I love to photograph the excitement, the energy,  and the planned events of the day.  But even more so, I love the quiet moments that genuinely profess the couple’s love to one another.

This photo of Meghan and Mike is very special to me.  I was watching them carefully during the speeches.  Meghan leaned closer to Mike and Mike instinctively leaned into Meghan  until they touched.  It was only for a brief moment as it was soon interrupted by the raising and clinking of glasses.  But in that soft little moment, there was a love, a connection and a energy that made me realize how perfect the two of them are together.

What makes this award special and meaningful to us is that the contest was open to any photographer in the St. Louis area and was not restricted to a certain group of advertisers or members. It was a legitimate contest of skill and talent.   The photos were judged by out of state wedding photographers, photography professors, professional artists and other working professionals. We had to submit 15 images (45 total) from three different weddings to show consistency in our body of work.

This is our first big award in photography.  We owe a great deal of gratitude to our mentors, our fellow wedding vendors and our fabulous clients.  Without your support and trust in us, we would have never have come as far as we have in the past seven years.  We want to sincerely thank you from the bottom of hearts.

Other winners include:

Ellen Gutierrrez – Bride’s Vision Wedding and Events (incredible coordinator!)
Rich West – Rich West Designs
Shelli Alred – Alred Wedding Consultants
Randall Greg Shamel – Artistry Florist
Erin Horn Schulte – Exclusive Events
Megan Kniffen  – Chase Park Plaza
Jeff Hill – Westview Media
Pat Rutherford -Sugaree Baking Company (love love love this bakery!)
James Robert Schaefer – The Coronado – winner of the 2009 St. Louis Wedding Award’s Wedding Professional Hall of Fame

We also want to extend a special thank you to Ethan Woods and Nancy Slade of St. Louis Bride Magazine for all their hard work in creating these awards.

Below are the 45 photos we entered into the contest.

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Below are the 9 images I am entering into competition.  Please leave a comment in this blog post with the number of your favorite photo, your full name and email (your email address will not be published publicly.) You are welcome to solicit votes for your favorite prints. (email, facebook, twitter this post!) You may vote one time per legitimate email address.

The PRIZES:

1) The client of the photograph that receives the most votes will get a 13×19 fine art print of the photograph shown here and a 13×19 print of their favorite photograph from their wedding or portrait session. (A $300 value.)

2) We will randomly draw a winner from all the votes cast for an extraordinary portrait session, a 13×19 art print from the session and a $300 print credit. (A $550 value.)

The RULES:

1. Winning prizes are not transferable and have no cash or substitution redemption value.
2. The portrait session is for up to 5 people.
3. Viewing, selecting and ordering your prints will take place in our studio.  You are under no obligation to order anything more than your 13×19 art print and $300 print credit. Print credit must be used at ordering session and can not be combined with any other offers or specials.
4. Both the photo shoot and the ordering session must take place by September 1, 2010
5.  Photo session is good for the St. Louis area.  Travel fees will be incurred for anything outside the St. Louis area.
6. The contest ends February 18, 2010 at 11:59 pm.
7. All results are final.  We are the final arbiters in all decisions. Void where regulated or prohibited.
8. We reserve the right to add to and modify these terms if necessary. We promise to be fair in that process.
9.  Winners will be announced via the blog and contacted via email.  (So leave us a working email address. We want you to win! And we promise not to spam you.  We will only contact you once with info about the winners.)

The PHOTOGRAPHS:

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9

We’ll be having another contest in March of our favorite photo from each wedding and portrait session we shot last year. Stay tuned!

What makes Erin and her production team so special is their ability to make a great space an extraordinary space with the use of special lighting and scenery.  It’s amazing what a little up lighting, colored gels, pin lighting and soft flowing fabric can add to any ceremony or reception. It can customize a space for the bride and groom and make it uniquely their own.

For a wedding photographer, the up lighting of a reception hall is a great addition because it makes the photos all that more unique and beautiful.

Lighting the reception is very common on the East Coast and we’re seeing more and more of it here in St. Louis.  The following photos were taken at a wedding I second shot with Neil van Niekerk out East.

Notice how the floral arrangements are pin spotted.

The up lighting on the walls added to the atmosphere for the mid-reception entertainment

And I personally love the splash of blue that was added to the photos by the up lighting on the walls.

Below are a few photos from a wedding I worked with Exclusive Events on in St. Louis at the Westin St. Louis Hotel.

The up lighting on the walls and the blue paper lanterns totally transformed a very dark ballroom.  I love what Erin and her team did!

Last year we met up with Beth and David in Las Vegas while we were attending a photography convention.  We’ll be out in Vegas again this year from March 4-10.  If you are interested in a portrait or engagement sessions, please feel free to contact us for more information.  There is no travel fee for any session, but a minimum purchase does apply.

Milene was a beautiful bride full of elegance and grace and Don was quite the debonair groom. They had their wedding at the Cathedral Basilica in New Jersey – the fifth largest Cathedral in the United States. Their reception followed at The Atrium. One of the things I absolutely loved about their reception was the blue up-lighting on the walls. It was gorgeous and added a lot to the atmosphere.

More photos….

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I really enjoyed second shooting. It allowed me to step out of my box, see things from a different angle and understand the strengths and limitations of the role in my own business. I got to photograph the men’s preparation (who were quite awesome), which is something I rarely if ever get to do. There are also some wonderful traditions on the East Coast that I think would be a great addition to a St. Louis wedding. (That will be another blog post soon.) All in all, it was an excellent experience for personal growth and widening of my horizons.  Thank you, Neil, for the opportunity.

Milene and Don – Thank you for having me and for being such a wonderful couple to work with.  I wish you the very best for a long and happy marriage.

Zettl Photography is reposting all portrait sessions and weddings from 2009 on our website for our End of the Year Sale.
From now until November 30, 2009 all prints are 50% off.

CDs of high resolution images are
$300 per session for portraits (reg. $500)
$550 for weddings (reg. $1000)

Free shipping on orders over $100
use code: FREESHIPPING

Orders placed by November 30, 2009 will be processed and delivered by December 22