Have you ever...

Have you ever seen anything so gorgeous and beautiful and instantly knew you needed to visit the location. 

Well that happened to me back in February of this year.  I attended the Open House of The Grand Canadian Theater in Purcell. It was a decision I made on the spur to the moment.  I had never been there nor had I ever heard of them. It sounded intriguing to me and I wanted to visit the theater and meet new people.

I walked in the door and boy, was I blown away by its beauty and grandure.  The owner Gisela designed the entire inside and has put in her blood, sweat and tears into refurbishing the old theatre that used to be an antique store that was piled high with stuff into an elegant venue for wedding and parties.

Time went on and I just keep thinking about the beauty of the theatre.  While sitting and having coffee one day trying to plan, I called the theater and set a date to meet Gisela and discuss a styled shoot. I was so excited and I still am to this day.  While scrolling Instagram I came upon a gorgeous dress from RL Bridal. They agreed to collaborate with me and let me borrow a couple of dresses.  If you need a bridal gown I recommend RL Bridal, they will work with you to find the perfect dress. Tony Foss did an amazing job on the exquisite bouquet that showcased some fabulous fall colors.

I hope you enjoy these as much as I enjoyed creating them.  

If you are looking for a wedding photographer feel free to check out my Portfolio and give me a call. I would love to sit down and have coffee with you and talk about the vision you have for your big day.

Venue The Grand Canadian Theater

Dresses provided by RL Bridal

Stella and York Style 6541

Stella and York Style 6353

Bouquet provided by Tony Foss Flowers

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If You're Not Uncomfortable, You're Not Growing.

If you know me, you know that I am not a boastful person. It’s not easy talking about myself. I like to be behind the camera focusing my attention on my clients. This is uncomfortable, but I am so excited to say I won 1st Place. Yes! A Blue Ribbon on both of my art pieces. 

I entered the Artists of the Arbuckles Art Exhibit at the Jean Carr Gallery in Sulphur, Oklahoma. I have been watching this art exhibit for 3 years. I’ve wanted to enter but felt uncomfortable. Scared of the feeling of putting myself or my art out there for people to judge. I finally got the nerve to enter and didn’t look back. Choosing the images was the easy part, framing and matting was not. Presentation is a key element, and the time and attention to detail paid off.

The art exhibit will be on display thru the end of May. If you get a chance go by and visit, there are some talented people in our state. Thank you to everyone for your advise and the nudges to get out of my box.  If you're feeling like you're not growing or progressing, get out of your comfort zone, it will help you grow.

If you would like more information on a session with Vanessa, visit www.vanessawellsimages.com

The Benefits of Second Shooting a Wedding

I often second shoot for other photographers through out the year. There are many benefits to this for the primary photograph as well as for the second shooter. Assisting my colleagues so they can capture all the important memories, emotions and details for their client is the primary goal, this allows them to have a well rounded album. Second shooters can capture different perspectives of the day, such as emotions, reactions and actions which will add nicely to their day. It's always good to have a second set of eyes to catch little things that can go unnoticed, for example, phones in pockets, twisted hems, even hair that is entwined in an earring. It also allows for more coverage, both photographers can be in different locations at the same time. For example the primary photographer can be photographing the bride getting ready while the second shooter is documenting the groom getting ready. Having a second photographer can also serve as a backup in the event gear fails, the second can fill in for the primary while changing out gear should theirs fail, let's hope this never happens, but we all know Murphy's law, if it can happen it will.  You never know when a "moment" will happen and you want to be sure to capture it.

Just a thought as I prepare to second shoot this next weekend. Here are a few images of me second shooting. Enjoy.