It’s been such a long time since I’ve taken the time to do any kind of personal work (save some nature photography during vacations, etc.). I had forgotten how not only rewarding and inspiring, but just how freeing it can be… I know portfolio consistency is so often discussed in the photography industry, but it just doesn’t make much sense to me – as the light and feel of every wedding is so very different. As an artist, it’s so nice every once in a while to not have to conform to your “style”, but to take the freedom to just create some art 🙂

I decided to use my antique Helios 85mm f1.5 to shoot the entire session, keeping with the vintage, romantic feel. This lens produces the most beautiful color and bokeh, and really forces me to slow down and think about what I’m doing as it’s manual focus only.

The gown was hand made for my Grandma’s bridesmaid to wear in her wedding in 1955, then altered for my aunt to wear again in the early 80’s. It’s really beautiful, with hand set pearls all along the bust and the fabric just feels heavy and luxurious. I contacted one of my past brides, Amanda – who also loves to model, and was thrilled when she agreed to model it for me!