Whirlwind Wedding. Nicole and Dennis.

   Nine tornadoes touched down around Tampa Bay March 31, 2011.  They tore roofs off of homes, overturned semi-tractor trailers, RVs and some elderly men and women and knocked out power to thousands.

  They also had the local TV networks covering the storms wall-to-wall beginning about 4am, reminding us constantly the mayhem raining down outside our doors.

  Even by Tampa Bay standards, it was a day of wicked, wicked weather.

  Like everyone else who could, I was glued to the TV set, watching and waiting to see if one of those tornadoes was headed for my home, one mile from Indian Shores.  And, by about 3pm that day, there was one barreling straight in from the Gulf of Mexico, heading for Indian Shores.  It was still over water, so it was really only a water spout.  But, once it comes on shore, it IS a tornado.

  I wasn’t too worried, honestly.  I knew those things moved around a lot and didn’t necessarily come on shore where they’re originally headed. 

  This one, thank God, went one mile north.  It caused lots of damage along Ulmerton Road, one of the hardest hit areas that day.

  Truth be told, though, I wasn’t that worried about it. 

  I had bigger worries on my mind.

  I had a contract to shoot Dennis and Nicole’s beach wedding at 5pm on Treasure Island. 

  Yep.

Nicole and Dennis

      Nicole and Dennis were not to be denied.  I talked with Nicole several times that day.  The LEAST I could do was let her know that I was ready and able and quite willing to photograph her wedding. 

  Understandably, she was quite worried about what lay ahead. 

  Understandably, I thought deeply about how to take advantage of those magnificent, powerful clouds in our pictures. 

Great clouds, Loving couple = Great Pictures

But, first, we had to get through the ceremony.

  First, it was moved to 6pm.  By that time, the worst of the storms has passed by.  It was still raining, but luckily the Bilmar Beach Resort  has a nice tent out back for their receptions on the beach. 

  The ceremony would happen there.

  Photographing a wedding is a huge obligation and responsibility and if you’re a professional, you better be ready to shoot it when, where and in whatever weather it happens in and deliver images that have power, romance, impact and emotion.

    The weather actually made my job easier.

Nicole watches the weather

  So did the beauty of the Bride.

  The beautiful, soft light that’s hitting her in the shot above is courtesy of soft, cloud-covered sunlight.  I actually always hope the skies are overcast for photographing beach weddings.  It’s such a flattering, soft light.  Perfect for photographing a bride in white.

  The sky becomes a giant softbox or lighting umbrella, diffusing the sun and making natural-light photography ideal.  The larger the light source, the softer the light.  What’s larger than the sky?

  What’s prettier or beautiful than Nicole’s face, a mix of stress, anxiety and femininity lit by the world’s largest softbox?

  Not much.

Nicole, lit by the world's largest softbox.

      Believe me, there was a lot of stress during the hours before the ceremony.  Dennis was worried about Nicole and where to have the ceremony if the tent on the beach flooded.    The Bilmar Beach Resort staff was worried about not having electricity,  nor phones as well as the water that was creeping into the reception site. 

  Nicole was stressed about everything, but kept her cool, her smile and her attendants and family close to her.

  Until it was time for her grand entrance.

Nicole and her father

    I usually don’t use photos in which someone’s eyes are closed, but I made an exception in this case.  Why?

  Nicole’s father’s downturned mouth and closed eyes tell a story.   You can almost hear his heart break for his daughter’s dismay. I won’t dare write about Nicole’s feelings.

  I think her face says it all.

  But, then, something incredible happened.

  She saw Dennis, her Air Force stud,  waiting for her to marry him and for those few moments that they said their “I do’s”, she forgot about the rain, the tornadoes and the water leaking into the reception room.

  And, they remembered what was truly important.

  They were getting married.

What severe weather?

    It’s always great to experience a gamut of emotions and everyone was ready for a good, releasing laugh.  I don’t remember what was said or happened here.  I only know I’m happy it did. 

  It’s one of those fleeting moments, over in under a second, that helps to build the storybook of a wedding day. 

  Of course, there were more somber, tender moments during the ceremony. 

  THIS moment, was literally four seconds later, according to the time codes on my images.

Gamut of Emotions

  The bottom lines are these:

  1.  Great emotions make great pictures.

  2.  Great weather helps to make great pictures (and great lighting for shooting those pictures).

  3.  Great couples make great pictures.

  4.  Good photographers make great pictures when they have emotion, great lighting and great couples in those pictures.

De-stressing the wedding party

  5.  Love and laughter conquer all.

Love and Laughter Conquer All

    I came down with a touch of Bieber Fever last night.

  The kid’s a 16-year-old cultural phenomenon, boosted to dizzying media heights by legions of  Bieber-Feverish fans and media outlets always looking for ways to sell newspapers, magazines, web site hits and photographs.

    My Fever was borne of the latter, but truth be told, I also just wanted to shoot this kid. 

Justin Bieber, December 20, 2010.

     There’s no telling if his talent or popularity will sustain.  Twenty years from now, will he still be drawing large crowds like the 20,000 that packed the St Pete Times Forum to capacity last night or will he be more like former teen icon Leif Garrett whose current appearances are on “Celebrity Rehab”?

  I hope it’s the former.  I hope Justin Bieber matures and grows as a performer, keeps his celebrity status in check and has a very long and successful entertainment career.

   St Petersburg Times music critic Sean Daly inferred very strongly that Bieber lip-synched much of the show.    I couldn’t tell and I was right in the front of the stage.  Of course, I’m not a critic.     I don’t photograph a lot of concerts and, when I’m shooting, I’m in a zone of focus, thinking about light, apeture, shutter speeds and capturing the moments that make great images. 

    Most times, I cannot even recall afterwards what songs were performed while I’m shooting a concert.  I can say that that was not the case last night.  Media photographers were allowed to shoot the first three songs of his show before being ushered out.  One of those–”You Smile, I Smile”–did permeate my masculine veneer somehow.  I’m suprised I’m admitting it.

Justin Bieber performs December 19, 2010.

           From a photographic standpoint, the show was outstanding.  Press photographers were allowed to stand right at the front of the stage.  The lighting added a nice ambiance to the images.

"You Smile, I Smile"

Justin Bieber performs December 19, 2010.

    There’s no doubt the fans loved the show.  Without a doubt, it was the loudest concert I’ve ever been to.  I had to cover my ears in the moments as the lights lowered and Bieber got ready to take the stage.  The cheering voices were piercing. 

  Justin Bieber had arrived.

Bieber Fever arrives in Tampa.

  Wedding photojournalism is not photographs of people standing around looking into the camera.  Wedding photojournalism is not a simple shot of the bride and groom as they kiss at the end of the ceremony.  Wedding photojournalism is not a bland photograph that the viewer simply glances at and goes to the next shot.

  Wedding photojournalism is capturing the emotions of the day as they happen.  Wedding photojournalism is shooting photographs that evoke an emotion.  Wedding photojournalism is capturing the joys, the laughters, the tears and the looks of love that a couple exchanges with each other and also with their guests and families.

   It seems as if every photographer’s web site I look at has  line that says they’re a wedding photojournalist, but all of their galleries show photographs of people posing for them.   Look closely for claims of wedding photojournalism.  If you don’t feel some emotion while looking at their photographs, chances are it’s not real photojournalism.

  I had the pleasure of photographing Kyle and Roxanne’s wedding at the new Tampa Museum of Arts last week.   It’s wonderful to have a beautiful, interesting venue to shoot a wedding in, but to me it doesn’t matter where the couple gets married.  I’m so much more interested in the way they look at each other, the way they interact with their guests and whether or not they’re able to forget I’m there and let their true emotions come through.

Mother and daughter before the ceremony

   I got a little emotional when I first saw this photograph of Roxanne and her mother comforting one another before the ceremony.  I actually got a lot emotional when I saw it.  My first thought was:  THIS is a photograph.  My second thought was:  THIS is why I do what I do. 

  But, how quickly things can change. 

Three seconds later

   According to the time code on my image data, this shot is exactly three seconds after the top shot.  The two shots are literal definitions of the term “gamut of emotions”. 

  Roxanne and Kyle’s wedding day did run the gamut of emotions.

Green elevator, green dress

  This shot is Kyle’s sister as she stepped into the green elevator with Roxanne to go to the ceremony.  That’s the actual color of the elevator.  Kyle’s sister said she could blend into it with her green dress.  She tried to.  Roxanne reacted to the much-needed comedic moment. 

  Photojournalism.

  There were rules about shooting in the Tampa Museum of Arts.  You could not photograph the exhibits.  They are protected by copyrights.  There were, however, ways to use the Museum’s beautiful interior and exterior design to enhance the photography.

Waiting to make their entrance to the reception.

  This is Kyle and Roxanne as they waited on the second floor for their cue to make their entrance into the reception.  To me, there’s something about the annonymity of the shot, combined with the graphic elements of the Museum that make me love this photograph.

  Kyle is a very personable and charming man and I think this photograph of him chatting with Tampa Mayor Pam Iorio and her husband shows captures those qualities. 

Kyle chats with Mayor Pam Iorio.

    Of course, you must shoot some posed photographs, even as a photojournalist, but I believe in adding some photojournalism even to the posed portraits.  They don’t have to look posed.

  Again, classy, confident Kyle posing, in an un-posed way.

Zimmerman, Kyle Zimmerman

  This was actually a portrait I did of Kyle while dialing in my exposure and lighting and waiting to shoot Roxanne.  I told him I thought he looked very James Bond-ish.  The minarets of the University of Tampa loom in the backround. 

    Again, a posed moment with a photojournalistic angle.

Photojournalistic Portrait

  I’ve found out that very often, the almost-kiss is much more romantic and dramatic than the actual kiss itself.     

    Of course you have to photograph beautiful portraits of the bride.   I really love this shot of Roxanne standing alongside the Hillsborough River looking confident, beautiful and completely at ease.

Roxanne by the Hillsborough River

  I love shooting everything during the wedding day, but particularly love the emotions of the reception.  By that time, the stresses of the day’s preparations have melted away and it’s time to relax and have fun, surrounded by the most important people in a couple’s life.

  The bride is always the center of attention as these two anonymous young men unknowingly helped to illustrate during the reception.

The center of attention

    I always say that I can only photograph what’s there.  This reception celebration had ample opportunies to capture the stress-less moments following the planning and execution of a wedding day.

The reception.

Toasting their guests

    Light is the seasoning of a photograph.   If you know how to do it, a photographer can greatly enhance the quality of the photographs by using it well.  In the shots above, the disco lights used by the DJ add to the ambiance of the shots, as do the backround lights of the city of Tampa in the overhead shot. 

  I also knew that the Tampa Museum of Arts had colorful lights on the exterior of their building but they were not lit while we were doing the exterior portraits of Roxanne and Kyle.  I had truly wished to incorporate them into the portraits.

  It wasn’t until later that I noticed Kyle and some of his buddies outside the Museum, taking some time for man-talk and play.

  The exterior lights had come on by this time.    I used them.

  Good photojournalism is telling the story of a wedding day through the photographs.  You have the emotions of a mother and daughter together in the last, few moments before the ceremony.    You have the laughter of a bride and her bridesmaid as she tried to blend into a green elevator.  You have the drama and beauty of the romantic portraits.

  You have to leave and call it a day sometime.

  I think this shot of Kyle is a good close to the story.  He’s married the woman of his dreams. 

  He’s the king of the world in a $1.99 LED headband.

The King of the World in a $1.99 LED headband

  Thank you so much for letting me be a part of your incredible day.

  She’s getting ready to graduate from the University of  North Carolina School of the Arts and wanted nothing to do with the average in-house portraits.  She wanted to express herself in foilage-filled backdrops and along the beaches.

  I agreed, but also knew that Brielle didn’t need great backdrops to make people look at her photographs.  All she had to do was show up.

     Brielle has a confidence about her that’s well beyond her years. 

    I like to say that a photography shoot is a 50-50 proposition.  The subject has to give me the moments and looks to photograph.  I have to have the technical abilities and knowledge of light to capture those moments when they’re delivered.

  I told Brielle and her mother that this shoot was a 75-25 in Brielle’s favor.  Almost anyone with a working knowledge of photography could shoot her well. 

   That became even more apparent when we sat down to make their photo selections.   We had agreed on a delivery of 5 of their favorite images for her senior portrait session.   That would have given them a variety of poses and looks to capture that important time in her life.  When we started going through the images, it was very soon apparent that Brielle couldn’t take a bad photograph.   

  We were all overwhelmed with the session.  They ended up taking more than 130 images.

    I knew Brielle was a dance major at her school and I knew that we’d have to incorporate some of that talent into the session.    How do you do that?

  I turned her loose.

  I picked the area and told her to walk along this straight section of the boardwalk and to walk back and forth along it and let her emotions out.  She did.  This is one of my favorite frames from those moments.  To me, it expresses the carelessness of her youth and the beauty of her talents.  To me, it expresses freedom.

      We shot more of her dance as the sun set.  Brielle loved the photographs, but was very particular about her form in the shots.    She was a perfectionist, looking at her leg position, her arms and hands.  She only wanted the frames that were technically perfect in their form.  I loved the drama of beauty of the shots.  I had always wanted to shoot a dancer at the beach at sunset.

    This last frame is a little too centered for my liking, but I’m adding it anyway.  It’s a great closing shot for the series.    We had milked the day of its light.  It was time to say goodnight.

  Thank you Brielle.

   I’ve wanted to write this blog for some time, but have always put it off thinking I may offend some potential clients with my words.  I hope that’s not the case, but I’m willing to take the chance.

  I think it’s something that needs to be said, read and repeated.

  Don’t shop for a photographer without some basic knowledge of what great photography is.  Just because a photograph is in focus and correctly exposed does not make it a good photograph.  I call it ”inventory photography”.  In other words, an amateur photographer posing as a professional shows up to your wedding, takes snapshot photographs of everyone that’s there then charges you for his/her work.

  Today, I happened across a photographer who had posted images from a St Petersburg wedding they shot at a very glamorous downtown location.    I felt a number of different emotions while looking at the images. 

  1.  Horror.  Some of the posted images were out of focus.  All of them were lit with direct, on-camera flash and washed out the details of the faces.    Many of them had no specific subject in the frame, simple snapshots of the back of people’s heads or people standing in line at the buffet. 

  2.  Anger.  Yes, I’m angry at someone who would take one of the most important days in someone’s life and charge money to photograph it, then deliver images that lack creativity, focus (literally), passion or power.

  3.  Sorrow.  Yes, I actually feel sorry for the bride and groom and their families.  She was a beautiful bride and a he a very handsome groom, but there wasn’t one photograph that was complimentary to them.  I actually wanted to call the bride and tell her that I was sorry that someone had posed as a professional photographer and given us a bad name.  I wanted to tell her I wished I could re-edit the photographs she had received and make them better.  I would have probably done that.  I could have found her, I have no doubt.  In this case, though, there was nothing that could be done to salvage the photographs.  Editing a photograph is an essential part of professional photography, but you have to have a decent image to begin with.

  These photographs made me sick to my stomach. 

  This photographer is not the only one that has caused this reaction in me.  I see lots of people claiming to be professional photographers who lack basic photography essentials.  They don’t know basic rules of composition, lighting, photojournalism, nor how to shoot photographs that have impact nor emotion.

  I’ve see immense numbers of  photographers claiming to be photojournalists, but when you look at their web sites you see nothing but posed images.  That’s not photojournalism. 

      Yes, I look at other’s people’s work.  Yes, I’ve seen some great photographer’s work.  I’ve seen stuff that made me think, “damn, I wish I would have shot that”.    There are just as many photographer’s work that I  admire as there are that I detest.   

    Why am I so offended by bad photography and photographers? 

  Because I place a high value on the Power of the Picture.

  Hiring a photographer is an important decision.  In the tough economic times we face now, it’s even more important.  If you’re going to spend your money on a photographer, it’s for an important reason.  It’s a wedding, the joining of two lives (or more if children are involved) and families.    It’s a family portrait, an image that will ideally be in the family for generations to come.  If it’s a headshot, it’s the hope that a casting director will notice your image out of the hundreds they’re surely going to receive.

  I always consider that my work will serve a number of purposes, last-but-not-least, an heirloom.   It’s a  historical document of someone’s life, of someone’s face, of a special moment or time in someone’s life. 

  Those are not things to take lightly. 

  Don’t waste money on a less-than-professional photographer.  The images will never pass the test of time.  They’ll never be displayed with pride in someone’s home.    They’ll be buried in drawers, hidden, a waste of time and money and worst of all–they don’t accurately reflect the beauty, joy and emotion of your wedding day.  They get you no auditions for your modelling or acting career.  They may show the “inventory photography” of all the members of your family, but they don’t show the relationship, nor the love you share.  A good photographer can and should capture that.

    Many people don’t know what makes a good photograph, just like I don’t know how to change the brake pads in my car, install a ceiling fan or cook chicken courdon bleu. 

  I do happen to know what makes a great photograph.  It’s one that makes you linger in it, makes you look into the secondary levels of interest, but most of all it makes you feel an emotion from it.

  OK, I buried the lead, but here’s the point of this blog:  Ask me.

  Are you getting married and have a photographer in mind, but not quite sure whether their work rises to the level of professional?  Ask me. 

  Are you looking for a headshot, but not sure whether the photographer you’re interested in has the ability to make your headshot stand out?  Ask me.

 Are you looking for a family photographer, but not sure whether the person you’re considering has the experience with lighting, composition or talent to create a true heriloom?   Ask me.

  I’m offering free critiques for the photographer you’re considering. 

  I’m not trying to boost my own business with this service.  I won’t try to convince you that I’m the only photographer qualified to shoot your images.  There are many great photographers out there. 

  I promise to give you an honest opinion of what I see about their work.  If they’re good, I’ll tell you.  If they’re hacks, I’ll tell you that too.  

  I won’t post the correspondence.  It will be private.

Email me:  Tim@TimBoylesPhotography.com

  Give me the web site of the photographer you’re considering and what prices you’re discussing with them.  If they’re not a quality photographer, I can probably find one in your area that is qualified and perhaps send you to them instead. 

  You deserve great photography for your money.

  Ask me.

 His deep, gravelly voice said:   ”The pictures are everything”.  I figured him for a lifelong smoker. 

  I was wrong.

  His name was Randy and he told me that it was to be a very small, private wedding.  There was not going to be a videographer and none of the guests would be taking photographs.

  “The pictures are everything”, he said again.

  We set up an appointment to meet at his home.  It was just a few miles from my own.

  I knocked on his door at exactly noon.  The door swung open, a massive man of a man walked out, extended his baseball mitt-sized hand and said, “Hi, I’m Randy.”

  “I know who you are,” I said. 

  He didn’t acknowledge my comment, but invited me in and introduced me to his lovely fiance, Lynn.  They offered me a drink.  I accepted.  Randy went to get it.

  “That IS Macho Man Randy Savage, isn’t it,”? I whispered to Lynn.  She said yes.

  Now, for the first time in a very long time of meeting clients and potential clients, I was nervous.

  He wasn’t the first celebrity I’ve ever met, but he was the first international celebrity who wanted me to photograph his wedding.    I had photographed HSN’s Lynn Murphy’s wedding last year, but had known her as a friend for a few years, so it wasn’t  the same.  Plus, HSN is only shown in the USA.

  Macho Man Randy Savage was an internationally-known professional wrestler and celebrity. 

  This day, and every other day we met for planning sessions and talked on the phone, he was just Randy.  He wanted nothing more than to have incredible wedding photographs for his bride.  

  “The pictures are everything”.

Lynn and Randy pose on the beach following the ceremony.

  The wedding was planned for Lido Beach in Sarasota at 7:15pm, about one hour before sunset.

The view from the Lido Beach Resort 7th Floor

  Beach weddings can be dangerous affairs.  You have to be concered about storms moving in, high winds, overeager, pasty-white  beachgoers creeping into your shot and bright sunshine that makes the couple squint or have harsh shadows on them.  The latter is always my biggest concern and I shared that with Lynn and Randy.

  “The pictures are everything.” 

  They meant it too.  They empowered me to direct the location of the setup of the bamboo trellis so it wouldn’t be directly backlit by the setting sun.  They trusted me to help choose the correct time of day to minimize the harsh sunshine. 

  They gave me everything I needed to capture the beauty, romance, emotion and incredible moments of the day.

  Most of all, they gave me themselves.

Lynn and Randy pose in the seagrass after the ceremony

    Their reception was to be a sit-down affair inside the glorious Lido Beach Resort.    The pair had met near there many years ago and wanted to return to that site to seal their union.

    The room was lit only by candles, as Lynn had requested.   

Elegant Reception Room

     Most of the reception photos were shot by that candlelight, allowing the glamor and mood to remain, enhance and maintain the dignity of the event.

Elegant Lynn Photographed by Candlelight

   Macho Man Randy Savage didn’t attend the ceremony.  He wasn’t even invited.

  It was very clear that this wedding was no different than any other union.  Lynn was the focal point. 

Bride on the Beach

    One of the first things they did after seeing their photographs was to place an order for a 24 x 36″ canvas wrap for over their piano.  I was incredibly flattered to have something that large being placed as one of the focal points of their home. 

  Randy reminded me that during our first meeting I had gotten a little cocky and said to them that one of my goals was to replace the large art print that was then hanging over the piano with one of their wedding photographs.    Success.

The Kiss photograph is now one of the focal points of their home. I could not be happier.

  ”The pictures are everything”.

  I completely agree.

  (Please be advised that these photographs and all other photographs on this site are registered and protected by US Copyright laws.  I vigorously pursue all infringers)

  Shannon Mulaire and Randy Scott gave me the most incredible compliment when we had our last conversation before their April 8, 2010 wedding at the Ritz-Carlton in Naples, Florida.  They told me “Tim, you’re the ONLY thing we’re not worried about”.

  In other words, they had complete confidence in my professionalism to be where I was supposed to be, when I was supposed to be there and that they knew I would deliver images that had power, emotion, drama, laughter and fun….and love.

Shannon and Randy

  That’s the key to great wedding photography.  Shooting images that have passion.  Not everyone can do that.  Wedding photography is so much more than delivering images that are simple inventories of who was there. 

  Shannon is a great reporter at WTVT, the FOX affiliate in Tampa.  She knows the power of images, visuals.  I know that she would much rather cover a story that has powerful video to accompany and enhance her stories.  Randy has a TV news/sports backround too.  He’s very much aware of how important great visuals are. 

  It was incredibly flattering that this pair would trust me to deliver those kinds of images.

Shannon in her room before the ceremony

Shannon's Maid of Honor's portrait of her

  And, sometimes, it’s not just me that shoots a powerful image.  This shot above was a photograph that Shannon’s Maid of Honor was shooting of her.  I think that what makes this such a nice image is not from MY photograph, rather because the shot from the Maid of Honor is a beautiful frame. 

  You have to keep your eyes open when shooting a wedding and let any ego you have subside.  I was very complimentary of her Maid of Honor for this photograph.  I have a standing  joke with guests.  It’s, “don’t shoot anything that’s better than mine”.    Sometimes, they don’t listen.

  Shannon and Randy’s wedding was stunning in its details, location, but more importantly in it’s sealing of the union between two people who are quite obviously very much in love with one another. 

   There is nothing more romantic or beautiful than the way a bride looks at her life partner while he says his vows.

Shannon looks at Randy while he says his vows to her

 And, a kiss is never just a kiss during a wedding.  I always try to shoot the kiss with a wide lens so you can see the reaction of the guests in the backround.  I loved going through the images with Randy and Shannon when they came by to pick them up.  Looking at this kiss photograph, they were pointing out the guests in the backround, admiring her father taking a photograph, Randy’s mother (in purple between the two) gripping her hands together–beaming with more emotions than I could probably imagine.

The Kiss

  That’s one of the secrets that many so-called photographers don’t know.  A photograph can have multiple layers of interest.    A professional photographer does not want someone simply glancing at their photography.  A professional photographer wants whoever is viewing their work to STAY in the photograph.  Adding multiple layers of interest is one way to do that.

Romance on the Gulf of Mexico

    Even this silhouette photograph has multiple layers of interest.  The color and drama of the sunset adds to the beauty of the moment between the two.

  Of course, sometimes a single layer of interest is all that’s needed.

Glamorous Bride along the Gulf of Mexico

  Even this photograph has subtle, multiple layers of interest.  Shannon said that one of the reasons she chose this gown was because of it’s light and airy structure.  She knew that it would blow easily in the wind along the Gulf of Mexico.  The movement of the gown adds to the beauty of this shot.

  The Ritz-Carlton in Naples was an exquisite place to shoot.  They know how to take care of their guests and I think a lot about visuals as well.    The reception area was lit with purple and blue lighting.  The tables glowed with light.    When I saw that, I KNEW that not only would there be great visuals of the couple’s first dance and the other moments of fun during a reception.  I also knew that the color of the room would add visual impact, drama, beauty and another layer of interest.  Of course, you cannot just go in and shoot it.  You have to have a true  knowledge of light and how to manipulate it, use, enhance it.

  That’s one of the differences between a professional photographer and the guy or gal who says:  “I’m a professional photographer, I have a Nikon camera”, then proceeds to photograph an entire wedding with direct, on camera flash in automatic mode.  Doing that would have not allowed the colors of the room to marinate into the frame.   You have to use slow shutters and subtle, subtle lighting. 

Color, Details, Multiple layers of interst (The web doesn't do justice to the color in this frame)

  A wedding is a celebration of love, but also of friendships and family and new unions.   

 After it’s all over, though, it’s the photographs that keep those moments fresh and vivid in your lives.   

Celebrating their Union

  Thank you both so much!!!

  You cannot just be a great photographer to make a living at it.  You must be a great business-person as well. 

  Inevitably, business means making money and we all need to do that to live our lives, but there is more to life than money.  Living a good life means a lot of different things to different people, but to me it means using what you have to help those who don’t have. 

  It means using my skills to enrich the lives of others and receive an emotional payday instead of a financial one.

  On Saturday, December 12, myself and about 15 other PROFESSIONAL, caring photographers will be giving our work away to provide free portraits for those who cannot afford them. 

  The event will take place at the St Petersburg Pier beginning at 10am and running through 2pm, or until the last person or family has been photographed.   The Walgreens store at 875-9th St North in St Petersburg has graciously agreed to provide a free 8×10″ print for each person photographed. 

  The event is called “Help Portrait” and was the idea of one photographer who thought it was amazingly sad that there are families in all of our own neighborhoods who cannot afford to be professionally photographed.  There are mothers who cannot even afford to pay for their child’s school portrait. 

  We want to change that.  We believe that every family deserves an heirloom legacy, a portrait session for their descendants, a professional, visual documentation of their life.

  You don’t need to register to be photographed.  You just need to show up. 

  Worldwide, there are more than 6,500 photographers and other volunteers taking part in this amazing show of charity.  These shoots will take place in more than 600 locations and more than 50 countries.

  This is the first year its been done.  Can you imagine the response next year?

  The group has already done some preview and test shoots around the country.  If you wish to see the impact a free portrait session can do for someone who’s never had one, watch the video on their web site:  www.help-portrait.com

   It shows people overcome with emotion because, just then they thought that NO one cared about them, they found at that people DO care about them.

  If you’re a photogapher, makeup artist, stylist or just want to volunteer, email me (heirloomfoto@yahoo.com)  or leave a comment here or call me at 727.504.9425.

  See you there.

Tim Boyles

David Cook, Mahaffey Theater, St Petersburg, Florida November 27, 2009

  David Cook can sing, but that’s not the only reason I respect and admire him.  There are lots of great singers out there, but few that have a heart the size of a watermelon.

  David does and he shares it willingly with Lindsey Rose Belcher, daughter of FOX-13 reporter Charley Belcher.    I wrote about the bond between them in a previous post (http://timboylesphotography.blogspot.com/2008/09/do-whatcha-gotta-do.html).

  When I did that previous shoot with Lindsey Rose and Charley, I told them that I would love to shoot Lindsey Rose and David together the next time he came to Tampa Bay.    I thought that the bond between the two should be documented and that Lindsey Rose and David should both always have something tangible of each other to refer to when times got tough for them. 

  Lindsey Rose, perhaps, the next time she undergoes chemotherapy.  David Cook, perhaps, the next time he’s on the road for extended periods of time or maybe when he’s looking for inspiration for his next love song. 

  When David’s tour brought him to St Petersburg on November 27, I got invited to join Charley and Lindsey Rose when they met (and interviewed David for FOX-13) backstage in the hours before his concert. 

Lindsey Rose Belcher and David Cook

Lindsey Rose going in for the kiss

Lindsey Rose waiting patiently while Dad-Charley conducts his interview

   Of course, Lindsey Rose is the biggest star in the room.  She may not realize it, but everyone else that was there did.  This photograph above puts the focus where it really belongs. 

    This is the look I got when i asked David to put a kiss on Lindsey Rose’s cheek.

Reaction to request to kiss Lindsey Rose

    This is the kiss that followed.

A kiss for Lindsey Rose

    There’s something incredibly admirable about a man of his status and fame who takes the time and effort to make ONE little girl feel special.    He’s my favorite celebrity subject for that reason. 

  Charley says this is their family Christmas card this year:

Belcher Christmas Card 2009

    I know that my respect for David Cook is unbelievably high.  I can only imagine how Charley Belcher feels about David  and the time, energy and attention he pays to Lindsey Rose.    I can tell you that I think I caught a small  part of that emotion on film when Charley went in for the man-hug with a waiting David.

Charley Belcher goes in for the man hug with David Cook

    And, although it’s not very professional to ask your subjects to pose with you, I couldn’t help it during this shoot.  I mean, I was in the presence of a true idol to many. 

 My new favorite self-portrait with a star.

Self portrait with Lindsey Rose

   Lindsey Rose and I had a big laugh when we looked at the LCD of this shot. 

  I told her it was a perfect frame:  Lots of her.  Just a little of me.

  Thank you for reading.  Support David Cook.  Pray for Lindsey Rose Belcher.  Donate to organizations that fight childhood leukemia.

In the previous post, you saw a preview or Ryan and Julia Roeling’s wedding photographs from Saturday night. 

 On Friday, I had the pleasure of photographing the preparations, ceremony and reception for Lindsey Smith and Adam Johnson.  And, it was a pleasure even though it was the largest, most detail-oriented and specific wedding shoot I’ve had in a very long time.  Adam and Lindsey even insisted I bring a second photographer to the shoot, which is something I’ve always resisted.

  Why?

  The standards I set for photographs that are delivered to the couple are incredibly high.  I didn’t think I could find anyone who had the same  photojournalistic backround and experience and was willing to shoot a wedding.  For various reasons, many true photojournalists won’t photograph weddings. 

   I reached out to a former St Petersburg Times photographer I met and bonded with while shooting portraits of John Travolta and Kellie Preston.  He said yes.  We’re still editing the photographs, but I am impressed  by his credentials, personality, interaction with the couple and their guests and most importantly:  The Power of His Pictures.

    That’s the  focus of this blog. 

 How to make Wedding Photography simple:  Deliver great images.

  I believe in the Power of the Picture. 

  It must have impact, technical perfection, mulitple layers of interest, lighting that’s appropriate for the scene and evoke an emotion.

  Simple, eh?

Lindsey's Pre-wedding Preparations

  It can be simple as you can see from Lindsey’s preparation photograph above.  It’s an incredibly simple composition and shot, yet it’s an incredibly complex, complicated moment as she sits in the chair having her makeup done, amid organized chaos inside the hotel’s Bridal dressing room.  Only she knows what, exactly, is on her mind at this moment.

Bridesmaid's Luscious Lashes

  Again, a simple composition, a true un-posed, unguarded moment amid the organized chaos of a Bride’s dressing area before the ceremony.  It’s also a striking image with power, beauty and drama.

  I always encourage brides to allow me to document these pre-ceremony times.   Often, these are very emotional times, with great opportunities to photograph unguarded moments that help to tell the whole story of the day.

  Simple, yet dramatic portrait of the wedding rings amid the details on the back of Lindsey’s wedding dress.  Yes, I flexed my artistic interpretation on this shot.  Yes, in case Lindsey  doesn’t like the extreme nature of the photoshop finish on it, I’m including a clean, very white version of it as well.

Veiled Bride in Thought

  This is also from Lindsey’s dressing room as she had her veil placed on her and adjusted.  Simple photograph, simply-lit, but with a power about it because of the undeniable beauty of the bride, the woman in the backround (also veiled) helping adjust it, but primarily because of the gaze in her eyes.

  What must she be thinking, feeling?  I have no idea.  That’s Lindsey’s private, simple secret. 

    The simplicity of wedding photography goes beyond simple set-ups and compositions.  Those, sometimes are very complex and detailed, but never, ever time-consuming.  One of my roles as your wedding photographer is to make sure that the time spent posing for/with me is minimal.  Time spent with your loved ones and friends is always more important.

Simple set-up, Simple Lighting, yet elegant portrait of an elegant bride

  That’s Lindsey before she left the hotel to get to the Church on time.    Due to the late arrival of Lindsey’s hair stylists, which pushed everything back,  the time we had to do pre-bridal glamorous portraits was cut down to three literal minutes.    We shot several simple set-ups in that time with the results being…..beautiful.

    I wish I would have had more time to do elegant bridal portraits around the breathtaking lobbies and lands of the hotel they were dressing in.  I didn’t, but I have enough experience with wedding photography to know that flexibility is one of the keys to staying sane and staying calm when no one else around you is.

  This is one of Adam’s portraits shot post-ceremony.  For this set up, I always put the bride in the front with the groom in the back (which I did before shooting Adam in the foreground).    This was the first time I ever brought the groom to the foreground and I truly like the finished product.  I am still learning, experimenting and growing.

Firefighter Adam Johnson on his Wedding Day

    Adam is a firefighter, a manly-man who rushes into burning buildings and puts his life on the line to save yours.  I wanted to do a portrait of him that is extreme in it’s finish and, as always, powerful in its presentation.  (I am including a softer, cleaner version of it in the final delivery of images in case Adam doesn’t appreciate this interpretation.)

  This photograph has depth, mulitiple layers of interest, dramatic lighting and a fantastic main subject. 

  This photograph is Adam’s chance to be in the spotlight.  It is with a specific intent that you cannot make out Lindsey’s face, only the dimly-lit white of her wedding dress.  It is with specific intent that you can see the iconic presence of Jesus watching over the two at the In Carnation Catholic Church in Tampa.    It is with specific intent that Adam’s face is somewhat in shadow, bringing out the power, drama and masculinity of this Groom.

  Total set up and shoot time for this shot.  Probably one minute.  Perhaps two.    Complex Simplicity.

  (Experience pays off when hiring a wedding photographer in ways that you probably may never realize until the wedding day)

Lindsey's Light

  I call this photograph “Lindsey’s Light” for two reasons.  One, the incredible, natural light that’s adding a little drama and beauty to this simple, photojournalstic moment at the reception.  Two, because of the joy in her smile and her gaze as she talks with the real Light of her Life, Adam,  during their first moments at the Rusty Pelican reception.

Tipping the Bride during a First Dance

  Lindsey and Adam had obviously practiced their first dance a few times.  It was slick and smooth with twists and turns.  It was this portion, however, of their first dance that I was shooting  for.  It’s one of the moments when their eyes lock on one another like no one else even exists or is present.  It’s the electric connection between them that makes this photograph powerful. 

    It’s an important image that truly captures a special moment between them.  I tell my couples that you CAN  capture emotions like love and romance in a photograph.  This one does just that.

    It’s also simply-done when you have a photographer who truly knows photojournalism and values, above everything, The Power of the Picture.

  Throw in a great-looking, loving couple, adoring parents, siblings, friends, fellow firefighters and a few bubbles and you have the makings of  heirloom-quality, wedding day memories and images.

Bubble-infused departure.

  Thank you Lindsey and Adam for trusting me to do this for you.

  Thank you for reading!

(Ask about discounts for active duty military men and women, firefighters, police officers and others who place their lives on the line for people they don’t even know.  I am available to travel Nation and worldwide for assignments)