"I do" animated short film

Ok - I think you're going to lurrrve this! I spied it over on the fab 'Inspired by this' website and it certainly inspired me. In fact, it made me smile a lot. I'm a sucker for magic - more the magic carpet ride style than the rabbit in the hat variety...and this film has lots of floating magic as you'll see...

This quirky short features Jade and Raymond. The film is directed by Manasi Kashyap, who is an Indian photographer, living in London.


I Do. Short film by Manasi Kashyap. from Manasi Kashyap on Vimeo.

Below, I asked Manasi to tell us a bit about the inspiration and process behind this style of animated film.

"I always give people I work with much latitude to talk about their ideas & if they fit into the overall artistic vision - use them. Often, the personal stories I get have to be greatly abstracted in a way for them to work for both the movie & the people in them. Sometimes, though, an idea looks better in our heads than in motion & might have to be edited out.

If I'm able to visualize a story well from the input I've received, I'm able to story-board it over a week or two & discuss it with the people in it.

Stop-motion story shoots work differently from photography as they are largely pre-determined & require significant direction and co-operation from the people being photographed (especially if there's a specific story line). One of the prime reasons I love stop-motion is that it gives you lots of opportunity to work in beautiful magic using simple props. Stop-motion will also work if you just shoot things as they happen, but then it's not as easy to incorporate magical elements into it."

The number of shots I take is often dictated by the music I choose to tell the story with, the beat of the track, when the beat changes & when the song changes mood. There is a lot of math involved because the frames I shoot a scene with have to work with a certain frame rate (it can't be too slow & it can't be too fast)."

Thanks Manasi for telling us a bit about your creative process. Please let me know when you have made your next film!

You can see more of Manasi's photography over on her website. Also check out the Inspired by This blog for tons of bridal inspiration.

Engagement Photography

Engagement photography is a relatively new concept in Ireland although it's becoming really popular with couples who are looking for relaxed loved-up photos of themselves in the lead-up to their wedding. Engagement photos allow you to get to know your photographer so you'll be more relaxed having your pics taken on your wedding day - plus you get a cool set of fun photos which are more likely to get framed and make it onto your wall!

I came across this image of Britt and Chris by Studio B Photography and it really made me smile - it captures one of the most important parts of any relationship - hanging out together, goofing around and making each other laugh! This fun loving couple wanted an engagement session that reflected their personalities and love for each other and I think these emotions are captured beautifully. Rebecca is based in Atlanta - you can see the full post on her blog.

The second image of Aoife and Thady is by White Tea Photography - an Irish and Polish photography duo, with an individual and relaxed style. This engagement session took place in the Phoenix Park and you can almost feel the wind blowing through their hair as they roll along on their tandem bike. See more of this carefree shoot on Noel and Aga's website. (Make sure to try some of Aga's apple cake if you visit their studio).

And Finally, Christina Brosnan is an American photgrapher, living in Ireland and married to an Irish guy! Her fresh style is certainly influencing trends here and winning her lots of admirers! Christina will be photographing the wedding of Claire and Aidan in Ireland next year. They are currently living in London so Christina travelled over to shoot their romantic picnic-styled session. The full feature is on Christina's blog - I can't wait to see the wedding...

...maybe I could do a follow-up post featuring all three weddings. Now there's an idea :-)

The Bridal Lounge

The Bridal Lounge - Wedding Planning and Inspiration Video, Dublin, Ireland from Deirdre Hynes on Vimeo.
I'm really excited to share this video about The Bridal Lounge. I enjoy working and collaborating with other creative people and I've recently got to know Aoife and Deirdre who co-own this innovative new business. As well as being super enthusiastic and loving what they do - they have many talents ranging from make-up artistry, event planning and floristry and both have a wealth of knowledge of the wedding Industry in Ireland. So what do you get when you put all of this into a creative melting pot? The Bridal Lounge of course!

I've had the pleasure of working with Aoife and Deirdre for a wonderful shoot in Killruddery Estate. In fact Deirdre and her husband, (seen above), were the models for this glamorous engagement session. See more images in my previous blog post.

Aoife and Deirdre I wish you continued success with your business!

Make sure to visit their website and blog for more information.

Video by Trakax
Photo by Stephanie Fay

Chalkboard fun

I love this engagement photo by Ben Blood. The photos are so relaxed and best of all the couple look like they're really enjoying themselves. The concept is so simple and you could have so much fun with this prop.

You might remember my post about about a lovely 'Thank You' card I received from one of my clients, (see image below). I have it on display in my showroom and so many people comment on it - in fact a few have even made their own variations!

Photo booths seem to be all the rage at the moment with backdrops of damask wallpaper or empty hanging picture frames. How about using a simple blackboard and chalk? I think that your guests could have a blast creating special drawings or messages, once supervised by a responsible adult or patient photographer ;-) And this is something you can easily make yourself and will cost you very little.

And then you could hang it in your kitchen so you can write love messages to each other or remind yourself to buy more fabric softener...

See the full engagement shoot on Ben's blog.

Danish bridal shower

Please someone organise a mini party like this for me! I'm throwing out the hints today. I'm open to any theme...come on my lovely friends.

I've been meaning to tell you about The bridal Lounge; a Dublin based company offering something a bit different. Would you like a bit of help coming up with your wedding concept? How can you reflect both of your personalities? How can you make it fun to plan and do?

Aoife and Deirdre are established in the bridal industry as a make-up artist and florist & event planner. They decided to come together to share their knowledge and expertise in another way. The Bridal Lounge offer lots of different tailored services from inspiration consultations to sourcing of unique products or services to suit your style.

Aoife and Deirdre planned a bridal shower for Aoife's soon to be sister-in-law. Rikke is Danish so the girls created a magical red and white world within their stylish showroom. See the full feature on their website.

I'm also honoured to be represented on the bridal Lounge website as a recommended supplier in their Little White Book. I recently collaborated with Aoife and Deirdre for the amazing engagement shoot at Killruddery Estate.

Great things come from working with other creative people - here's to more exciting projects!

Stephanie Fay - Romantic engagement shoot

Recently an amazing opportunity presented itself to have the chance to work with Arizona photographer Stephanie Fay. Stephanie was due to visit Ireland with her husband and in-laws and always loves to shoot a couple when she visits different countries. She put the word out via WeddingsOnline.ie that she was looking for a cool loved-up couple to photograph!

The lucky couple Deirdre and John, got to spend an afternoon with Stephanie in Killruddery Estate in Wicklow. Deirdre happens to be a talented florist - check out her beautiful floral arrangements, and is also one of the partners in The Bridal Lounge. Make-up artist Aoife Callaghan who worked on this shoot, runs this exciting new venture with her. (I should probably explain here that a couple of our 'real' engaged couples were unavailable for the date chosen and Deirdre saved the day for us - not that we had to twist her arm)!

You won't need to read my gushing descriptions to appreciate how amazing these pictures are. Both Deirdre and her husband John, (who are only recently married), confided that they almost love these images more than their wedding photos! I think this explains the charm of an engagement shoot. It allows you to be photographed in a really relaxed setting whilst getting to know your photographer. Secondly it's about having lots and lots of fun and being super-romantic with your partner. It's up to you to put your own stamp on the style for this day - choosing lots of props and and gorgeous outfits to wear...

Aoife and Deirdre styled this engagement shoot and I loved hearing all of their ideas. The four of us enjoyed working together and Stephanie's enthusiasm inspired us too. Below Deirdre wears my 'Secret garden' cuff bracelet which is made from fine crochet.

For some reason, engagement shoots have not really caught on in Ireland yet. This shoot is certainly an inspiration. Here are a few words from Stephanie -

During this photo shoot, we wanted to convey to all our blog readers around the world just how beautiful and memorable engagements can be. As photographers, it helps us get to know the client on a more personal level. In turn, as a client, you walk away with even more images of you and your fiancé to keep forever. Why not enhance your engagement shoot with props and outfits to bring together a more creative photoshoot? Every girl wants to feel beautiful and an engagement shoot is the perfect excuse!

Think about your personality and possible props that might enhance your engagement shoot to be specific to you and your fiancé. No matter where you live, you can always find a special place to have your engagement session. Because this shoot was at the beautiful Killruddery Estate, we felt it was appropriate to have a more sophisticated look. The outfits, the shoes, and the props all seemed to fit with the location. Think about where you want your shoot and what you want it to look like, and convey that to your planner or photographer to pull together your dream engagement session.

Both of Deirdre's outfits and shoes were hired from Covet, an Irish company who hire clothes and accessories from leading world designers. I will give details of both dresses soon.

Here Deirdre is seen wearing my 'Secret Garden' headband, featuring a variety of Swarovski crystals and semi-precious stones. These headpieces are made to order and can be customised in a number of ways.

I love the soft romantic feel to this entire shoot. The floaty feminine dresses are perfect too! Below, Deirdre wears a Rangoli crochet bracelet with freshwater pearl and blue topaz drops.

This montage shows some of the beautiful props sourced by Deirdre including vintage books, champagne glasses and a rug which was a wedding gift for Deirdre's parents!

The colour palette is so gorgeous here with the greenery making the colours pop.

And finally - the perfect end to a lovely afternoon with Stephanie! To see more of this shoot visit Stephanie's blog or take a look at her website.

A big thank you to Stephanie from Deirdre, Aoife and myself - we hope you'll return again some day!

Credits:
Photography - Stephanie Fay
Couple - Deirdre and John
Jewellery and headpiece - Rangoli
Makeup - Aoife Callaghan
Hair - Lorraine Browne
Dresses and shoes - Covet (The Borrowers Boudoir)
Flowers- Deirdre Hynes at Ruby & Bloom

Shot on location in Killruddery Estate, Wicklow.