Photography

Extreme Wedding Proposals

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Extreme Wedding Vidoegraphy Proposals

 

Every girl dreams about a special wedding day.  Many have the flowers picked out, the colors, some even go so far as having the venue picked out sometimes well in advance of a proposal.  Many times I’ve heard ladies say they have everything they need for the wedding except for the groom.  The proposal is the most important thing that the guys do.  Sometimes it’s the best chance we have to get creative.  The gals have the entire wedding to be as creative as they want.   The traditional wedding is long since gone.  So is the traditional proposal.  We’ve all see the Hollywood proposal; boy takes girl to romantic restaurant, orders a romantic meal, at the end of the meal the boy gets down on one knee and holds up a ring and says “Will you marry me?”.  Today it seems to be a challenge to guys to out do each other in the proposal area.

The proposal race started at sporting events.  The “Fan Cam” would scan across the crowd and focus in on a couple seemingly having a great time, just then the guy would hop down to one knee and pop the question right there in front of thousands.  Things grew from there and got crazier and crazier  Just like the wedding, the only limit on these proposals is the guys imagination. Here are some of my favorite from YouTube.com:

Those just touch the tip of the iceberg that has become extreme wedding proposals. Recently ABC News NightLine did a story on some REAL extreme wedding proposals, some that cost over $45,000. That’s $45,000 JUST for the proposal:

Guys are getting very creative and fun with proposals. As a guy, I think it’s great. I wish I had thought of some of these things when I proposed to my wife, Leeann. I had the ring in my pocket, it was my grandmothers ring. I had it all planned out, the perfect spot, the perfect moment was all set up. Just before we left we got into a little argument (I couldn’t tell you what it was about), and right in the middle of the back and forth, I pulled the ring out of my pocket and said; “Will you shut up and just marry me?”. Needless to say, she said yes and it was also the last time I’ve ever told her to shut up.

Gifts For A Guy

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Gifts For A Guy

There are 4 major “gift buying” holidays for most any couple.  Birthdays, Christmas, Anniversaries and Valentines Day.  The majority of these holidays most guys have a difficult time trying to find just the right gift for that special girl.  My wife even says I’m awful at getting gifts.  She says  she drops hints all year for me to pick up on, but like most guys I don’t get the hints and have to scramble to find a great gift for her.  I think you gals have it a bit easier.  Guys are pretty simple to buy for, for the most part.  Electronic gadgets, hunting or fishing items pretty much will just about do it.  My wife is so good with buying me gifts, most times she finds gifts that I didn’t even know I wanted.

However, it seems like the guys get a break on Valentines Day.  It’s pretty much given to the guys on a silver platter.  Some roses, a romantic dinner at a nice restaurant topped off with a piece of jewelry.  Now not every guy does it this way,  but that is how the media and marketing gurus push it, so we just follow along.  But what about the gals?  What do you get that special guy in your life?  Flowers are not the thing most guys want to get at work.  The romantic dinner is nice, but it’s something we guys try to own and we are not huge on jewelry.  So what just what do you give him?  What gift can you give him that is romantic and memorable?

Why not give him you?  Give him you in a way he will never forget.  Give him you at your sexiest in a boudoir shoot. But before we get into a boudoir session, lets dispel some “boudoir myths”: Historically, the boudoir formed part of the private suite of rooms of a lady, for bathing and dressing, adjacent to her bedchamber, being the female equivalent of the male cabinet. In later periods, the boudoir was used as a private drawing room, and was used for other activities, such as embroidery or spending time with one’s romantic partner.  It comes from the French verb bouder, meaning “to be sulky” or boudeur, meaning “sulky.  Today, it’s the hottest type of photography.  More and more women are doing boudoir sessions for their guy as a  way to explore their own beauty and to bring out that sexy woman that’s been hidden behind the mini van or the morning carpool.  Boudoir is not pornography.  We don’t shoot you in the nude or in graphic poses. We want to capture you as the beautiful, sexy woman you are and we want to do that in an artful and tasteful way.

  A lot of women also think they have to have fancy, expensive lingerie from Victoria Secrets.  This couldn’t be further from the truth.  Sure, lingerie is common and beautiful, but we have had sessions with ladies in their guys favorite shirt, sports jersey, or even a simple nightgown.  We even had one session where the gal didn’t have any lingerie at all, not so much as even a night shirt.  She wore clothes that made her feel sexy, powerful and special.  When we get a call about a boudoir session and the woman ask “What do I wear?”, we tell them to bring whatever makes them feel comfortable, sexy, powerful and special.

The last myth is two fold; I have to be super model thin or I don’t know how to pose for photos like that.  Did you know the average size of an American woman is a 16?  We say EVERY woman is beautiful and sexy, no matter if they are a size 2 or a size 22.  We want to bring out that woman in every session, and we help you bring her out.  We make you feel comfortable and at ease through the entire session.  We laugh with you, play music you like and just generally have fun.  Normally within 10 minutes of shooting, most ladies are relaxed and are enjoying the entire session.  Plus, we help you with the posing.  We walk you through each pose and help you get that sexy, WOW look each time.  Plus, if I can get in the pose, you can to.  Also, we will never ask you to do any pose or wear any outfit your not comfortable with.  NEVER.  We tell each lady that if we ask you to so anything your not comfortable with, just say NO and we move on. No questions asked.   If your thinking “I’m too old to do this.”.  Well, your not, we have worked with ladies well into their 60′s.

Lastly, we are going to make it even easier for you, starting Thursday, January 17, 2013 we will be offering a Groupon for a one hour boudoir session and you also get a free 8×10 to go home with that day.  How much easier can we make it for you?  Why not give him that gift that ONLY you can give him, give him YOU.

Changes are on the horizon

Don Advertising, Boudoir, Photography

Well, most likely you have noticed the new look of the web site.  It’s still a work in progress but it’s coming along really well.  Your comments and suggestions are always welcomed and appreciated.  The web site is not the only change, we are announcing a few new services we are going be offering:

Photography:  Yes, we are going to offer wedding day photography either as an addition to the wedding film package you choose or as a stand alone service. More on that in a future post

Video Booth:  You know what a photo booth is, how about letting your guest share their wishes, options and views from your wedding day?

Bridal Boudoir:  We have been offering that for the past year and it has been a huge hit.  We are going to start advertising this a little more and we will be posting some more information about what is available soon.

Bachlorette Pin Up Parties:  The greatest bachlorette party you’ve ever had.

This is just a teaser post, there will be more information coming soon.

Bridal Boudoir: The Newest Trend in Weddings

Don Boudoir, Photography

Bridal Boudoir: The Newest Trend in Weddings

Everyone is always trying to stay on the cutting edge of wedding trends and most times these trends are in either fashion or some fun thing to do in your wedding.  Brides all over the world waited to see what dress Kate Middleton would wear on her wedding day to Prince William.  I read that copies of her dress were ready for purchase the Monday after the wedding. I know we have all seen those fun choreographed first dances or wedding parties dancing up the aisle.   These are all fun and great to watch, but there is a new trend that is starting in the wedding world.  A trend that won’t be popping up on YouTube any time soon.  In fact, only you and your husband will be ones seeing this new trend.

Bridal Boudoir is fast becoming the hottest trend in weddings today.  Just what is Bridal Boudoir, you ask?  Let’s define it; first boudoir is the term derives from the French verb bouder, meaning “to be sulky” or boudeur, meaning “sulky”.  Most think of it as a peek inside an intimate, private area of a woman’s world.  When done correctly, you get some beautiful, special and very intimate photographs.  But when you combine boudoir with weddings and brides you get a great combination. When you’re looking for a great gift for him on your wedding day, Bridal Boudoir is a one of a kind gift that he will never forget.

This month Midnight Magic Studios announces that we are now offering Bridal Boudoir.  We are now offering brides the chance to give their groom a gift he will NEVER forget.  So, just how does this work?  It’s pretty simple; you book your session with us and when you arrive at our studio we take some time to sit down and talk with you.  We want to not only get to know you better, but to also to allow you to know us better.  We offer the option of having your hair and make up done by a great hair and make up artist.  Once your ready, we help you go through the outfits you bring, pick out some things that you feel comfortable and special.  Once your dressed and ready to go, we start off slowly and allow you to feel comfortable with the camera and the setting.  We will make suggestions to you about posing and shots.  We will NEVER ask you to do anything you are uncomfortable with  You have control during the session.  If don’t feel comfortable with a shot all you have to do is say “NO”.  No questions asked.  Then before you realize it, your hour session is finished and we are looking over your photos together.

Once you pick your favorites, we help you create any number of great gifts for him, from a photo book to a large gallery wrap, we can even help you create a pin up calendar that will knock his socks off.  You cannot image the look on his face when he sees you in a way he’s never seen you before.   It’s a gift that he will treasure forever and I can almost guarantee he will look at daily.

Micaela’s Senior Shoot

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Micaela’s Senior Shoot

These are some images from a senior shoot we did with Micaela out at Willow Wind Farms. Micaela has some amazing eyes and great energy around her. She has some huge dreams for her future and we feel she is going to make them all come true.

Changes are on the horizon

Don Films, Photography, Weddings No Comments , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Changes are on the horizon

If you are a a regular reader of this blog or are just checking it for the first time, you will notice a long period of no activity.  There are a couple of reasons for that.  One reason is the larger number of wedding I work this year.  I tell everyone that between March 5th and the end of October I had a total of 3 weekends off.  So, most of my time has been spent on editing weddings to get them to brides.  In fact, let me share with you a couple of trailers from some of this summers weddings:
Stacie & Josh’s Wedding, June 2011
Christy & Joey’s Christmas in July Wedding, July 2011
Caroline & Matthew’s Summer Garden Wedding, July 2011
Sarah & Chris, Our Mountain Wedding, Aug. 2011

The other reason for the long stretch with no blog updates is there are some changes we are working on for the future of Midnight Magic Studios.  We are not ready just yet to make the official announcement but, I want to share a small hint with you.

This is a Senior Shoot for Micaela

This is one of my favorites

Loved this picture, it took us forever to get it just right.

She looks so grown up here

Her eyes are simply Amazing

We had so much fun working with Micaela, she is such a fantastic horsewoman.

Now, I want to tell you more, but that would be getting a head of my self.  More updates to come soon.

Budget Wedding: Part 2

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Budget Wedding: Part 2

I posted a blog a few weeks ago about a bride’s bad experience with a photographer she found on CraigsList when she was trying to save money on her wedding.  She didn’t get any wedding pictures of her wedding day because the photographer didn’t show.  The only photos she got were the photos her family and friends took.  She didn’t understand how that could happen, how could a professional photographer just not show for a wedding?  Well, she spent less than $500 for her photographer, that’s what happened. I have said it more times than I can count; when it comes to your wedding, you get what you pay for.

Case in point; this past week one of our local television stations ran a story of a bride who says her wedding day was ruined by her photographer.  Before the story ever started, I knew how it was going to turn out.  Here’s the story in a nut shell; bride wants to have her wedding on the patio out side a hotel in Gatllinburg.  She gets the hotel she wanted and then she finds a company that will provide the minster, photographer AND videographer for one great price.  How could she pass that up?  What a deal, right?  Not so fast.  Day before the wedding she gets a call from the photographer/videographer who said she could not be there due to a family emergency and that she would have someone else shoot the wedding.  Not to worry, they would do a great job.  Then comes the day of the wedding and 15 minutes before the ceremony the minster is no where to be found.  The photographer is no where to be found.  Finally, 10 minutes before the scheduled start time, the minster shows up with his wife, who is the photographer.  The photographer is dressed in what is described as “Mickey Mouse pajama pants, Crocks, black socks with the pants rolled up to the knees”.

The ceremony goes on and the photographer/videographer (yes, the same person is doing both, but that is another blog) is shooting pictures and walking all around.  When it comes time for the reception, the photographer for some reason STOPS taking pictures!  The photographer said it was her understanding that the bride DIDN’T want pictures of the reception.  I’ll write that again because I didn’t understand that when I first read it; the PHOTOGRAPHER didn’t think the bride wanted pictures of the reception. What brides doesn’t want pictures of her reception?  Well, the rest of the story goes the bride is heartbroken because all she has of her wedding day is a video that shows very little of the wedding and you can see the photographer in the background.  She says the video is the only thing she has from her wedding day.

Now that story is not uncommon, it happens from time to time. What really got me and made me shake my head was the fact that the mother of the bride was mad because she had to pay for everything up front. Paying for wedding services up front is the norm with most wedding professionals.  Photographer and videographers sometimes say the last payment is due when the pictures or video is delivered.  The mother paid a total of, are you ready for this, a total of $328.00.  That’s right, $328.00 for the minster, photographer & videographer.   I couldn’t believe it, they paid $328.00 and they expected something more than what they got?  Look, I know times are tough and money is tight for everyone.  I know brides are doing budget weddings and I, along with a number of other wedding vendors I know, offer a budget package just for brides who are limited to a small budget.  Professional wedding vendors will go to great lengths to help that bride have the best wedding possible with the budget she has, but you have to really think.  Like the old saying goes; if it sounds too good to be true, it’s probably is.

I looked on Craigslist today and I counted over 40 postings of photographers that will shoot your wedding for less than $500.  There is even a local radio DJ here in town that has posted on his web site that he can photograph your wedding for “less then these rip-off artist”.  I always tell brides, you will get what you pay for.  Let me leave you with this example; you go shopping for a car.  You have your dream car in mind, let’s say it’s a 2009 Lexus sport utility vehicle. Those go for around $30 to $40K.  You know you can’t afford it, but you really love that car.  Then one day, your shopping for a car on CraigsList and you see a posting for a 2009 Lexus Sport Utility Vehicle for $2,500.00.  WOW!  You can’t believe your luck, $2,500.  You’ve got that in your bank account. So you rush down and look at the car.  It’s not bad, a little dinged up but over all not too bad.  You buy the car and off you go.  About 3 days later, you start smelling something funny in the car as you drive it, it kinda jerks as you drive down the road and all of a sudden you hear this awful grinding noise coming from the engine.  You take it to a garage to have it looked at. After about 20 minutes, the tech comes to you and tells you that your car is going to need a new transmission, a new engine, the shocks are gone, the brakes are horrible and there is a major fuel leak.  All in all your looking at about $15,000 in repairs.  You got a $2,500 car.  You got what you paid for.

Will & Arlene’s Engagement Photos Volunteer Landing

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Will and Arlene are just an amazing couple.  They are completely and totally over the moon for one another and it’s just great to be around them.  They are constantly laughing and having a blast with one another.  They enjoy each other, their friends and family and life.

This shoot was done at Volunteer Landing in Knoxville, TN, which was also where Will proposed to Arlene in March 2010.

We would take pictures of them anytime because they were great to work with.  Their wedding date is October 2, 2010 and we wish them many years of happiness.

Engagement Sessions

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Midnight Magic Studios is happy to announce that we are slowly integrating photography services into our business.  Leeann, my wife, has been working with me for several years as an assistant editor.  She has recently completed the Photography Certificate program at The University of Tennessee and has a passion for photography.  She specializes in equine photography, engagement photos, location portraits of families & children.  We will be happy to work out a package for her to photograph your wedding if you are planning a smaller wedding.

We are excited to be offering this new service and look forward to planning some sessions.