I hope you enjoy this sneak peek from Kerri and Matty’s oceanfront wedding!
I am very proud of the fact that I recently celebrated the first anniversary of Oak Moon Photography. Yea me! Although I have more than 20 years experience as an amateur photographer, it was just over a year ago that I chose to leave my position in the corporate world to follow my personal dream of becoming a professional photographer.
Without a doubt, my first year in business exceeded my wildest expectations. I was honored to work with so many amazing couples and to photograph so many incredible weddings. However, it is only now that I realize how much I learned. In retrospect, I wish there had been someone to answer questions or offer advice during my first year in business as a professional wedding photographer.
Well, good news, photographers. FormSpring.me is a website where anyone can ask questions. The best part is that the answers are public so that everyone can share the knowledge. And because I know there are photographers who have some of the same questions I had, I am inviting you to ask questions about my first year in business as a professional wedding photographer.
On a personal note, let me share a little insight about me as both a professional photographer and a business owner. You should know that I believe in ‘paying it forward’. I believe that the Karma train always comes back around. I also believe that there are enough brides to keep every wedding photographer busy. My goal is simply to help other photographers realize their dream of becoming a professional photographer just like I did.
So, if you have a question, use the FormSpring.me box below to ask me about my first year in business as a professional wedding photographer.
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I hope you enjoy this sneak peek from Ashley and Michael’s outdoor spring wedding!
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As an engagement photographer, I encourage all my couples to be intimately involved in planning their engagement portrait session. While most rely solely on me to identify unique locations and to create flattering setups, some have a very clear vision for their engagement photographs…and that was Staci and Christopher. My experience has taught me to simply follow the instincts of those couples and then be prepared to capture lots of really amazing images.
Staci and Christopher were excited about photographing their engagement portrait at Red Wing Park in Virginia Beach and the weather was perfect. From the beautiful Japanese Garden to the peaceful wooded trails, the park turned out to be the perfect backdrop for an engagement portrait.
I always invite my couples to include items with a personal or special meaning during their engagement portrait session. Staci and Christopher took that opportunity to send a message to their family and friends in a special photograph and then used that photograph on their ‘Thank You’ cards.
Click the thumbnails below to view some of my favorite images from Staci and Christopher’s engagement portrait session…
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I am finally taking time to get caught up online! You would never know by following my blog posts that it was actually a very busy winter season for Oak Moon Photography.
I participated in two exquisite bridal shows where I had the pleasure of personally meeting with countless beautiful brides to be. As a wedding photographer, it was so much fun to share my portrait and wedding album samples with so many future brides and to learn more about the special memories each of them were excited about capturing on their wedding day.
Bridal and engagement portrait sessions also kept me very busy as well. We originally scheduled Ashley and Michael’s engagement portrait session for The Town Center of Virginia Beach but snow fell throughout the entire day that Saturday. As most anyone in Virginia Beach will tell you, it is next to impossible to predict the winter weather here. So when the skies unexpectedly cleared the following day, we quickly decided to take advantage of the crystal clear, but very cold, weather and photograph them in the beautiful late afternoon light.
Ashley and Michael are getting married in a just few weeks and I cannot tell you how much I am looking forward to photographing their wedding. But until then, you can click the thumbnails below to see a few of my favorite images from their engagement portrait session…
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2010/05/04 - 7:22 PM
You and your husband are sure a good team! The engagement photos are amazing. Michael and Ashley’s wedding was the best photography experience I have ever had as a bride or wedding party member, as the mother of the bride/groom, or even senior photos. The wedding was so well covered. Everyone was very comfortable with both of you. No shot was turned away or missed. I have heard nothing but good things about the photography experience. The most difficult part is how to choose! If you ever need written or phone referrals, please feel free to hit me up!
There are two unstoppable forces in the universe that march exclusively to the beat of their own drummer…one is true love between a man and a woman and the other is the military. Destinee and David were obviously in love with each other and it was destined to be only a matter of time before they would be married. However, when it became clear that Destinee would be reporting for duty in southern California in January, these two unstoppable forces quickly combined to produce an absolutely beautiful wedding celebration.
After working with Destinee initially to reserve the date for the wedding, she asked me to coordinate the remaining details directly with her mother. What a pleasant surprise it was when I talked with her mother on the phone and heard that familiar Texas accent. You see, Destinee and her family are from Waco, Texas, and I am from the Dallas area. What great fun to make a Texas connection in Virginia!
Destinee and David’s wedding and reception were held at Grand Affairs in Virginia Beach with both family and friends in attendance.
Click on the image below to view a sample of the Slideshow from Destinee and David’s wedding or click the thumbnails to view some of my favorite images…
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The Christmas trees in the Dominion Christian Center in Virginia Beach provided a seasonal backdrop for Jenna and Ralph’s December wedding. It was exciting to photograph a beautiful winter wedding combined with a taste of holiday tradition.
It has been my experience as a wedding photographer that almost anything can happen on the day of the wedding. Whether something truly silly or something a little more serious, the wedding day will be just that much more special if the bride and groom are able to keep these kinds of distractions in perspective. Yes, Jenna and Ralph’s wedding ceremony started a few minutes late, but they were determined that nothing would detract from the celebration of their marriage and it was a wonderful day!
Click the thumbnails below to see a few of my favorite images from Jenna and Ralph’s holiday wedding…
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I am thrilled that Jenna is now married so I can share some of the photographs from her bridal session with you. We chose The Town Center of Virginia Beach as the location for the photo shoot and Jenna was so excited.
As a wedding photographer, it was so much fun to work with Jenna. She was also a real trooper when the temperature decided to make a run toward the lower end of the thermometer on the day of her bridal session. Needless to say, Jenna showed up right on schedule looking absolutely stunning. You would never know by looking at these pictures that she spent more than an hour braving the chilly autumn air in her wedding gown!
Click on the image below to view a sample of the Slideshow from Jenna’s bridal session or click the thumbnails to view some of my favorite images…
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One of the extraordinary benefits of being a wedding photographer is that I have the privilege of working intimately with so many genuinely great couples, and all this begins with the engagement portrait session. It is during the engagement portrait session that the bride and groom first learn they can truly trust me to capture the most important day in their new lives. It is also during this time that I begin to learn more about the essence of both the bride and the groom and how best to photograph that special day for each of them.
I am reminded of this because that is the relationship I enjoy with Leah and Brandon. What a wonderful couple to work with!
Click the thumbnails below to see a few of my favorite images from Leah and Brandon’s wedding…
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What should you expect from a wedding portrait booth?
If you have ever attended a wedding featuring the Oak Moon Photography Portrait Booth, you already know the answer…casual, fun and tasteful portraits of all your guests! Watch as they come out of their shells to make funny faces, kiss, smile, and have an amazing time laughing in front of the camera.
Contact Oak Moon Photography for details on how you and your wedding guests can enjoy The Portrait Booth at your reception!
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As soon as Carrie described the venue she and Brian had chosen for their wedding, I just knew it would be a wedding photographers dream. Well, it was all that and so much more! The historic Wilton House Museum in Richmond was built in 1753 true to the Colonial American style of the period. Situated with a commanding view of the James River, it provided a truly majestic backdrop for Carrie and Brian’s wedding ceremony.
The wedding was literally packed with family and friends (and the entire soccer team) because to know Carrie and Brian is to love them. To capture those special memories, we setup The Portrait Booth at the wedding reception. Click here to view that slideshow.
Click the thumbnails below to view some of my favorite images from Carrie and Brian’s wedding…
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Carrie’s decision to use the historic Branch House in Richmond for her bridal portrait worked out great. Currently included in the National Registry of Historic Places, it was built in on picturesque Monument Avenue in 1916. We had it all to ourselves on a Saturday afternoon to photograph the bridal session and wound up using several great locations throughout the property. But this wonderful traditional setting was only background scenery, as Carrie was the center of everyone’s attention.
Not only is Carrie a beautiful bride, she is one of the kindest and sweetest people that I know. One of my favorite pictures is of her standing in the atrium of the grand hall in front of the cathedral style windows with the sunshine streaming in. Timeless beauty.
Click the thumbnails below to see a few of my favorite images from Carrie’s bridal session…
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2010/07/01 - 2:00 PM
Carrie looks beautiful and the grand hall is absolutely gorgeous and perfect for a wedding. I agree, my favorite is Carrie standing in the atrium. I love the photos!
As a wedding photographer, sometimes the weather can be your best friend and sometimes…well, not so much. We had already rescheduled Vivian’s bridal portrait two times because of inclement weather when we heard the latest forecast…more rain. So, I suggested we photograph her bridal session in my studio and she instantly agreed. Vivian is a natural in front of the camera and her pictures show it.
All my brides are amazingly beautiful and Vivian definitely fits into that category. Her sister is a Mary Kay Cosmetics consultant and was also in my studio that day to do Vivian’s hair and make-up during the bridal session. Doesn’t she look magnificent?
Click on the image below to view a sample of the Slideshow from Vivian’s bridal session or click the thumbnails to view some of my favorite images…
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2010/02/24 - 9:29 AM
Love this pose. So soft and genuine.
Many people enjoy the beach, but there was never any question about where Leah and Brandon wanted to photograph their engagement portrait. We met late in the afternoon after a brief rain shower at a beautiful section of beach near Fort Story. The next hour and a half was an engagement portrait photographers dream as I asked Leah and Brandon to just be themselves. I simply stayed out of the way and captured some incredible photos on the beach.
OK, I am going to say it. Of all the engagement portraits I have photographed, this one is my favorite. It is so easy to see why Leah and Brandon make such a great couple when I look back through the pictures from that day. They just can’t hide it.
Click on the image below to view a sample of the Slideshow from Leah and Brandon’s engagement portrait session or click the thumbnails to see a few of my favorite images…
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2010/07/16 - 11:27 AM
I love these.
2010/07/15 - 11:07 PM
Marvelous photographs, I wish mine were half as neat…
2010/07/15 - 11:07 PM
Technically good, but also aesthetically too!
Destination weddings are always very special events and Chasity and Jason’s was certainly no exception. Living and working in the Washington DC area, they were both excited about exchanging wedding vows on the beach at the Virginia Beach Resort Hotel. The weather was perfect on their wedding day with bright sunshine and not a rain cloud in the sky as the bride and groom were married on the shores of the Chesapeake Bay in front of their family and friends.
I absolutely love the picture with all the bubbles from the bubble machine swirling around Chasity and Jason in celebration after the wedding ceremony. It was the perfect ending for the perfect beach wedding!
Click on the image below to view a sample of the Slideshow from Chasity and Jason’s beach wedding or click the thumbnails to view some of my favorite images…
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I could hardly wait to photograph Amanda and Jared’s wedding. From the time the bride and groom arrived at St John the Apostle Catholic Church in Virginia Beach, it was obvious they had an energy and excitement that would set the tone for the entire wedding ceremony. Amanda was beautiful, poised and she had a smile she could not get off her face. Jared was confident, relaxed and…well, just being Jared. They were both clearly excited about getting married.
It is so much fun to see how happy Amanda and Jared were at their wedding as I look back through all the pictures I captured that day. They truly enjoyed the celebration of their marriage…and so did I.
Click the thumbnails below to see a few of my favorite images from Amanda and Jared’s wedding…
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It was so much fun photographing Terri. She chose a fabulous garden in Norfolk for her bridal portrait and we scheduled it just before leaving for her destination wedding. The garden was absolutely stunning and it turned out to be the perfect backdrop for Terri’s bridal session.
One of my favorite photographs of Terri is her expression as the wind is blowing her wedding dress. We had just moved to a garden area closer to the bank of the Lafayette River and the wind was gusting like crazy there. Totally enjoying it, Terri looked absolutely perfect in spite of the ‘breeze’. I smile every time I look at that picture. Don’t you just love those unplanned moments!
Click on the image below to view a sample of the Slideshow from Terri’s bridal session or click the thumbnails to view some of my favorite images…
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