Caitlin and Chad’s 6th Anniversary

Tut tut, looks like rain. So what DO you do if it looks like there will be rain on your photo session or wedding day?

I want to tell you more about that (you can scroll to the end to read that now) but first let me tell you about these two:

Caitlin is my sister :). Every year on her anniversary it is her goal to get back into her wedding dress, if she can, and take pictures! She has been pregnant or just had a baby the past 2 years and so this year was an exciting year because she got to continue her tradition!

We even convinced Chad her husband to join in for the pictures. What do you think? Do you think we could get him to wear his wedding clothes next year too?

I think he will want to once he sees these :).

I’m really proud that I didn’t give up and just try to get some OK images with the wind and rain. Instead I really pushed myself to use this as an opportunity to do my best no matter the situation. Also, you’ll see I couldn’t help but get my new 100mm Macro out for some shots of her beautiful fresh water pearls and other jewelry.

Plus Chad gives the best, most sincere compliments so if I can impress him then my Words of Affirmation heart is happy for weeks to come.

Remember to look below for my tips if you think it might look rainy at your up coming session.

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Tips for a rainy Wedding Day or Engagement session:

A very wise photographer, Jordan Demos once told me-

“Don’t fight the battle twice”. This advice seems so simply but it is the biggest help. If it looks like rain is in the forecast don’t obsess over it and making tons of new plans and things.

I’m a planner. I have to have my schedule, but there are just some things you can’t control and it’s better to just wait until you need to address them rather than freaking out for a week before and then realizing it was nothing.

Here are FOUR of my own tips on how to address a rainy shoot and I’ll even explain after why a rainy, dull day doesn’t have to be a bad thing!

1. Shoes; make sure you have an extra pair of shoes to walk from location to location if the shoes you want to be photographed in are not mud friendly.
2. Hair; The one thing I would try to avoid is a hairstyle involving small strands of hair that are hanging loose on their own in a curl. If those go straight (for me they do even without the humidity) they can turn a high-end look into a ‘just walked 6 miles to check on my sick sister at Pemberley, and although I look great, I’m not exactly ready for a ball’. (Pride and Prejudice anyone?) P.S. Bringing extra hair products and makeup never hurts.
3. Umbrellas; You can bring an umbrella to block the wind or get in and out of your car but this is a time you can really trust and count on your photographer. I bring matching clear umbrellas to any session that is remotely close to the rainy season even if it’s not in the forecast. I bring one for every adult at a session or if it is a wedding I will have enough for your entire bridal party on hand. I will be on the look out for locations and things that will save your hair and makeup, promise <3.
4. Bump up your session- when worst comes to worst. Although this rarely happens in Arizona I do shoot in other places where rain is inevitable and it lasts more than 10 minutes (wouldn’t that be nice). Bumping up your session an hour can make a world of difference. But remember don’t fight the battle twice! We can cross this bridge when we get there.

Lastly, I want to talk about some of the amazing opportunities you have with rainy sessions. There are two big ones. First, you get some different variety. Like during a sunrise session everything is ‘backwards’ in a sense as far as lighting for photos, so this can be especially exciting if you are at a popular venue or photo location. The reason it is exciting is because since most photographers shoot near or at golden hour images will show the west in the background. During a rainy/cloudy shoot your backdrop will be to the east giving a whole different look to your images! If you look at the images above of Caitlin in front of the beautiful maple tree. I have never been able to photograph in that location with that tree in the background until today because even if my subject is facing east on the other side of the tree its in a grove that is too shadowy for my style and creates dark circles under peoples eyes and excentuates fine lines-which I try to avoid. So this was literally the only way I could get these shots in this location!

The second opportunity is the chance to use props (the umbrellas), this can add a whimsical and fun twist to a more conservative shoot without worrying about props looking cheesy or going out of style.

So don’t think of it as a tragedy. Think of it as a golden opportunity to get some unique shots you would have never otherwise been able to get.