This is my good friend Maria with my daughter Mele-sia at Baldwin Beach, Maui Hawaii.

Wednesday, December 17, 2008

My Wedding Blog.. Writes;

Nicole Sanchez- Behind The Lens Maui

I got an email out of the blue the other day from Heidi Baumgart, of the super entertaining and informative wedding day-of coordinator/consultant blog Heidzillas.com, telling me about another great photographer based on Maui-

I didn’t see her on your Maui blog, but when my husband and I were in Maui, we had Nicole Sanchez of Behind the Lens Maui photograph our surf lesson with Maui Surfer Girls. She was SOO fabulous. A couple of months later, our friends got married and went to Maui, too, so for their wedding gift we got them honeymoon portrait shoot with Nicole and they had a blast too.

Check her out at: www.behindthelensmaui.com

So I followed her advice and was very impressed! I actually wrote back thanking her for telling me about Nicole and telling her that I wished I’d known about her when I was getting married. It could have saved us from one very bad wedding photog experience.

But weddings aren’t all Nicole photographs on the island. She has tons and tons of surfing shots that just make me want to grab a board and try my skills at surfing. (Any one out there wanna give me lessons!) And then asking Nicole to grab her camera and photograph the ridiculousness that will undoubtably ensue.

She also does some of the most stunning maternity shots! So you know… if you’re family of two starts turning into a family of three… head on back to the island that united the two of you and have Nicole take your maternity shots. I think they’re my favorite of her photos.

And if you’re just still in the process of planning the wedding for your family of two, check out Nicole’s website. Her prices are totally agreeable and she has 4 different price options and packages for weddings so she can cater to any budget.

Mahalo for the tip Heidi! And keep up the good work Nicole!

maui wedding ideas for: photography

TIPS FOR THE BRIDE AND GROOM

~ Before you leave home ~

What kind of couple are you?

Do you enjoy quiet, romantic moments? Do you love humor or adventure? Are you homebodies or party animals? The best wedding photos will reflect the special essence of your relationship. Keep this in mind:

· Research - Use the web, magazines, your friends’ wedding photos. Clip or copy pictures that you like and send them to us.

· Practice posing - Pose individually and as a couple in front of a mirror. Be critical and creative. If you find one that you like, let your photographer know.

Do either of you have a physical characteristic that you would prefer not to show?

Sometimes it’s the groom’s nose, or the bride’s hips. If there is anything that you’re at all self-conscious about, let us know. Our photographers are great at the art of posing, an art which can maximize or minimize those areas that were not created perfect.

Are there any interpersonal dynamics that we should know about?

A long standing feud between Uncle Remus and Aunt Minnie? An acrimonious divorce? These are things that the photographer needs to know in order to avoid an unexpected uncomfortable situation on the Day.

Do you have specific photographic needs?

For example: A formal portrait of the wedding party to send to extended family abroad. Please think about this seriously and consult parents or any other intimately connected individuals on this point. After the pictures are taken, it will be too late to correct any misunderstandings.

~ On the way to Paradise ~

Carry On Bags

Please make sure that you carry on your wedding gown, shoes, tux, and anything else that you absolutely must have on your wedding day. Airlines do occasionally lose checked bags, so make sure that you keep the essentials with you.

~ In Paradise ~

The Tropical Sun

Please be careful about tan lines and sunburn. It will show in the photos and there’s nothing that we can do about it.

Hairstyles

Chances are that most of your photos will be taken outside, even if your ceremony is indoors. And there is wind outdoors. Any tendrils or ringlets around your face will almost certainly be blown across your face, and this is not a good thing for photographs.

Make-up

Even if you never wear make-up, it is a good idea for your wedding photographs and video. It will look more subtle in the pictures than it does in the mirror. It’s also a good idea to have a small bag containing powder, lipstick, tissues and a comb for touch-ups during the day.

Be on time!

Many weddings are timed so that the final pictures can be taken on the beach at sunset. Although it’s true that the minister, the musicians and the guests will wait for you, the sunset won’t. The time schedule has been carefully arranged to allow for the pictures that you want, and even a fifteen minute delay can be a problem.

Relax!!!

It’s your day! You have a dedicated group of professionals around you to take care of all the details, so relax and enjoy it.

Wardrobe, Dressing For A Portrait
They say, “the clothes make the (person)”. The art of portrait photography is to capture not only the best view, or countenance of the subject, but also the personality and mood. It is a person’s eyes and face that tell the story of their personality. (Include body language in ¾ and full-length portraits). So, the goal of wardrobe in a portrait is to flatter the subject, and influence the mood. To that end, the clothes should be relatively subdued. Colors should be muted rather than bright and loud, and solid colors are usually better than prints. Aloha prints with a color print over a color background are better than those with white over a dark color. Those present too much contrast and will distract the viewer from the subject(s).

Keep in mind that the clothes help to set the mood or feeling of the portrait, so it’s best to avoid the ‘latest’, ‘greatest’, “in” styles in favor of more timeless standards. That is, if you want your portrait to have a lasting quality and value, and not be too dated.

Light tones in clothing, bright and cheery though they are, are not necessary for a portrait to have a bright and cheery look. It is also true that dark clothing will not necessarily present a somber mood. Again, it is the eyes and facial expression that dominate and tell the story.

In photographic portraiture, the fact that light colors diminish shadows produces the result that the figure appears slightly fuller. Also, very light or white clothes can tend to wash out your skin tone. The opposite is true with dark toned clothes: they intensify shadows, have a slightly slimming effect, and skin tones appear deeper.

Here are a couple more tips about dressing for your portrait: loose fitting, long sleeves will draw attention away from your arms. If you feel your arms are too big, or you have blotchy skin or band-aids on your arms, wear long, loose fitting sleeves. An open, scoop or V-neck shirt or blouse will add the appearance of length to your neck, where a crew or turtleneck will give the appearance of a shorter neck.

Jewelry And Accessories
Keep it simple is the best advice here. Remember, the part played by accessories and jewelry, the same as with clothing, is simply to flatter the subject, not steal attention from the subject: you. Unless an accessory or piece of jewelry is essential to the look or feel you want in the portrait, or is something you wear all the time, or has special meaning to you, leave it out.

On the other hand, if something is important to you such as your great aunt’s locket, or great granddad’s walking stick, or plays an integral part of your life such as a stethoscope, or a canoe paddle, talk with your photographer about how to include it in some of your portraits.