At this wedding we saw it all.  Glorious sunshine, light drizzle, torrential downpours, and even hail!  The bride and groom have got to be some of the most carefree folks and didn’t let anything stand in their way of getting amazing wedding portraits and just plain having a fabulous day.  As a result, the wedding and the portraits were a complete success, muddy feet and all.  This was the most fun I’ve had photographing a wedding in a long time.  It just goes to show that a positive attitude really can shape a situation.

Here’s some advice on how to handle a rainy wedding:

1. Wear boots!  I wore my 100% waterproof Keen hiking boots and, although not the most “professional” choice of footwear, they allowed me to act professional as I ran around doing my normal thing in 3″ of muddy grass.  I guarantee people would have noticed more if I’d worn “cute” shoes and tip-toed around everywhere than they noticed this.
2. Bring a rain shell for your camera!  I found an interesting blog post about camera rain coats.  In the end, I borrowed a KATA KT E-702 from Craig Mitchelldyer, who does a lot of shooting in the rain.  This protective shield was essential for keeping my professional cool and putting the bride and groom before myself when it came to planning shots.  I never worried whether I was standing under a tree, bumping into leaves, whether it was starting to sprinkle… I was free to focus on what mattered!
3. Go with the flow!  If you planned to do family formals at 3:30PM and it suddenly starts raining, wait it out.  I was able to do the formal shoots during dry periods without a problem just by keeping flexible and seizing the opportunities as they came up.
4. Keep a positive attitude!  No matter what, as a hired professional your confidence level has a lot of influence over the way things pan out.  Tell the bride that photos are more dramatic when it’s wet outside and that you love the weather.  You’re the pro!  Emphasize how much fun it all is, and you’ll have everyone following along with you!  I had some of the most fun formal portrait shots in this wedding just because of the exciting and positive attitude that was infused throughout the wedding and photo sessions.

A true Oregon wedding

The bride had such a great look, with a mix of modern and vintage pieces.  Her veil was made by a friend and was absolutely stunning, one of the most fun pieces to photograph!  The relaxed atmosphere led to a uniquely casual set of portraits that illustrate this couple just beautifully.  I wish them many years of happiness!

Casual wedding photography

Cape Cod wedding in Massachusetts

technorati tags : Portland, PDX, Portland Oregon, Photographer, Portrait, Wedding, Outdoor, Couples

It was great that we could do formals for this green and orange lily-themed wedding out in the green foliage.  I couldn’t have asked for a more beautiful, relaxed, loving setting.  Thanks for including me, you two!  Many years of happiness await you.

Photos from a home wedding ceremony on the summer solstice

technorati tags : Portland, PDX, Portland Oregon, Photographer, Portrait, Couples, Wedding