Photograph what you love – wedding photography part six

Photograph what you love -

Why I love photographing weddings!

Wedding Photography

by Frank Kendralla

Photo taken in Cleveland Ohio

Bouquet and Garter toss

The bouquet and garter toss are always a funny part of the wedding waiting to happen. There are times when the fight for the bouquet or garter is similar to a jump ball during a basketball game and other times it is a civil and casual event. Many stand out in my mind but one that stands out the most is the time when the man that caught the garter did a back flip in the middle of the dance floor.

The groom tossed the garter and it was caught amongst many capable young men. After catching the garter and while the young lady was sitting on the chair waiting with nervous anticipation, the DJ asked for the young man to come forward. The DJ announced to the crowd and specifically to the young man. “Don’t be shy or . . .” while the DJ was in mid-sentence, the man that caught the garter walked forward and did a back flip in the middle of the dance floor. (He definitely was not shy nor was he afraid of being the center of attention.) This was only the beginning of a very entertaining part of the wedding. I was asked later how I captured the shot. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw him jump up and I immediately turned toward him and opened my lens to its widest opening (17mm). Without bringing the camera to my eye, I fired off a few shots. I was able to capture his flip when his head was inches from the floor. I am very thankful the Lord gave me the skill and timing to capture this shot. It came from practicing shooting without looking many times before.

Wedding Photography

by Frank Kendralla

Photo taken in Cleveland Ohio

dr Frank

www.frankkendralla.com

www.kendralla.com

www.kendrallaphotography.com

Photograph what you love – wedding photography part four

Photograph what you love

Wedding photography part four

Photo by Frank Kendralla -

drFrank

Each ceremony brings a new twist on the special subject of marriage given by the minister, preacher, or officiate. Some sermons make you laugh and cry as the minister reveals special insights from the couple’s lives while other sermons causes the attendees to shout for joy when the message is over. Some couples enjoy a very short and sweet ceremony while others want much more. However, some sermons stick out in my mind much more than others. Why? Because the minister provided a true insight into the marriage covenant and challenges every couple faces in their lives. This is another reason I love photographing weddings. Each ceremony I photograph, I think back to the vows I made to my bride over three decades ago. “I give you my love and fidelity!” Do I remember anything else said during the ceremony when we were married? No, I do remember that I was so nervous that I stuttered throughout my brief response.

Throughout the entire day, my mind is drawing a storyboard of the day. From the early morning when the bride and other ladies are getting ready to the last dance at the reception and everything in between. My mind is building a storybook to put together for the couple in their wedding album. Every detail is important as we photograph the couple’s very special day. Photos of the rings, flowers, special medals, etc. are all important to the couple. The image of the pin that was handed down for many generations of ladies to the picture of the cake cutting utensils sent to the couple from a different country. Each item is critical to tell the story and capture the beautiful memories of the wedding day.

A fun part that I enjoy photographing is when the ladies are pampered while getting their hair done and makeup on. Some ladies elect to have their makeup done by a makeup artist at Macy’s while other elect to have a family member do the makeup. Many will visit a local hair salon for an ‘updo’ while others do their hair by themselves. Every time I watch the ladies hustle about, I remember my youngest daughter’s wedding day. We visited her at her apartment prior to the wedding and she was a calm and collect as I ever saw. In fact, she was so calm, she did the hair of all her bridesmaids and her mom too. Wow! I stood their in awe as I watched and of course, I cried while her bridesmaids chuckled. I was thinking, what happened to me, what a softy I became. Or is it that I was enjoying the fruit of our labor of love?

Some ladies love to get makeup on them and get their hair done while others would rather put a ball cap on and walk down the aisle in sneakers and sweat pants. It is amazing to watch each bride and bridesmaids get ready for this special day. While the ladies are getting ready, I hear the laughter and chatter that take place when the ladies talk about the time when they were little girls dreaming of this day. The ladies talk about their tea parties, and how they dressed up their dolls as they prepared their dolls for their wedding day. Every one of these items are some of the many reasons why I love photographing weddings.

more to follow:

drFrank

www.kendrallaphotography.com

www.kendralla.com

Photograph what you love – wedding photography part three

Photograph what you love

Wedding photography

Part three

What a thrill it is to photograph the emotion that takes place during a wedding ceremony!

I never grow tired of photographing or watching grandma or papap wipe the tears from their eyes as they remember when their grandchild was as little as the ring bearer and once sat in their laps many years ago. Nor do I tire of seeing the bride all dressed in her beautiful dress walk over to her great grandma or great grandfather and give them a kiss and hug that brings the crowd to tears.

As I watch the little girls dance during the reception, I remember the carefree times that I have when I dance with my granddaughter. We dance to the tune of Hanna Montana and I attempt to imitate my granddaughter’s special moves to fun songs that only a grandfather dancing with his little granddaughter can understand or appreciate. Photographing the little girls with their hair flowing is both a challenge and joy.

My goal is always to capture the moment when the girls are dancing by themselves without a care in the world. Then when their mom or dad walks on the floor to dance with them to capture the look on their face as they dance with their little girl is always a fun filled time. I doubt that I will ever forget two beautiful young girls with long flowing hair that danced and danced without a care in the world. They would flip their hair imitating some dancer they might have seen and swing each other mimicking dance partners they watched one day maybe on the television or in the movies.

Every wedding brings a special memory and challenge. For example, the time when the minister told me that once the ceremony began, we (photographers) could not move. Rather than complainr, I made a last minute call to a friend (photographer) and added a third photographer to capture the ceremony from all angles. We were able to capture the ceremony from many different angles creating special images for the heirloom album.

As I photograph the couple dance for the first time as husband and wife, I remember back over thirty years ago when I had the first dance with my young bride. Oh how young we were and nothing else mattered than us dancing together. Soon after the first dance the father of the bride dances with his daughter. Watching this dance sends my mind to the day when I danced with my daughter at her wedding. I never wanted the dance to end and give her back to her husband. We danced to butterfly kisses, which now stands the test of time as a very special song in my life. After this dance, I remember it like it was yesterday, when I danced with my other daughter, then later cried watching and listening to my granddaughter sing L.O.V.E to her aunt. Every wedding brings back special memories to me and no doubt many others that attend a wedding.

More to follow:

drFrank

www.kendrallaphotography.com

www.kendralla.com

Photograph what you love – wedding photography part two

Photograph what you love – wedding photography

Part 2

During a wedding, emotion overflows. Emotion is demonstrated in tears of joy to laughter during the minister’s message or the Maid of Honor’s toast to the couple. I doubt that I will ever forget the toast where the Matron of Honor (the bride’s sister) told of a heartfelt story when the two were little girls and the bride gave her sister five dollars to buy a doll). The Matron of Honor had everyone laughing with tears of joy when she handed her sister the $5 from when they were little girls. Oh, the joys of a good heartfelt wedding toast.

Capturing the flowers, special dinnerware, and all the beauty of the decorations, table linens, and mementoes at a wedding are challenging but brings out the artist in me as a photographer. Capturing the beauty of the cake cutting utensils to the beautiful special ordered flowers is always a challenge and thrill as a wedding photographer. I look at each cake cutting utensil and think about how much time was spent deciding what to purchase and use for this special day.

I doubt that I will ever forget one flower that was a special flower that the bride wanted. When she walked into the room that contained the flowers and saw them, she broke out in tears of joy and gave the florist a huge hug.

Nor will I will ever tire of watching the groom and photographing his look when he sees his beautiful bride (his princess) walk down the aisle all adorned and glowing. Oh the emotions that flow when I see the father of the bride walk arm in arm with his daughter as the dad prepares to hand over his little girl to her groom. This part of the wedding ceremony always brings back the day when I walked my daughter down the aisle to give her over to her future husband. I cried all day and still cry when I think of the day. No longer will I be the most important guy in her life. As a photographer, I am able to capture for all of history, this very special moment in their life. The dad handing over his little princess to her groom that promises to love and protect his little girl.

More in the next post:

drFrank

www.frankkendralla.com

www.kendrallaphotography.com

www.kendralla.com

Photograph what you love – wedding photography part one

Photograph what you love – wedding photography

Part 1

Photo by

Frank Kendralla

There is an old saying within the photography world, shoot what you love to show your maximum creativity and passion.

I love weddings and I love photographing weddings. Over the next few posts, I will share a few reasons why I love them and what stirred up this emotional passion.

First, during a wedding the photographer gets to shoot all types of photography. At any one time during the wedding, I can be an event photographer, outdoor photographer, nature photographer, food photographer, architectural, or portrait photographer. Both formal and environmental portraits are shot during a wedding. With all the action-taking place, some state that a wedding is like a sporting event.

Portraits of children are taken during the wedding (ring bearer, flower girl, junior bridesmaids, etc). Portraits of grandma with all the grandchildren and nana with her first grandchild always move me emotionally. When I see the little girls running around with flowers and bows in their hair with beautiful dresses, I think back to when my girls were little and all dressed up. It brings tears to my eyes (even as I type this paragraph) remembering their laughter and carefree attitudes. With little babies in the arms of grandma, bring back memories of when my mom held her first great grandchild (my granddaughter) for the first time and how precious the image will always remain in my mind. Watching the ring bearer run up to his uncle (the groom) and jumps into his arms, reminds me when my grandson did the same to my son in law. Capturing special moments are a great joy for me as a photographer.

Shooting pictures of fancy cakes and cookies are a challenge but very fun and worth all the efforts. Cakes come in all shapes and sizes. From cupcakes that form a huge tree to cakes shaped like a softball. It is my job as the photographer to capture each cake’s uniqueness for the bride and groom to remember. Some cakes are shiny and others full of color and shape. During the cake cutting, some time there are food fights and other times the exchange is very simple.

More in the next post:

drFrank

www.frankkendralla.com

www.kendrallaphotography.com

www.kendralla.com