When I think of Thanksgiving I think of warm autumn colors that make their way to the dinner table in forms of brightly colored pies and vegetables. As we are all busily preparing our special dishes to celebrate our gratitude for God’s providence in our lives, here are some colors for inspiration taken from various autumn walks I took this season. Enjoy!
A blessed Thanksgiving to you!
This weekend on Saturday, November 20th, I will be photographing the Seventh Annual St. Cecilia’s Arts Festival in Old Town, Alexandria, Virginia at St. Mary’s Lyceum.
To kickoff the event I will be shooting *FREE* headshots for Facebook in the very picturesque streets of Old Town on what’s looking to be another beautiful autumn day.* Join me for all or any part of the afternoon. I will have anywhere from 5-20 minutes to photograph you depending on how many people are waiting.
1pm: Meet in Hotel Monaco’s lobby on 480 King Street. (I plan to shoot off a few in that very colorful and dramatic space.) Then about 1:30 start east on King Street (turn Right out of the hotel) for some street shots and then Left on N. Lee Street.
2pm: Meet at Carlyle House backyard gardens (the gazebo will be your marker) at N. Lee and Cameron. About 2:45 start walking down Cameron towards the water.
3pm: Meet at Founders Park on North Union and Queen Street for golden sunlight in the park shots.
Here’s a walking guide for those unfamiliar with the area.
Let me know in the comments section below if you plan to come and for what time slot so I can look out for you.
Make sure you Friend me on Facebook so I can tag you. Wear your favorite fall outfit and your best smile! Keep in mind that solids tend to look better than a lot of patterns. This should be lots of fun! And don’t forget to bring your friends, the more the merrier!
In the evening, join me at the Lyceum for St. Cecilia’s Arts Festival, this year featuring mezzo-soprano Michelle Jacobeen. For those that don’t know, the The St. Cecilia Group is a volunteer-run organization dedicated to revitalizing the Catholic Church’s role as a patron of the arts and the renewal of culture in the Washington, D.C. area. This will be my first year attending and I am really looking forward to it. So get your tickets if you haven’t already done so!
I’ll also have some of my painting and photographic work on display and I’ll be taking orders as well for my custom made, heirloom quality icon medals. If you place your order in person on Saturday, all arts festival and/or photo shoot attendees will get 15% off the regular online price. Medals will be ready in time for Christmas! Cash or checks will be accepted.
*Yes, the headshots for Facebook are free! If you don’t have Facebook account I’ll send you a web resolution file good for any online display of your photo. For any print products or high resolution files, well, those you’ll have to pay for. Sounds pretty fair, right? Plus, my standard portrait terms apply. Don’t miss out on your chance to get a great new headshot -for free!
Sounds like a fun day, Renata, hope it’s a big success!
It couldn’t have been a more glorious autumn day in DC for the annual Veterans Day ceremonies at the many military memorials. A perfect day to remember and be thankful for all those who have served us in the armed forces, especial those who paid the highest price for our freedom.
Some of my usual stops include the Vietnam Veterans Memorial where the The Three Servicemen Statue has recently been restored and overlooks the wall of names for the fallen Vietnam vets, including 8 women who were recorded.
A unique tribute made from the rubbings of names etched on the wall.
The wall helps people hold on to the memories of their fallen friends by taking home a rubbing or photograph of their etched names. In this image below, by the names reflecting back on the man’s jacket, I can’t help but think that those who have fallen want to be reunited their friends as well.
Love that these two guys can share an album of memories.
At The Vietnam Women’s Memorial (by sculptor Glenna Goodacre), there is storytelling throughout the day. Here the sun is shining in the direction of one of the women looking up anticipating a rescue helicopter.
One of the speakers was Air Vice Marshal Kym Osley, head of the Australian Defense Staff in DC who spoke about how the 60,000 Australian soldiers fought along side the Americans in Vietnam. And something else about them being known for lots of beer and partying…all to elevate morale of course. 😉
Across the reflecting pool is the Korean War Veterans Memorial with its own unique wall of memories. Instead of names, faces of the fallen are etched into the stone. There are also 19 larger than life sized figures of a symbolic squad on patrol. It’s particularly striking to see at night.
Often referred to as the forgotten war, somewhat sadly there seemed to be nothing more than a modest wreath laying ceremony there with a few vets.
With a recorded 33,645 killed in action and over 8,000 still missing, Korean War vets like Bob Mount take time to speak, especially at schools, to share their personal experiences for today’s generation. He is also spreading the word about the Veterans History Project of the Library of Congress where stories of all vets will be recorded for future generations.
One of the newer memorials is the National WWII Memorial. Also particularly moving at night time.
My walk back was along a peaceful and glistening Tidal Basin under a canopy of autumn leaves from famous cherry blossom trees.
In Australia, my birth country, November 11 is called Remembrance Day traditionally commemorating the end of WWI at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month. These days, it is a day to remember all Australians who have served. In Melbourne’s Shrine of Remembrance there is a particularly beautiful ceremony that occurs each year (and is simulated every day for visitors).
At 11 a.m. a ray of light from a strategic hole in the ceiling falls across the words “Greater Love Hath No Man” [than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends]. I’ve only actually seen it in person once and it is quite spectacular. Here is a clip I found of that service. At the conclusion you will hear a stanza from a poem (see below) often quoted with the people responding “Lest we forget.”
“They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them. “ Laurence Binyon
Here’s some fun celebrating a soon to be married couple with the start of Autumn in idyllic Georgetown. One of my favorite locations is P Street for its old street car tracks, used book stores and antique shops. For Julia and Michael, a couple that loves to dance, twirling on the old tracks under a canopy of golden leaves, was a charming setting for their engagement shoot. Not to mention all the great stone walls and ivy that can really create a storybook feel. Easy to imagine here Peter Rabbit sneaking a peak and delightfully approving all the activity, as he hops between gardens in search of his next nibble.
Here’s wishing the happy couple many story book moments as they being the next chapter in their lives together! Cheers and blessings!
These are great, on-location shots! Very story-book feel to them. Very cool.
These are absolutely beautiful!
Very cute!! Some great shots. Thanks for sharing!
These are great pics!
I love these! You guys are a wonderful couple!
Beautiful pics, Renata, Julia and Michael. It was good seeing you recently, Julia, and meeting you, Michael. Sugar says hello, too.
Renata, beautiful work!! You’ve got a gift! 🙂 Everybody loves the pictures, Michael and me included. Thank you for sharing!
stunning! beautiful! Renata, you captured Michael’s and Julia’s personalities, and their love for each other in every shot! these are wonderful photos.
my two faves are dancing on the tracks and walking past the window; I love them all!
that first photo of only their legs is very cool, and the introduction is very charming!!
Beautiful pics. You can see their love shinning through. I too love the dancing photos, you can tell they love to dance. The pics of just their daning legs is super cool. Also really like the photo of them walking past the window. Actually, I like them all, those are just a few of my favorites. Here’s to the happy couple. Much love and God’s blessings. 🙂
Julia- you look so beautiful and happy….makes my heart smile!
I often get asked what to look for and talk about when choosing a wedding photographer. On my website I’ve posted some tips and have included them here on my blog on a separate page for easy reference later. Do pass these on to people you may know who are planning their wedding.
Bottom line, a professional photographer should be able to unobtrusively capture both the sacredness of the ceremony along with the joy of the celebration. There are a lot of new trendy things these days that photographers offer by way of high glamour or trashy-chic shooting styles. But don’t forget that a wedding is a sacrament celebrated before God in the company of family and friends. Images from your wedding will be looked at for generations. I often wonder how the photo of the bride hiking up her dress in a back alley next to a trash can, which is all the rage now, will look in 50 years. “Was Grandma a drug addict and living on the streets?” might well be asked by a confused grandchild. 🙂 That’s not to say I’m not always looking for new and interesting settings for bridal portraits, but just keep in mind that a photographer’s skill and style will have a lot to do with how a wedding album will be looked at for years to come.
Similarly, asking Uncle Bob who has a nice camera to take the photos to save on some $$$ is not really a good idea either. This is one expense that really needs consideration when planning a wedding budget. You do get what you pay for and plan for, not to mention that your wedding photos are all you’ll have left, and that you’ll ever likely use again, when the day is over.
Also, don’t end up with a bunch of so-so files on a disk that never get looked at. Doing some good research and thinking of wedding photography as an investment is really important. So don’t skip getting a great album. Some of my fondest memories growing up was sitting with my mother and looking through old family albums, getting a glimpse of what life was like before I existed, specifically from the lineage I came from. This is the main reason I specialize in custom albums, because I’d love for every child to be able to have that experience of sitting with their parents and looking through a beautiful album of the day they made their vows, seeing the origin of love and commitment from which they were made.
Below are my top 10 tips when looking for a wedding photographer. Do leave comments since this is a topic I’m sure must have some stories from brides who have been there and done that, and can share more ideas for new brides who are just starting their search.
Make sure your photographer is a true professional. Your wedding day is an unrepeatable event and you want someone skilled with both high quality cameras and lenses that can work without flash during the ceremony. They should also have access to online proofing sites and professional album binders who can preserve your wedding memories with dignity. When viewing samples of their work, make sure you see images from one entire wedding not, just the best of several weddings. You want to see how they capture and tell the whole story of your day.
If your photographer is a professional, he or she would not only carry backup equipment in the event that a camera, lens, or battery fails, but would also be a part of a network of professional photographers that could cover for each other, should there ever be an emergency to where your photographer would not be able to shoot your wedding.
Remember, no two photographers are alike; their styles and personalities vary greatly, so make sure you research their particular strengths to see if they match your needs and values. You will be with them *all day long* and you want to make sure their personality and work method will not detract from your experience. Scheduling an engagement session is a great way to see how they work, build up a rapport, and give you an idea of how it feels to be followed by a photographer all day.
Because every church is different both architecturally and in their photography policies, inviting your photographer to your rehearsal and meeting the priest or deacon is a great way to help them anticipate how to capture great images from the most unobtrusive positions.
Go through the details of the liturgy so that if there are any “must have” shots or special events during the ceremony, like the Nuptial Blessing, the Lazzo with the Rosary, or visit to the Marian altar, your photographer can look out for them and be ready. The reception also has many key moments and special guests that you want to let the photographer keep an eye out for. If you book your photographer for a short time and want them to stay longer, ask what they charge for extending their time on the wedding day. Often booking initially for a shorter coverage time and extending last minute can be very costly. (Better to plan to have your whole day covered upfront and not to worry about paying excessive fees to extend time or risk missing having key moments covered if you are running behind schedule, unless you are sure you will be okay if the photographer leaves early and misses moments like the cake cutting or father-daughter dance.)
Decide what kind of style you like: “Photojournalistic” is where the photographer interacts minimally with you and the guests producing many candid images; or “Traditional,” where he or she spends time on creating poses and formal portraits. Many decide on a certain combination of both, with some in color as well as in black and white. Also, don’t be afraid to discuss certain poses with which you would not be comfortable. Keep in mind that some candid looking shots are actually partially posed or at least guided by the photographer to prompt a candid looking moment. This is where a photographer’s skill and personality are critical in drawing out those natural candids as well as non-stiff looking formals.
Ask your photographer to include text in the wedding album like the Vows, Nuptial Blessing, and Scripture Readings to add a deeper dimension to your collection of images. For years to come, you will be able to reflect on your photographs while meditating on the very vows and blessings that were spoken.
If you want digital negatives, be very clear how you want them and what you are paying for. Ask if they will be original or unprocessed raw files, color corrected and/or enhanced JPEGs, high print resolution (and printable up to what size) or low web viewing resolution. Will they be delivered on regular or archival gold DVD, or a thumb drive, and who owns the copyrights and reprint rights. All these factors determine the cost and value of the digital files and should be clearly explained to you.
When it comes to photography, you really do get what you pay for. It is far better to hire an expensive, but true professional wedding photographer for a shorter period of time that will provide you with even just 50 stunning images in a beautiful album, than to hire an “economical,” non-professional photographer or ask the relative with a “nice” digital camera to shoot all day long, only to produce hundreds of bland and poor quality images on a disk. Remember, when compared to the money spent on all the other details of the day, (which only last for that one day), your photographs and album will last for generations. Consider spending at least 15%-25% of your wedding budget on photography and you will notice that over time, when all you have left is your album, you will be glad you did.
All of your expectations for wedding coverage, proofing and print products, contingency plans, etc., should be spelled out in a contract. You should not hire a photographer without one. Also, don’t be afraid to try to negotiate certain details into your contract if you do not explicitly see them. Some photographers will also offer a gift registry system or a payment plan over a predetermined period of time so that a full package rate my not have to be due entirely before the wedding.
Most Importantly: Start looking for a photographer as soon as you secure the date. When you find one you really like, don’t wait to book them!
Wow, great advice, Renata. I have to say, the most common thing I hear married friends say, if they had to do it all over again, is that they would have gone with a better/more professional/etc. photographer. Like you said, it’s the one wedding item that’s going to last a lifetime!
I also remember going to one friend’s wedding where, during the distribution of Communion, the photographer went up into the sanctuary, behind the altar, and *leaned across the altar* to get a picture of the couple praying after receiving the Eucharist. Even from *my* seat I could see the bride giving him the death glare. 😉
All good tips!
Based on personal experience, I would say: Don’t scrimp on the photographer! Get a second hand dress, have a smaller wedding, save in other areas, but don’t let your pictures suffer. Years later they are what remind you of that day.
love the colors – and thanks for sharing your “capture” of the season! Happy Thanksgiving!
R, Those are gorgeous photos!!
Thank you!