When Sophia approached me to capture the images of her beautiful Persian Wedding the first thing I did was of course google it! Because I had no idea what a Persian Wedding was all about I turned to the work of other photographers and research the ceremony and reception sequence. I also received help from the bride which is actually Lebanese descendant and it was then that she mentioned that there would be a grand entrance into the reception hall by the bride and groom accompanied by dancers, a Zaffa or Zeffa.
So that in a nutshell is what got me ready for the event and the traditions that would be unfolding in front of my camera lens. But what really became apparent and manifested itself during the course of the ceremony and in the reception was that this was a FAMILY. It was a family just like many that I have known, similar to my own in many ways. Not just a few individuals gathered to go through a few traditions but a true family that showed the love they had for each other and the joy that they all felt to be part of such an occasion. I was truly moved with what I was feeling and seeing. And in the course of the evening the feeling of being someone hired to work an event turned in to someone that was just another guest in a celebration of the love that two people have for each other.
I would like to share a few images and also a video with the highlights of the beautiful wedding. The dancing was performed by the wonderful artists from Belly Motions with Portia, Luisa and Alexandra. You can get more information about their services on their site HERE.
A few weeks ago my wife came to me with the idea of doing a maternity photography give away at a baby shower she was hosting at a obstetricians office in the city of Homestead. The doctor works out of Baptist Homestead Hospital, where my wife as a social worker is a liaison between the hospital and Healthy Start. Giving to others in need as always been something that I’m eager to do, so I jumped right away at the idea and made plans with her for the drawing. We had an enlargement made to show the winner what her portrait would look like and placed it on a table top easel on the day of the baby shower.
So the day arrived and the baby shower went well from what my wife tells me with a great number of attendees. A winner was selected and a few days later I made contact with her and planned the maternity photo shoot. We decided to go Homestead Bayfront Park to take the photographs. The situation that most photographers encounter with outdoor photography is the lack control that we have with the weather, and this past saturday afternoon was no exception to that. Through out the day there was a strong wind coming from the southeast and clouds were covering most of the county. Nasty, nasty weather for outside portraits. But schedules get really complicated and when you book a session you sometimes have to go with what is thrown at you. To add to the pot we got to the park not knowing that they closed early 5:30 pm to be exact and we were informed by a very friendly staff (I’m being sarcastic about that they were actually quite harsh for been government employees). So I had 28 minutes to do a shoot before we would have been escorted out of the park by possibly the city of homestead swat team, if they have one I don’t know. Any ways I shoot fast, real fast and I got enough of the images that would give the young woman enough choices for her 11 x 14 enlargement.
When I first met Audranay the first thing that got my attention was of course the tattoos she had on her upper torso Live Laugh Love. Then as I started to capture her portrait I notice her beautiful eyes and smile. I commented to my wife how beautiful she was and that I wish more time had been available to capture more images. Maybe we will do a few when the baby arrives.
I selected a few of my favorites to showcase on this post I hope I did justice to her wonderful smile.
When Kelly first contacted me over a year ago from China about her Destination Wedding in the Florida Keys at first I was a bit surprised and hesitant. Usually when someone contacts you from another country like Nigeria the first thing that we think of is scam!! But that was not the case, as we continued to email back and forth she told me of her plans to marry the dream of her life which she actually met in China.
A few months after our initial contact we met while she came to the South Florida area to look at the different venues available for her beautiful Destination Wedding in a tropical setting like only the Florida Keys can offer. On a side note on a that meeting I noticed how organized she was with all her tabs placed in her three ring binder, it was perfect with the details. She had done her trial make up session and I took a few test shots outside of Starbucks, which I never showed her because my camera lens has actually fogged up from the difference in humidity and temperature. Not a good start for me!!
During the months leading to her beautiful wedding I kept in touch with her as she made her final decision on the venue. She decided on Coconut Cove Resort in Islamorada (spanish for purple island) even though the hard head locals pronounce it aisle-a-more-AH-dah It is still Isla Morada I’s an inside joke since I know a few of those hard headed locals 😉
The Resort is owned and run by Paul and Magda Bates a beautiful couple with a great family and a great crew that never stopped working all the time that we were there. They provided the accommodations, rehearsal dinner, decorations, ceremony, reception dinner and even the grand finale of the first dance: Fireworks!!
I prepared a small preview of the many images of the two day event that my beautiful wife and I captured. Yes she went along and she was a tremendous help. I think she might becoming part of my crew 😉
Here is the short preview in video form showing the stunning sunrise and more important a very loving and beautiful couple:
Why you need to hire a professional for your wedding, a few words of advice for Brides.
First House
I remember when my wife and I were in the process of buying our first home how we were advised to bring an attorney, a professional, to the closing. To bring to a very important day the experience of a person who had dedicated their lives to provide sound counsel in the very tricky environment of contract signing. So we did hire an attorney, a professional and he not only read the contract before the closing but also was present at the singing and he was looking out for us. It was very reassuring to have someone on our side while we signed papers that would put us in debt for a great part of our lives.
This is not the result of DIY decorations
Don’t DIY! Don’t bring Uncle Bob!
It would seem like an obvious thing to hire a professional for your wedding, to cover one of the most important events in one’s life, but many don’t take this route. A wedding which hopefully will be a once in a lifetime event.
But many feel that they are able to get away either doing it themselves [diy] or going with a non professional such as Uncle Bob who is good with his Canon Sure Shot 70 And of course there will be plenty of guests with their smart phones clicking away!
Going with someone that has no interest in maintaining a level of professionalism with his work, someone that is flying by the seat of their pants and not bringing in quality, integrity and proven results to the job at hand seems very, very foolish for such an important day.
Here are a few of the reasons that I feel need to be address when hiring a person that will be working in making the day of your wedding a very memorable, joyous and beautiful occasion. Even though I’m a photographer the reasons I will describe can be applied to many other areas of the special occasion which should be done by a wedding professional, such as event coordinator, music, decorations, flowers, catering and venue. So in the weeks to come I will be dealing with experience, contracts, equipment, insurance, artistic expression, and focus on the job.
This week I will start with reason number one on why you need to hire a professional for your wedding:
: the process of doing and seeing things and of having things happen to you
: skill or knowledge that you get by doing something
: the length of time that you have spent doing something (such as a particular job)
According to the above definition experience is obtained by doing something not once but many times. Experience is obtained by going through different situations and learning from them to improve in one’s skill. When you hire a professional for your wedding that has experience, less factors can affect the outcome of your event. Their skill based on their experience brings stability to what can be a chaotic situation.
Westin Colonnade in Coral Gables
I recently was shooting a wedding in a large venue with many logistical hurdles to address which without proper direction could have become disastrous. But the bride was very smart because she hired a professional coordinator for her wedding. Not only did things went like planned but everyone working the event was made very at ease because the coordinator was in control of the sequence of events. She brought stability with her experience not only for the years doing the job but because she had also worked with that venue before. Trying to work with a non professional or even worse doing it yourself in such a large venue would have been disastrous!
Here are a few examples of what a professional with experience will bring to your wedding:
A professional DJ will be able to work with the crowd he has in front of him to keep them entertained and involved in the festivities.
Flower vendor will inform you of the best flowers for the time of year of your wedding, how to keep them fresh and what will be the best use in an arrangement.
As mentioned above a professional wedding coordinator can bring a guiding hand to your event, moving things along and making adjustments according to unforeseen roadblocks.
An experienced professional photographer will adjust the camera settings in accordance with light level and light quality in the event. Having experience in the venue that you will be using for your wedding will help in getting the best angles and the most beautiful light for the most stunning images.
A professional caterer will bring their experience in helping you select the best ingredients for your guests meals. Their experience will make your event the talk of the town for days to come.
All of the professions mentioned above can handle small or large venues, small or large parties and can make your event shine!
Brides this day is about you and making you look great. That is why you need to hire a professional for your wedding with sufficient experience to make your event the most memorable possible.
When Ali asked me to be the photographer of her wedding at beginning of this year I never dreamed that it would turn out to be such an amazing event. From the venue, the flowers, the dress and all the details every thing was top notch. Here is a small preview from Fridays long but rewarding day, hope you enjoy.
Some of the images from a recent interior commercial photo shoot that will be used to do a total make over of Exceptional Vision’s website . Exceptional Vision optical is located in Palmetto Bay and is headed by Dr. Nathan Etten and Dr. Lianne Pino both Optometrists with years of experience and a passion for their profession. They have a beautiful office and a very professional optometrist practice.
Main ShowroomShowroomWaiting AreaPre Exam RoomDr. Nathan EttenDr. Lianne PinoTiffany & Co.Tory Burch EyewearEntranceVisual Therapy RoomKids Area
