Afternoon Slice
September 8th, 2010
Dress shot? Check. Shoe shot? Check. Ring shot? Check! These days a photo of the rings is a must in wedding photography. Photographs of the engagement or wedding rings are a great way to show off your shiny new pieces. I love seeing how photographers set up each ring picture to be as distinctive as the couple they are photographing. I didn’t want to hog all the fun to myself, so in the spirit of sharing I’ve put together some of my favorite ring shots for your viewing pleasure. Enjoy!
Photography by 6:8 Photography, Brett & Kiri Carlson, Julie Irene, Ricardo Serpa, Jessica Lewis, Melissa Coe, and Ever After Visuals.
Inspired by these breathtaking rings? Here are a few excellent jewelers with rings to fit a variety of personalities. Check out the links below:
- Classic | Design your own elegant ring at Whiteflash.
- Bohemian | Funky rings available at Satomi Kawakita Jewelry. Custom options available.
- Environmentally Friendly | Handcrafted pieces designed with ethically-sourced stones at Bario-Neal. Bands are made with reclaimed precious metals.
- Modern Elegance | Find beautifully classic pieces with modern twists handcrafted by Tacori.
September 1st, 2010
This post is part two in our series of three features about photographers doing philanthropic work. Last week we covered Emma Dodge Hanson’s work for Adoptive Advocates International. Today we are covering Atlanta-based photographers Jacob Fu and Esther JuLee, of Esther JuLee Photography, and their relief efforts in Haiti.
Esther and Jacob had seen extreme poverty and destruction on past mission trips, but after a devastating earthquake struck Haiti in January 2010, they were shocked at how many people were left homeless or dead. At first, the couple could not financially rationalize a relief trip to Haiti. “But after a couple months of this unshakable feeling of wanting to go, I decided to give back my engagement ring to fund the trip,” said Esther. Jacob had proposed to Esther just two days before the earthquake. “This wasn’t the easiest decision by far, but I knew there was something much bigger than the ring, a much bigger story that would unfold from it all.”
Just two weeks before their wedding, Esther and Jacob went to Haiti. The couple was surrounded by devastation and poverty. It was hard to deal with emotionally, but they knew that the part they would play in this relief was important. They encountered a lot of tent cities, where entire populations of disaster victims lived in tents, and spent most of their time working with three different orphanages. They did maintenance work, played with the children, distributed food to villages up in the mountains, and worked with the women in the red light district. “In just one week, we fell in love with all the people we met on the trip and left a part of our hearts in Haiti,” said Jacob.
Esther and Jacob are pictured below with children they sponsored from Haitian orphanages.
Currently, Esther and Jacob are running a portrait special. All of the proceeds from this special will benefit another trip to Haiti in early 2011, and will act as a sponsorship to the orphans they worked with there.
Thank you Jacob and Esther, for sharing your story with us! For more information about Esther JuLee Photography, visit their website.
August 24th, 2010
This is the first in a series of posts concerning the philanthropic work our photographers are doing for their favorite causes. We begin with New York wedding photographer Emma Dodge-Hanson’s amazing efforts to generate awareness about Adoption Advocates International.
Growing up, Emma’s mother Susan Hanson volunteered as a documentary photographer with Americares, a non-profit organization that provides disaster relief and humanitarian medical aid to people in crisis all over the world. Throughout Emma’s teenage and college years, it was not uncommon for her mother to call her and say, “Get your passport ready.” With those four words, it was inevitable they would be headed somewhere in the world to help others.
On these intense trips, Emma realized she was capable of using her talent for photography not only for professional success, but also to help others. She could use her pictures to give a voice to people in need. Currently she uses her photography to help tell the stories of the 2.5 million orphaned children in Ethiopia going through the adoption process with AAI.
In 2007 Emma’s work was published in a book called Faces of Layla: A Journey Through Ehopian Adoption. She worked with AAI advocates and authors Melissa Fay Greene and Jennifer Armstrong to talk about the children at Layla House, an orphanage in Ethiopia. The photos and text dispel the notion that these orphans are sad or hopeless — instead, it shows that the children are full of life and excited to meet their new adoptive family.
Emma believes so strongly in her cause that she herself adopted two children from Ethiopia with the assistance of AAI. She’s even influenced a few friends to adopt as well. “All these kids need is eye contact, attention and love,” she said.
Thank you Emma, for sharing your story with us! For more information about Emma’s work visit her website.
August 18th, 2010
During the wedding off-season, stylized weddings are a great way for industry professionals to keep their portfolios fresh.
What’s a stylized wedding, you ask? It’s when photographers and vendors collaborate to create a simulation of a real wedding, which allows them to showcase their work in photographs. Later, participants can use the photos from the shoot for promotion through wedding submissions, social media and their own websites.
Tara Whittaker is a wedding photographer based out of Calgary in Alberta, Canada. When she’s not taking pictures of real weddings, she participates in stylized weddings to beef up her sample work. Tara thinks that they’re a great opportunity to network with other vendors such as planners, florists, venues and stylists.
When you’re ready to create your own stylized wedding, Tara advises against planning the shoot alone. Instead, ask vendors if they know of any other businesses that may be interested in participating. Another helpful tip from Tara is to use a real couple. “I always use a real couple because I like genuine interaction,” Tara says.
Here’s an example of a stylized wedding that Tara photographed at North Glenmore Park in Calgary. The pictures are of real couple Nicole & David, with hair and makeup by Tara Watts and Shea Brown of Hue Hair Salon & Eco Boutique. The bride’s dress was designed by J. Crew, and Tristan designed the groom’s attire.
