Archive for February, 2010

Superlatives

27.02.10 personal, the latest & greatest

In the course of my career, I’ve taken close to 300,000 professional photographs.  Last week I was asked to select five to ten of my favorite images for use in a class I’m helping to instruct in Vegas next week.  FIVE TO TEN?  Out of hundreds of thousands?  It was the hardest thing I’ve had to do in a while…. And I learned that A.) my favorites are always changing B.) my favorites aren’t always the perfect image (i.e. composition, exposure, etc.) C.) often times my favorite images are defined by what was happening in my life at that time and have strong associations to those memories.  I know these images won’t mean as much to you as they do to me, but here are the eighteen candidates that kept me up for hours trying to narrow down.

LeAnne and Casey’s Wedding July 2008

Lindsay and Wes’ Wedding May 2009

Courtney and Dorn’s Wedding June 2009

LeAnne and Casey’s Wedding July 2008

Katy and Austin’s Wedding December 2009

Jesie and Brandon’s Wedding August 2009

Julie and Robert’s Wedding September 2009

Venice June 2008

Julie and Robert’s Wedding September 2009

Britni’s Bridal Portraits May 2008

Donna’s Lifestyle Portraits

Napa Valley February 2010

Megan and John’s Wedding September 2009

Julie and Robert’s Engagement July 2009

Megan and John’s Wedding September 2009

Katy and Austin’s Wedding December 2009

Kami and Chris’ Engagement

Eryn and Kevin’s Engagement July 2009

At the end of the day, photography is all about following your bliss.  Enjoy.

10 Comments

  1. amanda said

    AWESOME PICTURES!

  2. amanda said

    AWESOME PICTURES! Congrats!

  3. Nicole Carr said

    Being the lover of candids that I am, I absolutely loved the one of Julie and Roberts wedding where she is being tied into her dress in front of the huge bay of windows….there’s something so free and intimate about it…..just love it!

    Rene, you’re just awesome.

  4. cathi and Emmett Lunceford said

    beautiful photos

  5. Walker Cate said

    Great Pictures.

  6. Jessi said

    Congrats on having such an amazing and sucessful career Rene! Keep up the good work!

  7. Kami said

    Wow! What an AWESOME post!!! I loved all of them, and I’m so glad that you are living your dream. Also got warm fuzzies from seeing one of them included ;) Loves to you!

  8. joyana said

    Julie and Robert’s Wedding September 2009 is my fav!!! gatta love ALL of them :)

  9. Hannah said

    Love your pics Rene, I was totally taken back by the Napa Valley shot. What a beautiful photo.

  10. Shannon said

    All amazing choices!!! Are you teaching at the photographers conference in Vegas? I’m really going to try to go to that next year… :/



S. Carolina Wedding: Eryn & Kevin Pt III

25.02.10 destination weddings

The final part of Kevin and Eryn’s wedding picks up at their incredible evening ceremony at St. Timothy’s Episcopal Church in Columbia, South Carolina.

Loved the piano accompaniment.

Eryn’s grandpa gave the sweetest message about dressing yourself in clothes of love.

She’s just checkin’ out the finished product after Kevin slid on her wedding band.  Love this little moment. :)

Right before communion.

One of my all time favorite ceremony images! So stunning…

Tears were impossible to avoid… Kevin’s sister Lisa:

Kevin’s brother and sister gave the best toasts!

And Eryn’s father’s toast was so sweet!

Following his toast, he had the whole group surprise Kevin and Eryn by singing That’s Amore!

After the first dances, the wedding party did an awesome dance for the bride and groom, which you can view here. I was laughing SO HARD!

Eryn’s mom caught the bouquet!

Look at the determination of those groomsmen!!  Most groomsmen avoid that garter like the plague!

Happy New Year!!!!

Approximately 12:05am.  I love this shot.. the waiter totally interrupted by refilling this groomsman’s glass while we were taking the picture.

What an incredibly fun night!  Words cannot even describe how much fun I had at this wedding.  Kevin and Eryn, you two are extraordinary people.  I am so blessed to know you and thankful for the insight and wisdom you’ve shed on me.  From the bottom of my heart, thank you for trusting me with the privilege of capturing your day.

All my love,
René

32 Comments

  1. Megan said

    Eryn your pics are absolutely beautiful! I wish we could’ve been there, but seeing all the pics is almost as good! Such a happy day!

  2. Maria said

    Wow, I must say I am thoroughly impressed with these gorgeous wedding photos! I have had so much fun looking at such a gorgeous couple! Eryn, you look just like your beautiful mom!

  3. Leah said

    omg…I love these pictures!!

  4. Linda said

    Kevin ans Eryn, What a great wedding and pictures are Super!

  5. David said

    Eryn and Kevin, it is great to look back at these photos and remember what a special night it was. Thank you for sharing it with us!

  6. Bethany Lamer said

    Awesome pictures! Looks like so much FUN!!!

  7. Elena said

    What a spectacular wedding. These pictures make the day seem like an absolute blast and I think it is so fun to have a wedding on New Years Eve.

  8. Bethany Lamer said

    Eryn these are awesome pictures! Looks like you guys had such a good time and you looked beautiful!

  9. Stacy said

    What wonderful pictures!

  10. John said

    Great photos Eryn. We had a great time at your wedding. Hope to see you both soon.

  11. Tammy said

    We love looking through all of the photos and seeing how happy you two are.

  12. Charles said

    A very special day, nice job!

  13. Keith said

    This looks like a beautiful wedding. Congratulations!

  14. nikki hutchison said

    Great photos Rene. You are a talented photographer!
    Mrs. Hutch

  15. Mary said

    These are all beautiful photos. Thank you, Rene!

  16. Nicole Carr said

    I just made the correlation that this was the New Year’s Eve wedding…hahahaha….I’m a tad slow. The images came out beautiful Rene!! I love them….especially the one of them doing communion and then the one of the ladies dancing :-)

  17. Jen said

    aww I love these pictures! The ones at the reception clearly show how much fun we were having! A night to remember!

  18. Margaret said

    Great pictures Eryn and Kevin!

  19. Nancy said

    I just love the photos of Eryn and Kevin at the altar, but my favorite is of Eryn kneeling. She is so beautiful and composed and the image is just stunning. Thank you, Rene’

  20. Katie said

    So gorgeous! What a great way to ring in the New Year with the celebration of a love between two amazing individuals. Wonderfully captured!

  21. Jim said

    These are fantastic pictures, Rene. They really bring back all the memories of such a wonderful experience. Thanks.

  22. Darcy said

    These photos brought back the fun memories of Eryn and Kevin’s special day!

  23. russell said

    Wonderful pictures that match such a wonderful couple.

  24. Kami said

    So fun! :) I totally love them.

  25. Linda said

    What incredible skill you have, Rene! I love the black & white and the pure emotions you have capture in every picture!

  26. Andi said

    Kevin and Eryn, these pictures really capture the beauty of your wedding! Congratulations, we love you!

  27. Harriett said

    These pictures capture such a beautiful couple and a beautiful day. Best wishes Kevin and Eryn!

  28. Jessi said

    Great photos Rene, it looks like a really fun wedding! I also love the one with the waiter pouring the drinks :)

  29. laurel mills said

    What amazing pictures! You both look amazing and so happy! What a fun wedding!

  30. Lisa Mills said

    I love looking through all of these pictures! I can’t believe it’s already almost been 2 months now since this all happened!

  31. Yow said

    WOW!

  32. Jesie McElroy said

    These are incredible, Rene! The emotion and fun radiates from each image. I think the one with the waiter pouring champagne is my favorite!



S. Carolina Wedding: Eryn & Kevin Pt II

22.02.10 destination weddings

Eryn and Kevin’s South Carolina wedding resumes at their first look that took place at the top of the state capitol building.  It was a cool, overcast, drizzly afternoon and the pristine capitol building served as the perfect shelter and backdrop.

Love this shot of his face and just the tip of her flowers:

This gets good…. It’s pretty much a whole post of Kevin and Eryn. :-)

Yeah… I have the best job.

Okay, so I know it’s completely out of focus, but this is pretty much my favorite shot of them!

Inside the capitol:

After the first look, we did some fun bridesmaids shots:

Except like 10 times in a row, Eryn’s shoe kept getting caught in a drain. haha

While shooting the back of the girls’ dresses, as the boys stood by, I had the best idea!

Can you figure out what they’re doing?

Posing as statues! hah

Back inside for some more shots of the girls.

A fitting backdrop for a bunch of southern belles.

The entire entourage:

Part III: Ceremony.  Stay tuned!

41 Comments

  1. debbie said

    Beautiful, beautiful photos of my beautiful, beautiful niece and soon to be handsome nephew! I love you both. Rene did an awesome shoot in a gorgeous setting!

  2. Tiffaney Wolters said

    These pics are AMAZING! Beautiful!

  3. shelley said

    LOVE these pics. Emily and Jake–best wishes!!

  4. Melissa Brown said

    Emily and Jake—OMG!!! You two are just naturally beautiful. I love the first pic of you guys!!! This website is awesome—she does great pics!!!!!

  5. Jessica said

    I love these pics! They are awesome!

  6. Kristin said

    These pictures turned out so well, I love the reception ones because it showed how much fun everyone had!

  7. Jessica Brown said

    Jake and Emmy are two of my favorite people in the world. Not only are they uncle and aunt to my kids … they are good people and close friends. I love you both!!! Congrats, I love you!

  8. Lisa Bottinelli said

    Beautiful pictures!! I am so happy for you. You both look great. Emily, looking gorgeous as always and I love the long hair. Congrats you guys!!!

  9. Jennifer said

    Love the pics E!!

  10. Page Rice said

    Absolutely beautiful photographs. Thanks for sharing!

  11. darcy brannigan said

    I think all the pictures are awesome, makes me remember what a special night it was

  12. Ro said

    What a special day!! Love all of them!

  13. Dustin said

    Rene, you did a wonderful job with these pictures.

  14. Brad said

    Great pictures. It was such a fun group and it seemed like everyone had a great time celebrating this group.

  15. Leigh Weaver said

    What a great flash-back to the Best NY Eve EVER!! Loved them!!

  16. Jenisa said

    WOW!!!! The photos are wonderful!! So Classy!!!

  17. Angi said

    Wow, stunning photos.

  18. Caroline said

    Really, really wish we could’ve been there. I love the different poses and backdrop.

  19. Kat said

    beautiful!!!

  20. Kevin Mills said

    Rene, these are wonderful. We have received so many positive comments from our friends and family who have seen the photos. Not only do the pictures look great, but we had so much fun taking them. Eryn and I deeply appreciate your friendship.

  21. Michael Hutchison said

    Thank you Rene for beautifully capturing one of the most amazing days in our lives!

    I am so happy Eryn has married the man of her dreams and someone she will spend the rest of her life with…Eryn, I am trult grateful that Kevin is your loving husband and you are his loving wife….Please know I love you both very much!

    Forever my love,

    Dad

  22. Cricket said

    It was a pleasure to work with such wonderful people. Everything came together beautifully!!

  23. Leigh said

    These pictures make me so happy and remember what special day this was!

  24. Jessica said

    awww these are so beautiful!!

  25. Amon said

    I am so proud of you Rene. Your work as taken on a quality of it’s own. Truly amazing! Someday you’ll have to share your secrets with me ;0)

  26. Heather Buoniconti said

    Rene you are amazing! I love every single shot!

  27. Bobbi said

    Great to see such stunning photos. Everyone looks so happy–and beautiful. What a nice way to share this event.

  28. Makondo said

    I love the contrast of colored photos and the ones in black and white. Looking forward to more pictures!

  29. Monica said

    Great job Rene!!

  30. John Bailey said

    WOW-such stunning photos!

  31. Maria said

    Beautiful pictures!!

  32. sean is awesome said

    great pictures

  33. Nikki said

    What a special day. Rene-thank you for capturing it!

  34. Debbie said

    Absolutely gorgeous! You’re all like models in a Vogue wedding shoot. Stunning photography, and a beautiful couple. Congrats!

  35. Pat said

    we love you E and Kev

  36. Jasmine said

    I love the columns in the background, so classy looking!

  37. lisa said

    These are so great! They just keep getting better and better! Kevin’s expression is priceless in so many of these!

  38. Sarah Norwood said

    LOVE the couch shots! Dreamy texture! Also, the Sex & the City shots of the maids are super cute!

  39. Kami said

    I totally love these–the building was PERFECT!

  40. Nancy Mills said

    These are so fantastic how you used the back ground settings, made so many people look good and captured their personalities all at the same time. Wow.

  41. Jesie McElroy said

    So sad I wasn’t there for this one! These are some of your best Rene! Ugh… they make my heart melt!



S. Carolina Wedding: Eryn & Kevin – Pt I

19.02.10 destination weddings

You dream and dream and dream, yet nothing ever seems to go the way you dream.  You spend your whole life imaging how things will be:  where you will go to college, what career you’ll have, how you will meet that future husband.  And then, when you least expect it: he’s there.  Standing in front of you in Tel Aviv, Israel.

And with the world at your fingertips, dreams in your pocket, you suddenly are twice as strong as you were before all because a love without limits was born.   It’s a love that breaks rules — one that won’t take “no” for an answer.  It’s a love that has extraordinary patience for the process, yet knows when to follow its gut.  And you see, there’s just something contagious about an unrestrained love.  You can’t help but want to follow it.  You’ll do whatever it takes to see that love and those dreams succeed.

Kevin and Eryn were married on the eve of December 31st in her hometown of Columbia, South Carolina.  Surrounding them and their future was a wedding party of 20 of their biggest followers. And with the supporting love of their friends and family, Kevin took her hand, knowing confidently that regardless of how their dreams turned out, they would not be led astray.

Kevin and Eryn… I {heart} you.  Thank you for sharing your lives with me… I am blessed.
René

Eryn had the most stunning dress.  Her mother bought it for her without Eryn ever seeing it!

Patiently waiting while her curly mane was straightened piece by piece.

Hair product designers are so creative!

Kevin’s sister, Lisa, was one of the 20 followers, aka wedding party.

Eryn had the greatest group of girls!

Choreographer Carly stopped by to helped the girls with their dance to be preformed at the reception.

Eryn you are so stunning!!

Love this one through the veil!

The handsome groom!

I loved that Kevin got ready with his parents!

Meanwhile, the groomsmen were working hard to get cleaned up:

Ready for the groomsmen gifts and pictures.

Thirteen groomsmen, ladies and gentlemen!

Parking garages are my new favorite thing.  Look at these boys!

Kevin had the BEST groomsmen!  I have never worked with such a cooperative and cute bunch. ;-)

Love this candid!

Next up: Kevin and Eryn’s first look + more wedding party images!

36 Comments

  1. Kolby said

    Congratulations you two! Beautiful photos.

  2. Brian Mills said

    So much fun with you guys

  3. Brian Mills said

    I feel so blessed to have been a part of all this, and had so much fun with you guys.

  4. Lisa said

    Eryn we love looking through these photos. I’m excited to see them all!

  5. Nancy said

    We were able to show my parents (Kevin’s grandparents) all the photos via a trip to the Yakima Public Library to use their computers and they really marveled at how beautiful and happy everyone was. Thank you, Rene, you have a wonderful talent.

  6. Joe said

    Great photos Eryn and Kevin.

  7. Libby said

    wonderful choice of flowers, Eryn. I also love the use of the State House in the background.

  8. Eunsung said

    Thank you for the piano shot…these are beautiful!

  9. Mel said

    Eryn and Kevin–these are so good!!

  10. pam said

    These are wonderful photos that capture such a special day. Congratulations you two!

  11. shelby said

    Ahh I love them!! I want to see more!

  12. Bill Hutchison said

    Rene, Eryn and Kevin were so lucky having you record the love, fun and happiness of not only the wedding, but before and after. Seeing the two of them getting dressed for the wedding,gives me an opportunity to go to the Department of Redundancy Department and recall St Paul’s checklist for getting dressed.
    St. Paul’s CHECKLIST. . . When you get up in the morning and look in your wardrobe and if you wonder what to wear, begin like this. For underwear put on compassion. As a shirt or blouse put on generosity. For a skirt or trousers put on humility, for a pullover put on gentleness. For socks put on patience. When you choose the shoes you are going to wear put on the left shoe of tolerance and the right shoe of forgiveness. Lastly when you’re putting on your coat, put on love. ERYN & KEVIN we want you to live happily ever after. SO TAKE HEED OF Paul’S ADVICE TO put on the Inner Clothes of compassion, generosity, humility, gentleness, patience, tolerance, forgiveness and love.

  13. Laura Hutchison said

    Rene – you captured their beautiful wedding so well! Eryn & Kevin are lucky to have you fill in their memories of those special days.

  14. Brian said

    Wish I could’ve been there but you two look so happy and I wish you a wonderful life together.

  15. Joe said

    great pictures

  16. Pam said

    Wonderful photos!

  17. Jamine said

    One of my favorite weddings to be a part of, how fun to have such a special event on New Year’s Eve.

  18. TJ said

    A night to remember!!

  19. Heather said

    Stunning photos!! You are a very talented photographer and are destined for success. Can’t wait to see the rest!

  20. Mike said

    I love all of the pictures, can’t wait to see more!

  21. Jeanna said

    The photos of Kevin and Eryn’s wedding are absolutely stunning. Great job! Congratulations to you both

  22. Penelope said

    What a beautiful bride(great legs by the way!) and handsome groom. Send more photos when you have them! They are great!

  23. Monica said

    I can’t wait to see more :)

  24. Monica said

    Rene you really captured the love & beauty of MR AND MRS MILLS! =)

    love pic 6,7,8!

  25. Deb Buckingham said

    You are a brilliant photographer, my friend! I especially love the black and whites; so storytelling.

  26. Kami said

    You are SO good at large groups of people, and these photos are just plain fun.

  27. Kevin Mills said

    These are so awesome!! Can’t wait to see more.

  28. Nicole Carr said

    Gorgeous Rene!!! Can’t wait to see the next part of these photos :-)

    And I’m going to agree…..I love the parking garage mucho mucho!!

  29. Lisa Mills said

    Kevin and Eryn: You both are so wonderful together I can’t wait to see the rest of the pictures of you two together!

  30. Lisa Mills said

    Rene these are such amazing pictures and your story at the beginning was so thoughtful! All these pictures turned out so wonderful!

  31. Sarah Norwood said

    So neat-o! Love all the groomsmen shots, super fun!

  32. Eryn said

    love love love. Thank you Rene for your tremendously kind words. You have a true talent in photography and I am blessed to have you as a friend!

  33. Rachel Brown said

    so cool you two!!

  34. jodi brown said

    Loved the creativity and joy that was captured in all of the photos. Great job. Wonderful memories.

  35. Nancy Mills said

    These are wonderful….bring back such terrific memories with terrific people

  36. Nancy Mills said

    These are so good and captured the day so perfectly.