Michelle Photography - Greenville SC Wedding Photographer » Weddings

Amber + Jonathan ~ The Loom at Cotton Mill Place Wedding Sneak Peek

Michelle — Thu, 16 May 2013 21:08:20 +0000

This was a wedding we’d been waiting & waiting for – after shooting Amber & Jonathan’s funtastic engagement session last fall, we knew it was going to be a tee total blast, & they did not disappoint! There were several firsts for us – Amber wanted to do a Parent’s First Look, a switch from the usual bride/groom First Look; Jonathan had written a beautiful song for his bride, & he grabbed his guitar & gave a heartfelt performance during the ceremony; & then there was the Harlem Shake during the reception, during which the bride wore a Darth Vader mask & the groom a top hat….enjoy! We did

NEWS FLASH!

Michelle — Thu, 28 Mar 2013 22:39:10 +0000

You know what the little boy hawking newspapers on the street corner used to yell -”Extra! Extra!” – right? Well, we’ve got some big news that really does mean EXTRA for our clients! Starting April 1, 2013* all (that’s right. I said all.) of our sessions are going to include delivery of the fully edited, high-res images via a PASS gallery! Why is this worthy of its own blog post? Well, here’s what a PASS gallery offers:

NO WAITING on discs or flash drives! As soon as your collection is edited, it will be uploaded into a PASS gallery & sent to you!
Direct downloading capability for clients – from your PASS gallery right to your own computer or external drive
30 days gallery FREE
Password protection
Instant sharing to Facebook, Twitter & Pinterest – just click on the button of choice!
Your photos are always with you – you get a custom app for your phone or tablet
Give friends & family the ok to directly download your images
Order prints & have them delivered right to your door
The Guestbook allows friends & family to leave comments for you
Mark images as Favorites
For a $29 upgrade, your collection is stored in the PASS cloud for TEN YEARS! When notified your time is up, renew for another $29 for ANOTHER ten years!
The upgrade also allows you to download all of the images in your collection at one time (the basic free version requires downloading one image at a time)

Getting the picture now? (heh heh…pun intended). We feel strongly that PASS is going to play a significant part in upping our game & adding to our client’s total experience with us. We can’t wait to share it with you!

(Want to see what a PASS gallery looks like? Go here: http://michellebrooksphotography.pass.us/2012favorites/ )

*this applies to all sessions contracted on or after this date

A Paper Proposal? Why, Yes, Please & Thank You!

Michelle — Fri, 08 Mar 2013 17:37:57 +0000

We are so pleased (ok, we’re a little giddy!) about having one of our weddings featured on A Paper Proposal’s pretty wedding blog today – if there’s one thing I love about as much as shooting a wedding, it’s reliving it by seeing the images again. Hope you all enjoy it as much as I did, & a special thanks to Sarah Kohler at APP for her sweet write up!

The I Do Photographer Network Features Michelle Brooks Photography!

Michelle — Wed, 06 Mar 2013 18:29:23 +0000

So excited at being featured on IDPN’s blog today! Love blog love, lol!

2012 ~ The Year in Pictures

Michelle — Tue, 26 Feb 2013 22:59:05 +0000

Yeah, I’m a little slow in getting my “year in retrospect” up, I know! Hey, at least I got it done in the first quarter of the year! Most of these, of course, are wedding or couple related but I stuck a few personal photos I love in there, too

The Early Bride Gets the Last Laugh

Michelle — Mon, 25 Feb 2013 13:50:07 +0000

Ok, so I’m mixing my cliches. What’s it mean? I’m talking about the fact that brides who start planning early are most likely to get the vendors they want for their wedding day & less likely to suffer the frustration & disappointment of having to “settle” for second or even third choice. Just this past week, I’ve had to turn away 2 brides who inquired about wedding photography because their dates were already taken, & one who lost her date because another bride committed first.

Like many wedding vendors, photographers often book dates a year in advance, especially in the more popular wedding months. When we participate in wedding expos, I am always so impressed with brides that tell me their wedding is a year, even a year and a half away – these gals know how fast that time is going to fly by!

There’s another reason besides making sure you get your first photographer choice for committing early in the planning stage – money. By signing on with your photographer of choice you will avoid investment increases that may occur between the time you know they are the one for you & a delayed booking date. It’s win-win!

How soon should you be looking to make your choice for your wedding photographer? There are really only 3 things you need to know before your photographer should be able to give you an accurate investment cost: the date, the venue location, & how much of your day you want photographed (& truthfully, your photographer may need to help you determine that last one). As soon as those first 2 things are in place, start your interviewing of any photographers you are considering & as soon as you know you’ve found The One, seal the deal by signing the photography contract & putting down your retainer. Then you’ll be able to relax & know that the memories of your wondrous day will be exactly as you’ve dreamed they would be.

Top 10 Questions You Should Ask A Wedding Photographer

Michelle — Thu, 14 Feb 2013 16:44:19 +0000

So he put a ring on it, the date’s been set, & the planning (oh, so much planning!) has begun. Who knew there were so many choices to be made in so many areas for 2 people to join their lives? There’s the dress, the venue, the flowers, the caterer, the cake, the invitations, the guest list, the entertainment…all such important decisions, & each one will affect how your whole wedding day comes together. Think about all the time, the money, the headaches that are going to go into evaluating all your choices. Now – think about what is going to preserve every tiny detail of all that expense & effort for the rest of your lives. Your photographs, right? So hopefully this is near the top of your list of the most important decisions that have to be made. Maybe you are someone who knows something about photography & you’re pretty comfortable with how to assess the information you gather from the photographers you are considering; maybe you know nothing about photography except what you like. Either one is fine! You can find the perfect wedding photographer for you.

So what’s the most important things you need to know? We’re going to go over the Top 10 Questions You Should Ask A Wedding Photographer, but first, let me state something that trumps all others in where to start – you need to really click with the main photographer. Why is that so crucial? Because your wedding day photographer is not going to be just standing off at a distance all day & night snapping images with no interaction at all with you & your guests. She/He is going to be playing the role of choreographer, therapist, mediator, cheerleader, timeline-keeper, brain-stormer…you need someone who gets you, who understands what it is you want the feel of your images to be. Obviously, then, one of the first steps needs to be a face-to-face consult, or at the very least a Skype or phone consult. And you’ll be able to tell within a few minutes if she/he passes this first test – I mean, you know when you feel a connection with a person; it’s either there or it isn’t. So. If they get a thumbs up on Test One, move on to the questions you should ask. And here they are:

1. May I see your portfolio & at least one complete wedding collection? Are all of these your images? The photographer may show you their portfolio from their iPad or laptop & that’s fine; I also recommend you see at least some prints & gallery wraps. Seeing a complete wedding collection will let you see how this photographer tells the story of a wedding from start to finish. What are you looking for? You want the images to evoke a real response within you, a chord to be struck, a bell to be rung Just like it’s important for you to feel a connection with the person who will be taking the photographs, you should feel a connection to their images. From a technical aspect, you don’t have to know all the skills that were employed to get the images, but you can look for things like the subjects being sufficiently lit (but not nuked by flash!), no trees or poles positioned behind subjects (ie,”growing out of their heads”), no strange color casts (orange, blue, green), & if the collection has many images from different moments or is made up of repetitive shots of the same moments over & over & over.

2. How long have you been shooting professionally? Let me state, there are some great photographers who are just getting started! And if your most important criteria for choosing a photographer is price, then you should by all means try to find the best new photographer you can find; because they are starting out, they will more likely offer a much lower price. Just remember – the reason you’ll get such a low price is because you are willing to take the risk that their lack of experience may mean missed shots, flawed images, more stress because they are not familiar with the best work flow for weddings, or it could mean they haven’t yet been able to secure proper insurance to protect you & themselves, or even the proper legal status for a business. I have been shooting professionally for 3 years as of this post, not an old-timer by any means but long enough to have the necessary experience to ensure my clients receive the quality & beauty in their collection they have the right to expect.

3. How many weddings do you typically shoot a year? This is more information that will clue you in to the photographer’s experience level. If a photograper isn’t exclusively a wedding photographer & only shoots 2 weddings a year, it could be a cause for concern. Last year we shot 14 weddings & our goal is 20 for this year!

4. Are you insured? A photographer should carry both equipment & liability insurance to protect both their equipment, & you & your guests. We are fully insured.

5. Do you shoot alone at weddings? I have seen some amazing images from photographers who shoot solo at weddings. Personally, I feel that for myself, there is way too much going on at weddings for me to catch everything by myself. I can’t tell you the number of times I have started editing a collection & found a shot that my assistant photographer got while I was shooting, say, the formals, & I’ll think, “Wow! I had no idea that was happening!” I always will have an assistant photographer when I shoot weddings. I feel like it really give the most diverse, well-rounded out collection; the same moment taken from 2 different vantage points can be astoundingly different.

6. Do you edit each image that goes into a collection? My answer is simply, YES. I am upfront when I meet with couples in telling them that it takes me a little longer to get a collection delivered because of this. You shouldn’t be surprised when you see your gallery if you were expecting each image to be given individual editing & it wasn’t. Each couple should decide for themselves if this is an important issue for them.

7. Do you guarantee a certain number of images? Again, the short answer for me is, No. Typically a wedding for us will yield 350-600 images or more, but I do not guarantee a fixed amount. I feel that shooting to reach a quota diminishes creativity & results in a lot of shots that either aren’t important or are repetitive in an effort to get to that magic number. I focus more on looking for (or creating) unique, memorable moments.

8. Do you shoot from a shot list? Hope you like the short answers, lol! Again, No. And again, the reason is I feel it stifles creativity if I’m just moving from one listed shot to the next. It’s not my style & if you like our portfolio, it maybe isn’t yours, either. Will I be willing to take a short list of must-have shots/ideas from you? Absolutely! I love input from my couples!

9. Do you have backup equipment? The importance of this is obvious.

10. Why are you a wedding photographer? What difference does the answer to this question make? Well, this may not be a perfect analogy, but if you were choosing between 2 doctors & you asked them why they were in their profession, & one said, “To make a butt-load of money!” & the other said, “I’ve always felt a need to help people who are in need,” would their answers influence your choice? (one reason that’s not a perfect example is that, unlike doctors, wedding photographers do not make a butt-load of money, contrary to popular belief!). Is it important to you that your wedding photographer be excited to shoot your wedding? That they be personally & emotionally invested in you & this incredible day in your life? I hope so. I have yet to shoot a wedding where I don’t laugh, cry & dance a little

I’d love to hear from you on this post! Are there other questions you wonder about? Do you agree/disagree with any of the answers? Want to add a question & answer of your own? Give me a shout here!

Vintage Bonnie & Clyde Theme Session ~

Michelle — Wed, 16 Jan 2013 16:22:06 +0000

A while back I saw this gorgeous vintage, cream Lincoln Continental in the garage of an acquaintance of my husband’s. That’s when the wheels started turning. “Wouldn’t this be an amazing prop for a shoot?” I breathed to Derrick. I’m sure he started squirming inwardly about here. “Yeah,” he agreed, “sure would.” I think I detected a “Let’s move on” tone, but it was, of course, too late. I started to talking to some wedding vendor friends & when a couple of them expressed an excitement matching my own, I coerced Derrick into approaching the car owner to see if we could use his sweet ride in the session. Thankfully he was more than willing to agree. The florist put me in touch with a lovely young couple, Alex & Ryan, who offered themselves as my models. So, on a cloudy day in mid-November, we all got together & worked a little magic

Today I am thrilled that The Lovely Find has chosen our session to feature. I love this Southern wedding blog! {& not just for featuring my session} I am honored to be in the company of the talented photographers I have seen published.

“Bonnie & Clyde” Themed Wedding Shoot

Michelle — Wed, 02 Jan 2013 23:11:54 +0000

It all began with a car – a cream-colored, vintage Lincoln Continental, to be exact. After I saw it, I couldn’t get it out of my mind; I kept picturing it with a bride & groom around it. Then somehow Bonnie & Clyde crept into my fantasy – how cool would that be? So I began talking about my little dream with some vendors & before long we had a plan in mind, complete with the car, a Zoot suit tux, flowers, & lots of vintage touches Enjoy the show….

Special thanks to:

Models : Alex Soto and Ryan Mclees

Dress & birdcage veil : The Poinsett Bride

Tuxedo: Bow Ties & Veils

Florist : Adina at Frilly Bloomers

Make Up & Hair Atist : Jessica Bagwell at La Bella: Hair & Makeup

Car: Mr. Randolph Hayes

Elizabeth + Dane ~ Wedding at Castle Ladyhawke

Michelle — Fri, 21 Dec 2012 18:03:34 +0000

Back in April, Derrick & I had a blast shooting Beth & Dane’s engagement session in Chapel Hill on the UNC campus. October 27, 2012, we had the honor of photographing their intimate,sweet wedding at Castle Ladyhawke in Tuckaseegee, NC. All weddings are emotional, but this one had an especially poignancy to it – Beth’s maternal grandfather was going to perform the ceremony, but sadly just days before the wedding, he passed away. What a storm of feelings to have on this much-anticipated day – excitement struggling with sorrow, elation tinged with grief. The images captured show how at times that battle manifested itself, making the moments caught all the more sweet & priceless.

There be dragons at Castle Ladyhawke!

The 3 rings on Beth’s bouquet were her something old, borrowed & blue.

The something old– the engagement and wedding ring her maternal grandfather gave her grandmother.

The something borrowed– her mom’s wedding rings (banded together) that will go to Beth’s younger sister.

The something blue– the blue cameo ring and the first ring/jewelry piece Dane ever gave Beth. The story behind the blue cameo is she had mentioned to Dane once how she was looking for a white gold cameo ring but could only find them in yellow gold. When he went to Europe after graduation he looked all over Europe but came to the same conclusion — all were made in yellow gold. His last day, he was in Athens and made one last attempt at a jewelry store. He went in and found only yellow gold and was about to leave when the shop owner asked if he could help Dane. Dane described what he was looking for and the owner said he didn’t have any…but he could make one. He made it that day and just in time before Dane hopped on a plane back to America.

The “Not-Seeing-Each-Other-Before-The-Wedding” shot.

Dane’s mom & sisters – a lovely group of ladies!

The Engagement session “Before” shot with the banner & the Wedding “After” shot.

Beth changed into her comfy shoes. Comfy yet sparkly.

The cake toppers symbolize how their relationship started - Dane had an extra UNC basketball ticket (the mascot is a ram) and asked Beth to go. They became basketball buddies and took each other to games and eventually started dating.

The surprise of the night – Beth & Dane busted out in Gangham Style at the reception!

Here Beth & her maternal grandmother share an emotional embrace before Beth & Dane’s exit.

Day After Session ~ Bonnie & Mauricio

Michelle — Mon, 26 Nov 2012 04:11:13 +0000

I think Day After sessions might just become my favorite best thing What is there to love? Okay, beautiful brides, handsom grooms, all in their wedding day gussied-upness, with the stress of the wedding day past, no crowds, & that newly married high is still raging. What’s not to love?! Bonnie & Mauricio chose the beautiful Rock Quarry Garden in Greenville, SC for their session. It was magical.

Bonnie+Mauricio ~ Wedding 09.22.2012

Michelle — Mon, 26 Nov 2012 03:59:50 +0000

There are weddings - and then there are weddings! The wedding & reception of Bonnie & Mauricio was like a colorful, glamorous, small Mardi Gras with some of the happiest, friendliest people I’ve met. Mauricio had family from all over, including Bolivia Everyone was just lovely, so much fun to work with. Little AJ, Mauricio’s son, was the ring bearer, & one of the sweetest moments occurred as he walked down the aisle then began weeping, I thought from being overcome by the enormity of the occasion but found out after the ceremony it was in reaction to accidentally letting go of his balloon in the foyer moments before, lol! Hope you all enjoy, & stay tuned, there’s a Day After session coming right on the heels of this post

Project 365 – Day 306

Michelle — Wed, 14 Nov 2012 23:52:30 +0000

I did my first styled wedding shoot today! It was so much fun! Many thanks to Adina at Frilly Bloomers for providing the flowers, & Jessica Bagwell at La Bella Hair & Makeup for her talents Oh & of course, the lovey-dovey couple, Alex & Ryan

Derrick stopped by just long enough to get a shot of the amazing vintage Lincoln Continental generously provided as a prop by Mr. Randolph Hayes.

Tammie + John ~ Rock Quarry Garden Wedding 09.29.2012

Michelle — Mon, 12 Nov 2012 02:41:50 +0000

When I met Tammie at our intital consultation, I knew I wanted to shoot this girl’s wedding. She was gorgeous, sexy, smart, together – a real “today’s” woman. And as she talked about marrying John, & his two daughters, Haley & Jenny, & how crazy they were for each other, I saw the depth of her love for this man & his girls like a quiet, strong light that infused her face. I left that meeting with fingers & toes crossed that I’d hear from Tammie again &, oh happy day, I did! their wedding took place at the Rock Quarry Garden in Greenville, a small slice of paradise tucked away not far from downtown. It had rained the night before & we were a little worried it might be kind of soggy but it was gorgeous & so was the bride Haley & Jenny were clearly excited & happy that Tammie was becoming an official member of their family. It was a relaxed, elated, intimate ceremony followed by a slightly rowdy, fun reception at The Loft at Falls Park. Tammie asked for our Mojo Foto photo booth & boy, did their guests make the most of that!

Here’s Rio, Tammie’s dog.

Pretty Jenny

And pretty Haley

Love this one!

Tammie & the girls hammed it up a little for the camera

The bride & groom had cupcakes instead of traditional cakes. These were by ChimyCakes & they were the bomb!

I loved Tammie’s mask!

Maker of those fabulous cupcakes!

Melissa + Eric ~ A Wedding to a Different Drum :)

Michelle — Fri, 26 Oct 2012 17:31:56 +0000

You know how sometimes you meet someone & they’re just so individual, so not-following-the-herd, that you just are captivated by them? That description fits both Melissa & Eric, who were married on 08.01.2012 at the Bleckley Inn here in Anderson. They are die-hard fans of the band Widespread Panic, whose tour they missed in order to get married on this date (you’ll see they incorporated some Widespread love into their pictures!). This was the most laid-back, non-traditional, non-timeline-following wedding we have ever shot; the idea was for everyone to just enjoy themselves & some good music provided by the Larry Keel & Natural Bridge band. It was a joyous, bare-foot stompin’ good time

This is sooo Melissa & Eric’s style

These were the cake toppers.

A little liquid enthusiasm from a local company, Palmetto Moonshine .

May I just say Eric has the face photographer’s love??!

Gotta love this one.

No, my camera was not leaning – the cake was. And it continued to lean until it fell slap over. Fortunately the cake people were able to rush in a replacement.

Melissa & her wild girls

Yeah, can you tell their guests were as unique as the couple was??

How adorable is this look Melissa gives Eric?

Ok, all grooms take note: there is nothing a woman loves more than for you to take her face in your hands when you kiss her. Nothing.

My personal fave.

This one makes me smile

A message to Widespread Panic.

We asked the guests to give us their thoughts on what marriage is….

Our Mojo Foto booth got a chance to do it thang

No formal exit for this couple, they chose to let the night play on & everyone to keep enjoying the great music & good time. Thanks, Melissa & Eric, for including us in your amazing day!

Ashley & Michael ~ 08.11.2012

Michelle — Sat, 20 Oct 2012 21:01:40 +0000

There was something very special about these two; it really manifested itself during their First Look (may I digress a moment? I know I keep harping on how great First Look’s are, but look at this one & become a convert ). Ashley positively glowed with love, suspense, & happiness. She & Michael were totally immersed in each other, it was like we weren’t even there, & that, my friends, is the way great images are made.

The ceremony & reception took place at Occasions at Wedgefield (our first time to shoot a wedding here, & we loved it!) & it was an evening full of warmth, laughter & joy. Both the bride’s & groom’s family were so gracious & kind & friendly, it was almost like being at a family function for us! The friends of this lovely young couple truly celebrated with them, & there were taosts, tears & even the Virginia Reel.

Love the way she’s holding onto his tie!

My first fave of the collection.

I told Michael to give me his best “Whaaaa???” pose & he delivered!

Ready…set…go!!

My 2nd fave of the collection

AShley’s mom & dad seemed as in love as their daughter.

They say you can tell what kind of husband a man will make by how he treats his mother; in that case, I think Ashley is in good hands.

Michael’s mom & dad really got into the Virginia Reel.

Evelyn & Will ~ A Truly Different Wedding! 08.04.2012

Michelle — Wed, 26 Sep 2012 22:36:35 +0000

Evelyn & Will’s wedding promised to be different from the start & it absoltuley lived up to my expectations. There were so many diversities from the “normal” wedding I stopped counting It was so moving to see people of varied races, physical abilities, & backgrounds united in happiness for this hopelessly-in-love couple. I was priveliged to witness & document this occasion. The venue was Twigs Tempietto in Greenville, SC.

Evelyn’s Girls were so much fun to work with, they were game to try anything.

Right as we were finishing up Evelyn’s pre-ceremony shots, it started pouring rain! The wedding coordinator, Cate, was a real trooper, getting umbrellas for all the girls.

Will, goofing on one of his groomsmen.

This is one of my faves of the collection; I mean, just look at the love on this girl’s face!

Fave

Get down, Zack, get down!

I was totally impressed with Will’s dad’s moves.

The England Wedding ~ John & Lisa

Michelle — Fri, 31 Aug 2012 23:43:15 +0000

“What on earth is a ‘Mad Dog Circle???” I wondered as I read an email from Lisa detailing some of the events her wedding reception would include. I would soon find out The whole event took place at one of our favorite venues in Anderson, SC, The Bleckley Inn , & featured what became one of my favorite bands, Green Vegas . Lisa & John’s friends helped make this a memorable & photo-worthy good time for all – they were not afraid to show what a blast they were having! It was a beautiful ceremony, a pumping reception, & slightly crazy exit Oh, & the MD 20/20 flowed like…well…MD 20/20.

Lisa’s girls were perfect….they gave Lisa their full attention, there were no divas & they smiled a lot!

This is Lauren, Lisa’s maid of honor & best friend; she was so excited & happy for Lisa & John, it was sweet!

The First Look

My personal fave of the wedding collection.

Ok, Lisa’s dad is really, really, really tall; when he saw my obvious wheel-turning as I tried to figure out a way to make it not so obvious, he kindly said, “You can’t fix it; it is what it is.” That freed me up to just take the photos, bless him!

Proud to say I was able to get a few ring shots that rocked my lens

Bill Rhodes & his jammers

Lisa & John are die-hard Clemson fans & the Clemson Tiger made an appearance at the reception.

Ok, this was like the sweetest thing ever – Lisa & John’s male friends got down on one knee surrounding Lisa, & serenaded her with “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’”, just like in Top Gun.

Oh, Lord, it’s MD 20/20 time. Ok, this is the Mad Dog Circle; they all got in a circle &…well, chugged some MD.

This girl has some wicked great eyes.

This was the crazy exit; there was so much smoke from the sparklers the guests couldn’t see Lisa & John coming, so they were like right in front of me (ergo, the camera ) until the last second when they parted & Whoa! There’s the bride & groom! Lol! I was able to get one quick shot before they rushed past me! So, no these 2 photos are not out of order, I took the last one after the couple was past me just to show the freaky conditions