Alright well we are into our 2nd week of February! Time flies….

So for this week, I will be giving away a FREE Engagement Session to the most deserving couple!

This session will come with a 1 hour on location shoot (at the location of your choice within the GVRD), & a custom photo Guestbook for your wedding!! The guestbook is a perfect way to add a personal touch to your guests signatures – it gives you a reason to look through the book again for many years to come :)

The session will be awarded to the couple with the most deserving story…bring out the romance, love & cheese!

To enter, simply email me (info@jmbphotography.ca) your story about why you think you 2 lovebirds deserve the FREE Engagement Session. It can be anything! You can also nominate others as well….so if you know of a really great couple that are engaged, either nominate them in secrecy or have them write in themselves!

The deadline is Friday @ 4pm. The winner will be announced on Friday @ 6pm. The winning story will be published on the blog for all to read!

Good luck everyone!!!

The winner of the FREE Boudoir Session was Meghan B!

Meghan’s story not only was the winner but she is also a client of mine already! I will be photographing their wedding in July!! This would be a great gift for Devon when he is on the road away from his soon-to-be-wife (& baby girl). I can appreciate the need of a reminder of who loves you & who is waiting for you when you return home!

Congrats Meghan & the rest of the family!! I can’t wait to make the family happy – hehe.

Her story is below for all to read…

So i have multiple reasons why i deserve the free session. The first if for my fiance Devon. We have been together for 4 years now and have a 17 month old. We are getting married in 5 months and things aren’t like they used to be. We don’t have the spice we used to have. It would be nice to get things going a little more before we get married.  I’ve been thinking about getting a friend to take some pictures but this would be so much better. I know he would love it. He works so hard for us and I’ve been trying to think of something nice to do for him. Another reason this would be so great for him is he goes away for work a lot and can sometimes be gone for as long as 6 weeks. This could keep him company while he’s gone. Remind him of what he has waiting at home. Then there is the reason for me. I’ve lost the baby weight but things aren’t where they used to be. This could be a great confidence boost or even just something for me. I don’t get to do a lot for myself. I spend all of my time taking care of my family.  So pretty much if you pick me you will make my fiance happy, me happy, and that will make my daughter happy. You will make our whole family happy.  Please chose me.

For 2010 I have decided to expand my business into the intimate photography known as Boudoir Photography.  I have not decided on a name yet – so many good ones running through my mind!

Let’s throw in a giveaway as well….email me your suggestions for a creative name for my Boudoir Photography company. There’s 2 conditions – it must be playful/flirty/suggestive & it must be an available “.ca” domain name (check on godaddy.com).Email me up to 2 suggestions you have. Everyone that enters will receive 10% off their first session & if I use someone’s suggestion they will receive a FREE session.

Boudoir photography is a very fashionable way to create a set of sensual images for women of all ages, shapes, and sizes! Boudoir photographs can be done partly clothed or in lingerie or in the nude – it is dependant on your own comfort level. It has become more than just a passing fad for brides to surprise their future husbands – it the must do addition to any wedding night for 2010! Although in the past there were many negative connotations associated with boudoir photography, in recent years the trend has begun to gain momentum, and the entire look of boudoir photography has begun to change to a more mainstream style of photography.

Use these beautiful, artistic photographs to celebrate special birthdays, body achievements, or as one-of-a-kind gifts for anniversaries or Valentine’s, or as a surprise to partners working abroad.

You don’t have to be a model figure to participate in this new trend – women of all shapes & sizes are beautiful! I also always give my clients a little extra editing – like they do in the magazines.

I have teamed up with Patti Schulte of Treat Bridal & Bre Teranishi to offer these sessions! Each session will include; 2 hour session with multiple outfit changes, professional hair styling by Patti & professional makeup applications by Bre, a 12 month calendar & a press printed album!

Check out my “Boudoir” gallery for some sample images!

I can’t wait to capture the sexy side of all you beautiful women out there!

It’s February 1st!! Holy Moly! Where does time go?

Well seeing as how time flies by so quickly, let’s do a FREE giveaway to help capture time & hold onto it forever!

For the month of February I will be doing a FREE giveaway contest EVERY week on Mondays. So be sure to check back each week for the week’s giveaway.

In light of my recent addition to my company’s services – Boudoir Photography – I will be giving away a FREE Boudoir session. The session will include a 1.5 hour photo session & a CD with 10 printable images of your choice. The session can be done at your own home or in a studio setting – your choice!

So how do you enter?? Send me an email with a story about why YOU deserve the FREE session…it has to be true though :-P At the end of the week I will evaluate all the stories & pick which one I think is the most deserving. It can be anything – you need a new spice in your marriage, you need to renew your self confidence, you just lost some weight & want to show it off…you get the idea. So tell me why but try to keep it somewhat PG as the winning story will be published on the blog at the end of the week!

Email your submissions to info@jmbphotography.ca

Good luck everyone!!

Today was the 1st official Wedding Show of 2010!!
It was held at the Pacific Inn Hotel in White Rock all day & was hosted by Princess & the Pea Bed & Breakfast from Langley.
If you didn’t make it out, you missed out on a rocking show. There were around 300 brides that did make it out today. If you didn’t make it out, there is another one being hosted in March – be there or be square!
Every Wedding Show Treat Bridal & I do a mini photo session with our model to showcase one dress. Today we did an amazing lace & beaded strapless dress that Amy wore very well.
I have placed a few of my favorites from the session for you to enjoy!
Treat Bridal & jmb Photography had a special “Enter To Win” prize at our booth & we had great feedback for it! The prize is a FREE Boudoir “I Love You” Session. You will receive Professional Hair & Makeup by Treat Bridal, a private 2 hour studio session, a pocket book &  a $50 print credit. This is an amazing gift to give to your Husband-to-be the night of the wedding or just before! If you missed out on this draw, watch my website for an upcoming special of this session!

On December 20th I photographed the wedding of C&J Shea!

They got married in the Langley United Church for a beautiful ceremony. The reception was held in the very cool Fort Langley Hall. Although it was raining sideways, we still managed to get some photographs done outside at the local CN Station! We made sure the bridal party were dry (or rather drier than us) under the awning & my associate and I captured some great images from the rain! It was lots of fun actually. I didn’t mind getting drenched because it made for some amazing photographs. :)

I did learn one very crucial tip for wedding photographers that day though – always bring a spare pair of pants!!! I sat in soggy pants for the reception. When I left the house that morning I even thought of brining a spare pair & then it slipped my mind so it is my own fault really. And it was all in the name of AMAZING PHOTOGRAPHS!!!

C&J are so in love you can see it in every picture we captured of them. Everytime they look at each other – it’s pure love! It was so nice to see that & to be able to capture that!

Here is your sneak peek.

Your images will be ready in a few weeks!

The time of year is upon us when all Brides start researching & considering their options for a photographer they would like to book.
When looking for a photographer brides usually compare the package prices & photography style in the comfort of their own home before even making contact with a photographer. They search through many websites of local photographers in hopes of narrowing it down to a select few that A) fit their budget and B) produce images they are drawn to.

Most brides meet with 2 or 3 select photographers to discuss pricing, view samples & ask questions. They then go home & weight the options of each photographer & then hire the best option to suit their needs.

For some, a photographer is a tough decision. Some brides are not only comparing professional photographers but they also are considering using a friend or family member. This person is usually someone who is either A) a professional but will be attending the wedding or B) a hobbyist.  For most people considering this option, it is because they are looking to save a few bucks.

For those considering using a friend or family member, here are some thoughts you should think about  & seriously consider when comparing.

1. Is this person going to be committed to taking photographs ALL day & not just when they feel like it?
Professional photographers are there to take photographs of you & your guests – we are there to ensure that we capture all the highlights of this special day. We are not there to re-connect with family members we haven’t seen in a few years or mingle with other guests. We do not drink while on the job – if this person is, can they guarantee you that you will have the same quality photographs as before they started to drink? We capture everything we can from the time we start right through to the end of the last hour we are hired for – we do not take breaks & only work when we feel it is necessary. We won’t get half way through the day & decide that we are tired of following the bride around all day – we are there for one reason – to capture ALL the moments of the day!

2. Does this person carry insurance or back up equipment in the event that something goes wrong with their camera & no photographs are produced?
What would this person do if they got to the ceremony & their camera didn’t work for them or they forgot to charge their batteries or ran out of memory cards? Do they know how to fix it or do they have a second camera they can use in the worst case scenario. Professional photographers go through checklist the day before to ensure they have packed all the proper gear to handle any situation on that day. We also charge all our batteries, inventory our memory cards & clean our equipment the evening before the wedding. Can you be sure that your person is this thorough?

3. How long will this person take to produce the images for you?
Professional photographers, like myself, give their clients of a guaranteed time frame for when the photographs will be processed &         ready for  you to proof. I never take more than 4 weeks to fully process all the photographs from the wedding. At that time your DVDs & online gallery are ready for you to use. The longer you wait for your images, the less interested you become in them!

4. Will this person be editing any of the photographs for you?
A lot of brides do not realize how much time & effort the photographer is putting into the photographs after the wedding is done. On average I can spend upwards of 30 hours doing the editing for the photographs. This is to ensure that my brides receive the best photographs I am able to produce. I enjoy taking my photographs to the next level with creative editing. Does this person have the software & skill to do the same level & amount of editing as a professional?

5. Does this person have any lighting equipment or skill to properly expose in the harsh lighting conditions of a dark church or bright midday sunlight?
Sure you could set your camera to automatic & let it do all the work but there is still no guarantee that the camera will know exactly what it is that you are wanting for an end result. The camera just meters the situation & does what it thinks is the best compromise for the situation. Why would you let the sun control your options, when you can use a simple lighting set up & be able to make your own lighting conditions & do what you want. Does this person know how to manipulate their camera settings to be fully capable of photographing your ceremony in a dark church or do they know how to set up the shot so you & your groom are lit well & so is your background.

6. What kind of equipment does this person carry? A professional grade dSLR or a point & shoot?
This will be a huge factor in the quality of the images you receive! Professional grade dSLR cameras are built to allow the user to completely control the situation. Many point & shoot cameras are only meant to be used on the automatic camera settings, which lets the camera decide what it thinks is the best for the lighting situation. How is a camera supposed to know what the photographer is wanting to do? This is why the dSLR cameras are an advantage, the photographer can tell the camera exactly what to do & how to do it – leaving nothing for the camera to decide on, which could potentially leave you with a bad photograph.

7.  Will this person be able to provide you with an online professional gallery for proofing & for your guests to view & purchase their own prints & gifts?
Don’t you want to be able to have your friends & family members view your photographs too & remember how special of a day this was. Sites like this are only available to the professional photographers of the world – they are a great media for out of town guests. The advantage of the site is that you are able to do all your selecting & purchasing at home, in the comfort of your pj’s. No need to set up viewing appointments or to have to get all your photographs printed & pay hundreds of dollars for the prints!

All friends have good intentions but we should leave it to the professionals!

Do you want to strain the relationship with a friend just to save a few dollars?  Nothing worse than having a friend ruin the memories of your wedding because they weren’t a professional – it’s not their fault, they just simply did not know what to expect or what was expected of them.   We’re capturing the history of your life here.  Pictures and memories are all you’ll have in 50 years.  Why not do it right?

Earlier this past week I worked with C to develop some Boudoir photographs as a wedding present for her fiance.

They’re getting married in the Mayan Riviera in Feb 2010 & she wanted to give him a little something extra for the wedding day!

C – here is your Sneak Peek.

Your images will be ready next week.

So today I met with J&C @ Crescent Beach in White Rock for their Engagement Session.

I knew going there that it would be VERY cold so I dressed appropriately…or so I thought all those layers would do the trick! I get there & I am almost blown away by the force of the nasty cold wind coming off the ocean. For the first 20 minutes or so it was pretty rough & then the numbness kicked in…hehe it was all good from that point.

We walked the length of the beach & back, stopping along the way in spots to capture images. We managed to get a great variety of images! The sun was nice & bright but who ordered the wind?! We all survived through it but we had to thaw out afterwards.

J&C here is your Sneak Peek. Your images will be ready shortly!

PS – Please take me with you to your destination wedding!!! :D

On November 7th in Langley K&C were wed in a historic & beautiful church on a perfect day!

We roamed around Langley afterwards to do some portraits & then ended up at Bedford House where friends & family gathered to celebrate this new chapter in their lives.

It was a small but very beautiful wedding – just what is met for a chilly November day.

K&C here is your sneak peek, your images will be ready in a few weeks.