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Tuesday, November 9th, 2010
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Sarah and Mike’s wedding at the Gallrein Farms in Shelby County, KY
As our weather finally turns cool, the leaves are in all their glory, the nights are finally cozy and cuddle-worthy, it is easy for most to put thoughts of this absolutely hellacious past summer far from our heads. Not me, though. In addition to electrical problems that left me with only one air-conditioned room in the entire house, here in Louisville, Kentucky, I can't tell you how many Sundays I spent dehydrated and flat-on-my-back sick from overexerting myself in the heat of the previous day's wedding.
Something did occur to me, though, at some point this summer in Kentucky while trying to find a solution to a big problem. I was losing an entire day, sometimes two, in recovery from what I can only assume in hindsight was heat exhaustion. The thing is, I have been so fortunate to have the beautiful weddings that I did, with all of the gorgeous couples and locations I was so privileged to shoot. It was almost an epiphany--I was not taking care of myself well at all on the day of the wedding because I would get so completely lost in shooting--I would neglect to drink water as I should, or snack often, or take small little breaks from time to time. When you are talking about 96 degree temperatures with a heat index of well over 105, and I am so wrapped up in my work that I don't even notice my thirst or heat exhaustion, then that really says something for both my love of my work and also the wonderful people and places I was honored to document.
The wedding of Sarah and Mike is a perfect example of what I am trying to describe above. The location was the beautiful Gallrein Farms near Shelbyville, Kentucky. I had been the guest at a wedding there before, but it was my first time shooting at the location. I was so excited, because I knew there was an amazing old barn and then fields and sky that stretch forever and ever...just perfect scenery for a summer day. And I could not have ordered up a better sky if I even had that power...blue, blue, blue as could be, with the most perfect puffy white clouds that only serve to accentuate the blue. Grass so green, fields that golden light greeny-yellow...I mean, just absolutely perfect. Heat? What heat? My face was glued (melted, more like) to my camera 90% of the whole day.
And even more--2 wonderful surprises that I either didn't know or forgot about. Sarah wore the most amazing hot pink flower in her hair, and the colors in her bouquet were as bright and beautiful as could be. Add this mix of color to the already vibrant scenery, and these have to be the most Fuji Velvia-like photographs I think I have ever taken, and all with no or just minimal color accentuation in post processing. These photos, to me, are the color of summer epitomized.
But the best part of all was Mike's car - a Chevrolet Impala from the Sixties. I can't tell you what a great time we had shooting with that Chevy. I had a million different scenarios in my head and of course there was only time for a fraction of my ideas, but we had an absolute BLAST doing photos with the car. I actually stayed for quite a bit of extra time beyond the number of hours booked and shot through my entire regiment of cards--that's 40 gigs! And I have to give Sarah and Mike major props where they are due as well--the car could have been the most amazing thing in the world (and it was!), but without their willingness to have so much fun posing, role-playing, modeling, losing inhibitions and just letting go for the camera, the shots would have been nothing but dressed up people in front of a cool car. They had the total package! What an amazing day, what an amazing car, and most of all, what an amazing couple! Many thanks to Mike and Sarah for including me in their special day!
(Oh, and PS--Not to forget--they had the coolest bunch of friends ever!)
