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It’s really cool when you meet a couple and you have something in common that most people don’t. We all have 11 fingers. Just kidding… it turns out that we all have spent some extensive time in Southeast Asia. It was great breaking from the normal wedding talk to discuss were we’ve gone and what experiences we’ve had abroad. Since Josh and Celeste were getting married in February we figured that the next couple of days after our first meeting would be prime time to do an Engagement Shoot. We took full advantage of the weather. We went from North Portland where we may have stumbled on an Occupy Caboose movement all the way to Powells Bookstore and everywhere in between. I also got to meet Abby and Stella, their two wonderful dogs. One thing that I noticed was that Celeste and Josh had an awesome easiness about them. We had a blast. I am really looking forward to the wedding, like really really looking forward to it
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When I moved to Oregon I remember going to the coast for the first time. I remember thinking to myself, ”This is the most opposite beach weather ever”. It was in the spring so it was kind of cool and windy. Coming from more Southern states, this was such an anomaly. After a couple of years I’ve gotten used to it and have actually come to appreciate the dedication by which Northwesterners enjoy their beaches. On this particular Winter day, it was no different. Brandon and Andi braved the weather and made the most of their Engagement Session at Canon Beach. It was actually a really nice day. The clouds provided an awesome canvas to show the colors of the sunset. Heck, they even took off their shoes to run through the sand and water. We had a great time and a positive to winter beach going is that you are pretty much the only ones on the beach. Even though Brandon and Andi took their shoes off, I did not and continued to photograph them while wearing a million layers of clothing. Yes, beach going in the Northwest requires dedication. That’s love!
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I met Kellene and Matt at my favorite bakery one night. Off the bat I could tell these two were easy going and some of the nicest people you can ever meet. We discussed the details of the wedding and how it was going to be Thanksgiving weekend. An image kept popping into my head and I had to spill the beans. I kept imagining them being announced into the reception by triumphantly running through smoke rising between two huge inflatable Thanksgiving Turkeys. After having a good laugh at that we continued on. The day of was great, crisp and clear and everyone in good spirits. After the ceremony, someone surprised the couple with a bag piper leading them out of the church. Now that in addition to the turkey thing would have been pretty awesome. The rest of the day went off without a hitch. Congrats to Kellene and Matt
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I am always amazed at couples who have to spend massive amounts of time apart yet still keep their love thriving. Chelsea and Anthony is that couple. Anthony residing on the east coast while Chelsea is in Portland. Even though they are apart, they seem so comfortable with each other. We decided to do their Engagement Session in Downtown Portland because they wanted something to contrast their Oregon Coast wedding next year. It was sunny but man was it cold. They took it in stride as we walked from one place to another eventually ending up on South Waterfront by the place Anthony proposed. We ended nearby as twilight was upon us as well as lower temperatures. I’m looking forward to their Canon Beach wedding because they’re awesome and the temps will be a tad bit higher.
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This was just a completely sweet and awesome affair. Vista Hills is one of my favorite venues. It’s intimate and has a beautiful view of the valley. On this particular Autumn wedding day, Vista Hills hit one out of the park. Troy and Kristi are awesome. If there were wedding jitters I didn’t see it…they were totally relaxed and were having a good time. Troy wanted to see Kristi for the first time walking down the aisle so after shooting some family formals separately, it was time for the big show. The smile on Troy’s face as he saw Kristi and her brother in law Matt walk across the top deck of the tree house was so big, it was almost like his mouth, eyes and eye brows were smiling simultaneously. After the ceremony we took advantage of the awesome sky and the surroundings. I’m a mans man…I watch sports, I listen to sports radio…I work on my own car and stuff but I have to admit…I dug Kristi’s shoes…they were pretty rockin. Event Team took care of the music expertly, like they always do. Instead of a sit down or buffet, Kristi and Troy (being foodies) decided to have food stations where their guests could get three totally different dishes. Wild Pear Catering handled it deliciously. The dancing was tremendous, Kristi’s nephew Jonathan was pretty stellar with his moves. I could go on and on… but I’m not. Double thumbs up + fist bumps + explosions and fireworks to Kristi and Troy!!
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During the speeches, Judy said something that I think most aptly describes Judy and John and their new family. She said that a theme in their relationship was ”Better Together”. She continued on to say the same thing about the newly joined families. That they were all now better together. I could totally see that in the smiles of both family and friends as they celebrated this union. Congratulations to Judy and John!!
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Sometimes we as photographers get lucky. We meet people who are supposed to be our ”clients” but very quickly become our friends. I was actually first introduced to Vanessa’s family when I was planning to shoot her sisters wedding. Meeting Ken and Mary at the 1st wedding I was instantly amazed by how loving and happy they were for their children. The wedding went great and I was sooo looking forward to the next wedding when I could again hang out with the family. I was so happy driving up to the venue. I knew given our adventure at the Engagement Session that today was going to be great. Everyone come up to me and made me feel even more apart of the family. Handshakes are for strangers….let’s just say hugs all around. The ceremony was full of laughter and tears. After a couple of photos it was time to party. I think a perfect example of how the family operated was when Vanessa not only had a dance to honor Ken her dad but also a dance to honor Mary her mom. I could go on and on but it was such a great experience. It days like this that I really, really count my blessings. I wish they had more siblings so we could keep this party going on! A heartfelt congratulations to Johnnie and Vanessa and also a thank you for enriching my life.
One of the best Wedding Cinematographers in Portland, hands down. Do yourself a favor and check Travis out if you are looking for Video Documentation.
Source: shieldsfilms
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There are those who are joyful. Then there are those who are so happy and joyful that it infects your own mood making your day a little brighter. It’s easy to see why Neil and Kristen are together. They are a joyful force not seen anywhere else in the universe. If they were space travelers they could make Pluto turn into Florida. Weather is always a factor in the Northwest. On wedding days, they are a very big factor and I’ve photographed many weddings where the bride, the groom and I are checking satellites and doing sun dances to stave off impending liquid sunshine. On this particular Saturday, I definitely dusted off my sun dance boots. It actually turned out pretty nice with sunshine and not of the liquid variety. Starting with Neil’s family it was apparent early that I had some jokesters on my hands. I still don’t know what Vinnie was doing behind me but tears and laughter made the session quite enjoyable. The ceremony opened up with Neil’s niece Taylor singing a beautiful song which definitely went along with the theme of the day. Tears of joy were dropped, laughter was heard and a new immediate family of three was formed. The reception was lively as the formal photos. I’m sure a lot of sore legs were felt Monday morning. I ended the night with Neil and Kristen on the waterfront on a beautiful, clear crisp night. Taking photos on a night like that….could it get any better? Yes it could have, but I didn’t have time to stop for cookies….but it was still pretty great.
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Any wedding that includes Balls of Flame, a Sword and Square Dancing automatically is in the running for the best wedding ever award, the ”Guapo”. It may be unfair but having a wedding outside the immediate proximity of Portland adds considerable points to your chances. Meeting with Nick and Laura, I knew that their wedding was going to be an awesome affair. A. We were starting at a house that looked like a castle. B. Their ceremony was at a beautiful Catholic Church. C. Their reception was to be held in a campground which had a beach, a great hall, a goat and some chickens. What else do you need? Oh right a sword to cut the cake with. Mission complete. I had such a great time documenting this momentous occasion for Nick, Laura and their families. All the guests were so kind and so happy for the couple. I think Nick’s mom rang the ”kiss” bell like a hundred times. Up to the day of the wedding, the forecast was undesirable but waking up that morning to blue skies and no rain was a relief. Even though the competition for the Guapo is intense, I like Nick and Laura’s chances. Congrats!!!
Lindsey and Zach’s sneak peak. The rest of the wedding will be available for viewing next week.
I wanted to thank Lindsey and Zach for choosing me to document their wedding. It was an awesome experience. Someone once told me that you can judge a person by the company they keep. According to that theory, Lindsey and Zach are awesome, which I can attest to because the love and laughter shared between their friends and family definitely made the wedding a memorable one. Having photographed one of Lindsey’s bridesmaid’s wedding last year, I had a general idea of the fun that was going to be had. The crew didn’t disappoint. Congratulations to Lindsey and Zach!
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Engagement sessions are so much fun. Not that weddings are not..it’s just you get to photograph couples without the time pressure of a ceremony or a cake cutting. It’s just walking and talking, getting to know each other and me trying to figure out what makes them tick as a couple. Napoon and Manon are definitely interesting. Napoon is from Kenya and they are planning to be wedded there in a couple of months. After meeting with them to plan the session we decided to do a combo of a little natural and a little urban. I think it matched them perfectly. The day of was perfect…semi warm weather, lightly cloudy. We started in Washington Park and ended Downtown. I found it challenging and fun to find ways to tie in Manon’s red shoes. We even had a four legged interloper during the session but we had a blast
