Fata Morgana Photography

2011-08-14T01:11:00.000-07:00

This was another second wedding. Interestingly enough they had multiple rings and for the sand ceremony they their children (4 total) pour into the vase as well. This was at the Chateau in East Brunswick

victorian mansion wedding

2011-07-27T21:32:00.000-07:00

Sometimes the timeline doesn't run as planned for weddings. I didn't a chance but to shoot maybe 3 photos of the couple alone before it was ceremony time. This couple was so amazing and easy to love I grabbed them as soon as the venue cut off the music and made them shoot a few poses for me. They loved it!

2011-03-13T14:13:00.000-07:00

This was one of the most wonderful weddings I have ever been to. The bride and groom were the most amazing people I've ever had the pleasure of meeting and doing a wedding for. I wish them infinite happiness....

Vintage

2011-03-13T14:06:00.000-07:00

2011-03-13T14:01:00.000-07:00

January Wedding

2011-02-05T11:21:00.000-08:00

January is one of those months in photography, its either very busy or very dead. This year its been very dead, however I did book this wedding 2 months ago. The venue this was shot at was Jule's Italian Resturant in Toms River. It was their first time doing a wedding and it went well, they did a great job keeping things running smoothly. The only notable thing about this place is that the ceilings were black which made it very difficult to photograph and the lighting was (specifically) very dim. This bride was lucky enough to find me last minute and also becasue I was within her budget, many photographers wouldn't have been able to still get the romantic lighting in certain shots that I was able to get because of my years of expertise!

August 8th Wedding

2010-09-22T19:11:00.000-07:00

September 4th Wedding

2010-09-22T19:08:00.000-07:00

Backyard wedding 9/17 Daria

2010-09-22T17:21:00.000-07:00

This was a last minute wedding I was hired for in the couple's relative's back yard. It was one of the nicest backyard weddings I have ever been to!

Daria's first BIG wedding... October 2009

2010-09-17T21:32:00.000-07:00

I had the pleasure of meeting a wonderful bride in March of 2009, this was my first consultation alone. I was nervous but we all clicked and my price was right in their budget. They were having a fairly large wedding.... they wanted me there literally all day. As the wedding date drew closer we were making the final arrangements and talking more, I had mentioned the area they wanted me to do their portraits beforehand was VERY small and cutting it close but I could make it work.

Amy had let me borrow her backdrops....I had my own lighting I had been using most of the summer despite being unable to walk. Well..... the day of, let me tell you it was TIGHT squeeze and the bride was running very very late. It at least gave me time to make sure everything was perfect. I was also lucky enough to have an apprentice with me to get some candids at the house and help with the lighting. I am so thankful she was there that day because we were running 45 minutes behind and I STILL had to pack all my stuff up after I was done wit hthe portraits!

The church was beautiful but hard to shoot in as most churches are. I tried not to be in the way but I knew with my equipment there was only so much I could do. Everything came out great, we did all the family shots at the church. We originally planned to go to Huddy Park in Toms River but wouldn't you know it! It started pouring as soon as the bride and groom walked outside!

The reception went over well, I was trying out some new flash techniques... only thing I did not exactly plan for was HOW many shots I would be taking. I had never done a wedding this large before by myself. I had one 4gb card that held 376 photos and thought thats more than enough but THANKFULLY I did grab my other old 4gb. I would have been totally SOL if I didn't! half way through the reception the first memory card was filled. I filled BOTH cards. Had to start shooting JPG at some point because I didnt want to run out of memory! I had something like 950 photos from that wedding. I was so snap happy because I was terrified Id miss something. It took me a total of 10 hours to edit all of the photos. I got them done on time too!

They were BEYOND happy with the photos and they said they turned out better than they could have ever imagined and I was the BEST photographer they had ever seen in action. They hugged me, kissed me, I nearly cried because of the card they gave me. I still have it to this day.

I have always doubted myself as a photographer, but I know with the prices I charge for a wedding, I am giving people way more than they could ever expect.

I am very thankful I had such a wonderful family/couple for my first big wedding alone with all the bells and whistles!

Recalling past weddings

2010-09-17T21:17:00.000-07:00

Hello Everyone!

This blog will always be updated by me, Daria. As is all of our technical and website related things!

Now Amy has been in the business for years and I'm not sure how well she can even recall her first wedding that she did by herself but mine was 2 years ago. I thought I saved the blog I wrote on that one somewhere but I can't find it.

So, I will go over my first wedding that I did all by myself in September of 2008. It came from a craigslist ad I posted. I didn't even have wedding photos on these ads yet, I was just trying to build my own portfolio and do my own thing. 2 nights before this young couple's wedding they email me and offer me a mere $50... it was a small wedding so I figured well, why not I have no plans! I was very honest with them and told them this would be my FIRST wedding all by myself and to be paitent with me.

They were such awesome and nice people. I got there REALLY early. I was SO nervous, I dont think I ate at all that day because my stomach was in knots. I remember sitting in my truck on AIM talking to a fellow photographer before anyone arrived about how nervous I was. I felt pretty confident though since I knew my camera very well, but I was nervous about the flash I was using, it was an OLD old flash. Let me tell ya, that confidence went right out the window... everything moved so fast. It was a small church, very hard to manuver. I got all the essential shots, I didn't miss anything which is a huge relief for my first time.

When the ceremony was over I asked them if there was a park near by we could take photos at. Again, SO last minute.... I wanted to be sure I gave them good photos. So immediately family and bridal party went to the park. I think I took up more of their time than they wanted me to and it was hot that day, I made a few mistakes but again everything came out. Thankfully it wasnt half as bad as some stories I have heard from young photographers who were just starting out.

At the reception everyone was so nice, they had me sit down and eat, I talked with the DJ whoes name I can't remember anymore.... handed out business cards.

When I got home, it took me a LONG time to edit them, this was before I was shooting with RAW.... I would never dream of shooting in JPG now!

after they were all done I finally got to editing our website. We were slow to start with this, there was a lot going on in both our lives but since I knew the web design part of it I decided just to make a mock up website.

Well, from there I started making ads, shooting more of my own weddings and doing my own thing.... I unfortunately had a bad accident in May 2009 and an entire summer of shooting weddings was ruined for me. I still struggle from this injury but its been nearly 2 years since my first wedding and Im very proud with how far I have come and how far this business has come.

My next blog is going to be about the first LARGE all-day wedding I shot alone!