Marriage Customs

Wedding traditions from around the world are so fascinating. So, every
day this week I will post some traditions that I find interesting.
worldweddingtraditions.com lists a variety of wedding traditions. For example:

"In Indonesia it is not uncommon for more than 1,000 guests to be invited
to the wedding reception and it is customary for the bride and the
groom to greet each guest in a long receiving line before the reception
festivities can begin."

And I thought the receiving line at my
wedding went on forever! Seriously though, what a great way to
personally thank every guest for attending your wedding.

"In Korea it is traditional for a fortune-teller, known as a kung-hap,
to look into the couple’s future before they are married in order to
see if they will live harmoniously together. A harmonious union is very
important since the engagement gifts alone for a traditional Korean
wedding can cost upwards of $40,000"

I guess if I was going to give a gift that expensive I too would want
some kind of guarantee that the new couple would stay together for a while!

Isn't that what we really hope for all newlyweds anyway? Expensive gift or
budget gift. We just want the new couple to enjoy a life long marriage
full of happiness.

"An early Filipino custom required the
groom to throw a spear into the front steps of his intended-bride’s
home. This was a dramatic symbol to everyone that she had been spoken
for. Today this tradition has been replaced with a gold engagement
ring. Today the majority of Filipino weddings are Catholic, but in days
gone by a Filipino wedding lasted three days, with ceremonies performed
each day until the third day when the couple joined hands and declared
their love for each other three times and their hands were bound
together with a chord and the priest declared them married."

If weddings in our day and time lasted for 3 days photographers would be rich!
Wouldn't three days be cool though? I hear so many brides complain that
their wedding day flew by too fast. Some did not even stop to enjoy a piece
of cake. If weddings lasted 3 days maybe we could stop and enjoy it a
little longer.

Beyond Busy

Wow! It's taking me too long to post to the Blog. We have booked 3 weddings in the last 2 days. We have our next wedding coming up May 5 in Central California which will be a lot of fun. I've started my video production company. It's named Through the Lens Video Productions and is a division of Jason Lanier Photography. TTLVP is about to release our first 20-minute documentary which is really cool. I'll post it once it's available to view. My video guys have worked very hard to get it done and I'm beyond grateful to them for their help. Thanks especially to Cameron and Jared! I promise to post more blogs more often.

Regards,

Jason

Our First Commercial!

Brittany and Greg's Wedding!!!!!!

Missing in Action

I've been up in working in LA for the last week and as a result I haven't had an opportunity to write much on the blog. I have a lot going on this week including the upcoming wedding this weekend for Brittany and Greg Ethington. It's going to be a big bash for 400-500 guests at a big mansion which will be really cool. I'm very lucky to have the help of two great photographers, Michael and Don Atherton. We're doing some really cool stuff, including Don going up into the nearby mountains and getting shots looking down on the mansion from above. We'll make sure to post some pictures and let you all know how it works out. I'm sure it will be great....we're really excited about it. Attached is one of their Engagement photos I took. Wish them a happy wedding and a great life together!

Regards,

J

Drayton Hall, South Carolina

I love old plantations. And if you love plantations, you need to visit South Carolina. There are several plantations there that will take your breath away. I visited Middleton Place, Boone Hall, and Drayton Hall among others. South Carolina also has some other cool places, such as Hilton Head and the Francis Biedler swamp. I'm hoping to shoot a wedding later this year in SC that would be a fantastic opportunity. Go visit, it's truly an opportunity to take you back to a bygone era.

Regards,

J

Bridges

This is a picture taken at the Capilano Suspension Bridge in Vancouver Canada. If you haven't been there, you should go. The Capilano Bridge area is a park with a huge suspension bridge over a large canyon, kind of like you would see in an Indiana Jones movie. There is then a myriad of smaller bridges which link tree houses inside the park. It's truly a sight everyone should see. This was my first time to Vancouver, and if you've never been you should go. It's a fantastic city.

Regards,

J

Photo from a recent wedding that I did in San Diego. This was a great wedding where they pulled out all the stops and had a great bash. This couple was a little bit older than some of the couples I shoot (in their 40's), but it was so neat to see them just as excited and loving as the younger couples that we're used to. Keep your love and romance ageless with the one you love.

Regards,

J

Your Path

This is another one of my favorite shots, taken at the Oak Alley Plantation in Louisiana. I found it so striking that this path represents our lives sometimes. The beginning of the path is well lit, there are handrails/guides to show you the way and keep you on the path, and then it gets a little darker, with less guidance, and unsure as the path continues.

You can stay where it's safe, where the light and guidance are sure....but will you ever fulfill your dreams? Life can be safe, but safe is boring. Walk down the path, see what is beyond your sight by taking the steps where it's a little dark. You'll find that by stepping into the dark, you will find a whole new world that you never could see before. Get off the sidelines and start playing. Let today be the day you take your first step into the unknown, and start discovering what life is really all about.

Jason

Gotta Go?

I took this shot while in Korea. This poor girl was in desperate need of a restroom with none in sight. Having three sons of the same age, it definitely can get interesting at times when we're on the road and can't find a place to go. In life we sometimes get stuck with something we have to do, but don't necessarily want to do. Are we ready to respond, or will we be stuck?

What is this?

I really like this picture. Funny thing is getting guesses from people as to what this is and where it was taken. Any guesses? I still don't think it's that hard to guess, but many people have a problem with it. Take a look and let me know!

What is more beautiful than a bride?

Above are pictures from my most recent Bridal Portrait shoot done this last Saturday at the Los Angeles Arboretum. The beautiful bride is a Ms. Brittany Whitworth, soon to be Ethington. When you have a bride that is beautiful not only on the outside, but on the inside as well, you have found the catch of a lifetime. That is what Brittany is, and Greg is lucky to have her! I of course have been blessed with the best bride of all, my wife. All the men out there who have been grooms, be good to your brides. And for all the future grooms out there, make sure to treat your bride with the love and respect she deserves. Make sure to never take the beautiful smile off of her face.

Regards,

J

Daddy Make Money

I wanted to take an opportunity to tell a story about my son Michael. Every morning when I am preparing to leave for work my boys ask me, "Daddy going to work?" On my days off I always respond, "No, Daddy will play with the boys." Well, now whenever my sons ask me me, "Daddy go to work?" they respond quickly before I can, "No, Daddy play with the boys." Last week we went through this daily ritual. I kept telling one of my triplets Michael (shown below) that I had to go to work. When he wouldn't accept my answer that I had to go to work I told him, "Daddy has to make money." I watched his eyes comprehend what I had just said, and he replied, "Okay Daddy make money." I gave him and his brothers a kiss goodbye and spent another three minutes preparing my laptop keys etc. getting ready to leave.

While standing in my family room Michael came up to me and said, "Daddy go to work, Daddy make money?" I looked down at him proud as a Father could be that he understood what I had told him. Michael then walked up to me, grabbed my hand and opened my palm. He then reached up with his other hand, and with his small fingers he gently placed three pennies in my hand. He then took my fingers, closed them around the pennies and then said. "Daddy make money, Daddy no work." Then a big smile filled his face and he said, "Daddy play with the boys." My eyes welled up as I picked up Michael and held him close. In the end, it doesn't matter how many pennies you make, but rather how many seconds you give to the ones you love. For all of the Father's out there in the world, take the opportunity to find the time for those things that are important. My Father went to law school, had two Master's degrees, and knew more than anyone I've known, but he was home every night, and was never too busy for me and my siblings. Now that he has passed, it doesn't matter how many pennies he made, but rather that he always had time to answer my question with a, "Yes, Daddy will play with the boys....."

Late in Italy

You all know where this is, the Colosseum in Rome, Italy. Funny story surrounding this picture is that my wife and I never would have had the opportunity to take this picture if we had made our plane on time. We arrived at the airport almost 2 hours before the flight was to take off, and Delta had given away our seats. It ended up being a great thing as we got to visit the Colosseum, the Vatican, and other parts of Rome. If you haven't been there, GO, its truly one of the most amazing cities of the world.

J

Little Ones

It's so neat to see the wonder, excitement, and imagination that is spinning in a child's eyes as they watch the whole proceedings of a wedding. That is what is so neat about being a photographer. If we help to contribute to the magic of the day, and make it an unforgettable moment for the bride and groom, we are also helping to shape the imagination and dreams for the little ones in attendance who are forming their dreams and hopes for the future. Hope you enjoy the pictures!

J

Isn't this a cool shot? I really don't say it to brag....I just love cool shots and I was lucky enough to get this one. This is of the wedding I shot with David Jay last Saturday. The groomsmen were walking down this alley in LA heading to a parking lot. I had my camera out and was able to take a quick picture. For any up and coming photographers out there I have a very small piece of advice.....Don't be afraid to shoot with other photographers, especially those that are more experienced. It will only make you better. I learned a great deal from my shoot with DJ last Saturday and I only hope that all photographers can have the opportunity to share of their talents with others. We weren't put on the earth to prove how good we are, but rather to make each other better as a whole. I'd be more than happy to return the favor and shoot with anyone who has a desire to learn. I'll be sharing more photos later, including some from my travels from around the world.

Thanks,

J

Last Night

Last night I had the opportunity to shoot a wedding with David Jay and Shyla. At the beginning of the day, David was telling me certain tricks that sports photographers use to mess up other photgraphers shots. Later on in the evening David decided to take this practice to the wedding photography industry by messing up a perfectly good shot of the bride by jumping in front of my camera. I have a lot of cool things to share about last night, including a huge thanks to DJ for allowing us to shoot with him. But I thought I would get this picture out for everyone to see. I'll post a full blog of the evening later today.

Thanks!

Jason

Our first blog

Welcome to Capture Life Photo. My name is Jason Lanier and I am very excited to launch this new forum for all photographers and photography lovers to share ideas about photos, family, and life. As you see me update this blog you will see pictures of my weddings and landscape photography as well as my three sons. Having triplets is a photographers paradise as my three little boys provide an endless amount of photo opportunities.

I want to give a very big thanks to the Oak Alley Plantation for granting me a release on the photo below. If you haven't been there.....go now! It's right on the Mississippi in Louisiana and is one of the most beautiful places I've ever seen. Believe it or not the photo below is not photoshopped in any way, it really is that beautiful.

I also want to thank David Jay for his tremendous workshop this last weekend. If you haven't met him or had the opportunity to work with him you are missing out! He is a great talent and a wise businessman....and most importantly a credit to our wedding photography profession.

Last but certainly not least I givethanks to my beautiful wife Kara. She gives me the drive to pursue my dreams. To my Dad who inspired me not only to take photographs, but to be a better man. And to my Savior, who has always been the center of my life. Please enjoy the blog and let me know if there is anything I can do to help.

Regards,

Jason