Tabitha and Carl, A La Carte Event Pavilion Wedding

Tabitha and Carl were both great! They definitely know how to have fun, and it shows! I would like to thank them for being easy to work with and very outgoing. Congratulations you two and the best of luck!! A few of these even ended up in my updated gallery over at Tampa Photo. All of my weddings and events are booked through Tampa Photo. Their wedding was held at the A La Carte Event Pavillion, a lovely spot for a wedding or any event.

One thing Tabitha knew for sure: she did not want anyone to see her in that beautiful dress until she was walking down the aisle. There are lots of great places to shoot at this venue, but some of them are visible to guests arriving early! No problem. With a good knowledge of lighting and composition, I was able to produce this nice portrait in one of their large unused ballrooms (a big dark empty room with one piece of furniture). I slowed the shutter down just enough to allow some of the ambient light to appear on the wall behind her. This helps separate her left side from the background.

After the ceremony, the couple enjoys a few quiet moments together by the fountain.
As you can tell, Tabitha didn't have any fun that day. And this is what happens when you get two best friend together for a portrait!
The couple shares their first dance. I made sure to get the "safe" shots before proceeding on to some creative captures. The DJ lights illuminate them while one of my flashes adds some fill from the left side.
What a clever idea! They had these custom Hershey, I mean Heretheyare (the newlyweds' last name), bars and custom wine bottles as favors. I have more shots with the entire chocolate bar in focus, but I love the "tons of love" detail and wanted to highlight it in this image by using a selective focus.
I love getting creative with the cake shots, in addition to providing some more traditional images. The rich blue backdrop set up by the A La Carte staff helps make this a strong image.
You can't even keep these two separated on the dance floor! This is when the party really got started.
As I was leaving the venue, I noticed the wonderful light just after sunset. It was enough to convince me to pull some gear back out of the trunk and set up for a few shots. I have some great "location" shots of this venue, but the ones I made that night are some of my favorites. If you are looking for a potential wedding spot, check it out and tell 'em Eric from Tampa Photo sent ya!

I hope you enjoyed some of the images from their event. I know I enjoyed shooting it! Once again, Tabitha and Carl, congratulations and I wish you the best of luck in your life together.

Anne and Matt

This was a very special wedding to photograph, as the bride was my wife's sister. Anne and Matt were awesome! And, being a photographer himself, Matt (and Anne for that matter) was great at working with me to get the best images possible. You guys rock and I hope you have a wonderful life together!

The wedding was at the very beautiful "horseshoe" area of the University of South Carolina in Columbia. There was a great mix of trees/vegetation and cool architecture that provided a wonderful balance to the images. Here are a few select images from the wedding. I decided to post only black-and-white images (for no real reason). If you are interested in seeing more images from their day, you can check out their slideshow.

This is Anne getting ready in her hotel room. We took advantage of the hard light coming from a wall-mounted fixture next to the mirror to get this dynamic portrait. I like to balance soft/flattering light with edgy strong light throughout the day.

Matt relaxing before the ceremony. The shade was spotty, so I went with it and used the sun as a back/edge light and the church became one giant reflector which helps make him "pop" out of the background.

The lovely bride behind the church. We were walking to a spot to do group shots of the girls when I noticed the cool brick wall with great light. So we had a quick improptu photo shoot that resulted in some of my favorite images of the day. The images certainly benefited from the bridesmaids cheering her on from behind me!

I had to throw this one in. The two sisters. My wife Karen is on the right.

What a gorgeous family!

While standing up at the altar with the guys waiting for the ceremony to start, I figured I would go check on the girls and see what was holding them up. As I glanced out the window I saw this beautiful scene take shape and quickly changed my camera settings to capture the moment. I enjoy setting up beautiful shots of the bride and groom, but my true passion is capturing those fleeting moments that make the day truly special

A nice shot of the happy couple enjoying their first moments together as husband and wife!

On our way to some cool columns at the end of the "horseshoe" I noticed this large open area and visualized the couple together all alone surrounded by empty space. But the shot began to evolve in my mind resulting in my suggestion for them to practice their first dance. A slow shutter speed allowed me convey the motion (and emotion).

A quick shot of Anne by the columns using Matt as a nice accessory.

The reception was in a lovely restaurant, but unfortunately did not lend itself to photography very well. The black ceilings and mirrored walls made things difficult. But adjusting my approach to backlight them with natural light resulted in one of my favorite reception photos.

Congatulations Anne and Matt and thanks or being such wonderful subjects.

Ruth and William, Don CeSar Wedding

I got to spend the day at the Don Ce Sar hotel on St. Pete Beach to help MJ cover Ruth and William's wedding this past weekend. I really enjoy being the second-shooter sometimes. It offers an excellent opportunity to get creative and seek out special images I might not have the luxury of getting as the lead shooter. This also shows the benefit of getting two shooters from Tampa Photo to cover your event.

What a location for a wedding! This could easily pass as a resort on some remote Mediterranean island, but it's right here in our own backyard!
Here is William hanging with his guys at the piano in the main lobby.

While MJ works with Ruth to get some great portraits, I take advantage of a different angle for some added interest.

I love this image because it tells such a great story. It has the recognizable Don to help establish the location and you get a quick glimpse of the bride as she is escorted to the ceremony. I feel that the use of the crowd in the foreground gives the viewer a sense that they are a guest at the ceremony.

The clouds were rolling in, but we gambled and ran down to the beach. It certainly paid off as MJ made some wonderful portraits in the nice light and we got back before any rain fell. The setting sun was not yet covered by the clouds, allowing plenty of light to help the Don stand out (not that it needs much help!)

A long shutter blurs the bridal party, allowing the emphasis to be placed on the bride and groom here.