Ive been a wedding photographer for over 12 years and I have shot many places and many strange things. But I have never shot in the snow before. When the last snow fell in the Lehigh Valley, I called Katelyn and Mike (a bride and groom who’s wedding Im shooting next month at Bear Creek Mountain Resort) and they were game. We started out front of The Hotel Bethlehem in downtown bethlehem PA, which is a great place this time of year with the holidays. We then explored the whole area… a couple snow fights and snow angels later we called it a day. I really had fun photographing this one and look forward to photographing the wedding next month

Engagement Photography shot in the Lehigh Valley by wedding photographer Michael McNett

Thought I’d share Zoey+Ike’s Guest Signature Book. Im sending it out to day to the printers. I love these books, it’s so cool to see them at the reception when people are signing them. Much cooler than those blank books with lines and something different than those big hulking pictures where people sign the matt.

One day I’ll have to get some brides that have the book to send in some picture so you can see what it looks like with the signatures on it.

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I gotta say this may very well be one of the toughest, e-sessions yet. First let me rewind a bit and set the stage. Up here in PA we have had a huge amount of rain come through. I had to cancel one shoot (which I hate with a passion to do), dodge a bullet with my sat. wedding, which was outside (it rained just before and then just after. phewww!) So when I wake up Sunday and see clear skies I’m literally yelling, pumping my fist in the air.

Some of you may have heard about my excitement for this shoot on my facebook page or twitter. Because we were going to go shoot at Bushkill Falls, the Niagara of Pennsylvania. Let me just say to the photographers reading this, scouting your location is extremely helpful. In this case had I done that, I would have known that you don’t just walk up to the waterfalls, instead you have over 150 feet of vertical drop to get down to the falls. You accomplish this by navigating a complex network of wooden bridges and stairs that I swear were constructed by Ewoks, because the whole thing looked like their village from Star Wars.

The great part about the wooden labyrinth of stairs is that everything was drenched, soaking wet.

Wood + (Water x 10)= Slippery & Muddy.

The icing on the cake was the nice lady who sold me the ticket saying (…when I came 30 min early)
“You arrived just in time there is a big school field trip coming through in 25 min so you can beat the crowd.”
But hey Im not the only one that had to deal with stuff. Jennifer and Michael were equally surprised  when they showed up in white pants

White + Wet Muddy Wood = Extreme caution

and Jennifer was followed the whole time by admiring bees who must have know she was allergic because when I doused myself with her hairspray to lure them away they still followed her.

So all in all it was still a blast. Even on a tough day you can’t go wrong spending it taking pictures of 2 people in love. And on the bright side we didn’t run into the bear that the other hikers saw on the path that we were on. Enjoy the pictures I will be posting the Guest Signature Book from them soon

-Mike

Let me just say Im huge Amy and Brian fans. Not only are they fun, photogenic and all around lovely people but I know for a fact they voted for me like crazy in the Wedding Channel’s Blog contest which this blog was nominated for (Big announcement to follow BTW) Really looking forward to the wedding at Bear Creek, hopefully we can catch some bluebells.

-Mike

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30 min. before I met Kristin and Vince for their engagement session, it began to rain. For a photographer rain can be a double edged sword. A light mist is fantastic since the clouds and the atmosphere break up and diffuse the light so shadows are soft and flattering. I even dig a lot of rain with the right people, because it all becomes about playing and having fun and hey what is sexier than a couple frolicking in the rain.

Well 30 min. prior Im thinking are they going to call it off? how bad is it going to get? will they behave uncomfortable if we do shoot? Blah blah blah… Needless to say my heart soared when Kristin and Vince pull up smiling and ready to go. I had the right people with a killer, easy going, up for anything attitude and great light. The rain held to a gentle mist and we stuck to some cover for most of the shooting. All in all I love the results and had a blast.

Kristin & Vince thanks for the lovely day I can’t wait for the wedding. I posted the pages for the Guest Signature Book. so flip through and see the layout.

To view a gallery of all of the photographs go to www.pictures.mcnettimages.com and type in the password (the brides maiden name)

Two great looking people

Maybe a little wacky

Ok maybe a lot wacky

But these wacky people have access to something none of my other Brides and Groom have had access to

Can you guess yet?

Yep a real airplane and private runway and not only did I get to go up in it to photograph them on the runway but I to to fly that tiny little plane for a little bit. Heck yah, how cool is that.

I can’t wait for the wedding guys thank you so much for the experience
-Mike

I can’t wait for

I have some new things that Im going to be trying out with this session so check back to see something (maybe, hopefully, possibly) very cool, that may change how I shoot my e-sessions in the future. Im very excited.

Kim and Jim I can’t wait to get started on the Guest Signing Book

video is best viewed smaller. Email me if you are interested in a DVD quality copy.

Click here to open the post in your browser to see the gallery.

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To view a gallery of all of the photographs go to www.pictures.mcnettimages.com and type in the password (the brides maiden name)