Today’s post is a gorgeous wedding my brother Adrian and I had the privilege of photographing in May 2014! We traveled to Rock Hill, SC for our first “destination” wedding together! Destination in quotes because it’s not out of the country, just somewhere other than DC, MD, or VA lol.
I was so honored that DeAndre & Bianca entrusted us with capturing their wedding as they have been long time friends. The big day arrived and of COURSE the morning of, it would be raining :/ We came up with backup plans for pictures, but magically- about 45 minutes prior to the ceremony- the skies cleared and they were able to continue with their beautiful outdoor ceremony and portraits! Everyone was so thankful!
So sit back and enjoy DeAndre & Bianca’s beautiful wedding day!
Check out the full wedding recap here via their slideshow! Set to their first dance song “Always and Forever” by Heatwave.
If the video embed doesn’t work, you can view the slideshow HERE.
Interested in DFinney Photography for your upcoming 2016 wedding?Complete our wedding questionnaire and I’ll send the wedding information booklet right over to you! We shoot a very limited number of weddings per year, so contact us today!
Happy Wedding Week loves and welcome to a brand new month- NOVEMBER! Second to last month of the year! Can you believe how fast 2015 has flown?
So fast that I never blogged A LOT of my 2014 weddings lol. Enter: Wedding Week 2015 :) This time it’s awesomely fitting because it’s engagement season, so what better time to catch up on all of my wedding, engagement, and anniversary recaps!
Because I like all things even, I decided to do a full wedding week this time instead of just Monday through Friday! Mostly because Sunday begins a new month so it just made sense lol.
What do you have to look forward to this week? Recaps from three beautiful 2014 weddings I never shared!
The gorgeous one year anniversary session from familiar faces you’ve seen on the blog a couple times :)
Engagement and wedding photos from my good friends’ wedding earlier this year!
And a super glam styled shoot!
So stick around and stay close- brand new wedding goodness coming your way all week!
Happy Friday beautiful people! Just popping in with a quick update on a few things!
The last dates for group mentoring this year will be in DC and the dates are as follows: December 4 (101) & December 5 (102).
Do you feel like your work has been stagnant? If so, please don’t miss the last opportunity before the year ends to better your craft AND your business :)
If you’re interested in attending, shoot me an email- danielle@dfinneyphoto.co to get your seat secured!
And because I didn’t forget about you lovely folks outside of DC, I am working on the 2016 travel calendar and will be sharing it mid November. Cities on the list so far include DC, LA/SF, Atlanta, Chicago, Houston, Brooklyn, and Orlando.
Don’t see your city (or a city near yours)? Leave a comment with your email address & city below! If there’s enough interest, it can be added 💙 If your city IS above, and you’re interested in attending, leave your email address & city below as well and I’ll be sure to email you personally once the calendar is finalized!
2015 has been an amazing year and I look forward to an even more awesome year in 2016! ✨
Also: something special this way comes! Next week is Wedding Week here on the blog! I have mucho wedding recaps I’ve yet to share so let’s make a week of it! It’s engagement season so what better way than to celebrate with lots of engagement, wedding, and anniversary photo goodness :) It’s been a while since I last did wedding week on the blog, but this time instead of M-F, it’ll be a full week! So tune in on Sunday for the kickoff ☺️
Guess who’s back with another Truthy Tuesday! Two weeks in a row? I know! I can hardly believe it myself lol.
Last week I took a look back at how my style progressed over the years and it put today’s topic in mind so I had to do a second post.
Great pictures don’t just happen. They require teamwork! This post is not to discourage anyone with moving forward in booking a photo session, but primarily to inform so that you’re well aware of everything required to make a photo session a success!
A few things are required in order to make each photo session a successful one. Not to make it sound like clients have a weighty responsibility, but clients do have a responsibility, it’s not just showing up to have your picture taken lol. All I need from you as a client is to know: 1) what what the goal is for your photo session and 2) what you’re wearing. That’s it! Those two very simple but very critical items. Without them I can’t guarantee the same level of amazingness that you see on my site.
April 2011. An engagement photo that I thought was pretty cool. Very urban lol.
August 2014. Modified version of an urban engagement photo. It has a much bigger visual impact because I was aware of the attire and chose the location to compliment.
As you see, this wasn’t something that I always did, and although the photos turned out well, there is definitely something to be said for the final product of my images now. Teamwork makes the dream work :)
This is something that I’ve noticed a lot of newer photographers don’t do and something that I highly suggest to those that I teach. Implementing this very simple change (of knowing what your client plans to wear) makes such a huge difference. That way you’re able to head off any possible issues before they become one (possible outfit choices that may not photograph well, choosing a location that doesn’t compliment what the client plans to wear, etc) and you are able to more effectively create a cohesive look for the final images!
March 2010. I’m not really sure what I was going for here, but in retrospect, it didn’t work lol
June 2014. A complimenting background done correctly :)
I’m very much a planner and that’s why the photos you see turn out so well because I’m aware of who is going to be in the photos, what they’re going to be wearing, and with that I select the appropriate location. That way everything compliments and makes sense. But the only way I can do that is if I know what you’re wearing!
Worried about what colors look best? What to wear? You don’t have to go it alone. I am always available to assist!
October 2009. I set their session location without knowing what they planned to wear. Had I known, I could have made a suggestion for the dad’s attire to compliment mom’s a little better and selected a more complimentary location.
April 2014. I knew exactly what they were going to be wearing and selected the perfect location to compliment.
Now that you’ve got your outfit down, and I’ve selected the location. What’s next? How do you prepare for the session itself? Here’s a quick checklist of what you should do prior to your photo shoot:
Not necessarily polished if that’s out of the norm for you, but definitely neat & clean.
* Are your clothes well fitting? Ironed? Lint free?
Very important but often overlooked.
* Is your outfit accessorized properly?
Accessories help add personality and dimension to your photos.
* Is your skin moisturized?
Ashiness can be corrected in photoshop, but the easiest remedy is simply lotion lol.
Now this checklist may seem like common sense, but you’d be surprised at how many things are regularly overlooked! An easy way to think about it- prepare for your photo session as if you are getting ready for a fancy event. You want to look your best, right? Apply that same principle to taking professional photos. You’re making an investment so when you invest in yourself as well, it validates the entire process :)
October 2010. I wasn’t sure of many things prior to shooting so I wasn’t able to plan effectively regarding the location or offer suggestions where necessary.
September 2013. Aware of what she planned to wear, I selected the perfect location for her and was able to make any necessary suggestions ahead of time!
Hopefully this post was helpful! Both to my current and future clients as well as fellow photographers! I know this is not how everyone operates, nor am I saying it’s how everyone should operate, but it is my process and it works well for me!
Happy Monday! And a COLD one it is! Apparently winter wanted in on the fun this weekend because it has definitely been very freezy these past few days :/
This cool weather season we are in (and the cold weather season to come) has put fashion on my mind :) I don’t love cold weather by any means, but I do appreciate all of the fun possibilities that dressing for cold weather affords you- especially when it relates to pictures!
I am always asked for suggestions on what to wear- even more so during the Fall & Winter months because folks may want to take pictures but simply don’t know how to dress appropriately for the elements and still be fashionable. That’s where this post comes in :)
Not only is it important to be fashionable, but in the cooler months, it is SO important to dress for the elements. So this means unfortunately your spring & summer outfits are no longer an option. I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve arrived to photograph someone and their outfit looks great but they are FREEZING! Well I probably can because that doesn’t happen often, but I don’t want it to happen at all! Your average person isn’t a model so they haven’t yet mastered the art of not looking cold in photos lol. It is VERY difficult to smile and look pleasant when all you’re thinking about is how you can’t feel your toes. So my hope is that we can prevent this from happening in the future.
This post has been modified from a Fall & Winter fashion guide I created for my clients a few years back. I decided it was time to update it and that instead of having it be an exclusive document, now everyone can benefit!
This guide was created to remove the fear associated with taking photos in cold weather and give you a few helpful tips and suggestions!
You don’t have to forgo looking good to keep warm. There are many ways to dress so you can stay warm and still be quite fashionable for photos. Here are a few helpful tips:
TIP #1: Dress in Layers
Use a few thin warm layers rather than one thick layer. It will insulate better and allow for flexibility if you wish to take photos without a coat.
Wear a base layer Your “base layer” can be tights or long underwear … whatever will provide a warm, light base to your outfit. Don’t forget about your legs! At minimum, have a base layer like long underwear and an outer layer, like a pair of jeans.
Visible layers Visible layers help add depth & interest to your outfit. For example- you can layer a plain tee under a printed button-up shirt with a sweater or vest on top.
TIP #2: Wear a Stylish Coat, Blazer, or Vest
Your outerwear is the most important part of your cold weather wardrobe. Make sure it’s camera ready by selecting fashionable AND warm outerwear. Don’t be afraid of color and patterns either! This helps add visual interest and personality to your photos.
TIP #3: Cold Weather Accessories
Accessorizing isn’t just for regular outfits - you can (and should) accessorize your outerwear as well! Complimenting scarves, fashionable hats, colorful gloves… these are your best friends during the colder months. Even better, they’re generally inexpensive so there’s no reason not to buy a bunch of them :)
TIP #4: Boots!
Boots are so versatile- you can keep warm while looking great too! While boots are not a must, they definitely help pull together your fall & winter looks.
TIP #5: Switch it up!
If possible, bring along a couple different coats or jackets, scarves, hats, etc that way you can switch up your look without having to do a full outfit change (unless of course you want to).
TIP #6: Have fun!
Fall & winter photo sessions can be a blast! Use these tips and the outfit suggestions to follow to put together your perfect look!
Here are a few sample looks from a few of my Fall & Winter sessions over the past few years. The key to almost all of these looks is visible layering! Also take note of how couples and families can coordinate their looks without being too matchy matchy.
When preparing for each session, I always ask my clients for photos of what they plan to wear for 3 reasons- to begin getting ideas in place for their session, select the appropriate location, and make wardrobe suggestions where necessary. That way we can ensure amazing results like this every time! Speaking of which… that ties in beautifully with what tomorrow’s post will be. Stay tuned for a brand new Truthy Tuesday tomorrow :)
Hopefully you found this post helpful! Let me know what you thought and please share if you know of anyone that can benefit from it!
Check out the full wedding recap here via their slideshow! Set to their first dance song “Always and Forever” by Heatwave.
If the video embed doesn’t work, you can view the slideshow HERE.
