PHENOMENAL.

That's really the best way that I can describe my experience from the last few days. I've met so many AMAZING people and shared so many awesome stories and experiences in the last few days that even though I'm incredibly short on sleep, my mind is still racing with excitement! So many ideas, challenges, and things to think about!! I can't wait to start putting some of my ideas into action... only more amazing things are yet to come!

I really should get some sleep so that I can get a bright & early start on catching up tomorrow, but I just HAD to share with you some awesome words from the LaCour photo team who graciously went out of their way to spend time with us sharing their thoughts and experiences. They are amazing artists who are committed to really telling the story of the wedding day. They said so many amazing things that resonated with me personally and how I feel about documenting a wedding day that I just had to share some of these thoughts with you - because I think they said it better than I ever could have!! (Press the play button to see clips from their presentation. Disclaimer: I'm not a videographer, nor do I play one on TV. These were taken with an itty bitty point & shoot camera and are entirely unedited!)






Andrew made such an important point about the things which images can convey. Nouns and verbs are things which most anyone can capture in an image. It's finding a way to convey the adjectives which really sets us apart in our ability to capture images. I love that Rachel talks about patience and anticipation, because that's such a big part of excellent photojournalism... waiting for that perfect moment, and not rushing it or forcing it to happen. Mark's comment about trying to find the nuances of each particular person is soooo true for me. People who are very outward in their emotions are so easy to photograph because it's easy to capture how they feel, but not everyone is so outwardly expressive. For people who are reserved in their emotions, it's so important to turn up my awareness as a photographer and really tune into the very small and subtle things which communicate how a couple feels about each other.

One of my favorite examples of this was a moment while Gwen & Chad were visiting their guests table by table at their reception and I had already captured their expressions and interactions with their guests, but then I noticed this small and subtle motion that Chad was making with his finger on the back of Gwen's dress.. just running his fingers over the laces... and then he slipped his fingers in between the laces to feel her skin. It was so sexy, yet so subtle... and to me it really comunicated how much he didn't just love her, but how he wanted her. Yummmayyyy....



Another great thing, which Garrett Nudd shared during his presentation, was an excerpt from the book: The Proverbial Cracker Jack, by Dale Henry. This excerpt tells a story of going above and beyond in your service to others, in a way which is never expected...



On our way home, we had just this very thing happen as we were enjoying dinner. We had finished eating, and the waitress gave us the obligatory "Would you like dessert?" and we all kinda shook our heads in a guiltful "no, not tonight" then Amanda and I looked at each other and said how much we would love just a little tiny piece of chocolate, like a Hershey's kiss to satisfy our need for something chocolatey. When the waitress returned to deliver our bill, she also delivered two Hershey kisses, which she mentioned were kept in her car for her daughter on long car rides. It was such a cool realization of what we had just heard that I knew it was more than fate - it was a lesson. As a result, the waitress got something like a 50% tip from us, which was way more than the cost of two hershey kisses. :)

I have to personally thank Nate & Amanda of Turtle Pond Photography for driving and letting me ride with them, LeAnn of Lifespring Photography for being great company and keeping me awake from 2 am - 5 am on our way there! Thank you Amy, Lori, and Davina for setting up and sharing room arrangements - without your graciousness, I wouldn't have been there!! To the Holritz's and the Nudds, you're amazing and incredibly gracious to open up your hearts, lives, and businesses to help others aspire to be the best that they can be... I know it will come back to you 10 fold because you've gone out of your way to help others in a way that is unparalled in this business. And last, but most definitely least.. thank you DJ for creating a community that connects people in an effort to better us all. I feel so incredibly blessed in so many ways, and I hope that one day I can pay it forward as much as you have!!! To everyone from OSP who may be reading this - I LOVE YOU!!!! I MISS YOU!!!! I hope to see you again at WPPI!!!