Nessa and Drew were engaged near the Gateway Clipper in Pittsburgh, PA. The images in this show are a reenactment of the original day that Drew proposed to Nessa. On the original day, Nessa was surprised but obviously accepted his proposal.
During this reenactment of their original engagement date, we walked along Station Square in the South Side of Pittsburgh, PA photographing along the way to document their beautiful day. The weather was perfect during the evening and into the night. After we grabbed a few fun shots behind the Grand Concourse, we moved our way along the river to a remnant of the industrial days in Pittsburgh. We stopped at a flower stand along the walkway in Station Square and headed to the incline leading to Mt. Washington. Mt. Washington presents an amazing view of the beautiful city of Pittsburgh and provides thousands of photography related opportunities. While walking through the streets of Mt. Washington, we found a small but inviting set of shops which included an ice cream shop. Nearby was an colorful mural of houses and trees on the wall of an old building and we couldn't pass up the opportunity to play and grab some fun shots. Enjoy the slideshow to some romantic music. Later in the week I will post a few still images of the engagement shoot which covered a beautiful section of Pittsburgh, PA.
Nessa and Drew - Pittsburgh - Engagement from Frank Kendralla on Vimeo.
Beaver County wedding, portrait, and event photographer - Kendralla Photography
Monday, May 10, 2010
Monday, May 3, 2010
Heart Mender - Andy Andrews - New Book
If you follow me on Facebook or Twitter, then you know that one of my favorite authors is Andy Andrews. The Lost Choice, The Traveler’s Gift, and The Noticer are three of the best books I ever read and are among the top books that I recommend to everyone. He has a new book entitled “The Heart Mender” and when I finish reading it, I will post a quick review and note here and on Twitter. Last week, I reread The Traveler’s gift and as always, it touches my heart and challenges me to think about the 7 decisions outlined in the book. If you never read The Traveler’s gift, then I highly recommend you either read it or listen to it as an audio book. It is one of those books that I can read repeatedly but never grow tired of its content and gain something new each time.
Check out the promo video on his site here and watch for a review of the book later in the month.
Have a great week and just as this sign states - The Adventure Begins:
This image was shot in Orlando, Florida.
I would love to photograph a wedding in this area. The lines and textures are beautiful. The only downfall, I would be on image overload. Never wanting to stop taking pictures. :-D
dr. Frank
Friday, April 30, 2010
Birthday Cake How to photograph
First - This is one of the cutest Birthday cakes I ever saw - Who would think to make a 3-D giraffe birthday cake? The cake is too cute to eat but the folks in attendance ate it up quick. This cake was made by Amy's Cakes and I am always amazed how nice her cakes look.
Second - When I saw this cake, I thought, I better get as much detail as possible.
The first tip is NOT to use a direct flash on the cake. A direct flash will destroy most if not all of the detail. Keep in mind that shadows help with dimension and this cake needs its dimensions shown off. :-D
I used my Nikon SB800 on the camera and pointed it to the wall next to the counter (camera left). It created a soft light on the left side of the cake and a soft shadow on the right side.
I used the same technique to photograph the back of the cake (I did the same for the side and a few close ups of the 'feet'.) The critical point is to diffuse the flash. I used the wall and it created a very soft large light that wrapped around the cake's features. If a wall isn't close enough to bounce off or if the wall is very dark, then have a guest with a light (hopefully white) shirt stand near the cake and bounce the flash off their shirt. I have a large and small reflector that I use when needed. Another key point about photographing cakes is time. Rarely is there time to set everything perfect compared to a controlled shot at home or in a studio. Since this cake had some much character, I took more shots than I typically do for a 'flat' cake. Therefore, it is critical to get the shots of the cake as soon as possible. I try to get the shots as soon as I arrive to the event-reception. This buys me a few minutes and eliminates rushing. If you wait until minutes before the cake cutting, you might miss something.
I use the same technique as a wedding photographer when I am photographing a wedding cake. If special lights exist, use them to create drama. For example, if the party or wedding reception has a DJ that utilizes uplighting, then their lights create very nice accent lighting on the cake.
This was shot with my Nikon D300 and Tamron 17-50.
Frank Kendralla
Pittsburgh Wedding Photographer
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Economy village Ambridge part 2
A few more pictures from Old Economy Village. This is a beautiful setting for weddings and portraits.
I can imagine the giggling of littler girls as they run around the ground covering and hid behind the stone building sitting in the far back left.
Regardless of where I stood in the area, the beautiful clock was seen. No doubt it was done purposefully since everything within the village was done with thought and precision. The stone walls protected the grounds from some of the dirt and dust from the nearby river.
Images by Frank Kendralla
Wedding and Portrait Photographer
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Economy village - Ambridge PA with the kids
We took the grand kids to visit Old Economy Village in Ambridge, PA and had a great time. It is a historical landmark dating back to the 1800's. Please visit their site for detailed information. Historically, it is filled with tremendous information and the guide was very knowledgeable. There were a few other guests that toured with us. The tour started with a brief video about the Village and the history of the Harmony Society. After the video, a tour guide dressed in similar clothes that were worn by the women of the Harmony Society takes you back in time and discusses each room/building and its historical significance.
Our guide explained many fun and insightful facts about the Harmony Society. Since we had our grand children with us, many of the questions were directed toward them. No doubt, this made the tour entertaining and enjoyable for the kids.
Photographically, it is filled with a gold mine of photo opportunities. Although the look is much different than some of my recent post and travels, it is no less exciting and colorful. The village is located within thirty minutes of our home and is another example of great photo opportunities close to home.
The gardens within the beautiful buildings and landscaping are available for weddings and other portrait sessions. I can image the look similar to weddings seen in the many wedding magazines. I wonder how many wedding coordinators and brides 'to be' know of this beautiful opportunity. This is another example of a beautiful place within Beaver County, PA and very close to Pittsburgh, PA which is a beautiful setting for an outdoor wedding. In addition, how many wedding and portrait photographers realize this beautiful facility is available for weddings and portrait sessions.
As I walked through the buildings and down the streets and heard school kids playing, I wondered if the founders of this beautiful historical landmark ever thought children would play in the area. (The society practiced a vow of celibacy. Men and women married but never having children or enjoying them.)
Images by Frank Kendralla
Wedding and Portrait Photographer
Monday, April 26, 2010
Jared Platt - check out his work and blog
This image was shot during my walk around Station Square in Pittsburgh on a very cloudy, rainy day.
Wedding and Portrait Photography
I am not sure how I stumbled upon this blog site but when I did, I knew I must share it with others. He has great information, photos, and great tips for using Lightroom. Jared Platt - check out his work and blog.
Friday, April 23, 2010
Pittsburgh - beautiful lines part 2
Photo by Frank Kendralla
How often do you hear that (fill in the blank) isn't a beautiful city. There isn't anything to photograph in it. I challenge each of you to begin looking at your city in a different manner. Look for the strong lines and contrasts that exist in many different scenes. Challenge yourself to get up earlier than normal and take a photo of a sunrise. Stay up later at night and capture the sunset. Go out on a dreary day and notice the beauty in the scene. I shot this photo on a very dreary rainy day. The sun would peak through every so often but never long enough to cast any defining shadows.
Take one lens and start walking around looking for photos you see and feel in your heart and mind. Before you snap the shutter, know what you want the image to look like.
This image was shot in manual mode.
Have fun and enjoy the beauty of life!
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
Pittsburgh - beautiful lines
Frank Kendralla
Wedding Photographer
www.kendrallaphotography.com
www.kendralla.com
I was walking to my car from photographing a bridal shower and noticed the beautiful lines and great saturation of color from the light coming through the wild looking sky. I grabbed a few shots from different angles and this is one of my favorites. I processed it in Lightroom and Topaz adjust to bring out the colors and lines.
Life passes us by very quickly. Each day we drive or walk by beautiful scenes, buildings, and amazing looking settings. However, since we passed by them hundreds or even thousands of times, we fail to notice the beauty of the scene. It is critical that each day we work on gaining a vision and not worrying about obtaining all the latest and greatest gear. Each day, I am working on stopping and looking at the scenes around me. These two images are part of a few fun images that I took from Station Square
Yes, obtaining the newest gear might be critical to obtain certain images. However, there is no doubt in my mind that these two images are possible with minimal equipment. Just as many others stated before me; it’s not about the camera, it is about obtaining a vision and learning to see the beauty of life. Years ago, I read the book by Lance Armstrong, “It’s not about the bike”. Without going into details about the book and its content, the title makes a great statement. The same holds true with photography. We see a beautiful image and want to know everything about the camera. However, when we read a good book, do we ask what word processor was used to type the original document or the type of pen that was used when the author scratched down their notes? No, we ask them what inspired them to write the book. The same principal holds true with photography, before snapping a shot, think in your mind what do you want the image to look like.
Look around, what do you see today that has been there for years but you never noticed?
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