Carolyn Goodman the wife of Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman, was sworn in to succeed her term-limited husband, Oscar Goodman. The ceremony was filled with jokes,  and the promise of a continued Goodman dynasty.

“I love this city and have a passion for it. I am so excited about the rich redevelopment that is going on.” she said when she first announced her run for mayor. Carolyn will continue in his footsteps and add her own good sense.  She has done more for Las Vegas then most people do in their lifetime. Carolyn Goodman retired as president of the Meadows School, the nonprofit private campus she founded in 1984.

Also sworn in were Municipal Judge Susan Roger, Municipal Judge Heidi Almase, and Ward 3 Councilman Bob Coffin.

Plan, Plan, and Plan!

The more you do prior to your wedding, the better! Avoid being involved in picking up relatives at the airport. Send a limo!  They are not as expensive as you may think, especially on off days.  You can book a package deal to bring your family to your wedding in a style they will always remember. This is so important as your day gets closer.

Three bad words: “Use Your Judgement”

To quote Shakespeare “Nothing is good or bad, but thinking makes it so”, and so as much as I love Italian food, you may like Mexican, or Chinese food. None are good or bad unless I think it so! I like to sit down with clients in advance of their event to plan what I am to accomplish. With Shakespeare’s thought in mind, I want to explore the style my client wants. At a wedding, some bridal couples want more posed images with a traditional look. The most popular motif today is a combination of formal images and photojournalistic coverage. At this meeting I also give my clients options they never thought of. I am sharing my experiences from many weddings to propose ideas they may have neglected. Simple things as if someone would give Grace before the meal, or hand positioning as the wedding rings are exchanged may be first considered minor, but can make a difference at the event.

I ask both the bride and Groom to fill out a form and list all their family they want photographed. This form has two purposes. First, I will be sure I do not miss a family member that I don’t know who are attending and second, it is a list for the bridal couple to go over to remind everyone as to where and when they will be needed to have their portraits taken with the Bride and groom. Just think of the kayos that can happen as the bride and Groom stand there waiting for someone to round up people as they enjoy cocktails and food!

 A Bride canceled her pre-wedding consultation the day of the appointment stating that she was “too busy” and had to pick up all her relatives at the airport.  Not knowing any of her family, and not having a list of names to be photographed, many people were missed. I had no idea of what she was doing for her ceremony. As it turns out, she had special things happening, that was not normally in a traditional wedding ceremony.  This caused me to be out of position, as I had no idea of these events.  I did my best and the photographs were great, but if I were in the right place, at the right time with the knowledge of what she was doing, the photographs would have been fabulous! She later complained of missing relatives, of which I never was informed. At the wedding I had to constantly ask her as to whom to photograph, and she was not prepared. The one-hour she tried to save in the end cost her more in disorganization and wasted time at the wedding. If she had only come in to discuss her wants and wishes, I could have avoided all the problems in the first place! Her photographs would have reflected her tastes, and all relatives would have been photographed.

 This is the reason I insist on meeting our clients prior to the wedding! Each Bride is very different, and will have a totally different idea of what she wants to remember and for me to photograph. By meeting with the key planers the week of the wedding, both the Bride and I will remember all the details, and all the plans are now as final as possible. If allowed in the budget, I also like to attend the wedding rehearsal prior. This allows me to also capture images that night as well! At the rehearsal the proper information can be given to family and friends as to where to be and when on your wedding day! If you do not place importance on planning, it will show in the final photographs, no matter how good or efficient I may be!

The Bridezilla!

A Bride sent her future husband to the pre-wedding consultation and did not attend herself. She was too busy and stressed. She had no time. She didn’t take the time to fill out our forms requesting family and important people she would like formally photographed. The Groom came in and had no clue as to how to answer any of my important questions. He had no idea of who was coming on both sides of the family! “I was just told to be there at six o’clock,” he said! He guessed at everything. The Bride shut off her cell phone, so we couldn’t call her. I got to the wedding, only to find out the Groom never shared  to anyone, the itinerary we had worked out. The Bride showed up over one hour late for her wedding, and the family was never told about the formal photographs that we were going to take. It was a disorganized mess to say the least. I did a good job of “acting wedding coordinator” and helped as much as possible. I spent a lot of time rounding up family when possible for photos, as there was no cooperation by anyone. I personally think the Bride had a bad day and a bad time at her own wedding! A week later, after she received her original photographs, she called to complain about all the photos that were missing! Special friends and family were not photographed. They were never mentioned prior to the wedding! I reminded her that our important family and friends form was never filled out. I explained that I didn’t know her family. I asked how I was to know she wanted these people to be photographed. She said, “That’s your problem. You should have read my mind!”

Working the last days before your wedding can also be stressful.  I have heard time after time a Bride say, “I can’t wait till it’s over” because of all the stress.  If you add up all the expenses of everything from your wedding, and figure how much you are spending per hour for this one day, you will realize that every minute wasted is expensive! Have fun, enjoy and don’t stress out! The last few days before your wedding should consist of confirming your plans and arrangements with your wedding professionals. I strongly recommend having all the men try on their tux before leaving the store. People are human, and do make mistakes.

 At a wedding I photographed, the Groom showed up at the proper time with this tux bag in hand. He went to the men’s locker room at the club to change. He was all set to meet his family for the prewedding photographs. As he put this jacket on, he realized that it was too small.  He was a size 42, but was given a size 36! The tux store was about an hour drive with traffic, and due to this one problem, the wedding was held up for almost two hours! All the services associated with the wedding like the country club, DJ, had to be paid for these extra two hours.  If he only took my advice seriously and took the five minutes to try it on, all this would have been avoided! The Bride was upset all evening.

I have had countless Brides share with me the joy they experienced when they were able to relax before the wedding! This is very obvious from the attitude and mood of both the Bride and Groom on the wedding day. The photographs reflect and record this.

I arrived at a wedding at a hotel, in the mountains almost one hour early. I was concerned over being late due to traffic, so I left early and planed extra travel time. I expected to set up and sit and relax, but found the Brides family in the lobby enjoying a bottle of champagne, and the Groom and this men were at the bar in the lounge having a beer watching a football game.  We started photos early. All the photographs were completed early. The evening was most enjoyable for all! The bride described it as “dancing on a cloud all night”.

Let your professionals do their job. The Bride and Groom should “dance the night away on a cloud” on their wedding day! I believe the Bride should be sheltered from any unnecessary problems on the day of her wedding. Bad stress and thoughts of problems can and will ruin the complete day. Things can and will go wrong in a world that is not perfect. All one can do is react to problems in a positive way, and continue to make the most of your wedding day. Errors and mistakes do happen, as people are human. You can avoid many problems by calling and confirming all services a week or two prior to the wedding day. This is especially true if you have booked any of these services many months before. To guarantee to get the services you want, it may have been necessary for you to reserve these services many months in advance. A simple phone call just in case of an error, confirming your wishes can prevent tears!

After a beautiful church wedding ceremony, everyone was looking forward to a beautiful reception at a country club. Upon arrival, I was told that the wedding cake never was delivered. Since I had a list of all the vendors and phone numbers with me, I called the baker to find out where the cake was. They were closed, and had no emergency number to reach them. The catering manager had a display cake used at the club for demonstrations and shows. I suggested we try to decorate it with flowers, and make it look as beautiful as possible, and put it out. I suggested someone go to the nearest grocery store and buy sheet cakes to feed the guests. The mother of the bride was made aware of the problem, and she agreed it was best not to tell the Bride, as it would cause her unneeded stress. The Bride and Groom arrived in their limo after driving for a while. Everyone involved knew not to say anything. The flower girl ran to the limo, opened the door, and yelled out: “your cake never showed up!” The Bride sat in the car for over thirty minutes crying that her wedding was ruined! As it turned out, after she saw the “cake” we faked, she calmed down. We never told any of the guests. The traditional cutting of the cake ceremony was done, as it normally would be. I had two small pieces of the sheet cake hidden behind the fake cake, and after “cutting” the wedding cake, the Bride and Groom feed each other, the cake was taken to the back and “served” to the guests. Only the family knew. The bride was upset the whole time until after the cake was cut. Then she let go and partied. If she didn’t know, and was told only when it was necessary, she probably would have had a good time all night long!

One Bride had many out of town guests. They were all staying at one hotel that the Bride had reserved a block of rooms. The Bride also arranged for a bus to move them all to the wedding location, which was about twenty minutes from the hotel. Everyone in the bus had no idea as to where they were going. Unfortunately the bus driver didn’t as well. He spoke very little English, and because no one thought of giving anyone on the bus directions to the wedding location, the bus went thirty minutes in the wrong direction! As the time for the wedding approached, the mother of the bride was worried that none of the guests were there yet. Someone on the bus had a cell phone, and called the best man. The wedding was delayed for over one hour, as all the guests were lost!

I had planned to start photographs of the Brides family at a garden wedding location at 6PM, as her ceremony was to start at 7PM, and sunset was at 7:35 PM.  If all went as planed, we would have finished all of the brides side in twenty minutes, then the Grooms family in another twenty minutes. This would leave twenty minutes for the guests to be seated, and the Bride and Groom to relax freshen up before the wedding. After the twenty-five minute ceremony, we still had fifteen minutes of good light. All that would be left to do was the Bride and Groom with the parents, the full bridal party, and the portraits of the Bride and Groom together. This all could be done ten to fifteen minutes and then start the party. What happened: The maid of honor (grooms sister) and the best man (maid of honors husband) got to the wedding at 6:55PM! The ring bearer and flower girl were their children! The Bride was totally upset! She was in a panic as to if she would hold up the wedding, or start without them! I could not do many of the planned photographs until after the ceremony. I now had a full hour of work to do in fifteen minutes. Many of the photographs were in the dark, and the reception started late all because these people were late.  They didn’t realize what they did and the impact it had. The Bride was stressed the entire night! You could see it in every photo, especially when with her maid of honor and the best man! They also had to pay the club for an hour of extra time as to not shorten the reception.

Some of our Brides have said it was well worth a shorter honeymoon that was totally enjoyed, because the week they were able to take off was used for relaxation BEFORE the wedding as well.  Relax and pamper yourself, as you may never get this same opportunity again! Plan, then Party, Party, and Party all night long!

Many years ago, the “storybook album” was a series of different size photos spread across pages in a bound album. Now with modern computer technology, images are blended together on a single page spread to produce a more dramatic effect. There are few limitations as to the number of images as was the case in the older formats. A series of color, black & white with other effects can all be put on a single page. The only limit is the creativity of the artist photographer himself.

More than just pictures

It takes a special talent to take the images needed to tell the story. A series of snapshots just won’t do. The photographer must become a photojournalist combining art and technical ability to make images that can be combined into a work of art. All the right combination of images must be created in the first place at the wedding to be able to have the material to create a story line as well as a beautiful design.

It is not something that can be explained in a technical way. It is just something that comes to me personally as an artist. My many years and experiences also contribute to the process. As with many art forms, it is something that has just been a part of my being so involved in my work. Through my eyes, every wedding is different, a special moment in time to be recorded and preserved for many generations of the family to remember and enjoy. Anyone can shoot many images and get a few to look good. It takes the expert eye of the professional photographer to be able to record the special emotions of that moment. As I shoot, in the back places of my mind a plan is being prepared. Once the images are all completed and processed, all the right material is there to produce that beautiful recreation of that special day.

Your wedding day isn’t something you just experience; it is something you will want to remember!

A professional has the ability to create mood, drama, and emotion, which become beautiful expressions in our albums. The world of photography has changed in the last ten years. With digital photography, you can do almost anything. In the past we would make a set of 5×5 paper proofs to the client. This increases cost dramatically, and you paid for many photos you didn’t want. Now we can shoot as much as we want, no limits!

Do you have any old photos from the days when color first came out? (Check out “About Our Company” and see one) The color photos of the 1960’s faded away into yellow and red colors! A whole generation “disappeared” as the process was new and not proven. Digital prints made with ink or dye sub printers may do the same! Take a print made with an ink jet printer and cover only half of it. Leave it in the sun for just a few days. Regular photo paper will fade as well, but not this fast! This technology has yet to be proven. Will your wedding photos shot with digital end up the same as the photos of the 60’s?

Digital prints have a different “look” than the quality of film. Today’s movies made in Hollywood are all shot on 35mm film. Have you ever watched a movie clip shot on film, then a video (digital) shot taken behind the film cameras? There is a very real difference in the tones. The video has a “sharp” surreal look. The film is soft and looks true to what your eye sees. Shooting film as the original media, then scanning the film keeps much of the same qualities. Digital is much cheaper (no film costs and developing fees) as the digital media can be reused. Digital cameras make it easy for anyone to be a “professional” without the training a true Master of Photography goes through to earn the degree. Beware of photographers that have never been trained in the art of shooting with a film camera. Many cling to Photo Shop as they are not able to correctly make an image “in camera” as it has been done (remember Ansel Adams) for over 100 years! A fair digital photographer must be a excellent film photographer to compare!

One barrier with digital is still mega-pixels vs. lines per millimeter of resolution in film (lpmm). Think of it as you needing a camera that can record 35 mega-pixels to come close to film. The technologies are very close, but does not exist yet in an SLR type camera (as of this printing Nikon’s best is at about 24 mega-pixles).At this point 24 mega-pixels is too sharp for weddings, as digital does not have the “softening” effect film does! This brings up the next problem with digital; pixelation. Pixelation refers to being able to see the pixels, which is a giveaway that the image is digital. If you can see pixelation in the photograph, it detracts significantly from the image. If the photographer is forced to increase the sensitivity due to low light, the “noise” will be increased which often creates an obvious pixilated look in the final prints, generally in the blacks or shadow details. Because the sensors use specialized masks to accurately read color, you can also get moiré patterns. Using processing software in the camera and compression of image files can also degrade quality.

Archival Issues

There is also a problem of how long your prints will last. On a standard inkjet printer, you will be lucky if your print lasts a few months before it starts to fade. Compare this to film printed on a good photo paper, which has a rated life of 40 to 50 years or more. Another factor in printing digital is you must not only have the right inks, but the correct paper to match. Some papers will show noticeable fading in less than 2 years. While improving, printer inks do not yet offer the archival life offered by film. Comparing film and digital; both have reasonable archival expectations. The only difference is that film issues are very well documented (it’s been around over 100 years) where digital issues have only been around a very short time.

As you can now realize, we believe digital does have a place in the wedding industry. The costs for cameras (which are passed down to you) are high and cameras are quickly becoming “old technology” in months after purchase. We have a high demand for quality and want our work to last for many generations of your family. The day will come when the digital world, like color film, will become perfected and proven as film did.
We will continue to offer film for weddings, which are a once in a lifetime event. If you have the budget, and can afford the cost of film instead of digital, you may find it a wise and beautiful investment for the lover of true art.

When I first started to plan my wedding, Toni Hart at the Hartland Mansion recommended your company to photograph the wedding. We immediately turned down the services because we had a friend that offered to photograph the wedding. We took the business card that Toni offered anyway, but never expected to use it.

On the day of my wedding the photographer called my mom to confirm the time and place. Within minutes he called back only to inform my mom that his camera was broken. He offered to use a digital camera, but we refused. That was the worst news a bride could hear on the day of her wedding. I was heartbroken and I figured I would have to go without pictures for the wedding. My mother looked in her purse for a pen and found your business card. She wasn’t going to call at first because it was very last minute. It was Sunday and Labor Day weekend so we figured you weren’t available or had other plans, but my mother called anyway. To our surprise you did answer the phone and you were available to photograph my wedding at such short notice!! We met with you just prior to the wedding as you were there before we arrived. You were very courteous and helpful with our selection of the package we would be receiving.

The end result was we received excellent service and excellent pictures. I am very grateful that you were available that day. You really made my wedding day. I would have been very upset after the wedding if I didn’t have any pictures of my very special day. I want you to know that weddings can be very crazy. It is very hard to plan a wedding and make sure everything goes as planned, trying to relax and enjoy your day at the same time. I am sure there are brides who have had the experience I had where you trust a friend to do something and they don’t come through. My advice for brides to be would be to not hire a friend, always hire a professional. People don’t want to think that a friend won’t come through for you on such an important day, but things happen. I will recommend you to everyone I know that has an event that they want photographed. I can’t thank you enough for coming through for me when you did. You are a lifesaver.

Sincerely, 
Kristal Cobb 
A very happy bride