Marvimon House :: LA Wedding Photography

A few weeks ago my dear friend Em asked if I could help her out with a wedding. I gladly obliged knowing that second shooting for Emily would likely be less work than play. But when she told me the couple would be getting married at the Marvimon House in Los Angeles, I made it very clear that Emily was not allowed to find anyone else to shoot with. I've known about the Marvimon for quite awhile and it's always been one of those venues I would give my right arm to shoot at. It's quaint and lovely and beautiful and truly everything a wedding venue should be. I couldn't have been any more thrilled to photograph my first Californian wedding at the house. And shooting the day with such a close friend was simply the butter cream frosting on my cake. We began the afternoon at the Standard Hotel before moving to the L.A. public library for a first look.

The thing about second shooting is that it teaches one to see weddings in a new light. When I'm shooting my own weddings I have a structure and routine that I follow. It includes both a methodical way of going through the day as well as a few evil glares at Colton telling him to Get.Out.Of.My.Picture.NOW! When I second shoot for other people I'm forced to see the day unfolding from different angles and perspectives. Oftentimes I like the the pictures I take assisting more just because they're unique and new to my portfolio. Second shooting also reminds me to be nicer to my husband...

And while I would normally be bummed to miss out on quality portrait time, the Marvimon House made me extra glad to be assisting. While Emily was off with the happy couple, I had the pleasure of staying behind to capture all the stunning details of the venue (which included breathtaking florals by Dandelion Ranch) . I'm currently in search of any reason to throw a dinner party at Marvimon. Please, someone, have a baby or something.

As if there weren't already a million things to love about this day, the couple chose the most amazing caterer to feed their guests. Heirloom LA created an incredible menu and went above and beyond in their presentation. One of my favorite things about the venue is that the kitchen is open to the reception area. Guests are able to sit and mingle while watching their food be prepared. If you enjoy food as much as I do, it's pure decadence.

Andrea + Kathy, thank you for being such warm and welcoming (and ridiculously fun!) people. Your wedding was such a beautifully delightful day to be part of. And Emily, it's settled then. I'm requesting first dibs on every wedding you need an extra hand for. Really, I'm your girl.

Happy Weekend! Michelle

A Wedding in Film

I know I just wrote about my latest venture into the world of film. But yesterday I received an order back from Richard Photo Lab and I feel like I really just have to share a few. If you missed David and Allison's wedding on the blog last week, you might want to check it out. Theirs was the first wedding I've ever shot film at (though I only shot a few rolls during portraits and the reception) and I will admit I'm giddy with the result. To be completely honest, I am still very much in the exploration phase with the medium. At the risk of sounding slightly ridiculous, I'm still employing the shoot and pray method. I shoot much the same way I do digitally and then I, well, hope for the best. Every time I send an order off for development I hold my breath. And if I don't get call saying I loaded every single roll of film incorrectly, I squeal with excitement. And now that you know hard, ugly truth about my skills behind the camera, here are a few more pictures from David + Allison's gorgeous wedding.

Happy Thursday,

Michelle

The BUILD Workshop :: Photography

A few weeks ago, before I jumped a red eye flight to D.C., I had the opportunity to join a handful of other wedding photographers at a BUILD workshop hosted here in Orange County. The workshop focused on four keys specifics of running a small business and provided a unique perspective as it was taught by fellow wedding photographer Gabriel Ryan. At times it can be incredibly difficult to feed the artistic, photography minded side of my brain without neglecting the structured, business side of my career. The truth of the matter is that it's impossible for me to have one without the other. In my experience it is only after the affairs of my business are in order that I truly feel the freedom to take the pictures I love and am most proud of. What I enjoy most about attending workshops is that they inspire me to work toward something. I came away from BUILD excited for the relationships I have with my clients and eager to make my business, in the words of Kanye West, harder, better, faster, stronger. There's a lot to love about being a wedding photographer, but these are the things that make me truly passionate about what I do.

While the focus of the day was on our business, we did have a quick wedding themed shoot in the afternoon. Here a few shots from the adorable session styled by Melanie of Jesi Haack Design.

Happy Tuesday,

Michelle