Category: Educational

A Snapshot Look at 2023

The wedding season is slowing down, but we may have a whole new way of looking at wedding photography to push us into the new year. Here now 5 trends people will focusing in on.

1. Wedding Highlights

Gone our the days of watching the whole ceremony. Now we are really seeing a movement towards shorter versions to play on social media and give a glimpse to those who could not make it.

2. Realistic Video Edits

  • Wedding Ceremony at the Oregon Gardens by Photos By Orion
    Wedding ceremony at the Oregon Gardens.

At Photos By Orion creativity and storytelling is one of the best part of our jobs. Now many people turning to using actual clips of sound from the wedding accompanied by music bringing out the true emotions of your big day.

3. Veil Shots

Veil shots remain a classic favorite. They represent the grace and elegance of brides. We are always finding creative ways to showcase these treasured trophies.

4. Black and White Photography

Its timeless, versatile, distraction-free, and subtle. Black and white photography can evoke a mood – from nostalgia to sadness to yearning, black and white pictures somehow convey emotion in a way that color images simply can’t

5. Candid Pictures during the Ceremony

Then there is that magical moment that only comes once, but reveals a split second shot of emotion. From the vows, father and daughter march, and that picture perfect portrait seconds after your “I Do’s.” These are the picture of perfection recaptured in all there glory for everyone to reminisce and rewind in the days after the wedding. We are Photos By Orion, and for over 15 years we have been telling stories with star quality photography, videography, drone, and 360. Feel free to email or call us at contact@photosbyorion.com, or 503-385-1435.

Songs of Love

The sounds of love are in full swing this spring. Musical anthems ringing out loud and clear for this wedding season.

The classics still the optimal choice by couples for their first song. Looking at the list two names really stand out, and that’s Ed Sheeran and of course the legend of love hits, John Legend. Legend’s “All of Me”, continues to top the dance floors, but also strutting his stuff is Sheeran with “Perfect.”

Rounding out the top 5 of those first songs are “At Last”, Etta James, “Your Song”, Elton John, “A Thousand Years”, Christina Perri.

Six through 10 includes.

  • “Marry Me” – Train
  • “How Sweet It Is (to Be Loved by You) – James Taylor
  • “Songbird” – Fleetwood Mac
  • “Crazy Love” – Van Morrison
  • “Can’t Help Falling In Love” – Elvis Presley

The perfect song does not come easy to select. The number one thing to be sure on is both of you like the song. Another be mindful of your guests and use music that will captivate your audience. Plus keep that first song to 3-4 minutes tops, you are kicking off this party not closing it.

The Wedding Boom is on, so we would love to see your playlists. What’s your favorites? Send them into us at photosbyorion.com, or feel free to email or call us at contact@photosbyorion.com, or 503-385-1435.

Simple Ways to Say I Do to Sustainability

The eco boom is exploding onto the Wedding Spring Season. Couples are being more and more conscientious of waste and taking great measures to protect the environment. In fact In fact, The Knot guesstimates more than two-thirds of their subscriber’s plan or did use some form of sustainability on their wedding day.

Pinterest reports searches on their site for thrifted weddings has tripled. The shopping site, Poshmark, says demand for used wedding dresses $500 or more is reaching new heights.

That same trend is also taken in the planning. Karin Webster, owner of Blue Bonsai Printing uses only recyclable paper for her wedding invitations. Other ideas being put in place is scrapping paper all together and going digital, silk flowers rather than freshly cut flowers, compostable utensils, bowls, and plates, and even skipping those favors for the end.

When it comes to the food there are many things you can do to support sustainability; choose meals that are in season to cut transportation costs, deliver leftovers to a shelter, or let guests take the extras home in recyclable containers.

We talked about using silk flowers, but the other things you can do is work with your florist to see if there were any other events where you could possibly use flowers, reuse the bridal bouquets as centerpieces, or use a potted plant that can be taken home. Finally, donate flowers to a church or hospital.

You can even save energy by reserving a local venue and looking for a place that is LEED certified. You will be surprised how a little saving can go without putting a strain on your pockets, or wedding plans.

We would like to hear and see how you are showcasing sustainability. We are Photos By Orion. Please feel free to contact us at contact@photosbyorion.com, or call 503-385-1435. We are Photos By Orion. Telling stories with star quality photography, videography, 360, and drone.

Photo Albums

Welcome to the Photos By Orion vlog! This episode is a enhancement to our series on wedding videography. In this episode, Karin and Kathryn discuss the types of professional photo albums available, including the heirloom album, and the other types of events and content that can go in an album. Photos By Orion has done albums for a wide variety of events, from birthday parties and vacation albums, to funeral and life celebration albums and a wide variety in between.

Photos By Orion does album design as a stand alone service, so if you need help creating a photo album of your family or event, contact us on our website: www.photosbyorion.com

Kathryn is happy to answer any questions on this subject. Please email the questions to contact@photosbyorion.com or put them in the comments below.

Using Copyrighted Music for your Wedding Video or Event Video

Wedding Videography Series Episode 4

Welcome to the Photos By Orion vlog! This episode is a continuation of our series on wedding videography. In this episode, Karin and Kathryn discuss using copyrighted music in your wedding video. There are many couples who approach us asking about using popular music from the radio in their wedding video. We discuss the process of getting a license to use a popular song in a wedding video, the pricing involved, and when that popular song isn’t the best option.

Kathryn is happy to answer any questions on this subject. Please email the questions to contact@photosbyorion.com or put them in the comments below.

The Music Behind the Video

Wedding Videography Series Episode 3

In this episode, Karin and Kathryn talk about the process of choosing music to put behind a wedding video and how Photos By Orion personalizes that process. They touch on the topic for the next video, which covers using popular songs and the licensing behind using music in videos.

Don’t miss any of our wedding videography series! Like and subscribe to be the first to know when each new video premieres. Feel free to reach out at any time! We would love to talk to you about your wedding photography. Email contact@photosbyorion.com with any questions.

Drone Photography

Wedding Photography Series Episode 7

Are you thinking about adding drone photography to your wedding photography package? There are some important things to consider when adding a drone to your event, which Karin and Kathryn discuss in this, the final episode of our wedding photography series.

Don’t miss any of our wedding photography series! Like and subscribe to be the first to know when each new video premieres. Feel free to reach out at any time! We would love to talk to you about your wedding photography. Email contact@photosbyorion.com with any questions.

Types of Prints: Metal

You read that right…. you can get your photos printed on metal. There are options for different finishes for metal prints and the photo itself can help you decide which finish to go with. In this video in our series about photo prints we discuss metal prints and finishes, how to choose as well as pros and cons to metal. Check it out here:

Types of Prints: Paper Prints

In this series we are talking about types of prints, and in this video it is all about paper prints. Most people think of the glossy prints you got from a grocery store photo lab. There are actually many options for paper prints. Check out this vlog about different paper types and what to consider when choosing a paper type.

New Vlog Series: Types of Prints

Now that you have great photos, what do you do with them? You want to display them so you can enjoy them. There are quite a few options available for printing photos. In this five part series we talk about some of the options available for prints and pros and cons of each type. Check out the first video: