Allen Arrick Photography – Tyler, TX – 903.253.1848 »

If you’ve followed me on Twitter of Facebook, you might remember a few posts about a big project I’ve been working on. Well, safe to say it’s done (finally!). A couple weeks ago I got together with Vanessa McKellar to discuss doing a short video interview. I’m super excited about it and Vanessa did an awesome job!

Last night I had dinner with my good friend Vanessa McKellar, who also happens to be a fantastic videographer. We were both talking about the industry: where it’s going and what we can achieve with our businesses in the next year. I’ve decided to make a short video for my future clients to view and get to know me and I asked her for help.

I feel that video can create an emotional connection that photography can’t. Now I’m not saying photography can’t have an emotional connection, but usually the connection is only between the bride and the photograph. If you were to look at one of Vanessa’s videos you can literally feel a connection to her clients that most photographs cannot convey. The mood, the music and editing are just about as perfect as you can get.

So what am getting to? Well, Vanessa’s got a great deal going right now, with $600 off any package she currently offers. That’s a very generous and considerable amount (think of it as a stimulus package for her brides). If you’re interested in talking to her, give her a holla!

Here’s a short trailer for a wedding she recently shot. I’m always blown away by her work. She’s extremely blessed with her talent and work ethic.

Macy & Mayes’ Trailer from Vanessa McKellar Productions on Vimeo.

Without a doubt, the one question I get asked more than anything is, “What’s that duck thing in your logo?” While the significance of the “duck thing” is a very closely guarded secret, I will tell you that it’s not a duck at all. It’s a Blue Footed Boobie, which is a sea bird that originates in the Galapagos Islands in the Pacific. It’s without a doubt one of the most funny looking birds out there. In case you’re wondering (and I know you are), “boobie” comes from the spanish term “babo” which means clown. The Blue Footed Boobies do a halarious mating dance that’s quite goofy. Here’s a short video if you’re interested.

Happy Valentines day everyone! I just couldn’t resist going to the office on a Sunday to get these awesome pics of Kim and James up on the blog. They were such a fun couple to work with and we all laughed through the entire session.

I love this next set of images. Her eyes were too pretty to not do some close ups.

I could be all cozy on the couch right now watching a movie, but my crazy photographer brain just HAD to go downtown and snap some pics of this awesome snow we’re having. I’ve never seen this much snow in Tyler and it might be ten more years until any of us will. Enjoy!

My love for all things vintage and unique knows no bounds. When I see brides who go out of their way to hand make each table setting, decorations or invitations it makes my inner artist happy. Which is why I absolutely love Etsy. No, my apartment is not decorated in vintage stuff (I am a guy, after all), but if you’re looking for something unique and original, Etsy is absolutely the best source.

Here’s how it works: Etsy makes nothing. They’re merely a marketplace source for folks who do make things, and there’s quite a variety. Everything from bags to paper products, to pet things, to toys. They even have a special section for wedding stuff.

Wait? You’re still reading? Go there and check it out! http://www.etsy.com/

Wedding planning is tough. I knew this before I got engaged, but I’m not sure I knew how much stress, heartache, patience and struggle it would be. Sometimes the only solution to reduce all of this is to have an “unwedding.” In other words, forget all you think you want for your wedding, and go with what you really want. Throw away those bridal magazines that say you have to spend a fortune just so your guests won’t kill you. Ignore your close friends, relatives and future in-laws and do what you, as a couple really really want to do. It’s your wedding anyway! To give ya’ll some extra advice, I’ve asked my July 3rd bride, Sarah, to guest blog and explain her approach for the perfect unwedding. I stumbled across Sarah’s blog after she booked me and I immediately knew he had some serious writing skill. Enjoy!

My fiancé and I have been together for 4 ½ years. Long time! We got engaged on Christmas and decided no long engagement for us. So we have started planning an April wedding. Let me tell ya, wedding planning is a serious business! (And a seriously expensive one too!)

In all my searching on prices, planning, wedding lists and more, I became over whelmed beyond belief. I would close all the sites I had open and just think, “Elopement, here we come!” Then I stumbled upon The (Un)Wedding: A 12-Step Plan.

This article gave me faith again! Sounds stupid, but I breathed a sigh of relief when I realized, there are no wedding police! If we choose something different, no one can say a word because its our wedding! I started dreaming and scheming. When I showed my ideas to future hubby, it was with bated breath!! He liked them. (Somewhat untraditional, but so very us!)

Un-wedding, here we come!!!

The Deets: We’re going to ½ it. We are literally pressing the pause after the ceremony (in my parent’s backyard in April) and picking up where we left off a few months later. The ceremony will be small and private (family & wedding party only). Directly after, we will have a small “send-off” to greet our guests including an ice cream sundae bar, cupcake tower and a little visiting time. Then we’ll leave on our honeymoon! *hits PAUSE* In July, we will have a dinner/dancing reception.*hits PLAY* Everything that normally happens at a reception will happen now: cake, toasts, dances, garter/bouquet tossing etc. It will be a big fun party to celebrate our marriage with friends and family. We chose this format because it works for us. Might not work for everyone, but it sure fits us fine!

Besides the “format” for the wedding, I’ve surprised myself and my mom with how “untraditional” I’ve wanted other things, including my dress. Its definitely not one of these wedding cake topper, “I look like a cupcake”, princess, snow-white gowns. It’s got a vintage feel and made me cry when I put it on. (I’m a big baby!) I absolutely love it. As we plan more and more, it is definitely “unwedding” and especially “us-wedding”. Invites, bouquets, decorations—all fits us, no cookie cutter format here! Come on, April!! We are ready to be married and celebrate. (Plus, I’m super excited to see how it will all turn out!)

–Sarah “Future Mrs. T” Maxwell

You can read more from Sarah’s Blog at: http://thefuturemrst.wordpress.com/ and her engagement session can be viewed here: http://allenarrick.com/allenarrickphotoblog/?p=713

It only seems appropriate that the day after my birthday is the birthday of Photoshop. It’s basically the industry standard for digital imaging. Without it, digital photography might not have taken off as it did. We might still be in a darkroom getting dizzy from all the chemicals.

Literally, every image you see on here has gone through Photoshop. Whether it’s to resize, color correct or just take out a pimple, each image wants to be “Photoshopped.” I could not run my business without it.

Here’s a video for all you geeks out there featuring the co-creator of Photoshop, John Knoll. (He’s also the visual effects supervisor for ILM, the folks behind Star Wars, Pirates of the Caribbean and Avatar)

If you want to get really geeky and read through the 20-year history of photoshop, click here. click here.

Hello internet people! I’ve been blogging for about a year now and I decided that sometimes words and photos just don’t show the whole picture. Thus I’ve decided to start doing some videoblogging. I’m still working out some kinks in the process, but hopefully we’ll get some awesome content up and answer any questions you might have about the process. Here goes!

Albums from Allen Arrick on Vimeo.