Latest Dates for 2008 Wedding Season

It has been a great year for weddings thus far and I am nearly full for the 2008 wedding season. With so many inquiries still coming in, I thought I'd post the dates I have available for 2008 still.

Saturdays Currently Available

• May 17th (Know Anyone getting married soon without a photographer? Have them call for MASSIVE DISCOUNTS!)
• September 6th
• October 18th
• October 25th
• November/December are still fairly open at this time

If your wedding is not on a Saturday, please email me at tiberius@tiberiusimages.com to specifically inquire about your wedding date. For 2009 I have a few dates in June and July booked already, but the majority of dates are still available. Looking forward to working with all the great couples I've booked with in 2008! It's going to be a season of amazing wedding images!

Great Place to "Renew" Yourself

Yesterday I had the pleasure of meeting Angela Gill, owner of Renewal Skin Spa in Grand Rapids. Her office is located near on 28th Street near I-96. I stopped in because of some photography needs her company currently has. She greeted me at the reception area, along with her staffers, Christine and Julie. What a great group of people to meet!

Her company does so many things ranging from chemical peels, to laser hair removal, to many skin treatments. She and her husband have recently returned from California to Grand Rapids and brought all kinds of new technology and practices to West Michigan. Check out their website at www.renewalskinspa.com and make sure to let them know how you heard about them!

Are You a Sassy Bride to Be?

As I am always looking for great resources for brides, I came across an amazing site called "The Wedding Chicks". They talk about everything from style, to preferred vendors, to great giveaways on their website. In addition, it's a great place to look for ideas for your upcoming big day. If you've ever wanted to know what brides around the country are doing, these chicks are just what you need. Enjoy www.weddingchicks.com

Are Diamonds a Girl's Best Friend?...

I recently photographed a custom ringed built by Grand Rapids jeweler Trent Almassian of Almassian Jewelers. I originally photographed the mold before the ring was built, but I just had to post what the finished product looked like! Trent said the solitaire stone was around 3 to 3 1/2 carats and he added into it another 2 total carats surrounding it, all set in platinum! Anyone interested in this ring? It was a custom piece made specifically for a customer of Trent's, but his store includes Cartier, Simon G and Olivia. Check out his website if you're interested in seeing more of what he has to offer!

Jeffray + Brenda @ Frederik Meijer Gardens

I finally met Jeffray and Brenda on their wedding day. We had emailed back and forth many times and spoken over the telephone a couple of times, but never actually met in person. As soon as I met both of them though, I knew I was in for a fun day! They both mentioned to me in the first 15 minutes that they were marrying their best friend and were so happy to have me involved. Needless to say, they were a fun and adventurous couple that was willing to brave the rain/drizzle at Frederik Meijer Gardens for their outdoor ceremony. They were even brave enough to stay outside and grab some outdoor images enough though the rain continued to come down on all of us! Looking at the photos though, you'd never know it was raining or had rained. Be sure to visit Grand Rapids photographer Tiberius Images website to view their complete online album.

Brenda was busy getting ready in the Bridal Room - I love the mirror that Frederik Meijer has in the room!

Brenda and her Dad walked the last 100 feet or so to the waterfall ceremony site.

A photo of Jeffray as he says his vows. This was taken from behind the bridesmaids. His expression is powerful.

Kissing in front of the waterfall at the Gardens - what a great location, regardless of weather.

They wanted to incorporate the conservatory, the horse and a kiss somehow - this is what I came up with!

Beautiful image in front of the conservatory. I took this with a telephoto lens to compress the background and it turned out wonderful!

Their reception was in the lower level of the Gardens with a big window looking out back. They had a great reception with their close friends and family.

Photographing Sports and Action

Our lives teem with action and that's part of who we are—whooshing down a water slide, diving for a soccer ball, even skipping along the sidewalk. Here are some tips on how to catch them in the action.

Be ready to shoot Aim your camera at a spot where action is likely to occur. Have the viewfinder near your face and your finger poised over the shutter button so that you'll be ready to take a picture as soon as the right moment presents itself.

Take lots of pictures Action is one of the hardest things to capture in a picture, because the timing is so critical. Even the pros sometimes take dozens of shots to get one perfect picture.

Use the scene modes on your camera Use the sport or action mode on your digital camera to capture a subject in action without blurring. If you are photographing with film, use a fast action film such as Kodak Ultra Max 800 film.

Pan your camera For a creative effect, follow the action (pan) with your camera and press the shutter button while still moving the camera. Your subject will be sharp, but the background will blur indicating speed.

Get close Find a good picture-taking spot that safely puts you close to the action yet reveals the essential action pose.

Michigan State Capitol - Have You Ever Been?

I was able to be on a backstage tour of the Michigan State Capitol last week. There were six of us total and with the Capitol Facilities Manager, we were given a glimpse at the Michigan Capitol that not many other people see. We were actually allowed up in the "dome" of the state capitol. Below are just a few images. Click through to the Tiberius Images website to the rest of the tour.

This is where we started - the 4th floor of the State Capitol. This is open to the public, but we then entered through normally locked door that would take us up into the Capitol Dome.

This is from just below the dome. I was amazed by the handcrafted work that was done on the Michigan State Capitol. Not many people are able to see the dome this close up.

The view from the "small" viewing platform (we could barely fit 5 people). In the distance you will see the Hall of Justice where the Michigan Supreme Court meets. If you've ever wondered where your state tax dollars are going, the buildings you see on the mall here are all state operated (treasury, etc).

Around the Capitol you'll see gavels everywhere - a throw back to an earlier time in politics - no 24 hour media or blogs even.

Ever wonder why people who "lobby government officials" are called lobbyists? It's because THEY HAVE TO STAND IN THE LOBBY! Literally!