The Good Photographer Blog

January 20, 2015

How To Get A Marriage License in California

In the state of California there in plenty of sun and surf. This is the perfect backdrop for love. California is a great place to get married and even have a wedding on the beach. Just like any other state a couple is going to need a marriage license to become legally wed. The state is easy going but they still have to follow certain laws and procedures. There are several steps to apply for a marriage license in the state of California.

There are fifty one county of the clerks offices throughout the state to apply for a marriage license. Once the application is approved it will be valid for a period of 90- days. The wedding should take place in this time frame.

The department of state will have to verify that the couple is legally able to get married. This means they have to be legal adults unless they have parental permission. The couple has to be single and not already married to someone else and they have to verify their identity. Blood tests are not required to get married but are recommended. Both people wishing to get married must apply for the license in person and be there together.

There are certain people that are legally allowed to perform the marriage ceremony. These people include priests, a rabbi, or other religion figure, a judge or retired judge, the district magistrate, and juices of the peace. There also has to be at least one witness at the ceremony. This can be a friend, family member ,or anyone else who an state that they saw the couple being married. They need to sign their name on the marriage license.

There are two types of marriage license in the state. The first type is public and will become part of public records. The second type is confidential. This type of license if for those age 18 and older. Minor cannot get this type of marriage license. The people applying for this license need to be living together and acting as a married couple. No one is required to attend the ceremony and a witness is not required to sign the license.

While the state will keep the marriage license on file it will not be available to the general public. The couple must provide proper identification when applying. They can only get copies of the certificate at the office where they applied for it.

In the state of California cousins are allowed to get legally married. Common Law Marriages are not recognized by the law or the state. Same Sex Marriage is allowed in California. A gay or lesbian couple can get married and receive the same benefits as straight couples. If the couple moves out of state to another state that does not recognized gay marriage their rights as a married couple will be void. In addition to marriage licenses certificates of domestic partnerships are also issued.

California is a great place to be married. As long as the couple provide proper documentation they should no trouble getting a marriage license to make it legal.

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January 13, 2015

How to Choose the Wedding Flowers

Weddings are a special event. Certainly, the couple would like the event to create warm memories for everyone that is involved. One way to create a really customized and memorable wedding is with flowers. However, this is one step that is very involved and could make or break the wedding. The fact is that there are thousands of flowers to choose. This makes the selection even more difficult. A lot of couples stress over the type of flowers that they should select for the wedding as much as they do for the wedding photographer. However, we’ve provided a few tips here.

Select A Budget

Don’t start your search for the perfect bunch of flowers or a wedding bouquet without selecting a budget. The budget will clearly define the limits and the type of flowers that you can consider. Don’t get your heart set on flowers that cost $10,000, when your budget is only for about $3,000 dollars worth of blooms.

Conservative Approach

Don’t go wild, trying to impress the people at the ceremony. Instead, stay on the conservative side. Be highly selective about the bouquet. Place flowers at important places in the wedding. Perhaps, an outstanding bouquet for the bride, a few exquisite looking center pieces, and colorful flowers at entryways. Think outside of the box to save expenses. Match high quality flowers with some less expensive finds.

Compliment Your Wardrobe

Take a look at your wedding dress. This should help to inspire your flower selection. If the lines of your wedding dress are simple, yet elegant, select flowers with the same theme. If your dress is a romantic Victorian era inspired gown, select romantic summer flowers that create that same mood.

Seasonal Approach

Don’t select flowers that are not in season. Are you having a wedding in the spring? Well, select flowers that bloom in the spring. For example, daffodils, iris, tulips, hyacinths, lilacs. Selecting out of season flowers might hurt your budget and cause you to spend much more money than you expected.

Get Creative

Don’t have a lot of money to spend on the flower budget? Well, don’t give up. Get creative. Spend money on some very exquisite looking flowers that are in season. Go to any crafting store, or even the dollar store and buy fake flowers. For example, you have a rose bouquet. Mix in a few fake roses. It should be very difficult to tell the fakes from the real thing. Another approach is to pick a few wild flowers out of the garden and arrange them in elegant vases around the venue. There’s something very elegant and unique about selecting flowers in bloom straight from your garden.

Follow these ideas to select the best flowers for your wedding. Make sure that your wedding photographer captures the beauty of the flowers with plenty of candid shots to preserve the memory of the day and those wonderful flowers.

November 27, 2014

3 Wedding Photo Secrets

It’s your wedding day and your attention is where it should be–You. Your most important day should be captured in your wedding photos. It doesn’t stop in just the photo shoot, there are many elements that need to come together to ensure the bride and groom can share their most memorable moments in wedding photos.

The special day should be captured by a professional that knows what he or she is doing. The bride and groom place their trust in someone who can seize every special moment and convert it into a lifelong memory through photos.

We want to give you three Wedding Photo Secrets to help on your wedding day:

Hire the right wedding photographer. Planning is the key. Of course, as it should be when it’s an important day. When you are working with a budget, consider reducing the number of hours you want the photographer to shoot. Have the photographer capture the bridal preparations, the ceremony and the bride and grooms’ interactions. This will allow the photographer to focus more on the couple and take good shots, rather than trying to stretch their time for the entire wedding. Plan ahead and let them know exactly what you want and expect from them.
Hire a stylist that knows how to make you look your best in a photo. A professional stylist knows how much make up a bride should wear for the perfect photos, taking the lighting and wedding venue into consideration.
Be ready and prepared. Go over your list before the wedding to ensure everything has been taken care of. Remember to relax and accept that small things may go wrong but stay relaxed. Planning ahead allows you to have everything ready before your wedding day, keeping you stress-free. Photos do not lie and a stressed bride and groom will be one memory you may not want to relive.

The main secret in Wedding Photo Secrets is—Have Fun!

November 20, 2014

5 Outdoor Wedding Photo Ideas In Los Angeles

The Scenic Spots of Los Angeles

Los Angeles is home to wonderful sights for engaged couples hoping to document their wedding. Professional wedding photographers will know all the best spots. However, there are places you can go to take your own photos if you’re camera savvy. If you have a friend who’s a skilled photographer, call them up for a favor, or offer a rate that will benefit all by saving you money while they earn supplemental income. Whether you use a professional or not, these are some of the best spots to take outdoor wedding photos in Los Angeles.

The most obvious spot for outdoor wedding photos in California is the beach. Not all beaches are equal, so you’ll need to do some hunting for the perfect spot. The best recommendation we have for beach photos is at El Matador State Beach. Located in Malibu, this beach is a perfect blend of ocean, sand, and magnificent rock caves to bring enchantment to your wedding photos. It’s accessible every day from 8 a.m. until the sun goes down. Photos of the sunset at El Matador will be unforgettable and bring the beauty you’ve been searching for.

The Griffith Observatory is another great spot to take wedding photos. I know what you’re thinking, “Really? An observatory?” Yes! This observatory has beautiful architecture and is truly a great spectacle. Not to mention it’s higher than 1,300 feet in elevation and provides one of the best views of Los Angeles anyone could hope for. With the entire city below you, and a top notch display of open sky above, you’ll have wedding photos that capture the magnitude of earth and heaven.

The city has places that create ambiance as well. Perhaps you’d like a nighttime, city photoshoot in addition to your beach and auditorium shots. The Urban Lights at LACMA seems like the setting of a modern fairytale. It’s a hotspot for local photographers and provides more than adequate lighting to illuminate your wedding photos. With 202 antique streetlamps this urban spectacle is marvelous.

If you’re looking for a foreign flavor in your photos, you can visit the Storrier Stearns Japanese Garden to appear well traveled. The garden is a very popular venue for wedding photos. The price to take photos varies depending on how many people will be on location, including your hired photographers and their staff.

Finally there’s the Exposition Rose Garden. Nothing says romance like an abundance of roses in the backdrop of your wedding photos. There are tons of vibrant colors to choose from, especially in Spring, Summer, and Fall. The architecture of the Natural History Museum, and the surrounding array of beautiful roses, make this a prime spot for forging memories.

Those are my top five favorite places in Los Angeles to take wedding photos. I don have a few honorable mentions that didn’t quite make the list. The first is the Walt Disney Concert Hall. This building’s architecture is unique, contorted, and brings a modern twist to your photos. The honorable mention for California culture is Venice Beach. If growing up around Venice Beach is something you’re proud, or if you just love its culture, there are plenty of great spots to take high quality wedding photos.

November 13, 2014

How To Plan a Wedding In Los Angeles

Your wedding day should be perfect. It’s a day you will always remember and cherish. Planning a wedding in Los Angeles can be overwhelming and frustrating. The best thing you can do to avoid the frustration is to take it one step at a time.

The Minister…

To become legally married you will need someone to officiate your vows. Finding a minister can be quite a task. If you are a member of a church then obviously you should ask your own minister, but if you are not it’s a good idea to call around. Contact churches in your area.

Location…

After you’ve found your minister you’ll need to figure out where you will be getting married. If you regularly go to church of course you’ll want to have your wedding there. If you don’t you’ll need to find a church or other special location. Again, call your local churches. Another idea is to get married somewhere that is special to both of you.

Set the Date and Time…

After you’ve figured out who will marry you, and where you will be married you need to secure both with a set wedding date. Arrange the date and time you choose with both the minister, and with the location.

The Guest List…

Once you have set your wedding date you should begin compiling a list of people you want to invite. This will include your friends and family, and his friends and family. Create the list according to how many people your wedding location can accommodate. Write all of the names, numbers, and addresses of the people you want to invite down.

The Reception…

Wedding receptions are usually held at a different location than the wedding itself. You’ll need to figure out where you want you reception to take place. Plan the location of your reception according to your guest list. The place you choose to hold it will have to have enough seating to accommodate everyone who will attend. Use your set wedding date to reserve your reception location. Plan on the reception beginning one hour after the ceremony.

Invitations…

After you’ve chosen your locations and have created you guest lists you can start ordering invitations. Include your wedding date, contact information, the time of the ceremony, the time of the reception, the address of the ceremony, and the address of the reception. When people receive your invitations they will know exactly when and where they will need to go and will be able to let you know if they will be attending or not.

The Dress and the Tux…

The next thing both you and your soon to be spouse will want to do is find the perfect dress and tux for the occasion. Most women purchase their dresses, and usually men rent their tuxedos. Plan to pick up the tux a day or two before the wedding that way it doesn’t have to be done at the last minute.

Best Man, Maid of Honor, and Bridesmaids…

Next it’s time to figure out who your best man, maid of honor, and bridesmaids will be. Ask them, and when they accept begin shopping for the dresses and planning to rent another tuxedo.

Food and Drinks…

Most often food and beverages are served at wedding receptions. Choose a caterer and hire them for the specific date and time of your reception.

Flowers and Decorations…

The groom will need a flower for his lapel, and the bride will need a bouquet. You’ll want to plan to decorate both the location of your ceremony, and the location of your reception.

November 6, 2014

Tips on Portrait Photography in Los Angeles

The city of Los Angeles is the capital of the movie industry. Sooner or later all of the inspiring actors and actresses will need to get their own portfolio done with professionally made portrait photos. The city has more than its fair share of intriguing outdoor locations for the perfect portrait picture. Beautiful portraits can be taken with the city skyline in the background, especially when it is illuminated at night. If you visit the Griffith Observatory you will get particularly picturesque views of the city of Los Angeles. The city itself can be observed from many different vantage points, all of which can be used to create great pictures.

People that are interested in taking portrait photographs of Los Angeles throughout the city should take into account some of the unique features of Los Angeles. Outdoor activities are popular in a city that tends to enjoy warm weather all year long. In many restaurants, the patrons primarily eat outside. There are plenty of music events or theater events where everything is staged outdoors. These kinds of locations can be excellent photography subjects for photographers that are interested in capturing the nightlife of Los Angeles, or at least aspects of that nightlife.

The Getty Center of Los Angeles has some truly beautiful landscaping, and the building itself should be very interesting for photographers. The area is a mixture of very modern architecture and styling, as well as traditional architecture and styling, which can make for an appealing dichotomy. Photographers can get some excellent shots of the area in all sorts of weather conditions. While Los Angeles is a city that is known for its sun, the Getty Center would actually look particularly lovely on an overcast day with a muted sun, which is hardly uncommon in Los Angeles.

Sunset Boulevard has plenty of locations throughout that can make for excellent photographs. Many people that visit Los Angeles are eager to get to Sunset Boulevard in order to commemorate the trip. Sometimes, it is the quieter places on Sunset Boulevard that make for the best photography subjects, of course. The Chateau Marmont can serve as a beautifully tranquil backdrop for a Los Angeles photograph. The area has rich, green vegetation and is paved with red bricks, making it easy to create a photograph with a good mix of colors.

Photographers that are interested in photographing natural subjects should drive along the Pacific Coast highway. As they drive along, they should be able to see some original natural subjects that grab their attention. There will be some truly lovely ocean scenery to look at along the beaches, with the rich, deep blue Pacific Ocean to serve as a photography subject. Many people take pictures of the landmarks at the Point Dume State Preserve, which can include enormous and imposing rock formations. Some people enjoy getting away from all of the artificiality of urban environments and commemorating the natural world, while other people enjoy capturing a mixture of the two worlds. Los Angeles is able to offer photographers both subject categories, which is one reason that it has inspired photographers for generations, and it will continue to inspire generations of photographers.

October 21, 2014

Wedding Photography – 15 Tips and Tricks for Stunning Photos

Wedding photography remains etched in the minds of people throughout their lives. These specialized snapshots will outlast any marriage, and remain talking points in photo albums, on the Internet, and in the rooms and halls of homes throughout the world.

Bright eyed couples are frozen in time in wheat fields, in front of churches, alongside fountains, trees, and every other setting you can imagine. Whether their smiles look natural or artificial, you can always bet that they look happy.

When it comes to matrimonial photos, there is very little room for error. Everyone wants high-quality pictures, and the pressure is always on photographers to capture a perfect setting that newlyweds will cherish forever.

15 Wedding Photography Tips and Tricks

It is necessary to realize that a compromise for mediocre photos does not exist. You only have one occasion to get it right. So, how do you pull it off? Here are 15 wedding photography tips and tricks to make a photographer’s or bride and groom’s job easier:

Practice a Test Run – A week or two before the ceremony, you should make a test run. You should try to practice taking photos in the same church or another place with a similar lighting to learn what the best settings will be on your camera.

Take a Photography Course – Get a couple of trusted family members to take a quick course on photography in advance of your wedding. Instead of pointing and shooting, they will have the knowledge of how to take a good photo and not rely on pure luck. This can never replace a professional photographer, but it can add some beautiful additions to your wedding album collection.

Create a Shot List – You don’t want to rely on your memory when it is time to shoot your photos. A shot list reminds you of everything you need to shoot during the wedding. You should also get the bride and groom to agree with what is on your list.

Ask the Bride and Groom for Favorite Photos – Ask the bride and groom to give you a list of two or three must-have photos in advance. These could include an entire family portrait, cutting the cake, walking down the aisle, etc. You will naturally probably take these shots anyway, but it is nice when you can focus on them and make sure they are some of your best shots.

Get Enough Lighting – Overexposure can instantly ruin a photo and not having enough light is equally harmful. Anyone can make photos look better by taking shots that have enough natural lighting. So, during any outdoor settings with the bride and groom, take advantage of natural light and your surroundings.

Use Bounce Flash Lighting – Bounce flash lighting happens when you rotate an external flash away from your subject to get enough natural light, but without placing a light spot from the flash on the face. Along with the tip of getting enough light, it is one of the most important tips in good photography.

Implement the Correct White Balance – White balance can quickly distinguish you as a professional or it can scream, AMATEUR. Make sure your photos always have enough white balance without interfering with any other fine details of the photo. So, you can still be an amateur, but you can produce professional looking photos.

Composition Adjustment – When you adjust your camera to get the perfect frame, it could mean slightly moving your camera in a vertical or horizontal motion. Or, you could slightly change your position to frame a better angle of your subjects.

Capture the Smallest Details – There is some extensive planning that goes into a wedding. That includes down to the bouquet of flowers, special gift wrapping, the intricate details of the bride’s gown, and more. You should capture close-ups of these items, too. They are an intricate part of the wedding, too.

Make Digital Edits – You can edit many of the photos that you make with your digital camera. You can make some good photos look great, and turn others you wanted to delete into shots that are worth saving. Of course, there is Photoshop and Lightroom, as well as other commercial editing programs that can accomplish this.

Reduce Wedding Photographer Costs – No one in their right mind is going to have a wedding without a professional photographer. However, some people might not have the money to pay for an all-day event. To reduce costs considerably, hire your photographer for the ceremony and an hour before and after. This should get most of the photos that you need while at the same time cutting costs.

Check Your Photographer’s Portraits – You might have a professional wedding photographer who makes excellent photos of the wedding ceremony, but does not make great portraits. If this is the case, you might want to hire a second photographer for studio portraits only.

Look for Bonuses – Some wedding photographers will also take some engagement photos at no additional costs. These make a nice complimentary addition to your wedding album.

Look for Other Tender Moments – In addition to planned shots, always look for other tender moments that may or may not involve the bride and groom. Emotions will flow during a wedding ceremony and all of that should be captured with photos.

Always Have Backups Ready – You’ve got the biggest event planned, now you should be prepared. Always have backup memory cards, batteries, and even an additional camera, just to be sure.

Wedding Photography – Conclusion

Wedding photography is a fine art. You must practice to get better at it. Also, if you better prepare, you will reduce stress and lower the chances of anything bad happening. Remember about Murphy’s Law, “If something can go wrong, it will.” If you prepare yourself, you will always have better results.

October 15, 2014

5 Destination Wedding Ideas

When it comes to planning a marriage and deciding on a destination, many couples choose to stay local, this ensures that all of their friend, family, and additional guests make it to the special event; however, many other couples choose to travel to exotic and memorable destinations to make the occasion even more special and unique. Following is a list of ideal locations to hold a wedding:

The Caribbean:

This is a large geographical area to cover, but the numerous islands of the Caribbean gives couples a nearly limitless selection of islands on which to host a fantastic wedding. Popular wedding destinations include St. Lucia, The United States Virgin Island, St. Martin, the Cayman Islands, Turks and Caicos, and many others. In addition, these locations make the ideal backdrop for wedding photos and the opportunities to capture interesting photos and video here are limitless and one-of-a-kind.

The Grand Cayman Marriott Resort:

If you’re looking for a wedding destination that has all of the amenities you can imagine and more, then you should consider having your wedding at The Grand Cayman Marriott Resort, they are no stranger to hosting magnificent wedding occasions unlike any other.

The resort is centrally located in the Cayman Islands, which allows guests the perfect opportunity to simply walk to nearby restaurants, shops, bars, and more.

Jamaica:

Couples have been hosting weddings in Jamaica for decades, and it offers an affordable option when compared to other wedding destinations around the world. In addition, the gold sandy beaches, aqua-blue ocean waters, and mountains covered with beautiful lush foliage creates a wide variety of ideal wedding photo opportunities.

The Sandals Beach Resort in Jamaica:

The Sandals Resort in Jamaica is one of the top wedding destinations in all of Jamaica, and when you schedule a six day stay or longer at the resort, couples are rewarded with the Sandal’s Beautiful Beginnings Wedding Package at absolutely no charge.

This popular wedding destination is ideal for couples don’t have the time to negotiate and preside over all the wedding details. The resort takes care of everything based on your wishes, and the photos you bring home will be a point of conversation for the rest of your life.

Phuket, Thailand:

There are more than a few places to get married on the beautiful island of Thailand, but Phuket tops the list. Following is a short list of places to take a closer look at.

Renaissance Phuket Resort and Spa
Sri Panwa Resort in Phuket
The Residence Resort
Anantara Phuket Villas
SALA Phuket Resort
Banyan Tree Spa Sanctuary
Six Senses Yao Noi

The above wedding destination are more than enough to get your creative wheels spinning, and they all offer unique photo opportunities as well. Take the time to research them further, and you will surely find a wedding destination unlike any other.

October 7, 2014

5 Malibu Wedding Venue Ideas

When a couple is planning a wedding the venue is one of the biggest choices they will have to make. A wedding in Malibu is any couples dream. In this area there are many different venues to host a dream wedding. No matter what venue is chosen be sure to have a photographer ready to capture every moment on this special event.

The Serra Retreat

This wedding venue has a background that is absolutely breathtaking. This venue is located on the top of a knoll that overlooks both the Pacific Ocean and the Santa Monica Mountains. The view shows the best of the land and of the sea. This venue has a Spanish theme with mosaic tile patterns in the outdoor reception area. A couple can have their weeding in the outdoor reception area at the historic resort.

Hotel Casa Del Mar

This resort is located right on the ocean. A couple can have their wedding outside on the beach. The ocean makes a great backdrop of the ceremony and will also the couple to have some great pictures. A couple can also have the ceremony inside in this historic and elegant hotel. The inside of this hotel looks like a grand ballroom with high ceilings and chandeliers.

The Vineyards

This outdoor venue will allow the couple to have their wedding ceremony right on the beach. The Vineyards recommend having the wedding at sunset so the couple can watch the sun go down over the ocean. This will make for some great pictures that the couple can look back on for years to come. When a couple books a wedding at this hotel they can expect the staff to cater to their every need. The couple can also pose near the vineyard to make some memories that will last a lifetime. There is also homemade wine to serve the guests.

Scarlett Belle River Boat

This river boat offers the finest in luxury and is a perfect place to have a Malibu wedding. This boat is lit up with many twinkling lights from sunset into the evening making a romantic background for the couple to get married. There is nothing finer then getting married with the sunset over the ocean in the background. This boat has a grand entranceway for some pictures and the best view on the west coast.

La Venta

This resort has a wedding venue that is overlooking the ocean. The venue itself is on the hillside so the couple can get the beach in the background. There are many palm trees and well kept floral gardens for pictures. If a couple is getting married at night they can request to have a firework show for their background.

Malibu is a great place to have a wedding. With the Pacific Ocean in the background and the beautiful and open beaches this location will truly allow a couple to have a wedding to remember. Having a wedding on the beach is romantic. The setting is just as beautiful as the happy couple. Malibu is a truly romantic place to have a wedding to remember.

September 30, 2014

Unique Ideas For Your Los Angeles Wedding

Getting married in Los Angeles has got to be a real adventure in true fun and excitement. This is because there are so many wonderful places in the city to go to tie the knot. There are famous Hollywood landmarks and points of interest. There is literally so many ways to get married that it would be hard to list all of them. Therefore, we will only list five that do work, and do bring on all the happiness that does go along with getting married to someone you love the most in all the world.

Here are some wedding ideas in Los Angeles that you might like:

Getting married does mean that two families are coming together. So, what better idea than to have a famly tree made, and this family tree can be a photograph of the two families standing in front of some very nice trees in the background. You can hire a photographer to do the family tree photograph. Once the family tree photo is done. You can then get some sort of décor to be present at the wedding in the form of a family tree with both the bride and the groom’s family names listed on it. The décor can look exactly like a tree with beautiful leaves and branches on it.

Another important aspect of a wedding is the music that will be played at it. Therefore, since there will be people of all ages present, you do want to come up with a song list that is very diverse and to suit different tastes. The music list for the wedding can be alternate pop with dance music club, blues, latin, jazz, and some R&B. A great wedding idea is to have people write down their favorite song titles as requests and try to see if the band or DJ can play their requests. This way all of the guests are enjoying the music as is the bride and groom.

Getting married on a private yacht is surely one way to go in Los Angeles. This is because a bride and groom can literally feel like celebrities for a day. They can journey out to sea for their nuptials and have all their family/friends right there beside them out on the open water. The wedding ceremony can happen and so can the reception. A photographer will be hand of course to get all the pics taken that will always bring about a wonderful memory that took place on the water. This is definitely a Southern California wedding venue that is opulent, luxurious, and elegant all at the very same time.

Another unique idea for a Los Angeles wedding is to have sparklers present. These very special wedding sparker do indeed light up the day and the moment. They are totally unique and something that any bride and groom would love to have available on hand at their wedding. This is because just like candles, sparklers do have their own special glow, that is steady and burning. Just imagine getting a nice photo of the bride and groom amid a bunch of very beautiful sparklers that are lighting up the moment that two people become one in marriage.

What about Lolly Pics? There is an actual thing. These Lolly Pics are perfect to capture all of the very special photographic memories of one’s wedding. These Lolly Pics are personalized lollypops with edible images on them. Just imagine capturing the best moments of a Los Angeles wedding on a personalized lollypop and being able to eat the graphics up. This is truly a one of a kind wedding idea to make a wedding stand out in a major way that is awesome.