my why. part two of my reflections on "the art of authentic posing" workshop by justin and mary.

As you may know I recently attended 2 incredible workshops hosted by the incredible photography duo Justin and Mary. Day one's workshop was all about using natural light and off-camera flash to create dimensional, luxurious images. Day two's workshop, "The Art of Authentic Posing", was yes, about posing but it went deeper than that. I recently blogged another part of my reflections on this workshop (my WHY) which I'd encourage you to look at here. Today's blog post covers a different "Why": When we're striving to capture the love between two people - their hearts, their essence, their passions and love for each other - WHY do we pose them the way we do? Have you ever seen (or done yourself?) one of the following poses when looking at couple's photography?

-the "we look mad at each other" pose - the "we've been doing the dip-kiss pose for 2 minutes straight and now it's getting uncomfortable" pose -the "form a heart with our hands" pose -the "make the bride sit in the middle of the highway" pose -the "let's all jump at once" pose -the "straddle each other" pose -the "bride sits on the ground and her flowers are placed on her train" pose

(for the record, I've done almost all of the above in some form or another since I started photography...).

How about photo editing?:

-the "everything is in black and white except the eyes/flowers/garter/etc." selective color edit -the "green or orange tint" edit -the "reduce clarity dramatically so the image seems dream-like" edit -the "add in clouds-that-weren't-there" edit -the "faces superimposed onto an wine glass/bubble/background" edit

No doubt you've seen a lot, if not all, of these things (I've seen each one on Pinterest with a "MUST have my photographer shoot this" caption. So here's the question: WHY?

Justin and Mary put out the "Why" question as a bit of a challenge. When creating an in image why do we pose couples the way we do? (Editing the way we do is just as relevant). Are you photographing a couple jumping because it actually sums up their personalities and the energy of the day (or better yet, because you caught them jumping around when no one was really watching)? If so, then jump on! Do you have a "dip" shot because your groom grabbed his new bride and made her knees week? If so, rock it out!! If you have a WHY that backs up what you're doing with your couples then go for it! If you don't have a WHY - well then, why are you doing it? Are you doing "selective color" editing because you it's stunning and a timeless addition to a couple's wedding album? Then color selectively!....(that's hard for me to say but if you have a legit WHY...). You get the point, right? It's not that one person's posing and editing is necessarily better than anothers but HAVE A "WHY"! The goal is to create something authentic so just promise me this and ask yourself "Why?" Yes?? Yes!

If you want to photograph (and pose) couple's authentically then seek out that authentic moment! If you're with the couple for formals and they're no longer in an "organic/photo-journalistic" scenario (eg. you're no longer photographing them candidly as they get ready in their hotel room and have moved them to, for example, a field) then do your best to create and facilitate an environment wherein you CAN capture authentic moments. A couple in love is an authentic thing - couples touch, sway, laugh, kiss - so focus on giving couples opportunities to BE IN those natural moments! Your WHY is going to show through in your images and will hopefully attract the type of couples that can identify with you. So no matter what your WHY may be you'll be able shoot more weddings with your dream clients because you've connected with them more deeply than just at a coffee meeting!

I would actually love your feedback on this blog post if you have an opinion. Do you agree/disagree? Have you thought about your WHY? Something to ponder :)

Are you connecting with and excited about what I'm talking about? Looking for your own wedding photographer and think we'd mesh? Shoot me an email and we can get together to chat and see if we're a good fit!

Here's a look at some images I took during the time we had to practice "the art of authentic posing" one on one with our workshop models.

Since you're here you should check out more of my weddings here :)

my WHY. part one of my reflections on "the art of authentic posing" workshop by justin and mary.

If you follow me at all here on my blog or on my Aeris facebook page you know that my heart and brain are bursting with new and exciting information after having attended 2 workshops hosted by photography duo Justin and Mary in Cannon Beach, Oregon. I previously blogged some tidbits that I learned about off-camera flash and today I'm moving on to some of what I learned from the second workshop, "The Art of Authentic Posing." There are many things I learned from taking this class (I'm pretty sure I'll be digesting that information for quite some time) but the HUGEST thing I took away from this class is actually a challenge to identify and understand my way of thinking; the way and reason I photograph couples. My "Why."

At the beginning of the day Mary asked us to think of our own "Why": Why do we do photography in the first place? Why do we shoot What we do and How we do? My first reaction requires a bit of back story so bear with me if you're interested:

I wasn't someone who starting playing with a camera when I was 3, nor someone who recognized some "calling" after participating in photography classes in high school. Yes, I played around with my dad's old film camera with some friends during a few get togethers in junior high but that was more about playing around with fashion (90's fashion... :/) and makeup. After high school, with no clue what I wanted to do, I applied, was accepted, and went to work at a Mexico orphanage for 6 months. I loved my time there and fell in love with caring for infants (which had been my assignment in the orphange nursery). When I came home I thought about possibly pursuing neonatal nursing - long story short - as much as I love babies I didn't actually want to pursue that. I ended up taking general, university-transfer classes at a local Bible school hoping that along the way I'd have some clue what other program I could apply those classes to when I made up my mind. I'm a pretty empathetic (read: emotional) person so I ended up choosing Social Work, thinking/hoping it would be a good fit. I graduated two years later with a Social Work diploma, got my RSW designation, applied for some jobs, interviewed for one then immediately proceeded to get in my car and cry, terrified that they'd call and offer me the job. I should have known that social work wasn't for me - I really struggled with (aka pretty much hated) my practicums in the field - but I wanted to feel like I had FOUND something, you know??

Fast forward a bit: I was desperate for SOMETHING to be passionate about - a hobby, an interest, ANYTHING. I was venting my frustrations to a friend one day who challenged me to think about what I liked playing around with when I was young - before life decisions came into the picture. I recalled those few times that my friends and I dressed up in junior high - how I took their photos and actually liked them enough to frame them and put them up on my wall. I figured "Why not?" and went out that day, on a whim, and bought my first camera. There's a lot more to this story but again, long story short, I taught myself how to shoot in manual and the love story, and my WHY, began.

It is my personal belief that photography, this crazy thing that I love, is a gift from God JUST FOR ME. I believe God had photography in mind for me my whole life and waited until I as ready as can be to open up and reveal it. I think God DELIGHTS to pour out on his kids and that He has a rich inheritance for each of us to receive THROUGHOUT our lives! The name “Aeris” actually came from my belief that God gave me part of my inheritance early and I’m an “heiress” (get it? Aeris!) of the good things he has for me!

So my WHY? Why do I do photography? The only word that came to me was DELIGHT :)

Have a look at some images I took during the hands-on portion of "The Art of Authentic Posing." All of these images are taken from poses set-up by Mary Marantz (literally, I'm shooting right beside her). All credit for posing goes to her. After her demonstrations we had time to practice what we had learned and set up our own posing but I'll blog those separately.

off-camera flash. some recent learnings from Justin and Mary's "lighting intensive" workshop.

Ok. So I recently attended two different workshops put together by photographer couple Justin and Mary Morantz from Justin and Mary. The first day's workshop was called "Lighting Intensive" and revolved around understanding and using natural light and a one-light setup to shape light, making it work for you to create a more dynamic image. My mind and heart have been churning and bursting at the seams as I've tried to digest this yummy new information and figure out how to implement what I've learned in new and practical ways when I shoot. I know it will definitely be a journey to make this stuff come "naturally" but I LOVE the journey! How exciting to know that I can continually learn and grow! The following images show a typical tablescape setup complete with a floral centrepiece, tableware and a wedding favor. I've heard a lot of different ways of how to capture details - my go-to has almost always been using either only ambient light (no flash) or using my on-camera flash pointed straight up to bounce directly off the ceiling. I have no qualms with these methods as, obviously, they've worked (well, worked enough) for me in the past but I'm utterly convinced that what I've learned takes things up a notch.   Working with off-camera flash can be really daunting which is why I've semi-avoided it.  I do use OCF and actually study new information when I find it but it often feels like trial and error rather than practicing a science, you know? What I learned here is SO SIMPLE, it's bananas.

Ok, first let's look at a recent image I took "pre-workshop." The reception venue was quite dark (as most receptions are) and so I lit up this display of capcakes by bouncing my on-camera flash straight up. If you look at the shadows around each of the cupcakes you can see that they aren't super directional - You can tell the light was obviously coming from almost directly above.  (excuse the fact that my blog compresses single portrait-orientation images oddly and makes them look kinda yucky).

Now, check out the tablescape images from my workshop. The lighting was, again, quite dark but instead of using my flash on-camera, bounced straight up I used my flash off-camera in a medium-sized softbox. I had an assistant hold the flash directly to the left of the table, angled straight across the table (not angled down towards the table at all). In effect, the flash was 90 degrees from where I was standing. Because the flash is placed inside a softbox the light source becomes 1) larger, 2) less intense and 3) more dimensional. Try to picture where the light is when you look at these.

Can you see the difference? It's actually incredibly significant! It's such a simple change but the results make everything more luxurious! I'm in love!

I also tried using this OCF setup (with a softbox) with one of the models in our class. In this triptych I started with my assistant holding the softbox to the right of the model, about 90 degrees from where I was standing. Again, the softbox is directed straight across as opposed to angled down at all. In the centre image I got the assistant to move slightly to her left (the assistant's left; not the models) so she was more around 85 degrees from me. The image on the right I moved my assistant a bit more to about 80 degrees from me. Can you see the subtle differences?

I'm in LOVE with this new simple way to "up my game" and can't wait to try it out at my next wedding in December!

Interested in off-camera flash? All you need is one flash and a set of wireless remote triggers (there are also triggers that don't have to be wireless but if you're buying them anyways, I'd recommend wireless). One of the triggers attaches to your flash (off-camera) and the other attaches to the hot shoe on your DSLR). If you shoot Canon, you can also invest in 2 of the 600 EX-RT speedlites (which I have) that have the wireless trigger system built right in!! I'm in LOVE with my 600's and would highly recommend this option but prior to this I used a Canon 580 speedlite (no longer in production, I think) and pocket wizards :)  You can find a medium-sized softbox like this one online or at various photography stores around your city.

salisbury greenhouse weddings | claudia and dane. styled bridals. edmonton wedding photography.

Every once in a while when I know I'm going to have a week or two off from shooting a real wedding I get excited about collaborating with other professionals in the wedding industry for special projects. This summer I met up with Arlene from Accentuate Weddings to do just that! Accentuate Weddings is an incredible vendor offering wedding decor rentals (chair covers, linens, drapery, table setups - you name it!) as well as recently adding floral arrangements to the mix! Accentuate even provided the linens for my own wedding! For this shoot, Arlene styled a breathtaking tablescape with gorgeous details. Seriously, guys, she's good at this so you should definitely check her out. We also collaborated with Riti from Makeup By Riti for Claudia's stunning wedding makeup. Riti's also done another of my recent real weddings which you can see here :) Back to the shoot: Good ol' Edmonton weather was even MORE unpredictable that we anticipated - We ended up having to reschedule twice due to crazy wind and pouring rain! When our third date ended up looking about the same we decided to make it happen regardless! Salisbury Greenhouse was incredible at accomodating us and provided a beautiful space for us to shoot in. Claudia and Dane graciously agreed to model for us (and yah, I'm friggin' happy they did...What a GORGEOUS couple!!) and the rest is history!

Check out Accentuate Weddings, Salisbury Greenhouse and Makeup By Riti.

CHECK THIS OUT: Accentuate Weddings and I worked a bit of a promotion for our 2014 bridal couples: If you book both Accentuate Weddings for your decor AND Aeris Photography for your wedding photography you will receive 15% off of BOTH of your bookings! 15% off your decor rental from Accentuate Weddings AND 15% off your wedding package with Aeris Photography! So, if you already know you want me to photograph your wedding this is a pretty awesome deal for your dream decor ;)

Want me to photograph your wedding?  Contact me here :)

south edmonton engagement | ashley and brad. engaged. edmonton engagement photography.

Ashley and Brad are the sweetest.  Their recent engagement session was complete with pinterest-worthy outfits, a cute and cozy blanket, a sweet-as-can-be dog and, the best part - themselves!  I even got a hug at the end of our time together <3  I can't wait to shoot their wedding next October! Check out some of my favorite shots of this gorgeous couple!  If you're in the market for your own photographer check out more of my work here then feel free to shoot me an email!

hotel macdonald weddings | michael and alicia got married. second shooting for picture that photography.

A few months back I was privileged to shoot for Picture That Photography. Susan from Picture That actually taught a photography class that I took back when I was first starting my photography journey so I was elated when she asked if I'd second shoot for her <3 <3 Have a look at some of my favorite shots from Michael and Alicia's wedding! You can also check out more of my work here!

Shoot me an email if you're looking for your own wedding photographer by clicking here or by messaging me at cheryl@aeris-photography.com :)

hawrelak park engagment | graham and kyla. engaged. edmonton engagement photography.

I was sooo excited to photograph Graham and Kyla a few weeks ago. Graham had emailed me earlier in August with his awesome plan to surprise his girlfriend, Kyla, with a surprise photo shoot with a twist - A PROPOSAL!! Kyla works at the vet where I take my cat to get his nails trimmed and I put up with a few extra cat scratches just to avoid seeing Kyla and potentially screwing up the surprise! Graham asked Kyla to marry him. Kyla said yes :)

Have a look at some of my favorites from our time together :)

While you're here you should check out more of my work here and then contact me if you're looking for your own photographer!

kristen and evan. engaged. edmonton engagement photography.

I was so happy to photography this beautiful engaged couple a few weeks ago. They chose a park where they could bring their brand new puppy! Check out a few of my favorites from our shoot!

If you're looking for your own engagement photographer you should message me!  Engagement sessions with me are currently $300 weekdays/$350 weekends.  I also recently tweeked my packages to include a complimentary engagement session for couples who go ahead and book a wedding package with me :)

things that rock my world. aeris albums. the most gorgeous display option in the world :)

I FINALLY had the chance to design and purchase a new sample album and I am BLOWN AWAY! Professional-grade albums are ridiculously beautiful. They're definitely pricier then something you can make on your own but ohhh, if you could just see it, you'd see why!!

This specific album is a 12x12 leather beauty with 25 pages.  Look at this gorgeous leather bound presentation box it came in!!

It comes with a care-instruction card.

I had chosen a while back to switch album companies due to some binding issues that I was unhappy with. Issue 100% resolved with this new company! Albums come with a blank black "buffer" page which prevents creasing due to no images being glued directly to the cover.

Check out these pages! The print quality is unreal and the center seam is almost invincible!

And finally, I am in LOVE with the stamping option for text on the cover! I've seen covers that are laser-engraved before but the stamped "look" is definitely a factor that drove me to this company

Love love love love.

That is all.

devonian gardens wedding/river cree wedding | lee-ann and mike. married. edmonton wedding photography.

What a privilege I have to photograph people in love and one of the most special days in their lives! I've known Lee-Ann and Mike for quite a few years now and was so honored when they asked me to photograph their wedding. They are truly, no word of a lie, two of the most beautiful people you will ever meet, inside and out. If you know them then you are no doubt blessed. Lee-Ann and Mike are a fun and unique couple which is reflected pretty well in Lee's hot pink hair and the fact that they had a hawk fly in their rings (Nope, never seen that before)!

Check out some of my favorite shots from their wedding last Saturday!

You can also check out their engagement photos here and more of my weddings here.

Shoot me an email, too, if you're interested in me shooting YOUR wedding!

mariah and jake. married. edmonton wedding photography.

I had a great time this past Saturday photographing Mariah and Jake and their gorgeous wedding party. I love when my couples are so in love and so excited to marry each other that everything else during the day seems to just fall into place.  No stress, no worrying about the weather - they just enjoy each other and their wedding day. Mariah and Jake were like that and I loved it <3 Check out a few of my favorite shots from their special day!

You can also check out their engagement photos here as well as more of my wedding portfolio here!

While you're at it you should shoot me a message if you're looking for your own wedding photographer :)

the matrix wedding | rachel and connor got married. edmonton wedding photography.

I had a blast photographing Rachel and Connor's wedding on Saturday. Hands down, they were one of the most positive, kind, encouraging couples I've ever photographed. They kept their spirits up after hours in the hot sun and truly enjoyed their entire wedding day. I LOVE to see a bride and groom relaxed and happy, thrilled to simply be beside their Person. It's fantastic. So thanks, Rachel and Connor, for being truly beautiful, inside and out <3 If you're in the market for a photographer for your own wedding check out more of my work here! Then head on over to my contact page to shoot me a message :)

jacob and amber got married. second shooting for erin walker photography.

I recently had the privilege of once again second shooting for my good friend and fellow photographer Erin from Erin Walker Photography. It was a stunning day with the cutest flower girl (so in love with her princess dress) who was so excited she just couldn't stand still and a gorgeous bride (and bridal party)! Check out some of my favorite shots from the day :) Check out more of my work here and feel free to contact me if you're looking for a photographer for your own wedding!

friends. edmonton photography.

I have long wanted to photograph all of my girlfriends in one big crazy cluster simply for my own selfish reasons (I love them and thought it would be awesome). Of course, it's immensely difficult to get weather and people's schedules to line up perfectly so several of my beautiful friends were unable to make it but, alas, we made it work with those that could come. I typically reserve my blog posts for weddings and engagements (as they're my favorite thing to photograph and the main focus of my business) but it's impossible to photograph these beautiful women and not share it :)

Here goes:

Alora. My gorgeous, young (she's 18!) friend whom I've come to know and love since I met her 2 years ago when she agreed to second shoot a wedding with me. She's been my partner in photography-crime ever since.

Katie. We met in a church small group years ago and have enjoyed getting to know each other ever since. Katie's one of those girls who mails you a card just to say something encouraging. I'm a lucky lady to have her in my life.

Shelley. Shelley's older brother works with my husband. Little did I know my life would change for the better when I met her <3

Colette. First I met Shelley's older brother, Matt, then her other brother, Tom. Then Tom met Colette and my heart just keeps filling up with how awesome that is. I'm glad you married her, Tom :)

Kate. Shelley's brother, Matt, met Kate, married her and therefore added her into my life of awesome women. Love.

And the gorgeous sister-in-laws all together :)

Claire. Words aren't enough. Claire blows my mind with her true and honest friendship. There's a lot of love in my heart for her. Plus, she introduced me to my hubs <3 <3

Crazy girls.

Rebekah. Bekah and I go to the same church and her and her husband have come to mean a lot to Noel and I. Bekah is someone I can share my deepest "stuff" with and, not only can she relate, she radiates a lovely heart that makes me feel warm and fuzzy.

Wendy. My sister. Wendy is incredible, resilient, beautiful and so much more. I love her more than words. Wend also brought out her daughters (my nieces), Bridget and Kelsey. I can't believe how grown up they are. My heart is full <3 <3 <3

My ladies <3

cindy and graham. married. edmonton wedding photography.

I had such a lovely time on Saturday photographing Cindy and Graham's wedding <3 The couple (and their bridal party and the majority of their guests) are not from Edmonton but decided to have their wedding here as an "equally inconvient" option for everyone attending (Graham's words lol) as they came from here and there and everywhere. Thanks to wedding planner, Christina, from Sweet Bliss Weddings they were able to pull off their own "destination" wedding. I'm so glad they did because then I got to be a part of it!! Have a look at some of my favorite shots from throughout the day.

Since you're here feel free to check out some of my other weddings here and then shoot me a message if you're looking for a photographer for your own wedding!

shannon and brian. married. edmonton wedding photography.

I had the absolute to-die-for privilege of shooting Shannon and Brian's wedding this past Saturday. Shannon was stunning, the bridal party were relaxed, the weather was beautiful.... Couples like this remind me why I love my job <3 Have a look at some of my favorite shots from the day!

You can find more of my weddings here and contact me here if you're looking for your own wedding photographer!

jacqueline and keith. married. edmonton wedding photography.

I had the great privilege of photographing Jacqueline and Keith's gorgeous wedding on Saturday! The dresses, the pink details, the gorgeous bouquet (one of the most beautiful I've ever seen, I think) and the STUNNING bride made for a great day and some lovely captures. Thanks, Jacqueline and Keith, for inviting me to be a part of your special day. I hope you and your friends and family enjoy checking out some of my favorite shots from the day <3 You can check out more of my wedding portfolio here! Drop me a message here if you're looking for a photographer for your own wedding!

melanie and peter got married. second shooting for erin walker photography.

I love having the opportunity to second shoot a wedding every once in a while. Erin is a good friend of mine and I always enjoy working with her so I was super-stoked to be able to shoot alongside her at a recent wedding. Check out some of my shots from the day and definitely go check out Erin Walker Photography as well <3 Since you're here you should check out more of my wedding portfolio here and then shoot me an email if you're looking for your own wedding photographer!

tannis and zachary. married. edmonton wedding photography.

I'm not sure how to write how I feel about Zachary and Tannis' wedding this past weekend. I suppose I could say it was remarkable and touching but that wouldn't quite get it. Although I'm a sap I tend to not get too emotional when I'm working at a wedding so I was a bit surprised when I couldn't hold it together later in the day. The whole day was amazing - the rain held off, the bridal party had great personalities and kept their spirits up even though taking photos is surprisingly tiring but the kicker for me was at the end of the day. Zachary's words to Tannis were so honest and lovely. The first dance...ahhh, the first dance.... Tears came. And Zachary's dance with his Mom.... I hope the photos can convey even a drop of how beautiful this wedding truly was. Enjoy.

While you're here feel free to check out more of my wedding portfolio here and contact me if you're looking for a photographer for your special day :)

mariah and jake. engaged. edmonton engagement photography.

Mariah and Jake are the type of people that make my job SO MUCH FUN. I had a great time photographing their engagement session recently and can't wait to shoot their wedding in August <3 Since you're here you should check out more of my engagement sessions here and send me an email if you're looking for a photographer to capture your engagement session!