To Blog or Not To Blog

Recently there has been an explosion of discussions on facebook regarding photographers and blogging. Should I blog my clients? Should I blog everyone, or only the best of the best? etc, etc... While there is no right or wrong answer here and I did not write this to start a debate, nor is this directed at anyone in particular, I wanted to share my thoughts and philosophies on this subject. Me personally, I blog EVERY wedding and photo session I shoot. Reasons are pure and simple, I like to show consistency in my work and that my clients are REAL people who had REAL fun on their wedding day. I know there are some photographers who will only blog (or place in their website portfolios) what they deem to be beautiful people or weddings. Realistic? No. Answer this, if your photographer did run a blog (or facebook page) and didn’t blog you, how would you feel?? I for one would be pretty hurt. So yes, I blog everything, even if the day didn’t go off perfectly and regardless of appearance, nationality, race, weight, age, etc.....because weddings aren’t about being supermodels, but capturing the emotions that made your wedding day great. Wedding pictures should convey the interaction of a couple, their happiness, romance, having fun, and being in love and that, in my eyes, is the definition of true beauty.
Back to the blogging issue, there are plenty of photographers who do not blog. That is fine, blogging is a LOT of work, it is a full day’s work for me to blog and make a slideshow, which is why I personally can’t blog until after all of the wedding pictures are edited vs. immediately after the wedding, and also why sometimes I don’t add a lot of captions or text. But the other reason I blog besides to show consistency, is blogging forces me to CHALLENGE MYSELF and keep things fresh and original. I absolutely do not want every wedding I shoot to look the same, and while yes there are certain poses I do repeat and standard shots I like to get, I like to mix things up as much as possible. Maybe it is a bit selfish on my behalf also, but putting my clients on my blog gets me beyond excited about their pictures and creating custom artwork for them to show off. I consider good photography to be more than just pictures but an art. And a blog is a photographer’s art gallery. =)
Other reasons I’ve heard from other photographers for not blogging is privacy and copying. If a client does not want to be blogged then all they have to do is say the word. I have only once had one couple opt out of the model release in my contract. Did that disappoint me, yes, but they had their reasons and I respected them. If someone does not want me to tag them on facebook or include any identifying information in their photos, that can also easily be done. I’m sure Chelsea Clinton’s photographer wasn’t allowed to tag her on facebook, who knows though... Regarding copying from other photographers , a colleague of mine put it in great terms “you're not in the CIA, you're not guarding the formula for Coke, sharing is knowledge”. Places and poses are copied in our market, I admit I look to other photographers for inspiration, and I’ve also seen things I’ve done been posted on other photographer’s blogs weeks later. Don’t brides look to wedding magazines (and photography blogs) for ideas for their own weddings? The photography world is one that is full of trends, my advice to any photographer is to just stay true to yourself and let your pictures covey that. And if you choose to blog, blog everyone (with the exception of something that truly did not fit your style and in that case you probably weren’t the right photographer in the 1st place). And if you choose not to blog, no big deal. =)

Samantha & Tovah & Jason

Meet baby Samantha and her parents. I recently got to do a small photo shoot for them to mark Samantha's entrance into the world! Samantha was 3 weeks old at the time of our session, (I generally like to do these within the 1st week of life) but she was a great little model. =)

I think Samantha was like "Hey Dad, what about me?!" hah....


Looks like she is smiling up at him!!


Samantha's siblings checking her out...


We didn't exclude the pups, 1st family photo:








Beautiful new family!!!





This picture is perfection to me, =)


Thank you for inviting me for a session Tovah and Jason, it was great getting to meet you!!

Jenny & Steve Slideshow

Jenny & Steve

Jenny and Steve were married on July 3rd at Heinz Chapel with a beautiful reception following at the Renaissance hotel downtown. I love how they subtly incorporated a patriotic color scheme into their day without being too over the top. The day was absolutely beautiful and fun and we were even lucky enough to get some pictures with the fireworks PNC Park set off!

I tried to also make their pictures patriotic, and hello beautiful beautiful bride!!


Some very expensive liquor is some cool glasses: =)


Cheers!!


I kid you not that this must have been the brightest day of the year, I got a lot of pictures with this crazy sun flare, I actually had to work at not capturing it in every picture, it was intense:




Probably the most important photo of any wedding:










Told you the sun was craziness, but it made for some artsy cool images: =)


How flipping adorable:














LOVE when couples are just themselves and let it show in their pictures:


Beautiful light and beautiful couple, don't need much more than that!








Some reception details:


How's that for something red, white and blue! =)


They did a FUN 1st dance to get this JENNY JENNY 867-5309 =)


And what 4th of July weekend wedding wouldn't be complete without some fireworks!!


Ben took the picture on the right from the ballroom: Had to work around the crowd to get some good shots:


Brave couple! The ceilings were low but they still did a chair dance!




Ericthedj.com, he knows how to rock a party!!


At the end of the night we caught them dancing in the window with some people on the street:


It was hilarious! By the way if you know who these folks are tell them to email me!


Congrats Jenny & Steve on a FUN FANATASTIC day!!!

Stephanie, Justin, Daniel, Ben & Max

You may remember Stephanie & Justin, they got married last September (click their names to see their wedding pictures!). I was so excited to learn they just added another beautiful addition to their family, baby Max! Max was born on Father's Day (how's that for a present?!?! And try topping that next Mother's Day Justin!, hah!) Max was a few weeks early, so I didn't get a chance to photograph him until he was 3 weeks old, but he was a superb little model, and we decided to mix up the session and do half newborn shots, half family shots. I love this family, they are the best!!

Would you look at that baby smile!! How couldn't he smile, he has the nicest parents ever, =)


Oh brotherly love!










Couldn't decide which one I liked better:


LOVE! Canvas worthy!




Max was having a great time sun bathing:




The little pine tree in these photos was actually the favors from Steph & Justin's wedding, I thought it was very symbolic to take a photo with one, they have a few planted behind their house. =)




One of my new props: yes funky baby hats are the in thing, =)








Holy gorgeous new mama!




These both just crack me up:


Oh, Max, that looks oh so comfortable!


Thank you for doing a session with me again Steph & Justin, I love seeing your family grow!!! =)