Dayton Weddings | Echo by Design | Wedding + Portrait Photography

..All About Lighting | All Eyes On You..

I promised to be with you every step of the way when you as a couple chose to hire me for your wedding. That stretches all ends of the spectrum, from being an encouraging friend on a bad day of wedding planning to helping schedule your day stress free. Although I would never want to replace your wedding coordinator or event planner, there are just a few things in the in between that are helpful to know when putting together your details. It may not seem like much when you are deciding where to to get dressed in the morning, where to have your wedding ceremony, or even choosing where to put the head table at the reception…but it is! For a photographer, it’s one of the biggest keys to bringing you the best possible images imaginable.

So if you haven’t gotten it yet, lighting is one of the single most important elements put into an image. It’s meant to help create a mood, a feeling, or just an overall aura. In order to help you achieve that, I have come up with a few tips to help in your planning process…

Getting Ready:

I believe that some of the best preparation images I have taken to date have all been in a hotel room like setup. Why? Because they have these huge, gorgeous, well lit windows providing a flood of light across the whole room. Who wouldn’t gush at the thought of sunshine pouring in on their big day?!?
Besides a hotel suite, I’ve had brides rent and get dressed in a historical house or bed and breakfast, while another even was able to use a model home. It provided me as the photographer not only a unique shooting location, but an opportunity to create some beautiful portraiture that a church basement could never offer.

Ceremony:

If you are choosing to have an outdoor ceremony, consider the time of day. The light is the most harsh beginning at 10 a.m. and falling off about 2 p.m. Since this is the worst time for light, you will risk having harsh shadows in your images. Although we have the ability to photograph in almost any situation, it is always better to have the softer light that follows at 2 p.m. giving everyone an even light across their face. It is also a bonus for us if you consider the way you will be facing and whether or not the sunlight is directly behind you. If you happen to be having your ceremony at a place that doesn’t have any cover above such as an arbor or shading trees, it might be a nice gesture to provide your guests with a parasol or some cool fresh ice water.
If you are having an indoor ceremony site, head there the same time your wedding is scheduled, so you are able to view the available lighting. If you haven’t scheduled a time for your ceremony yet, now is the perfect time to consider when your site is best lit. Check for ceiling to floor windows or large windows in the church ceiling, these tend to be the best lighting. If you walk in and feel like there is a great amount of light odds are you are right. To test this, snap a picture on your camera, if your flash goes off, chances are I’m also going to have to use a flash. Keep in mind that not all sites allow flash during ceremonies. Again, I will be fully prepared no matter the situation, but why not try to make it the best possible?

Portraits:

Most times your ceremony takes place in mid afternoon, which helps us to pass that harsh point of the sun. This allows for the even tone of light, but it’s still not overly pleasing to take portraits in full sun. When choosing a portrait location, find a spot that is well shaded and can fit you and your entire bridal party. It is also a good idea to scout these locations at the same time and season that you plan to use them. The same goes for family portraits. Why not take your family portraits outside where there can be a more aesthetically pleasing backdrop?
If your having your wedding later in the evening, there is always the opportunity to get some of the portraiture done before the wedding begins. This is a perfect time for family portraits or even a first look!

Reception:

Think about your available light, and where it is placed. Try not to place your head table where there are windows directly behind you, they tend to create a harsh back lit situation. Try instead placing your cake or any other details such as a candy table in front of the windows. It is best if the bridal party table is placed near your available light, just make sure that you are facing the light. That will give everyone who is toasting you the best light possible on their faces.
Reception lighting can always be fun and unique. There are strung lights, sometimes lanterns, and then sometimes there are just candles. Unless you are having your reception in the middle of the day, odds are we are going to have to use alternative lighting such as flash. Most times we are able to bounce our flash off of the ceiling spreading out the light versus a stark flash in the face, however keep in mind that our cameras still need enough light to focus. If the room is too dimly lit the camera doesn’t have anything to focus on, which will make our job much harder in capturing the events of the evening. When you are at your venue just make sure you ask that they not turn the lights too low.
Another lighting situation to think about is the lights that your DJ brings to your party. As much as we love feeling like we are at a disco show in a night club, see if your DJ or band can point the lights more towards the floor or ceiling. This will help avoid big green, red, and yellow spots all over your face or anyone else’s while dancing. If they want to spot light you with bright light during your first dances, bring it on…more fun for me!

I hope that you feel enlightened…pun totally intended! These tips will help steer you in the right direction from our cameras perspective, and keeping you more informed. Not only will it also help us do our job better, but it will give you the photographs you have always dreamed of! Cheers to a good Monday!

..LIGHT..

love, echo

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..Elijah at Three & Four Months | Oh Baby..

I hope by now your not sick of me sharing my little guy. I’m trying not to overwhelm the blog with so many pictures of him, but being so proud of him it tends to be a tad hard…ya know!?! I know all the new Mamas out there are shouting an Amen!

At three months, Brad and I were talking over dinner and agreed that we had finally found some normalcy. The first two months, if you had read Elijah’s birth story were not only a blur, but very much a challenge. We were happy to have it behind us and we were moving on in changing my diet for Eli’s milk allergy as well as watching him grow by leaps and bounds. Around Thanksgiving, he went into a growth spurt and everyone teased him saying he had his Daddy’s appetite. Who could blame him?

We were also watching his motor skills continue to improve. He was learning to put his hands together, which doesn’t really seem like that big of a deal. Except for a baby it is. They concentrate so hard, and it is very intriguing to watch their little wheels turning. And as odd as it may sound, we started ‘potty training’ him. It’s called ..Elimination Communication.. or EC’ing. I read the book ..Diaper Free Baby.. and I was hooked after hearing a couple of friends taking part. Not only did I want to help Elijah learn the process of elimination, but I also wanted to help avoid spending valuable money in the diaper aisle. So far it has been effective and he has his own infant potty.

Four months came before we knew it, and it was time for another check up. He weighed in at 15 lbs. 10 ozs. and measured 25.5 inches long. At the appointment he was running a slight fever and neither of us could understand why. All in all they wouldn’t let him get his shots. Later that evening we found out why, he was cutting two teeth! Brad and I could hardly believe it! Cutting two teeth on Christmas Eve made things interesting, and by interesting I mean that my poor baby felt awful on his first Christmas! Bah humbug.

Once his teeth cut through he was a happy camper again. At the tailend of the year he was so close to rolling over that we could barely stand it. We just wanted to push him over and say he did it. So when we weren’t looking the weekend after New Year’s, sure enough he decided he wanted to roll over. Luckily for us it was a breeze for him once he figured it out, so we flipped him on his back and saw his big 2nd performance! Other big things at four months included reaching and grabbing for things and giggling when I practically ate his face!

His wild and crazy hair makes us all laugh! It is even growing over top of his ears. As much as I want it too, I’m not sure his first hair cut is going to make it to his first birthday.

..TEETHING..

love, echo

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..Elijah One & Two Month Pics | Oh Baby..

Despite all the craziness that seemed to had suddenly take over our life, I knew that I wanted to document Elijah’s first year as much as possible. Everyone always says, Your a Photographer, your kids are going to have sooo many pictures of themselves. As much as that is true, those first few weeks it was definitely a challenge to get my camera out. Such a huge life change just occured and in the same token I had to remind myself that the moments were already beginning to fly by.

After we left the hospital I didn’t pick up my camera personally to take his portrait until he was almost three weeks old. We had my friend Bethany come down to take Elijah’s newborn portraits within two weeks of his birth. It was so awesome taking a step back in the moment that I normally capture for other new parents. This time it was my turn and what a blessing it was.

In the first month we watched Elijah slowly gain his pinkish color back in his skin as well as the whites of his eyes. He was learning to be more coherent, looking around and fascinated with all the lights. We were also beginning to understand his cues for naps and feedings as well as juggle making dinner and completing other household chores. He had his days and nights mixed up, so it was a struggle to get sleep. But at the end of the day, it wasn’t hard to forget how tired I was when I got to lay on the couch and cuddle with him!

Month two brought the refining of motor skills. Brad and I were continually awed at the fact that he was being even more attentive to the world around him. He began to coo, blow milk bubbles, lay on his play mat and reach for the toys above him, and smile. Yes…he SMILED! Oh how that can melt a Momma’s heart in an instant. Sleeping got much better once we moved him into the crib in his own room, where his days became his days and his nights the same!

More on my little guy to come…finally feel like I’m getting you caught up on his precious life!

..FIRST MONTHS..

love, echo

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..Office Storyboard | Talking Business..

Back in August we moved into out first starter home. We knew it wasn’t going to be our dream home by any means and thus decided to find a small ranch. We thought we found one in February, and by the grace of God it fell through. It just wasn’t the right one for us and there were plenty of red flags to proove it.

Finally in June after our trip back from Wyoming, Brad stumbled upon the house in which we now live. It was by no means anything special, but it was everything we wanted. It has the original hardwood floors all throughout the house, two car garage, fenced in backyard, and basement. We knew that it needed at least three bedrooms, a master, one for the baby, and a space for my office. Our little ‘Plain Jane’ encompasses all of the above. Thankfully all the large projects that needed to be done to the house were already done when we bought it. They installed all new cabneitry, vanity’s, and primed the whole house white. I’m sure it was a far cry from what they started with, being that an elderly woman had lived in the home for years prior. With paperwork signed and the baby only a week away from arrival, this was all such a huge blessing and a weight off our shoulders.

So slowly but surely we have been making it our home over the last couple of months. The project the last couple of weeks has been my office. I had decided that I wanted it to reflect my business which in turn represents me. To kickoff the renovation I thought I would share my storyboard for the new office look.

Can’t wait to share the big reveal once I put on the finishing touches! Hope everyone has a blessed weekend!

..NEW LOOK..

love, echo

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echoes of love

..Unity Ceremony | All Eyes On You..

Almost all of my brides and grooms choose to do a unity ceremony. The most common are the lighting of a unity candle or pouring sand into a single glass jar. This ceremony ritual is one that symbolizes the union of the couple no more as two individuals, but as one. It is such an important moment in the ceremony, however most times it is missed. Reason being is that it is fairly common to stand right in front of what you are doing, hindering the view for your photographer as well as your guests.

While it is my job to catch that moment, sometimes there can be a restriction of movement in a church for us to get the shot. We may not be allowed in the balcony that has the best view or dash up a side aisle to get a different angle. So coming from a photographer’s perspective and even a guest at times, think about your options. When it comes to planning this ritual within your ceremony brainstorm some different options that work specifically with your situation. Some suggestions could be walking around the table so that you are facing your guests or you could even stand to the side so that your candle or sand jar is in plain sight.

Not only will that allow me as the photojournalist and artist to get the best possible shot, but it will also allow your guests to enjoy the ritual that you and your loved one have chosen to share with each other.

I hope this little tid bit helps the planning of your big day, thus allowing me to capture every moment of your day with ease.

..UNITY..

love, echo

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echoes of love