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LaCour is going on vacation for a week! We're packing up today and heading to Charleston. Erin and I are getting married next Saturday, August 12. Neither of us can wait. We're so excited. We've had a long engagement - a year and a half - and are ready for our wedding to arrive. We're going to be married on Sullivan's Island. Erin grew up in Charleston, we met at the beach and we both love the area, so it's the perfect spot for us to be wed.

So we will be spending this week at at our beach house with our closest friends and family, relaxing and preparing for the weekend. After the wedding we'll be going on a honeymoon to a small, boutique hotel in the caribbean to lounge on the beach some more!

Andrew and Rachel will return to the office on August 15th and Erin and I will return on August 24th. We'll be sure to share photos and stories when we return!

We were honored to be chosen by Cameron Swartz to photograph her wedding to Matt Clark on June 17 in Flagstaff, AZ. They had a themed wedding and all of their guests dressed in attire closely resembling the 1920s and '30s.

I attended college with Cameron at the University of Georgia where we both studied photojournalism. Cameron is a great photographer and friend and Erin and I were thrilled to be able to document their wedding weekend.

** CLICK HERE to view Cameron and Matt's slideshow.

** CLICK HERE to view Cameron's website.

Ultimately, the final physical product is your client's album. Designing that album is dramatically easier when a you approach the wedding day shoot comprehensively, actively thinking about the album design as you shoot.

1) Overall wide shots: These photographs set the scene in the album, (shown above) and should be shot in each new environment throughout the day. They can be shot with or without people. These images will likely be used large in the album because they help the viewer "take in the scene." These shots often are used as "opening" shots, used early in the story.

2) Documentary Portraits: These are not stiff formal portraits, but rather photographs made while the subject is reacting naturally to the situation as it unfolds before the camera. These images can be used to establish the main characters of the story in the album.

3) Honest Emotion and Interaction: These shots are central to the story. They are the photographs that draw the viewer into the album and actually connect the viewer to the story emotionally.

4) Details: The beauty is in the details. Clients invest money in the details of their wedding, much of which will be gone after the day is over. Flowers, cakes, jewelry, dresses, tuxedos, invitations and other details, when photographed with care, will allow a bride and groom to reflect upon the details of their wedding, much of which will be a blur in their memory.

5) Medium shots: Many of the types of pictures noted above require shooting close-up or very wide, and it is important to not forget to shoot photos that are "medium shots" — ones that show people waist up or slightly wider.

6) Closer: Concluding the album can be a real challenge if you don't think about shooting a "closer" at the wedding. These are often easy, if the bride and groom have a grand exit under sparklers or rose petals. But if they simply walk out of the hotel ballroom onto the elevator with no fanfare, then you must think creatively about how to close the album.

At wedding receptions, photographers have the luxury of lighting situations with flash.

Flash during ceremonies, however, can be very disruptive, and is usually not allowed by churches. Wedding photographers, charged with the important duty of creating images in nearly every lighting condition, must adapt to near-dark lighting conditions during wedding ceremonies.

The image above was shot hand-held with a 200mm lens at 1/8 second, and the bride's eyelashes are sharp. Here are some tips to deal with low shutter speeds during ceremonies:

1) Use a monopod or tripod. The floor is steadier than you are!

2) Steady your body. If you are shooting handheld, work to steady your torso and arms. Bend your knees slightly, pull your elbows in toward your sides, and draw your hands toward your chin.

3) Squeeze the shutter release. Use steady motion when releasing the shutter, and avoid jerking the camera when making the exposure.

4) Shoot repetitive frames. The slower your shutter speed, the lower the percentage of sharp photographs. Counter this by shooting more pictures.

5) Control your breathing. Hold your breath during the exposure. Don't forget to exhale after you shoot the photo!

6) Invest in fast glass. The faster your lens, the higher your shutter speed. Buy a discontinued Canon 200/1.8 on eBay!

7) Invest in IS/VR lenses. Newer professional series lenses come with an option for "Image Stabilization" (Canon) or "Vibration Reduction" (Nikon) technology. By using Image Stabilization, we have been able to shoot at shutter speeds down to 1/8 of a second with sharp results.

8) Shoot wide. Telephoto lenses magnify your body's shake. If you can get closer without being disruptive, shoot with a wider-angle lens to minimize the effect of unsteadiness. A good rule of thumb is to not let the shutter speed drop below the lens' focal length (50mm lens = 1/60 sec; 20mm lens = 1/15 sec).

Following up to my recent post looking back on the 1996 Olympics, I thought I would share one of the photos I made while assigned to cover the Rhythmic Gymnastics competition. Sports Illustrated ran a photo I made of the gold medalist, but my favorite photo from the competition was of Elena Vitrichenko of the Ukraine, left, who placed third overall. This picture seemed to capture just how amazing, shocking and humorous the sport is. These athletes were incredibly agile and flexible and exhibited incredible precision. Needless to say, it was a difficult sport to photograph because the action happened so fast. While positioned on the floor on the edge of the mat, I made this image with a Canon 200mm f/1.8 lens, which Canon unfortunately doesn't make anymore.