Wedding Photography!!

So here is the scoop!!!

I'm happy to provide complimentary wedding photography coverage for one couple in need who will be getting married in 2015 or 2016.  I just need to know why you (or the couple you nominate) deserves it!! Once all submissions are in, I - with the help of a friend - will go over them and decide who is the most deserving.  For example "I'm poor and photography is expensive" isn't really what I'm looking for. :)

I do have some requirements / parameters that the wedding must fall under. If you don't meet the criteria, or if your date is already booked, I apologize in advance. I gain nothing more than the joy of making someone's wedding a little more special (and affordable!) than what they may have had before.  If you already have a wedding photographer booked....please don't cancel with them; that isn't what this is about.  Instead consider nominating someone else!

Here is what it includes:
- retouched images on USB
- 6 hours of coverage (extra hours are available at an hourly rate)
- same quality of care and attention to detail that all SZP brides receive

Here are the stipulations:
- you don't already have your wedding booked with me. 
- wedding is on a date in 2015 or 2016 that I don't already have booked (you will need to sign a contract)
- during the submission timeline, I will continue to book weddings with other clients, even if it is on your date, making your submission invalid. It's a risk, but you have nothing to loose!
- you must tell me WHY the particular couple deserves this gift. Pull at my heart strings!!!
- you can nominate yourself but I will need a reference to verify your reasons as to why you deserve it
- submit your story to me via email at shannonzastoupil@hotmail.com and include a photo of the couple
- weddings outside 25 miles from Kenosha will be subject to travel fees ($.56/mile round trip)
-submit your story/nomination by December 15th 2014. Winner will be announced that week.

Thanks to all my clients, past, present and future! I'm so thankful to do what I love and be able to give back like this.

This is what the winner from last year, Jessica, had to say:

"In the midst of the the craziness after the wedding, I wanted to take a quick moment to do a review for Shannon Z photography. A year and a half ago my fiance proposed and we started looking for photographers for our wedding. We looked into several, Shannon being one of them. I "liked" her page on facebook and we decided to wait to decide on which photographer we would go with.

In the mean time, a chronic illness of mine, got worse and I was very ill, bed bound and home bound for many months. I had to stop working and our "dream" wedding seemed like an impossible dream both for the physical and financial aspects. You see, I know alot about weddings, vendors, pricing and the one thing I never really balk at is the price of photography because not only do I believe you pay for what you get, but after the day is over (and yes, it really does go fast) what is left is memories and photography.

On Shannon's facebook, I saw that she was graciously giving away a wedding photography package to a couple as a way to show her gratitude for her photography success. I wrote a letter explaining why I thought my fiance (husband) and I deserved a wedding. I'm not sure i've ever won anything before, but when she choose us, I was over the moon! We decided to move forward with a wedding, but because of medical bills and such, we were on a very limited budget, which wouldn't have allowed for us to have the kind of professional photography that she was offering us!

Because we weren't paying for her services, one would have thought and I wouldn't have expected her to treat us as a "regular" paying customer. But let me tell you, she did, and she was so gracious about it! We received several sweet notes from her leading up to the day of the wedding. She also met with us ahead of time so we could discuss pictures etc.

One of the things that Shannon did for us ahead of time that was VERY helpful was give us a timeline of the day regarding pictures. I was able to add to it and base my entire timeline of my day around it. It really helped to make sure everyone was where they were suppose to be and ready when she needed to take specific pictures of each of us.

The day of the wedding, she was laid back, easy to be around and that really helped us relax. She was also open to going where ever we wanted to get pictures and she utilized our ceremony venue for some great shots. Within days she got us some sneak peaks and within 2 weeks we had our pictures back! Everyone comments on how great the pictures are, how she used lighting and her artistry to get some really beautiful and timeless shots.

I'm forever grateful for her generosity, we honestly would not have been able to have a wedding or her caliber of photography had we not received this awesome gift! I recommend Shannon to anyone for any occasion! In the meantime, my health has improved some and i'm just so blessed that I got to have a day to remember and that I'll have her photos to look on for years to come!"

Giving Back

So last year, I wanted to show my gratitude for the success I feel as a business owner by providing complimentary wedding photography coverage to someone deserving.   I posted on my facebook page what I was looking for and received a few submissions.

One in particular stuck out for me, and ended up being the one chosen.

Without going too deep into the back story of it all, Jessica has been through some pretty intense health issues as well as emotional ups and downs before finally finding someone who loves her wholly and completely.  Jess & Gene are so deserving of each other and I was honored to have been able to capture the love they shared this past week-end.  The emotion on their faces before and during the ceremony says it all. Pure. Love.

We started the day off at Moda Bella salon in Kenosha, where she and the girls had their hair and make-up done by the fabulous staff there. 

Jessica had been planning her wedding for quite some time, and one of her dreams was to get married at the Coast Guard station here in Kenosha, however with the forecast promising an 80% chance of rain, it was moved into the historical Women's Club of Kenosha.

Following the ceremony - SUN BLAZING - we went down to the beautiful lakefront to capture some photos by the beach before making a pit stop at Petrifying Springs park and then to our final destination, Fountain Hall in Racine. 

The adorable cake was provided by sSmarty Cakes , DJ services by Source 1 DJ and flowers by Strobbes Flower Cart in Kenosha.

These two are so easy to be around. They're simply happy, sweet & kind people and I'm truly blessed to have met them and been a part of their day. I'm looking forward to see what the future has in store for them.

So the big announcement that I had alluded to earlier this week is that I will be doing another complimentary wedding next year to one deserving couple.  The details will follow in another blog post, but for now....enjoy the beauty of Jess & Gene's day....

Michelle & Scott :: Kenosha Wedding Photography

My neighbor, my friend and a beautiful bride.

Michelle's Dad made a beautiful speech at the reception, speaking to second chances...everyone deserves one, including these two!

There are a million cliches and analogies out there, but I'm not feeling particularly articulate this evening, so I will  just say - Scott and Michelle travelled the paths necessary to bring them together and while at the time, they may have preferred an easier route, it got them here - which is absolutely, without a doubt, the place they were meant to be. Together.

Since I have the inside scoop, I can tell you I witnessed them work, for weeks on all the little details that made this day special.  From the tea stained invitations that had a tiny sprig of baby's breath, all the way to the elaborate candy table and CUPCAKE STAND! DON'T FORGET THE CUPCAKE STAND!! (It was first-time-not-so-good-lets-make-another-one type project).

The ceremony was at Hawthorn Hollow  in Kenosha. While the bugs were a (little) pesty, the thoughtful duo had a basket of bug spray for guests to use before taking their seat - which was adorned with a raffia fan that could also be used to keep any bugs away.
Back to the ceremony - they included their three children in the ceremony with a rope braiding tradition. It was such a special moment for all of them, symbolizing the union of not just two people, but all five of them.

Following the ceremony, guests went to the Italian American Club in Kenosha; which was decorated with beautiful handmade centerpieces and a very popular candy bar.   A photo booth was available for guests to stay entertained (I LOVE these!) and each table had a bottle of syrup from Hawthorn Hallow for a lucky guest to take home with them.

All in all, it was a romantic, rustic, intimate and love-filled day!

So you get paid what?? To take pictures for one day??

Nobody actually says this to me, but I'm sure they think it.  I know I did before I got into wedding photography...heck, that was one of the enticing elements that led me to where I am today.

But man, oh man, was I wrong!

When I first started my photography business in 2009 I was thirsty for knowledge. I wanted to absorb everything photography related as quickly as I could because I was in a rush to get to the top.  It's in my nature to want to be the best first time around...I've got no patience for perfecting anything. I just want perfect all the time.

In hindsight I can't say if that was the right or wrong attitude to have, after all, if I didn't strive to be the best, then I probably wouldn't have had any desire to learn from my mistakes. I would have just kept on making the same mistakes over and over.

Learning is extremely time consuming...especially when you're doing it on your own. Countless hours on photography forums and blogs.  Google was (and still is) my best friend. I researched photographers from all over my area and the world searching for inspirational photographs that spoke to me, then dissected them to decide what exactly it was that I liked about it.  The color? The composition? The emotion? How can I get that kind of connection? What equipment did they use?

It is a process that I continue even today. I hope that I never know everything there is to know about photography, because the learning something new is what keeps me going! From lens selection to off camera lighting (my new love) it has all been a part of the journey that led me to the point I'm at now. My career. 

That word is so foreign on my tongue - career - but alas, I have actually built my business up to the point that it is now quite successful and paying my bills.

So...to the title of my post....yes, I arrive at a wedding, take photos then go home, and get paid a significant amount of money to do that.  However the investment that my clients make is not in "my nice camera that takes nice pictures" - it is in the countless hours I've spent educating myself in preparation to be able to handle something as precious and delicate as a wedding day. The value can be found in the experience that I have from shooting over 70 weddings - providing me with the ability to anticipate moments, be flexible in undesirable (or nearly non-existent) lighting conditions, to handle large groups of children or family for beautiful formal portraits. 

My clients sometimes come to me a year or more before their wedding day and I want them to feel important to me for the duration of that year. They are not just a paycheck to me - they are trusting me with memories and there is value in that!

Following the wedding day, as most people probably know by now, there is a great deal of time that goes into preparing the images for viewing. I go through each and every one to make sure they meet the quality I expect from myself.

Lastly, there is something to be said about creativity. I am a huge proponent of other photographers. I have made some wonderful connections with local photographers whom I can call upon to help me in a pinch. I am a fan of their work and LOVE looking at others photos.  The point at which I felt like I "made it" was when I realized that my photos were distinguishable from other people's work. This is a personal accomplishment, but one that I think just adds to the value of what I have to offer my clients.  When I see photos pop up in my news feed on facebook, I love it when I can recognize the artist before even looking to see who posted it.  THAT is incredible...and I feel like looking through my own portfolio, I've managed to sync myself into that beautiful place of "me-ness" that I've admired in others for many years.

Happy shooting!!

Kenosha Wedding Photographer :: Michael & Teresa - Married!

First Look Photos: Kenosha Public Museum

Ceremony & Reception: Danish Brotherhood, Kenosha, WI

Cake: MB Sweet Treats

This past week-end I had the pleasure of capturing Michael & Teresa's wedding. It was a beautiful, sunny day - but don't let that fool you! It was 37 degrees, and felt like -400 with the windchill, but these two braved the weather in the name of photography.

Kenosha Public Museum was gracious enough to allow us to use their facility to schedule a first look and do a few portraits of the happy couple inside.  (You have to give the museum a weeks notice though!)  Michael had his brother stand up as his best man, and Teresa's sister was her maid of honor. And, ironically enough, the two of them are married (Margie joked about being the first Mrs. Williams) and were the ones to introduce Michael & Teresa to each other.

It had been said many times throughout the evening how perfect these two are for eachother.  Fate has a way of bringing people together, and this is another instance where it has worked it's magic.