Into the Lens: What in the World is a First Look?

The title of this blog post pretty much tells you right away what it's going to be about. So whether you are wondering what a "First Look" is, or if you are a bride and groom thinking about having one, this blog post is for you. :)

(Keep in mind that a First Look is not a brand new concept that we made up. Photographers have been calling this event this name for years. I'm not sure who came up with the idea or even the name, but I am giving them full credit...whoever they are.) 

We have a section on our Wedding Contract that asks the bride and groom to circle "yes" or "no" if they are going to have a First Look at their wedding. Most of the time we do not get any questions about what this is. I'm not sure if the bride already knows what it is (which is most likely because it is a popular idea) or if they just Googled it on their own before they mailed us their contract. The reason I wanted to talk about this today was mainly because there are a lot of people who are on the fence about it. I wanted our customers (and future customers) to know how we feel and how it typically works with us.  

Q: What is a First Look? 

A: The First Look is an event that a bride and groom can schedule into their Wedding Day photography. It typically is one of the first things that we photograph on a couples wedding day. When the groom gets to see his bride for the first time in her wedding dress, on their wedding day, that is what we call THE FIRST LOOK *cue dramatic music*. :P When the bride and groom choose to have this event on their wedding day, they find a special location (usually near but not at the ceremony site) that is appropriate for pictures. More often than not the groom is waiting at that location and we give the signal for the bride to come walking up to him (there are many different creative ways how the First Look can go). The groom is usually very, very excited to see his bride and we let them have several minutes alone to soak in the magnitude and importance of their special day, while we silently snap pictures from a distance. That, my friends is a First Look. 

Q: What are the positives and negatives about having a First Look? 

A: I'm going to try my hardest not to show an bias during this answer, and I think after you read both sides you will understand why it is hard for me. 

Pros:  

1) The number one best part about having a First Look is that it relieves most of the nerves that most bride and groom's experience not their wedding day. I know from first hand experience how much pressure there is to plan the perfect wedding and how much time and thought you put into it. Especially into finding the wedding dress of your dreams. I know how nervous I was about Lance seeing me for the first time, and if I would have had to think about that as well as everyone else seeing me for the first time as I walk down the aisle, I would have definitely passed out. 

2)You get special "alone" time with your almost spouse right before the craziness (or during the already craziness) of the day. 

3) After you see each other you can take full bridal party pictures and even have your family come early to take care of family group pictures all before the ceremony starts. This takes care of the griping wedding reception guests that are saying "Where are they at? I'm hungry! I want some cake! I have to leave soon, so they better get here!" 

4) You get to have amazing portraits of you and your husband only on YOUR wedding day.
5) There are too many more positives, and I don't have room for them all on one blog post :) 

Because Kim and Tony had their first look about two hours before their ceremony we were able to get some cute bridal party shots before the ceremony even began. 

Cons: 

1) You do not get to experience the full effect of the "seeing each other for the first time as she walks down the aisle" tradition. Which typically that moment when the bride walks down the aisle is going to be special, so the groom's reaction is going to be the same regardless if he has seen you already. 

Ok, ok...so maybe I didn't succeed in being un-biased. Oh well. I have been through my own first look on my wedding day, and have seen many other satisfied bride and grooms after their First Look, so I think my biased-ness is appropriate. As a disclaimer: We do not have ANY hard feelings about people who want their wedding day to be more traditional and choose to not have a first look. We will come up with other creative ways to make your wedding day just as perfect. 

If I have persuaded you to have a First Look on your wedding day, I'm going to go ahead and throw some tips out there, free of charge. ;) 

When you are planning your First Look think about these two things: 

1) Your location: It should be fairly close to the ceremony site, it needs to be in a shaded area if it is outside and it should be private. We typically allow no other people to be at the First Look location, unless the bride and groom want other people there. 

2) How do you want your future spouse to see you for the first time? I would suggest to look on Pinterest or different wedding blogs for some fun and creative ideas. You can also take a look at some of our weddings on our photography page for some more super-cute ideas! 

Tip for the groom: 

Your fiancé has thought about, spent several thousands of dollars and has even possibly tried several diets to make herself look perfect for you on your wedding day. All you have to do is to act like she is the most beautiful person you have ever seen in your whole entire life. Hug her, kiss her, make her feel like you cannot wait to be married to such a beautiful woman, and that you cannot believe you are lucky/blessed enough to be chosen. :) 

This is one of my all time favorite pictures because Anthony was SO excited to see his bride. This was not posed at all! haha! 

Alright, so I hope you now know what a First look is, some pros and cons and how to make it be 100% perfect on the MOST important day of your lives. Honestly, when it's all said and done, the most important thing is that you are starting your "happily ever after" on your wedding day. No matter what happens, it will be perfect. 

Happy, Happy Tuesday Everyone!

P.S. If you are reading this and are one of our past clients (or even if you're not a past client) tell about your thoughts of your First Look in the comments section down below!  

Miranda | Brandon {Engagements}

Happy rainy Saturday everyone!

I love all of these summer thunderstorms that have been floating through this week, although they did kind of mess up some of our plans. (While writing this it started to pour, and I suddenly realized my bathing suit that I've been trying to drip dry since Wednesday was still out on the porch. Needless to say I am now soaked and cold and my bathing suit's in the dryer. :/ )
BUT, it is always nice to have rain in the summer, and it is always so cozy. :) Makes me want to cuddle up and edit 500 photos (haha).

Some photos that we recently have had the privilege to edit are those of Miranda and Brandon's. This past Tuesday we had a BLAST hanging out with these two old friends. Miranda, Lance and I all went to Pottsville High School together and we all hung out with the same group of friends. Mandy (as we call her) has always been a great friend, and it was so much fun meeting her new fiancé and catching up a bit. Those of you who know Mandy know that she is such an incredible person with an incredible story.

We started their engagement shoot at good ol' Potts Inn, and from there we visited an AMAZING historic house on Front Street in Dardanelle, AR. Dr.Worley, who owns the house, from ATU is a family friend of Mandy's and was kind enough to let us shoot in his amazing backyard. We finally ended the shoot at the Arkansas River sand bar. :)

Enjoy!

AHHHH! Mandy you are so GORGEOUS!!!!!! :) 

So sweet! :)

Happy, Happy Saturday everyone!

Into the Lens: Common Q's about Photo Shoots

Good morning everyone!

So, on Monday I told everyone to keep an eye out for a special post from us, and well here it is! :) I thought that since we are caught up on editing and such this would be a great time to talk about how we feel going into a photo shoot.

Most of our clients have never had professional pictures taken before, and if they have it's been a really long time or they had their 3 year old's pictures taken at K-Mart. Which those are professional pictures, don't get me wrong, just a little different from the kind of session Lance and I like to be a part of. In this post we discuss some questions that are typically asked before and after a photo shoot. So, this post is mainly for our potential customers, our active wedding customers, or anyone who is thinking about what a photo shoot with Shingleur Photography would be like.

Q: How long will it last? 

Since being in business for about a year and 4 months, Lance and I have learned A LOT! Our first few photo shoots took FOREVER because we weren't familiar with posing and we it took us a while to think creatively. Now-a-days we can conquer the same photo shoot that took us 4 hours back then, in 1-2hours. Engagement sessions are our favorite type of photo shoot and they typically last about 2 hours. You can get REALLY creative with engagement shoots, and the more creative you are the longer it takes. (P.S. the longer the shoot the more pictures you will have) Senior sessions typically last from 1-2 hours depending on the location. Family sessions, since there are more people to work with and only one location with one outfit usually only take 30-45 minutes. The main reason we like to keep family shoots short is that typically there are young children who don't like to have their picture made as much as mommy would like for them to. :)

Q: I don't like having my picture made, is it going to be awkward? 

I believe that this is probably the most asked question before going into a photo shoot. I would HOPE and pray that after our shoot the answer to that question will be a flat out "NO!" Lance and I work really, really hard to make our clients comfortable. We realize that most people who have their picture made are not professional models, and most of them do not like having their picture made so we try to make the experience as comfortable as it can be. At the beginning of the shoot (especially engagement shoots) we try to lay down the ground rules, or "tips" for making a great picture. Lance and I are 99% of the time the ones who pose you for a picture. You do not have to worry about "where should I put my hand, or am I supposed to look at you for this one?" Sometimes we forget to place your hand after we told you to look at the camera, but most clients are comfortable to ask us where to put it. WE are the ones who are seeing you as the picture will turn out. We are not going to make you look dumb, or fat or stupid. If we do happen to put a pose in there that is awkward, you will probably never see it because that was OUR fault. AND if anyone is going to look dumb at a shoot, it's probably going to be Lance and I. I usually carry about 20 pounds of equipment and/or props around and Lance typically ruins a pair of shoes a photo shoot. Or we get chased by animals, or we get eaten alive by bugs. Believe me when I say this, YOU are going to be the glamorous ones, haha.

Lance usually ruins a pair of shoes per shoot, and he typically looks like he's been rolling in the mud (because he has)

 Don't be nervous and don't worry that you're not a professional model--the more comfortable you are the better your pictures will be!

Q: What should I wear?? 

Unless you are taking beach pictures, please do not perfectly match each other. This is so "80's", haha. No really, when people ask us what they should wear for their pictures we usually say to be sort of "match-matchy" but do not buy the same outfit. For engagement pictures, I would try to wear coordinating colors. For example: the guy could wear a plaid button up with a small green stripe, and the girl could find a green solid dress to wear with it. Or the girl could wear a cute floral skirt and the guy could find a polo the same color as one of the flowers in the skirt. You don't want to wear clashing colors but typically want to wear colors that compliment with each other well.
The cardinal rule for photo shoots: NEVER, NEVER, NEVER wear red. Red will reflect on your face and make everyone around you look like cherry tomatoes. Don't.Do.It! Also, neon colored shirts or shorts will have this same effect. Some photographers do not like you to wear white because it can easily be very bright in sunlight, but we have ways of working around that. So, if you look best in white, wear it!

Example of "match-matchy" engagement shoot outfits :) 

We usually allow at least two outfit changes for the engagement shoot/senior shoot, and as long as we have light you can wear even more. The only limiting factor we have about the number of outfits you wear is how much sunlight we have left outside. Once the sun sets your photo shoot is over. :)

For family pictures, we sort of like the "match-matchy" factor too. FOR EXAMPLE: the mom wear a purple cardigan, and the daughter wears a purple bow, while the dad wears a purple tie and the son wears a purple button up. You know what I mean?

Great example of a family outfit :) 

Q: How long will it take to get my pictures? 

It depends on how busy we are. Lance has a full time job at a florist in town, and I am a full time 5th grade teacher during the school year, so during the fall-winter-spring it usually takes us longer to get our production out to our clients. We really try to be fast but sometimes life gets in the way. The longest a wedding client has had to wait for their pictures of their wedding day was a little over a month and that was because we were super backed up. You WILL NOT have to wait 6 months to see what your wedding looked like. I know how mad that would make me, and we follow the golden rule. :)

All other photo shoots are typically put out in about 2-3 weeks, depending on our rush. We usually try to post about 15-25 pictures on our blog and on Facebook before your CD is out.

Tip: If you are needing your pictures for a wedding invitation, save the dates or graduation announcements we ask that you schedule your session at least 2 months in advance of needing your product. We really, really do try our best to get your photos edited and sent out, and we know that you need them. Emailing us or messaging us every day on Facebook to put pressure on us does not help.

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At the end of the day, we are business owners and we would not have a business if it weren't for our wonderful clients and our wonderful potential clients. Our main focus is to create memories for people so that you can have them forever. When we go into a photo shoot, we usually come out with more friends. It is a wonderful, wonderful job (if you want to call it that) and we appreciate EVERYONE who has made it possible. :)

Later this week-look for another "Into the Lens" post about the pros and cons of having a "First Look" at your wedding!

Happy, Happy Wednesday everyone!

Lindsy | Keith {Engagements}

Hi everyone!

I'm super excited to share today's engagement session with you all! We met up with Lindsy and Keith (both of Perryville) the week of the 4th of July. That week was the amazing week of weather, remember. Seems like a distant memory now, haha.  We did have an amazing time with this couple.

Lindsy and Keith met in high school at Perryville High School and have dated all through college. Lindsy attends UCA and Keith attends ATU. This past spring Keith proposed to Lindsy at Toad Suck Park in Conway, AR which is were we started the shoot.  Then they took us on the back roads all the way up to Petit Jean to the Winthrop Rockefeller Ranch. Lindsy worked there for a summer or two and it was fun to reminisce with her as we walked along.

Spending an evening with these two was so refreshing because they are both absolutely in love with each other. It made for SUPER adorable photos. Take a look for yourself...

 Her ring is GOURD-geous! :P (sorry I had to, haha) 

Congrats to you two!! We cannot wait for your September wedding at the great Barn at Twin Oaks Ranch!

Everyone-stay tuned this week to the blog for a special "inside" peek at Shingleur Photography! :)

Happy, Happy Monday!

Andrea | Ethan {Engagements}

Hello everyone!

I'm SUPER excited about today's post because these engagements are some of the CUTEST I've ever seen. The lighting last Monday was absolutely perfect, even thought it was very hot. Of course the cutest part about this shoot was the adorable couple- Andrea and Ethan.

Andrea and Ethan are both from Atkins, AR and started dating way back in 2007 in high school. Andrea joked at the shoot saying "we had been dating over 6 years and I was wondering why he hadn't asked me yet!" Ethan said he will always remember the moment that he asked her to marry him. He explained how he went to the store and bought a random jacket (that was way to big for her) to give as a birthday gift. The real reason he wanted the jacket was to put the ring box in, of course. Once she found the box in her pocket she forgot about the large size of the jacket. So sweet right?

We met up last Monday at their gorgeous wedding venue at the Pointe Remove Lodge in Hattieville, AR. We love the feel out there, and there are endless possibilities. :)

Ethan picked out this gorgeous ring, and I'd say he did pretty good! :) 

We're so excited about their September wedding at the Pointe Remove Lodge! :) 

I would like to give a quick shout-out to our friend Caroline Beavers who designed our new logos and a bunch of other really cool stuff that we are super excited about! If you need a graphic designer who is up to date and is VERY easy to work with, contact Caroline Beavers at carolinebeaversdesign@gmail.com!! 

Happy, Happy Tuesday!