Ashley and I are trying something fun this year to give back to the city that has given so much to us. On October 23rd we want to photograph 25 families, completely cost free including the digital negatives from the shoot. Each shoot will take place at one outdoor location, yet to be determined but most likely Water Works Park, Gray's Lake, or the Rose Garden. Each shoot will last 10 minutes. It will include one or two family photos and a few photos of each of the children. No sitting fees, includes the digital negatives from the shoot, mailed 2-3 weeks after the shoot. You can order images of the shoot from our website but it is not required.

There are no special requirements to be a part of the shoot. By participating in the shoot you agree to allow us to post the photos on our facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/nuzumphoto and on our blog at www.nuzumphoto.com. One family(guardians and children) per session so we can ensure that everyone gets 10 minutes of photos. If you are interested please complete the form below to set your time. If you are late for your shoot unfortunately we will have to skip you and your shoot will not be rescheduled. We want to ensure everyone has the full ten minutes. Thanks and we look forward to working with all of you!

WOW

The response we have received has been incredible. We are completely booked for the 25 sessions, but I can't imagine that we don't open up at least 5 more. If I can chow some Jimmy John's in my left hand and shoot with my right we will work right through lunch....maybe more details to come....

Posted by Steve Nuzum at 9:48 PM | Permalink

Through out a wedding day Ashley and I are constantly shooting photos of each other as we work. Mostly we are just goofing off together. We like to have fun. We want to have fun, we want the bride and groom to have fun, the wedding party, the families, everyone. So we start by having a good time and goofing off some.

These outtake/behind the scenes photos are all from Carrie and Tyler's wedding. There are photos of Ashley helping me setup the formal lighting, photos of me testing out the photo booth location and setting, some of us working where we just got caught in the frame on accident, and some of us plain goofing off. Enjoy.

Posted by Steve Nuzum at 5:13 AM | Permalink

The first sight is one of the biggest moments of the wedding day. Whether it be during the ceremony or before hand like this photo below. While some brides and grooms are still choosing to see each other for the first time during the ceremony, 90% of our brides and grooms do a first sight like this one below where we setup the groom in a location and the bride walks up behind him and taps him on the shoulder to turn around and see her for the first time on their wedding day.

Shooting the first sight is tough. You want to get several reactions and angles and it all happens very fast. If family and friends are present it complicates it even further. Here is a quick list of the reactions/shots I want:

1. The groom waiting.
2a. The bride approaching.
2b. The bride approaching in the background with the groom in the foreground.
3. The grooms reaction to seeing his beautiful bride.
4. The brides reaction to seeing her studly groom.
5. The kiss that inevitably happens.
6. The reaction of any family or friends who may be onlookers at the time.
7. The bride and groom's behavior when we don't tell them what to do next.

It is tough to cover all of that with just one person. Luckily Ashley and I work on a different level than most and know exactly what the other is doing. That allows us to capture these moments from many angles and perspectives very quickly without taking the exact same photo. There is no other team like Ashley and I and that comes from the fact that we are married and know each better than anyone else. It allows us to be completely open and honest with each other regarding our photography and how we work together.

This first sight is from a recent wedding with Amber and Brian. We shot these first sight photos in the Sculpture Garden in Downtown Des Moines. There were a lot of people in the garden that day, but you wouldn't be able to tell from these photos. (Another important aspect of how Ashley and I shoot.) These two photos show the different angles Ashley and were working from for this first sight. We will always recommend an outside first sight, but we also do them at church alters if so desired. Congratulations again to Amber and Brian!

Posted by Steve Nuzum at 1:53 AM | Permalink

Ashley and I really enjoy attending the St. Patrick's Day parade every year. While I am not the most Irish person in the world my surname does originate from the Republic of Ireland. You can't beat the color, excitement, and all around rowdyness that the parade has. The boy's enjoy going as well and we never leave home without the camera. Below are a few shots from this year's parade and for a look back to last year's check out this blog post, St. Patrick's Day Parade 2010.

Posted by Steve Nuzum at 10:40 PM | Permalink

I shot Heather and Treye's engagement photos a while back on the ISU Campus. We hit several cool spots and despite the really cold temperatures we had a great time. This particular shot was taken in the open area just north of the Campanile. This wasn't the first time we'd done a snow/snowball fight during an engagement shoot but it was one of the most intense. As you can see from this photo Heather was playing for keeps. I tend to take a "hands off" approach when it comes to shots like this. I want them to just have a good time and enjoy the moment. I will take care of the photos through whatever means necessary, but they just need to have fun and have a fun story to tell later. I hope that these two enjoyed the moment and did have a fun story to tell (with photos to prove it.)

Posted by Steve Nuzum at 12:01 PM | Permalink

So Ashley and I have been doing something for our brides and grooms informally, but we'd like to go ahead and make it formal. It's actually quite simple. If it rains on your wedding day and we can't take photos outside...you get a free day after/trash the dress session. We want you to have stunning photos of you in you dress and your new husband by your side. If rain slows us down on your wedding day we won't let it stop us from achieving that.

So what is a day after/trash the dress session? In one word, it's fun. We are a little more creative with these and they tend to be shot more like engagement photos. We don't have time limits and don't worry so much about keeping the dress pristine. We have a great time and get some great photos. Check out some examples below.

Posted by Steve Nuzum at 8:07 AM | Permalink

Posted by Steve Nuzum at 8:58 AM | Permalink

A photo is worth 1,000 words, but sometimes it takes 1,000+ to tell the whole story. There is a story behind every photo we take. Why did we choose to take this shot? What lead us to this location? What was the reasoning behind the pose? How long did I make them sit there like that? Who's idea was it? Etc. So today I am choosing one photo to give you that behind the photo look at.

This is an engagement photo from Angela and Adam's session last year in Omaha. This photo was taken near Gene Leahy Mall around the Old Market area. It was the first time that I'd been able to shoot in this area and there was certainly plenty for me to use in the shoot. It was a cold and rainy day and I had actually been a bit under the weather, but as is usually the case as soon as I started shooting everything else, including feeling crappy, faded away.

There are a couple of giants slides at the east end of the park. How could I not have them take a few on these giant slides. So they, Adam a little reluctantly, climbed to the top and proceeded to try and slide down. About half way down they got stuck. The slides are metal and not really, well slidey. Apparently using cardboard is the way to go since there was a bunch of discarded cardboard sitting around. So when they got stuck half way we all had a good laugh, Adam is even laughing in this particular photo, and I told them to kiss. Imagine that, me telling someone to kiss in front of the camera. Anybody who follows this blog knows the power of kissing photos and that we take a ton. After we finally stopped laughing they scooted off the slides and we continued on around the park. Great photo, great story.

Posted by Steve Nuzum at 1:45 PM | Permalink

Why does it matter that Ashley and I are a husband and wife team and not just two photographers? The reality is it goes much deeper than it seems. The simple answer is we know exactly what each other is thinking at any moment because we share a connection that no other two people do. A lot of photographers work as individuals and simply hire out a second photographer. Or if it is a bigger studio they themselves are outsourced photographers. How can two people who only work together once a week, or may be working together for the first time, possibly capture a wedding in the emotionally attached and committed way it needs to be.

Ashley and I always know what each other's next move is. After shooting over 100 weddings together, and being married for nearly 7 years, we've learned to think ahead of each other and anticipate. During a first kiss or during the first dance I know exactly what Ashley is shooting and why she is shooting it. She knows exactly what I am doing and why I am doing it. We are able to better capture the moments of your wedding day because we work as one and not as two individuals. Ashley's camera is an extension of mine and vice versa.

From the beginning of the day until the time we leave a wedding we are in constant contact regarding what we are doing and why. We share ideas, we communicate, and most importantly we grow closer. Every wedding we shoot is an opportunity for Ashley and I to grow closer together and that helps us to produce the beautiful photos you see on our site. Ashley and I shoot a wedding engulfed in the emotion of the wedding day. Quite honestly, we get caught up in it. I catch myself not taking photos sometimes because I become a guest. I feel that I am sharing the emotion that the bride, groom, and family are feeling. I know Ashley feels the same way. We are committed and attached.

Many times Ashley and I catch up with each other as we are transitioning from location to location and discuss how we are feeling. It is easy to put ourselves in everyone's position. From bride and groom to mom and dad. We often talk about how it will feel when our children are getting married. What it will feel like for us and what it will be like for them. We shoot with the emotion we feel.

Posted by Steve Nuzum at 11:58 AM | Permalink

Ashley and I have always said that we feel our brides and grooms become our friends. It's as easy today as becoming facebook friends. We can watch as all of you go from engaged, to bride and groom, to happily married, to mom and dad. As one may view their wedding photographer as a one time relationship and interaction we view it as the beginning of a journey. A journey that we are there for the beginning of. A beginning that we are emotionally tied to. It's easy for us to start looking at our brides and grooms as extensions of our family. Our son's remember the names of some brides and grooms. They started asking when they would be coming over again. They get to meet all of our couples the same as we do. Sometimes lifelong friendships are built out of the weddings we shoot. This is one such story.

On August 11th, 2008 we received an email from a newly engaged couple who were seeking a wedding photographer. My response took more than 24 hours which is not typical and i was apologetic in my response for the delay. The response that came back was "Hey! No problem on the response time I understand that you have lives outside of work :)" That says a lot about someone who is seeking something as important as their wedding photographer. "I understand that you have lives outside of work :)" While Ashley and i may not make this distinction all the time, we feel as though Nuzum Photo is tattooed on our hearts, we do have lives outside of being Nuzum Photo. One that this couple would quickly become a part of.

After a few back and forth emails we setup a meeting date and time. The first time we met with this couple it was a little scary. We were expecting them to arrive any minute and we heard a knock at the door. I peaked out the blinds to make sure of who it was and all i could see was a uniformed police officer....I didn't believe I had broken any laws recently. So I started to sweat a little. I knew we were expecting this couple and a cop shows up just before. When I opened the door standing there was our future bride-to-be and her fiancé, a police officer. Now that I could stop sweating we could get to talking about themselves and what they wanted from their wedding photographer.

The two of them fit together perfectly. They were in love and ready to married. I think if circumstances had allowed they may have gotten married right there on our couch that day. Becoming an ordained minister is as simple as filling out a form these days. I could have taken care of it. We were easily into conversation with both.

The amazing thing about that meeting was we didn't talk much about wedding photography. It wasn't the most important thing we had to talk about. We talked 45 minutes about who we were. Who they were. What we liked and what they liked. They like to snowboard. They like board game nights. They recently moved. They lived right around the block. They were just a few houses away from us. I had run past their house many times not even knowing who they were. Just another house that I passed on my route. That day's meeting would change that.

We scheduled engagement photos for October 14, 2008. They had a spot picked out in Newton, IA that turned out to be a great location. We wondered around having a great time and learning more and more about who they were and how their relationship came to be. Learning about a couple during an engagement shoot is nothing out of the normal. We always talk about who they are and what they want to do and where they want to go. Getting to know a couple provides us an emotional connection that brings out the best in our photos. You can definitely tell the difference in our photographs from when we are emotionally connected to someone and when we are not. We don't do it on purpose, but the results don't lie. Finding a connection with the bride and groom or any subject is vital.



It wasn't very long after the engagement shoot that this couple started coming over regularly to hang out, play games, and play with our kids. These two loved playing with our kids and our kids quickly learned names and were asking when they would be coming back over. The kids learned that they had dogs and that was the coolest thing ever, even cooler than our own dog. The friendship would grow and eventually came the wedding day.

May 23, 2009. They were married in Newton, IA. By this point we felt like pretty good friends with them. We didn't really know families or other friends but we'd spent quite a bit of time hanging out with them and getting to know them. This is where our emotional connection to the wedding photos becomes important. These two are our friends now. We felt that connection that we strive to feel with all of our brides and grooms. The connection that gives emotion to our work. We knew that they felt bad that we were "working" on their wedding day. They felt that we could be guest, but that is far too tough. We had a job to do and we had to do it. We still did some of the things you do and a friend's wedding. We participated in the dollar dance and we took some photos in the photo booth.





Over the next year we would continue to hang out and have game nights, they came to our annual Halloween party in 2009 dressed as M&M's and at our 2010 Halloween party as an oven with a bun in it and a chef. This couple had taken the next step in their life journey and were expecting a baby. As Ashley and I had followed them on their journey we were certainly excited for them. We get no more joy than following along with life's journey that we saw begin at a wedding. Life is full of stations that we reach on our journey and these two had just reached the next station. I still haven't got to the best part of the story yet.

Ashley would later photograph the maternity photos. Another important milestone in their lives that we were their to capture. The experience is the most important thing, but the photos bring the experience back to life. Ashley would also be capturing the next big experience for these two, the moment when they actually become parents.



We are photojournalist for the most part. We do not intrude, we do not alter events, we do not take part. But with these two we have always broke those rules. We did so because we felt like we were suppose to be part of it all. As the bride anxiously waited she would send Ashley updates on the baby's plans for arrival. As the due date came and past Ashley continued to receive updates and give advice as best she could from our own experience. Two of our three boys were late arriver's, it can be a tough time.

This past Sunday the time had come. This couple went to hospital early in the morning and would not return home without their baby. Ashley continued to get updates and I texted over a few words to the would be dad of what I had learned from having kids, men's secret knowledge of course. In the early evening it was time for Ashley to head down to the hospital as things were getting close and the new baby would arrive soon.

Little did Ashley know that the lines of photojournalism would be tested that day. With Ashley there she quickly become part of what was going on. She headed into the moment expecting to capture a new baby's first moments in this world. What she ended up doing was standing bed side. Taking part. She was part of this families first moments together. She was counting out and helping with breathing coaching. What had started as an email on August 11, 2008 about a wedding photographer had turned into a moment where Ashley was part of a birth of a child on February 13, 2011. Ashley was now more than just a wedding photographer, she was an intricate part of their life story. The life story of our friends. Matt, Jessica, and Karrigan.

Posted by Steve Nuzum at 8:36 AM | Permalink

Just noticed the squiggly lines, darn spell check...ignore them...they add nothing to the point of the photo.

Posted by Steve Nuzum at 11:50 PM | Permalink

It's always fun to get in new sample albums. Ashley and I just got this one in. It is filled with photos from Ashley and Paul's wedding. The textures are great and the thing is just awesome. We had to share... This is a 12"x12" version of our Tuscany album with the new two-tone covering that we are offering.

Posted by Steve Nuzum at 8:29 AM | Permalink

Working on getting the Photo Station information up on the site. Here is a little slideshow preview.

Posted by Steve Nuzum at 10:46 PM | Permalink

This was the second time out with the photo station. If you'd like more info about it go here. We are really liking both the photos and EXPERIENCE that it is turning out for our brides, grooms, and their guests. Enjoy...(see if you can spot Ashley and I....and baby Nuzum #3)

Posted by Steve Nuzum at 11:46 AM | Permalink

We have rolled out the photo station twice now at no cost to two of our 2010 couples. We are still working out all the little details and still have one more free stop for the photo station this year. So for those who are more photo techie I will lay down the specifics of how it all works, for those who want to know the basics I will spell it out real simple.

The Basics:
Click, view, laugh. The photo station is a self shoot opportunity. Everyone loves taking pictures of themselves, a quick spin of Facebook will tell you that. In most photo stations it's four clicks and done. Here's your 2" x 6" strip of 1.5" x 1.5" photos. Not here. You will get to see the photos as they are taken on the TV screen. Take as many as you like! Then the bride and groom will get a CD of full res images! Print them, share them, upload them.

The Details (for photographers...or those curious):
The whole thing is triggered by pocket-wizards. The current setup uses 3 triggers. One in the hands of the guests, one on the camera, and one on the studio flash. The one in hand triggers everything. It first sends the signal to the on camera trigger which uses pocket-wizard pre-trigger cord for Canon cameras to trigger the shutter. The pocket-wizard on camera then waits for the hot shoe pulse from the camera to trigger the flash's pocket-wizard. The pocket-wizard on the flash is set to channel two to receive the signal with the correct timing. If it is not setup perfectly then the flash goes off before the camera's shutter is engaged and you get dark photos.

The details are still being worked out, but basically you can expect that this will be an add-on to any wedding package and in the future it will be included in some wedding packages. If you are interested today, then shoot us an email or give us a call.

So what is the Cheese Zone? That would be the area the guests are when they are taking the photos. Don't get too cheesy....seriously. Have fun, be creative, enjoy, but don't get all cheesy. Below is a mock-up of the whole layout and a few shots from Ashley and Paul's wedding.

Posted by Steve Nuzum at 1:04 PM | Permalink

I am working on a new project and I need Iowa's help. I am looking for 99 people to help take a photo of an Iowa sunset from each of Iowa's 99 counties. You don't have to be a professional photographer or even own a professional camera. A point and shoot camera will do just fine. You don't have to reside in the particular county you take the photo in, but each photo must be taken from each county at the exact same time most likely within a five minute range or so. The time and day are yet to be determined as they will be determined by when I can get the list together of all participants and then based on the specific day's official sunset time. It'd be great to incorporate some of Iowa's most famous landmarks in each of the photos.

The photos taken will not be used for any commercial purpose. Ideally I will be creating a large print that has each photo inside of each Iowa county. This would then be displayed around Iowa at different events and eventually sold for charity (charity TBD). All photographers will receive a photo credit as part of the artwork.

If you have any interest in taking part in this project please contact me at photosacrossiowa@gmail.com or leave a voice-mail at 515-306-9739. Thanks and I am looking forward to working with all of you.

Posted by Steve Nuzum at 10:30 AM | Permalink

As I prep for tomorrow's wedding I am sitting and contemplating how preparation has changed from wedding 1 a short three years ago to wedding 78 tomorrow. Some things have really changed and others remain the same. I thought some of what we've learned could help some starting photographer out there. We get questions all the time on how we do things and why. So I wanted to go ahead and talk about our current preparation steps.

The Night Before

- Review all notes and details from our final preparation meeting with the bride and/or groom. I am meticulous and will run through the entire day in my head several times. Playing out possible scenarios so I can start to build contingency plans, specifically around outdoor photos and regarding pre-ceremony formals.
- Charge all 16 of our batteries. We have three different types of batteries for our different cameras. It can take some time to get through them all.
- Go through 192 gigabytes of memory cards to ensure that we have everything removed from them. Then format ALL of them. There is no reason to take any chances here. Make sure all of your tools are ready to go.
- When we first started I had a checklist for our camera bags and lighting equipment. I would go through the entire list checking things off. Now this far in, I just know what we always have. I eliminated our list, but still do a through inspection for cameras, flashes, cables, memory cards, batteries, stands, pocket wizards, .... etc ....
- I make sure every camera has batteries and a freshly formatted memory card. All settings are put at our base of Av, AWB, ISO 100, evaluative metering, one shot AF, and -1 step flash compensation. From there things go all over the place throughout the day, but those are our base settings before each wedding.
- I stack all of our gear in piles. Camera/Lighting gear in one pile. Step stool, table, extension cords, and rugs to cover them in another. This helps me validate that I have loaded everything the next day.
- I set out whatever clothing I will be wearing the next day. Time can run short the next morning and if I am waiting on batteries to charge I can always get something else done.
- Check the weather forecast to have an idea heading into the day of what may take place.

The Morning Of

- Check the weather again. Formulate my own prediction. I like Ed Wilson, but when we are out and shooting I have to trust my own instincts and they are typically right. Just ask Carmen and Ron...got all the shots in RIGHT before it started to rain.
- As I load the van I go through the entire checklist in my mind again. Visually checking to ensure everything is in place.
- Double check directions and/or maps to make sure I know where I am going. Google maps even failed us once. The road looked like it was there...but it wasn't. (Sorry for scaring you Emily)
- Check to make sure I have some Vitamin Water for the day, if not, stop and get some.

That pretty much sums up the preparation. From there out we will arrive and start to run through our steps for gearing up on site. Then it's show time...I am so nervous when we start shooting. I'd guess our brides and grooms never know that as one of my main jobs is to keep them relaxed and I have to appear relaxed to make that happen.

Posted by Steve Nuzum at 9:35 PM | Permalink

Selective Color. This is also know as hand coloring, partial coloring, or "make the eyes blue and everything else black and white" technique. I'm going to attack selective coloring today, but don't get me wrong, it has it's place. It's place just happens to be in 1995...some 15 years ago. Wow, that was a long time ago. In 1995, the criminal trial of O.J. Simpson started and ended, the 49ers beat the Chargers in the Super Bowl, Sheryl Crow's "All I Want to Do" won best album, Hootie and the Blowfish won best new artist, Braveheart won best picture, and selective color started it's global domination.

15 years later, it's run its course and died. We do not tend to use a lot of selective color, hardly any at all. Pretty much none. That is of course unless it is requested. Selective color has faded so much into the background that you only see it with Photoshop or GIMP newbies. It's a cool technique to play with if you are a hobbyist or just having fun on a Friday night. However, if you are trying to create modern and timeless photos, avoid selective color. Selective color is a fad that has faded and will continue to do so.

To keep images relevant in any time period or decade stick to the basic principles of photography and avoid the fads and gimmicks limited by relevance in a specific time space. Below you will see two examples of selective color that you see all the time. Background in black and white and subject in black and white. The third image is our version of selective color. In which we've selected EVERYTHING to be in color. Let your images stand the test of time.


For those of you contemplating the fact that I did NOT do a great job with the selective color editing.....yeah, that'd be the point.

Posted by Steve Nuzum at 12:21 AM | Permalink

All of the great weather we are experiencing right now reminds me of how lucky we are in Iowa to have good snowy winters and warm sunny summers, rainy crisp springs and vibrant mild falls. It also reminded me of this pic from a wedding last year. One of my favorite jump photos.

Posted by Steve Nuzum at 5:40 PM | Permalink

Always an important item on the agenda.

Posted by Steve Nuzum at 6:46 PM | Permalink

Be sure to check out all the entries in the DMJuice and IKONIX Studios photo contest. While there vote for your favorite.....of course I'm hoping that's mine.

You can check out my entry "Window of Opportunity" below. Click below to go vote.

Posted by Steve Nuzum at 12:16 AM | Permalink

Ashley and I are looking for an understudy....an intern...a second shooter...a colleague...you get the point. Ashley and I continue to grow as Nuzum Photo. Shooting 25 weddings in 2008, 36 in 2009, and scheduled to shoot 27 weddings this year. That's 88 weddings in the last three years. A rocket start to Nuzum Photo. This doesn't include any of the other kid, family, newborn, senior, sports, or any other shoots. Point.....we're busy.

What that means is we are looking for someone to help out this upcoming summer. Help will mostly be on weekends and predominately shooting with us at weddings. The time frame will be heavily from July on, but will have some early work as well. We are looking for someone that is willing to learn, listen, and work by our side. You have to buy into what Ashley and I do and how we do it. Believe me, it is a HUGE step for us to let anyone step into our little bubble. We love to have our hands around anything that has the name Nuzum on it.

The perfect candidate would be someone looking to get into wedding photography and willing to work as an understudy. The position will be unpaid. This would be great for someone looking to build their portfolio and get some experience working along side us. There are a lot of details to discuss that I won't get into here. But here comes the info you want. Please send an email to Intern@myfrozenmoment.com that has your name, email, phone number, and a link to some of your work. We've had many people contact us regarding a similar position in the past, but the help just wasn't needed yet. Well, today is the day. Look forward to hearing from you.

-Steve and Ashley Nuzum

Posted by Steve Nuzum at 2:33 PM | Permalink

Ashley and I came across this site where photographers across America are paying it forward to other photographers. As photographers we all find it hard to get in front of the camera. We are always busy shooting photos of everyone else to find time for family photographs of our own. The Roadside Families project is working to help photographers get great family photos. So how does it work...well a photographer will go out and shoot family photos for another photographer. To pay that back, that photographer will go out and shoot family photos for another photographer and so on. This way photographers across the country are able to get family photos. No money is ever exchanged and it is all done by photographers for photographers. Be sure to check out the website and the page on how to join in with the project.

We thought it was a great idea. If there are any local Des Moines or Iowa photographers interested in getting involved, we'd love to get it started here in Iowa. Shoot us an email or give us a call. We'd love to shoot your family photos and give you a disc with all the images as well as a print for your home.

Posted by Steve Nuzum at 2:58 PM | Permalink

This is the first in a recurring set of blog posts where I'll be exploring out of date, old fashioned, and usually, just ugly photos. I'll be exploring what is trendy in photography today, mistakes new photographers make, and techniques that some photographers just can't let go of. This could get interesting.....

Today's first out of date technique is the Oval Office. It is a framing technique used to draw attention directly to the subject of the photo. It is out of date and makes your photos look like they are right out of the 70's. Newer techniques achieve a more subtle drawing of attention to the face. Some white vignette is acceptable, but over done is just plain ugly.

Below you see three different photos. All three of these are edits of the same photo. The photo was shot at IKONIX Studio with our Canon EOS 7D with our EF24-70 lens at 70mm, 1/200 at f/5.6. The edit on the left shows the extreme white vignette edit. Gives me the shivers. The second shows a lighter and less obtrusive edit. The third shows an edit we would do today to still draw attention to the subject, but not overwhelm it.



Stay tuned as next time I tackle.....dun dun dun.....selective color.

Posted by Steve Nuzum at 10:42 PM | Permalink

Ashley and I were asked to take part in Juice Magazine's photo issue on newsstands today. We listed out our top 5 locations to take wedding and engagement photos. You can see our list below and check out the article on Juice's website here. We had a fun time putting the list together and taking part. Thanks to Juice for letting us help out.

Posted by Steve Nuzum at 8:30 AM | Permalink

Ashley and I follow a lot of photography blogs. We follow the blogs of MANY local photographers from Des Moines, Ames, Omaha, Iowa City, Dubuque, Kansas City, Minneapolis and many other Midwest cities. We also follow the blogs of photographers from all around the United States and across the world. As photographers we are always striving to learn and grow. A good photographer gets better by looking at other's photos, thoughts, and wisdom as well as a LOT of trial and error on our own time with our own kids. They make excellent photo props.

As we follow all these blogs we have noticed a repeating and persistent topic as of late. A lot of photographers are concerned with effect of so called "Craig's List Photographers." Also known as $500 photographers or fly by their seat photographers, etc. We've heard them called many things. As photographers we also have an opinion on these "types" of photographers....beware that this post may contain many quotation marks. Feel free to do the air quotes along as you read.

So what have we seen most photographers saying? I am not directly quoting anyone but what I keep hearing and seeing is a constant push to keep these photographers down and degrade them in many different ways. A funny catch phrase is "We fix $500 weddings." Kind of like the commercial with the haircut place that fixes $6 haircuts. The effect on the high end photographers should remain minimal. Why some of them are threatened by $500 wedding photographers when they costs start at $3500 is beyond me. What bride and groom actually have a photographer budget between $500 and $3500?

While photographers operate at many different levels each tends to cater to a certain budget of bride and groom. Price ranges do not tend to be in such wide ranges that they are effected by changes in this area. If someone is looking for a $500 wedding photographer on Craig's List, the $3500 wedding photographer was never in the equation.

So what does it mean for you? The bride and groom searching for their wedding photographer. Should they avoid "Craig's List" photographers? No. Should you do your homework and a little research before making a decision? Yes. (As you should anyway) Photographers on Craig's List are typically just starting out. That is why their price is in the low range. Don't shy away from them just because they are on Craig's List as many photographers are now using Craig's List as a viable advertising solution. It's free isn't it. And who doesn't look at Craig's List these days.

So what can you do to help verify that the $500 photographer is worth a chance?

#1. See their photos. See as many of their photos as you can. Even someone shooting weddings on their own for the first time should have shot weddings as a second shooter for a more seasoned photographer. Things to look for with the photos:

• Do any subjects look out of focus?
• Do the people in the photos look bright compared to everything around them (they should not be very much brighter than their background)?
• Do they stand out from the background (the photos should have a little "3D" effect to them), backgrounds should be soft?
• Do they subjects have shadows behind them like someone has put them in a spotlight. This tends to happen when photographers use direct flash and shoot the flash right at the subject. Most photographers should be using some sort of diffuser or bouncing their flashes off of the ceiling to soften the light.

#2. Check references if available. Not have any references should tell you that they have a very limited work experience with weddings. Talk to at least 3 references and make sure you are not just getting close friends or family.

#3. Asks some questions about their cameras. Photographers demand a lot from their cameras. Knowing the tools and how to use them is vital. If a photographer puts the camera in Auto, the Canon green box, they are probably not getting the most from their camera and certainly not giving you the most with your photos.

#4. Have them tell you about a wedding they once shot. What challenges did they face? This shows growth. A $500 wedding photographer should be learning and growing. If they can identify challenges they have faced, they will learn from them and do better in the future. If they can not identify challenges, they probably are not working towards expanding their knowledge and growth.

#5. Ask them the rundown of ten questions from About.com's wedding planning section. You can find it here. There are many lists out there and all of them have good legitimate questions. Ask them in person and watch their reaction to each question to see how they respond. Do they look worried? Nervous?

So as a photographer I am not discouraging the use of $500 Craig's List photographers. I am simply saying do your homework. Everyone has to start somewhere. You have to get the first big opportunity and the advertising avenue that Craig's List provides is great.

Posted by Steve Nuzum at 1:03 PM | Permalink

Have you ever heard of formspring? It's a really interesting website where individuals can setup an account and be asked questions, any question you'd like. I came across the website via photographer Tony Hoffer from Philadelphia, PA. We've followed his blog for some time now and he's mentioned this site, if you don't follow Tony's blog....start. I think it's a great opportunity for us to answer any questions you may have. The best part.....you can ask anonymously. Ask whatever you'd like. Questions about photo shoots, pricing, gear, photography, how we took a specific picture....anything. Ask away.

Ask here: Nuzum Photo Formspring

Posted by Steve Nuzum at 9:10 AM | Permalink

Thinking about having family photos taken soon? Or even later? Trying to decide whether or not to go outdoors or have them taken it he studio. What some advice? Already made up your mind? Just curious as to our thoughts...? We get asked all the time whether we recommend indoor or outdoor shoots. Let us dive into this question and our answer.

There are many things that we can take complete control over in the studio. Lighting, background, props, etc. Outdoors we are at the mercy of our environment. The weather plays a very important role outdoors. Bright sun, overcast, rain, or snow. Certainly the time of year that you are wanting to have your photos taken will dictate some of your decision making. However, don't be afraid to venture outdoors even when the weather is a little frightful. We have and will take photos in pretty much any weather condition. Snow? No problem. Rain? Sounds like fun. A lot of times our photo shoots in bad weather take on a life of their own and become some of the best photos we do. You have to let go and have fun. Relaxed, laid back and easy going fit our style perfectly.

Having said that, the age of your children will play a big role in that as well. If the kids are old enough to walk outdoors will be great. If the kids are unable to walk, but it is nice out, still a great idea. It is when the weather turns bad and the child can't walk that things get messy. There are times when studio is always preferred over outdoors...but very rarely. For all other photo shoots we would prefer to shoot outdoors. When we are on a walk during a photo shoot we have the ability to search and find new and unique photos. In the studio we are limited by what is on hand. Outdoors we have no limit. Creativity outside of the studio is always much higher than in a studio.

Don't be afraid to take a chance and do a photo shoot in the snow, rain, or outdoors anywhere. Be conscious of the age of the kids and make good choices based on the subject.

Our preference, outdoors....in any weather. The reality, outdoors is not always an option.

Here is a great example of heading outside and getting a little bit of everything....This was a family photo session that Ashley shot back in October.

Posted by Steve Nuzum at 3:25 PM | Permalink

So everyone searches the Internet and finds a list of questions to ask their potential photographers.  There are so many important aspects of photographing a wedding and trying to pick the best match for you from a list of questions can be very tough.  Today's top photographers are producing images that are very similar.  There is then a big drop off to the next tier of photographers and they are all producing similar images.  The rapid development of new equipment and the cost of the equipment dropping has allowed the market to open up and allow many start-up photographers in.

What this means to you is that once you find a group of photographers with styles you like, you need to meet with them and make sure the chemistry is there.  The most important part of hiring your photographer is knowing that you can spend the day with them.  Personalities have to match up or you may find conflict with your photographer on the wedding day. To help your meeting be more about personalities and details than about asking these questions we have taken the photographer question list from weddings.about.com and given you our answers below.  

1. What’s your primary style? Posed and formal, relaxed, photojournalistic, creative, artistic, candid, traditional? While Ashley and I encompass many different styles during a wedding shoot, we are most likely to be shooting in a relaxed and photo-journalistic style.  The idea is to capture the story of your wedding day without being a part of your wedding day.  We should act as guests all the while not compromising the quality or creativity of your photos.
   
   
2. Do you shoot in color or black and white? Or both? Do you shoot in a digital format that can create both color and b/w versions of the same picture? Ashley and I shoot everything digital...people still use film?  I joke.  Film still has it's place.  With everything being shot digital we can do pretty much endless editing afterwards with the ability to convert any photo to black and white or sepia or etc...  The reality is though that some photos just make better b&w versions than others.  As Ashley edits the photos she makes the determinations and creates the versions as she goes.
   
   
3. What kind of input can we have on the direction of the shots? Can we give you a shot list to work from? This is a great question.  The answer is ALWAYS a ton and YES.  While you have hired us to be there and shoot your wedding you have also given us the creative freedom to put our personal touch on your wedding photos.  This does not mean that we dictate every photo taken.  We know what we normally get (during formals) but are always wanting to know exactly what you want.
   
   
4. Are you the wedding photographer who will actually take our pictures? If not, can we meet the person who will be? One of my favorite questions to answer.  Ashley and I ARE Nuzum Photo.  So yes.  While sometimes one of us may not be able to make a wedding you will always have one of us at your wedding.  Because we always shoot with two photographers we then bring along a second photographer.  In 2009 we both shot every wedding.  36 total.
   
   
5. Can we meet any assistants who will also be taking pictures? As mentioned in the above question, Ashley and I shoot the majority of weddings.  The only occasions where she would miss are unforeseen events.  So the likely hood of being able to meet that second photographer so close to your wedding would be unlikely.  We'd like to think that you'd trust our judgment in who we bring along.
   
   
6. How many times have you worked specifically as a wedding photographer? How many were similar to the size and formality of our wedding? To answer part one...as of today, 02.04.10, Ashley and I have shot 70 weddings (nice round number, 71 as of this Saturday...early congratulations Lisa and Jeremy!) The second part is a wedding by wedding answer.  But to give you an idea we have shot weddings with as many as 28 in the wedding party and some with just the bride and groom.
   
   
7. How many other events will you also photograph that weekend? Another of my favorite questions to answer.  We only book one wedding or event on a day.  That allows us to focus on one couple and give them our full attention.  How can anyone focus on you and your big day if they are thinking about the wedding they have to go to later or were at earlier?  With Ashley and I it's all about you.
   
   
8. What kind of equipment will you bring with you? How intrusive will lighting, tripods, other equipment or assistants be? For the equipment we use see this blog post. As mentioned Ashley and I want to be as invisible as possible, but we do bring lighting with us.  We rarely use tripods and only use off camera lighting during the formal photos.  We typically have one big chest that carries our light stands and lights and two backpacks with camera gear.  The light stands and the chest they come in disappear after we finish formal photos.
   
   
9. Do you develop your own film? No (were all digital), but Ashley does all of the editing of the photos. 
   
   
10. Can we buy the negatives from you? The best answer to give yet...All of our wedding packages come with ALL of the full-resolution digital negatives.  How great is that?
    

 

Posted by Steve Nuzum at 8:51 AM | Permalink

This article is for the fellow photographers out there. Non-photographer?  Read on anyway. 

From time to time we get emails asking what camera or lens we used on a shot or what we prefer to use.  My answer is usually the same.  "Regardless of gear, here is how I took the shot."  The reality is no matter what gear you use every photo starts with seeing an image and making a photo.  You have to be able to visualize the moment and capture it in the most unique and intriguing way.  The gear is just the tool you use to do it.  Some gear makes capturing photos easier or provides a wider range of flexibility in your work.  Either way, an images starts long before you get to what gear is being used.

 

 

 

Ashley and I use all Canon camera gear.  All of our cameras, lenses, and flashes are Canon.  No particular reason why.  It was just what we decided we liked best.  We used to have an old Minolta but that thing is a dinosaur now and can't even come close to the range of the Canon gear we use today. Using all Canon makes it easier to switch between one camera and the next.  Don't have to worry about which lenses are compatible with which cameras or flashes or anything else.  Everything is the Canon EOS system and can be used interchangeably.  

So what about Nikon.  The debate grows stronger as to whether or not Canon is better than Nikon or Nikon better than Canon.  Does it really matter?  Some argue that Canon is better for sports and Nikon better for portraits.  Does it really matter?  As I said before, the equipment is the last step before the image is captured.  Making the image and the photo starts early.  We don't know exactly how we started using Canon, but it was the decision we made. 

Here is a quick rundown of the gear we use:

Cameras:

Canon 7d

Canon 50d

Canon 30d

Canon 350d

4 x 2-Battery Grip (Model Varies by Camera)

Lenses:

Canon 15mm Fisheye

Canon 50mm f/1.8

Canon 85mm f/1.2

Canon 24-70mm f/2.8

Canon 70-200mm f/2.8

Flashes:

4 x Canon 580ex II

Use All Energizer Ultimate Lithium Batteries

Memory Cards:

4 x SanDisk 32GB Extreme

4 x SanDisk 16GB Extreme

Studio Equipment:

4 x Standard SL150 Strobes

4 x PocketWizard II

4 x 36" Shoot Thru Umbrellas

2 x 20"x30" Softboxes

1 x 46" Photek Softliter

Posted by Steve Nuzum at 1:42 AM | Permalink

Sometimes its fun to see what kinds of things are happening behind the scenes.  Ashley and I tend to snap a lot of photos of each other as we work...it's digital right...not wasteful.  So we just wanted to share some of those various photos from weddings and other misc. photo shoots this year.  We have many more posted on our Facebook page.  View them here.  Read on for some quick stories behind these photos.

 

This first one is from Heather and Dan's wedding.  At times we are not only photographers but also conductors, maestros of the glass, and in need of a blow horn.  This was a group we were shooting in the warehouse area south of MLK in downtown Des Moines.  Check out all the guys doing what they do up against the wall.  Now....everyone else please....

 

 

 

This photo was taken by Ashley as our son Cole and I discussed using my cell phone to take pictures.  This was Cole's first time on a photo shoot...hey, someone has to keep this going when we are done. He actually hung out through two shoots and this was in between them.  He took some great shots with cell phone.  And some that had half a head in them.

 

 

 

Little ones are always interested in the big cameras and seeing themselves after we have taken a picture.  Here you see Ashley having a mini-session with a young girl at a recent wedding.  Kids make for the best photos.  They are cheesy and posey and always willing to be in front of the camera. 

 

 

 

This shot is from Melissa's Trash the Dress session this year.  TTD sessions are fun, unique, and  creative.  We get the opportunity to put a bride in all those locations we wouldn't dare put them on their wedding day, but know that they will turn out great photos.  Here Ashley is shooting photos of Melissa in an alley in downtown Ames.

 

 

 

This photo was taken at a local hot spot for photographers.  Whenever we shoot there it is typically a line waiting to get some space to shoot.  It's a secret location (north of the Science Center and south of the Hessen Haus.) We were hanging out waiting for a shoot to start and just having fun.

 

 

 

 These last two photos come from Maddie and Kyle's wedding.  After a long day of standing and shooting and squatting and shooting and laying on a gravel driveway and shooting and ..... you get the point.  It is nice to take a minute and relax.  So I sat for a while.  Nothing to uncommon.  Sometimes it may be the best angle for lighting anyway.  Double win.  But as you can see, back up and at it right away.

 

 

Posted by Steve Nuzum at 8:59 AM | Permalink

After scouring over contact sheets from 36 weddings and over 20 engagement shoots, I have compiled a list of photos that have some awesome stories behind them.  I wanted to pick so many photos, but narrowed it down to 10 wedding photos and 5 engagement photos.  I will be writing up a blog post with each of the photos and their stories soon...for now take a look at the sheets that are marked up, scratched on, and crossed over.

 

 

 

Posted by Steve Nuzum at 9:34 PM | Permalink

Posted by Steve Nuzum at 2:06 PM | Permalink

Posted by Steve Nuzum at 9:27 AM | Permalink

So when people start thinking about their wedding photos it comes down to a few big events right?  You want nice formal photos, photos of the big ceremony events, and your dances.  For most weddings these are the big moments that are MUST have photos.  But isn't there so much more to your wedding day?  Ashley and I cover weddings top to bottom.  Every little detail.  So that means that at times we are product photographers.  We setup items and take the pictures of all the details.  While the big events may be most important, giving you the photos of all the little details and helping key your memories of the big day are always our goal.  We shoot weddings the exact way we wanted our wedding shot and we do it together in a fun and laid back way capturing the moments and the details. 

Here are few examples of different "product" shots that we've taken at recent weddings.  Photos like these really complete your wedding photo set and we love to shoot them.

 

 

 

 

 

Posted by Steve Nuzum at 10:37 AM | Permalink

So what's in a photo?  This one below is an example of something that just happened during the photo shoot and changed what we were doing.  Every photo shoot has moments like this where the photo shoot changes and takes different directions.  Every action has a change in the reaction and the attitude of the shoot.  Every moment can change the rest of the photo shoot after that moment has occurred. 

In the first photo below we were downtown at the new Pappajohn Sculpture Garden and hanging out near the Alphabet man....probably not the correct name.  But as we were walking up to the sculpture I accidentally kicked this sign on the ground and it went flying across the pavement.  Sort of a weird interesting moment given the intense security that some of these sculptures have...including motion detectors and pressure sensors.  So I thought we should grab the sign get a quick photo with Stephanie and Scott holding it.  It was a fun moment and added a little something to the photo shoot that we carried over through the rest of the shoot.

 In the second photo below, Ashley and I were walking along chatting with Nikki and Drew and for whatever reason we got on the subject of taking your own photos.  You know, where you hold the camera as far away as possible and you look like the one armed bandit as you snap a shot of you cheesing big for the camera.  Well, Nikki was the self proclaimed "World's Best Self-Photographer".  So Ashley and I only thought it would only be appropriate for the world's best to snap their own engagement photo.  So we turned the camera over to Nikki and ..... well ..... she's the best.

 Every little moment snowballs over the course of a photo shoot and as long as each one of them is positive and fun...every photo shoot will turn out as well as this one.   Little things like these are what make being a photographer the greatest job.  It gives each photo it's own little story.  We may turn over 200-300 photos from a photo shoot and each one has it's own story that is told via the photo and those in it.  We don't want to just shoot portraits and give you head shots.  We want you to tell stories about your photos.  We want to them to give moments from your life and a fun story to tell all.  We love what we do and certainly hope it shows in our photos. 
 

Posted by Steve Nuzum at 10:18 AM | Permalink

Visit us on facebook...facebook.com/nuzumphoto...all the cool kid's are doing it.

 

 

Posted by Steve Nuzum at 12:30 PM | Permalink

We are WAY behind...things have been absolutely crazy.  So I am going to throw up a bunch of blog posts with no stories...sad...I know.  I hope to go back and put a story to each of them...but here goes...

Posted by Ashley Nuzum at 10:55 AM | Permalink

Ashley and I are excited to have been voted Des Moines's Best Family Photographer by Nickelodeon's Parents Connect.  We were nominated by some parent in Des Moines and then online voting took place over the last couple months.  Thanks to all that voted for us!

 

 

 

Posted by Steve Nuzum at 2:18 PM | Permalink

From time to time Ashley and I find ourselves left to our own devices.  Sometimes we arrive early for a photo shoot or things are just running behind.  Either way we find ways to entertain ourselves.  Mainly taking photos of anything and everything around.  I thought we'd share a few from recent photo shoots that may help give a little insight to our thought process and just who we are.  Hope you enjoy!

 

 

 

Posted by Steve Nuzum at 11:57 PM | Permalink

 

Ashley and I have been nominated in Nickelodeon's 2009 Parents' Pick awards.  They have selected three local photographers as nominees and voting has already started.  To vote for Ashley and I click on the image above or this link. Thanks and we are grateful to have even been considered.

Posted by Steve Nuzum at 3:44 PM | Permalink

We are changing proof sites.  All 2008 photo shoots will remain on our old proofing site, photoreflect.com.  All 2009 photo shoots will be posted to our new site at SmugMug.  Use the images below to go to each site.  Please let us know if you have any questions regarding this change.  Thanks.

 

 

 

Posted by Steve Nuzum at 7:54 PM | Permalink

From time to time when Ashley and I are shooting weddings, we catch each other in the lens.  We've put together a gallery of these images as a little look at us working.  Click here to view these images. 

Posted by Steve Nuzum at 9:45 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Neil recently returned from Nashville where he was recording a CD.  The CD is an upcoming release and Neil needed some shots for the CD as well as other promotional items.  We took some great shots and below are a few of our favorites.  Be sure to check out Neil's website, http://neilhewittmusic.com,  and his upcoming CD. 

 

Posted by Steve Nuzum at 7:40 PM | Permalink

Our Love for Weddings

"A great photograph is one that fully expresses what one feels, in the deepest sense, about what is being photographed." - Ansel Adams

We love shooting weddings. Each one is different but the emotions are the same. We have the best job in the world. Ashley and I find ourselves engulfed in the emotions you are feeling, with the emotions we felt the day we were married. These emotions are expressed in our photography. Your pictures will shine with the happiness you experience. We get to spend one of the most important days of your lives with you. We get to express each couple's love for each other with a different set of moments. Our goal is to help you relive the day for the rest of your life.

 

2009 is going to be a great year for weddings, we are excited and look forward to each and everyone!

 

We can't believe this is blog post #101. Thanks to all of the previous 100, you have all been a joy to photograph!

Posted by Steve Nuzum at 1:24 PM | Permalink

Ashley and I decided to start our own social network.  Our new social network will be for brides, parents of seniors, seniors, and anyone else who has an interest in discussing upcoming life events, or communicating with Nuzum Photo regarding anything.  Please visit the new online social network at the following link: Nuzum Photo.  It is the myspace of Nuzum Photo.  Each person can create their own profile and customize their own page.  All while using the forums to connect with others as well as Nuzum Photo.  You can upload photos and videos as well.  Let us know what you think!

Posted by Steve Nuzum at 10:19 AM | Permalink

We've added three new style photo galleries to the website.  You can find the links below...please let us know what you think!

Weddings

Engagements

Seniors

Posted by Steve Nuzum at 8:01 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

We have selected our two winners in the free engagement session contest.  The winners were chosen based on their location selection.  The winning locations were Buxton Garden in Indianola and a private acreage.  Both locations were excellent choices and the Buxton Garden location has specific meaning because the bride's parents had their engagement pictures taken there as well.  We look forward to getting both of these shoots scheduled so we can share the great shots.  Congratulations to both winners.

Posted by Steve Nuzum at 2:05 PM | Permalink

Ashley and I have a great time doing weddings.  Each one is a unique series of events that lean on and rely on each other.  As the day progresses we find ourselves catching each other in the other's lens.  Here are a few shots from Sara and James wedding when we found ourselves in each other's lenses.  As well as a shot of Ashley giving a few pointers to a future photographer.

 

Posted by Steve Nuzum at 11:14 PM | Permalink

This weekend we did two seperate photo shoots on opposite ends of the spectrum.  We were able to have a fun and intense shoot with a bride-to-be on Saturday and a light and relaxing shoot with a family on Sunday.  The bride-to-be was great to work with.  We were able to work together and find a good compatibility with creativity.  The photos turned out great.  The family, which we will call the T family, was awesome.  The kids were energetic and the parents equally fun.  We were able to take some great shots and they turned out really well.  Below are a few shots from the T family shoot.

 

 

 

 

 

More more more of the same this week.  Should be exciting! 

Posted by Steve Nuzum at 12:03 PM | Permalink

Now as the year winds down we are able to catch our breath and prepare the new arrival to the Nuzum family. The new baby is due to be born in late March and we couldn't be more excited. Here's to a healthy new baby and great new year.

Posted by Steve Nuzum at 11:15 AM | Permalink

Did two photoshoots this weekend.  One was of a great couple that are gettin married next year.  They were very photojenic even though they would tell you that.

The other shoot was Cole's first birthday shoot.  Cole is our son and he is becoming quite the ham in front of the pictures. 

Another big week of shoots ahead of us and we are looking forward to them all.  We have some very new creativity on the way.

Posted by Steve Nuzum at 3:35 PM | Permalink

You've had located the brand new Nuzum Photo blog.  We will be updating this area all the time with new Nuzum Photo happenings.  As a family run business you will see things that are new and exciting regarding the business as well as things that are new and exciting involving our family.  Check back soon for new posts and upgrades features.

Posted by Steve Nuzum at 1:12 PM | Permalink