General Wedding Chit Chat Thread... (Part 3)

Chris Dana wrote in post #5394833
Good mid-day, everyone. Is it Friday yet?

It's another gorgeous spring day in Michigan and I'm stuck in the lab playing with DNA.

I'm going to start bringing my camera to work now just so I can take some time during lunch to go play in the botanical gardens here.

I have a wedding this weekend and a portrait session as well.

Good morning Chris...

It's beautiful here also. You expecting rain for your wedding? It says rain here, but I am hoping it does not happen.

Jim, it sounds like that will be quite a nice album you are assembling, especially if it's leather. Do you go out of pocket for that? I admire your generosity.... it is quite commendable, but that could get quite expensive. As much as I like to give "gifts" I think I'd have problems with "domestic budget approval" .

JimAskew wrote in post #5394508
........ My plan is to give the widow a leather album of 50+ 5x7's and the family DVD's for all who want a copy.

Good afternoon! First time on for me today, as the little guy is still sick and is on the coach moaning. I feel for him. I got no sleep taking care of him so I am hoping I can function later when I teach.

Stu, I have all the mats in big cardboard boxes and 2 professional mat cutters, big like yours and I love it, but don't have the time to do it all. I even have frames and glass ready to go and all the supplies to finish framing project, including the adhesive strips that go between glass and mounted photos so the glass doesn't touch the picture. Great stuff. Now, if only I can remember what I did before. . . . Mind is going on me. And you are cute.

Now now young lady - be gentle.... I don't need any additional wounds besides the xacto cuts....

Rakefet wrote in post #5394950
where is that phone number.....where is it!!! I'm SO telling! LOL

Stephanie Powers wrote in post #5394908
... I LOVED the cemetery photos. They were awesome.

Stephanie,

Please let me add my belated welcome to those already received from our "feisty" crew Visit ofter and enjoy...there is much to learn here...I know that I do.

Thanks you for the kind comments on the funeral photos...I do appreciate them.

Jim, really liked your two pictures. I get the feeling those funerals are very sad and sobering.

Jared, nice contrast and saturation on your building shots. Edgy, yet contrasty.

If you didn't live so far away, Stu, I'd be over with my Logan and we can cut it up!

sapearl wrote in post #5394890
Sounds like you have some nice botanical gardens Chris .

One of the nice things about working on a university campus. There are at least 3 botanical gardens near the building I work in. I've been fortunate to be on campuses that do a pretty good job of plantings.

Rakefet wrote in post #5394959
Good morning Chris...

It's beautiful here also. You expecting rain for your wedding? It says rain here, but I am hoping it does not happen.

As it stands now, we're not supposed to get rained on Saturday. But that's subject to change. Watch, we'll have a blizzard on Saturday.

sapearl wrote in post #5395117
Jim, it sounds like that will be quite a nice album you are assembling, especially if it's leather. Do you go out of pocket for that? I admire your generosity.... it is quite commendable, but that could get quite expensive. As much as I like to give "gifts" I think I'd have problems with "domestic budget approval" .

Stu,

All is out of pocket. It is my way of giving back to those who have served.

The same for weddings...the better I connect with the B&G the more I am inclined to do for them. Last fall I did a wedding for a young USMC couple...cutest couple you could ever meet...they got married with almost notice (two weeks planning) as both got orders to deploy to Iraq. At the wedding someone gave them a wedding album with 300 4x6 pages all done in white brocade cloth and tied with ribbons. I filled that album for them with prints from my Epson R800. Made them a stack of 8x10's and framed them as well. I had a $100 gift card for Kohl's Department Store someone gave for an engagement session (I refused their payment so they mailed me the card) so I used that $$ to buy a bunch of simple wooden frames with glass covers.

When buying supplies I look for bargains and then "bulk" buy to keep costs down. Example, I bought close to $500 worth of ink when CompUSA folded last year most of it at less than 50% of the original cost...I have been using that stash for 8 months now I buy all my paper supplies from Red River papers online...they have great prices.

Bottom line is that I have been blessed with a handsome retirement income and a well paying second job. So, I like to give back in my own way and I have found that photography is so very rewarding on those occasions when you get it right

SuzyView wrote in post #5395181
Jim, really liked your two pictures. I get the feeling those funerals are very sad and sobering. ...

Suzie, thank you. They are indeed sad and sobering especially when the soldier is young and has left a young family behind.

Jim is my hero. I shoot for free, too, but I don't give away the farm. I just ordered 5x7 paper from Amazon and got a good deal, so I got 4 x 50 sheets and it will keep me going for a little bit. And I get the 81/2x11 in bulk when it comes on special as well. The 4x6 for the PictureMates I have are expensive, around $.23/sheet, but it's still better quality than printing at a lab, so I do the first copy on my printers. I am doing senior shots today and printing 16 2x2.75 on full pages and then cutting them up. Cheaper and the paper is really thick.

SuzyView wrote in post #5395265
Jim is my hero. I shoot for free, too, but I don't give away the farm. I just ordered 5x7 paper from Amazon and got a good deal, so I got 4 x 50 sheets and it will keep me going for a little bit. And I get the 81/2x11 in bulk when it comes on special as well. The 4x6 for the PictureMates I have are expensive, around $.23/sheet, but it's still better quality than printing at a lab, so I do the first copy on my printers. I am doing senior shots today and printing 16 2x2.75 on full pages and then cutting them up. Cheaper and the paper is really thick.

Suzie,

"Jim is my hero" And, you are my mentor

Q. Why do you buy 8 1/2 x 11 paper? I find getting frames for that size is very hard to do so so I switched to 8x10...you can find 8x10 wooden frames that are very nice and inexpensive just about anywhere. Kohl's and Target are my two favorites places for cheap (and good) frames.

sapearl wrote in post #5395127
Now now young lady - be gentle.... I don't need any additional wounds besides the xacto cuts....

LOL..ok, sure your secret is safe here just remind the other 30k people watching not to call your wife LOL

Chris Dana wrote in post #5395233
One of the nice things about working on a university campus. There are at least 3 botanical gardens near the building I work in. I've been fortunate to be on campuses that do a pretty good job of plantings.

As it stands now, we're not supposed to get rained on Saturday. But that's subject to change. Watch, we'll have a blizzard on Saturday.

so Chris,
1. how about every time I've typed your name today I've spelled it Christ! LOL

2. We should do some kind of "game" while shooting these weddings this weekend. Maybe something to look for at the reception? Most shot of Whatcha think?

JimAskew wrote in post #5395308
Suzie,

Q. Why do you buy 8 1/2 x 11 paper? I find getting frames for that size is very hard to do so so I switched to 8x10...you can find 8x10 wooden frames that are very nice and inexpensive just about anywhere. Kohl's and Target are my two favorites places for cheap (and good) frames.

I buy 81/2x11 because that's how it comes and I print picture packages with it. Right now I'm printing 16 2x2.5 size prints for a HS senior who wants a ton of little ones for announcements. I will send the 11x14's to the lab and the 8x10's I'll print up at home. I have 4 5x7's for the grandparents and that's it. The cost effective larger sheets make it easier for everyone.

Rakefet wrote in post #5395372
so Chris,
1. how about every time I've typed your name today I've spelled it Christ! LOL

2. We should do some kind of "game" while shooting these weddings this weekend. Maybe something to look for at the reception? Most shot of Whatcha think?

1. Heh. Well, sometimes Christ gets put with my name, but usually when someone's upset at me.

2. A game sounds like fun. Perhaps a theme to certain shots. Like, "find someone holding a smurf while doing the macarana." I'm up for anything.