Chris Schaeffer Photography

Senior Photo Shoot Video

2010-06-28T09:55:00.000-07:00

Youth Baseball Team Video

2010-06-24T09:43:00.001-07:00

BodyMoves Dance Company Photos 2010

2010-06-24T09:33:00.000-07:00

2010-06-13T18:39:00.000-07:00

Here is an example of a night photograph made using front and back lighting so that the fountain and back lights would show as well as the couple.

Engagement Session with Pet

2010-06-13T18:34:00.000-07:00

Photos from one of my May 2010 Weddings

2010-06-13T17:03:00.000-07:00

Save the Date and Holiday Cards

2009-11-25T18:05:00.000-08:00

I enjoy meeting the Bride and Groom months before the wedding and helping them create a really beautiful Photographic Save-the-Date. The photo session lasts about an hour and it is, ideally, done out doors in a beautiful park. In the winter months we do indoor sessions if we can't wait until spring for the shoot.

The Save-the-Date Card serves a few purposes, not the least of which it allows the Bride and Groom to get a feel for how many people are thinking seriously about coming to the wedding. The couple often puts a Bridal Website on the card that contains information about their Date, Time, Venue, Hotel Info and Gift Registry. These websites are available through a variety of online bridal websites for free or a low cost.

I usually take two or three of the images that the couple chooses and then I create the Save-the-Date Card. These are delivered to the couple along with envelopes.

Engagement Season

2009-11-25T17:35:00.000-08:00

The fall is here and along with it come all the Engagement Sessions! These are so much fun and allow me to get to know the Bride and Groom really well before the actual Wedding Day. An added benefit to Engagement Photography is that the Bride can wear casual clothes and can therefore be free to climb over rocks and tuck into wonderful nooks and crannies at the local park. The WEdding Day Dress is bulky and white and the Bride rarely has an interest in doing anything to the dress that might get it dirty.

The Engagement Session provides the photos for the Save-the-Dates and the Custom Sign-In Book. Here are some examples of recent engagement shoots:

Lars and Christie Cade's Wedding Video

2009-08-22T15:08:00.001-07:00

Trash the Dress at Hilton Head

2009-07-15T15:01:00.000-07:00

I have discovered that the term "Trash the Dress" means different things to different brides. Most of my brides buy a desperate white gown or dress (sometimes from a consignment shop or a prom dress shop) that they use for the Trash session. Very few brides actually want to ruin their bridal gowns forever.

My bride in Hilton Head was able to get a white Marilyn Monroe style gown at a TJ Maxx for about $10 dollars! And the groom wore basic khakis rolled up a bit and a white button down shirt.

We started out with them walking hand in hand along the beach. I looked for reflections, shadows, etc but found that the low light and poor weather really took away a lot of opportunities for sunsets, shadows, etc.

We had them sit and cuddle with the bouquet in the foreground, sometimes focusing on their feet, sometimes on them, and other objects like shells. Then they ran toward the camera holding hands, and finally waded out into the waves.

We ended the session as they splashed each other and then dunked each other.

I was in shallow water using a fast (2.8 aperture) lens at 200mm and an ISO of 1600. I had a "raincoat" on the camera. My assistant was out in the waves with a waterproof Digital Point and Shoot Camera (the Olympus 1080).

We ended the the day with the couple jumping into the resort pool and had their final kiss underwater!

Here's a favorite refection shot of the couple...

Destination Wedding at Hilton Head!

2009-07-15T14:59:00.000-07:00

I just got back from two destination weddings, one in Raleigh, NC, and the other in Hilton Head, SC. This video is from the Hilton Head Wedding. The weather made it a bit tough as it was so hot and humid that the rain didn't stay away for long. We did fit the wedding in and then the Trash the Dress later that day was fit in between two showers.

Jim and Maggie Cason's Wedding - A Short Video Montage

2009-06-04T19:06:00.001-07:00

I had the pleasure of photographing Jim and Maggie Cason's wedding on May 23rd, 2009 in Pasadena, MD. Their reception followed in Annapolis at the Bay Area Community Church.

The weather was spectacular and the wedding went really smoothly. Maggie wore a Renaissance style gown as did her three bridesmaids. Jim was elegant in a tux with tails.

They were serenaded during the wedding with the music from Phantom of the Opera, "All I Ask of You" as they lit their Unity Candle.Their reception started out wonderfully as they did a swing dance that showed off their considerable skill on the dance floor. This was followed by the Wedding Party joining them as they did an Old Fashioned Line dance. Everyone was entranced as they all moved so smoothly through their steps.

Maggie and Jim received a surprise as four of the guys presented them with a Barbershop Quartet with a wonderful version of "I never have Maggie Alone".

The day ended nicely with assorted dancing, cake cutting and with the couple escorted to their suitably decorated car through a tunnel of their wedding guests.

Mike and Anna's Engagement

2009-06-03T11:47:00.001-07:00

Here is a video montage from an engagement shoot from Memorial Day weekend.

I met Mike and Anna at Brookside Gardens in Wheaton, MD, and we walked around the various gardens and took photos along the way. We had done an indoor session previously, so that's where the studio shots come from.

This is an example of a 30-40 second long video clip that many of my clients love.

Why did you photograph THAT?!!

2009-06-03T09:17:00.000-07:00

When we are shooting weddings we are careful to take photos of the "scene setters" as well as the people. We have often overheard comments about "why are they taking pictures of THAT?", but we continue on knowing that we are looking toward designing the couple's final album. Many brides put a huge amount of effort into the DETAILS of their wedding day. Photos of people alone often neglect these details, much to the disappointment of the bride later on. These photos were taken at the gorgeous Ceresville Mansion in Frederick, MD.
Photos like the one above may seem random upon first viewing the proofs, but as you can see in the final design of the album, it added depth and dimension to the whole panorama.
We make an effort to capture photos of "the little things" - these are often tucked into backgrounds and appear as little surprises to the bride and groom as they view their album.

We like to think of this style of photography as "Full Service Wedding Photography" - meaning that we work with the bridal couple so closely that we gain an appreciation for the things that are really meaningful to them. Here is an example of two Scene Setter images being incorporated into a panoramic spread - a photos of the bridesmaid's bouquet and a copy of the Wedding Invitation with the couple's rings laid out of them.

Trash the Dress!

2009-05-29T17:01:00.000-07:00

A popular ending to a wedding near the beach or a pool is called "Trash the Dress', or TTD. At the end of the day the couple runs through the edge of the waves while the photographers capture the joy and sheer reckless feeling of it all. If a pool is present, then they can run and jump into the pool, fully clothed while Photographer # 1 captures the excitement from poolside and Photographer # 2 is inside the pool with a waterproof camera. The shoot ends with the couple crashing into the pool and then kissing under the surface!

Some brides like to use their actual Bridal gown but many opt to buy an alternate gown at a consignment shop or an inexpensive white prom gown so they don't have to mess up their gown. The groom will often wear khaki pants rolled up and a white shirt.

Please keep checking back here as I have two TTD shoots this summer - one in Hilton Head, SC and the other in Jamaica.

Never Wear Anything Prettier Than Yourself!

2009-05-28T17:40:00.000-07:00

Every photography session starts out with the inevitable question:

What should I wear? The real, unspoken, question is really, "What shouldn't I wear?"

The answer involves understanding the purpose of the photo session - to capture the essence of a person's personality. Be careful not to wear clothing, make-up or jewelry that detracts from you.

Things to AVOID:

- Plaids (unless you're Scottish)
- Loud Checkered Patterns
- Broad/Wide Striped shirts
- Shiny cloth that can flash back into the camera
- Avoid heavy jewelry or shiny watches
- Unnatural Colors like florescent green, pink, yellow or blue.

Things You SHOULD Wear:

- Earth tones like Khaki pants
- Quiet heather or pastel toned shirts
- Off white or black shirts are timeless
- Simple jewelry that matches the outfits you are wearing
- Layers are great, especially for women - start with a camisole so you can change between tops easily and modestly
- If you are coming for an Engagement Shoot consider wearing the COLORS of the wedding. For example, if your colors are chocolate and champagne, have the man wear a chocolate brown shirt and the woman a tan/beige top.
- Makeup that you are comfortable with - if you are not accustomed to heavy or bright colored makeup this is NOT the time to start. The only thing I'd say is that well accented eye liner makes the eyes stand out in the photos.

Engagement Sessions

2009-05-28T16:09:00.000-07:00

Many photographers have stopped offering engagement sessions. I, on the other hand, have decided that they are invaluable to my business. Once I have secured my contract with the client we determine a date and location for an outdoor engagement session. The session itself usually takes about 90 minutes including walking, positioning, talking, etc.

These sessions are a phenomenal way to get to know the couple, to familiarize them with my poses, and to generally get to know them. We discuss many things along the way, including how they met, favorite memories, and just fun stories. We also discuss the upcoming wedding - this is often a great time to determine what their particular concerns/fears might be. Perhaps an awkward family situation or anxiety over the timing of the formal photograph session. Whatever it is, it's my goal to allay their fears by the end of the engagement session.

I process their photos within the week and then post them online at www.collages.net for proofing. This is an awesome website that provides excellent service to the photographer and the client.

After the photos are online I contact the engaged couple and ask them to look through the photos and pick out their favorite 10-15 images. I tell them that I will be adding others for backgrounds as I design their fully custom FULL COLOR PHOTOGRAPHIC SIGN-IN BOOK. This book is created here in our own in-house lab and then a proof is sent to the couple for their comments. After a few changes are made then the couple gives me their final approval and I send the Sign-In Book to the bindery.

Some Engagement Sessions involve pets and others sometimes include children. Having the children included in a blended family engagement shoot is an excellent way to gain their confidence,since they may feel nervous on the day of the wedding.

Sadak-Flecker Wedding Video Montage

2009-05-28T16:08:00.001-07:00

This is a full length video montage of Karim and Katie's Wedding on April 18, 2009. I really enjoyed their day, from the fun time capturing the girls as they got ready, to the gorgeous Georgetown University Dahlgren Chapel wedding and then the fun reception complete with a "Cupcake Cake" instead of the traditional Wedding Cake.

Welcome to my Photography Blog!

2009-05-28T15:54:00.000-07:00

My name is Christine Schaeffer, Chris for short, and I'm a professional photographer in the Bowie, MD area.

I have had the distinct pleasure of working with many wonderful people over the past 10 years, and as a result of my experience with them, I have accumulated a lot of photography wisdom.

I am hoping to encourage my clients, fellow pro photographers and budding photographers with this blog. I hope to post video-collages and photos from various portrait and wedding sessions.

Please check back frequently to see "what's new" with Digital Photography by Christine Schaeffer.