dav.d wedding photography

Emily’s Bridals

dav.d — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 19:50:27 +0000

I had the opportunity to help out with a bridal session with my friend Brian Gordon. He was photographing a beautiful bride down in Provo, Utah and he asked if I would like to tag along and play the role of assistant and as a second shooter. It was a lot of fun and he gave me some opportunity to photograph Emily as well. Here are some of my favorite photographs.

Since there were two photographers we would take turn using a reflector and an off camera speedlite for the photos. We photographed next to the Provo Tabernacle (there is a small grassy park with some wonderful sunlight). We then finished our photo shoot at the Utah County Courthouse.

Emily's Bridals

Since we were in front of the courthouse and they have some long stone staircases we thought it would be fun to recreate the story of Cinderella losing her slipper. And since Emily’s shoe is golden it really helps create a fun photograph.

Emily's Bridals

MacKenzie's Bridals in Memory Grove, Utah

Sometimes you gotta be fun and quirky

Jennifer's Bridal Photography in Provo's Castle

Behind the Scenes of a Bridal Photo Shoot

MacKenzie’s Bridals in Memory Grove, Utah

dav.d — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 11:00:59 +0000

Sometimes it is just torture to sit on some photographs and keep them a secret. I have been waiting to share these bridal photographs of MacKenzie for about 2 months. She wanted to be traditional and keep the wedding dress a secret till the wedding day.

For her bridals we went to Memory Grove and we had some wonderful natural light to work with and I have to have some of my own softbox and lighting to help the light look perfect. I am writing this blog post before I head out to photograph MacKenzie & Stan’s wedding this afternoon. I am very excited! Woo hoo!

MacKenzie's Bridal Photography in Memory Grove, Utah

Calling any married brides who want some photography

Sometimes you gotta be fun and quirky

Testing slideshow software on bridal photography

Jennifer's Bridal Photography in Provo's Castle

MacKenzie & Stan’s Engagement Photos

dav.d — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 15:17:31 +0000

Engagement photographs are very important. Yes, they let you advertise to your friends, family, and co-workers that you are indeed getting married and that they better buy you something nice for a wedding gift. However, as a photographer it is important so I can get to know you before your special day.

Engagement photographs act as an ice breaker. They also help you relax in front of the camera and I can learn the dynamic between the fiancees.

I am excited to show off the photos from MacKenzie and Stan. We started off in the International Peace Garden and then hurried over to the Saltair area near the Great Salt Lake. I hope you folks enjoy the photos! I can’t wait till August when they get married.

MacKenzie & Stan Engagement Photography

Tom & Kristi's Engagement Photographs

Jaala & Harrison Celebrate 5 Years

Mindy & Matt's Engagement Photography

Whisper Something!

A Self Portrait on the Utah Salt Flats

dav.d — Tue, 27 Apr 2010 20:59:46 +0000

Spring is taking for ever to bloom this year! We have had so much rain, snow and clouds it seems impossible that the weather will every dry out and warm up. On Sunday I was photographing a friend out at the Utah Salt Flats and he wanted to try his hand with a camera so he took a few shots with my camera and lighting.

The Utah Salt Flats are awesome – and this Sunday most of them were covered by water. So I need to find out when they dry out and are perfect for photography. I love this location and there is no extra cost to photograph there for bridals or engagements. We can always stop at Wendover for a quick buffet. Wendover is only 9 miles away from the Salt Flats.

dav.d on the Utah Salt Flats

And the Utah Salt Flats are perfect for me to bring my studio lighting and create some very dramatic photos with some cool lighting setups – and quite often there will be some kind of clouds in the sky to create these amazing backdrops.

I am hoping that the Salt Flats start to dry out in the next few weeks – cause right now most of them are like a giant lake or a puddle.

Salt Lake City through a Holga Film Camera

Looking back at the decade of digital photography

Other Photographers - Yay for Name Dropping!

My photography books are up for grabs!

Visiting Ogden on a Photowalk

dav.d — Mon, 29 Mar 2010 20:46:17 +0000

I was in Ogden on Saturday to meet up with about 70+ photographers. We met up at the historic Union Station which is now a museum for trains, trains and more trains. If you are even a beginner photographer check out the Photowalking Utah website.

And I was the person charged with taking the group photograph. And so I created an HDR image here! I think that is a first for Photowalking Utah.

About 70 photographers attended an Ogden, Utah Photowalk

Photowalks are a chance to meet other photographers and talk technique, equipment, and even make new friends. It is also a great chance to scout locations to photograph. And downtown Ogden is really a remarkable location. And the train museum as well. I can see using the location for some engagement photographs and maybe even some bridals. Who wouldn’t think a bride on top of a train would be a cool image. That would rock!

Union Station

And while I was photographing someone photographed me! So here is a picture of me in action.

dav.d

Judge Brown let's a "professional photographer" have it!

This camera lens is a wedding workhorse

Does Camera Equipment Matter?

WARNING - I AM OFF TOPIC! Baby Elephant and Mommy at Hogle Zoo

Lisa and Noah’s Wedding Day in Newport Beach California

dav.d — Sun, 21 Mar 2010 15:00:24 +0000

I had been looking forward to this wedding for about 9 months! So far they have the record for scheduling their wedding – in Utah people will often plan and schedule their wedding with about 2 months of warning. Outside of Utah is another story. And wedding in Spring in California is just perfect. Clear blue skies, the beach near by and a truly fun couple in love.

Lisa found me and my photography through Facebook of all places – and she is a student out in Chicago. Her boy toy, Noah, was living out in California so we were all over the country on this wedding. We photographed their engagements the day before the wedding.

I hope to get out to California more often – it puts Utah to shame

Lisa and Noah's wedding at the Newport Beach Temple

For most of the portraits I am using my portable softbox with a speedlight to create these photographs. That really helps the photographs look perfect right out of the camera – and little retouching is needed. In fact I can then get the photographs edited and posted on SmugMug for viewing and purchases faster. I also had rented a Canon 5D Mark II while mine is in the shop for repairs. I did use my Nikon cameras a little bit – but I can create some serious magic with that Canon 50mm f/1.2 lens.

Lisa and Noah's wedding at the Newport Beach Temple

We only had about an hour to photograph portraits before heading over to the reception at the Balboa Inn on Newport Beach. So we made good use of our time and we wanted to get a few photographs on the pier as well. I would recommend a much time as possible for the photographs – an hour is minimum! We can create some amazing photographs we a few hours if possible. And if we can avoid photographs at high noon – even better. So if you are getting married let’s talk and find out when the best time of day would be to take your wedding portraits.

Lisa and Noah's wedding reception at the Balboa Inn

Lisa and Noah's wedding at the Newport Beach Temple

Lisa and Noah's Wedding Portraits at the Newport Beach

Abstract wedding photograph

Lisa and Noah's wedding at the Newport Beach Temple

Strike a pose

Candid moments for photography

Heading to the wedding reception at Balboa Inn

And now for some photographs of the wedding reception and some of the wedding details. The cake cutting even had chanting – they really wanted a cake smash and they were not disappointed. Both the bride and the groom were able to score some frosting to the face. And then they had some creative clean up.

Wedding cake

Cutting the cake

Smashing the cake

Cleaning up the cake smash

Cheesecake

And to round out the night was dancing, dancing, dancing! A perfect activity for any wedding reception and much better than the Utah tradition of standing in a line to shake hands for 2 hours. (In my humble opinion)

Dancing the electric slide

break it down

Wedding bouquet

Seastars indicate the assigned tables

And here are a few photographs from earlier in the day as the couple prepared for the day. Always photograph the dress before hand and any details you can. This is fly on the wall photography and ninja photography – stay out of the way and capture some moments of photojournalism.

The wedding dress

Bride's luggage

Earlier that day - the groom gets ready

Earlier that day - the bride gets ready

Who Says Grooms Can't Carry Wedding Bouquets?

An Open Letter to the Groom

Groom & the Groomsmen

The Importance of Flower Girls at a Wedding

Newport Beach LDS Temple in HDR

dav.d — Sat, 20 Mar 2010 18:41:50 +0000

One project that I will be working on will be to photograph the wedding locations of temples, churches, and such. So the day before I grabbed my cameras, tripod, and cable release to take some photographs of the Newport Beach Temple. The temple is a sacred building for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.

And the temple is a beautiful building with great landscaping – so here are a few of the photographs. I wasn’t able to photograph during sunset because I was photographing the engagements at that time. But with HDR I am able to photograph the temple with the sun in the composition – you can’t do that without HDR.

Newport Beach LDS Temple in HDR

And of course you really really really need a tripod and cable release.

Newport Beach LDS Temple in HDR

A Self Portrait on the Utah Salt Flats

Salt Lake City through a Holga Film Camera

Photography is all about light...

A poll for the new website!

Lisa and Noah’s Newport Beach Engagements

dav.d — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 18:05:57 +0000

Typically you want to photograph your engagements several months before the wedding – and sometimes if we are in different states that might not be an option. Fortunately we can photograph engagements the day before the actual wedding. With Lisa who lives in Chicago, and I am living in Salt Lake City, and the wedding was going to be in Newport Beach, California.

So I showed up a day early and we hit the beach as the sun hit golden light and the sun was setting. We photographed on a getty, on the beach, and one of the piers. Just beautiful light and beautiful setting – and the cutest couple. Hopefully I will have more opportunities to head to California in the future.

Lisa and Noah on Newport Beach at sunset

Tom & Kristi's Engagement Photographs

Jaala & Harrison Celebrate 5 Years

Karina & Mike Engagements

Whisper Something!

Wedding Rings on the sands of Newport Beach

dav.d — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 18:05:14 +0000

While everyone is eating I grabbed my macro lens and my flash and took photos of last Saturday’s wedding in Newport Beach. I captured some really cool photos of the rings and I figured I might as well write a blog post about just the wedding rings. Yes I will be blogging photos from the wedding and their engagements but I will start with the wedding rings.

And the color of the wedding was purple and sand provided a complimentary color and some fun props for the wedding rings.

Wedding rings

Wedding Rings

Non Traditional Wedding Cakes

Wedding Rings on the Invitation

Wedding Cake Wednesday

A Wedding Bouquet

New Camera Lens! It’s Like Christmas

dav.d — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 23:40:45 +0000

I have a brand new lens! I love shooting with prime lenses. Prime lenses require me to zoom with my feet a.k.a running back and forth. Their advantage is that they can have wide open apertures and can create some ethereal type photographs where I can control the focus and the blur and get all sorts of artsy.

This lens is a stepping stone to buying a Canon 85 f/1.2 lens. The price difference is huge and I only buy lenses or equipment when I have the cash to pay for it.

Canon 85mm f/1.8 Lens

Photographing the other photographers

Looking back at the decade of digital photography

Other Photographers - Yay for Name Dropping!

New Photographs of dav.d