From KISO Fotografia to Karen Evans Pictures

Big news folks. After seven years as KISO Fotografia, I'm ready for a change. So, effective immediately, my new business name will be Karen Evans Pictures. I didn't realize just how much work it would be to make a change like this; I was just excited to have a new name that better suits me - and, for you all - will be easier to say and spell! Part of the process is done - all the official government paperwork, insurance forms, etc. - and a new blog (http://www.karenevanspicturesblog.com), but the new website is still in the works. I couldn't keep this under wraps any longer!! So, please hop on over to the new blog and check out the new feel. Same great images - all imported from here - just a fresh new look and a new, easy name!

Thanks everyone!!

Columbus Bride Ad

It's too early for the fall edition of Columbus Bride magazine to hit the newsstands, but since the ad deadline is tomorrow and I just finished mine up, I thought I'd share. This image is from Lindsay and Andrew's May 2010 wedding at The Lakes. I love how happy they are as they come back up the aisle, and Andrew's thumbs-up seals the deal.

Big news!

I'm extremely proud to announce a new portrait program for all my wedding clients, past, present and future. Stay tuned for more details on this new program, along with the official launch of my new reality-based portrait business with special offers for new portrait clients! I'm really excited for all that's going to happen and hope you'll join me!

In addition to posting updates here, I'll also be showcasing them on my official Facebook page. If you've not seen it, hop on over and check it out! And become a fan too!

Columbus Bride Magazine - Columbus Ohio Photographer

Tis the season for the spring issue of Columbus Bride magazine and with it comes pictures of my clients that were chosen to appear throughout. I'm always very excited for my clients who make it in and encourage everyone to participate, even though the magazine allows only four wedding submissions per issue from each photographer (boo!!). So, without further delay, here are the client images in this newest issue, along with my ad, which appears on page 131.

Featured Wedding:

Megan and Ben
June 13, 2009
Goodale Park / Burgundy Room

Kristen and Drew
July 11, 2009
The Columbus Athenaeum

Sara and Matt
July 18, 2009
St. Peter's / Villa Milano

Michelle and Mike
August 22, 2009
Immaculate Conception / The Columbus Athenaeum

Congratulations to everyone who made it in!

Columbus Bride Magazine

The latest issue of Columbus Bride magazine has hit the newsstands and I'm proud to show here the images from my clients' weddings that were chosen to appear.

Dena and Chris
May 24, 2008
King Avenue United Methodist
The Columbus Athenaeum

Kelly and Bo
June 21, 2008
The Columbus Athenaeum

Emily and Don
February 7, 2009
Immaculate Conception
Greek Orthodox Hall

Stephanie and Greg
February 21, 2009
The Sherrie Gallerie

And my ad for this go-round:

Congratulations to all my couples who made it into the magazine!!

A little horn-tooting

I don't enter contests often, in fact almost never. But, since being accepted into ISPWP and being given two contest credits, I decided to submit two images and one of them placed third in the Kids will be Kids category!

3rd PLACE KIDS WILL BE KIDS

Karen Evans KISO Fotografia Ltd. Columbus, Ohio Wedding Photographer

Not bad, eh?

New Columbus Bride Ad

The fall issue of Columbus Bride magazines doesn't hit newsstands until late September, but the ad deadline is coming up fast and since I just put the finishing touches on my ad and got it uploaded, I thought I'd share. I'm pretty happy about the way it turned out. It's one of the images from Brandy and Eric's wedding this past May at The Westin. This was shot inside the doorway in the lounge area and the light was gorgeous - not to mention the couple!

The Shot List

Well, it's Tuesday, so it must be time for the topic of the week, which today is The Shot List.

Typically, there are two kinds of shot lists: one is a list of family group photos, which is handy for remembering who you want to have in the formal altar shots (if we're doing those), and the second, which is often found on The Knot and in other wedding resources, is a list of shots to be taken throughout the day, such as "bride looking in mirror" or "mom gazing admiringly at bride", which, frankly, I think is just about the silliest thing ever. If I had never shot a wedding before, or never even attended a wedding, a list like that might be helpful, but obviously neither one of those is the case.

So, family group shot list: great and helpful; list of other shots to take: not so much. And here's why:

Ordinarily, the formal family group shots are taken immediately following the ceremony, which can be a rather hectic time: guests are funneling out, people are here and there chatting and gathering up belongings to take to the reception, and time is short, etc. Having a list of formal family groups for this portion of the day becomes extremely helpful in making sure we photograph who you want photographed. Putting a family member in charge of the list also makes things easier since they will most likely know everyone who's to be photographed and can easily spot if they're missing. Having a "runner" round up missing people is also helpful.

On the other hand, having a list of other shots to be taken during the day is more of a hindrance than anything. First off, my style is strictly based on photographing events as they unfold. If I'm having to keep my nose on a list to make sure I don't miss something, then what I'll be missing is everything that's happening around me. Second, if I don't know by now what I need to photograph at a wedding after doing this for six years, then I need to hang up my camera! I'd say it's a pretty fair bet that I'm chosen by my clients exactly because I not only know to photograph the expected but because I have a great eye for the unexpected as well.

To recap:

Formal family group shot list: good
Everything else shot list: bad.

Happy list-making!

Creating a successful wedding day timeline

Absent a wedding coordinator, your photographer is the next best person to help you construct a successful wedding day timeline. A successful wedding day timeline will help you accomplish everything you're hoping for with enough time built in to actually enjoy what's happening.

The easiest way to begin building the timeline is to start with the items that have inflexible start times, such as the ceremony and/or reception, and work backward from there, incorporating all of the things you want to do with a little extra time added to each so you don't feel rushed. On the other hand, you don't want to pad in so much time that you're sitting around for hours in full hair and make-up and a big ball gown when it's 90 degrees outside. A successful timeline will give you enough time to move from one thing to the next seamlessly, without either rushing or waiting around, both of which can be stressful.

Here are a few timing tidbits I've accumulated over the many many weddings I've photographed:

If you have one stylist working on the entire wedding party, schedule your appointment last so you're freshest.

Everything - and I mean EVERYthing - takes longer in a 20-pound dress, in addition to requiring an entourage of helpers.

People will run late, so padding start times to accommodate for that usually means you'll start on time.

Receiving lines and/or greeting/dismissing guests by row always takes longer than having the ushers shoo out the guests.

Limos drive slower than regular cars.

I'm always happy to help my clients create a timeline that is both realistic and accomplishes everything their hearts desire so that the wedding day runs smoothly and without stress, so always feel free to pick my brain about timing!

Copyright vs. Personal Use Rights

Often, the question comes up as to whether a client will receive "the rights" to the wedding images on their DVD, so I thought I would take this opportunity to clear up just what that means exactly.

By law, the U.S. government recognizes and upholds that, unless otherwise assigned, copyright belongs exclusively to the creator of a work. What that means is that by the mere act of my pushing the shutter button on the camera, I am the sole owner of the copyright (i.e., ALL rights) of the images I create, regardless of who the image was taken for or whose likeness is depicted in the image. With that exclusive ownership comes the sole right under law for me to decide how those images are used.

BUT. You get a disk of images and what does that mean? If I have all the rights, what are YOU allowed to do with them?

In a nutshell, you are given Personal Use Rights. While other photographers may have different ideas of what you can do with their images (and are within their rights to grant whatever permissions they feel comfortable with), these are the conditions that I operate under: You are allowed to take your disk to your favorite photo lab and have prints made to your heart's content. You are allowed to copy the images onto your hard drive so you have a back-up copy. You are allowed to post the images to your personal website and on Facebook (with photo credit and tagging back to me).

What I do not allow is the following: You may not post images on a third-party website that sells images to the public. This includes Snapfish, Shutterfly, Dotphoto or any other website that would receive money for prints made from my work. You also may not give these images to other vendors who provided services at your wedding. I wholeheartedly welcome other vendors to use my images of items they provided for your wedding, but those vendors will need to obtain the images directly from me since my logo will need to be included. And, finally, the images may not be entered into contests or used for any other commercial purposes. Obviously, contests are designed to award compensation or accolades to the person whose talent and vision created the work, so that's an easy one, and commercial uses would include promoting a business through a marketing/advertising campaign and would fall under a different set of more restrictive (and expensive) rules.

Essentially though, while it sounds technical and all legal-like, you really do have all the rights you'll ever really need for enjoying your images to the fullest. And, as always, I welcome any questions about any policy I have so that we're all clear and on the same page!

Thanks for reading!

Why do an engagement session?

One great reason for doing an engagement session - aside from the awesome images you'll get from it! - is the opportunity it gives us to get to know each other better. The more comfortable you are with me, the more likely you are to feel comfortable being yourselves in front of me and in front of the camera.

Engagement sessions are also a great chance to choose a unique location (where wearing a wedding dress might not be a good idea!), or to shoot in the home you've made together and maybe even incorporate your furry family in some shots.

These sessions are also a great time to make some images in a place that holds special meaning to you as a couple, maybe where he proposed or your favorite place for a tasty beverage or a spot where you like hanging out and have made lots of good memories.

And the very best reason for doing an engagement session is memorializing your love for each other. Unless you're a celebrity, there aren't many opportunities to have relaxed, natural images made of the two of you together.

And, of course, there's what to do with your images after the session. One of the items I love best is the guest signing book. Because it has no lines, guests are encouraged to sign autograph book style and write lots of nice wishes to the newly married couple, which becomes a true keepsake.

As you can see, there are a multitude of great reasons for doing an engagement session. So, whether I'm shooting your wedding or not, we can always get together to make some great images!

Columbus Bride Magazine

The new spring issue of Columbus Bride magazine was delivered to my door today and I'm so pleased to report that 15 of my images were chosen to appear throughout. I'm very excited not only for my fabulous clients whose gorgeous weddings and details were featured, but also for myself! Here are the images that were featured, starting with my ad, starring Megan and Ben, whose wedding will be this coming June:

Adriann and Reid
May 25, 2008
Bexley United Methodist
Westin Great Southern

This image is also featured in the ad for Buckeye Sounds DJ company, who provided all these beautiful bubbles for the first dance.

Nikki and Nathan
June 28, 2008
The Columbus Athenaeum (who has also featured a number of my images in their ad)

Laura and Mark
July 5, 2008
St. Joseph Cathedral
Taylor Mansion

Congratulations to everyone who made it into this issue of Columbus Bride!!