoot on 2/22 for Amanda & Tom. Well, at least all weddings. We're not going to count the normal shoots that definitely need editing. :) I am finally not a zombie anymore like I've been for the past few days. I'm currently working on Erica & Rich's feature for tomorrow's blog and excited to share it with you. They had such a fun and sweet wedding.

Most photographers I know (at least those who consider themselves natural light photogs as I do) really hate indoor photography. The evil yellow light, lurking shadows, low ceilings, painted walls that we can't bounce flashes off of very successfully. Using our nemesis, the flash. There are a few ways to overcome the icky yellow lighting IN camera. Most people customize their white balance. However, I often find that when shooting an event, the lighting is constantly changing (there can be uplighting, chandelier romantic ambient light, stark light, fluorescent light, etc.) or I'm going from room to room, and having to stop to customize the white balance is a little difficult. Last week I mentioned changing the camera setting to my personal favorite coloration, "Faithful". Well, since you can also customize your other settings, I actually do two things when I walk into my event. I take a few test shots when choosing what type of lighting (Tungsten is often recommended but I find it too cool and blue in tone for my purposes) and usually end up picking between "flash" and "fluorescent light". And after I've chosen that, I lower the saturation level...taking it down one or two pegs depending on my needs. I take one last test shot and find that my indoor colors are much closer to normal skin tone, not yellow OR blue, but flesh toned...which means I spend far less time in post production correcting my coloration.

That's my post for tech Tuesday...I hope it helps!

I'm photographing the adorable Otaizo little ones this weekend, working on pulling together some styled shoots for the rest of winter into early spring, and finishing up my piles of editing. And getting super excited over what lies ahead. :)

Happy Tuesday!
McCall :)

Paula's fabulous ring on yet another cactus. Hey, I was having fun. ;)

Paula & Michael about to steal a kiss...Brian caught this photo of them at the Botanic Gardens and I love it! :)

Paige's lovely sister Laura, holding her adorable little boy during the ceremony. I love the Christmas tree lights creating perfect bokey behind them. :)

Paige's custom made wedding band to fit her exquisite engagement ring, paired with Bobby's strong & classic wedding band. :)

Paige. I have the most incredibly beautiful brides in the whole wide world. :)

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Strike a Pose Thursday: Posturing ;)

1/23/2014

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Paige & Bobby on a snowy porch, posing for portraits during the Golden Hour. So perfect. :)

Aloha! I say that because it's 8 degrees in Virginia but I'm willing myself to Hawaii. Lucky for me I only have to feel the cold in small, blasting doses, when I open the front door to let the pups out into the yard. Even they are feeling it-normally wild horses can't get them out of the yard when they are on a mission to go. But these days they run out, skip their ritual "gotta pee/gotta poop" dances, and fly back inside. Then they run up the stairs and cuddle under the covers and blankets next to me before I even get back into bed! :)

Last week I talked about how you can look better in your photos through your stance/poses. I want to continue that by giving a few tips to models...or for those of you who just wanna look like one in your next photo session. :)

Posture itself is very important. In a photo, if you're standing up, you want to elongate your neck and spine as much as possible, as if there's an invisible thread on the top of your head, pulling you slightly upwards and keeping your entire body in one perfect line.

When sitting down, that rigid posture is just as important. Don't slump or slouch in your seat. In this position, you want your chin slightly pointed downward and your eyes meeting the camera directly. A second seated pose tip is leaning slightly forward for some photos, arching your back and neck towards the camera, letting the shoulders fall back in an exaggerated way. Eyes up to the sky or off to the side make for a great haughty "model" face. :)

Next week I'd like to share some images from past models of mine who have the perfect physical expression down...I find that showing rather than explaining is sometimes better in terms of understanding. :)

My crazy editing continues. I purposely booked only one gig this weekend, my second year in a row photographing a large holiday party for a terrific medical research company in DC. It'll be a great night since they really know how to throw a bash...it's like a wedding reception with a band, a DJ, dancing, prizes...everything but the bouquet toss! ;) So I'll be editing steadily tonight, tomorrow, Saturday for most of the day, and Sunday all day.

Some questions (since I missed Monday's blog!):

Inquiring minds want to know: if you could be any super hero out there, who would you be and why?

When you come to my page on Facebook, what do you look forward to most? What makes you specifically like or comment on something?

And on behalf of the missed post on High Tech Tuesday...

If you're using flash, find a diffuser that's perfect for your work aesthetic. You can make your own out of posterboard or paper...you can buy a mini softbox for $20...you can buy a small hard plastic diffuser on amazon.com or you can go with a Gary Fong diffuser, which looks like a giant diaphragm but creates a fill flash look that is warm & inviting. ;)

That''s all for now, folks! Hope everyone's week is going well and remember...tomorrow's Friday! (As if anyone ever forgets Friday.) :)

Happy Thursday!
McCall ;)

Paula & Michael, US Botanic Garden in January for their winter engagement shoot. :) (Incidentally, I was using a small speedlite here, a Canon 430EX, and a small plastic diffuser made by Fotodiox. ) :)

Damien holding his precious little girl. :)

Miss A posing (finally!) in her Cinderella coach bed. I told her that Cinderella sees my posts and that she'd want a photo. :)

The enchanting Kaitlyn. Her bridal shoot was interrupted 10 minutes into the session due to the 27 degree temperature and crazy high winds, but we still managed to take a few pics that did her justice. Can't wait for our make up styled shoot! :)

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Wedded Bliss Wednesday-Psych! ;)

1/22/2014

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Yeah, remember those days where you used to yell "psych!" after saying something that you didn't actually mean? If not, I've dated myself. How about yelling "Not!"? Still no? Ok, well then I'm old and you'll just have to look it up on UrbanLegends.com. :)

I have been a bad little blogger. Mainly because I've been a good little editor. Editing hours on end, day after day, and trying to keep it together. It's overwhelming, but at least I love it. I adore editing. The creative process is incredibly rewarding.

Today is technically Wedding Wednesday. My wedding blog for Erica & Rich won't be ready until next week, and Paige & Bobby the week after that. So you'll just have to make do with a smorgasbord of pretty pics. I'm so blessed to have beautiful clients to grace the blog with, and I hope you enjoy them as much as I do.

Hoping to get back on track with my normal blog topics tomorrow, but don't hold me to that! I'll be in crazy editing mode until sometime in mid February. Wish me luck! ;)

Happy Wednesday!
McCall :)

A sweet and hilarious sister moment. :)

Miss E being cradled by her beautiful mommy. :)

Miss A looking pretty in pink! :)

Paula's beautiful engagement ring, on a cactus. (Yup, I placed that ring very, very gently!) :)

Michael & Paula having bear fun at the US Botanic Gardens for their e-session. :)

Paige & Bobby, during their ceremony. Love the tiny bit of Christmas tree in the background...I love holiday time weddings! :)

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Wedded Bliss Wednesday-Kimmie & Phillip's Autumn Bliss Wedding!!! :)

1/16/2014

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Kimmie & Phillip had a beautiful, bright & sweet October wedding at the Swan Point Country Club in Maryland on October 12, 2013. Unfortunately, it poured the night before and rained all day of the wedding...until 20 minutes before the ceremony, when it suddenly stopped cold turkey and remained overcast but dry for the rest of the day! So they were able to fulfill their dream of having their ceremony outdoors. Of course, it was on the water, and it turned cold and very windy, but it still managed to be absolutely beautiful. Brian was with the gents at a local home and I photographed the ladies at the country club. The vibrant yellow sunflowers that Kimmie carried along with her bridesmaids (who were clad in simple, elegant short black dresses) really added a terrific pop of color to the day...and perfect for Phillip & his groomsmen, who popped on their own with bright yellow suspenders, boutonnieres and socks. :) Adding to the slightly vintage feel of the day was the rental of an amazing classic car that we had a LOT of fun photographing. We had to be quick with our portraits because of the weather, but I was thrilled that we got some time outside before heading indoors to party the night away. They had a very traditional reception, but the fun that was had by all really made it special. So much dancing, toasting, and smiles made it truly wonderful...we were so grateful to have been a part of it. :) Without further adieu, I present some of our favorite highlights from the big day! :)

P.S. If you click on the horizontal images, they will enlarge. ;)

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Inquiring Minds Monday Blog #2 :)

1/13/2014

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Paige's dazzling engagement ring with Bobby's solid and handsome wedding band behind it. :)

Good Afternoon!

How was everyone's weekend? It was pretty rainy here in the DC area. Enough to need to reschedule a shoot with Shawn and his family but fear not, we'll be able to make that up in a few weeks. :) It also gave us time to meet with a potential wedding client, who after our meeting became actual wedding clients! We are so excited to photograph their June nuptials.

On Sunday Brian had to go into the office for a few hours, so I stayed in bed and tried to dig myself out of my editing hole little by little. It was actually a great day...Brian came home and went on a lengthy hike, taking several gorgeous nature pics while he was out and then sharing them with me like a little kid. :) They are so lovely-he was experimenting with backlighting and shooting at extremely wide apertures and the results were excellent. You should check out his blog this week...he'll be sharing a few sneak peeks from that hike. The weather was perfect, btw...50 degrees and sunny. Today's pretty nice too with a high near 60. Our area of the country is so weird-last week it's 10 degrees and this week it's 60...all in January. :)

This week will be spent-you guessed it!-editing more. I sent out contracts to a few clients, ordered online groceries (Peapod rocks!), and worked on my business accounting for 2014, which will help me be even more organized this year.

So my questions for you today:

1. What is the one tv show you just can't miss each week?

2. What has been your favorite styled shoot of mine over the last two years?

3. What was your favorite dress at the Golden Globes last night? Mine was the "fairytale mermaid" gown worn by the stunning Jenna Dewan-Tatum...white classic strapless dress covered in ornate black lace. It was a standout.

This weekend I am super excited to photograph the lovely & talented Sarah's headshots, followed by photographing gorgeous Kaitlyn in a whimsical styled bridal shoot, and on Sunday, photographing Rachelle & Damien's darling little girls. Life doesn't get any better. :)

Please enjoy these sneak peeks...Paige & Bobby's beautiful winter wedding, and Paula & Michael's sweet Botanic Gardens e-session. :) Look for Kimmie & Phillip's long awaited wedding blog this coming Wednesday! :)

Happy Monday!
McCall :)

Michael & Paula's engagement shoot at the United States Botanic Garden. :)

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Pam & Anthony's Engagement Session

12/18/2013

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After a few months of chatting with Pam via email about her wedding, we finally got to meet at their engagement session this past November. I was thrilled to see what a great couple she and fiance Anthony made-both are attractive and intelligent, kind and so much fun! I loved the way they interacted with each other; Anthony has a real knack for making his bride to be laugh with his singing, jokes, and funny expressions. This is a first marriage for both, and it's clear that each was waiting for their soulmate. We met up at the War Memorial on a cold and overcast day, hardly the perfect autumnal atmosphere for an e-session. However, the leaves on the trees were brilliant, and once we got to the waterfront, the slate gray sky only served as a perfect backdrop to the bright colors surrounding us. We finished up at the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial, which was beautiful and full of his inspiring quotes.

I can't wait for their wedding this coming May, an intimate and sophisticated affair to be held at the Stone Mansion in Alexandria, VA. Brian and I can't wait to meet their extended family and help them celebrate by taking the very best pics we can. :)

P.S. Remember that you can click on the horizontal images to enlarge them! :)