Introducing the newest member of my clan….Mr. Nigel, a Russel Terrier, who is slowly getting used to the camera being in front of him at all times.

I found myself in the paper today!

The Arizona Republic was kind enough to follow me on an engagement shoot and catch me in action during Stephanie and Brent’s engagement session (see girl lying on back in grass).  Michael McNamara (awesome photog…who also does kick ass photo booths for weddings) had the fun task of shooting me while I photographed the couple.  I’ve never been photographed while photographing but it was a unique experience that made me slightly self conscious for the first 5 minutes…enough time to forget he was there.

The article was essentially about the new trend of couples  who are asking for magazine-style photos.  I think the idea of candid and non-traditional engagement sessions has been around for a while but it’s just now catching the eye of major media outlets.  The attention is great for the photography industry at large.  It’s nice to finally be noticed for the hard work and creative touches we put into our sessions and I was grateful that the newspaper took a respectful spin on the idea.

Other than highlighting the trend, it offered some great “dos and don’ts”, such as do: reflect your style.  Do: an activity you normally do together.

Inspired by their to do list, I came up with a few of my own…

Don’t: wear clashing colors or patterns that will distract the eye in the final image.  Solid colors are best but be sure you’re not too matchy-matchy.  Similar color tones and dressing up is always encouraged.

Don’t: expect to know how to “pose” for the camera.  I’m there to photograph the essence of you as a couple not a catalogue. :)  I’ll help prompt you through the shoot so you’re in good hands.

Don’t: (for guys only) get a haircut the day before your session.  Men’s hair usually looks best about a week after their cuts.

Don’t: Stress out.  For whatever reason, people get stressed when it comes to being in front of the lens.  Be aware that you might get a little ancy before the session.  It’s totally natural.  Share a glass of wine before the session if you need a little relaxer.

Do: consider getting your make up and/or hair professionally done.  Many of my couples use their engagement photos for save the date cards, engagement guest sign in books, for websites or frame them for office desks and as gifts.  You want to be sure you look your best the day of and don’t let a thing like a bad hair day, ruin your photos.

Do: Try to come on-time.  If you’re not…see advice above.  Your photographer is arranging the session to maximize the amount of “good” light during the day.  Good light is limited to just a couple hours and you don’t want your money or time to go to waste.

Do: Remember to tell your photographer anything about yourself that is significant to personalizing your images.  Ie. where did you meet?  Stephanie and Bret (featured in the article) met in an elevator so I did a collage series on canvas of a closing elevator door with them in it.  I love the idea of creating images that tell stories about who you are, how you met, or how you got engaged.

Do: Bring your pet if they are fairly well behaved…and be sure you are going someplace to photograph that will allow pets.  Definitely let your photographer know in advance!!

Do: Plan on having fun!!  A lot of my couples tell me this is one of the best days of their engagement.  You’ll see for yourself!

On the job in cool and beautiful Sedona.  This was shot by Katrina Wallace from Sedona Bride who was helping me out for the day.  The images from this session will be in my next post.  Stay tuned…

Hollye Schumacher Photography from Serendipity Videography on Vimeo.

This video was put together by Taryn and Bill at Serendipity Videography.  They were kind enough to put together some out-takes of me in action at an Indian wedding and piece them together with one of my favorite tunes.  It covers scenes from both the rehearsal dinner and the actual event.

These are images of my good friend and incredible yogi, John Salisbury. He practices at At One Yoga. If you’re ever interested in checking out one of the best yoga instructors in town, sign up for one of his classes or workshops.

The vision behind these images stems from the idea that yoga should be practiced everywhere and not just on the mat in the studio. The essential lesson of yoga is the challenge of bringing what you’ve learned in class and meditation into the real world. With this project, I wanted to find locations in the city that would compliment that philosophy by juxtaposing the beauty of the practice with harsh lighting and “found” locations that were not typical of a yoga portrait. With that in mind, I was careful not to over produce and over light the subject. The majority of the images are straight out of camera and all have minimal lighting applied.

At One Yoga recently acquired these images to use as part of their clothing line, spiritual gangster. Keep an eye out for them in their ads and products. :-))

John is balancing on the top edge of parking garage. To his right is a 40 foot drop.

American Dali is a local band in Phoenix lead by (singer) Kathryn and (guitarist) Ryan. I wanted to give them a more hard-core look using lighting and location while also maintaining classic clean lines and stylistic lighting to make the images pop. I’m a big fan of using leading lines in my images to direct the viewers eye to the subject and to add to a more interesting composition.

For the tech-heads: I shot this session at night in a number of location and parking garages in Phoenix. I used only a single soft box and my 580ex flash units along with my Canon 5D.

you can check out their myspace page at this link

Harmony and I have been working since this Summer to get images of her in a non-traditional yoga environment. There are quite a few locations where we shot, but these were some of my faves. I love the simple background that the sky and brick create, along with the illusions of the line, and the grungy feel of the ground.
Harmony is an incredible teacher(!) for those who may be searching and I’m honored to have had the opportunity to work with her. Drop me a line if you want info on where to check out one of her classes.

My sister, Brooke, got married in June…and I am JUST now posting her shots. I’ve been so busy this Summer with travels and clients that I’ve neglected my poor sister’s wedding images. I wasn’t technically the “official” photographer for her wedding since I was the maid of honor, but I did manage to take them around San Francisco for about 10 minutes to snap a few quick ones.

These were taken after the ceremony in Monterrey

This little bonus shot was an image I took of my mom playing the Ukulele at my sisters reception…go mom!!