Wedding Story: Kate and Walt, Part One

As the snow melts outside my office window, I take myself back to early September when it was still pretty warm around here... I took off on an adventure to shoot with my good friend April of Evoke Photography on Bald Head Island. Before David and I started our own business and became Story Photographers, I worked at another studio here in Raleigh where I had the opportunity to assist several different photographers as they shot weddings. These experiences were invaluable to me as someone starting out. There are so many people wanting to start photography businesses right now... one of the elements that I think can make you more successful is having the opportunity to shoot with/assist more than one other photographer. Everyone approaches shooting weddings and portraits differently and watching people with different styles can help you decide what is best for you.

While David and I had a pretty busy fall I just had to take April up on the opportunity to shoot on Bald Head Island with her. First of all I feel like it is important to keep shooting with other people. The experience of the second shooter/assistant is much different than being the lead shooter and I wanted that exercise again. Also it was great to shoot in a location that I had not already shot at before-- on an island where your transportation is golf carts! And hello, April is one of my best friends and we always have a BLAST shooting together!!

When I blog weddings that I have second-shot on, I tend to post random shots that are not exactly as good as telling the story as I typically do in my blog posts. Enjoy the random!

As the second shooter I got to hang out with Walt while

he was getting ready to see Kate for their session together...

I love getting to see the behind the scenes gifts and cards that couples give each other.

Look at that tear! Walt is such a loving man... with his Mom and his wife!

When Kate and Walt first saw each other...

... and the man gives her a necklace!

We started the pictures at the house where the reception would take place later that day...

... this house was AWESOME!

April in action!

Time to get married!

I love the motion in this shot... and the emotion on her Dad's face...

These things DO happen...

The priest forgot to do the exchanging of the

rings so he did it after they kissed. No biggie!

LOVE stumbling upon moments like this...

RANDOM- I love this lil purple plant and get excited when I see it in nature.

Wedding Party!

Mother Daughter Moment.

Check back tomorrow for beach shots and the reception!