Friday, December 25, 2009

Kristina and Jacob's Wedding - Selma, AL

Kristina and Jacob's Wedding was BEAUTIFUL! We loved the venue that they chose for their ceremony and reception. The ceremony was at First Baptist Church which is very ornate and was just gorgeous inside and out. The reception was at Sturdivant Hall, which was equally impressive. We were almost overwhelmed with the number of great backdrops for photos...and wish we would have had more time to take pictures all day...but of course, getting Kristina and Jacob married was the #1 priority. Kristina and Jacob, we really enjoyed being a part of your wedding day, and you two were just awesome to work with. We had alot of fun! Check out the slideshow of some of our favorites above...and all of your photos are online in your gallery. You can access your gallery by going to www.nexisphotography.com and clicking on "Client Proofing" then looking for your gallery. Hope you LOVE them!

Merry Christmas!
- M&L

Maconica's Bridal Session - Montgomery, AL

It's the holiday season and wouldn't you know it...we are busy as always trying to catch up on editing and posting some of our recent shoots. We took Maconica's bridals in November at the Shakespeare Festival in Montgomery, but had to keep them under wraps until after the wedding. Maconica and Michael were married last weekend, so its time to unveil her bridals! Maconica was so easy going and fun to work with...check out her awesome bridal session, and we'll plan on posting her wedding pictures next month!

Merry Christmas everyone!
- M&L

Monday, November 30, 2009

Anna and Patrick's Engagement Session - Auburn, AL

Anna was a bridesmaid at a wedding we shot last year, so we were super excited when she told us that she and her fiance, Patrick, wanted us to shoot their wedding! We met up with Anna and Patrick last month at Chewacula State Park in Auburn, AL for their engagement session. We had actually never been inside the park before...we've just got to say WOW...it was beautiful! There were so many locations to choose from, we were relieved when Anna and Patrick said..."just follow us, we've got all of the spots picked out." The water was higher than usual, so crossing the rocks near the waterfalls gave us a bit of an adventure...especially carrying our camera gear, but we had a blast, and got in a good hike too! These two make a great couple and are a ton of fun...their wedding is going to be CRAZY, and we can't wait! Anna and Patrick, we hope you guys enjoy the slideshow above, and all of your engagements are online in your gallery which can be accessed by going to http://www.nexisphotography.com/ and clicking on "Client Proofing" then looking for your gallery.

Enjoy!
- M&L

Tuesday, November 24, 2009

Kayla and Shane's Engagement Session - Montgomery, AL

Wow we had a great time shooting Kayla and Shane's engagement session! Shane played baseball in college and is now coaching, so we had to work that theme into the engagement session. We were able to pull some strings and get carte blanche access to the Montgomery Biscuits Baseball Stadium for the session, and things turned out great! Kayla and Shane are so much fun, and look great together...we can't wait for their wedding!!! Kayla and Shane, we hope you guys enjoy the slideshow above, and all of your engagements are online in your gallery which can be accessed by going to http://www.nexisphotography.com/ and clicking on "Client Proofing" then looking for your gallery.

Enjoy!
- M&L

Friday, November 20, 2009

Josh and Kelsey's Wedding - Montgomery, AL

What a beautiful wedding! Josh and Kelsey were so easy going and were just a pleasure to work with. Their family was amazing too, so we felt right at home. We loved the fact that they wrote their own vows for the ceremony...there were not many dry eyes in the church after that! Josh and Kelsey, you guys were fantastic, we enjoyed every minute of the wedding day. We know that the two of you have built your marriage with Christ at the center, and its always a blessing to see two people who love each other and love the Lord enter into this covenant. We wish you all the best in Korea! We hope you enjoy the slideshow above with some of our favorites. All of your pictures are online in your gallery which can be accessed by going to www.nexisphotography.com, clicking on "Client Proofing' and then clicking on your gallery.

Enjoy!
- M&L

Wednesday, November 4, 2009

Kimberly and Drew's Wedding - Prattville, AL

I may have said this before about Kimberly and Drew's engagements, but its such a blessing to be a part of a wedding uniting two believers who love the Lord and love each other. Kimberly and Drew are wonderful people, and we thouroughly enjoyed being a part of their special day. The wedding party was a ton of fun, the ceremony was beautiful, and the reception had a deer for a cake...how can you top that? Kimberly and Drew, congratulations and we wish you the best as you begin your new life together. We hope you enjoy the slideshow above of some of our favorites, and all of your pictures are online in your gallery which can be accessed by going to www.nexisphotography.com and clicking on "Client Proofing" then looking for your picture.

Congratulations again!
- M&L

Friday, October 30, 2009

Mandy and Chad's Wedding - Coosada, AL

Mandy and Chad were married on September 26th at "The Elms" in Coosada, AL. It was a beautiful venue, and even though it ended up raining quite a bit, there was a tent outside, and plenty of room inside for the celebration to go on. We had a blast at Mandy and Chad's Wedding...they were so accomodating, and even allowed us to change into shorts and tennis shoes because of how humid it was outside. They had a beautiful ceremony, and a wild and crazy reception with tons of food and dancing! Mandy and Chad, congratulations on your wedding, and we wish you guys the best as you start your new life together. All of your pictures are online in your gallery which can be accessed by going to www.nexisphotography.com and clicking on "Client Proofing" then looking for your gallery. We hope you enjoy the slideshow above of some of our favorites!

- M&L

Robin and David's Wedding - Hope Hull, AL

What can I say about Robin and David other than they are AMAZING! We've really enjoyed getting to know them and are privileged to call them friends. Both Robin and David are awesome people, and were so much fun to work with. Their wedding was beautiful and the wedding party was small, composed of their closest friends and family. The ceremony took place in Hope Hull, and then the reception moved over to Wetumpka. We were very impressed with the way Robin had her reception decorated, and we loved the colors and designs she picked out! Robin and David, you guys are the best, we love you and look forward to getting together with you guys again soon. Your pictures have already been uploaded to your gallery, but here is the slideshow with some of our favorites…enjoy!

Thanks!
- M&L

Saturday, October 10, 2009

Kelsey's Bridal Session - Montgomery, AL

Kelsey and Josh got married today...so it is now safe to unlock Kelsey's bridal session! We had a great time shooting her bridal session...and we just love the way the pictures came out. We can't wait to post their wedding pictures...it will be a few weeks, but stay tuned!

- M&L

Kimberly's Bridal Session - Montgomery, AL

Kimberly and Drew were married last weekend, and we've been waiting to share Kimberly's bridals until after the wedding. Kimberly is incredibly photogenic, and we think her bridals were awesome!...check them out! It will still be a few weeks until we have Kimberly and Drew's wedding pictures up, so be sure to check back!

-M&L

Wednesday, October 7, 2009

Nexis Photography and the Nexis Brides at the River Region Bridal Fair

The River Region Bridal fair was this past Sunday at the Capital City Club in Montgomery, AL. The turnout for the show was alot lower than expected, but we still talked to alot of prospective brides, and had a great time! We hope to hear from some of those brides to be soon! We brought along 5 of our former brides who we've affectionately named the "Nexis Fab Five!" They did a great job telling brides to be about us and how happy they were with choosing us for their wedding photography...they were soo good half of the brides to be thought that they worked for us! When things started to slow down, the Fab Five ran over to Feel The Beat's (DJ) booth where they had some props and a photo booth...now that was fun! We took a few pictures of them as well...which we've posted below for your viewing pleasure. Did I ever mention we have the best clients in the world! A special thanks to the Fab Five - Tawny, Anna, Denise, Amanda, and Robin!

- M&L





Wednesday, September 23, 2009

Sarah and Grant's Wedding - Gardendale, AL

Sarah and Grant's wedding was a blast! We had a great time shooting with Sarah and Grant for their engagements, so we knew the wedding would be fun. Grant and his groomsment had fun cutting up before the ceremony, and the bridesmaids all looked stunning in their dresses...but none of them held a candle to Sarah in her wedding dress...sorry ladies :) Some of the things we liked the most from this wedding: the yellow rose and note Grant had delivered to Sarah before they saw each other, the brick backdrop on the stage in the sanctuary, the purple stained glass windows in the fellowship hall, the Texas Longhorns garter, a really nice videographer who was fun to work with... we could go on and on. Sarah and Grant, congratulations, and we wish you the best as you start your marriage together. We hope you enjoy the slideshow of some of our favorites above. All of your pictures are online in your gallery which can be accessed by going to http://www.nexisphotography.com/, clicking on "Client Proofing" and then looking for your gallery.

- M&L

Monday, September 21, 2009

Che' and Brandon's Wedding - Montgomery, AL

Che' and Brandon's wedding was beautiful, classy, fun...and just flat out awesome! We had a great time being a part of this wedding, and were thoroughly entertained by the bridesmaids and groomsmen who are some of the funniest and nicest people we've met! We even booked one of Che's bridesmaids for a wedding next year...so we hope to see many of them again soon! The wedding and reception took place at the Capital City Club in the RSA Tower in Downtown Montgomery. As always, the CCC is a beautiful venue, and this wedding was no exception. Che' and Brandon were married at the foot of the winding staircase and then danced the night away with their friends and family before being sent off in style with a horse drawn carriage. We want to wish Che' and Brandon the very best as they start their new life as one. We also want to say to Brandon, a proud Naval Officer, that we appreciate his service and dedication to the country we all love. We hope you enjoy the slideshow of some of our favorites above. All of Che' and Brandon's wedding pictures are online in their gallery which can be accessed by going to http://www.nexisphotography.com/ and clicking on "Client Proofing" then looking for their gallery.

All the best guys...and thanks again for having us!
- M&L

Wednesday, September 9, 2009

Digital SLR Tip #2 - Understanding Aperture and Depth of Field

Understanding aperture values is one of the most important aspects of photography. The aperture will determine how much light your lens will let in during the exposure (taking a picture) and also plays a major role in depth of field. Depth of field essentially means how much of the picture is in sharp focus from the closest item to your camera, to the furthest away item from your camera. Depth of field is very important because sometimes you may want deeper depth of field; for example, taking a picture of someone in front of a building where you want both the person and the building to be in focus. Other times you may want a shallow depth of field; for example, when you want to take a picture of a flower and have everything in the background out of focus. In order to understand how you can manipulate your depth of field, you must first understand aperture values.

What is aperture? Aperture is defined as 1. an adjustable opening in an optical instrument, such as a camera, that limits the amount of light passing through a lens. The diameter of such an opening is often expressed as an f-number. You’ve probably seen values like f/3.5 – f/5.6 on your lens, or heard people talking about f-stops. Well hang in there and I’ll explain what all those numbers mean…once you wrap your head around the concept, its really not that complicated. First you need to see what the f-stop values are for you to better understand the numbers.

Each one of these numbers represents a full-stop. So moving from an f/1.4 to an f/1.6 is a full-stop, and moving from an f/8 to an f/9 is also a full stop. Each time you move a full stop the light let in changes significantly. The smaller the f-number the more light is let in, the larger the f-number the less light is let in. In addition to the amount of light being let in, don’t forget about depth of field. The smaller the f-number, the shallower the depth of field, the larger the f-number the deeper the depth of field. You can always stop down the aperture to let in less light, so any lens can be stopped down to f/22. However, going the other direction in order to let more light in is a different story. Most consumer level lenses will have a maximum (widest open) aperture of f/3.5. Professional level lenses typically have a maximum aperture value of f/2.8 or lower and will be much more expensive than consumer lenses. This is why professional photographers can shoot indoors with no flash and still have enough light for a proper exposure. With most consumer level SLR cameras and lenses you'll need a flash to give you enough light in a moderate to dimly lit room.

While you continue to learn, try shooting in aperture priority and experimenting with depth of field. While in aperture priority your camera will select the shutter speed in order to (or try to) properly expose the picture…so all you have to worry about is adjusting your aperture values. In the next tip we’ll talk about shutter speed!

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Post comments to let us know if these tips are helpful to you...and feel free to ask any questions you may have!

-M&L

Wednesday, September 2, 2009

Digital SLR Tip #1 - Never EVER, use auto mode!

For those of you who don't follow us on Facebook, we are going to be posting basic SLR tips to help the average consumer educate themselves and take better pictures. If you have additional questions regarding these tips, simply post a comment on facebook and we'll do our best to answer your questions. So without further delay...here is your first tip!

Tip #1 - Never EVER, use auto mode!

Auto mode will get you the very least out of your SLR camera because the camera is making all of the decisions for you. Sure it is easier, but if you allow your camera to do all of the decision making, then all of your pictures will look the same, and more often than not, will just look like snapshots without anything dynamic. When your camera is in full auto mode, the camera is determining 3 main components that translate into what it thinks is the right exposure: aperature, shutter speed, and ISO (I'll provide info on these items individually in future tips). At the very least as you are learning, switch your camera over to Aperature Priority (depending on your camera model, it may be the setting that has an "A"...refer to your camera's user manual.

When your camera is in Aperature Priority, YOU not the camera, will determine the camera's aperature setting...and your camera will determine the shutter speed and ISO in order to try to come up with the correct exposure. Experiment with different aperature values as you take pictures and see if you can notice the differences in the photos. I'll post more on what aperature values are and how they affect your pictures in the next tip!

Stay tuned and in the mean time, practice shooting!

- M&L

Friday, August 21, 2009

Robbie and Jennifer's Wedding - Montgomery, AL

Robbie and Jennifer are a great couple with a great story. They've been together for 7 years, and they finally tied the knot earlier this month. Robbie and Jennifer have a great group of family and friends, and we really enjoyed being a part of their wedding day. Robbie's brothers and groomsmen kept us laughing the entire day...and while the ladies weren't quite as crazy as the guys, they were definitely entertaining. Robbie and Jennifer, congratulations on your wedding and we wish you the very best in your new life together. We hope you enjoy the slideshow of some of our favorites above. All of your pictures are online in your gallery which can be accessed by going to http://www.nexisphotography.com/ and clicking on "Client Proofing" then looking for your gallery. Enjoy!
-M&L

Friday, August 14, 2009

Our last video wedding - Cinematic Intro

As some of you may already know, we started our "wedding career" in videography. We stopped booking video weddings last year, but Denice and Luis were the last clients who booked us before we made the exclusive transition to photography. For their "cinematic intro" we made a fun and fast paced video introducing the wedding party. Its only about 3 minutes long, so check it out...keep in mind we sampled down the quality quite a bit so that you didn't have to wait forever for it to load...enjoy!

- M&L

Tuesday, August 4, 2009

Tawny's Trash the Dress Session - Panama City Beach, FL

Tawny and Jonathan were married earlier this year in March and we had a great time shooting their wedding. Tawny is "beach girl" and it didn't take much convincing to get her to do a trash the dress session. We took a little "mini-vacation" to Panama City Beach, FL a few weeks ago and had an awesome trash the dress session with her...and we even got Jonathan in for a few pictures. We love trash the dress because it really allows you to get creative and do alot of different things that you wouldn't do for a typical bridal shoot. Editing these sessions are always a task, but alot of fun. Tawny we had a great time at the shoot, and hanging out with you and Jonathan over the weekend. You guys are awesome and we look forward to seeing you again soon. Hope you enjoy the slideshow of your pictures above, and all of your pictures are in your gallery which can be accessed by going to www.nexisphotography.com and clicking on "Client Proofing."

- M&L

Friday, July 31, 2009

Rachel and Jeremy's Wedding - Montgomery, AL

Rachel and Jeremy's wedding was simply beautiful! We love being a part of capturing such a special moment in the lives of a couple, and this one ranks right up there at the top. Rachel and Jeremy's love for each other is so obvious and it is a beautiful thing to see. Both of them couldn't wait to see each other, and when they did the emotions were so deep and real you can't help but feel some of it too. We had a great time and the wedding party definitely kept us laughing...you guys have an amazing group of family and friends. Rachel and Jeremy we are so happy for you and it has been a pleasure meeting you and working with you. We hope you enjoy the slideshow above of some of our favorites...we've also posted just a few pictures below with some comments. All of your pictures are online in your gallery which you can access by going to www.nexisphotography.com and clicking on "Client Proofing" then clicking on your gallery. Thanks again for choosing us to be a part of your special day!

- M&L

...Rachel's dress was beautiful, and the doorway to this ornate sanctuary just made it better...

...love the shoes...

...the ladies! Look closely at the reflection in the table...(click the picture to enlarge)

...the guys....they have got to be one of the most fun group of groomsmen we've ever had ...

...Rachel peaking through the door as she is about to see Jeremy for the first time...

...Rachel walking down the aisle behind Jeremy right before they saw each other. They were so excited to see each other...their expressions are priceless!

...the "special moment"

...loved the church's ceilings and stained glass...had to take some artistic shots with a little backlight...

...can you tell that these two love each other?

...ok, just in case anyone was wondering, this pose was not our idea. We don't even know what is going on right here, but these guys were hilarious...haha...can't stop laughing...

...here comes the bride...

...a beautiful shot from the balcony of the church...love the high ceilings, archways, colors...etc.

...the kiss...

...the exit...from above :)

...our friend Karen was just a bit excited for the new couple...just a bit... :)

...awesome cake...loved the way the large window behind accented it...

...Jeremy is from Canada (in case you didn't know) and proud of it! We loved the way they incorporated some of their engagement photos into the decorations at the reception!

...Jeremy showing off his new "bling-bling"

....Jeremy really liked the cake...or Rachel's finger...maybe both?

...Rachel's reaction after the girls in her sorority serenaded her...

...the garter with the symbol from the Canadian flag...love it!

...the groomsmen just hanging out getting their lean on...what you don't see was the ladies flocking to them right after we took this picture...I mean...who could resist these guys? :)

...sending them off in style!

...mission accomplished...congrats Rachel and Jeremy!

Wednesday, July 29, 2009

Che' and Brandon's Engagement Session - Montgomery, AL

It was a pleasure to meet Che' and Brandon earlier this week for their engagement session. Both Che' and Brandon are very photogenic, and they were just so easy to work with. They even brought their dog Skyler along for some pictures...and even she was great with the camera! Brandon is in the Navy and brought his "whites" out for the shoot...which we thought was awesome! We appreciate the men and women of our military, and everything they do to protect our freedoms...and Brandon is absolutely no exception! Che' and Brandon, it was great to meet you guys, both of you seem like wonderful people and we are very much looking forward to your wedding! Check out the brief slideshow above with some of our favorites...and all of your engagement pictures are now online in your gallery which can be accessed by going to www.nexisphotography.com and then clicking on "Client Proofing."

Enjoy!
- M&L

Friday, July 24, 2009

Simply the Most Amazing Wedding Processional of All Time!

Ok, if you haven't seen this yet, take 5 minutes and watch it...its hilarious. Simply the coolest wedding intro we've seen...and we've actually filmed someone coming down the aisle to the Superman Theme song...so we've seen some cool stuff. So which one of our brides wants to try this? We'll video it for free if you do it :)

- M&L

Thursday, July 16, 2009

Robin's Bridal Session - Prattville, AL

We’ve been so excited about Robin’s bridals since we took them a few weeks back that we just couldn’t wait to get them edited and displayed. As a photographer, there is no better feeling than an amazing photo shoot where the pictures came out exactly how you want them…especially when you are faced with some challenges. We had previously scheduled Robin’s bridal session a month earlier, but it got rained out. Then the only time that we were able to reschedule them was during the 100 degree plus stretch that we’ve had recently. To add to that, the day of the shoot there were scattered thunderstorms all over the place. Instead of rescheduling again, we took a chance. Although we did have to put Robin back in the car once due to rain, the weather was a blessing in disguise. The temperature cooled down into the 70’s after the front came through, and the rain and thunder were long gone. Robin was simply AMAZING! She is beautiful and takes direction like she was born to be a model. Since we’ve had the chance to become friends with Robin over the past few months we were really able to open up and experiment with a lot of different angles, lighting effects, etc…and the results? Well, see for yourself! Check out the brief slideshow above of some of our favorites. All of Robin’s bridals are in her gallery which can be accessed by going to www.nexisphotography.com then clicking on “Client proofing.” Robin, you are incredible…thanks for an amazing shoot…can’t wait until the wedding! BTW…tell your sisters thanks again for the entertainment during the shoot… :)

- M&L

Wednesday, July 15, 2009

John and Amanda's Wedding - Tupelo, MS

The Abele family got a little bigger and alot prettier a few weeks ago when Matt's little brother John married Amanda. Amanda is one of the sweetest people we've ever met, and we welcome her into the family with open arms. John is ok too...I guess :) No in all seriousness John is a great brother and we feel he deserves a wonderful wife by his side...that is why we think these two make a great couple. We traveled up to Amanda's home town of Tupelo, MS for the wedding...what a fun weekend. The guys played some golf, the ladies did alot of decorating, but also got to hang out by the pool and catch a movie or two. The wedding was definitely a challenge because Matt was in it...leaving Leigh to do most of the work during the formals, the ceremony, and the reception. Everything went off great and John and Amanda had a beautiful wedding. John and Amanda, we love you guys and are so happy for you. We look forward to spending more time with you now that you are close by (and not driving back and forth to MS every weekend) and we are here to support and encourage you in any way possible. We hope you enjoy the slideshow of your pictures...I've also posted some of our favorites below with comments.

Congratulations!
- M&L


...Steve arrives at the church...this is his typical pose for the camera :)

A detail shot of Amanda's mom fastening her up in her dress...

...love this picture of Amanda getting her veil put on.

John ought to like this one...the camera angle makes his arm look HUGE!

Steve and dad...goobers.
One of Matt's favorite pictures...John looking out the window gathering his thoughts just before he sees Amanda.

...another one of Matt's favorites...just a cool picture.

...Amanda coming down the aisle right before they see each other for the first time.

"The moment" ...this is their reaction to seeing each other for the first time.

...thought the orange wall and director's chair was an awesome backdrop for some quick portraits before the formals started...love the color contrast.

...don't these two look cool together?

...we had already done an awesome bridal session with Amanda, but just had to get a few more "bridal" shots with her and the orange wall.

...having fun...

...John taking a peak at his beautiful bride...

...if Amanda ever runs up the phone bill, this is what it will look like...

John and Amanda found some giant ears laying around and so we took some fun pictures with them...we were laughing so hard I'm surprised these pictures turned out :)

...Amanda + orange wall = AWESOME!

Look at those studs...the Abele boys clean up nice don't we?

...the ladies striking a pose...

...a picture of Amanda and her dad right before she comes down the aisle...

...Amanda getting emotional as she walks down the aisle toward her future husband...

...looking into each other's eyes as they exchange vows/rings...

...this kiss...

...the "we did it" moment as they come down the aisle!

...I don't know what was up with these two goofballs...they were having too much fun...

John's cake...personally I would prefer orange and blue on top...but it was John's day...and he enjoyed showing off then eating his "roll tide" cake.

...love this picture...I want to make a joke about Amanda being hungry, but I think its more likely that she just didn't want to get chocolate on her dress...

...love this candid picture of John and Amanda dipping fruit in the fondue fountain.

...a shot of John and Amanda while dad was delivering a toast. It was probably the best toast I've heard at any wedding anywhere...and we've been to a few of them :)

...you couldn't help getting emotional during some of the toasts...

...the blur you see is Amanda's boquet as she is about to let it fly...

John knows that guys never try to catch the garter so he solved that problem...he put it on a football. There is a man-law that states when someone throws a football towards you...you must try to catch it. It was a success...all of the guys went for it!

...a fun little shot of John and our cute little neice Madalyn...

...John and Amanda leaving the reception...

...one last shot as they are about to pull away...off to Mexico they go! Congrats John and Amanda!