On your wedding day, you want to enjoy and remember every minute of the ceremony and all of the celebrations. We capture your special day in photos that will take your breath away. We’re always looking for the moments we know you’ll want to look back on and enjoy. Whether it’s the special embrace between parents and a bride, or a surprising moment during the party — we take the photos that we know will bring you right back to that memory. And, you’ll be able to enjoy that trip back down memory lane to those special moments for years to come.
We appreciate how much trust our clients invest in us as their wedding photographer. We were especially excited that Shelly Fagin Danz, Producer at Atlanta Wedding Extravaganzaand Founder and Chief Party Officer at Atlanta Mitzvah Connection, recommended us to her father to photograph his recent wedding. Since Shelly is connected to all of the best vendors in the city, we were so thrilled to be chosen to document this beautiful, joyful wedding! As you can see, the bride and groom (above) had so much fun, and so did their guests at this gorgeous event.
We hope you can tell by viewing these images how we capture the entire day. We photograph all of those special times you’ll want to remember and the moments you’d never know about until you see the photos we take. Our favorites are the pictures when we preserve those unexpected moments — like when the bride really sees herself all ready for the walk down the aisle. It’s so much fun to preserve all of the joy and fun of your special day! We know you’ll want beautiful memories of every part of your event – including the flowers and decor. We do not disappoint!
Engagement Photos As Unique As You
Don’t forget the engagement session! We arrange to shoot you and your beloved and create photos that represent you and your life together. Whether that involves traditional or playful shots, we ensure that your photos tell YOUR story.
Albums: We Create a Gorgeous Keepsake to Remember Your Big Day!
Our packages include post-production, moment-based documentary coverage of all of your celebratory events, including rehearsal dinners and celebrations. Files are available on USB with or without album purchase, but check out these album pages. You will love the 10×10 spreads (shown here) or 8×10 spreads (below). Once you select your favorite pictures, we put the album together to tell the story of your special day. It will be a keepsake you will appreciate and pass down.
You can even order extra copies for family members who will appreciate the opportunity to review photos from the day for years to come.
Videography, Photo Booth, Green Screen, Onsite Printing: We Offer It All!
We also offer videography coverage, including post-production, a celebration sizzle reel and extended video of the ceremony if you wish. Plus, we can arrange photo entertainment, such as a photo booth, light graffiti or a green screen with onsite printing, social media sharing and customized folios. We also offer a signing book or signing board with a mat if you’d like to provide a special place for people to leave notes for you. Plus, if you’d like a montage, we can create that, too.
Make the fathers in your life feel special and create lasting memories! Arrange for the one gift any dad (or dad-to-be) will love for Father’s Day: a family photoshoot in our backyard studio.
Book now and present Dad with a gift certificate for professional portraits taken in our outdoor studio, which is specially designed to include elements representing water, wood, air and earth. Give the gift only you can give!
From now through Father’s Day 2021, we are offering two “Daddy Discounts” on purchases of photoshoots in our Decatur Backyard Studio to make your gift-planning easy! Choose between:
10% off a full sitting (regularly $225)
OR
A 1/2-hour mini-session for only $100 (regularly $125).
TAP HERE to book a spot and mention this blog post in your email.
Don’t miss this special opportunity to capture moments like this with dads and their children – or dads-to-be:
Anyone booking time for a backyard studio session is in for a treat! Playful sessions are designed to be an adventure.
Here’s just a taste of what you can expect:
AIR: An easily accessible treehouse offers hanging bells, glowing lanterns, a peaceful porch swing and a free-standing swing that brings a smile to everyone’s face. You will love the relaxing hammock!
WOOD: A log wall and fire pit are the perfect rustic backdrop for warm family photos -and- an occasional s’mores session!
EARTH: Our small flock of hens is happy to welcome you to their coop. They’ll even share their fresh, colorful eggs.
WATER: A soothing water feature and an in-ground hot tub encourage water play and relaxation on our lower-level, wheelchair-accessible patio. Water-themed murals provide fun backdrops.
Don’t miss this opportunity to create and save moments you’ll be thrilled to display for generations to come. Mention this blog post when you book to take advantage of the discount. Don’t delay.TAP HERE to book a spot and mention this blog postwhen you book your slot to take advantage of the special.
We can’t wait to help you create fun memories for Dad and the whole family! TAP HERE to book a spot and mention this blog post to reserve a time for your favorite people.
What comes to mind when you think of school pictures? If you’re like me, you spent your childhood being disappointed by the awkward, unappealing shots you got back weeks after picture day. In a lot of schools, amazingly, not much has changed. But school pictures don’t have to be awkward and boring, and these students from The Museum School agree!
Why not showcase kids’ personalities? I believe each child is too unique to be stuck behind a fake smile.
That doesn’t mean you can’t get a beautiful, mantle-worthy shot of your child. It just means it will really look like your child–in all his or her goofiness, adorableness, seriousness…You know the right adjective to plug in.
I am so lucky to serve as the photographer for TMS and grateful that the parents, faculty and administration are fans of moment-based photography. I’d also be thrilled to have the opportunity to bring a more unique, kid-centered approach to pictures at other metro Atlanta schools. Whether you’re a parent, a teacher or an administrator, please get in touch!
We wouldn’t have been able to finish the backyard studio without my friend Charlie’s electrical talents, so I was absolutely thrilled to have his wife, Kerri, and two beautiful little girls spend some time with us there. Their photo shoot was really fun…and so sweet!
It was Kaylee and Maddie’s first time visiting the studio so they had a lot to keep them busy. Maddie especially loved the chickens…which she insisted were saying, “Moo!” Priceless and precious.
The girls found plenty to explore and spots for climbing and balancing. Those unplanned moments ended up being some of my favorite shots.
Our swing is usually a hit with kids but having Kerri and the two girls on it all together was just the sweetest.
The only thing that would have made this more fun is if Charlie and big sister Caroline had been able to join us. We look forward to having them at the next shoot, hopefully before Caroline heads off to college. Thank you, Kerri, for sharing your time and your amazing little girls with me for the afternoon!
If a kid is smart, stylish and really cool, what kind of Bar Mitzvah does he have? A smart, stylish and super cool one, of course! Asher’s celebration was all of that and more, with a World Cup theme and a fun gang of family and friends.
Team Asher–including his mom, her best friend and his soon-to-be step-mom–handled the decor, with fabulous results! Badda Bing of Decatur, led by Chef Michael Condon, catered a delicious meal. This event also proved once again that The Solarium is perfect for intimate events where you can get creative with your festivities.
There was something for everyone, big and small. The kids got into the sports theme with some intense competition of their own in the grass out front. The adults chilled out with cocktails outside and great conversation.
We had the chance to capture some great family portraits outside The Solarium, along with some casual shots.
We loved having the chance to get to know Asher and his family. Thank you for inviting us to capture the many special moments throughout your event!
We recently spent a beautiful afternoon in the backyard studio shooting Rod and Aerin’s family portraits–the kind of day I’d begun to think would never return to Atlanta. But the warm temperature wasn’t a figment of my imagination, and neither was their family’s awesome energy and personality! Juggling soccer, basketball, running a business, learning to drive–and that’s just for starters–this super-active family is always on the go. I love how that energy came through in their shots!
One of the first things I noticed was how much fun Rod, Aerin and their kids have together. Even the girls get along great–no small feat for three sisters, especially when they range in age from 9 to 22!
If you caught our post on choosing portrait outfits, you may recognize something else about this family: They are beautifully dressed in complementary colors, with small polka dots and stripes to add interest. They look fabulous!
Thank you, Aerin and Rod, for entrusting us with your family portraits.
Choosing what to wear for your portrait session can be a lot of fun, but the thought of how long you’ll be looking at these outfits in prints on your wall or mantle can also cause some stress. One thing to keep in mind is that you and your family–not your clothes–should be the focus of your pictures. Outfits that look gorgeous and well-coordinated will undoubtedly enhance your portraits, but should not be the very first thing you notice when looking at your pictures. So, how do you achieve that balance?
To keep the attention squarely on you and your family members, look for shirts in solid colors and small prints. You can coordinate within a single color scheme and throw in a small print to keep it interesting, like in the gorgeous shot on the left. The variations in shade and the small plaid on the little boy’s shirt help each individual stand out. On the right is a great example of how different colors can be combined as long as they blend in some way, like the soft pastels you see here.
Here’s another idea for a color-coordinated portrait look, courtesy of Polyvore. Everyone has colors that look best on them based on their unique skin tone and features, so let that be your guide on the right palette for outfits. One consideration: People’s faces look noticeably brighter in photographs when they wear a shirt that’s at least slightly darker than their complexion. If you’re light skinned that means white may not be the most flattering option, but any dark solid or small print could work well. Dark-skinned people often photograph beautifully in deep jewel tones or black, like in the image below.
As with all great and beautiful things, there’s a flipside to the outfits above–and it offers a bit of insight on why some potentially amazing portrait sessions end in disappointment (and why sites like awkwardfamilyphotos.com are never lacking for content!). In the interest of helping you achieve the pictures you’ve always envisioned, we’d like to share just a few considerations:
That large print is stunning…but is it so bold that it draws attention from you and your family? That’s a risk with big florals, plaids, as well as prominent logos, slogans or brand names. The beautiful kids on the left are overshadowed by the large floral print on the girls. And despite the joy depicted in the shot on the right, and well-coordinated clothing palette, the eye jumps right to the big print and bold stripes.
Putting everyone in matching outfits can help keep things simple, but can also have some unexpected, and undesired, results! The beautiful families pictured below were overtaken by a black blob, an aqua blob and a white blur, respectively. The bottom shot also illustrates how the eye naturally goes to the bright white shirts first rather than the people’s smiling faces.
On the topic of calling attention…it can be helpful for the ladies to be conscious of how revealing their tops are (as a little cleavage may look great, but a lot may distract from everything else in the picture). Tight clothes, super short skirts and short shorts can all fall into the category of options that look stunning as you head out the door but end up appearing bolder and more dramatic than you intended in photographs.
For a variety of picture day outfit ideas in lots of different color palettes, check out the Polyvore website and Maine photographer Michele Stapleton’s Pinterest board. Please don’t hesitate to ask us if you’re wondering whether an outfit you’re considering would work well, or if you’re trying to decide between possibilities. Also, don’t forget to reserve your time slot for the upcoming Portraits and Popsicles event in our backyard studio! Happy shopping!
Have you experienced our new backyard studio yet? Whether you dropped in on our Fall open house or you haven’t had a chance yet, our upcoming Portraits and Popsicles event on April 12th and 19th is the perfect time to pay us a visit!
We’re offering mini portrait sessions for $125–including a 30 minute session, sweet treats from King of Pops, 3 high resolution files and a 10% discount on all printing. Space is limited, so click here to reserve your session today! Once you reserve your time, we’ll send you an email with the payment link followed by a confirmation email.
Our backyard studio is the perfect location for great family portraits. Featuring the classic elements of water, wood, air and earth, the space is ideal for all families! We’ve also specially designed it for the comfort of those with sensory, physical and mental challenges. The play-based experience makes for amazing photography.
We can also take the stress out of finding the perfect Mother’s Day gifts! We can have special prints created from your session just in time to give Mom, Grandma and all of the special mothers in your life. We hope to see you at the studio!
We’re preparing our backyard studio and scoping other great metro locations for Spring portrait sessions. Choosing a location is really important and can be more than a bit challenging. The “ideal” background depends on the type of pictures–senior pictures, engagement shots, mitzvah or family portraits–and even more on the look, feel and personality you want to achieve. Sometimes a client comes with a specific story they want the photos to tell. As we encounter spots we love, we try to catalog them for future reference. We want to share some of those with you–along with a few tips on choosing a location–as inspiration for your own Spring portraits.
There’s just something magical about natural light and being outdoors. People feel more at ease, look more comfortable and act more natural. When we shoot in the sunshine, it always seems like smiles are easier and unforced. But not all outdoor locations are created equal; some are more “photogenic” and support successful shoots better than others. Piedmont Park is always a safe choice, but there are other spots that may not jump to mind as quickly, like Alice Park and the tree lined Old 4th Ward.
We advise when choosing a spot to consider that some backdrops can be too eye-catching. Imagine a garden with water features and artwork that is stunningly beautiful in its own right–so much that it actually takes attention away from the people. Too many background elements can be distracting and pull the eye from our subjects to the scenery. Clean, uncluttered backdrops help clients stand out, like a wall or trees in a woodland area. Piedmont Park provided the tree that highlights our young Mitzvah client’s beauty. There are beautiful green spaces across metro Atlanta like in the Druid Hills neighborhood.
Some of the most unique, creative shoots come from asking clients to think about their favorite places and things to do. If the location is meaningful to you, the shoot will be more personal and fun. We might be planning an engagement shoot and learn the couple is attached to the spot where they had their first date, maybe a quaint restaurant like Julianna’s or a ferris wheel ride. One caveat: Avoid crowded, chaotic locations where we’ll struggle to focus shots solely on you–without unwanted photobombs! Chaos is uncomfortable for everyone and it shows in photos that look forced and unnatural.
A great option to consider is our backyard studio in Decatur. We have colorful vignettes designed to encourage playfulness, plus a treehouse and hens you can feed! Our log wall and fire pit are the perfect rustic backdrops for warm family photos. And of course we have some spots for the romantics, like a porch swing, hammock and water features. One unique thing about the space is that we designed it with careful consideration for families with special needs. The upper and lower level patios are wheelchair accessible and sensory considerations are in place for those on the Autism spectrum.
Life on Film’s Backyard Studio
If you’re hunting for a great spot for Spring shots, just give us a call. We’re happy to help!
Life on Film Photography Blog 