What A Difference A Year Makes

Tuesday, July 6, 2010 Posted in Business/Blog

Things have been a little slow for me lately* and so I’ve been accepting sessions I don’t normally do on a limited basis, like the session I recently did with Tracy’s son. She was inspired by this session I did last summer and after I processed her images and then went back to see the results from last year I was shocked. Look at the difference a year makes!

Here is what I posted on my blog last year.

And here is one of the shots I’ll be giving to Tracy. Huge difference right? Since last summer I’ve upgraded my equipment (I had a camera body that was making everything very red which was very frustrating to work with), and my shooting and processing styles have changed a bit as well. Hopefully you will all agree they’ve changed for the better!

This shoot was in Deep Ellum and I love that I can find new graffiti and murals no matter how often I visit.

We’ll end with my favorite shot from the day. Isn’t he a sweetheart?
*Is it okay to admit that? No one else seems to do so, but with an economic downturn like the one we’re experiencing here in the US, I can’t be the only one who’s noticing that people are cutting back on the amount of money they are budgeting toward photography!

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by Jenna

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July 6, 2010 - 3:44 pm Kelli Nicole - Those are so cute! I love the first shot of him (2nd pic in the post). And yes, it does look better!

July 6, 2010 - 4:02 pm Chelsea McGowan - Yes, it's okay to admit that, but it's not universal. We're busier than we've ever been, but I think it's because we upped our package prices this year. I hope this doesn't sound wrong... I've worded it carefully... basically, I think that to a bride with a $8K event budget, $2,000+ does seem like a huge amount for photography. But to a bride with a $25K budget, what we charge is not that big of a deal. Both weddings can be gorgeous in their own way, but the latter is definitely where a photographer is going to earn their living. It can be hard to break into that market, but once you do, your life will be a lot easier. Love the progress in your work, btw! I need to do one of these posts myself!

July 6, 2010 - 5:41 pm Kaci - Is that the same wall? That's amazing if it is. Just curious what your old equipment was, compared to your new stuff. Love your pics! He is definitely a cutie!

July 6, 2010 - 6:08 pm Jenna - Yep! Same location. I went from a Canon 50D to a Canon 5Dmarkii. I was having major trouble with all of my images turning out "red" and my husband did some research and told me he thinks it is because of the way Canon sensors are made. They are all made individually, which means each one captures things slightly differently and so when programs like Adobe Photoshop try to read the RAW data they have to make their best guess regarding what all of the data should be interpreted as. My data was unfortunately rather off. The problem was solved when I switched to shooting JPG, but I like shooting RAW so I decided to upgrade (in part because I wanted to make videos of my son as well). I also bought a 50mm 1.2, where I was using a 50mm 1.4 before. I actually don't think getting the more expensive lens would have made that much of a difference though. In this instance I think the new body and experience were what really did it. And I've become a lot better at metering in camera and not blowing out the highlights (well not blowing them out too much, I like to push the envelope in that areas :) )

July 12, 2010 - 7:49 am Jessica - This little boy melts my heart! So adorable! Beautiful and rich shots too Jenna, you always amaze me

Teaser: Lauren

Monday, June 28, 2010 Posted in Teaser

Lauren is getting married in October. Yes, OCTOBER. It’s killing me to hold back on showing these to you. She was gracious enough to let me leak this one for now. This bride, her dress, the entire wedding… it’s all going to blow your mind. I’m sure about that.

by Jenna

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July 3, 2010 - 11:10 pm amanda o. - so gorgeous!

Wedding: Natalie and Jeramy, Pt. II

Friday, June 18, 2010 Posted in Wedding

The reception!

A few of my favorite details…

The bride and groom supplied calling cards next to their guestbook with their new married address, phone numbers, etc. I’d never seen anything like it but I thought it was a brilliant way to spread their contact information to family and friends.

The toasts were sweet, just enough of a roast to get reactions like this from the bride and groom.

Who gave this kid a glass of champagne!?!?!?

No cake-smashing-in-the-face for this couple, but a little bit of encouragement from the crowd caused Jeramy to get a frosting tipped nose.

Natalie was so sweet during her dance with her dad, if you look close you can see the tears in her eyes and running down her cheeks. I had the “Butterfly Kisses” song stuck in my head for days afterward. :)

I can’t take credit for this shot… it was actually taken by the best man! He begged me to let him take a few pictures, and after interrogating him regarding the number of drinks he’s consumed and making him promise to wear the camera strap around his neck, I let him play for a bit. It was actually a great idea because the sight of his best friend playing wedding photographer really made Jeramy laugh!

Fierce competition for the bridal bouquet. The poor MOH never had a chance.

That tongue! Natalie knew Jeramy was going in with his teeth.

Jeramy removed the garter with his friends and family cheering him on, and stood up to celebrate with his teeth, only to find his new father-in-law staring him down from behind. Very funny moment.

To be honest, I’m really only including this picture because I like her necklace. Gorgeous right?

I took a break to switch lenses and eat some cake, and when I jumped back in the fray Natalie looked completely different!

The getaway car, which belongs to Natalie’s mom. Jeramy oh-so-conveniently sent his keys off with one of his groomsmen (haha, I know it was an accident Jeramy!) and so the couple were forced to take the car with them for the wedding night, when the original plan was just to use the car for the photos at the end of the night.

Happy marriage Natalie and Jeramy! I’m still a bit bummed you didn’t wear your new sunglasses down the aisle Natalie, but your eyes and smile were so radiant as you made your way toward your new husband that I can’t blame you for wanting to have the best view possible. Jeramy you have the best smile and I love watching you watch Natalie. It’s obvious that you adore each other and I loved spending your wedding day with you.

Best,

Jenna

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by Jenna

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June 23, 2010 - 4:18 pm Colleen C - These are great! I can totally see the changes over the past year - you're working hard and it's showing! Love the one of the guy who caught the garter - he is pretty excited :)

June 23, 2010 - 7:27 pm Cécy - I love the wedding bouquet moment. It's a priceless picture when you catch such a brief and funny moment like that. Great shots. Some of the black and white onces of them dancing have a grainy feel, is that on purpose or was the light lacking?

June 23, 2010 - 8:47 pm Patty Jenkins - As mother of the bride at this wedding, I highly recommend Jenna Cole photography. Jenna is a delight to work with, and her work speaks for itself. However....any of you brides out there looking for a wedding cake, I cannot recommend Elegant Cakery in Southlake. The cake we received was noting like the cake we ordered. The dividers of flowers in styrofoam were not supposed to be there. The layers were supposed to be cut in angles to give it the uneven look. When we voiced our displasure, they were not the least bit appologetic, and instead made the comment that this cake was valued at twice the price of the one we paid for. That is some expensive styrofoam and flowers!!!! Also, they said they did not have Natalies phone number to call to verify what color of flowers she wanted (and remember she didn't want any flowers), yet made numerous calls to the groom's phone while they were on their honeymoon to inquire about their cake plate that had not yet been returned. Use at your own risk.

June 23, 2010 - 9:26 pm DrayaAnn - Their wedding looked so fun. That CAKE was amazing! I loved that photo of their first dance...so sweet!

June 24, 2010 - 8:29 am Jenna - Patty, so sorry to hear about this trouble! Thank you for leaving a review for any brides who are looking for vendors to use. Thank you for your kind words about my work, it is pleasure to hear that you love what I've presented here.

June 24, 2010 - 8:33 am Jenna - It's on purpose due to lack of light. :) I like to switch between using available light and flash at the reception. The diptych of the two first dance photos were taken with a very high ISO, which is what gives them that grainy look.

June 24, 2010 - 8:47 am Jessica - Beautiful! So many favorite photos I can't even list mine. Oh and that necklace is fabulous! I also love the grainy look! Especially in the one spotlighting on her gorgeous ring!

June 24, 2010 - 9:41 pm Natalie Bradley - Jenna, They look amazing!!

June 24, 2010 - 9:45 pm Natalie Bradley - And, the cake is beauitful... They are very talented. Customer satusfaction just isn't high on the priority list. Simply weren't pleasant to work with, and that's very important on your wedding day! The picture Jenna took does make it look fantastic though :)

July 9, 2010 - 2:16 pm Groom’s Attire « My Well Calculated Life - [...] picture from Jenna Cole’s blog is really cute.  (PS if you haven’t heard of her you should check out her blog, its awesome [...]

Wedding: Natalie and Jeramy, Pt. I

Friday, June 18, 2010 Posted in Wedding

Natalie and Jeramy were married on a sunny, slightly windy, Friday in June. You’ve seen them on Jenna Cole before, as they did an engagement session in Deep Ellum with me and brought their sweet puppy with them. They were married at Paradise Cove in Westlake, Texas, with a wedding day that can be described as wonderfully Texan in so many ways. What a delight it was to spend the day with them!

Venue: Paradise Cove

Officiant: Jim Dunn

Florist: Lakeside Florist

DJ: David Mayo

Cake: Elegant Cakery

When the coordinator delivered a gift wrapped in pink for Natalie from Jeramy I was expecting perfume, jewelry, you know something typical…

I did not expect her to pull these sunglasses out of this box! She said she was going to wear them down the aisle and I got excited (she didn’t though :) ).

This sweet junior bridesmaid painted her nails extra special in order of Natalie and Jeramy.

The moment when the bride slips on her dress is one of my favorites of the day.

Natalie stayed sequestered in her dressing room to make sure she wasn’t seen, but I was able to track down Jeramy and get him outside for some portraits.

This view is the reason why brides choose to marry at Paradise Cove (one other reason must be  the coordinators as they were particularly awesome!).

Natalie alternated between beaming and floating down the aisle.

One reason I loved the coordinators at Paradise Cove was how efficiently they handled the timeline and kept the day flowing. After the ceremony they ushered Natalie and Jeramy into this little alcove, and sent guests up toward the reception. It really helped us get to our portraits quickly which was extremely important as we didn’t have much time before the sun set completely.

The bridesmaids hate windy days because their hair and skirts fly all over. I like them because they make the photos exciting.

Ah, portrait time. Hooray! I’ve had some weddings with a very limited amount of time for portraits and I kept thanking Natalie and Jeramy for the amount of time they gave me. I also thanked them for how natural and relaxed they were in front of the camera. The secret to great wedding day portraits for the bride and groom is just forgetting that the camera is there and enjoying each others company.

I was in love with this majestic tree.

THAT SHOT! My favorite from the batch. Natalie, you’re smokin’.

Every wedding at Paradise Cove needs a  dramatic sunset shot.

The happy couple are due back from their honeymoon tomorrow and I wanted to have this post up for their return. Welcome back you two!

Pt II, the reception, will be posted on Monday.

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by Jenna

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June 18, 2010 - 6:42 pm Ali @ His Birdie's Nest - That windy shot with the tree is amazing Jenna!

June 18, 2010 - 9:03 pm Emmie - What a beautiful venue. Her dress reminds me of the vera wang dress from last season that had the pretty black sash!

June 19, 2010 - 2:27 pm Jessica - Oooo... gorgeous wedding! Loved the tree, the pictures of them laughing, but the very last with the sun setting sky is my favorite! I love silhouette shots!

July 6, 2010 - 2:05 pm Kristin ~ Bien Living Design - GORGEOUS!!

Wedding Redux Winner…

Monday, June 14, 2010 Posted in Business/Blog

Congratulations is in order for Draya and Jake, winners of the Wedding Redux contest! I’m really looking forward to developing the perfect session for them. They are finally going to have professional photos that they can look forward to showing to their family, friends, and maybe even one day their children. Look for the results from their session sometime this Fall!

Jessica and Carl had so many sincere comments from friends and family that I’ve decided to offer them a 50% discount on a Duet session and 25% off of any prints or products that they might order if they would be interested in booking with me. I’m keeping my fingers crossed that I’ll be able to work with both couples in the future!

by Jenna

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June 14, 2010 - 1:09 pm DrayaAnn - Jenna we are beyond excited!!!! Thank you doesn't even sound like enough. But it's all I can come up with right now so Thank you Thank you THANK YOU!!!! And everyone who voted we are just amazed and grateful for all the votes. Jenna you have the best readers ever!

June 14, 2010 - 1:35 pm Jessica @ One Shiny Star - Congrats!

June 14, 2010 - 1:59 pm D - Where did all the stories for each entry go? I have been searching your site and can't find them! Can you link to them?

June 14, 2010 - 2:38 pm Helena - Man, I guess I need more internet friends! What did we get, a whopping 7 votes? :) Congrats to both couples, they really had heart-wrenching stories... so much so that I didn't vote because I couldn't decide between them. I hope their photo shoots provide them with the beautiful pictures they were missing.

June 14, 2010 - 5:18 pm Jenna - D-I didn't keep them up because they featured work that wasn't my own and I was a bit worried that people would see those photos on accident somehow and think that was my work! If you know the couples involved go ahead and contact them directly! Helena-I don't think you did as much campaigning as they did. :) Hope to see you in Chicago anyway!

June 14, 2010 - 9:35 pm Adele - Yay!!! I was sooo rooting for these two :-) Congrats!!! Can't wait to see the photos!

June 15, 2010 - 8:34 am Jessica - I am very sad about not winning a new session with you Jen, but I am honestly excited for Draya! I could not imagine going through what she did, she definitely did have worse pictures, and surprisingly her pictures made me appreciate the few good shots I did get... Thanks for the opportunity to all of us! Good luck to the happy couple and have fun! You definitely have the best photographer out there!

June 15, 2010 - 9:33 am Kristin ~ Bien Living Design - Wonderful! I would have been happy for any of the deserving couples, but congrats to Draya & Jake!!

June 15, 2010 - 10:43 am Tina - Yeah! I wanted them to win!

June 15, 2010 - 1:22 pm kourt - Congrats!! Can't wait to see your fabulous new photos!

June 14, 2010 - 1:07 pm Wedding Redux Winner and Michelle Simpson Giveaway Winner | That Wife - [...] in Uncategorized Visit Jenna Cole to find out who won the Wedding Redux contest! I posted a teaser from my latest wedding this [...]