Weddings

You've plucked your eyebrows, highlighted your hair and whitened your smile - all in preparation for your wedding day, which you hope will be a picture-perfect affair. Every bride wants to look her best the day she says "I do," but it's the photographer's responsibility to capture her beauty on film in the most flattering light. How can you ensure that your wedding photo album is one you'll be proud to show to your future grandchildren?

From having good posture to choosing the poses that are right for you, check here for tips to help you look your best in your wedding photos.

Special Offers

Welcome to our Special Offers page! From time to time, Jotography Designs offers a wide selection of promotions and discounts on different photo products including photo books, photo-shoots, Prints, Retouch Lab Credit and many more. No matter what the occasion is, we have the right gifts for you at affordable prices. At Jotography Designs you can be rest assured that you are going to find the best deals in town.

We are constantly adding new product deals and offers, so be sure to check back often to learn about the latest offers and deals.

Start creating your photo gifts before the coupon code expires!

It's all in the Face and the Eyes

Facial expression is one of the biggest influences to the mood of a photograph. The most subtle differences can make you appear angry or happy. Variety is extremely important, especially if you're taking photos for a studio. Sporting the same facial in each shot can get very boring, and there are much smarter ways to carry a theme throughout a series of photos.

Mix it up a little. Being over the top can produce rich results, but can also lead to fake-looking photos. Subtle differences bring out the individuality in each face, so exploit them! Show the camera why your face is unique and special.

Hand in hand with facial expression is your eye contact which is extremely important. The model's line of sight can dramatically change the mood of the photo, and the audience interaction with the photo. A model looking right into the camera pulls us in and talks to us, while anywhere else we're observing. This ties in with facial expression.

Any emotion on your face will be directed to where you are looking. Use this to your advantage - a smile at a toy will make a child seem happy. It's all up to what you want to convey.

So grab a mirror and start practicing your faces. Check out the Video Below Ê

Tips for Great Family Portraits

F Tips for Great Family Portraits E

So you’re planning to finally get your Family Portraits this weekend. It may not be as easy as it sound when you have getting everyone in your clan to look happy and peaceful into the camera for a few minutes – especially if there are small children.

Even though it can be a pain, in the end, it really is worth it to document your family in each life stage. Here are some ways to make the entire family photo experience a positive one:

1. Schedule the photo shoot when kids are at their happiest. Usually, at least for little ones, this means 5 to 6 p.m. is not the best time.  You can’t always get the time you want, but if you have any control over this aspect at all, I highly recommend working your appointment around your kiddos’ routines.

2. That said – lighting is important, so you may have to be flexible.  Bright, high noon sunshine is not ideal, so oftentimes, photographers prefer to shoot outdoor photos either in the morning or just before dusk.  You might have to go with the flow and let your kids’ schedule be a bit different that day.

3. Coordinate, but you don’t have to match. This is just my opinion, as I know many families like to wear the same outfit for their portraits.  But in my experience, photos look better when everyone blends well, but not too much.  To be honest, when I see a photo with the entire family wearing denim shirts, all I see is a sea of denim shirts – not the people.

4. Avoid too many patterns. It’s okay if one family member has a simple stripe or a basic design, but too many intricate patterns detracts from faces.  If in doubt of what to wear, go with a simple, solid-colored shirt.

5. Go casual. Especially if you have little ones.  I love photos that look like the family is relaxed, having fun with each other, and basically like they do most any other day of the year.  Sure, go ahead and brush their hair and have them in clean clothes – but you’re probably fighting an uphill battle asking preschoolers to sit still more than a minute at a time.

6.  When it comes to the setting, think outside the box.  The background is not the most important subject of your photo, so keep your location simple. Many cities have beautiful parks and natural settings, but don’t forget about your backyard.  Other fun settings are front porches, old buildings, fences, and even on your master bed – let everyone play around and get goofy.

7.  Get closer than you think. If you’re going to take the photos (with a timer, or when it’s just the kids), I can’t emphasize this enough - get much, much closer to faces than you think you should.  Faces are what you really want to see – so get right up there.

The beauty of digital photography is that you can edit, retake, retouch, and experiment in all sorts of ways.  Have fun taking that family memento, and keep it relaxed and light-hearten.

Why is photography important?

“Life moves so fast.”

As a kid, I remember hearing grown-ups say things like ‘time is passing so fast; it’s gone before you can blink your eyes’! Over the year that statement coupled with my mother’s teaching and hobby of carrying me to the Photo Studio, to pose weekly in my new outfits that she created, stirred a passion and profound appreciation and value for life, love and laughter.

     

  

With wisdom, and the realization that things are impermanent, made me question why we do what we do….or more specifically, why do I do what I do? This question led me to dig a little deeper and question not only my role, but also the role of creativity and art. Why do I make the choices I make? How can I make an impact? What is the role of art and photography in a world that moves so quickly?

And so I ask the question: Why is photography important?

I’ve thought about it a little and here’s what I’ve come up with:

Photography is important because it provides a history of special moments, relationships, growth, and love. Photography is a record of the many people and relationships that have made us who we are. Photography helps a person to truly see themselves as they are – as a beloved person created by God and valuable to others. Photography helps us to not forget God’s blessings in our lives.

Photography is important because:

·         it slows down the pace of life and freezes time.

·         it tells a story. YOUR story. MY story. OUR story.

·         it helps us find the beauty in our everyday lives, the beauty in the over-looked and under-appreciated, the beauty in wrinkles and sags and grey hairs, the beauty in ourselves.

·         it shows us what’s real, what’s true, how unique we all are, and how much we really have in common.

·         it helps us remember our loved ones, our special trinkets, remember that intimate conversation we had with our mom, or the shared laugh we had with our best friend.

I am proud to call myself a photographer. I absolutely love my job and am privileged to have been able to document precious moments between some pretty incredible people. The next time someone ask me what I do for a living, I’ll say…………..

I’m a Beauty Finder.

I’ve shared the reasons why I love photography and why I think it’s important. Now, I’d love to know why it’s important to you. What makes you stare at one photo longer than another? What speaks to you? What catches your eye, catches your breath, or maybe more importantly, what catches your heart?

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THE LAUNCH OF OUR BLOG!

Jotography Designs has been officially around for over 3 years and after having shot several family and personal portraits, corporate events and weddings in Trinidad & Tobago and the Caribbean, couples have come to us for advice on many things.

Who better to ask than a photographer? After all, we are out there every weekend for the entire day and observing everything that happens. Many people often find themselves with little time and limited knowledge about what to-do and what not-to-do in prepping for a simple photo-shoot, family portraits and the event of all events weddings.

We often hear questions like how should we go about planning our wedding, which venue, which make-up artist, which cake makers, and which event coordinators we should use etc...

In order for us to try to help confused brides, stressed grooms and all photo enthusiast that cherish  precious memories we have launched this blog which may answer many of these questions and much more. We're also going to post a lot of other content aside from advice... so make sure you check-in for updates!