Tips for the Bride and her Upcoming Wedding

Its that time of year where the 2020 brides are working on their weddings for next year.  This is what I have to say "SMART GIRL".

The best tip I can give any bride is "Don't wait too long" to book anything for a wedding 8 months to a year out.  Vendors, and anyone working around a wedding will book up that far in advance.  I currently have 3 weddings in my calendar for 2020 and they have been booked 8 months in advance.

Look up a checklist of everything that needs to be done on Pinterest if you are planning yourself, even if you are hiring a wedding planner.  Get started early with everything for your very special day - if its choosing colors to choosing venues, vendors, anything that applies to your wedding.

Get started on that checklist early, venues go fast very fast, don't just rely on a message on email, or facebook, go visit those venues.  For example.  I photograph at Hollow Hill Event Center in Weatherford (located off hwy 199 between Springtown and Azle). they offer multiple wedding spots within their one facility, you can be indoors, outdoors, under the trees, under the stars.  You need to visit this location at the time of your ceremony so you can see how the light will hit that location and decide which best fits what your lookin for and I'm sure each location has a different price with it.  So visit with them, I know they take clients around on a Golf Cart and show them each location to help you decide, I'm pretty sure all venues do a tour at no charge to you but make sure to ask

Florist is another big one, depending on if you would like artificial or real flowers they need to know far in advance because if its live flowers those may be out of season.  Talk to your floral arrangement specialist as soon as you can so they can start trying to find what your looking for to work on a budget for you.  I can recommend a few for you reach out to me and from experience and photographing arrangements up close I would be happy to pass along some names and phone numbers

Your cake can be made in so many different ways, use your imagination when creating that special table for the bride and groom, the bakers are artists, you never know what fun creative thing they can create.  Contact them early they are one of the busiest of all the vendors and making sure you have them on your day is going to be one of those early phone calls you need to make, visit and see examples to help you decide.

The Dress!  Oh my goodness the dress, there are so many places to choose a dress, I think visiting some bridal shows is a great way to see the best variety in one location, if not, ask for recommendations from your friends and visit a few shops in your area.  They will have a wide range to fit any budget.  Pick the dress that will be the dress you always imagined when you were a little girl and you knew your dress was going to the prettiest dress ever.  This is your Princess day, make it so special you will remember it for a lifetime.

Make up- a lot of people do their own makeup that day, nothing wrong with that, I always recommend for ladies senior photos and weddings, go that extra step and book someone to help you look more beautiful than you already are.  MaddGlam has been my #officialmua for the past few years and I can't recommend her enough.

Last but not least of course is your photographer and videographer.  There is a budget and experience with both of those, when you ask if someone photographs weddings, make sure you see photos of weddings, ask "What is included in your price" So many times someone asks what I charge, I tell them they disappear, but they never ask me what I offer.  I offer 4, 6 and 8 hour packages, each one includes all photos GASP! photographers are falling dead all over.  I give ALL photos because thats the day they need to have every memory, it might be uncle bob laughing so hard his teeth fell out, or Dad crying when he gives his daughter away. The bride (in my opinion) should not have to choose the memory she wishes to receive.  I go against all the rules on the wedding and give them all the photos.  my prices are not cheap, but their not expensive either, they fit what I know I am offering.

ASK! ask the photographer, for the price what do I get, make sure you understand exactly and you know the work of the photographer before you agree.  I also offer gift certificates so people can help you pay for those weddings, lay a way to pay it out.  There are so many options to help you not be under stress when everyone is needing payment to help you with your wedding.

Vidoegraphers, same, see a body of their work, ask what is the time frame you will receive your finished video - ask how busy they are, what equipment they use, everything.... there is a lot behind what videographers do they have to watch tons of footage to build your story that will remind you of the day you said "I Do".

All in All - Don't wait to the last minute, plan far in advance so you can book the vendors you wish, the venues you want.  Ask for lay a way plans, ask do you offer gift certificates and put those on your wedding gift list.  Its your day, you don't want to worry, have everything in place, make your list check it twice then stop worrying and enjoy your day.  PICK a Go To person for all he vendors to go to in case they have questions, I always ask Who is my Go To person, because the bride has enough on her mind.

I'm not an expert but if you ever need help don't hesitate to reach out to me and I'm willing to help in anyway, if you book me or not, I'm happy to recommend and offer any advice to help you on your wedding.

www.JoHPhotography.com

Giving back thru Photography

One of the most rewarding things that has happened to me is using my photography and photography gear to “Give Back”.  Doing for others and giving back to a good cause has come to my heart more and more this past year.

I decided to find some organizations to help with my camera, being a HUGE animal lover I thought what better way than reaching out to a few rescue programs to help them find loving homes for the animals they are rescuing.

I reached out to TWO organizations in this area (Wild Heart Rescue in Boyd Texas) and (ShelterHearts in Bowie).  Both are great organizations with loving people with huge hearts doing everything they can to find homes for loving pets wanting a forever home.  I took photos of each of the pets and then they posted them on their site for families to see and hopefully not live without and adopt and take home forever and love them the way God intended when he created these beautiful creatures.

For Wild Heart Rescue in Boyd we did something a little different, we had pet mini sessions, donation only so the families that showed up to have photos taken with their pets made a donation of their choice direct to the Wild Heart Rescue.  It was so much fun and I felt so good helping out a great cause.  We are putting on two more of these this fall November 3, 2019 (this one is full) and November 10, 2019 has a few openings left.  This mini session set will be a little different, we will be creating a Christmas Card for them to share with their friends.

The second rescue program I was happy to help is Sacred Heart from Bowie, I found 

them thru a shared post on facebook and on that post was the dog that would find

his forever home with OUR family.  Ted the beagle/basset mix was a little guy in

the back yard of the shelter, all alone, the saddest face I had ever seen but something

in that face pulled at me and I had to bring him home.  So happy that I found him because

he has made a special place in our family and in our hearts and if I hadn't showed up that

day to photograph and help other dogs find homes, I may not of found him.

If you have a talent, be it photography, videography, graphics, marketing, ANYTHING give back to a good cause.  use your talent to help others, it will make your heart feel so good.

www.JoHPhotography.com   Info@JoHPhotography.com

What Inspires Me to Photograph

I don't have the years behind me that a lot of photographers do, but I know I have found what I love to do and it was thru a hobby.  I started out around 2013 by going to Wolfe Camera (out of business now) and walking in to say "I've always been interested in photography".  The man behind the counter handed me a Nikon D40 and a kit lens.  I looked at it and thought "Crud, now what? I have no idea what to do with this".  They offered 6 weeks of lessons to anyone that bought a camera so I signed up and tried to understand the lingo they threw my way (ISO, F-Stop, Shutter Speed, etc).
Through those lessons, I learned a few things which got me on my journey.

What inspires me to photograph is getting better!  Each and every time I pick up my camera to photograph barrel racing, portraits, weddings, newborns, sale horses, I want it to be better than the last time I photographed.  When I started with Barrel racing photography I discovered "Pixel Worx" Their photos are famous by photographing BBR, I wanted my photos to be that good and I told myself even though my sights were not to go to NFR or BBR World or NBHA World I wanted to be the Pixel Worx or the small arena.  After time I would try different angles, but the barrel racers do love that famous 2nd barrel photo that shows everything going right.

What inspires me to photograph?  Trying new things with new lighting and new angles. You never know what you will get and when your lucky enough to get Multiple NFR contestant Stevi Hillman in front of your camera you know your going to get a good action photo.  Trying new angles inspires me to bring out the most in a photo, a photo should tell a story and draw the viewer in for a closer look.  Thats what inspires me!

What Inspires me to photograph?  doing a great job for the client! When I get a call and someone needs photos for a sale catalog I know that horse has got to stand out from the other photos in the catalog, something I've been working on is my equine sale photos.  I have to bring out the best in that horse in order to draw a potential buyer to the sale or to the seller.  I get inspired knowing that I can bring out the natural beauty in what God Created.  The HORSE!

What Inspires me to photograph? I love to create an image thru my camera for a mom and she falls in love with it so much she will put a 20x30 canvas or print on her wall to show the photo off to anyone visiting her home.  I look forward to each and every session and when someone comes to me with a unique idea I absolutely cannot wait to photograph and capture what they want for their home art.

What Inspires me to Photograph?  Doing my best each and every time I pick up the camera and doing a great job for someone paying me to do what I already love to do.

www.JoHPhotography.com to book your session

Barrel Racing (limited events each year)
Portraits
Weddings
Newborn
Sale Horses
"For all your photography needs"

Tips for Photographing Horses

I am no way an expert in the field of Equine Photography and poses, it is something I work at each and every time I am asked to photograph for the owners.  If it's a sale photo, stallion photo or just sentimental photo.

One of the things I require is that the person asking me to come out has a "handler" a person that will help.  Unless you have a world champion halter horse, you have to put a lot of work into getting the horse in the best position to show off what God created.

It's not easy, its hot, its sweaty, its cold, its irritating, but if your going to do a job for a client you want to do a good job.  I apologize throughout the session because their having to bend over, repeatedly and move the horse in the position I am asking them to.

The end result will be so much better than just a quick iPhone photo, when your needing photos like this ask for a extra person to help you.  The photographer can't move back and forth and place legs because the horse will move before she gets back in place and that makes the process so much more slower.  I would recommend having a person hold the horse, one to work with positioning and if your lucky you have a third to get ears up, if not the person moving the legs has 2 jobs.

This allows the photographer to be ready to take that photo before the horse moves.

contact me if you need professional equine photos

www.JoHPhotography.com