Personal – Bakersfield Wedding Photography

Our Wedding Day

Thu, 19 Mar 2015 15:01:28 +0000

Hi there! I would like to take some time to finally share our wedding day with you! It’s taken me a long time to finally compose this post. There is so much I can say, and so much I learned. In my mind, it is still the most perfect, wonderful day. I loved every second of it, and I walked away with such a full heart. As a wedding photographer, I really wanted to share my thoughts and feelings about this day with my future brides and grooms who are looking at my website. I thought it would a great way to get to know me. Then, it seemed impossible to put into words, and break-down into a blog post. So after several months now, here is my best attempt:

On the day:
It was everything we wanted and more.
We mixed aspects of offbeat and traditional to create a wedding that felt truly us. We had a small ceremony with family on the steps of the Howell House at the Kern County Museum early in the day. Later in the evening, we had a big party in the Chamber of Commerce building at the museum. It was a beautiful explosion of color and fun in a Bakersfield themed reception. Yes, our wedding was Bakersfield themed! We love our hometown. Once we decided to get married here at the Kern County Museum, we knew we wanted to work in our love for vintage Bakersfield. We also chose the date because it was my grandparents’ 62nd wedding anniversary. It was an honor to share their anniversary with them, and celebrate their marriage by beginning ours on the same day.

On the vendors:
We didn’t really need to do a lot of research when selecting vendors. We have worked in the wedding industry for several years now. This actually made the task incredibly difficult for a whole other reason. I dreaded making decisions! There are several vendors I know and like for each thing. If I could have 3 DJ’s, 5 caterers, etc; it would have made my life so much easier. There were so many wonderful options available to us, and so many generous supporters. It was tough, but with major support, I made my way through it. In the end, we made all the right choices and I wouldn’t have changed one person/vendor we asked to be part of our day.

Even before I became a wedding photographer I loved the Kern County Museum. I don’t think a lot of people realize what a gem it truly is. Brad and I have worked weddings at nearly every venue in town, but the museum still felt special and fresh. We picked spots at the museum that were new to us. We had never photographed a ceremony on the Howell House steps or a reception in the Chamber building. It was local, fit our style and it was special to us!

Of course, the number one question we received about our wedding planning was “Who will be your photographer?” The second most popular question was “What are your colors?” Neither were very easy to answer, but lets talk about photography first. This was the vendor that gave me the most initial anxiety. I knew it would be difficult to chose between photographer friends, and it became apparent early on that this was the detail everyone wanted to know about our wedding. So… I opted out. I didn’t choose someone I knew personally. I did however, choose someone that came highly recommended by a close friend. She had worked with him before, and knowing our style, she knew it would be a perfect fit. Our photographers were artistic, amazing people, and we will treasure the photos forever. We also enjoyed seeing an outsider’s take on capturing a popular local wedding spot. All of the lovely photos you see in this post were captured by Rog and Lyndzee of EP Love Photography, you can see the full blog post from our photographer here.

On tradition (or lack of):
We had a lot of non-traditional aspects to our wedding day. For the ceremony, we had two of our closest friends, who are married to each other, marry us (I shot their wedding in 2010!). As I mentioned earlier, we also split our day into two distinctive events with varying guests. This decision derived out of the desire to have a small intimate ceremony and also a big party. The idea of walking down an aisle, and getting married in front of over a hundred people made me freak out ever so slightly. We both knew we would be nervous, and we didn’t want our ceremony to be about conquering stage fright. We wanted it to be about us getting married. After giving it a lot of thought, and lots of discussions about actually executing this, we decided to go for it. The ceremony was unplugged, meaning we asked guests not to take photos or use their devices. This was really important to us because we wanted to look out and see the faces of everyone there (not their phones!). It’s these types of offbeat choices that I would encourage every couple planning a wedding to stand firm on. People might think it’s weird, but if it means something to you go for it. If it seems meaningless or doesn’t represent who you are as a couple, skip it.

One of the things we kept traditional was, no first look. (gasp! – But photographers love first looks?!) Well, yes, first looks can be awesome, but with our split day of a morning ceremony and evening reception, there was plenty of photo time in between. It’s also kind of funny that being nontraditional with one thing, helped us be traditional with something else! So, Brad and I opted for the special down the aisle moment. I am so glad we did this. I will never forget all the genuine emotions expressed in those moments.Instead of a traditional wedding party, we had a gang of adorable children who were quite special to us. I also asked my very closest girls to be prepared for some bridesmaid style photos.

We also did the traditional dances with a first dance, mother/son, father/daughter and a special anniversary dance with my grandparents.

We didn’t do a bouquet and garter toss, traditional toasts or a cake cutting. Instead, Brad addressed the whole reception with a grand toast and thank you speech (that I heard for the first time that night!).

Brad isn’t a huge fan of cake, but I wasn’t about to skip dessert! We decided to make it a fun activity for our guests and had an ice cream truck arrive to serve ice cream sammies! Each person got to pick an ice cream flavor and a cookie flavor, then it was made for them on the spot! FYI: they sell these pre-made at Lassens and Sprouts!

On emotions:
Oh the feelings! This is something I wasn’t fully prepared for. I am around brides all the time, I expected my insider knowledge would provide me with some type of bride super powers. False. It’s an emotional roller coaster. I was overjoyed, super sentimental, nervous, and everything in between. Afterwards, other than total joy, the other key emotion I felt surrounding my wedding was guilt. I know it seems weird, but the outpouring of love and generosity we received makes me feel forever in debt. People were so kind and sweet. Then there are the gifts! It’s still so crazy to me that people get you gifts! Bottom line is, we know some awesome people, and having them all together like that, nearly made my heart explode.

On how it feels to be married:
Pretty darn special. Before he was my fiance, or husband, he was my boyfriend for 7 years. Before that he was a long time friend. So in all honesty, day to day life isn’t really that different. Then you start saying wife and husband, and to me it does feel different. It feels stronger and official… and all kinds of wonderful.

The Credit:
Photography by EP Love
Venue: The Kern County Museum
Flowers and Decor: My Sorted Affair
Personal Flowers: A House of Flowers
Photo booth: W-Photo Lounge
DJ: Bosko One
Rentals: Walker Lewis
Videography: David Karnowski
Catering: Willow Ranch
Ice Cream Truck: Cool Haus
Bride’s Dress: BHLDN
Bride’s Makeup: Sarah Cosper, The Lab Bunny
Bride’s Hair: Angie Brauer
Bridal Headpiece and Veil: Twigs and Honey
Flower girls dresses sewed by Mother of the bride

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Photography of a Hazy Morning

Tue, 11 Feb 2014 16:14:59 +0000

The weather lately has been constantly changing. The sun comes out and I find myself longing for it to really feel like spring. I am eager to have more weddings and more love in front of my camera. I tend to be an early riser, and I never like it much when I have to awake to the dark. There have been a lot of mornings lately when everything seems to be covered in haze. Despite the weather, my dog Ben loves to go out and patrol the yard. Like clock work each morning he scratches at the door, goes out to sniffs all the necessary spots, and enjoys the morning air. Today I decided to go out with him. Nothing in my yard has bloomed, the sky is hazy and you can feel the stillness of winter still hanging around. Yet, it has its own kind of beauty. I decided to take a few photographs with my Fuji X100, and reminded myself to appreciate beauty in all things.

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Travels to Japan, Kyoto and Tokyo

Fri, 07 Feb 2014 16:47:41 +0000

I am a believer in wanderlust and a strong advocate of a bucket list. One of the places that was always calling to me was Japan. This winter, I finally had the privilege to visit this amazing country, and it was a trip I will never forget. A visit with an old friend and a marriage proposal made this a trip of a lifetime. If you follow me on Instagram you may have seen a lot of cell phone snap shots of the trip already, and basically gotten the play by play. There was also an abundance of amazing food, lots of site seeing, and of course a little business as I got to photograph my friend and her fiance in Arashiyama bamboo forest. Here are a few highlights…

Tokyo:

Kyoto:

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Santa Barbara Bachelorette Party

Wed, 28 Aug 2013 16:17:13 +0000

Oh where do I even begin… A dear friend of mine is getting married this fall. To celebrate her soon to be marriage, she wanted to have all her best girlfriends go on a weekend getaway to Santa Barbara. Not only did I have the best time, I am so happy to have this “mandatory” vacation during what I thought would be a slow month that quickly got busy. I tend to be the kind of person that needs to be told to vacation, and I am making every effort to work on giving myself permission to relax so I can stay energized. Truth, I did do a bit of work on vacation, but it wasn’t really work. I documented this special moment for my friend. We had afternoon tea at the Biltmore, we had a chef cook for us, we made delicious sangria and had spa treatments. Seriously… it was awesome. I thought I would share some photos because I am sure a lot of you fall brides and grooms need to be reminded to relax. I hope you all take the time to put wedding planning stress behind you, and do something fun with people you love. Here is just a taste of what our lovely trip was like:

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Good Listens, thoughts of a Bakersfield Wedding Photographer

Tue, 21 May 2013 16:17:54 +0000

I tend to talk about inspiration like it’s a daily multi-vitamin, but I do truly believe it is important to fill your mind with good things. There are several ways to stay positive and inspired, even when the glamorous life of a photographer means lots of hours in front of a computer. I happen to be podcast and audio book addict. Nothing gets me more inspired than a good story. Today, I thought I would share some of my very favorite things to listen to while I work:

This American Life
This podcast is my all time favorite. No matter how simple or how complex the themes and stories are, it always leaves me feeling more connected to humanity. I have laughed, cried and experienced just about every spectrum of emotion while listening to this podcast. Just find one that seems to spark your interest and go from there.

Radio Lab
I discovered Radio Lab one day after I was caught up on This American Life. Sometimes these are more science based, but they can still be just as moving and thought provoking. This is the episode that got me hooked on Radio Lab:
http://www.radiolab.org/2011/jan/25/finding-emilie/

Ted
Ted Talks are posted as videos, but several times I have found them easy to listen to in the background without always having to watch them. This was the first Ted Talk I found and I still re-watch it on occasion: http://www.ted.com/talks/paul_nicklen_tales_of_ice_bound_wonderlands.html

We’re Alive
We’re Alive is an audio drama about a zombie survival story. I know, this seems like it came out of left field, but it’s really awesome. Trust me. I don’t even watch The Walking Dead, and horror movies are a once in a blue moon kind of thing for me. Yet, I love this podcast. It’s so well produced and entertaining. If you already are into the zombie thing, you’ll definitely love it.

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First Friday Bakersfield Fine Art Photography, Multiple Exposure Photography

Fri, 03 May 2013 15:27:34 +0000

Superimpose, my joint photography exhibit with Tim Chong, has come to a close at The Foundry. I am so proud of what we accomplished through this art making journey. I originally wanted to write so much more about how important I think it is to make art and what I learned from the experience. Then I felt totally pretentious like I needed to take off my tweed blazer and set down my 50 year-old scotch. Gave it another go, and I was sappy beyond belief. So instead, I will just say this, make art for yourself. It will make you better for your clients, it will improve your skills and it’s good for the soul. Try to make art everyday. Whether it’s a doodle, an Instagram or the way you fold your napkins at dinner.

Tonight is the next First Friday Bakersfield. It is such a cool thing, and I am already seeing so many great events being shared on Facebook that will be happening tonight. Now that the show is over, and the artwork is done, I wanted to share some images:

Photos by Tim Chong:Special thanks to:
The Foundry and Christina Sweet, for allowing us to share our work and all the hard work to make it happen.
Alan Urquhart, who first “discovered” our work and asked us to show it.
Window Sill Pie Company, for making our opening delicious.
Jess and Jeff of the Hellcatz, for playing beautiful music.
And all the wonderful people who modeled for us along the way.

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7 Random Facts about a Bakersfield Wedding Photographer

Tue, 30 Apr 2013 15:01:52 +0000

Hello there reader of my blog. Boy, has 2013 been off to an amazing start! I have been so honored to photograph some of the most wonderful wedding days so far, as well as some very special family and child portraits, fine art exhibits and even some commercial work. I am up to my eyeballs in work these days and I couldn’t be more grateful. When it comes to the weddings I share here, lately I have been taking a little more time to perfect each blog post. I want to make sure the story of the day is being told the best way possible through portraits, detail photos and candid moments. Sometimes narrowing down a post so that I don’t flood you with 100 images is quite the challenge. So, I thought I would start mixing up wedding/engagement photography with a little more personal blogs as well. Today, I am starting with something fun… here are 7 random facts you may not know about me:

1. When I was a teenager I was obsessed with a different kind of shooting (other than shooting photography). No, not guns either, baskets or more specifically basketball. I’m still pretty good too. Although I have lost a lot of skills on the court, I will happily accept a challenge of HORSE.

2. I actually like long distance running and endurance sports. This comes from my Iron Man grandpa who raised us riding bikes and going on long runs all over town. I need at least 6 miles to be considered fast and even then, I’m not that fast. Yet, it’s always been a sport for me that is more about challenging myself and harnessing that inner strength. There is nothing like feeling like you’re legs are going to give out at mile 20, then realizing when you see the finish line, at 26miles that you do have it in you to “sprint” that .2.

3. I met the love of my life in kindergarten, it just took us 20 years or so to figure it out.

4. I don’t cook. Let me emphasize that I don’t, not can’t. I am perfectly intelligent and capable enough to learn. It’s just not something I consider a high priority. I am notorious for getting distracted and messing up simple recipes. Burning rice crispy treats, boxed mac and cheese, etc. I can however, on rare occasions, bake. I can make a mean chocolate cake, cherry pie, and although my fudge making skills need some practice, I got the basics down. These all come from special family recipes. Baking with my mom and grandma are some of my fondest childhood memories.

5. I am a human jukebox. Seriously… I know a lot of words to a lot of songs. Some of my favorite sing alongs include Bohemian Rhapsody and Hook, by Blues Traveler. It’s really unfortunate that my voice isn’t better so I can put my talent to good use. This doesn’t stop me from having a little fun at karaoke and singing to myself and my pets on the daily.

6. Peanut butter and chocolate is probably one of my all time favorite flavor combinations.

7. The number one thing that gets me teary-eyed at weddings, are those photo slide shows that start from childhood then shows photos of them together. Factor in some beautiful music and boom… cue “hide face behind camera and photograph people until I can pull myself together.” You could probably show me one of those with strangers in it, and it would still get to me.

That’s it for today. Hope you feel like you know me a little better now. Feel free to comment and let me know a little more about you!

xoxo,
-j

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The Enns Family

Fri, 10 Aug 2012 14:41:41 +0000

In a way, this shoot was over a year in the making. When we first moved into our house a little less than 2 years ago, I saw this family in our neighborhood out for a walk. I hope it’s a photographer thing, but it could just very well be that I alone have a staring problem. The two boys and their parents created this perfect mix of adorable and cool. Brad saw me staring. “You want to photograph them don’t you?” “Yes.” I said, “They are so cute, like a family out of a magazine. Would it be weird to ask them?” We agreed (I reluctantly) that yes it would be, and although we said hello to this cute family, I was not to chase them down the street and set up a photo shoot. Now in hindsight, I think, why not? Being a photographer is like being a talent scout, and you should always chase down a photo if you see one. Luckily for me… I randomly met Cortnie at a workout class this summer. I didn’t realize it until we headed home after class and drove right into the same neighborhood that she is the mom of the cute family! After a while, as we chatted more about work, life etc, I did finally ask if I could photograph them.

Sometimes we take picture and sometimes we produce pixels that come together in a way that fills our hearts with pure joy. I know that may seem like a bit of an exaggeration, but that’s how I feel about these images. These photographs are really very simple. They are not your traditional family portrait, but it makes me so happy to capture the true dynamic of a family. Especially a family this radiant. The boys, Augie and Liam, are absolutely adorable. I’m pretty sure every time I look at their photographs, or even just their mom’s amazing Instagrams of them, my heart starts glowing like ET. Cortnie and Gary are like characters out of an indie movie. The kind of people that are too good looking, but also too cool, to exist in real life. Well, guess what, here is proof that they do. So thank you so much to the Enns family! It was so much fun for me to come to your home and document these moments in your life.

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Vendor Spotlight {Anamie’s Sweets}

Thu, 16 Feb 2012 16:50:21 +0000

This January I was lucky enough to shoot my first wedding featuring a cake by Anamie’s Sweets. When I went to link to her website, I was captivated by all the beautiful work and began looking through every page. Then, I saw it. Right there on her bio – Graphic Design major from Fresno State. Just like me! (What a small world.) As it turns out we just missed each other. She graduated just before I arrived, but it certainly sparked a friendship between us. We also quickly became fans of each others work. Can you blame us? After all, our art skills were founded in the same school. Being a designer certainly translates into so many other aspects of art, and we were inspired to work together again. So, instead of waiting for another wedding, we planned an inspiration shoot. If you know Anamie or me personally, you know glamor and extravagance isn’t really our personal style. But when it comes to creating – we can certainly pull it off. So we went for it, and created this stunning display of fancy treats, complete with a glamorous model to showcase them. This shoot was so fun for us as we stepped outside the box, and created something beautiful to showcase the many talents involved.

Although the sweets are certainly the star of the shoot, so many other wonderful vendors participated. The Padre Hotel was our stage. Details Party Rentals, so true to their name, provided us with several details that just made the shoot pop! The Bride’s House loaned our model the stunning coral dress. Uniquely Chic provided beautiful floral arrangements to accent our table of treats. Angie Brauer new owner of Curl Up and Dye Salon created a glamorous hair style, and Alex Arias has an amazing talent for make-up. They were even kind enough to come to the shoot and help with some styling there. It started with a little idea, and we could not have asked for a more brilliant collaboration!

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My New Location!

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 21:01:31 +0000

As many of you may already know, I moved to a new location this year. As hard as it was to give up a space with an awesome street window and the best roomie ever (My Sorted Affair)! I am super excited about this change. I am still near downtown Bakersfield, now close to the Oleander area off of South H. I just love the charming feel of these old homes, many of which are now converted to offices like mine. I have a room painted in my very favorite color, and my favorite prop, the tandem bike, spends its downtime decorating a wall. In addition to all this charm and vintage appeal, this change also brought some “techy” upgrades that take consults to a whole new level. The new setting provides the perfect mix of sentimental nostalgia and stylish technical gadgets to compliment how I define my photography to my clients. For those of you who aren’t local, I busted out the wide angle to give you a glimpse of the space. For my clients who are in the Bakersfield area, this is where we will be meeting. I hope you like it as much as I do!

If you are as excited as I am to meet with me in my new space, and would like to set up an appointment, click “contact” in the main menu for details.

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