Nikki and Brian, Lange Farm Wedding

Nikki and Brian were married at The Lange Farm last month. I always love going out there to shoot. This time I was second-shooting for Kevin.

Kevin was shooting all of the bridesmaids out on the porch. As the second shooter, it's always a challenge to capture something a little different. Climbing off the porch allowed the ballisters to frame Nikki nicely.

Nikki and her mother hug before getting ready to take their "official" portrait.

The two sets of parents congratulate each other immediately after the ceremony.

That is one cool ring-bearer.

Nikki and Brian stroll the grounds as we take advantage of all the great shooting locations.

The couple shares their first dance as husband and wife.

A long exposure lets the candles burn in, while three separate blasts from a handheld flash strategically light each cake individually.

Hang on tight!

I really like the look of a vignette on a photo. A flash zoomed in real close allows the light to fall off rather quickly giving that cool vignette look without any post-production.

The happy couple makes their big sparkler exit.

Congratulations Nikki and Brian! I wish you the best of luck and nothing but good fortune in your future.

Christmas Kids

Still trying to get caught up posting some recent shoots. Here are some fun Christmas photos that we got in before little Rhett crashed and burned (you'll see).

Happy Belated Holidays!

Well, I meant to post this right after Christmas but you know how things go. The next thing I knew we were well on our way into 2009. Anyway, I'm trying to keep up with posting December's shoots but I wanted to break for a moment to wish all of you a happy season and prosperous New Year! This has been a great year for our family as Karen and I have had the joy of watching our daughter Vanessa develop so much.


Thanks Kevin and MJ for taking this great photo of us! Capturing Vanessa smiling AND looking at the camera is quite a feat!

Martha and Phillip

Our good friends Martha and Phillip are engaged so we thought it would be a great idea to head to the beach to make some photos during sunset. It was super cold and windy, but they were troopers.

This was actually one of the last shots of the evening. Depending on the clouds, the light is sometimes best after the sun goes down.

This pretty much sums up these two.

Martha spends her days working to restore salt marshes in Tampa Bay, so it was only fitting to place them in front of this splendid marsh at Fort DeSoto's North Beach.

They wanted to try a "Conan the Barbarian" pose.

The couple shares a kiss among the dunes as the last light of day fades away.

Congratulations Martha and Phillip! You guys are a great match and I had a blast shooting these images.

Jessica and Barry, MacDill Air Force Base Wedding

Jessica and Barry were married in early December at MacDill Air Force Base. I had a lot of fun with this laid back couple and we had plenty of time to make some great photos.

Jessica and Barry spend some time away from their guests between the ceremony and reception. Wedding days can be pretty hectic; an hour alone with the photographer actually ends up being a pretty nice chance for the bride and groom to concentrate on each other.

We started out with Jessica at the Hyatt in downtown Tampa. The courtyard outside always makes a great location for photos.

Barry poses in front of some nice window light.

A bridesmaid gets a little choked up during the ceremony.

The clouds kept shifting and changing the light which made shooting a little difficult. I was set up to take some nice portraits in the diffuse cloud light when the direct sun started streaming in on us. A quick tweak of the pose resulted in this dramatic image.

After the sun had set the light was very soft and even which is great for portraits but can be boring. I used a direct flash to make this image "pop."

The Officers Club glows as dusk fades away.

The couple shares a dance.

Getting a creative cake shot can be tough. The crystal figures on top looked best when backlit and enough lit reflected back on the cake. The conscious decision to let the background go dark allows the cake to stand out.

Jessica and her girls get funky on the dance floor.

Congratulations Jessica and Barry! It was my pleasure to shoot your wedding, and Tampa Photo wishes you the best of luck.