Jenna Cole Photography-Dallas, TX bio picture

Welcome to Jenna Cole!

Investing in a camera and launching this business has given me the
chance to merge the two activities I love most, photography and blogging. After spending several months taking still life photos for my other blogging endeavors (That Bride, Weddingbee, and That Wife) I realized that I wanted to start spending time with people. I wanted to spend my days taking pictures of people that helped them to see how beautiful they are.

I want to capture the moments in your life as they are happening, as they would happen even if I wasn't there with you. When the light falls just right, and the boy and the girl look at each other just so, magic happens. I want to be there for that moment, composing an image that tells a story, your story.

You can read more about my personal life at That Wife, add me on Twitter, or find me on Facebook. Thank you for visiting and for commenting (I read them all and they make my day!).

 

As I prepare for the next big event in my life (the birth of my baby in April!), I'm going to be refocusing my business and sacling back on the number and type of sessions I am accepting. I'll be on maternity leave beginning in March and lasting through May. Please contact me if you have any questions!

Monthly Archives: February 2010

Wedding: Kathryn + Eric

Kathryn and Eric are the kind of couple I would love to work with for every wedding. They’re crazy photogenic, wanted to book as soon as we met, and in our correspondence after the wedding Kathryn keeps assuring me that she isn’t rushing me because she knows “my wonderful work takes time” (yes that’s a direct quote, she’s crazy sweet like that). I’ll be a little sad to deliver these photos to them actually, as working with them has been such a pleasure.

Their wedding was beautiful, personal, and full of laughter. The best kind of wedding day I think. A big thank you to Lynn of Lynn in Love Photo for keeping me company as second shooter throughout the day.

My favorite bridal details. See Kathryn’s long johns in the bottom right photo? Adorable!

Kathryn was all smiles and giggle while her mom and ‘maids helped her get dressed. The shot on the top left is one of the few successes I had with the tilt-shift that day (my first time using one!).

While the girls got all glammed up the boys… got in some wii time?

Lynn’s shot!

Kathryn and Eric decided to do a first look, giving us plenty of time for portraits in the soft fading light right before the ceremony.

Eric waited nervously…

his gorgeous bride approached…

they hugged and laughed and basked in their own nervousness and excitement while their friends and family looked on.

My favorite portrait of the couple, I just can’t seem to decide if I like it best in color of b&w. Your preference?

These two laughed a lot throughout their wedding day. I’m guessing they laugh plenty as newlyweds too, which should make for a long and happy marriage.

A bit blurry, but the expressions on their faces are too cute to pass up.

We did our bridal party portraits in the quickly fading light. Lynn rocked it as both second shooter and brides assistant (i.e. making sure Kathryn looked good at all times), and I made sure to get a shot of the charm Kathryn attached to her bouquet in memory of her father.

Don’t you love watching the groom’s face as his bride makes her way up the aisle? When the doors opened up his face immediately softened into an expression of devotion.

This wedding was filled with devoted guests who showed their love for the couple in a variety of ways. This gentleman recorded the entire ceremony on his iPhone!

Eric’s father performed the ceremony.

Lynn’s shot.

Two more beautiful shots from Lynn.

Credit for the inspiration behind this next set of portraits goes to Justin and Mary Marantz. I knew I had some portrait time with the newlyweds right after the ceremony, but I had been unsure how to best utilize the time devoid of natural light. I found this post by Justin and Mary and knew that Film Noir-esque was the way I wanted to go. I love love love the way they turned out, and I’m deeming the one of Kathryn on the left as That Shot from the wedding!

Details details details! As a former WB writer I have a soft spot for well-planned details.

First dances are easy to photograph… until the very end. Most couples do a dip or finale of some sort, so I try to keep an eye out for the approach of the end, but it’s incredibly difficult to know where I need to be to get the best angle. This dance was one where I found myself on the wrong side of the dance floor for the grand finale.

As I scurried around to the other side, the couple tipped further and further toward the ground. Eric came dangerously close to dropping his new bride! He didn’t though, and everyone in the room got a kick out of it in the end.

Because I hadn’t been able to get their dip and kiss I did what any smart photographer does, I asked them to cheat and give me another chance at the “perfect dance floor shoot” I was looking for.

Not bad, eh?

While composing this post I realized that the pictures I chose appear to be a bit overly Kathryn-and-Eric-centric and so I added in this album spread preview to show you that they did indeed have a room full of guests present with them that day. The many faces of those who love this sweet couple (I’d add myself in there too but when you are behind the camera you don’t get your picture taken :) ).

My favorite detail from the wedding day? The “poppers” (I obviously don’t really know what they are called) that the couple left out for the send-off. The groom’s brother learned the hard way what happens when you pull the tab before you are supposed to. :)

The guests LOVED it!

After untangling themselves from the mess the happy couple hopped in their limo and rode off to enjoy an amazing honeymoon together.

K & E, I absolutely adore the two of you. I consider myself lucky to have been a part of your wedding day and I admit I’m a little bit sad it’s all over and we’re both about to go our separate ways. I loved being a part of your life on such an important day and I hope you love the photos that resulted as much as I do.

All my love.

Jenna

Engagement: Heather + Kyle

This engagement session resulted in some of my favorite images ever. All of the elements seemed to come together perfectly, a darling couple, gorgeous light, and a few expected and unexpected visitors to boot!

Meet Heather and Kyle, aren’t they sickeningly sweet?

This SOOC to Fine Art conversion is one of my favorites ever. I’m constantly working to improve my editing skills, reading up on new tricks and tools to use and I was pleasantly surprised to see the difference between the before and after of this image. My ultimate goal? To capture the best image right in camera, time in and time out. But that doesn’t mean I don’t believe in the magic of Photoshop as demonstrated below!

SOOC:

Fine Art:

These first shots were done in the courtyard of Heather’s apartment complex in Dallas. I always enjoy working in new locations and realizing, once again, that beautiful photos can be created almost anywhere, as long as the light is right!

Color or….

Black and White?

The reason we started at Heather’s apartment complex finally made her appearance. Isn’t she sweet?

Soon this won’t be Heather’s dog, this will be Heather and Kyle’s dog. Both of them. Because they’ll be married!

After spending some time around Heather’s apartment we moved to my all-time favorite shooting location, White Rock Lake in Dallas, Texas. Remember Daci and Yoni’s engagement session at White Rock way back when? Heather and Kyle’s session made me realize that there isn’t just one peacock wandering around this neighborhood. That day we spotted three grazing in the same yard!

This location can be a hit or miss, as flooding and puddles can be a problem but I’m lucky to be blessed with couples willing to trust my vision and tiptoe through the puddles to find the perfect spot.

The yellow flowers all over the ground matched Heather’s sweater perfectly!

I wish I could say I’m going to be shooting their wedding as well (who wouldn’t want more face time with this couple?). Unfortunately for me they are getting married in Arkansas and had already signed a contact with a local photographer to that area. Lucky guy!

That Shot twice over. I love them both equally, especially when grouped together like this.

So far this shoot has featured a super sweet canine, a trio of peacocks, and now… a horse! Perfectly appropriate for this couple in particular because they met on a dude ranch. She was a waitress in the diner and he was a ranch hand.

I don’t do many sepia conversions but I couldn’t resist with this couple and the horse. So fitting for this particular couple.

Getting that horse to stick his head through the fence and hold still (well, as still as a horse will be) for this kissing shot was surprisingly easy!

These two were about done by this point, but I begged them to head out to the docks at White Rock Lake for some sunset shots by the water.

I took the shot above with the light quickly fading and then the lovebirds and I switched places and I did the shot below. I’ve got steady hands, if I do say so myself. :)

Heather and Kyle, I look forward to seeing your wedding photos on Facebook in the coming months (yes I admit to Facebook stalking my clients every so often!)

Best,

Jenna

P.S.-Thanks to Ami of Elizabeth Anne Designs for featuring Heather and Kyle’s engagement session on her fabulous blog last week!

Teaser: Salt Flat Bridals

Sometimes when you take pictures of family members, it can a considerable amount of time to sit down and edit them. No rush to get these back to my sister of course (she is the lovely model you see pictured), as she has copies of all the original files to play with on her own time. :)

This whole session was rather dreamy and I get so excited whenever I look at the photos. One reason I love this one in particular? (Other than the gorgeous Utah sunset!) My sister is wearing my mom’s veil, the same veil I also wore for my wedding 8 months before her, making this photo both sentimental and beautiful. I hope those of you setting up your own photo shoots in the future can find a way to do so in your own unique manner!