New Home

This blog is now at melissalawler.com/blog.

Super new blog

Some of you may know that I have been working on a black and white blog. I have it up and running now. Yeah! Check it out at www.blackandwhiterocks.com.
I am still working on the blog to replace this one. It will have nice big pictures like the super new black and white blog.

International award winner

I am so excited to announce that I won 5th place in the ceremony category with this shot of Julie and Aaron.



18th place with this shot of Christine.



I placed 20th in the top photographers for the fourth quarter. Go to the agwpja and check it out.

Where do I get the textures?

Well, I am glad you asked. Some of them are my own; I love shooting them.
I also use some from tofurious. The textures they have really rock! They work really well for the look I am going for. Check it out.

Texture

I love textures! Sometimes I add texture, sometimes it is already there. Texture is everywhere in weddings; the flowers, fabrics, lace, ribbons and environments.

This is one of my favorites. A friend on flickr said if it were of her she would have a huge canvas of it. I love it.


I loved this one before I added the texture to it and it is not really about the texture. I love the tenderness of the bride and her father and the texture makes them pop.






Are you really going to post that one again? Why yes, yes I am. It is one of my favorites and this time it is shown with texture and no writing on it.




Color can be textural.


Black and white can also be textual.


Flowers, lace and beading have fabulous texture.


Light can definitely add texture.




It's all about texture added or real.

What your wedding album might look like

Maybe I am a little bit obsessed with albums, but I thought you might like to see them. I get so excited when the man in brown backs down my driveway. Packages are fun, especially when I get to let a bride know her album is here. I love the leather, the details on the spine, and the slightly rounded edges of these albums. The leather choices I have are amazing! I love the simplicity of these. There are other options available and I enjoy those as well, but sometimes simplicity reigns.


This is a fabulous album bathed in black licorice.






I love the texture of the leather.


The spine of a 60 pager.


This is a giant swiss chocolate album of yumminess.


Ignore the fruit and have some chocolate.

coming soon to my website

I am in the process of updating my website. I am really excited about the changes. I will have reviews and thank you notes for every one to see. They can also be seen here in my blog but several people have mentioned that they did not know how to see the comments. Just click on the word comments and it will reopen the blog post with the comments at the bottom. You can also leave comments there. I love comments!

The Artistic Guild of the Wedding Photojournalist Association

I got accepted! Yeah!
I am a new member of the AGWPJA. I feel so honored to be listed with some really fabulous photographers. The artistic guild of the wpja is exclusively for photographers who shoot in a photojournalist style and then creatively enhance their images.



Here is a description from their website. *link*

The Artistic Guild of the Wedding Photojournalist Association [AG]WPJA is comprised of outstanding wedding photographers, who are at the forefront of the wedding photography industry when it comes to enhancing images. The chief objective of the [AG]WPJA is to provide members with a platform where the finest enhanced, manipulated and/or artistic wedding photojournalism in the world is spotlighted and promoted for the bride and groom.

The [AG]WPJA is a separate division of the Wedding Photojournalist Association (WPJA). Whereas the WPJA upholds strict guidelines that forbid excessive picture manipulation, the [AG]WPJA encourages and fosters creative image enhancement, with the vision of promoting Fine Art Wedding Photojournalists.

The [AG]WPJA establishes and upholds high standards that are taken into consideration during the judging process for our wedding photography contests. Using all artistic tools at their disposal, members skillfully enliven their work in post production processing.

Allison's Senior Session

I met with Allison and her mom at the IMA in November. It was so nice and warm that day, we almost forgot it was November.

My favorite shots from 2008

I picked a few of my faves from the past year. I really enjoyed photographing everyone last year.
I love my job.



I love when a bride (Christine) looks like she is in love.


When you are looking through these images you will notice quite a few back lit images. I just love the motion and the lighting in this one.








I love the color and the way the clouds frame the groom's (Aaron's) head




I just love the tenderness in this one.












The bride (Sarah) danced the night away.






The bride (Katie) had a really great laugh.










I just thought this was fun, the groom (Travis) waiting, on the phone and tossing a football.


The bride (Bonnie) gets a great hug from her mom.




I love the color in this one. The groomsmen were tying string on the inside of the car so the groom would not be able to open the door.
Go Colts!






The girls are tying up the bustle for Liz.




I love Liz's happy tears.




It was so obvious that Nick adored his new bride.




Merrin's mom and sister lace the back of her wedding dress.


These are two of my favorite back lit images.










I love the way Merrin's dad just looks so happy to have this moment with his little girl.




















The bride (Megan) just had the best laugh.











Megan was checking out the cocktail hour down below.








thanks to
Anne Ruthmann
Matthew Gordon Photography
Galleria Studios