Drew B Photograhy

I get a few emails from fellow photographers every week so I decided to compile a FAQ that I can point them to. So, if you’re not a photographer this might be boring to you or you just might learn something new

The number one question I get asked is actually not photography related. Everyone wants to know what song is on my website! It’s “Chocolate” by Snow Patrol. Isn’t it great! I have really wanted to change it to “Love Today” by Mika, but it’s a totally different vibe. What do you think? Change it or leave it?

The next most often question I get asked is how I get vivid color in my pictures. Let me first say that I can’t even express to you what a huge compliment that is! That other photographers like my work enough to ask ME for advice! It means so much to me! I by no means think that I’m an expert, but I have been working really hard the last couple of years to get my pictures to look the way they do and to develop my own style.

There are 4 components to how I get bright color in my images:

1) Everything you see on my blog was shot in Jpeg. For engagement shoots and portrait sessions I shoot solely in Jpeg. But, for weddings I shoot in RAW and Jpeg. It’s easier to color correct 1000 images in RAW. But, it’s easier to edit the pictures for the slideshow and my blog in Jpeg. Plus I like the color that comes out of Jpeg much better than RAW. It’s much more bright.

2) I use prime lenses primarily. My current favorite is the Canon 85 1.8 (the one I got in a car accident at 37 weeks pregnant to get!). I shot with the 24-70 L lens for a long time thinking that it was a superior lens because it is really expensive and it’s an L series lens, but once i started shooting with prime lenses my pictures were much more crisp. And they are cheap(er) lenses! I also like the 28 1.8 and I think I’ll eventually hop on the bandwagon and get the 50 1.2. I’ve rented the 50 a few times and didn’t LOVE it. So, we’ll see.

3) This is pretty obvious, but correct exposure and good lighting helps! I think most people think that if a picture is under or over exposed they can just fix it in photoshop after the fact (especially with RAW), but once you can nail the exposure in camera your pictures start to pop! This takes practice, practice, practice!

4) I use Totally Rad Actions. The Oh, Snap! and the Pro Retouch are my favorite. TRA are by far my favorite actions. They just came out with a new set. I’m not sure if I’m going to buy them yet, because I really like the first set, but we’ll see.

This is something I’ve never done before. Here’s a before and after shot from a recent engagement session:

Straight out of camera:

Edited with TRA’s Oh! Snap and Contrast Luma

And here’s another SOTC

And after with Oh! Snap, Pro Retouch, and a Curves Adjustment

I hope this helps a little!  I feel that consistency in your images is super important.  So find what works best for you and stick with it!

By the way, I have the best “blog stalkers”! I get the nicest emails and comments from you all and it really means the world to me. I think the best compliment I can get is from another photographer so thank you all for taking time out of your busy schedules to write me. You all rock!

Have a radtastic weekend!

Sorry for the lack of updates this week. I’m trying to get caught up before my wedding season really begins. I just got a nasty text message from my BFF, Christy, yelling at me for not updating my blog. Can we say demanding???

This weekend I have Jackie and Stephen’s wedding at Arroyo Trabuco, which I’m really excited for. Excited because I get to see one of my BFF’s, Liza who is the maid of honor. And also, because I’ve known Jackie for forever. It will be so much fun to be a part of her wedding day! And then next weekend I go to Idaho for Rachel and Matt’s wedding. SO excited for Idaho! I’ve never been there! And then the following weekend is Chelsea and Sean’s wedding. Well, everyone should know why I’m excited for their wedding. You remember this shoot at the Viceroy, right? Yeah. That’s why I’m excited!

And today Nikki and Jeff’s wedding is featured on The Bride’s Cafe! So exciting! I read a few (okay, a lot) of blogs everyday. I think I’m up to 103 now on my bloglines account. Some of these are other photographers blogs, some are wedding blogs, and some are random blogs that have nothing to do with weddings. I feel that it is my “job” to stay on top of everything that has to do with weddings and wedding photography. One of my favorite wedding blogs is The Bride’s Cafe. So you can imagine how excited I was when Janie agreed to feature Nikki and Jeff’s wedding! Janie is such a sweetheart and is an amazing florist in Virginia. I wish she was closer because she seems like a really cool girl. So, be sure to check out parts one and two of Nikki and Jeff’s wedding over there!

Lastly, do any of you moms out there have any tips on how to teach Brayden Bittel how to roll over from his stomach to his back? The kid is driving me crazy! He will roll over from his back to his stomach and then he starts crying so I put him back on his back and then two seconds later he’s on his stomach again crying! It was easier to teach Hauggy how to roll over! That dog will do anything for a treat. Right now Brayden fell asleep on his stomach, which I know is a no no, but I’m watching him closely making sure he is breathing. He’s too cute!

And this cute quilt that he’s laying on was made by my BFF Christy’s (yeah, the one who sent me the nasty text message) very talented mom, Tina.  I love it and obviously Brayden does too!  It’s my most favorite baby gift that I’ve received.  I love hand made gifts.  They are the best presents!  Thank you very much, Tina!  

You may remember this gorgeous pregnant girl from a few weeks ago…

Well, she’s not pregnant anymore! Today she gave birth to a gorgeous and healthy 7lb 2 oz baby girl.  Cameron James.  She came almost 3 whole weeks early.  We didn’t have her newborn shoot scheduled until the second week of July!  I think we’ll have to move it up!

I can’t wait to meet her!  Congratulations Jill and Brandon!!!

And now for the beach pictures.  We had the best light at the beach I’ve seen in a long time.  And although the tide was high and we couldn’t go to my favorite spot we still got some gorgeous pictures!  Here’s the slideshow!

Wow, I have so many favorite images from my engagement session with Shelly and Dave that I’m going to do a DrewB Blog first!  I’m going to blog my favorites from their downtown/urban session today and then I’m going to blog their beach session on Thursday!

First of all, I knew Shelley and Dave were awesome.  I knew that from the very first time we met.  But, when they sent me this picture saying, “This is what you have to work with” I knew we were going to have a good time.

Sorry guys.  I had to post it.  It’s too funny!

Unfortunately, they left their snorkel gear at home, but we still had an awesome time.  We got super lucky with their session.  We got to shoot in my favorite laundromat, we found a dirty couch in an alley, and we found a rad car with the license plate “LUV TRIB”.  I mean, really, how much better can it get?

Shelley and Dave are getting married at the Orange County Museum of Art (one of my favorite venues!) in August.  They have family flying in from all across the country so it’s sure to be a fabulous day!

Thanks to Shelley and Dave for being such great sports and hanging out with me in the laundromat, sitting on the nasty couch and in gutters, and for the awesome gift!  That was so thoughtful!  Remember to check back on Thursday for the beach pictures and a slide show!  For now, here are my favorites from Downtown Laguna!

1 year ago today I found out this was growing inside of me.

What a difference a year makes. I’m so lucky.

Have a great weekend everyone!

My second shoot up north was at the Ritz Carlton in Half Moon Bay.  Gorgeous!  This is where they shoot the movie American Wedding.  I had never met Julie before, which is a little unusual.  Usually I deal with the bride, but Mark had booked me while he was in Orange County on business last year.  These two are great and I was so excited to meet Julie!  She has the most infectious smile.

Julie and Mark have a crazy story.  They first met at camp when Julie was 12 and Mark was 16.  Mark was her counselor!  And, of course, Julie fell in love right away!  Don’t worry, Mark did not.  That would be creepy  She even wrote him letters!  How cute!  Fast forward 15ish years and Julie and Mark were both attending the same mixer group in San Francisco.  Julie recognized Mark’s name from his name tag and knew that she knew him.  But from where?  She finally put two and two together and realized this was the Mark who was her camp crush!  Crazy!

Now these two are getting married at the Four Seasons in Westlake Village this July.  I’m very excited for their wedding.  It will be my first true Jewish wedding and I can’t wait for them to step on the glass and say Mazel Tov!  I hope they do the Hora too!

Julie and Mark, thank you for taking me to such a gorgeous location for your engagement shoot!  And thank you for the blanket and stuffed animal for Brayden!  He loves it and played with the toy on the ride home!  That was so thoughtful of you two!  Below are some of my favorites from the shoot and here’s your slideshow!  See you in July!

I told you Julie had an infectious smile

We made it home safe and sound! Brayden was pretty good in the car. We had a rough night in the hotel the first night, but he did really well the second night. It was a good, yet very short, first vaca for Brayden.

I was so excited to meet Katie and Brad for their engagement session in the city. I met them at Rita and Scott’s wedding in Puerto Vallarta last October. Chuck and I were seated next to them at the rehearsal dinner and Brad told me that they had recently gotten engaged (in Paris!). I had a lot of fun chatting with them at dinner so I was really happy when their planner contacted me a couple of months later. It also turns out that Katie is sorority sisters with Nikki, whose wedding I shot last month, and Brigid, whose wedding I shot last September. Such a small world!

It’s always fun to shoot somewhere different. I was happy when Katie and Brad decided to have me come up to San Francisco to shoot their engagement pictures. It was a bit cold, but Katie was brave in her cute dresses and it totally paid off. As I was editing the pictures I realized that Katie’s dresses matched perfectly at every location we shot at!

Katie and Brad are getting married in August in Santa Rosa. Katie’s having her dress custom made and they are having an 80’s cover band play at their reception! So rad! I’m really excited to come back up for their wedding. It’s going to be so much fun!

Katie and Brad, it was so great to get to hang out with you two again! I hope you had an awesome time in Tahoe! Below are some of my favorites and a slide show. See you in August!

Both Brad and Katie are from the East Bay so they’ve traveled the Bay Bridge a lot!

Doesn’t Katie’s dress match perfectly?

The front door to their house. I love all the old homes with such ornate details in San Francisco!

My favorite shot of the day!

I could have shot at the Presidio all day!

Hi Friends,

It’s 5:25 am and we’re getting ready to head up to San Francisco.  I’m shooting two radtastic engagement sessions and we thought this might be a good first trip for Brayden.  Yes, we’re driving all the way to San Francisco with a 3 month old.  Are we crazy?  Maybe.  I’ll let you know in 6 - 8 hours.  Or, if you’re really interested, you can get the up to the minute scoop on my twitter

Have an awesome Memorial Day weekend!

DrewB