Fridays will be dedicated to my favorites!
this inaugural friday will be dedicated to my favorite photographers - which in this stage of my life means my favorite wedding photographers.
As any of my friends know,
I L-O-V-E pictures. I love beautiful imagery that captures a moment. I was a double major in college: both biology and studio arts. I could only take night art classes which were mostly photography classes. That's when I discovered my love of photography. Nothing else could capture my own mind's eye and how I picture the world better the photography.
I loved seeing the world through my own lens... framing things just so. I was never very good at the technical sides of photography, but i love composition and I spent countless hours in the lab printing pictures. Rice University was one of the few place that offered color film developing, and I spent many hours perfecting my prints in the color lab and printing each picture by hand.
It's amazing how different my process is now with digital technology and photoshop! I'm still getting used to it. Anyways...as I was researching for own wedding, I fell in love with wedding photography and all the talents that are out there.
Here are my favorites: some use film, some use digital, some are purists and print straight out of the camera, some are geniuses at photoshop. Regardless of their techniques, I regard them all as amazing artists who have the best jobs in the world... capturing THAT moment of love with beauty and grace. I only wish I had that talent.
1.
Jose Villahttp://www.josevillaphoto.com/http://josevilla.bigfolioblog.com/Seriously amazing. One of my favorites. I almost flew him to Dallas to my own wedding and blowing my whole budget because of his exquisite pictures. Located in southern california, he is one of the few photographer who still use film. His pictures are both whimsical, timeless, elegant and full of grace.
2.
Elizabeth Messinahttp://www.elizabethmessina.com/http://www.kissthegroom.com/Check out the second link, her blog and fall in love. How breathtaking is her photography. Elizabeth also uses film, and creates magic with her pictures... each pictures is a piece of art and a dream.
3.
Jessica Clairehttp://www.jessicaclaire.net/Jessica Claire is simply amazing. She was the first wedding photographer that I fell in love with. Her style is bold, young, funky, real: qualities I have now dubbed "west coast style". She captures young love like nobody can. This isn't your usually stuffy wedding pictures. They pop and are full of personality.
4.
Jasmine Starhttp://www.jasminestarblog.com/Jasmine Star is also "west coast style" as I call it. Her pictures are bold and soft at the same time. Check out her blog, and pretend not to want to be her best friend right away. I love her pictures. Pure, crisp, and fun. She'd never post an awkward picture that wasn't beautiful at the same time.
5.
Max Wangerhttp://www.maxwanger.com/http://www.maxwangerblog.com/Oh. My. Goodness. My new personal favorite, I cannot get over this new wedding photographer. His work is amazing. He not only captures love so naturally, but he does it with such a distinct style that just grabs you to the core. It's hard to explain. Just check out his work, and you'll know what I mean.
5.
Heather Essianhttp://www.heatheressian.com/http://www.heatheressianportraitarts.com/Last but not least, is my own wedding photographer, Heather Essian. I was about to lose all hope in finding a local wedding photographer, whose style encompassed everything that I was looking for, when I was blessed in stumbling into Heather's work. It was everything I was looking for... she had the "eye" and her work is young, fresh, feminine, and simply amazing. Plus, she's such a cool girl to know! Hubs and I have had a lot of fun with her and thankful for all the beautiful images she has given us. I can't wait to see our wedding pictures, but if you want to see a sneak peak, she just posted some pictures of our wedding on her blog. Check her out, she's definitely worth it!!
Who are your favorites?
it's a pretty little book filled with gilded and gossamer illustrations of sweet fairies...love it! I don't even know if Mandy knew how obsessed with fairies I used to be...I was in love with the idea of these little creatures with delicate wings and long flowy hair...always whimsical, enchanted, and charming. Many of my school year projects revolved around the subject! I wrote poems, drew pictures. In college, I was awarded the Chairman's Award in Arts based on beautiful photos I took with my Mamiya (120 median format camera). I had taken my sister and put her in a bedsheet and wings and took these amazing fairy pictures in our lush backyard. Yes, I love fairies. This book took me back to the days.
