Inspired Photo Blog

It was the most anticipated day of the year. July 7th of the year 2007. For many people, the number 7 has special significance and all over the world events were held celebrating the number 7. The new 7 wonders of the world were announced, it was the day of the Live Earth concerts and gamblers tested their luck in record numbers. For Joanna and Ken it was simply the day they chose to be married. Not even their first choice. It just worked out to be the most popular day of the year.

The wedding took place at the Oregon Golf Club just outside Portland. The day dawned without a cloud in the sky. It was beautiful, sunny and warm. For a summer wedding so close to the end of the rainy season in the Northwest, it was everything a bride could ask for on her wedding day. When I arrived, a local news crew was just leaving after interviewing both of them for a special segment to be featured on the news about seven-seven-oh-seven weddings.

Ken was nervous and excited to see Joanna for the first time on their wedding day.

Joanna was radiant and glowing all day long.

One of my favorite images from the ceremony. Pure emotion, Ken’s face says it all. Photographing a wedding in full sun is a particular challenge, but it’s even harder to stand in full sun wearing a black tux. So much so that one of the groomsmen passed out from the heat. Fortunately there were a number of doctors attending the wedding who quickly rushed to his aide. The wedding ceremony was temporarily halted and much to everyone’s relief the groomsman was pronounced fine aside from a large bump on the back of his head. It certainly added to the story of the wedding day.

Joanna and Ken rushing to find a cool place out of the sun and enjoying a surreal moment together for the first time as husband and wife.

The wedding program doubled as a fan to keep the guests cool.

A beautiful image of their wedding rings captured by my associate Kristen.

As the sun began to slip in the sky and the heat was replaced by a warm breeze, I snuck the two of them out onto the golf course for a few artistic shots. Joanna had a gorgeous veil and with a little help from the wind a beautiful moment was created.

This image was captured by Kristen as she quietly slipped behind Joanna as I was working with her for the previous photo. There is a quiet beauty to this image that really speaks to me. Being a second shooter is one of the best positions to be in as a photographer at a wedding. People are focused on the main photographer and you can capture them completely natural and beautifully unrehearsed.

This is Kristen’s second wedding season with me and her intuition and instincts are spot on. She has really grown over the past two summers. Personally, I think having two photographers at your wedding is not just an added expense or a luxury. Two photographers, who are seasoned shooters each with a unique point of view, can offer a level of artistry that simply can’t be accomplished by one photographer. There is so much happening at weddings these days, that it’s almost becoming a necessity to have two photographers. I’m hoping that Kristen will join me next year as a seasoned associate. We’ll see if the market will support that vision. It’s been a real pleasure having her point of view at these weddings and the couples getting married this summer have been given a real gift.

I love clouds and will include them whenever I can in my images. There is a wistful quality to the clouds that matches her veil. My approach to wedding photography is a cinematic vision. This year, I’ve expanded that to include a very wide angle lens to help capture the feel and mood of my locations.

Shooting directly into the sun helps impart a wonderful feeling of light to this image as Joanna and Ken make their way back to the reception.

It was a beautiful day and we met some wonderful people. One of my favorite moments was the speech given by Joanna’s father. He mentioned how his thoughts came together during the time he spent behind the mower. This made me think of all the problems and business decisions I’ve resolved in my head behind my mower and made me smile. Been there, done that.

Congratulations to both families for a beautiful wedding day. It was a pleasure meeting all of you and I appreciate the opportunity to be a part of your story. To Joanna and Ken— congratulations for surviving the media storm and pulling off a beautiful wedding day. At least we know you’ll never forget your anniversary date. Best wishes for a lifetime of happiness!