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Where art lives with Courtney & Charlie

Neil March 21st, 2008

I developed this multimedia presentation to share with all my clients where art comes from:

So do you know where the best art comes from now?

I didn’t include the story of Courtney and Charlie’s first date, but if you’d like to listen to it here:

…you can see how their engagement shoot reflected their first date and how tucker got included.

In case it’s not totally clear, the framed photos are the shadowbox that I made with Charlie’s input. The frame is antiqued barn wood, and it has a two inch deep sealed wooden shadow frame. The glass is painted from the inside to harmonize with the weathered edges of the photos and handmade paper in the backing. The photos are mounted on raw nails to avoid adhesives which lower the archival stability of the piece.

I look forward to blessing more and more of your lives with joy, strength, memories and moments

Audio , Choosing a Photographer , Engagement Photos , Multimedia , Neil Cowley , Planning , Thoughts , Where Art Lives
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The Google Game

Neil January 31st, 2008

Are you planning your wedding and looking for a few design or color scheme ideas realized in pictures from real weddings - well then we have a game for you! The Google Game.

This magical Google widget will search all of our sites for the obscure but inspiring photo that you seek!
We also have planning pages showing group photo locations and vendor recommendations.
Maybe we photographed your friend’s wedding and you forgot where it was….

About Us , Choosing a Photographer , Liesl Cowley , Neil Cowley , Planning , Wedding Photographer
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Free Wedding Photography: electric love

Neil January 30th, 2008

I hesitate a little to bring this up, but I think it bears breaching the topic for conversation. First, let me introduce a few opportunities for free wedding photography from across the nation and the blogosphere.

New Traditions: response to the Celebrations Studio debacle

My friend and college Jason Groupp a photographer in the New Jersy and Manhattan area, is giving away one free wedding to a couple who was wronged by the closing and bankrupcy of Celebrations Studios. The Celebration Studios problem is big news in the wedding industry as there may be as many or more than 2000 brides who’s photographer will not be showing up at their wedding this year. That’s a big problem and if you’re looking for someone in the NJ or New York - Manhattan area we have a special rate for you up until June, so just contact us.

Vrai: You can make an impact!

Christina is a wonderful button of a photographer based in the Chicago Illinois metro area but willing to shoot a wedding anywhere in the US if you are choosing to make make the least impact on the environment and the most impact on the community on their wedding day. Sounds like a great deal to me!! The submissions begin now and end by 10 pm (CST) on February 10th, 2008. Submissions can be mailed or emailed (info at vraiphoto.com) and must include the plans already made or ideas to implement, a 5×7 photo of the couple sized to 300 dpi (1500 px by 2100 px), and your wedding date (must be no later than 12/31/2009), any other information is helpful in making final selections. (mailing address on her site)

A chance to show family and friends that social responsibility can still have style, elegance, and beauty! The online poll will begin no later than 10 am the next morning and voting will last until 11 pm (CST) on February 13th. The winner will be announced on Valentine’s Day.

Jessica Claire helps those who help

Jessica a photographer out of Orange county, has a nomination process each year on her blog, which you can read about in three parts. First the call for entries, second reading the stories of the entrants and finalists (I find this one most interesting), and third announcing the winner. Looks like a Louisianan couple who grew up together gets the free shoot.

I also google’d ‘free wedding photography’ and came up with Robin DePaula’s blog, Punam Bean gives a few shots, Gulnara Studios contest, Free photography in Madison WI from a beginner trolling on wedding bee, there’s of course Craig’s listings even including ‘retouching’, one free wedding a quarter!, Jason’s give back project, and photographers wanting to travel.

Ok ok, so onto me…..

In 2005 I shot a wedding in Thailand of a couple who was prohibited from marrying by the Chinese government.

About Us , Neil Cowley , Photojournalist , Planning , Promotions , Thoughts , Wedding Photographer , destination weddings
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Cool moon rising: what’s your display preference?

Neil December 8th, 2007

So it’s been a while since I’ve discussed a picture, and I thought this would be a good one to talk about. I shot this image at a recent November wedding with it’s bride only counterpart. I enjoyed creating this image in an empty lot next to Christina’s (the bride’s) parent’s home where she prepared for the wedding. The enjoyment came from being able to create mood and style easily in the early evening that comes in November. The frame above was made at 5:03:22PM between the ceremony and reception. The early sunset gave me the chance to control the lighting in the image by using my strobes instead of relying on the mood of the natural light.