Whether these portraits employ elements of formal composition (as in my example) or are more casual and photojournalistic, capturing the “in camera” shot is only the beginning. The artistry starts, but does not end, with creation.

Many years ago, a photographer named Ansel Adams promoted a concept for photographers called “pre-visualization”. Although Adams was a master in the darkroom, there were limitations in his day and he understood it was essential that the photographer capture the correct light, density and composition in the original photograph.

Today is a new world for photography. Technical tools have allowed photographers a whole spectrum of artistic enhancements in post production, thereby extending pre-visualization and creativity to previously unimaginable levels.

If you study the two images of the bride on the staircase (before and after), you’ll see many of the benefits of post production workflow. While I loved the original image, I knew that certain enhancements would benefit her portrait:

• By removing the bright window, and adjusting the overall light balance, I was able to bring the “first reading” to the bride instead of the window.
• Some of the superb wrought iron railing detail was too dark in the original and I adjusted the image so that the bride would be more evenly framed by the railing.
• I straightened the floor, stairs and ceiling areas.
• Although the warm color of the original was pleasing, sometimes color can be distracting. I opted to desaturate most of the color in order for the form and symmetry to emerge.

In my opinion, any photograph can be vastly improved when it incorporates elements of both pre-visualization and post production. When a client receives a dvd of images from the Crandall Photography, these and other post production enhancements have already been applied to many of the images.  I’ll explore more of the techniques I use to artistically enhance images in other blog posts.

Enchanted Evening Productions provided live entertainment (with vocals at times by the groom and the bride’s son), and later in the evening Jeff Holmes from Moondance Mobile Music keep the dancing lively.

The entire home was filled with floral arrangements, from the fountain to the large foyer chandelier, and was provided by Enchanted Florist.  Paula Laskelle, owner of Champagne Taste consulting, planning and design company, expertly attended every detail throughout the day. It is always a pleasure to be a part of Paula’s team.

I was fortunate to have my very talented niece, Marie Hernandez, assist me for part of this event. Marie has a very good eye and is developing a nice style with her photography – it was a pleasure to have her with Crandall Photography.

photo by Marie Hernandez

It would surprise many brides to know that the sand itself isn’t really dirty. It is possible to take your shoes off and walk on the sand without getting your dress soiled. In fact, there is a greater chance you’ll pick up stains walking in concrete and grass areas.

If you are simply standing in one spot for photos, ask your photographer to bring along something to place under your dress (like a sheet or reflector). If you are walking, I would recommend making sure you are on the sand, not on dirt. For instance, Salt Creek Beach below the Ritz Carlton Dana Point has an amazing spot to shoot in front of the lifeguard tower. However, you’ll want to protect your dress since there is a mixture of sand and dirt in this popular shooting area. Every locale is different – just keep your eyes open, and carry your dress to the spot where you’ll be shooting.

My best advice is to express your concerns to your photographer, and ask them to help you to keep the dress clean. It is a perfectly reasonable request and will help you to relax and enjoy your beach photos.

While you’re at it, be sure to ask your photographer if a permit is required! Here in Orange County we have State, County and City beaches – ALL of them require some kind of permit to take photographs. It is your responsibility to let your photographer know in advance that you want beach photos (and are willing to pay any fees), and your photographer’s responsibility to obtain the necessary permits in advance.

So if beach photos are on your wish list – I recommend you go for it!

Other brick and morter companies like Blockbuster and Borders have recently succumbed to the digital age as well,

Photograph of a Kodak Brownie Movie Camera taken (appropriately or not) with my iPhone 4s.

Kodak has been mostly surviving the past few years by patent enforcement and also sales of many of the digital imaging patents it owns. It has been provided with $950M in financing by Citigroup which will enable it to restructure its debt (Kodak filed for bankruptcy on January 19, 2012).  So it isn’t as if we’ve seen the end of Kodak. The company will probably return leaner and more able to adapt to the digital age (said adapting is a phenomenon with which we all share some experience).

Personally, I embrace the many changes that have transformed photography over the past decade. Each week seems to bring new discoveries, changes and opportunities (there are presently more than 200 photography apps for the iPhone alone).  Yet the end of an industry which has so obviously left its mark on all of our lives – deserves a nod of acknowledgement for the transformational contributions it brought.

How many years have you been in business?  We started in 1988, 24 years ago. That was before the Montage, St. Regis and Pelican Hill resort properties were created, and where we have done many of our more recent releases.  Our first job was at a church in Laguna Beach and I remember we worked with wedding planner Judy Feenstra.

How did you get into the business?  My husband is a homing pigeon racer.  He has been raising homing pigeons his whole life.  We started by getting 5 pairs of Rock Dove breeder birds from Nevada and began raising them.

Once we had several generations of birds trained, I contacted Karen Carpenter at the Ritz Carlton, and from that time on my business just took off (no pun intended). We’ve been featured in a lot of magazines and work with some of the best wedding planners in the business. Mine is definitely a “word” of mouth and referral business.

So for a wedding ceremony, what is the traditional meaning behind a dove release?  Sometimes the bride and groom will each release one dove toward the end of the ceremony. Since doves mate for life, the gesture is symbolic of the couple staying together for life.  Doves also represent peace, prosperity and longevity.  And of course, they are a beautiful celebration and fanfare for guests to applaud that first kiss!

I’ve also had requests by brides for single bird releases in memory of a loved one who has passed.

What do you feel sets White Flite apart from other dove release services?   Other companies basically do what we do, but our attention to detail sets us apart. We give our full attention to each client and I think discriminating brides appreciate that.  We are also more experienced and have been doing this a long time.

We personally care for and train our birds from birth, and they always return to us – they have about a 70 mile radius.  Many brides assume that doves are just released to fend for themselves, and don’t realize we take the care to train them to come home.

What is the most challenging request you’ve ever had?  We released 150 doves at a Pelican Hill Resort wedding.  It was a challenge because we needed five people to coordinate the release from five locations. I think it was one of the most spectacular releases I’ve ever done! In fact, Elysium Productions shot a great video of that dove release which we have on our website.

Another time we had to carry the birds almost a mile to get out on a rather treacherous point in Laguna Beach.  But it was truly a spectacle when they took off – just stunning.

What are some common questions you get from clients?

Q: Where do the birds go when you release them?  A: They always fly home.

Q: Will they poop on me? (Yes, I get this question a lot)  A: No. That has never has happened.

Do you have any advice for someone considering a dove release for their wedding?  It is important to know we can church weddings in addition to outdoor ceremonies.  I think a dove release adds a super romantic  touch to a wedding. It is a unique and meaningful statement.  And the photographs are wonderful. Many of my brides tell me that the dove release was a highlight which keeps getting talked about by their guests long after the wedding.

If you’ve got your own questions for Pamla, visit her website http://www.whiteflite.com or call 949-249-1284.

However, on almost every other point, I would have to say that I vastly prefer digital over film, even though it has increased my workload and equipment cost. Here are five reasons why I prefer digital to film:

1.  Post Production. As a career photographer, I am responsible for the final image, which ends up in my the hands of my client.  Film allows me control over the front-end only, whereas digital capture opens up an entire spectrum of control over the final image using Photoshop and Lightroom.  I can remove distractions, retouch faces, and adjust just about everything from colors to sharpness.  For a creative person, this kind of control over the image capture and processing is essential.

2. Online viewing and sharing.  As you know, digital cameras are the perfect medium for posting to the Internet. Film must be processed and printed before it can be shared at all, and must be scanned before sharing online.  Our culture of immediacy and sharing has helped to render film obsolete.

3. Environmental concerns.  Although there are questions about the environmental impact of digital camera electronics (and computers), there is no doubt that film chemistry is highly toxic, and overall digital is greener than film.

4. Limitations of film. I used to carry separate cameras for b&w film and color film, plus separate film backs for different ISO films AND tungsten vs. daylight film.  All of these are now simply menu setting adjustments in a digital camera.  Additionally, I can shoot approximately 900 high-resolution RAW digital files before reloading, vs. 36 frames on a roll of film (or even worse, 10-20 frames on a medium format film camera).

5. Processing and storage.  Film is processed and stored once. Raw digital files may be reprocessed many times (called non-destructive editing) and then stored in multiple locations.

I am convinced that many years of shooting film have made me a better photographer. Film shooting requires us to execute the perfect shot with regards to composition, lighting and exposure, all without the benefit of an instant preview or postproduction enhancements. Shooting film requires a lot more training and previsualization, yet I would recommend it to almost anyone who is serious about shooting better photographs, whether film or digital.

I prefer digital capture to film for my clients as well as my own personal work for the reasons cited above. Digital and film cameras are essentially tools of the trade.  In the end, whether your image contains pixels or grain is not as important as whether it elicits an emotional response on a deeper level.

By my informal reckoning, approximately 99.8% of us like chocolate in some form – which is why chocolate favors can be a huge hit for guests at weddings, Bar Mitzvahs and other events. You can generally expect to find individual chocolate favors ranging from $2 to $10 per guest.

As always, if you have hired a wedding coordinator or event planner I would check with them FIRST, since they will have valuable first-hand experience with almost any kind of vendor you can imagine, including those providing chocoloate wedding favors. Your coordinator can also provide you with suggestions for more elaborate dessert tables and themed candy stations.

Keep in mind, you will also need to sample everything in order to make an informed decision! If you are thinking of including some of these delectable delicacies at your wedding, here are 5 resources to get you started on your search.

1. LUISA CHOCOLATIERE

Luisa learned the art of making fine chocolate in France, and has been an Orange County, CA favorite for many years. She is also an expert in all things chocolate, including its many health benefits! Expect personal service and a boutique experience. Pricing starts at $2.75 http://www.luisachocolatiere.com/

2. FOR YOUR FAB FAVORS

In addition to chocolate favors, check out their specialty: Double dipped Cake Pops! I have personally tried these and can promise you they will be a hit. http://www.foryourfabfavor.com/Cake-Pops.html

3. IMAGES PRINTED ON CHOCOLATE

This La Habra based company is offering a totally novel service: they will photograph and print images of your guests onto chocolates – during your event! Pre-printed favors start at $1.29; “Chocolate Photo Party” service by quote. http://www.imagesprintedonchocolate.com/

4. SEES CANDIES

Who doesn’t love Sees Candy? Known by generations for their consistent quality, these make truly elegant favors. Pricing starts at $10.30 (sold in groups of 8). http://www.sees.com/Cat.cfm/wedding_favors

5. GODIVA

What can we say? Godiva is a classic, elegant and upscale brand. Pricing starts at $4.50 http://www.godiva.com/subcategory/wedding-party-favors/chocolate-favors/id/158.gdv

Do you know any great ideas or resources for chocolate favors? If so, please share with us!