Life is Good

Check out this wedding we did in San Diego for Chris and Jessica Grooms. They were a fantastic couple and we just loved shooting the wedding! You have to watch the end of the slideshow just to see the shots of the best man dancing and posing for the camera....they are fantastic!!

VIEW SLIDESHOW HERE!!

Thanksgiving

I hope you all had a great Thanksgiving! My parents were out of the country visiting my sister and her Marine husband who are stationed in Okinawa, and Kara's parents were out of town as well. So, we watched some football, spent some time together as a family......and went out to eat for our Thanksgiving dinner so I could spare us from the cooking and cleaning up for the day.....which is what I truly gave thanks for. It was perfect.

A big thanks to all of you who voted for me!!!! I will find out the results this Friday as to whether or not I won and will definitely keep you posted. The neatest part about this contest has been reading the customer comment page. I always get to hear the feedback from my brides and grooms....but the coolest part is being able to read what friends and family thought about the wedding....because I didn't always get to hear that before.

We truly have a great profession where people constantly give us praise when we do a great job. Having worked in the corporate sector for years I can tell you that's not usually the case. That is truly something for us to give thanks for.

THANK YOU!

Best Photographer in Los Angeles-Final Push

Well you might remember the story of me entering the Best Photographer in LA competition about 2 months ago. The competition has been tight and as of yesterday I was tied for the lead with another LA photographer. Fox TV who is running the competition has pulled the running results so the winner can be a surprise. THERE ARE ONLY 2 DAYS LEFT TO VOTE. So if you haven't voted and feel inclined to do so, please click on the link below to vote now. I really appreciate the support and I've promised to shoot a wedding for free if I win!

VOTE HERE

Thanks!

Jason

Casa Romantica

www.jasonlanier.info/casaromantica

If you have 3 minutes to look at a beautiful bride, PLEASE check out this slideshow from a shoot I did with a bride named Karly Atherton this week. We went to a gorgeous beachfront mansion in San Clemente, CA named Casa Romantica. When you see the pictures you will know why they named it that. Please let me know what you think!!

For all future brides out there....FIND A GREAT PHOTOGRAPHER AND LET THEM TAKE YOU OUT FOR A SHOOT LIKE THIS. It's the only time you'll wear such a beautiful dress and get to be a princess. Take advantage of the moment!!

Photography Class

HAH!!!! I was going through some of my archive files and found shots I took during photography classes over 10 years ago. My girlfriend (now my wife) took some shots of me that are pretty funny. We were given homework to take some self portraits, and so Kara started snapping. The one of me standing against my car is especially funny. I purposely chose to hold 2 one dollar bills to sarcastically show off my immense wealth at the time. This was back in the day of good old film photography. What a change the industry has taken on in 10 years!!!

The night in San Diego

We had a fantastic wedding shoot in San Diego, CA! It's nice for me to actually shoot in Southern California for a change...I went into shock when I was actually driving to the wedding in my own car and not a rental after taking a flight since most of my weddings are out of the local area. The couple was fantastic! Scott and Shelley really were fun and made the whole night magical.

Beginnings

I recently did a touch up on the photos and slideshows to one of our weddings we shot at the beginning of the year. This was actually the wedding where we met the best man....who happened to be Heath! Check it out!

SLIDESHOW

Oh My My My

Check out this awesome wedding that Don and Heath shot in Los Angeles while Leslie and I were shooting in Pittsburgh. I love the song in the slideshow by Taylor Swift which is named Oh My My My. Check out the slideshow below!

VIEW SLIDESHOW BY CLICKING HERE!!

Triumph in Pittsburgh

WOW! We had a fantastic shoot in Pittsburgh and Sharon, Pennsylvania. David and Tori were magnificent and truly a couple that can deal with adversity. We started off the shoot in a beautiful church that was amazing and then headed off to a watermill to have a photo shoot....

Well, the limo driver got lost...and that killed the time for the photo shoot. So then we went to the Reception and I walked up to the DJ to ask him what the first dance song was going to be. He told me he didn't know because he thought the bride and groom were bringing the CD....I told him he might want to check with the B&G....when he did and she said she didn't have it the poor bride looked so disappointed...

Leslie and I then decided enough was enough (play the dramatic superhero music)....I asked David and Tori what the song was (Want To by Sugarland). I then pulled out the laptop, hooked up the wireless internet card....downloaded the song from Itunes...and Leslie loaded the song onto my Ipod.

When we went and showed the couple we had the song....it made for a Kodak....I mean Nikon moment. The first dance was beautiful as was the rest of the Reception. We then asked them if they would like a private photo shoot after the wedding...and boy am I happy they said, "Yes." We took them throughout the city...in alley ways....old courthouse buildings.....and even in the middle of the street. It was one of our best shoots ever. Take a look at their slideshow and let me know what you think!!!!

VIEW THE SLIDESHOW HERE!!!

Regards,

J

Into the future!

Many of you know me for my photography....but as of today....I am completely free to devote all of my time to photography. For the last 10 years I have worked my way from a front desk agent at a Days Inn to an Executive Committee Member for Starwood Hotels, working as the Director of Six Sigma based out of the Sheraton San Diego Hotel and Marina. I have given my resignation, and today was my last day on the job.

I have managed to grow a business while continuing my employment with Starwood which has provided me some awesome opportunities. During my ten years I have worked for Days Inn, Comfort Inn, Amerisuites, Ramada, Sheraton, Marriott, Interstate, and Starwood. I have many dear friends in the hotel industry that have watched my love for photography....and have encouraged me to take the big leap when I was ready.

Well, today is the day!!!!! I will be devoting all of my time to photography...which will greatly help me to grow the business even more! I still have some consulting opportunities with hotels on the side...but my devotion will be to all of my wonderful clients, my wonderful team of Don, Michael, Leslie, Heath, Cameron, and Brady, and to my family. I'm very excited that I can pursue my dream on a full time basis....and I SINCERELY thank all of my former colleagues and friends for everything they have done for me over the last 10 years. You guys are the BEST and you will be missed.

Sincerely,

Jason

Procrastination doesn't pay

Well...we all know this lesson....but how well do we follow it? I received a fix it ticket 4 months ago...and I have never taken care of it. The ticket was for having window tint too dark on the front windows. It's a $10 ticket and I have to remove the tint. Well, I've been so busy and haven't made this a priority. I received a notice stating I was going to have my license suspended TODAY for not taking care of it. I have a wedding in Pittsburgh...so I went to the courthouse early in the morning to take care of it before I left.

There was such a long line...and by the time I got to the court teller he told me if I wanted the charges reduced I'd have to see the judge. Well, at that point I only had 45 minutes before the plane left...so I had to pay the fine in total and leave. THE FINE WAS $572.00!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I made my flight and I'm sure I'll have a wonderful day tomorrow shooting in Pittsburgh. Moral of the story...

Whatever you have in your life that you haven't taken care of and it's really bothering you....it's not going to go away....it will only get worse. Take care of it today before it costs you tomorrow.

Take care,

Jason

Thunder and Lightning

CLICK HERE TO VIEW THUNDER AND LIGHTNING

Many of you know I was a landscape photographer for years before finding out just how truly amazing wedding photography is.....well I'll never stop shooting landscape....there's such a challenge on fighting with nature to get the shot. You can't tell it to, "Pose, smile, don't move"...etc. It does what it wants to do....and therein lies the challenge. I've tried to take that same mentality into my wedding photography...to make the most of any moment...no matter what it gives me.

This slideshow is of the most fantastic lightning storm I have ever witnessed. This took place in July of this year off of Jekyll Island, Georgia. My wife wasn't very happy with me for running out to the ocean....and planting a large tripod and camera which could have served as a lightning rod....but I am crazy when I see a shot I want. Take a look and let me know what you think....I will be launching an additional website in the near future with all of my landscape photography called the Jason Lanier Gallery Collection.

P.S. My sons always sit on my lap when I work on my pictures. As I was building this slideshow they kept saying..."Oooh beautiful....oooohh SCARY." It was really cute......

It's less than 2 minutes long...so ENJOY!

Ten things I learned in South Carolina.......

The top ten things I learned this weekend on an engagement shoot in South Carolina....

New vocabulary

1. Chunk...what does it mean?? To throw...I thought it meant a fat kid..

2. Rurnt....pronounced like burnt... It means ruined. This takes some time to learn how to say correctly.

3. "Rock the tutu." This is what southern men yell at their daughter's ballet performance.

4. Mash= means to push...????

5. Cut up...this is what I was saying after walking barefoot at the beach. It means to act crazy.

6. There are fire red ants on the beach...they bite...and it really hurts when you're laying on the ground for a shot....THEY REALLY HURT.

7. Bikers converge on Myrtle Beach, S.C. and take over the town during the first week of October....makes for very interesting engagement shots.

8. Grooms who are cops don't feel comfortable around bikers...

9. Brides who are former bikers love being around bikers....

10. Making the bride and groom walk through a parking lot full of bikers and tell them to hitchhike...priceless.

There are many great places around the world to get engagement shots....for the time of your life...there is South Carolina.

Get out the VOTE!

Okay everyone....my wife is always pushing me to enter contests....and I promise her that I will...and then I don't. She then signed me up for a contest for the local Fox television station for Best Wedding Photographer in Los Angeles. I told her I wouldn't ask for votes unless she got me to at least 25% of the vote without asking.....well for those of you who know my wife, she is very persistent. We started off yesterday losing to another photographer named Zarek, who at the time had 78% of the vote. My wife started campaigning with previous clients of mine, and as of right now (Thursday at 4pm) we have trimmed Zarek's lead from 78% to 48%, and I have gone from 0% to almost 30%.

So if you feel so inclined please click on the link and vote....you can even leave a comment and/or picture if you like. You can even vote against me if you like...please don't.....just vote if you have a moment....and THANKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! if you elect me the Best Wedding Photographer in LA...if I win. If I win I promise to shoot 1 wedding completely free for next year.....that's not a bribe is it?

http://myfoxla.cityvoter.com/details.aspx?business=56788

New Video from our videography team

Check out this video that my video department put together. My boy Brady Bluhm put this together...I'm very glad he's working for me. Check it out and let us know what you think!

Video Link

Landscape Wedding Photography

I have 4 photographers that work for me....and each wedding i challenge them to find at least 5 new shots., No matter how many weddings we shoot, it's the photographer's responsibility go find somthing new and unique that sets that wedding apart from other weddings. Having started the first 15 years of my career shooting landscaphe photography, I thought it would be really neat to always take some landscape shots....and the client love them.

One more note. below is a picture of the groom where we caught a great shot of him blowing all the smoke out into the air. It really looks pretty cool...more to come later.

Light in New Jersey

A huge thanks to one of my favorite photographers Leslie Roark. This is the second time we've shot together (she's the one who bailed me out when I had my emergency in Pensacola, Fl). We shot this awesome wedding at a house built in the 1700's in the farm country of New Jersey.

We started the day off showing up to the wedding early, and we saw this dry riverbed that's on the estate. We thought it would be fun for us to get some "action shots" of us taking photography. It was fun and the pictures turned out pretty good...I think.

We then went inside the house and had an unbelievable shoot inside the living room. There was a stain glassed window with a grand piano that served for an unbelievable location for a shoot.

From the bride to the bridesmaids to the flower girl, it was beautiful. There is nothing more gorgeous than capturing natural light.

The only adventure of the night was the GPS we used in the car. We typed in the city where we needed to go and it took us to some place in the middle of nowhere. I then told Leslie that my wife has a whole comedy routine written about me and my GPS.

By the end of the night, Leslie completely understood the need for the comedy bit due to my complete reliance on the GPS. There was one time we told it to take us to McDonald's and it literally took us in a giant 3 mile circle that included getting on and off the freeway. It was pretty ridiculous. A huge thanks to the bride Maria for affording us the opportunity to shoot this fantastic wedding. More pictures to come later!!

Magic in Pennsylvania

The picture above is from the wedding I shot last weekend in Rockford, PA. The wedding took place at the Rockford Plantation, a building over 200 years old and visited by George Washington! The bride above is Joyce Burgess, and we had a ton of fun shooting this shot. I'm back in Pennsylvania this weekend for a wedding on Saturday in Sergeantville, New Jersey. Believe it or not, this actually went off without a hitch. No crazy stories other than me getting wildly sick thanks to Burger king the night before. But after some fervent prayers...I was all better in a matter of an hour. Prayer does work. Thanks to my buddy Heath Orrell for shooting the wedding with me...he did an outstanding job.

Get Engaged, Get Arrested

How do you like that scenario?

I take Chris and Karly out to Oceanside beach for their engagement shoot, and they get arrested! I have to admit that I was surprised,...normally I'm the one who would end up arrested. I should mention it was all in good fun. A really cool cop named Office Silverston drove up to us on the beach while we were shooting and asked us to let him know when he could pass without messing up the shot.

We jumped on the opportunity and asked him to turn on his lights as he passed. He not only obliged with that request, but he then got out and handcuffed Chris and Karly to each other while motioning for them to get into the car! What an awesome cop! Needless to say, Chris and Karly will have some of the most unique engagement shots around.

Is there a kid in your trunk?

I'm sitting here writing this blog listening to Collective Soul. If you haven't listened to them you should, they are great and they just released a new album called Afterwords. Well, the shoot in San Fran was FANTASTIC! Alyssa and Dan were so awesome and the pictures turned out great because of their enthusiasm and personalities.

One funny story....My videographer's name is Brady. We TOTALLY broke the law by placing him in the back of our Subaru Forester (which is a hatchback) so he could shoot the couple riding through the streets in a horse drawn carriage (anything for the shot right)? We had the hatchback door completely open on the back while he rode back (while we drove slowly) in front of the carriage to capture this incredible moment.

We captured about 5 minutes of this and then decided to drive back to the ceremony site to pick up our gear that we left (nothing smarter than leaving tens of thousands of dollars of equipment where anyone can get it right)? We planned on stopping and letting Brady jump into the front seat....well before we had the chance to do so we passed a cop car!!!!!!!!!!!

Luckily the cop car was stuck waiting to turn and couldn't follow right behind us....Brady tells me to step on it, turn into a side street to let him out before the cops catch up to us....I pulled over, Brady hopped out, and about 10 seconds later the cop car pulls in behind us. Brady by this point walked with the video gear into a shop to hide. I pull out to start driving and immediately the cop car pulls me over. He yells out his window to me, "Hey, do you have a kid sitting in your trunk/hatchback thing?" (By the way, Brady is 24 and looks very young). I rolled down the window and very honestly replied, "No." "Are you sure?" the cop asks me, "I could have SWORN I saw a kid sitting in your back." I replied, "You are more than welcome to check officer." He looked at me and looked pretty ticked off and then drove off shaking his head.

What's a Jason Lanier Photography wedding without a story right? It'd be nice to not always have drama, but we do anything to get the shot, and that usually leads to drama. Check out the shots of the wedding and let me know what you think. The complete shots and slideshow will be available later this week.

Thanks!

Jason