Fotofida Photography

November 3, 2012 wedding of Pat & Carie

Fotofida Photography — Sat, 16 Feb 2013 22:09:30 +0000

Jayme & Alex light up the dance floor at Oak Marsh Golf Club

Fotofida Photography — Mon, 20 Aug 2012 14:21:02 +0000

This shoot was really fun as I was just hired for the reception and it really demonstrates what a difference great lighting can make for your dance photos. Jayme & Alex hired The Brian Kinney Band, and in addition to amazing music that kept the dance floor full all night, they brought LED flood lights that lit up the floor.

I love the variety of looks we can achieve as well as the vibrancy to the images. When you are discussing your dance plans with your DJ or band, it’s always a good idea to ask about the lighting for the night as well as it will inspire folks to get out there and dance the night away as well as help make your pictures look amazing!

Jake & Natalie Engagements at The Stone Arch Bridge

Fotofida Photography — Wed, 08 Aug 2012 15:26:44 +0000

The Stone Arch Bridge area provides so much variety from city skyline to river to the industrial ruins of the Mill City Museum. Jake & Natalie arrived early to sip a pre-shoot glass of wint on the riverfront before we began — it was a pleasant night to be out! They had had one of their first movie dates at the St. Anthony Main Theater so it was a fun place to finish our engagement session.

Pat & Shanna June 30 at Pioneer Park & Stone Ridge Golf Club, Stillwater, MN

Fotofida Photography — Wed, 08 Aug 2012 14:31:23 +0000

What a great couple! This day was filled with laughter and joy. We began at Pioneer Park in Stillwater. Pat was in place overlooking the St. Croix as Shanna approached for their first sight — always such a fun & romantic moment but we don’t always have such a stunning backdrop! While the weather was a bit warm, we were spoiled with stunning blue skies as we took some casual wedding party groupings in the park. We stopped briefly by the Stillwater lift bridge for some great pics of the couple then headed to Stone Ridge for the outdoor ceremony, set up in a large tent adjacent to the club. The ceremony was just lovely and was followed by snacks, cocktails & conversations as the tent was set up for dinner. We took advantage of the great scenery here for the family portraits then sat down to a fantastic dinner al fresco. The toasts were amazing testimonials to the great friendship this couple shares as well as their accomplishments together and the lives that they have touched.

We were blessed with a gorgeous sunset and got some incredibly romantic photos out on the greens before the dance began. Throughout the whole day, Stone Ridge provided an elegant setting, great food, seamless transitions from ceremony to dinner to dancing, and a great staff! Once the music began we enjoyed a festive (and full!) dance floor.

Here’s a recent email from the bride: ”Thanks for all your work Melina, the pictures are amazing! Now we are just having trouble figuring out which ones are our favorites. I will be sure to pass along your name to friends looking for photographers in the future. ~ Shanna”

Fotofida in action!

Fotofida Photography — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 08:14:22 +0000

Here I am, at one of my favorite weddings of 2011. Nate & Rosemary had their ceremony at the Minnesota Humanities Center, a relatively secret spot in St. Paul, MN. This was a perfect venue for them, as they met when both were involved in theater in Chicago. Rosemary had a great idea: cocktail dress for portraits in the park with family & wedding party. Then, a cocktail hour where the couple mingled with their guests for an hour before their outdoor ceremony (so they wouldn’t be so nervous). Rosemary changed into this lovely lace number for the ceremony. Here I am, taking photos of all the guests, moments after they tied the knot. My 2nd shooter got great shots of the newlyweds together, while I focused on the reaction of the crowd.

This really captures the advantages of two photographers. One focused on bride & groom, the other on everything else, and also when the line blurs between “lead” and “assistant” photographer. After these shots, we took advantage of the advancing twilight to get some romantic shots of the bride and groom, and some fun wedding party shots. We went back inside and enjoyed an amazing spread of appetizers and signature cocktails (well, I didn’t try the cocktails but they looked great and I was tempted). I even got candids of guest: former governor Jesse Ventura — does it get any better than that? Super wedding! I hope to have lots more highlights added to our Flickr very soon.

Our wedding photos as fine art

Fotofida Photography — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 06:33:25 +0000

This photo was taken with Shannonlee shooting lead and me as the 2nd photographer. The wedding took place at a church on the outskirts of Woodbury. Ordinarily, the posed group shots would have been taken at the alter (to be honest, I probably would have done just that as it was a perfectly fine space). Shannonlee has such a unique perspective that she asked the group if they would mind taking a trek across the parking lot to use this field as the backdrop. This was an early October day and even though we were a few miles from I-94 this field made the most incredible backdrop. Obviously we have a stunning bride. The location truly enhances and emphasizes the bride, and subject and background combined are truly breathtaking. Emily and Matt had their first sight privately here, and we proceeded to take all of the wedding party and family shots around this area. I took this photo as Shannonlee was shooting formal portraits, i.e. with the bride looking at her, me shooting from the side. This photo always reminds me to keep an open mind and to look for unexpected and unusual locations.

One of the most exciting things about photographing weddings is working with other photographers. We can always learn from each other, as each photographer has their own unique perpective. Both Shannonlee and I have had wonderful experiences working with many other talented local photographers. Cheers to creative and unexpected locations and remember, there are many options besides the traditional “on the altar steps” formals.

~ Melina

Another sample of our wedding photo retouching

Fotofida Photography — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 07:48:24 +0000

Two words: July wedding. This photo was taken just before sunset when the lighting is beautiful. After a full day of hugs, photos and high temps, no one can expect their makeup to look as great as it did at the start of the day. This is an example of Shannonlee’s mastery of retouching, something she both loves and is remarkably good at. What a huge difference between the before and after! If we shoot an eight hour wedding, typically there will be 30 to 40 hours of editing, color correcting, retouching and enhancements. When you hire a professional photographer, know that we spend a lot of time enhancing our images. So, while professional photography is an investment, you are hiring someone who has spent a lot of money for the best equipment and editing programs. As photographers, we also invest a lot of time and love into our work and want our clients to receive photos that are of the highest quality.

Wedding photo retouching

Fotofida Photography — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 07:50:35 +0000

Here is a great example of what professional retouching can do. This lovely model is my sister, who needed some headshots, so last time I was in L.A. we set up a photo shoot. Obviously (and I may be biased) she is beautiful. But, as you can see a bit of magic can make anyone look better. Please remember that all of those celebrity shots that are so prevalent in our society are people whose first priority is to maintain their look (ever seen a tabloid “stars without makeup” issue? If not, it is a good guilty pleasure as you wait in line at the grocery store. While I hate to promote sales of these magazines, it is good to remember that nobody looks perfect all the time and even our planet’s most attractive occupants rely on some -or a lot- of retouching. Our approach is to apply a little retouching as part of our basic post-production. Does that mean every photo has two hours of retouching applied? Well, no. That said, a minor brush with a filter or subtle diffusion of imperfections can make a huge difference and if you have a favorite shot that you would like a little something extra applied we are happy to accomodate.

That said the majority of my photos go out with minimal adjustmants (mainly cropping, adjusting color balance and the like). Another small thing is that most grooms don’t bother with a manicure prior to the wedding, so for a hand/ring shot, that is an easy improvement. Other photos I have improved was when a groom did a face-plant on a car hood during his bachelor party the night before the wedding! Not a good idea. He looked a lot better with a bit of the retouch. This said, I do have many couples who actually do look better with no retouching and good lighting can also provide amazing and natural results. Coming soon to our Flickr is a great example of no retouching needed, Melissa and Colin my October 15, 2011 wedding.

Best wedding dip photo!

Fotofida Photography — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 04:07:47 +0000

Here are two of my favorite photos from Tim & Laura’s wedding. I love the kiss photo as the trees in Silverwood Park are surrounding them. This is one couple who knows how to to a great dip & kiss! I love the color and the light breaking through the leaves. It looks as if you are in the middle of a great forest when in fact we were surrounded by the suburbs.

The second photo obviously has some post production work applied to give it a vintage look. It is always fun when you can start with a strong image and take it in a new direction. The strapless dress is modern and simple but the lace gives it an antique feel, especially when converted to black and white. I like to think of a photo like this next to previous generations of wedding photos in a family collection.

June Wedding – More colorful wedding boquet photos

Fotofida Photography — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 03:44:08 +0000

Minneapolis wedding photography… Tim and Laura had the perfect day for a June wedding. This couple love outdoor activities, so it made sense to do all the photos outside. We started at a hidden gem of a park, Silverwood Park in St. Anthony, MN. This park is newly redone and has a focus on nature and the environment. It is hard to believe that such a pretty spot is basically in the middle of the city. There is a lovely lake, with a footbridge and a shady island where we took most of our outdoor formal shots. Laura had chosen a great dress — light and lacy, perfect for being outside, and while having a modern silhouette it definitely had a vintage vibe. I love these flowers too, with the bright pastel colors and her grandmother’s bouquet is such a great alternative to the typical corsages.

After our park session, we headed to a nearby church for the ceremony. After the receiving line we returned to Silverwood Park for the reception. A brand new visitors center has a great space for receptions with lots of natural details and big windows and a patio that overlook the lake. To see more photos from this wedding, please visit Fotofida on Flickr.