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Professional Headshots

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Acting Headshots Austin

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Photographers favorites

Austin Headshots

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Wedding Photographer, Wedding Tips

Wedding Timeline

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Wedding Timelines

A wedding needs to be planned out in order to keep the day running smoothly. The idea behind a timeline is simple to ensure that you enjoy this special day and not have to be a DIY wedding planner the day of your event. It helps to keep your stress level at a minimum. 

 My approach is fairly basic. Layout how you’d like the day to go and then be flexible to last min changes. Here is a simple sample timeline that you can use to plan your wedding day, as far as photography. This timeline is based on what prefer a timeline to look like, as a wedding photographer to maximize coverage. Like most of my information this is basic and general and does not encompass all the cultural traditions, so please customize it. 
 
Also notice there are no times, rarely do I find weddings/events run on time. I think it is important to list Ceremony and Dinner times, but other than that it is more important to just have a basic sequence of events, so everyone knows what’s supposed to happen next. The Ceremony is a critical time because you don’t want to leave your guest waiting. Dinner is important because it’s prepared to be ready at a certain time. Too often people organize their wedding to the minute and end up being stressed out that everything isn’t going exactly as planned. 

Sample Photography Timeline

·      Pre-Ceremony

o   Location Shots
o   Photograph the Bride
§  Photograph the Brides Details
·      Dress
·      Shoes
·      Jewelry
·      Invitation
·      Garter
§  Bride Getting ready
·      Hair/Makeup
·      Dress
·      Shoes
·      Veil
·      Jewelry
§  Bride and Bridesmaids
·      Toasts
·      Formals
·      Gifts
o   Photograph the Groom
§  Grooms Details
§  Groom getting ready
§  Groom with Groom’s men
o   Pre-Ceremony Photo Session
§  First Look
·      Bride walking toward the groom
·      Grooms face waiting
·      Bride and groom’s face when they see each other.
§  Formals
·      Bride and Groom after first look
·      Bridal Party
·      Family

·      Ceremony

o   Pretty straight forward – Document the Wedding

·      Cocktail Hour

o   Formals
§  Family Formals
§  Bridal Party
§  Bride and groom
o   All Guest enjoying Cocktail Hour
o   Details of reception venue

·      Reception

o   Grand Entrance
§  Straight into first dance
o   Intro Speech – Prayer, Bride & Groom’s Thank You Speech, or Brides Father thank you speech
o   Dinner Served
o   Maid of honor/ Best Man Speech during dinner
o   After dinner open dance
o   Garter/bouquet toss
o   Cake Cut
o   Couple Exit

Wedding Photographer

Photographer Reviews

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I have a 5-star rating on yelp. Unlike most companies that do reviews, yelp doesn’t allow business to take down negative reviews.  In addition if you are a first-time yelper your review won’t show up,  yelp doesn’t post new yelper reviews is to protect the consumer they want to make sure business aren’t posting fake reviews. Back to my Yelp page, I have 8 reviews showing and 10 that are hidden, which really sucks.
I think my clients are more likely to be first-time yelpers. You see I am very hands on with my clients, I cater to them, I’m part wedding planner/maid of honor and I capture amazing memories.  Honestly, my business is my love, my baby and to be able to do what I love more then anything… I’m truly blessed.  To take it a step further I want my clients to be blown away, so I always go a step above and beyond for them. So after my clients get their photos they tend to want to rave about the quality of my work. Some of the reviews that are hidden had me in tears after reading them. I’d like to share a review with you.
Sara was the photographer for my courthouse wedding ceremony in Beverly Hills–for such an “un-glamorous” concept her pictures came out beautifully. They capture the emotions of the moment and the expressions on everyone’s face perfectly. I really enjoyed that she has a journalistic style in her work. When applied to a  wedding ceremony it resulted in pictures that really capture the story between the couple that is getting married and the emotions of family/friends.

I absolutely love her pictures, they are of the highest quality and elegance. She is also the nicest person to be around, who knows how to direct the subjects well and brings out the best in them. I would highly recommend her for any kind of photography session–but she is definitely gifted in working with couples.


http://www.yelp.com/biz/sara-jordan-photography-manhattan-beach

Professional Wedding Photographer, Wedding Photographer, Wedding Photographers, Wedding Tips

If I were looking for a photographer… (Read This)

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They say about half of all brides are really unhappy with their wedding photographer. Most don’t realize THE IMPORTANCE OF a wedding photographer. The truth is THAT once the cake’s been eaten, the guestS have gone home and the dress has been boxed, all you have are the pictures. Here are 10 insider tips to help you find someone qualified to capture your big day.
•Hire a professional wedding photographer.
•You need to look at a photographer’s portfolio and love most, if not all, of their work. Stay away from photographers that overly photoshop their images.
• Read the photographer’s Yelp reviews. Yelp is an uncensored resource for reviews. Yelp does not allow businessES to take down bad reviews. 
•Know who will be photographing your wedding before you sign a contract.  Trust me.  You’re smart enough to hire your own photographer… you don’t need anyone else to do it for you.
•Find out about their formal training. Did they go to school for photography?
•Ask how long they’ve been shooting weddings.
•Ask about professional backup gear. Do they bring a backup for their backup?
•Ask how they save the photos after the event.
• (Very Important!) You want a photographer that is going to get involved in your wedding. Someone WHO will research the venue. Someone WHO will help you lay out your timeline so that you get the best photos.
•Ask how long THEY SHOOT, THE TOTAL COST and everything else you can imagine…then ask again!
I’ve been shooting weddings since 2004. I graduated from Brooks Institute of Photography. After school, I worked with several of the top celebrity and fashion photographers. I got into weddings because I love them. As a professional wedding photographer, I know I have to be prepared for anything, which is why I bring at least 3 professional cameras to every wedding. (I bring a backup for my backup)  After a wedding, I download all the images to two external hard drives, two computers, an online gallery, and a disc. I have a 5-star rating on Yelp because I get involved with my events.

Cabo Wedding Photographer, Destination Wedding Photographer

Heather and Steve’s Wedding Album

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Heather and Steve’s destination wedding was located at Cabo Del Sol in Mexico. Below is the Album Layout that my album company (Queensberry) featured on their blog. Here is the link.. http://bit.ly/12lJevo
Also at the end of this blog you can also see a note that the mother of the bride wrote me. 
Location: Cabo Del Sole
Location Director: Luz Maria Ornelas
Wedding Planner: Carla Little
Videographer: Raymundo Dias

* an email I received from the Mother of the Bride
Hello Sara,


I would like to compliment you and thank you for a great job on the wedding pictures.  Last evening Heather walked me through the pictures you posted on her facebook as I am not on facebook yet.  My sister in law Elizabeth who you had a brief consulting session at the airport (funny) said your picures should be in a magazine.  Everyone marveled how you were everywhere snapping away and how you took charge.  We loved it.  I had to laugh when you told people off with the sun glasses, spit out the gum etc.  Great job,  we will always recommend you when we have the opportunity.  As I always pass out Heather’s business card to people in IL that frequent CA, I will be sure to do the same.  I also want to thank you for including my cousin Sophie in all the pictures and also Erica when the girls were getting dressed upstairs.  Even though Megan was MOH, you said you wanted both sisters in the picture helping Heather get dressed.  You are amazing!


Thank you a million times over.
Jean Swaya

Professional Wedding Photographer, Wedding Photographer, Wedding Photographers, Wedding Tips

Top 2017 Wedding Venue

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The Los Angles Athletic Club located in downtown is the hottest place to get married in 2013. This private social club was created in 1880 by a group of distinguished Angelinos. The venue has gone through some major style renovations over the last couple years but has kept its vintage flair. I find myself marveling at all the different textures, colors, fabrics, and carpeting their incredible interior designer used in the design. If I could describe this club I’d say it embodies class, a unique style, history, and so much more.
Here is why the LAAC is a no brainer…
In general Hotels are easiest places to plan weddings, because everything is already there catering, hotel rooms, parking, linens, tables, and chairs. You have hotel rooms for out of town guests to stay and a place to get ready so you don’t have to worry about traffic when it comes to planning your wedding day. However, most hotels are sort of boring as far as a wedding venue. In general, the ceremony sites are mediocre at best, the ballrooms are sort of plain and they cater to corporate clients. Which is why brides tend to choose private estates, historical parks, beaches and golf course for their nuptials.
The Los Angles Athletic Club ceremony site is located on the roof of the club, which means breath-taking views overlooking downtown Los Angeles. Their Ballroom is vintage and amazing. They have an amazing chef and 72 boutique style hotel rooms. The Los Angeles Athletic Club is the best location for the high fashion bride with unique taste who wants a no fuss wedding.
Photographer notes: This venue is unique that being the case you want a high skilled photographer that can overcome its many lighting challenges. First of all most photographers rely on bounce light to shoot a wedding. With this venue, you cannot rely on bounce light outdoors. I know that this seems like an obvious point but I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen photographers make this mistake with outdoor event venues like this. Secondly, the ballrooms vaulted ceilings make bouncing light nearly impossible. So what photographers will tend to do is point the flash right toward the couple, which in most cases is not going to look good. I’ve seen many photographers struggle with venues like this one and it’s mostly because this is a unique venue requires a technical photographer with tons of experience. You cannot rely on the bounce formula instead you have to have low light gear and balance the light.

 

 

 

 

Fashion Photographers

Pulled from the Archives

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As a photographer with a degree in photography I really know my lighting. Here are a couple images from a photo session I did with a model a million years ago back when I wanted to be a fashion Photographer.

Family Photographer, Photographer

Winter Photo shoot

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My boyfriend has a place in Lake Tahoe and we’re there a couple times a year. Right around christmas a Karla and Sean called me for a Malibu Portrait Session. During our conversation they talked about how they’d be in Tahoe for New Years and wanted to do some photos up there but didn’t want to have to find a photographer up there. To their surprise my boy friend and I were heading up to Tahoe for New Years as well, and I’ve been dying to shoot a portrait session up there. Here are a couple photos from our shoot.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Photographer's Tips

Newborn Photo Sessions

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Newborn photos
Photographing newborns is all about timing. It really needs to be done ASAP, because they really do grow up so fast. Typically we shoot them within 10 days after giving birth. I find day 4 or 5 is really the best and day 10 is really too late. I like to do my newborn photos on location at my client’s home. I find there is more opportunity to make the photo personal using their toys as props and their home as the background. Using their nursery as the background means the photos will match when you go to hang them on the wall. Using their toys means that these photos will truly be keep sakes, because in 10, 20, 30 years from now you can say I remember that toy… and smile.


Wedding Photographer, Wedding Tips

Wedding photographs need to be a balance of both candid and posed photos.

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I know there are many photographers that believe in shooting a whole wedding candid or traditionally posed, I would never take that stance.
Recently I met with a couple who was busy interviewing photographers for their up coming wedding. During our meeting, they ask if I was a Photo-Journalist wedding Photographer or was I more traditional {meaning are my shots posed}. I have to say I love this question! My answer is that I am both. When documenting a complete wedding I think you need both.
Some moments simply can’t be staged.. Everything during a Ceremony, Reception Events (like the first dance, bouquet toss etc) Every bride wants those photo-journalistic shots that capture the emotion of the day {people laughing, crying, hugs}. When you’re with your photographer one-on-one you’re going to want to be posed and directed. As a wedding photographer sometimes we need to create moments and sometimes simply document moments.
I tend to use a couple examples when I’m meeting with brides to show them why they want both here are two wedding examples. One is posed and the other is candid.