Are you a bride or groom planning a wedding? Are you looking for an Akron Wedding Photographer? Well, your in luck. Today's Bride is hosting the annual Cocktails and Veils bridal show.  The show is this Thursday, April 11th at Quaker Station. It's a boutique style show with a laid back atmosphere. Want to know more? Here's a link to the Today's Bride website:

http://www.todaysbrideonline.com/bridal_shows_akron_april13.php

Black Dog Photo Co. will be there with an awesome Akron Wedding Photography special. Register at the show, then book Black Dog Photo Co.'s package A or B by April 31st, and receive a free digital tablet album in addition to your package. Your wedding album design is placed on a high resolution PC tablet for digital viewing. Stop by our booth at the show to see some of our work, and check out the tablet! Looking forward to meeting some bride's and groom's Thursday.

sit.stay.smile.
Ryan

PS  Want to kick some ideas around about your wedding? Email Ryan here, we love to hear what you are planning!

So...I totally stole the headline for this post. "Good Design is Good Business" is the tagline for my good friend, and business associate's, graphic design business. I just think it's pretty cool.

 A few weeks ago I wrote a post about creating the photograph used in the catalog cover above. Here's the link if you want to see how we did it: commercial shoot. Foundations just went live with the image on the website, and it's always pretty awesome to see your work in a finished product! Here's the link: http://www.foundations.com/safereach-promo.html . 

We also photographed the images for the animated gif shown on the page. It took some creativity, and some help from the boys at KGDco. Let's just say there was a marketing director holding fishing line looped through the ceiling... 

These kind of projects are what makes being a commercial photographer so fun. Collaborating with great people, solving problems, and creating a great image for our clients. As Jim from KGD likes to say "Good design is good business". So is good photography.


sit.stay.smile.
Ryan

PS Developing a new website? Launching a new marketing campaign? Shoot Jim at KGD an email, or email Ryan at Black Dog to start kicking around some ideas.

Are you a Bride or Groom planning a wedding? If so, you do not want to miss the Spring Fling at Signature of Solon Country Club, hosted by Bridal and Beyond Productions. There's and awesome fashion show featuring the work of Lucio Vanni Couture, and a bunch of great vendors. 

Black Dog Photo Co. will be there too, and we're totally pumped to announce our show special. Book Black Dog Photo Co. as your wedding photographer, and you'll receive a tablet wedding album with your package at no additional charge! Register at the show, then book Black Dog Photo Co.'s package A or B by May 1st, and receive your free digital tablet album. Your wedding album design is placed on a high resolution PC tablet for digital viewing. Stop by our booth at the show to look at our work and take a peek at the tablet!

PS Let me know if you want tickets to come visit us, I'll hook you up!

sit.stay.smile.
Ryan

Do you have really cute kids? Do you love to eat delicious cupcakes? Well, you're in luck. Black Dog Photo Co.  is excited to be partnering with Main St. Cupcakes for spring mini photo sessions on April 6th. Come out to the Main Street Cupcakes in Rocky River for a spring themed photo session. It's a great deal with the purchase of one of their delicious cupcakes. For only $20 you'll receive a 5x7 print and digital file of the image of your choice. All you have to do is email or call Ryan to schedule your appointment. Times are available from 10 am to 1 pm, every 15 minutes. Don't wait too long, times are filling up already!

Spring is not fully upon us in Northeast Ohio, but this photographer has noticed a few signs that the season is changing. The birds have changed their song in the morning, the breeze feels warm and damp, and flowers are starting to brighten our world with their color.

The burst of color spring presents us with is always too fleeting. Golden daffodils and scarlet tulips retreat underground for another year. How to preserve the magic? With photographs, of course!

I found some great tips for taking better flower photos at Digital Photography School. I've summarized the info, but here's a link to the article if you want more info: http://digital-photography-school.com/photographing-flowers


Preparation is Key-Getting your gear together and in working order, choosing the right lens, having a tripod set up and then preparing to take the image.

Highlight Your Subjects-A question worth a little extra consideration – ‘what distractions are there in the background and foreground?’ You can often remove distracting elements without altering your subject. Changing the angle of your camera can also help to disguise unwanted areas of your composition.

Don't Ignore the Dead, Marked, or Dying Flower-Sometimes carcasses of flowers can present you with wonderful subject matter. While the perfect flower is the one you’ll probably be drawn to first sometimes the more interesting shot is the ‘ugly duckling’ beside it.

Identify a Focal Point-As in all types of photography you need to think about where you want your viewers eye to be drawn. Consider setting it off centre using the rule of thirds – but do find something in your frame that will grab your viewer’s eye and carefully think about how to position it.

Go Abstract-Sometimes going in extra close and focusing in on a part of the flower can create wonderful and unusual images that take on an abstract quality. Look for contrasting colors, patterns and textures.

Focus is Key-Sharp focus is important in all forms of photography but in flower Macro photography it is crucial and even a tiny adjustment can have massive implications for your shot as the depth of field is so small.

Lighting-Ideally your subject will be wonderfully lit without you needing to offer any assistance, however the world of outdoor macro photography is often far from ideal and there might be a need to intervene with either artificial light or some kind of reflector.

Lenses-if you have a camera that allows interchangeable lenses (DSLR and some prosumer cameras) you might like to consider buying a purpose built macro lens.

These tips seem to hit the important basics of flower (and still life) photography. As always, I think the best way to learn to become a better photographer is to get out and shoot some photos! 

sit.stay.smile.
Ryan

PS  I've included some of our flower photographs in this post. Please don't hesitate to share yours on our Facebook page!

I've been thinking about a friend's Facebook post for about a week. I actually pasted it onto the Black Dog Photo Co. fan page, it got quite the response. Here is the quote:

"you know ladies...many of us do not look as we would like. I am the poster child of that issue...not very proud of myself. I have hid behind the camera for many years...until my diagnosis. I am who I am...what is inside of me is so much more important then what is on the outside. People who do not see that....well, screw them. My children, my family need photos of me with them. I now smile for photos and not worry too much to the extra padding that protects my fragile bones (I know...I crack myself up)....anyway....ladies...GET YOUR ARSES IN FRONT OF THE CAMERA WITH YOUR CHILDREN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

These are Heather's words. Heather was Tommy's (our son) babysitter when he was a little baby, Heather is a dedicated Relay For Life participant, and Heather's family is a client of Black Dog Photo Co.. Heather is currently fighting for her life against a cancerous tumor growing in her brain.

Her words are profound. I have been deeply affected by their impact. Below is a photo of Heather's beautiful family. Enjoy it, enjoy the rain falling outside your window this morning, enjoy every minute you have with your own beautiful family. I'm going to go watch my son and daughter sleep for a while...

sit.stay.smile.
Ryan

PS     Heather's fighting spirit, and her amazing faith, are helping her to battle the cancer in her brain. A recent scan showed that her current treatments are doing their work. Here's what Heather had to say, 

"The scan came back very stable...I am in between level 3 and 4....staying on course and kick in' some cancer booty. sSsSooooooooooooooo friggin excited....there are no words..... Thank you for your continued support, love and prayers! Praise the Lord"

PPS   With five kids to feed, and often two treatments a day at the Cleveland Clinic, dinner time can be an adventure for the family. You can help by bringing them a meal. If you are interested in helping, you can sign up here:  takethemameal.com . Username and password are both "galioto". They are currently only covered through March 18th, so please help if you can. 

I finally finished up the commercial photography web page, and it is live! If you need an Akron Commercial Photographer for industrial photos, executive portraits, or even a video to market your business in social media, be sure to check it out. Here's the link:

http://www.blackdogphotoco.com/commercial-photography.html

We partnered with graphic designers KGD Co. for a fun project recently. Here's the photo we did for the cover of a client's catalog:

We actually shot this assignment in the client's meeting room, at their warehouse. It made assembling the cribs much more convenient than transporting them to an off site studio. Due to space limitations, we had to photograph the image in two stages. We photographed the models and the crib and the room in the background separately. The two images were then composited together during post production at KGD Co.. Check out the original images below.

Pretty cool, huh? Give Ryan a shout here if you have a cool idea for marketing your business, and need professional photography to complete your vision. If you need a graphic designer to finish the project, you can get in touch with Jim at KGD Co.. Here's the link to their website:

http://www.kurtzgraphicdesign.com/

sit.stay.smile.
Ryan

PS     That unbelievably cute baby in the photo is my daughter Maddie!

It's February 15th in Northeast Ohio. Needless to say, it's the slowest time of year for most portrait photographers. So what does an Akron Wedding Photographer do (aside from meeting potential clients, planning for the upcoming year, updating the website, etc...)? Daydream about personal projects, that's what.

What "personal projects" do you speak of, and what's the deal with the photo of the river you ask? Well, for any of you that know me or have poked around the website, you know that I love to fly fish. I began fly fishing on the Cuyahoga River and still fish it more than any other water. 

The river has a fascinating story. It's name is an amalgamation of different Native American names, loosely translated to "crooked river". It was important to the Native American's way of life. Erie, Seneca, Ottowa, and Delaware tribes all lived along it's banks. Chief Pontiac was raised in the Cuyahoga Valley before moving to Michigan and leading a revolt. Europeans harnessed its strength to power the industrial revolution. This led to rampant abuse of the river and it's inhabitants. It became possibly the most notorious river in the country when it caught fire in 1969. This event has been credited with sparking modern environmentalism, leading to the creation of the EPA and the Clean Water Act. Today, the river is making an amazing comeback. Dams have been removed, stretches of river once devoid of fish are now thriving, and portions have been named a National Scenic River. 

So, having spent so much time enjoying such a resource, I've decided to make a film about the life, history, and re-birth of the Cuyahoga from a fisherman's viewpoint. I'm excited about the project and can't wait to get started this spring. It's just in the planning stages, but stay tuned for updates!

I've included some photos from my fishing expeditions on the river. If you live in the area, make a point of getting out and experiencing the River.

sit.stay.smile.
Ryan

Chandler and Monica from the TV show "Friends" were the perfect couple, right? Until it came time to create their engagement photos! The episode begs the question; Do we really need an engagement session as part of our Wedding Photography package? That is a question many newly engaged couples are asking lately. The answer is yes. And here are three reasons why, courtesy of Green Wedding Shoes (hit the link for more):

1. You will get to know your photographer better. You will spend anywhere from 1-3 hours together and you can really get to know each other better – especially if you haven’t met in person before.
2. You can practice being comfortable being photographed. We aren’t all models and this session will help you feel more comfortable on your wedding day.
3. You will get some great photos of you as a couple! You can then use these as part of your save the dates or just to keep as a reminder of this amazing time of your life together.

There are plenty of great locations in the area for any style of portrait. Some of my favorites are urban, fall colors, or at a location that has meaning for you as a couple (check out Ohio State vs. Penn State photo of Jacob and Lindsay below). Short on ideas? No worries, hit me up here.


As a photographer, I find the engagement photo session an invaluable part of my wedding photography. Want to know why? I think this clip from "Friends" of Chandler and Monica's engagement session says it all!

Don't wait for your wedding day to let your photographer find out your fiance smiles like Chandler!

sit.stay.smile.
Ryan

PS Don't take antihistamine's either. It doesn't help. Trust me.

PPS A great way to use the engagement photos is by adding them to a custom Save the Date Card. Check out this one with great photos from downtown Akron.

As a wedding photographer, I'm constantly asking myself questions about my photographs. What do the photos say about my clients? What do the photos say about me as a professional? How does my work fit into the current trends in wedding photography? 

I ran across a well thought out and well written article by Lauren Johnson called "A Stylist's Thoughts on Wedding Photography Trends". As a stylist she believes that a timeless, elegant style is the direction in which wedding photography is moving. Read the article here.

I enjoyed the article. Partially because I agree with so much of what Lauren has to say, and partially because I feel that Black Dog Photo Co.'s style is similar to what the article describes. "A photographer should take on that same responsibility and help the couple be their best version—showcasing exactly who they are." Sounds about right to me.

sit.stay.smile.
Ryan

PS Ash had a taste for Rockne's last night, and I blew it up with a Terminator Sub. It might be the best sandwich ever...shaved prime rib, lettuce, tomato, three blended cheeses, and a handful of fries. Health food. What's your favorite splurge? Share it with us on Facebook.