Erin and Allen told their love story on video so everyone at the reception could hear it first hand. After it was shown they received tons on comments about the video. It enabled the extended families to better get to know the bride and groom. The following is a condensed version with a royalty free song so you could enjoy it too.
Roxann Weix & David Richert are getting married September 3, 2011, which is just a few weeks away. We did their engagement shoot at Allen Centennial Gardens. This offered many beautiful backgrounds, as you can see below. We started the shoot in the early evening with the intention of getting some soft, beautiful light.
You might want to review the video first so here it is. There is one objectionable line in the song. Sorry, but the rest of the song is very nice.
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This picture on the bench is where we started the shoot. I had some difficulty getting my lighting to work as I wanted. So we took several shots until the lighting and posing worked. David was a little unsure at first about what I wanted, but in the end the shot works. It is a little different than just two people sitting on a bench.
In another location I had Roxann and David at a table and I was shooting through a tree and some bushes. I loved the background, so I was hoping it would work. I use a studio flash unit; this allows me to push as much light as I need. I got several really good shots from this position. I asked them to kiss, touch foreheads, and, as in this shot, touch noses. It was pretty funny at the time. I think they were thinking I was kidding about touching noses but I wasn’t. I encouraged them do it. Now, I love the look.
Roxann expressed disappointment that they painted a perfectly natural bridge red. I agree that natural wood is very pretty, but it can make the wood deteriorate faster. Anyway, I think the red bridge looks mighty fine in this picture. You have to love that reflection.
Next we went over to the waterfall area. I wanted David to sit among the rocks. He was rightly concerned about the foliage. We found a spot that worked well and got Roxann to get in nice and close. This is their favorite image of the shoot.
The Centennial Gardens has a nice gazebo. It has some interesting architecture.
I love fun pictures, and Roxann and David were definitely getting into to the moment, as shown in the following few shots.
I complained to her because she did this so effortlessly. But that is not completely true, as this was her second attempt. On the first attempt she had David too far away from the railing, so he fell. You can see what I am talking about as you view the video.
I love these shots where they are clearing enjoying each other.
Nice smiles. By the way, the lighting on their faces is so good because I was using a studio strobe. It provides very smooth lighting. The pictures by the average Joe often produce a very flat look. With these pictures you see more dimension to their faces because the flash unit output is much larger, thus softer, and is off to one side.
I love this look below where they look like they are just hanging out, enjoying a romantic moment.
The following two shot are some of my favorites. I love the lamp behind Roxann and I love David checking out his girl.
I asked David to do a muscle-man pose. He was pretty funny. I don’t think he practiced this much when he was growing up.
David wanted to have some shots taken next to the burgundy plant on the left (they know what it is). I suggested that they do a dip. I muffed up a question about whether they had done a dip before. It did not come out exactly as I had planned–everyone had a pretty good laugh at my expense. It turns out this was their first dip. Not bad for the first time.
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June 4, 2011 was a beautiful day for taking pictures. Julianne and Erik had just signed a contract with me for shooting their wedding on Labor Day weekend, 2012. They were looking forward to getting their engagement pictures completed. We had a perfect day for an engagement shoot. See the video below for an overview of the shoot. If you have a high speed connection to the internet be sure to click on the HD icon for a better image of the video.
Waukesha Engagement Shoot
I drove through the town of Waukesha and made my way to Carroll University, where I met Julianne and Erik for their engagement shoot. This was my first visit to Carroll University, which, like Waukesha, is quite old and has a great deal of history behind it. The stone buildings are beautiful inside and out. We went to the third floor of one of the classroom buildings where there are beautiful arches with French windows overlooking the courtyard. I brought out my fisheye lens, thinking this would be a fun look. Sure enough– it became my favorite picture of the shoot. I love this shot in black and white.
Julianne was showing some great moves and was having fun doing it. Erik and Julianne met here at Carroll University, so it is fitting to have some pictures in one of their classrooms. We got a wonderful shot.
The picture below is in the courtyard of Carroll University. I love that old 19th-century clock, so I was sure to get it prominently featured in several of their photographs. More importantly, Julianne is glowing in this picture, and Erik is looking great too.
Showing off their blue eyes.
I love their expressions and the look of their hair in this photo.
The following is an antique look for something different. The clock is again prominent.
The manager of this establishment was more than happy to have us take some pictures in front of his building. It was good for us too, as it provided a great look for several photos.
Down the road is a mall area where I took several pictures and this great blowup of their faces.
One of the things on their list was to be sure and get some cool shots using the rule of thirds. The idea is to provide plenty of space on one side for them to use as a card and place text on the other side. The following is an example of such a picture.
The background to this picture is darker than it really was at that time, but so what? It looks like they were dancing in the moonlight, so it makes for a nice shot. Notice their clothing choices. They had complimentary colors and style while wearing solid colors (something to keep in mind).
Lizzy, Kyle and I (my friend Paul was there for a while too, to shoot video) went to the capitol to shoot their engagement session. Though a bit hazy it was a nice day. The video and pictures below shows what the shoot was like. If you have a high speed connection to the internet be sure to click on the HD icon for a better image of the video.
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I love doing this shot. I get lots of natural laughter and smiles. I teased Lizzy about whether she was strong enough to lift Kyle. She completed the task. Enough said.
Tree hugger
I love the tulips in the foreground and the capitol in the background.
This shot was taken on the top floor of the Monona Terrace. A wedding reception had started so we were competing for space.
This was taken just outside of the Monona Terrace. There was a nice section of shade which I like for my subjects so their eyes are open and not squinting.
This is one of my favorite images in natural color too. This aqua gray look makes the image stand out from the rest, though.
I love Lizzy’s smile in this shot.
Lizzy and Kyle are completely natural. Not.
I love the look and natural feel to this image.
Are you dating?
It is always such a privilege when a couple put their trust in me to shoot their engagement and wedding photos. It is a lot of responsibility but it’s also a lot of fun — being creative and seeing what comes out of it. Every couple is different and together we work out a mixture of pictures that are unique to that couple. Brad and Stacie are no exception in this regard.
We went to the Memorial Union of the University of Wisconsin to shoot their engagement pictures. Though it was a little windy, it turned out to be a beautiful spring day. There were tons of people enjoying the sights and sounds. Brad and Stacie fit into the local scene perfectly as they enjoyed each other. We had a few laughs and conversations with a few people around us as Brad and Stacie were posing and following my directions.
Check out the following video and pictures to get a feel for how the engagement shoot went. If you have a high speed connection to the internet be sure to click on the HD icon for a better image of the video.
James Studio Photography
I was shooting from inside the cafeteria to get this shot. Communication through the windows was not so easy but they knew what to do.
The shoot was vivid with colors everywhere. This shot looks out from the terrace to the lake with sailboats in the background.
This is a composition of two images brought together to make a better complete image. I love Stacie’s crossed legs in this shot.
The Memorial Union has three of these huge chairs which are quite suitable to engagement pictures.
Just down the path from the Madison Memorial Union are these sailboats for rent. Or in this case very conveniently located for photography.
They look pretty comfortable in this spot. It is a lovely picture.
Welcome to James Studio, known for its artistic yet classic style, directing subjects to look their best without over posing them. Jim is passionate about capturing new and exciting looks that bring out the fun and joy already built into each subject or couple. It is Jim's job to help bring out the emotion and then capture the moment and the emotion it contains in vivid color.
James Studio shoots with some of the best camera equipment available. Really good cameras and lenses help a lot.
What distinguishes James Studio is Jim is not afraid to shoot something different, whether its a pose, an angle or lighting setup. He comes up with new ideas for great looks with every shoot. As you look around the James Studio site notice that the images are new and fresh with each subject.
With months, if not years in preparation and dreaming about your wedding day, when your special day comes it happens in a blur. There are so many good times, wonderful moments, and comments made; you wont be able to remember them all. James Studio also provides professional video services to creatively preserve the day. We will capture the day to allow you to re-live the precious moments again and again.
It is Jim's philosophy that whether it is a wedding, HS Senior shoot, or other portrait shoot, his aim is to make it a refreshing and positive experience for the client. Thus Jim is well organized and confident to provide advice and direction to keep everyone moving and on time so the wedding day or portrait shoot goes smoothly.
With the right blend of artistry, equipment, leadership and organization the shoot will be a day to remember with lots of fun along the way. One of the most common remarks Jims gets after an engagement shoot is, "that was really fun!" That is how we want you to feel every time your picture is taken.
What's more we want you to look great. Jim is a pro at touching up photographs so the subject is proud of their pictures. Jim will provide images to show on Facebook free of charge. As the person looks his or her best they are excited to show off their pictures and then get lots of glowing remarks.
Review this site and then call 233-5556 to schedule a portrait session or a time to meet with Jim regarding your wedding. James Studio is centrally located in Madison at 2611 University Ave. You can also contact James Studio by email by going HERE.
