John and Alli’s Hale Farm and Village Photo Session

Yesterday, I met past bridal clients, John and Alli Butler at Hale Farm and Village in Bath Ohio. I photographed John and Alli’s Cleveland wedding back in 2010. As a matter of fact, they were the subjects in my most successful competition print to date (-here-) so I was excited to catch up with them again. The session, though, was really all about their baby, Raya, their two year old Golden Retriever. Raya was like the Kate Moss of K-9′s, she did so well. It was great getting to meet Raya and to see John and Alli again, although I will be seeing them at at least one wedding in the next year. Here are a few images from the session. I don’t know if it was the log cabin vibe of Hale Farm or what but I am showing more sepia toned images than usual. Be sure to leave Raya a comment below and also to “Like” Spencer Photography on Facebook.

dog portrait at hale farm and village john and alli with their dog at hale farm and village dog portrait

Gotta thank Cooper Heiberg for the inspiration for this image.

entrance to hale farm and village

Dog at house at hale farm and village

View the website: http://spencerphotography.net

On location photography has it’s challenges

As a wedding photographer, I am constantly challenged by the environment around me. Not afforded the consistency of a studio where the lighting is always the same and even backgrounds can be controlled, I have to use what the locations have or do not have. This was illustrated beautifully the other day when my brother Jim asked me to take some images of a classic car that he restored. While I was there, he asked if I could do a few images of him by his recently fully restored 1971 Corvette LT1. We didn’t have the time to pick the perfect location so we had to do this right in the parking lot of his auto body shop. Well, his shop is located on, probably the busiest main street in Green Ohio. So I had to improvise.

This first image was a test to make sure that my exposure and light were correct. As you can see, the background is crap.

green auto portrait

I obviously had to change something in order to get an acceptable image of Jim. He couldn’t move because the lighting on his face was exactly what I wanted and the light on his Corvette was hitting it just right. So Jim remained exactly where he stood. He didn’t move…I did. I changed my angle and captured this:

corvette portrait in sunlightIt was a very simple solution that made a HUGE difference. So, hopefully, this illustrates that there are never poor locations. Just challenges to overcome.

Here is an image of the LT1 where I COULD chose a great location.

classic car picture

View the website: http://spencerphotography.net

Karan and Cara’s Brandywine Falls photography session

On Sunday, I met with Karan and Cara for their engagement session, which we do with every one of our bridal clients. I will be Karan and Cara’s wedding photographer in June when they will be getting married at Wade Oval Park in Cleveland with their reception following at the ballroom at the Cleveland Marriott at Key Center ( I can’t wait!). It was a cold, windy and somewhat rainy day. But that didn’t slow Karan and Cara down one bit (that is one of the reasons why my clients are AWESOME!). We met at Brandywine Falls in the Cuyahoga Valley National Park system here in northeast Ohio (a true gem of the area). As our outstanding luck would have it,  as we pulled into the parking lot, there was a group of classic car enthusiasts there. What a stroke of luck!! They let us use their beautiful vehicles as a backdrop for a few images. Here a just a few. Be sure to leave a comment for Karan and Cara below.

classic car portraitblack and white embracebrandywine falls portraitpark bench portraitkaran and cara's simple engagement portraitView the website: http://spencerphotography.net/home

The Esson Family Portrait

Over the weekend, I had a session with Todd and Tina Esson and their adorable son Dallas. I photographed Todd and Tina’s Cleveland Ohio wedding almost five years ago (time flies!!). Now, I am primarily a wedding photographer, but I am still a photographer. And I offer all of my bridal clients incentives to have Spencer Photography take care of their family portrait needs. Todd and Tina took advantage of these incentives and that is how I came to meet Dallas. He was such a great little model, as you can see. One image in particular that is my favorite is one of Dallas in Todd’s police uniform. Todd is a Cleveland police officer. I also met Moose, their dog. I’ve posted an image of him, since there was a rumor that he was impossible to photograph. Be sure to leave the Esson’s some love by leaving a comment below. Also, “Like” Spencer Photography on Facebook.

baby portrait in police uniformesson family portraitesson baby portraitdad with baby portraitmom with baby portrait

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

baby portrait in a police uniformcleveland pet portrait

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

View the website: http://spencerphotography.net

 

Kim’s Akron Senior Portrait Session

Yesterday, I met Kim in downtown Akron for her senior portraits. Kim is a senior at Mapleton High School in Ashland, Ohio. I know Kim’s mom from high school (just a few years ago ;) and she works in Akron, so it worked out well to meet downtown even though Ashland is an hour away. I especially wanted to nail the session since Kim had traveled so far.  We were a little concerned about rain at the beginning of the day but the weather couldn’t have been better.  I’m extremely happy with the outcome.  We did some exploring and did a couple series of images across the hood of a car in a parking deck (see it below). Thank you Kim and mom JoAnn for being terrific!! Here are just a few images from the session. Be sure to let Kim know how awesome she looks by leaving a comment below! AND BE SURE TO “LIKE” SPENCER PHOTOGRAPHY ON FACEBOOK!

staircase portrait rim light portrait in a parking deck

brick wall and staircase portraitdoorway senior portraitalleyway portraitAkron art museum portrait

View the website: http://spencerphotography.net/home

 

Patrick and Laura’s North Ridgeville Photography Session

On Sunday, Laura and Patrick had the AWESOME idea to take a vintage T-Bird, and have a session at the Aut-O-Rama Drive-In in North Ridgeville, Ohio. How crazy great is that??!! My mind was going crazy with ideas and ways of lighting them and the car. The first half of the session we were lucky that we had perfect weather and a perfect sun setting. So we just pointed the car in the right direction and went to work. Once the sun went down completely, we turned on the headlights and some alternative light sources and continued on. After almost getting ran over by a car (literally, I was laying on the ground, like I LOVE to do when photographing) we ended the day with some images that I am proud of. I will be Patrick and Laura’s wedding photographer this June at Caro’s in Medina. Thank you to Laura’s mom and brother for helping with the T-Bird as well as Nicki from Aut-O-Rama for letting us use their facility. Thanks also to Katy Rex for her assistance during the session.  Here are a few images from the session. Be sure to show Patrick and Laura some love by leaving a comment below. AND BE SURE TO “LIKE” SPENCER PHOTOGRAPHY ON FACEBOOK!

bride and groom sitting in the car at the drive inbride and groom sitting at the drive insunset at the drive inanother sunset at the drive in theatreportrait at the drive in theatre the final act at the drive inView the website: http://spencerphotography.net

 

Brandon and Rachelle’s Cleveland Photography session

Sunday I met Brandon and Rachelle in downtown Cleveland for their engagement session. I first met them thru my assistant, Renee, who photographed their actual engagement (I assisted) at the Outback Steakhouse where Brandon surprised Rachelle by proposing (see it -here-). Since both Brandon and Rachelle are from out of state (they will be getting married in Rachelle’s home town in Arizona) they wanted their images to reflect, distinctly, the town in which they live…CLE. We were in front of Progressive Field, we went to Key Center,  Voinovich Park behind the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame among other spots.  We tried to go to most of the “iconic” spots and ended up in some area’s in between (homeless guys yelling under a bridge comes to mind!) I know that I had fun with them and they were exactly my type of client (see pizza, below).  Their wedding day should be a blast. Here are a few images from their session. Be sure to show them some love by leaving a comment below. BE SURE TO “LIKE” SPENCER PHOTOGRAPHY ON FACEBOOK!

kissing in the west bank of the cleveland flatsthe west bank of the cleveland flats in direct sunlight

brandon and rachelle at key center in cleveland

portrait under a bridge in cleveland

We had a choice of graffitti, "hope" or "pizza". The choice was obvious.

portrait in front of progressive fieldanother portrait in the west bank of the cleveland flatsin front of the free stamp in clevelandView the website: http//spencerphotography.net

 

Harsh and Sonal’s Cleveland Photography Session

Yesterday I met up with Harsh and Sonal for their second engagement session (their first one took place at the House Of Blues Cleveland -here- ). We are getting close to their wedding day at the Weymouth Country Club and they wanted a session on the iconic East 4th Street in downtown Cleveland (one of the most popular spots in the city for photography). We were blessed with a beautiful day, albeit a bit windy and everything went just great. I’m very excited for their wedding day! They have such a celebration planned. Here are a few images from yesterday’s session. Be sure to leave them a comment at the bottom. Also, be sure to “Like” Spencer Photography on Facebook!

laughing next to the house of bluesdirect sunlight on east fourth streeton east fourth street by the house of bluesa simple portrait on east fourth street in clevelanda street portrait on euclid avenue in cleveland

View the website: http://spencerphotography.net

Andy and Taylor’s Youngstown Ohio engagement session

I met Andy and Taylor at Boardman Park in Boardman Ohio for their engagement session. I will be their wedding photographer at their wedding this August at the Old Stone Church in Cleveland with their reception at the Cleveland’s Old Courthouse. It was a bit rainy but we were lucky enough to have access to the historical church that was on the grounds of Boardman Park. In between drizzles we would run back into the church and get what we could there. Andy and Taylor were great and I am excited for their wedding day. Here are a few images. Don’t forget to leave a comment at the bottom of the page.

in the basement of the church at boardman parkinside the sanctuary at the church at boardman parkjust outside the church at boardman parkon the grounds of boardman park with an umbrellasitting in a pew at the church at boardman parkView the website: http://spencerphotography.net/home

Wedding receptions at Akron’s Tangier

I had the opportunity to do interior images of the Tangier in Akron, Ohio. They were in need of new images for their website and for their marketing material to promote weddings and wedding receptions. I was more than glad since, for me, the Tangier is one of the more unique wedding reception venues in the Akron area and a fun place for wedding photography and photography in general. If you are planning a wedding, speak with Angelica or Kelly. Here are some images from the interior areas of the facility.

the fountain room for wedding receptions at the tangier in akron ohiothe fountain room for wedding reception sthe wine room used for wedding ceremonies at the tangieron of the table settings for wedding receptions at the tangier

one of the many delicious items for wedding receptions

View the website: spencerphotography.net

 

spencer photography specializes in custom, fine art wedding photography in cleveland, akron, columbus and can be your wedding photographer worldwide.