Last week we spent two days shooting poker stars Evelyn Ng and Amanda Musumeci for a Bodog promo. The theme of the shoot was lifestyle with a cinematic Vegas feel. Although coordinating a full production on a tight schedule was challenging, my commercial photography experience has taught me to always be prepared for the unexpected. It can be a challenge to meet the varying, sometimes conflicting needs of clients, models, art directors, etc. As a photographer, you are often expected to execute specific ideas under difficult situations even when you don’t get to call the shots. It’s not always an easy job but I guess that’s one reason why I enjoy it.

Luckily, we had a fantastic team that made everything go as smoothly as possible. Emily from Bodog was a huge help in arranging all the details and was great with the models. Our fabulous makeup artist Megan from Makeup in the 702 made the girls look absolutely stunning and did a wonderful job coordinating all the outfits. With such a great team, the shoot turned out perfectly and we got tons of killer images.

The photo shoot took place over several locations starting off in-studio and later moving to a very cool poker themed room inside the luxurious Panorama Towers Las Vegas. We had planned to wrap up downtown with the city lights as a background, but due to weather conditions and time restraints we ended up scrapping that idea. However, Evelyn was nice enough to offer the crew access to her amazing high rise condo to use as a set. The incredible 360 degree view of the Las Vegas strip from her balcony made a fantastic backdrop. Needless to say, everything turned out better than we had originally planned.

The girls were an absolute pleasure to work with and it was a blast capturing each of their unique personalities. Evelyn, one of the world’s top established female poker players, was very sweet, patient, and incredibly down to earth. Amanda, the newest addition to the Bodog team, kept things fun and lively with her energetic personality. Check out her featured article with photos from the shoot here: Amanda Musumeci on WomanPokerPlayer.com.

It’s not every day you run into a couple like Mistie and Tyler. They are the local talents behind Knight Magic, an illusion show here in Las Vegas that also travels to many other parts of the world including England, Spain, and Costa Rica, to name a few places. Mistie is also a former Miss Nevada and Miss Las Vegas.

When I met them for the first time last year, I noticed that there was a strong connection between them. I shoot a lot of weddings and these two really seem to have something special. They first met on a cruise and fell in love, and two years ago got engaged. They are quite an interesting pair – stunning, fun, and very down to earth. As the best man said, for stage performers, they are completely unpretentious, not high maintenance at all. Who would have guessed? And as you might imagine, they’re naturals in front of the camera.

A lot of times grooms (and sometimes brides) can get tense posing for photos because they’re not used to being in front of the camera. It’s my job to get them to relax and look great in their photos. Obviously this wasn’t the case with Tyler and Mistie who were game for just about anything. (See their awesome engagement photos below). As a photographer I had a great time capturing both the fun, posed images and the natural, unposed candids that they probably don’t get to see of themselves very often.

Their wedding took place at the Las Vegas Paiute Golf Club Resort, a beautiful venue with mountain views and a lake as the backdrop. Although the setting was perfect, not everything seemed like it would go off perfectly. Spring is mostly a good time of year in Vegas, but April weather can be a bit temperamental. About an hour before the outdoor ceremony began, the winds picked up to about 35 mph (read: very windy in an open space). If it had gotten any worse, the wedding might have been relocated indoors. Fortunately, just as the ceremony was about to start, the weather suddenly calmed down and everything went off without a hitch.

Below is an image from Mistie and Tyler’s engagement session a few months ago. They wanted something unique that would show off their personality and style, so we went for a shot of “the cards” which turned out amazing. It was also a hit with their friends and fans. After all, who doesn’t love a little card magic?

Most real estate agents know that professional photographs are one of the best and most effective ways to sell yourself. Just as quality photographs are essential to selling properties, professional headshots and portraits are key to making a strong first impression.

Vicky is a real estate agent here in Las Vegas who wanted high quality images that would convey her sense of professionalism. She knew that great photos could give her an edge over her competitors, so she spent some time searching for the right photographer that  would deliver the natural, lifestyle image she was looking for.

We were very flattered to hear that Vicky loved our blog and thought our work was some of the best out there. Working with Vicky was wonderful because of her gracious personality and professional persona. It’s nice to see someone working as hard as she is in such a challenging economy.

In case you’re interested in taking advantage of a buyer’s market, check out Vicky’s website below.

http://vickyespinoza.las.mlxchange.com

March is a great month for a wedding in Las Vegas. Crystal and Joshua timed it perfectly. They got married this past weekend at the Springs Preserve in Las Vegas where the weather was a perfect 68 degrees. The weather wasn’t the only part of the wedding that was perfect. They had a wonderful group of family and friends and a beautiful ceremony at a very unique location.

The Springs Preserve is an eco-friendly venue designed with desert sustainability practices in mind. Michelle and Anisha from the Springs were exceptional to work with, as always. They provide excellent service and work hard to make sure every wedding goes as smoothly as possible.

Of course, even with great wedding coordinators and lots of planning, some things just don’t go according to plan. For Crystal and Josh, the setback happened just days before the wedding when the groom’s wedding band was misplaced.

Due to lack of time, they decided that they would just have to do without. What Josh didn’t know what that Crystal and their friends snuck out before the wedding day and found the perfect replacement – a silver Batman ring – to surprise him during the ceremony. What could have been a major setback turned out to be one of the best moments of the wedding.

I was genuinely impressed at how well Crystal handled the situation. After all, how many brides would have panicked if they were in her shoes? When the subject came up, she said that she was upset for about ten minutes, but then quickly realized it wasn’t such a big deal. That’s not what it was about, and whether or not they found the real ring later on really didn’t matter. Now that’s love.

The bridal party at James and Tiffany’s wedding made a pop in gorgeous hues of purple, red, and pink. The wedding was held at Siena Golf and Country Club in Summerlin, which features a Tuscan-style clubhouse overlooking Lake Siena. The clubhouse also provides beautiful panoramic views of the Siena Golf Course as well as the Las Vegas Strip. It’s a wonderful venue for a wedding and offers plenty of picturesque scenes for photographs.

Besides lots of color, the wedding was filled with tons of emotion and positive energy from the couple and their guests. Among the guests in attendance was one of James’s close friends Daniel Negreanu, who happens to be the world’s top poker player. Tiffany’s father, who I have known for a long time, is also a photographer, which added to the pressure of photographing such an important day. Despite the added pressure, we were able to capture tons of amazing moments and details of the wedding.

After seeing the photos, I received these kind words from the bride: “Hi John, I was having such a difficult time choosing a photographer, but I am thankful that my dad and brother were there to help me choose you! They both commented on the quality of your work and loved your natural style. I’m so glad I took their advice and hired you to capture the wedding. The pictures are incredible and we couldn’t be happier!”

Thank you for the nice comments on my work, for trusting me to capture your wedding, and for sharing your day with me. I hope to keep in touch and wish you all the best! John

What an incredible wedding! Carolina and Justin were the sweetest couple and I feel honored to have been a part of such an important day in their lives. As soon as I met them I knew I would have a great time shooting their wedding. They  have great chemistry and are both extremely personable. Their wedding took place at the JW Marriott in Summerlin with the ceremony being held in the Garden Gazebo, a beautiful outdoor setting that looks and feels very elegant.

After the ceremony, we took a stroll around the Marriott grounds and captured some beautiful, intimate shots of the bride and groom.

They picked such a fun and colorful wedding cake – I love it!

And everyone had a blast dancing the night away.

Jonathan and Jessi brought their family and mates from the UK for a fun Vegas wedding. The two of them had been here on vacation a couple of years ago and fell in love with the city. Jessi knew she wanted to get married in Las Vegas, and they both wanted to share their favorite vacation spot with their favorite people. After traveling many long miles to have a good time, they wasted no time doing just that, starting off with a tour of the strip.

Their ceremony was held at the Bellagio Hotel and Casino in an intimate setting. As an outside photographer, I couldn’t shoot during the ceremony, but that was not a problem as we were still able to capture some amazing images around the strip afterwards. Our first stop: the famous ‘Fabulous Las Vegas’ sign. We hit the sign just in time to catch the beautiful, golden glow of an early sunset. The camera-friendly group hammed it up for some very fun and creative shots.

For the reception, we made our way to the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino where we captured a few more spontaneous and downright comic images of the newlyweds. The dinner was held on the mezzanine level with a very unique setting that overlooked the entire casino floor. Everyone enjoyed the food, but the boys seemed to enjoy the spirits even more. They could probably drink most of the guys I know under the table (while still maintaining their dignity, of course). There’s nothing like some good offbeat humor for entertainment. Thanks for a great time guys.

Engagement photo sessions are a great opportunity to spend some quality time with your soon to be husband or wife while getting to know your photographer. As a little side bonus, you’ll get some amazing photos of yourselves as well. Photos from your engagement can be enlarged and displayed at your wedding, used in a guest book, or included as part of a reception slideshow. For more ideas on how to use your photos, click here to read our article on engagement sessions and learn what they are all about.

If you’re interested in scheduling an engagement photo session or if you have any questions, feel free to get in touch with us.

Now, the announcement we have all been waiting for… Congratulations to Jennifer S. of Las Vegas and her fiancé for being the winners of a complimentary engagement session by John Morris Photography. A big thank you to everyone who entered the contest. Stay tuned as we will be posting the photos from their session sometime in the near future.

Here’s a look at our winter ad in the Bridal Spectacular magazine:

Didn’t get a chance to check out the bridal fair last weekend? No worries, you can still come out to the Bridal Spectacular show this Friday and Saturday, January 29 and 30, at the Cashman Center in downtown Las Vegas. It’s a great place to shop for everything you need for your wedding day. Browse beautiful wedding gowns, sample delicious cakes, and watch a fantastic live fashion show. There will also be opportunities to win some great prizes from local vendors.

Be sure to stop by our booth #401 and say hello. We would love to meet you!

If you are in the planning stages of your wedding, we would like to invite you to visit us at the Las Vegas Bridal Expo this Sunday, January 24, 2010. The show will be taking place at the Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino on the Las Vegas strip. You’ll find tons of resources and wedding professionals to help you plan the perfect wedding.

Look for our booth #320 and stop by for a chance to win a free engagement session compliments of John Morris Photography. We hope to see you there!