Eric & Shannon's Wedding

Eric and Shannon hired me to shoot their wedding ceremony and the post-ceremony group shots, but brought in another photographer for the reception so I could enjoy the reception with them.

It was a lot of fun to meet up with Shannon at the hotel as she was prepared for the wedding, and then we took a trolley to the park in Chicago for the wedding.  It had been a bit drizzly throughout the morning leading up to the ceremony, but the sun came out some for the wedding and we had a nice break from the wet weather.

We took the trolley to their apartment for some pictures, and then off to downtown to get shots along the Chicago River.  Eric brilliantly purchased these green umbrellas to help the women deal with the weather.  Here are some of my pictures from the event:

Sometimes, I add an artistic effect such as a watercolor effect here:

The Motion in Dance

I've been shooting dancers for a few years now, and the one thing I've always wanted to capture was a dancer in motion, and then freezing their action at the end of the motion.  I just haven't had the opportunity to do this until Charles Flachs of the Massachusetts Academy of Ballet generously provided his studio and two dancers, Izzie and Gabrielle.

Charles and I then collaborated on the motion, as he choreographed the dancers' moves to create the most interesting lines.

Here are the results of our efforts:

Testimonials

I've had such a great privilege of collaborating with so many couples on documenting their wedding in my unique style.  Along with having the technical skills of capturing great images, and having the creativity to be artistic and edgy, it's incredibly important to me to help create a really fun atmosphere and add to the celebration.

Here's what a few of my couples have had to say about me:

Choosing somebody to capture the essence and images of a wedding can be a daunting task.  For us, our search stopped the minute we talked with Ron McKinney.  Ron's talents go way beyond the camera with his abilities to capture the most magical moments at our wedding because of his charismatic personality and professionalism.  Ron and his team were graceful and able to completely engage people while always keeping the focus on our special day!  We highly recommend Ron McKinney Photography to anyone and everyone looking for simply the best on all aspects of what you want a photographer to be!
 -- Brian & Kelly

"You were the easiest and most fun vendor to work with for our wedding!  We were pleased with everything, but there were some great shots taken during our photo session that were very impressive!  We certainly would highly recommend you to a friend!"
-- Nivan & Michelle

"Weddings can be a nerve-wracking experience for everyone involved and the pressure to encapsulate it all can be intense. When you have someone like Ron involved, you quickly appreciate not only the professionalism he brings, but also his sense of calming levity in those most critical and stress filled moments. Our wedding felt like a whirlwind and it wasn't until we were able to go back and enjoy his everlasting shots that my wife and I could truly internalize the amazing night we had with our closest family and friends. Ron has a keen ability to capture not just the front of the room, but also those unforgettable moments in the back of the room."
-- Jason & Danielle

 Working with Ron was fun and easy - which is what every girl wants on her big day.  He has an incredible vision that guides you in the right direction to getting what you want out of your pictures.  We are so pleased with our pictures and have gotten nothing but compliments on them when showing to family and friends.  I even had one friend go so far as to say she was jealous of my pictures - that's how great they are.  Ron was able to capture every aspect of the day beautifully and we will be forever grateful to him for this talent of his.  With just a little input from us, he created a masterpiece of a wedding album for us.  We are proud to display it on our coffee table for all to see.  I will be honest, I kind of want to get married again so that Ron can take more pictures.
-- Eric & Shannon

"Your pictures exceeded every expectation that we had.  It is so beautiful, the first time I saw it, I cried.  Thank you so much for capturing our very special day and adding such elegance and beauty to our memories."
-- Pete & Lacey

"Ron, thank you so much for all the hard work that you put into this.  Our time and experience with you has been nothing but utter pleasure."
-- Zach & Staci

My Wedding Photography Philosophy

First and foremost, I'm a visual storyteller. 

And for me, every wedding is a unique story in a different setting with all these new characters that have emotionally bonded together.  I like getting inside the nuances of the subtext that drives the plot for the day's story: the wedding, two couples becoming one, two families coming together to celebrate this love, and the friends standing at their side, cheering them on.  And I get to tell the story! 

I'm sure there are plenty of wedding photographers in the area who offer a photojournalistic style of shooting weddings, but I doubt many enjoy it as much as I do.  And fewer still create this fusion between documenting the day's details and creating a romantic, artsy look, that captures the story in an elegant style.

There is a lot of responsibility in shooting a wedding, and I don't take that lightly.  You can count on me arriving earlier than we agreed upon, and I'll be completely focused that day in producing images that you and your family will be cherishing forever.  It's critical that your wedding photography is done well, and that's why you'll want to hire me as your photographer.  If you're looking for the least expensive photographer out there, someone who will just document the event and hand you a bunch of JPGs on a CD when it's all said and done, I'm probably not the photographer you're looking for. 

Wedding photographs are used for three main purposes: wedding albums, wall shots, and an online gallery for friends and family to view from all over the country and abroad.  The album should tell the entire story, from the beginning of the day to the end of the night.  That's why I offer full-day coverage.  The wall shot comes from the very best of two or three absolutely gorgeous moments.  And that's why I'm not simply a photojournalist; when the moment presents itself, an artist sometimes has to take control to capture that moment, or it's lost forever.  The wedding photographer should be aware of all three purposes throughout the day, and that's another element that sets me apart.

Here is a brief summary of responsibilities I would take on as your photographer on your wedding day: 

Getting ready

The photographer plays several roles, from shoot photojournalistically from the background to actively choreographing the situations. When you’re having hair and makeup done, or laughing with your bridesmaids, you don’t need to know I exist.  But when it comes time for you to put on your dress and veil and jewelry, I will take over to ensure your photos are the best they can be in whatever setting we are in.  Just because your dress is hanging somewhere doesn't mean that's where I have to take a picture to commemorate it, if another location is more photogenic.  A great wedding photographer knows when take over, and when to stay in the background. 

Ceremony

This is the most challenging aspect of the day for a photographer.  There are many important moments that take place in rapid succession, and there's no second chances to recreate the event.  I’m usually working under restrictive conditions while trying to be completely invisible.  I think it's important to cover the ceremony intimately, with tight close-ups revealing everyone’s emotions, and also from a distance, to get perspective.  So I do a lot of tiptoeing around to quietly cover all angles.  You'll want a photographer who knows his way around wedding ceremonies, and that's yet another reason that sets me apart.

Formals

The wedding photographer has to be able to take charge, and yet be able to do it without seeming bossy.  I have a lot of fun with everyone at the formals, and I pay a lot of respect to your family.  Often the bride and groom will approach formals with an understandable impatience.  The party is just getting started, and you're looking forward to celebrating the vows you've just taken together.  I work quickly, efficiently, and I roll with however the mood is at the time.  Once we have the group shots taken care of, I really look forward to exercising my artistic eye and coming up with some really fun shots of the couple that embraces the wedding or reception location.  I do my best to make you laugh and smile spontaneously, so the formals look fun.

 

Reception

There is a lot to cover during the reception: dancing, drinking, speeches, cake-cutting, more dancing, lots more drinking, garter, bouquet, details and exteriors. This requires an amazing amount of energy.  It also requires technical knowledge as the lighting conditions are constantly changing during the reception, and the photographer needs to seamlessly adapt along with it.


Up to this point, the focus has been pretty set.  But at the reception, anything can be happening anywhere, and it’s essential the photographer doesn’t lose focus.  Once again, it’s important for the photographer to take charge from time to time, such as setting up the men for the garter toss, and the women for the bouquet toss.

And if I see beautiful light outside, I might borrow you for a few minutes to take some portraits.  But my primary responsibility is to capture the mood of the evening.  Speaking of mood, you could really sense the emotion of Jason here with Danielle during their First Dance.

Good Night

To complete the story and the wedding album, your photographer should be thinking of the final image.  It may be taken after the ceremony, or it may be taken during the reception.