Products I Love: Miller's Signature Albums

2014 was a record breaking year for Kaylina Norton Photography - I like to say that in my best ESPN announcer voice - record breaking! And by records I mean that the spreadsheet I keep of all the weddings I shoot in a year had a larger number on it than ever before. But still - records. One of the most exciting things about growing your own business is being able to invest in new, amazing things that you can share with your clients. And the things that I'm most eager to share with my happy couples this year? Albums.

I recently switched over to Miller's Lab as my sole provider of print products and I could not be happier! They are absolutely AH-MAZ-ING. Yes, they're three-syllable-amazing. They're just that good. Their turn around times are so fast, sometimes I'm confused when I find a box on my doorstep - "really? I JUST ordered that!" And the quality? Impeccable.

This particular album is a 10x10 Millers Signature Album. It has flush-mounted, thick (1/16") panorama pages that allow me to design spreads that cover both pages without worrying about splitting the images at the spine.

This album cover is black, genuine Italian full grain leather meaning it ages well and is easy to take care of. If black leather isn't your style, Miller's has got you covered - 23 colors and textures of leather, 10 different patterns you can have etched on leather, and 15 colors of linen to choose from. And if you want to spice your cover up with an image (or 2 or 3) Millers can do that too. You can also add your name and wedding date to the cover if you're interested.

And Bonus - each album comes in it's own protective album box to help you keep your priceless memories safe when you're transporting or storing it.

But the absolute, hands-down, best thing about Miller's Signature Albums? They let the images speak for themselves. While they do give you an insane amount of design options, they never forget the most important part of the album - making your pictures stand the test of time in a beautiful, elegant format.

This is the album you'll drag around to every family event for a year after the wedding. The album you'll sit on your coffee table that you flip through with friends when they come to visit. The album that will eventually make its way to a bookcase that your kids will pull out in 20 years and pour over excitedly. And eventually, this will be the album that your children pass down to their children to show them just how beautiful their grandmother was. That's the journey I imagine for each and every album I design for my couples and I'm so happy to be able to provide that to them now.

Keep smiling!

Kaylina

If you have any questions about albums or other print products and services I offer, please reach out to me through my website!

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Video Games + Spreadsheets = Love

When people ask me what Blake and I do in our spare time, I cringe. Never do I feel more boring than when explaining to someone that my favorite things to do are to eat, watch Netflix, and sleep while Blake is out rock climbing, camping, and playing music. But I often forget (or block out) that there is one thing we do together regularly - we play video games. No, I am not a diehard and you will never find me on Xbox Live insulting anyone's mother, but I do use my love of spreadsheets to make gaming even more nerdy than it already is.

If you're unfamiliar with video games let me explain something very quickly before I get back to embarrassing myself. Most games come with achievements/trophies that you can earn by completing certain tasks within the game. These achievements are linked to your gaming profile, and people can see what games you've played and what trophies you've earned. This is where my very strange competitive nature comes out. Challenge me to a race or football game and I'll laugh in your face while stuffing mine with ice cream, but say that some guy in South Korea has more PlayStation trophies than I do and it's on!  

Before Blake and I start a new game, I sit down with my computer, open up a new tab on our trophy spreadsheet and chart out all of the trophies. I mark anything that's missable, anything that may require some extra effort, and I read any trophy walkthroughs that are available online. Sometimes we both play games - we'll drag the tv from our bedroom out into the living room and play different games side by side. Sometimes he just plays the game and I shout out directions to the nearest collectible or scold him for his lack of digital morals. It's very serious, slightly embarrassing business, but it's quality time that we get to spend together. And that's all we're really looking for.

Keep smiling!

Kaylina

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7 Easy Things Brides Should Do for Better Wedding Photos

I'm going to be really honest here - I've been wanting to write this blog for a long time. As a photographer, I am always trying to help my brides get the best pictures possible and over the past five years I've collected a short list of the easiest things brides can do for instantaneously better wedding pictures. These items range from something more abstract (like having a conversation with your photographer) to very tangible (bring your invitation suite!) but they're all things that should take less than 20 minutes of your time and will have you thanking yourself for years to come.

1. Walk Your Photographer Through Your Day

I love to meet with my brides about 6 weeks before the wedding to talk about timelines. I know six weeks sounds a little early, but it's never too early to nail down the backbone of your wedding day. In addition to talking wedding day timelines at this meeting, I like to ask more about the wedding itself. Specifically I want to know if there is anything they have planned for their wedding that is truly unique and personal to them. If you have a surprise planned for your groom/parents/bridal party tell your photographer so they have their camera ready to capture the reactions instead of being surprised right along side of everyone else. Talk about specific decorations. If you've incorporated vintage books into your centerpieces your photographer will definitely take pictures of the decor as a whole, but if they don't know that the titles of the books themselves are important to you, they might not include those in the pictures. So make sure to point out anything and everything that's important to you. As photographers our goal is to capture your special day in a way that you're going to cherish forever. So don't hesitate! Over-sharing is still caring!

2. Think About Where You're Getting Ready

A lot of Brides don't put a lot or any effort into where they're getting their hair or make-up done and it's really a missed opportunity. When planning where you'll be getting ready make sure to consider the following things: 1) natural light - not only will the pictures be significantly better, but this will help your make-up artist out as well 2) space - make sure it's not going to be a cramped area for you, your bridesmaids, moms, hair dressers, make-up artists, or anyone else you'll have hanging out with you while you get ready 3) Wherever you go, keep it tidy - nothing ruins the effect of the first photo of you in your dress like noticing a bra hanging out of a duffle bag in the corner of the photo. Getting ready in hotel rooms or salons are normally safe bets as long as they have plenty of windows. And don't forget to apply these rules to the guys as well!

3. Organize a Details Bag for your Groom

Now that we've talked about where you're getting ready, let's shift our attention to the guys. While I'm with the girls, snapping pictures of hugs and happy tears, the guys are normally somewhere else awkwardly sitting around, drinking, and watching TV. Since there's not as much going on with the guys, it's a great opportunity for, Blake, my fiance/second shooter to take some male detail shots. So prepare a bag of small things that your groom will be carrying around with him on your special day and have him give it to the photographer when he arrives. This does two things: 1) it rounds out your wedding pictures as a collection for your album or prints - now you'll have some more masculine pictures to compliment the bride's detail photos 2) it helps the guys get acclimated to the photographer in the room - it might sound silly but guys generally have a harder time warming up to the camera so if Blake spends the first 20 minutes taking pictures of things, instead of them, we can all avoid 20 minutes of fake smiles and stiff bodies. To help you brainstorm, here's what we love to take pictures of: shoes, socks, cuff links, tie, flask, belt, watch, handkerchiefs, and cologne.

4. Bring Your Invitation Suite

Most brides know that their photographer is going to want to take detail photos of their shoes, jewelry, dress, perfume, flowers, etc. but a lot of brides forget to bring a copy of their invitation suite. This means everything: the save-the-date, the invitation, the RSVP card, any other inserts you included (directions, registry information, etc.) and the envelopes! It's a good idea to create your own bag of bridal details for your photographer and stick the invitation suite in there as well. You spent a lot of time and money on your invitations so you deserve to get a great picture of the finished product. Not to mention, if you're interested in having your wedding in a publication/blog afterwards, the invitation suite shot is a must have!

5. Ask your Officiant to Step Aside

This might sound a little rude, but in your last meeting with your officiant before the wedding (ideally at your dress rehearsal) ask if he or she wouldn't mind stepping aside after they pronounce you "man and wife". When the time comes for the first kiss you will always find me at the end of the aisle. I want to get the best, straight on shot of the first kiss I can and then be ready for the recessional. So if I'm at the end of the aisle and your officiant is still standing in the middle behind your and your now husband, his or her head and body can be a little distracting in the photo - you might end up with the top of a bald head sticking out above you guys or an extra set of legs down below that appear to come from nowhere. I'm not asking that they dive off the stage after they say the magic words, but just a single step to the left or right will normally stop the phenomenon of extra limbs popping out of you.

6. Don't Forget About Reception Details

Generally, the bulk of your wedding budget is going toward the reception. Food, drinks, music, and decorations add up very quickly. So don't forget to give your photographer some time (at least 20 minutes) to photo the reception in detail before any guests have access to it. You'll want to document what the room looked like before your guests have rearranged their place settings, thrown their coats over chairs, and left their bags in the corners. I realize that sometimes this is difficult, especially if your ceremony isn't at the same location as the reception, but talk to your photographer, the venue, and wedding coordinator and see if there's a way to keep the guests in a separate location for cocktail hour or some other creative way to sneak your photographer in for a few photos ahead of the guests.

7. Take Time for a Sunset Shoot

While first looks are gaining popularity, a lot of couples still prefer to not see each other until the ceremony. Regardless of your feelings about a first look, you should without a doubt take time during your reception for a sunset shoot. I ask all my couples if they'd be up for sneaking outside for 15 minutes during their reception, about 30 minutes before sunset. The pictures that I get to capture during a couple's sunset session are seriously indescribable and priceless for two reasons: 1) the lighting during this time is absolutely gorgeous - there's a reason photographers call it "the golden hour" 2) the bride and groom are generally in party mode at this time - they've already eaten, the groom generally has a few drinks in him, and all the things that might have been making them anxious or stiff in earlier pictures are over; now it's just time to party. And bonus: it gives the couple a few minutes to be by themselves and soak everything in. All of these factors combine into great, intimate pictures that really can't be captured any other time in the day.

So that's it - 7 easy things you can do to help your wedding pictures WOW you for the rest of your life! 

Married couples - did I miss a tip that you did on your big day that paid off in your pictures? Leave them in the comments below!

Keep smiling!

Kaylina

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Planning Our Wedding: Shopping for Engagement Outfits

I think the most common question I get from brides after we've scheduled their engagement session is: What do I wear? That is a pretty difficult question for me on a day to day basis, let alone when I'm considering what to wear in photos that I'll cherish forever. Talk about pressure. So when it was my turn to have my engagement pictures taken, I used all the advice I normally give my clients and went shopping!

Before I really get going, the pictures you see in this post were not taken by me because I'm in them (I'm not that good). Instead, they were taken by the amazingly talented Angela Fortin.

1. Have a general idea of what you're looking for before you go shopping (and know what you already own)

Before you open the doors to your local mall I would have a game plan of what you're looking for. I generally tell my clients to have 2-3 outfits ready for their session. That way they'll have some variety between pictures but also have enough time in each outfit to get some good pictures. I also suggest that the outfits should be a mix of dressy and casual.

Blake and I knew that we only wanted to do two outfits - one dressy, one casual. We weren't going to buy a new suit for Blake so we already knew that he'd be wearing navy, which meant I just needed to find a dress that would go with his suit. The casual outfit was a little more up in the air but we knew that we'd probably only need new shirts for this outfit since we could wear pants and shoes we already owned. So at this stage we were looking for a new dress shirt and tie for Blake's dressy outfit, a dress and necklace for my dressy outfit, a shirt for both of us for our casual outfits.

2. Start timeless

I always tell my clients to stay away from giant logos, crazy patterns, or anything that's super trendy at the moment. You're going to have these pictures for a long time and you don't want to look back at your pictures like an episode of "Friends" and go "what were they wearing!?!" - try to stick to solid colors, classic patterns (stripes, polka dots, plaid), and timeless silhouettes. 

When Blake and I were looking for our casual outfit, I found a solid burgundy t-shirt and Blake found a nice blue and white striped t-shirt. The building blocks to your outfits should be timeless.

3. But don't be afraid to go big

This is going to sound like it's in direct contradiction of the last tip, but it's not. Find a good balance of classic staples with trendy accessories. I don't want my couples showing up to sessions in plain, frumpy, nondescript clothes that don't show off their personality at all. So if you find something that makes your heart stop - buy it!

After I bought the solid burgundy tee, a ridiculously large floppy hat also caught my eye. So I bought it. I am fully aware that the hat might look silly in 10 years (if it doesn't already) but I wanted it in a few pictures and took it off for the rest. Blake's dress shirt that he ended up finding was chambray. Chambray is very in right now, but it might not be in the future. That's okay, because the solid navy suit he was wearing should stand the test of time. Like I said, find a balance.

4. Never be afraid of accessories

Accessories are exactly what Emeril was always looking for to take something up a notch. Throw in some amazing accessories and BAM!! Your engagement session just made your photographer swoon. I always tell my brides to bring heels to their sessions if they are heel wearers at all. They don't have to wear them for every outfit, but having heels in just a few pictures will be magical. At the risk of sounding like the man from Men's Warehouse - You're going to like the way you look; I guarantee it. 

That being said, I want to acknowledge that I did not follow my own rule for this - I am vertically blessed as a girl and Blake is my height (or an inch taller if you believe him) so I don't wear heels around him. But if you and your partner are a good mix of heights and heels work for you, please bring them to your session! Since I couldn't accessorize with woman's real best friend, I bought a super cute necklace from J. Crew for my dressy outfit and the hat I mentioned before for the casual outfit. They were the perfect small things to make the outfits pop.

5. Be comfortable in what you're wearing

This tip needs to happen on two levels. You need to feel physically comfortable in what you're wearing. Make sure it fits correctly and makes you feel good about yourself and your body. But you should also feel comfortable with what you're wearing in a personal sense. Is that an outfit that feels like you? Is it something that you might normally wear or your ideal you would wear? It's okay to dress a little nicer for an engagement session than you normally do, but the outfits should still reflect your style.

When shopping Blake and I went to our local outlet mall to get some great deals on some bigger brands we normally only dream about wearing. And we found some great bargains and were able to curate outfits that felt like us or at least the us we wished we could afford to be. Except for one thing - I found a pair of shorts that fit me fine and that I felt I looked good in, but after taking them home and trying them on with the rest of the outfit it just didn't feel like "me". So I returned them and wore a pair of shorts I already owned.

If anyone has any other great tips for what to look for when shopping for engagement sessions please leave them in the comments below! If you're looking for outfit inspiration check out my Pinterest board or check out the engagements gallery on my website! I love the effortless yet fashionable styles my clients always bring to their sessions.

Keep smiling!
Kaylina

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Using Pinterest as a Professional Photographer

Hello, my name is Kaylina and I'm a recovering Pinterest Addict. When I first discovered Pinterest I was in college and spent most of my part time job as an office assistant on the site pinning crafts I would never complete, recipes I would never attempt, and decorations for a house I would never own. Pinterest is kind of known for that I think - aspirations of a picture perfect life most of us will never have, but it's always fun to dream. I will say though that I've found three very useful purposes for Pinterest as a photographer.

1. I use Pinterest to get a feel for my brides on a personal level 

When I first meet with a couple I ask if they're on Pinterest and, if they are, to send me a follow request because I find that I can learn so much about a person from their Pinterest boards. Not only can I get a sneak peek at their wedding from any wedding boards a bride might have, I normally can get a good understanding of their sense of humor, if they're animal lovers, book worms, movie fans, or fashion forward. Now obviously, I'm making a lot of assumptions by doing this (if you looked at my profile you'd think I like to cook. I actually like to eat. I have no idea how to cook), but it gives me a rough idea of who the bride is as a person and allows me to interact with them on another level before the big day.

2. I use Pinterest to guage my brides' photography style

If a bride doesn't already have a wedding and engagement photography board, I ask her to make one. And no, it is NOT because I want to copy all the pictures she pins. I ask a bride to make a photography board so I can see what kind of pictures she is drawn to and what kind of pictures she would like to get out of the experience. I might notice that a bride has posted a lot of super snuggly, flirty pictures so I know to plan for a fun, candid session. If I notice that a bride pins more editorial, high fashion images I'll plan for more serious, intimate poses. Sometime brides will post 5 or 6 different pictures of the same pose so that obviously lets me know that we should at least try out that pose or something similar.

3. I use Pinterest to give some last minute tips to my brides

I normally check out my brides' boards about 2 weeks before a session to gauge their style and give out any last minute tips. If I notice that the bride has posted a lot of pictures of girls in heels, I'll suggest they bring heels to the session, even if just for one outfit. You'd be surprised how much high heels can change a picture. If they've posted a lot of pictures with props (blankets, baskets, balloons, etc.) I'll check in and see if they're planning on bringing anything with them to their engagement shoot. I also check in to make sure the pictures she's been pinning are realistic. If she's the same bride that posted a bunch of snuggly, flirty pictures but her man is adamantly against PDA, we're going to run in to a problem. 

Again, the idea is not to copy any of the pictures from Pinterest - I've just found it to be a helpful tool to make sure that both myself and the bride are on the same page going in to an engagement shoot or wedding. Knowing a bride's style and expectations before hand makes the experience more enjoyable for everyone. And getting another person addicted to Pinterest is always a bonus.

If you'd like to check out my style or make assumptions about my personality, you can look at my Pinterest boards here.

Keep smiling!

Kaylina

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Planning Our Wedding: Hiring Vendors

I'm an extremely organized and punctual person. If Google Maps tells me I can get somewhere in 24 minutes, I'll give myself time for 36 minutes, and somehow end up 45 minutes early. I have a notebook in my purse that I keep to jot down notes so I won't forget them, and in case I forget I wrote them in the notebook, I also put them in the "reminders" and "notes" app on my phone. My inbox is so immaculate that the Queen herself could eat out of it (if it was a tangible box, of course). I always respond to emails within 24 hours of receiving them and then file them away neatly in their respective places. These are all traits that make me a great wedding photographer, but might turn me in to a slightly controlling bride.

Those traits, combined with my 5 years in the wedding industry, have made me a little high maintenance when it comes to finding and hiring vendors for my own wedding. When looking for a DJ, florist, photographer, videographer, caterer, etc. I've been looking for a few key things.

1. They share my style

This was the hardest for me when it came to choosing a photographer and videographer. I found myself drawn to a few different styles because I could appreciate the technical aspect and talent in their final product, but I had to remind myself what I ultimately wanted. For me, I wanted pictures and video that were altered and edited as little as possible. I want candid, documentary like coverage of my day but with an artistic view. Blake and I are envisioning a simple, classic wedding. So hiring a photographer or videographer whose final product is a low contrast, matte version of the day didn't really make sense. Even though there are incredibly talented people out there with that style, it's just not for me. You can apply the same logic to caterers, bakers, florists, etc - while I might be attracted to some ornate, over the top things I've seen out there on Pinterest, I had to remind myself that our wedding day is going to be simple. So I had to find vendors that can do simple well.

2. They're personal and prompt

This comes back to the insane personality traits I confessed to earlier. In addition to being a wedding photographer, I still work full time. So email has been my primary means of communication with all of my vendors. It's important to me that I can get a good "feel" for this person over email. I want them to show an interest in me and my wedding. This might be their 500th wedding, but it's my only one. So them taking the extra time to read my email and actually remember the details I provided them with is very important to me.

Part of the requirements of me getting a good "feel" is that they answer my emails and questions in a timely manner. I'm going to be honest with everyone - this is where I've been the most disappointed. I'm going to give an extra helping of honest by saying that it has and has not been a deal breaker in certain instances. I have crossed certain vendors off my list if I didn't receive a response within a week (no, I don't hold everyone to the 24 hour rule) but I've also sent out follow up emails to some vendors that I REALLY LIKE hoping to give them a gentle reminder that I exist. I understand that people are busy and that some artist types (obviously not me) aren't self described punctual, email slaves, but it does make me a little nervous hiring them. If they're bad at answering emails now, are they going to magically get better at it the closer my wedding day gets? Which leads me to my last decision factor...

3. They're trust-worthy

As I said before, I have a somewhat unique view of wedding vendors because I'm a wedding photographer myself. So while I encourage everyone to put a lot of thought and effort into finding the right vendors for them, I also encourage people to trust the vendors they decide to hire. Once you've found that person for you, whether it's a DJ, baker, florist, or photographer - trust them. Communicate your vision for the day with them but let them do their job. Weddings can be stressful but you'll have the best experience on the big day if you've surrounded yourself with great, talented people you can trust. When you do turn the reins over to your vendors you're likely to be pleasantly surprised. There's a reason they're the professionals. They've got this.

Keep smiling!
Kaylina

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Reflecting on 2014

2014 was such an incredible year for Kaylina Norton Photography! We shot 14 weddings - meeting and befriending so many amazing couples along the way. At the beginning of the year Blake and I had a conversation about where we'd like to be at the end of the 2014 wedding season. Based on our 5 weddings last year, I said I wanted to do 7 this year and Blake said I should shoot for the stars with 10 weddings. I never imagined that we'd be closing out the year with 14!

In addition to growing our business with the number of happy couples we were lucky enough to meet, Blake and I had a great year personally as well. Blake graduated in May and found the perfect job at a marketing agency in downtown Columbus that interests him and occasionally allows drinking in the office. Pretty sweet deal. We officially started planning our wedding for June 2015, booking our vendors, finding my dress, and asking all of our bridal party to share with us in our special day.

Blake and I could never thank our clients, friends, and families enough for the support, kind words, and faith they have show us in the past year. I am constantly reminded how blessed I am to be able to work so hard at something I love. And seeing people responding to the photos on social media, forming relationships with my brides, and being trusted to capture something as important as a wedding make all the late nights of editing worth it.

I want to wrap up this year by expressing my deepest thanks to anyone and everyone who has believed in me and Kaylina Norton Photography - I could not have done any of this without you!

Bring on 2015!

Keep smiling!
Kaylina

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