Laugh easily and laugh much! It’ll give you a break from “posing” too stiffly.
photo: Gia Canali
Tag Archive for 'Portrait'
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Some weddings are so marvelously right. Julia & Eli’s was one of them. The equation might have read: happy couple + beautiful yard + perfect day + perfect night + joyous guests + “fireflies” = magical. We’ve featured bits of their wedding all summer, partly because I think this blogging real weddings thing rushes me much too much—as I prefer to turn over my photographic fascinations slowly—but mostly because we loved their wedding. Even the intangible things, like Eli saying his {vows}. Above, one of several Polaroid 55s I took.
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We loved the whimsical florals and decor by Krislyn. The groom’s boutonniere was fashioned from a single (tiny) perfect echeveria ‘afterglow’. I grow them in my garden, and in just the right light, the pinkish rims really do glow. Below: celebrity stylists Nina and Clare Hallworth help Julia into her gown. Sweetest up-do ever by Chris McMillan. Chris did Julia’s hair three or four times that morning before he came up with the final look, which made me realize how essential it is to allow all the vendors at a wedding time to give a top-notch performance. (More on that later.) I never would have guessed tulips would have been “just the thing,” but they were, and Chris’s hairdo inspired lots and lots of my photographs of Julia.
I spoke with Nina and Clare for a few moments before the reception, and asked if they had any advice for my blog readers. They said it was so important to take time (by which they meant quiet time) to get dressed. The way they spoke of dressing, it seemed like dressing oneself and composing oneself were the same act.
Some details from the ceremony. The huppah was one of a kind, with peonies, branches, and a quilt the groom’s mother made by hand. Yifat Oren & her gifted crew, led by Amy Cain, masterminded the design and production of the whole affair. Great job, Amy!
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Nina and Clare reused Julia’s veil as a wrap during cocktails and dinner. It was not only a very inventive instantly “upcycled” accessory, but offered Julia a second glorious look for the evening. Bride’s gown, Carolina Herrera. Groom’s three-piece suit (♥!), Tom Ford.
Above: a few images from Julia and Eli’s hora. I love getting guests out on the dance floor (and before sundown if possible). It’s one of the few chances we ever have in a wedding day for truly energetic and totally camera unaware photographs of everyone who came out to celebrate your tying-the-knot.
Because it was so sunny and because so much was going on in both the front yard and back yard all day, we couldn’t do any outdoor portraits. So Julia and Eli agreed to sneak away for a quick walk after their first dances. So worth it!
Julia felt differently about the sunshiny day. She was thrilled to wake at six that morning and see the sun was out. Those of you who live in Southern California will know “June Gloom,” and Julia & Eli’s wedding day was the first day after our (particularly long) June Gloom ended this year. I laughed when she told me this: when I awoke on my own wedding day, I, too, jumped out of bed to see what the light was like, but was practically gleeful to discover a bright overcast morning!
Julia’s advice? She says to take a couple days to do relaxing things before the wedding. On the day of the wedding, she had no stress for the first time in the planning process!
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The End.
p.s. I left lots of stuff out. I want to have photographs to illustrate my “real” posts!
photographs: Gia Canali
We’re so pleased Sonya and Kevin’s adorable engagement photo is featured in Brides local edition magazines this winter. Sonya and Kevin met on the 45 bus in San Francisco, which I think is so sweet and just-out-of-a-movie romantic. We featured photographs from their lovely black-and-white wedding a while back.
Take a walk. It is a way of taking {quiet time}, to be sure. And it always renders so nicely on film. Congratulations, Abram & Nicole!
These are the dog days (and nights!) of summer and I find myself wanting to paint everything in the hottest colors I can imagine. I want even my blues to be hot. Tammy and Mickey’s wedding has been on my mind lots these past days and mostly because of their hot, hot colors. The pairing of pinks, purples, oranges, yellows, and electric blues with their venues and the very sensuous mood of their wedding worked especially well for them. And although we use lots of these images elsewhere in our blog and site, I thought it would be good to get an idea of how everything worked together to create what was really a breathtaking event. As in any good color design, the color should work with the color scheme and season and general mood of your location, rather than against it. Throughout the images, you might notice bits of blue and turquoise. I think … little accents of cool color bring out the heat in all the other colors. I also got the distinct impression that their wedding became warmer and hotter as day became night.
Genius florals by Michael Mantalos, {Louloudi Design}.
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Tammy’s accessories included a barrette she made by hand at work (she’s a fashion designer!) …
Mickey getting ready, and showing off his Canali suit. Love it!
A few photographs from their sweet ceremony. When you wed at a church as ornate as this one, no adornment is necessary.
And here’s where it goes from warm to hot—the warmth of candles, the heat of red dahlias and yellow orchids, and the opulence of a gilded cake combine perfectly. Cake by Margaret Braun.
A belly dancer entertained the guests during dinner.
I am a fan of any excuse to get everybody very happily dancing. It is one of the best opportunities to photograph bride and groom with their wedding guests. After the first dances, Greek dancing began.
The evening ended with some of our favorite nighttime portraits. (Yep, I posted some of these earlier this week. That’s what put Tammy and Mickey’s wedding fresh in my mind).
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Revisiting their wedding these many months later, I am wondering how so few of these images made it through to our portfolio. Of course, I’m always a little discouraged by how little of our work we can really show—but that’s a major reason we started this blog. I think Tammy and Mickey’s wedding is a fantastic example of a wedding that was opulent without being extravagant. There were little handmade touches. We love that. Hope it inspires.
photos: Gia Canali
I love nighttime portraits. Love them. I love the carefree spirit nighttime portraits inspire, particularly on these long summer nights. Also, the images are usually sensual, moody, and show the teeniest bit of motion—three things I like in photographs taken at anytime. I decided to assemble some of my many favorites, a few of which are already on our main {website} and elsewhere on the blog, in the hopes that they’ll encourage you and your beloved to sneak away from your own reception—if only for a moment—in the hopes of something electric. What better way to end your wedding album?!
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More blue hour, than golden hour …
Sepia-tone or color work equally well.
Kiss, kiss, kiss …
The weather was actually freezing cold at this wedding, day and night. We did almost all the daytime formal portraits and their nighttime portraits under the ambient warmth of this twinkle-lit tree. Though the setting was the same, the images vary considerably because of the light.
It was as hard for Julia and Bob to want to leave the dance floor, as it was for anyone else, but I’m so happy they made time to. In fact, that’s always how I feel: that nighttime portraits might seem like kind of a hassle, but they are always incredibly worth it. There’s a certain release once you’ve come to the end of the scheduled events. You’re married. You’ve cut cake. You’ve danced your first dance. You’ve danced maybe twenty dances. And for the first time, it’s just you and your love. This happy realization reads quite well on camera. So be spontaneous! Be adventurous! And leave yourself open to the idea of a tiny escape.
photos: Gia Canali
{as always, click any image to enlarge}
Yesterday, I posted a little about moving around freely. But brides and grooms also spend time not moving on the wedding day—during the ceremony, for instance, or dinner; perhaps during cocktails, and certainly during formal group photos. Even when you aren’t aware of the camera, you can improve your camera presence dramatically. I suggest practicing well before the wedding …
I. Standing Pretty
If you’re standing, which you will be doing lots of on your wedding day, the best thing you can do—if you’re a woman, that is!—is to stand with uneven weight on your feet. It’ll give your body that yummy S-curve you might have learned about in art history class. All those classic goddess sculptures seem to show women like that, most notably Venus de Milo. Models shift their weight around to optimize curves naturally, but the rest of us can do it, too.
Keep your bouquet handy whenever it’s practical. Hold it low and near your middle, with your elbows slightly out from your body. Not only will you have something to do with your hands, but it’ll be slimming. {Click here} to read more about holding your bouquet in a flattering way.
If you are heavier than you’d like to be, turning one hip ever-so-slightly away from the camera will go a long way to keeping you slim. You don’t even need to turn your shoulders as much as your hips. And, as I said, you really don’t have to turn your hips much, either. Little changes go a long way.
If you are rail thin, face the camera square-on. It’ll give you the most presence and the most shape.
Men, stand naturally. You’ll look great just as you are. For most men, their posing/unposing challenges are more about figuring out what to do with the hands, and about keeping the chin down. Really! So keep your chin down. Keep your hands at your sides, or maybe, maybe in your pockets if it’s a very casual photo. Don’t ever stand holding your hands clasped in front of you.
II. Sitting Pretty
If you’re sitting, sit with perfect posture. I know the models get all slouchy in photos, but that actually doesn’t look good in real life or in photographs of real life. Sit up tall. It’s essential. The impact is dramatic. I find that sitting nearer the edge of the chair, rather than with my back against the back of the chair helps a lot. Women, cross your ankles or legs. It’s not a question of modesty, but more a question of avoiding the thighs flattening out on the chair …
Check back on Monday for tips on unposing your face.
photo credit: Gia Canali
{as always, click any image to enlarge}
I thought that here, in the thick of wedding season, is as good a time as any to begin a conversation on how to look naturally beautiful—or natural and beautiful—in front of the camera. I’d call it a posing guide, but I mean for it to be an unposing guide, as I hope to help you improve your camera presence, even when you’re camera unaware. And the best place to start is with how you move. This might seem strange because I make still photographs, and not moving ones … but how you look when you move will also be how you look on camera when you move. In fact, let’s back up. Your willingness to move around freely will greatly affect the mood and types of portraits and documentation your photographer will be able to get throughout the wedding. Otherwise all you’ll end up with are static shots. Most people, these days, anyway, want variety, and at least some pictures that reflect that sort of carefree exhilaration they share with their beloved. In order to get that, it helps if you can walk together, dance together, move together. You don’t even have to be adventurous (translation: no running, jumping, or rock climbing involved). Snuggling is totally acceptable.
The biggest enemy of carefree movement? Anxiety over the dress.
I realize I’m probably preaching to the choir, but let’s get some perspective. In the fashion industry there’s a thing (I think) called cost-per-wear. You spend so much on a garment of clothing, you wear it so many times, you divide it out per wear. Jeans are probably virtually free at the end of their life. A wedding gown is off the charts. It costs a lot. Wear it once. So, in order to get your money’s worth from the dress (and the day!), let’s say you need to a) enjoy yourself thoroughly, and b) end up with some lovely photographs to prove how beautiful and fun it all was. So wear the dress. Don’t be afraid to wear the dress. Walk in it, dance in it, move in it. Even if you get a bit of dirt on the train, or someone steps on it, or both of the aforementioned happen before the ceremony, it’s not going to show in the photographs. Really. No one (else) will even notice.
photos: {Gia Canali}
