You may know me (Candace) as the face of Bumble & Vine Photography’s every day sessions, but I want to take a few minutes to introduce my co-shooter Matt. By day he is the driving force behind EmJay Reno & Repair here in Swift, but on weekends he lends his skill and talent as the other half of the Bumble & Vine wedding team.
The main benefit to having a second photographer at your wedding is the obvious advantage in having additional angles throughout the day. One of us is setting flowers and rings up for details while the other is quietly capturing your family and friends while they visit and relax getting ready for the day. There are complimentary images of the kiss, the first dance, and so many more moments from start to finish. I love the way they come together in the final gallery so much that I don’t take on weddings without bringing an additional shooter!
If you are on the fence about hiring a team vs. a lone photographer for your wedding take a few moments to meet with them and ask questions about why they shoot the way they do – I’m sure they would love to tell you all about how they work and why. I encourage all couples to ask their wedding vendors questions about every aspect of their service. You are paying for their skill and product as well as their knowledge of the industry – use that to its full advantage!
**this post is an update and continues upon my previous one, so if you haven’t read that through, a reference or two may be lost. Happy reading!**
Today I’m writing from a happy place, mentally speaking. I’m nested at my desk, hot tea at my side, and a full project schedule on the go for the week. My last post was written from the lowest point I’ve experienced in my short life, but it’s still raw and fresh in my memory. I have muddled through loss and pain in the past but never before have I felt betrayed by my own thoughts and feelings and been so scared of my own mind.
When I reached the point where I couldn’t take it anymore, we made some decisions to tackle what we were able to control. We made big changes in our lives and in my work, and so far (five weeks later) it’s been life changing. I say that without the expectation that it will remain that way, but with a cautious hope that it may. Our lives have been brightened and made more simple by clearing away the clutter and focusing on our exercise and time together. The kids are learning to skate, and we’re getting back into the freedom and fun of playing/watching hockey – did I mention we had the opportunity to photograph the Stanley Cup with our good friends at The Landing Studio?! It’s been a much better start to our year than I could have hoped!
With the personal life changes made, we decided that the business needs the same care and attention to it as well. I now have a bit of help with client communication, invoicing, and culling/editing gallery images. This won’t change the final product of my photos, those final edits will still be my own, but it will improve the general flow and turnaround of in the office. With the personal changes we’ve made, I have found a renewed excitement for the “business” aspects of photography & graphic design. I don’t have a lot to update you with as of yet, but there will be so many exciting things this year. The busy season is gearing up in March and I cannot wait to see what it will bring!
Before I go, I want to add that I’m here to talk if you are interested. My story isn’t exciting or impressive, but I think it’s more common than I realized. It took years of drowning to sink to that low, and looking back I can see warning signs that I didn’t understand the importance of at the time. I can’t say that I am able to help, but I am here to listen and will try to understand.
This image is simple, but it is full of meaning to me. That’s what photography was created for, right? Scotland has called to me since I was little, and in 2008 my husband Josh (then boyfriend) and I had a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to travel there to stay with family. It has always been Josh’s first choice destination so despite being far away from financially ready, we jumped at the chance knowing we would never get another.
Having grown up in a forest, moss and trees hold a most special place in my heart. They bring back memories of long days as a child spent running wild in the woods picking raspberries and gathering morels with my cousins. Our trip in the Scottish countryside reminded me very much of home. Different, of course but perfect and familiar in so many ways.
The image below is a collection of memories. That thin, cheap ring in the middle of this picture was bought at a little vendor on the Royal Mile in Edinborough. We wandered through historical landmarks and self-guided tours with only a few dollars to get us through the week, and that tiny thing was a big deal to me. I loved it as much as I loved Josh and the beautiful country we were traveling.
If you are planning your wedding or a family photo shoot, find ways you can tell your story and bring meaning to the day. You won’t regret it!
