photo of the day: perfect light

Someone asked on twitter the other day what one thing I would teach to young photographers if I could, and I responded without a second thought: look for good light. Which then brought the response: what exactly is good light. I was having a hard time defining it in 140 characters, and could only say: you know it when you see it. It's the light that smoothes skin, brightens eyes, rims hair, bathes everything in the golden glow that only actually exists in your memory.
It's the light you see here:



It's here, and here, and here. You can find it when there's harsh light, you can find it when you're picking up trash. The key is knowing how to look. (Yes, that's what we're going to spend an hour doing on Saturday. At least.)

the engagement session of m&t

This engagement session has been referenced in an earlier post, so I won't go into excruciating detail but suffice it to say: there were trials. But I love the images we ended up with. Jared started the shoot at a church out on Saint Luke's Road, so the first few images are his. We then moved over to a random nursery, and from thence to Pemberton Park. I posted some of my favorites and threw up a slide show there at the end. Because, well, I'm a sucker for sappy music.

the engagement of t&m from Laura Dye on Vimeo.

photo of the day: happy family

This shoot was tightly scheduled, and I just didn't think to compensate for my non-existent sense of direction. Suffice it to say that somehow on the drive back from Wilmington I managed to end up in Baltimore. I HAVE NO IDEA. My lovely husband saved the day for me, and met up with the couple, using the spare camera to get things started. By the time I showed up they were laughing, joking, had some amazing photos, and the light was perfect. This image, however, was the second-to-last snap of the evening, I think. By that point we were so cold we could barely move our hands, and I could see everyone's breath. Despite all that, we got some amazing photos, and I love this one. Isn't Jackson adorable? I'll share more soon, I promise.

photo of the day: me myself and I

True facts: some days you want to take pictures and there is no one around to pose for you. And it might just happen that on that day it's warm and glorious and the last thing you want to do is sit down and work on finalizing your presentation for career day. So I don't know about you, but on such a day I personally might crank up the tunes and spend half an hour being a nerd in front of the camera in the name of "practice." For what I have no idea. But there you go. (Don't worry, I did actually put in some real work.)

photo of the day: this is why you practice

Because that's how you get good. Two years ago I had some weddings booked and a few under my belt, but not too many, and I wanted to practice on this whole "posing the bride" thing, as well as add to the old portfolio. So I asked for a model via craigslist, and that's how I met V. I had a wedding dress (picked up for $10), so she had to be a certain size. It really wasn't big enough, though. So I added a skirt made of tulle, picked lilacs out of the backyard, and we had ourselves a bridal shoot.

The first thing I notice on reviewing this stack of photos is the time of day in which I shot. It. Was. Bright. Correctly exposing both her skin and the pale dress was nearly impossible. And since I wasn't yet shooting RAW, there's not much to be done. Sign number one of an inexperienced shooter.

The second thing I noticed was just how awkward I was at posing. It's interesting looking at the images. I'm attempting the detail shots that I'd seen on blogs, practicing with shallow focus, and really failing quite a lot. It's funny, because now those details shots are my favorite, and have become second nature. I'd forgotten that there was a time when I just couldn't do them. Posing my model is awkward, too. It's obvious in the shots that I didn't know what to ask for, didn't know how to show her how to move. If you've ever done a photoshoot with me, I'm very physical. I have to wear pants when I shoot because much of my posing is done through example. In these images I hadn't a clue what to ask for.

The last thing I noticed is how I ask for much different images now. In the first round of culling, two years ago, the images I picked were more formal and posed. This time, I like the candid ones, the ones that are drenched with light. Consequently, out of the 419 images I took that day, there are about 6 that I actually like now and would even consider keeping in my portfolio. If you don't believe me, check out the rest of the set. First seven are from the original cut, second seven are from today.

And that, children, is why we practice. Because that is how you get good.

photo of the day: birdseye view

This is another photo from a shoot that you've already seen, but I finished processing this week. (I'm delaying working on other stuff.) I know I do a lot of photos with focus on the eyelashes, but that's because eyelashes are AWESOME. There are several photos in this second round of uploads that I kind of liked on my first flip through, but didn't love. It's taken editing to make them really pop. Now, though, I can't stop staring at them.

This particular image I love because it makes me think of Moulin Rouge, which is one of my absolute favorite movies of all time. Visually it is such a cacophony, I can't watch it without finding inspiration. So the hat, the eyes, the hair: it's all so lovely to me. Anyway, the rest of the batch is here.

pic of the day: say cheese!

This wedding was a little stressful for the couple: their outdoor setup got rained out. But they rolled with the punches and we ended up having a glorious time.
This was snapped at the reception venue as we waited for the rest of the family to join us for group photos. I love these expressions: they're both such hams! Love you guys. The rest of their photos are on facebook.

picture of the day: backlight

A friend wanted to practice shooting, so I set up a shoot with one of my favorite models. For about an hour we wandered around practicing posing, working with light, and generally having a great time. I loved the vibe of this shot. The rest of the shoot is here.

pic of the day: bomber

Since I'm currently in a lull before wedding season starts, I actually have a little more free time on my hands, and I'm trying to use it to get organized for the coming year, as well as catch up on all my other projects. So in the interest of sharing the things I run across, as well as keeping me sharp, I'm going to try to share one picture a day, either old or new, and why I love it or the story behind it. ::deep breath::

This photo is actually from this weekend; I did a shoot with a good friend of mine and we just played around and had fun. I was ecstatic to find out that she's verrry comfortable in front of the lens. I wasn't expecting that at all, but I shouldn't be surprised: she's one of the most unassuming, self-confident, genuine people I know.

Anyway, the shoot was a great time to bring out a little bit of the glamorous side of her, and we had a blast with it. I chose this photo because I love the way she manages to make an essentially practical, slightly ridiculous hat look fierce and ever-so-slightly sexy. Rock on!



There are a few more pictures from the shoot up on Flickr.

esession: j&d

J put a lot of thought into these photos, choosing locations with special meaning and carefully selecting props. It really shows in the pictures, I think. I love when couples bring their own unique perspective to the shoot; it makes it that much easier to capture THEM. We had tons of fun getting these images; D was certainly developing his eye and kept coming up with creative, unique, and very solid suggestions. Altogether, I love them, and can't wait for their January wedding!

teh wedding of t&l

You know how sometimes you're just so excited about something that you can't wait to share? Well, that would be me with the wedding that we shot on Saturday. Things were structured a little differently than usual; we had the incredible privilege of watching Robert Evans and Candice Cunningham shoot the wedding, and got to learn from watching their expertise. J and I were also shooting, but in more of a second shooter capacity, and so our coverage was even more photojournalistic than usual. And here's the thing: I LOVE IT. This couple is absolutely gorgeous, every detail of their wedding is well-thought-out, and you could not have asked for better light. So here, without further ado, are maybe 200 of my favorite images from the day. It's a lot, I know. But to me it feels like I'm watching the whole day unfold again, and I love it. 

the wedding of todd & lana from Laura Dye on Vimeo.

Thanks, you two, for letting us be part of your day! And thanks, Robert & Candi, for letting us tag alongside. You two are rockstars!
The full gallery of images will be up here by September 1st, so check back!

the wedding of m&s

edited to add: the rest of the gallery is here. Username is "GroomsnameLovesBridesname" and password is 20352. 

Finally! This is the wedding I was so anticipating after they booked last year. Talking with M and her mom, I knew they weren't going to be tied to convention, so I couldn't wait to see how it all came together. These two were married at The Fountains in Salisbury, Maryland, and I had never shot there before. It was very important to all of us that we got shots that no one else had, so we actively sought out unique locations. And did we ever succeed! Anyway, on to the good stuff.


Her shoes were so cute I offered to buy them off her. 

The dressing room had these amazing mirrors. 



Aiieeee! So gorgeous! 

That's grandmother. 

The only thing cuter than one flower girl is TWO MATCHING ONES. 

Converse!

wii bowling. Yes, in her dress. 

When the father of the bride handed her over, he also handed the groom a shotgun shell. Much laughter ensued. 

City Florist did the decorations, and it was lovely as usual! 

So fun! 

The staircase made for amazing entrances. 

first dance. 

how great are their expressions?

best. smush. ever. For the record she started it. 

I believe in miracles, yes I do! 

This has to be a first; I almost never include the family formals but they all look SO HAPPY. 

Yes, those would be the handsome groomsmen. 

Ok, here's the story. So we were taking pictures outside and there was a tractor mowing across the street and all of a sudden the motor started smoking. So the fire department had to come, so OF COURSE we took a picture! 



I love this shot. 

And they lived happily ever after!