Whether you are a bride, bridesmaid, attendee or just a girl looking for something special and different, these styles kill it! Here are some gorgeous braids ideas Lexi created in our studio and she can create for you too.
Check them out.
AMBER J TEEN MODEL LEXI
I love the touch of real flowers in her hair.
Though the braid is amazing, the way it frames her face is perfect.
AMBER J TEEN MODEL EMMA
Emma's braid was so beautiful. Once again the flowers were the perfect touch.
Maggie runs the crazy popular wedding blog Rustic Wedding Chic and since been featured in a number of articles and interviews including Huffington Post and the New York Times to name drop a few.
Her blog has reached a fan base in the millions simply by becoming an amazing voice on all things rustic and weddings and is one of the top 10 weddings blogs...ever.
So, I will give you one guess as to where Amber J Photography showed up this week? YES!!! AHHHHHHHH!
FEATURED!
Click here: AMBER J FEATURE. Our amazing couple Steve and Karen had their wedding at The Stone Tavern in Roxbury, NY this past summer and we were the blessed photographers to capture their special day.
If you have time, Shelly and I would love it if you viewed our feature and let us know what you think! The little girl on the fence is one of my favorite (Shelly grabbed that shot!) While you are there, take a look around, it's a fabulous blog.
We are so happy we are doing a GIVEAWAY!!! Check out our Instagram party for this give away @amberjphoto. Tag your groom or a groom you know and I'll send them a copy! Comment on our blog AND our instagram and it doubles your changes. He deserves a little love too!
There are approximate 1.5 million wedding venues in upstate NY, ok just kidding there are not that many, however there are a plethora of venues and chances are, any one photographer has not shot at all of them.
I have been asked a number of times “have you shot there before?”
It’s a good question and I understand why it’s asked, but it’s not the right question. It would take me approximately 25 years with a wedding every weekend in a different place to shoot at every venue. This is not a scientific approximation and no actual math was done here, but you get my drift. Just because your photographer has not actually shot at your venue of choice does not mean you should dismiss them!
Barns are some of the darkest venues around...but we specialize in just that!
ANSWER YOUR OWN QUESTION
*Look through your photographer of choice’s blogs and galleries and see what they capture and how they do inside with their reception shots.
*Request a full gallery from your photographer so you can see a sample from beginning to end. MOST reception halls have a terrible light source, if they can shoot in a dark reception hall in Albany, NY they can shoot in a dark hall in the Hudson Valley.
*A PROFESSIONAL photographer should have no problem knowing how to work a dimly lit room whether it be a venue they have worked 100 times or never before.
I’M NERVOUS YOU HAVEN’T WORKED MY VENUE
*Ask your photographer to walk through the venue with you and discuss prime ideas for wedding photos.
*Find out if you can do your engagement session in the same place and you can get a feel for how your photographer will handle the venue and it’s enmities
*Personally, if I have not shot in a venue I will ask for a walk through well before the wedding so I have an idea of what will look great and what will not.
A NEW VENUE CAN BE BETTER
I have found a new venue can stimulate a photographer's creative senses. When I find a new place to shoot I am excited about the opportunity to shoot something different.
SO WHAT DO YOU ASK?
If your photographer has not shot in your venue before, it’s not time to panic.
Ask to see work produced in dimly lit areas (if you aren’t satisfied with what the website showcases).
Ask if they would walk through with you.
Ask what their experience is and how they handle a dark reception hall or barn.
Be up front if you are only going to have a candle light vigil at your reception at 9pm and work together on how to produce quality images.
YOUR VENUE IS NOTHING NEW
That is not to sound mean or demeaning. Your venue was chosen for what you loved about it, but for a photographer your venue is all about shadows and lights and textures and “where do we go if it rains”.
A professional reads all that in mere minutes of seeing a location, so unless your spidey senses tell you otherwise. We crazy photographers got this whether it’s a venue that is new or old, you just go on and get married :)
PS: We may not fear dark shadows, but we may fear water fountains - seriously...
I am not doctor, but I can tell you the healthiest hearts I
know are the ones that freely give of themselves.The Miracle Fashion Show gives us this
chance.Yes, it’s fun, fashion, music
and a night to show off 14 beautiful ladies, but it’s also an opportunity to
share about this beautiful gem in our backyard called The Capital RegionMiracle League.
COME:
Amber J Photography will welcome you Friday night on March 13, the doors to Sixty State Place (60
State Street Albany) will open at 6:15p.m.Guests will be allowed to tour the building and meet with several
vendors that have given of their time and selves to support us.
YOU WILL WANT TO MEET HIM:
AT 7pm we will welcome John Robinson.I don’t want to give too much away, but he’s
pretty awesome and I suggest you see why.
THEY WON’T WIN CHAMPIONSHIPS (they will win hearts):
However, for every person that walks through the door we
asking for a $5 donation. Read on to see why...
As coach as a former player it’s easy to understand how
beautiful of an instrument playing sports was in my life.I know that a true athlete lives
for the competitive sonnet composed inside each game.Some of our local athletes will not play for
our local high schools or make headlines in a local paper.They will not earn college scholarships and
you may never herald them for their athletic achievements, but they are here
and they love sports.
GIVE:
Give because you can.Attend because you can.Share the
information because you can.We all can
give a little more.
Some of us can then
return to our regularly scheduled lives after March 13, but hopefully with a
heart that knows that on that night you DID something or maybe, just maybe we
capture your hearts for forever. We hope we made you smile :)
THANK YOU!
Our Models : Abby(Bethlehem), Shaylyn (Spa Catholic), Samantha (Middleburgh), Megan (Middleburgh), Effia (Charlottle Valley), Sydney (Cobleskill),
Brianna (Middleburgh) Allie (Cobleskill), Chloe (Cobleskill), Emma (Amsterdam), Emily (Cobleskill), Kayla (Cobleskill), Brooke (Dover) and Olivia (Bethlehem), Nathan (Cobleskill) have invested a
few night in the past couple of weeks getting ready to put on a show that you
will LOVE! These models have all signed under Amber J Photography as models for
Amber J Seniors or Epic Teen Images.
The Bethlehem Boys Swim team has donated their time to
escort these amazing girls.
Saratoga Sound DJ will be your host for the evening and has
generously donated their time as well to make this happen.
Our make up Artist include Jessica, Glory, Bailee and Alexis all of
whom are beautiful women and give our girls extra attention and love throughout
our work together.
And most generously: Sixty State Place and all of their
amazing personnel.
I saw a post, then another, then another all on how burlap can be incorporated into a rustic and chic wedding. So, instead of coming up with a post all on my own, I figured I would list a few links that I liked!
A unique post by Emmaline Bride here focuses on a variety of uses for burlap. It gives ideas on shoes, save the dates, and weddings. So cool! But it is definitely for the hands on bride.
I limited myself on explaining a few aspects of why we are turning our attention to rustic, chic and country weddings. The first and foremost reason is because I absolutely adore them and when you combine photography and passion, you can help but produce something filled with excitement and love.
However, the less romantic side of it all comes down to the technical aspects of barn and farmhouse weddings. Lighting.
A bride came to me this week with an inquiry about her wedding in a nearby barn style venue. Her main question was about the lighting and if I would be able to photograph there. Honestly, I am not used to those kind of questions from brides, so it was cathartic for me to answer her.
Now, I know most venues for receptions and churches offer less than stellar lighting. The most challenging, by far are the old dark barns and sweet farmhouses that cast very little flattering light.
The romantic wood planks and high wooden archways that enhance the fairytale atmosphere can plummet a photographers ability to capture the enchantment.
I have focused my energy in the past few months to become proficient in photographing at these types of venues. It's necessary. With venues stretching from Albany, Oneonta, Roxbury, Hudson and Lake George this was something I was noticing not being done very well!
Nothing should stop you from having the most romantic country wedding ever...just make sure you have a photographer that knows how to showcase it from the camera ;)
Make up artists and fabulous person Jo Boring recently helped me answer some questions I had received from a bride in regard to her wedding day make up. I loved her response and used it to fill the post to the brim with awesome! If you have any other questions feel free to post them and I will make sure we find those answers!!
Should wedding makeup be thicker and darker than everyday?
This is a fine line. You want to feel like yourself but it is true that wearing a bit more in the right places helps give you the coveted "flawless" look and helps define your features in pictures. Most people use a full-coverage foundation on their wedding day and a setting powder. That might be a lot more than you are used to but applied the right way it does not have to feel cakey or heavy....but it is heavy duty coverage that will help eliminate redness, blemishes etc. and make your skin look perfect:) In terms of darker, this doesn't mean wear darker colors. It means use makeup to help define features you want to pop in pictures and in person. Eyeliner, mascara (even fake lashes) can help define your eyes. You can use eye shadow to contour and shadow strategically to make your eyes look big. Lipliner can help give lipstick or lipgloss a defined look and a base to stick to. These are just a few examples of things that every woman might not wear every day - but are often used in bridal makeup even to achieve a "natural" look. It's good to amp it up a bit as long as you still feel like you:)
Can a bride wear foundation with SPF:
In general I am careful about using SPF foundations for special events with photography because of the whitening effect they can have. However I have found exceptions to the rule as well. Try out your foundation beforehand and take some pics. A drugstore brand that is full coverage and fine in photos in my opinion is Revlon Colorstay. Of course, there are a million foundations ranging in price - you have to find one you like.
What if I sweat?
Be sure to use a powder to set your foundation. After you are all done you can also use a setting spray such as "Model in a Bottle" to lock it all in place. I use this setting spray on ALL my brides not to mention at dance performances....my makeup never moves!
Anyone can feel free to contact me via my facebook page "Saving Face" with any makeup questions! Happy wedding!
