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14Aug

Stress-Free Family Wedding Portraits

By , August 14, 2020 Advice

During your wedding planning, you may likely wonder how to successfully prepare for family photos. With the right formula, family photos can be a smooth process, no matter how big your family is!

Here are the steps we take on our end to ensure your family portraits are a success:

  1. Your photographer sets up a call, typically a month before your wedding day to learn more about your family. We understand that every family is different, so your lead photographer will do their best to understand all of the dynamics before the big day.
  2. On the wedding day itself, there is a systematic and organized process. The process often starts with taking a large group photo of one side of the family (typically the bride’s side first). The photographer will then say something like, “please raise your hand if you are cousins. :)” Once hands are raised the photographer will tell those folks to go enjoy cocktail hour and will ask everyone else to stay. Another picture will be taken. The next announcement may be “Aunts and Uncles, you’re all set and can head to cocktail hour.” What is left at this point is your immediate family, their spouses and any grandparents.  As the crowd is narrowed down, we are able to capture more intimate groupings, such as grandparents, parents and siblings. This method ensures that everyone is photographed.  This same process will be repeated with the groom’s side of the family.

Here are the steps you can take on your end to ensure success: VERY IMPORTANT!

  1. Please talk to your parents or your closest family members! They have often waited their entire lives for your big day and may have a very different agenda for which picture combinations they are after. It is important to make sure everyone is on the same page.  It ensures happiness for all :)
  2. Before your wedding day, the key is to make sure the family knows exactly when they are needed, and where they need to be after the ceremony. You can have a perfect list, but if we are trying to find Uncle Joe, this causes a delay. As long as everyone is ready to go, we will be very fast and efficient, and make sure everyone is captured looking great! The smoother the family photos, the more time you have for romantic couples photos, and fun memorable shots with your bridal party. 
  3. To be efficient, we suggest designating one family member on each side of the family that knows everyone in your family that is to be in the portraits. They should be at the end of the aisle after the ceremony to make sure all the family stays. During the portrait shoot, the photographers will be focused on lighting, composition, backgrounds and giving direct for nice clean shots. If you can have one or two family members dedicated to checking off your photo list, that will ensure everything is captured for you. 
  4. Let your photographer know all of the unique combinations you want captured. Make sure to put that on a list for your dedicated family members to check off. Example: “I want a picture of my third cousin and my Aunt together in a picture with me.” These are shots we wouldn’t know to capture unless specified.
Both the groom and bride's side of the family come together for a full family photo
A groom and his bride pose with the groom's family.
Parents and siblings of the bride pose with the groom.
Mother and father take a photo with their daughter and her groom.
A young bride poses with her mom.
A bride's sisters play her bridesmaids for a day
 
Here is a very general list of potential family portrait combos:
 
○ Bride & Groom All family (both sides)
○ Bride & Groom, Bride’s immediate family :
○ Bride and immediate family :
○ Bride & Groom with Grandparents :
○ Bride with siblings :
○ Bride with Parents :
○ Bride & Groom with Bride’s Parents
○ Bride & Groom with both of their parents :
○ Bride & Groom, Groom’s immediate family :
○ Groom and immediate family :
○ Bride & Groom with Groom’s Grandparents :
○ Groom with siblings :
○ Groom with Parents :
○ Bride & Groom, with Groom’s Parents :
 
*Please let us know about any special family dynamics, including any step parents or siblings that should be accounted for, or people that may not be present
*Please feel free to add in any cousins, aunts, uncles or any other guests of importance that you’d like a formal portrait with, keeping in mind that each group typically takes 2-3 minutes to photograph

Here is a link to check out more family wedding portraits photographed by our studio!
Check this out : Portrait Photography San Diego

27Dec

La Valencia

By , December 27, 2017 Venue Guide

Highlights of La Valencia Hotel

La Valencia Hotel is the definition of vintage luxury in beautiful La Jolla, California. Also known as “The Pink Lady,” this Mediterranean style, oceanfront resort is romantic, playful and always enchanting. With it’s marble tiled hallways, hidden fire escapes, iconic pink walls and prime location above La Jolla Cove, La Valencia is one of our favorite wedding destinations to photograph, and we know its every nook and cranny.

Directly adjacent to the hotel is Cafe la Rue; a great spot for some fun photos with your wedding party.
We love to have fun with our couples before heading onto the lobby.
Shooting the same location at different times of the day results in drastically different images.
The marble floor lining the ground floor of the Cabrillo building make for some spectacular shots.
The hallway on the 9th floor of the Tower ends with a fire escape and incredible view of the Pacific.
This place is a gold mine of reflections and dramatic lighting.
The staircase leading to the upper floors of The Tower are adorned with ornate mirrors and lined with original wooden bannisters.
As soon as you step into the central courtyard you will be surrounded by lush vegetation, Spanish tiled stairwells and bright pink walls.
Following the main path adjacent to the pool you'll arrive at a cozy landing that is lined with blue Spanish tile and signature pink walls. If you follow the stairs down you'll pass thru a gate that leads directly to La Jolla Cove.
There are several fire escapes on the outside of the hotel that offer sweeping views of La Jolla and the surrounding areas.
We love to make use of the beautiful window light.
Some couples choose to get ready in one of the hotel's beautiful guest rooms.
The Boardroom is located on the 4th floor and has enough space for you and your bridal party.
You can also choose to get ready in one of La Valencia's Villa Suites.
The Ceremony at La Valencia is located on a cozy landing directly above the swimming pool, and is backdropped by the Pacific.
While one photographer focuses on the close-up intimate moments, the 2nd photographer can get step away to grab an over-all shot of the ceremony.
The walkway directly behind and above the ceremony site is another great spot to capture the festivities while showing off the spectacular view.
The Pacific Ocean makes for a spectacular backdrop for your family photos.
One of La Valencia's biggest draws is definitely its location, just a short walk away from La Jolla Cove and the Pacific Ocean.
The green covered rocks become accessible during low tide, and make for a dramatic backdrop for our subjects.
A bride and groom always grab all the attention.
After the sun goes down and the lights come on, La Valencia takes on a more dramatic and romantic mood.
These photos were taken just outside the ballroom, meaning the bride and groom won't have to be away from their reception for long to get some memorable images.
The fire escape above Cafe laRue is great for backlit night time photos.

La Valencia Hotel Wedding Photography

As preferred photographers of La Valencia, we photograph weddings here frequently :) If you are considering a wedding at this venue, we are happy to talk over specific photography questions. We also suggest checking out more of our La Valencia wedding photos.

25Dec

Scripps Seaside Forum

By , December 25, 2017 Venue Guide

Highlights of Scripps Seaside Forum

Located on the Scripps Institution of Oceanography campus, the Scripps Seaside Forum offers a blend of modern architecture and style that celebrates Southern California’s unrivaled coastal environment. With an unparalleled beachfront location, modern facilities, and award-winning architecture, this stunning venue offers an ideal setting for you wedding and reception. The breathtaking view and multipurpose auditorium also makes the Scripps Seaside Forum a wonderful location, and one that is sure to impress.

The back of the building offers an opportunity to photograph our newlyweds while showcasing The Forum's award winning architecture.
By stepping in closer, we can use the natural lines of the hallway to pull the eye towards our subjects.
We can use the walls and complex architecture of the Forum to naturally frame our subjects
By simply turning our couple around we get a completely different look of the same hallway.
Throwing on a longer lens and staying close to the wall results in intimate portraits.
Continuing further down the hallway, we arrive at a wide balcony with a spectacular view.
From the upstairs patio, we can take the stairs right to the front lawn.
On your way to the lawn make sure to stop on the stairs to grab some fun shots of your newlyweds
Once at the lawn you'll have lots of room for photos of the entire wedding party with the Pacific in the background.
The stairs located at the northernmost point of the lawn will lead you right to the beach.
During low tide, Scripps beach is a great place to pose the bride and groom for some dramatic portraits.
The mood changes during higher tide, but the opportunity for spectacular photos is always there.
Following the beach north, you'll arrive at what is probably the most photographed location at Scripps Beach; The Ellen Browning Scripps Memorial Pier.
After getting extended coverage of the beach, it's usually time to get the newlyweds back to the Forum for their Grand Entrance.
When the timing is right, the reflection on the ballroom sliding doors is pretty epic.
Stepping outside during the first dance can result in some really memorable photos.
The market lights above the main lawn illuminate the bride and groom.
The slotted wooden panels that line the main courtyard offer lots of opportunity to play with off camera lights.
The Forum is not only perfect for wedding photography, but for engagement and lifestyle shoots as well.
The Rose Garden, located just north of the main lawn, is a lush and colorful spot for romantic portraits.
The blue tile on this building gives photos an instant pop.
Looking north from the pier, the cliffs above La Jolla make for a spectacular backdrop.
By positioning ourselves between the cliffs and the water, we can capture a different perspective of the same scene.
During low tide, the tide pools in front of the cliffs emerge, and offer great opportunities for complex reflection shots.
ocean, beach, engagement, love, scripps, seaside, forum
Don't worry, we wont make you get in the ocean. Only if you want to :)

Scripps Seaside Forum Wedding Photography

As seasoned wedding photographers all throughout La Jolla and San Diego, we photograph weddings at Scripps Seaside Forum frequently :) If you are considering a wedding at this venue, we are happy to talk over specific photography questions. We also suggest checking out more of our Scripps Seaside Forum wedding photos.