This intimate wedding was so fun to photograph back in June. The day had very little to do with timelines and formalities, it was mostly just Lauren + Jonah being together as husband & wife with their awesome friends and families in this beautiful place. Those are truly our favorite wedding days to document.
Tips for getting out and shooting more.
Read MoreAdventurers, world-travelers, always hand in hand, lovers of photography. That's Natalya + Charlie, so naturally you know we hit it off. Charlie proposed in Iceland (bummer we missed that!) and they planned a close-to-home wedding at Peacock Ridge Farm in Ohio. A perfect backdrop for their adventurous spirits. This was our favorite wedding this year mainly because at sunset Natalya jumped up and down in excitement for their portraits in this giant golden field. It was breathtaking and they took in every single bit of it.
Meet Nat + Char!
Venue: Peacock Ridge Farm
Floral: Bouquet Studio
Catering: Casa D'Angelo
Dress Designer: Liancarlo
Hair & Makeup: Eyedomakeup and Hair
The Oregon Coast is majestic. It's rough and dark and scary. It's serene and massive...and all at the same time the most beautiful place I've ever seen. Becca + Vic just moved to the Manzanita area and it just so happened that we were in the neighborhood. You may recognize these two from their wedding earlier this year.
We loved that just a few weeks after they settled in we were able to document a piece of their hearts here in Oregon, on their latest adventure! We hiked, stood on cliffs and in the cold salt water. They showed us a secret trail to a cliff edge hundreds of feet above the most emerald water and crashing waves. It was unforgettable. If you can stand at the edge of the earth and be insignificant and everything all at once then you'll be as changed by Oregon as we all have been.
Over the years I've had a number of different presets in my arsenal. I've tried making my own and those were never very consistent. And finally Katch Silva came out with this set. When she came out with her presets I knew right away I would try them out. I had been a fan of her work for years and would often lose myself in the depth and the velvety tones.
As far as a preset goes, these guys are powerful! Presets are never a one-click fix for me, I always adjust and personalize but these are the closest thing to one click I've found. I'm big on editing less and shooting more so these totally speed up the editing process for me. I also love the consistency that using a preset brings to the portfolio. I figured I'd share my experience after using Katch's presets for the whole 2016 season!
How I Use Them:
I love the temperature adjustments that each set provides but I mainly stick to the Katch 1.1 (an updated release) for it's warm shadows and softened hues. Out of the box it has a slight fade in the shadows which I don't love so I take my shadows back down in the tone curve and then I also decrease the whites for those soft highlights. Each set has it's own suggested use and from each of them I can pretty much do a 1,2,3 click edit on any session or wedding.
Favorite Details:
The Katch 5 BW set is a complete killer -- It's literally the perfect black and white. Warm highlights, dark darks and tons of contrast and detail! I may bump contrast and exposure on this a little because I tend to like a slightly less soft black and white.
Pros:
Cons:
Overview:
Totally recommend Katch's presets if you're into bringing out the natural beauty and tones in the photo with adjustments in split toning/shadows, etc. They work well in every situation and are a great starter preset for new photographers because they are very easy to manipulate! Would love to hear your thoughts if you decide to try them out!
Happy editing!
-M
We truly adored Taylor & Tony. Just something about their love and sense of humor really struck us. We met up with them a few times over the last year or so (once for their engagement you can see here) and every time they both had us howling. We adored these two so much we printed one of their wedding photos just to put up in our office! What sweethearts they are to everyone and what a lovely wedding day they had!
Venue: Hoover Hall, Walsh University
Florals: Twigs & Twine
Jessica, from Cleveland, and her doting beau Dani, from New York, convened with their awesome families for a perfectly intimate ceremony and reception at The Club at Hillbrook in Chagrin Falls, Ohio. The forecast called for rain and they moved the ceremony into the covered porch but the heat and humid weather brought this unbelievably beautiful haze into the pine forest behind the club. It felt like the enchanted forest. This wedding was full of so much to love, champagne & cigars under the setting sun, cheese foraged from their favorite NYC chefs, a foliage abundant chuppah that made my heart skip and an epic dance party. Meet Jessica + Dani.
My brother and my mom had a conversation, unbeknownst to me, that Justin and I should call the ourselves 'Gypsy-Tographers'. It has a certain charm to it, I'm not gonna lie. But it's more the sentiment that I like, I think. The idea of the open road, no home, no roots at least for a little while. Wanderlust fulfilled and life simplified + prioritized. Well, that's what we've been planning for the last two years.
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It's time to finally share here, making the whole thing seem more official than it has, our adventure and travel plans! We're hitting the road in a few months! We'll be wheels rolling for a while, for as long as we can stand it, I hope. Our plan, plain and simple, is to book shoots and weddings as we're touring America in our vintage camper. We'll even take our big girl across the borders if you'll take us there!
We've been working hard (really really hard) to save money, pay off debts, pare-down our belongings and prepare for a life of full-time travel now the only thing left unplanned is where we will go and what we will shoot. See, that's where you come in! Help us share our story by following along on our blog here and our Instagram here. Tell your friends in other states about our business and our story. The more people we're able to reach the more stories we can tell, the more places we can explore! As a thank you we'll send you free adventure prints and even offer up our spare bed in the camper!
We're super excited for this next chapter of our life & business. Read more about all that on our blog The Motorhome Memoirs.
Each year we have the honor and privilege of sharing a day with a bunch of awesome creatives in a vibe-y space to take photos and indulge in some R&R. This year was pretty epic. The cast of vendors was simply perfect and the photographers who joined us to photograph the goods were so so great! We couldn't have asked for a better Collected group and we can't wait for whatever next year has in store for us.
It's so important for us to tune into our artist hearts from time to time. To tune out the world that is filled with daily inspiration boards and shot lists and IG posts. To create something with our brains instead of recreating something with our eyes. That's what Collected is about. That's what these creative vendors get to do. Take a look at what came of this year's collaboration (complete vendor list at bottom of post):
Collected Hosts & Event Coordinators - Mallory + Justin McCrea, Lauren Huddleston
Venue: Epiphany Pietzcker - The Piggery at Anna Dean Farm
Band: Scenic Route
Catering: Brian Bower - Taproot Catering
Bar Service: Happy Camper Bar Car
Hand-Lettered Elements- bar & buffet menus- With Love & Whimsy -
Printed Stationery Suite- - invitation & place-setting menu- Baci Designer
Styling & Furniture Rentals - Julie Eifel - Borrow Rentals
Backdrop Set Installations - ELBOWGREASE Designs
Floral Design - Ashley's Floral
Bakery - Hummingbird Bake Shop
Gowns & Accessories - Moon and Back Bridal
Beauty - Beauty Therapy Inc
Bride #1 - Sophia Termine - Wearing a Claire La Faye gown/ Sash by The Yellow Peony Hair by Jolene and Make Up by Jami of Beauty Therapy
Groom #1 - Brandon Marlowe - Suit by Coppley
Bride #2 Sydney Bolek - Wearing a Pure Magnolia Gown, Hair by Erica Snodgrass | Make Up By Jami of Beauty Therapy
Groom #2 - Ross Newbauer wearing Express & JC Penney.
This is one of our favorite engagement adventures EVER. These two wanted their engagement story to reflect their love of the of the sea. Nicole is originally from the Cleveland area so she was right on board when I suggested we explore the rocks near Edgewater Beach for a landscape as close to the California coast as you can get in the Midwest. Those waves, that horizon, the moody rocks. It was so good. Meet Nicole + Bryan.
We've been in the mood for while to do something different in our work. Both of us have been trying to make a conscious effort to see different angles, look for different light that we wouldn't typically be drawn to and to shoot a more soulful story. Finally we planned a shoot with Stephanie, who is a Ballerina, in the woods of the Cuyahoga Valley National Park.
We're both SO proud and in love with these images. The story they tell and the experience of documenting something at a much slower pace than a wedding is something we're really drawn to right now. We told Stephanie to be herself, dress however she wanted, do her makeup however she wanted; that we wanted to document a soulful image of a soulful person. We wanted the light and the dark to meet, kiss and be the main event in these images. Take a look at Stephanie in the Woods. We didn't plan on photographing Stephanie with her car but once we saw her in it, we couldn't resist!
We're happy for these two. Mainly because they're adorably in love but also because they're family (and a little because they lay in gorgeous ferns for photos). Kennedy is Justin's cousin and we've been able to watch her grow up over the last few years into this beautiful, engaging, smart & sophisticated young woman. Her and Chaz really are our buddies, we always have such good times laughing with these two when we get together!
They're having a winter wedding before heading off on a big adventure to a new state with new jobs and a new life as husband and wife! We can't wait to watch them live intentionally and have many South Carolina adventures!
Love you guys!
Tips for planning the wedding YOU want to have!
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Becca and Vic are adventurers. They met and fell in love on independent adventures in the magical mountains of Slovenia. These two wild spirits couldn't have been a better fit for us. Meeting them in New York City in December just reaffirmed what we already knew. After an hours long brunch and too much coffee we wanted around a Christmas market getting to know each other but it truly felt like we were already old friends.
Venue: The Lake Erie Building | Screw Factory
Floral: Arte Di Fiori / Rosado Event and Design
Catering: Phuel Cafe
Band: The Sunrise Jones Band
Dress: Allure Bridal
Invitation Suite, Fabric Installations & Table Decor Handmade by the Bride
They're our insanely good looking friends. Lisa is a very talented photographer and videographer and Brad, her now husband, is a very smart engineer. The four of us have a really damn good time together. Lisa and I have these really deep philosophical conversations while the guys talk about nerd stuff. They have become some of our best friends over the last year or so and we were completely honored to document this day for them. Knowing the backstory between two people, witnessing their love and watching them grow together makes documenting their union that much more emotional. What a day.
With a few tears dripping and some hugs along the way we were completely consumed as we documented Lisa's perfectly executed DIY wedding at Rivercrest Farm. She's so talented and has damn good taste, just look at all these eclectic details.
Mobile Bar: Sweetwater Caravan
Venue: Rivercrest Farm
We absolutely love when a couple comes to us with a shell of an idea for an intimate, personalized wedding like Allison + Rory's. "Flowing, authentic, un-contrived" were the words this couple used to describe their eclectic wedding vision. It all came to fruition at Cleveland's Red Space! We loved this wedding style so much and got to work so many of our favorite vendors! Such character in the details! Have a look!
Getting Ready & Rooftop Portraits: The Metropolitan at the 9
Transportation: Lolly the Trolley
Receptions Venue: Red Space
Floral Design: Fair Rarity Flowers
Baker: Hummingbird Bake Shop
Styled Furniture & Rentals: Borrow Vintage & Eclectic Rentals
So many elements aligned together making Sarah & Chuck's wedding one of our favorite weddings of all time. Sarah's grace, Chuck's humor, those things in front of the camera; the wind, the sunset, that dress.....THAT dress. Sarah told me that she kept telling people her wedding vision was Great Gatsby meets English Tea and she wasn't missing a single detail. The part we loved the most was these two being an absolute pleasure to photograph. They laughed and let go, They let themselves be in the moment together. At times during their portraits I was completely in awe of their effortless joy, it couldn't have been a better end to 2015.
A year of adventure we planned, a year of adventure we had. This blog hasn't been graced with many personal thoughts lately just as a way to keep a curated journal of our beautiful clients but at the end of the season, with a new year on the horizon, we can't help but start to collect our thoughts on how grateful we are for such a great year. For such a great life.
Our 2015 was truly one for the books, personally and professionally. We photographed the most weddings we've ever shot in a season and traveled more than ever. Professionally, this year took us to California, Colorado twice, New York, Chicago and all around Ohio, this year brought us publication features and a ton of new industry and life friends along with new skills, passions and ideas. Personally, this year brought us a creative burn-out like we never thought possible and a desire to travel deeper and work more passionately towards a debt-free, minimalist life. We bought a motorhome and started preparing for a different kind of life than we've had for the last ten years together. We got three new family members and one new kitty!
The best part of 2015 though is the stories we got to be a part of. No matter how long we do this work, we're never desensitized to the magnitude of that little detail. That we get to witness and document a couple, a family, best friends in their most joyful moments on a day that will be one of their most memorable in all their history... that's huge and still such an honor to us.
2015 put in front of our camera a ton of awesomely individual, genuine and special people and stories. These moments made up a year will we not forget and we just want to give thanks to these people for quite literally keeping our lights on.
Without further rambling...here are our best moments of 2015...thanks be to everyone pictured and several who are not!
Cheers to 2016!
For so long we've had this dream of traveling to make photographs. To document the stories we love in insanely beautiful places. Stories in the mountains, stories on the coast, stories of love, stories of life. This year has been such a fulfilling year in that respect. We've documented some really enchanting places and stories and we're so in love with all of them! Erin + Mark are exactly the kind of people we hoped to meet when that dream came into our hearts. I met these two a year ago in Colorado and we hiked and talked about life and made such a great connection that I basically begged them to bring us back for their wedding this year. Strings were pulled and the four of us were able to make it happen. We were so excited! This was the wedding we looked forward to all year long...because well...MOUNTAINS! The fact that Erin and Mark are literally THE sweetest, most generous, funny and down-to-earth people made it so much more worth it for us to hop a flight to Denver for their wedding!
We arrived the day before the wedding and Denver greeted us with THE WEIRDEST weather forecast. By the morning of the wedding it was a complete white out-blizzard in Evergreen after raining the entire day before. We were super freaked out, our idea of that temperate 60 degrees and sunny that Colorado usually provides was no where in sight. Instead we had this awesome blanket of fog, giant snow flakes floating in the wind and a perfectly overcast sky. Sure, our fingers were cold and our feet got wet but any bride that throws on her hiking boots for portraits is a ten in my book. Complete with Colorado craft beer, a lake house lodge ceremony with a visit from an otter, and the happiest people on the planet here's Erin + Mark, a wedding we have been SO EXCITED to share with ya'll for so long.
Way back in July we hosted the second annual Collected. This event, spun out of a handful of ideas and dreams of collaborating, has taken on a life of it's own both years. This year we had the most amazing team of vendors in the industry to put their minds to work creating vignettes of style and creativity. The photographers, all twelve of us, looked with discerning eyes for ways to improve, to see differently, to refuel our passion for this creative passion. The product was a weekend full of crazy downpours, delicious food, bottles of whiskey passed around the fire, eating s'mores out of each others hands (that was awkward and I'm still not sure why it happened), new bonds, laughter and a lot of really great photography.
Here's my take on this years look!
The love and appreciation I have for Tap Root Catering, Fair Rarity Flowers, Baci Designer (stationary) & Borrow Rentals for being huge contributors to this event TWO YEARS in a row is just too much to put into words on this blog! Your work is constantly stunning, inspiring, creative and literally THE BEST in the industry!
Vendors who make this event possible:
Taproot Catering
Sweet Water Caravan
Borrow Vintage & Eclectic Rentals
Fair Rarity Flowers
Baci Designer
Oak & Honey Events
Andi Wheatley Makeup Artistry
Sponsors:
Special thanks to all of our amazing national & local event sponsors
The FIND Lab
ProDPI
H.H.Boogie
(provided a hand-crafted album box for a giveaway, see the video here.)
Madera Books
Deli Ohio
17hats
Artifact Uprising
Chad Austin Design
Hugs and high-fives to the gorgeous folks in front of the camera:
Devin Casper-Hill & Keith Hill
Audreanna Tabellion & Josh Heckathorn
Tj Alleshouse
Jeanna Washko & Family
Maria Mejia