# Blue Bend Photography > --- ## Pages - [Terms & Conditions](https://www.bluebendphotography.com/terms-conditions/): Effective Date: 10. 04. 2024 Welcome These terms and conditions ("Terms", "Terms & Conditions") govern your use of the website... - [Privacy Policy](https://www.bluebendphotography.com/privacy-policy/): Effective Date: 10. 04. 2024 Introduction This privacy policy ("Policy") describes how Blue Bend Photography ("we," "us," or "our") collects,... - [Services](https://www.bluebendphotography.com/services/): Our Services Wedding Flowers The right flowers will make your wedding special Wedding Cake Your guests will remember this cake... - [Gallery](https://www.bluebendphotography.com/gallery/): Our Gallery . elementor-1625 . elementor-element. elementor-element-c0e0f22{--display:flex;--flex-direction:row;--container-widget-width:initial;--container-widget-height:100%;--container-widget-flex-grow:1;--container-widget-align-self:stretch;--gap:10px 10px;--background-transition:0. 3s;--padding-block-start:0px;--padding-block-end:50px;--padding-inline-start:0px;--padding-inline-end:0px;}. elementor-1625 . elementor-element. elementor-element-828e657{--display:flex;--min-height:530px;--flex-direction:column;--container-widget-width:100%;--container-widget-height:initial;--container-widget-flex-grow:0;--container-widget-align-self:initial;--background-transition:0. 3s;--padding-block-start:0px;--padding-block-end:0px;--padding-inline-start:0px;--padding-inline-end:0px;}. elementor-1625 . elementor-element. elementor-element-828e657:not(. elementor-motion-effects-element-type-background), .... - [About](https://www.bluebendphotography.com/about/): About Us Professional Team for Wedding & Event For the main event of your life, it is important to find... - [Home](https://www.bluebendphotography.com/): Your FairytaleStarts Right Here Once in a while, right in the middle of an ordinary life, love gives us a... - [Contact](https://www.bluebendphotography.com/contact/): Contact Us Email Address bluebendphoto@gmail. com Contact us Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form. Please enable... - [Stories](https://www.bluebendphotography.com/stories/): --- ## Posts - [Loop Lighting Photography: Setup, Tips, and Creative Uses](https://www.bluebendphotography.com/loop-lighting-photography/): Master loop lighting photography with our guide. Learn setup tips, techniques, and explore creative uses for stunning portrait photography results. - [Emphasis in Photography: Techniques, Tips, and Examples](https://www.bluebendphotography.com/emphasis-in-photography-techniques-tips-and-examples/): Learn emphasis photography techniques to create impactful images. Discover how to use light, focus, and composition to emphasize your subject effectively. - [How to Remove Glare From Photo: Easy Steps and Tools](https://www.bluebendphotography.com/how-to-remove-glare-from-photo-easy-steps-and-tools/): Learn how to remove glare from photos using easy techniques and tools. Discover the best apps and methods to get rid of glare in your pictures effectively. - [Shadows in Photography: Mastering Techniques & Creative Ideas](https://www.bluebendphotography.com/shadows-in-photography-mastering-techniques-creative-ideas/): Explore shadow photography techniques and tips to create dramatic, captivating images. Learn how to use shadows in photography for depth, mood, and creativity. - [Foreground in Photography: Definition, Tips, and Techniques](https://www.bluebendphotography.com/foreground-in-photography-definition-tips-and-techniques/): Learn how to use the foreground in photography to create compelling images. Explore tips, techniques, and examples to enhance your photos with strong foreground elements. - [Hard Light Photography: Mastering Techniques and Tips](https://www.bluebendphotography.com/hard-light-photography-mastering-techniques-and-tips/): Discover the art of hard light photography with tips, techniques, and examples. Learn how to create dramatic effects and master this powerful lighting style. - [Frequently Asked Questions - Wedding Photographers in Asheville, NC, North Carolina](https://www.bluebendphotography.com/frequently-asked-questions-wedding-photographers-in-asheville-nc-north-carolina/): What equipment do you use? We use professional digital SLR cameras, as well as professional film cameras. Because film and... - [A Note From Maddy & Nick - Wedding Photographers in Asheville, NC, North Carolina](https://www.bluebendphotography.com/a-note-from-maddy-nick-wedding-photographers-in-asheville-nc-north-carolina/): Congrats on your engagement! Firstly, we’d like to congratulate you on this exciting time in your life. The next year... - [Wedding Venues in Asheville & WNC - Real Wedding Photos](https://www.bluebendphotography.com/wedding-venues-in-asheville-wnc-real-wedding-photos/): Wedding Venues in ASHEVILLE · BLACK MOUNTAIN · HOT SPRINGS · LAKE LURE · WAYNESVILLE Besides the amazing beer scene,... - [The Blue Bend Team - Wedding Photographers in Asheville, NC, North Carolina](https://www.bluebendphotography.com/the-blue-bend-team-wedding-photographers-in-asheville-nc-north-carolina-2/): Founder / Photographer bought his first darkroom when he was 16 from money he made bagging groceries. had a professional... - [Photography Packages & Prices - Wedding Photographers in Asheville, NC, North Carolina](https://www.bluebendphotography.com/photography-packages-prices-wedding-photographers-in-asheville-nc-north-carolina-2/): We know that there are a ton wedding photographers out there. Our #1 priority is that you love your photos.... - [Asheville Area Wedding Venues | Wedding Photographers in Asheville, NC, North Carolina](https://www.bluebendphotography.com/asheville-area-wedding-venues-wedding-photographers-in-asheville-nc-north-carolina/): Wedding Venues in ASHEVILLE · BLACK MOUNTAIN · HOT SPRINGS · LAKE LURE · WAYNESVILLE Besides the amazing beer scene,... - [Bethany & Scott's Wedding - Sawyer Family Farmstead | Wedding Photographers in Asheville, NC, North Carolina](https://www.bluebendphotography.com/bethany-s-wedding-sawyer-family-farmstead-wedding-photographers-in-asheville-nc-north-carolina/): If you haven’t heard of Sawyer Family Farmstead, I highly suggest you check it out for your wedding. This was... - [Biltmore Estate Conservatory Wedding | Wedding Photographers in Asheville, NC, North Carolina](https://www.bluebendphotography.com/biltmore-estate-conservatory-wedding-wedding-photographers-in-asheville-nc-north-carolina-2/): We’ve had the pleasure of working with Mary Bell for quite some time now. So when she called and told... - [Do I Need a Wedding Photographer? | Wedding Photographers in Asheville, NC, North Carolina](https://www.bluebendphotography.com/do-i-need-a-wedding-photographer-wedding-photographers-in-asheville-nc-north-carolina-2/): Cons to hiring a wedding photographer: Do I even NEED photos? This is a more philosophical question than a practical... - [Make a Rough Wedding Timeline in 10 Minutes | Wedding Photographers in Asheville, NC, North Carolina](https://www.bluebendphotography.com/make-a-rough-wedding-timeline-in-10-minutes-wedding-photographers-in-asheville-nc-north-carolina/): If you haven’t planned a wedding before coming up with a general wedding timeline can seem daunting. Fortunately, we’ve seen... - [Asheville Wedding Photography - The Venue - Ashley and Andrew | Wedding Photographers in Asheville, NC, North Carolina](https://www.bluebendphotography.com/asheville-wedding-photography-the-venue-ashley-and-andrew-wedding-photographers-in-asheville-nc-north-carolina-2__trashed/): On Saturday Nick and Kelly were at The Venue in Asheville. There was a huge amount of details and they... - [Homewood Wedding Photos - Kari & Mark | Wedding Photographers in Asheville, NC, North Carolina](https://www.bluebendphotography.com/homewood-wedding-photos-kari-mark-wedding-photographers-in-asheville-nc-north-carolina-2/): This Saturday Kari and Mark got married at Homewood in Asheville. I (Nick) had done their engagements a couple of... - [Brown Mountain Beach Resort Wedding | Wedding Photographers in Asheville, NC, North Carolina](https://www.bluebendphotography.com/brown-mountain-beach-resort-wedding-wedding-photographers-in-asheville-nc-north-carolina-2/): I get to go to a lot of really beautiful venues as a wedding photographer. This one, though, was exceptional.... - [Amy & Joe's Downtown Charlotte Wedding | Wedding Photographers in Asheville, NC, North Carolina](https://www.bluebendphotography.com/amy-s-downtown-charlotte-wedding-wedding-photographers-in-asheville-nc-north-carolina/): Photographer: Nick Amy and Joe got married at the Belk Chapel and then celebrated with their friends and family at... - [Emilie & Arturo's Wedding Photos - The Farm - Candler, NC | Wedding Photographers in Asheville, NC, North Carolina](https://www.bluebendphotography.com/emilie-s-wedding-photos-the-farm-candler-nc-wedding-photographers-in-asheville-nc-north-carolina/): - [Biltmore Estate Wedding Photos - Tiffany and Andrew's Wedding | Wedding Photographers in Asheville, NC, North Carolina](https://www.bluebendphotography.com/biltmore-estate-wedding-photos-tiffany-and-andrews-wedding-wedding-photographers-in-asheville-nc-north-carolina/): Yesterday was a great day! Nick went to the Biltmore to photograph Tiffany and Andrew’s intimate wedding. The couple came... - [Laura & Field's Wedding Photos - Biltmore Estate - Walled Garden & Conservatory | Wedding Photographers in Asheville, NC, North Carolina](https://www.bluebendphotography.com/laura-s-wedding-photos-biltmore-estate-walled-garden-conservatory-wedding-photographers-in-asheville-nc-north-carolina-2/): Laura and Field’s wedding day was pretty amazing in every way. Laura got ready at the Inn with her mom... - [The Farm - Candler, NC - Wedding Photos - Abbie & Kurt | Wedding Photographers in Asheville, NC, North Carolina](https://www.bluebendphotography.com/the-farm-candler-nc-wedding-photos-abbie-kurt-wedding-photographers-in-asheville-nc-north-carolina/): Mornings and evenings are becoming sweater and vest weather. This also means fall colors, hot cider and cider donuts! The... - [Claxton Farm Wedding Photos | Wedding Photographers in Asheville, NC, North Carolina](https://www.bluebendphotography.com/claxton-farm-wedding-photos-wedding-photographers-in-asheville-nc-north-carolina/): The beautiful May day in the mountains was the perfect setting for Chelsea and Michael’s mountain getaway wedding. The whole... - [Lake Lure Inn Wedding Photos - Rosa & Ben | Wedding Photographers in Asheville, NC, North Carolina](https://www.bluebendphotography.com/lake-lure-inn-wedding-photos-rosa-ben-wedding-photographers-in-asheville-nc-north-carolina/): This incredibly cute and sweet couple made their way to the gorgeous Lake Lure from the Naples area for their... - [Asheville Arboretum Wedding Photos - Melanie and Ryan | Wedding Photographers in Asheville, NC, North Carolina](https://www.bluebendphotography.com/asheville-arboretum-wedding-photos-melanie-and-ryan-wedding-photographers-in-asheville-nc-north-carolina-2/): Melanie and Ryan said it was going to be a “very musical wedding” and they didn’t disappoint! Ryan and all... - [Asheville Omni Grove Park Inn Wedding | Wedding Photographers in Asheville, NC, North Carolina](https://www.bluebendphotography.com/asheville-omni-grove-park-inn-wedding-wedding-photographers-in-asheville-nc-north-carolina/): Andrea and Gabe came to the Grove Park in Asheville from New Orleans to have a destination wedding in the... - [Devon & Sean's Wedding Photos – Biltmore Estate – Deerpark | Wedding Photographers in Asheville, NC, North Carolina](https://www.bluebendphotography.com/devon-s-wedding-photos-biltmore-estate-deerpark-wedding-photographers-in-asheville-nc-north-carolina/): - [Vatican City Wedding | Wedding Photographers in Asheville, NC, North Carolina](https://www.bluebendphotography.com/vatican-city-wedding-wedding-photographers-in-asheville-nc-north-carolina/): The last night that I was in Rome, the three of us, Elizabeth, Ken, and I, grabbed a drink at... - [Century Room on the Park Wedding - Asheville, NC | Wedding Photographers in Asheville, NC, North Carolina](https://www.bluebendphotography.com/century-room-on-the-park-wedding-asheville-nc-wedding-photographers-in-asheville-nc-north-carolina/): The Wedding Ceremony – The Basilica Madeline and Cody’s summer wedding at the Basilica and the Century Room turned out... - [Sample Timelines for Wedding Photographer | Wedding Photographers in Asheville, NC, North Carolina](https://www.bluebendphotography.com/sample-timelines-for-wedding-photographer-wedding-photographers-in-asheville-nc-north-carolina/): Another very confusing, and sometimes overwhelming, topic that we get asked about a lot is the wedding day timeline for... - [Tricia & Ari - Engagement Photos | Wedding Photographers in Asheville, NC, North Carolina](https://www.bluebendphotography.com/tricia-ari-engagement-photos-wedding-photographers-in-asheville-nc-north-carolina/): This was a FUN shoot! Ari and Tricia laughed and joked the entire time we were together. They made the... - [Samantha & Chad's Wedding - Westglow Resort - Blowing Rock | Wedding Photographers in Asheville, NC, North Carolina](https://www.bluebendphotography.com/samantha-s-wedding-westglow-resort-blowing-rock-wedding-photographers-in-asheville-nc-north-carolina/): This was an intimate summer wedding at the beautiful Westglow Resort near Blowing Rock. The bride, groom, their son and... - [Jamie & Scott's Wedding - The Venue - Asheville, NC | Wedding Photographers in Asheville, NC, North Carolina](https://www.bluebendphotography.com/jamie-s-wedding-the-venue-asheville-nc-wedding-photographers-in-asheville-nc-north-carolina/): I don’t get to shoot in downtown Asheville very often, so I was super excited to photograph Jamie and Scott’s... - [Vendor Spotlight: Flowers by Larry | Wedding Photographers in Asheville, NC, North Carolina](https://www.bluebendphotography.com/vendor-spotlight-flowers-by-larry-wedding-photographers-in-asheville-nc-north-carolina/): The only thing more charming than the store are the two that create all that beauty. Larry and Tyler create... - [1 Photographer vs 2 Photographers at the Wedding | Wedding Photographers in Asheville, NC, North Carolina](https://www.bluebendphotography.com/1-photographer-vs-2-photographers-at-the-wedding-wedding-photographers-in-asheville-nc-north-carolina-2/): Another question that we get asked a lot about is “Do I need 1 photographer or do I need two... - [Brian & Tony's Wedding - Asheville, NC | Wedding Photographers in Asheville, NC, North Carolina](https://www.bluebendphotography.com/brian-s-wedding-asheville-nc-wedding-photographers-in-asheville-nc-north-carolina/): A couple of weeks ago I had the honor of photographing Brian and Tony’s wedding here in Asheville. They made... - [High Hampton Inn Wedding - Cashiers, NC | Wedding Photographers in Asheville, NC, North Carolina](https://www.bluebendphotography.com/high-hampton-inn-wedding-cashiers-nc-wedding-photographers-in-asheville-nc-north-carolina/): I don’t throw around the term ‘laugh riot’ very much, but I think this wedding is one of those times.... - [Castle Ladyhawke Spring Wedding | Wedding Photographers in Asheville, NC, North Carolina](https://www.bluebendphotography.com/castle-ladyhawke-spring-wedding-wedding-photographers-in-asheville-nc-north-carolina/): - [Crest Center & Pavilion Wedding Photos | Wedding Photographers in Asheville, NC, North Carolina](https://www.bluebendphotography.com/crest-center-pavilion-wedding-photos-wedding-photographers-in-asheville-nc-north-carolina-2/): Courtney and Cameron are actually high school sweethearts and local Asheville people. They live in Atlanta now because of Cameron’s... - [Sawyer Family Farmstead Wedding | Wedding Photographers in Asheville, NC, North Carolina](https://www.bluebendphotography.com/sawyer-family-farmstead-wedding-wedding-photographers-in-asheville-nc-north-carolina/): If you’re looking for a venue with a beautiful outdoor ceremony location with a view, Sawyer Family Farmstead is a... - [Brown Mountain Beach Resort Wedding | Wedding Photographers in Asheville, NC, North Carolina](https://www.bluebendphotography.com/brown-mountain-beach-resort-wedding-wedding-photographers-in-asheville-nc-north-carolina/): I get to go to a lot of really beautiful venues as a wedding photographer. This one, though, was exceptional.... - [Asheville Wedding Photography - The Venue - Ashley and Andrew | Wedding Photographers in Asheville, NC, North Carolina](https://www.bluebendphotography.com/asheville-wedding-photography-the-venue-ashley-and-andrew-wedding-photographers-in-asheville-nc-north-carolina/): On Saturday Nick and Kelly were at The Venue in Asheville. There was a huge amount of details and they... - [Old Edward's Inn Wedding Photos | Wedding Photographers in Asheville, NC, North Carolina](https://www.bluebendphotography.com/old-edwards-inn-wedding-photos-wedding-photographers-in-asheville-nc-north-carolina/): - [Homewood Wedding Photos - Kari & Mark | Wedding Photographers in Asheville, NC, North Carolina](https://www.bluebendphotography.com/homewood-wedding-photos-kari-mark-wedding-photographers-in-asheville-nc-north-carolina/): This Saturday Kari and Mark got married at Homewood in Asheville. I (Nick) had done their engagements a couple of... - [Asheville Arboretum Wedding Photos - Melanie and Ryan | Wedding Photographers in Asheville, NC, North Carolina](https://www.bluebendphotography.com/asheville-arboretum-wedding-photos-melanie-and-ryan-wedding-photographers-in-asheville-nc-north-carolina/): Melanie and Ryan said it was going to be a “very musical wedding” and they didn’t disappoint! Ryan and all... - [Castle Ladyhawke Wedding Photos - Ashley & Adam - Wedding Photographers in Asheville, NC, North Carolina](https://www.bluebendphotography.com/castle-ladyhawke-wedding-photos-ashley-adam-wedding-photographers-in-asheville-nc-north-carolina/): Castle Ladyhawke is definitely one of the coolest venues in Western North Carolina to get married. It’s a CASTLE! Ashley... - [Biltmore Estate Lioncrest Wedding Photos - Sarah and Anthony - Blue Bend Photography](https://www.bluebendphotography.com/biltmore-estate-lioncrest-wedding-photos-sarah-and-anthony-blue-bend-photography/): Sarah and Anthony had their wedding at the Biltmore Estate Lioncrest. The ceremony was held upstairs in the top room... - [Charlotte: Point Lake Golf Club Wedding Photos - Amanda and Patrick - Blue Bend Photography](https://www.bluebendphotography.com/charlotte-point-lake-golf-club-wedding-photos-amanda-and-patrick-blue-bend-photography/): On Saturday, Nick and I headed over to Mooresville, NC (just outside Charlotte, NC) to the beautiful Point Lake and... - [Rand-Bryan House Wedding Photos - Pam and Jason's Wedding - Blue Bend Photography](https://www.bluebendphotography.com/rand-bryan-house-wedding-photos-pam-and-jasons-wedding-blue-bend-photography/): Pam and Jason’s wedding was held at the Rand-Bryan house in Garner, North Carolina. The ceremony was outside under the... - [Old Edwards Inn Wedding Photos - Gail & Thomas - Highlands, NC - Asheville Wedding Photographer - Blue Bend Photography](https://www.bluebendphotography.com/old-edwards-inn-wedding-photos-gail-thomas-highlands-nc-asheville-wedding-photographer-blue-bend-photography/): Gail and Thomas made the trip up to Highlands to tie the knot from Savannah, GA. It’s one of their... - [Lins & Ty's Wedding Photos - Inn at Half Mile Farm - Highlands, NC - Blue Bend Photography](https://www.bluebendphotography.com/lins-s-wedding-photos-inn-at-half-mile-farm-highlands-nc-blue-bend-photography/): Going into last weekend I had a feeling that this was going to be amazing. I had been the Inn... - [Biltmore Champagne Cellar Wedding - Asheville Wedding Photographers](https://www.bluebendphotography.com/biltmore-champagne-cellar-wedding-asheville-wedding-photographers/): Casi and Brian made the trip down from Knoxville yesterday and braved the rain to get married in the ever-romantic... - [Investment » Asheville Family Photos](https://www.bluebendphotography.com/investment-asheville-family-photos/): - The fee for a photo session with me is $200 (this includes an online gallery where prints and such... - [Asheville Family Photos » Blog » page 2](https://www.bluebendphotography.com/asheville-family-photos-blog-page-2/): Finnegan just turned 7 months. What better opportunity to get the camera gear out and set up a photo shoot.... - [Best of the Biltmore Estate Wedding Photos - Blue Bend Photography](https://www.bluebendphotography.com/best-of-the-biltmore-estate-wedding-photos-blue-bend-photography/): Here is a small collection of photographs from the Biltmore Estate. If you’d like to see more from a specific... - [Asheville Family Photos » Blog](https://www.bluebendphotography.com/asheville-family-photos-blog/): On Monday I had the pleasure to go out to North Asheville and do a family shoot with the Zuckerman... - [Asheville Biltmore Deerpark Wedding Photos - Bianca and Rick - Blue Bend Photography](https://www.bluebendphotography.com/asheville-biltmore-deerpark-wedding-photos-bianca-and-rick-blue-bend-photography/): On Sunday, Nick met up with Bianca and Rick at the Biltmore Estate (just outside of Asheville) to photograph their... - [Should I do photos before the Wedding? Which ones? - Blue Bend Photography](https://www.bluebendphotography.com/should-i-do-photos-before-the-wedding-which-ones-blue-bend-photography/): Almost every wedding I have people ask my opinion about doing photos before the ceremony. Of course I have seen... - [Photos from my cousin's wedding as a guest - Blue Bend Photography](https://www.bluebendphotography.com/photos-from-my-cousins-wedding-as-a-guest-blue-bend-photography/): The groom in this wedding is not only my cousin, but also one of my best friends. 11 years ago... - [Cassie & Julia's Wedding Photos - Pine Hollow House - Fairview, NC - Blue Bend Photography](https://www.bluebendphotography.com/cassie-s-wedding-photos-pine-hollow-house-fairview-nc-blue-bend-photography/): I’m struggling for what to say here; everything I type seems cliche and cheesy (lots of things like “amazing day,”... - [Biltmore Wedding Photos - Champagne Cellar - Rebekah & Pat - Blue Bend Photography](https://www.bluebendphotography.com/biltmore-wedding-photos-champagne-cellar-rebekah-pat-blue-bend-photography/): On Friday, Becca and Pat made the trip down to Asheville with their families from Ohio and Pennsylvania to get... - [Our Lady of the Snows & Crown Plaza Wedding Photos - Katelyn & Stephen - Blue Bend Photography](https://www.bluebendphotography.com/our-lady-of-the-snows-crown-plaza-wedding-photos-katelyn-stephen-blue-bend-photography/): This was my first Alaska wedding in nearly 3 years and it was a great one. A good friend of... - [Jessica & Jerry's Wedding - Claxton Farm - Weaverville, NC - Blue Bend Photography](https://www.bluebendphotography.com/jessica-s-wedding-claxton-farm-weaverville-nc-blue-bend-photography/): Jessica and Jerry were an amazingly humble, laid back couple; which made photographing them both a great time and a... - [Camp Green Cove Wedding Photos - Asheville Wedding Photographers](https://www.bluebendphotography.com/camp-green-cove-wedding-photos-asheville-wedding-photographers/): I had the pleasure to meet Maddie and Frank at Camp Green Cove on Saturday to shoot their wedding. I... - [Sky Valley Country Club - Highlands, NC - Kyle & Mike - Blue Bend Photography](https://www.bluebendphotography.com/sky-valley-country-club-highlands-nc-kyle-mike-blue-bend-photography/): On Saturday Colby was out in Sky Valley (by Highlands, NC) for Kyle and Mike’s wedding. We started at Kyle’s... - [Crestwood Inn Wedding Photos | Kacey and Wade | Boone Wedding Photographer - Blue Bend Photography](https://www.bluebendphotography.com/crestwood-inn-wedding-photos-kacey-and-wade-boone-wedding-photographer-blue-bend-photography/): On Friday afternoon we headed up to Boone for the weekend. Kacey and Wade made the trip to Boone from... - [Castle Ladyhawke Wedding Photos - Kristin & Ethan - Blue Bend Photography](https://www.bluebendphotography.com/castle-ladyhawke-wedding-photos-kristin-ethan-blue-bend-photography/): Yesterday we were out at the amazing Castle Ladyhawke in Cullowhee (about an hour from Asheville). If you haven’t heard... - [Old Edward's Inn Wedding Photos - Jennifer and Justin - Blue Bend Photography](https://www.bluebendphotography.com/old-edwards-inn-wedding-photos-jennifer-and-justin-blue-bend-photography/): Jennifer and Justin made the trip up from Alabama with their closest family and friends and got married at the... - [Homewood & UNCA Gardens - Engagement Photos - Kari & Mark - Blue Bend Photography](https://www.bluebendphotography.com/homewood-unca-gardens-engagement-photos-kari-mark-blue-bend-photography/): Another super cute couple! Kari and Mark are both professional musicians in Charlotte. Kari actually plays for the symphony and... - [Old Edwards Inn Wedding Photos - Highlands, NC - Glass Pavilion - Asheville Wedding Photography | Blue Bend Photography](https://www.bluebendphotography.com/old-edwards-inn-wedding-photos-highlands-nc-glass-pavilion-asheville-wedding-photography-blue-bend-photography/): Last night Kelly and I photographed a wedding at the Old Edwards Inn in Highlands, NC for the first time... - [The Bricker Family | Blue Bend Photography](https://www.bluebendphotography.com/the-bricker-family-blue-bend-photography/): Seriously, how cute is this family? ! I got to photograph Welles, Jeremy and little Maggie Rae right after she... - [Dresden, Germany Engagement Photos - Susanne and Tobi | Blue Bend Photography](https://www.bluebendphotography.com/dresden-germany-engagement-photos-susanne-and-tobi-blue-bend-photography/): A couple of weeks ago I (Nick) went to Germany for an Engagement shoot with a super cute couple that... - [Personal Photos - Travel in Southern Utah / Nevada | Blue Bend Photography](https://www.bluebendphotography.com/personal-photos-travel-in-southern-utah-nevada-blue-bend-photography/): A couple of weeks ago I met up with my two best friends in Las Vegas and the three of... - [Raffaldini Vineyard Wedding Photos - Laurie and Adam | Blue Bend Photography](https://www.bluebendphotography.com/raffaldini-vineyard-wedding-photos-laurie-and-adam-blue-bend-photography/): Laurie and Adam got married at the beautiful Raffaldini Vineyards. If you haven’t seen Tuscany in person, the next best... - [Fearrington House Wedding Photos – Caitlin and Matthew » Blue Bend Photography](https://www.bluebendphotography.com/fearrington-house-wedding-photos-caitlin-and-matthew-blue-bend-photography/): Caitlin and Matthew couldn’t have had a more perfect day! The weather was superb, the venue was gorgeous, and the... - [Biltmore Estate Butterfly Gardens Wedding – Mimi & Nathan » Blue Bend Photography](https://www.bluebendphotography.com/biltmore-estate-butterfly-gardens-wedding-mimi-nathan-blue-bend-photography/): On Sunday, Nick and Colby photographed this beautiful wedding at the Biltmore Estate. They first headed over to the hotel... - [Biltmore Estate Lioncrest Wedding Photos – Elizabeth and Susan » Blue Bend Photography](https://www.bluebendphotography.com/biltmore-estate-lioncrest-wedding-photos-elizabeth-and-susan-blue-bend-photography/): Colby and Nick met up with Susan and Elizabeth at the Inn on the Biltmore Estate Saturday morning and started... - [Swag Inn Wedding Photos – Kimberly & Will » Blue Bend Photography](https://www.bluebendphotography.com/swag-inn-wedding-photos-kimberly-will-blue-bend-photography/): I know that I say this a lot, but this weekend was amazing. The wedding at the Swag Inn this... - [Big News! Blue Bend joins forces with the Obsidian Collective! » Blue Bend Photography](https://www.bluebendphotography.com/big-news-blue-bend-joins-forces-with-the-obsidian-collective-blue-bend-photography/): One of the most common questions that we get at Blue Bend is “Do you do wedding videography as well.... --- # # Detailed Content ## Pages ### Terms & Conditions - Published: 2024-04-10 - Modified: 2024-04-13 - URL: https://www.bluebendphotography.com/terms-conditions/ Effective Date: 10. 04. 2024 Welcome These terms and conditions ("Terms", "Terms & Conditions") govern your use of the website https://www. bluebendphotography. com/ (the "Website"). Owned and operated by Blue Bend Photography ("we," "us," or "our"). Conditions of Use By accessing or using the Website, you agree to be bound by these Terms. If you disagree with any part of the terms, you may not access the Website. 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Learn More Gallery Take a look at some amazing photos from special events Pricing plans Find out the cost of your perfect photo session Basic Interview the couplePreparation of budgetDesign the eventFlorist servicesPhotoshoot Select Standart Interview the couplePreparation of budgetDesign the eventFlorist servicesPhotoshoot Select Platinum Interview the couplePreparation of budgetDesign the eventFlorist servicesPhotoshoot Select --- ### Gallery - Published: 2022-10-19 - Modified: 2024-04-16 - URL: https://www.bluebendphotography.com/gallery/ Our Gallery . elementor-1625 . elementor-element. elementor-element-c0e0f22{--display:flex;--flex-direction:row;--container-widget-width:initial;--container-widget-height:100%;--container-widget-flex-grow:1;--container-widget-align-self:stretch;--gap:10px 10px;--background-transition:0. 3s;--padding-block-start:0px;--padding-block-end:50px;--padding-inline-start:0px;--padding-inline-end:0px;}. elementor-1625 . elementor-element. elementor-element-828e657{--display:flex;--min-height:530px;--flex-direction:column;--container-widget-width:100%;--container-widget-height:initial;--container-widget-flex-grow:0;--container-widget-align-self:initial;--background-transition:0. 3s;--padding-block-start:0px;--padding-block-end:0px;--padding-inline-start:0px;--padding-inline-end:0px;}. elementor-1625 . elementor-element. elementor-element-828e657:not(. elementor-motion-effects-element-type-background), . elementor-1625 . elementor-element. elementor-element-828e657 > . elementor-motion-effects-container > . elementor-motion-effects-layer{background-image:url("https://www. bluebendphotography. com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/storie-image-1@2x. jpg");background-position:center center;background-repeat:no-repeat;background-size:cover;}. elementor-1625 . elementor-element. elementor-element-828e657, . elementor-1625 . elementor-element. elementor-element-828e657::before{--border-transition:0. 3s;}. elementor-1625 . elementor-element. elementor-element-b0452ad{--display:flex;--min-height:530px;--flex-direction:column;--container-widget-width:100%;--container-widget-height:initial;--container-widget-flex-grow:0;--container-widget-align-self:initial;--background-transition:0. 3s;--padding-block-start:0px;--padding-block-end:0px;--padding-inline-start:0px;--padding-inline-end:0px;}. elementor-1625 . elementor-element. elementor-element-b0452ad:not(. elementor-motion-effects-element-type-background), . elementor-1625 . elementor-element. elementor-element-b0452ad > . elementor-motion-effects-container > . elementor-motion-effects-layer{background-image:url("https://www. bluebendphotography. com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/storie-image-2@2x. jpg");background-position:center center;background-repeat:no-repeat;background-size:cover;}. elementor-1625 . elementor-element. elementor-element-b0452ad, . elementor-1625 . elementor-element. elementor-element-b0452ad::before{--border-transition:0. 3s;}. elementor-1625 . elementor-element. elementor-element-6d8a6e1{--display:flex;--min-height:530px;--flex-direction:column;--container-widget-width:100%;--container-widget-height:initial;--container-widget-flex-grow:0;--container-widget-align-self:initial;--background-transition:0. 3s;--padding-block-start:0px;--padding-block-end:0px;--padding-inline-start:0px;--padding-inline-end:0px;}. elementor-1625 . elementor-element. elementor-element-6d8a6e1:not(. elementor-motion-effects-element-type-background), . elementor-1625 . elementor-element. elementor-element-6d8a6e1 > . elementor-motion-effects-container > . elementor-motion-effects-layer{background-image:url("https://www. bluebendphotography. com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/storie-image-3@2x. jpg");background-position:center center;background-repeat:no-repeat;background-size:cover;}. elementor-1625 . elementor-element. elementor-element-6d8a6e1, . elementor-1625 . elementor-element. elementor-element-6d8a6e1::before{--border-transition:0. 3s;}@media(min-width:768px){. elementor-1625 . elementor-element. elementor-element-828e657{--width:33. 333%;}. elementor-1625 . elementor-element. elementor-element-b0452ad{--width:33. 333%;}. elementor-1625 . elementor-element. elementor-element-6d8a6e1{--width:33. 333%;}}@media(max-width:767px){. elementor-1625 . elementor-element. elementor-element-c0e0f22{--flex-direction:column;--container-widget-width:100%;--container-widget-height:initial;--container-widget-flex-grow:0;--container-widget-align-self:initial;--flex-wrap:nowrap;}. elementor-1625 . elementor-element. elementor-element-828e657{--width:100%;--min-height:300px;}. elementor-1625 . elementor-element. elementor-element-b0452ad{--width:100%;--min-height:300px;}. elementor-1625 . elementor-element. elementor-element-6d8a6e1{--width:100%;--min-height:300px;}} Beautiful summer updates Summer is the perfect time for a perfect wedding, as our photographers have proved Perfect spring weddings Life blooms in the spring - 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Name *Email *BudgetBudgetFirst ChoiceSecond ChoiceThird ChoiceComment or Message * Send Message --- ### About - Published: 2022-10-19 - Modified: 2024-05-09 - URL: https://www.bluebendphotography.com/about/ About Us Professional Team for Wedding & Event For the main event of your life, it is important to find a team of likeminded people who are not only true professionals, but also able to share this happy day Our Team These people will make you remember your day forever Nancy Collins Will capturing your life's fleeting moments and turn them into timeless stories Michelle Banks With a keen eye for detail, your photos would become cherished memories Dorothy Elliot Master of emotions, weaving light and laughter into photographs that sing with joy The Story Of Emmie's Wedding A beautiful couple who went through many challenges but managed to find true love and happiness in their lives Learn More "You don't marry the person you can live with - you marry the person you can't live without" Start Planning Your Wedding Today The key to a perfect wedding is careful planning. Start it today! Start Now Newsletter Updates Enter your email address below to subscribe to our newsletterPlease enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form. Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form. Email * Subscribe The stories Dive into their journeys, from how they met to the “yes! ” moment, and witness the magic of their special day unfold through beautiful photos and their own words --- ### Home - Published: 2022-10-19 - Modified: 2025-04-10 - URL: https://www.bluebendphotography.com/ Your FairytaleStarts Right Here Once in a while, right in the middle of an ordinary life, love gives us a fairytale We're a bunch of passionate photographers who love capturing the magic of life's big (and small) celebrations - weddings. We believe in creating beautiful photographs that go beyond just a pretty picture The Julia's Wedding story Learn the story of a beautiful couple and watch their most unforgettable moment Learn More "You don't marry the person you can live with - you marry the person you can't live without. " Gallery Pricing Plans Find out the cost of your perfect photo session Basic Interview the couplePreparation of budgetDesign the eventFlorist servicesPhotoshoot Select Standart Interview the couplePreparation of budgetDesign the eventFlorist servicesPhotoshoot Select Platinum Interview the couplePreparation of budgetDesign the eventFlorist servicesPhotoshoot Select The stories Dive into their journeys, from how they met to the "yes! " moment, and witness the magic of their special day unfold through beautiful photos and their own words. AI Tools for Photographers Use innovative technology for automatic portrait editing and photo enhancement with the top programs. Simplify your editing process and achieve professional results with minimal effort. Luminar Neo Transform your photos with Luminar Neo, the leading AI photo editor. Its intuitive features, like sky replacement and portrait enhancement, make editing effortless. Perfect for photographers who want to enhance their images quickly without losing creative control. Try Luminar Neo for a new level of photo editing! Aperty AI Enhance your portrait photography with Aperty AI. This advanced Portrait Photo Editor uses AI to automatically adjust lighting, colors, and details, making your photos look flawless with minimal effort. Whether you're a professional or just getting started, Aperty AI helps you create stunning portraits in no time. Write us Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form. Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form. Name *Email *BudgetBudgetFirst ChoiceSecond ChoiceThird ChoiceComment or Message * Send Message --- ### Contact - Published: 2022-10-19 - Modified: 2024-04-20 - URL: https://www.bluebendphotography.com/contact/ Contact Us Email Address bluebendphoto@gmail. com Contact us Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form. Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form. Name *Email *BudgetBudgetFirst ChoiceSecond ChoiceThird ChoiceComment or Message * Send Message The stories Dive into their journeys, from how they met to the “yes! ” moment, and witness the magic of their special day unfold through beautiful photos and their own words --- ### Stories - Published: 2021-07-07 - Modified: 2024-02-15 - URL: https://www.bluebendphotography.com/stories/ --- --- ## Posts ### Loop Lighting Photography: Setup, Tips, and Creative Uses > Master loop lighting photography with our guide. Learn setup tips, techniques, and explore creative uses for stunning portrait photography results. - Published: 2024-09-20 - Modified: 2024-09-20 - URL: https://www.bluebendphotography.com/loop-lighting-photography/ - Categories: Stories What is Loop Lighting in Photography? Loop Lighting Definition and Characteristics In photography, loop lighting refers to placing your main illumination source at about a 30 to 45-degree angle from the camera for portraits. This setup creates a small, loop-shaped shadow under the subject's nose. This common style flatters the subject's face while maintaining a realistic look. Understanding the Loop Lighting Pattern Both beginners and pros often use this pattern because of its versatility. Position the illumination source slightly above eye level and to the side of the subject. It will let you achieve a distinct yet subtle shadow on the opposite side of the face. This shadow's shape is a loop that doesn't connect with the shadow on the cheek. It is a softer and more subtle way to bring out the model's chin and cheekbone structure with a three-dimensional effect created by the nose shadow. What is Loop Lighting Used For? These patterns work for shooting portraits. This type of modeling illumination is one of the most common for headshots, beauty photography, fashion shoots, editorials, and lifestyle pictures. Creating a loop brings out the face's natural contours, making it look slim. This approach highlights the best features and minimizes imperfections. How to Create a Loop Lighting Photography Setup Essential Gear for Loop Lighting Photography One of the common illumination setups used in portrait photography begins with a strobe or continuous illumination source. A single source may be sufficient, but using more than one source can help create dimensions and illuminate the background. Use modifiers to shape the illumination according to your creative vision and purposes. Each modifier shapes the illumination differently. For instance, softboxes and octaboxes create broad and split illumination. Meanwhile, a beauty dish provides flat, short, and more straightforward illumination. Snoots and flags provide rim illumination. A reliable and adjustable stand is necessary to position your gear at the correct height and angle. A reflector helps bounce light back onto the subject. It softens shadows and illuminates the areas that might otherwise be too dark. Choose the color of your reflector according to the fill light type you need. Camera Settings Adjust your camera settings according to the shooting conditions. Select a portrait lens (50-85mm). You’ve probably been aware that strong illumination requires a lower ISO (100-400) and a narrower aperture (f/5. 6 to f/8). Otherwise, the picture might turn out to be overexposed, creating an extra challenge during post-processing. Set your white balance to match the desired color temperature. The “Daylight” setting (around 5500K) is a good starting point for studio conditions. However, manual customization may be required to ensure accurate color representation. A shutter speed should be set between 1/125 and 1/250 seconds. This speed is fast enough to eliminate motion blur if the subject moves slightly. It works well with the flash synchronization of most studio setups. Use Single-Point Autofocus (AF) on the model’s eyes. Many modern cameras adjust this parameter automatically. Step-by-Step Guide to Loop Lighting Setup Move your key illumination source at 30- to 45-degree from the camera, right above the subject's eye line. Locate your modifier close enough to the subject. Put a grid on your modifier to illuminate your subject evenly. Place a second illumination source opposite the primary one. It should be around 45 degrees from the subject on the other side. It is traditionally put behind the camera or slightly to the side to illuminate the eye opposite the main illumination source. Position a reflector just out of frame, side to side, to ensure your subject is lit. This trick is especially useful if the shadows created by your modifier on the side of the face opposite the illumination source are too strong. Adjust the distance between the model and the illumination source depending on the effect you want. Review and readjust your loop light setup. Take a few test shots and review the pictures. Adjust the setup position, height, and distance as needed. Loop Lighting Portrait Photography Tips Why Loop Lighting Photography Is Ideal for Portraits This pattern enhances the models’ features without distorting them. The soft, oval-shaped shadow under the nose adds dimension to the face. The triangle of light on the cheek also defines the facial structure, making the image more aesthetically appealing. It is a versatile technique that can be catered to various moods and styles. Loop Lighting Portrait Photography Techniques The shape of your model's face will dictate how you should position your setup. For round faces, place the off-camera illumination slightly higher to add dimension. In contrast, lower positioning can soften angular faces. Ensure the illumination casts a small oval shadow under the nose without letting it touch the shadow on the side of the face closest to the camera. Consider your model's skin tone. For lighter skin, use a diffuser to avoid overexposure. A dark background will make the face pop out. For darker skin tones, ensure the picture is bright enough. The facial features should be properly highlighted. Avoid excessive contrasts. Please ensure you see a reflection in the upper part of the eye on the side of the face closest to the camera. This reflection is also called catchlight. This loop portrait lighting trick makes your pictures more engaging and lively. The way your model poses can significantly impact the final results. Encourage them to slightly turn their head towards the illumination source to accentuate their face. Small adjustments in their head tilt or chin position can turn an average shot into a masterpiece. Creative Uses of Loop Lighting in Photography Loop Lighting Examples: Inspiration and Ideas Historic archives preserved Winston Churchill's defiant expression during World War II in many photos. The portrait by Yousuf Karsh is the most famous one. It is one of the most popular loop lighting photography examples. The photographer positioned the main illumination source at a 30-degree angle from the camera, slightly above the Prime Minister's eye level. The small shadow under the British leader's nose emphasized his strong, resolute features without casting overly harsh shadows. Another loop-lighting example is the portrait of John Lennon and his wife, Yoko Ono, by Annie Leibovitz. The celebrity photographer captured the moment of intimacy between the legendary musician and his wife shortly before his death. The skin texture is highlighted, providing a gentle shadow under Lennon's nose and on his cheek. It introduced context and added depth, conveying the message of emotional connection between the spouses. These are examples of using the same technique for completely opposite effects. While Yousuf Karsh wanted to highlight the strength and resistibility of a historic figure facing the challenges of the war, Annie Leibovitz emphasized the tenderness and vulnerability of two loving people. Loop photography lighting worked perfectly in both cases, which proves its creative versatility. Combining Different Techniques Pairing looping with backlighting can create a halo effect around the subject. This approach makes the final image more ethereal and dramatic. Photography tutorials recommend this combination for fashion or conceptual photography. Experiment with color gels. For example, a warm gel can create a cozy, intimate atmosphere, while a cooler gel might evoke a more mysterious or futuristic feel. Enhance the model's facial features while infusing your scene with color splashes. You can also experiment with other illumination patterns. For instance, the Rembrandt lighting, named after the famous painter Rembrandt, can create an interesting interplay of shadows and highlights when combined with the loop illumination. This combination adds depth to your shots and grabs the viewers' attention with striking contrasts. Common Mistakes to Avoid Wrong positioning. Positioning the setup too low or far to the side leads to shadow disbalance. Avoid placing the illumination too close to the subject without adjusting the power. Hard shadows detract from the natural look. A busy or poorly lit background can distract from the subject and interfere with the effect of the illumination pattern. Ignoring the catchlight leads to dull and lifeless eyes, destroying the potential visual appeal of your shot. Lack of practice. Learn lighting techniques and patterns and apply them in your work. Regular practice will help you anticipate potential issues and refine your approach, leading to more consistent and professional results. Conclusion This portrait photography technique is accessible to photographers of all skill levels. It combines simplicity and versatility. It can be applied in various scenarios, from traditional studio settings to more creative or editorial shoots. Adding this tool to your creative arsenal effectively flatters various face shapes and skin shades. Proper illumination adds depth and dimension to your portraits. It makes your shots more engaging and visually appealing. Loop lighting can be a strong foundation for more complex studio setups. Combining it with other techniques lets photographers achieve more dynamic and intricate effects. FAQ What Is the Loop Lighting Photography Definition? How Does It Differ from Other Patterns? Loop lighting creates a small, loop-shaped shadow on the model's face. The illumination source forms a sharp angle with a camera and is located slightly above the model's eye line. While Rembrandt lighting produces a more pronounced triangle of light on the cheek and butterfly lighting centers the light above the subject to create a shadow directly under the nose, loop lighting creates soft shadows for a naturally flattering look. How Do I Set Up Loop Lighting? Position your illumination source at a 30 to 45-degree angle from your camera. Fine-tune its height and distance to the model to control the shadows. Use modifiers to illuminate the face evenly. Experiment with test shots to find the ideal setup. What Equipment Do I Need for a Setup? Except for a properly adjusted camera and a portrait lens, you will need:1. Illumination sources. 2. Modifiers. 3. Reflectors. 4. Stabilization gear. When Should I Use This Technique in My Photography Sessions? Use it in professional headshots and beauty photography. This technique can also effectively enhance your fine art shots and conceptual creative projects aiming to convey the idea of balance. Can You Provide Examples of Effective Usage of This Pattern in Portrait Photography? In Steve McCurry's portrait of Sharbat Gula, widely known as the “Afghan Girl,” loop lighting guides the viewers' attention to the girl's big green eyes. The soft, diffused light positioned at an angle above and to the side of the camera creates a distinctive loop shadow under Gula's nose. It emphasizes the face contours and highlights the intensity of the girl's gaze, conveying the idea of bravery and resilience. --- ### Emphasis in Photography: Techniques, Tips, and Examples > Learn emphasis photography techniques to create impactful images. Discover how to use light, focus, and composition to emphasize your subject effectively. - Published: 2024-09-18 - Modified: 2024-09-18 - URL: https://www.bluebendphotography.com/emphasis-in-photography-techniques-tips-and-examples/ - Categories: Stories What is Emphasis in Photography? Emphasis Photography DefinitionIn photography, emphasis is the technique of directing the viewer’s eye to a main subject. It draws the viewer’s attention to a particular element within the frame. It is an accent defining the picture’s focal point. Emphasis in Photography: Definition of the Main PrincipleThe principle of emphasis in photography revolves around guiding the viewer’s eye to the picture's element you want to accentuate. Photographers utilize lighting, focus, composition, and color contrast to ensure their subject is the only thing in focus of the viewer’s attention. Emphasizing your subject provides more visual weight to the photo. You tell the intended story and convey the message more effectively. Emphasis: Meaning in PhotographyAttracting attention to your subject is only the tip of the iceberg. There are several ways to create a hierarchy of visual elements to guide the gaze. You can use them to manipulate your work’s mood, narrative, and overall impact. It helps you ensure the essence of the photograph is communicated effectively. Knowing how to bring emphasis to the most significant parts of your shot can win you a place in the visual arts realm. Why is Emphasis Photography Important? Enhancing Visual Storytelling If you learn to highlight your subject, you can tell emotionally evocative stories in different genres, from stylish street photography to serene landscapes. There are several ways to properly highlight your narrative’s key elements. These techniques are actively used in portrait and event photography. This approach helps you tell a story with a strong emotional response. Improving CompositionCompositional knowledge is crucial for every photographer, and accentuation plays a very important role in it. The goal is to lead the focus to your subject while maintaining overall balance and harmony. A thoughtfully incorporated accentuation ensures your pictures always look aesthetically appealing and transmit your main message. Creating Impactful PhotosAccentuation helps create a lasting impact. Guiding your audience’s eye towards something, you can make your image more striking and memorable. By prioritizing certain elements within the frame, photographers elevate an ordinary scene into something outstanding. The visual will resonate with the public, staying in people’s minds for a long time. Techniques to Achieve Emphasis in PhotographyUsing Light and Shadows for Emphasis PhotosLight is one of the most powerful tools for helping your subject stand out. For example, in portrait photography, using direct artificial light or a beam of sunlight through a window can help emphasize the model’s facial features. Shadows can obscure less important details and minor drawbacks, making brightly highlighted traits even more prominent. Creating Emphasis Through Focus Photography: Manipulating Depth of FieldAdjust your camera’s aperture. It will let you control the area of the image that remains in sharp focus. This method is known as selective focus. It prioritizes particular elements within the frame, helping the human eye find a vantage point. In portrait photography, prioritize a shallow depth of field to accentuate the subject. It will blur the background using a dreamy bokeh effect. The foreground is sharp and clear, so the model’s face remains a vantage point. On the other hand, a higher depth of field can be particularly effective in landscape photography to preserve the vast details across the scene. Shutter speed can be manipulated to represent motion or freeze action. A fast shutter speed can capture crisp, clear details in a fast-moving subject against a static background. Meanwhile, a slow shutter speed can create motion blur around the subject. Using Contrast and Color for an Emphasis PhotoBasic color theory is essential to showcase your subject in color effectively. Observe different color schemes. Learn to utilize complementary (contrasting) colors or triadic colors (three colors situated close to each other on the color wheel) in your shots. This knowledge will help you understand which tones and shades highlight the key elements best. Beyond color, contrast in brightness, texture, or even emotion can be used to highlight the subject. For instance, a black-and-white photograph might use the contrast between light and dark tones, while a color photograph might use a pop of a bright shade like red or orange against a plain, neutral backdrop. Emphasis Through Positioning Photography: Frame Your Subject RightWhere you position the main element can significantly affect how the audience perceives it. For example, placing the most important elements in the center of the frame often creates a sense of stability and directness. However, the off-center positioning creates interest and dynamism. Additionally, framing the subject with natural elements—such as a doorway, window, or tree branches—can further accentuate it. Crop your image for a balanced and compelling composition. Applying the Rule of Thirds for Photos with EmphasisThe rule of thirds is one of the most important compositional guidelines. Divide the frame into a grid consisting of nine sections. Place the key element along one of these lines to create a visual interest. Placing the main parts of the frame at the lines’ intersections is more effective if you want to avoid a static feeling and make your picture more engaging and emotionally evocative. Leading Lines and Shapes in Photography with EmphasisWhen used effectively, straight or curved leading lines create a visual journey for the viewer. Use roads, rivers, pathways, or architectural features like doorways or staircases to drive the public into the scene. The leading lines can be vertical, horizontal, or diagonal. Additionally, shapes can be used for effective accentuation. Circular shapes, for example, naturally draw the eye inward. Triangles can lead the viewer’s gaze upward or downward, depending on their orientation. Utilizing the Negative SpaceManipulating the empty or open areas around your subject can help you create a strong accent, especially in minimalist and monochromatic shots. Simplicity is the key. For instance, a single light object against a solid black background grabs the audience’s attention without ruining the general intricacy and delicacy. Textures and PatternsA textured background, such as rough stone or intricate foliage, can add layers of meaning and interest. Establish patterns and break them around your main subject to guide people’s eye to it. You can use both natural and human-made patterns. For instance, a woman in a bright red dress immediately becomes the center of attention in a group photo where other people wear similar outfits in muted colors. Scale and Perspective for Emphasis in PicturesScale and perspective are powerful tools for accentuation in landscape and architectural photography. By making a certain element appear smaller or bigger, photographers define its role and significance for the overall composition. Photographing a person against a vast landscape can create a sense of solitude or insignificance. A telephoto lens will be particularly effective in this case. On the other hand, a macro shot with a zoom on intricate details highlights their importance. Similarly, changing the perspective from which the photograph is taken can alter the viewer’s perception. Low angles transmit the idea of power and improvement. Meanwhile, high angles represent fragility and vulnerability. Emphasis Photography ExamplesIconic Emphasis Picture Examples and What Makes Them Stand OutSteve McCurry used a combination of selective focus and complementary colors in his iconic portrait “Afghan Girl” (1984). Afghan refugee Sharbat Gula wears a bright red scarf. This scarf vividly contrasts the muted green backdrop. The shallow depth of field isolates her face. These techniques make Gula’s bright green eyes the photo’s focal point. Dorothea Lange’s “Migrant Mother” (1936) showcases the resilience of women during the Great Depression. Which type of emphasis did the photographer use in this image? Florence Owens Thompson sits in the central position. Her children frame her on both sides. This positioning guides the gaze to the woman’s face. The blurred background prevents distraction from Thompson’s facial expression. In his famous image “Moonrise, Hernandez, New Mexico” (1941), Ansel Adams used a large-format camera and a telephoto lens. The moon hangs low in the sky. This angle makes the moon the central point of the image. Colors were not required to highlight the contrast between bright moonlight and the obscured landscape below. The vastness of the scene is captured through the careful use of scale. In Henri Cartier-Bresson’s “Behind the Gare Saint-Lazare” (1932), timing and framing defined the success. Cartier-Bresson combined leading lines and a decisive moment to freeze the action with a dynamic and harmonious composition. Analyzing Emphasis in Photos: What Works and WhyIn a photograph where the subject is highlighted through color contrast, it is important to consider how the color scheme contributes to the overall mood. Bright colors against muted backdrops convey urgency and intensity. A shallow depth of field is effective for portraits since it blurs the background. The subject remains in sharp focus. The isolation from the background makes it the clear focal point of the image. This technique is particularly effective in portraits to emphasize the model’s facial expressions and create an emotional connection. Practical TipsHow to Train Your Eye to Recognize OpportunitiesObserve the scenes around you with an emphasis on photography. Pay attention to how light interacts with different objects, notice where shadows fall, and consider how these elements could be used. Look for natural frames and practice noticing color, texture, and scale contrasts. Observe the works of photographers you admire and identify the techniques they use. Seek similar creative opportunities in your own photography. Experimenting with Different TechniquesLearn to work with light and shadow. Change your light source’s direction and intensity to see how it affects the subject’s appearance. Try shooting the same subject in various lighting conditions and compare the impact of different qualities of light on the final result. Master your camera settings. Pay special attention to aperture and depth of field. Experiment with both shallow and deep depth of field to see how focusing on different parts of the image can alter the accentuation. Note that shallow depth of field works for portraits, while deep depth of field is actively used for capturing landscapes. Using Post-ProcessingUtilize selective sharpening to accentuate the subject. The background should remain slightly softer. This photo editing technique is particularly effective in portrait photography. It lets you keep the subject’s eyes and facial features in sharp focus to create a sense of depth. Increase the saturation of the subject’s colors. The background can be kept untouched or slightly desaturated. Use selective color adjustments to make the key elements pop out. Additionally, playing with contrast and exposure levels can help you define the most important elements of your image. Maintain a natural look and ensure the general appearance is not altered dramatically. ConclusionBy mastering light, focus, composition, and post-processing, photographers can direct the attention to the most important elements within a frame. Experiment with different techniques. Study the work of accomplished photographers. Develop your own style. Embrace your creative vision. Find what suits you best. Techniques and recommendations discussed in this comprehensive guide can help you push the creative boundaries. FAQsWhat Is the Definition of Emphasis in Photography? How Does It Enhance Images? Emphasis photography meaning includes a set of techniques to draw attention to the most important elements of an image, making them the focal point. This technique enhances images by creating a clear visual hierarchy, making the photograph more engaging. What Techniques Can I Use to Create Emphasis in a Photo? Selective focus makes the main subject look sharper on a soft background. Lighting can underline the subject’s best features. Color contrast can make the subject pop against its surroundings. Composition techniques can direct the viewer's gaze. How Does Lighting Affect Emphasis in a Picture? Proper lighting can highlight the subject, making it stand out against the background. Shadows can be utilized to create depth. They also direct attention to specific areas of the image. Insignificant elements and minor flaws can be obscured and hidden from the public. For example, side lighting can add dimension to a subject. The backlighting highlights the subject’s shape with a silhouette effect. What Role Does Photography Composition Play in a Photo with Emphasis? Compositional techniques arrange the elements within the frame. They aim to lead the viewer’s gaze to the crucial parts of the image. Can I Emphasize Pictures without Using Contrast? Yes. Selective focus, composition, and lighting provide the necessary accentuation even when applying contrasts is not possible. --- ### How to Remove Glare From Photo: Easy Steps and Tools > Learn how to remove glare from photos using easy techniques and tools. Discover the best apps and methods to get rid of glare in your pictures effectively. - Published: 2024-09-18 - Modified: 2024-09-18 - URL: https://www.bluebendphotography.com/how-to-remove-glare-from-photo-easy-steps-and-tools/ - Categories: Stories The Problem of Excessive BrillianceMain CausesUnwanted brightness in images is typically caused by a strong light source reflecting off a shiny surface or directly entering the camera lens. This phenomenon often results in distracting bright spots, washed-out areas, or reduced contrast. These issues often take away the beauty of your shot. Bright light sources and shiny surfaces with unwanted reflections obscure the true colors and details of otherwise stunning pictures and ruin them. The direction and intensity of illumination and your camera's position are the main factors you should consider to prevent unwanted luminescence in your images. TypesTypeCauseEffectPreventionLens (or light) flareLight source entering the camera lens directly. Results in streaks, halos, or rings of light across the image. Control the angle of light entering the lens; use a lens hood or adjust positioning. Sun (or direct) flareNatural light hitting the camera lens, usually during outdoor shooting. Causes overly exposed spots in images, often seen in sunrises and sunsets. Shield the lens from direct sunlight during outdoor shoots, particularly at sunrise or sunset. Flash (or reflection) flareCamera flash hitting shiny surfaces, reflecting from glasses, metal, or the subject’s eyes. Creates dazzling or harshly illuminated spots, ruining overall brightness. Avoid direct flash in low-light conditions, and consider using diffusers or adjusting the angle of flash to prevent reflection on shiny surfaces. Why It Is Important to Remove Glare From a PhotoAn excessive flare diminishes the overall quality of your images. Bright spots or reflections can distract viewers from the main subject. For example, the glasses' flare obscures the model's eyes in portrait photography. A photographer must take glare off a photo to ensure the main focal point is recovered. Moreover, the dazzling light can distort colors and reduce contrast. It makes the picture look washed out and less vibrant. This problem is common in landscape photography. For instance, a forest shot can lose its rich greens and deep shadows if a photographer does not bother to remove glare from photos. In professional photography, the image quality directly impacts the project’s success. Removing glare from a photo is essential to prevent dissatisfaction with the final product. How to Remove Glare From a Photo: Step-by-Step GuideHow to Get Rid of Glare in Photos Using Photo Editing AppsTop Apps to Get Rid of Glare in PhotosFotor is a versatile image editing app available for iPhone and Android devices. Using an app lets you easily remove photo glare and enhance lighting conditions. Its user-friendly interface makes it accessible even to users with limited image editing skills. Luminar Mobile is a powerful AI-driven image editor. It is a great option for removing unwanted glare from photos for iPhone users. The app’s AI-powered algorithm simplifies the editing process. The program can automatically detect and remove glare from a picture. Achieving professional-quality results has never been easier for beginners and professionals alike. Snapseed lets you remove unwanted dazzling and reflection from pictures for free. It offers various tools to eliminate unwanted artifacts and enhance the overall quality of your shots. This app allows you to edit glare out of a photo seamlessly and precisely. Comprehensive Guide on How to Edit Glare out of Photos Using Mobile AppsLaunch the chosen app and open the image you want to eliminate the extra luminescence from. Navigate to the "Edit" or "Retouch" panel and find a flare removal tool. Use the slider or adjustment options until you are satisfied with the results. Save the edited file. How to Remove a Glare from a Photo Using Adobe PhotoshopHow to Remove Light Glare From a Photo in Adobe PhotoshopTo easily remove light glare from a photo with this editor:Open the image. Apply the Spot Healing Brush Tool over smaller areas. It can easily remove eye glare from a photo or eliminate light reflecting from glasses. Adjust the brush size and drag it along the overly-brightened areas to blend them with the surrounding pixels. The Clone Stamp Tool works not only for object removal. Sample a nearby area of the photo and paint it over the part of the image you want to cover. It will help you save big areas of the picture from dazzling lighting. Use dodging and burning to selectively eliminate dazzling in your photos, ensuring the most important details are preserved. Adjust brightness and contrast to balance the exposure and save the results. How to Remove Sun Glare From Your Photo Using PhotoshopTo remove sun glare from a photo:Open the image and navigate to the Lens Correction filter to reduce large sunspots. For instance, you can use this feature to remove window glare from a photo. The Patch Tool works if you need to remove bright light from a photo selectively and the damaged parts are small. For example, it can effectively eliminate glass flare. Select the affected area and drag it over a clean part of the image to blend it. Adjust curves and levels to bring out colors and contrasts and save your work. How to Get Rid of a Glare in a Photo with Online ToolsBest Online Photo Glare Removal ToolsBeFunky is a beginner-friendly online tool to edit your photos. It provides quick and effective photo removal solutions. Pixlr provides advanced features similar to those in professional software for free. It is a variant for users on a budget who need detailed and precise enhancements. Photopea is a web-based free equivalent of Photoshop. It provides robust post-processing features without needing any software installation. How to Take Glare out of a Photo OnlineVisit a chosen website and upload an image you would like to edit. Find the tool to minimize brilliance. It is usually located on the “Retouch” or “Adjustments” panel. Apply the tool to the dazzled areas and download the results to your device. How to Remove Glare from Photos: Advanced TechniquesHow to Remove Glare Using LightroomImport your file. Perform local adjustments with the Brush tool in the Develop module. Reduce the Highlights and Exposure in the areas you would like to modify. Apply the Dehaze filter. Fine-tune contrasts and clarity. Save the edited file. How to Remove Flash Glare from a PhotoHere is how to remove flash from a photo:Import the file into your post-processing program, such as Luminar Neo. Select a necessary tool regarding the imperfection's size (brush, clone stamp, etc. )Apply the tool along the bright spots caused by the flash to ensure they are seamlessly blended or covered out. Adjust the Shadows and Highlights sliders to balance the light distribution across the image. The goal is to restore and maintain the natural, realistic look. Use selective adjustments to refine the enhanced areas further to achieve a consistent and polished visual. Once satisfied, save the edited file on your device. How to Get a Glare Out of a Photo: Editing TipsPrioritize soft brushes with low opacity. They ensure gradual and natural-looking modifications. Prevent the post-processed parts from standing out. Select non-destructive editing or work in layers. This approach preserves the original file and lets you come back to it at every stage of your post-processing work. You can experiment with different edits and reverse them anytime. Avoid excessive editing to prevent an artificial look. Adjust the color balance and tone of the modified areas to blend them seamlessly into the overall picture. Review your image carefully using the “Before/After” mode. Zoom in for more precise control over your manipulations. If you use AI-based editors, fine-tune the image manually once artificial intelligence copes with the main task. Preventive MethodsTips to Avoid Excessive Brilliance When Taking PhotosMove your camera to the side or tilt it slightly. Changing the angle of your camera can significantly reduce the risk of dazzling when working with reflective areas like glass or windows. Mind your camera angle when shooting portraits to prevent the reflection from the model’s eyes or glasses. Adjust the illumination equipment’s position in the studio and catch golden hours when shooting outdoors. When the illumination is soft and diffused, unwanted blaze is less likely to occur. Harsh and direct illumination in front of or behind your main subjects creates an additional challenge. Best Practices for Shooting in Harsh Lighting ConditionsUse modifiers like softboxes or diffusers. They reduce striking contrasts and diffuse harsh illumination. Position the reflector to bounce light onto your subject. It will soften shadows and minimize the light intensity. Avoid direct sunlight when shooting in natural conditions. Seek shaded areas whenever possible, especially when shooting portraits or working with reflective surfaces. If shade is not an option, try positioning yourself so that the sun is behind you. If your subject is backlit by strong sunlight, using a fill flash can help balance the exposure. This technique illuminates shadowed areas, preventing them from being washed out and underexposed. Using Filters Polarizing filters are invaluable for working with reflective surfaces. They are particularly useful when shooting landscapes, water scenes, or through glass. Keep a polarizing filter in your camera bag and experiment with angles for the best results. Neutral density filters help minimize the amount of light entering your lens. They let you avoid overexposure when working in bright conditions. They reduce overall light to minimize blazing in high-contrast situations. Graduated neutral density filters are particularly useful for landscape photography. The sky is usually brighter than the ground, which ruins the overall illumination balance. These filters darken only a portion of the image, like the sky, without affecting the rest of the scene. ConclusionWhy Learning How to Take the Glare out of a Picture is EssentialUnwanted dazzling light can easily ruin an otherwise perfect shot. It distracts from the subject, distorts colors, and diminishes contrast, taking away your photography's potential. Learning to prevent and erase unwanted reflections and bright spots effectively expands your creative possibilities. Challenging lighting conditions or environments with reflective surfaces are no longer obstacles. You can capture the moment exactly how you envisioned it without worrying about unnecessary artifacts. How to Remove Glare from Pictures: Final TipsPractice regularly. Try integrating different tools and techniques into your photography workflow. It is always easier to prevent unnecessary dazzling light while shooting than to deal with it as an extra challenge during post-processing. Aim for subtle edits. The final result should not look over-processed. Ensure the natural look is maintained. Stay updated on photo editing software tools and post-processing techniques. Keep yourself informed about the latest updates and best practices to ensure you are using the most effective methods. Always have a copy of your original file before editing. This measure allows you to revert to the unedited version. Keep the original image as a reference point for comparing your modifications. FAQs on How to Take a Glare out of a PhotoHow to Take Glare off Pictures? Start by choosing an image editing program. It can be a desktop program, a mobile app, or an open-source solution. Import the original file into the software and target dazzled areas with specific flare removal tools. The tool type depends on the affected area's size and the unwanted fluorescence intensity. Fine-tune the image and save it on your PC or smartphone. How to Remove the Glare from a Photo with Free Tools? Install an editing app like Snapseed or open a website with an open-source editor like Photopea. Import the original file and cover up extra luminance with healing tools. Review your picture and adjust it further if you want to. Download the final file on the PC or smartphone. How to Remove Glare from a Picture Easily? What Is the Easiest Way to Fix Glare in a Photo? Apps like Luminar Mobile or BeFunky utilize AI-powered tools to automatically detect and reduce affected areas. Almost zero input from the user is required. How to Remove Light Streaks from a Photo Taken in Bright Sunlight? In Photoshop, the Clone Stamp Tool is applied to remove sunlight from a photo. Sample a clean area of the shot and paint over the light streaks. In Lightroom, you can use the Dehaze filter. Almost every image editor lets you adjust highlights and shadows to balance the exposure. How Do I Get Rid of Glare in Photos Taken With a Smartphone? Apps like Fotor and Luminar Mobile offer tools that allow you to adjust highlights, reduce brightness, and use the healing brush to cover up dazzled areas. --- ### Shadows in Photography: Mastering Techniques & Creative Ideas > Explore shadow photography techniques and tips to create dramatic, captivating images. Learn how to use shadows in photography for depth, mood, and creativity. - Published: 2024-09-18 - Modified: 2024-09-18 - URL: https://www.bluebendphotography.com/shadows-in-photography-mastering-techniques-creative-ideas/ - Categories: Stories What is Shadow Photography? Understanding Shadows in PhotographyIllumination is one of the most impactful elements in photography. Illuminated and darkened elements should harmoniously coexist to create a balanced image. Many photographers love to use darker areas of their shots to direct attention and add layers to their artwork. When light hits an object, it typically casts a shadow. This area is characterized by the absence of illumination. The main characteristics of these areas are length, direction, and intensity, which typically depend on the illumination source's position and strength. Photographers use illuminated and obscured elements of images as the key tools for redefining their visual narratives. Why Shadow in Photography MattersThe difference between an image's light and dark areas is called contrast. Contrast defines shapes and patterns. The brightness variations create a sense of volume and draw the viewer's attention to the most important elements of the picture. Moreover, darkened segments can add depth to an image and create an illusion of dimension in flat, two-dimensional shots. Let's take landscape photography. The long shadows cast by a low sun can enhance the texture of the ground with a three-dimensional feel. Obscured elements can also be used in portrait photography. You'll see how they can sculpt the subject's face and highlight their character. Shadows Photography DefinitionIn photography, shadow refers to the darker area within an image caused by an obstruction of light. When used creatively, these areas can be the main compositional elements. Shadow photography means deliberately utilizing the image's dark areas to create contrast, depth, and mood. Key Shadow Photography TechniquesUsing Light Direction and Quality for Photography with ShadowsBy carefully managing the direction and quality of illumination, photographers can create obscured elements that become focal points. This approach adds depth and intrigue to their compositions. The angle of the light relative to your subject is crucial. Side lighting produces the most pronounced obscuration. Position the key light source at an angle to the subject to achieve it. During the golden hour, natural light darkens certain parts of your image softly. This smooth darkening greatly affects architectural photography and landscapes. This approach can effectively enhance intricate details. Front lighting illuminates the subject directly. Don't be afraid to use it if you want to showcase your subject without distractions. Conversely, positioning the illumination source away from the subject or at a lower angle can darken a bigger segment, adding drama and mystery. Studying light types is paramount to succeed in this type of photography. Hard light is characterized by direct, intense illumination. When shooting outdoors, it can be achieved with studio lighting equipment or harsh midday sun. Understand the inverse square law and learn to apply it in your workflow. The illumination intensity decreases rapidly as the distance from the source increases. Control the harshness of outlines when using hard illumination. Soft illumination can be achieved during overcast days or with light modifiers in the studio conditions. Minimizing the contrast ratio between the illuminated and darkened areas makes the transition between them smoother. Exploring Shadow Lighting PhotographyPlace the key light source behind your subject to produce dramatic silhouettes against a brightly lit background. Strip your subject down to its basic shape, letting viewers focus on its form without distractions. Locate the main illumination source at an angle behind the subject. The rim lighting creates a glowing outline that highlights the edges while leaving the rest of the subject in the dark. This technique is especially beneficial for capturing portraits. Use obscured elements to define negative space. The dark areas can shape the empty or open segments around the subject to guide the viewer's eye toward the focal point. Mastering Shadow Portrait PhotographyIn portrait photography, shadows sculpt the model's face. For example, Rembrandt lighting positions the key light at a 45-degree angle from the subject. A distinctive triangle of light on one cheek is created. The rest of the face is hidden in the dark. This method draws on chiaroscuro principles. The contrast between light and dark creates moody and introspective images. A higher light-to-shadow ratio creates more dramatic contrasts, ideal for a mysterious or intense look. A lower ratio softens the image, lending it a more delicate and approachable feel. Consider the light source position for indoor photoshoots. Mind the time of the day for natural conditions. Creative Ways to Use Shadows in PhotographyCreating Drama and MoodObscured elements can add a layer of emotional depth to your images. For example, when photographing a subject, you can focus on dark areas to obscure parts of the scene. Leave just enough visible to intrigue the viewer. This technique is particularly effective in low-light situations or when using one light source. You can manipulate the contrast ratio more effectively by intentionally underexposing parts of your image or adjusting the ISO to control the amount of light reaching your sensor. This approach is especially useful in black-and-white photography, where the absence of color directs all attention to textures and shapes. Leading LinesThe darker parts can be natural leading lines, guiding your viewer's eye where you want it to be. Strong, directional light can form long dark lines across the scene, particularly in landscape and architectural photography. Positioning your camera to align these lines with the rule of thirds will let you achieve balanced and dynamic shots. Framing Your SubjectThe obscured parts of your image can create a border around the subject. It will outline and isolate your main subject from the background, catching the audience's attention. Everyday objects like window blinds, tree branches, or even a person's hand can be used to darken certain parts of the image and form natural frames. Regarding the illumination source position, direction and intensity of light. A narrow light source can help create a sharp, defined frame around the subject, while a broader light source can be used to encircle the subject softly and gently. Additionally, using one light source to cast the frame can simplify the setup and give you greater control over the final image. Portrait Photography Tips and ExamplesObscure certain parts of your model's face and highlight the other. For example, you might position your subject so that the shadow of a window pane falls across their face, obscuring one eye while highlighting the other. This trick will add a sense of mystery and attract your audience's attention to specific details. Incorporate unique shadows into your portraits. Shadows cast by everyday objects, such as lace fabric, plants, or geometric patterns, can add texture and interest to the image. A dynamic interplay between light and dark will enhance your visual narrative. Experiment with different lighting setups and shadow patterns for beautiful and thought-provoking contrasts. Post-ProcessingDodging and BurningThese photo editing techniques allow you to lighten (dodge) or darken (burn) selectively specific areas of your image in post-processing software. You can use the burn tool to draw more attention to the obscured elements in your photo. It will darken them further. Light dodging can help you bring out some more subtle details. Precise manual control will let you enhance specific parts of your photo without affecting it as a whole. Ensure your pictures look natural and maintain their original integrity. Prioritize non-destructive editing. If it is not included, export the original files to your inbox. Revisit and compare different versions of your edited image. Provide adjustments cautiously and precisely. Enhancing ContrastIdentify the main subject in your composition. Consider background replacement tools of your photo editing software at this stage. This type of photography usually works with dark focal points. Utilizing bright or neutral backdrops can effectively highlight the main subject's shape and texture. Adjust the tone curve to control the brightness and contrast of specific tonal ranges in your image. Creating an S-shaped curve can deepen the shadows and brighten the highlights. Photo editing tutorials particularly recommend this type of curve for black-and-white pictures. The curve should be subtle to prevent a loss of detail in the dark or bright areas. Adjust the clarity levels. Boost the mid-tones and create a more balanced contrast. Filters and presets can be a perfect starting point. Tweak the settings to suit your specific image. Customize filters to your taste and ensure your picture is not overwhelmed. Making the Shadow the Main Subject: Using Post-Processing CreativelyPost-processing allows you to creatively manipulate obscured parts, turning them into the focal points of your photos. One way to do this is by selectively desaturating or blurring parts of the image. Keeping the outlines sharp and crisp will make them more visually compelling. This trick works for fine art and conceptual photos with unusual patterns and shapes. Inversion, when light areas become dark and vice versa, is another effective technique for conceptual and fine art photography. It aims for surreal and abstract looks. Adjust the level of curves to make your shots more striking and unconventional. Adding a cool or warm tint to the shadows can change the emotional tone of the image. Depending on your creative goals, experiment with color grading to make your picture more inviting, gloomy, or mysterious. Unique Creative Examples of Shadow PhotographyIconic ImagesIn Man Ray's “Le Violon d'Ingres” (1924), obscured elements create a captivating optical illusion of a violin's f-holes on a woman's skin. This trick highlights the subject's form and blurs the lines between real and imaginary concepts, which is typical of Ray's surrealistic style. In “Behind the Gare Saint-Lazare” (1932), Henri Cartier-Bresson captures a fleeting moment. The attention is attracted to the silhouette of a man leaping across a puddle. This dark figure becomes integral to the composition. This approach let the father of modern photojournalism achieve tension without ruining the overall balance. In “Moonrise, Hernandez, New Mexico” (1941), Ansel Adams uses the long shadows cast by the setting sun. The striking contrast between the bright sky and the darkened earth made the composition serene yet powerful. Yousuf Karsh's portrait of Winston Churchill (1941) is another example of creative manipulation of lightened and darkened areas. The contrasts are more vivid in a black-and-white picture. The intensity of Churchill's gaze immediately catches the viewer's eye, conveying the message of resilience. In his series “Genesis,” Sebastião Salgado manipulates contrasts between the rugged textures of mountains, icebergs, or desert dunes against the smooth, expansive skies. This approach lets the photographer achieve a visual impact. It provides a sense of scale, impressing the viewers with the grandeur of natural wonders. Photography Examples: Inspiration and IdeasSilhouettes at SunsetPosition your subject against a strong light source, such as the setting sun. Adjust the exposure settings to highlight the shadows while darkening the model's face, landscape, or cityscape you aim to capture. Abstract PatternsLook for objects with intricate designs, like lace curtains, plant leaves, or even a mesh basket. Shine a light through these objects and capture their shadows on a flat surface. It will make your artistic imagery more intriguing. Urban SettingsStreet photographers can use outlines to create compositions emphasizing geometry, rhythm, and movement. Try focusing on the shadows rather than the subjects themselves. Capture the play of light and dark as your subjects move through the frame. ReflectionCombine obscured elements with reflections in environments with water, mirrors, or glass surfaces. Challenge your audience's perception and make your photographs multilayered. Chiaroscuro PortraitsUse hard, direct light and vivid contrasts. Place your model so that part of their face or body is illuminated while the rest falls into shadow. This will emphasize the facial contours and convey deep, emotional messages. ConclusionExperimenting with light and dark can lead to some truly captivating images. Shadows convey emotions and guide the viewer's attention. They add an additional layer of meaning to your photos. Whether you are a pro or a beginner, you can use shadow photography techniques for lively and dynamic shots. Dark areas can add a sense of mystery, tension, or tranquility. Shadow photography's versatility means it can be applied across various genres. It is actively used in portraiture and landscape photography. Street photographers and abstract artists also have these techniques in their toolkits. Step outside your boundaries and adapt to different shooting conditions. Instead of avoiding harsh light or dim settings, embrace these challenges and utilize them creatively. The more you experiment, the more you will discover how shadows can enhance your photographic style and help you tell more powerful stories. FAQWhat Role Do Shadows Play in Enhancing Photography Composition? The power of shadows in photography lies in their ability to add depth and dimension. Shadows can define shapes, emphasize textures, and create contrast. They guide the viewer's eye through the frame. Shadows can also be used to balance the composition. How Can I Use Shadows to Create Dramatic Effects in My Photos? Strong direct lighting, backlighting, and low-angle lighting should be prioritized. These lighting techniques help create long, deep shadows. Enhancing the contrast in post-processing can further amplify the sense of drama, scale, and mystery. What Are the Best Techniques for Shadow Photography? Mind your camera settings, especially ISO and exposure. ISO can help reduce noise in the darker areas of your image, preserving the detail in shadows. A slight underexposure makes the obscured elements richer and more defined. Learn to manipulate the angle of the light relative to your subject. It can change the intensity and shape of shadows. Familiarize yourself with post-processing tools. Start with basic contrast enhancements. As your photo editing skills elevate, integrate advanced techniques like dodging and burning into your workflow. Pay attention to how light interacts with common objects. Look for scenes where shadows create a sense of depth or movement. Observe how shadows change throughout the day. Experiment with different angles and perspectives. Utilize contrasting textures or patterns. Smooth surfaces juxtaposed with rough or intricate details can create visual interest. Additionally, you can experiment with contrasting shapes or forms. Try to place geometric objects against more organic, flowing shapes. What Impact Do Shadows Make on the Mood of a Photograph? Long, soft shadows cast during the golden hour can create a warm, nostalgic mood. Meanwhile, harsh, angular shadows suggest tension or isolation. What Are Some Creative Ways to Incorporate Shadows in Portraiture? When shooting portraits, dark areas can be used creatively. Use Rembrandt lighting and chiaroscuro portraits to highlight the drama. Use obscured parts as frames for your subject. Additionally, shadows from everyday objects like window blinds or tree branches can be incorporated to add texture and dynamism. --- ### Foreground in Photography: Definition, Tips, and Techniques > Learn how to use the foreground in photography to create compelling images. Explore tips, techniques, and examples to enhance your photos with strong foreground elements. - Published: 2024-09-18 - Modified: 2024-09-18 - URL: https://www.bluebendphotography.com/foreground-in-photography-definition-tips-and-techniques/ - Categories: Stories What is the Foreground in Photography? Foreground Photography DefinitionIn photography, the foreground refers to the part of the image closest to the viewer. Photographers use it to guide the viewer's eye to the central part of the scene. What is the Foreground of a Picture? The foreground of a picture is the area that appears nearest to the observer. Photographers use it to create a sense of depth and dimension within the image. The foreground includes various elements to integrate the viewers into the scene. Compositional elements like trees, mountain ranges, intricate flowers, or people can be the anchors, drawing viewers' attention to the most important parts of the visual narrative within your frame. Why Foreground Matters in PhotographyPhotographers can establish a clear focal point by incorporating a strong forefront subject. Directing the view through the different layers of the photograph is paramount to focus the viewer's attention on the most significant elements of your visual story. Using the foreground effectively can add layers of meaning to your shots. By carefully manipulating the distance between the foreground and background, you can add a sense to your pictures. This technique is particularly popular among portrait and landscape photographers. A strong front layer can turn two-dimensional pics into an impactful and relatable experience. Common Forepart Elements of the ImageForeground Elements: What They Are and How to Use ThemThe photo's foreground element is an object that appears in your image to draw the viewer's attention wherever you want it to be. In other words, it is the composition's anchor, used to create depth and convey the message more effectively. Consider how front elements integrate with other parts of your picture. Do not neglect light and shadow. Properly adjusted lighting can enhance textures, highlight details, and create contrasts. For instance, soft, diffused light might bring out subtle textures in a forefront element, while harsher, direct light can create strong shadows and highlights that add drama and depth. How to Use Foreground Elements to Add Depth to the ImageConsider the spatial relationship between the foreground, middle ground, and background. Place your objects at varying distances from the camera for a layered effect. Consider the scale and placement of your front elements to enhance this sense of depth. Larger objects in the front part naturally draw more attention. They make the background appear far away, creating an expansive feel. Varying the distance between elements can create a more dynamic and engaging composition. Consciously arrange the elements within your frame. It can help you bridge the gap between the front part and the rest of the image. Popular Elements of Foreground: Texture, Color, and ShapeTexture can give a photograph a tactile quality, making it feel more real and inviting. For example, the rough surface of a rock, the intricate details of a leaf, or a butterfly's wings can make people linger in the image. The properly chosen color palette can change the mood and tone of the photograph. A vibrant forepart color can create a striking contrast with the middle ground and background, making the front part of the scene the center of attention. Conversely, muted tones can create a more harmonious and balanced composition. They help convey fragility and intricacy. Jagged rocks, tree branches, or architectural features unite the front part of your shots with the rest, letting you achieve a balanced and cohesive look. Interesting shapes are essential for deep, multilayered visuals. Winding paths, angular structures, or flowing water can help to encapsulate the viewer's experience. The form and arrangement of these shapes can help you create a sense of balance or tension, depending on the genre and style of photography they are used for. How to Use Foreground in PhotographyTechniques for Effective Foreground PhotographyAdjust your camera's aperture settings. It will let you control the depth of field. Landscape photographers prioritize a narrow aperture because it allows them to preserve important details. Both front part and background remain in sharp focus. Meanwhile, using a shallow depth of field allows you to blur the background. The foreground element becomes the focal point. A wide aperture is preferable in portrait photography. It creates a dreamy bokeh effect, attracting attention to the model's face. You can also explore various angles and perspectives. The angle of view can dramatically alter how the photo's elements are perceived. A low angle can make a front element appear larger and more dominant. Low angles serve to bridge the gap between different layers. This perspective guides the gaze naturally from the foreground to the middle ground and background. Many photographers use low angles when they want their audience to move from one subject to another in a linear sequence instead of sticking to one element. For instance, in landscape photography, low angles are used for a sense of scale, leading the audience toward the horizon. Creating Foreground Photos with Leading LinesOne of the most effective ways to use foreground elements is to incorporate leading lines. They drive the viewer's eye from one object to another. Trees, archways, fences, shorelines—seek horizontal and vertical lines at the scene and use them to lead the gaze. This approach can add an artistic touch to casual snapshots. This technique is particularly useful when you want to create a strong visual journey within the photograph. It lets people explore different parts of an image step by step. To use leading lines effectively, consider their direction and placement within the frame. Diagonal lines tend to create a dynamic and engaging flow. Horizontal lines can add stability and calmness to the composition. The lines should complement the overall structure for a balanced composition. Creating a Frame with Foreground ElementsCreate a natural border around the key subject. Creative framing can be performed using trees, archways, or even out-of-focus elements that appear close to the camera. This approach encapsulates the subject, providing a sense of place. A portrait framed by foliage suggests a natural environment. A subject framed by architectural elements like a doorway or window can convey a more urban or structured setting. These clues about the context of the subjects' environment can significantly enhance the visual narrative. Strong Foreground in Landscape ImagesUsing Foreground to Enhance Landscape Photos Landscape pictures should be visually appealing and full of details. Use natural elements like rocks, flowers, and water features as points of interest. Utilize visual anchors to ground the image and give your audience a starting point to explore the scene. A solitary tree or a unique rock formation can be a strong focal point. Consider a photograph of a mountain range with a field of wildflowers in the front part. The flowers' vibrancy creates a path towards the towering mountains in the distance. It adds a sense of scale and perspective, making the in-focus element more immersive. Let's take a coastal scene where rugged rocks in the forefront vividly contrast with smooth water surfaces. The texture and solidity of the stones are a visual anchor guiding the audience to the tranquility of water. The soft, distant horizon adds a sense of space to the composition. How to Create Dynamic Foreground Pictures in NaturePay attention to changes in weather and lighting conditions. Learn to manipulate natural light. Catch golden hours to enhance the forefront elements with a warm golden glow. This will highlight colors and textures, making your shot more captivating and dynamic. Meanwhile, overcast conditions can create diffused light that reduces harsh shadows. These conditions can be useful for balanced and harmonized landscape pictures. Consider adding motion to your photos. The movement of water in a stream, grasses swaying in the wind, or clouds drifting across the sky can make your photographs more emotionally appealing and energetic. Use a slower shutter speed. It will let you create a sense of flow in the forefront part. This flow will contrast with the stillness of the middle ground and background. This multilayered concept is used to create visual interest. Examples of Effective Foreground in Landscape Photography“Clearing Winter Storm” by Ansel Adams catches the viewer's eye with snow-covered rocks and trees in the front. These textured and detailed elements guide the audience toward the Yosemite Valley, making it appear even more majestic. The contrast of foreground and background textures integrates viewers into this dramatic landscape, making this artwork emotionally evoking and relatable. Galen Rowell uses colorful Tibetan prayer flags fluttering in the wind in his “Rainbow Over the Potala Palace. ” These flags serve as colorful attention grabbers and provide an additional cultural context. They encapsulate the spiritual and cultural significance of the location, framed by a stunning rainbow. Yan Zhang includes a series of rocks and wildflowers as the forepart of his “Twilight at Mount Assiniboine. ” The soft light of the setting sun enhances the color contrast, making the mount appear more massive and serene. The color palette makes this photo tangible and inviting. Perfect Foreground in Portrait PhotographyThe Use of Foreground in PortraitsForepart elements are used in portraits to enhance the overall narrative. They provide intimacy and establish an emotional connection between the model and the viewers. A softly blurred object in the forepart can frame the subject and add layers for a more visually appealing portrait. Ensure the forepart elements complement the main subject instead of competing with it. You can use something as simple as a branch, a piece of furniture, or even an object that relates to the subject's personality or environment. Highlight your model's features and expressions. Add more details to the story you want to tell with the portrait. Forefront Elements in Portrait PhotographyThe effective forepart elements for portraits range from natural surroundings, like foliage or flowers, to more structured objects, such as doorways, windows, or even everyday items the model interacts with. A musician might be framed by the blurred outline of an instrument, or an artist could be partially obscured by their easel. These elements add context to the portrait. The viewers can familiarize themselves with the model's personality through the prism of the things they love. Filling the Frame: Compositional Foreground Techniques for PortraitsFilling the frame involves bringing objects close to the camera lens. The objects occupy a significant part of the frame, but the model stays in focus. This technique can be particularly effective in crowded or busy environments. It can effectively isolate the subject from distractions. Filling the frame with carefully chosen foreground elements conveys a mood or atmosphere, whether it is a sense of privacy, intrigue, or connection to the environment. Tips for Mastering Foreground PhotographyFocus Techniques for Capturing the Foreground of an ImagePrioritize manual focus over autofocus. It is especially important for complex scenes, where the forepart is crucial. Control which parts of the composition are the sharpest. Ensure the foremost part of the scene stands out. Adjust the background according to your creative goals. Crisp backgrounds work for landscapes to maintain intricate details. In portrait photography, the intentionally blurred background can focus attention on the model’s face. Combine multiple shots with various focal points in your photo editing software. This technique is called focus stacking, and it keeps both the front and back parts of your shot equally sharp and has a greater depth of field. It can be especially beneficial for landscape photography. Utilize focus stacking when shooting scenes with the foreground elements close to the camera. It will let you maintain clarity throughout the entire image. Exposure and Contrast for a Foreground PictureBalance the exposure for the scenes with a strong front part. Ensure the forefront elements are neither too light nor too dark. The exposure compensation feature ensures the frontal elements are well-lit without overexposing the background. Bracketing can be helpful for landscape photography with unpredictable lighting conditions. It will let you prevent excessive contrasts. This technique helps to retain detail in both the shadows and highlights. Ensure no element is lost in the shadows or blown out by the excessive light. The Rule of Thirds for Composing a Foreground PhotoDivide your frame into nine equal sections with two horizontal and two vertical lines. Place your forepart elements along these lines or at their intersections for an appealing and well-balanced composition. Placing the forefront objects at the line interactions ensures that the viewer's attention is directed toward both the foreground and the other areas of the image. For instance, placing a prominent rock or flower at one of these intersections can lead the eye from the foreground to the layers of the landscape shot. ConclusionThis article explored various strategies for effectively incorporating front-end elements into compositions. In landscape photography, elements like rocks, water, or vegetation can add scale and draw the viewer into the scene. In portrait photography, front-end elements can frame your subject, adding context and emotional depth. Applying these techniques can take your photography to the next level. Mastering foreground photography opens up new creative possibilities, allowing you to craft more compelling and immersive visuals. FAQWhat Is the Foreground of an Image, and Why Is It Important? The foreground of an image refers to the part of the scene closest to the camera, which means it is also the closest to the viewer. A foreground establishes a connection between the viewer and the subject. In landscape photography, a well-chosen front element can create a sense of place and scale. In portrait photography, the foreground is used to add emotional depth and context. How Can I Effectively Use Forepart Elements when Capturing Landscapes? Identify the forepart elements. These can be natural or artificial objects. They should add interest and context to the scene. Position them at the bottom of the frame. Ensure they guide the viewer's eye. Think about the relationship between different parts of your shot. Adjust lighting and focus to prevent losing the most important details. What Are Some Common Techniques for Enhancing the Forepart in Photos? A wide-angle lens exaggerates the size of the foreground relative to the background. Selective focusing keeps the front elements sharp while the background is softly blurred. Pay attention to the exposure and contrast settings. Utilize basic compositional techniques like the rule of thirds, leading lines, and natural framing. How Does the Foreground Impact the Photography Composition? The foreground is the starting point for the viewer's visual journey through the photograph, leading their gaze toward the key subject or focal point. A well-composed foreground can help balance the image. It creates harmony between different elements and provides context or narrative. How to Create a Sense of Scale in My Photos with Forefront Elements? Include objects of known size—such as a person, a tree, or a building—in the front part. It will give your audience a reference point that makes the background appear larger or more distant. Use a wide-angle lens to make the front elements look more prominent. This approach is especially effective for vast scenes and expansive backdrops. What Are the Best Tips for Creating Compelling Foreground Photos? Select strong and impactful elements. Mind their colors, textures, and shapes. Adjust the depth of field according to your creative intents, and pay attention to the lighting conditions.... --- ### Hard Light Photography: Mastering Techniques and Tips > Discover the art of hard light photography with tips, techniques, and examples. Learn how to create dramatic effects and master this powerful lighting style. - Published: 2024-09-18 - Modified: 2024-09-18 - URL: https://www.bluebendphotography.com/hard-light-photography-mastering-techniques-and-tips/ - Categories: Stories Understanding Hard Light PhotographyHard Light Photography DefinitionHard light is direct light that casts sharp, strong shadows and creates a high contrast. It comes from a small or focused illumination source—the sun, a flash, or a bare bulb. How Does Hard Lighting Photography Work? A small illumination source relative to the subject should be positioned at a greater distance. It produces high-contrast photography with hard, crisp, and distinct shadows. When a larger, diffused source is used, the light wraps around the subject more evenly. It allows photographers to soften harsh shadows. Hard light, on the other hand, accentuates textures and edges. It is used to create beautiful shots with a dramatic mood. Key Differences between Hard Light and Soft LightThe main difference between the two concepts is the size of the illumination source used and the transition from highlights to shadows it provides. Knowing how to manipulate illumination, you can achieve different effects. The main factor defining hard light is the abrupt transition between lighter and darker areas. Harder shadows and sharper contrasts effectively accentuate the roughness of surfaces. It can help you bring out details in subjects like stone, metal, or aged skin. Meanwhile, gradually changing highlights and shadows are optimal for flattering portraits. If you want to showcase your model’s beauty, the lighting should be softer. If you need a clean, professional, and inviting look, like in newsletters, soft illumination is also preferable. How to Create Hard Light PhotosEssential EquipmentUse a small, focused illumination source. It could be a bare flash, a direct spotlight, or natural sunlight. Ensure the illumination is direct and concentrated. Tools like snoots or barn doors can help control and direct the illumination. To ensure your gear is in place, use a tripod and a strand. Adjust your camera settings to accommodate hard shooting conditions. Use a low ISO, narrow aperture, and fast shutter speed to prevent overexposure. Setting Up: Essential Recommendations for Studio and Outdoor Photoshoots When shooting indoors, position the illumination source close to your subject. Moving it farther away still lets you produce hard illumination, but you don’t get clearly defined shadows in this case. Use a portable source to adjust the distance and position easily. Be mindful of the ceiling and other surroundings. If you want a more intense focus on textures, direct the source straight to your subject. Adjust your studio lighting setup to see how varying distances and angles affect the image. The sun is your primary helper in outdoor shooting. Prioritize shooting at noon, when the sun is huge and located directly over the subject. If there are clouds in the sky, they can work as diffusers. In this case, utilize portable reflectors to bounce the light back. If the sun is not direct and partially obscured, readjust your setup accordingly. Manipulating Highlights and Shadows Position your illumination source to cast shadows across different elements of your composition. Take a look at how different shadow placements affect the mood and depth of your shots. The intense highlights can bring out the details and textures of your subject. Manage highlights carefully to avoid overexposure. Readjust your camera setting and utilize additional illumination sources when needed. Apply highlights to enhance particular aspects like textures, shapes, or surfaces. Techniques and Tips for Hard Lighting PhotosCreating Dramatic ImagesThere are various ways to convey drama through your shots. For instance, position the illumination source to the side of the subject to cast long, defined shadows. Emphasize the contours so your subject pops out. Consider incorporating contrast between lighter and darker areas in your composition for depth and intensity. Common Mistakes to AvoidOne common error is not using a flag or other modifier to control unwanted spills. A flag can help block light from hitting areas of the scene that you want to keep in shadow. It provides more control over the illumination. Another mistake is overexposing your highlights. It can lead to losing details in the brightest parts of your picture. Consider bracketing to ensure you capture the full range of details. Be mindful and prevent unwanted distractions. When to Use Hard LightingPhotography tutorials recommend applying hard illumination to enhance textures, shapes, and contrasts. For example, in product photography, it can bring out the texture of materials. It will make the products look tactile and inspire client engagement. This technique is also used for editorials, architectural, fine art, and fashion photography. In addition, it is arguably great for creating the perfect close-ups. Even photography styles where this technique is not normally used can sometimes benefit from it. For example, in portrait photography, position your illumination source at a sharp angle to cast shadows across the face. It will highlight the facial features, enhancing the overall moody atmosphere. This approach is used in newsletters for artistic showcases, dramatic narratives, editorials, and themed campaigns. Examples of Hard Light in PhotographyIconic Pictures in HistoryYousuf Karsh utilized hard illumination for one of the most uncommon genres for this technique—portraits. The contrasts look even more striking in black-and-white pictures. Karsh’s portrait of Winston Churchill is a perfect example. The harsh shadows and intense contrasts highlight Churchill’s stern expression and the rugged texture of his face. American fashion photographer Richard Avedon utilized this technique for visually striking and highly contrasted shoots that defined the fashion photography aesthetics of the 20th century. Helmut Newton is another fashion photographer who embraces intense contrasts and harsh shadows for provocative and recognizable visuals. Bold, graphic elements in his compositions bring out the textures of skin and fabric, allowing Newton to achieve a dramatic, almost cinematic quality. Modern Photography Trends and StylesBruce Gilden used a handheld flash for his street shots. His gritty, high-contrast images capture the raw energy and emotion of urban life. The textures’ and features’ confrontational intensity makes Gilden’s artwork stand out. Annie Leibovitz’s capture of Whoopi Goldberg in a milk bath is another example of effectively using striking contrasts in portraits. The actress’s dark skin against the whiteness of the milk makes this photo attention-grabbing, aesthetically pleasing, and intriguing. Gregory Crewdson applies hard illumination for cinematic surrealism. Deep shadows and sharp contrasts contribute to his shots’ eerie, otherworldly atmosphere. David LaChapelle takes a more colorful and hyper-realistic approach. His vibrant artwork is inspired by modern pop culture. The exaggerated qualities of his subjects are enhanced with direct illumination for a captivating, dreamy effect. Final ThoughtsWhy Hard Lighting is a Powerful ToolHard light produces sharp shadows, high contrast, and defined edges that convey a sense of drama, intensity, and focus. It is essential for visually impactful photos. This type of lighting is particularly effective in enhancing textures, shapes, and details. It works for genres like fashion, macro, architectural photography, etc. Whether it is the tension in a high-contrast portrait or the bold lines in an architectural shot, hard light can give a photograph a sense of depth and dimension. Additionally, it can guide the viewer’s eye to the most important elements of the image. This technique can be used for both naturalistic and surreal effects. For example, in black-and-white photography, hard illumination can be used to emphasize the contrast between different tones. Combination with Other Lighting TechniquesUsing hard illumination as the main source, combined with a softer fill light, can help to balance the strong shadows. The dramatic effect will remain, which is especially effective for portraits and visual storytelling. Use this combination if you want to preserve some detail in the shadows without losing the overall intensity. Create a strong highlight, keeping the main illumination broad and soft. Define the subject’s edges and make it look separated from the background for the three-dimensional effect. Mixing direct sunlight with reflected or diffused illumination in outdoor photography can help control the general contrast. Ensure the essential details are brought up in both highlights and shadows. For example, shoot during the golden hour. The sunlight is still strong but softer, warmer, and evenly spread. FAQWhat Is Hard Light in Photography, and How Does It Differ from Soft Light? Hard lighting creates sharp, well-defined shadows and high contrast. Soft light is diffused, wrapping around the subject and producing gentle, soft-edged shadows. How Can I Create Hard Light in My Photography Setup? Ensure you have the following:Small and concentrated direct illumination source. Properly adjusted camera. Modifiers. Stabilization gear. What Are the Advantages and Disadvantages of Using Hard Light in Photography? Advantages:Attention-grabbing, deep, and meaningful images. Highlighting shades and textures. Achieving three-dimensional sculpted shapes and forms. Effective separation of the subject from the background. Disadvantages:Accentuating blemishes, wrinkles, and other minor imperfections. Distracting and undesirable reflections. Challenging to manage the quality of light. The source's position and intensity should be controlled precisely for optimal results. Limits of use. This type of illumination can be applied only to certain specific photography genres and styles. What Are Some Tips for Achieving Dramatic Effects? Position your illumination source at sharp angles to your subject to create deep, long shadows. It will add context, drama, and depth. Block light from hitting certain areas of your scene. See where the shadows fall and enhance the contrasts of certain areas of your composition. Utilizing a flag will be especially useful here. Focus on textures. Emphasize details in materials for tactile and appealing shots. Place objects between the illumination source and your subject to create interesting shadow patterns. Blinds, leaves, and other textured materials work well. Incorporate reflective surfaces like mirrors or metallic objects in your scene for dynamic highlights and additional points of contrast. Explore and master various techniques, and feel free to combine them in your workflow. --- ### Frequently Asked Questions - Wedding Photographers in Asheville, NC, North Carolina - Published: 2019-04-14 - Modified: 2024-04-19 - URL: https://www.bluebendphotography.com/frequently-asked-questions-wedding-photographers-in-asheville-nc-north-carolina/ - Categories: Stories What equipment do you use? We use professional digital SLR cameras, as well as professional film cameras. Because film and digital each have their own advantages, the final print is the most important thing to consider. We choose film or digital based on lighting, colors, movement, time of day, etc. For Digital, Canon cameras and lenses are used and we always bring at least 3 cameras to each wedding with a full complement of professional grade lenses and flashes. For Film, we have a whole array of cameras that we have collected over the past 15 years – everything from Canon EOS cameras to Mamiyas, Contax, Hasselblads, and others. Where are you located and what areas do you serve? We call Asheville, North Carolina home. After moving around the world for the past 10 years, we have finally bought a house and set down roots. It feels good actually :) We regularly travel around North America, the Carribean, and Europe for weddings, though. We LOVE traveling to photograph! Do you charge a travel fee? We don’t charge a travel fee for weddings that are within a couple hours of Asheville. We only ask for you to pay for the plane ticket and the hotel if you’d like us to go on your adventure with you. What do your packages generally include? All packages include high resolution digital files, all the photos posted online for friends and family to view anywhere, and may also include paper proofs and an optional custom Leather Craftsmen album. We also provide a complimentary engagement photo session with most packages. What is the Leather Album? The Leather albums are custom wedding albums hand-made in California and New York. We will sit down with you in a personalized design meeting and figure out which layouts, album colors, and style work best. Ultimately, the colors, layout and picture choices are all decided by you, but we will be there to help and make suggestions. There are many sizes and styles to choose from, with most people choosing either a matted album or the latest flush-mount or “coffee-table” designs. What is your style? The most natural and unobtrusive way to photograph your wedding is to blend into the day’s events and capture the day as a photojournalist would. We always stay close to the action but remain quiet and respectful. We will not boss your friends and family around or get in the way. One of the greatest compliments we often receive is from clients after they pick up their proofs, amazed that so many unique images were captured without the stress of being ordered around. Time will also be spent with the bride and groom moving around the locations, exploring the most interesting and photogenic landscapes. During this time we will direct the two of you a little to help you achieve the best photos possible. Do you offer black and white , as well as color? Yes! Black and white, and color images are both possible. There is no extra charge for any choice of style. Some clients may prefer 100% black and white coverage or 100% color coverage, but most choose a mix of both. Again, this will be decided by you. Does that mean we own the copyright? Yes! You own the rights to your images. You are under no obligation to order prints through us, however if you’d like to, the relationships we have setup with professional printing labs will produce better results than traditional consumer labs. Reprint prices have been priced accordingly to allow you to order through us and get professional lab quality and achieve the highest quality possible without spending considerable amounts of money. Do you photograph formal shots of family and friends? Yes! Generally right after the ceremony we will take formal group shots of your family, friends and wedding party. We understand the importance of traditional formal portraits of you and your family. Also, throughout the night we will be taking pictures of groups of people as you think of them or we see them happen. --- ### A Note From Maddy & Nick - Wedding Photographers in Asheville, NC, North Carolina - Published: 2019-04-14 - Modified: 2024-04-19 - URL: https://www.bluebendphotography.com/a-note-from-maddy-nick-wedding-photographers-in-asheville-nc-north-carolina/ - Categories: Stories Congrats on your engagement! Firstly, we’d like to congratulate you on this exciting time in your life. The next year will fly by with preparations, invitations and anticipation. It seems like just last year that we were planning our wedding. Now, with our 10th anniversary behind us and our 2nd child with us, we are reminded what an amazing time of life it is to be preparing for a wedding! Congrats and ENJOY it! Relax! We’ve done this before! We have people ask us all the time if we’re comfortable photographing a wedding at a venue that we haven’t been to before. ABSOLUTELY! Nick has photographed more than 450 weddings in the last 10 years and Maddy is over her 100 wedding mark. We love our job for so many reasons, but more than anything we love getting the opportunity to see so many new places and hang out with people on their happiest day. Weddings have taken us across the globe and to mountains, glaciers, zoos, oceans, piers, boats, airplanes, helicopters, golf courses, fields, rivers, gardens, forests and almost anything else you can imagine. This experience combined with consistently original images is what led Nick to be named one of the top 50 wedding photographers in the country. Our work has been featured in numerous magazines and almost every time, it was our first time at that venue. If any of us is asked to shoot at a venue that we haven’t been to before, we always make sure to go ahead of the wedding and look for the best spots and angles and get information about where things are going to happen. So... why are we different? By now I’m sure you’re on your 1,012th wedding photography website and you don’t know anymore who you’ve contacted and what sites you’ve seen already. Believe me, we’ve been there. We believe what sets us apart from others is our ability to capture the emotion and joy of the wedding day without intruding on the events. We have had so many people tell us over the years that they couldn’t believe they’d ended up with so many photos of what was going on – they had no idea we were even taking pictures. This “ninja-style” (as Nick likes to jokingly say), combined with an eye for photojournalism is what allows us to produce so many images with a creative style, but also capture the events taking place. Where do we go from here? Everything about our company is about making your life easy. Everything from our booking process to the album design will be as easy for you as possible. We regularly do bookings over the phone and internet. From there it can all be done via email. We have so many clients from outside the Asheville area, that we are very used to providing a complete service over the phone and via email. We have even been known to Skype and FaceTime if you’d like to “meet us” face to face. Of course, if you’re in town you’d like to come by our office in Hendersonville, you’re very welcome – we love to get visitors! If there is anything that we can do for you, please just let us know. --- ### Wedding Venues in Asheville & WNC - Real Wedding Photos - Published: 2019-04-14 - Modified: 2024-04-19 - URL: https://www.bluebendphotography.com/wedding-venues-in-asheville-wnc-real-wedding-photos/ - Categories: Stories Wedding Venues in ASHEVILLE · BLACK MOUNTAIN · HOT SPRINGS · LAKE LURE · WAYNESVILLE Besides the amazing beer scene, Asheville, NC has a number of beautiful wedding venues. You can find everything from the world-renown Biltmore Estate, to small farms, and everything in between. In this area, a big view is never too far. The Biltmore Estate Whether you have 4 guests or 400, the Biltmore Estate has a spot. If you are having a large wedding, we’d suggest looking at the Lioncrest, the Deerpark, the Diana, or in front of the main house. All of those each hold 100+ people. If you are looking for something smaller, try looking at the Conservatory, the Champagne Cellar or the Inn. We’ve shot weddings in each of those with weddings as small as an elopement with just the bride and groom. Our team has extensive experience on the grounds and knows all the best spots around for photos. The Farm, A Gathering Place (Candler) If you are looking for a farm atmosphere without being a barn go and look at the Farm in Candler. It’s only a 10 minute drive or so from the edge of Asheville, making it a super convenient place for friends and family to get back to hotel after the wedding. Just off to the side of the building where the reception is held is a working farm with horses and rolling pasture. It also offers a great outdoor location for ceremonies. Claxton Farm (Weaverville) This is another venue that is surrounded by mountains. There isn’t a bad view in any direction. They can hold up to a medium sized wedding and have a great spot on the lawn, just outside of the reception space, for an outdoor wedding. If you want a wedding in the country surrounded by mountains you should definitely have a look at Claxton Farm. Yesterday Spaces Yesterday Spaces is only a few minutes from downtown Asheville, but feels like you’re hundreds of miles into the countryside. On their 70 acres they have rolling hills, beautiful fields, and a great restored barn as their reception space. If you’re looking for a venue that feels very “Western North Carolina”... check them out! The Omni Grove Park Inn There is a reason that when President Obama came to Asheville he stayed at the Grove Park both times. It’s spectacular. The view, the hotel, the service, the rooms... everything is gorgeous. With the new Wedding Coordinator there they have really stepped up the game with weddings. They’ve recently just completely renovated and overhauled the Country Club for weddings and it turned out awesome. The Venue - Downtown Asheville For those of you that want a Downtown Asheville wedding in a super hip, modern space have a look at The Venue. It’s within walking distance to Pack Square as well as the rest of downtown. It’s an upstairs venue with a big balcony that overlooks the city. This wedding had about 100 guests and had the ceremony as well as the reception at The Venue. Homewood This building is not only beautiful, it has a very cool history as well. It’s within minutes of downtown Asheville, making it a super convenient venue for someone that wants to use Asheville as a base. Montford is even within walking distance. There is a very cool outdoor spot for a ceremony on nice weather days. Inside is covered in wood paneling, has a giant old, working fireplace and is a great location for an indoor wedding – especially an indoor winter wedding. Biltmore Forest Country Club Don’t be fooled. This is not your typical country club. We have photographed tons of weddings at country clubs and this one is different. It’s in the middle of Biltmore Forest and has the same architecture as the surrounding houses and buildings. It has a gorgeous back patio that overlooks the course and the mountains. If it’s nice out it’s large enough to have all your dancing and partying out there after you have dinner in a huge, beautiful hall, just inside from the patio. The whole thing is very elegant! The Crest Center and Pavilion This is actually two venues. One can hold up to about 100 – 150 and the other can easily hold 200+. The Center is the original building (older building) with the big deck that overlooks the mountains. Below that is the newer Pavilion with a big patio and small lawn out back. Both have a view that is to die for. This venue works great whether you’re getting married in town and then celebrating at the Crest Center or if you’re going to do both ceremony and reception at the same place. Both places are also big enough that if it were to rain you can simply move the ceremony inside and you don’t have to worry about getting a tent for outside. Chapel at Glassy - The Cliffs - Greenville, SC Want a chapel to get married in that hangs at the top of a giant cliff? This is your spot! That is exactly what this is. You drive for about 10 minutes up and up and up. At the top of the mountain, hanging on the edge of a cliff and overlooking South Carolina is the Chapel at Glassy. The Lake Lure Inn & Spa For small to medium sized weddings looking for a mountain backdrop, an excellent place to look is the 1927 Lake Lure Inn. Not only does this venue offer a fantastic setting, nestled in between mountains and across the street from a lake, it is a hotel large enough to accommodate all your guests, with a bunch of other hotels and motels within walking distance. If you’re looking for an outdoor ceremony, the gazebo in the middle of the lake is an idyllic spot and with the use of the trolley no one has drive. Chapel at Pretty Place At the end of a long road that leads through the woods is ‘Pretty Place. ’ Calling this spot Pretty Place would be like naming a black lab, ‘Blacky. ’ In the middle of the woods, on the top of a mountain, overlooking rolling mountains and hills is this medium-sized “chapel. ” It’s not a chapel or church in the traditional sense. There are no walls or doors. It has a roof, tiered seating and a completely unobstructed view of mountains. It’s a bit of a drive, but totally worth it. Going out of town? We’ve been all over. For weddings we have been all over the Midwest, the Southeast, the West Coast, Alaska, Hawaii, the Caribbean, Ireland, England, Germany, and Italy, and have traveled personally (not for weddings) to Central America and Asia. Nick and Maddy are fluent in English and German and can get by in Spanish, French and Italian. We love traveling, and we LOVE traveling for weddings. We call Asheville home, because it’s our favorite place we’ve ever called home, but traveling for weddings is our favorite thing. :) --- ### The Blue Bend Team - Wedding Photographers in Asheville, NC, North Carolina - Published: 2019-04-13 - Modified: 2024-04-14 - URL: https://www.bluebendphotography.com/the-blue-bend-team-wedding-photographers-in-asheville-nc-north-carolina-2/ - Categories: Stories Founder / Photographer bought his first darkroom when he was 16 from money he made bagging groceries. had a professional level darkroom by the time he graduated high school bought his first Mamiya 645 when he was 18 – lots of bagged groceries for that :) first wedding photo was of his wife – 11 years ago first wedding he got paid for was as a second shooter with over 700 guests – 10 years ago he has lived and worked as a photographer in Detroit, Germany, Alaska and NC he photographed wedding #400 sometime last summer he loves cycling, backpacking, reading, film and being a dad of 2 boys. Founder / Photographer Madeleine was born in Germany and started her photography career in Munich, Germany. It was while working as a photographer and studying Art History that Nick and Madeleine met. Their mutual love for photography has fueled an amazing team both professionally and personally. When she doesn’t have a camera in her hand Maddy enjoys sewing, quilting, cycling and hiking and being a mother of 2. Associate Photographer Colby was born in Vermont, though he’s spent most of his life here in the Western region of NC. He picked up his dad’s old Canon 35mm camera to document his adventures with in high school, and his obsession with photography has steadily gained momentum ever since. Colby got his degree in Technical Photography from Appalachian State University and now splits his time between shooting weddings, photographing news and events, and documenting the world around him. Colby also enjoys exploring new places, bike riding, swimming holes, and anything new and interesting. He is a regular contributor for the Asheville Citizen-Times. Associate Photographer Since childhood I have had an insatiable desire to express myself creatively. While growing up in Florida I spent a lot of time skateboarding and taking photos of my friends or the many cultural oddities I found while exploring my suburban area. My interest in photography has always been fed by certain forms of overlooked beauty or mundane details, translated in a way that reminds us to slow down and really look at light, an object, or an expression. Every photograph is capable sharing an experience or conveying feelings. I believe that photographs are precious and should remain timeless. As an observer I’m consistently searching for right moment to share with you, the viewer. --- ### Photography Packages & Prices - Wedding Photographers in Asheville, NC, North Carolina - Published: 2019-04-13 - Modified: 2024-04-14 - URL: https://www.bluebendphotography.com/photography-packages-prices-wedding-photographers-in-asheville-nc-north-carolina-2/ - Categories: Stories We know that there are a ton wedding photographers out there. Our #1 priority is that you love your photos. What is your heart telling you? Whose work do you connect to the most? Can you imagine your wedding day story being photographed by that photographer? Are you here right now because your heart and gut tell you that we are that photographer? Then send us an email, tell us about you and your wedding. We love a good story. Let’s talk, it all starts there, who knows what will happen? How much time do I need? We have 4 wedding photography packages, but all of them are can be added to, in order to tailor the package to suit your needs and wants. Nick is in the office every day and is happy to help build a rough timeline with you on the phone. We know how confusing (and sometimes overwhelming) it can be to figure all this out. Give us a call or email and, after hearing your ideas, help you build a plan for the day. Once you have that you can easily figure out how much time you need a photographer. Love our work, but you’re not getting married in Western NC? No Problem! We are based in Asheville, NC, but can travel for the day from Nashville to Savannah. Further away (California, Alaska, Colorado, Germany, Italy, Jamaica... we’ll jump on a plane and spend the week / weekend with you. We love both shooting overseas and at home, so please get in touch no matter of the size of your wedding. --- ### Asheville Area Wedding Venues | Wedding Photographers in Asheville, NC, North Carolina - Published: 2018-07-29 - Modified: 2024-04-14 - URL: https://www.bluebendphotography.com/asheville-area-wedding-venues-wedding-photographers-in-asheville-nc-north-carolina/ - Categories: Stories Wedding Venues in ASHEVILLE · BLACK MOUNTAIN · HOT SPRINGS · LAKE LURE · WAYNESVILLE Besides the amazing beer scene, Asheville, NC has a number of beautiful wedding venues. You can find everything from the world-renown Biltmore Estate, to small farms, and everything in between. In this area, a big view is never too far. The Biltmore Estate Whether you have 4 guests or 400, the Biltmore Estate has a spot. If you are having a large wedding, we’d suggest looking at the Lioncrest, the Deerpark, the Diana, or in front of the main house. All of those each hold 100+ people. If you are looking for something smaller, try looking at the Conservatory, the Champagne Cellar or the Inn. We’ve shot weddings in each of those with weddings as small as an elopement with just the bride and groom. Our team has extensive experience on the grounds and knows all the best spots around for photos. The Farm, A Gathering Place (Candler) If you are looking for a farm atmosphere without being a barn go and look at the Farm in Candler. It’s only a 10 minute drive or so from the edge of Asheville, making it a super convenient place for friends and family to get back to hotel after the wedding. Just off to the side of the building where the reception is held is a working farm with horses and rolling pasture. It also offers a great outdoor location for ceremonies. Claxton Farm (Weaverville) This is another venue that is surrounded by mountains. There isn’t a bad view in any direction. They can hold up to a medium sized wedding and have a great spot on the lawn, just outside of the reception space, for an outdoor wedding. If you want a wedding in the country surrounded by mountains you should definitely have a look at Claxton Farm. Yesterday Spaces Yesterday Spaces is only a few minutes from downtown Asheville, but feels like you’re hundreds of miles into the countryside. On their 70 acres they have rolling hills, beautiful fields, and a great restored barn as their reception space. If you’re looking for a venue that feels very “Western North Carolina”... check them out! The Omni Grove Park Inn There is a reason that when President Obama came to Asheville he stayed at the Grove Park both times. It’s spectacular. The view, the hotel, the service, the rooms... everything is gorgeous. With the new Wedding Coordinator there they have really stepped up the game with weddings. They’ve recently just completely renovated and overhauled the Country Club for weddings and it turned out awesome. The Venue - Downtown Asheville For those of you that want a Downtown Asheville wedding in a super hip, modern space have a look at The Venue. It’s within walking distance to Pack Square as well as the rest of downtown. It’s an upstairs venue with a big balcony that overlooks the city. This wedding had about 100 guests and had the ceremony as well as the reception at The Venue. Homewood This building is not only beautiful, it has a very cool history as well. It’s within minutes of downtown Asheville, making it a super convenient venue for someone that wants to use Asheville as a base. Montford is even within walking distance. There is a very cool outdoor spot for a ceremony on nice weather days. Inside is covered in wood paneling, has a giant old, working fireplace and is a great location for an indoor wedding – especially an indoor winter wedding. Biltmore Forest Country Club Don’t be fooled. This is not your typical country club. We have photographed tons of weddings at country clubs and this one is different. It’s in the middle of Biltmore Forest and has the same architecture as the surrounding houses and buildings. It has a gorgeous back patio that overlooks the course and the mountains. If it’s nice out it’s large enough to have all your dancing and partying out there after you have dinner in a huge, beautiful hall, just inside from the patio. The whole thing is very elegant! The Crest Center and Pavilion This is actually two venues. One can hold up to about 100 – 150 and the other can easily hold 200+. The Center is the original building (older building) with the big deck that overlooks the mountains. Below that is the newer Pavilion with a big patio and small lawn out back. Both have a view that is to die for. This venue works great whether you’re getting married in town and then celebrating at the Crest Center or if you’re going to do both ceremony and reception at the same place. Both places are also big enough that if it were to rain you can simply move the ceremony inside and you don’t have to worry about getting a tent for outside. Chapel at Glassy - The Cliffs - Greenville, SC Want a chapel to get married in that hangs at the top of a giant cliff? This is your spot! That is exactly what this is. You drive for about 10 minutes up and up and up. At the top of the mountain, hanging on the edge of a cliff and overlooking South Carolina is the Chapel at Glassy. The Lake Lure Inn & Spa For small to medium sized weddings looking for a mountain backdrop, an excellent place to look is the 1927 Lake Lure Inn. Not only does this venue offer a fantastic setting, nestled in between mountains and across the street from a lake, it is a hotel large enough to accommodate all your guests, with a bunch of other hotels and motels within walking distance. If you’re looking for an outdoor ceremony, the gazebo in the middle of the lake is an idyllic spot and with the use of the trolley no one has drive. Chapel at Pretty Place At the end of a long road that leads through the woods is ‘Pretty Place. ’ Calling this spot Pretty Place would be like naming a black lab, ‘Blacky. ’ In the middle of the woods, on the top of a mountain, overlooking rolling mountains and hills is this medium-sized “chapel. ” It’s not a chapel or church in the traditional sense. There are no walls or doors. It has a roof, tiered seating and a completely unobstructed view of mountains. It’s a bit of a drive, but totally worth it. Going out of town? We’ve been all over. For weddings we have been all over the Midwest, the Southeast, the West Coast, Alaska, Hawaii, the Caribbean, Ireland, England, Germany, and Italy, and have traveled personally (not for weddings) to Central America and Asia. Nick and Maddy are fluent in English and German and can get by in Spanish, French and Italian. We love traveling, and we LOVE traveling for weddings. We call Asheville home, because it’s our favorite place we’ve ever called home, but traveling for weddings is our favorite thing. :) --- ### Bethany & Scott's Wedding - Sawyer Family Farmstead | Wedding Photographers in Asheville, NC, North Carolina - Published: 2018-07-21 - Modified: 2024-04-13 - URL: https://www.bluebendphotography.com/bethany-s-wedding-sawyer-family-farmstead-wedding-photographers-in-asheville-nc-north-carolina/ - Categories: Stories If you haven’t heard of Sawyer Family Farmstead, I highly suggest you check it out for your wedding. This was our 4th or 5th time out there, but only my first (Nick). I was always super jealous when Colby and Maddy would come back with photos of this amazing place. Kevin and I were out there on a gorgeous, clear day for the whole day. The girls got ready in the “Bride’s Cabin” and the groom and groomsmen got ready down the hill in the “Groom’s Cabin”. They didn’t do a first look, so they had a very relaxed getting ready schedule. This type of schedule usually allows us to come and go a little more freely and get lots of photos of, not only getting ready, but also details and the grounds. The guys made their way up to the ceremony site on the hill through the trees and the guests were ferried up from the parking lot with the tractor and trailer (a very cool shuttle! ) A beautiful ceremony performed by Rev. Kathy Jennings had almost everyone in tears while overlooking beautiful Lake Glenville. Following the ceremony we did photos of the family at the ceremony site, photos of the wedding party down by chimney (see below) and then about 20 minutes of bride and groom photos. We hurried in for the introductions, dancing and dinner. As soon as dinner was over we shot back out for another 20 minutes for more photos as the sun was setting. The grounds are stunning and with that fantastic light we were able to get some great images. The rest of the night was a great party and was the perfect end to an amazing wedding day. --- ### Biltmore Estate Conservatory Wedding | Wedding Photographers in Asheville, NC, North Carolina - Published: 2018-07-10 - Modified: 2024-04-19 - URL: https://www.bluebendphotography.com/biltmore-estate-conservatory-wedding-wedding-photographers-in-asheville-nc-north-carolina-2/ - Categories: Stories We’ve had the pleasure of working with Mary Bell for quite some time now. So when she called and told us that a good friend of hers was having a Biltmore Estate wedding, and she was planning and designing it, I knew it was going to be spectacular. Mary exceeded our expectations. Tonia and Brett’s wedding was beautiful, down to the very last detail. The Biltmore Estate is a stunning place to get married to begin with. But when you add a beautiful couple, great weather, gorgeous flowers and decorations, and delightful guests, it makes what we do not even seem like work. Tonia also had on some pretty rad cowboy boots :) Kevin got lots of time with the couple and, together, they went all over the property to get some amazing photos. The Estate is huge, so it helps that Kevin worked at the Biltmore as a photographer for a couple of years. He knows all the great spots at all the different times of the day. See the bottom of the post for a full list of the amazing vendors. --- ### Do I Need a Wedding Photographer? | Wedding Photographers in Asheville, NC, North Carolina - Published: 2018-07-08 - Modified: 2024-04-12 - URL: https://www.bluebendphotography.com/do-i-need-a-wedding-photographer-wedding-photographers-in-asheville-nc-north-carolina-2/ - Categories: Stories Cons to hiring a wedding photographer: Do I even NEED photos? This is a more philosophical question than a practical one, and one that will be different for every person. I see this as the first question that all of us should be asking, because if you land on “NO” you don’t really need to go any further. Realistically, why do we need any of what we have at the wedding? Why do we need flowers? Why are we inviting guests? Why do we need rings? Etc, etc, etc. I’m not here to talk you out of photos. I’m just trying to be fair to both sides. For those of you that are still of the opinion that, yes, you’d still like photos at your wedding, what about some of the other options? It’s pretty expensive for a good photographer This is probably the biggest argument against getting a photographer. On average a decent photographer costs about $2500 for the day, $3500 for a really good one, and about $800 for one just starting out. Obviously, that money could be spent elsewhere, right? Everyone at the wedding will have their phones and a few will bring cameras It’s 2017. I don’t know anyone without a smart phone anymore. On top of that, almost everyone I know has a really good smart phone that has a camera that is many times better in quality to the film that was used for weddings 15 years ago. If you are diligent about creating a hashtag for Instagram, collecting photos from guests afterwards via Dropbox or something and then doing some basic editing on them, I’m sure that you could get a ton of pretty good photos to help you remember the wedding day and for you to share with people that couldn’t come. A friend or relative can be your photographer for free I’m sure you have an uncle or cousin or a friend of a friend that has a good camera is pretty good at taking pictures. They could bring their camera to the wedding and take photos. That with all the photos you get from other cameras and phones will be a ton of photos. You might get terrible or absolutely no good photos This is the biggest one for me. Assuming that you want photos from you wedding, there is a very good likelihood that you get not a single photo worthy of printing out and putting on the wall or even on Facebook. I think we can all think of many examples of people telling us that they can do things that just aren’t true. Pros to hiring a wedding photographer: Photos are important Again, this is just an opinion, and one that I wholeheartedly subscribe to, but I believe photos are important. I don’t have a great memory on a day to day basis. I have to keep lists and lists of things and a very detailed calendar just to make sure that I don’t forget things. But the second I have a photo in front of me, I am flooded with emotions and memories. The right photo, for me, allows me to almost relive that moment (and oddly enough, a time period around that moment). Who hasn’t had that experience where you see a picture of yourself on the beach, laughing with a friend next to you. You immediately remember everything about what you were laughing about, who said what, and even a dozen other memories from that day – all from just one photo of you laughing on the beach. So, we agree that photos are important, but why would anyone spend so much money to pay a stranger to take photos? A much higher likelihood of getting beautiful photos Personally, I happen to know a lot about science. My mom is a nurse, many of my friends are doctors and I went to pre-med for 3 years. I even got really good (well not terrible) grades in all my biology classes. In fact, I could do your next medical procedure for way less money than those “professionals. ” There is a very small likelihood that you’d live right? This is the main reason you’d hire a professional for anything that you care about the results. Your uncle Bob might get one or two photos that are awesome and you might have something to hang on the wall, but when you hire a professional with a lot of experience, you have a very, very good chance of getting hundreds and hundreds of awesome photos – forget about getting just a couple good ones. A professional knows photos you will want in 20, 30 or 50 years True story: When I got married almost 14 years ago I told my photographer to not even BRING color film. I didn’t want it. I didn’t want any color photos and I also didn’t want any posed photos. All I wanted was photojournalism and for him to be there and capture what was happening. Boy am I glad that he knew what he was doing and talked me out of such a ridiculous idea. Of course, he took tons and tons of photos of stuff as it was happening, but he also lined us all up and had us look at the camera with a beautiful background behind us. He also took tons of photos that he knew my mom would want, my grandma would want, and most importantly, he took photos of stuff that I didn’t even think of back then. Professionals take photos that tell a story In my opinion, the real difference between an amateur and a professional is the ability to convey emotion with a photo and have images write a narrative. When I photograph an event my goal is to tell a story. I have the story pretty much written in my head and I just need to find the photos to create the narrative. So, I will leave with this final thought. If you a) think photos are important, and b) think it’s important that you have good photos (not just Uncle Bob), then... hire someone with the experience to get the photos you want your grandchildren to see (and their grandchildren for that matter). --- ### Make a Rough Wedding Timeline in 10 Minutes | Wedding Photographers in Asheville, NC, North Carolina - Published: 2018-07-08 - Modified: 2024-04-14 - URL: https://www.bluebendphotography.com/make-a-rough-wedding-timeline-in-10-minutes-wedding-photographers-in-asheville-nc-north-carolina/ - Categories: Stories If you haven’t planned a wedding before coming up with a general wedding timeline can seem daunting. Fortunately, we’ve seen about 1000, so we have some experience. :) The first question is the ceremony. Personally, I’m always of the opinion that they should happen a little earlier than later. Why have so many people come from so far away only to hang out with them for a couple of hours? Another practical reason not to have the ceremony too late is dinner. You don’t want to pump people full of booze and not feed them till 8pm. Keep in mind, most of the people that are going to be there, especially if they have kids, probably ate around 12 or 1. Ceremonies that start between 4 and 5 give a good amount of time for the reception and get dinner going before people get too hungry. Once you know your ceremony start time, you can start thinking about a couple of other questions. Do you want to attend your Cocktail Hour? For me, this is the next question because of how it affects the getting ready timeline and the timeline immediately after the ceremony. If you’d like to attend your cocktail hour, it is very tough to do so without doing seeing each other and doing the bulk of the photos before the wedding. Scenario 1: WithOUT a seeing each other before the ceremony I would say that we do about 1/2 with a First Look and 1/2 without it. If you don’t want to see each other before the ceremony, we still recommend doing a lot of the photos before the ceremony. Many of the photos that we do don’t involve the couple, so if planned correctly, we can knock out a lot of the photos between getting ready and the start of the ceremony. We’ll just need to coordinate before about who needs to come a little early – mostly people who would already be there, anyway. Getting Ready: ? – 3:30pm (start time depends on how many getting ready) Photos of Groom with Groomsmen and Immediate Family: 3:30 – 4 Photos of Bride with Bridesmaids and Immediate Family: 4 – 4:30 Freshen Up / Guests Arriving: 4:30 – 5pm Ceremony: 5:00 – 5:30pm Any other group photos: 5:45 – 6:15pm Bride and Groom Photos / Cocktail Hour: 6:15 – 7pm Announce / Blessing / Start Dinner: 7:00 Dinner: 7:00 – 8pm First Dances: 8:00 – 8:15pm Dancing: 8:15 – 9pm Cake Cutting: 9pm Dancing 9:15 – 10:45 Exit: 10:45 – 11pm Scenario 2: See each other before and do all photos before the ceremony Do you want to do all the photos (bride and groom, family, and wedding party)? Plan for about 1. 5 hours. That is a rough amount of time and allots for people walking, chatting, etc. Even if we’re only taking photos for an hour of that time, we’ll need time to walk and set up groups. There is one exception: Biltmore or going off property. If you’re getting married at the Biltmore or you want to go off property of where you’re getting married, all bets are off. Call me and we can chat about your ideas and I can help you get a good idea of how much time to plan. Getting Ready: ? – 2:30pm (start time depends on how many getting ready) First Look: 2:30pm Bride and Groom Photos: 2:45 – 3:30pm Wedding Party Photos: 3:30 – 4pm Family Photos: 4:00 – 4:30pm Freshen Up / Guests Arriving: 4:30 – 5pm Ceremony: 5:00 – 5:30pm Any other group photos: 5:45 – 6pm Cocktail Hour: 6:00 – 7pm Announce / Blessing / Start Dinner: 7:00 Dinner: 7:00 – 8pm First Dances: 8:00 – 8:15pm Dancing: 8:15 – 9pm Cake Cutting: 9pm Dancing 9:15 – 10:45 Exit: 10:45 – 11pm As always, feel free to call or email and I can help with questions specific to your day! --- ### Asheville Wedding Photography - The Venue - Ashley and Andrew | Wedding Photographers in Asheville, NC, North Carolina - Published: 2018-06-30 - Modified: 2024-04-16 - URL: https://www.bluebendphotography.com/asheville-wedding-photography-the-venue-ashley-and-andrew-wedding-photographers-in-asheville-nc-north-carolina-2__trashed/ - Categories: Stories On Saturday Nick and Kelly were at The Venue in Asheville. There was a huge amount of details and they all worked perfectly together – lots of yellows and grays. The guys had on beautiful gray suits with yellow accents and the girls had the matching yellow dresses. Everything looked great! The ceremony was upstairs at the Venue, as was the reception. If you haven’t been to the Venue in Asheville, it is right at the corner of Walnut and Market (right in the heart of downtown Asheville). Between the ceremony and reception we walked down the block to Pack Square Park and took some family and group photos and then did some bride and groom photos. The light was spectacular! We got out there right at the perfect time and had a 1/2 hour of the best light possible. --- ### Homewood Wedding Photos - Kari & Mark | Wedding Photographers in Asheville, NC, North Carolina - Published: 2018-06-30 - Modified: 2024-04-16 - URL: https://www.bluebendphotography.com/homewood-wedding-photos-kari-mark-wedding-photographers-in-asheville-nc-north-carolina-2/ - Categories: Stories This Saturday Kari and Mark got married at Homewood in Asheville. I (Nick) had done their engagements a couple of months ago and got to know both of them pretty well. The three of us got along awesome and within minutes of meeting them I knew that the wedding would be a really, really fun one. I was right. Both the two of them and all their guests were tons of fun and really easy to work with. What made it even better for the photos was at the last minute both Colby and Philip came into town to hang out and asked to come along. I know that not many people believe us, but we really, really like shooting weddings. So when one of us is shooting and the other isn’t doing anything, we often will tag along just to hang out and shoot. So, they got three photographers and tons of great photos. Kari and Mark are yet another couple that I wish lived closer so we could hang out. Awesome people! :) --- ### Brown Mountain Beach Resort Wedding | Wedding Photographers in Asheville, NC, North Carolina - Published: 2018-06-30 - Modified: 2024-04-19 - URL: https://www.bluebendphotography.com/brown-mountain-beach-resort-wedding-wedding-photographers-in-asheville-nc-north-carolina-2/ - Categories: Stories I get to go to a lot of really beautiful venues as a wedding photographer. This one, though, was exceptional. Brown Mountain Beach Resort is in Collettsville, NC (about 1 1/2 hours from Asheville). It’s tucked in a tight little valley with a beautiful river running down behind it. There is a waterfall just up the road and tons of hiking trails. At the resort they have all kinds of family games, as well as tubing and swimming. Brendan and I arrived early to get a lay of the land and both immediately regretted not bringing bathing suits. This wedding had a rope swing into a river! I was supremely jealous as I sat and watched in my dress clothes. Laurie and Jacob made the trip from the other side of North Carolina with their closest friends and family and made a week vacation out of it. Brown Mountain Beach Resort is the perfect location to relax and enjoy company for a week. The wedding itself, had the same type of feel: very personal, intimate and full of love. Both the couple’s dads had a big part in the ceremony, Jacob’s mom did all the flowers, and lots of family members sang and did readings during the wedding as well. Enjoy the photos of this beautiful couple crazy in love. :) --- ### Amy & Joe's Downtown Charlotte Wedding | Wedding Photographers in Asheville, NC, North Carolina - Published: 2018-06-30 - Modified: 2024-04-14 - URL: https://www.bluebendphotography.com/amy-s-downtown-charlotte-wedding-wedding-photographers-in-asheville-nc-north-carolina/ - Categories: Stories Photographer: Nick Amy and Joe got married at the Belk Chapel and then celebrated with their friends and family at the Big Chill in downtown Charlotte. --- ### Emilie & Arturo's Wedding Photos - The Farm - Candler, NC | Wedding Photographers in Asheville, NC, North Carolina - Published: 2018-06-30 - Modified: 2024-04-14 - URL: https://www.bluebendphotography.com/emilie-s-wedding-photos-the-farm-candler-nc-wedding-photographers-in-asheville-nc-north-carolina/ - Categories: Stories --- ### Biltmore Estate Wedding Photos - Tiffany and Andrew's Wedding | Wedding Photographers in Asheville, NC, North Carolina - Published: 2018-06-30 - Modified: 2024-04-12 - URL: https://www.bluebendphotography.com/biltmore-estate-wedding-photos-tiffany-and-andrews-wedding-wedding-photographers-in-asheville-nc-north-carolina/ - Categories: Stories Yesterday was a great day! Nick went to the Biltmore to photograph Tiffany and Andrew’s intimate wedding. The couple came up from Alabama to get married and had 8 people with them. The whole day at the Biltmore was super relaxed and easy going. They did a lot of their photos before the wedding, which made things a lot more relaxed once the ceremony was over. They had their ceremony outside in the Biltmore Butterfly Gardens and then had their wedding reception in the basement of the Tasting Room in the Biltmore Champagne Cellar. The whole day had crazy weather, which added to the fairy tale(esque) feeling for the day. All-in-all, it was an amazing wedding and and amazing day at the Biltmore Estate! --- ### Laura & Field's Wedding Photos - Biltmore Estate - Walled Garden & Conservatory | Wedding Photographers in Asheville, NC, North Carolina - Published: 2018-06-30 - Modified: 2024-04-14 - URL: https://www.bluebendphotography.com/laura-s-wedding-photos-biltmore-estate-walled-garden-conservatory-wedding-photographers-in-asheville-nc-north-carolina-2/ - Categories: Stories Laura and Field’s wedding day was pretty amazing in every way. Laura got ready at the Inn with her mom and a couple of her best friends. She wanted to do a small bridal session before she met up with Field, so we headed over in the shuttle to the house and did about 40 minutes of photos walking around. Field joined us and we did the first look and then about 45 minutes of bride and groom photos. It was the middle of the day (about 4), so the sky was crystal clear blue with amazing views of the mountains. Following bride and groom photos we headed back to the Inn to freshen up, collect the rest of the family with the shuttle and head over to the Walled Garden for the ceremony. The ceremony lasted about 20 minutes. After the wedding ceremony we did family photos, bridal party photos, and another 10 minutes of bride and groom before they were introduced. After introductions, they cut the cake and had dinner. All in all, it was a pretty fantastic day. Candace from Mingle Events did a fantastic job designing and organizing the whole event. The Biltmore did an amazing job with the food and everything else. If you would like to know more specific times for their timeline, I’d be happy to help. --- ### The Farm - Candler, NC - Wedding Photos - Abbie & Kurt | Wedding Photographers in Asheville, NC, North Carolina - Published: 2018-06-30 - Modified: 2024-04-12 - URL: https://www.bluebendphotography.com/the-farm-candler-nc-wedding-photos-abbie-kurt-wedding-photographers-in-asheville-nc-north-carolina/ - Categories: Stories Mornings and evenings are becoming sweater and vest weather. This also means fall colors, hot cider and cider donuts! The Farm in Candler is one of the most perfect venues for this time of the year. Fall colors line the back of the property and set the perfect backdrop for an outdoor ceremony. Abbie and Kurt came over from Tennessee with their friends and family for an intimate fall wedding in the mountains. Things couldn’t have been better. Everything about the day went off without a hitch and the day turned out perfect. The wedding party and Abbie and Kurt were all awesome about photos. I got tons of time and was able to get lots of variety and backgrounds for photos. The bride and groom photos are always my favorite time of the day and I love when I get lots of time. Everyone was great sports about going wherever I wanted and trying all kinds of cool stuff. It was great meeting everyone and I look forward to seeing everyone again in the future :) --- ### Claxton Farm Wedding Photos | Wedding Photographers in Asheville, NC, North Carolina - Published: 2018-06-30 - Modified: 2024-04-14 - URL: https://www.bluebendphotography.com/claxton-farm-wedding-photos-wedding-photographers-in-asheville-nc-north-carolina/ - Categories: Stories The beautiful May day in the mountains was the perfect setting for Chelsea and Michael’s mountain getaway wedding. The whole crew made the trip up from different parts of Florida and celebrated, relaxed and laughed the whole weekend. Most of the wedding stayed in the same hotel and the rest of the guests took cabs or Uber over to that hotel where buses were shuttling everyone over to Claxton for the wedding. It made it super convenient. We Got the Beat was their band and seriously rocked the house the whole time. It didn’t hurt that Chelsea and all her girls all knew each other from years of competitive dance :) The whole day and night was filled with tons of awesome details and decorations – everything from cigars for the boys to wine corks that guests signed. Cortney at Asheville Event Co and the rest of the crew that day did an amazing job. See below for a full list of the wedding team. --- ### Lake Lure Inn Wedding Photos - Rosa & Ben | Wedding Photographers in Asheville, NC, North Carolina - Published: 2018-06-30 - Modified: 2024-04-12 - URL: https://www.bluebendphotography.com/lake-lure-inn-wedding-photos-rosa-ben-wedding-photographers-in-asheville-nc-north-carolina/ - Categories: Stories This incredibly cute and sweet couple made their way to the gorgeous Lake Lure from the Naples area for their intimate, mountain wedding. They celebrated their marriage with with their closest friends and family – some even as far away as Mexico. Rosa and her family personally made almost every detail that was at the wedding, even the clothespin cake topper. They had their ceremony on the veranda next to the pool, back-dropped by the mountains. Maddy and Colby did a wonderful job documenting the day and capturing all the details that Rosa and her family made for the wedding. The 4 of them took a good amount of time and went over to the middle of Lake Lure for lots of portraits. The night ended up filled with laughter, love and dancing. Enjoy the photos! --- ### Asheville Arboretum Wedding Photos - Melanie and Ryan | Wedding Photographers in Asheville, NC, North Carolina - Published: 2018-06-30 - Modified: 2024-04-12 - URL: https://www.bluebendphotography.com/asheville-arboretum-wedding-photos-melanie-and-ryan-wedding-photographers-in-asheville-nc-north-carolina-2/ - Categories: Stories Melanie and Ryan said it was going to be a “very musical wedding” and they didn’t disappoint! Ryan and all his friends are musicians and put on quite a show. Ryan even sang a couple songs during the ceremony. It was more like a wedding concert! Really awesome stuff! Besides all the music, they had amazing weather, super fun guests, and, did I mention? tons of great music! There was a band there from Columbia, SC called The Restoration and they really rocked the house. My favorite thing was that the lead singer played a lot of songs with a banjo as a guitar – really cool sound. The Smoochbooth was there as well – which always provides much entertainment and hilarious photos! The Arboretum provided us with tons of great backdrops for our photos and the sun dipped down just in the most perfect time for us to get a bunch of really beautifully lit pics as well. Nicole from Verge was there all day to make sure that everything went off without a hitch. She did an awesome job with the wedding and all the details. There is even a photo of her spraying down the groomsmen with bug spray to take care of the gnats. Now that’s what I call prepared! :) --- ### Asheville Omni Grove Park Inn Wedding | Wedding Photographers in Asheville, NC, North Carolina - Published: 2018-06-24 - Modified: 2024-04-16 - URL: https://www.bluebendphotography.com/asheville-omni-grove-park-inn-wedding-wedding-photographers-in-asheville-nc-north-carolina/ - Categories: Stories Andrea and Gabe came to the Grove Park in Asheville from New Orleans to have a destination wedding in the mountains. But, even though they were in the Asheville mountains, they brought a lot of home with them, making for a very, VERY fun, but also very personal wedding day. While the girls got ready with Wendy (from Blush) and Amanda (from Hughes) in one of the sweets, the guys and most of the wedding guests rented out the sports bar and watched New Orleans play Carolina. As soon as the game was over everyone headed back to their rooms to get ready for the wedding. While they were doing that we went with Gabe, Andrea and Caroline (from Asheville Event Co. ) to go do the first look. They wanted to do all the photos of everyone before the ceremony to free them up to mingle with their friends and family during the cocktail hour. We scheduled plenty of time for photos, got tons of amazing bride & groom pictures, family portraits, as well as wedding party photos. The wedding ceremony was very sweet. The groom got emotional (always my favorite), they had very personal vows and used friends and family during the ceremony too. After the cocktail hour they did something I’ve never seen: a New Orleans wedding parade. They had a band leading the way playing typical N. O. music, umbrellas, and dancing. The Grove Park was great about helping figure out a way to make all that happen. Following that everyone headed inside for dinner, cake and dancing. During dancing, they had the Mountain View Terrace open with a bar for people to enjoy cigars, mingle and hang out in the beautiful fall evening. The dance floor was, of course, packed the entire time and everyone had a blast. We left at 11 and the party hadn’t even begun to slow down. See the full list of amazing vendors at the bottom of the post --- ### Devon & Sean's Wedding Photos – Biltmore Estate – Deerpark | Wedding Photographers in Asheville, NC, North Carolina - Published: 2018-06-16 - Modified: 2024-04-22 - URL: https://www.bluebendphotography.com/devon-s-wedding-photos-biltmore-estate-deerpark-wedding-photographers-in-asheville-nc-north-carolina/ - Categories: Stories --- ### Vatican City Wedding | Wedding Photographers in Asheville, NC, North Carolina - Published: 2018-06-16 - Modified: 2024-04-13 - URL: https://www.bluebendphotography.com/vatican-city-wedding-wedding-photographers-in-asheville-nc-north-carolina/ - Categories: Stories The last night that I was in Rome, the three of us, Elizabeth, Ken, and I, grabbed a drink at an outdoor cafe close enough to the Pantheon that the spray from the fountain occasionally drifted onto us. While we sat and chatted about the amazing week that we had, I realized that I wasn’t their wedding photographer anymore; we were friends. Elizabeth is a writer. Who can say that? Tons of people claim to be something that they occasionally like to fool around with. She, on the other hand, is a legit, published writer with a sense of curiosity and creativity that makes everyone want to be her friend. Just being around her you get energized to go explore and soak in life like a kid again. Ken is a musician and actually found out while we were in Rome that he was going to be going on tour. The task of photographing the wedding of two such creative, talented and genuine people for a week was a bit intimidating :) They originally were going to get married in Asheville and then head to Italy for their honeymoon (they both love traveling and go as often as possible). One of them said jokingly, we should just get married at the Vatican! After a ton of paperwork and phone calls, it happened. I found out that it’s not especially easy to get married in the Vatican; quite the opposite actually. Calling and asking me to be their wedding photographer was probably the only really part :) They kept their plans to get married at the Biltmore Estate (that will be another blog post) the week before Rome and celebrate with their friends and family. One of the things that made it slightly easier to get married in the Vatican is if they were recently ‘civilly married. ’ So that’s what they did: got civilly married at Biltmore and then flew to Rome, got married at St Annes in the Vatican and then 4 days later meet the Pope and have the marriage blessed by the him. Sounds like a dream right? It was. Following a bride (and groom) around Rome in a white dress is an experience I will not forget soon. In case you didn’t know, there are a lot of people in Rome and in the Vatican – like, a LOT! They were being stopped, congratulated and photographed continuously throughout the day. The joy was so palpable that I was beaming ear to ear, as if I had just gotten married. The pinnacle of the day, for me, was watching Ken lead Elizabeth away from me and our route, neither of us knowing his plans, and then watching him spontaneously pull her in for a first dance by a street performer. No planning, no fear, pure romantic. I forgot for about 10 seconds that I was supposed to be taking photos. There are a week’s worth of stories, and I’m sure that Elizabeth can write about them better than I, but for now, I’ll let the photos do the talking. --- ### Century Room on the Park Wedding - Asheville, NC | Wedding Photographers in Asheville, NC, North Carolina - Published: 2018-04-11 - Modified: 2024-04-14 - URL: https://www.bluebendphotography.com/century-room-on-the-park-wedding-asheville-nc-wedding-photographers-in-asheville-nc-north-carolina/ - Categories: Stories The Wedding Ceremony – The Basilica Madeline and Cody’s summer wedding at the Basilica and the Century Room turned out beautifully. They had a great team of wedding vendors, awesome guests and perfect weather. The getting ready started at the Hotel Indigo, including a super sweet moment between Madeline and her dad (check out that view behind them! ) and from there they could just walk to the Basilica of Saint Lawrence because it’s so close – probably only a 3 minute walk. Following the ceremony and some family photos, everyone walked over to the Century Room (located on the 2nd floor above Pack’s Tavern, right next to Pack Square) for their wedding reception. The Wedding Reception – Century Room Asheville Event Co was in charge of planning the event and everything went perfectly. The makeup was done by Blush, the cake by Short Street Cakes, the flowers by Merrimon Florist, hair by Lola and the John Brown Quartet did the music for the evening. If you’re planning a wedding and would like some more tips, please feel free to download our Planning PDF or our Wedding Timeline Calculator. We love to chat with couples planning their big day and help in anyway that we can; please feel free to call or email :) --- ### Sample Timelines for Wedding Photographer | Wedding Photographers in Asheville, NC, North Carolina - Published: 2018-04-06 - Modified: 2024-04-14 - URL: https://www.bluebendphotography.com/sample-timelines-for-wedding-photographer-wedding-photographers-in-asheville-nc-north-carolina/ - Categories: Stories Another very confusing, and sometimes overwhelming, topic that we get asked about a lot is the wedding day timeline for a photographer. We’ve put together a couple of sample timelines based on the bride and groom seeing each other versus not seeing each other before the ceremony. Of course, these are just approximations from weddings that we’ve done in the past. If you have a very large wedding party or a very small wedding party some of the pre-ceremony times would change. All of these numbers are based on having about 5 bridesmaids and groomsmen each. Some of the times may seem like a lot of time, but we’ve left some things a little long to allow time for others to go long. Remember that something will always take a little longer than originally planned. If you have a little extra time planned into your wedding day there will be no need to stress. Bride and Groom see each other for first time at ceremony 11:00 – 12:30 Hair Salon Photos 12:30 – 1:30 Makeup Photos 1:45 – 2:15 Photographer drives from Hair/Makeup Salon to Groom 2:15 – 2:45 Groom / Groomsmen getting ready 2:45 – 3:15 Photos with Groom / Groomsmen 3:15 – 3:30 Bride / Bridesmaids getting ready (dress zipped up, etc) 3:45 – 4:15 Photos with Bride and Bridesmaids 4:15 – 4:30 Last minute adjustments 4:30 – 5:00 Ceremony 5:00 – 5:30 Receiving Line/Guests Leave Ceremony Area 5:30 – 6:00 Group Photos 6:00 – 6:30 Bride / Groom Photos 6:45 b/g get announced 7:00 – 8:00 Dinner 8:30 Band Starts 8:40 b/g First Dance 8:45-9:00 daddy/daughter, mother/son 9:00 – 9:30 dancing 9:30 cut cake 9:35 – end dancing 10:00 photographer leaves Bride and Groom see each other before the ceremony 10:00 – 11:00 Hair Salon Photos 11:00 – 12:00 Makeup Photos 12:00 – 12:15 Photographer drives from Salon to Groom (getting ready at ceremony location) 12:15 – 12:45 Groom getting ready shots 12:45 – 1:15 Bride and Bridesmaids getting ready 1:30 First Look 1:30 – 4:00 Photos (Family photos, wedding party, bride and groom) 4:30 – 5:00 Ceremony 5:00 – 6:00 Coctails 6:00 – 7:30 Dinner 7:30 – 7:45 Toasts 7:45 – 8:00 First Dance, daddy/daughter, mother/son 8:00 – end dancing 9:00 – photographer leaves --- ### Tricia & Ari - Engagement Photos | Wedding Photographers in Asheville, NC, North Carolina - Published: 2018-04-03 - Modified: 2024-04-12 - URL: https://www.bluebendphotography.com/tricia-ari-engagement-photos-wedding-photographers-in-asheville-nc-north-carolina/ - Categories: Stories This was a FUN shoot! Ari and Tricia laughed and joked the entire time we were together. They made the trip out for the weekend to take care of some details at High Hampton Inn for their wedding next spring and stopped by the Asheville area for their engagement session before jumping back on the plane. I can’t wait for their wedding next year; I’m sure it will be non-stop laughs and fun :) This isn’t meant to be a “great photo,” but it was just too good of a moment to not share :) I could barely hold the camera still with Ari sneaking into the background of this shot. Tricia seems to know what’s going on too :) --- ### Samantha & Chad's Wedding - Westglow Resort - Blowing Rock | Wedding Photographers in Asheville, NC, North Carolina - Published: 2018-04-03 - Modified: 2024-04-12 - URL: https://www.bluebendphotography.com/samantha-s-wedding-westglow-resort-blowing-rock-wedding-photographers-in-asheville-nc-north-carolina/ - Categories: Stories This was an intimate summer wedding at the beautiful Westglow Resort near Blowing Rock. The bride, groom, their son and about 50 of the closest friends and family joined to celebrate. Maddy met Samantha and Chad last spring to do their engagement photos. Having worked together in the past made things really relaxed for everyone and they were able to get some really beautiful photos in only a couple of minutes following the ‘first look. ’ The ceremony backdrop was the fabulous Appalachian Mountains and crystal clear blue skies. There were lots of beautiful details around, including a vintage couch, stunning flowers by Fuschia Moss Floral Design and general design by Jennifer Williams from Westglow. The speeches were touching, the cake was divine and the food was splendid. Venues with this good of a view of the mountains are pretty rare. One with a view and elegance are even more rare. --- ### Jamie & Scott's Wedding - The Venue - Asheville, NC | Wedding Photographers in Asheville, NC, North Carolina - Published: 2018-03-12 - Modified: 2024-05-09 - URL: https://www.bluebendphotography.com/jamie-s-wedding-the-venue-asheville-nc-wedding-photographers-in-asheville-nc-north-carolina/ - Categories: Stories I don’t get to shoot in downtown Asheville very often, so I was super excited to photograph Jamie and Scott’s wedding this weekend. I met Jamie at the Hotel Aloft, which almost always has amazing light. Lots of soft window light always makes for great getting ready photos. As soon as they were done we went down to the balcony where Scott was waiting to see his bride for the first time. After that beautiful moment we went around downtown and did a short bride and groom session on the way to Sazerac to meet and hang out with the bride’s brother and the best man. The short downtime between getting ready and the ceremony was an awesome little break from the wedding day stress. From there everyone headed over to The Venue where things were decorated to the 9s by Marta and The Venue staff and Stephanie from Verge Events. The whole thing was gorgeous. I’ve photographed quite a few weddings that someone from Verge has planned and designed and Stephanie is definitely one of the best. After a beautiful wedding ceremony we shot out to Pack Square (just a two minute walk from The Venue) and did family photos and bridal party photos. I also found a few minutes to do a couple more bride and groom photos :) The rest of the wedding reception was spectacular – super heartfelt, tear jerking speeches, spectacular food and a really fun crowd. DJ Mitch Fortune was there to get people dancing and he did as he always does! When people ask me about dj’s the first thing I ask is, “Do you want people dancing like at a club? ” The answer to that question is Mitch. Every wedding that I’ve photographed that he has been at has been hard for me to leave the wedding, because I want to get on the dance floor and join them :) --- ### Vendor Spotlight: Flowers by Larry | Wedding Photographers in Asheville, NC, North Carolina - Published: 2018-03-07 - Modified: 2024-04-12 - URL: https://www.bluebendphotography.com/vendor-spotlight-flowers-by-larry-wedding-photographers-in-asheville-nc-north-carolina/ - Categories: Stories The only thing more charming than the store are the two that create all that beauty. Larry and Tyler create some of the most beautiful arrangements you’ve seen. Everything in the store and everything they make reflects the mountains with a twist of chic to it. --- ### 1 Photographer vs 2 Photographers at the Wedding | Wedding Photographers in Asheville, NC, North Carolina - Published: 2018-02-28 - Modified: 2024-04-12 - URL: https://www.bluebendphotography.com/1-photographer-vs-2-photographers-at-the-wedding-wedding-photographers-in-asheville-nc-north-carolina-2/ - Categories: Stories Another question that we get asked a lot about is “Do I need 1 photographer or do I need two at my wedding? ” The very first wedding that I ever assisted on (gosh that seems like a long time ago) was in Michigan with about 500 guests. It was two very large families (one Italian-American and one Hindu-American) and both were very close families. There were two full ceremonies (one for each of the cultures) and it was one of the most beautiful wedding days that I’ve experienced. The company that I had just gotten hired at thought that it would be a good idea if the main photographer had another shooter to help get all the important shots. With two people we were able to capture many, many more candids than had one person been by him/herself. This is the first scenario, one of a very large wedding, where I suggest to brides and grooms that they have two photographers. If you have a very large wedding where it is going to be difficult (or impossible) for one person to be near most people or most of the action at once it is a good idea to have two photographers. Of course, if you have a wedding with 500 people, it might even be a good idea to have 3 photographers. I have had half a dozen weddings where I thought it would be beneficial to have 2 other people with me and suggested to the bride and groom as such. The other scenario where it is very advisable to have two photographers is if you would like multiple angles of something simultaneously. For example, if you know that you are getting married in a giant, beautiful cathedral with a balcony, and you’d want a shot of you and your dad walking down the isle from above and from front on, you need to have two photographers. The father and daughter walking down the isle in a cathedral from above is one of my favorite wedding shots, but you can only get that if you have a second person in the balcony, because, of course, you can’t have the entire wedding party shot from above. Some other times that it is very nice to have more than one photographer is if you and your fiance are getting ready in two different locations. While it is possible to drive from place to place and get shots of each of you getting ready, there is bound to be something missed while in transit. Having two shooters makes it possible to have both groups getting ready with nothing missed. There are lots of other examples of things like that, and it is a very nice extra if you can afford to have another photographer there. I would seldom say that a second photographer is “necessary,” but I would rarely advise against it. Of course, if the number of photographers is going to equal the number of people at the wedding, or be very close, I would probably say you should stick to just one. --- ### Brian & Tony's Wedding - Asheville, NC | Wedding Photographers in Asheville, NC, North Carolina - Published: 2018-02-12 - Modified: 2024-05-09 - URL: https://www.bluebendphotography.com/brian-s-wedding-asheville-nc-wedding-photographers-in-asheville-nc-north-carolina/ - Categories: Stories A couple of weeks ago I had the honor of photographing Brian and Tony’s wedding here in Asheville. They made the trip down from NYC with their families and rented a home with a beautiful view for the week. I came shortly before the ceremony and got the tail end of them getting ready, then did photos of the grooms followed by their wedding ceremony. They held it on the back deck of the house overlooking the mountains and perfect weather. Inside they had an intimate reception with cake, champagne, moon cakes and a cousin singing. The whole wedding was very personal, intimate and surrounded by family. What more can you ask for? :) --- ### High Hampton Inn Wedding - Cashiers, NC | Wedding Photographers in Asheville, NC, North Carolina - Published: 2018-02-03 - Modified: 2024-04-12 - URL: https://www.bluebendphotography.com/high-hampton-inn-wedding-cashiers-nc-wedding-photographers-in-asheville-nc-north-carolina/ - Categories: Stories I don’t throw around the term ‘laugh riot’ very much, but I think this wedding is one of those times. Tricia and Ari are two of those people that everyone, seriously everyone, wants to be friends with. I heard tons of stories on Friday night at the rehearsal dinner (everything from traveling for months at a time in Africa, sailing across the Atlantic, starting their own social media company to a job cleaning up land mines)... and I was left wanting to hear more. There was almost constant laughing and smiling for the 2 days that we were there. So much so, that both nights I went to bed my cheeks hurt – and I was just the photographer! They also had one of the most fun wedding bands that I’ve heard; they had the dance floor 100% packed from the first song till the last. --- ### Castle Ladyhawke Spring Wedding | Wedding Photographers in Asheville, NC, North Carolina - Published: 2018-02-03 - Modified: 2024-04-12 - URL: https://www.bluebendphotography.com/castle-ladyhawke-spring-wedding-wedding-photographers-in-asheville-nc-north-carolina/ - Categories: Stories --- ### Crest Center & Pavilion Wedding Photos | Wedding Photographers in Asheville, NC, North Carolina - Published: 2018-02-03 - Modified: 2024-04-16 - URL: https://www.bluebendphotography.com/crest-center-pavilion-wedding-photos-wedding-photographers-in-asheville-nc-north-carolina-2/ - Categories: Stories Courtney and Cameron are actually high school sweethearts and local Asheville people. They live in Atlanta now because of Cameron’s job for the Atlanta Braves (center field), but chose to come home to the mountains and celebrate their wedding with all their Asheville friends and family. Bobby and Mark of BobbyMarks designs worked closely with Courtney for months and months designing the buildings and flowers and it came out amazing. They wanted a ‘winter wonderland’ theme for the inside of the Crest Center (where they had the ceremony) and BobbyMarks and Scott at Classic Event Rental didn’t disappoint. The entire main room in the Center was pipe and draped, floor to ceiling – white walls, white ceiling and white carpet. They then used all kinds of uplighting to give the violet colors. After the ceremony all the guests used the rest of the Crest Center for cocktail hour. Bobby and Mark had all kinds of amazing furniture and tables brought in to turn it into a very cool, modern space. The reception was down in the Crest Pavilion and it was spectacular. I’m going to have to defer to the photos for this one. There’s too much to try to describe. The second the music started, this was a party. There were so many people dancing that the “dance floor” was 3x as wide as the white floor they put down to dance on. Seldom have I seen a wedding with so many people dancing. Sound Extreme tore it up! --- ### Sawyer Family Farmstead Wedding | Wedding Photographers in Asheville, NC, North Carolina - Published: 2017-10-14 - Modified: 2024-04-20 - URL: https://www.bluebendphotography.com/sawyer-family-farmstead-wedding-wedding-photographers-in-asheville-nc-north-carolina/ - Categories: Stories If you’re looking for a venue with a beautiful outdoor ceremony location with a view, Sawyer Family Farmstead is a must see. It’s located just north and above Lake Glenville (10 minutes north of Cashiers, an hour and 45 minutes west of Asheville, NC). The property is owned by a wonderful family that has been farming Christmas Trees on the property for years. After numerous requests to do weddings on the property, they decided to build a reception space and turn it into a wedding venue. They did a fabulous job and they add new things to the property every year. The most recent addition is an awesome bridal cottage to the bridal party to get ready in. Walking up to the ceremony location through the rows of Christmas trees feels like you’re in a movie. The big, red tractor that pulls a wagon up the hill with guests just adds to the charm. The reception building is tucked in along a stream, so when you’re sitting by the fire pit making s’mores, you hear the sound of the stream and katydids. Anyone looking for a mountain wedding venue should check this place out. Hannah and Jay’s wedding was just that. They came up to Sawyer Family Farmstead from Alabama and brought a great group of friends and family. They had Steel Toe Stilettos play the reception and that dance floor was 100% rockin’ and packed the whole time. --- ### Brown Mountain Beach Resort Wedding | Wedding Photographers in Asheville, NC, North Carolina - Published: 2017-10-14 - Modified: 2024-04-16 - URL: https://www.bluebendphotography.com/brown-mountain-beach-resort-wedding-wedding-photographers-in-asheville-nc-north-carolina/ - Categories: Stories I get to go to a lot of really beautiful venues as a wedding photographer. This one, though, was exceptional. Brown Mountain Beach Resort is in Collettsville, NC (about 1 1/2 hours from Asheville). It’s tucked in a tight little valley with a beautiful river running down behind it. There is a waterfall just up the road and tons of hiking trails. At the resort they have all kinds of family games, as well as tubing and swimming. Brendan and I arrived early to get a lay of the land and both immediately regretted not bringing bathing suits. This wedding had a rope swing into a river! I was supremely jealous as I sat and watched in my dress clothes. Laurie and Jacob made the trip from the other side of North Carolina with their closest friends and family and made a week vacation out of it. Brown Mountain Beach Resort is the perfect location to relax and enjoy company for a week. The wedding itself, had the same type of feel: very personal, intimate and full of love. Both the couple’s dads had a big part in the ceremony, Jacob’s mom did all the flowers, and lots of family members sang and did readings during the wedding as well. Enjoy the photos of this beautiful couple crazy in love. :) --- ### Asheville Wedding Photography - The Venue - Ashley and Andrew | Wedding Photographers in Asheville, NC, North Carolina - Published: 2017-06-12 - Modified: 2024-04-12 - URL: https://www.bluebendphotography.com/asheville-wedding-photography-the-venue-ashley-and-andrew-wedding-photographers-in-asheville-nc-north-carolina/ - Categories: Stories On Saturday Nick and Kelly were at The Venue in Asheville. There was a huge amount of details and they all worked perfectly together – lots of yellows and grays. The guys had on beautiful gray suits with yellow accents and the girls had the matching yellow dresses. Everything looked great! The ceremony was upstairs at the Venue, as was the reception. If you haven’t been to the Venue in Asheville, it is right at the corner of Walnut and Market (right in the heart of downtown Asheville). Between the ceremony and reception we walked down the block to Pack Square Park and took some family and group photos and then did some bride and groom photos. The light was spectacular! We got out there right at the perfect time and had a 1/2 hour of the best light possible. --- ### Old Edward's Inn Wedding Photos | Wedding Photographers in Asheville, NC, North Carolina - Published: 2017-05-14 - Modified: 2024-04-12 - URL: https://www.bluebendphotography.com/old-edwards-inn-wedding-photos-wedding-photographers-in-asheville-nc-north-carolina/ - Categories: Stories --- ### Homewood Wedding Photos - Kari & Mark | Wedding Photographers in Asheville, NC, North Carolina - Published: 2017-05-06 - Modified: 2024-04-12 - URL: https://www.bluebendphotography.com/homewood-wedding-photos-kari-mark-wedding-photographers-in-asheville-nc-north-carolina/ - Categories: Stories This Saturday Kari and Mark got married at Homewood in Asheville. I (Nick) had done their engagements a couple of months ago and got to know both of them pretty well. The three of us got along awesome and within minutes of meeting them I knew that the wedding would be a really, really fun one. I was right. Both the two of them and all their guests were tons of fun and really easy to work with. What made it even better for the photos was at the last minute both Colby and Philip came into town to hang out and asked to come along. I know that not many people believe us, but we really, really like shooting weddings. So when one of us is shooting and the other isn’t doing anything, we often will tag along just to hang out and shoot. So, they got three photographers and tons of great photos. Kari and Mark are yet another couple that I wish lived closer so we could hang out. Awesome people! :) --- ### Asheville Arboretum Wedding Photos - Melanie and Ryan | Wedding Photographers in Asheville, NC, North Carolina - Published: 2017-03-31 - Modified: 2024-04-16 - URL: https://www.bluebendphotography.com/asheville-arboretum-wedding-photos-melanie-and-ryan-wedding-photographers-in-asheville-nc-north-carolina/ - Categories: Stories Melanie and Ryan said it was going to be a “very musical wedding” and they didn’t disappoint! Ryan and all his friends are musicians and put on quite a show. Ryan even sang a couple songs during the ceremony. It was more like a wedding concert! Really awesome stuff! Besides all the music, they had amazing weather, super fun guests, and, did I mention? tons of great music! There was a band there from Columbia, SC called The Restoration and they really rocked the house. My favorite thing was that the lead singer played a lot of songs with a banjo as a guitar – really cool sound. The Smoochbooth was there as well – which always provides much entertainment and hilarious photos! The Arboretum provided us with tons of great backdrops for our photos and the sun dipped down just in the most perfect time for us to get a bunch of really beautifully lit pics as well. Nicole from Verge was there all day to make sure that everything went off without a hitch. She did an awesome job with the wedding and all the details. There is even a photo of her spraying down the groomsmen with bug spray to take care of the gnats. Now that’s what I call prepared! :) --- ### Castle Ladyhawke Wedding Photos - Ashley & Adam - Wedding Photographers in Asheville, NC, North Carolina - Published: 2016-10-18 - Modified: 2024-04-16 - URL: https://www.bluebendphotography.com/castle-ladyhawke-wedding-photos-ashley-adam-wedding-photographers-in-asheville-nc-north-carolina/ - Categories: Stories Castle Ladyhawke is definitely one of the coolest venues in Western North Carolina to get married. It’s a CASTLE! Ashley and Adam got married in the fall and got lucky with the weather and leaves. The leaves peaked the weekend of their wedding and looked stunning. There are amazing views in every direction from the Castle. Fall weddings in western NC are an exquisite thing. There are few places in the country that offer such a variety of colors and textures along with mountains and expansive views. Ashley & Adam’s wedding happened on one of those perfect fall days. The weather was spectacular and the colors on the trees just happened to be peaking the week of the wedding. The whole wedding day was intimate, emotional and loads of fun. --- ### Biltmore Estate Lioncrest Wedding Photos - Sarah and Anthony - Blue Bend Photography - Published: 2016-07-15 - Modified: 2024-04-16 - URL: https://www.bluebendphotography.com/biltmore-estate-lioncrest-wedding-photos-sarah-and-anthony-blue-bend-photography/ - Categories: Stories Sarah and Anthony had their wedding at the Biltmore Estate Lioncrest. The ceremony was held upstairs in the top room and then had their wedding reception in the outdoor area and covered Lioncrest area. They had a beautiful summer night, so the whole thing was open air and very light feeling. The two of them saw each other before the wedding ceremony and had a “first look” just outside of the Inn at Biltmore – where they got ready for the wedding. The two photographers had almost two hours with the couple to drive around the Biltmore Estate grounds and get tons of variety for their Wedding Photos. There were tons of great details that made the wedding and photos that much more personal. Out of all the places to get married and have a reception at the Biltmore Estate, the Lioncrest offers one of the best spots for a warm summer night. --- ### Charlotte: Point Lake Golf Club Wedding Photos - Amanda and Patrick - Blue Bend Photography - Published: 2016-07-12 - Modified: 2024-04-12 - URL: https://www.bluebendphotography.com/charlotte-point-lake-golf-club-wedding-photos-amanda-and-patrick-blue-bend-photography/ - Categories: Stories On Saturday, Nick and I headed over to Mooresville, NC (just outside Charlotte, NC) to the beautiful Point Lake and Golf Club for another stunning wedding. Amanda and Patrick got married outdoors – behind the main building in the back – and had the reception in the village, which was modeled in the Cape Cod style. The streets were lined in cobble stone and the azaleas where in full bloom. We started taking photographs early in the day and had plenty of time with the Bride and Groom to go explore and find cute spots to take photos. It was fun photographing the two of them, because they came up with their own photo ideas and incorporated their own style. Here are a few of our favorite pictures of the day. – Maddy From Charlotte the Club is only about a half an hour drive north. Out of Charlotte you take i77 for about 20 minutes or so and only a couple minutes off the main interstate. Anyone getting married in the Charlotte area should consider Point Lake and Golf Club for their wedding. It not only offers a very unique setting for a wedding ceremony, but also multiple options for the wedding reception and tons of great spots for wedding photos. The people that run the wedding end of the venue (especially Kelly! ) are extremely nice and very helpful in helping you plan your wedding. They are very used to folks coming up from Charlotte for the event and can lend advice on almost any subject. --- ### Rand-Bryan House Wedding Photos - Pam and Jason's Wedding - Blue Bend Photography - Published: 2016-07-12 - Modified: 2024-04-16 - URL: https://www.bluebendphotography.com/rand-bryan-house-wedding-photos-pam-and-jasons-wedding-blue-bend-photography/ - Categories: Stories Pam and Jason’s wedding was held at the Rand-Bryan house in Garner, North Carolina. The ceremony was outside under the sun, as was most of the seating for the reception. Great wedding and great people! We met Jason and Pam earlier this year to do their engagement shoot. Because the two of them are from the Raleigh area and we’re based out of Asheville, we met for the engagement in the Boone area. We had a very fun and creative shoot with them. Both of them are so comfortable in front of the camera, that it made for great photos. We had the same experience at their wedding. They had lots of energy to spare and they brought their own ideas into the shoot. The ceremony was very personal and emotional, which made it a great wedding experience for us. Here are just a few of our favorite photos. --- ### Old Edwards Inn Wedding Photos - Gail & Thomas - Highlands, NC - Asheville Wedding Photographer - Blue Bend Photography - Published: 2016-07-12 - Modified: 2024-04-12 - URL: https://www.bluebendphotography.com/old-edwards-inn-wedding-photos-gail-thomas-highlands-nc-asheville-wedding-photographer-blue-bend-photography/ - Categories: Stories Gail and Thomas made the trip up to Highlands to tie the knot from Savannah, GA. It’s one of their favorite places and if you have been to the Highlands area, you probably know why. They had a late afternoon wedding outside on the edge of a beautiful rock bald. There was an incredible view with hardly a cloud in the sky (which was incredible after the morning and afternoon thunderstorm! ) After the gorgeous ceremony at Sunset Rock we headed to the newly built Old Edwards Inn Pavilion. Up till recently there was a white tent in next to the barn, but recently they have built a stunning glass pavilion for weddings. There is another blog post with photos of just the Old Edwards Inn pavilion here. --- ### Lins & Ty's Wedding Photos - Inn at Half Mile Farm - Highlands, NC - Blue Bend Photography - Published: 2016-04-27 - Modified: 2024-05-09 - URL: https://www.bluebendphotography.com/lins-s-wedding-photos-inn-at-half-mile-farm-highlands-nc-blue-bend-photography/ - Categories: Stories Going into last weekend I had a feeling that this was going to be amazing. I had been the Inn at Half Mile Farm before, I had worked with Shay (Shay Brown Events) and BobbyMarks previously and I got to meet Lins and Ty. I was right. Everything about this day was perfect. Shay had the day and the whole event planned out to a T without it being too rigid, BobbyMarks’ flowers were absolutely beautiful and the weather and venue were gorgeous as well. Kevin went and spent the morning with the guys, while Nick spent the morning with the bridesmaids and Lindsay getting ready. They left plenty of time to do yoga, have brunch and get ready; the whole morning was very relaxed. The couple decided to do a first look and all but the family photos before the wedding (they had a lot of people coming from far away and wanted to spend as much time as possible with their guests). There was a beautiful backdrop made for the ceremony out of french doors and flowers with a mountain lake behind it. Following the wedding, we did a few family photos and went right to the cocktail hour. Following a few speeches everyone had dinner and then got to dancing. There was a fantastic band called “Groove Town” that kept everyone going on the dance floor all night. --- ### Biltmore Champagne Cellar Wedding - Asheville Wedding Photographers - Published: 2016-03-24 - Modified: 2024-04-12 - URL: https://www.bluebendphotography.com/biltmore-champagne-cellar-wedding-asheville-wedding-photographers/ - Categories: Stories Casi and Brian made the trip down from Knoxville yesterday and braved the rain to get married in the ever-romantic Biltmore Estate Champagne Cellar. They saw each other before the ceremony and we had about an hour to go around the Estate and get photos. The two of the were great sports about the weather and didn’t let anything get in their way of getting great photos. Everyone was super nice and very including to both of us. It’s been great having Joe in town; we love shooting together and always get good stuff. A little friendly competition is always good :) --- ### Investment » Asheville Family Photos - Published: 2016-03-18 - Modified: 2024-04-19 - URL: https://www.bluebendphotography.com/investment-asheville-family-photos/ - Categories: Stories - The fee for a photo session with me is $200 (this includes an online gallery where prints and such can be purchased) - A DVD with all the images (edited and color corrected) with the full copyrights is $125. - Prints, canvases and photo books can be purchased at our online gallery starting at $5. great expectations – $825 2 sessions (maternity and newborn) complete galleries of each on DVD (with full copyrights) complete online gallery 20 page professional photo book (8×10 or 8×8) little miracles – $1350 3 sessions throughout the first year of life complete galleries of each on DVD (with full copyrights) complete online gallery 30 page photo book (10×10) family moments – $550 1 session complete gallery on DVD (with full copyrights) complete online gallery 20 page photo book (8×8 or 8×10) --- ### Asheville Family Photos » Blog » page 2 - Published: 2016-03-18 - Modified: 2024-04-12 - URL: https://www.bluebendphotography.com/asheville-family-photos-blog-page-2/ - Categories: Stories Finnegan just turned 7 months. What better opportunity to get the camera gear out and set up a photo shoot. The weather forecast predicted scattered rain showers, so I wanted to be safe and decided to do an indoor shoot. We have a really cool looking old bench, which was the perfect back drop for the pictures. Finnegan is growing up so fast and learns new things everyday. It is hard to believe that just a couple of months ago, he could not move around at all. Here are my favorite photos, which capture his personality the best. Enjoy! Get great family portraits and help Junior Welfare of Hendersonville raise money for a good cause. Junior Welfare is a women’s civic organization that volunteers throughout Henderson County. Some major projects include volunteering at Boys & Girls Club, Helping Hand and providing Christmas gifts to the special need population of Henderson County. If you are interested in getting family, baby or maternity photographs, please mention this flyer and we will donate 20% to the junior Welfare Club. The cold weather has finally passed, nature is taking a deep breath and the landscape is painted in green once again. What better way to celebrate Spring, than going out to the Carl Sandburg Home and rocking a little photo shoot with baby Judah. He was fascinated by the grass and very intrigued by the camera’s clicking noise. As you can see, we did not need a lot of props to keep him interested and entertained. He was as happy as can be and did not hold back those precious smiles. Thank you Erin and Judah for a wonderful spring outing. We’ve watched Archer grow from newborn to crawling, and now he is definitely on the move! Not so tiny anymore, baby Archer has grown into such a cute little boy with a big personality. With this photo shoot his beautiful Mom, Tiffany and I wanted to recreate photos from the newborn session. Especially the rustic, woodsy look. I had such a great time photographing this little guy that it was a very bittersweet moment for me, knowing that this was our last planned session together. Here are some of my favorites of the day. I had the pleasure to meet 1 day old Judah with his family at the hospital to take his newborn pictures. He is soooo sweet. Not quite sure what to do with his limbs and fingers and what is really going on, he was the most comfy in the arms of his Mama. I will let the pictures speak this time. --- ### Best of the Biltmore Estate Wedding Photos - Blue Bend Photography - Published: 2016-03-17 - Modified: 2024-04-12 - URL: https://www.bluebendphotography.com/best-of-the-biltmore-estate-wedding-photos-blue-bend-photography/ - Categories: Stories Here is a small collection of photographs from the Biltmore Estate. If you’d like to see more from a specific venue on the grounds please see our Photos by Location page. --- ### Asheville Family Photos » Blog - Published: 2016-03-05 - Modified: 2024-04-12 - URL: https://www.bluebendphotography.com/asheville-family-photos-blog/ - Categories: Stories On Monday I had the pleasure to go out to North Asheville and do a family shoot with the Zuckerman family. Susan’s brother, sister and Mom all came into town with their families and it was a great opportunity for everyone to get some pictures taken. Even though it was very hot outside, all the kids endured the heat and were great and fun to work with. we started out in their beautiful backyard and took some more traditional photos and we ended the session with candids. What a great family. Thanks for having me. Isaiah is the son of our CPA, Bret and Jen. He recently turned 21 months and Jen asked us to do a couple photos real quick. I happened to take my camera to the office today and he showed up. I think they turned out pretty cute. He is a total cutie and super easy to photograph --- ### Asheville Biltmore Deerpark Wedding Photos - Bianca and Rick - Blue Bend Photography - Published: 2016-03-02 - Modified: 2024-04-12 - URL: https://www.bluebendphotography.com/asheville-biltmore-deerpark-wedding-photos-bianca-and-rick-blue-bend-photography/ - Categories: Stories On Sunday, Nick met up with Bianca and Rick at the Biltmore Estate (just outside of Asheville) to photograph their wedding at the Biltmore Deerpark. Most of the family stayed at the Biltmore Inn, which made things really nice for getting ready together and heading out for photos. The couple planned in enough time that we had almost two hours to drive around the Biltmore property and get lots of variety. They decided to see each other before the ceremony, as well, which allowed us to have tons of time for wedding photos and they didn’t have to be gone for a ton of time after the wedding ceremony. The wedding planning was done by Mary Bell of the Flower Gallery and the details were gorgeous! All of the little hanging lanterns with real candles were all hung one at a time! It looked amazing! The food was, as usual for the Biltmore, amazing – but then it always is :) --- ### Should I do photos before the Wedding? Which ones? - Blue Bend Photography - Published: 2016-02-26 - Modified: 2024-04-14 - URL: https://www.bluebendphotography.com/should-i-do-photos-before-the-wedding-which-ones-blue-bend-photography/ - Categories: Stories Almost every wedding I have people ask my opinion about doing photos before the ceremony. Of course I have seen a lot of different scenarios and there are pros and cons to each. The Pros to some photos before the ceremony: 1. You can shave off a couple of minutes of photos from the “post ceremony group shots” 2. The photos of you and your girls and him and his guys will have a different background than the other group shots. 3. The pre-wedding photos tend to be less formal than the after-wedding ones. 4. Because the photos are before the wedding you are ready way before you would generally need to be. This cuts down on the stress of getting ready. If something goes wrong you can always move the photos to after the wedding. It acts kind of like a time buffer. The Cons to photos before the ceremony 1. If you are not going to see your fiance before the wedding, doing photos before the wedding and after the wedding actually adds up to more total time of photos. Don’t ask me how, but it always does. 2. If not enough time is planned, things end up a little rushed. 3. People are generally really nervous right before they are about to get married and are not as relaxed in the photos. 4. It is often very difficult to get everyone to the church or ceremony spot before the wedding and many of the photos end up being repeated after the wedding once everyone is present. My advice for photos before the wedding (assuming you are not going to be doing them with your fiance): I think that photos before the wedding are great, as long as you stick to the group of people that are going to be with you anyway. Once you start counting on Aunt Barb and Cousin Betsy to show up to the ceremony site so they can get a photo with you, you are asking for more stress. And if you’ve read any other post from me before, you know that I’m all about less stress on the wedding day. If you stick to a small list of people that are going to be in the room with you helping you get ready, then it isn’t a big deal to shoot outside for a couple of minutes and get some quick shots of you and your girls. Also! it isn’t that bad of a thing if you don’t have time to do them before hand. They will look just as good if you do them after. If something happens and you need that extra 1/2 hour to fix something that broke or got left at home... don’t stress... do the bride with the girls’ shots after the ceremony. --- ### Photos from my cousin's wedding as a guest - Blue Bend Photography - Published: 2016-02-26 - Modified: 2024-04-12 - URL: https://www.bluebendphotography.com/photos-from-my-cousins-wedding-as-a-guest-blue-bend-photography/ - Categories: Stories The groom in this wedding is not only my cousin, but also one of my best friends. 11 years ago he was the best man in my wedding. So when he called and said that it was going to be the weekend of 8th, 9th, 10th my heart sank. I already had an all day wedding on both Friday and on Saturday. But, then they set the date to Sunday :) I got home from my wedding on Saturday night around 1am and was on the first flight to Milwaukee at 5:30am. It was a short night, but so worth it to see my best friend marry his amazing wife! I also got to see a bunch of my family from Michigan that I don’t get to see often. Before the wedding on Sunday afternoon we walked around a little and saw tons of beautiful sailboats. There was, by coincidence, a big sailboat race in town that day. Brian and Melanie tied the knot in the early afternoon and had a really nice reception right on Lake Michigan. It was really nice being a guest at a wedding for once, but also a little strange :) My cousin (and best friend) got married a couple of weeks ago. I went as a guest, but, of course, couldn’t go without a camera. Here are a few of my favorites from that day. --- ### Cassie & Julia's Wedding Photos - Pine Hollow House - Fairview, NC - Blue Bend Photography - Published: 2016-02-26 - Modified: 2024-05-09 - URL: https://www.bluebendphotography.com/cassie-s-wedding-photos-pine-hollow-house-fairview-nc-blue-bend-photography/ - Categories: Stories I’m struggling for what to say here; everything I type seems cliche and cheesy (lots of things like “amazing day,” “incredible wedding,” etc). So here are the facts: two beautiful women came up from Florida to get married. They rented a house on a lake in the mountains and 100 of their friends and family came from around the US to see them say their vows to each other and then celebrate their marriage. Ok :) There are the facts. Here’s the rest (all the cheesy bits). Cassie (the taller one) is an incredible photographer and both she and Julia are super creative people. They designed and made every detail for the wedding themselves and went to great lengths that every aspect of the day reflected their personalities. They are both also incredibly thoughtful people. One quick example: every single aspect of the entire wedding as ‘green’ – everything from the decorations, the plates, the alcohol... everything was ‘green. ’ I am honored to have been a part of this day and to have met all these people. :) This wedding will be featured in an upcoming magazine. Watch for it to hit shelves in the fall – wherever you live in the US. --- ### Biltmore Wedding Photos - Champagne Cellar - Rebekah & Pat - Blue Bend Photography - Published: 2016-02-26 - Modified: 2024-04-16 - URL: https://www.bluebendphotography.com/biltmore-wedding-photos-champagne-cellar-rebekah-pat-blue-bend-photography/ - Categories: Stories On Friday, Becca and Pat made the trip down to Asheville with their families from Ohio and Pennsylvania to get married at the ever wonderful Biltmore Estate. The weather was a mix of hot and muggy and turning to rain. Everyone was great troopers and took it all in stride. We even made it out into the rain to get some post-wedding shots and ended up with a lot of great photos. The ceremony was performed by a family member in the Champagne Cellar and was incredibly personal and beautiful. It was awesome to see two people so in love and so mature about marriage at such a young age. The staff flipped the room while the family was up doing a wine tasting and turned the room into an incredible dining space. The Biltmore is always an amazing place to photograph and today proved that it’s amazing even in the rain :) --- ### Our Lady of the Snows & Crown Plaza Wedding Photos - Katelyn & Stephen - Blue Bend Photography - Published: 2016-02-26 - Modified: 2024-04-16 - URL: https://www.bluebendphotography.com/our-lady-of-the-snows-crown-plaza-wedding-photos-katelyn-stephen-blue-bend-photography/ - Categories: Stories This was my first Alaska wedding in nearly 3 years and it was a great one. A good friend of mine, Joe, owns Chugach Peaks Photography in Anchorage. He met Katelyn and Steven and introduced them to my work. I flew up on a couple of days ago to shoot it. They had their ceremony at Our Lady of the Snows chapel in Girdwood and then headed back to town and had a fantastic reception at the Crown Plaza. The two of them decided to have a first look before the ceremony, which gave us tons of time for lots of locations and bride and groom photos. Everyone was a ton of fun and great to work with. Days like today make me really miss Alaska – especially when it’s 95 degrees back in NC :) --- ### Jessica & Jerry's Wedding - Claxton Farm - Weaverville, NC - Blue Bend Photography - Published: 2016-02-26 - Modified: 2024-04-12 - URL: https://www.bluebendphotography.com/jessica-s-wedding-claxton-farm-weaverville-nc-blue-bend-photography/ - Categories: Stories Jessica and Jerry were an amazingly humble, laid back couple; which made photographing them both a great time and a breeze. Observing their relaxed, caring demeanor towards each other and towards everyone else around them, it’s easy to see why they are perfect for each other. Add to that a beautiful day at one of my favorite venues in WNC, and you’ve got a spectacular wedding day! Both families were awesome to be around, with lots of laughing, emotional and touching speeches, and well above-average dancing. The rain held off for us the entire day as well, with just enough cloud cover and a gentle breeze to keep everyone cool. Claxton Farm is a great venue, close enough to Asheville to make it easy and accessible, yet tucked away in the mountains enough so that you can forget you’re close to the city at all. Sweeping mountain views outside and a rustic, comfortable feel inside make it a great venue. All in all, a great day. -Colby --- ### Camp Green Cove Wedding Photos - Asheville Wedding Photographers - Published: 2016-02-26 - Modified: 2024-04-12 - URL: https://www.bluebendphotography.com/camp-green-cove-wedding-photos-asheville-wedding-photographers/ - Categories: Stories I had the pleasure to meet Maddie and Frank at Camp Green Cove on Saturday to shoot their wedding. I started out with taking getting ready pictures of Maddie and her bridesmaids. Maddie’s dress was stunning and I had never seen anything like it before. That’s because her mom made the dress for her. What an amazing talent. The whole wedding was very pretty and a lot of thought went into the decorations. The little paper flowers were all made out of recycled paper and a family friend helped out with the candy and cake bar. I love weddings with a homemade touch. It makes the whole day so unique. The ceremony site was really cool and I was able to move around as I please to get the goods. At the end of the day, when the sun set and the stars came out, everybody went down to the little peninsula to light floating paper lanterns. It was stunning. Congratulations to Maddie and Frank and I am sure they will have plenty of fun in Rio de Janeiro (their parents surprised them with a honeymoon to Rio). --- ### Sky Valley Country Club - Highlands, NC - Kyle & Mike - Blue Bend Photography - Published: 2016-02-26 - Modified: 2024-04-12 - URL: https://www.bluebendphotography.com/sky-valley-country-club-highlands-nc-kyle-mike-blue-bend-photography/ - Categories: Stories On Saturday Colby was out in Sky Valley (by Highlands, NC) for Kyle and Mike’s wedding. We started at Kyle’s house with the girls and got tons of great getting ready shots. Shortly before the ceremony we jumped over and got some getting ready of the guys. The ceremony was held just outside the pavilion in Sky Valley Country Club. They had tons of friends and family make the trip up from Atlanta and had a great party. They had an awesome DJ come up from Atlanta that I’d highly recommend. His company’s name is B2 (B squared). --- ### Crestwood Inn Wedding Photos | Kacey and Wade | Boone Wedding Photographer - Blue Bend Photography - Published: 2016-02-26 - Modified: 2024-04-12 - URL: https://www.bluebendphotography.com/crestwood-inn-wedding-photos-kacey-and-wade-boone-wedding-photographer-blue-bend-photography/ - Categories: Stories On Friday afternoon we headed up to Boone for the weekend. Kacey and Wade made the trip to Boone from Tennessee with 100 of their friends and family for a beautiful weekend at the Crestwood Inn. The Crestwood Inn is an amazing hotel just to the West of Boone off Shulls Mill Rd. and down from the Parkway. Friday night Kacey and Wade had their Rehearsal and dinner. I got to photograph and meet most of their friends and family that night, which made the next day really relaxed for most people. Their minister happened to be Kacey’s minister from when she was in high school. He came all the way there from Hawaii to marry them. I got the feeling that everything about the wedding was very personal. Kacey and Wade decided to see each other before the wedding, which gave the three of us a ton of time to go and get photos. Since the Crestwood is so close to the Parkway we ran up there, braved the cold and got a bunch of great stuff at the Cone Manor and downtown Blowing Rock. Sometimes people ask me about my opinion on seeing each other before the wedding. This is a perfect example of cool stuff you can do with enough time – seeing each other before the wedding allowed us to have over 2 hours for photos. Had we have waited till after the ceremony, we would have only had a couple of minutes to shoot, and it would’ve been in the dark since the sun set during the ceremony. --- ### Castle Ladyhawke Wedding Photos - Kristin & Ethan - Blue Bend Photography - Published: 2016-02-26 - Modified: 2024-04-12 - URL: https://www.bluebendphotography.com/castle-ladyhawke-wedding-photos-kristin-ethan-blue-bend-photography/ - Categories: Stories Yesterday we were out at the amazing Castle Ladyhawke in Cullowhee (about an hour from Asheville). If you haven’t heard of this place and you’re thinking of getting married, this should be on the list of places to look at. It’s a castle, but it was built only a couple of years ago – so it has all the modern amenities. Kristin and Ethan made the trip to WNC from Sweden. They wanted to get married in the US and chose NC as their destination wedding. They had 30 of their closest family and friends in attendance. It made the whole thing very intimate and personal. Photography: Blue Bend Photography Video: The Obsidian Collective Event Design, Timeline and Layout: Kristin Gifford (Bride) Floral: The Flower Gallery Floral designs by both Kristin Gifford and The Flower Gallery Catering: Laurey’s Catering Ceremony Musicians: Allegro Music Cake & Desserts: Debi Hall from Simply Delicious Rentals: Classic Event Rentals Setup, Vendor Management and Event Coordination: AEC --- ### Old Edward's Inn Wedding Photos - Jennifer and Justin - Blue Bend Photography - Published: 2016-02-26 - Modified: 2024-04-12 - URL: https://www.bluebendphotography.com/old-edwards-inn-wedding-photos-jennifer-and-justin-blue-bend-photography/ - Categories: Stories Jennifer and Justin made the trip up from Alabama with their closest family and friends and got married at the Old Edward’s Inn in Highlands, NC. They had planned on having it on the Old Edward’s rooftop terrace, but because of weather they ended up having it in the Old Edward’s Lodge lobby. The ceremony was lit only by candlelight and was extremely romantic. Jennifer and Justin wanted to have lots of photos of the two of them, so they decided to see each other before the wedding and had over an hour to do photos of the two of them. We ended up walking around almost all of the Old Edward’s Inn and got tons of variety. Both the Old Edward’s Inn and Highlands are beautiful and offer so much for photos! --- ### Homewood & UNCA Gardens - Engagement Photos - Kari & Mark - Blue Bend Photography - Published: 2016-01-10 - Modified: 2024-05-09 - URL: https://www.bluebendphotography.com/homewood-unca-gardens-engagement-photos-kari-mark-blue-bend-photography/ - Categories: Stories Another super cute couple! Kari and Mark are both professional musicians in Charlotte. Kari actually plays for the symphony and Mark composes music and teaches at the university. It’s always really humbling to me to meet people that are so good at something that I’m so terrible at :) We met at the UNCA Botanical Gardens, did some shots there and then headed up the hill to Homewood (where they’re having their wedding next year) and did some more there. The day started off with pouring rain and we almost canceled. It ended up being one of the nicest fall days you could ask for. Their little Frida made the trip out with them from Charlotte and made a few cameos in the photos as well! The last shot was a request from Kari and the story behind it warms my heart. When Mark proposed he searched high and low for rings with foxes on them. Kari is a huge fan of foxes (hence the fox on her skirt) and he incorporated that into the proposal. Each ring symbolized a different reason that he wanted to marry her. The one in the middle – the solid band – is the ring that she wears on her ring finger though. I’m continually amazed at how creative people get when they’re in love. --- ### Old Edwards Inn Wedding Photos - Highlands, NC - Glass Pavilion - Asheville Wedding Photography | Blue Bend Photography - Published: 2015-06-23 - Modified: 2024-04-12 - URL: https://www.bluebendphotography.com/old-edwards-inn-wedding-photos-highlands-nc-glass-pavilion-asheville-wedding-photography-blue-bend-photography/ - Categories: Stories Last night Kelly and I photographed a wedding at the Old Edwards Inn in Highlands, NC for the first time since they finished their new Glass Pavilion. It is BEAUTIFUL! If you have been to a wedding there before, there isn’t the tent anymore. Where they used to put the wedding reception tent, right outside the barn in the courtyard, is now a giant, beautiful, glass-walled pavilion. It has huge ceilings with giant chandeliers hanging from them and lots of warm light. The Old Edwards Inn used to be a nice place to shoot weddings, but now it’s a stunning place to have a wedding. The Old Edwards Inn is now, in my opinion, one of the most beautiful spots in Western North Carolina for a wedding reception – definitely my favorite in the Highlands / Cashiers area. I can’t wait to go back in October! --- ### The Bricker Family | Blue Bend Photography - Published: 2015-06-22 - Modified: 2024-05-09 - URL: https://www.bluebendphotography.com/the-bricker-family-blue-bend-photography/ - Categories: Stories Seriously, how cute is this family? ! I got to photograph Welles, Jeremy and little Maggie Rae right after she started to walk. With only a few days before she was to give birth to #2 we ran out to a local park and got some photos while she was still pregnant. Maggie Rae was a ton of fun throwing rocks in the water and exploring the park. 3 years ago I wouldn’t have had the slightest clue what to do in a family shoot, especially one with little kids. It’s funny how now that I have two of my own I feel just as comfortable photographing other people’s kids as I do at a wedding :) --- ### Dresden, Germany Engagement Photos - Susanne and Tobi | Blue Bend Photography - Published: 2015-06-22 - Modified: 2024-04-16 - URL: https://www.bluebendphotography.com/dresden-germany-engagement-photos-susanne-and-tobi-blue-bend-photography/ - Categories: Stories A couple of weeks ago I (Nick) went to Germany for an Engagement shoot with a super cute couple that I met while photographing Daniel and Nina’s wedding in Berlin last summer. We ended up having an amazing break in weather (one of only two days without rain in the 8 days I was there) and we made the best of it. The two of them were super cute the whole time and great in front of the camera. The city is one of my favorite on the planet and I love going back there. Luckily, I was able to go back to Dresden three times and hang out; it’s definitely a town that if you go to Germany you should go to. --- ### Personal Photos - Travel in Southern Utah / Nevada | Blue Bend Photography - Published: 2015-06-22 - Modified: 2024-04-16 - URL: https://www.bluebendphotography.com/personal-photos-travel-in-southern-utah-nevada-blue-bend-photography/ - Categories: Stories A couple of weeks ago I met up with my two best friends in Las Vegas and the three of us took of through the desert in search of photos and fun for a week. We had a blast and got tons of good photos too. For space reasons I had to choose between digital and film. Since film has always been my preferred way of shooting, I took two cameras with me: the Contax 645 and the Mamiya RZ ProII. I started years ago with the Mamiya 645 (bought that baby when I was 17) and have progressively grown to nicer cameras. These two are my favorite. The Contax has a ridiculous lens that unfortunately can’t be duplicated on any other setup. Unfortunately, because Contax went out of business long ago. So, it’s only a matter of time before these cameras give up the ghost and we have to find a way of strapping that lens on another body. It really is the nicest lens that I’ve ever worked with. The RZ, on the other hand, is just an amazing camera in general. It’s 6×7 and takes almost as nice of photos as large format. I realize that film is becoming antiquated, but the feeling that you get in the photos when you shoot film still can’t be duplicated in digital. They have gotten way better than even 5 years ago, but when it comes to personal work, I still prefer film :) you might be able to tell that i don’t like being on the other side of the camera very much :) also, joe insisted that i take off my hat since every photo that he had of me was with a hat on. unfortunately, this is the only photo that i have of me and it’s with a look that i call “homeless” :) --- ### Raffaldini Vineyard Wedding Photos - Laurie and Adam | Blue Bend Photography - Published: 2015-03-15 - Modified: 2024-04-12 - URL: https://www.bluebendphotography.com/raffaldini-vineyard-wedding-photos-laurie-and-adam-blue-bend-photography/ - Categories: Stories Laurie and Adam got married at the beautiful Raffaldini Vineyards. If you haven’t seen Tuscany in person, the next best thing is this place. The vineyards, grounds and building are all stunning! Laurie and Adam and their guests were awesome as well! --- ### Fearrington House Wedding Photos – Caitlin and Matthew » Blue Bend Photography - Published: 2014-10-13 - Modified: 2024-04-12 - URL: https://www.bluebendphotography.com/fearrington-house-wedding-photos-caitlin-and-matthew-blue-bend-photography/ - Categories: Stories Caitlin and Matthew couldn’t have had a more perfect day! The weather was superb, the venue was gorgeous, and the people were amazing. This was our first time to the Fearrington House and I was blown away. What a beautiful place! It’s its own little village built very quaint and personal. The wedding photos were felt easy with such a beautiful venue and awesome people. Everyone was very nice and easy to work with. It only took a few minutes until I felt like I was a part of the wedding. Those are my favorites; when I forget that I am a photographer and almost feel like a guest at the wedding. Over the years I have been blessed to photograph many weddings where I was more of a guest than a photographer and this was definitely one of them. – Nick --- ### Biltmore Estate Butterfly Gardens Wedding – Mimi & Nathan » Blue Bend Photography - Published: 2014-10-11 - Modified: 2024-04-12 - URL: https://www.bluebendphotography.com/biltmore-estate-butterfly-gardens-wedding-mimi-nathan-blue-bend-photography/ - Categories: Stories On Sunday, Nick and Colby photographed this beautiful wedding at the Biltmore Estate. They first headed over to the hotel to get some getting ready shots of Mimi, her girls and the kids and the jumped rooms to get some shots of Nathan and his long time friend. The two of them decided to do a first look and then their photos before the wedding in order to have a little more time for photos without neglecting their guests. All-in-all they had about 2 hours for photos and were able to drive around quite a bit of the Biltmore Estate for photos. After family photos on the front lawn, everyone headed over to the Biltmore Butterfly Gardens for the ceremony. The weather was perfect, without a chance of rain, so they were able to set up without the tent. This always makes for the best photos. Reverend Werhan was there to perform the ceremony and did a great job as always. They had Ben, Amy and Kara from Ron Clearfield to set the mood with Strings. Everything was perfect at the Biltmore and it made for an amazing day. --- ### Biltmore Estate Lioncrest Wedding Photos – Elizabeth and Susan » Blue Bend Photography - Published: 2013-08-07 - Modified: 2024-04-12 - URL: https://www.bluebendphotography.com/biltmore-estate-lioncrest-wedding-photos-elizabeth-and-susan-blue-bend-photography/ - Categories: Stories Colby and Nick met up with Susan and Elizabeth at the Inn on the Biltmore Estate Saturday morning and started with some getting ready shots. The girls exchanged gifts and Susan got one of the most incredible watches I’ve seen from Elizabeth. Both of the girls had amazing outfits – Elizabeth’s dress was the only of its kind in the US and Susan had a super cute outfit with a seersucker vest. All of the details and flowers were taken care of by Mark and Bobby of BobbyMark Designs. Everything was spectacular! They had white sheets with chandeliers and their monogram projected with gobos. They had Susan’s favorite cake in jars for every guest as well as a ton of other details. The coolest part of the wedding for me was what people were wearing – white! Everyone in the attendance wore white. The two of them were kind enough to come out with us for multiple little photo shoots and give us lots of time to get portraits of the two of them. All-in-all it was an incredible wedding! --- ### Swag Inn Wedding Photos – Kimberly & Will » Blue Bend Photography - Published: 2013-06-08 - Modified: 2024-05-09 - URL: https://www.bluebendphotography.com/swag-inn-wedding-photos-kimberly-will-blue-bend-photography/ - Categories: Stories I know that I say this a lot, but this weekend was amazing. The wedding at the Swag Inn this weekend with Kimberly and Will is definitely in my top 10. In the car on the way up the mountain from Asheville it was pouring rain – coming down in buckets. I was a bit down, to be honest, because I could tell that we were headed somewhere with an amazing view and we were going to be stuck in the clouds. 20 minutes after arriving, not only had it quit raining, but the clouds had completely gone! It had gone from gray and rain to blue and beautiful! We were at 5100′ above sea level and had a spectacular view. As you can see below it felt like you could see all the way to Asheville. The whole wedding party consisted of the Bride and Groom and their parents. That was it. It was incredibly relaxed and intimate. We spent about 2 hours just walking around the grounds, soaking up the weather and taking photos. The photos are definitely some of my favorites that we’ve ever gotten. If you are in the Asheville area, I can’t recommend this place enough. Within minutes of arriving we felt like we were on vacation. The whole atmosphere of the place is relaxing and puts you at ease. There are so many details I can’t begin to list them all. They even have your name on a walking stick for you to use while at the Inn. From Asheville it’s only about an hour to the Inn. They have amazing food, rooms and grounds. They do brunch on Sundays, picnics, bbqs and evening dining. Thank you, Kimberly and Will, for having us share a gorgeous day with you. -Nick and Maddy --- ### Big News! Blue Bend joins forces with the Obsidian Collective! » Blue Bend Photography - Published: 2013-06-05 - Modified: 2024-04-12 - URL: https://www.bluebendphotography.com/big-news-blue-bend-joins-forces-with-the-obsidian-collective-blue-bend-photography/ - Categories: Stories One of the most common questions that we get at Blue Bend is “Do you do wedding videography as well. ” Well, we do now! Instead of Blue Bend doing the video, though, we have decided that it would be best to partner up with a company that is truly the best in the area. The Obsidian Collective is based out Asheville as well and has been in business for quite a few years now. The Obsidian Collective is a creative media production company based in Western North Carolina. Our goal is simple: to bring top-level media production to our clients. Our team is composed of film and television professionals with over 15 years combined industry experience working on major market projects from New York to LA. From film and television to commercial advertising and promotional video, our members’ combined work falls across a range of media production. In addition to a growing body of regional commercial and promotional media, the company’s recent work has included the feature film “Sol” (now being distributed internationally) as well as music videos, multinational corporation industrials, and company re-branding campaigns. Obsidian Collective is focused on creating the highest quality content to meet the needs of each business. We look forward to being able to deliver an extraordinary product to our customers. One of our favorite things that we look forward to delivering along with a full length wedding video is a short (2-3 minute) “preview” video with both video and photos more in the style of a MTV video. We’re confident that with Blue Bend’s photos and Obsidian’s video and editing that we will deliver something that no one else around is offering! --- ---