Frog Hollow Photography

Marcy & Nate, a December wedding

2012-01-15T08:09:00.000-08:00

December is a lovely month, it's all about getting ready for Christmas, decorations, the tree, the cookies, the food (at least at our house that's what it's like).
This year we even had something extra special....a wedding to photograph!
Marcy and Nate came to us in October, very excited about their upcoming December wedding. There had been some paperwork that needed to come through, it took a long time, but it happened and they wrote their names in the book at Holy Trinity Church in Poughkeepsie and then it was set.
We got there a little early to take the establishing shots of the church and interior with no people milling about. It's such a quiet and serene time. We were also lucky enough to run into the florist as he was dropping off the bouquets, bouts, and corsages. Incredibly beautiful! The Greenhouse at Rhinebeck

The combination of parrot tulips, roses, fiddleheads, dusty miller, and cedar berries and greens was incredible! Like seeing all the seasons in a bouquet! These were very large bouquets that had ribbon wrapped around the stems and fastened with pearl headed pins.
The bride and groom arrived for their family and formal pictures. And their families followed closely behind.

The ceremony was very traditional Catholic and this church is very beautiful, the stained glass is worth a second look.

The bride and groom kissed.....

And then we all went over to the Reception.
This was a small group, family and close friends. Marcy and Nate chose a beautiful space, it's called Canvas and is located right next door to Artist's Palette on Main St. in Poughkeepsie. It will be a wine and tapas bar shortly, but for this event it was catering space, and Artist's Palette was the caterer.
If you're looking for a venue for an under 80 person event , this may be the place for you.

The reception flowers were also by The Greenhouse at Rhinebeck

This was not your traditional wedding reception, there was a cocktail hour/social time, toasts, dinner and cake, but no dancing or band. It suited the bride and groom perfectly as there was ample opportunity to mingle and talk with all the really important people in their lives.

Gluten free wedding cake by Caffe Aurora in Poughkeepsie.

The bride and groom departed on a wedding trip to NYC, I hope that they had a fabulous time!
We had a wonderful time with Marcy and Nate and their families!

Quickest maternity session ever!

2011-09-04T18:57:00.000-07:00

We took a couple of minutes yesterday to grab some shots of one of me favorite couples. We were all at the wedding of Danielle and Ricky (and they'll be the topic of a future blogpost) yesterday. Kyle and Joanna are moving to Kansas tomorrow, so no time for a full-blown session. They're so cute! We did their wedding a few years ago and had a blast, so I felt like we had to do a few pregnancy images.
Hopefully we'll get to do some baby pictures the next time they visit family in the area.

Laura and Neil at Enigma!

2011-09-01T17:40:00.000-07:00

As we venture into more Hudson Valley venues, we got to check out Enigma for Laura and Neil's wedding in July. Enigma is in Milan, and will eventually be a dance club.

There was a lot of love between this couple and their families. The chuppah was the groom's father's prayer shawl. The flowers were by Floral Fantasies by Sara. Catering was by Gendron Catering. The cake was by Calico.

Some more photos can be seen on their Facebook album
Laura and Neil's FB album

Unplug your wedding and get your guests back in the moment!

2011-07-02T05:56:00.000-07:00

As wedding photographers we have noticed a dramatic upswing in the number of cameras, smartphones and other devices and weddings and events. It can be daunting trying to stay unobtrusive while still capturing the day and all it's attendant moments and emotions.
Often guests will insert themselves in the aisle, stand on pews, shoot over our shoulders, and just generally not be considerate of the the day, the couple, or even (I hate to say it) the wedding photographers.
And this doesn't just happen at weddings, at my son's college graduation in May one mother had her Ipad up and was either taking pics or doing video. I took a few pics, but was just so happy that he was finally graduating that it was wonderful to sit and drink in the happy and festive atmosphere!

Offbeat Bride is a great blog devoted to the odd, quirky, and just plain not-typical wedding and they often have great posts devoted to different styles and trends. They have been writing about "unplugging your wedding" and the original post can be found here with a followup on wording templates and signs that can be printed and displayed at your venue, the link is here

We encourage bride's to think about "unplugging" because we can provide images that you can share with your guests afterward. Digital images can be posted on FB, we also can provide an on-line gallery that is password protected. Just send the link and password to anyone you want to share with and they can view and order on-line, very simply and easily.

Bring your guests back into the moment, enjoying your day!

Maternity pictures!

2011-06-18T06:49:00.000-07:00

Are you expecting? Know someone who's expecting? Dreaming about expecting?
Last year we expanded our photography session offerings to include maternity and newborns.
So what does this mean? It means that we get together while you're pregnant, usually in the last trimester, often in the last couple of weeks of your pregnancy and do a photo session that highlights the beauty of the expectant Mom. We bring some different fabrics to drape or wrap around you for effect, and bring or have you supply some props from the nursery (blocks, stuffed animals, whatever you like). Mom-to-be can be solo, or Dad-to-be can be involved too. One of my Mom's had a lot of fun including her son in the pictures!
Does Mom have to show off her bare belly? No, she doesn't. But she certainly can! I'll come out to your house, or we can meet somewhere depending on what types of pictures you want. These sessions are a lot of fun for everyone! Combine a "belly" session with a "baby" session (newborns at 2 weeks are incredibly adorable) for the most impact.
We can customize a gift certificate for an awesome baby shower gift.
Some of my favorite pregnant pictures!

Great Florist Post....

2011-06-18T05:20:00.000-07:00

Do you get what you pay for when it comes to flowers?
Read this post from A Night in Bloom and decide if you really want to DIY your flowers.
My personal preference is to hire a professional and have less stuff to worry about for the day of the wedding.
http://anightinbloom.com/blog/?p=1289

It's all in the details....

2011-04-16T11:54:00.000-07:00

They say that the devil is in the details, and this is very true in weddings. How much time was spent deciding in the dress, the flowers, the ring, the decor? I feel that it's an important part of the photographic coverage of the wedding day to document the details of your day. Some of my favorites below.

Engagement pictures, do you need them?

2011-04-03T10:20:00.001-07:00

OK, there seems to be some confusion about Engagement pictures. Although I would dearly love to shoot an actual engagement, that just doesn't happen very often. So an Engagement session is pictures done during your engagement. They can be done at any location, at any time of year.
Does it seem extravagant to have engagement pictures done? They're often included in your photography package for your wedding, and offer a valuable opportunity to get more comfortable in front of the camera, and to help mesh with your photographer before the "big day".

And they can be used in a variety of ways. Create a custom guestbook that you'll be proud to display. Use them for Save the Dates, incorporate them into your invitation, on your tables at the Reception. We can also create custom artwork for yours or your parents homes. So many opportunities!

Call us to set up an appointment to talk about what we can do for you!

Pre-wedding photo shoot idea!

2011-03-18T15:16:00.000-07:00

Sharing a blogpost from someone else!
I also think that this is a great way to pay tribute to Mom's dress. Love the pictures with the parents photos album showing Mom wearing the dress too!

http://yoursandonlyyours.blogspot.com/2011/03/innovative-idea-for-engagement-photos.html

The Dress!

2011-03-05T14:46:00.000-08:00

The dress... what more is there to say?
Perhaps you scanned dozens of bridal magazines and saved all the ones you wanted to try. Maybe you visited multiple bridal shops with your Mom or best friends to try on all the styles and designers.
However you proceeded with your search to find the dress of your dreams, you found the one that made you feel like a bride and that made you feel great on your special day.
I love photographing the dress, and the bride getting dressed. It's the special moments like this that make up your day. Enjoy every moment! Some of my favorites are below.

Wedding Cakes

2011-01-17T14:48:00.000-08:00

The wedding cake is one of the key elements of the wedding reception. Whether or not you decide to go simple or ornate is completely up to you. One of the best things about cake is the ability to mix and match flavors and fillings to suit your personality. The possibilities are endless, and you don't have to go far afield to find a bakery that will fill the bill. My personal local favorite is The Pastry Garden in Poughkeepsie, but you may have your own personal favorite.
Photographing the wedding cake can present challenges in lighting, posing, and composition.
I'm including some images from recent celebrations below.

Attending Bridal Shows

2011-01-10T05:13:00.000-08:00

Although I don't do Bridal Shows (not because I don't want to, but because they're out of my budget right now), I think they can be extremely useful for gathering information and seeing examples of work from vendors that brides and grooms have not needed to hire in the past. Specifically Photographers and DJ's.
I attended the Bridal Show at Rolling Greens (also know as Dutchess Golf and Country Club) with my FDIL (future daughter-in-law) yesterday to help her weed thru vendors, ask some questions, pick up literature and generally see what was going on. The venue itself is beautiful! High ceilings, golf course greens and landscaping, the largest "getting ready" areas I've ever seen, and the food was good. This venue has been put on the short list for the wedding (unless they change their minds and go for the destination option).
Anyway, back to vendors, there were many, many photographers there. Some doing video, some not. All with large size prints and albums on display. We looked thru lots of albums, and talked with many folks. I think we may have narrowed it down a little bit. The thing to remember it to also go to their websites, look thru the galleries, check pricing, and if it all looks good, make an appointment to talk about what you need.
DJs were also there in abundance, some showing off their options, like props (leis, blow up instruments, glow sticks, etc), lighting options (uplighting along the walls, custom gobo's with the bride and groom's names and the date that either illuminate the ceiling or the dance floor), ceremony and cocktail music options. So many things to think about. I really like the idea of additional lighting in some form. It makes taking pictures during the ceremony that much easier for the photographer. try to decide what you really need versus what you "think" you need and price it out accordingly.
There was only one florist, Green Oak from Hyde Park. Dot does beautiful work, we have done weddings where she was the florist and the flowers are always beautiful. She's a "full service" florist and will even be there to pin on bouts and adjust corsages. The interesting thing she told us was that cascading bouquets seem to be coming back into fashion (as compared to the hand tied bouquets that have been popular for weveral years now). This trend is coming from California and will arrive eventually. It would have been nice to have at least one other florist.
Pastry Garden had some mock-up cakes and lots of samples of their cake. I always prefer Pastry Garden and they are the bakery associated with the venue. The really great thing about Pastry Garden is that they are quite happy to do custom work, you don't have to look far for something unique and different.
There were no makeup artists, hair stylists, custom jewelry vendors, or anything else. So Rolling Greens needs to be a bit more proactive in attracting/inviting these people to participate, it would make for a more well-rounded show.
The round up? Good show, worth attending. But always remember that you don't have to use the vendors at the show. If you know of someone from a previous event or personal recommendation, please check them out. Lots of Bridal Shows in January, it's a great time to plan, and take advantage of any show specials.

New Year! New Website!

2010-12-31T11:18:00.001-08:00

www.froghollowfolio.com

Happy New Year!

2010-12-31T08:24:00.000-08:00

It has been a year of ups and downs. Busy months and quiet months.
We would like to thank all our clients for a successful year.

We just delivered two beautiful albums this weekend. These were from GraphiStudio.
Amazing, handmade albums from Italy. Please enjoy the pictures of the delivered albums and our new studio samples below.

This is an 8 x 12 book, brown with a transparent insert photo cover. I think this cover is very different from the traditional leather. the picture could be anything, I chose one of my favorites of the happy couple.
The double page spread features the bride and her girls outside on a beautiful July Saturday.

This next book is 12 x 12 and features a beautiful metallic cover with photo of the bride and groom, their names and the wedding date are in the front lower left corner. Incredibly heavy, and very eye-catching!
The double page spread is a collage of images from their formals session outdoors on a sunny Saturday in August.

The last album today is a 9.5 x 13 album with an amazing Crystal Glance cover. This is a thick transparent cover with rounded corners and black spine. I also ordered a black sleeve for this album to help protect it.
The double page spread features photos from their formals session.

Why do you need a professional photographer?

2010-11-21T14:24:00.000-08:00

You're planning your wedding, there are a ton of things to pay for, how do you decide what to allow for each item? You need to decide what is a priority for you. Is it having a designer dress? or will you hunt on ebay or thrift stores for a bargain? Will you choose a beautiful hotel or resort for your site? or will a local park or a family members yard be OK? Will you hire a professional caterer? Or have a potluck?Visit with a florist? Or go out and pick wildlfowers? Only you know what is important.

DIY most certainly has a place in your wedding planning, and there are many items that you can do yourself and they will be beautiful and personal.

Photography is not one of those things.
Your images from the wedding will be one of the few things that lasts beyond the day. Flowers wilt, food is eaten, the dress is put away....

One of the most important things that should happen on your wedding day is to have confidence in your vendors.
Whether it's a florist that you've used for years, or a caterer whose food you've tasted many times, you know that you'll get what you pay for. You may have a friend or relative with a great camera, and maybe you were going to invite them to the wedding anyway, so maybe you're thinking about asking them to take pictures too. That's all well and good, and they should take pictures at your wedding. But they should not be your wedding photographer. Your wedding photographer has experience, and equipment on their side. They have backup cameras just in case. They know where to stand and what to do during the ceremony. They either have been to your venue or will check it out ahead of time. If they're like us, they have 2 photographers covering different angles during the whole day. We don't lure you in with a low rate and then charge extra to upgrade to a second photographer. And we much prefer to be there for your whole day. To get to know and work with your whole family. Make sure that you're comparing apples to apples when pricing out photography companies. Do you want a disk of your pictures? An album? What sort of album? Medium priced? High end?
Look at galleries, does someone have a style that appeals to you? Is there a mix of formals and candids that tells the story of your day? Check to see if they have insurance. Are they a real business, registered to do business. Be wary of people who are not, reputable businesses have all these things. Including references.

Back to the friend with the cool camera. Will they be taking pictures all day? Will they make sure that you get all the family formals that you want? Will they take pictures during your First Dance? or during the dance party? Or will they be dancing themselves and not worrying so much about you any more? A pro focuses on you, all day. No distractions.

Is it worth it to hire a professional?
Do you want beautiful pictures from your day that you can look back on and enjoy with your children and grandchildren?
Then the answer should be, yes!

New albums designed this week!

2010-11-14T12:54:00.000-08:00

This week was busy with designing albums. The first was Jessica & Carter. they got married July 3, 2010 at Christos in Poughkeepsie. Christos has a beautiful screened room for ceremonies(complete with ceiling fans and a great view of the golf course). The cocktails and reception took up the rest of the space, food was plentiful and very good. This is a facility that knows how to do an event! Only one event at a time too. Jessica wore a beautiful gold gown, Carter had a black tux. The girls were in an olive-toned green.
Click the link below their cover image to view the entire album.

Jessica & Carter's Wedding Album

Cara and Phil's Saratoga wedding

2010-11-07T16:12:00.000-08:00

We have known Cara and Phil a long time. Jeff originally met Cara volunteering with County Players (a local theater group) and they have been friends for years. Although Cara and Phil moved to Albany recently to pursue career options, we have tried to stay in touch. And when we heard they were tying the knot we were incredibly happy for them. So we were even happier when Cara wanted us to do the pictures for their wedding!

Arts and Crafts time, getting the programs done before the ceremony.

Details: The Lodge at Saratoga Raceway, a beautiful restaurant adjacent to the track. The Celtic/Fall theme was reflected in the waterfall centerpieces, wedding bands, toasting horns, and flowers.

It was a team effort as the ladies helped each other get ready!

Phil getting some help with his bout.

The outdoor ceremony couldn't have had a nicer day.

Outdoor formals had a lovely backdrop. The lawns alongside the building had gardens and a split rail fence.

And the reception included toasting the happy couple, cake, dancing, and just plain hanging out with friends and relatives.

We had a great time and wish Cara and Phil well as they embark on their life together!

Engagement coming up soon?

2010-11-03T10:53:00.000-07:00

The holidays are coming up soon, and although it's a fairly traditional time of year to "pop the question", there's no reason why the man has to do it! Why not get down on one knee and propose to him? Are you talking with your partner about marriage and they're saying that they can't do it until they have moo-la for the ring?
Try Off Beat Brides examples of rings for both him and her! Unique, less expensive, and definitely eye-catching alternatives. The link is here
And when you've decided who you want to spend the rest of your life with, give us a call to set up an engagement session! Perfect for helping you out with DIY projects for your special day. Use your images for Save The Dates, instead of table numbers, frame pictures of yourselves and use those instead. Create a beautiful collage for your wall. Let us design a custom guest book for you, or use one of the pictures in your signature mat. Lots of options and ideas!

Sarita & Aramis

2010-10-31T18:18:00.000-07:00

Sarita & Aramis were married Sept. 17th, 2010 at Mt Carmel Church, and then the reception was at The Grand Hotel in Poughkeepsie. They've been together for a long time and it was exciting to be able to photograph their celebration. They had such a good time and you can tell that they're just incredibly in love with each other.

Welcome to our new blog!

2010-10-31T11:12:00.000-07:00

Welcome to Frog Hollow Photography!
We are a husband/wife photography team (Barbara and Jeff), that loves to cover all aspects of photography.
We started out with weddings and have expanded into families, maternity, babies, and even commissioned works. This blog will keep you up to date on what we've been doing in our professional and personal lives. We want you to get to know us just as when you become our clients, we get to know you :)

As part on our mission to be continually learning, we attended Photo Plus Expo in NYC yesterday. We were lucky enough to be able to listen to Bob and Dawn Davis from the Chicago area talk about their business, and then Bob had a great lighting workshop that Jeff was able to learn from.
We find this Expo to be a great help in learning about new products and companies and help us to bring these new products to you.