Bridal Portrait

Bridal Portrait

before

Bridal Portraits

Years, decades before,  brides often went to a studio before their wedding day and had a tradition elegant bridal portrait taken of themselves.  That tradition has long been gone. Today's weddings are fast paced with limited time. It's the photographers job to keep everyone on time through out the day- keep the day flowing. But we shouldn't forget that the traditional bridal portrait is essential.  The day a this woman has dreamed of, spent endless hours planning for her perfect wedding day. Dressed in the perfect gown, hair and makeup all perfect.  

But and here's a big but, often the location where the bride and her attendants get dressed is far from perfect for a bridal portrait.  

I have learned over the year to just shoot, do the best I can, I worry more about lighting and good focus. Keeping backgrounds a neutral colored  as possible to avoid serious color casting on a white gown. But not all is possible. In the before picture most of the photo was with the neutral background  we moved little chairs and a table to squeeze in an area because this dressing area is also a kindergarten church classroom.  

Creating The Portrait

Starts first with hair and skin, tidy up the hair, using one of my most favorite programs Portrait Professional to smooth skin and enhance lighting on the bride. Keeping the background simple so the eye quickly focuses on just the bride with  no distractions. Simple vignetting on the outer edges helps keep the focus on the subject on her most special day. 

I always make sure every effort is made to give the bride a touch of tradition for her most elegant day.  

Halloween
Today's Halloween.. Always an exciting time for the kids and adults.  This year I decided to have a little pre-season fun with costumes and clients. You can check out all our special spooks on facebook and soon I will have them up on the website.  From little ones to grandparents ready to sport a costume for a family picture.  Thank you to everyone that came and hope to see you all again soon.

Wedding Details

                                                                   Wedding Details.

Weddings are always full of details, flowers and decorations. Most weddings have themes for the season or the couple's personal interests. Here in Wisconsin it's common to have deer hunting incorporated into wedding themes. Weddings have become very diverse bringing out the personalities of each couple.  

 When shooting a wedding, I pay close attention to details. If the item was important to include in their wedding, it should be documented.  That doesn't necessarily mean these images will ever be printed.  But with my wedding business, the couple owns - has full rights to their digital images.

I ask every couple this question.  Would you be excited if someone told you that you can see all of your great or great great grandparents wedding pictures?  See what they wore, Did they have a dance? who was there?  What did they eat?   These images will never be. Some of us are lucky to see a single wedding photo taken in a studio of our ancestors from long ago. But nothing past that.

Today, with digital imagery, we have the ability to not only have wedding pictures for us, our memories, pictures that are taken by our photographer when the bride and or groom are not around. lots of surprises, pictures of guests, details, activities of  all sorts.

Now I want you to think about the future, a 100 or much more, years after we/you/all of us are no longer here.  The gift we will not be here to see, but the gift to those that come after us.
For all the years past our imagination, we can give the gift of who we are, what the bride wore, what was important in 2016.
It is a gift that can't be measured by any means.

We have the ability to give great gifts of documentation.  Professional wedding photography is important. We, the professional wedding photographers know from years of experience what to look for, what possible mistakes to look out for, how to guide the wedding day so it flows, keep your wedding on time. Move fast, look for important people and photograph them   The photo below is from a bride that received this charm as a gift just prior to the ceremony. It's a photo of her mom that passed away.

These things can't be missed! Yet only through experience, professional cameras and high end soft ware, can we make certain this image and all the rest of the wedding photos will live on.

Details!!

Details are not just things!  Doing table photos after the meal. Who we are now, and who will see these images in the distant future.

Family Portraits

With the coming of digital cameras, we've become slackers with photos.. Yes slackers, we carry our  phone and take lots of images.   But we've  lost the family portrait, printed and displayed in our homes.  Studies show that family portraits, displayed on the wall in our homes, build self esteem of children. They clearly see themselves as part of a family unit.

No matter if it's a good day or not so good, our family is together as one.

Having your family portrait on your wall sends a message that the children are important.

There is a difference between seeing that photo on the wall, being able to touch it,  and seeing a now and then snap shot on a phone. Family

                       Family Portraits tell who you are at the time, and boy do things change with time.

Not all family photo session go as planned.  But the photos are of us, our family,  and nothing is more important than that. 

Wisconsin Farm

Fall farming brings on the sites of rich warm colors, not only the trees, but in late September the corn is dry and ready for the big machines. Nate brought his family's business into his senior pictures. It's what senior pictures are all about. Bringing in your interests especially when your a senior who has a custom harvesting business.  Usually farming means hunting as well, so we skipped the studio, headed outside and shot everything with  natural lighting.  To see Nate's Senior Portrait file go to cathysphotography.com

cathysphotography.com

Before and After - Fall High School Senior

Wisconsin is generally knows for it's awesome fall colors. This year it's just not there yet and it's almost October. Certainly about two weeks behind. Foliage is dry, sunsets are golden, but the leaves are just not pretty.  

Yesterday's senior photo session.. We had great conditions, nice weather, overcast sky, no battling the sun, going out to the irrigation pond with a 4 wheeler was an additional great senior photo session  plus,, But the fall colors are clearly missing.  So I add them with a couple texture overlays for depth and color, and some additional saturation of colors. Sharpen the image a bit, use PP for facial enhancement and the end result is what I like to be able to give my client.  The feeling of fall, the colors of fall, and a great high school senior as my client.  Thanks Mitch. 

fall Wedding

And so I haven't been into posting blogs, life went on..  But now is a new time and chance to up my interaction through blogging.

Where do I begin?

When I was much younger, long before I switched my career  from

nursing to photography. Weddings were generally in spring. June Bride, 

June Weddings.   Things changed here in Wisconsin and we started to

acknowledge the beauty of fall colors.  We went from black and white film

to poor color prints to the current vibrant colors of digital imaging and even more

vibrant colors that the newer print papers like Metallic and Pearl as well as

canvas brings out in images.

For me it's been all about the vibrant colors. Adding a sunset brings in the perfect romantic touch.

Class of 2016

Hello Class of 2016,

Your senior year is just around the corner, which means you will have to start thinking about your senior portraits. Your senior portraits are a big time in your life and you want photos that will last you a life time.

It is never too early to start thinking about your portraits and Cathy's Photography is here to help you.

For me information:

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Haley and Brian

Haley and Brian

Haley and Brian were married in Hatley, the perfect time of year for Wisconsin fall tree colors. October 4th.     It rained all day which caused some thinking to get outside photos done.   First I had the bride and bridesmaids stand at the edge of her parents garage, just under the roof's over hang.  then crawling in back of the stored grill, I was able to get photos of the ladies with the yard full of fall leaves.  A great wedding and such wonderful wedding party to work with,  certainly a memorable day for all Haley and Brian's guests. Wishing them years of happy married life.

Melanie and Jon Wedding

Melanie and Jon Wedding
Congratulations to Melanie and Jon.
August 17, 2013 in Wausau Wisconsin.

http://cathysphotography.com/

Having worked on the grave yard shift at a nursing home with Melanie for several years, it was more than a joy to see her in her beautiful sophisticated dress. An absolutely elegant wedding from start to finish.
Congratulation to Jon and Melanie.

Taylor and Dustin's Wedding Day

Taylor and Dustin's Wedding Day      click to view dvd slide show.

As We Become One.
 Taylor and Dustin exchanged vows at their 6:30 pm ceremony in Weston Wisconsin on June 22, 1013.

Jenny and Jody

Jenny and Jody

Gallery Link  To Jeni and Jody's Wedding