Mpls.St.Paul Magazine - Weddings - Photo + Video

Picture Perfect

Tue, 11 Dec 2012 15:30:50 GMT

FROM OUR FACEBOOK POLL

YOUR FAVORITE ENGAGEMENT LOCATIONS:

Inspiration Peak near Alexandria
Pillsbury Flour Mill
I Like You store in Northeast
Minnehaha Park
Foshay Museum and Observation Deck

"Like" us on Facebook to share your ideas.

Capturing photos from your wedding day should be easy: You look beautiful, you’re happily in love, and the Twin Cities is filled with picturesque locales to serve as a scenic backdrop for you and your groom. But finding a photographer that you connect with who can also deliver images that warrant one-word phrases of praise is easier said than done. “It’s important to hire someone you could see yourself spending a day with,” says Jason Thon, co-owner of Staja Studios. “Your photographer is the person you’re going to be around the most on your wedding day. You may see your photographer more than your fiancé.”

The first step in finding the right photographer is to set up a variety of face-to-face meetings. While the images on the photographer’s website are a good place to start, be sure to check out more pictures in person. “Ask him or her for recent, full wedding samples,” says Katie Fears of Brio Art. “That’s what the bride and groom can expect to see from their wedding day.” Couples should also make note of the photographer’s style and technical abilities. If you’re drawn to a photojournalistic approach as opposed to the traditional technique, share your preferences and bring pages from magazines that you like. Bring pictures you don’t like as well to clarify your expectations.

Once you know you’ve found the one (for the second time), make a deposit. “Most of my clients book 10 to 13 months in advance, right after they book their venue,” Fears says. Also schedule an engagement shoot so you, your groom, and your photographer can spend some quality time together before the wedding. If smooching in public isn’t your style, use this opportunity to test-drive your on-camera persona and test the waters with your photographer. “The engagement shoot is a huge opportunity for a photographer to get to know the couple,” says Fears. Pick venues, poses, and outfits that represent you as a couple. “Don’t be too matchy,” says Stephany Wieland of EyeSpy Photography. “Everything should blend well together. Details such as jewelry, a hat, tie, or cool shoes pull it all together.”

And once you survive a trial run of hugs and hand-holding in front of the lens, reconnect with your photographer to debrief. “When we get the engagement photos back, we can figure out what the couple likes best,” says Fears. “That way, on the wedding day, the focus can be on what worked really well during the engagement shoot.” And you can rest assured that those one-word exclamations will soon be in your future.

RULES OF ENGAGEMENT

Forget the Stone Arch Bridge. Hit these hidden gems for your engagement photo op—the end result is sure to be fun, flirty, and frame-worthy.

PHOTOGRAPHER’S RECOMMENDATIONS

Katie Fears, Brio Art
“The Arboretum and Minnehaha Falls are great greenery locations. If you want a more urban look, there’s a cool alley behind Joe’s Garage with cobblestone and brick.”

Jason Thon, Staja Studios
“There’s a field on Nicollet Island that looks really cool in May. The grass blooms and looks like fuzzy cattails all over. If you shoot near sunset, you get this glow around everything.”

Stephany Wieland, EyeSpy Photography
“Pick a destination that means something to you as a couple. I did a really cool shoot at the Pizza Farm in Stockholm, Wisconsin. The couple loves to go there and make pizza, so we set up a picnic with flowers.”

For His Eyes Only

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 16:35:21 GMT

Cuff links are lovely. A leather desk set is very nice. An engraved watch surely will be appreciated. When it comes to knocking your new husband’s proverbial socks off, however, none of these traditional groom’s gifts approach the “wow” factor of boudoir photography.

Many women have added a pre-wedding boudoir photo shoot to their bridal checklists. You, however, might be a bit skeptical: Posing in my underwear? In front of a stranger? Are you kidding??

We get it. But before you diss the entire idea, take note of these three popular local photographers and their growing boudoir phenomenon. Trust us—your groom will thank you.

Find the Right Photographer

It’s essential to select your boudoir photographer with as much care and discernment as your wedding photographer, our experts say. “The best boudoir photography is classy and suggestive—not tacky and blatant,” says Jennifer Wheeler, photographer and owner of Serendipity Photography.

Asking your wedding photographer for a just-you session prior to your nuptials might make sense–but only if she has a portfolio of boudoir images you admire. “Just because you’re a wedding photographer doesn’t mean you can pose boudoir,” cautions photographer Kelly Brown. “Chemistry is key,” says photographer Amber Procaccini. “Loving a photographer’s style is important, but you also have to really like the person doing the shooting and know that you’ll feel comfortable during your session.”

Wheeler schedules pre-session consultations with her brides by request. “We go over ideas and get acquainted,” she says.

Timing Is Everything

Schedule your session at least four months before your wedding day if you’d like to treat your groom to an album of sexy photos on the wedding night. Popular boudoir photographers book out several months in advance—and you’ll need at least a month after the session to order and receive prints and custom albums.

Already too close to the wedding to pull off a boudoir session as a groom’s gift? No problem: These photographs also makes a memorable first anniversary or birthday present.

What to Wear?

Most people associate boudoir photography with thigh-high stockings and push-up bras, and rightly so–any groom would be thrilled with photographs of his lovely bride in lacy lingerie.

But sometimes the sexiest boudoir photographs are anything but what you’d see in the pages of a Victoria’s Secret catalog. “I love capturing a woman’s individual sexiness,” Procaccini says. “Women can look phenomenally sexy in a white cotton tank top paired with lacy panties, or in an old off-the-shoulder sweater and boy shorts.”

Kelly Brown is a “huge fan of black, because it’s timeless and it photographs well. But it’s not really as much about the outfit as it is about the person and her expression. If you’re comfortable in what you’re wearing and the environment, the images are going to show that confidence.”

But I’m Not A Size 6!

Our photographers are quick to emphasize that boudoir sessions are for all body types. “You don’t need to be a supermodel or even close,” Brown says. “Regardless of body style, getting gorgeous images is about posing well—gently sticking out a hip, lowering your shoulders, arching your back a bit more. . . . An experienced photographer can guide women into poses that play up their assets.”

Don’t assume that your entire body must star in the photographs. Wheeler, for instance, “might just show a hip or a neck and shoulder. My style is a little bit more fine art–oriented.”

Location, Location, Location

Some boudoir photographers have studios that boast natural light and beautiful beds (“remarkably soft, forgiving surfaces,” Procaccini says, laughing), chaise lounges, sheepskin rugs, and ornate mirrors. Another option is a photo shoot at a local hotel. Seeking a clean, modern look? Consider the Graves 601 Hotel Wyndham Grand. Favor a classic aesthetic? Book a room at The Saint Paul Hotel. Is posh your thing? W Minneapolis—The Foshay might be perfect. Just remember that the cost of a hotel room reservation will be tacked on your session fee.

What to Expect

Upbeat music. An optional glass of wine. Professionally applied makeup and hair styling (for an additional fee). Guidance and encouragement from your photographer. Expect all of this and more at your boudoir session. “Most clients tell me after the shoot that they never expected to have that much fun,” Procaccini says. “After 15 or 20 minutes of shooting, they warm up, and then we just have a ball.” Adds Brown: “It’s an upscale, classy, cool experience.”

Indeed, a cool experience that yields a hotter-than-hot gift for your groom.

Check out our Weddings Resources for photographers.

Engagements We Love

Thu, 12 Jan 2012 13:47:30 GMT