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Stuff in the ‘wedding photography’ Category

Thank you for a great year

— 12/23/2016 by Monika Wertman —

We had a great year working with so many of you!  It was fun and exciting and sometimes a bit more challenging than expected, and we got awesome images.

maternity rachel

Here is a quick look back over the last 12 months, highlighting some of our favorite shots from this year.

newborn baby boy

newborn

hands

This year we got to play with newborns, expecting moms, brides, fun seniors and awesome families.  Several of you were repeat clients and we love you for it!  Some of you were new to Wertman Photography.  We want to thank you for putting your trust in us!

bride , groom and best man couple

sisters

family interaction

composite senior girl sports  composite senior boy

business shots

dancer and flour dance from the wings

senior girl actress

senior girl artist

senior tuba player engaged couple

fun with couples

love

sisters fun at the museum

sleeping child

Here is wishing you a Merry Christmas, a Happy New Year and fun time with your family and friends.

brother and sister

Enjoy the look back over the year and come join us again in 2017.

 

Celebrating Love

— 07/15/2016 by Monika Wertman —

A few weeks back I had the pleasure of helping a lovely couple celebrate their love for each other during their engagement session in Harrisburg, PA.  Sometimes engagement session can be a bit of a challenge as it takes the couple a little while to be comfortable in front of the camera.  I do my best to help them forget that I am recording their affection for each other, but the groom in particular often does not loosen up until we are about 20 minutes into the session.

engagement photo

These two were different and it was very easy to work with them, as they seemed to immediately forget I was there recording their every move.  I was able to capture sweet little moments as well as lots of laughter.  When I did insert some instructions, they were carried out quite naturally and as a result we got some great imagery.

engagement photo

We walked all over Harrisburg, starting at the water front and working our way to the government buildings that are surrounded by a beautiful park.

engagement photo

I love shooting in locations other than the studio’s hometown as it gives me the opportunity to incorporate architectural elements not found in Hagerstown.  Harrisburg has wonderful bridges, old buildings and great architecture that create a wonderful backdrop for any photoshoot, but lend themselves especially well to an engagement session.

engagement photo

The weather held out nicely for us as well that day, staying sunny with wonderful clouds in the sky.  The forecast that morning called for rain halfway through our scheduled session time, but we were lucky and the rain held off until after we were done.

engagement photo rings

At Wertman Photography we include engagement sessions in our wedding packages, as it is important to work with the couple before their wedding day and a pleasure to get to know them during the process.  During the engagement session we have time to explore what each of them likes, how they act in front of the camera and how we work together as a team to create good imagery.  For me, gaining this knowledge before the wedding day, makes it easier to prepare for the big day as the couple and I have gotten to know each other better.  It paves the way for great communication in the months leading up to the wedding.

engagement photo

Your wedding day can not be recreated, and this knowledge creates pressure for the couple, sometimes more so for the bride as so many things need to be prepared for and run smoothly.  Getting to know each other during the engagement session, laying the ground work for trust during that session, takes the pressure off my couples as they know that they will not need to worry about their photography coverage the day of their wedding.

engagement photo

When you first get engaged, you are on cloud nine, floating happily until your realize that you have a wedding to plan.  Let us help you take some of the pressure off and make us your trusted advisor for your photography.  Know that we have you covered!  Call us today to schedule your free consultation and let us show you why your first choice is Wertman Photography.  301-693-3021.

engagement photo

Casting Call

— 03/03/2016 by Monika Wertman —

Casting Call for Male and Female Models

wedding-photography-slide
I need two female and two male models for a stylized bridal shoot.  Shoot will take place at two venues, 4 clothing changes, hair and make-up services provided.  All work is for trade and each vendor is participating to receive images and new promotional material.  Trade for models will be fully edited portfolio images from the day of shooting.
Female models need to be 5’8″ to 5’9″ and need to bring heels with them, in either white, cream or silver, evening shoes to match the gowns.  size 8-10 wedding gowns need to fit, which translates to regular dress sizes of 6-10.  I am looking for hour glass models.  We want these images to look real, yet fantastic.

wertman photography Adrienne and Joshua wedding-12

Male models should be a size 40 regular with an inseam of 34.

Please contact us no later than March 18th to be considered for the opportunity.

April 5th will be the fitting day at JB bridal in Chambersburg.  the shooting will take place in Hagerstown on April  12.  Hair and makeup will likely start at 8 am and shooting will start at 10am.  Please plan on a full 8 hour day.  Only serious, committed models need apply and we will meet in person before the fitting day.

Please contact the studio directly through email if you are interested:  info@wertmanphotography.net

wedding gown

An Engagement Session in the Cold Weather

— 01/26/2016 by Monika Wertman —

It is cold out and while we warm the house with fires and just came out of the most festive season of the year, many young couples also got engaged. I recently worked with such a couple, though he had popped the question before the typical season during which many guys do so and we were able to get the engagement photos done while Christmas décor was still up.

engagement photos

 

We went outside for several of our shots, for 10 minutes at a time because it was too cold to stay out longer than that. This is a very sweet couple and very cute together. The lovely bride has been a client of mine for a while and I was thrilled to share this fabulous change in her life with her.

 

engagement photos

We started our session at 4 in the afternoon as they life by an open field with a mountain range in the background and fabulous sunsets in the evening. As with all sessions, it is all about planning it out. For our engagement sessions we allow about 2 hours for shooting, changing clothes and moving about between different locations. We include a consultation during which we decide how to style the session to our couples’ tastes, how to offset the imagery we capture during the engagement session with what we will capture the day of the wedding, and discuss wardrobe, what colors photograph the best and what story we want to tell.

engagement photos

 

We have fun planning and the day of the session goes smoothly because we planned. Even if a detail goes astray, we adjust and the end result is great imagery our couples are proud to hang on their walls.

engagement photos

 

What is important to keep in mind when you select Wertman Photography for your wedding and engagement photographer, is that we shoot to create artwork for your walls. We capture sweet moments you may want in an album or book, plenty of images we can create safe-the-dates from or a guestbook, but you will have several images to choose from to decorate your walls with. These will be meant to be at least 16×24 inches and you will have the option to get them printed on canvas, metal or in framed fine art prints.

large print engagement photos

 

Please explore our wedding/engagement gallery to see more samples, like us on facebook, twitter and instagram. All the links are on our site. We would love to add you to our favorite clients.

The importance of the right Wedding Photographer

— 12/31/2015 by Monika Wertman —

Congratulations! You just got engaged! Now that the initial excitement has settled it hits you that you have a wedding to plan. Like most women, you have likely been planning this event in your head since you were a little girl, but reality is just a wee bit more overwhelming than a little girl’s dreams.

engagement

 

For your wedding day, three things are of the utmost importance. The groom, you have found him, your dress, that could still be a hurdle to overcome, and your wedding photographer. These three are on the top of the list for obvious reasons. The venue, the ceremony space, food and entertainment rank high as well, but let’s face it, everyone is going to remember what you looked like in your dress and if you and your fiancé looked happy. For the two of you, the ceremony, the venue and the party will be memories that will seem fleeting and a bit vague and that is why your photographer needs to rank right after your dress.

wedding gown

 

Your photographer is in charge of preserving those special moments your wedding day is made up of.

rings

She is the one you will turn to to capture another moment you thought may not happen and as long as you hire the right person, she will have already captured that shot. A good wedding photographer will be everywhere the day of the wedding. We always hear: “Wow, I don’t even remember that we did this”, or ” Wow, we never made it over to that area, thanks so much for preserving this moment.”

wedding day

 

Here at Wertman Photography we pride ourselves in becoming your best friend over the year in between you signing with us and your wedding day. We help you plan your day, create a time line for you, go over who is going to be in pictures both at the ceremony and at the reception and best of all, you can trust that we will create artwork for your walls that will stand the test of time.

wedding day

 

All of our wedding collections include an engagement session. We help you plan that session, from wardrobe, to location, season and styling. We will create artwork for your walls that will compliment your wedding day wall art and we give you many options from an engagement guestbook to safe the dates that will further aid in planning your wedding day.

wertman photography Adrienne and Joshua wedding-14

All of our collections also include a beautiful leather album, sizes depend on your collection, but each album is crafted with care from the design to the finished product. We help you choose the images that will tell your wedding day story perfectly.

wedding party

 

With Wertman Photography you will not only get all day coverage from two photographers, but a guiding hand in planning your big day. We believe that your photography needs to be in the best hands and that you should not have to worry about it, but trust that your story will be told and preserved for years to come.

wedding reception

 

For information on all of the options included in the different wedding collections, please contact us at 301-693-3021 or email us at info@wertmanphotography.net. Consultations are always free and non-binding and we love to share what a great studio can do for you.

At the Hagerstown Prime Outlets

— 09/28/2015 by Monika Wertman —

In this blog post I will switch things up a bit. Usually I tell a story about one of my clients and their session, but we are trying a marketing approach that is new to us and I thought it would be fun to share the set-up.

 

The idea started when I got a letter in the mail about putting a booth display into the food court area of the outlets in Hagerstown. The cost was very reasonable and they caught me at just the correct time, with money left in the advertising budget and phone calls with crazy requests arriving every day. This opportunity, by far, seemed the most cost effective way to spend my money. Another benefit is the time frame. We installed the display today, September 28 and it will be up through the holiday shopping season until January 1.

wertman photography prime outlets

 

The decision about what to show potential clients was not as easy as the decision to give this new-to-us marketing strategy a try. We finally settled on bridal, athlete and seniors. As you can see, the selection shows a nice variety of gestures and poses, while offering a peek into studio lighting and on location use of architectural elements and natural light.  The selection can also be found throughout the galleries, so feel free to find the images if you want to see them more clearly, or go by the display to do the same.

wertman photography, Prime outlets display-6

 

Many couples get engaged over the holidays, so the hope is that they remember what they saw while shopping and will come talk to us about their wedding day, while families will see what can be done with just about any activity and book us for various occasions.

wertman photography, Prime outlets display-5

 

We also have informational materials about senior photos, boudoir sessions and wedding coverage, as well as regular business cards at the display area. Gift certificates can be purchased for any amount all throughout the year and make wonderful stocking stuffers. A sign planting that idea is on display as well.

wertman photography, Prime outlets display-2

We encourage you to check the display out for yourself, please let us know what you think and remember to check in on Facebook throughout the life of the display for contests and drawings. At some point we will probably add a little information collection box as well.  For now, if you can guess where this alcove is at the outlets, or if you want to go and find it, leave the exact location in the comments below and everyone who gets it right, will be entered into a drawing for a free one hour session for up to 5 people, a $150 value.  We will draw a winner at the end of this week.

 

Please browse our galleries, new work is added on a routine basis and you just never know what you may find this time around. Call us today to secure a gift certificate in any amount that can be applied to sessions and as print credit. Gift certificates make the most wonderful stocking stuffers as well!

Capturing your Wedding Day

— 08/17/2015 by Monika Wertman —

This summer was pretty busy with weddings and I have decided to share a fun one that happened just a few weeks ago. The day started around 12:15 pm with my second meeting the groom and his men at their “getting dressed” location and me meeting my bride and her gals at Greengrove Gardens where they were getting dressed.

 

We had a lot of fun with everyone, including some sweet moments between my bride and her flower girls, my bride and her mom and the bridesmaids getting all of the underskirts of the wedding gown into the right position. We had some good laughs and I captured it all.

wertman photography Adrienne and Joshua wedding-6

wertman photography Adrienne and Joshua wedding-7

 

Within a couple of hours we proceeded to the church in Smithburg for the ceremony, a beautiful little church with gorgeous stained glass windows. My second was already there with the men and was setting up in the balcony to capture the vows on video, while also catching some stills of the church, the details and the wedding party as they entered from above.

 

One of my favorite moments is always that first glance between my bride and groom and his reaction to seeing her in her gown, gorgeously arraigned for their special day. It was very touching as some tears were shed upon that first look.

 

After the ceremony we got some great shots of everyone in front of the church and the typical photos of the bridal party and all of the family inside. Two of my favorites are shown here. That special moment I was able to capture when my bride and groom forgot I was there while we went looking for a groomsman gone AWOL.

wertman photography Adrienne and Joshua wedding-16

Another great shot is of my couple in front of their church after I sent everyone else back in to gather their things so we could depart for the reception at Greengrove Gardens.

wertman photography Adrienne and Joshua wedding-9

 

My second had preceded us there to catch the detail shots of décor and cake and guests milling about. After we arrived back at the venue, I caught a few more shots of the bridal party before the big entrance.

wertman photography Adrienne and Joshua wedding-10

 

Another favorite of mine is the first dance of husband and wife and the daddy daughter dance. My bride had chosen “butterfly kisses” for her song, which always has me on the brink of tears, as I have daughters who have those little rituals with their daddy as well.

 

After dinner we took our couple back out onto the grounds for what I call the specials. It’s that time when the guests are happily settled and I can sneak my couples off to get wedding day portraits without being rushed. The sun was setting and with the help of a bit of portable lighting, we got some great shots. Please look below to see some samples.

wertman photography Adrienne and Joshua wedding-14

 

To finish the day, we came back inside to catch the tossing of the bouquet and garter, and after checking with our couple to make sure they did not want us to do anything else, we called it a night around 9:30pm.

wertman photography Adrienne and Joshua wedding-15

 

Yes, weddings are long, they are tiring, but they are one of the most rewarding and fun events we love to record for our clients. We make sure that not a moment is missed, we are on our feet the entire time with just a few minutes to eat while everyone else does the same, and at the end of it all, we return to the studio to create a sneak peek for our couples that is posted to Facebook the same night. Within two weeks each wedding is edited and ready to be relived in our studio during the viewing session, when we help our couples decide which photos go into the album that comes as part of their wedding collection.

 

Please browse our website for recent events, weddings and senior pictures and call us to book your next life event or family/senior session with us. We are ready to create memories for you that will last a lifetime.

 

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