Inspired Photo Blog

Andrea and Christopher were married June 24th at Studio 1050 in downtown Portland. Their wedding was my second at Studio 1050 and one of the last as they close their doors this summer. Politics and changes in zoning have made it impossible for them to remain in their current location. What a shame as it’s a great space for a small intimate wedding. Which is exactly what Andrea and Christopher threw for their friends and family. A classy, intimate celebration in the heart of downtown Portland.

Next door to Studio 1050 and accessible from the bride’s dressing room is a novelty store filled with great props. Andrea takes a moment to pose with a very large flower.

They both decided that they did not want to see each other before the ceremony. So, before the wedding, I took Christopher outside along the waterfront for some natural light portraits. I love finding beautiful, magical light. There is simply nothing like it.

After the ceremony, we left immediately to take portraits of the newly married couple along the Esplanade while their guests enjoyed cocktails. Andrea had a beautiful, radiant look to her. I kept telling her that she looked Spanish and she kept telling me that she was Filipino. Did I mention how windy it was?

At every shoot, there is a moment when it all comes together. The hero shot. The moment when light, composition and the decisive moment all come together and you hear the angels singing. This is something that I try very hard to give every one of my couples. As we were walking along the Esplanade, we rounded a corner and it all came together for me. Trying to convince Andrea to brave the brisk wind in her wedding dress was another story. In the end, she put her trust in my inspiration and passion. These shots were easily the best images of the day. I hope they agree when they see them. When they told me that the bridges had special significance to both of them, I knew my intuition was right.

I’m always looking to break free of the tyranny of the ring shot with the hands over the bouquet. Who came up with that idea and why must every couple have that image? This is a moment that happened naturally and when I saw Christopher’s hand placed lovingly on his wife, I knew it was the image I was looking for of their rings.

Congratulations Andrea and Christopher! Your wedding day was beautiful and your friends and family were very gracious, kind and fun. Thanks for sharing your intimate day with me, I hope your friends from out of town enjoyed their time in Portland. I wish you both a lifetime of happiness!