I have been very lucky over the years with rain at a wedding. I have never had an outdoor wedding get moved because of rain in over 500 weddings. I like to think I have some good luck. This weekend I had a very close call at Los Willows Weddings at Event Estates in San Diego North County’s Fallbrook area.
Los Willows Weddings and Event Estates is a beautiful outdoor wedding venue with a beautiful lakeside gazebo. The reception pavilion had great accents. After years of photographing wedding here, I finally had the opportunity to see the Bed-n-Breakfast home.
With preceding raining days and a rain in the morning, Los Willows already had their back-up plan of moving the outdoor ceremony indoors to the Pavilion. Good thing was there was plenty of room in the Pavilion. Most of the rain stopped just hours before the ceremony time but there was no guarantee it would not return.
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I began photographing the wedding party getting ready at the Bed-n-Breakfast rooms. There was a full-on salon style room for the women. We then moved the photos to the venue area to take the photos of the men by the lake. The women were in the bridal room finishing their dressing.
Rain was still clear and the groom requested to have the wedding ceremony outdoors as planned. Kendra Koenig, Wedding Coordinator from Los Willows, handled everything extremely well. She agreed to move the ceremony outdoor but would wait to the last moment for her staff to move the chairs and arrangements, to make sure they would stay dry.
Well everything went through perfect. The weather held up with no rain. The bride arrived by boat via the lake and the guest loved the ceremony. The partial clouds made for great photography with perfect lighting.
One inside secret for brides, bright blue and sunny skies are not always the most favorable photography condition. Bright sun can result in hard contrast and unfavorable lighting condition for photography. With the rain over and clouds pending, the light was very favorable and made great photography. I loved everything about the photography and weather.
Here is the link for a photo montage from the wedding. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=024fuHhwIeM Thank you to Photodex Proshow and Triple Scope Music.
Featured vendors:
Venue:
Los Willows Wedding & Events Estates
www.loswillows.com/
530 Stewart Canyon Rd Fallbrook, CA 92028
(760) 731-9400
Floral:
The Little Flower
www.littleflowerfloraldesign.com
Margie Kay Oostadam
951-306-5663
Photography
Weddings at California Photography, Video, and Photo Booth
www.weddingsatcalifornia.com
619-208-8710
Featured vendors:
Venue:
Los Willows Wedding & Events Estates
www.loswillows.com/
530 Stewart Canyon Rd Fallbrook, CA 92028
Floral:
The Little Flower
www.littleflowerfloraldesign.com
Margie Kay Oostadam
951-306-5663
Photography
Weddings at California Photography, Video, and Photo Booth
www.weddingsatcalifornia.com
619-208-8710
DMZ Visual Marketing and Photography provide event and conference photography in San Diego.
Photographing a conference and trade show takes experience. I have photographed conferences for over 15 years. I have an inside advantage on how conferences are planned. While managing a call center and system administrator for a bank, I worked on organizing several conferences and trade shows.
A conference budget consists of registered attendees fees and sponsorships. Recognizing the sponsors so they receive maximum exposure and value is very important. A happy sponsor is a returning sponsor. Visual marketing with photography is one of my specialties. I capture photos that organizers and sponsors love and make them happy.
My photography approach at a conference is to capture sponsor signage and exhibits including VIPs. In a tradeshow with exhibitors, I photograph as much activities between the representatives and visitors. The exhibitors use the images for their marketing purposes. I also photograph the team in front of the exhibit. These team shots are used in-house within the organizations.
Conference photos are great for blogs, website, Facebook, Twitter, newsletters, and emails. Companies like to show what they are doing and how the crowds interact with the exhibits. Posting photos online and optimizing the photos with keywords, alt tags and strategic naming also help SEO. Posting on social media and tagging people can also attract followers.
The conference organizers use the photos for their publicity including press releases and online. The images will promote the sponsors at the conference and provide more exposure to them. The organizer will archive the photos from the event and use images for the following conferences. Showing images of big name sponsors and VIPs with attendees will attract more attendees for new conferences. Sponsorship with increase and existing sponsors will return without hesitation to future conferences.
The goal of a good photographer is the get the right image for the client. DMZ Visual Marketing and Photography will capture images that will show the success of the conference and trade show. Contact us to help plan your next event. www.dmzvisual.com. Make sure you like us at www.Facebook.com/dmzvisual. We also just launched our new YouTube channel, www.youtube.com/dmzvisual
Point Loma, San Diego Wedding Day
Point Loma weddings have some of the best views of the San Diego City skyline. The San Diego Point Loma Sub Base has three wedding venues, Harbor Inn, The Oceanview Room, and Admiral Kidd Catering & Conference Center.
This was a December wedding. The ceremony was an hour before sunset so our time was a little tight. We began photos at The Courtyard by Marriott Hotel across the street from Admiral Kidd. We shot some of the girls getting ready with some of the details. We also shot the men group photos. From there we arrived at Admiral Kidd to photograph the bride getting her wedding gown on with her girls assisting. We also photographed all the girls and some family photo before the ceremony.
One thing that was real nice with the bridesmaids was the bridal wraps they used while getting ready at the hotel. The wraps are from Ivory Sparrow. These are matching wraps that are personalized for the bridal party. The bride had “Bride” on the back. What a great present for the girls and made for fun group photos in the bridal room.
The little ring barer was the bride and groom’s son. It has been great working with the couple from the initial consultation to engagement photos and then the wedding. I have seen the little boy grow up so much. He was such a trooper with the photos on the wedding day. The groom’s father walked in holding their son.
The wedding party was fantastic. The bride is Irish and there was a lot of Irish jig dancing at the reception. The food was great and music kept on going. The father of the bride sang “Irish Eyes” to the bride before his toast. This was to touching. During the reception guest were able to take advantage of the great view of San Diego. It is great to see the city light come up after sunset.
Make sure you view our photo montage from the wedding at http://www.Youtube.com/weddingsatcalifornia
More about Admiral Kidd
Admiral Kidd is a very popular San Diego wedding venue. The venue has three reception rooms and can perform outdoor wedding on their lawn over looking the San Diego Bay. The venue is not open to all the public but you do not have to be military to have your wedding here. Couples can have their wedding here if they are in the military, civil service, retired military, or sponsored by a person who is active or retired military.
Coming soon. We are developing a photography website dedicated to San Diego Military wedding venues. Please check in at www.AdmiralKiddWeddings.com. Can’t wait to have this new site completed and sharing photos to brides and grooms.
Photography by Weddings at California Photography, Video, and Photo Booth
San Diego Naval Base Catering guide
Courtyard by Marriott, Liberty Station
Floral by Love and Blossoms
Bridal wraps for the bride and bridesmaids by Ivory Sparrow
More photos from San Diego Naval Base
http://www.AdmiralKiddWeddings.comhttp://www.Youtube.com/weddingsatcalifornia
Welcome. I wanted to share today a sample montage from a wedding at Our Lady of Rosary in Little Italy San Diego. In the montage I included booth an engagement book sample and the finished wedding album.Click on the Youtube link to view the sample
Little Italy Wedding album
Engagement sign-in books are fantastic way to share your photos at the wedding from the engagement session. I custom design the books to have a lot of open space. Guest at the wedding can then sign on the page, just a high school yearbook. This gives them space to leave a good message with thoughts.
San Diego Bridal Bazaar is the largest bridal show in San Diego. This past January 20ththe Bridal Bazaar was at the San Diego Convention Center. WeddingsatCalifornia.com Photography was excited to participate at the show featuring photography and video. We introduced our new services; Photo Booth.
So what next for brides and grooms after attending a bridal show? Hopefully you had time to talk with vendors and collection information. Many vendors have show specials and if you like the vendor’s service, you should contract them ASAP. Go through all the information collected and separate brochures into stacks of interest. The magazines are always good keepers. Throw away the brochures you are not interested unless they have some good photos or special colors you like for your wedding.
Visit websites of your favorite services. You find their websites on the brochures. See their social media sites like Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, and my favorite YouTube. Support the sites with a LIKE on their pages. View their samples and decide it the service and price is what you like. Bookmark websites you like into a wedding folder on your browser.
Within the next few weeks you will probable be receiving emails or brochures in the mail from other vendors. Take some time and visit these websites too. Do you best to gather information and compare vendors’ services and prices before you decide to contract services for your wedding.
Bridal shows are a great way to visit with vendors and get ideas for your wedding. Some shows can be overwhelming if not prepared. You can’t go wrong with all the free food samples from caterers and bakeries. The fashion shows will give you a lot of bridal gown and color ideas for your wedding. To check for the next bridal show in San Diego, visit http://www.bridalbazaar.com/
WeddingsAtCalifornia.com if proud to have participated at the Bridal Bazaar for over the past 15 years. Our photography and video service are nothing less than professional. You can use any of our services individually or book the group together. Our new photo booth is perfect to entertain guest during the reception and allow them to take home a memory keepsake from your wedding day.
Our bridal show specials from January’s show are extended until January 28. Receive a free $750 wedding album with any photography package. Photo Booth package for 3 hours at $395. These specials must be booked and deposit received before the expiration date to qualify for the special.
Please make sure you visit and LIKE us at http://www.youtube.com/user/weddingsatcaliforniaand https://www.facebook.com/weddingsatcalifornia.
Weddings at California photography, video and photo booths
San Diego is a favorite destination for weddings. Year round great weather, the beach, great sunsets, easy to get to are all reasons couple have for selecting San Diego for their wedding location. Here in San Diego we have an endless variety of great wedding venues. San Diego features wedding ceremony on the beach, four-star resorts, or a country wedding in the local mountains, San Diego has it.
Weddings At California Photography had a busy holiday with wedding and event photography. We had a Saturday wedding following Christmas at St Brigid Catholic Church in Pacific Beach. The couple live in China and having a Catholic wedding was very important and to spend time with their families from Ohio and Texas. They picked San Diego because it was a central location for everyone to travel.
St Brigid is a very popular Catholic Church for weddings in San Diego. The bride found the church online along with her reception venue The Abbey in San Diego. Our photography services were recommended to the couple by a local wedding contact they were working with. Communication was a bit challenging because of the time difference. Most of our work communication was via email. The bride was able to see my samples wedding photography online on my website and YouTube video montages. See loved my photography.
We had a perfect wedding photography package to work with her budget and small wedding. They only had 35 guests. We were also able to offer the couple something very special. They would only be in San Diego for a couple of days following the wedding and then returning to China. We were able to complete all editing and deliver over 600 digital images to the couple in person at their hotel. This was a two-day turn around for post-production. They were very excited.
You can see some of their wedding images online at www.WeddingsatCalifornia.com and hear their video testimonial at Holidays are coming and don't forget about photography. Personal holiday portraits are the best present or holiday card. You still have time to book your family portrait session and order custom holiday cards. Also if your office or business is planning a holiday party, you have to have photography. I offer several event photography services including 'On-Site" printing at the event. Portraits with formal backdrop with your choice of themes with studio lighting are always a hit with the guest.
Book your photography session or event now by contacting me directly at (619) 208-8710 or email at [email protected]
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Wedding photography has so many styles to offer brides and grooms. There is the popular photojournalistic and candid style photography and artistic portrait style. In between these styles is editorial style and lifestyle wedding photography. One thing that perspective that is important to most of all these styles is the second photographer perspective.
A second photographer works with the primary photographer and captures a fresh candid perspective to wedding photography. Similar to photojournalistic photography, the images are non-directed. The photographer is always ready to the moment. While the primary photographer is directing the wedding couple, the second photographer is capturing the couple’s reaction with the primary photographer. I enjoy the look of these images because they capture some natural moments.
I have been training new photographers for the past 15 years. These new photographers have gotten some great images from a second perspective. I have always been jealous of second photographers. I sometime would prefer to be a second shooter and capture some great images than to be the main photographer. This is how great I believe these images are. But I always come back to the point; the second perspective images are only as good and the primary photographer directing the wedding couple.
When planning a wedding of whatever budget, there are some things you will always need. You can search the web, buy magazines, hire a coordinator, and visit a bridal show. I have been part of this industry for over 15 years. I have worked with brides and groom from all budget levels. Bridal shows are an important part and should be experience. At a bridal show you will see almost every thing you need for a wedding. The downfall of a bridal show is there is so much information thrown at you, that it can be overwhelming.
Some advices to make it simple; if you know what you are looking for, stay focused. If you don’t know what you are looking for, walk through and absorb. Take a look in as many wedding albums you can to get more ideas about planning your wedding. Talk to photographers to get their ideas.
Of all the vendors at a wedding, a photographer is the one that experiences a complete wedding day of events. They see the dress going on till the garter is tossed. They see the venue and florist setting up and the food being served. They photograph all the details and all the emotions. They here all the different lines of entertainments and have heard all the best man toast you can think of. Besides a wedding coordinator, the photographer is your best asset to talk about wedding ideas.
When checking out vendors at the show, come prepared with labels with your contact information including telephone, email and address, wedding date, and venue. The labels can be pealed of and pasted on all the sign up forms you will find. Look at the quality of the brochure and see if there are any show specials. This is a best time to book a vendor are set an appointment. After the show, be prepared to get overwhelmed with emails, phone calls, and mailings.
Took a break from posting. Had a great man in my life pass away after Memorial Day. My Uncle was a very important pat of my life and a second father figure. Thank you for being very supported of my wedding photography. I'll miss you and hope I can be a strong as a man you were. Here is why I love wedding photography. Here is his wedding photo from 1970. Wedding images will last more than a life time. What else in your life can leave such a memory for your future generations.
RIP my uncle. I love and you and miss you. I dedicate my blog to you.
RIP my uncle. I love and you and miss you. I dedicate my blog to you.
Sign in books have been around forever at weddings. I remember the tipical white book you pick up online or at Micheals. the book has lined pages and comes with a big white feathered pen in a holder. It kinda looks like a pen from signing the Declarations of Independance. The book is a must have to allow your guest to sign in and leave some thoughts.
Digital photography and the new photo books are a new twist on the old book. Your photographer can design a custom photo book from your engagement photo and add some of your own photos including any baby and family photos.
You can see samples at, http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.142203649165796.38624.140651652654329 or check out the video of real book at a wedding, http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=473524959039&oid=140651652654329&comments
Digital photography and the new photo books are a new twist on the old book. Your photographer can design a custom photo book from your engagement photo and add some of your own photos including any baby and family photos.
You can see samples at, http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.142203649165796.38624.140651652654329 or check out the video of real book at a wedding, http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=473524959039&oid=140651652654329&comments
The Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels in downtown Los Angeles is such an impressive church. They have a lot of restrcitions on photography and only allowed group portraits outside the church. The grounds are so beautiful that it is not such a lost. The ceremony photo opts are fantastic. The lighting is perfect but there is a long isle from the back to the front of the church. The pre-ceremony photos were at the Downtown Bonaventure Hotel. The bride and all the girls and family were so organized and have a great time doing the photos.
Check out more at www.facebook.com/weddingsatcalifornia
Check out more at www.facebook.com/weddingsatcalifornia
I was at the store yesterday and found a magazine that was out of place. I picked it up and it was a wedding magazine. There are so many wedding magazines on the market that it can be overwhelming. This magazine was one of the best I have seen to help out new brides to get started on planning there wedding ($13.95 and one year free subscription to RealSimple).
The publication did not have any advertisement to distract from the content. It provided striaght advice and planning questions, dress designs, vendor insights, and all the important things you need to know. It provided flora disigns and a good glossary and color ideas. Love it and recommend it to all brides. http://www.realsimple.com/magazine-more/real-simple-weddings-00000000027790/index.html
Check out more images on our website at, http://www.weddingsatcalifornia.com/
The publication did not have any advertisement to distract from the content. It provided striaght advice and planning questions, dress designs, vendor insights, and all the important things you need to know. It provided flora disigns and a good glossary and color ideas. Love it and recommend it to all brides. http://www.realsimple.com/magazine-more/real-simple-weddings-00000000027790/index.html
Check out more images on our website at, http://www.weddingsatcalifornia.com/
California Center for the Arts in Escondido and the Civic Center with Grape Day Park makes a great photo session venue. I love the open grass area, the old train station, this image with the metal design, and the walk ways are fantastic for photos. This images is one of my favorite. Taking a different look at photos and finding that unique perspective can make an image just jump at you. When I shot this, I was feeling it. I knew I got the shoot.
Night photography has always been a challenge. With wedding photography and long exposures, the couple can not always hold still for a long time. I just hd to make this shot happen. It did take a little bit of time but this Downtown San Diego landmark is such an icon. This couple was great. The ceremony was outside the El Cortez and the reception indoors in the Ballroom. This room has sooo much history. In between we took a limo ride to Balboa Park for some bride and groom portraits.
This weekends wedding at Del Mar's Powerhouse Park was perfect. The ceremony was in the patio area of the center and the reception indoors. The bride and groom, Danny and Rob were perfect. The colors work soo great together. The flowers were from Elegant Touch and the Primo DJ provided music and coordination. We had two photographers and a third shooting some details. The day started at the birde's parents home in Del Mar. They saw each other before the ceremony and did all the groups and solos. After the ceremony we did some familys and then just party. We took a break and went out to the beach and did some nice portraits. Will be working on post productions for a couple of weeks and have complete images posted online shortly after. Thank to Denise for her great photography and our new photographer Paige. Cant wait to bring the complete photo story together to share with everyone. see everyone soon.
wedding albums should be able to tell the wedding day story in a very creative and inviting way. The artwork should not be boring and so structured that the story gets lost. Using unique page design tell a warm story. Using custom back ground and bring in something from the wedding make the design creative. There are so many "over-the-counter" alum design presets, and they can work, but finding a photographer that will take that extra time to put together your very own album, that is a great album.
This sample page from a wedding at Thursday Club in Point Loma California is a sample of how the artist designed the page using the two photographer's images from the ceremony to show all angles from the ceremony. Yes, this venue is hard to go wrong, but a vanila design would not have been able to give you the same felling as this design. See more at www.facebook.com/weddingsatcalifornia or at http://www.weddingsatcalifornia/.
This sample page from a wedding at Thursday Club in Point Loma California is a sample of how the artist designed the page using the two photographer's images from the ceremony to show all angles from the ceremony. Yes, this venue is hard to go wrong, but a vanila design would not have been able to give you the same felling as this design. See more at www.facebook.com/weddingsatcalifornia or at http://www.weddingsatcalifornia/.
This is the launch for our new blog for http://www.weddingsatcalifornia.com/. This is a growing full service photography site. With over 10 years of wedding experience specializing in creative photography, we are growing to offer new services.
