The grounds are well kept and pleasant to just walk around.
Although outdoor weddings can create problems for photographers,
there is a great setting for one if you wish and plan it correctly.
Your photographer will just have to do some work to remove the many power lines,
telephone poles and the neighbors house and their car.

Inside, with the many windows, it was a great place to shoot photography.
I was able to use natural light during the entire daytime wedding ceremony and reception.
The angle of the photographs just has to be right in order to keep the bright sunlight from the
windows making everything a silhouette.

The couple had given me permission to move during the wedding which allowed me to be up front behind the minister.
I was able to capture many great shots of the bride and groom as they gazed into each other’s eyes.

The hall is smaller, so events of more than 150 people would be impractical.

The Bride was able to drive up in a classic car right to the side door of the school house
making her arrival a grand event and she was able to walk right in and down the aisle to meet her groom.

After the wedding, the downstairs hall had to be re-arranged for the reception,
(chairs moved and tables added)
so all the guests had to make their way upstairs where drinks and snacks were served during this transition.
During this time, as the photographer,
I was able to take the bride and groom outside for portrait pictures with them and the family.
Outside there is many shrubs, trees and brushes for backgrounds and a cool brook that flows
along the school house building.

All and all, a very nice place for any event.

The most popular time for an outdoor wedding seems to be between 1PM and 5Pm, but is this the best time for an outdoor wedding?

I my opinion Definitely Not,,,
during that time of the day the sun is at its peak. It is the hottest and brightest time of the day. Yes, it may be the most convenient time to schedule, time wise, but even on a cloudy day in Seattle, it poses many other problems.

Your guests will have to sit outside and generally most outdoor locations have the chairs set up, in the open, in the sun. Unless you have cold drinks set out for your guests to pick up as they go to their seats, they may not be thirsty but they will be uncomfortable. The little ones will be uncomfortable and will begin to cry and then you will lose one of the parents as they look for a place to take the baby so they do not disrupt your wedding,,, oh and there will be the parents that will just sit there and let junior and/or missy cry.

The Minister generally wears a suit and tie and don’t even mention those religions were the minister has to wear a robe.
Your bridal party is all dressed up and they will have to stand all during the entire ceremony in the hot sun with nothing to do but be miserable.
And the two most nervous at the wedding, the groom is in a suit or tux and the bride is in her expensive dress. They too will have to stand tall during the entire wedding and look beautiful, or handsome looking into each other’s eyes, and they will be, mark my words, the most uncomfortable there.

But I am a photographer and I want to mention to all those brides that want to schedule their weddings during 1 and 5 that your pictures will not be the best either.

A photograph is a capture of the reflection of light off objects and people, and the light that is the source will be the light that dictates the quality of your photographs. I am sure that there are some photographers that will tell you that they will still take great pictures,, but they cannot control the sun and the problems that it will create. Any photographer that will be truthful will tell you that the lighting conditions between 1 and 5 are the worst conditions to take pictures.. All those beautiful outdoor shots you see in magazines and in print are taken at dawn or dusk and never between 1 and 5.

The sun is straight up in the sky and will cause bright reflections and cause the following;
Hot reflections off skin, off the arms and foreheads and I won’t even mention those grooms that have a receding hair line or worse a bald head.
Unless you plan on everyone wearing sunglass which will hide the eyes, everyone will be squinting which causes the eyes, which I feel is where the personality and beauty of person is shown, to be almost closed and all of the other facial features will also be winkled and un-natural.
The bride’s dress will also have hot spots and especially if it is white will be one big bright spot and show no detail at all.
The older guests, like your grandparents with white or silver hair will be one big hot spot.
The colors of that beautiful setting you chose to have the wedding of a lifetime will be faded and dull.

Today’s cameras are the best ever, but even with expensive filter no camera can correct for conditions caused by the bright sun between 1 and 5.
Now great things can be done with digital photographs today, but no one is going to correct for all those conditions for nothing.

I could go on, but I hope you get the point that in the middle of the day between 1 and 5 is not the time to have a beautiful, comfortable wedding.

When is the best time??? Dawn or dusk.. Now dawn will be really inconvenient not only for the guests to arrive but for the wedding party to get ready at sun up, so that leaves later in the evening.

Now the best time depends on the region of where your wedding will take place, but rule of thumb would be at sunset or no earlier than between 2 and 3 hours before sunset.

Mark my word, if you schedule your wedding during that time you will not be disappointed.

The Olympus E-3 is the new flagship of the Four Thirds Standard-based Olympus E-System. This long-awaited replacement for the original E-1 model offers a plethora of advanced features to tempt the professional photographer away from the competition. The E-3 boasts the world’s fastest auto-focusing speeds when used in conjunction with the new Supersonic Wave Drive lenses, one of which we test out in our review (the 12-60mm SWD lens). Fast shutter speeds of up to 1/8000th second and 5fps continuous shooting with a 19 image RAW buffer ensure that you’ll never miss a shot. A 10 megapixel Live MOS sensor, built-in image stabiliser which stabilises all lenses, Live View on a multi-angle 2.5 inch LCD screen and the Supersonic Wave Filter dust reduction system complete the headline specs. Olympus have taken a long time to get the new E-3 just right,

Pregnancy and birth are miraculous journeys. This amazing time of life is full of mystery,
anticipation, joy, hope, and wonder.
Feeling the powerful energy of birth and new life, watching as a new family is born unto each other.
These things humble and amaze. These are the things that we celebrate when a baby is born.

But there is another aspect of pregnancy and birth. There is an unexpected place in this journey where some families may find themselves. When a baby dies, a world is turned upside down.
There is confusion, sadness, fear, and uncertainty that cannot be explained. There is sorrow where there should have been joy. During this time, it might be impossible for families to know what they might need in order to heal in the future.

For families overcome by grief and pain, the idea of photographing their baby may not immediately occur to them.

Bob Martin and other area professional photographers provide a gentle and beautiful photography service in a compassionate and sensitive manner.

The soft, gentle heirloom photographs of these beautiful babies are an important part of the healing process.

They allow families to honor and cherish their babies, and share the spirits of their lives.

For more information please go to http://www.nowilaymedowntosleep.org

Making a good picture into a Great Photograph is more than just downloading it from the camera onto your computer.
It takes an eye to see what the camera did not capture right and the conditions you could not control when the picture was taken.

I took this picture on a very hot, sunny day in September, in the middle of the afternoon.
I wanted to show the newlyweds dancing their first dance in the great setting of their wedding place. They were dancing near where their guests were seated and even one of the guests was taking a picture
at the same time I was and was in my shot behind the couple.
There was clutter in the back ground and flower petals from her bouquet on the grass,
all of which I did not want in the photograph I presented to them.
Due to the bright sunlight and the blue sky, the trees looked bluish green,
the mountains looked bluish brown due to the sun and haze, and the lake was not a true blue either.
On top of all that, the bride’s face was shadowed by her new husband
and even her dress and his shirt and vest are faded by the shadows.
The picture would have been OK and the couple would have loved it, but I did not.

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Below is the photograph that I presented to the couple

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The guests and guest photographer as well as the flower pedals are gone.
The clutter in the back ground is gone and only the lone row boat remains.

The trees and grass are a real green,
the mountains are now showing their grandeur and
the lake is now really blue.
The shadow on the bride’s face is there,
but not anywhere as much of a hindrance as before and
the couple is brighter and their clothing is their true colors.

Did I have a “no good” camera when I took the picture?
No, I took this picture with a very fine professional grade camera
It is just that the programming in every camera will capture color shifts due to the conditions
when the picture was taken and no camera or photographer can always control the background,
the guests and the lighting conditions in a candid shot during your wedding.It takes a great photo editing software and
someone who has had the training with it to make the corrections.
So you see its takes more than a good camera to give you a great photograph

All too many times we hear horror stories from newlyweds and others about the service or sometimes the lack of service of the photographer they hired.  Some have stated that they did not get any of the promised photographs of their wedding or event.  Some have stated that the photographer will not return their phone calls inquiring where their photographs are, and others have stated that they cannot even locate the photographer.It is always harder to give advice to clients, explaining what to do after the fact, but here are some things you can look for before you hire a photographer.

1.     Does the photographer have a State business license?
Just having a business card and a listing in the yellow pages or on the internet does not make a business.  Most States require that all businesses be licensed and pay taxes, including sales tax.  If the photographer cannot show you his business license, you are hiring a hobbyist. Oh, and if he does not have a business license, he should not be charging you sales tax.

2.     Does the photographer carry insurance for his business?
General Liability Insurance covers a business during their business operation  while they are soliciting your business and during your event in the case they cause damage to you, your guests or to your property.  Many halls and event centers require you and all your vendors to carry this insurance to protect the owners of the event center during your event,,, You should also require it to protect you.
Errors and Omissions (E&O) or Malpractice insurance protects you against the vendor’s service quality,  bad pictures, no pictures, not enough pictures or if the vendor fails to  show up to your event.

3.     Is the photographer a member of a national or local association for photographers?
The largest association for photographers, is the PPA or the Professional Photographers of America, (PPA.com).  Although this association does not judge or regulate the work the photographer does, they do offer certificates of accomplishments, training programs and E & O insurance as well as complaints about the member photographers.   All current members have a membership card with an expiration date.  If the photographer you are interviewing does not belong to the PPA, he probably does not have E&O insurance (which comes with membership to the PPA) and does not feel strong enough about his profession to be a true professional.

4.     Does the photographer have a business location?
Does the photographer offer to let you come to their place of business or do they always want to meet you somewhere else?  While some work from a professional studio, many photographers work out of their homes.  Both should invite you to their place of business to view their past works and discuss your event.  They should have enough pride in their place of business to have you come there.  A photographer with a business “on wheels” can disappear with no trace.

5.     Does the Photographer have back up equipment?
Photography equipment is very sophisticated equipment and yet, for no reason at all, it may not work when required to.  A professional photographer knows this and carries a back up camera, flash, batteries, flash cards and other equipment needed for your special event. Ask to see their place of business and their equipment.

6.     Have you met the photographer and looked though their portfolio?
Personalities do sometimes clash.  If you cannot feel comfortable with the photographer during the initial interviews, nothing will change at your event.
Viewing the photographer’s past work and his processing techniques, will give you an idea of the work you can expect for your event. If the photographer has not done what you want in the past, chances are he won’t do it at your event either. 
Working with photographs after they are loaded on the computer, is at least half the work of providing you quality photographs.  Does the photographer have a photo processing program, i.e. Photoshop, and does he have the training and ability to work with it?

7.     Does the photographer return your phone calls before your event?     
If neither the photographer or his staff will return your calls or emails before your event, do you really think they will after?

8.     Does the photographer seem as excited about your event as you are?     
The photographer does not have to jump up and down with joy with your event, but he should be excited enough to offer suggestions and answer your questions.  He should suggest photo settings and different poses.  Does he have a photo list of the possible photographs he plans on taking at your event and not just a “we will see what happens when we get there”, attitude?

9.     Does the Photographer insist on the Full payment BEFORE the event?
Most photographers do require a down payment before your event, and the balance is usually due when the photographer arrives at your event or when leaving your event, but watch for those who want all the money before they arrive, as they may not arrive at all.

10.     Does the photographer want to sell you albums and frames before your event?
Watch out for the photographer that wants to sell you all the bells and whistles and make you pay for them before your event.  I am not sure how you can decide on how to display your photographs before you know what photographs you have to display.

11.    How long does the Photographer tell you it will take for your photography proofs to be ready for your viewing?
With a large event, it may take up to two weeks for the photographer to go through all the photographs that were taken and do the preparation to get them ready to show you. Watch out for those who give you no time line or that tell you it will take 4 weeks or more.

12.    With all the great cameras that are on the market today, why do you need to hire a professional photographer at all?
Getting a great photograph is more than just downloading the picture from the camera to your computer.  The processing of the picture, after it is downloaded, is half the work towards getting a great photograph.  Yes, the photograph right from the camera may look ok, but I can show you hundreds of good photographs that have been processed into great keep sakes with today’s photo processing software.  Only a professional will have the knowledge to make those good pictures into great memories you will cherish for a lifetime.
Taking great photographs at your event and making sure you get all the photographs you want is more than just having someone there with a camera. Most events, and especially weddings, are fast paced and many unexpected things can happen

 If you hire an amateur, you will get an amateur’s work.  I have heard stories of a friend that promises to take your pictures and at the last minute, sometimes with no warning at all, can’t make it or does not even show up or they get busy visiting with other guests at your event and forget to be where you are when an unforgettable happening is taking place and thus, no pictures at all.  Or those whose computer crashes while they were downloading or working with your pictures with no backups. If you hire an amateur you take your chances.

 to down load the file What to look for when choosing a photographer

I have started this blog to help all who love photography and those who may be looking for a good photographer.

I of coarse hope you chose my services, but if not, then you will at least know about me and what to look for with another photographer, happy blogging and keep taking those photographs