Judd Sather Photography Blog

Amanda, Jessi and I ventured to Tampa last weekend to hear some of the top wedding photographers in the world speak on various wedding photography topics. It was a source of great ideas and inspiration. We learned some cool new lighting ideas so tried them out below. Here’s a funny Tampa story: we rented a convertible for the weekend, drove it to the convention hotel to take the photographer shuttle bus downtown Saturday night, then missed the last bus (by 5 minutes) back to the hotel after the Jacksonville / Steelers game. So downtown, we had to call a cab to take us back to our convertible at the convention hotel to get us back to our actual hotel. Great work by us. The first picture is Amanda and Jessi with some crazy back light on an “attractive” hotel curtain – shot around 3am I think. You 2008 wedding folks are going to get some cool new creative stuff from us this year!

Amanda took this one of me at a super slow shutter speed – notice the plane that looks like it’s about to fly into my head? This one was Amanda’s idea – kicking sand with a bounce flash off the concrete wall behind me. She couldn’t stop saying how that was the softest sand ever which means a lot coming from a Hawaii junkie!

I spent 13 hours on the road yesterday driving back from a family ski vacation for Jeff and Laura’s wedding. There was some really cool frost in eastern Montana that blanketed everything in white so car paint, old broken barns, and even people’s yard junk seemed to jump out at the eye. wish I would have brought my camera but I was on vacation. 🙂

Here is some great stuff from Jeff and Laura’s wedding: The way Laura’s dress fell around her feet, “The Nielsen Files” best man roast/toast, the multiple mirror shot (above), The Metropolitan (great venue), shots in the snow (above), Jeff carrying Laura through the slush to get the shots in the snow, not a dry eye after Jeff’s speech to Laura, the Selby cousins round of shots, and seeing the Gustavus gang again. What a great way to end this year’s wedding season! Click here to see Jeff and Laura’s pictures – the event key is Laura’s maiden name. -Judd, Jessi and Troy

Here is Laura and Jeff’s highlight video! If you want to see some really rare footage, I spontaneously do the moonwalk at the end of the highlight during Billie Jean…

Who says you can’t do an outdoor engagement shoot when it’s 8 below? Since both Jay and Allison are skaters, we decided it would be fun to take engagement shots outside in December. So, I plowed an oval on the pond outside the studio, Jessi wore her mukluks and I wore my babushka hat and grew a beard just for the occasion. That’s my “I’m cold and hot at the same time” face in the picture above.

Here is the inside spread of our Christmas card this year as well — Happy Holidays from the Sathers!

What what a great night! Click here to see their pictures I love the Outing Lodge at Pine Point outside Stillwater; a perfectly quaint place for a small family wedding. The lodge was built in the 1850’s and had some great charm, massive fireplace you could fit 5 stumps in, and candles and comfy couches everywhere. Both Paul and Sara have this amazing ability to make every person feel like they’re the most important people in the world to them. I nicknamed the fantastic live band “The World’s Most Expensive Babysitters” as they rapid-fired classic tunes with all the family kids dancing (about 12 of them), while the parents looked on admiringly. Some adults joined in later after a little “beer courage.”

This was also my first “celebrity” wedding as Sara, Sadie, and Paige got some face time in Newsweek recently for Sara’s Camp Odayin for kids with heart disease – I think Paul was taking the picture – right Paul? Pics are password protected so Sara can weed out the ones with all the funny faces she made throughout the night; no album design on this one so I’ll have them up in a couple weeks. This wedding ended a “30 weddings in 22 weeks” run for me, so I’m going to go re-introduce myself to my wife and 3 boys in November. Remember me kids? How did you guys get so big? 🙂 -Judd

Off to Montana in the fall! Click here to view their pictures!
Here is their video highlights – part 1:

And part 2 complete with 99-year-old Grandpa Hardy dancing with Anne – sweet moves!

Awards: “Most unique sunset” – check out the top shot with the wall of clouds that barely lit up – never seen one like that. Anne, Chad and I ran up the ditch on the side of the road to get this shot just in time before it went down.
“Cutest flower girl (my niece) and ring bearer (my son)” – biased award there – see lower left shot on the collage above
and “Greatest place to see each other for the first time” – on the dock over the trout pond of the fly fishing lodge where Chad is a fishing guide; mountains in the background, autumn reflections in the water, and Anne wearing her mom’s dress – Judy was a mess watching that. 🙂
Random unique memories: Anne’s dance with 99-years-young grandpa Hardy (above left), Chad’s severely sprained ankle working out the day before the wedding, great farmer’s market flowers, Viig the biermeister making a 400′ extension cord for the sound system 5 minutes before the ceremony, Paul’s cross, cold guitar-playing fingers, crazy 1960’s dusty bus (complete with dog bed for Cowboy the dog) taking 30 of us from the lodge to the reception, Boss Emily the PA, great live band, and tons of fun. Love these family weddings, it was great to get some really unique backgrounds in Montana!

Is that a heart-shaped opening in the leaves in the upper right shot on the collage? -Judd and Melissa

Wow we saw a ton of people at our booth Sunday at the wedding fair – lots of couples loved the bigger 12×12 Italian albums and engagement picture guestbook. My back is sore from hauling all of our albums and TVs in and out of the studio… I’m hiring a Sherpa next time.

Since this blog has all the important information from each wedding, we’ve decided to extend a $250 coupon on the blog only. If you book with us before November 10 with a $750 deposit, and mention code “07NovBlog250” you will receive $250 any photo or video package or $500 off any photo and video combo package. This coupon is only published right here on the blog. E-mail me if you want some testimonials or FAQ’s e-mailed to you, or are interested in seeing other locations we have shot other than the ones below.

Here are some sample albums for you…
Matt & Lisa (Northwestern/Edinburgh – Diamond unlimited time package), Wade & Brandi (Carlson Towers – 10 hour Platinum package), Eric & Amber (University Club – 7 hour Gold package)

Our demo video for 2008!

Main website: www.studiojphoto.com
We look forward to possibly working with you! –Judd

Click here to see the pictures from Dave and Tia’s Wedding! Where do I start on this one? “Most unique wedding site?” Dave and Rocky had been working for 6 months on the family farm to get it in “wedding shape” as Dave put it. We had Hercules the leashed-up pet pig, Norm the female dog (that’s her in the picture above), chicken coup, pole barn turned reception hall, pig roast, sauna house, upside down fire sprinkler for a pond fountain, homemade wine (amazing), brilliant fall colors, and 80+ degree temps in October which all added up to a very surreal and fun day.

Amanda and Jessi took the lead on this one so it was fun to enjoy the day with many friends. No album design on this one, so take a peek at the 1154 images with the link above! Have fun in Scotland you guys! Jealous. -Amanda, Jessi, and Judd