Bridal Show 2012

 

We just finished with the annual Bridal Faire at the Emerald Coast Conference Center. This year seemed a little slower than last year. I think that the economy has played a huge roll in how people are planning their weddings. Most are forced to think a little smarter when it comes to the money that you spend. That is why I am hoping that we do well this year. So many of the other photographers in the are overpriced themselves to the point where I am surprised that anyone can afford them. I have been doing photography since I was 14 and feel that I price myself for the average person but deliver a quality that is unsurpassed. Not only do I continue to educate myslef, using the top notch euipment, top labs but at a price that doesn’t break the bank. Take a look at my website and see that I list all of my prices and the type of pictures that you can be proud of.

www.whitesandsphotos.com

 

Roddy Wedding

Scroggins Wedding

Beach Weddings in Destin

Destin has become such a wonderful place to get married.. You can do it in so many different ways.. You can spend $1000′s of dollars renting a beach house that will sleep a majority of your family, get married behind the hours on the beach with decorations fit for a king and host a feast that is privately catered. Keeping everything in one location.. This is the ideal way to have a beach wedding but not all of us are overflowing with money.. HAHA.. I know I’m not..    On the other hand, let’s say that you are having a small, intimate wedding  with maybe 5-10 people total with no reception .. The beauty of the beach serving as your decoration. This is a shoe string budget but still getting married on the beach in paradise and might be all that you want.  As I have said in my last blog.. Don’t get caught in the “Wedding Planner” Web.. There are some planners such as Destin Wedding Company & Barefoot weddings that do a fabulous job and I do enjoy working with them..But if you are on a tight budget, then staying at an expensive hotel and meeting at a public beach access is perfectly fine. It doesn’t have to cost an arm and a leg to get married on the beach. Henderson State Beach Park also offers a gorgeous alternative for a beach wedding with a covered pavillion for a rain plan and/or a laid back reception.. they offer private pavillions with grills, electricity,restrooms with the sound of the waves and the smell of the salt air.. And they are amazing to work with..

Beware of Companies with an Included Photographer

I have been hearing horror stories over the past couple years about how some of the local companies are offering an all inclusive wedding package. Decorations, officiate, flowers, photographer ETC..  Although there are some reputible companies that do a great job getting quality vendors… There is also the ones that cut every corner and sacrifice quality. These images are ones that can’t be redone.. Are you willing to allow a “photographer” take your wedding memories on pure trust?? Don’t be afraid to ask.. in fact, INSIST that you see the work that you will be recieving and make sure that they are only doing one wedding per day. Several “all inclusive” wedding companies squeeze in 3 and 4 weddings a day and don’t tell you that a 4:00 wedding in the afternoon is going to give you crowded beaches, harsh shadows, and intense heat especially in the middle of the summer. Don’t settle for whatever they tell you and do your homework.. Even if you don’t want to use my company.. I warn you .. Do your homework and make sure that you pictures are going to be something that you want to show off.. Not hide in a drawer and cry because you didn’t get what you were looking for..

Zoe and Vince Wedding 5-22-10

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2011 is here and the wedding season is already getting underway. April  and May is a HUGE month and it brings back memories of last season and some of my favorite couples. I wanted to share with you a collection of my most memorable 2010 weddings starting with one of my favorite weddings for the entire 2010.  They had family and friends that flew in from all over the world and the wine was flowing and they music was blaring. By the end of the night half , everyone that was still standing decided to go for a swim starting with the Bride and Groom jumping in first hand-in -hand.. What a perfect ending to a wonderful day!!

Glasure Engagement Session Video

Tim and Amanda decided that they wanted to do an engagment session.. We wanted to do something that wasn’t just the beach. Baytown offers a variety of beautiful backgrounds with a little something fun.. Carousels, arched bridge over a beautiful lake, cobblestone streets, waterfountains, oversized chairs and a colorful playground. We had planned on using his bike as a prop and unfortunantly, they don’t allow bikes inside the gates of baytown at all.. Bummer.. So we had to cut the session short and quickly find an alternate place for the bike shots.. Amanda had some kickin boots and we did some creative shots with the bike.. We had a blast. The session was only a few days before the wedding and I was able to process the images, edit my favorites and get them a slideshow to display at the wedding.. The wedding slideshow is in the works and will be posted shortly.. For now, Take a look at the video.. To view the video go to my website by visiting www.whitesandsphotos.com and ENTER WEBSITE at the bottom of the page there is a  tab listed Slideshows. There are  many other slideshows to choose from the Glasure Engagment is the most recent..

2011 New Website, New Packages, New Ideas

What a crazy year!! It all started out with the regular excitement of a new season. Plans for a great year and excited for the warm weather again.. But then when the oil spill catastrophe happened, the stress began.. calls and emails daily either cancelling or asking what I knew about when it would be here.. Which it never came.. thank the Lord! 

2011 is going to be my best year yet.. I rearranged my packages a little and updated my website for the new year. I am not going to be taking as many jobs as I did last year so that I can dedicate more time with each client and increase my turnaround time. I am bit of a perfectionist and need a little extra time with each job.  Here are a few pics that I have added to my site.. Check it out.

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Beautiful Beaches, Beautiful Smiles!

While the oil spill in the gulf is a huge concern for everyone, please know that Destin beaches are still clear! The sugar white sands are unscathed and we are shooting daily. Stay tuned for some new pictures of the families…and the brides that we’ve had the pleasure of sharing sunsets with!

Crash Course

Knowledge is power…..and in photography, that is probably an understatement.  Lynn and I got a two day crash course on lighting/settings/etc from  a family professional….her brother Chris!  He came all the way from Mississippi to help us out with some tweeks to get the exact results that we were looking for.  Lynn and Chris both grew up in a studio and started shooting at an early age.   Not only was it great to learn so much…but we sure enjoyed his visit.  Sorry about not having sugar for your coffee at the studio, Chris!  We’ll have some when you come back!