Kimpton Hotel and Spa Vero Beach Intimate Glamourous Wedding

Recently I had the pleasure of second shooting an amazing intimate wedding at the Kimpton Vero Beach Hotel & Spa alongside William West Studio. I always love supporting another photographer in providing awesome photos and service to their clients, and I love the challenge of capturing images as a secondary photographer instead of lead. The trying out new angles, the sharing of the story the lead photographer is telling; its all so much fun for me and truly helps me be a better photographer when its my turn to lead.

These two were so kind and sweet, and seeing their family all come together to unify them in marriage was incredible. The venue and gorgeous florals and greenery were only matched, but the glow of this gorgeous couple!

Secondary Photographer : Wild and Wonder Photography

Location : Kimpton Vero Beach Hotel & Spa

Florals by Larastheme/LaraAndrews

Catering/Drink Service by Cobalt Restaurant

Lead Photographer : William west studio

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Ever After Farms Ranch, Port St. Lucie Florida

When I met Cheyenne and James, I knew immediately we were going to hit it off. Their warm smiles and kind hearts showed through within minutes, and we had an amazing time at their engagement session. But today, I’m not sharing their engagement photos (but I should…and I will…soon!). Today I’m sharing their absolutely perfect and beautiful wedding!

This was my first time I had the pleasure of working with one of the Ever After Farms locations. Their Ranch location has an amazing rustic ranch feel, while still being extremely romantic and sweet. From the Spanish moss covering the tree behind the ceremony space, to the HUGE chandeliers of deer antlers, to the beautiful tall ceilings and wood moulding; this place is perfection if you are wanting a rustic charm feel in Central Florida! The staff only makes this place even better, with their knowledge and ability to handle anything that comes their way.

So please enjoy this gorgeous couple, their gorgeous family, and this gorgeous location!

Boca Raton Wedding

Often, as I’m still newer to Florida, I will help another photographer out by second shooting a wedding with them. As second photographer, my main goal is to support the lead photographer, to capture candids as often as possible, and to get as much detail as I can throughout the day.

This day definitely did NOT disappoint for gorgeous details and location! THE Boca Raton is a Tropical Paradise straight from the movies. The amazing mid-century tropical feel of the decor is set among Mediterranean pillars and flooring, creating a luxurious location for any wedding day.

Led by lead photographer Shane Baker of Phoenix Arizona, organized beautifully by Your Special Day by Joni, and teaming with the amazing team at Magnolia and The Imagine Films; the stage was set for fun with this incredible couple and their loving families!

Boca Raton will always be a place I adore photographing weddings. Its got the tropical feel you hope for in a South Florida Wedding, but also the glamour of South Florida in the amazing architecture and celebration of the ocean. If you are planning a Boca Raton Wedding; I would be more than honored to capture it!

Key West

In March, I was invited to the Florida Keys to be the only person attending this beautiful beach wedding, outside of the Bride and Groom and Officiant! Callie and Tyler came down from the North East to celebrate their life together, and make it official; on the beaches of Key West. We found the cutest little park, and set our sights on capturing their vows and love at the beach!

Disney Vero Beach Mini Wedding

If you know me, you know that besides my family, I love 3 things. New Kids on the Block, Photography, and of course - DISNEY!

When Jennifer posted in a Disney group, that she was looking for a photographer for her elopement with her love of her life Bryan, at Disney’s Vero Beach…. I immediately had to reach out. I knew that we could create beautiful images of their special moment, and something just told me we would get along swimmingly!

The morning of their vows (which literally only had me and the officiant as guests), rain was pouring down! The resort staff was so incredible with them, making sure they had a beautiful dry space to say their vows, and making sure every little thing was taken care of.

After the ceremony, still raining, the incredible women in the gift shop made sure we had a cute set up for some fun, and shortly after the rain stopped enough for us to get a few quick images outdoors. Due to this, I returned a few days later to get some beach images; because lets face it, if you fly to Florida for your elopement, you are obviously doing it to get those beach images!

So thankful for this incredible couple, and for the amazing staff and location of the Disney Vero Beach Resort!

The Best Light of the Day

So I’m going to be honest. I wrote this blog almost a week ago, and it was GOOD. Like really good. Then I never saved it (though it was still there, it wasn’t saved) so when my computer restarted…well lets say I was not happy this morning when I went to post my super great blog I thoughtfully wrote!

So…here we go. I’m going to attempt to put my words to paper, erm, internet; again!

Learning to Play with Light in Florida

Last fall, we moved from South Dakota, to the central eastern coast of Florida. This area is quite aptly called, The Treasure Coast; and it IS a treasure. Filled with a beautiful inlet/waterway/river right on the coast of the land, and a barrier island called Hutchinson Island, with oceanic beaches and beautiful dunes of beach grass and foliage.

Previously in the midwest, my favorite time of day to photograph families and seniors was hands down sunset. Sunset in the midwest means I got to shoot into the sun, so the warm light wrapped around my clients. This gave a soft look, due to the sun lowering at the horizon, creating a natural soft box; and a look of warmth that fit my style of photojournalistic style photography.

This magical time of the day is called the “Golden Hour” and most professional photographers prefer it over any other time of day. As I described above the Golden Hour allows for some bright yet soft light, and wraps your clients in warm “golden” light. Its PERFECT!

To achieve this look, place my clients with the sun behind them. This might sound counter intuitive to most people, because of course if you are having trouble with something being too dark, the first thing you do is point the light AT them, not behind them.

This is where my challenge began once we moved, and a lot of people started requesting beach photos. You see, because we are on the east coast of Florida, obviously the sun sets in the west; meaning for me to take Golden Hour photos of my clients on the beach, the sun would be in a direction I was not accustomed to.

This gave me some new challenges, but I’m very much someone who believes a challenge is really just an opportunity to try something new! I’ve had so much fun playing with the light of the beach, the evening light as front light, side light, and sometimes even back light using the dunes of the beach. Below is my most recent family beach shoot, I would love for you to check it out!

Meet the Jakubowski's!

I am WAY behind on blogging and wanted to do some catch ups on some favorite sessions as of late! This wedding was completed back in early fall 2022 and to this day remains one of my favorite events!

This gorgeous Barn wedding was full of warm and neutral tones, soft and delicate florals, and a group of family and friends that surrounded the couple in so much love and light. Please enjoy, and give Duncan and Atlanta a big CONGRATULATIONS!

So what IS Branding Photography?

Often there is a huge misconception about what it means to get Branding Photos or Videos done for your business or endeavor. Many photographers advertise branding, but in reality they are offering an extended (or sometimes just plain regular) headshot appointment.

Do NOT misunderstad me. I adore a great headshot. They are an amazing way to showcase your smile, your confidence, and help clients put a face to a name. Branding though, goes far beyond a headshot.

Do you ever go to put a post up on social media, or add something to your website, and you begin the process of digging and digging through images you’ve saved from online, or generic images you’ve taken yourself with your cell phone? Do you find yourself using images that represent what you do, but they aren’t images of actually WHAT you do? Then personal branding is for YOU.

So…Who would benefit from a Personal Branding Session? Easy answer : Everyone! Your brand can be what you offer, a product you offer, or even YOU. Lets talk through a few scanarios

Realtors

For your branding, we can approach from a variety of ways. We can show the ways you help your clients, like searching online for the perfect home, walking through a home, or even images of a closing with your VERY happy clients! Photo and video can be a really fun combination for your chosen career, because we can utilize every situation for both stagnant posts and video posts for social media, and even a Hilight video of who you are and what you do for your website and more!

Personal Services

As someone in the healthcare, mental health, massage therapy, or other personal services; you work one on one with your clients in a very personal way. Because of this, it’s so important to showcase that you are personable, kind, thoughtful, and someone they feel comfortable and confident working with. Helping you to showcase your heart, through your business and images showcasing your "why” is so important to me.

Branding photo and video can also be used to hi-light your products you make or sell, in a very unique way. Often, as the person who makes or sells the item, you see the utility of it, the benefits of it, and even the reasons people should purchase it. Unfortunately, not everyone has an eye for design, and sometimes self taken photos do not showcase your product in the way you think it does, to your customers (this is especially important in the food and beverage world!). By hiring a professional who understands product photography, your images will not only be useful, beneficial, and needed by your clients; they will present well on social media, your website, and other printed materials needed to market your brand.

I hope that this helped answer some questions regarding what exactly Personal Branding Photography and Videography IS. If you have any questions, as always, feel free to send me a message! allana@wildandwonderphotography.com

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So you want to sell a house?

So you got a new listing for your Real Estate business. The clients are telling you how important it is for you to sell it for the highest amount, and as quickly as possible; they have plans for their new home after all!

Homes with professional photos, sell up to 32% faster according to a variety of Real Estate professionals. Homes properly staged for photos, will create a better customer experience for your clients; upping your “expert” status in their eyes.

Below - we will go over some common things you can coach your clients on, to help them properly prepare for their Real Estate Photography session.

To begin, lets talk about the C word. Clutter!

Often clients believe their home is fairly clutter free. They think of clutter as loose dishes on the counters, paperwork on the table, laundry laying out, or items that don’t belong (in their opinion) in a space. Nobody wants to believe their family heirlooms, decor items they love, or even family portraits, could possibly be clutter!

Helping clients understand what does and does not need to stay out in view of the photographer or potential buyers, can be half the battle. Below, we will discuss a list to help clients de-clutter space, room by room, surface by surface. Helping the clients do this type of leg work not only cuts down on the time you need to pay a photographer, but increases the chances of their photos turning out incredible, enticing those buyers who LOVE to look online at homes into visiting your space for sale.

One of the easiest things I can recommend, is to follow the rules of “if it has a purpose, it can stay” and “if its not ‘like new’ it should be removed”. I will Hilight both of these space - by - space.

THE BATHROOM

Decluttering the bathroom, is one of the easiest spaces to create a clean, organized space to showcase in the home. Often, when I arrive to a listing, there are items that are easily removed, that are either unnecessary, or “ugly” up the space.

• Counter Tops - decluttering counter tops is an easy way to showcase the space well. Remove any and all items (yes, even that cute fake plant decor piece), including hand soap, unless it is in a clean non-plastic container.

• Toilet area - remove any toilet brushes, plungers, and/or decor from the top of the toilet. Clean the toilet and shut the lid. Toilet paper should be a fresh roll in each bathroom. Also remove any stickers (like the one above) as they distract and lower the value of the space.

• Towels should all match. If possible they should match floor mats, though clean and empty floors do look better.

BEDROOMS

Bedrooms can seem daunting for clients to de-clutter and organize. I myself, in the listings of my own personal homes, have often needed to do a re-do with my Realtor, after thinking I was prepared and ready for photos (it happens to the best of us!). When preparing a bedroom, here are some ideas to discuss with your clients

• Bedding should all match. The sheets should match the pillow cases, and the over all color scheme on the bed should match or compliment itself.

• Hide laundry hampers and shoe racks.

• If you have a walk in closet, be sure to organize it and keep the floor clear.

• Put cords away. This includes items like phone charging mats, and alarm clocks.

• Keep the floor clear. The less on the floor, the larger the room will look!

KITCHEN

The kitchen is the epicenter of the home, its where we meet to eat, to converse, to do homework, to celebrate. It can also be the scariest place for clients to declutter. Decluttering the kitchen doesn’t have to be scary though, with these recommendations -

• The Pantry - no fancy containers are needed. Make sure items are organized, straightened, and no open containers are apparent.

• The Counters - Remove even useful items. Toasters and toaster ovens, coffee makers (unless there is a separate coffee “area”, dish soap and cute “chochkies” need to be removed, the more empty the counter the larger the space will look.

• Dining Areas - make sure chairs match, are cleaned, and remove any baby chairs or items. A clean surface with a center point (fresh flowers or a decor item) will help future home owners envision themselves in the space. Its better to remove counter stools that don’t match, are mis-sized, or do not match the over all look of the property, than to have them.

• Floors - remove rugs that are stained, tattered, or worn. Clean corners with a wet towel to remove any build up.

• The Fridge - remove any paperwork, kids art, and remove magnets. Clean the surface well.

OTHER AREAS/IDEAS

- NO FLEECE BLANKETS - not on beds, not on the sofa, nowhere! Fleece photographs in a harsh and cheap way, its better to have no throw than to have a fleece one (in my opinion!)

- Family Portraits - Even when they are part of the decor, family photos need to be removed. Potential buyers will “see themselves” in the space easier, when they aren’t seeing it as “your” home.

- Memorabilia - I’m going to get hate not this, I just know it, but you need to remove your large displays of sports, products, and band memorabilia from the home. It sounds crazy, but future buyers can actually be turned off by seeing a rival sports teams merchandise in the home. Also, the potential buyer may not even be into sports, and will feel like the space is not somewhere they would like to be.

- Lastly, remove all dog beds, cat trees, and as much children’s toys and items from the home at least for photos and for showings. I know this can be difficult, especially with high chairs, pack and plays, etc; but keeping the space as a family area without the “family” items helps the rooms seem larger, the space seem cleaner, and will help potential buyers “see” themselves in the home.

Soon, I will post more Listing Photo Preparation ideas for you and your clients. We haven’t even touched the outdoor areas, and others areas of the home outside of the kitchen, bathroom, and bedrooms!

If you are a Realtor looking to offer a higher level of service to your clients, or ready to list your home or advertise it on a Home Share Website - look no further. I would be honored to capture images that help get Buyers and Renters in the door! -Allana