Joey Allen, Photographer

Moving...my portfolio

2012-01-19T18:01:00.000-08:00

Up until the first few weeks of January 2012, I have been constantly working on photo retouching in between weddings. My blog wasn't updated, my website fell behind. This month is quiet for me, so it gives me time to update my site and make some layout changes.Because of some improved functionality in this blog, I have duplicated all of my blogged portfolio here. My website will continue to undergo changes as I have time and am able to improve the features and functionality.

Dalida & Oleg - Post-Wedding

2011-12-29T17:27:00.000-08:00

An excellent shoot to finish off the year. They were very patient and easy to work with. They had great facial expressions and body language, and they worked together well as my "wedding models." Dalida also had a naturally elegant figure, which made my job easier. It was great to meet you guys!

Theresa & Luke - Wedding

2011-11-08T17:26:00.000-08:00

Theresa looked wonderful on her wedding day, and she had a very practical side...she brought a pair of comfortable, compact flats (besides the fancy heels for the ceremony/reception) that worked perfectly for sprinting to the ceremony meeting site! A backup pair of comfy shoes are a must for any Vegas wedding, since there can be lots of walking to get to all of the different interesting spots for photos. Luke had the only room in the Luxor with washing pads on the outside of the window (removed in editing) - I have never seen this before. He was one of the most relaxed grooms I have ever met. Thanks to good shoes, the day's timing went great, and all was well. Thank you for having me as your photographer!

Jenna & Liam - Wedding

2011-10-12T17:25:00.000-07:00

I received a very warm welcome from everyone in this family, and it was a great pleasure to work with such a great couple. Many of them came to Las Vegas from the UK and some from other countries, so it was a great family gathering. Thanks and congrats to you both!

Sarah & Michael - Wedding

2011-09-12T17:25:00.000-07:00

I had the great honor of being Sarah and Michael's wedding photographer. Sarah's mother told me that Sarah had a vibrant sense of humor and kept her family laughing. Michael was described as the "most grown-up" of all of his long-time friends, who had nicknames like caveman and jar-jar. It was a very fun group, definitely not your traditional wedding.

Susan & Christopher - Wedding

2011-08-20T17:24:00.000-07:00

There was so much good spirit in this wedding. I enjoyed the warm feeling shown by everyone, and there was a lot of youthful energy during the reception. Thank you, and best wishes!

Sherisse & Amir - Wedding

2011-08-06T17:23:00.000-07:00

Sherisse & Amir's wedding took place in a luxury home in Las Vegas. Lots of good humor pervaded family and friends on that day. Thank you for having me as your wedding photographer!

Sharon & Joey - Wedding

2011-07-16T17:23:00.000-07:00

I learned that Joey could make Sharon laugh at will during their engagement shoot in May, so it was easy to get a great smile from her. Their wedding venue was Paiute Golf Resort in the northwest edge of Las Vegas. Such a relaxed couple, great to work with you both again!

Hayley & Jason - Wedding

2011-06-30T17:22:00.000-07:00

A very sweet couple, I was glad to be a part of their wedding day. Hayley & Jason had their ceremony at Mandalay Bay and their reception inside the Vista Suite. Great to work with you, and congratulations!

Erin & James - Wedding in Seattle, WA

2011-05-27T17:21:00.000-07:00

Erin is a fellow student at CSN, and when she asked me to be her wedding photographer I was excited for the opportunity. They flew me out to Seattle for the wedding, and the venue for the ceremony and reception was the elegant Edgewater Hotel. The view was excellent, right on the edge of the water!

Sharon & Joey - Engagement

2011-05-01T17:20:00.000-07:00

Sharon has a sweet smile and Joey is very good at making her laugh and smile. We started at Mandalay and went to Fremont Street for their shoot. Thank you for having fun with me guys, I look forward to shooting your wedding!

Elissa & Matthew - Wedding

2011-01-08T17:19:00.000-08:00

First wedding of the new year. Elissa loves photos, Matthew is extremely patient and has a great calming manner. You make a great pair! The entire wedding was at the Emerald at Queensridge in Las Vegas. Thank you for having me, your wedding was exciting and fun to shoot :) Special thanks to Jacob Bongiovanni of http://delightedphoto.com for second shooting with me.

Adrie & Josh - Wedding

2010-11-14T17:18:00.000-08:00

Adrie looked stunning, and they had a great reception at Texas de Brazil, a type of fusion restaurant with meat carved off a skewer by waiters coming to your table. Great food, thank you for having me! It was great to meet both of you.

April & Jeff - Wedding

2010-11-07T17:17:00.000-08:00

One of the happiest brides, and Jeff made her laugh so easily. It was almost hard not to capture her laughing or smiling. Thank you for having me capture your wedding!

Charm & Scott - Wedding

2010-10-23T17:16:00.000-07:00

Beautiful wedding and bride. A lot of effort and personal style went into their wedding day. They even made personalized containers of vanilla or pomegranate infused vodka for favors (I picked pomegranate). Most of the wedding was shot around Mandalay Bay, with ceremony at Guardian Angel cathedral. Father Larry is very relaxed and has only yelled at me once (not this time!) Thank you both for having me shoot your wedding :)

Monica & Adam - Wedding

2010-10-09T17:16:00.000-07:00

Wedding at Siena Golf Club in Las Vegas. This was a great wedding, and everything went smoothly. The bride's dress was very elegant and the groom was very relaxed and easy going. Thank you for having me!

Noelle & Mike - Wedding

2010-10-08T17:15:00.000-07:00

Beautiful bride, regal-looking groom, very enjoyable wedding and reception. Elvis impersonator Travis Allen livened up the reception as a surprise for the guests. Ceremony at Caesar's Palace, and then a long walk to the other side of the resort for the reception! Thank you for having me as your photographer, and best wishes :)

Kristina & Dan - Wedding

2010-09-25T17:14:00.000-07:00

Dan is a fellow Canon photographer from a photography forum, and it was an honor to be chosen as their photographer. Ceremony at The Grove of Las Vegas, reception in a huge back yard with more space than some reception halls. Great humor and fun in their family :)

Gara & Nathan - Wedding

2010-09-05T17:13:00.000-07:00

You guys have great style and chemistry, and yes Gara looked good no matter what :) Elvis impersonator Travis Allen attended their reception, and everyone enjoyed his performance. Thank you for having me! Lots of fun all around on this wedding day.

Megan & Nate - Wedding

2010-08-15T17:12:00.000-07:00

This was by far the most colorful reception I have ever seen. I would gladly post a few additional photos of the reception, but I could get in trouble! In any case, a great and well-matched couple who were very comfortable with each other. Thank you for having me shoot your wedding :)

Sherea & Nick - Wedding

2010-08-04T17:10:00.000-07:00

I learned a bit about food from Sherea. She knows how certain dishes are supposed to taste traditionally because of where she grew up, and she could tell me how authentic the flavor was of certain food at the reception. They are a very relaxed and easy going couple. Sherea emailed me shortly after receiving some sample photos telling me that the photos reminded Nick about how happy he was on that day. I enjoy feedback like that, so keep it coming :)

Special thanks to Jamie Yacksyzn of Jamie Y Photography for helping shoot this wedding.

Xochitl & Mathuri - Wedding in Sacramento, CA

2010-07-31T09:00:00.000-07:00

Thank you for flying me out, it was great to capture your wedding and work in a new environment! I am grateful to your sister Itzia for referring me :) I suppose I really am the family wedding photographer now. Great styling and makeup, elegant dress, and a nice blend of multiple traditions for your wedding.

Genevra & Wesley - Wedding in Corona, CA

2010-07-17T14:19:00.000-07:00

My first destination wedding ever, and I can tell I really enjoy this kind of work! It's great to see new places and have the opportunity to shoot around other environments. Wesley & Genevra, thank you for the wonderful opportunity to be such an important part of your wedding!

Kristen & Bruce - Wedding

2010-07-15T14:19:00.000-07:00

You two looked great together, and Kristen has great taste in dresses :) Thank you very much for having me, and best wishes to you both!

Jo & Parker - Wedding

2010-07-10T14:18:00.000-07:00

Jo looked lovely on her wedding day, and she did a great job of toughing it through her foot injury only a few weeks before. You guys both look so happy, and I wish you the best! Thank you for having me as your wedding photographer!

Cindy & Andrew - Wedding

2010-07-04T14:17:00.000-07:00

My first Independence Day wedding: Everything went smoothly, and I enjoyed working with both of you :) You look great together, and I hope you have a wonderful life!

Bea & Bryan - Day-After-Wedding Shoot

2010-06-20T14:17:00.000-07:00

Wow, I would love to have shot your wedding too: You guys looked terrific, and Bea is definitely a natural in front of the camera. It was wonderful to meet and work with both of you!

Etosha & Alfay - Wedding

2010-06-19T14:16:00.000-07:00

I had a great time photographing this couple: I could tell they had very joyful spirits, and Alfay had a very kind and gentle heart. Thank you both for having me!

Fayla & David - Wedding

2010-06-10T14:13:00.000-07:00

It was an honor to be an important part of your wedding day, and you two look wonderful together! I actually got a compliment on Fayla's dress just yesterday from an interested client, and I agreed that it looked great on Fayla (and she looked even better with it on). May both your lives be filled with joy and happiness :)

Meghan & Wes - Wedding

2010-06-05T10:56:00.000-07:00

It was a lovely day, and Red Rock Country Club was an excellent venue for it. Fun, lively, exciting, and a beautiful couple! Thank you guys for having me capture your wedding!

Joanne & Lawrence - Engagement

2010-05-30T09:20:00.000-07:00

Wonderful to meet both of you :) We split the session into day and night shoots for some extra variety, and we walked all around the Strip on Memorial Day weekend. We planned for it to be quieter during the late evening (12-2am), but because of the holiday it was even busier than most normal weekends. Just the same, it was lots of fun and I had a great time with you two!

Angela & Rob - Wedding

2010-05-26T08:44:00.000-07:00

This was a lovely, intimate ceremony in a very elegant resort away from the busy life of the Strip, at Loews of Lake Las Vegas. After spending some time there, we took a walk around the nearby Montelago village shops. Everything was closed or about to close, but the lights were still on. It was lovely to meet you both, hope you enjoy everything :)

All photos back online!

2010-05-19T17:13:00.001-07:00

My blog is functioning again, after more than a week of issues since my last server went down. Thank you for your patience!

Anna & Tom - Wedding

2010-05-15T08:17:00.000-07:00

I had lots of fun throughout the day with you guys: It was great to meet you and thank you for allowing me to be an important part of your wedding day! Their wedding ceremony was at St. Joseph Husband of Mary Church, and the reception was at View 215, one of the newer venues in Las Vegas. The church was very photography-friendly (one of the brighter churches) and the reception venue was lovely, especially the fact that it was several stories up and we could get some great shots from overhead.

May 7, 2010 - Temporary downtime

2010-05-08T11:39:00.001-07:00

I am having some difficulties with my image hosting server, so most of my images are not currently loading. This should be resolved by May 17. I apologize for the inconvenience.

Joey Allen

Chris & Eva - Wedding

2010-03-24T10:47:00.000-07:00

Great to meet both of you, I liked the novelty of your thumbs up! Time flies when you're doing strip tours: If you come out to Vegas for an anniversary shoot, we can spend more time taking in the sights.

I'm adding some extras besides the favorites I sent for your preview: You should be getting your complete sets anytime. Congratulations, and thank you again for the chance to be your photographer!

January 17, 2010 - Things have changed in a year's time

2010-01-17T21:09:00.001-08:00

Can you believe, it's already 2010? Amazing how time flies. So what about me has changed?

I have separated most of my wedding photography from my old website and moved it to this format. The main advantage I have attempted to provide is convenient viewing of large photos without clicking through to see each one.

On the equipment side, I have moved from a 40D as my main camera to a full-frame 5D, which has resulted in a noticeable difference (and, I think, an improvement) in the style of my photos. My lens lineup has changed and I now use fast prime lenses most of the time; plus, I finally got a fisheye of my own and am eager to use it during my next wedding! They're really fun lenses.

I remain genuinely fascinated by many aspects of composition and lighting, and am always finding new ways to incorporate them into wedding photography. At present, my desire is to add more fashion/glamour into my style. I am very happy with the direction things are taking, and I am still enjoying my work - something I am grateful for. It's been an honor and a joy to capture so many wonderful weddings this past year, and my hope is that 2010 will be as excellent as 2009 was.

Wishing everyone a happy and prosperous 2010!
Joey

Itzia & Matthew - Wedding Preview

2009-12-30T21:25:00.001-08:00

I wanted to get this preview done and posted before I went out of town for New Year's. It was a lovely shoot, and I think the Caesar's Palace chapel was one of the nicest (and best lit) I've seen. Just outside the chapel, there's a magnificent stairway that was great for all kinds of photo opportunities. As always, Maggiano's at the Fashion Show Mall provided both excellent food and great service for the reception. Following that, a strip tour from the bottom all the way up to Fremont street! It was great to spend the day with you, Itzia & Matt; have a happy New Year!

Maricel & Andrew - Wedding Preview

2009-11-21T16:54:00.000-08:00

Great wedding! Lots of fun from beginning to end. I love my work :) The staff at the church were also very helpful. Congratulations to both of you, and best wishes!

Yes, that's the groom:

2nd Shooter again with Sergio Mottola from Tacoma, WA - October 17, 2009

2009-11-09T17:32:00.001-08:00

I did another 2nd-shooting gig with a great and well-known wedding photographer from Tacoma, Sergio Mottola. The bride looked wonderful and the groom had an excellent sense of humor that was well suited for great candid photos.

Maricel & Andrew - Engagement

2009-11-03T17:47:00.000-08:00

What can I say except that it was lots of fun and they had great chemistry! I am looking forward to shooting their wedding on November 21!

Janice & Sander - Offbeat Wedding

2009-10-03T12:02:00.000-07:00

Janice and Sander were great and very easy going. They got the full Las Vegas experience with Elvis included. I loved her retro-style dress, and the whole wedding from start to finish was lots of fun.

Late post: Natalie & Aaron, May 17, 2009

2009-09-29T18:04:00.000-07:00

I told Natalie that I would put her photos on my blog at some point, and now that I have the chance, I'm keeping my word. This was a very fun shoot with a beautiful bride and a unique wedding dress. Really loved the detail and color (I like deep reds anyway), and it went well with her hairstyle and makeup.

Bride-Brother dance, very fun wedding :)

Bride-swings-child dance.

We went to The Hotel at Mandalay Bay for some post-reception fun.

One of my favorite shots of all time:

And one last kiss before the night was over:

Again, thank you both for allowing me to be such an important part of your wedding day!

Thank you to Olga Wilson of Dott Photography!

2009-08-08T11:58:00.000-07:00

I was very grateful for the opportunity to work alongside Olga Wilson of Dott Photography during a wedding on August 8, 2009. She's a great photographer, and very creative with posing and composition (I wish I had all her equipment too). You can view her photos (and a few of my shots) from Anthony & Stephanie Ong's wedding on her blog.

I hope to work with her again someday.

First August '09 shoot

2009-08-03T11:35:00.001-07:00

Had a great time shooting a post-wedding session on August 1 with Kami and Rich! I have been sorting through the photos and came across a few I liked in particular, so I retouched them first. More to come in the future!

Sheena & Kevin - Wedding

2009-06-16T19:56:00.000-07:00

Beautiful couple, and the bride's dad had great personality :) The ceremony and reception were held at a park in Boulder City, overlooking Lake Mead. It was a very nice spot.

Big horn sheep occupy the park often; good thing they aren't aggressive.

Very big first kiss

The yellow bench was my prop-of-the-day:

Again, lovely couple, lovely wedding. Best wishes to the bride & groom!

FAQ for brides

2009-06-08T20:10:00.000-07:00

Weddings are hectic and there's almost never enough time to do everything! Just the same, I do have general suggestions for brides:

1. Plan early, expect delays, especially between ceremony and reception.

2. Pick out an elegant dress with beautiful detail, and (my personal preference) wear a veil: Don't be thrifty on these items, because they have a strong influence on the effects of every photo your photographer takes of you. This doesn't mean you have to get overly gaudy or fancy dresses with huge trains; elegant can be simple, sleek, short.

3. Try to spice up your reception's environmental color scheme. Avoid too many yellows as a general rule, but you can use other strong colors like red. Whenever possible, use contrasting colors and avoid mixing white with more white.

4. Expect delays.

5. Enjoy the time with your photographer. Many times a bride or groom is stiff and uncomfortable at first, and in fact the photographer generally has to try to get them to open up before the best photos can be taken. It's a time for happiness, love and joy, and I always try to bring those emotions through in my shots.

6. Love each other genuinely, and it will show in the photos I give you.

7. Choose a wedding or reception site with good scenery whenever possible. Beautiful locations may have mature landscaping, man-made artifices, anything interesting. White walls are excellent for photographers to bounce flash, but if the decorations are also white then the general color scheme may seem more plain or drab. Mix the colors up.

8. If your photographer can't move from his position inside the chapel and there is no flash allowed, please do not expect miracles.

9. Expect delays, especially between ceremony and reception.

10. Plan at least 2-3 minutes per formal photo you would like to have taken. Depending on how quickly people can be rounded up and put into position, it can easily take that long to get everything ready and take the photo.

11. I love spontaneity and humor; they come across well in photos and give an extra dimension of personality and life. I may exploit a personality quirk if you expose it to me (call yourself a robot and I may just ask you to do "The Robot." Scott would know about this.)

12. I can't pose you perfectly; you have to insert your personality and your feelings in the picture. Think about the person you are marrying, how they make you feel, what they do that makes you smile, how much you miss them when they're absent, how comforting their presence is. I'll try to put those feelings in your photos.

That's all I have for now: Please email me if you have any questions, and I'll be glad to answer them for you if I can.

Claire & Michael - Engagement

2009-03-25T22:12:00.000-07:00

The couple was wonderful to work with. I really had so little to do with how these shots came out; it was 95% their excellent chemistry and the other 5% was me trying to catch it. I would suggest or give direction, and they would add their own personal touches. There were almost no bad shots to be had with them, and if I only got the right angle then it would be a great image. This was one of my most favorite shoots to date. We spent half the time at Caesar's Palace and the other half at the Venetian. He changed shirts between shoots, and I found out at the end of the session that they were going to have their wedding right afterward.

Completely experimental, just trying to see what I could do with the available overhead light.

More of the same experimenting with available overhead light and a wall.

Another shot using that overhead light and wall.

My first red wall! Finally found one in Vegas.

Kim & Joe - Wedding

2009-03-14T14:46:00.000-07:00

There were plenty of smiles throughout the reception, and one of my favorite photos of all time came out of this shoot. Thank you very much for the honor of being your wedding photographer.

My favorite shot of the evening:

Nicole & Adam - Wedding

2009-03-07T14:25:00.000-08:00

Another great couple. Nicole almost always had a smile on her face, and Adam was exceptionally quiet - even more than me - but he had a relaxed, gentle personality and a very expressive face. I shot them before the ceremony, then actually attended the ceremony at Imperial Palace as a guest, then worked with them afterward for part of the reception, some formals, etc. This was my first trip to NYNY for photos, and ESPN Zone for the reception. Again, some excellent shots to be had, in particular around the bridge in the afternoon/early evening.

The wedding dress had a lovely train and very elegant details.

I had the bride do a quick posing session while still waiting in her suite, only one basic position, and then had her turn to keep her eyes on me as I worked around her. I think this was the best from the set.

Enter the groom:

The father of the bride helping the groom tie his tie...

The bride getting dressed...

The bride's mother helping with the shoes...

We waited inside the NYNY until the limo picked us up. Another opportunity to get the full dress in view.

Father of the groom:

Just before the ceremony, everyone is in place and the father of the bride is about to walk her down the aisle.

After the wedding, everyone relaxes more, especially after the bride's father brings a round of beers from the bar across the lot.

We had to wait a while for the limo, but there were benches on the side to get a few more shots at.

Back in the limo, on the way to NYNY again for the reception at ESPN Zone...

The bride and groom came with me to a spot at NWNW for a few quick shots before the reception...

Good assortment of food!

Very happy people and good friends, that's one of the great things about weddings...

Amy & Steve - Wedding

2009-03-06T14:24:00.000-08:00

This was another post-wedding and reception only shoot, and my first time working around Treasure Island. There are a number of good spots, many of them near the dock. When I arrived and waited for the bride and groom to come out, there were plenty of candids to capture, plus her friends wanted to get together for a few "formals." Reception at Kahunaville in TI, away from the bar where there were drinking/mixing competitions later in the evening. The couple was comfortable and willing to do anything I requested. Overall, they seemed to like formal shots the most, but for the reception they wanted it to be very candid and informal.

The bride's friends (fun people make great photos):

After formals I took the couple out to the dock area, making a few stops here and there, including just by the doors.

The Wynn was a pretty good backdrop, but a big challenge for me to light the couple (who was in the shade while the Wynn was in direct sun) without having a stand and light exactly where I wanted it to strike them. Still, I think the photos came out pretty good.

The bride's shoes had to be removed after a short while - many brides now bring a second pair of much more comfortable shoes for wearing after the ceremony.

At Kahunaville, I got some details and did general candid coverage. The couple wanted it to be very informal, but some guests insisted that they at least share a piece of the "cake."

Sons are always good subjects:

And yes, by all means look interested...

Ron & Myiesha - Wedding

2009-02-14T14:22:00.000-08:00

It's been a while since I've had time to post anything new! I've been so busy with work in recent months that I've either been taking photos or retouching.

This was a small ceremony and post-ceremony shoot, and the bride & groom were great to work with. Ron, thank you for your continued generosity!

Very strong sunset lighting was hitting us around the time I took the ring photos.

My favorite from the shoot.

All of the creative photos I had a chance to get post-ceremony were taken by the Las Vegas sign.

Jennifer - Baptism

2009-01-25T17:48:00.000-08:00

I've worked with children a few times before, but this was my first baptism. I embarrassed myself a little this time: I got to the location there early as usual (a catholic church in this case), and talked to two separate people asking where it would be best to place my umbrellas and light stands in order to not interfere with proceedings. They both directed me to the outer edges of a central location, which was fine with me. Then I saw the priest looking through glass windows at those big black and white things on stands near the altar, and I already knew then...he didn't want them there. No huge surprise at that point. So, I moved my stands to the leftmost pews well out of the way, set all three of my sunpak flashes as high as my stands would go, and pointed them directly at the ceiling to give some additional fill to the room. Well, it worked, and the parents were very happy with the results.

No, she almost never took her fingers out of her mouth! Until...

Then right back in again!

And out one last time, just for me:

Ben & Melissa - Wedding

2009-01-22T15:15:00.000-08:00

A very fun couple, a very simple and elegant wedding dress. This shoot forced me to really work at catching some of the opportunities for good shots around the Mandalay Bay resort, since we spent about 2 hours there. I now have greater respect for that resort, both for its numerous great places to shoot and for its generally photography-friendly management.

They had to wait a very long time at the chapel before everything was arranged and the ceremony could take place. In the mean time, we had a little fun by the door.

Last wedding photos in 2008

2009-01-14T00:01:00.000-08:00

This was a wedding for a middle eastern couple. The bride was apparently a model, and she had fashion and glamour experience. They also hired Christine Copeland, which I understand to be one of the best makeup artists in Las Vegas. As a result, I ended up with plenty of portfolio material from this job. Incidentally, these are easily some of the best shots I've done.

This is just the bridal part before the reception. I wasn't contracted to process these photos, just shoot them, so I haven't gone through the set.

Clara & Chuck - Post-Wedding at Nelson, NV

2008-12-14T16:08:00.000-08:00

Another great couple with an idea I hadn't yet done before: Ghost town! We all do a few shoots at ghost towns at some point, and this was fun. Clara was very creative and had many ideas already pre-planned, but there were lots of add-on ideas and I made several requests. My personal favorites are the haystack shot and her alone walking down the street.

After a brief stop at the Vegas sign, we went out toward Nelson, NV.

Did I mention they were extremely playful, perhaps a little more than usual?

One of my favorites:

My other favorite:

We had parted ways and were leaving Nelson, when I thought of an idea. I think (but don't hold me to it) that they had mentioned being in the headlights of a truck on a shot at some point, but we hadn't done anything like that in Nelson. At a corner where the 165 meets the 95, there was a large area of flat gravel. It was night by this time and freezing outside! I set up flashes near the headlights of the truck and elsewhere, then had the bride & groom freestyle in the front. This is one of my picks from that:

November 30 wedding for Djay's Entertainment at Texas Station

2008-11-30T01:19:00.000-08:00

The bride was great, nervous but very willing to talk. The groom was patient, playful and had a good sense of humor. I spent a lot of time in the bride's ante chamber, talking with her and getting some laughs so I could catch the smiles. I almost felt like her confidant before the ceremony began. Even though I only shot with them for about an hour, I think there were some nice photos, including some possible portfolio pieces and one or two shots that I haven't tried before.

I was obviously in a black & white mood when I edited these photos. I also threw in a formal shot, something I do plenty of but rarely show.

Small business shoot on Friday, and family shoot on Sunday

2008-11-12T11:59:00.001-08:00

November looks like the month of small jobs: I did a birthday on the 1st, a few property photos on the 4th, and now a business shoot on the 14th for a local artist who paints family trees, plus a family shoot on the 16th at a local park. The weather forecast is great this week for outdoor shooting, perfect temperatures and nice days.

This is also the first significant break I've had from weddings since I bought my 40D. I sent it in today to see if the back focus issues can be resolved, plus it needs a few other things taken care of.

The benefits of off-camera lighting

2008-11-05T19:18:00.000-08:00

When I started doing weddings I was already using off-camera lighting, just not to the same degree as I do now. I use them for almost everything, candids, formals, receptions, kiss shots, ring shots, detail shots, cake shots...sometimes even parts of the ceremony (if it's allowed).

I've recently been using a setup that seems to work well for the dance floor: 3 strobes off camera, 1 or 2 bare and the other(s) with umbrella or brolly box for fill. By just walking around the floor I can get many different kinds of shots, with rim lights, hard light, soft light, etc. I think that this lighting style gives a more romantic feel to the photos than my earlier work, where I used more plain and simple lighting, and all umbrellas. I'm going to give Bruce Dorn's approaches to off-camera flash a shot in the future and experiment with more systematic placements. There's a lot of freedom to be explored with this equipment.

Cake cutting also works great with off camera flash: I can get consistent, well exposed images of everything important, from the cake to the faces and hands, and the cake being smashed into faces with hands.

Sometimes detail shots are made much more interesting with side or back lighting. Another use for off-camera flash.

All wedding photos finished, some posted in portfolio

2008-11-05T16:20:00.000-08:00

I have finished and sent off all the photos from all the weddings from October at long last. However, one of my recent conversations with a very experienced local wedding photographer has combined with my concerns about the path I'm following with my wedding work, and I am seriously considering a change in direction.

Some ring-related shots from the various Oct '08 weddings: See if you can figure out which one was taken at a drive-thru chapel!

Two more weddings Oct 17 and Oct 19

2008-10-29T12:28:00.000-07:00

What a long month October was, no less than eight weddings. It's good to be busy, but I'm also grateful for the small breaks I get.

In-Depth samples from Oct 19 Wedding

2008-10-19T20:15:00.000-07:00

This is my first start-to-finish assortment of wedding photos processed specifically for my blog/portfolio.

The couple didn't really want any photos of them getting ready (not everyone does), but I captured just about everything else. This was one of my favorite weddings thus far. The bride picked out the colors for many of the details, including the bridesmaids' dresses, boutonnieres, bouquet, and overall theme. Every time I would tell the groom how nice this or that was, he'd say "it was her idea..."

Starting with the singer for the ceremony...

Along with a few details just before the ceremony begins

The groom waiting for everything to begin

The ring bearer and flower girl, not knowing what to do when they're supposed to walk the aisle - the boy finally understood, but no amount of coaxing was enough for the girl. She had to be carried.

The bride with her father

Bridesmaids in autumn colors

The bride, during the ceremony

Holding hands, and the kiss

A quiet walk down the aisle, and out to drive a little deeper into red rock for formal shots

Some shots among the desert scape before the reception

Time to go inside and begin the reception. First, a few details, guest book and the cake

First dance

Then, others join in

Time to cut the cake

The bouquet toss

And the grand exit with people surrounding:

They weren't allowed to throw rice at this particular spot because there was a major pest issue with birds, and so the scene had to be recreated behind the building.

3 weddings in 4 days - Oct 2, 4 & 5

2008-10-08T00:13:00.000-07:00

I had been caught up finally, but now I've got a huge backlog of about 2,500 photos to sort through and process. I also had a lens malfunction and was forced to purchase a new lens that should be here before Oct 11, when I'm doing a subcontract job under a local business.

Then I have another on Oct 17, and Oct 19, and possibly Oct 25. That makes...8 weddings in one month? I might have to slow down.

Reminiscing

2008-09-09T06:30:00.000-07:00

I remember when I got started...I shot pictures of cars with a Rebel XT, and an ultra-wide lens that made sure everything was in focus, including the ugly backgrounds. But, back then, I didn't know any better. I didn't notice details like that, and to see what I did then from where I am now, I think I should be proud of how far I've come.

I still have plenty of learning to do; maybe someday I'll reach the level of Joe Buissink.

First LDS Wedding

2008-08-30T17:44:00.000-07:00

This was my first LDS post-wedding session. The LDS temple by Frenchman Mountain on the east side of Vegas...great place to shoot. The grass is lush, the flowers are rich with color, the trees are full and there are sloping hills and winding paths everywhere. Jennifer preferred lots of posed shots, mostly looking at the camera. Since I always do what I can to give the bride what she wants, I put together as many planned photos as possible in the 2 hours of time we had to work around the temple.

Just coming out of the ceremony:

One of the formal-type shots that wasn't quite so formal:

The groom, about as relaxed as he was going to get for the day:

Can you see the love in their faces?

One of my favorite shots from the day; I asked them to walk to a certain point, then stop where they were and talk.

This was a specific request by the bride:

And this is my official favorite shot of the day:

The time went so fast, and she got hungry and sore, so it was time to go...

Meghan & Erick - Wedding - Incomplete Post

2008-07-26T17:17:00.000-07:00

The wedding took place at The Grand Terrace. I met them early and had plenty of time to get detail shots and lots of getting-ready photos for both of them. The groom was wearing pink bowtie and vest with dark brown suit, something I hadn't seen before. Both of them were amazing dancers (as were their parents); I've never seen anyone get out on the dance floor and be so masterful before.

These shots are all pre-ceremony, starting with a few details:

Meghan getting ready:

Mom helping with the garter:

Erick getting prepared:

A gift from the groom, to be opened later (I never found out what it was):

Did I mention grandpa forgot his pants? But Erick saved the day by rushing out and buying a new pair before the ceremony.

The groom is ready:

And the bride is totally ready.

Let the ceremony begin.

6 of July 5th's Model Shoot retouched

2008-07-14T15:09:00.001-07:00

A great learning experience; I got to experiment with different lighting angles with some very good makeup artists who dolled up the model quite nicely. The model herself was easy to work with and relaxed.

Two unexpected shoots in one week

2008-07-14T09:13:00.001-07:00

Last week I had two job come out of nowhere: A product shoot for maloof money cup 2008, a skater competition with a huge grand prize of...$100,000?... and a portrait shoot at the Bellagio for a couple who are getting married on the 25th. There was no model for the product shoot (it was apparel), so I had to make do with flat backgrounds and clothing shots, but they came out well enough. The portrait shoot seemed to be successful, and I got a larger variety of photos out of it than I had first believed.

Some of the exposures had to be brought way up in Lightroom, which seems to be very good at hiding the truth from me about actual defects in the image.

This experience brought me to the conclusion that I absolutely must get some faster primes. I sold my 50mm f/1.8 II (in this same week) because I almost never use it, but immediately I began to feel insecure and wished I had something equally fast. (Update: Bought an 85 f/1.8 and 135 f/2 since then, and now I'm spoiled even more and want a f/1.4 or f/1.2 lens!)

Latest camera purchase: Canon 40D

2008-07-03T08:45:00.000-07:00

In a fit of haste and concern that my 20D would die during an important shoot that was scheduled for today (and cancelled two days ago), and after no success finding another 20D at a price I was willing to pay, I ended up buying a new 40D. The camera sits now, waiting for a job, a purpose. It's a fine camera, but it hasn't justified itself yet.

If I had known today's gig was going to cancel I'd have ordered standard free shipping and saved myself $35 on 2nd day air.

Anyway, looking for TFCD model shoots again, specifically headshots. I'd like to add some more interesting headshots to my portfolio, and sometimes the paid jobs prefer to remain private.

Looking to be backup wedding photographer

2008-06-30T07:45:00.000-07:00

I'm always on the lookout for other photographers who are willing to hire me as a backup or even as just an assistant. I've put out dozens of emails and phone calls to local photographers, and gotten very few responses. I keep hoping.

I also made offerings to local DJ and catering services, as well as entertainment services; very little response there too.

I want more work! I want to fill up a week with photo shoots upon photo shoots!

August bookings had to be cancelled

2008-06-30T07:43:00.001-07:00

I had to cancel or turn down 3 or 4 jobs in August because my girlfriend's schedule only allowed us to be able to get away from the 5th thru the 12th. How funny timing is.

Two Weddings and a Quinceanera in one day

2008-06-25T08:52:00.000-07:00

About 8:30pm at night last Friday, D Jay's Entertainment called me with an unexpected inquiry: "So how does that Canon 40D rebate work?" Turns out their backup body died and they needed a second camera body for events the next day. I offered mine, and they were ready to take me up on the offer, but then they proposed that I come and be a second photographer instead. They couldn't pay much, but I was interested in the experience and said "OK!"

Saturday morning comes, and I'm as ready as I'll ever be. The first wedding was just off the Las Vegas Strip on Cathedral Ave. Guardian Angel Cathedral, my first catholic wedding. The ceremony gave me plenty of time to snipe from the second floor with the nice Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS that Jeremy loaned me, but I got bored and came to ground level for more interesting, and closer, photos. Lighting allowed for about 1/25 sec. at ISO400, and I didn't want to push the ISO, so I got a few blurred photos and a number of really good, sharp ones.

While Jeremy and Tiffany were doing the formals, Jeremy came up to me and showed me his LCD, and there I saw a strong blue cast from the flash on the people, and ambient tungsten balanced orange light. Lee filters are a wonderful thing, and I loaned him a double-layered pair of my 1/2 CTO. I wonder if he's convinced how necessary they are yet.

It's odd being looked to for answers; I'm not used to being the person to consult for anything, and since it only happens once in a while I don't know if I'll ever feel like it's a natural place for me.

First blog post

2008-06-11T08:15:00.000-07:00

I'm not one for personal tell-all stuff like blogs, but everything I've read says blogs are good for your web presence, and I can always use more of that.

My latest wedding was an unusual job: Yesterday I got an email from a photographer I'd never heard from before, saying that she needed someone to fill in to shoot a wedding that evening because she had to go to a 4-1/2 hour poli sci class. It was a 20-minute wedding at a Las Vegas strip drive-thru chapel. It didn't pay much, but I said yes because I was available and curious.

The trip was easy and I arrived early, but the bride and groom's limo came more than 30 minutes late. After the job, they tipped me an extra $20 for the wait. Now I can say that I've done a drive-thru wedding shoot.

I took some good standard photos for them, and one or two of a different nature which stand out to me.

Link back to the Vegas Photo Website