Info and Advice Archives - Luxe Light Images

Unique Groomsmen Gifts – Luxe Light Favorites

December 20, 2017 ·

I know so many of my couples are often on the hunt for fun, unique gifts for their bridal parties (especially the guys) so I had to share a company that I’ve come to love! Groovy Guy Gifts makes some of the cutest stuff and personalizes it too! I’ve noticed their gifts at weddings and recently they sent me a gadget that is super cool so I decided I had to tell you about them so you could see what little gems they might have for you!

This first photo is from a recent wedding where the bride gifted her sweet dad a personalized pocket knife. He loved it!

This is a photo of the Groovy Gadget that the company sent to me. My husband and I both loved this little tool and the fact that it says Luxe Light, well, you know I loved that!! All the details on this tool are below. I think this could make a great Groomsman gift, especially with their names on each one!!

Here is what Groovy Guy Gifts had to say about the Groovy Gadget!

The Groovy Gadget is a versatile, multi-purpose tool. Pop a cap, uncork a bottle, slice whatever it is that might need slicing, and then flex proudly knowing all that action is happening with one item. This custom multi tool has a bottle opener, corkscrew and small knife. Laser engrave this bad boy with any assortment of names or nicknames that you’d like for a super cool gift. It can be personalized with up to 10 letters.

Specs:

Knife (2″ long, 1-5/8″ blade)
Corkscrew (2-1/2″ long)
Bottle Opener on End of Tool (1×1-1/2″)
Fold Out Bottle Opener (2″ long)
Stainless Steel Tools
Entire Tool is 3/8″ Thick
Complementary White Gift Box

Tips for Newborn Photography Sessions

October 1, 2016 ·

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I love sessions with fresh, tiny, little people. The more newborn sessions I do though, made me realize that I needed to post helpful information on how to make a new baby’s session the best it can be and the easiest on my clients. So this post is for the moms and dads.

Since little ones are not always predictable these suggestions don’t always result in a perfect session but they are sure to make the session a little more predictable and sometimes a little faster too (dads love faster sessions).

1. Keep baby awake for 2 hours before the session: This is so they sleep for the majority of their session. Sleepy babies are best for posing.

2. Feed baby 20 minutes before the session. You can always feed baby at the studio too. A full baby is usually a happy baby.

3. Dress baby in a zip up or button up outfit, no over the head outfits or onesies please. This makes it so much easier to not disturb your little one when transitioning into props for photos.

4. Don’t stress too much when baby isn’t ready to cooperate right away. This is pretty normal and a calm mom and dad can make the session much more enjoyable for everyone.

5. If you’re bringing siblings make sure they have something to keep them happy while we work with baby only. Typically we’ll take sibling photos first and then the older siblings can relax or one parent can take them to the park across the way. Don’t forget snacks…nobody needs to get “hangry”.

6. Know that a newborn session can be anywhere from 1.5 – 3 hours depending on how the session progresses. Be okay to dedicate that much time on the day of your session without worry.

4. During the session we’ll keep mom away from baby until family portrait time. The reason is if baby smells mom they usually want to eat and that can make it much harder to transition back to posing.

What to bring to your session:

-Extra baby clothes and a baby hat

-Milk or anything you may need to breastfeed

-Diapers and wipes

-Pacifier if it’s soothing to baby

-Blanket for baby

-Solid colored shirt or outfit for family images

I hope this post helps all my clients and clients to be with preparing for a stunning newborn session. I can’t wait to meet all the new Luxe Light Photography babies!!

Engaged in Florida – 6 ways to make your engagement pictures the best ever.

May 9, 2016 ·

The Tampa Bay area has so much to offer engaged couples who are planning a wedding. From trendy downtown St. Pete to eclectic Ybor city, the photo opportunities are pretty endless. So if you’re engaged, congratulations! This should be an awesome time for you. As you’re getting into wedding mode here are some tips to make your engagement session a great experience with images you’ll be sure to love.

1. Choose the right location. It might seem like a good idea to do a dramatic twist in your location choice but often times this can lead you to be pictured in a place that doesn’t fit you on a personal level and engagements should always have a personal feel to them. Choosing a location that fits you as a couple but also has some unique eplements will help create a collection of images that are balanced and true to who you are together. So if you both love the city head downtown with your photographer and then switch it up a bit with shots in an eatery or on a rooftop. Or you could even add a few images in a green section of the city.

2. Outfits and makeup. I’m all about the trends and an awesome makeover BUT I have seen couples step way out of their comfort zone for sessions and end up feeling like the images are not representative of who they are. So some food for thought on this is if your guy is typically a man of comfort it’s not likely he’ll rock a session in skinny jeans and ladies if you hate the super girly trends you should stick to what you love and maybe skip the layers of makeup and super high heels. Images always come out best when you feel good about what you’re wearing and confident in your look.

3. No need to be all matchy-matchy. This trend is dead, as in stick a fork in it, done. Couples now are opting to look flawless in fashion that compliments each other but holds its own style. The best advice is this, keep your outfits in the same season and in the same color family. The exception to the color family rule is black and white because it’s basically universal. Bold patterns can be a lot of fun if you don’t have too many that are competing. (I’ll be blogging more about styling your session in the near future)

4. Keep your photographer in the loop. If you’re trying to style a session asking your photographer for help is a good idea. Photographers typically have an eye for what works and flows and can guide you in the perfect direction for achieving your image goals. Also, this gives your photographer a heads up on what your planning.

5. Bring your best self to the session. Let’s face it, being in front of the camera can be daunting and maybe a tad stressful but it doesn’t have to be. Most times the best images happen when you’re in the moment just being you. Keep an open mind and try to have a little fun. An engagement session is a lot like a first date with your photographer. You’re both figuring out what works and prepping for the day your images will matter the most. (Lots more tips on this topic coming in a future blog post)

6. Lastly, make sure to bring and clean your engagement ring. A simple manicure can go a long way in pictures too. Don’t be afraid of bold colors to give your pictures a little extra pop. The same concept goes for your beau too, shine up his watch and give his hands a little attention too. Even the most masculine hands are best clean with freshly trimmed nails.

I hope this helps you plan a little better and feel a little more “in the know” about your engagement session. If you’d like to see future posts automatically make sure to subscribe to my site/blog, no spam, I promise.

Christina at Luxe Light Photography is a portrait boudoir and wedding photographer based on Florida’s West Coast, serving clients throughout Florida and beyond for weddings and elopements. Now booking weddings for 2016 and 2017. Inquire for more details. luxelightportraits@gmail.com – 727-330-1108

Unplugged & Fabulous

July 28, 2015 ·

Considering an unplugged wedding? This could possibly be one of the best wedding day decisions you make regarding the ceremony. Asking guests to relax and put down their phones, camera’s and tablets can be touchy. But don’t worry, you don’t need to ask your guests to eliminate all their picture taking. The goal of an unplugged wedding is to allow your friends and family to be present and in the moments that are most precious. Essentially, you are inviting them to watch and actually take part as a guest of the ceremony. As with any special request you make of your wedding guests, you need to be sensitive and respectful.

If you’re unsure how to request unplugging in a way that won’t set off your guests, this list could help.

Below, are copy ‘n’ paste ideas for your officiant, wedding pages, programs, and invitations. Courtesy of www.OffBeatBride.com

Keep reading to avoid these types of images from the day you spent a year planning! Afterall, you are probably paying a decent amount for a professional photographer, let them capture the moment with all those people you love actually watching you, not their tiny little screens that are going to give you blurry and unflattering images.

Here comes the ??? You can’t even see the bride…

PC: http://www.cordelephotography.com/

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All those smiling faces, Err I mean shining phones…

Tablets and phones, a butt shot and oh there’s the beautiful bride. Insert sad face…

Ahhhh…Perfection. A beautiful image of all your guests looking up with their happy faces.

Before the wedding…

Talk to your photographer

Remember: wedding guests take photos because they want to be able to re-live and share the experience of the day. If you’re considering an unplugged wedding, you must commit to sharing photos with guests and make plans for how you’re going to do so. Work with your wedding photographer to ensure you can make a small set of photos (even just five shots!) available digitally to guests within a couple days of the wedding. You can share them via email, your wedding website, or facebook — the method doesn’t matter. Just make sure you’ve got it figured out with your photographer before your unplugged wedding.

Wording for websites & programs

If you’re sharing wedding information online with guests via a wedding website, you can warn give them some perspectives before the wedding about why you’re asking them to leave their devices off:

Unplugged wedding
We want you to be able to really enjoy our wedding day, feeling truly present and in the moment with us. We’ve hired an amazing wedding photographer named _________ who will be capturing the way the wedding looks — and we’re inviting each of you to sit back, relax, and just enjoy how the wedding feels. We’re respectfully asking that everyone consider leaving all cameras and cell phones off. Of course we will happy to share our wedding photos with you afterward!

You could include a short note in your programs:

We want you to be able to relax and have fun with us today! This in mind, we invite you to put down all your favorite devices and just be present in the moment with us. Please leave your camera in your bag (we’ve got photography covered!), and put your cell phone on mute (we promise they’ll call back!).

We’re happy to share our professional wedding photos later, but the greatest gift you can give us today is just being fully here with us in this sacred and special moment.

Offbeat Bride Tribe member Aron is including this text in her program:

The bride and groom have asked that you share in their wedding fully and not through the lens of a camera or cell phone.

Offbeat Bride Tribe member Audra included this text her her program:

At the wedding…

Enforcing unplugging:

Appoint a member of your wedding party to help encourage other guests to put down their devices at the wedding. It doesn’t have to be high-drama: all they have to do is sidle up to their fellow guest and say quietly, “The bride and groom have asked me to respectfully suggest guests to put down their electronics and just enjoy the day. Can I ask you to put your camera/phone away?” Whatever you do, don’t rely on your photographer to be the heavy; it’s not their job to make your guests behave. Plus, when the request to put away the camera or phone comes from a fellow guest, it’s less likely to be seen as a grumpy encounter.

Wording ideas for officiants:

The easiest way to remind your guests to power down their devices is to have your officiant make a brief announcement before the ceremony. A few ideas, ranging from the sacred to the silly:

Spiritual:

The couple respectfully requests that all guests honor the sanctity of this moment by turning off cell phones and cameras.

Emotional:

I invite you to be truly present at this special time. Please, turn off your cell phones and put down your cameras. The photographer will capture how this moment looks — I encourage you all to capture how it feels with your hearts, without the distraction of technology.

Ridiculous:

Ladies and gentlemen, prior to wedding take-off, all seat backs and tray tables must be in their upright and locked positions, all bags properly stowed, and all portable electronic devices turned off and stowed. This includes cell phones and cameras.

Thanks to Offbeat Bride Tribe member Rockwell for this one:

As Shakespeare once said, please turn off your cell phones.

Offbeat Bride Tribe member Cat named mouse shared this anecdote:

At my best friend’s wedding, the rabbi asked the bride to turn around and face the audience after her parents walked her to the alter. At this time he said, “Everyone, get the photo you really want now, because we ask that your cameras remain off for the remainder of the ceremony.”

Jessie Blum of Eclectic Unions uses this template:

Good afternoon! It is my pleasure to welcome you to the wedding of Name and Name. Please take a moment to silence any cell phones or other noisy electronics. If you would also take a moment to put your cameras away, Jody and Steven have requested that no photos be taken during the ceremony today — thank you so much for your understanding. The ceremony will begin shortly.

Printable signs for the ceremony venue are available on Etsy! Amazing styles and themes.

Welcome to Luxe Light

May 11, 2015 ·

It’s the dawn of a new day and a new dream and for me that was the creation Luxe Light Weddings and Portraits. For years, I have been photographing and documenting the lives and moments of wonderful people (like you) who while creating their memories allowed me the privilage of freezing them in time. I’ve seen my work on walls, postcards, facebook pages and albums and each and every time it makes me smile.

I’ve stepped into the most sacred moments in peoples lives and been right in the middle of their laughs and tears of joy. I’ve met babies just days into their precious little lives and shared moments with brides and families that will stay with me a lifetime. Without much fuss I have been intertwined into your memories by helping to play a role in creating something from them that you’ll have with you forever, a picture. A moment in time that is yours to preserve, treasure and pass down.

The days I’m there behind my camera are some of the best days I’ve had and for that I am ever so grateful that you all offer me the chance to be in your world and trust me with what I hope will be pictures that you’ll savor and smile at for years or decades to come.

Why Luxe Light? All photographers have their “thing” the thing that makes them say “wow, I want to shoot there or photograph that”. We each have a style and a favorite type of image. For me, I love natural light with a warm glowy feel and I’m my happiest when my pictures reflect that warmth with a bright, crisp image. I’ll take a soft warm glow filtered by clouds over a flash any day. Luxe is perfection or luxury and with the combo you get the idea, Luxe Light = Perfect Light. I crave pictures in the Luxe Light and I hope you will too!

The future is exciting and I’m looking forward to seeing each and every smiling face. I hope you’ll come back often and if you’re so inclined please stop by Facebook for a quick peek and hopefully a “Like”.

www.facebook.com/luxelightphotography

Lots of Love,