Virginia Beach-based photographer Rich-Joseph Facun shares a fun engagement shoot he recently worked on.

In between the soft moments of our engagement narration at the Byrd Theatre in Richmond, Virginia Tracy + Wilmer’s whimsical personalities really opened up. Their general candidness while in front of the lens and eager approach at every location made for a fun and laid back session.

As always, with each engagement shoot, I worked with the couple beforehand in order to help shape their vision.  With Tracy + Wilmer we carefully scouted locations, brainstormed ideas, and organized a concise, yet flexible itinerary for the day of the shoot. We ended up with three locations.

Continue reading and see more photos on Rich-Joseph’s blog.

Sarasota, FL-based commercial and wedding photographer Chip Litherland shot a very original wedding which included fire dancers.

The internet is a funny place. So incredibly ridiculous at some times, other times it can be an amazing place. Take Yolanda and Joe. They met there (wherever the internet actually is) 4 years ago. As of yesterday, they are now married – in real life. How amazing is that? Much better than grumpy cat.

Yolanda and Joe put a lot of themselves into this wedding. They did most of the details themselves, even setting up their reception with the help of their family and friends after getting married. The morning wedding was intimate with just their siblings and immediate family at the beautiful Sundy House. The reception in the back courtyard of Tropical Touch Garden Center in Ft. Lauderdale was one of the most original I’ve seen. The venue itself was beautiful, but it was the personal touches these guys had: Def Leopard playing? Check. Vegas magician? Check. Hula and fire dancers? Check. Jamaican food to die for? Check.

All in all, it was just them.

See more photos on the Eleven Weddings blog.

Jonathan Moore started shooting while a student at USC for the Daily Trojan in 2006. Photography didn’t become a career choice for Jonathan until he interned for Getty Images sports in 2008, where he learned not only how to capture important, key moments at sporting events, but also how to think outside the box. He applies that creative drive towards whatever he shoots, whether for sports, weddings or creative portraits. His clients include Getty Images, USC, Associated Press, Toshiba, Pac-12 Conference, University of Washington and USA Water Polo. If Jonathan is not shooting, then he is probably out training for his next marathon…

Coming from a sports photography background, I find weddings to be very similar in that they both aim to capture peak moments — only in wedding photography that moment is generally an emotion or reaction to something (or someone). In addition, like any form of photography, a good wedding photographer must have an eye for good angles and good light. Finally, personality is very important. Simply stated, wedding photographers have to be approachable, open, professional and kind. To make the images look natural, the couple has to feel comfortable with me snapping away right next to them. A trust has to be established.

The engagement shoots, or “beloved” sessions as I call them, take this idea of “trust” to a whole other level because I am asking the couple to be honest and upfront about who they are and how they feel about each other in front of the camera. Therefore, I never do “posed” portraits because if I’m constantly talking and giving direction, the focus is on me, rather than on each other. This is particularly important because my goal in any beloved session is for want the couple to remember exactly how they felt at the moment I capture the image. It’s what brings value to the work, as the photos remind the couple why their relationship is so special.

For more recent work, check out Jonathan’s blog.

Sarasota, FL-based commercial and wedding photographer Chip Litherland shot fellow photographer Pouya Dianat’s wedding in Atlanta, Georgia.

Halfway through the ceremony, the Rabbi paused and started talking about me. I was scared when he started – did I get too close? Too many clicks? He smiled and started talking about myself being the “Photographer’s Photographer” and that I must be good if the amazing Pouya picked me to document this beautiful night. I better be after that.

That can be a lot of stress being hired by a fellow photographer – especially one as talented as Pouya. We work for the same clients in the sports magazine world and know each other’s work rather well. Needless to say the pressure was on. Luckily, working for a killer photographer can be a lot of fun, because he knows light, color, composition and the kind of moments I’m looking for. When he asked me to photograph his wedding to the beautiful Mallory, I was both thrilled and humbled to be the one they trusted when they have almost anyone to pick.

Continue reading and see more photos on the Eleven Weddings blog.

Las Vegas, NV based photographer Alex Federowicz shot his own wedding.

Sometimes it’s easy for photographers to take for granted our skill set. It becomes natural to forget, from time to time all, of the elements rattling around in the synapses of our visual cortexes in the few tenths of a second it takes to put in motion the mechanics that make a picture. Like any professional of a trade eventually you get to that point where you can begin to make it ‘look easy’, like anyone can do this. And with digital cameras and software readily available everyone sure is trying. The major problem comes when they start charging for their self-perceived craft and simply can’t perform…or don’t care to for that matter. That’s how I ended up photographing my own wedding…

Continue reading and see more photos on Alex’s blog.

Seattle-based photographer Nate Waters documented a day of wedding ceremonies for same-sex couples, celebrating the recent legalization of gay marriage in the state of WA.

I was recently assigned by City Arts Magazine to photograph art installations at Seattle’s City Hall during a day of same-sex wedding ceremonies put on by the city. The assignment was easy enough, I thought – and with family visiting, I hoped I could grab the shots and be out of there well within the one hour of time allotted for press to be inside City Hall. Turns out, I could have never anticipated the level of emotion and excitement I felt by being inside City Hall that day. I ended up staying for almost two hours. Mayor Mike McGinn and his wife attended many of the ceremonies and seemed just as elated to be there as the couples being married. A huge, cheering crowd gathered outside on the stairs, waiting for couples to exit the building.

The opportunity to witness such a moment in our history, to see over 140 couples proclaim for the first time, their love for one another the same way everyone else is allowed to, is something I feel very fortunate to have been able to document.

See more photos on Nate’s blog.

Sarasota, FL-based editorial & wedding photographer Chip Litherland shot a wedding on Harbour Island, Bahamas.

Man, I love Harbour Island – and especially the wonderful clients that bring me back to the best of The Bahamas.

Kassidy and BC had there intimate wedding on the pink sands behind the Coral Sands Hotel, where they were blessed with a beautiful sunset and open skies after days and days of clouds during the week.  Kassidy has a perfect smile which beamed every time she had to battle the wind off the ocean with her extra long veil, but took it in stride. Surrounded by their best friends and family, the islands took control with a beautiful full moon night trickling with the occasional flash from yours truly.

Continue reading and see more photos on the Eleven Weddings blog.

Sarasota, FL-based editorial & wedding photographer Chip Litherland shot a wedding in Siesta Key, FL.

Most of the time we try to disappear as photographer to get the best photos, but some brides just know where it is at all times.

Kelsey and Ryan got married this weekend just a few yards away from where they got engaged last year on the white sands of Siesta Key.  Just a stone’s throw from my house, these guys took full advantage of what this town has to offer.  They were blessed with a very beautiful, cloudless sky and perfect sunset as they celebrated in a private house along the beach where I’ve spent many nights chasing that sphere as it dips below the horizon.  Their beautiful night ended with sparklers and an impromptu crashing of The Beach Club in Siesta Key Village.

Continue reading and see more photos on the Eleven Weddings blog.

Sarasota, FL-based editorial and wedding photographer Chip Litherland shot a wedding at Fenway Park in Boston.

Well, it doesn’t get more Boston than this wedding yesterday.

Kim and Blake approached me to shoot their wedding while I was on an editorial shoot for a newspaper where Kim works down here in Florida…well, actually, this was after I saw her engagement ring and began to pry her for information on if she had a photographer yet.  She then proceeded to tell me about their plans to get married at Fenway Park – home of the Boston Red Sox – and my eyes lit up.  A few emails and a quick “Yes!” (from me) I was buying tickets to head up to Boston and be there for them as they took to the right field upper deck and did this thing surrounded by their family, friends, and one big Green Monster.

Continue reading and see more photos on the Eleven Weddings blog.

Sarasota, FL-based editorial photojournalist and wedding photographer Chip Litherland shares some engagement portraits he took in New York City.

Took a little trip up to New York City last month for a couple weeks for a lot of business and a lot of pleasure, and was able to meet up with a future bride and groom, Stephanie and Dave, to make some engagement photos on their home turf.

Stephanie and Dave are so New York, very beautiful, and so much freaking fun to be around and just hang that we actually split up the session between two weekend nights to chase light and make some pictures.  Chasing light was our biggest challenge as we battled clouds, buildings,and traffic but these guys took everything with a sense of humor and it showed in the resulting images.

Continue reading and see more photos on Chip’s blog.