Shannon & Brad

It’s always a great thing when you get the chance to work with a couple you’ve know for a long time.  In September we photographed their wedding in Grundy Center, Iowa.  Shannon loves lavendar (me too!) and since the day was cloudy and the storm clouds were threatening, she turned lemons into lemonade and got umbrellas for everyone.

 

I have to say I was a little nervous, seeing how dark the sky was getting, but it held off for a few minutes in order for us to get some fun outside portraits with the wedding party.

 

Brad is an amazing father to his children Nick and Hannah and they were a part of the wedding party.  Really great kids, so well behaved.  You should be so proud.  Nick is quite the dancer.  He whirled Hannah around and around the dance floor at the reception.

 

One of the funniest moments was at the reception when guests were clanging the glasses wanting Shannon and Brad to kiss.   They just stood up and pointed to the wall behind them.  Where one of the engagement portraits of them kissing was on the wall.  Pretty clever guys!

We love you and wish you all the best!

What Sets Us Apart

If you are on the hunt for the wedding photographer of your dreams, you are probably a little (or a lot) overwhelmed at this point. There are so many options and trying to compare apples to oranges is a nearly impossible task.

So here’s a list of w gallerie’s unique features to make your life a little easier.

1. We are a husband and wife team. Woody comes from a fine art background. See some of his amazing fine art photographs at http://www.woodywalters.com/. He sees things in shape and form. He looks for unique perspectives and angles in every shot. I am more touchy feely. I’m all about the soft close up, romantic swept away images that capture how you feel about each other. When you blend these two styles together the results are almost magical.

2. We are the perfect mix of posed (artistically not stuffy standing at the altar) and photo journalistic images. AND we can change our coverage to meet your wishes. Woody captures the “emotional, as it happens” and I work with the couple, the wedding party and families. I also have a love for the details. Close ups of the favors and the invitations. We cover the ceremony and reception together, from two totally different vantage points.

3. Our coverage is always two award winning wedding photographers. It’s myself and Woody at every wedding, which is why we only have room for 20 each calendar year. A lot of studios advertise 2 photographers, but there is usually always a primary and an assistant who just runs around and tries to get anything. Both of our portfolios are award winning and can stand on their own, but we choose to work together for the most amazing results.

4. Finally our albums are designed by hand, no templates or cookie cutter designs here. They are painstakingly designed and handcrafted at the best album company in America. Your wedding album is a treasured family heirloom that should stand the test of time. One day your own daughter will be pouring over it when she’s planning her own wedding.

Don’t take chances with YOUR photography

If you’ve talked to your married friends, they will tell you to invest in quality photography.  Skimp on something else, but DO NOT TAKE A CHANCE HERE.

 

During the last five years, there has been a huge influx of wedding photographers in the marketplace.  Most of them have no formal training at all.  Most of them do not know basic concepts like composition and lighting.  They have just purchased a camera with acceptable megapixels and do it for extra money on the weekends.  They do not have the computer and equipment resources to processs RAW images.  IF YOUR WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER CAPTURES THEIR IMAGES IN JPEG FORMAT, YOU NEED TO RUN, NOT WALK AWAY.  Raw Capture ensures the best possible result from these precious images.

 

Your wedding is a once in a lifetime event, investing your photography budget with a professional who can deliver top notch photography and custom designed albums is a must.  If you look at the investment in memories over the course of your married life, it just makes sense to work with the company who will captures your day the way you always dreamed it would be.

7 Steps to Choosing Your Wedding Photographer

There are lots and lots of photographers out there. So how do you choose who will be the best fit for your wedding?

 1. Start online.

The web has now made it easier than ever to help you narrow down your top contenders. Some things to think about. The website should convey the photographers style and show examples of their work.

If a photographer you are considering doesn’t have a website, THAT IS A HUGE RED FLAG. Their style may be dated and not embrace current technologies, or they are an amateur.

2. Ask your married friends.

Getting advice from someone who has been there and done that is invaluable. They will tell you from experience that your photographs are the only thing left, invest in them. It’s a great way to get started instead of the phone book.

3. Set up a meeting with your top choices.

You are looking to make sure your personalities mesh. The person you choose will be in your face the entire wedding day. Make sure you choose someone open and friendly, someone who will get along will all ages. Someone very detail oriented.

4. Meet with the photographer who will actually photograph your wedding.

If the studio you choose has associate photographers, it is critical that you meet with the person you will be working with and that you see examples of THEIR work.

5. See a complete wedding from start to finish.

Seeing a greatest hits reel is not an indicator of how your wedding will be covered. Your photographer should have samples of complete wedding coverages for you to look through.

6. Get an Accurate Estimate

Comparing coverages is a tough job. Ask about extras like travel fees, retouching fees, engagement sessions etc. Ask to see first hand the products that come with your package.

7. Trust your intuition

That’s why we have it, right? Choosing your photographer is a lot like choosing your wedding dress. You probably didn’t just go to the bridal shop and pull any old dress off the rack, you thought about it carefully, you tried on a few to get an idea of your style, and in the end when you put on THE ONE, you knew it was THE ONE. Choosing you photographer is the same, when you know, you know.

visit our website at http://www.wgallerie.com

w gallerie

w gallerie (formerly illustrative images) is a boutique style photography studio.  Husband and Wife team, Woody Walters and Ninya Walters start with the medium of photography and then transform it into art.  Woody began his career in photography in the commercial world and his portfolio of fine art images can be seen at http://www.woodywalters.com.  He traveled the world selling his art and then came back to teach at his alma mater Hawkeye Community College for nine years.  In 2005 after losing his mother, father, sister, and a niece, he decided to leave to open illustrative images.  During 2005-2009 Woody and Ninya brought home more awards for their portrait and wedding photography than any other studio in the state of Iowa. 

 

We are so grateful for our loyal client base in Iowa, it has made this decision so tough for us.  But after much thought and prayer, Woody and I have decided to take a chance, wanting a better life for ourselves and our family.  In 2009, We will start over in Huntsville, Alabama.  We are excited to bring our unique vision to a new area and look forward to spending quality time with our two small children in a beautiful and warmer part of the country.

 

w gallerie will offer boutique sessions for senior portraits and will photograph only 40 seniors in the Class of 2010.  We are available for only 20 wedding dates in 2010, and we only have room for 4 new babies each month in their ultimate baby book plan.  Please give us a call at the studio to get more information, introduce yourself, or just chat.  We look forward to meeting you! 256.426.5198  http://www.wgallerie.com

Become a Fan on Facebook

Ok, I’m in my 30’s but hopefully still a little in the know.

We’ve created a page on Facebook for the studio to keep in touch with all our frients (friend clients).

Become a fan of the studio buy clicking here.

http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/pages/Cedar-Falls-IA/w-gallerie/36887314875?ref=ts

Heather and Jonathan (and Chloe and Jack)

When we booked Heather and Jon’s wedding earlier this year we talked about including their dog Jack in the engagement portraits.  I love it when you can personalize a session with anything so I was totally up for it.  Heather and Jon ended up getting Jack a sister about a week before the session so she came too.  I don’t think I’ve ever seen a dog that small before.

Heather and Jon both went to UNI so it just made sense to photograph them by the campanile.

I love the angle on this one!

This one was one of my favorites sans the dogs.  I love how happy they look.  We are so looking forward to their July wedding and can already tell their friends are going to be a lot of fun!

Kate and Ian October 18, 2008

We had the best time at Kate and Ian’s laid back wedding in October 2008.  Kate is honestly one of my favorite brides, she has such a laid back personality and was so willing to just trust us.

Ian is from Canada and his groomsmen were a riot.  I learned lots of things like how crazy expensive cigarettes and alcohol are in Canada.  Shocking!

Ian’s hog was there and Woody couldn’t quit drooling!

Thanks for such a great day, Kate and Ian and we wish you the best!

Jen and Dustin August 23, 2008

We had the best time at Jen and Dustin’s wedding in August.  They are both go-getters very focused and so in love with each other.  But you would never know about all their accomplishments since they never like to brag about it.  When I got to the church Jen was in the bathroom doing pushups.  I have to say that was a first. 

Jen has such a sweet sensitive side and cried when she saw Dustin for the first time.

The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.  The above image was captured at the first look. This is Jen’s mom who was so proud!  One of the most unique moments at the ceremony was the wedding party distributed communion to the guests in the form of homemade bread, that was followed by a family prayer.   What a great way to start out your marriage! 

The beautiful Wartburg Campus was the site of the ceremony and I love the way the bright light plays with the fountain.

Dustin is an amazing wrestler, so we HAD to get a shot of him wrestling the best man, who was also his brother.  This probably was a familiar sight growing up.  Jen is the referee.  It was a fun way to incorporate his interests into the images. 

They are both beautiful inside and out.  And Woody and I SO enjoyed getting to know them and their families.

Samia and Matt

One of our most favorite events this year was the small intimate wedding of Samia and Matt in Waverly.  It took place outside at Matt’s parent’s home which overlooks the Cedar River.  The trees and the path down to the water made for such beautiful images.  We started early and the light was fantastic.

Samia is originally from Brazil, and just was so much fun the whole day.  She laughed and laughed and I was such a treat for Woody and I to see so many “real” moments shared between Samia and Matt.  They are both in the engineering field which doesn’t always make it easy to let us inside to create the images we were born to create.  But Samia and Matt were a beautiful exception.  They are just simply so in love with each other that is radiates from inside.

The scenery and the lighting just came together in such a beautiful way. 

With the rain clouds threathening, the ceremony started 15 minutes early.  A sand ceremony symbolically united the couple with Matt’s great kids.  There was just enough time for a little champagne before the downpour started and the party was moved inside.

Since brazilians LOVE to dance.  One of the sweetest parts of the evening was an impromptu dance that was supposed to happen outside on the back deck, but because of the rain, was moved to the garage.  Samia and Matt and their families didn’t miss a beat.  They had a blast anyway.  Thanks for letting us be such an important part of your day!  Best wishes for a long and happy life together filled with music and dancing.