September PUG: ignited Studio Spotlight

Last week we were given the amazing opportunity to share with other local professional photographers at the September PUG (Pictage Users Group) in Dearborn, MI.  What an incredible experience!  The evening included a studio spotlight where we shared about our photography, business and lighting style - complete with a live photo shoot and strobe lighting demonstration.  Because we wanted to get the right "look" straight out of the camera, we hired Griselda Uvario, our gorgeous professional model, to nail the poses and style of our images.  ::LOVE those dimples!::

We had so much fun with our fellow photographers and loved being open and instructive on how to incorporate strobe lighting in specific portrait and wedding photography.  We are so blessed to be surrounded by such an amazing group of photographers and are glad to call them friends!

One of the things we shared with the PUG attendees was how to capture a great image straight-out-of-camera (SOOC) with the very first shot.  The image above was captured with a single strobe light and has no image correction or photoshoping done to it.  All images below are the same:

One amazing group of photogs:And of course, no night would be complete without a few out-takes (you just can't take photographers too seriously, we sure don't...lol).  Top image:  Griselda Uvario and Kristina Sikora.  Bottom image: (back L to R) Eric Boehm, Jim Shields, Joel Hernadez, Sue, Chris (front L to R) Nemo, Danielle Murphy, Shaleena Cole, Julie Paszczykowski, Kristina Sikora, Heather and Kevin Autry.

A BIG thank you to our fearless leader, Kristina Sikora, for coordinating such a great evening and for working so hard on each and every PUG meeting!

~ Kevin & Heather

Justin & Emily {Engagement}

I can honestly say that I don't think we have ever worked with a happier, more fun-loving couple than Justin and Emily!  The two of them had us cracking up all evening long and we just loved the fact that it felt like we were hanging out with old friends while capturing some true-life images and just having a blast together.  The spontaneous portraits that we caught of them laughing and hamming it up in front of the camera feel just as important in depicting who they are and their relationship, as do the sexier, romantic ones.

We really appreciated Justin and Emily's excitement over their engagement session and the fact that they didn't mind traipsing all over Ann Arbor to get just the right shots.  We discovered a few new nooks and crannies around town too that we absolutely LOVE.  We're so glad we had Emily there to help us figure out where we wanted to be!

Here is just a little sneak peak of their engaement session with us.  Check out the images and let Justin and Emily know what you think.~ Kevin & Heather

Jeremy + Nicole {Engagement}

They say the third time's the charm, and it certainly was true with our third attempt at scheduling Jeremy and Nicole's engagement session!  The air was crisp with the first real hint of fall, but the skies were amazing with cloud texture and moody color.  Our previous attempts at scheduling their session resulted in high heat, terrible humidity and thunderstorms.  What a contrast just a few weeks can bring!

We met Jeremy and Nicole in Farmington and it was fun getting to know them a bit better over the course of the evening.  Nicole is one of my dearest friends' neices and so she's practically like distant, long-lost family.  :)  It was about time we got caught up.

Nicole and Jeremy are getting married in Hawaii and we are so excited for them and their destination to a tropical paradise. There is no doubt that their wedding is going to be amazing - they are such a beautiful and wonderful couple!  Enjoy these teasers and let them know what you think of them.

~ Kevin & Heather

Compose and wait

This is a great interview with Sam Abell!  He talks about his year long journey to getting the perfect image to complete his story on Charles Russell.

We, as photographers, need to make sure that we are patient to get the right images and not just snap away grabbing random pictures that have a subject in them.  Sometimes it is just a matter of allowing life to happen and being ready.

Just when I think I'm beginning to 'arrive' (it'll never happen), I see an interview such as this one and am in awe of the passion that great photographers of our time have.  And I realize that the journey of professional photography is not one where we will ever arrive at a final destination, but is on going like the rest of life's lessons.

I realize now that I am very near to the beginning of that journey.

Check out the interview here.

(Tried and tried and just couldn't embed the video.  FAIL!)

 

~Kevin

Courtesy of Chase Jarvis

Aaron & Christiana {Wedding}

Last weekend we had the opportunity to shoot Aaron and Christiana's wedding at the gorgeous Nazareth Hall in Grand Rapids, Ohio.  Dispite it being one of the hottest and muggiest days of the entire summer (98 degrees with 152% humidity - ok, I'm not sure what the humidity was, but it was sticky for sure!), the wedding went beauifully and the details were amazing!  We loved working with both Aaron and Christiana, and it was so cool that we just happened to know about half of their bridal party even before the wedding.  Aaron's brother, Chris, works with Kevin, and I know Christiana's sister, Satya, from homeschooling and her sister-in-law, Amy, from church.  What a small world!

Enjoy this sample of images from Aaron and Christiana's big day and leave them lots of love!
And we just wanted to end this blog post with the sweetest image from the day - Aaron and Christiana did not want to see each other before the ceremony, but they did want to have a moment together.  You could just feel the love and joy radiating from both of them the moment their hands touched around the corner.

~ Kevin & Heather