How to be a successful photographer.
Want to be a successful photographer? The key to success is pretty simple, this is the speech I give everyone who asks me how to make money as a photographer or how to become a professional photographer.
So I just spent the past hour writing this blog out and decided that It dragged on too long. It didn't have a point or it touched on too many. I'm going to make this clear, simple and short. I have given this speech to multiple people who ask me how to get into photography. I get asked quite regularly to take people on as an assistant or to bring them to a wedding i'm shooting or show them how to make money with photography. This is what I tell them.
If I was a painter, a mason or made money doing carpentry I would pour all of my efforts into it. I would have the best brushes, watch videos on painting, try out different canvases, learn to make my own canvases. I would make sure everyone knew I was a painter, I might even have my own studio space just to paint. I have all the coolest painters clothes, aprons, gloves, hats to keep my hair out of my face. I have a cool logo that lets people know i'm a painter with my name in it and website. I would also write about my paintings, enter them into shows. I would make sure I was on all social medias and I would pay someone to scan or get copies of my paintings online to share with everyone. I would make shirts and broadcast what I do. Everyone would want to come to me to have a painting done because they know i'm a painter because that's all I talk about. You could find all the books on my shelf have a common theme, painting. My instagram would feature my own paintings and a link to my website which has my work and also ways to purchase my paintings. I also would love to go to Meetup.com gatherings to meet other painters. My good friend is also a painter from Boston and we talk a few days a week on the phone and he does some things similar to me and some different things from me but we both love painting regardless. We regularly talk about how to price our work and what people will pay for it and what's fair and how to treat people who don't pay. I would also be doing some work for charity with my paintings, maybe a themed project to help support a group, cause or person. When I do charity work, that gets shared on social media and talked about and every once and awhile my name will get thrown out to a commissioned painting or a series that someone will auction on. I love to go see famous painters speak as well and I always check in to whatever place i'm at to brag about my painting related activities.
If you truly love what you do and want more of it then show the world. Focus all of your efforts on it, leap without looking, live without the money and success and know that it's coming and it will. I'm where I am right now because i've made sacrifices with my time, money and relationships. I have had multiple people over the years tell me that it won't work and that you can't make money being a photographer. When I hear this all I can think of is how sweet it will be when i'm sleeping in or in a foreign city while they are scheduled to be sitting in a cubicle in front of a computer for the foreseeable future.
I love what I do and wouldn't change a thing. I wouldn't have the friends I have, the life I have without buying that first camera, without shooting that first wedding, I regularly take all of my profits and roll them back to equipment costs and take work off and go on a "vacation" where i'm just taking photos so I have interesting stuff to share on social media. I also give up time with friends and family to spend with strangers taking their photos.
In the end i'm doing something important, i'm capturing memories that someone will have forever.
Canon Professional Services
CPS is an awesome program where you pay a little and get a lot back. Very very good idea to have if you make money doing photography.
So i've invested a little bit of money this past year in my infrastructure, one of those being Canon Professional Services.
I've belonged to Canon Professional Services for a few years but relying on the free or basic service. Mostly it's been nice to keep adding gear and watching my points go up. This year I upgraded to platinum which comes with a lot of benefits. So you need to be an employee of a photography business or have your own and have at least fifty points in your CPS account. You get points by the amount of gear you own. So if you own a Canon Rebel with an 18-55 lens and a third party flash you're probably not going to cut it. Own a 5D mkIII with a 50mm 1.8, you're getting warmer. Basically you have to be committed to photography and Canon to belong. If you have a basic rebel and kit lens and drop it, just buy a new one. I have seven L lenses and two bodies and three flashes so I'm well above the mark for getting in. So when you join for the low fee of $300 you get the following:
- New Member Welcome Kit: Welcome Letter, Exclusive CPS Platinum Gift, CPS Member Card, 2 CPS Pro Straps, 2 Rear Lens Caps, and 2 Camera Body Caps (contents subject to change)
I received a Thinktank Laptop bag which has been really useful and the extra lens caps and body caps have been nice to stash away fro a rainy day. I don't really have any use for the two CPS Pro straps (You're welcome to buy them from me). I have Black Rapid and Spider holsters.
- Priority access (over Gold members) to Equipment Evaluation Loans (Try Before You Buy Program)*
I fell in love with the Canon 200mm f2. Thanks Canon for enabling me!
- Expedited 2 business day service turnaround** on CPS PLATINUM REPAIR LIST products
Dropped my 580ex II & 5d MKIII. Had it fixed before the following weekend's wedding. It was a damn good excuse to buy the Canon 600RT. The repair actually got back to me faster than the new lens, but regardless my accident enabled me to buy new toys.
- 30% discount on repairs on CPS PLATINUM REPAIR LIST products on up to 15 items per membership term
I have plans to ship out some lenses with a tiny bit of dust in them.
- Repair Coverage Loans***
- Free shipping both ways on CPS PLATINUM REPAIR LIST products sent in for service
I still have to find out more about this.
- Complimentary Product Maintenance Service**** on up to 10 Pieces per membership term
I will be shipping out some of my gear very soon before the wedding season starts! You could spend around $15 plus $40-60 for a cleaning for a single piece of equipment, why not get a bargain on this and sign up!
- Onsite event and show support, as listed on the events calendar
- 24/7 CPS Support Hotline (domestic and international)*****
- Discounted admission to select Canon Live Learning seminars and workshops
Anyways it's a good deal and you should give it a try. If you're a professional and want to know that someone is in your corner backing you up in the event of an emergency then this is the program for you.
This is also a good program for you to get to know lenses better. Sure you can watch Youtube (DigitalRev has some of the best reviews in my opinion) or you can read reviews on FredMiranda. But signing up for CPS and getting to use those lenses for a week and then paying the $15 to mail it back to Canon is even better. I've "evaluated" four lenses so far. One of those being the canon 200-400 f4. It was amazing and the looks you get from everyone is even better, priceless.
So my first lens rental from CPS was the Canon 200mm f2. I figured what better way to showcase this beast than putting it on the Canon EOS M3. Let me tell you, it was amazing. The image was creamy in the bokeh and tack sharp. I was able to shoot handheld in NYC at ISO 200 at night. (Photo Below)
Want to become a better photographer? Shoot weddings!
Want to become a better photographer, shoot weddings.
This is a marathon, a crucible of photography. Locations, settings, light, people, equipment, you are the one making all these mini decisions and changing the outcome of your photos. The more you shoot these, the better you'll get. Sure it can be stressful, but once that's gone it's nothing but fun.
So the title pretty much sums up what I want to say. I'm going to keep this brief, mostly because I was just on my way out the door and then inspiration hit and I have to get this out before my Venti Mocha happens.
So if most of you don't know already, I'm a wedding photographer. People usually say one of two things, that's awesome it must be a fun job or I would never do that, i've tried before and it was too stressful. So if you've said either of these things you're both correct.
This is a fun day, you're spending it with two people on the happiest day of their life; unless of course they have a baby or have just spent way too much at B&H (photographer reference). Everyone's happy on their wedding day despite the hiccups of the day and the hectic nature of the schedule sometimes. The bride and the groom see all their friends and family, get to show off dance skills and force everyone to watch them eat the cake; it's a wonderful time. As the photographer I'm also in a good mood. I've done enough where my day feels like i'm hanging out with new friends and just doing what I love.... taking photos. I get to share this beautiful day with two brand new friends of mine and I get to eat with all the rest of the people. I get unrestricted access to the best photos during the ceremony and reception. I'm not fighting anyone for the best shot of the bride and groom and when the dance floor opens up i've been known to dance with an aunt or grandmother too. At the end of the day I get to thank the bride and groom for inviting me to shoot their wedding by sending a dozen or so shots. It feels good to send those off and see all my photos pop up on their social media (I get tagged and I love it). So again, to reaffirm, this is fun.
So the other half of the coin, it's stressful and you don't think you could ever do it. Shooting a wedding is a marathon of photography. Sure you may have done an hour or two shoot before or two portraits in a day but imagine shooting six to twelve hours. When people think that it's going to be the most stressful thing, it's not... maybe the first dozen times. But once you realize that you're the one in control the better off you are. Often times or not my job feels like a photographer / chaperone. I'm typically reaffirming the bride & groom about how the day will unfold throughout the day. Okay, you're getting makeup done and afterwards we're going to take a big group photo, yes, not in your dresses yet or okay directly after the ceremony you'll have the receiving line we're everyone hugs you, shakes your hand and while that's happening i'm going to set up over here and then we can..... You get the point (excuse my run-on sentence), i'm guiding the day and reaffirming their schedule and letting them know if we're good on time or not.
So the way weddings make you a better photographer is this, you change settings location wise and on your camera hundreds of time throughout the day. Light changes, difficult people added into the mix, someone doesn't like the way their arms look or you found an amazing location that's a ten minute walk away that you have to convince everyone of. Shooting a wedding will make you a better technical photographer (unless you shoot on Auto). You'll constantly be changing angles, lighting and learning posing. You'll change your settings on your camera non stop and after awhile you can dial in whatever you need at a seconds notice. During the ceremony i'll have on a certain setting but as soon as that announcement happens introducing Mr. & Mrs. Smith i've already shot my few photos and now i'm changing everything on my camera to get those photos of the bride and groom walking up the isle in a bit different lighting situation.
The most difficult thing for me is looking at photos i've shot and asked myself why didn't I just drag the shutter a little longer or why didn't I just ask that lady to move out of the photo. So each wedding I improve on all these little details, I know that I'm just going to ask someone to move out of the photo, i'll yell at someone who's mugging too much for the camera. When people are difficult or uncooperative and say something like I don't like photos or are just ruining a group photo I remind them "These photos aren't for you, it's for Mary & Tom". The location's aren't always the same either. You may be shooting at a beautiful hotel in Boston and get to take photos around Boston Commons and some of the urban areas and then the next wedding is at the Elks lodge with a giant parking lot around it. This is a challenge but not unconquerable. You find other locations nearby and suggest that we take a ride up the road to the beautiful lake or go across the street to the bridge or if all else fails, embrace what you have. Take photos of everyone outside in front. Showcase where the bride and groom are, set up some awesome portraits inside, make it fun for everyone. I also am constantly changing what I bring, some weddings I bring all my super telephoto lenses and others I just bring a few prime lenses. I'm constantly challenging myself, can I shoot a wedding on just a 50mm 1.2, damn right I can. Could I show up to a wedding with a Canon Rebel and kits lens, hell yes and I would have the best photos there.
So hopefully you're looking at this in a different light or I just got happy and excited for you for nothing. So to recap, each wedding is a six to twelve hour shoot (I don't put a cap on the time and I don't ask them for more money in the middle of their wedding, they just get extra time, thats it) where you get to shoot the same subject from wherever you want and also the subject is willing to go with any ideas that you put down. Let me rephrase this, imagine doing a photoshoot for two people and having eight hours and not nailing it, it's almost impossible. Regardless of how we all feel about our own work and how judgmental we can feel, the bride and groom are going to love their photos, they're in all of them! So long as you try your hardest and are honest about everything with the bride and groom about what they're getting they'll be happy.
Want to get better at photography, shoot weddings.
Family session at the Old Stone Church in West Boylston
So i'm a wedding photographer but I also do lots of other types of photography, mostly being portraits. So here's a recent family session I shot at the Old Stone Church in West Boylston, Massachusetts.
So i'm a wedding photographer but I also do lots of other types of photography, mostly being portraits. So here's a recent family session I shot at the Old Stone Church in West Boylston, Massachusetts.
Sharon & Jon's engagement session at Arnold Arboretum
Here's a sneak peak at Sharon & Jon's engagement shoot. More will be shared on www.IShotYourWedding.com
Today we spent the afternoon at Arnold Arboretum in Boston, Massachusetts. Turns out it's right down the road from my best friend's apartment and i've actually driven past this place a dozen times. We wandered and got some great shots and got to know each other a bit better. Here's some of the photos from the shoot.
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Food photography
So i'm a wedding photographer but I love food. So combining that into food photography is pretty damn easy. Here's a few things i've learned while doing food photography. BTW most times i'm shooting photos of food i'm using my iPhone.
Lately i've been doing a lot of food photography. I really should say I've been going places and eating and taking lots of photos of my food. I've been supplementing my Instagram feed with new exciting places i've found to eat.
That's how I feel about my photography, my work; it doesn't feel like work. I love doing what I do, taking photos and living my life the way I want. So lately it's been taking photos of burgers, pastries or whatever else is beckoning to me. So I wanted to share a little bit more about food photography. I know it's been written about it a more glorious fashion in books, online articles or magazines but I wanted to share my little view of it.
So i'll be perfectly honest, a few months ago I really knew nothing about food photography. I knew the basics, some lighting and what not and adjusting colors after so everything looks great. I didn't realize how much went into it. Often times the location is not well lit and whoever has prepared the food doesn't know about food photography and you're given a little less than perfect presentation of the food. So when you show up and get the food to work with you either get something thats pretty damn good looking or you gotta fix it up a bit.
So the first thing I want to try and get is a clean plate. I bring my own, a few different sizes and colors because sometimes whoever is giving me the food might have a god awful ugly plate that ruins the presentation. I have a huge variety of plates that I collect from Target, Wal-Mart, Savers and any other place that I go. I also am consistently on the lookout for unique glassware and bowls. So the plate is the base, it's where the beautiful food will sit and pose for me. Now the next thing is making sure the plate remains clean throughout, I would rather not do photoshop after the fact to fix it.
The next thing is the food, it's gotta look amazing. I will usually work with the chef and make sure that they understand what i'm looking for. I want a picture perfect piece of food, no flaws and all ingredients showing. Sometimes this may mean adding extra ingredients or putting less of something else on something. I typically only need one side of whatever i'm working with, so it can be built up on one side.
So the next is location. I don't want to take the photo in the back of the kitchen or on a steel table. I don't want a white background that looks like it belongs on Amazon either. So I usually scout around the area where i'm going to take the photo and select a few locations. Depending on the location I will use a flash or strobe. But the best thing that I usually use is a simple reflector.
So someone asked me which is harder, taking pictures of people or food. It's definitely food because it's all on me to get the photo right. I can't blame anyone else on the photo not coming out. The food is just sitting there, looking sexy and I have my camera and tools to get it done. When i'm shooting a person, they could have a bad hair day, a bad attitude or simply just be wearing something horrible. So again, food is hard.
So back to food photography. We left off at starting to take photos of the food. So there's a few different ways you can take photos of food. You can take really close ups of it, if it's a sandwich you might get meat hanging out of it or the crumbs falling off the bread. The next is maybe one of the more recent popular ways, straight down; birds eye view. You take a photo looking down on the plate, highlighting the shape, portions, colors and textures of the meal. The next is simply at an angle, showing where the food is and maybe a few accessories (fork, knife, drink, napkins, table cloth, ketchup bottle, other table wear). The other way I like to get photos is straight on from the side. I think this is one of the best and unique views of the food. So whichever way you decide to shoot you have to make sure everything looks picture perfect before you start. So if you have to lift up a steak and clean the plate or ask for a new vegetable because the one you have looks kinda dumpy then do it. Don't be scared to squeeze, stretch, adjust and move things around so they look perfect.
So the rest is up to you, theres no wrong way to do food photography. It's whatever you make it. My food photography is always developing. I'm always learning more tricks and techniques to get my shots looking better and better. Sometimes i'll shoot wide open, sometimes i'm shooting at f8. It's whatever you do to get the shot and then properly post processing that image. One little thing that I don't always share is I use my Iphone to do some of my food photography sometimes. I usually use a reflector and pose the plate right by a window. I'm still doing a little post processing with apps on my phone.
I do have a little bit of an advantage though, I love eating food and I also work part time at a Mexican Restaurant which is part of a restaurant group in Worcester with ten different restaurants in two different states. So i'm usually around food quite often.
You can see some of my food photography on Gerardo's Italian Bakery's website. I've provided all their photography and it's been a real learning experience.
BirchTree Bread Company
BirchTree Bread Company is a one month old bakery in Worcester that seems to be crushing it. Delicious breads and a fresh take on a bakery / place to grab a coffee with a friend. Don't even bother reading this and go and check it out yourself.
This past Saturday myself and my girlfriend decided to make our way to this new bakery in Worcester. Located on Green Street in Worcester right across from SmokeStack BBQ is an old Worcester factory building with many hidden gems, BirchTree Bread Company to be specific.
We entered the building and immediately started exploring. We ended up browsing in a curiosity shop downstairs called Crompton Collective which deserves it's own fan fare, it's amazing. It's collection of local's curated antiques and home made goods make wandering a delight. After pressing onward we made our way through a farmers market which is located in the basement and also know as The White Room. The farmers market had lots of fresh produce and familiar faces. Next we made our way back through Crompton Collective, up the stairs to BirchTree Bread Company.
As you are walking down the hall to the entrance to BirchTree you can feel and hear every intentional footstep as can everyone else. This building is ancient and repurposed, bright and clean; other local businesses occupy most spaces in this spacious location. We enter BirchTree and are delighted to see this modern meets rustic look for a brand new brand. We stand in line for a few minutes and end up running into various friends who are also here to check out this new hotspot.
We slowly pass the cases with cheese and other goodies, I make note of future cheese purchases. The menu is a few feet into my stay in the line. The menu is written out in white chalk on a green chalk board. So the main thing to understand is they have a limited menu, that's not a bad thing. With a limited menu that means they can concentrate on the things they do well, an awesome soup of the day, a sandwich special, breads, cookies and coffee drinks as well as rolls and loafs. This also means that you have the chance to try everything on this menu before it is added to.
I ordered all the cookies, cranberry white chocolate, turbinado sugar, peperes adeladies. Don't ask me specifically what all that means, what you need to know is it's delicious. I ordered a hot chocolate and two variations of toast, the seeded rye with a cranberry orange cream cheese and a coriander raisin with peanut butter and banana and toasted wheat germ. The portions were generous and the price affordable. Before heading out for seating I spot a large country jug filled with ice water, I turn the spout and quickly fill a mason jar up with what may be filtered or delicious Worcester water into it. We sit at the bar at the end of the copper counter while we waited for our brunch, the line doubles at this point; when will the madness stop.
Looking around the room you can see lots of room for future tables, furniture and innovations. A coffee table is surrounded by four large benches in the center of the room, tables line the window as other various seating is placed accordingly. One of the owners is hustling around the kitchen doing odds and ends while this new well oiled machines dances through orders. I sit and spend my time while I wait taking photos of the food. My name is called and our food is brought right over to us, I spend at least another ten minutes taking photos. After I put away my camera gear and dig into the food I am instantly satisfied. The food here is fresh, delicious and worth any small wait that you may encounter.
I highly suggest you visit this local bakery and push into the frame of a Worcester landmark.
Go and add them on Facebook and see what they're up to. BirchTree Bread Company.
The cold.
It's cold and I want to take photos still.
Typically most of my shoots are done outside, in the elements; rain, shine or calamity. Now that fall is passing and winter on the edge I have to consider where I will shoot. I have lots of new toys, lights and lens galore. Studio work is easy but costs none the less.
I do plan on finding some space this winter but I also plan on personal projects a lot for the coming cold months. One thing that I don't mention or bring up as often as I like is that I do photography for myself first, second the client. When I shoot a wedding it's images that I think are beautiful and secondly my client will think are beautiful. I trust that part of the reason they hire me is because of my portfolio and my vision. I do wedding photography for the love of it and also the money that affords me to buy lens and gear to further my art.
This winter I want to be very creative even if it's in the cold, I will not go on hiatus nor hibernate through what should be an admirable winter season. You have been put on notice by my declaration today which at least ten people or may read.
My public service announcements.
So I made myself some promo material and yes it contains bad spelling, sometimes grammar and punctuation flaps. But here it is in all it's glory, my public service announcements.
Bad spelling, grammar included. Enjoy.
Europe - Barcelona for the day.
A full day in Barcelona with everyone's favorite wedding photographer Mike Hendrickson.
Spent most of the day shooting street photography and the sites. I'm exhausted but want to make sure I get this post and photos out before I leave tomorrow morning for Paris.
So i'm preemptively starting this blog to tell about my day.
So far i've woken up and decided yes, I want to leave the hostel and walk around.
My bunk mates are from France, China and Omaha Nebraska and we had fun conversations before bed, for some it was their first time in Europe.
So today it's a bit cloudy which is nice because it gets hot here and quick. I'm thinking about trying the bus system or just doing a lot of walking today. I don't know if i'll get to go swimming, I think I would rather a more relaxed beach scene than they have to offer. I hope that was the correct than,then?
I started the day by walking next door to the hostel to rent a bicycle for the entire day. After the lengthy contract process to borrow a $100 dollar bicycle I ventured off. I set up a mount for my iPhone so I could make a time lapse video, it worked and then failed. The mount for the iPhone felt a little too loose and then upon tightening it I was able to, with my super human strength pull the mount off. I checked directions on my Iphone so that I could head to the beach, I want to get some shots of all the people there. After a few hours and getting very close I gave up. I'll look up the directions tonight, it's very easy to get turned around on some of the side streets.
The traffic in this city is composed of bicycles, human traffic, scooters, car and truck and motorcycle. Everyone follows the walk, don't walk signs and all traffic. The city is consistently swept and cleaned and cleared of dead leaves and trash from what I could tell daily.
So I took a shower when I got back to my hostel today and then headed out with the Sigma 150-500. My aim for today was to get some really stunning photos of the people of Barcelona and some of the sights. I couldn't be happier with what I got. This lens is amazing for street photography. So with street photography it's best not to be seen I believe so that you can maintain those moments of spontaneity between people. I set up all my shots, crossed streets, hid, pretended to be shooting past people and at other things. When I had the subject completely unaware that's when I would strike. I cannot wait to show everyone my photos from today. I plan on doing this style of shooting even more when I hit Paris in a day or so. I do need to find a lighter, smaller bag to travel with while on bike or foot.
Now i'm back at the hostel and i've decided to call it a night. Just some snacks from the vending machine and maybe a soda before bed. Last night I was the first person in the room to come home and go to bed which meant I was the first to get woken up and the first to wake up in the morning. I have to return the bicycle I rented by 10am tomorrow morning. Going to try and take the Canon EOS M and a bike ride around the city when I wake up. I'm all ready packed up for the most part, can't open all my stuff around everyone at the hostel and pack properly. While i'm writing this there is a table of hot German girls talking and drinking.
So now I am going to finish working on my photos and present them at the bottom of the page. That part will be added in post though, for now you will have to just read.
Europe - Italy, Switzerland, France, Spain
So here's my most recent travels, Italy, Switzerland, France, Spain and this is only the beginning. Hope you enjoy reading about my most recent travels. I'll be going to a few more countries in the next few days.
So I hope everyone has been having a great week. I sure have been.
So let me start from the beginning of the trip. I arrived in Rome and quickly realized how hard it is to rent a car without a credit card. I brought my ATM card and license, I have plenty of money so I didn't need to bring my credit card and also I haven't used it for a single thing in 2 years. Sixt car rental was able to help me out, I just had to lock up $2500 on my bank account. So a minor hiccup to the beginning of my trip. The airport was absolutely mental, signs were hard to figure out and pointed to random places where there was nothing. Regardless I found my car which to my surprise was a diesel which gets 70mpg or some weird kph estimate, a Fiat 500L Diesel.
I left the airport and didn't care where I ended up, I just didn't want to be at the airport anymore. I started following signs for Roma and ended up in the center of Rome. Crazy traffic patterns and scooters zipping in and out among the cars as well on the other main roads leading into the city. The city itself is history married into a beautiful manicured painting. Old ruins mix with more modern buildings and ancient trees dot the area. I quickly found Vatican city and as you may have guessed thousands upon thousands of people and nowhere to park. I drove around for a bit and followed the blue signs for parking, P. These led to full parking lots or parking for Vespas. Eventually after an hour and a half I called it quits and headed out of the city. I really needed a good nap and decided on coming back and returning the car early and spending lots of time wandering. Part of my plan though is to have no plan at all.
So now I'm heading up to Geneva which is a long ways away. I take the long drive up the Italian Coastline and stop at many different rest stops to get fuel for the car and myself. I did have some very italian food it just happened to be very packaged.
So a very notable name popped up as I drove north, Pisa. I know that name and I know what it's all about. I headed for the leaning tower of Pisa. When I arrived I was ushered into a empty spot on an area of free parking by an African gentlemen selling umbrellas. He stood by my window as I tried to ignore him. He tapped and offered an umbrella, it was raining. I declined and he then asked for money to watch my car. I declined again and he started mumbling under his breath and so I decided a Euro wouldn't hurt me in the long run so I didn't have my car keyed, peed on or cursed. I gave the man a Euro and he scoffed at me, only one euro. To which I replied yes, i'm giving you one euro for free; i'm going to be back in 20 minutes. So I walked to the tower and glanced back a few times to make sure that he wasn't on top of the car. The most exciting part of visiting the tower of Pisa was being able to use the bathroom. I paid .50 Euro and it was totally worth it. I took a few photos while dodging everyone else's photos as they mockingly held up the tower. There was no way to get a nice clean shot of the tower without a sea of tourists in the photo. When I got to my car I did a quick visual inspection and found nothing out of place. I threw my bag on the seat and drove down the road, a few second later my check engine light triggered!!! That guy from earlier did something and I know it. I had been driving my car now for 30 seconds so whatever damage was done, on top of that my seatbelt light was blinking and the car thinks my camera bag is heavy enough to be a person. I turned off the car and opened the hood to see any funny business and also checked the gas tank for any debris or random liquids outside of it that didn't belong. Turned the car back on and everything works again, no light. Damn crazy voodoo that man did scared me pretty badly.
Driving up to the alps was pretty impressive, you could see the sun setting to the left of them from where I was and I eventually was able to snap a few photos. By the time the end of the day wrapped up I was at the Swiss border, I drove up to the pay station to go thru and only the commercial truck opening was open so I turned around and parked at a truck stop a few kilometers down the mountain. I pulled myself into the back of the seat and then attempted to go to bed. It was creepy that first night. I was at a small truck stop near the top of a mountain and the bathroom was a complete nightmare to begin with. It had those creepy places to stand and squat to go to the bathroom. I went to bed and used my bath towel as a blanket. Keep in mind that there is snow on this mountain and it got pretty cold very quickly. I started the car a few times to warm me up. When I woke up I took a few things into the bathroom and took a handi-wipe shower with those tiny cleaning pads. I changed clothes, reorganized the car and played with photos for a few minutes. Now that I was all packed I could head out.
Headed up to the mountain pass and paid the toll to go thru the mountain, I believe it was around thirty euro to enter. For about thirty minutes I drove through an endlessly straight tunnel with yellow lights reflecting against the dash and irritating my eyes. Eventually I could see the tunnel ending and I emerged into mountain roads winding down, across the sides of the alps.
So every turn was more breathtaking than the last, some of the bridges that crossed the valley that opened up in front of me as waterfalls dotted the mountainside. Eventually I came to a much needed gas station. I purchased some cheese, chocolate, sandwich and a blanket as well as some coca cola light. My aim was Geneva and I seemed so close. Eventually after what seemed forever I arrived and was able to find parking fairly quickly. I decided on a street photography approach to the city and shot around with my super telephoto and eventually switched to a few other lenses. I swear to you while walking around the main tourist area by Lake Geneva that two ladies walked by me and literally smelled like hot chocolate. I bought some chocolate and headed back to my car, rain was periodical and not good for my camera even though it's sealed. I criss crossed through an older part of the city and bought some macaroons for my troubles. Made it to my car and eventually made it halfway out of the city when I saw my weakness, McDonalds. Now theres a reason I like McDonalds while I travel. I know what i'm going to get and it's like a little piece of home that happens to have WIFI. Did I mention that almost nowhere has free wifi. I paid for four hours and literally sat there inside McDonalds and out in my car with my laptop using those four hours of WIFI usage. I said hello to everyone back at home and uploaded some photos. Eventually I decided to make a run for my next place which was suggested by the girl at McCafe "Mc'Donalds. A little village in France which was very close, only 30 minutes away. I drove to this special little village which has a beautiful lake and couldn't see anything because of the rain and fog and general miserableness that the weather seemed me due.
I started on my way to Barcelona now which was eight hours away. I decide that I could make a serious run for it. It's actually easier to drive at night over here because no one is trying to pass you or vice versa. I made it a few hours into the trip and eventually caved and took a long nap at a rest stop. I decided I couldn't sleep and made another go at it. I kept making it thirty or forty minutes before I negotiated with myself to stop again for any other random reasons, bathroom, stretching or I was hungry and tired. I found an amazing rest stop and made my claim on it. When I pulled up there were people sleeping on the ground next to their vehicles and on the sidewalk with clothes bundled under their heads as a make shift pillow. I quickly turned off my lights and cracked my window and slept in the most comfortable position that I come up with. I woke up at eight in the morning and most of my fellow hotel car patriots had left. I cleaned up my car and heading into the rest stop and had some breakfast.
I continued the day by stopped at many rest stops to break up the day as well as a picnic with my new blanket that I bought. The next notable rest stop was just over the border of Spain. There was a small grove of trees where people were parking and hanging out. I parked and took a nap under a tree for about an hour or so. Eventually I made my way to Barcelona and couldn't find affordable parking. I decided on a different route. So tonight I am staying in a hostel that has parking for fifteen euro. Had some local food and now i'm sitting in a room with thirty plus kids from other countries. I am staying in a room with a Chinese kid and a pair of guys from France, it's fair to say that i'm the toughest / coolest person in the room. So that's my trip so far.
Part One - Prep - The four part wedding photographer.
The four part wedding. Don't look at it as a whole, break it into pieces and work on those pieces one at a time. Here's my first part of the blog, prep.
So shooting a wedding sounds like a lot of work, partly because it is. I break my clients wedding day down into four different sections which help me concentrate on the moments and not the entirety of the day at all times. Included in this breakdown are some awesome tips which will help your clients fall in love with you.
First part: Prep
This is where everyone is getting ready, getting prepped for the day. The brides maids are first on the docket, getting hair and make-up done. Mimosas and bagels are usually plenty if not sandwiches and cheese platters. The details are still in the air, who's swinging by this place and picking up that or who has the keys to the hotel room and lots of fun hectic stuff.
I like to use this time to hang out and get to know the bridesmaids better, after all we'll be spending the day together. I typically set up my laptop in a corner or somewhere out of the way (I'll talk about this more soon). I bring in my camera equipment and take a walk around the location. I usually give everyone a heads up that I'll be taking photos. Typically everyone will say to me that they don't have make up on and to wait, I usually shoot them down by telling them about how good the before and after is going to be. The ladies usually look just fine, in the case that they don't it's usually because they've had a wild night.
I like to ask how everyone knows the bride and typically parents are there too and will sometimes have fun and embarrassing stories to keep the mood light and fun. I always accept food offered and you should too. Imagine if you made some awesome sandwiches or cookies and offered it to someone and they looked at it and then back at you and said no. I know we're not always in the mode for certain foods but this is a nice little gesture that they are giving you so run with it. So if there are kids in the wedding which commonly they are then I suggest giving them a little bit of attention. I usually let them use my small mirror less camera for a little bit or hold my big camera if they are sitting down. Once I let them play with my camera they are usually more apt to give me those smiles later in the day.
So I'm shooting candids of the the ladies getting ready and chatting. I'm taking photos of the kids that are running around or the mother who's making phone calls to make sure everyone is on their way or other details. Once I have enough photos I go back to my laptop. I download my current photos and pick through them for a few minutes. Now I get to show the bride and bridesmaids and family some previews. I'm showing them how awesome they look and once that happens everyone starts to relax a bit more because they now have the understanding that I kick ass with a camera.
So all this controlled chaos is happening and there are only so many photos you can take of everyone before it starts to feel invasive. This is a great opportunity to get those wonderful detail shots. The dress is usually near by as well as shoes, flowers and the rings sometimes.
I'll take the shoes and dress somewhere more pleasing to the eye, a tree or more groomed room of the house or location. The rings I take macro shots of and the trick to never losing them is using my pinky finger, I'm not always the prettiest ring model but I've never lost any rings in my care. The flowers I typically place in a tree or on a stone wall or sometimes just a nice table in the backyard. The shoes I will sometimes pair with the dress and can be hung anywhere.
So the bridesmaids should be wrapping up with hair and make-up. The bride is always final when it comes to that stuff, we want her makeup and hair to be nice, fresh and ready for the big moment. So I usually get photos of the hair process which is done first and then make-up. I like close-up photos of lipstick being applied and eye liner being dressed on as well as photos of her hair. The hair dresser usually likes having these photos too as well as the make-up artist. Now is the moment of truth, you need photos of the guys!!!
So I've saved the guys section for last and theres a very good reason for it, it only takes them a few minutes to get ready. I usually save them for last or get to them first. I don't do the whole relaxed thing of sitting around and waiting for them. The guys aren't into the entire photo process sometimes so it's much easier to stage them. I'll have the guys get dressed and then they can always take off the clothes afterwards if time allows.
So here's a list of shots that I like to cover. I sit the groom down and have him get his shoes on, this of course is after he has his pants on. I have the groomsmen help each other with ties, bow ties, shirts and jackets. These allow for some tender moments between everyone. I'll also do some of them joking around and then maybe some photos of them on their front steps if it's at their houses or some photos with mom and dad. This all happens very quick because it's all staged. My main focus is on the bride because it's her big day and her moms big day as well because she's been waiting for this for a long time. This is fairy tale time and we're part of it.
So thats the first part of the photos, make sure to get photos of all the chaos too. Next part is the ceremony and i'll have that posted soon.
The unseen unheard photographer
Are you that photographer who only uses natural light, shoots on P and won't talk to his bride and groom or interact with them at the wedding. You are paid to be awesome, you spend the day with the bride and groom and you're tasked with giving them an awesome experience.
This message is for you photographers who are going to say "I don't do it that way".
These photographers are also the same people who say I only shoot natural light. That's the equivalent of saying "oh.. I only drive automatic cars" or "I only put the camera on auto because of how good it is and I want to just focus on the moment". The photographer you hire is going to rock in soo many ways and one of them is being able to shoot manual and also use lights (that's a blog for a different day). This is for those who decide to not give the bride and groom that full experience. This particular blog is about you and your ability to direct and fix things so that they are in the bride and groom's favor. If you are one of these photographers who doesn't interact then you are lazy. Some of you photographers are awesome and can justify this shooting style, but the majority of you are not that.
So some of the photographers out there are saying in their head "I only shoot candid and I don't move anything and I'm not going to pose you and I only do journalistic style and try not to interact with the bridal party at all". You are dumb. So now that I've insulted you let's continue from there. This is a one shot deal, one go at the photos, one photo to rule them all. Do you want to be boring and take the same old shots or to look at each wedding as a marathon of photos that push you past where you were. Sure, take photos of where everything is if you want, don't touch anything or don't pose people, don't say anything to that person who has their tie crooked or the tag hanging out of the armpit of a dress. But then take those damn photos, be a person and interact with everyone. I assure you that ten, twenty years down the line they will appreciate some really tasteful images from their wedding. No one wants a photo of a pair of shoes in a box or their wedding dress hanging up in your brothers old room because that's where they had the space or the flowers in the fridge.
I shoot candids and that doesn't mean I can't add a little bit of pizaz to that photo "hey can you do that again but this time look that way". Okay so you're still not won over maybe, you're still thinking they hired me to just shoot the one way I do and I should just be quiet and take the easy photos. Are you the one shooting the weddings all the time or them? The bride and groom want amazing photos and they really aren't going to be upset if you adjust a few things to make sure that happens.
If you hire a wedding photographer they should be able to rock your wedding, you should know they're there at some points. I'm not talking about being four feet away during the ceremony, that's a different animal altogether. You want them to be the one getting everyone in line for formals or telling your Uncle Jerry that he needs to get out of the way. Your professional photographer is going to point out the flask of whiskey in the groomsmen's pocket. Your wedding photographer is also your personal cheerleader and that random guy who can and most likely will run an errand for you or do something above and beyond just because they are awesome.
I know some of you out there are saying but I'm out of the way and I do awesome. That may be so but eventually you will have that bride that calls you out and says "why didn't you tell me I had makeup on my teeth" or "Tim's zipper was down the whole time". So interact and earn that sweet wedding paycheck that we make. There's a reason why we do so good at a wedding, it's because it's a lot of work and not hiding in the shadows.
A good wedding photographer will be remembered for his images and his great personality during the wedding, everyone's going to tell the bride and groom how much they loved their experience with you too.
Europe - Airport and on my way
Sitting in an airport is kinda boring, unless you're with me and I have my phone, iPad and macbook. Killing time is easy now here in the future. My flying car still isn't here though.
So I'm at Logan International Airport right now. I'm tired from running around and getting everything situated and ready for my trip. I have that groggy, might be on the verge of a cold feeling. I happen to get sick before, during any trip I ever take. I don't know if by saying this out loud is some sort of willing it upon myself, but it happens regardless. I get excited, I get anxious, I get sick.
So far I've had some Chinese food, replaced my watch band and discovered that good internet wifi costs you $7.95. I'm currently making a time lapse of the tarmac and about to crack open a new magazine. The next leg of my journey is to JFK International Airport in NJ and then onwards to Rome, Italy. I'm sure i'll have plenty of photos soon enough to start posting, but most likely not in the airport. It's not that I'm shy, it's just my bag is really packed and hard to zip up.
Stay tuned.
LB Wheaton, Sigma 150-500
So if you're thinking about buying a lens or want to check out some cool equipment then head down to LB Wheaton. I stopped in and had no idea that I would be walking out with a super telephoto lens. Being able to hold it in my hands and experience it was enough to put me over the edge. Great experience at LB Wheaton.
So i've been eyeing the Sigma 150-500 lens for quite some time. I always talk myself out of buying it. I have to wait a few days and buyers remorse and not being able to test it prior to buying it, easy to talk myself out of it.
Two weeks ago I wandered into LB Wheaton just killing some time before a wedding meeting (I landed it.) I saw the gigantic lens sitting on the shelf and asked if I could check it out. I was quickly handed this heavy lens and a Canon T5i. I paired them together and set it to manual and f/10 at 1/30th of a second and shot a few shots out the window. I wanted to see what this lens was made out of. 2 out of 3 photos were crispy and clear and the stabilization held true. I changed the settings to something a bit more relaxed and shot thru the windows a bit more at local shops and urban landscapes to see how invasive I could be with this new zoom. The answer is, very invasive; this lens is friggin awesome! I found out from the gentlemen behind the counter that this lens had an instant rebate, I didn't need much more twisting of my arm. I told LB Wheaton that I was heading to a meeting and if I did good at the meeting I would be back to purchase the lens. One hour later I came back and pulled out my money and now I can't put this very heavy lens down.
If not for LB Wheaton, I don't think I would have such a cool toy. Two weeks prior I stopped in and also bought a small collapsable tripod. This is such a great place to try out equipment and ask questions. You can also buy backdrop paper rolls here as well as lenses, bags, lighting and anything in-between. Very happy to have such a great store a few miles away.
Here's a few photos that I've taken over the past week or two. I also have some wedding photos that I shot with this lens which came out amazing. Being able to zoom in instead of cropping in post would be so amazing.
Make sure to LIKE LB Wheaton Camera Shop Facebook page.
Europe, me, camera, car
Mike, camera, car, Europe, 2 weeks. What could go wrong.
Traveling alone everywhere I can via car in Europe. Exploring and taking photos. I'll be documenting as much as I can via Iphone, Canon 5d and regular uploads to my blog. 12 countries in under 2 weeks sounds pretty damn awesome to me for a vacation.
I bought a plane ticket.
Flying to Italy (July 28th)
Picking up a car.
Driving all over Europe. (Italy, Switzerland, France, Portugal, Spain, Netherlands, Austria, Poland, Germany, Luxembourg, Czech Republic, Slovakia and any other place I can squeeze in.
Taking photos everywhere. (I'm even tempted with a Ukraine selfie)
Flying home (August 11th).
So now the logistics of what I'm going to do. Everyone keeps saying that this is a bit mental. But what better way to showcase that I'm a destination wedding photographer than to visit all the places I want to shoot at. How can I visit so many places in such a short amount of time.. and alone! I'm planning on doing a bit of driving and enjoying some alone time. Some places in Europe only take an hour or several to get to, Amsterdam to Brussels is under an hour and you can drive from Paris to Germany in under 5 hours. I've been researching a route to take and I plan on make a small route of my trip before I go so everyone can follow me on here. Some places are 5-7 hours apart which sounds like a lot, but consider this. Imagine driving from Worcester to Boston, not bad right. Now drive to Providence, not the worse right; hop out and explore a bit for a few hours. Next would be Hartford CT. So you arrive and now you've been driving for a few hours and the end of the world didn't happen. Even though the places are many hours apart that won't mean that I have to stay in the car and on route. This trip is all about stops, detours and taking it in.
I've also been to Europe before, several times. I rock.
I plan to blog everything while i'm there, videos, pictures and audio. Unlocking my AT&T Iphone to be a bit more compatible with VodaPhone and purchasing a prepaid card. I also plan on visiting many Starbucks and internet cafes. I'll have my MacBook with me and be uploading photos and videos daily.
So I can't possibly enjoy my time because it's going to take so long driving and finding hostels, hotels or bed and breakfasts. I found an easier way and much more economical way to explore Europe. By sleeping in the backseat of my rental i'll be able to cut out many hours of checking in and out and making sure I didn't lose anything. I do plan on staying a few nights in a hotel (A man's gotta shower). By not doing a hotel it will also save me countless dollars which can better be spent on gas and delicious meals.
If I find that I love Portugal or Slovakia and i'm having a blast there then i'll stay longer. My goal though is to experience as much as I can in a short amount of time. (My part time job is being awesome and allowing me to take 2 weeks off this summer for this trip as well as 17 dates for weddings and other shoots).
I'll be traveling with two Pelican cases. One will be full of camera equipment, planning on bringing my Canon 16-35 and 24-70, 70-200 and a 50mm to compliment my 5d MKII. I'll also have my Canon EOS M in tow. I've actually already started to assemble some of what i'm bringing. I famously get sick before any big trip because I worry about mis-packing equipment. I'll be using a power inverter so I can charge everything that I need to in the car and negate any power adapters or need to stop moving.
To people who doubt how awesome this is I say this. I love to travel, it's something that makes me happy. I love photography and the chance to take photos where everything is alien to me is rare. I also love adventure and living my life to the most exciting ends possible.
Wachusett Mountain never gets old.
Sure, i've hiked Mt. Wachusett hundreds of times but it still doesn't get old. Trails are maintained and updated as well as the new road to the top which was laid this past year. The summit touts a new updated tower and base station as well as more spring cleaning i'm sure to come. Here's some of my photos from my past trip with Tommy G. Haran
So I happen to love hiking this mountain and today I took along fellow photography Tommy G. Haran and we walked all the way around the mountain. Hit up the Jack Frost trail and the Meadow. I love the path that goes straight up the Mountain, only takes a few minutes but decided for something a bit longer. We saw some wildlife, birds.... squirrels (A red one or two as well). Anyway's here's a bit of the photos from that day last week. Oh yes... don't forget to bring bug spray, they are fierce.
Fire in Worcester, 43 Bowdoin St & 40 Williams
April 24th, 2014. Fire at Bowdoin Street and building behind house on Williams Street. I happened to be in my car with some equipment and headed over to get some photos. When I arrived and made my way around the area to various angles I could see that the Worcester Fire Department had the fire well under control. Police blocked off the streets and neighbors watched. A few residents from the building were in the area and we're easy to spot. I wish them the best and hope family and friends can help them out like I was helped with my apartment fire a few years ago.
Today there was a fire at 43 Bowdoin St & 40 Williams St in Worcester, Massachusetts. From talking to a neighbor across the street I found out a few details. The man that I talked to was across the street a ways and on the 3rd floor when he watched the fire starting. He believes it was started from a grill that was on a stairway and the fire had caught onto the building and traveled to the attic and adjacent building.
When I arrived the fire had been contained from what I could tell. Multiple companies on site and special services. Fire fighters on the roof of the Williams Street location and also on the Bowdoin Street address as well. The fire was poking out from the roof in the front of the building as firefighters used two hoses on it. A better account of the progression can be found at ScanWorcester on Twitter and at The Telegram & Gazette. If you're from Worcester i'm sure you'll also be able to find a friend or three that have photos, videos and stories. Hopefully everyone can help these families out who are displaced by this terrible accident.
How to own that Maid of Honor speech.
The Maid of Honor has a very important role, to pour out all the nice things they could ever say in a 3-4 minute speech as well as tease the bride a bit. This is a companion blog to my Best Man Speech blog that i've posted previously. I hope you read and enjoy this. These are just a few pointers from the dozen or so weddings that I attend a year.
So I previously wrote about the Best Mans speech. The advice from that still stands.
Please read what I wrote in that blog.
So a few different points of advice for the ladies
1. Pull on those heart strings. Okay, you are posed to make us teary eyed. You're most likely going to tear up and get the bride to tear up. You happen to feel emotions sometimes a bit more deeply then our Call of duty, beer drinking, what are feelings type of guys that we can be. So with that being said we know you're going to say something very heartfelt and deep. My advice here is to keep it at the beginning of the speech or at the end, for god sakes I don't want to cry during your entire speech because of how sweet you are on each other. :)
2. Keep it funny. You're going to be pulling on those heart strings so make us laugh to, nothing is better than that akward laugh/tearing up. Tell us what you really thought about the groom and his friends. Tell us about when you knew he was the right one, did you do the cliche "you better not break my friends heart" speech to him?
3. Remind everyone. Remind everyone why we're all here, these two people, this beautiful wedding, how much fun you've had today. The bride knows everything that went wrong today, misorders, mistakes and small mishaps that took part throughout the day. Remind her that this is one kick ass day.
4. Take advantage. You have the floor, ask that single guy out that you've been checking out all day. (This goes for the guys too, ask her out. Mention all the pretty ladies that are in the room). You have the floor and everyones attention, be bold. Take advantage of the day and the fact that you're all at one big giant party and meet that special someone.
5. Always end up with a hug. Theres no better way then to end a heartfelt speech then with a hug. This doesn't really need to apply to the guys. The best mans speech is literally a verbal hug from the best man to the groom. This is also an awesome time to snap a great couple photos for the photographer.
I hope that this has made you smile, laugh and I hope to see you at a wedding soon.
The infamous Best Man's speech.
Sure, you're going to roast your best friend, he deserves it after all. Thats the best part of a friend's wedding is the chance to throw him under the bus, to give payback for all those years of your friendship. Here's a few pointers on how to make your best man's wedding speech shine a bit. You want to make your speech a mix of comedy, heart and entertainment.
Enjoy and feel free to comment, what was the best speech you've ever heard at a wedding?
One of my favorite things about a wedding would be the best man speech. It's always the shining moment to throw your friend under the bus in front of all his friends and family.
I didn't realize this till this past year how much fun it was to watch the best man get up and roast his best friend. Often I would get to watch the groom sink in his chair, the bride bury her face in her hands and the parents give awkward smiles. One of the big things that I never realize is how much emotion is poured into these speeches (the bridesmaids speech is equally potent). I will say that the majority of the times I am glad I have a camera in front of my face, I often get teary eyed at weddings, either the vows or the speeches.
So a few words of advice for the best man during his 3 minutes of fame.
1. Whatever you say can't be unheard. While it might be funny to throw your friend under the bus, don't screw him over royally. No mentioning of ex's, drug usage or how much porn he has on his computer. While you are trying to embarrass him a bit you don't want to make his family cringe. You also don't know if he's told his wife about the time he.... (you get the drift).
2. Keep it short. If you have a mind blowing story that takes 4 minutes, sure. If you're just talking to hear your self talk, don't. Think SNL monologue, they get out the information that needs to be heard; they usually avoid rambling. Try to keep it around 2-3 minutes and try to keep it funny or heartfelt.
3. Bonus points. A good speech at a wedding is usually because it's heartfelt, something we didn't know about the person and maybe incredibly insightful. It's also great when you get some serious laughter out of that wedding crowd. Make sure to thank the ramies for coming and also do some name dropping of people in the crowd. (Seinfeld is funny because he involves us in his stories, things and people we can relate to) If your story just involves random people that no ones met from college or his work then it might seem a bit boring to everyone.
4. Format is everything. Don't ramble, whatever you do don't ramble. So i'm going to list a simple writing format for your speech. (Excuse the words) The crap sandwich, okay very simple format this way.
You start off with the bread (something easy).
Congrats to Mr. ******. I never thought I would see the day.. ect
(keep it at a minute or so). Now you can roast him a bit. (the crap)
So not a lot of people know about this but ******* once thought that... (story begins).
(keep that 1 to 2 minutes)
But you know, I couldn't believe that ******** met someone so perfect for him.
(The last piece of bread, now you pepper the
conclusion with lots of compliments about the bride and groom).
So here's another way to do it. Start off with the roast right away, throw the friend off the bridge, destroy! But then at the end you say twice the amount of nice things or at least try to.
A big smile and long pause at the beginning of your speech while looking at the groom goes a long way. I know I have a few good friends who's secrets I'm holding onto for such a day. You want to make that groom sweat.
5. Talking points. The main things to concentrate on would be the story, your speech. If you've never heard of this, it's simple. When you see David Letterman interviewing someone and he looks at cards every once and awhile, those are his talking points. While i'm sure he would love to have a mini wikipedia page printed out for every single guest that would be a little tiresome. Talking points are a few words or a sentence to help jog your memory.
Your talking points for best and speech would look something like this.
a. Congratulations
b. How we became friends
c. Getting in trouble together
d. When you met your future bride
e. How happy he's been since meeting the wifey
f. When he got in trouble with the wifey
g. Thank the families for raising two lovely people
h. What a beautiful wedding.. so far, we still haven't seen ****** and ****** dance
i. You've never seen two people so happy
(BTW, totally getting teary eyed even writing this. I've sat through a lot of speeches the past couple years and they've all been pretty awesome.)
6. Silver linings. The silver lining would be for the groom, no matter how bad you've embarrassed him or tormented him in the past few minutes you have to remember one thing. He's going to get you back someday. He will have the same opportunity at his wedding or april foods or a random Tuesday,
Give him hell but also don't forget to make him shine, this is his day after all.