Today’s post is a just a small bit of information about us!  If you have checked out our web site, then you know we are a husband and wife photography team located near fabulous Louisville.  And yes–we love working together!

But I just also wanted to post a little blurb about us as photographers.  So, enjoy!

About us…

Every photography studio you meet has a special story to tell–not only about their work and art, but about YOUR priceless moments. We are so in love with this aspect of photography!  Not only do we get to show our craft, but we get to document the most incredible moments in our clients’ lives!  Everlasting memories through high-quality photographic images.

The perspective, the emotions, the importance of the relationships all get molded into a final picture of your life.  It is incredibly important to find a photographer that you connect with, respect, trust, and have full confidence in when it comes to the moments you will never get back–we know this and we appreciate it so much.  We are caring, creative, and always in the moment for you!

With Monarch Photography, you have two photographers who allow you to be yourself.  Whether it’s your HS senior portrait session, engagement session, Boudoir Glam session, family, or any other event, we take the time to get to know you.  We capture your relationships, moments, and all of the emotions of you and yours.  We look for the simple things that make you, well, YOU!
We have fun with our clients and love love LOVE spending time with them!  That’s why our wedding couples receive one complimentary session a year!  We want to get to know them.  We want to see the babies, the families, and the love grow with time!  And we feel so lucky to have been a part of the day that started it all!

We love photographing HS Seniors, too–you are only a senior once and it is truly a special time for families.  And speaking of family sessions–so important!  Children grow up and move away, so you want some relationship portraiture to capture those times.  You have those forever.
If you are looking for a very traditional photographer who will pose and set up every moment, we may not be the one for you.  Although we LOVE classic portraiture, we also love capturing the candid moments, details, smiles, and tears from our clients.  Those are the special moments you will treasure for a lifetime.

When you are ready to have fun, to capture that image that no one else has, to enjoy a photography session like you never thought possible, let us know!  Enjoy the MONARCH DIFFERENCE!

We love what we do and it shows!

So take the journey of your photographic memories with us.  Passion, skilled creativity, professionalism, and the feeling of family–that’s how we do it…

We all know that you have a wide array of wedding photographers to choose from when it comes to your big day. You want a studio that will provide you not only professional service, but also create images that suit your taste and style.  And of course you want to feel that you have made the right decision when it comes to your wedding photographer!

I could write all over this blog post that you should hire Monarch Photography, right?  Well, that would be silly!

The truth is, we are not the right photographers for everyone.  We want there to be a perfect fit.  It is so important because your wedding photographer will be closer to you than any other professional on your big day.

There are a LOT of photographers out there right now so how do you really go about finding the one that’s right for you?  Well, let’s chat about that, shall we?

There are many articles out there that will give you a long list of questions to ask your prospective photographer.  You can find them in wedding planner books, on web sites, through your coordinator, etc.

It is a no-brainer that you want to choose someone who is a true professional–reliable, business-minded, insured, experienced, and responsible.  And you want someone who provides high quality products.

When all is said and done, though, there are really three basic questions that need to be answered before you can decide if a photographer is right for you.

1.  Do you like the images that this particular photographer creates?

2.  Do you like the photographer’s personality?

3.  Does this photographer  fit your budget?

Do you like the images?

This should be obvious. But it’s not really as obvious when you look at it closely.  First of all, you should educate yourself a little about photography in general.  Look at lots of different wedding photographs.  Check out your friends wedding albums.  Search online for photographers websites and go carefully through their online galleries.  Think about what images inspire you and what type of photographs appeal to you.  Can you see yourself in that photographer’s image style?  Are you more attracted to light and airy images or more dramatic, low-key photographs?  And some photographers (like us) can even give you both!

You also need to see if this particular photographer’s style fits your needs.  Do you want strictly candid, photojournalistic work?  Do you tend to gravitate more toward the classic approach?  Or do you want both timeless portraiture and a documentation of those candid moments (like we provide)?  Think about it and choose a studio that is your style!

It’s also important to find out the basic meaning of GOOD photography.  You want images to be properly lit, in focus and well composed.  Professional photographers  go through years of school, read books, and attend professional workshops to get a good handle on their craft.  For your purposes, looking at a lot of different photographers can give you a better feel for what a good image can be.  You want a photograph to have detailed dark areas and detailed light areas.  You don’t want large areas of plain black or white anywhere in the picture because they do not print well.  Obviously you don’t want blurry photos.  You want to look for nice, crisp focus on most of the images in the galleries.  Composition is harder because it is mostly subjective.  If the images make you feel strongly, the composition is probably working for you.

Once you find out what you really like, you can start narrowing down your choices.  And remember to look outside your hometown, too, for the perfect studio to document your day.  Travel charges will apply, but photographers always love traveling for weddings!  Us included!

Do you like the photographers personality?

Photographers are the only wedding vendor, except maybe the videographer, who will be with you for the whole day. And they are with you during your most personal and emotional moments.  It is very important that you choose a person who makes you feel comfortable and relaxed. You should feel confident that they are capable professionals who can perform their jobs with little direction from you or your guests. They should also be people that you really like on a friendly level.  And you should also consider if there is more than one photographer so they can cover your wedding in a more fluid fashion.

The best way to find out if you truly like them is to tell them about yourself.  Let them know how you and your fiancé met. Let them in on your plans, even if you are just in the hoping and dreaming stage.  Many of our clients become friends because we connect on such a deep level.  If a photographer cares about you as a person, they are more likely to want to take extra special care of you throughout the process.

Do they fit your budget?

Now, before you meet you need to be sure that you can afford your favorite photographers. Some photographers list their prices on their websites or will send you pricing information as requested. It is probably a good idea to know at least what range of prices and packages the photographer offers before you meet with them so that there are no unpleasant surprises. You can go over the specifics at the meeting, but going in with some idea is always a good plan.

Make sure you understand exactly what is included in the price.  Is there an album?  How big is the album and what kind of options are available and do they cost extra?  Do the digital files come with the collection?  Are they available at all?  Is that important to you?  Just know what it is you want to get out of your wedding photography and make sure that it is part of the deal.  If you are someone who wants a large canvas print to display over your fireplace mantle but you really don’t care for an album, make sure you hire someone who either has those products in a collection or will allow you to add those to your package.  And be sure to find someone who keeps up with the trends, but provides you with images and products that will be a timeless documentation of the most important day of your lives!

OK, now you know the 3 most important things about finding a wedding photographer.  Ask your prospective wedding photographers specific questions that you want to know.  Any photographer worth your money is going to welcome you asking questions.  It gives them the chance to show you what they know and how together they are when it comes to providing you with professional and creative photographic memories.

Now, get out there and choose the perfect photographer for YOU!  And if that’s Monarch, call us today at 502.641.0744!

We would like to give a warm welcome to Emily and Matt–our newest Monarch wedding couple!

They will be celebrating their big day on May 14, 2011 and we are SO excited to being a part of their love story!

Congrats to Emily and Matt–and thanks so much for choosing us!

We would like to congratulate Lindsey and Bryce on their engagement and upcoming wedding!  We have the honor of documenting their big day on 6.11.11!

It is sure to be a lovely outdoor event with lots of special touches and summery details!

We are still booking 2011 weddings at this year’s prices, but it won’t last long, so call Rosemary today at 502.641.0744 to get more details and to schedule your complimentary consultation!

And congrats again to Lindsey and Bryce!  Can’t wait for your engagement session coming up later this year!

We have been wanting to share this special honor for quite a while, but it has just been so busy that it is the first chance I have had to post the good news!

A few months ago, we got a call from one of the writers for “American Photo” Magazine.  She said that the editor had checked out our web site and loved the work we do with our High School Seniors!  So, we submitted some images and were invited to participate in a feature they were doing on HS Senior Portrait Photography!

I (Rosemary) had a one-hour interview on how Jonathan and I photograph our seniors, our signature style, etc.  And the article came out a few weeks ago!  So happy about being featured in such an awesome, nationally-known photographic publication!

If you would like to read the full article, then you can download the entire issue HERE!

And here are some actual photographs from our feature article!  We shared the article with a couple of other really wonderful studios!

So if you are looking for someone to photograph HS Seniors a different way, then check us out!  You’ll see the Monarch Difference!

Check out the links below for more information about becoming a Monarch HS Senior!

HS Senior Gallery

HS Senior Portrait Details

HS Senior Portrait Pricing

Cover.

The feature!

The blue-toned image of ours was on the contents page!

Opening page of the article...

Our part of the article was on several pages...fun!

Today, I wanted to post a really interesting article on why it is so important to choose a PROFESSIONAL wedding photographer.  As wedding professionals, Jonathan and I strive to create beautiful, dynamic, timeless photographic memories for our couples.  But we also pride ourselves in professionalism, great customer service, and a constant continuation of developing our craft through education seminars and public service organizations.

Whatever studio you choose to photograph your wedding, we suggest that you invest in a TRUE professional.  And in today’s economy, we know how important it is to get your money’s worth, so read on about how professional photography is one of the BEST investments you can make when it comes to your big day.  And we are talking a true, legal-business-owning, tax-paying professional who carries not only creativity and know-how, but also insurance, quality equipment, and respect for clients.

Next week, I will discuss in-depth some of the details that we think set us apart from the rest.  We call it “The Monarch Difference!”  So be sure to read through this article today and check back next week for some personal information about Monarch Photography!

A big thank-you to Professional Photographer Magazine (Jonathan and I both belong to the Professional Photographers of America-PPA, as well as several other photographic organizations) for not only their wonderful article, but for being such a great organization to pro photographers!

So, please take a little time to read through this article, especially if you are planning your big day!

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LATEST ARTICLE FROM PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHER MAGAZINE:

It seems like everyone has a camera these days, which places more of a burden on professional photographers to show and explain the difference they can make in situations like weddings. So how do photographers prove to brides that professionalism in photography is as important as in any other industry?

What convinces someone to choose a professional photographer is different from bride to bride. But after speaking to some satisfied brides who did hire professional photographers, we have a better idea of what sealed the deal…and turned them into word-of-mouth evangelists.

The Best Brides
The perfect client (bride, in this case) is not always easy to find. It’s not always the bride with the biggest budget or the most beautiful wedding setup. Often, it’s the attitude that makes the difference.

David Esquire of Esquire Photography found just such a bride in Anna Marie Huffman last year. From the beginning, Huffman was focused on her location and photography—they were her two biggest priorities. A self-proclaimed “theater and music kid,” she always had an appreciation for the arts, which might have helped her see the need for photography.

“I knew I’d try to live in the moment during the wedding day and would miss so many things,” Huffman says as she explains her reason for choosing a professional. “Photography lives on perpetually. It’s what you have at the end.”

Jamie Snively, an entertainment coordinator, also recently got married. As one might expect, Snively knew the ins and outs of the industry, but she and her husband didn’t want to hire their friends—they wanted them there as guests. Still, knowing the industry means she knew the value professional photography has, and she hired Leanne Reis of Photography by Leanne Reis.

“We were really nervous about the photography at first,” remembers Snively. “I always blink, and I wanted our photos to be perfect.”

How You Meet
Perfection is what all brides want (in a variety of definitions), and perfection is what professional photographers can help provide. First, though, the bride has to find her photographer. Photographers need to make this as easy as possible, perhaps by connecting with other wedding vendors, websites and/or blogs and even bridal shows.

For example, Snively did what most brides do at some point: Internet research. It’s important to have your website optimized at times like this, so your studio is sure to appear during a search. Initially, Snively was just browsing and narrowing her choices down via price. She found Reis online, but the kicker was that two acquaintances recommended her—and one was a professional photographer friend.

On the other hand, it was a bridal show that connected Huffman with her photographer, Esquire. She was looking for a certain artistic attribute and saw three photographers’ displays that she liked, but she wasn’t able to speak to Esquire until after the show. “We met him that evening for drinks and just meshed,” Huffman says. “I put a deposit down that night!”

Personality & Laughter
As a photographer, you know how important it is to connect with your clients to draw out their best. Well, brides are looking for the same thing. They want to feel comfortable with the person who is going to be documenting their entire wedding (though it is often a subconscious desire).

“Honestly, I knew the first time I talked to Leanne—I’d already made up my mind on the phone,” comments Snively. “It was her personality. She made me feel like a real person (and that she was a real person).”

That calmed some of Snively’s nerves about the wedding photographs. In fact, her friend commented on their compatibility after Reis and Snively walked through the wedding location. “She said, ‘You must have picked the right one because you were laughing the whole time,’” recalls Snively.

Personality also sealed the deal for Huffman, who was actively looking for that connection. In fact, her husband and her photographer just went to the movies together (the relationship has held strong even after the wedding).

Service & Professionalism
Along with personality, Huffman and Snively both point to their photographer’s outstanding service and professionalism as reasons for their satisfaction (and referrals).

When it comes to service, think about what you can do for your bride before, during and after the wedding that will make her life easier. Huffman was delighted when her photographer came location scouting with them, taking test shots and offering his artistic suggestions. He also suggested a videographer, and that resulted in shots she couldn’t have received otherwise. Don’t be afraid to give your professional opinion in matters like this—you could really build up trust in your abilities and in your investment to her wedding.

“It was a constant flow of ideas and communication,” notes Huffman.

Sometimes helpful suggestions like that can help you get hired by a bride. Dawn Sullivan, a bridal client of Heather McKay (McKay’s Photography), once told her that their decision to capture their celebration in pictures “really came together after meeting you and talking about our thoughts, wants and needs. It all was more than we could have ever imaged!”

Service extends from those types of suggestions to little touches that go a long way. Esquire brought lunch on the wedding day—something that is often forgotten in the mad rush. And he surprised Huffman and her husband with a slideshow of their engagement images during their reception.

It was the little touches that Snively enjoyed, too, from the shoot-only option that Reis offered, to her unobtrusiveness during the wedding.  “We were already stressed enough during our vows, without adding cameras in our faces,” she explains. “Leanne simply wasn’t in the way, yet captured everything.”

And despite her initial reserves about photography, Snively admits that their favorite part of the wedding was after the ceremony when it was just her husband and her being photographed. “It was the most quality time we had all day,” she says. “Leanne was our bodyguard, keeping the others away, and it didn’t even feel like she was there.”

Such professional service shows the photographer’s competency, and it’s just one more way to reassure the client, an essential gift during a wedding.

“Before our photographer even left the wedding, she was on the computer, backing up everything twice,” Snively and her husband add. That little example of professionalism wasn’t even meant to be seen by the clients, but it stuck in their brains.

What Brides Want Brides to Remember
Yes, all brides want “pretty pictures;” but not many consider what goes into creating that. Snively’s call to future brides addresses the need to look beyond price and other easily visible attributes: “Other brides need to find photographers who make them laugh. It’s very helpful when you’re nervous!”

Still, not many brides work the desire for great photography into their wedding budget, even though photography is the one area where brides shouldn’t cut corners.

“It’s give and take, but you can budget the rest of your wedding and still do phenomenal things,” Huffman explains. “Maybe instead of a five-course meal, you could have hors d’oeuvres…but don’t cut the budget on photography. No one’s going to say they had a bad time at your wedding because the linens were cotton, not silk. But you WILL look back at your photographs.”

The Final Vows
When the cake is long gone and the dress is packed away, the images remain. Perhaps Huffman, a bride herself, sums it up best by sharing what she says to friends who have a friend with a pretty good camera: “You only get married once—don’t trust it to maybe ‘good enough.’”

Unfortunately, the average bride usually doesn’t consider the fact that photography is the one lasting keepsake of the wedding day. And they may not recognize the value a pro photographer can bring…without help. So reach out and help them see it with your website, your images, your service, your personality, your referrals. You might just end up with more evangelists like Huffman, Snively and Sullivan.

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Hope you enjoyed the article–I think it had some really great real-life brides expressing their needs and experiences.  And stay tuned for more posts coming this week!

I wanted to wish Jessica and James a wonderful and bliss-filled Happy One Year Anniversary!  They tied the knot at the gorgeous St. Mary’s up in Floyds Knobs, followed by a fabulous reception at the Huber Winery on 6.19.09 and we are honored to have been a part of it!

And they received the most gorgeous Italian-bound wedding album, but I didn’t get a chance to take photographs of it before I delivered it!  It is amazing, though!

Check out their lovely day via our music video link below:

And here are just a few of my favorites from their day–congrats, you two!

Classic in black and white...

Fun bridal party!

A nice angle to give it some edge!

Lovely cake!

So sweet!

And then the fun began!

And finally--some romantic night shots out in the orchard--so pretty!

I wanted to start a new weekly post on the Monarch blog–answering specific questions about how we work as trained, professional photographers.  So, here goes!

It’s a given that we specialize in a combination of candids, details, and emotional, timeless portraiture for weddings, but let’s face it–the formal portraits can be a big time-user, but not with us!  We strive to make it a cinch for you and yours!

We get asked all the time the two following questions:

“How long will formals take on our wedding day?” and “Who should be in the formal wedding day portraits?”

I’d like to give you some ideas on how we work with the formal portraits on your wedding day–we want it to be fun, easy, and efficient for you and all who are involved!

How long will formals take?

You will need to factor in several things here:

• Are you doing family formals?
• Are you doing bridal party formals?
• How many people are in the family photos and bridal party photos?
• How many locations are you expecting to use for formal photos?
• Do you want just immediate family or do you want extended family members, too?

(NOTE:  Immediately family includes parents, siblings, and grandparents–then we add in siblings’ spouses and their children.  Extended family includes all of the above plus aunts/uncles, their spouses, cousins, etc.)

Typically our couples do both family and bridal party formals. We tend to shoot approximately 10-15 family groups and  10 bridal party “poses.”

If our couple does NOT see one another before the wedding, here is how we handle the day:

We spend around 60 minutes photographing the separate bridal party and immediate family members of our bride and groom before the wedding and then try to keep it to 30 minutes for family (immediate) and bridal party portraits immediately after the ceremony.  We also do some portraits of the bride and groom at this time after the ceremony, but then we really go for the editorial, romantic portraits once our couple has eaten and gotten some rest!

That’s average – but what suits you?  If you have a large family and want to include aunts, uncles, nephews,  nieces, great grandparents, cousins, in-laws your photos will take a bit longer.  Anticipate adding an extra 5-10 minutes to the formal portrait time if you want to include extended family members.

If our couple DOES DECIDE TO see one another before the wedding (which is perfect for couples who want to buck tradition and get most or all of their formals done before the ceremony), here is how we handle the day:

We go ahead and work with our bride and her side of the bridal party first, then we arrange a “first look” moment for our couple so we can get those wonderful romantic moments together.  We then let our couple have some time alone, and then head right on in and take care of ALL formals (both with and without the groom or bride on both sides of their families), bridal party portraits, and even some of our couple together!  Anything we do not get before the ceremony can be done immediately after the wedding is finished.

REMEMBER that we go over your day a few weeks before to schedule everything and then we even send a wonderful timeline for our couples to share with family and bridal party members–this way, the people you want in your portraits will be there on time and ready to go!

Make sure you let us  know your expectations and we can accommodate those needs for you!

Who will be in the formals?

This is, of course, your decision in the end.  We think about it this way – some shots are “must have” shots.  Others are great if you get them but not necessary and others are unwanted.  Break down your list for your photographer that way.

We provide ALL of our wedding couples with an extensive list of posed portrait suggestions so that they can sit down with families and really chat about what is important.  Now, we are seeing small groups rather than individual shots of everyone.  This also ensures that we can get the images you want, provided that everyone is on time and there when we need them.  NOTE:  This is so important, so please make sure that family members and bridal party people are aware of when they need to be there.  We work as a team!

Here are some examples:

RECOMMENDED “Must Have” Portraits:
Parents and/or Step-Parents (both sides)
Siblings (both sides), their spouses, and their children (nieces and nephews)
Grandparents (both sides)
Full wedding party
All bridesmaids, flower girl and bride
All groomsman, ring bearer, ushers, and groom

IF REQUESTED:
Aunts & Uncles
Cousins
Bride with each bridesmaid
Groom with each groomsman
Bride or groom with each parent individually (is recommended if parents are no longer together or are remarried) Fiance’s of siblings

TYPICALLY NOT RECOMMENDED:
Divorced parents’ dates/boyfriend/girlfriend–anyone who is not engaged/married to parent)
Siblings’ new boyfriends or girlfriends

These are just examples – you can also add to our list.  Just sit down and ask yourselves these questions:  Who is important to you?

More info for you:

1) What people are only in one or two photos? If you finish their photos first they are free to leave.  If you’re doing one shot with 25 of you in it – we get that huge formal first.  Then aunts, uncles and cousins can leave!  Simple, right?

2) After large groups, we work our way through one side then the other. We start with the whole family who is most responsible for the reception – they are going to want to get to the site to host.  We start with the biggest group – grandparents, parents, siblings, their families, etc.  When finished with that photo we move onto any other photos grandparents are in.  (It’s physically taxing for some older family members to move around, so once we get them standing, we get them finished so they can leave.)  We work our way down – parents and siblings, siblings alone, then parents alone.  And then we go from both sets of parents to just the second set of parents then to the big family group on the other side – and repeat!

Just like that family formals are done.  Time for bridal party formals.  Assuming you move to a park or other location here’s my suggested order and why:

Whole bridal party formal – We get it while people are focused- this can be creative, it can be a line of people, it can be anything you want – but don’t get crazy here yet.

Fun wedding party shots – Now we bring everyone back together, get those creative, fun, funny or just plain odd shots you want.  Not everyone wants a running or jumping photo, but those who do are sad if it’s missed so just know what you want!  We also have plenty of ideas based on where your photos are taken!

Once wedding party fun time is over we do your romantic formals.  Bride and groom time should take 15 minutes or so.  This is the photographer’s favorite time at almost every wedding. We love the romance!  Bring on the kissing, dip shots, handholding, laying in each other’s lap, walking in the park.  We also like to come back out at twilight for some quiet, lovely images with our couple, so be ready!

Final thoughts

These thoughts are merely a rough guide as you work through organizing your wedding formal photos. We photographers want your wedding to be your own – a fantastic and fun trip through your family, past, future and your new life together.  If you want 2 hours for romantic formal photos, schedule it (and hire us!)  If you want to include everyone who attended the wedding in a photo at the church just remind us to bring a ladder (or how to get to the balcony in the church).

We are here for you!

Oh, last June was a whirlwind of weddings and all of them were just so incredible!  I wanted to try to catch up on our anniversary wishes for our 2009 couples!

Brittany and Bennett had a gorgeous wedding The Olmsted here in Louisville on June 13, 2009 and it was flawless from start to finish!

Take a walk down memory lane with Brittany and Bennett by checking out their music video below–and the song is great, so turn it up!

And some of my favorites–I could post all day, but I have new sessions and a wedding to edit!

Bling.

And Brittany's dress was beyond amazing!

Lovely.

The nicest bridal party!

Adorable!

The sweetest dance with her dad...

Reel him in, Brittany!

Happy Anniversary, you two!

Terra and Mike celebrated their big day on June 6, 2009–and it was a gorgeous time at The Grand in New Albany!

Check out their wedding day memories by clicking on the video below:

And here are a few of my favorites from their day–I love Terra’s feisty personality!  She is so great!

A most gorgeous gown...

Beautiful bride...

Terra and Mike's handsome little boy, Carter!

A wonderful ceremony--

And a fun bridal party!

A gorgeous cake by Leah Stewart of Gallery House!

Happy Anniversary, you two!