Julia + James | Philadelphia Wedding Photography

I don't know where else to begin other than I love Julia & James. He's been a dear friend for around ten years now and when I met her I immediately felt like I'd known her my entire life. Their love has literally spanned the entire continental United States – from San Francisco (where they live) to Chicago (where they got engaged) to Philadelphia. So it is no exaggeration to say I was honored to not only get to celebrate that love with them but to document a piece of it too.

The wedding invite was my first tangible evidence that this wedding was going to be terrific. Not only did it have a romantic retro vibe to it, but Julia and James actually designed & made these invites together. They also had a small army of people who love and care about them to help them add more personal touches throughout the day. And in the end, there was no doubt they really made the day their own.

See?
I know. You're wondering if there's more. I'm so glad you asked. There most definitely is.
Be sure to come back on Saturday for Part II!

©2013 Kristin Serna This post and these photos should not be republished without my permission. Merci beaucoup. 

James + Julia | A Philadelphia Wedding Sneak Peek

I recently had the honor of photographing the wedding of two truly wonderful people -- James & Julia.
Here's a quick preview of two of the many moments of happiness their day brought to them and those who witnessed it.

©2013 Kristin Serna This post and these photos should not be republished without my permission. Merci beaucoup. 

A Look

This photo originally appeared in this post, but it was part of a collage and I wanted to share a closer look. :)

©2013 Kristin Serna This post and these photos should not be republished without my permission. Merci beaucoup.

Finding the Story

Yesterday I did a consult session with a couple whose wedding I'm very much looking forward to photographing next month. We were talking about storytelling with photos and taking a photojournalistic approach when I felt this surge of excitement. It was a reminder of how much I love doing this--how much I love capturing people in the moment so they have a way to hold on to memories, how much I love finding all those little moments and details that help flesh out the story. It's a good feeling. :)

©2013 Kristin Serna This post should not be republished without my permission. Merci beaucoup.

Pep Talk & Some Smiles | Like That

It's Friday.
I think we all need a Pep Talk from Kid President.

"It's like that dude Journey said - 'Don't stop believing... unless your dream is stupid.' 

Then you should get a better dream."

 "Create something that will make the world awesome." 

Thanks, Kid President. :)

And if he made you tear up a little, here's a bonus - his hilarious interview with Dave Coulier. End it on smiles, people. And don't forget to dance!

Of course these videos belong to their owners and I'm just using it as a reference here, but the rest... ©2013 Kristin Serna This post should not be republished without my permission. Merci beaucoup.

In a San Diego Moment

I've been in San Diego. 

And I clearly need a better camera on my phone. 

Although it's pretty good for making photos seem old-timey. 

:)

©2013 Kristin Serna This post and these photos should not be republished without my permission. Merci beaucoup. 

Kindred Spirit Dancing | Lonely Boy by The Black Keys | Like That

This song is all over the place for me right now. About a week and a half ago I got hooked on The Black Keys' Lonely Boy after hearing it thanks to the zomcom movie Warm Bodies (which I highly recommend and I don't even really like zombie stuff). Then I saw this music video for the first time (despite it being out for over a year) and immediately recognized a kindred dance spirit. Then The Black Keys won a Grammy for the song, (which I'm sure all my interacting with helped push right into award-winning territory).

But seriously, I have been known to dance like this. Those that have had the honor of being at a wedding reception or out dancing with me have bared witness to my interpretive dance powers. I've gotten better at containing it when needed though, so if I'm photographing your wedding it'll be small wiggles and bouncing movements. No worries. :)

Of course this video belongs to its owners and I'm just using it as a reference here, but the rest... ©2013 Kristin Serna This post should not be republished without my permission. Merci beaucoup.