Megan Hayes

I enjoyed seeing the Adraino’s again to shoot their family Christmas photos. The last time I saw little Owen he was a tiny newborn and now he’s almost walking around! I also took Elizabeth’s maternity photos back in April and you can see the photos from that session here. One of the things I really enjoy about being  photographer is being able to see a family grow year after year.  Elizabeth and Michael are both teachers and keep busy with being involved in school activities. They wonderful people and I’m so happy for them and their new addition to the family.

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I’ve been able to photograph this little cutie throughout her first year. You can see her other sessions by clicking these links 9 Months , 6 Months , First Portraits. As a photographer it’s so cool to be able to capture these milestones of a new life and I just love seeing little ones grow. Nadia Cakes made her cake for this session and I got the frame with a chalk board insert from The Organic Bloom (I’m in love with Organic Bloom frames). Enjoy the photos!

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This post is a bit more on the personal than most posts as the girl in these photos is family! Meet my sister, Jessica. Jessica quiet at first, will laugh at all your jokes and has a sweet side to her believe it or not. You will also meet “bob” in these photos, he is Jessica’s new goat friend. Jessica’s senior pictures were taken in the lovely state of Oregon over the summer. I love every chance I get to go home, enjoy the fresh air and be surrounded by TREES! Yes, there are trees in this world that don’t look like cactus’.  Congrats Jessica on being a senior this year! Love you!

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This military family welcomed their first kiddo into the world 6 months ago and wanted to get some family/6 month photographs taken. They so love their little girl and it was so much fun to photograph them. We even got to talk a little bit about being a photographer as Courtney has an interest in possibly becoming one. Enjoy the photos!

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Had a fun and short time with Evelyn for a few headshots the other day. She is incredibly sweet!

I have been contemplating this post for the past couple weeks as recently I’ve heard some very sad stories from brides about their wedding photographs. It hearts my gut every time I listen to someone tell me about the regret they have for not choosing their top choice wedding photographer or at least close to their top choice.

I wish for every bride to have a photographer that captures their day just the way they dreamed. I know that budgets, dates, times and so many other details factor into the matter but choosing the photographer you really love for your wedding will never be a regret.

I recently had a bride tell me about how she spent a considerable amount on her her dress, the decorations, flowers, cake and 2 receptions but decided to skimp by with a cheap photographer with not much experience. As she “confessed” to me she said that it’s been a year since her wedding and she’s only seen 2-3 pictures from her wedding that the “photographer” emailed to her. She’s so scared of what the rest of her pictures are going to look like that it makes her sick to think about it. She’s knows she’s not going to have detail shots of her decorations and some of the meaningful pieces of her wedding. Yikes!!

So after I said “Shame on you!” I started racking my brain on how to help brides make the best choice in hiring their wedding photographer. I know where so many brides are coming from and I myself had to learn the hard way with my own wedding as I didn’t know much about photography when my husband and I got married. My thinking was “Oh, she won an award in the fair. She must know how to photograph a wedding.” NOT TRUE!  There is so much more to wedding photography than just knowing how to take a good picture. A good wedding photographer is in touch with their clients emotions and can catch that look a bride gives her groom when no one else is looking. They make you fee comfortable and at ease so they can capture the best you possible. They know that every little detail took time and money to create and is a special part of what makes up a beautiful wedding day. Those traits don’t just come with someone who knows how to use a camera.

So here’s my top 5 questions to ask to help you choose your photographer:

1. Are you in love with their style of photographs and does their style reflect you best? (The nice albums, prints and number of hours in a package won’t matter if you’re not in love with the photographs that will go in those albums. The photographs are the most important!)
2. Do you feel comfortable with your photographer?
3. Do they have a good reputation with their past clients? Have you heard anyone rave about them?
4. Are they well organized and give you confidence that your wedding is top priority? (Can’t have your photographer forgetting to include your mom in the photos or a special relative that traveled a far distance for your wedding!)
5. Are they a professional? A professional spends time and money gaining the understanding necessary to properly and creatively photograph a wedding.  You don’t want a “weekend warrior” winging it on one of the most important days of your life.

I’d suggest making a list of your priorities for your wedding and budget for the most important accordingly. (Note: Your photographer should never be one of cheapest parts of your wedding so you may need to rethink your budget if that’s the case. Just remember you get what you pay for.)

In my opinion one of the most important choices you’ll make for your wedding day besides your man of course is the photographer you choose. Not just because I am a wedding photographer but because after the vows have been said, the cake has been eaten and the guests have gone home, all you have to remember your day is the photographs.  Your wedding day isn’t something you can do over so make sure you hire the best.

And because all posts are better with a picture here’s a pretty one for you. It’s a little sneak peek up an upcoming post.

It was a beautiful day for Michael & Elizabeth’s recent backyard maternity session in Lancaster, CA. Some of my favorite pictures from their session are the ones we took with their little family dog. They love that little dog and I could tell she’s definitely a big part of their family. Watch out little dog, you’ll have to share soon! They are such a sweet couple and I’m super excited for them as they start their little family.

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