April and Mike were married last weekend in Woodstock, Connecticut and held their reception at Connecticut National Golf Course. Mike is a good friend of mine and a wedding photographer himself; I was honored that he asked me to photograph his big day.

April and Mike opted for a first look before the ceremony. Though it’s not for everyone, the first look does take some of the pressure off of the time between the ceremony and the reception, allowing the couple to relax and mingle with their guests instead of spending the time taking photographs.

Thanks to April and Mike for having a fun wedding! I had a great time!

Below: Last minute vows transcription from iPhone to paper version

A quick prayer before the ceremony begins.

Bolt Coffee Company was pouring fantastic espresso for the guests all evening!

Sarah and Jim were married at a tiny church in Preston, Connecticut last week on a what was a gorgeous spring day. I started my day at Preston City Bible Church, a quaint little church that has been around for what looks like a long time. Jim finished transcribing his vows from his iPhone to good old fashioned paper in preparation for the ceremony. The guys then headed outside for a quick couple of pictures and a final prayer before the ceremony. After the ceremony, we headed to Mohegan Park for family formals and a few with just Sarah and Jim. It’s a beautiful park complete with all the spring flowering trees you could ask for. Then it was over to The Wauregan Ballroom in Norwich for their reception. Bolt Coffee Company was there keeping everyone lively with their espresso and lattes all evening. It was evident that a great time was had by all that attended – myself included! Thanks for having me, Sarah and Jim!

Of course, it’s always nice to end the post on a fun image:

I spent some time last week in Providence’s West End photographing Kate. She spent the morning filming a segment for the Rhode Show. She had her hair and makeup done by two outstanding professionals, Kirsten Brusse of Joli Visage Makeup Artistry and Michelle at Vis a Vis Hair Design. We met at Vis a Vis in the West End and explored the area a little bit. It’s the first time I’ve walked the streets of that part of town looking for good light and interesting shots. It made it even better that Kate was great – a real professional, showing off Kirsten and Michelle’s hard work. These are a few of my favorites from the time we spent walking around. Thanks for looking!

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That’s all. Thanks for looking.

One of the perks of photographing events is getting to meet a ton of really cool people. I met Mary while photographing a Yelp Elite Event back in January at the American in Providence. In addition to being a Yelp Elite member, she’s also a co-host on the Rhode Show, a Rhode Island based lifestyle TV program. We met at India Point Park one afternoon last week, during the few days of summer temperatures we were enjoying. We stayed close by, walking around the park, bike path, and nearby buildings looking for good light.

I had a great time photographing Mary – she is a natural in front of the camera.

Many people cringe at the thought of having head shots done and while I can understand why, I also think it’s worth having them done well. After all, in this day and age, your head shot may be the only face of yours people will see long before the ever meet you. Whether you’re looking for a new job, updating marketing material for your current job or business, or just looking to have some polished images for social media sites, it is a great asset to have good pictures of yourself. Whatever the reason, having great head shots taken will ensure that the images you put out there of yourself are of the best quality possible.

This last one is just for fun. You’ll have to click the image to see it in motion.

I co-hosted a lighting workshop in Providence last weekend, and I’m happy to say that was a big success!

We worked with 12 fantastic people who were all eager to learn and share. They traveled from as far away as New Hampshire for this workshop. We photographed 4 great models who sat through countless setups and lighting changes throughout the day. Lynda Williams and Jenn Hodge were behind the scenes doing a stellar job, as always, on hair and makeup.

The day started with a quick overview of the fundamentals, then we talked a bit about quality of light. I set up a shot live and in real time to illustrate how I go about lighting a scene. We broke off into groups after that;  everyone was able to try out new lighting setups, ask questions, and learn from each other at the same time. We took some time to look at a few images on the big screen, and we broke down each setup to try and determine how each image was lit. I’m truly blown away at some of the images these guys captured at the workshop!

It was a fun day – I think I was as tired as I am after weddings! Thanks to all the great people that helped made this happen: Seth, Jess Powers @ Fete, the models, Jenn, Lynda, and all the attendees that made their way to Fete for this workshop.

Just a quick behind the scenes look at a shot I took at a recent engagement session. Thanks Dave, for being a great light stand!

I had the pleasure of spending some time with Theresa and Christian at Theresa’s alma mater, Salve Regina. We walked around the gorgeous Ochre Court building, then we went inside to explore and see what the interior had to offer. It’s such a grand building, and it’s really the perfect setting for an engagement session. I’m really looking forward to working with Theresa and Christian! Christian was actually a guest at a recent wedding, and a groomsman at another. Some of my best dancing pictures feature him. I’m looking forward to grabbing some new dancing shots with him as the groom. They are getting married in Fall River, Massachusetts and having their reception at the Westin in Providence.

Thanks, guys, for having me along! Enjoy the pictures!

The snow was in the air last week as I met Heather and Ross in Narragansett to photograph their engagement session. It ended up just being flurries, but we were up for anything! We started at the rocks at the end of Newton Ave with the wind whipping off the water and the snowflakes swirling every direction around us. Heather and Ross did great despite the cold temps and the frigid wind off the water. Next stop was the Point Judith lighthouse where we used the jagged rocks as a backdrop for more pictures. We shot back towards the lighthouse from a nearby vantage point after that and ended up at Sand Hill Cove to finish off our time.

One of the reasons I love shooting engagement sessions is the way I get to connect a little bit with the couple to avoid any uncertainty on their wedding day – it’s tough to have a camera pointed in your face for that amount of time! If we can get some of that out of the way beforehand, it’s good for the images and it puts the couple at ease on their wedding day. Heather and Ross were instantly comfortable in front of my camera. It helps that I’ve known Heather for many years, but I think the real reason is that she and Ross are truly in love and weren’t afraid to show it during our session.

These are just a few of my favorites from their engagement session! Thanks Heather and Ross for spending some time with me last week! I’m looking forward to June!

Photographers: Want to learn more about lighting techniques and posing in a dynamic, hands-on workshop?
Want to experiment with new equipment (or better understand the equipment you already own) in a fun, supportive environment?

Bring your camera and your lighting questions to Light The Way at Club Fête in Providence on March 24 from 10am – 3pm. Hosted by Brad Smith Photography & Seth Jacobson Photography, the program will include strategies for creating dynamic & dramatic lighting scenarios. There will also be an opportunity for peer feedback and review of your work. We believe in learning by doing, so this is not a lecture. This is an interactive program with a strong emphasis on play. We will have models and lighting gear on hand and participants will have the opportunity to immediately test and apply what they learn in a creative, supportive setting.

JOIN US!
The cost is $100 for the 4 hour workshop, and the registration deadline is March 10th. We will have a break for lunch (Wes’ Rib House is right next door!), but participants are welcome to bring a bag lunch and continue through lunch.

Please email workshop@smithbrad.com to secure your spot.