About Me

First Anniversary

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I Mentioned to Brian that our first anniversary is coming up… and he asks me “Do you remember when you asked me out on our first date?”  I rolled my eyes laughed and said as if I would ever… “Baby? Sara, You don’t remember asking me out? He of course reminds me, that I texted him first, and then I hinted that he needs to take me dinner. Suddenly I remembered the conversation. Funny how our mind have selected memory.

About Me

Bull’s-eye Baby —>(o)

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It is so cheesy but every time I set my setting, compose shot, take a test and get on the first frame I think to myself Bull’s-eye-Baby. I got the expression from a photographer who got me started shooting weddings. He used to talk about copyrighting the catch phrase. Years later the phrase still goes through my head. After a wedding I always think nailed it! Man I love my job. Yes I’m such a photo nerd.

About Me

Happy Memorial Day from Lake Tahoe

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For memorial weekend my boy friend and I decided to go up to his place in Lake Tahoe. The weather was so nice yesterday that I had to get outside and take a couple shots. *Weather in Lake Tahoe is super unpredictable. When we first got up here it was snowing. Keep in mind it’s the end of May.

 

 

 

About Me, Photographer's Tips, Sara Jordan Photography, Wedding Tips

Wedding Photography is not so Simple?

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Many times people think wedding photographers simply shows up at a location, shoot for a couple hours, burn a disk and the jobs done. No matter how big or small the event is this is some of what’s involved.
The day before every wedding I spend a lot of time getting prepared. I always start by charging batteries, which is a process that takes most of the day.  Then I go through all my gear cleaning, testing, syncing camera times and formatting cards. I pack up all my gear.  I also review timelines, shot lists and locations. I plan my gear and my shots around the location and the timeline.  What I bring for an indoor wedding is very different from an outdoor location.  Finally, I map all locations, and layout my clothes.  One the day of the only thing I want to think about is getting all those amazing shots. The getting prepared to shoot a wedding takes up most of the day before the wedding.
On the day of I run around for hours with 40 pounds of gear strapped to me in order to capture all those memories. I’ve actually been described by a groom as a ninja. I wear all black, I sneak around and I draw cameras like weapons.
After the wedding, I download everything online incase of a fire, on 2 external hard drives one to back up the other, two computers, all the cf cards don’t get reformat until images are done being edited and discs incase the hard drive fails. Archiving your memories is just as important as capturing them.  I’ve actually had several brides loose their images and come back to me and I was able to send them a new disc.
On a typical wedding, I shoot about 3,000 images per event. I probably go through each event about 5x.  The first time I go through an event I edit out the obvious bad images. The second time I check focus. The third time I color correct everything. The fourth time I get rid of all unnecessary images (I tend to over shoot and edit later) and double check my color corrections. I upload the proofs to an online gallery and release the gallery to my clients. Typically I give my clients 800-1000 proofs to go through. After my clients pick their final proofs I recheck their final selects and export them as high-res jpegs, burn a disk, package everything, and mail it out.
Each wedding is actually days of work.

About Me, Wedding Photographer, Wedding Tips

Brides pep talk

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Brides pep talk
A few years ago I started giving all my brides a pep talk before their ceremony. I find it helps keep the focus on what’s really important. I start off by telling the bride “Today is a very important day. Today is the day you’re going to marry your soul mate. You’ve been planning this very important day for months, may be years and have dreamed about this day your whole life.” I remind her that things might not go exactly as planned but the most important thing is that she has fun today.  So when things go wrong laugh it off and enjoy today because today is a very important day. I find giving this speech is sort of like a pep talk and when things do go wrong she’s more likely going to let things roll off her back and enjoy her wedding day. I started this because too many times I’ve seen brides get really upset over trivial things. I more then anyone want a picture perfect day but something’s are just out of your control. In my opinion, there is nothing worst than to watch a bride get upset on her wedding day. An unhappy bride makes everyone uncomfortable and it’s really hard to get great pictures.

About Me

The Word Wedding

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I love seeing the way a word is translated in many different languages.

Wedding Hochzeit Mariage Nozze 婚礼 Boda 結婚式 Свадьбы Сватба Vjenčanje Svatba Bryllup Bruiloft Häät Γάμος शादी Ślub Casamento Nuntă Bröllop زفاف

About Me

Food is Food

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I’ve been on the look out for great videographers to refer. You would think in Los Angeles we’d have an over flow of creative videographers. Weirdly it’s simply not the case. I’ve only found a hand full that I think are good and most of them seem way over priced. Years ago I was shooting a wedding with a really great videographer and I thought about taking his card but decided not to after our dinner break.
*In my contract I have section that states that the client must provide a meal. Reason being I can’t take off during a 8 hour wedding to go grab a bite. Most wedding venues offer vendors some sort of meal at no additional charge to the Bride and Groom.
This wedding location offered vendor meal that wasn’t the same as what the guest were eating. It was a simple club sandwich. Maybe I’m wrong but I really could careless. My clients should never have to pay an additional $150.00 to feed me. However the videographer sitting next to me was really pissed at the happy couple, he actually told me “I’m going to charge them more for the editing.” I thought yuk, and was really taken back. Who does that? In my opinion I’m just thankful for the meal. I would never refer someone that was going to over charge my wonderful clients later. I think when you have your own business you should love what you do, and exceed expectations.
I know I’m going to get comments asking me “who was the videographer?” but I wouldn’t tell even if I knew. {I didn’t ask his name and didn’t get his card}

About Me, Wedding Photography, Wedding Tips

First look

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First looks are sort of the new thing to do. I love them for multiple reasons it’s a great photos opportunity, it makes the day run smoother. First looks are usually done as soon as the brides done getting ready. We turn the groom around we walk the bride into the room and the couple gets to spend a moment with each other before their “I Dos.” I find it really takes the anxiety out of the day. Traditionally when a couple gets to see each other for the first time coming down the aisle they don’t get to hug on each other which they’re dying to do. After the first look we do photos of the couple and then get the family round up and we do all the formals. The great thing is the couple now has the opportunity to go to their cocktail hour. If for whatever reason we’re unable to get the formals done we have time during the cocktail hour. I like to be able to do the formals before the ceremony. That way I get more time with the couple and everyone can enjoy cocktail hour.

About Me

How did I become a Photographer?

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I can still remember the moment I was inspired to be a photographer. I was in 8th grade at a girl friends house for dinner. On her refrigerator was a photograph that her older sisters boy friend had taken and developed in the dark room. I remember looking at the photograph and thinking I wanted to take photography when I got to high school. I want to be able to take cool pictures of my friends. Photography 101 was really limited for freshmen but I got in. On the first day of school Mr. St Morris showed the class amazing photographs he took while in the Peace Corps in Honduras. After the first day of school my father who was an armature photographer himself took me to buy my first 35mm Nikon camera. I thought I was so cool with my camera. Every photographer will tell you about the first time they watched their print come to life in the developer. It’s such a magical experience. I took photography all four years in high school and am still in touch with Mr. St Morris.  Being a wedding photographer I find that my clients often become cherished friends. Which means I’m still taking cool pictures of my friends.

About Me, Photographer

Photographer Vs. Camera

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I have an old school opinion when it comes to photography. I believe as a professional photographer you see great photographs and use a camera to capture them; instead of relying on your camera to make photographs and then use Photoshop to manipulate them. When you look through my Portfolio keep in mind the only things that I Photoshop are exit and stop signs.
One time a guy came up to me at a wedding and said something to the effect with those cameras you’re guaranteed a great photographs. The comment bugged me and here is why. In my opinion photography is all about the photographer not the camera. The camera is simply equipment that captures the unique world that the photographer sees. As a profession photographer I believe I can get a great shots with any camera. The trick is you have to know your cameras limitations with in relationship to lighting. Ansel Adams is a perfect example. Ansel Adams was considered one of the greatest photographers of all time. He created amazing photographs long before the advent of digital cameras and Photoshop. He had a very simple 8×10 view camera and delivered high quality prints. He is considered a dark room master and yet he printed without a fancy enlarger only a whole in the wall and a sheet of glass. A great photographer can take great images using any camera and without Photoshop.