12.18.09
This year has been such a learning experience.  Figuring out workflow, taxes (ugghh), dealing with equipment issues... I have a feeling that every year I will learn through trials and tribulations... I will never sit back and say, YES! I now have it all figured out. Won't ever happen... and I don't want it to.  

One huge thing I learned this year was the importance of THE album.  I have memories of looking at my parents wedding album, opening up the plastic covered white silk album, the corners adorned with metallic photo corners... one huge print per page.  It's funny how certain things stick with you.  That memory made me want to make sure everyone of my couples had a wedding album... and that's what happened... though they all may not have them yet, they will soon. :) 

Midway through the season, I reworked my workflow.  The first thing my couples saw after their wedding wasn't a blog post or their gallery full of thumbnails, it was their album design.  I designed the biggest, baddest album without any limitations and presented their wedding to them in story form.  They saw their wedding for the first time how I visualized it while shooting.  This has been the biggest and most rewarding change to how I do my post work.  

I design the album 100% in Adobe InDesign from scratch, no templates.  InDesign makes it extremely easy for me to design a modern album in hours.  I know the spacing is perfect and it works seamlessly with Photoshop & Bridge, so I can easily make sure the photos will look great in print.  All the spreads have white backgrounds, are completely clean and modern.  I don't want the album to look dated in 5 years, and by keeping it simple, about the photos and not the design, I know it will never look trendy.  Pro DPI (an environmentally conscious pro lab) does the printing of my spreads, sends them to me to so I can approve the color and quality before I ship them off to Renaissance for the production of the album.

If you'd like to look through a couple completed albums, take a peek at the albums page here.


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joshua says:

is it weird if i call that thing sexy?

Mary says:

red silk?! it's hot!

Jenn Stark says:

Hi! I've only just started offering albums as an option in my packages and just wanted to thank you for sharing some insight on your album production workflow! They are beautiful!

12.05.09
We are now offering 7 fabulous holiday card designs that give you the look of letterpress without the outrageous cost of letterpress. 

These fabulous design by Millie Holloman Photography fit our style perfectly!

Login to your gallery and get some! Deadline to get them by December 21st is December 14th.  Also, all print orders intended for holiday gifts, must be ordered by Monday December 14th to have them in time for the holidays! 


Here's a peek at two of our favourite card designs...





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I shot my first real wedding, totally on my own, in July 2007.  I was nervous out of my mind, felt sick to my stomach on the drive to the venue. 

It wasn't that I felt nervous of not being able to make solid images, but anyone who has shot a wedding knows that feeling of being terrified of the unknown...  especially the first few you do.  It was also the first wedding of my second shooter/assistant/sidekick Abby, a film school homie who I somehow coerced to give up most of her Saturdays to shoot weddings with me. 

Over the past 3 wedding seasons, Abby has shot the majority of the weddings with me.  I can't imagine the perspective she's had watching my style of interaction, posing, and confidence evolve over the past few years.  Her solid technical abilities have saved my butt a number of times, and she has definitely had her own equal photo evolution.

Ms. Abby is in her final semester of college, taking a slightly longer path than I did ;)  In a few weeks she's saying sayounara to Toledo.

I know you'll rock at whatever path you take in Georgia + beyond!  It won't be the same in '10 without you shooting with me, making fun of me, and being stoked about the veg lasagna.

Here are a few photos from a mini photo shoot on our way to a wedding reception.... I'm sure Abby would have preferred to have an actual photo shoot in street clothes... perhaps a Georgia cotton-scooter sesh in the future???




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abby troxell says:

*sniffle* nobody in life has taught me more about photography and "professionalism" than you have mary! wish I was going to be around to enjoy 2010. I know what an amazing photographer you are and love not only your artistic sense but also you knowledge of the technical aspect of photography. Seeing MWP blossom has been a thrill for me and I was/am always willing to help! p.s. my mom wants that last picture... ha! me looking into my southern future! can't wait to reunite with you south of the ohio river! plenty of cameras in tow on some scoots with our amazing guys in a haunted ol' city! thank you for everything!

11.29.09
Brittany and Chris both have this great positive energy, down for anything attitude.  When I suggested doing their shoot in a very nontraditional location, they were totally down... and thank goodness.  The weather was in the 30s, super windy, and they were rockstars about it!  I am beyond stoked for their wedding at Maumee Bay! 

Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving!! Full of lots of laughs + food + all around good times with loved ones.

 




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Seina F. says:

The pictures are amazing!

Brittany says:

Thank you so much for taking such amazing pictures! AND thanks for coming out with us on such a chilly and windy November day. I can't wait to see the rest!

MaKenzie Frank says:

These are absolutely amazing, such a great job! Britty, you and Chris look spectacular! Love you, I can't wait for the wedding!

Kayla Byrd says:

Brittany these photos are amazing you two look absolutely fantastic!! You are both so cute and so in LOVE!! I wish you the best of luck my dear!! The photographer was amazing!

Karen says:

I love these photos. Love them. Amazing photographer/amazing models/amazing locations. Well done!

Paige Stamm says:

Britty! Your pictures turned out AMAZING! You two look great and are so perfect for each other : ) Love you!

Aunt Susie says:

These pictures are AMAZING!!! You guys looks so comfortable posing together... can't even tell it's cold outside... looking forward to the wedding pics -- it'll be here before we know it!!

arya khatiwoda says:

THESE ARE ABSOLUTELY GORGE!!!!!!!!!

Mary Slaughter says:

Love the pictures. They are so unique. Can't wait to see what you do at the wedding.

Maribeth Slaughter Cullins says:

Congrats guys, your pics are wonderful. See ya soon.

Haley Frank says:

You guys look so good together in these pics!
I can't wait for the BIG day!!
Love you both!

sue denny says:

The pictures are fabulous! You two look perfect together!

steve denny says:

Awesome pictures.

Nicole Martinez says:

I absolutely love these pictures! You guys are so adorable!

chris denny says:

great work mary, your creative approach to a non-traditional photo situation really paid off for our shoot, thank you!

jacob says:

best. pics. ever.

Danielle Ohs says:

Brittany, Congrats! Your pictures are beautiful!!

Kristi says:

LoVe the PIctures!!! I cant wait for the wedding!!! Im soo happy for you guys:)

Sarah says:

AWESOME pictures Brittany!!

Alex Workman says:

Awesome shots! Keep up the great work!

For quite some time, I thought that there would never be a group of Toledo wedding photographers who could become friends or even form our own little photog community.  It always bummed me out that there was the sense of competition or paranoia that prevented friendships forming between people who actually have a ton in common.  A few months ago, a small group of us got together, had drinks, shared stories, laughed a lot until 2 a.m. I left that night feeling this sense of calm and joy that, hey, we're not realllly in competition with each other.  There's only one Mary, there's only one Carli + Joe, there's only one Jordan + Amber, and only one Joshua + Gregg.  We each have our own perspective that no one else can duplicate.  Sure we may get common inquires, but we also send each other the business that we can't shoot, look out for one another when an issue arises, give advice... we got each other's backs.  I rather send out business to one of the above mentioned than try to horde everything for myself.

As seen in the previous post, I recently photographed Carli + Joe of Shutterlove.  A couple weeks prior to that Joshua + Gregg of Love is Greater than Photography photographed Phil + myself.  We had an absolute blast with them, and who am I kidding, I love being photographed almost as much as I love photographing others.  Here are a few of my favourite shots that they got.  Thanks again you two!!!





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emily Smith says:

First of all - (and I keep saying this!) but I LOOVVVVEEE these pics - you are gor-g-eous!
Secondly, there's such truth in what you've written above. I just had a conversation today with new(er) photographer and I was telling her that it's important to find your 'voice' and style and allow it to be what it is in the market... It's important to understand your strengths and weaknesses in both your 'voice' and work... and be okay turning down jobs and referring when they would better suit another photographer in your market. It's such a hard but good lesson! You're awesome mary.

Mary says:

thanks emily!!! you're added in that mix of who i send business to as well! :)