Union Station Wedding Featured in UNITED WITH LOVE!

Julianne Smith of United With Love contact me about featuring Bizzy & Michaels Union Station wedding on her blog to showcase this unique and romantic venue. Check out the blog post at United With Love to see what Julianne has to say!

http://www.unitedwithlove.com/2011/03/24/virtual-wedding-venue-tour-union-station-in-washington-dc/

In light of my photography reality show SHUTTER WARS that’s targeted at new photographers I thought it’d be fun to do a little “blind-eye-test” by shooting some comparison photos with a Canon EOS 60D entry-level SLR

I think the 60D is an excellent SLR, especially under $1K. I would choose it over the Rebel T2i/T3i because of the built-in wireless off-camera flash capabilities. But if you’re not interested in wireless control of your flash, the  Canon EOS Rebel T2i

In the photos above it’s hard to tell the difference between the 60D (LEFT) and the 5D Mark II (RIGHT) as far as image quality is concerned.  My reflecting light was a little off in the 5D image but that’s my fault lol.  The image quality from the 60D straight out of the camera is excellent in my opinion. The only drawback for me is that the 60D is still a crop sensor. I am spoiled by the full frame sensor of my 5D where the viewfinders is “WYSIWYG”.  Let’s take a look at the next set of photos….

There’s really not much more than I can say about the 60D. It’s a very capable and affordable SLR.  The fruit bowl test shots show the differences in framing due to the different image sensors, but the image quality looks great in both.  However, I find it odd how similar the 60D is to the Canon Rebel T2i or T3i, and even the 7D.  While they all use the same image sensors resulting in great image quality, other differences are minor to some, but major to others.  The Rebels are more “plasticky” feeling, the 60D more solid, and the 7D even more hefty and larger with some weather sealing to protect it from the elements. If I were to choose a still photo SLR, I’d go for the Canon EOS 7D

Here’s a short video sample taken with the 60D:

If you’re looking for an affordable “entry-level” SLR that produces high quality images, shoots fast, & has full HD 1080p video, the 60D is well worth the investment. But so are the others close to it – the T2i/T3i and the 7D.  It will all come down to what features are important to you as a consumer.  Not everyone will care for the swivel LCD or the extra heft of the 7D.  In the end, the SLR is just a tool, something for anyone to enjoy and learn about photography.  But that’s what you have to do to get the most out of any digital SLR – learn and understand exposure (e.g., aperture, shutter speed, ISO), learn how to maximize your camera’s features, and get the most out of your investment.  After all, the SLR is a tool for your mind’s eye, your imagination.  Run with it!  I hope this mini-review was helpful.  Enjoy a few more photos straight out of the Canon EOS 60D!

Asim, Tisha, Kristie and I headed to National Park Seminary to have some fun shooting the ruins there. With new condos and homes recently built right on the property, it’s very likely this hidden gem will be gone soon. Our cameras & my Flip Mino HD video camera now help preserve its history.

With several engagement sessions ahead starting next weekend I am totally stoked about this year’s wedding season. I have some of the best couples and amazing weddings to share with you this year! In the meantime, I’m going to try & enjoy myself with friends & family over the next couple of weeks. After that, I’ll be slamming with weddings in DC, Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, and the Atlantis in the Bahamas. Gotta love destination weddings! My intern will be joining us this Spring as well – Becky Hayhurst from Minneapolis, really excited to have her on board, you’ll be seeing more of her as the season progresses! I’m really looking forward to Reanna & Jeremy’s wedding in the Bahamas where I’ll be shooting some footage for my next behind-the-scenes video. My former associate Noah Hayes & I will have our Flip Mino HD’s and my new Canon 5D Mark II w/HD video mode. awesome! Denise will be with us to keep us out of trouble and do her logistical magic as always. 2009 is looking really good =)

On Saturday I got some fun moments of the lovely Racheal Baxter Cook in her gorgeous wedding gown. Racheal is a manager at Grace Yoga in Richmond, VA where I spent time with over 40 other photographers showing video light methods, networking, socializing, and just having a plain good old time! My friend & photographer Tisha McCuiston & wedding planner Pauline of Elations Designs organized this big event. I had a total blast with everyone & helping photographers experiment with video light. Thanks Racheal for letting us use your incredible Yoga studio and for being our bridal model!

I had an amazing week at WPPI in Las Vegas, the biggest Wedding & Portrait Photographers International convention! Huge trade show, dozens of workshops, and lots of parties! It was so great to catch up and hang out with old friends and make new ones in the industry. What made this trip even more worthwhile is that my personal album designer Grace Chou of Grace Chou Designs attended the convention too! We spent time reviewing so many album companies, critiquing the quality of craftsmanship, and discussing action plans and our future plans for this year’s brides. In short, we got work done! But we definitely made some time for play and fun memories! Here are some photos courtesy of me from my iPhone and my good friends Kenny Kim, Tisha McCuiston, and David Escalante…

We had fun shooting a couple, Roberto & Kim Valenzuela. Roberto happens to be a well-known wedding photographer based in Beverly Hills, CA.