K.I.S.S.I.N.G

Amanda and I have a sort of bizarre relationship, from the perspective that we are sort of related, but not really. Amanda is my step-mother’s brother’s wife’s daughter from a previous relationship. (Did you follow that?) So what does that really mean? Not a whole lot because I adore her. And when on a family vacation two August’s ago (on a cruise to Alaska) I knew there was going to be a wedding in this girl’s future.  She was gushing about Riley. So when I finally got to met Riley a year later–Riley and Amanda live in Alberta–at Amanda and I’s step-grandparents 50th wedding anniversary, I got to see why she was so happy; I got to gush over Riley a bit too (and his yummy hair!).

They have this quiet kind of love–if that makes any sense. You can see that they are two people who are really comfortable with one another.  It is lovely to be around them.  Obviously when they announced their engagement we all were incredibly excited, but I truly felt honoured when they asked if I could photograph their wedding this August.

I got the “Save the Date” this week, and this is one wedding where the statistical chance of me shedding a wee tear is way up there!

Congrats Amanda and Riley! I know your day will be perfect.

Dani

Now, I know I left you hanging last week as to what the next in the wedding process was. We wait no more…

The Big Day

18. Wedding day! Here is the bad part, your final balance is due. (Sorry to rain on your big day.)

Now that is over, so let’s talk about the good stuff. You’re getting married today! Relax, enjoy the day because the truth is you can’t do anything about the weather or your brother-in-laws hair. (Though I do agree with you it is awful!) You have completed the agenda; we know what we need to do; now let’s follow the game plan.

I am not going to say too much here about the pics that day, but read the articles in your wedding package from some great tips and hints on getting great images.

19. Watch the blog for updates on your wedding. I love to blog about every wedding that I shoot. Want to know what images I love from the day? Check it out.

20. About three weeks after your big day you will get access to the client site of www.daniellevaliquette.com to view your proofs (on website). You will also get a proof book.

HINT: The first time you see your prints write down your reactions to them.

21. Live with your proofs for at least a week. Decide what images you want in your album, which you want on the walls, which you would like for your thank-you cards, which you would like to give to your parents as gifts. And don’t forget to direct your friends and family to the client gallery. This way if someone wants to purchase a print they can go on the site and do this themselves.

Your prints are delivered about three weeks after the order is placed. Would you like the print framed? I can do that!

Don’t feel like you need to pick every single picture for your album. Sometimes a good album design includes pictures that you would have not thought of using or in a way way you may not have thought of presenting it. If you have 30 images that you love, let Danielle provide you with suggestions.

Now, you have delivered me the pictures and if you are doing printed albums we design the album. Once the design is complete, we’ll sit down and review the digital document of your albums. If you love it, you and your finance sign off on the album or we makes your suggested changes.

Once we have sign of your album and the parent albums are delivered to the printer. It can take anywhere from 4 to 16 weeks to get your album. It depends on the printer and the time of year.

22. Think you’re done with us? Though it might not be for everyone, you may want to consider a “Trash the Dress” session. What is TtD? Trash the Dress works under the assumption that you have no plans to wear this dress again. The bride puts her dress back on (usually on the 1rst anniversary or very close to it) and together we take some unconventional photos. Some things we’ve done in the past include going to a gritty location like a warehouse, construction site, or abandoned building. And as the name suggests we trash the dress. Again, this might not be for everybody, but for the more untraditional amongst us it is a unique opportunity to get some really different pictures.

As you can see from this process, we are committed to the wedding photography process. Depending on your wedding requirements the relationship can last a year. Many of my wedding clients extend this relationship for years once they have children.

Oh and don’t forget the last step.

23. Life happily ever after.

Happy planning,
Dani

For this Matrimony Monday, I continue with the wedding process here at Danielle Valiquette Photography.

The Engagement

13. Book your engagement shoot. I think that an engagement shoot is so important to the final images I do it in all our packages. So, why is it so important for me to shoot you guys before your wedding day? There are two reasons: 1. Everyone looks different on film. (This is where I pick on my husband a little. And this way I get to see if when I ask him to double check what I have written for grammatical errors, he really reads it!) So, my hubbie, love him as I do, and as handsome as he is, has eyes that are not perfectly level. One eye sits slightly lower than the other. You really only notice this quirk on film. So, whenever I take pictures of my fine-looking man, I adjust my camera to compensate for this.

Some people have physical attributes like this, but others may subconsciously react to the camera in a certain way. For example, the dreaded “blinker”. One of the most beautiful brides I have ever photographed somehow always knew the exact moment I depressed the camera’s shutter. However, I discovered her seemingly inhuman eccentricity during the engagement shoot. Now, of course with digital I was able to see the pictures on the back of my camera, adjust, and obtain great images—but I was doing these adjustments on and during the much less hectic and stressful engagement shoot and not the time-strapped wedding day. On the wedding day I knew about this and dealt accordingly.

Okay, so why else do I do an engagement shoot? Honestly, so you that you get to hang out with me. I need to get to know each other so that the pictures that are taken on your wedding day are relaxed and comfortable. If you know, through past experience, that it is fun to have your picture taken, you will be far more likely to have a good time while we do the pictures. And if you are having a good time while we take the pictures, your pictures are going to be much better. Unless, of course you like that stiff, stare right at the camera-look. And if that is the case, I am not your photographer.

14. Complete engagement shoot. The engagement shoot not only serves a functional service, but also ads to the album. Yes, you can of course use a picture from your engagement shoot for an announcement in the local paper or perhaps even for your invites, but you may also want to consider using these pictures in your album. (Refer to the blogs on how to have a successful engagement shoot for great tips.)
Three weeks after your engagement shoot you will receive your proof files as per your wedding package. These are your files to use as you wish, for example, for announcements or perhaps you have developed a website for your wedding day. (Don’t forget to include a link to www.daniellevaliquette.com. Please and thank-you.) <3

After you have received your engagement proofs, you get to pick one file to be printed as an 8×10 fine art print.

15. Complete the wedding day schedule and send it to me. I’ll need the when’s and the where’s, of course!

16. Pick your location for the formal photographs.

17. Rehearsal night.

Happy planning,
Dani

Hmmm, I wonder what could possibly be next… Check out the next blog post for Matrimony Monday to find out.

Congratulations on your wedding! The next few blogs for Matrimony Monday will walk you through the process we follow at Danielle Valiquette Photography.

How it will all go down:

1. We meet to discuss your photography requirements. It is always helpful (but not necessary) to bring a list of questions along. There is nothing too silly to ask. Besides, we’ve heard it all. We’ll work together to complete the Bride and Groom questionnaire to make sure that we are a fit.

2. Determine if Dani is the right photographer for you. When hiring a photographer there are two things that are paramount: 1. the style of the photographer and 2. if you get along with the individual and think you can work with them. Basically, do you give?
Someone might be a phenomenal photographer, but their style might not be yours. (Ever been in someone’s house and thought that the décor of their home was wonderful, but just not for you? Photography can be like that.) Hire the photographer whose pictures evoke emotion in you. And not the photographer who is award winning (though certainly it’s always a bonus when they are both evoking and award winning).

Most important is how you and your fiancé get along with the photographer you’ve hired. (This is one reason why an engagement shoot is so important, but more on that later.) Does your photographer make you feel comfortable? Does she help you get great pictures? Does she make you feel relaxed? Does she make you laugh?

3. Hire Dani!

4. Review process document. We’ve written this document so that you know exactly what to expect from you, and in turn, we know exactly what it is you are looking for. This will tell you what to expect when, and how much.

5. Chose your wedding package and discuss the requirements. By this point, you have most likely determined what it is you are looking for, as well as your budgetary restrictions. You’ll need to consider:
•    Your budget.
•    The hours you need Dani
•    If you want a second/third photographer.

Chose your album and print requirements. This doesn’t mean you can’t change your mind later, but this way we have an idea of the “end game”. As your photographer, this helps m know what it is I need to ensure I get. Also, this tells me about you and gives me little hints about you and your fiancé. The more I know about the two of you, the better suited your pictures will be towards you.

6. Sign the contract. This means that I’m your photographer! Yippie!

7. Give deposit. (The “yucky” part.) A deposit of 50 percent is required to save the date.

8. Deliver bride and groom package. This contains a bunch of “goodies” for you and your fiancé. Some of it is some interesting marketing material from vendors who provide items for people who are embarking on adventures like you are, but more importantly it contains valuable information about the pictures that are going to be taken on your big day. Also, don’t forgot to check out the blog at www.daniellevaliquette.com for tips and tricks.

9. Sign the Model Release form. This is a document that is essentially part of the contract that reminds you that Danielle Valiquette Photography owns the copyright to the pictures. Really, all this means is that I will post them on my website and blog. (Don’t want your pics posted? No problem!) This model release form pertains to the engagement shoot, the wedding day, as well as a “trash the dress” session, but it does not pertain to any boudoir images. If we shoot any boudoir images the release of these are done on an image-by-image basis. This means if you don’t want to share these, you don’t have to! (Want to know a secret? I didn’t want mine posted.)

10. Read all the helpful information in your wedding package.

Also, don’t forgot the blog. I love to blog about the weddings and shoots I do and give little tricks and tips about how to get the best images possible.

In addition to the documents that include tip and tricks, you and your fiancé will get a Wedding Day Shoot List. Honestly, this is just a standard list I use to facilitate discussions about what pictures you NEED to get to make yourselves happy (and possibly the happiness of your extended family members). And this is where you’ll tell Danielle Valiquette Photography about any “sticky situations”. For example, if your Aunt Vera hates your second cousin Sam, but both are coming to the wedding and your fiancé’s Mom wants a family shot together, so you think it would be funny to place them beside one another. Let me know! Or more likely, you have family members that have promised to grin and bare it on the wedding day, but you prefer not to push the envelope by putting them cheek to cheek in a photograph, this is where you let us know.

11. You may not know all the details of your big day yet, but the Wedding Day agenda in your package will get you thinking about all the details you need to start thinking about. This agenda will be filled out by you so that Dani knows exactly what’s going on and when. We don’t want to miss a moment!

12. Book the boudoir shoot. Okay, girls, this one is normally just for you. Not that I wouldn’t take pictures of a guy in their underwear, in fact, I’m all for it! It is just that boudoir is traditionally of the bride. So what is boudoir? Check out the website for some ideas, but in a nutshell it is tasteful shots in your lingerie. These make a great gift for your finance. Talk about something special just for him.

Consider doing boudoir shots as part of your bachelorette party. It is a whole lot of fun. You can rent a hotel room or do it at your place. Get the girls together, some wine, a make-up artist, your best sexy things, and prepare for some fun. The best part you get great, professional images (of something you most likely are not going to do every year of your life), and your best girlfriends are all dulled up for a night one the town. If you have rented a hotel room you and the girls also have a place to come back and crash after a night of dancing.

So that is steps 1 to 12. Head back to the blog next Matrimony Monday for the next steps.

Happy planning,
Dani

For the next submission in Matrimony Monday’s we will continue to chat about engagement shoots.

Listen to Your Mother?

Yep, trust me I can’t believe I am saying this, but listen to your mother. Remember how good ol’Mom always told you not to slouch? Good posture can dramatically improve your appearance in pictures. Sitting or standing up straight will make you look healthier and more alert and slimmer. The trick is to make Mom happy by standing up straight while you breathe normally and relax your shoulders. Especially if you usually have bad posture, it may be difficult to stand up straight and not look stiff, so practice this in the mirror. There is that practice thing again!

And The Final Word in the Engagement Shoot Series: Just Breathe

If you know a picture is about to be taken, take a deep breath and exhale naturally, relaxing your arms and shoulders. The more comfortable and stress-free you appear, the better the photo will turn out.
•    Be relaxed. (Have you heard that work enough this article?)
•    Smile more in real life.
•    Do something fun before your session that will help you loosen up.
•    Be on time. If you are rushed you’ll feel stressed and look stressed.

You both look gorgeous; you know how to smile, and now it’s time to have some fun and make some great memories with Danielle Valiquette Photography.

Happy planning,
Dani

For the next submission in Matrimony Monday’s we will continue to chat about engagement shoots

And now for something that might seem silly; you may want to think about practicing your smile in front of the mirror. Models do it! You may already know that you like your smile better when you show your teeth or better when you don’t, but you shouldn’t rule anything out. Look in the mirror and find the smile that suits you. Practice making various faces and find out which one, according to you, looks real and most accurately describes your personality.

During the shoot, think about things that make you laugh. Think happy thoughts! Do you and your fiancé have a private joke between the two of you? When the camera is on you think about jokes or occurrences that have made you joyful in the past. This is a sure way to get your true smile out there on film!

Smile through your eyes; they are the key to a great smile. An unnatural, forced smile can make you look stiff and, frankly, weird. If you don’t like your smile or your teeth, try a more subdued, closed- or partially-closed-mouth smile. Regardless of how you choose to smile, the happier and more relaxed you are the better.

Now of course, I will ask you to smile during the engagement session, but this an engagement session and it is about your love for one another. So, not only will you smile, but I will also need you to look, well, loving. You’ll look lovingly at each other and at the camera. Again, practice this is the mirror.

Happy planning,
Dani

For the next submission in Matrimony Monday’s we will continue to chat about engagement shoots.

You want your engagement photos of you to look like (you guessed it) you. So you don’t want to bust out make-up that looks totally different from the way you look on a daily basis (or when you get dulled up). Nor do you want to look like you are going clubbing—unless you always do!

You do need to remember that if you are doing a studio session the lights will wash you out. Even if you are doing an environmental engagement shoot and dealing with natural light the colours will look muted in the prints. So everything you apply needs to be a little more exaggerated. Do your make-up and turn it up a couple notches, (Think volume 11.)

Use a slightly heavier hand when you apply your blush and lipstick. If you don’t already use lip liner, consider it, but remember to keep it subtle and most importantly blended. Stick with your usual foundation, though. Keep the shine under control. This is true on a warm day, but even the coolest among us may get a little glisteny when faced with the lens of a camera. I do personally love Smashbox Photo Finish Foundation Primer. (Get no kick-backs, I wish! Just really love the product.)

This said having your make-up professionally done may be optimal. In fact, you may want to use the engagement shoot as a practice run for the make-up artist you will be using on your wedding day. Just a thought.

And your hair? The groom should have his cut about one week before the session while the bride should be photographed whenever they are happiest with their hair in relation to the time it is styled/cut. This means if you like your hair the day after you wash it (which might be the case for those of you with curly or wavy hair) then don’t feel compelled to wash it the day of the shoot. If you want straight hair, consider having a blow out for that super-smooth look.

Just remember you want to look like…you!

Happy planning,
Dani

Welcome to the first blog post in Matrimony Mondays. I thought the perfect topic would be how to have a great engagement shoot.

Of course you want your engagement shoots to be perfect. Who wouldn’t? The most important thing is to be prepared to get your photos done; it sounds silly, but emotionally prepared. Be ready to smile, and with the Danielle Valiquette style of photography your may even get a little dirty. You don’t get a romantic image of the two of you lying in the field of flowers without, well, lying in the flowers!

So basically relax and go with the flow. So now that you are prepared to relax here are a few more tips.

What to Wear
Basically, you want these pictures to be about the stars of the engagement shoot, you guys! So anything you wear should not direct the viewer’s attention away from your faces. The basic rule is think SIMPLE. (And remember rules are meant to be broken!) Basic long-sleeved shirts in medium to dark tones (think browns, rusts, burgundies, greens, or blues) work against a dark background. (Remember that the greens of parks are considered dark. Look how great Jenna and George look in grey.) Avoid light colours such as beige, tan, peach, pink, white, and yellow. In general, darker shades are more flattering and slimming. And who doesn’t want to look slimmer?

This doesn’t meant don’t wear white, but if you do so should your finance. (Like adorable Lindsey and Dave, here. Breaking the rules and looking super-cure doing it!) In the end, the most important colour rule is that the two of you should be some how “tied” together, but not match-matchy. If one of you is in all white and the other is in all black then there is no co-ordination between the two of you. And this is an engagement shoot; the entire purpose is to show how united and perfect for one another you are!

Okay here are the traditional rules. Just remember there is always a time and place to break the rules. (Again here I go about breaking the rules!)
•    Stay away from bold stripes, plaids, checks, and prints. This rule is especially true if the two of you are in clashing stripes, plaids, checks, and prints, but it could be cute if the groom is in plaid golf shorts and the bride is in a sun dress of the (and here is the kicker) exact same plaid.
•    Especially bright colours, such as red and orange, might overpower the photo. How to break this rule? Shoot in a location that would compliment the bright colours. For example, bright outfits would work great in a brightly coloured kids playground.
•    Light-coloured clothing calls attention to itself and away from the face. And it is that beautiful face of yours we want to see! Now, this is probably the most broken rule. I do love a crisp white shirt and dark jeans on anyone, but again you both need to be wearing it. (Also, if you choose jeans ensure they are of a similar wash.)
•    Turtle necks or V-necks are flattering provided that neither is exaggerated in style. Avoid very wide or particularly deep V-neck shirts, as well as bulky cowl neck sweaters that swallow you up.
•    Keep the girls under wraps! Ladies put on a good bra and your best panty-lineless undies.
•    Make certain shoes and stockings are in keeping with the visual intent of the portrait. You may even consider taking your shoes and socks off! I have to admit it is a bit if a pet peeve of mine to see clients who have put lots of thought into their outfit and then appear to have thrown on whatever shoes they’ve passed on the way out the door. The same is true of socks; please, please change out of your dirty sweat socks.

In one sentence? Choose simple garments within the same tonal ranges.

Stay tuned for the next Matrimony Monday blog post and get more information on getting a great engagement shoot.

Happy planning,
Dani

I just wanted to post some pictures from The Digital Imaging Show at the International Centre this past weekend.  Starting on Friday and carrying through the entire weekend, I was fortunate enough to be up on stage teaching beside world famous photographers like Gary Fong, Al Gilbert, Michael Gilbert, Bobbi Lane, the list goes on and on! It was quite the thrill.  At one point there was over five hundred people in the audience.  Thanks to everyone who attended.  I hope I was able to help you all with this lovely adventure we call photography!

My last post was a little about Dani the artist, but what about the business side? Danielle Valiquette Photography is different from other studios in another important way. Sure I am artist, but I approach what I do in a systematic fashion (thanks to a background in sofware project management), so that my couples and families know exactly what to expect and when. Sure you’re hiring an artist, but not some loosey-goosey studio. You are not getting a photographer who works 40 hours Monday through Friday for someone else, and then picks up his camera Saturday because it seems like it might be a fun way to spend a few hours. (Mind you it is fun.)

Each couple gets a client package that includes information on how everything will roll out over the next few months. Remember, the relationship with your wedding photographer sometimes lasts as long as a year. You want that relationship to run smoothly and without obstacles. Your package includes things like:

• Bride and groom interview sheet where we make sure that Danielle Valiquette Photography is the right photography studio for you. Does our style make sense for you both?
• A wedding day plan that we create together to make sure that the day goes off without a hitch. We can discuss possibilities you may not have thought of. Perhaps you’d like to do pictures that day after the ceremony to ensure you have lots of pictures of the two of you.
• A contract that protects your investment.
• Tips on how to dress for the engagement session.

If you want to know more about me drop me a line at dani@daniellevaliquette.com.

Happy planning,
Dani