Category: Video

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.

Laurelhurst Club I Do’s

A sweeter couple you have never seen than Daniel and Natalie. We very much enjoyed working with them on their beautiful, though very hot, wedding day! They were married at the beautiful Laurelhurst Club (https://www.thelaurelhurstclub.com/) across from the oh so picturesque Laurelhurst Park (https://www.portland.gov/parks/laurelhurst-park) near East Burnside in Portland Oregon.

The ceremony begins at 4:05, and ends at 22:22

We can’t wait to come back here and be able to take photos in the park’s beauty. We even got to work with our friends at NW Mobile DJ for this wedding, which always makes for a great wedding day. So excited to share their day with you in this video, enjoy!

Beautiful Wedding at Eola Hills Winery

Laurie and Adam were married in a unique and sweet ceremony performed by one of their good friends. The love they have for each other shows, and it was a fun evening all the way around! Congratulations Laurie and Adam, we loved preserving your beautiful day!

We are Photos By Orion. Telling wedding stories with Star Quality Photography, Videography, 360, and Drone. Please feel free to contact us at contact@photosbyorion.com, or call 503-385-1435.

Beautiful Log House Garden Wedding

This sweet couple said “I Do” at the Log House Gardens in Keizer, Oregon, which is a beautiful wedding venue we love working with each year! In case you want to skip around

End of ceremony:

13:29 End of speeches:

33:50SHOW LESS

Telling wedding stories with Star Quality Photography, Videography, Drone, and 360. 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.

Fallin’ in Love

Did you know there are 238 waterfalls in our state. These “Water Wonders” are an amazing place to get portraits. In today’s blog here is a look at our Top 3 spots where you can be “fallin’ in love” with these incredible displays of nature’s magic.

Multnomah Falls

Number 1 on our list is Multnomah Falls. This is also the largest water fall in the state and 434th tallest in the world. This showcase is super easy to get to and requires very little hiking. The only thing standing in your way could be the crowds. Multnomah Falls cannot be missed in either direction on I-84, which makes it one of the most popular attractions. Fun fact Multnomah Falls was featured in the popular “Twilight Series”

Silver Falls

Number 2 is the South Falls in Silver Falls State Park, which is located in Silverton just about 15 minutes from Salem. The South Falls is the largest of the 10 waterfalls in the area. South Falls is very easy to get to, and requires little hiking. The best part is it is situated on a ring trail, so you can get a variety of shots. You can get a look underneath the falls and then you are able to stand above the falls, which is a fantastic place to take photos.

Abiqua Falls

Now if you like a little adventure then our third spot, Abiqua Falls in the is just for you. It is located about a half-hour from Silverton east of Silver Falls. What’s so special is the water fall sits between columns of columnar rock, and dips into a vast basin. Abiqua Falls requires some work to get there. It’s about a mile hike and there is one little part that does take some maneuvering, but we have taken multiple clients there with no problem.

What’s your favorite water fall? Please send us some pictures, and we will feature them on our website, and social media. If you would like to see more please check out our YouTube page at https://www.youtube.com/user/PhotosByOrion/videos. We are Photos By Orion. Telling stories with Star Quality Photography, Videography, 360, and Drone. Please feel free to contact us at contact@photosbyorion.com, or call 503-385-1435.

Conquer Your Video Fear

It is estimated by the end of 2022, 1 million videos will be watched per second. In fact, online video is predicted to represent 82.5% of all web traffic. Still for some it’s the fear of video that stops them from hitting record. In today’s blog here are some simple ways to make you a shooting star.

Tip #1 – WHO, WHAT, and WHY are you making the video in the first place

For any video project, start by writing down your goal, and then list at least 3 key take-aways you want the viewer to remember. Knowing your key points lessens the chance you’ll ramble and go off on tangents.

Tip #2 – Imagine you’re having a conversation

Identifying a specific person you want to talk to takes away all that pressure.

Even if no one’s watching your at first, still imagine how connecting conversationally with just one person would make it all worth it.

Also, don’t assume you’re reaching no one. Remember, lots of people watch videos constantly so it’s better to never assume.

Tip #3 – Shift the Focus

Too often we get caught up on our own fears and insecurities that we forget that we have a chance to provide a service, make a difference, or teach with our video.

When you shift your focus to doing whatever you can to help someone else, your nervousness and apprehension fades.

Tip #4 – Content is King

That means you don’t need a fancy set, fancy camera, or fancy wardrobe to show up and deliver something your audience will enjoy. Because if what you share is truly helpful or entertaining, people overlook all of that because they like you and are genuinely interested in what you have to say.

Plus, with video there’s less expectation for it to look super polished anyway because people know when you’re on your phone.

Girl with guitar
Portraits should reflect you and what you love!

Tip #5 – Confidence and Consistency

When you’re first starting out, give yourself at least a dozen videos to get comfortable and hone your style. Analyzing stats can come later once you have videos to review.

So there you have it! Here again are the 5 tips to get over your fear of live video:

  1. Know WHO, WHAT, and WHY you’re making the video.
  2. Be Conversational
  3. Shift the Focus from yourself to how you can help others
  4. Content is King

We would like to see some of your videos. We are Photos By Orion. Telling stories with Star Quality Photography, Videography, 360, and Drone. Please feel free to contact us at contact@photosbyorion.com, or call 503-385-1435.

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.