All about my style - Book Tower
Hi I’m JLB, a photographer in Michigan and THIS is all about my style using examples from one wedding at Book Tower’s Anthology Events.
I love structured compositions that highlight architecture. This first shot from the book tower lobby has balance, converging lines, and direction light that all lead the eye to the subject. This Bridal portrait has nice verticals and leading lines. So does this matching Groom’s portrait.
Another big part of my Style is animated GIFs. Like this Kissing GIF with strong architectural elements. Or this one from their FirstLook. Or a fun Dip moment. Or this Twirling GIF that show’s off their venue, BookTower, in the background.
Maybe you like those compositions but also want FUN, joyous moments captured together. Or on the dance floor. Maybe you’ll do a late night dress change, leave your venue, and run through the city streets for a few shots.
Underwater Wedding Photography
Hi I’m JLB, a photographer in Michigan. I’ve been doing this job for 22 years and happy to report I’m still experiencing FIRSTS. I recently did some wedding photography with goggles, swim trunks, and a Fuji XH2s wrapped in this bubble.
When Anna & Cory hired me for their wedding they successfully sold me on the idea of also doing an underwater session. I ordered a housing from OUTEX and we got back together a month after the wedding.
The housing did keep my camera dry and I was able to change settings but it’s very hard to work without being able to have the viewfinder up to my eye. Torch Lake is famous for being bright and beautiful but it wasn’t exactly “clear” at least for photography. I really had to work from muscle memory because what I saw through my goggles and the back of the housing was mostly a green cloud.
Other things to note: We all wore weights to help us from floating up too quickly. The water magnifies your focal length (a 24mm would shoot like a 35mm for example). I would use an air tank next time.
This was an amazing experience and I absolutely love the results. Would do again.
Working with Scale.
Today, we're diving into a super cool concept that can transform your images: scale. It's all about how big or small objects appear in relation to each other, and it's a powerful tool for storytelling.
Renaissance Center Atrium: The sheer size of the building could symbolize a new journey.
Belle isle willow trees: In this golden-hour shot the trees and light frame the couple.
Horseshoe Bend cliff edge: This VAST canyon emphasizes how tiny we are in this world.
St. Alphonsus Catholic Church in Grand Rapids: The high-angle Vantage Point in this shot is key.
Black Rocks Lake Superior: Gazing out at the expansive lake gives feelings of endless possibilities.
Dancing under trees on Belle Isle: All the green adds a sense of intimacy & environment.
Marty Leonard Community Chapel: The architecture provides a series of frames within frames, adding depth.
Capital Park Rooftop Detroit: The bright yellow railing guides the viewer's gaze up to the Detroit skyline.
By thoughtfully considering scale, photographers can influence our perception, evoke emotions, and help to tell a deeper story. Thanks for watching.
Compositions with light & lines
I ask every potential client what made them reach out. Many have said they liked how I incorporated structure and light like characters in a scene. Let’s explore some examples of my Compositions.
In this first shot the real “subject” is more than just this couple kissing. It’s also about the window, and the light pouring in casting a dramatic shadow. All this draws your attention to the couple.
I love stairs. There’s always some interesting lines. In this shot I’m using all the lines to direct your attention to what this groom is looking at.
This next shot is combining some converging lines with the direction of the light and the the pose. Bringing your eyes to the star of this photo.
I love when light finds it’s way down a dark alley. We were just walking past then area when I spotted it. “Go do a dip in that light.” It’s not just that light pulling your attention but also the features of the buildings.
Photographing Women on their wedding day. #bridalportraits
I want to share some examples of my work capturing women on their wedding day. From serious poses to real reactions. I love this part of my job. I view it as a challenge to get more creative and go beyond simple portraits. I love bright shots full of color, moody scenes, and candid moments while getting ready. I love a grand composition showing scale, full length shots, and a shallow-depth closeup. Of course I have to use mirrors if they are available. I love the drama of a dark room with a solo source of light. Or when I get to use some direct light that is casting shadows. A huge part of this job is interaction with your subjects. From directing them into a space, coaching them on body position, or cracking a joke and capturing the aftermath.
Bride + Bridesmaids
I recently worked a wedding with a group of very energetic bridesmaids, and I challenged myself to get unique photos of the bride with each of her girls. If you would like something like this for your day let me know. Below are just a few of what we got.
Worried about being Awkward?
Couples often tell me they are worried about looking awkward and want a photographer who will direct them without it looking forced. They want to look cool, dramatic, playful, and in love… like themselves. Do not worry, I got you. Here are some shots from a wedding with 3 different approaches:
Full on Art Director mode. This is the tiny part of the day when I get to slow things down and be really picky. I’m planning out the background, lighting, shadows, position of the subjects body, arms, faces, and expressions.
The half-way setup. I have a scene I want to use but I want to fill it with real life reactions. A simple prompt can work: “Walk toward me without taking your eyes off each other.” “Give her a twirl.”, “Grab your husband’s hand, Show me your new rings.”
Truly Candid. The mode that a wedding photographer has to be in most of the day. Doing my best to artfully capture whatever happens when I have no ideal what’s coming next.
Capturing diverse skin tones
I’ve had the luxury of photographing quite a variety of people and their wonderful diverse skin tones. While working with subjects I pay attention to my exposure by watching the histogram in-camera. I don’t want to underexpose and lose detail in the shadows or overexpose and clip the highlights. The other part is watching my subjects outside of the camera, while I’m working with them, so I remember what they really looked like in different lighting. This is critical because modern RAW files have too much leeway it’s possible to produce an edit that doesn’t look like the subjects at all. The goal is always for my subjects to love how they are represented. When I’m capturing two very different tones together getting that contrast to pop while keeping it faithful can be tricky. Once I have a solid foundational edit I like to also deliver some wild alternate color treatments and black & whites.
New Venue in Detroit: Book Tower
Hi I’m JLB a photographer in Michigan and I wanted to tell you about a new event venue in Detroit: Book Tower. It’s a skyscraper built in the 1920’s that recently received some major upgrades: restaurants, apartments, a boutique hotel, and a rooftop event venue.
I recently photographed a wedding at Book Tower and wanted to share some work from it. There are so many interesting photo backdrops here.
The 3 story lobby is breathtaking with this marble staircase attached to it.
There’s a space for ceremony’s on the top floor and a green room down the hall.
There’s another space you can rent out for getting ready or just to chill in, and it has a patio with some views.
Now the reception space is self is pretty wild: glass ceilings, hardwood flooring, intricate chandeliers, stylish bar area.
Since the atrium has different vibes between day & night and I knew the couple were switching outfits… I had an idea for a animated GIF of the couple dancing and everything changing.
The in-house event staff there is called Anthology Events and they were wonderful to work with. Give them a call if you are looking to have an event at one of the coolest places in the city.
You can’t always get what you want (wind blown veil shots).
Working with bridal veils is one of the least predictable parts of photographing weddings. There are times a veil will do exactly what you dreamed it would, like you are controlling it with your mind. These times are extremely rare. It’s almost as if the more you want the wind to do something specific the more likely you are to get nothing. You can try involving the wedding party, holding the veil, and it might work. Or you can be patient and get lucky. A windy veil shot is oft requested by my clients and I love it when I get to deliver something like this to them. It’s also ok to just keep moving and not care, even if the wind has wrapped you all up in the veil. Try not to get frustrated. Instead try to be ready for anything.
Getting Creative with Window Light.
One of my favorite photo opportunities, especially for portraits, is a dark room with one window providing light.
Getting stylized guest pics.
When there is a chance to, and my clients are into it, I try to get creative with guest photos during cocktail hour. If you would like me to do this at your event let’s plan for it.
Working the angle.
I’m always looking for interesting angles out in the world that I can have my subjects interact with.
Planning a pair of shots ahead of time.
I had a year to think up some creative shots for this wedding at the DIA.
