Flushmount Album Design

I've wanted to share this on my blog for quite some time now. It is my studio's sample flush mounted wedding album. I like so many things about this album option- mainly that each one is fully unique. You can customize the cover and the client can have input on the design with unlimited changes. It incorporates a lot of images without having a bulky heavy album. Down sides are that it's more expensive than a traditional album and if you spill something on a page, it's not individually replaceable. I want to know who would drink red sticky Kool-Aid while looking at their $700 wedding album anyway? Oh YEAH! (said like the big Kool-Aid pitcher)I usually will have Pictage design the album, then I go back in and put my personal touch on it. I've had Pictage design 3 different options for a bride before, then we combined them into one design. This was a wedding I did for Kristin Kilker and Matthew Drummond in September of '07 at the Eagle Rock Resort in Hazelton, PA. Most possibly my favorite reception site ever. Everything was an unknown for me that day and I was so plesantly surprised by every aspect of the day.

I have added a ton of photos with several details for future brides and for Kristin and Matt, who have oddly enough, never seen this album before. They did not get an album in their package- I'm hoping this blog entry may change their mind :)

This panoramic photo overlooking the valley is one of my favorites of all time. This was one of my album specifications- use this photo as a large panoramic. A lot of these moments were unstaged and just so precious. In the photo on the left, one of Kristin's brides maids are fixing her dress and I just kept on shooting while no one was watching.

One of my favorite first dance photo. How could a photographer not love these huge windows?


This is the view of the Eagle Rock reception site from outside. I was about to get on the shuttle back to my car, when I turned around and saw how beautiful it was- and decided to capture this last photo in the album.I highly recommend a flush mounted album. As a creative person, I just think it's reaches another level through the design elements. You can really create something unique and suited to the bride and groom. Adding quotes and notes is another option you have with this design.

Now you've seen it, so what do you think?

Philly Photog Shootout

I was recently invited by an old friend, Craig Single of Single Exposure Photography, to come hang out with some Philly photographers for an event called the Philly Photog Shootout masterminded by Rob Nicholson of Humbled Eyes Photography. They had models, a limo, borrowed wedding dresses, a mansion, and professional hair and make up. It was all a ploy to network with one another, learn from one another, and to get exposure. Such an awesome opportunity for me to grow.
They had the day professionally video taped- unfortunately I didn't make the cut, but it shows what I was involved in for the day. Here is the link for the video- check it out: http://www.aubertfilms.com/blog/?p=33
When I first was invited, I freaked- people pay hundreds of dollars to go to a workshop like this where they do the same thing! I'm talking $800! This photo shoot only cost me the gas to get to Newtown Square. It was a total free for all and was a ton of fun. I wasn't nearly as nervous as I thought I would be- it was like riding a bike, I took over posing and getting in my own groove. After the shooting was over we went back to Photo Joe's killer new studio for some food and more networking. Everyone was pretty surprised that we came all the way from Carlisle on a work night and that we have normal full time jobs- "eww". In March, the Photog Shootout will be in Atlantic City. I'm seriously considering going!
Here are a few of the images I captured that day.

This is what the scene looked like.And this is what we shot...
This model's name is Jordan Ritchie. The all had such expressive faces with intense eyes.
Amanda Devine.

What a BEAUTIFUL face. I'm a big fan of light eyes and dark hair.

By the way, her name is Julie.

I hope to show you more sessions like these in the future.

Secret Birthday Adventure.

Have I ever mentioned that my son is spoiled. For Christmas he recieved a very nice computer, complete with a desk, printer and several games and nice speakers, from Grammy and Pop-Pop. It will be great for when he starts doing homework next year- at least the desk part.

Well, this year for his birthday we planned a Secret Birthday Adventure. We had a birthday dinner on Friday at the Outback, then he had swimming lessons in Hershey Saturday morning, then Saturday afternoon a family party at my parents' house. Then on Sunday night we set out on a trip to Lancaster. He knew the trip was a surprise for his birthday, but didn't know where we were going.

We arrived in Lancaster and said we needed to stop for directions. While in the hotel loby- he noticed surveilance cameras that viewed children playing at an indoor water park. That's when the excitement set in. We had taken him to the indoor water park at the HoJo in Lancaster. He had seen it on a brocure at McDonalds and really wanted to go one day.

Here we are arriving in our room.

This is what the whole room looked like- I stole this from the HoJo site. Did I mention the Red Lobster accross the street? AJ loves lobster and got one for dinner.
Maya had fun too- this is her big smile face. She loves french fries.
HoJo- web site swiped photo. I forgot my camera ever time we went to the waterpark. Here are their photos of the attraction.

And this was the indoor pool, which AJ tested out as well. That was fun, let's do it again tomorrow!