It's the most wonderful time of the year (for pictures)

Wedding season has started to slow down, but we definitely haven't! As the leaves started to show their fall colors, we became increasingly busy with family shoots, senior pictures, and more. October and November and the beautiful weather they bring are always a favorite for portraits. The changing leaves make a beautiful backdrop, and who doesn't look cute bundled up in hats and sweaters? This time of year is also popular for portrait sessions because these pictures are perfect to use for Christmas cards and gifts for grandparents.

Below is a collage featuring some of our favorite pictures from the fall season.


Top Left: Claire Sullivan's senior pictures
Top Right: June Hartley 6 month pictures
Bottom Left: Randi and Nick's engagement shoot
Bottom Right: Ilse family portraits

Leigh and Mike

We love destination weddings because they give us the opportunity to shoot at some great new places. As a thank you to the bride and groom for taking us with them, they purchase only what they have photographed on the day of the wedding and then we shoot any extra events such as rehearsal dinners, brunches, etc. at no charge. For Leigh and Mike's wedding, this gave us a wonderful weekend in beautiful Asheville, North Carolina and lots of extra time to get to know them and their families better. Leigh and Mike's wedding was special because it took place at Leigh's godparents' bed and breakfast, The Hawk and Ivy. Leigh is also a photographer and asked us to get creative with their wedding photos and really think outside the box. We hope these pictures are everything she imagined.

Shelley & Corey

At the end of August, I got the opportunity to photograph the wedding of two friends, Shelley and Corey, at Peachtree Presbyterian Church. Though the church is strict on not allowing photographers in the ceremony, unless we're up in the balcony, I was able to grab a few shots through the millimeter wide crack in the doors with an amazing new lens I just purchased. Thanks to Josh for catching some other great shots from up top!

After the wedding, the two partied at one of my favorite Atlanta venues, Ventanas, which is Spanish for "windows" and when you see the photos you'll understand why. This couple has some of the most fun friends we've ever met and we truly wish we could do this wedding over again and simply go as guests because, thanks to Travis of Fonix Entertainment, he had them dancing late into the night. Thanks to Corey and Shelley for letting me convince you to leave the party for a few skyline shots at night on top of the helipad. They turned out to be some of my favorites!

Heiko & Heather

What do you get when you add a gorgeous cathedral, a bride and groom who love to dance and an amazing skyline venue with a sunset helipad shoot? The wedding of Heather and Heiko Ramirez! Here are a few of my favorites from their day.

The Real Value of Photography

As a little girl, you aspired to be a princess, dressing up in puffy pink dresses and ordering your dog around the kitchen with a flourish of your wooden spoon. Your plan to rise to royalty was flawless, practically fail-proof even. You would pick the most handsome man in the land and marry him.
Your wedding day- a day that has been fantasized about ever since the moment you first saw that white dress, the sparkling flowers, the voluptuous curls in her hair, the veil- a crown for a princess. You’ve envisioned the day that it would finally be your turn, the day you would find your prince charming to sweep you off your feet into a fairy tale ending. Now the day has arrived and this flawless vision has morphed into the actual reality of planning one of the most monumental days of your life. Everything must be absolutely perfect. The to-do list is endless and budgeting all the necessities is stressful beyond reasoning. You start thinking that maybe you could save money on the photographer by having your mom step in… You picture your delightfully stubborn mother documenting this event of paramount importance, “Doodlebug, smile now! You don’t want these pictures turning out like your Uncle Larry’s fiftieth anniversary party now do you? Oh my goodness! Silly me, the lens cap is still on! Let’s redo those shots of you getting into that anaconda of a dress.” Epic disaster. You’re starting to rethink that brilliant idea. Sure, mom’s scrapbooks were nice, but this is your wedding day! It deserves so much more than a Creative Memories scrapbook done by someone that takes on your important day as a hobby on the side.
When you’re outlining your budget, it’s commonly advised to make a list of the wedding components in order of importance. There’s the dress, the hair, the makeup, the food, the flowers, etc. While these are all vital factors, they are temporary investments. Are you really planning on wearing that dress again? (At least you’re hoping not to!) The hair and makeup are washed away in a matter of hours, the food demolished by ravished guests who couldn’t care less what it tastes like after a few drinks, and the flowers that have wilted by the time you depart for your honeymoon. The one element that has any degree of permanence is the photographs. By the time you have children or even retire, your glory days of being twenty-five and flawless remain eternal. This is the number one reason that the photographer should be at the top of your budgeting list.
A professional photographer has a unique vision. They have gone into this business for a reason, most likely because they have an eye for composition, lighting, coloring, and all the other component of what makes a “quality picture”. If you are worried that they will not be invested in you and your personal vision, think again! Their job is to tune into what you are looking for in their pictures and bring out the best qualities and the beauty of the day. All they need from you is a little bit of trust in their abilities. Then you can take a deep breath, relax, and enjoy the day that you have worked tirelessly to pull together while they capture every flashing smile, fleeting giggle, and glistening tear in your eye. The end result is a much more tranquil bride who can focus on the moment and savor the experience. Not to mention you will be left with thousands of shots to browse through so that you can pick and choose your favorite moments and build a lasting memory of your lifelong dream. Once you pick your favorites, the photographer is able to design the layouts for a professional looking album that trumps an amateur scrapbook any day. The lasting satisfaction of the memories is a priceless gift that, in essence, within reason surmounts the price tag.

Kenny & Laura: A Beachin' Engagement Shoot

Last week, I got to experience one of my FAVORITE parts of my job. I traveled to Hilton Head Island with Laura Cabana and her fiance' Kenny to do their engagement photos. This shoot gives you a little taste of everything: fun, colorful shots in Harbor Town Marina, followed by a romantic trip down to the beach. Enjoy!

Bob and Robyn

We had the opportunity to photograph Bob and Robyn's wedding on May 28th. Their story is unique in that they both attended the same high school, and were dates to the junior prom. After graduating high school, they went their own ways for 20 years, then reunited and fell in love. Their beautiful Memorial Day weekend wedding and reception were both held at Polo Golf and Country Club.

Two for One Deal: Newborn Twins, Ansley & Emma

We had the privilege on Tuesday of photographing newborn twins, Emma and Ansley. They were 5 days old the day of our shoot, and these are some of our favorite shots!

Drew and Beth

Shooting the wedding of an old friend is like no other. Drew, the groom, and I both attended the same high school and have been friends for about 15 years. About a year and a half ago I got the opportunity to meet Beth, his beautiful fiance', when they were back in town doing some research on wedding venues. I have never seen a couple who looks at each other so adoringly, their relationship is one that has braved Drew's deployments as a Captain in the Marine Corp, and their love for each other is stronger than many, in my opinion, because of it.

Beth and Drew got married at St. Peter's Catholic Church in Beaufort, SC, followed by a reception at the nearby Dataw Island Club. From Beth's gorgeous dress, a wedding party clad in uniform and spanish moss covering EVERYTHING, the whole weekend was a photographer's dream. Hope you enjoy some of our favorite pictures. Thanks to Miss Frannie Fabian for being and AMAZING second shooter, travel buddy and exterminator ;)

Meredith & Cody

Meredith and Cody are one of those great couples who are always laughing with each other. They're silly, sweet and crazy in love. We met at a wedding show last year and we really got to know each other when they won a complimentary engagement shoot that I was giving away that day. We did an awesome shoot up in Dahlonega on the campus of North Georgia College & State University and they booked their wedding with us shortly thereafter. Through designing fun photo guestbooks, their Save the Dates and shooting a really gorgeous bridal shoot at Montaluce with Meredith and her mom, they've become one of my favorite couples. Hope you enjoy the slideshow of some of my favorite photos from their wedding.

Back By Popular Demand: Camera 101!!

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Wedding Wire Press Release

Wahoo! We're very excited to be named a winner in the 2011 Wedding Wire Bride's Choice Awards, recognizing the top 5% of wedding vendors based on excellence in quality and service. This award is based on reviews and surveys of over 750,000 newlyweds in the Wedding Wire Community so many thanks to everyone who reviewed PhotoSynthesis! Here's the press release:

Wedding Wire Press Release
Atlanta, Georgia – January 25, 2011 - WeddingWire, the nation’s leading wedding technology company, is thrilled to announce PhotoSynthesis Studio has been selected to receive the prestigious annual WeddingWire Bride’s Choice Awards™ 2011 for Wedding Photography.

Recognition for the Bride’s Choice Awards™ 2011 is determined by recent reviews and extensive surveys from over 750,000 WeddingWire newlyweds. Our past clients are among those that shared their experiences on WeddingWire, the largest wedding review site in the nation.

PhotoSynthesis Studio stands among the top five percent of wedding professionals in the WeddingWire community, representing quality and service excellence within the wedding industry. Awards were given to the top wedding professionals across 20 service categories, from wedding venues to wedding photographers, and were based on the overall professional achievements throughout the past year.

“WeddingWire is honored to celebrate the success of the top-rated wedding professionals within the WeddingWire community,” said Timothy Chi, WeddingWire’s Chief Executive Officer. “With the annual Bride’s Choice Awards™ program, WeddingWire has the unique opportunity to recognize the best wedding professionals across the US and Canada. We applaud PhotoSynthesis Studio for their professionalism and dedication to enhancing the wedding planning experience last year.”

We are happy to announce that PhotoSynthesis Studio is among the very best photographers within the WeddingWire Network, which includes leading wedding planning sites WeddingWire, Martha Stewart Weddings, Project Wedding and Weddingbee. We would like to thank our past clients for nominating us to receive the Bride’s Choice Awards™ 2011.

For more information, please visit our WeddingWire Storefront today at {http://www.weddingwire.com/biz/photosynthesis-studio-alpharetta/61d1d66b15357878.html}.

For more information on the Bride’s Choice Awards™ 2011, please visit www.WeddingWire.com.



About WeddingWire, Inc.
WeddingWire.com, the nation's leading technology company serving the $70 billion wedding industry, is the only online wedding planning resource designed to empower both engaged couples and wedding professionals. For engaged couples, WeddingWire offers the ability to search, compare and book over 200,000 local wedding vendors, from wedding venues to wedding photographers to wedding cakes. WeddingWire also offers an online community and a suite of cutting-edge planning tools for weddings, including wedding websites and wedding checklists, all at no charge. For wedding professionals, WeddingWire provides free online management tools creating the only market opportunity that gives local businesses control over their clients, reviews, leads and performance. Businesses that join the WeddingWire Network appear on WeddingWire.com and other leading sites, including MarthaStewartWeddings.com (NYSE: MSO), ProjectWedding.com and Weddingbee.com (both part of eHarmony), and Celebrations.com (part of the 1-800-Flowers family of brands, NASDAQ: FLWS).

My Favorite Nephew (and his mama)

Since my twin sister, Ryan, got a puppy about a year ago, she's been asking me to do portraits of the two of them. We finally found some time and a great location last weekend and these are some of my favorites. Here are Ryan and Beckett!

Cowboy Boots & Downhome Roots

Featured Shoot from October



Bride Haley woke up in the middle of the night to fiancé Ben telling her to look out the window. She did, and spelled out in tea-lights were the words “Will u marry me?” Shocked, she turned around and Ben was down on one knee with a ring in his hand.

Thanks to Ben’s amazing proposal, Haley and Ben won a complete wedding package from DuCoffe Wedding Concierge featuring several local wedding professionals! Her winning package included a gown from Wedding Angels, a bridal bouquet from Blossoms Atlanta, a Bridesmaids Luncheon from PartyChic and KellyKakes, bridal hair styling from Plum Tree Salon, authentic English Shortbread wedding favors from Angel Lane Bakery, month-of-the-wedding coordination from Ducoffe Wedding Concierge, and an Engagement Photo Session and one 16x20 wall portrait from us here at PhotoSynthesis!


Haley wanted farm chic feel to her shoot. We researched beautiful barns in the area, and soon found the perfect location up in Milton, Georgia! When we got to the shoot late in the evening, the sun was still so bright that we ended up exploring the property and finding perfect dirt trails, fences, and pasture space to work with.

In true Southern fashion, Haley showed up in red-hot cowboy boots, and was ready for some fun. Haley and fiancé Ben were open to everything we threw at them, including straddling a fence, and laying in the grass!
Special thanks to Cindy Mincey and family for graciously opening their wonderful Milton farm to us for this fantastic Down Home shoot.

PhotoSynthesis Wedding featured by Atlanta Occasions Magazine

It's always wonderful when our work and the hard work of our clients is featured in the press. Check out Andrea and Clay Lewis' Christ the King/W Hotel wedding on Atlanta Occasions Magazine site at http://www.atlantaoccasions.com/gallery/weddings-gallery/w-atlanta-midtown-wedding-by-photosynthesis-studio-darryl-wiseman-flowers-2727.

Stunning wedding Clay and Andrea, what a beautiful way to start your lives together!
Devon

Notable Weddings Venue Tour: Grace 1720

As some of you know, I'm a preferred vendor with Notable Weddings and Events, a wedding concierge service in Alpharetta. Each month we do a free venue tour for brides to a different "wedding related" location, such as a reception venue or a great restaurant to host your rehearsal dinner. These tours are free to brides and always a fun evening.

This month's event:

Venue Location: Grace 17.20, The Forum Norcross
Date: October 21st
Time: 6:00 pm

Please join us at Notable Weddings to taste cake, hear live music, and browse beautiful bridal gowns. Mingle with some of Atlanta's best wedding professionals and view their creations. Shortly after arriving you will have a chance to win prizes before being whisked away by limousine to Grace 1720. There, you will get a chance to drink in the elegance of this gorgeous venue while sipping a cocktail and sampling tasty appetizers. Please reserve your spot now by calling (770) 740- 1341 or registering on the contact page at www.NotableWeddings.com

Senior Portraits in the Park...sorta.

Alex is a senior at Marist High School. We decided to do her senior portraits at Piedmont Park, simply because of the huge number of great photos spots. Little did we know that there were THREE weddings going on at Park Tavern on the day of her shoot and as we tried to pull in the lot to park, the attendant promptly informed us that we'd have to turn around and fend for ourselves and to find parking on the street. Not an easy task on a beautiful Saturday afternoon! But, it turns out that it's the best thing that could have happened. We found parking on a little side street about 2 blocks away that just happened to be full of even better places for photos. So, our "park" shoot turned more into a "neighborhoods around the park" shoot. Thanks to Cantoni furniture for their awesome red wall, the City of Atlanta for not painting over the graffiti or mowing the grass for months, and to the couples who got married and filled our usual parking lot with all their guests' cars...your contributions came together for some great pics for Alex's senior portraits. Special thanks also to our intern, Faith, who contributed some great photos to our day!

Megan & John

I had the privilege last week to do engagement photos for two great people, John and Megan. I've been friends with this couple for about 2 years. You know how you have those friends that make everything into a theme party, complete with costumes, and you love them for it? Well, that's them! Always fun, and so very much in love!