If you've seen any of my work before, you of course have seen photos of Kolleen and Jacob, from their downtown engagements, to Kolleen's first maternity session at Calico Basin, to now these ethereal shots at Lake Mead outside of Las Vegas. Kolleen is a huge trooper, always down for 5am shoots with me, which are sooooo early but sooo worth it! I mean the light at this hour could not get any better!! Also, the birds seriously put on a show for us this morning.
This was my first official shoot on the lumix S1R I got a few months ago, and I can't believe it took me so long to blog this session because it was a freaking DREAM! The dress, the sunrise, the water, and the absolute perfect temperature of the air. Not only was the morning just ideal in every way, but since it was so early we had the entire beach to ourselves which made it the most magical and intimate morning with these two lovers. Kolleen is now a mama to her beautiful baby boy Maxx, but this day was a beautiful calm before the storm for these parents to be. Being a photographer in Las Vegas, I mostly shoot sessions out in the desert landscapes, but we have some beautiful beaches!!! I honestly can't believe I don't shoot out here more, but hopefully I will get to be back out here soon for an epic shoot, or possibly Kolleen and Jacob's first family session???
I also have to say that this way my first shoot with my new Rose Anvil lone bandit single harness (I have a dual strap for when I shoot weddings, but I wanted to also get a single camera strap) and WOW! It is cute, comfy, takes the weight off my shoulder and holds the camera close to my body when I don't want to have to hold it. If you aren't using a harness yet, do it already because it will change the way you shoot for the better. I got mine from moment, and have literally ZERO regrets! Get yours here!
Every shoot with Kolleen just keeps getting better and better because she is so down for WHATEVER, and is a gorgeous model even at 9 months pregnant, and is as excited to get her dress all wet for the photo as I am. I mean isn't that every photographers dream?
On this shoot I really focused on exposing for the sky and hoping that I wouldn't muddy up their shadows too much, but the raw photos and the ISO on the S1R really has a lot of room to work with, so the photos turned out exactly how I imagined! I don't really like HDR shots, it's not my style, I prefer more natural film emulation editing style, so I try to capture it how it really was. There is nothing wrong with HDR of course, it's just not my style. I don't really like editing in photoshop, so if I can't do something easily in lightroom, then I just don't do it at all. I like knowing that my photos really show what my camera can do with the choices I make while shooting.
XOXO,
HAYWAY
