Wow! A Shrek wedding? I wonder if they served swamp soup?
My favorite part of the story: “[The bride] tried to get her 18-year-old son to dress up as Donkey, another character from the offbeat cartoon fairytale, but said ‘he wasn’t having any of it’.”
LOL
Halie is crazy, is all I can say. At 18 she works 30 hours a week while finishing up high school. I don’t think I even had a job at 18 (loo-zer, right here!). Luckily she found some time to work it for me for her grad photos:
Halie is really into her photography class in school, and appreciated how linear this shot is.
Happy Graduation, Halie!
I just thought today’s WTD strip is particularly funny:
Visit the What the Duck site for more photo comic goodness.
FAQ Friday is a lil’ somethin-something I’m going to begin doing on a regular basis every Friday (except weeks like this one, when I happen to be shooting on Friday, so I’ll blog it earlier). FAQs may be pulled from anywhere, so feel free to submit a question anytime you like, either via a blog comment, a direct message, or a private e-mail! Today’s theme is in tribute to Earth Week!
Q: What should I look for to ensure that my photography is enviro-friendly?
A: The funny thing about seeking “green” vendors for a wedding is that all businesses at some point in time are operating as environmentally-friendly in the same manner that they are also operating as not environmentally-friendly…meaning I don’t believe there is a standard that anyone has to meet to declare themselves officially “green.” I think this is because environmental consciousness really presents itself in levels; there are plenty of “green” vendors out there, and some are “greener” than others, the same way that you may consider yourself a “green” person because you recycle, but you don’t have solar panels and a rainwater basin, which would definitely take the “green” thing to a whole new level and maybe make you feel “greener” than before.
Greeney greenerson green green. Have I used the word enough yet?
All joking aside, here’s what I do know about eco-friendly wedding photography:
• Digital is “Greener” Than Film
In addition to the added expense of purchasing rolls of film that can only be used once, film is also developed using disposable chemicals and often requires driving several times to labs for dropoff, pickup, and enlargement. Digital is shot on re-usable compact cards, and is “developed” from the photographer’s home or office computer.
• Re-Chargable Batteries
Most batteries that come with cameras are re-chargable, but it also helps to acquire re-chargeable AA batteries for flash units and any other electronics that require frequent battery changes. A great source for affordable re-chargable AAs is Thomas Distributing.
• Digital Proofing Instead of Paper Proofing
Many photographers offer paper proofbooks for client review of wedding images, however a web gallery saves paper, and is also more accessible to more of your wedding guests.
• Albums Instead of Discs
It sort of defies logic, because wouldn’t wedding images on a disc be better than the paper and materials used to print an album? Perhaps if the album were low enough quality to only last a few years. But the truth is, professional albums, even seemingly-fragile “eco-friendly” books such as those produced by the community and environment-conscious CoutureBook (Luminaire Images bookbinder of choice), will outlast discs with the proper care, not to mention coming to far better use than a disc ever will. Of all the digital pictures you’ve ever taken, how many have you printed versus how many are sitting unappreciated on a disc in a drawer? And how long before that disc becomes outdated technology? A professional album will last generations without degrading, will be reviewed and appreciated far more often than images on a disc, and due to its sentimental value, an album will never be thrown out.
• Prints Don’t Actually “Waste” Paper
When you order prints through your photographer, you are only using as much paper as you need for each photo printed, especially because the prints you order are only the images that you really want printed—as opposed to taking a disc to a lab yourself and printing up copies of every single image on it and only really cherishing a few of those prints.
Overall, obviously modern photography isn’t a huge concern when planning a green wedding because many photographers are naturally inclined to be eco-friendly (whether they realize it or not!) simply by utilizing digital technology for shooting, preview, and image preservation.
If you are considering a a green wedding, check out these other cool resources:
Great Green Wedding
Eco-Friendly Wedding Planning
The Spiraled Stem
I always have fun photographing dogs. So when Alpha Pet Care asked me to capture some portraits of some of their petsitters and client pets, I was delighted to oblige!
[caption id="attachment_587" align="aligncenter" width="469" caption="Lisa"]
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[caption id="attachment_586" align="aligncenter" width="700" caption="Chester"]
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[caption id="attachment_589" align="aligncenter" width="700" caption="Huntington Beach petsitter Peggy, with Cooper"]
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[caption id="attachment_588" align="aligncenter" width="700" caption="Cooper with his concerned boxer brow =)"]
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[caption id="attachment_590" align="aligncenter" width="700" caption="Peggy"]
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[caption id="attachment_578" align="aligncenter" width="700" caption="Shitaki"]
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[caption id="attachment_581" align="aligncenter" width="700" caption="Shitkai being oh-so-pretty"]
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[caption id="attachment_582" align="aligncenter" width="700" caption="Julie"]
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[caption id="attachment_593" align="aligncenter" width="700" caption="Huntington Beach petsitter Karen"]
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[caption id="attachment_592" align="aligncenter" width="466" caption="Karen gets kisses from Thisbe"]
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Rock on Alpha sitters…rock on!
More furry-faced goodness from the OC Humane Society! The OCHS will also be at the America’s Family Pet Expo this weekend at the Orange County Fairgrounds. Stop by and see some of these sweetie pies yourself!
Juliet
Chance giving me the Bambi eyes
Oscar models his wee doggie shirt
Poker only has one expression…SMILES!
Goldie is an affectionate mama-dog with a litter of little ones who are all sure to find great homes…and you can see on her face that she hopes to do the same.
BABY PUPPEHS AHHHHHHH!!!
One of Goldie’s pups, who probably has no need for adoption photos given that it’s so flipping cute that it’ll be snatched up immediately!
PUPPEH LUURRRVVEE
But wait! What about the kittehs! Sad kittyfaces 
Sweet Emma likes being petted, but she doesn’t get a lot of that in the shelter.
Smithurs decided he wanted a kingly portrait.
Also, if you love pets and would like to get to know the ones at your own local shelter, why not contact them and volunteer? All of these photographs were taken by me for free to help these little guys get adopted sooner, so obviously you can donate more than money to the cause (though money is definitely helpful, too!). See you at the Expo this weekend!
