Alante Photography

The Blog has Upgraded and Moved: www.alantephotographyblog.com

2010-04-05T21:11:00.000-07:00

Get your mouse ready to click because we've upgraded the blog, re-vamped it, and moved it on over to:

www.AlantePhotographyBlog.com

Don't waste a moment, click now to check out the new look!

Walk With Me

2010-03-15T09:12:00.000-07:00

Hand in hand. Wed.

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A Short Film About Love. Sort of...

2010-03-13T08:04:00.000-08:00

Remember Rebecca and Brian? Well, they decided on the cutest two page layout for their engagement album that we just had to share :) Rebecca is a wedding coordinator here in Seattle and she's got tons of great ideas for her images and wedding.

When choosing images for their engagement album, it was super hard to figure out which was the favorite in this series... instead, we all decided it would be so fun to put it together like a little movie storyboard. Skim your eyes over it and it's almost a film... kind of... maybe...

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On The Beach

2010-03-12T07:45:00.000-08:00

Tried a fun little experiment with a "Save the Date" type shot... Heather and Matt's wedding palette is burgandy and coral. The sand on the beach was looking just a little grey and dull that day so we tried something new :)

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Two If By Sea...

2010-03-10T07:31:00.000-08:00

Have you ever considered what your city would mean to you if you had no memories linked to it? How often are our landmarks simply the place where something notable happened? As in: "I'll meet you at that coffee shop we met up at on our second date..." or the way seeing someone driving your first car can take you back in time...

Whenever we get to jaunt around the city with our beautiful couples, it's always something to reflect on that we're having all kinds of fun and creating new memories for them.

Heather and Matt must have ridden this ferry from Bainbridge to Seattle countless times... I hope that now every ride gets to remind them of their engagement session, the fun we had, and all the love to come.

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The Most Magical Tree...

2010-03-08T07:25:00.000-08:00

There are moments when you're photographing when your gaze falls on a setting, the clouds part, and the most perfect place for an image appears. Happily, this is completely what happened as we walked through Bainbridge with Heather and Matt. The tree, the sky, the steps... we couldn't have asked for anything more perfect! And of course, Heather and Matt with their fantastic chemistry just got to enjoy a lovely moment in the sun.

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A Furry Martini and Olive

2010-03-03T20:26:00.000-08:00

On a blissfully sunny weekend we had the joy of meeting Tini and Oli. As in: Martini and Olive. Instantly in love, instantly the stars of Heather and Matt's Engagement session on Bainbridge Island. They are ferociously cute but really, they just think they're ferocious. They would put on quite the show when another dog passed by but they were able to really turn it on when it counted for the camera.

To the left you'll see perhaps the favorite photo of the day. We've dubbed it "Oli's old man face" and it makes us absolutely crack-up everytime we look at it. To the right... you'll see the magical moment when both puppies had their little puppy tongues out for the picture.

Now to figure out how to get the dogs to participate in the wedding! Anyone got ideas? Hit us up in the comments :)

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Gwen & Brook: Married in Hawaii!

2010-02-17T15:29:00.000-08:00

While we are fortunate to be away in Whistler at the Winter Olympics, we thought we'd share something with a bit more of a 'summery' vibe with you! For your viewing pleasure are some more images from Gwen & Brook's recent Hawaii wedding.

We started off on the evening before with a great night surrounded by friends and family {Gwen and Brook are Washingtonians!} I saw the luminaries on the pathway and couldn't pass up the opportunity for a night shot.

The next day was the wedding! We were in Lahaina in Maui and since Gwen & Brook saw each other for the first time as Gwen walked down the aisle, I stole the couple away just after the ceremony to go have some fun on the rocks with a quick couple's session. I love how calm and collected Gwen is having just said "I do."

Had to bring a little kitsch to the ring shots!

These are just the beginning of the fun stuff we've got to share... check back VERY SOON for more ;)

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Aloha!!! Gwen & Brook: Sneak Peak from Alante Photography's Wedding in Maui

2010-02-09T19:16:00.000-08:00

Aloha!!! Our first wedding of 2010 from Gwen and Brook's wedding in Maui. We have a ton of great images to show you. Here is a sneak peak!

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Published : Vaness & Ryan in Seattle Bride Magazine

2010-02-06T23:05:00.000-08:00

Vanessa and Ryan were married at the St. James Cathedral and had their reception at the Columbia Tower Club. We took advantage of the downtown locations and did portraits at the Seattle Downtown Library pictured here. I was so flattered when this particular photograph was chosen by Seattle Bride Magazine to be published in the 2010 Winter/Spring issue. You can find it on page 108 & 109. We've got more photos in the issue too! Can you find them? :)

Lisa & Jared New Years Eve!

2010-01-29T16:36:00.000-08:00

Talk about starting the New Year off right... I was fortunate enough to get to photograph Lisa and Jared's wedding on New Year's Eve day. So fun! Lisa was super laid back and way fun. I love that she completely rocked the birdcage veil. It makes for the most stunning bridal portraits.

Jared is a ton of fun and I had a great time working with him.

Lisa and Jared were so thrilled it just wasn't raining!

You just have to go for that quintessential Abbey Road shot when a bridal party is hitting the crosswalk. Great thing is... traffic always waits :)

Clearly, the couple tied the knot at the Columbia City Theater which was such an amazing venue to photograph at. Totally quaint, quirky, and intimate. Definitely check them out if you're looking for an alternative to the hotel wedding.

What better place for a first dance than spotlit, centerstage. Congrats, Lisa and Jared!

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All warm and fuzzy...

2010-01-21T18:34:00.000-08:00

Anyone who's been reading the blog over the summer is sure to remember Caitlin and Colin's wedding! I was so touched to receive a thank you card from them just after the hectic {but fun} weekend at the Seattle Wedding Show. It's always a nice treat to look back as I book into the future :)

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The only way we could work harder is in a rubber suit...

2010-01-03T21:27:00.000-08:00

We've been hard at work at the Alante factory... getting all geared up for everything that 2010 is going to bring. The first of which will be The Seattle Wedding Show {you're gonna be there, right?} We'll be there showing off our gems at booth 338.

With The Wedding Show, comes the opportunity to show off some of our favorite work from last year. With over 35 weddings {phew!} photographed at some of the best venues in Seattle {Delille Cellars, The Columbia Tower Club, St. James Cathedral, The Rose Garden at Woodland Park Zoo, Lakewold Gardens} and some of the coolest up and coming venues {Sole Repair} we've got a lot to show from 2009. One of the things we're most excited about is our newest collection of studio albums. We'll have delicious, touchable samples at The Wedding Show... until then, you can see some of our page layouts here:

Imagine if you will.... photographically printed pages... yum.... leather bound... double yum... and custom designed to your specs... cherry on top!

Not content with just some kick ass new albums, we've also got entirely new promo materials. Here's a teaser ;)

Ok... so the album spread above was another teaser of our promo stuff. Shhhhh.... ;) Basically, we're convinced it's going to be an amazing year! Wanna share it with us?

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Sneak Peek of Karen and David's Columbia Tower Club Wedding

2009-12-24T14:00:00.000-08:00

I loved Karen and David from the first day I met them. Karen loves photography and David is as cool as a cucumber. I had a ton of fun with them during the two different days of their wedding. Below are just a few sneak peeks:

I don't usually show traditionally posed photos on the blog but this one struck me as fascinating. I love the set up.

This photograph reminds me of a 50's starlet from a movie. I just love Karen's positioning and that she is bathed in beautiful light.

Karen changed in to this beautiful red dress towards the end of the reception. I love the background and how gently David is holding her.

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Happy Holidays and a BIG THANK YOU!!!!

2009-12-24T13:25:00.000-08:00

More photographs from Erica and Daniel's wedding

2009-12-20T16:01:00.000-08:00

More Beautiful photographs from Erica and Daniel's wedding at the Salish Lodge

Rebecca and Brian's Engagement

2009-12-17T13:00:00.000-08:00

Rebecca and Brian wanted to go snowshoeing at Stevens Pass Nordic Center for their engagement session which made perfect sense when I found out that Brian proposed at Stevens Pass. So out came the snow equipment for me and my assistant. My assistant borrowed my 72 year old mom's snowshoe equipment because it was the ONE day she wasn't using it. Most likely skiing instead... you can tell where I get my energy from ;)

Rebecca did pairs iceskating as a kid so when we suggested doing a lift, they were right on it! Most couples practice for a few weeks before the wedding to nail this pose.

This was a last minute thought due to the beautiful light that came at the end of the day in Shoreline. We scrambled to two different Starbucks to find an original white cup during the start of the holiday red cups. Why a Starbucks cup? Rebecca and Brian both work for Starbucks and actually met in New Orleans as a group of Starbucks employees volunteering after Katrina. Imagine their surprise to find they were both from Washington. Talk about meeting cute!

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Katie Campbell's Senior Portraits

2009-12-15T14:44:00.000-08:00

We had a great time with Katie Campbell. She was a lot of fun and so easy to work with!

Katie looked so beautiful, and surrounded by an amazing setting made for perfect photographs!

We saw a Spiderman kite flying around, we asked for permission to use it, Katie was excited! And they turned our amazing and Katie loved it!

Katie grew up sailing on her uncles boat, she is a true sailor! It was great to incorporate who she is into these beautiful photographs!

Simple shot at the end of the evening. This is who Katie is, fun happy, and beautiful!

Jeannie & Christian's Wedding at Delille Cellars in Woodinville

2009-12-01T13:00:00.000-08:00

Jeannie and Christian were one of my most fashionable couples of the season. No surprise, seeing as Jeannie runs Stylelab Seattle. A consulting and personal shopping service for fashion conscious guys.

I always love to capture all the 'getting ready' shots. The really begin the whole story of the day. Of course, being completely on the trend, Jeannie wore an amazing fascinator hairpiece.

Although it was her day, she brought some extra joy for her bridesmaids with gifts. We simply had to re-create one of her engagement shots with this bag, too!

We found the best lighting for Christian while he was getting ready. It created a much calmer atmosphere than running around with a flash. Who needs more stress, you know?

Do you think Jeannie picked out his clothes? You know she did!

Had this shot in a previous post, loved it so much I wanted to show it again of the "bat wing" shoes.

Jeannie looking breathtaking at Delille Cellars. For her 'something old' she's wearing her Grandmother's veil. Too fragile to wear the entire day, she brought it along and we took time to create some portraits just with the veil. By all means, if there's something that is important to you to be photographed with on your wedding day, bring it along!

Christian and his groomsmen taking in the moment!

Delille Cellars has a beautiful garden where we were able to enjoy some quiet moments and create some intimate portraits before the wedding.

A quiet moment for Jeannie before the ceremony at Delille Cellars.

Jeannie and Christian looking amazing and happily married!!!

There are so many amazing settings for wedding photography in the gardens at Delille Cellars.

The beautiful couple!!!

A beautiful stroll after the ceremony at Delille Cellars.

Had a great time with Jeannie and Christian at their beautiful wedding.

Since we always shoot with two photographers, one of us stayed inside to capture the cake cutting the more traditional way and we took a chance photographing it from outside... the gamble paid off as this ended up being one of my favorite cake photos of the season.

Sneak peak Erica & Daniel's wedding at the Snoqualmie Golf Course

2009-11-25T09:00:00.000-08:00

Daniel is the man and Erica is so beautiful! I loved spending time with them and their families during the day. Just a riot!. This was a late night portrait session as the wedding was winding down. So beautiful!!!!!

Sneak peak at Amy and Chris Seattle Wedding at the Canal

2009-11-23T20:52:00.000-08:00

We had a super fun day with Amy and Chris. I think this photograph says what it truly means to fall in love...A really beautiful couple and moment.

Even More Beautiful Photographs from Caitlin & Colins Wedding

2009-10-31T10:52:00.000-07:00

I had so much fun with Caitlin and Colin and it truly shows in their photographs!!!!!

Running off in a School bus...Priceless

CTC Masquerade Ball muscular dystrophy

2009-10-28T10:51:00.000-07:00

Beautiful photograph from the Masquerade Ball at the Columbia Tower Club for muscular dystrophy last Saturday. Enjoy!

This was shot with my iPhone. Just think what I can do with an DSLR.... :)

More Photographs from Caitlin and Colin's Wedding

2009-10-19T13:58:00.000-07:00

Caitlin is the youngest of Chamberlin daughters. I love working with her family and this is the second wedding I have photographed for the family. Cara is next and she mentioned at Caitlin's Seattle wedding that she wanted to have her wedding at an international location. This is to be revealed later! For now enjoy some of Caitlin and Colin's beautiful photographs. More photos will be posted later on in the week.

Sneek Peek: Caitlin & Colin's Wedding on Vashion Island

2009-10-15T09:51:00.000-07:00

What a wonderful photograph of Caitlin!!!! We were very lucky to have just the right sun breaks for their Seattle wedding at Fox Lavender Farm on Vashion Island! Soooo lucky, and luck helps in every way!!! Enjoy! BTW this will be is going to be in our showroom as a 20x30 gallery canvas wrap soon. So come and check it out! We would love to see you!

Ying and Yang Part 2

2009-09-13T09:40:00.000-07:00

Here are a few more photos from Chelsey and Ruben's engagements session.

My Ying and Yang!

2009-09-10T09:26:00.000-07:00

Opposites truly attract! Ruben and Chelsey have known each other since high school and both of them have come a long way since then. Ruben is my hip hop brother I never thought I would have. He is cool as a cucumber and loves his Chelsey more than anything. Chelsey is super smart, glam girl who is oh so creative. I think it took them about 2 seconds to start having fun with the photo session in Seattle and they are not big on pubic affection. (it doesn't show in the photos or anything). Ruben loves his Nissan Skyline and is totally in to cars. Being the bad boy he is I thought it would be cool to have Chelsey lay down in the back of the trunk with her legs and arms hanging out. They flipped over the idea and below is what I think is a pretty awesome concept for Ruben and Chelsey. They are both so easy to work with and I can't wait for their Seattle wedding next year!

My Apologies!

2009-09-09T20:28:00.000-07:00

We have been so fortunate this summer to have so many great clients! The Blog has taken a beating by not having the time to post new and exciting photos from past wedding and engagements.

Obviously if you are a follower you might have noticed, we have changed to Word Press from Blogger, but I am not satisfied with the layout that was provided with the help of a company that witched from a Blogger site to the Word Press structure. This will be delt with in the month of September and I hope to start bogging again on a regular basis. With that said we will post on Facebook, so please become a "Fan" of Alante Photography.

Truly, Loren.

2009-06-24T09:00:00.000-07:00

Fresh from Honolulu and back in the saddle. Full throttle into wedding season and seriously happy about it!

Had a fantastic time with Angela and Godwin on their engagement shoot a few weeks ago. Godwin is so funny even when he tries to be grumpy. He even jokes about it. They, like many other clients this year are having such a hard time choosing their photos. It is quite a compliment.
I love how they are together.

Godwin and Angela are such a great pair.

I had so much fun with them, I though I was floating on air.

Nice moment.

They enjoyed the short walk we took.

And this one is my favorite shot of the session. Just beautiful.

And a kiss to complete the sunset.

New Super Duper Fantastical Website is up!!!

2009-06-23T22:30:00.000-07:00

This does take the cake! I have been working on the new website for about 4 weeks straight along side everything else I love doing, and it is finally up!!!

www.alantephotography.com

Amy & Chris

2009-06-10T09:40:00.000-07:00

A some what cold spring Sunday a few weeks ago Amy, Chris and I met at UW to photograph their engagement session. Amy and Chris are so easy going and really got into the session just after a few clicks.

New Website!!!

2009-06-09T09:52:00.001-07:00

It is almost done! I have been skimping on the blog posts and Facebook and Twittering working diligently on the new website that will contain some fantastic new content. I am very excited for it!

Vid slide show of Loala and Jacob

2009-06-04T17:42:00.000-07:00

Micheal Bride a premier makeup artist in Seattle is going to be featured in the up coming Seattle Bride issue for this summer/fall. Guess who did the photography? Micheal liked Loala and my photography so much he specifically asked to use one of my photos for the article. So I also get to be featured in the mag!

Below is a video slide show from Loala and Jacobs wedding from last year.

Loala & Jacobe from Alante Photography on Vimeo.

Jeannie & Christian

2009-05-27T14:06:00.000-07:00

I know it has been a long time coming, but with designing a new website and 10 sessions within the last three weeks, plus two weddings, I am lucky to be getting this on the blog.

With that said, I LOVE Jeannie and Christians engagement photos! We strolled through Seattle and took some amazing photos of the two of them. Plus I still have more to put up. Tonight they are coming in to view them for the first time. Very exciting. Jeannie is the creator of Stylelab.com who I worked with at Panache, so check her out!

Fun and Simple

2009-05-19T11:58:00.000-07:00

Jag and Julies wedding a few weeks ago now, was fantastic. A small gathering of about 80 people. The reception was held at Borolo Ristorante, in downtown Seattle which I wish would consider doing outside catering. Amazing food and as you know I am a critic because I love to cook. This is a cute shot of Jags niece. More photos to come. I have done about 10 engagement sessions in the past two weeks and two weddings so the blog is taking a beating.

Preview: Jeannie & Christian Engagement Photos

2009-05-15T12:21:00.000-07:00

It has been so busy this year and I am so thankful and excited. This is a preview form Jeanie and Christian's engagement session from last weekend. There are so many great photos from the session. I will put more up in another post soon. Jeanie and Christian are getting married at Delille Cellars in Aug. It is going to be a fun and beautiful wedding.

Alante Iconic Image

2009-05-12T15:53:00.000-07:00

The nice folks at Seattle Style put up a monthly article called Iconic Image. It shows and states what they think an iconic image is from local and national wedding photography. The article I am proud to say spotlights Alante Phototgraphy. Check it out at SeattleStyle.com

Alexis & Sean

2009-05-08T09:00:00.000-07:00

A recent engagement session at the University of Washington just before the last of the cherry blossoms fell. Keep an eye out for the heart shape formed by the branches of the trees. Enjoy the show!!!

Alexis & Sean from Alante Photography

Your Best Experience

2009-05-06T09:00:00.001-07:00

I want everyone to have the best experience for their Wedding Day. I am always open to new ideas and suggestions. I also always have many ideas to share and produce for my clients giving them the best experience and having so much fun during, and after their session and or wedding.

It has been brought to my attention the some companies and or photographers do not meet before the wedding day. With one exception, I find this an utterly mis-guided decision. The one exception is destination weddings. Regardless, you the bride, should meet with your photographer. It will help you make the best decision and see their personality. Remember you will be spending a few hours with your photographer. I can help you distinguish between styles and truly what's best for you.

Laura Ann Cinema

2009-05-04T09:01:00.000-07:00

Lindsay+Larry from Laura Ann on Vimeo.
This is a beautiful video from Laura Ann of LAURA ANN CINEMA. She is a fantastic Videographer from Vancouver B.C.

Eric and Jen's engagement

2009-04-30T10:00:00.000-07:00

Jen and Erik just recently scheduled their wedding with me and we ran into their wedding date very quickly. Due to difficult weather conditions, as you might have noticed this past winter, we were not able to schedule their engagement session until just before their wedding. Erik is a pilot and is usually out of the country too. Interestingly enough he helped Jen get over her fear of flying.

A little fun.

The artist in me coming out...

Simple and beautiful!

I love the 70's Kodak film feel of this shot. All in camera...

Caitlin and Colin Engagement

2009-04-29T10:00:00.000-07:00

I had a great time with Caitlin and Colin a few weeks ago. Colin is a professional sailor who races yachts on the east coast. Very cool! We decided to go to a few places around Seattle to capture their day. They love the outdoors and miss Seattle dearly, and because they have spent a lot of time at the Ballard Locks, it was their first choice. We then headed to Golden Gardens for its big open scenery. This is the third wedding I will be photographing for the Chamberlin family. Very exciting!

A perfect blue sky day.

Some fun with the sculptures.

My favorite shot of the day!

Strolling through the Ballard Locks.

A different vantage point.

Strolling through Golden Gardens.

I love those trees!!!

A Great Outdoor Venue - A Country Location

2009-04-27T10:30:00.000-07:00

I wanted to show off a beautiful venue called A Country Location. Located in Smokey Point WA. They have wonderful grounds for wedding photography and to host a wedding, with a pond big enough to put a few row boats in.

The effect was done in camera with a Lens Baby

The grounds are always kept like golf greens, perfect! Tee it up!

A very calm, beautiful area for the ceremony.

Spectacular views in very direction.

There is plenty of room for guests.

A beautiful, relaxing, fun wedding venue, A Country Location

The "Soft Re-Opening" of the Alante Blog

2009-04-24T11:54:00.000-07:00

Seattle Wedding Photographer - Alante Photography - Panache 09 from Alante Photography on Vimeo.
I love this slide show of the Panache event at the Columbia Tower Club and thought it would be a great way to re-launch the bigger better blog.

New Changes to the Alante Blog

2009-04-23T13:50:00.000-07:00

I am so excited to tell you that there will be some new changes to the Alante blog that you can expect to see within the next week. So please be on the look out. This pic is from Loala and Jacob's album cover.

Engagement of Sarah and Jean-Paul

2009-04-21T11:08:00.001-07:00

Sarah and Jean-Paul wanted to do all of my ideas for their engagement photos. Ton of fun and such good people. Sarah bought the a new white coat just for the engagement session and when her sister saw the coat she wanted to know where she got it. Love the silver buttons. We will be off to Hawaii for their wedding very soon. Very exciting!

Joshua Tree State Park

2009-04-16T01:40:00.000-07:00

This was my first visit to Joshua Tree State Park a couple of weeks ago. I was lucky to hit the golden hour just right and get these fun landscapes. I could have used a 6 x 17. I will go back with one next time.

Jen & Erik's Wedding

2009-04-13T11:54:00.000-07:00

Jen and Erik's wedding was fantastic with some entirely new moments to capture. Many fantastic details and beautiful intimate moments with family and friends. Many thanks to Vicky Peterson of Ravishing Radish Catering for the once again fantastic food, Jojo of Bamboo Beats (you are so on top of it!), Warren Cooper of Forever Together Wedding Officiants would not have made it without his great humor, and the wonderfull make up artist Erin Skipley.

Jen and Erik, Details...Details.

2009-04-13T11:15:00.000-07:00

Some great details from Jen and Erik's fun, casual, wedding.

Erin Skipley

2009-04-13T10:17:00.000-07:00

I just worked with Erin Skipley, a fantastic make-up artist, over the weekend.
She is so talented. The speed and control she has with a brush transcends from her commercial and advertising work. I liked that she combined an air brush with other techniques to make Jen (our bride) look natural, and beautiful. Check out more of her work at www.bellatrixstudio.com.

Brittany and Scott

2009-04-07T12:11:00.000-07:00

Brittany (aka Stephany, inside joke) and Scott are so fun. They were so excited to do their engagement session. They both came with a lot of ideas they wanted to try, so it made it even easier for me, but I came up with a few of my own :).

Enhancements are enhancements, but shot right out of the can (camera) can be fantastic just as well.

Pure, Found and Created.

2009-03-21T10:57:00.000-07:00

After writing the headline "Pure, Found and Created", I took a second look at how those words could be interpreted. The above photo of Anastasia was a found photo, un-staged, and a pure moment. It was created in camera and hardly touched in Photoshop. (Mostly for the noise). I did not direct Anastasia or tell her what to do. So does it really matter if I did director her or set the shot up? The lines are being blurred. And as much as I like capturing these precious moments, I do like creating them and having the opportunity to do so. Enjoy!

Panache Fashion Luncheon 2009 at The Columbia Tower Club Slide Show

2009-03-05T17:03:00.000-08:00

Click To Play

Huge thanks and hugs to our hosts Don Boshears and Melissa Herbert of the Columbia Tower Club for putting the Panache fashion luncheon on.

And to the brilliant vendors who really gave the show all it's magic.

Models: Anastasia Zoeber, Heather Olson, Jessie Snow, Lauren Ebright, Jenny Harding, Minnie Foutenelle, Christina Otto, Ashley Spellman, Amanda Fahsholtz, Brooke Weitz, Alfred Amosa, Bryn Bentham and Christian Oliver

*Jeannie Fleming of The Style Lab with Jake Ferrigno,
*Wedding dresses Susan's Couturier, La Belle Elaine's Bridal, and Calla Bridal
*Men's attire by Butch Blum
*Brian Dale of Wave Link Music with the sweet beats
*Decor by Rented Elegance
*Linens by Choice Linens
*Lighting and runway Blue Danube Productions
*Faux furs by Noble Furs
*Abaloria with Brandy's custom jewelry
*Cakes by Creme de la Creme
*Guest MC the lovely Miss Washington USA 2009, Tara Turnure

Hair: Leonardo - Gene Juarez, Monroe - Gene Juarez, Emily - Gene Juarez.
Makeup: Ashley Spellman, Edward Leman, Jamie - Gene Juarez
Dressers: Gyda Muschett, Jennifer Margolis, Jen Meyers, Coco Burgad, Emily Wang
Stylists/floaters: Jeannie Fleming - Style Lab, Jake Ferrigno

Alante at WPPI Vegas

2009-03-02T11:16:00.000-08:00

The whirl wind wedding photographers convention that could only be held in Las Vegas was a blast. Of course Blogging and Face book were by far the biggest talk about components for photographers.

Other ideas that I will implementing are:

Still photo slide shows with small snippets of video mixed with music and or sound from the wedding or event.

Beautiful new dramatic Photo LCD panels that can light up any room. I could not believe my eyes when I saw them.

I found a superior album maker that uses very unique paper to print on that captures the feel of fiber paper and uses the likes of other creative papers and canvases. They also use very exotic leathers for the album covers to create one of a kind albums. I though I saw it all until I saw these albums.

Panache at the Columbia Tower Club

2009-03-02T10:55:00.000-08:00

Alante Photography was honored to be a part of the Panache fashion show and luncheon at the Columbia Tower Club on March 1st. Thanks to Don Boshers and Melissa Herbert as well as the fantastic stylist Jeanie Fleming of Style Lab Seattle. A slide show of the event will be put up soon.

Favorite Videographers I have worked with...

2009-01-30T18:06:00.000-08:00

My favorite Videographers I have worked with are: Wait for it.... wait....

Bogle Productions... are very trust worthy and they are the best editors.

And I also love working with Michael Carter, a true journalist 425 885 7934.

Stills and Vids for your wedding

2009-01-30T17:34:00.000-08:00

A prospective client Scott asked a great question today through email so I thought I might help a few people and give a little insight as to how I work with Videographers (Vids) during a wedding.

"Loren

This is Scott…thanks again for meeting with us last night…it was really great to talk with you and also see more of your work. I thought of one other question…if you don’t mind.

Brittany and I were also thinking of contracting with a videographer…and I was wondering if it is ever difficult to share angles or figure out how both parties can best capture the same moment. I assume from your large background you’ve shot with lots of other people…so working with others isn’t something new…but I also assume there are certain challenges involved. For instance, are there some videographers in the area you find easier to work with and would recommend? Just curios…and thanks again."

My response:

"Hey Scott!

My interactions with Vids has been great. Its funny, while I was working for news agencies covering some court room situations we would have 5 or 6 still photographers and Vids walking backwards in unison just to get that guy coming out of the court room. We would have one hand operating the camera, and one on the shoulder of the guy next to us, so we could all benefit and stay upright while blindly walking backwards trying to do our jobs in a crowded space of a court house hallway, "getting the shot" so to speak.

During weddings is it is actually much easier for me, do to my 15 years of experience and the fact that I am always looking for the right angle or perspective to get the best shot without getting in the way of the event before me, being your wedding. I think that there is one or two times that a Vid got in the way. So truly it is not a big deal and we usually duck under one another or one is lower to get a different angle. There is always plenty of opportunities to get great shots.

If I am setting you and Brittany up in shot for more of an elegant portrait, They usually know to stay out of the way and most of the time I ask them to get some vid of the situation because I know it will look awesome for your video."

To answer Scotts question of who I favor in the industry of my favorites Videographer to work with check back soon I will post it in another blog entry.

The Dusty 45's

2008-12-28T10:41:00.001-08:00

I have worked with The Dusty 45's three times this past summer and I have wanted to give them some cred for bringing the life into the party and for being true entertainers. These guys can light up your reception, literally with Billy Joe's flaming trumpet, an awesome specialty of The Dusty 45's.

Billy Joe is also a great MC for your reception or event, something to consider when you are hiring a band. He really keeps it things moving and is never at a loss for words.

Jerry Battista, Lead guitar/vocals of The Dusty 45's is one of the best guitar players out there. I love it when he played the classical guitar all night to a variety of genres of songs.

Check out their website for some great live videos and more information. www.dusty45s.com

Alante Featured in Seattle Bride Mag!

2008-12-27T00:48:00.001-08:00

For the second Year in a row Alante Photography has been featured in Seattle Bride Magazine! It is quite an honor to be on the Contents and Departments page of the mag as well as The Year in Pictures section.

Ironically as such the popularity with photojournalism, Alante photography is (at least to my eye) the only photo within "The Year in Pictures" that was actually a true untainted photo journalistic moment. You would think there would be more. Most of them are solid beautiful shots none the least but I can tell the photographer either told the subject(s) to pose or to do whatever they are doing in the particular photo IE jumping, running, kissing.

CTC, Alice in Wonderland and the Queen of Hearts, let the party begin!

2008-10-08T00:37:00.000-07:00

Who let these two in?

While covering an event for the Columbia Tower Club I didn't expect to find Alice and the Queen to be there. But they sure made the party. A fund raiser Masquerade party for M.S. and I believe two other charities (though I never found out the names) at the Columbia Columbia Tower Club on Friday the Sept 26th.

There were some fantastic masks and saucy garments parading around CTC followed by earnest bidding during the silent auction benefiting the different charities.

Though many beautiful masks were roaming though CTC these two characters (pictured above) caught my attention, not only with their attire but their creative backgrounds. Both designers in their own genres and dancers within the burlesque arts. Both costumes were created by Jamie. Please view Jamies work at www.jamiestratton.com

BTW, they cam up with the pose...I love it!

Alante Photography and CameraRenter Join Forces.

2008-08-08T08:45:00.000-07:00

It is Alante Photography’s pleasure to introduce a new partner, CameraRenter.

After meeting Jonathan Baillor, Owner of CameraRenter and seeing how easy he is to work with and finding out about his superior product and service we wanted to be able to partner with him and offer our clients a special opportunity and discount through Alante Photography. (See below)

Jonathan has given us some valuable in site on using his digital cameras for you and your guests:

CameraRenter's easy-to-use digital photo/video cameras, convenient photo and video sharing, and Custom DVD Movies provide a great opportunity for weddings big and small and are excellent complements to professional wedding photographers.

Six Simple Ways to Miss Nothing &
Remember Everything from Your Event:

Give Your Cameras and Batteries out Before, During, and After Your Event
Each of your cameras takes over 450 pictures and Camera-Renter provides complimentary backup batteries, so don’t just use them during your event. Instead,
give them to family and friends before, during, and after your event.

Backup Your Backup Batteries
Each camera comes with batteries and backup batteries, and it’s a great idea to
have backups for the backups for those guests that really enjoy snapping pictures. This is quick and easy as regular double AA batteries are all you need.

Have a Few Guests Get Things Started
Once a few people start snapping pictures using your cameras, they will catch-on
like wildfire. Before you know it, everyone will be capturing everything.

Have Your DJ/MC Make an Announcement
At the start of your event, have your DJ/MC announce something like: “Be sure to
use the digital cameras provided by so we can all view, download,
and print each other’s pictures for free at ’sevent website.”

Give-Out Your Instruction Cards to All of Your Guests
If anyone is going to hand-out anything, make sure they hand-out the instruction cards included with your event package. This way your guest will know
how to view, download, and print, all of the pictures and videos from your digital cameras for free.

Forward Your Email Invitation to All of Your Family and Friends
About a week after we receive your cameras, we’ll email you an invitation to your
Personalized Memory Sharing Website. Be sure to forward your email invitation to
all of your guests. This is a quick and easy way to make sure that your family
and friends relive all the memories they helped you make for free.

How it works:

*Cameras delivered to your doorstep
Sit back and relax. You have enough to plan and worry about. CameraRenter mails easy-to-use digital photo/video cameras right to you along with return postage.

*Give cameras to friends & family
Have fun. Your friends and family have a great time capturing every aspect of your event with high quality digital pictures and videos.

*Remember & share everything
Treasure your event forever. We create a Custom Event Website with all of your pictures and videos for easy print ordering, viewing, downloading, and sharing.

*Remember everything with a Custom DVD
CameraRenter also offers Custom DVD Movies containing your favorite pictures and movies from your event. What better way to enjoy all of your cherished moments than sitting down with your friends and family and watching a DVD of them? And what better way to say thank you than with a DVD movie of all of the memories your friends and family helped you make?

With Alante Photography’s new partnership with CameraRenter all of our current, past and future clients will receive all of the photos and videos from their CameraRenter cameras for free, will also receive a of 10% discount on camera rentals from Camera-Renters when ordering through us.

The discount code for the free photos is: 0.00_88AlantePhotography. Please use this code when ordering.

10 shoots in two weeks

2008-07-25T12:15:00.000-07:00

It has been a busy two weeks with about 10 shoots. Each has been quite fun interacting with individuals and families alike. Each with their unique personalities that I love to bring out of them. After our initial visit the families and individuals become so comfortable with me and are free to be themselves (very important), letting go of the fear they might have of having their photograph taken. It is quite a beautiful thing to see people blossom so quickly and enjoy the photo session as much as I do.

These shots were just done yesterday, so I will have to put more up from the other portrait shoots done with in the last two weeks.

I don't think that families in general realize how important it is to have portraits taken every so often. It is never planned, thinking "oh yea we need to have a portrait session" but never schedule one. Once they see the final product they always say that they should have done it sooner and are ecstatic about the photos.

10 Ways to Splurge/10 Ways to Cut Costs

2008-06-24T21:55:00.000-07:00

Erin Lindeman of Lindeman Weddings has some fantastic ideas on way to save and splurge for you wedding. Frankly I like the splurge part because you only do this once right!!! She has graciously let Alante Photography to share this with all of our clients and friends.

A little more on Erin: Elegant, stylish and intelligent come to mind. She is not at a loss for the right words that keeps your plan in line and on schedule for your wedding or event. She will always let you know what is reasonable and what you want to skip. She is a fantastic consultant.

10 Ways to Cut Costs
1. Trim the guest list. Your cost per head is your biggest expense!

2. Choose a venue that is already beautiful. An outdoor garden setting or a view of the water will offset having to have a larger budget for floral or other decorations.

3. Skip an off-site location (such as a park or private residence) and choose a venue that already has tables and chairs included. Often people do not realize how expensive it is to rent a tent, tables, chairs, linens, etc...

4. Have your wedding earlier in the day. A brunch or light lunch is easier on the pocket book than a dinner will be. Your guests will drink less which will cut back on your liquor bill too.

5. Consider moving your wedding to Sunday or Friday night. Venues usually charge less for their rental fee, and a Sunday morning buffet will be much less expensive than an evening buffet. Be aware that you will be fighting traffic on Friday night weddings and vendors will still charge the same price regardless what day of the week it is.

6. Limit your alcohol offerings to beer, wine and a signature cocktail. You can also eliminate the champagne toast. Most of the champagne will be thrown out anyway, so just have guests toast with whatever they are drinking already.

7. Opt for a less expensive printing method for your invitations and put the invitations together yourself. There are plenty of already pre-cut paper invitation selections out there. Visit Paper Source in Lincoln Square in Bellevue. It will save you hundreds of dollars. If you do decide to assemble the invitations yourself, save yourself the some extra time and have Kinkos print and cut any paper that needs to be customized. Always ask them what the most cost effective way is to cut and print your invitations. It is far less expensive than you might think.

8. Skip the elaborate favors and write a hand written note instead.

9. Limit your rehearsal dinner to just family and close friends.

10. Instead of having an elaborate cake, have an elaborate fake cake! There are many companies that design these artificial cakes with real frosting. They look like cake, smell like cake and the bottom layer is usually real cake for the purpose of cake cutting. They are beautiful! After the cake cutting is done, the cake is taken back into the kitchen where a sheet cake has been already cut up and prepared to go out to your guests. No one will ever know the difference. This is perfect for a smaller wedding especially because you don't need that much cake anyway. Brides and grooms are always surprised at how little people eat cake at their wedding. This option can save you hundreds! All you have to do is rent the cake and purchase a sheet cake!

People will never know that the cake was artificial or that there were no monogrammed napkins or elaborate favors. Implementing any of these money saving tips will not compromise your event and it could potentially save you thousands of dollars.

10 Ways to Splurge
1. Professional Lighting! Lighting can make any setting come alive with up lighting or adding color lighting. There are so many options for lighting and doing this will ensure to evoke whatever feeling you are looking to implement for your wedding reception. This will assist with better lighting for your photographer as well!

2. Linens, Table Top and Chairs! Do away with the plain white table linen! Stylish linens, fabulous table settings and brilliant centerpieces will be sure to wow every guest in attendance. Having a different color or patterned linen can make all the difference when it comes to the how your reception space looks. But why have such a beautiful table setting and keep the "less than attractive" banquet chairs!? This has been a major concern with our brides this year. Many of our brides are doing away with the "ugly" chair and renting Chiavari chairs or other alternatives to compliment their beautiful tables! This will be sure to transform your reception space.

3. Videographer! So often I see and hear of brides doing away with the videographer. Please don't! You will be so overwhelmed with emotion the day of your wedding by the time the reception comes to a close you are going to wonder where the time went! So much happens at a wedding, make sure to document it! Videographers have come a long way with regards to amazing video editing and production. Have your ceremony and reception on a DVD that you can enjoy forever.

4. Enjoy the arts? Have a professional artist paint your wedding reception on any size canvas. There are quite a few artists that paint wedding receptions for a living and they do an amazing job. Starting around $1500, you can have your first painting to hang on the wall of your new home together. This will make for a nice piece of entertainment at your reception too.

5. Have a Band and a DJ! This makes for such a nice balance at your reception. It is nice to have a band play through dinner and your first dance, while the DJ can take care of the band's breaks and finish out the night with a party. Having both will set different moods for different parts of your reception.

6. Host an After Party! After the reception follow your guests to dance the night away at another location. Serve breakfast food or peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. Continue the party at someone’s home or at a local bar. Just make sure to arrange for transportation for the ride home or have the after party within walking distance of hotel where your guests are staying.

7. Have a Photobooth at your wedding. You can have guests at the reception take pictures in the photobooth for your guest book and it is something they can take home with them. This will double as entertainment for you reading through your guest book later and something that they will be able to take with them to put on the fridge.

8. Customize! Water bottle labels with a picture of the bride and groom, M&M's with your names on them or customized Jone's soda labels. There are so many ways to make your wedding unique besides the monogrammed napkin. These ideas are usually are not as expensive as you might think.

9. Umbrellas and Parasols! For a Seattle wedding, rain or shine, renting these for your guests or wedding party will make for fun and unique photographs as well as keep people out the sun or rain. They come in any color, pattern, style or fabric.

10. Opt for the Photo Book! Many photographers offer a customized photo book. They are usually expensive, but you will have it forever. This makes for a great thank you gift for your parents as well. All you will have left of your wedding is your dress and your photographs. This is a special way to keep all of your photographs in one place and in an easy to view fashion.

Wheres the PJ in PhotoJournalism?

2008-05-27T23:41:00.000-07:00

Come on people! Really Photo journalistic? Photo journalism? Are ya? Have you worked for your local newspaper, tabloid for a few years or even several years. And now the go word(s) have been "photo journalistic" for ya.

For all those candid moments you so awkwardly compose during your booked event. Give it a rest. Do you really have the experience to call yourself a journalist, or say that you can document an event like a journalist? The photography is not showing from what I am seeing out there. And I am looking. All the journalist and I mean all of them are looking suspect to me. Especially if you are shooting WEDDINGS!!!

Now this is where you should tell me to lighten up. Na...I challenge all of you and all the good people hiring a photographer for their weddings to really look around and look at your photos. Composition, lighting, emotional effect. Are they there? I am not seeing it! Looks like a bunch of key word users to me. I challenge you!

And to the good buyers out there. Look at more than just your check book and how empty it is. Yea I know that it might be tough for some of you to put 4 to 5 grand or more for that matter on photography for your wedding. But take a look and if you don't know one picture from another, ask questions and we will be happy to explain what makes a great photograph and what separates the candids from great photography.

If you are going to hire a photojournalist or a documentary photographer for your wedding or event make sure they have a high level of experience. I would not hire anyone that has less than 10 years experience. Why you ask? Because they have not been shooting every day for ten years straight. And ask what type of newspapers or magazines they have shot for. One great aspect of a true photojournalist is the ability to shoot sports. Now now, I know a lot of great PJ's that don't shoot sports and they are some of the best so get off me. BUT, shooting sports has an effect of timing and you must have great timing to shoot sports. It is not laying down on the shutter for eight frames a second that gets you the timing. So bugger off if you do. We know who the amateur is by looking at the photo. Well I do anyway.

Make them show you their tear sheets. Meaning the actual paper the photos were printed on in the Mag or newspaper. Ask for referrals. Google them. Do their photos show up in newspapers on the Internet? Proof is in the mud pie. Check them out.

The Family Portrait

2008-03-27T19:56:00.000-07:00

I walked in to Kristen and Marks home the other day to pick up some flies and say hi. I photographed their wedding and and more recently their new baby Ethan. I wasn't suprised but an immense amount of gratitude came over me when I walk into peoples homes and see my work upon their walls. Here is one of their living room walls full of their beautiful photos that were so fun for me to create with them. The actual photos can be seen at www.AlantePhotography.com in the portrait section.

Is Bad Photography Worth a $3500.00 mistake?

2008-03-08T13:39:00.000-08:00

Photography by Alante photography ©2008

So what would you do if you are not Satisfied with your photography AFTER your wedding?

A few of the top photographers in the Seattle area sat down for drinks last week and as we do, we talk shop. The subject came up as we were talking about how photographers are pricing themselves in the Puget Sound area compared to other areas around the country.

We also spoke of the horror stories we have all heard from total strangers we meet and how they speak up about their wedding when they find out that we are wedding photographers. And how they didn't like the final product. Usually it is due to out of focus shots or lack of great presentation of the final product. On occasion the photographer is incapable for completing his or her job during the wedding. One word, lame.

My first question to them, again a complete stranger, is how much did you pay for your photography. 99% of the time they state that they paid less than $3500.00. My second question is would you have paid $5000.00 to get great amazing photographs of your one and only wedding day. And 100% of the time they say YES!

So it is quite stunning to me when great people settle for less on such an important event if not the most important event in their lives. They search and search, instead of using the recommendations they get from trusted friends and or event coordinators while also using their own instincts to know that it is more than worth the few extra dollars to get one of the best photographers. The good ones truly know their worth. Just be aware, is all I am saying.

Beautiful Couple, Beautiful Day: Loala & Jacob

2008-02-23T23:03:00.000-08:00

Photo by Alante Photography ©2008

I am not usually one for shadows across the face when I am looking at or photographing a subject. But today with the beautiful color temperature of the light and how wonderfully Loala and Jacob were reacting to one another, and with a little direction in the beginning, turn out amazing shots for their engagement session. This was one of the last shots I took of them and this was all them(the couple). They knew where the light was and how it was hitting them and coming across their faces. It is so dramatic with the intense shadows and the wonderful calm peaceful look on Loala's face and the intense look in Jacob's eyes make this photo just sing for me. I wish the photo could be bigger on the blog because this small photo just does not do it justice. Look for it in the new Engagement section of www.AlantePhotography.com

Panache: Columbia Tower Club

2008-02-18T12:17:00.000-08:00

The Columbia Tower Club hosted its annual open house called "Panache" on Sunday the 17th of March. Alante Photography is one of the prefered vendors at the club. The four hour event allows club members and guests looking for vendors such as florests, photographers, bridle gown makers, DJ's, and videographers to get an emence amount of information from the best vendors. Models with bridal gowns walked continuously through the club as guests and members enjoyed the clubs views from the 75 floor of the Columbia Tower in Seattle.

Design Elements from Jacky Grotle

2008-02-13T15:10:00.000-08:00

Photos by Anna Kuperberg

Here are some fantastic ideas for you wedding from Event Success.

"The design of your wedding is the difference in a nice wedding and a gorgeous wedding. The elements you use should start with the save-the-dates and be carried throughout the wedding ceremony and reception. Your wedding consultant should have the ability to help you with your design and create a polished look for your wedding day. The designer (usually the Wedding Consultant or the Florist) should be able to get unique rentals for you or know how to get them into Seattle. Last summer we worked with Stellar Events and imported the “Apparition” chair into Seattle. We were the first wedding to use them and it is featured on our website on our “weddings page”. This hip, new, clear acrylic chair was amazing and the event design was truly spectacular!"

Thanks again to Jacky at Events Success for the great insights!!!

Jacky can be contacted through at www.NWEventSuccess.com

Adventure Vest Video

2008-02-11T13:43:00.000-08:00

Here is the new video for the Adventure Vest. This one of the most versatile pieces of photo equipment I have ever seen.

Event Success!!!

2008-02-11T13:42:00.000-08:00

Jacky Grotle of Event Success has graciously lent her knowledge as one of if not the top independent event coordinators in the P.N.W. to the blog about what to look for when hiring an event coordinator.

"Experience and professionalism is what you should be looking for when hiring a wedding consultant. Before meeting with a wedding consultant do an over the phone interview. Be sure that they have at least ten years experience. There are many new companies out there but you don’t want them “learning the ropes” on your wedding day. Another benefit of an experienced wedding consultant is their relationship with vendors. Not only will they be able to match you to great vendors but those vendors will work twice as hard for a wedding consultant in hopes of repeat business and future referrals."

I second that when hiring a photographer!!!! Thanks Jacky.

You may contact Jacky at Event Success through her website: www.nweventsuccess.com

Jacky will continue to offer info on this blog so be sure to check back for her wealth of information.

Compair and contrast

2008-02-11T13:41:00.000-08:00

Photo by Alante Photography.

Marta and Christians wedding was set in Fiesole Italy about 30 miles outside of Florrence. A magnificent castle setting in the hills of Tuscany. The brilliance in this photograph is not the setting or the venue, but right fully so it is Marta! She is reminisce of Sofia Loren in how glamorous and confident she is in her natural pose leaning against her chair and that confident smirk on her face it is quite cinematic.

Now as one can see the gestures and protruding eye balls of the gentlemen surrounding her tell a fantastic story of how Marta is adored by her family and friends. You just can't stage this. The true life fairy tale in a documentary, journalistic style, of wedding photography.

The contrast is that of a great staged portrait. There are many of them, very beautiful ones too! They take time and time away form the wedding day, reception family and friends. I love to produce that type of work and as you can see by the fashion photos in the Style section on the website www.Alantephotography.com But are clients willing or do they even know how much time will be needed to produce that type of shot? Usually not. If they are, great! Unfortunately I have heard of some horror stories where brides and grooms were not told that the photographer was going to take 4 to 5 hours of their time to get what the photographer needed as far as shots. Truly, the day is about the bride and groom and their wonderful day. Not about the photographer or other vendors.

Just For Fun

2008-02-11T13:39:00.000-08:00

©2007 Alante Photography.

It is very amazing to receive compliments during the wedding let alone after the bride a groom sees their photos. And more often than not it is followed by a statement like "I was at a wedding where the bride hated her photographer." How can that be? The time and care that a photographer must take is imperative to his or her clients. This is their day not the photographers and it is the job of all the vendors to compliment the situation not take away from the bride and grooms experience of their day. I try to make the day as fun experience for the bride, groom and their families as possible without getting in the way.

Combat Weddings

2008-02-11T13:38:00.000-08:00

Photography By Alante Photography. copyright 2007.
A question came across my email from the WJPA a few days ago and below is my response to wedding photographers being "On" and tired during a wedding.

"One of our members notes “When I’m shooting a wedding, I’m ‘on’ for that time. My mind is totally all about observing for those hours.” "The point here is that you can be totally drained at the end of a wedding and much of it is mental. The constant requirement to be ultra-sharp and always thinking could even be compared to the mental focus required when shooting in a war zone -- or is that too much of a stretch? To those of you who actually have some combat photography experience, how would you compare the two? Do you feel there are any similarities?"

To WPJA:

A wedding is a far cry from a war zone. I do not have a lot of combat experience other than photographing riots but I have a lot of journalistic experience and in any situation of daily newspaper or news service photographer can tell you that being "On" is a must, all of the time. I have met a few true big time war photographers and I could see how being in a war has emotionally effected them.

And when catering to a valued client during their big day you must have ears and eyes open in every direction ready for anything. Even when taking part in conversations with people at the venue. Being prepared is the quintessential notion of being a great photojournalist of documentary photographer. Cameras, equipment, exposure, creativeness, placement mental awareness etc... at a moments notice to get the best shot every time. I have not had many bridezillas, if any, in my 11 years of shooting and if photographers are getting tired physically and or mentally at the end of an 8 hour wedding, I understand. But, I will easily pull a double shift wedding and stay tack sharp for my clients rather than going to war any day!

Event Tips from Sweet Pea Events

2008-02-11T13:37:00.000-08:00

Starr and Steve on her big day July 4th 2007.

Kelly Simants from Sweet Pea Events was kind enough to lend a voice on a few interesting tips for brides so I thought I would pass them along.

As you are formulating ideas for your wedding from the masses of magazines or things you have seen at other events Kelly says to keep color on the for front of the design. Start with an invitation designer along with your event planner who does indeed design you whole wedding. This will help with the entire concept from the start of the planning of your wedding which will lead to colors of tables and brides maids dresses etc... Not that they should be the same.

Kelly also suggests that you make the list of guests as soon as possible so that the "save the date" invites along with invitations and thank you notes are done in a timely manor rather than at the last moment.

And for the day of your wedding Kelly reminds you to "soak-up" your wonderful day and let your wedding planner do the worrying for you. Many brides try to do it all and become frustrated and overwhelmed with details. Not what is supposed to happen, and plus you have spent a lot of time and energy in the planning. Having a planner will allow you enjoy these most special, once in a life time moments on your wedding day.

For the Brides!!!!

2008-02-11T13:35:00.000-08:00

Photo By Alante Photography ©2007

It has come to my attention that brides and grooms have a lot on their minds on the day of their wedding. And as I join them on their big day to photograph the wonderful event I am noticing a few things that might be helpful to a few of you out there getting married this summer.

As a photographer who shoots in a documentary style I notice little things and realize the big picture at the same time.

I have had two brides become dehydrated during their wedding this year already.
Drinking a lot of water the week before and the day of, not only keeps you hydrated but it also keeps the water weight off you. So as a bride you will look and feel slimmer. The reason being is that you body understands that it be replenished with fresh water and will not have to hold water.

I have had three brides need the use of a sewing kit so it is a good idea to bring even a small sewing kit just in case a grooms button needs some help or that spaghetti strap needs to be gathered just a little more.

The flip flop. Bring them, need them, want them. I would wear them if it was professional but I digress on that subject. Now I know that brides look great in heels and but just in case you are not use to wearing heels, ya might want to hit the old flops after the ceremony. And If you knew me you know how how much I like stilettos. I would like to design them.

The Clear-a-sil perspiration blotter takes the shine away but not the make up. These things are great for brides in hot weather. Do to the fact that the shine from perspiration is removed without wiping the make-up off is great for the bride and makes for great photos.

One other suggestion is a spot remover in a variety of applications. I have seen them being used at weddings by way of a pen application and a small disposable cloth application. Both worked out amazing, I was so surprised.

Hope these help and if you know any more tid bits please share them with me as I will pass them along.

Adventure Vest in Bali

2008-02-11T13:30:00.000-08:00

Taking the Adventure Vest to Bali was so crucial to finding and shooting successful photos on my trip. I had 10 days to myself in Bali after shooting in Kuala Lumpur for my clients wedding-tea ceremony. I ended up getting a driver to take me around and being able to jump out of the car or motorcycle with all of the gear I needed in a moments notice is a must. I am pictured here wearing the Adventure Vest at a small compound in Ubud Bali. Find out more info on the Adventure vest at www.AdventureVest.com

Motion Sickness

2008-02-11T13:29:00.000-08:00

I recently took a trip to Bali, Indonesia and Malaysia to photograph my clients wedding. I have always had trouble with motion sickness especially on airplanes and I have found an organic solution to my problem. It is really complicated so listen up. Ready? Ginger! It is that simple. And it gets better. It comes in a pill form that you can get at most supplement stores. I get mine from Clark's Pharmacy in Redmond WA.(425) 881-0222, 15615 Bel Red Road, Bellevue, Washington 98008. They have the best homeopathic and organic meds I have found in the Puget sound. I just take to in the morning and two at night a few days before my flight and throughout my trip (for the flight back) and I am set for a motion sickness fee trip!