Nearly nerve-racking nuptials.

(I know what you're thinking: "Wow! Kory actually updated this photoblog TWO days in a row?!". Yep, it's true. If you look out your window, you'll probably see pigs soaring through the air.)

As I said in my last blog entry, I recently shot my first wedding. It was, to say the least, quite an experience.

If I learned one thing about shooting weddings, it's this: it ain't easy. While overall I don't think it's as demanding as landscape photography, it definitely has its own set of challenges. It's much more fast-paced and stressful, because A) these are some of the most important photos people will ever have taken, and B) you only have one chance to get it right. Try telling Mr. and Mrs. Newlywed that you screwed up the shots from their wedding kiss and see how many milliseconds it takes them to pummel you.

And, that's the biggest challenge of all: the people. It's the people you are working for that can really make or break you. Every family is different. Some are easy going and some are... not. Ever seen that TV show Bridezillas? Think about actually trying to work with someone like that, and worse, trying to satisfy them. Ahaha... hoo-boy. I'd rather take an acid bath.

Luckily for me, I got to deal with some of the nicest and warmest people ever: my friends Darren and Erin.

We've been good friends for years, so when they asked me to photograph their wedding, I was happy to do it. Sure, the pressure to "get it right" was still there, but just knowing that my employers were people with hearts of gold made it manageable. And, in the end, I feel that I did a pretty good job. Yes, there were some snafus, but overall I'm quite happy with the results. I think they will be, too.

Before I go, I have one piece of sage advice: "It's not easy to both be a guest at a wedding AND photograph it at the same time. Tread with care all who consider doing so."

And now without further ado, here's that teaser shot I promised last time. It's of the stunningly beautiful bride, Erin, and her four brothers. It's one of my personal favorites from the day. Enjoy, and I'll be back with the rest as soon as I can, probably in a couple weeks.

Bride and Brothers

Out of the frying pan and into the fire.

I'm tired.

It's been about 10 days since I returned from my trek through Colorado, and I've scarcely had a moment to think. I've been volunteering all of my weekends at the Minnesota Renaissance Festival for the past six weeks. (No, not as the village idiot. I asked; they said I wasn't smart enough.) That, combined with regular work, has robbed me of nearly all of my time. Only in the last couple of days have I been able to begin the gargantuan -- and, let's face it, dull -- task of reviewing and editing all the photographs from the trip.

But, what a trip it was! In addition to my usual pursuit of landscape and wildlife photos and all that entails (getting up before sunrise, long hikes through the wilderness, long drives, etc.), I also shot my first wedding. I'll write more about my wedding experience next time. For now, I have one photo from the trip to show you.

This picture does a pretty good job of illustrating what I'm going through right now. It's a long, arduous trek to the top of Great Sand Dunes National Park, let me tell you. The wind was whipping, the weather stormy. But, despite the exertion involved, we carried on because it's all worth it in the end. So it is with me. I know that, despite the long hours that I will soon face behind the computer, once the photos from the trip are done, it will be worth it.

I call this one The Climb. Enjoy. I'll be back soon with a teaser from the wedding.

The Climb (large version HERE)