Sam Ellis Photography

SPRING SPECIAL!!!

2011-04-03T16:27:00.001-07:00

I have a brand new studio!!! While the dust hasn't even settled yet (no, really, I have some more cleaning to do), I'm ready to start shooting some portraits in there :)

To kick things off, I'm offering an introductory special for Facebook friends and people who "like" my Facebook pages (Sam Ellis Photography Weddings and Sam Ellis Photography Seniors). I will be scheduling one-hour portrait sittings on April 22nd and April 25th. Call them Easter portraits, spring portraits, or "I just need to get some good photographs of my kids" portraits! Below are a couple examples of the style of the portraits. It's modeled after the Gap Kids ads that I LOVE. All portraits will be shot on a white backdrop. Thanks to my friend Julie for allowing me to get some test shots of her beautiful children, my kids get tired of posing for me.

The sitting fee is $50 and will include one 8x10 print. Additional prints and digital copies may be ordered from my website through the end of May. This is for kids younger than age 10.

Check me out on facebook!

2011-01-12T16:14:00.001-08:00

I have to say, I really enjoyed blogging...but I've found that I post on facebook more now. Check out www.facebook.com/samellisweddings for my wedding and portrait work and www.facebook.com/samellisseniors for my senior portraits. Of course, www.samellis.com is still my primary website!

Hangers

2010-06-20T19:21:00.000-07:00

Every wedding I shoot, I lament about why wedding dresses are put on cheap plastic hangers. The bride from the last wedding I shot had something a little different though, a hanger customised with her name!

I didn't think to ask her where she got it, but a little Googling came up with this site on etsy.com.
Check them out, they're a nice personal touch and WAY better than a plastic hanger.

It's been a while!

2010-05-16T10:44:00.000-07:00

It's been a while since I've written a blog post. It's not really for lack of content, well maybe a little since the winter is a slow time for weddings. It's also not that I can't think of things to say about EVERY wedding because each wedding I do is fun, interesting, and unique.

HOWEVER, this most recent wedding just had all the right elements- a truly wonderful couple who I hadn't gotten a chance to meet until the day before the wedding, absolutely beautiful weather for a Bethany Beach wedding, great reception at Bear Trap Dunes, and my all-time favorite local band Love Seed Mama Jump.

I didn't get to meet Jill and Mark until the day before the wedding since they live in New Mexico. He's in the Air Force, which explains why Jill chose the theme from "Top Gun" for her processional! The sky was Air Force blue, the temperature was perfect with a slight cool breeze and a warm sun.

The reception was held at Bear Trap Dunes with Love Seed Mama Jump keeping the crowd entertained. Now, I'll be honest, they only booked me until 9:00 but I stuck around until 11:00 because LSMJ is my favorite local band! I threw in the extra two hours of photos in appreciation of Mark's service to our country ;)

Here's a few photos, you can see the rest of the preview here.

Get engaged??? Here's some tips.

2010-01-03T11:22:00.000-08:00

This is an article I wrote for Sussex County Woman / Worcester-Wicomico Woman Magazine. I am their photographer and contributing writer when I feel inspired.

The time between the holidays and Valentine’s Day are a popular time for guys to “pop the question.” Whether it’s a Christmas present, a New Year’s surprise (that’s what I did), a romantic ski or Caribbean vacation, or the ever popular Valentine’s Day gift, men seem to get inspired to propose this time of year. Let’s face it, not all of us are as creative as those who dream up intricate plots to create a memorable event. I will say that I have photographed two actual proposals and both relied on some pretty advanced planning and creative, ahem, lying.
If you do find yourself suddenly engaged, it’s never too early to begin planning, and there are numerous resources on the Internet to help you out. It’s also a good idea to seek professional help. With busy schedules, a wedding coordinator can be a HUGE help. There are a few things you need to think about (and it’s a good idea to consult with your fiancé too) before getting to the details. First and foremost, you need to decide when and where you will have the wedding and reception. May, June, September, and October are the busiest months for weddings in this area and many of the best venues book more than a year in advance for Saturdays in these months.
Once you have your ceremony and reception locations picked and the date locked in, you can start deciding on the other details. I’ve found that couples usually find a photographer next. Of course, some people plan their wedding around the availability of their favorite photographer too! It all depends on what is most important to you.
When looking for a photographer, there are almost infinite considerations but the most important one is the quality of their work. Many of the popular wedding planning websites suggest viewing full weddings done by the photographer. This is important because just about anyone can come up with one or two impressive photos from a wedding, but can they do this for every aspect of the wedding? Looking at a complete wedding allows you to see what a photographer does throughout the day and gives you a broader picture of what their style is. Experience plays an important factor as well. In the digital photography age, there are a lot of people who try doing weddings. It’s best to hire someone with experience and skill to capture such a once-in-a-lifetime event.
Photographic styles can be broken down into three categories- traditional, photojournalistic, and a hybrid of the two that is sometimes called editorial. Traditional photographers pose most of the photographs they take, sometimes interrupting the flow of the event by asking the couple to stop so they can get a photo. At the opposite end of the spectrum is the photojournalist style. A true photojournalistic wedding photographer will not pose any photos, but captures images throughout the day in a more candid manner. Many photographers use a combination of both styles in order to capture the wonderful candid moments and emotion of the day along with the time-honored formals of the wedding party, families, etc. Look at several photographers and see what styles fit you the best.
Viewing the photographer’s website is only part of the selection process. It’s important to meet the photographer in person to make sure your personalities match well. This person is going to be spending anywhere from four to ten hours with you on your wedding day, so you want to like this person and be comfortable around them.
Before meeting with the photographer, plan ahead. Chances are, you’ve never been married before, so go online and look for questions you should be asking. You will probably find something you haven’t thought of before. You’ll want to know what their prices are, obviously, but also what comes with the wedding packages. How long will they be there? Is an album included? Do they have backup equipment? Have they photographed at the location where your wedding and reception will be? What happens if they have an emergency and can’t make it to your wedding? Do they offer a dvd of the wedding photos? How much they charge for reprints? All these are good starting points, but decide what will be important to you. Consider asking your recently married friends what they asked, or wish they’d asked, their photographer.
Once you decide on a photographer, make sure you get a contract. This protects both YOU and the photographer and clearly identifies exactly what you will be included in your wedding package and what you will be paying. You want to make sure there are no surprises before, during, or after the wedding!
Once you have your date, ceremony location, reception venue, and photographer, you can start planning the rest of the wedding! Ask your photographer and the coordinator at the venue for recommendations. They’ll know the best florists, djs, videographers, and limo services because they get to see all or most of the wedding day. The sooner you book things, the higher the likelihood that you will get the best service and the vendors you most want to work with.

The bouquet catch

2009-10-06T19:50:00.000-07:00

Watch the bridesmaid in orange. She looks like she's uninterested in catching the bouquet, but then she almost takes out the 9 year old the flowers were headed for LOL!!!

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Robin and Chris

2009-08-15T19:50:00.000-07:00

So I haven't blogged in a while, it's not for lack of things to say, I've just been enjoying the summer! Tonight though, I'm pretty eager to share some photos from Chris and Robin's engagement session. They didn't want the "standard" photos and leaned more towards my artistic style. That can be tough when my art photos are more still-lifes, how do you add people to that mix?
Robin sent me some inspiration photos and one was a couple riding bikes in a vineyard. They have retro bikes, I know a great vineyard (Nassau Valley Vineyards in Lewes), so we met there. Unfortunately, they weren't able to bring their bikes, but we got some cool photos of them in the vineyard.

Next it was on to a sunflower field I spotted earlier in the day. Gotta love sunflowers!

From there, we went up the road a little to a super-secret location on the canal. It's not so much a secret as a private estate. I brought a couple there a couple years ago for wedding photos and the woman who lives there is so sweet she let me shoot there again. You can barely make out the towers in the background.

And one in the garden.

Then it was off to downtown Lewes to wrap things up.

I'm really looking forward to their October wedding at the Addy Sea with the Doug Segree Band! I LOVE LIVE BANDS!

C R A Z I E S T wedding EVER!

2009-06-06T21:07:00.000-07:00

We had the most insane wedding tonight and had to blog about it right away.

First- we're doing the photos after the ceremony and I think to myself, "I'll get a shot from on top of the lifeguard tower." The sand in front was messy, so I wanted to drag it over a few feet. I handed the camera to Brandon and started to try to tip it over to move it (done this hundreds of times as a kid). The groom comes over to help and gets on the other side and picks his end up. This throws the balance off and the whole tower starts to fall on top of me! I yell out. "RICKY, WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO ME???" but it's too late and I end up pinned on the beach by the tower! I could NOT budge the thing and I'm calling out to my assistants to get it off me. Brandon and Ricky (groom) lift it up enough that I can slide out unharmed. I look at Ricky like WTF??? He felt soooo bad, it was funny. I just started cracking up, Brandon wanted to do it again because he didn't get any photos, Jenna was just stunned at what happened! Definitely one of the stangest things to happen to me at a wedding. I ended up getting the shot I wanted though :)

Second thing- The reception venue is on the top floor of a hotel, there's nothing else up there. When you come off the elevator, there's a long hall leading to the dining room and that's where the gifts were stacked up, including the box for the wedding cards.
Some guy comes up and STEALS the box of cards!!! Two cousins of the groom see him headed down the hall and chase him down eight flights of steps to the lobby. They catch him, BEAT HIM, and throw him through a plate glass window in the lobby! The cops come, arrest him, but first have to take him to the hospital for a broken jaw and giant gash in his back!

Third thing (and I only heard the story, but it happened last night)- The bride's grandmother drank too much and got sick in the toilet. After she flushed it, she realized her TEETH just got flushed! Maintenance had to come and take the toilet out, crack it open, and free her teeth! This morning, she shows her son that she has her teeth back and he says, "Now that's a shit-eating grin if I ever saw one."

To top it all off, Brandon (associate photographer), is out on the dance floor dancing with the bridesmaids then slow dancing with a guest! She asked if it was okay for him to dance while working and I told her I was fine with that LOL!

That's not all- strip tease garter placement, amazing toasts (maid of honor was in tears), cake smashing, and "rad" shots out on the balcony LOL! Here's a few shots of the "crime scene" and a preview of the wedding photos is here' http://www.samellis.com/gallery/8467506_n4Fz3

2009-06-01T15:28:00.000-07:00

This was one of my favorites from Danielle and Mike's engagement session at Cape Henlopen State Park. Gotta love sunsets at the beach!

2009-05-30T21:41:00.001-07:00

This may be my all-time favorite photo from a reception! This was part West Side Story, part Michael Jackson's Bad video- either way it was hilarous! Thanks Alex and Elissa for throwing such a great party! More photos will be in the preview soon!

Ocean City, MD engagment photos

2009-05-22T20:41:00.000-07:00

Kristian and Andrew are getting married in June 2010 and were in town for their engagement photos. Here's a sneak peek:

2009-05-17T10:10:00.001-07:00

I've been falling off on the blog posts, been meaning to add one recently but just haven't had the time. I did two great weddings the past two weekends- both had terrible weather forecasts but turned out to be beautiful days! The weather doesn't look so cooperative for today's wedding though.

Here's a shot from Laura and Jamar's wedding at Salero in Rehoboth. They were so great to work with and I had a blast at the wedding (of course, I always have a great time at weddings).

Here's what Laura had to say on a wedding planning/review site called Wedding Wire:

I was immediately impressed by Sam when I visited his website. He is an amazing artist. The skills, knowledge, love and passion he has for his art makes every detail of your wedding a lifelong memory. For all the stress and lack of sleep the final days before our wedding day, I knew if anything went according to plan it would be with Sam. Our wedding ceremony was on the beach. For 10 days before (thats when I started hounding the weather channel every hour for updates) it was supposed to be rainy and stormy. Well, let just say it was completely opposite. 90 and sunny, not a cloud in the sky. Yes, perfect and Sam captured every moment of it. Diving in the sand to catch the right moment. Switching from one shot to grab a split second shot just in time. I cannot wait to see the rest of our pictures. Not even 3 hours after our wedding was over, he sent me a message saying the preview was up on his website. I cannot express how grateful and pleased I am with Sam and his work. Please dont look any further, you have found your man, right here, with Sam Ellis! ~ Thanks Sam for the best wedding experience and memories to last a lifetime. I wish you the best of luck!

Thanks, Laura!

Birds of Prey

2009-04-17T13:38:00.001-07:00

I first got truly hooked on photography taking nature photos after college. That's what started the whole better camera/better lens/better film obsession commonly referred to as NAS (Nikon Aquisition Syndrome). When I was asked if I could do weddings, I thought, "hmmmm, I could buy more camera gear." Little did I know that I would LOVE weddings and launch a career out of it.

Every now and then, and not as often as I would like, I go out and do some nature photography again. Today I found myself wandering around the area and spotted three osprey hanging around. FIVE HUNDRED frames later, I came away with some amazing shots! Below are some of my favorites, more can be found here. Double click on the images below to see them larger.

Sunset

2009-04-05T16:47:00.000-07:00

I love sunsets. It's just cool to see how the light changes the look of everything. Even boring invasive plants like phragmites can look beautiful at sunset. These were taken spur of the moment across the street from my house. It would be nice if the houses weren't there, but I just went for a walk with Ryan and grabbed a few shots. I think next week we'll go on a photo shoot to a state park and do some nature photography together. Stay tuned.

Great timing!

2009-03-30T16:30:00.000-07:00

I did a maternity photo shoot on Sunday, we were cutting it close because the due date was Wednesday. I found out today (Monday) that she delivered! Whooo, that was close! Now I can schedule the newborn photos :)

Here's the funny thing- I thought it would be cool to write the baby's top secret name in the sand along with the date. So I wrote the date as 4/ /09 under the name and a few feet over I wrote 1, 2, 3, and 5 figuring I could Photoshop the numbers in. Wouldn't you know it, she was born on 3/30/09!

Congratulations to Anna and Sean, I hear Charlotte (Charlie) is beautiful!

First wedding of 2009

2009-03-28T18:44:00.000-07:00

And so begins the 2009 wedding season! Winter is generally a slow time of year for me, why doesn't anyone want to get married at the beach in December, January, or February? OK, I did have one in December, but that's rare.

The wedding took place in this little church in a tiny town outside of OC called Bishopville. After the ceremony, it was off to the boardwalk (via anything but a direct route) to get some shots at a place with some fond memories for them- Ripley's Believe it or Not! We got some shots on the boardwalk, then off to the Golden Sands for the reception. Eileen and the crew did a fantastic job with the food, DJ Rupe (well, his substitute, Rupe's probably in the islands or watching spring training somewhere) did a great job getting the dancefloor hopping, and we experimented with some new lighting techniques (the backlit dance shot for example).

I'm bummed because the next one's not for another month! I had an April wedding booked, but something fell through (I didn't ask questions). I'm looking forward to having a party every weekend again. Weddings are so much fun!

Sunrise at the beach

2009-03-22T19:08:00.000-07:00

It's interesting that one of the things the pastor said in church this morning was, "If you live here and haven't seen a sunrise over the ocean, you're missing out." Well, it was something to that effect anyway. The year I worked at a bakery in Bethany, I would ride my bike to work and watch the sunrise from the boardwalk. It's such a beautiful sight and always different.
This weekend, we stayed at the Clarion in Ocean City. It's only twenty mintues away, but we had "won" a two night stay at a charity silent auction. I knew I wanted to see the sunrise so I woke up early and snuck out of the room. I took a series of photos but never captured exactly what I was looking for- the sunrise shining through a wave. Here are some of my favorites from this morning anyway.

Education

2009-02-10T06:05:00.000-08:00

As a teacher, I feel strongly in the value of education. Maybe that's why I spent five years in college...yeah, that's it. But it is why I went on to get my Master's degree in education and have sought out opportunities to further my education whenever I could.

My photography career has been no different. I joined the Delaware Professional Photographers Association and the national organization Professional Photographers of America. I have been to many workshops to broaden my knowledge and hone my skills. I am a member of the National Association of Photoshop Professionals and will be attending the Photoshop World conference in a few weeks. I'm fortunate that my teaching career blends nicely with my photography career to allow me to attend (I teach graphic design/desktop publishing, and communication technology). I just wish I could attend more conferences.

The best thing lately has been my association with Photog Shootout. This is an infomal group of photographers who get together to do model shoots in simulated wedding circumstances, experiment with shooting techniques, share ideas, and teach each other about the business and craft of photography.

The latest was the Eastern Shore Photog Shootout conducted at Baywood in Millsboro/Rehoboth was a couple weeks ago. Check out the video put together by R efocus Studios. Many thanks to Rob Nicholson of Humbled Eyes Photography for coordinating what was meant to be a dinner with a few friends into a great learning experience with about 20 photographers! I also appreciate Joel Plotkin, owner of efotolab.com, for sponsoring the event. It was great to experiment with different lighting scenarios and test the limits of my camera equipment in low-light scenes without the pressure of a wedding.

I'm looking forward to more Photog Shootouts and hanging out with other great photographers and great vendors like Bayside Limousine.

Accolades

2009-02-08T19:10:00.000-08:00

I love wedding photography- it's fun, exciting, stressful, and so rewarding. I got a card from a recent couple and had to share:

Dear Sam,

Thank you so much for the beautiful memories that you have given to us from our wedding day! You were able to capture so many moments for us- and now we have such wonderful pictures to always remember our special day! You were so easy to work with throughout the whole process, and so accommodating to our needs. We have had so many compliments to you on your creativity- we fell so lucky to have had you as our photographer!

Sincerely,

Meghan and Marc Perry

Snow at the beach!

2009-01-19T09:27:00.000-08:00

We don't get a lot of snow in lower Delaware so I used the opportunity to get some photos around my neighborhood. It was a pretty dreary morning with heavy fog, but it was nice to shoot something different.

2009!

2009-01-01T20:44:00.000-08:00

2008 was one of my greatest years since I started doing photography professionally. I worked with some truly amazing couples that were fun, beautiful, and so in love with each other. The two most important parts of that are FUN and in love. I have so much fun at weddings and I love wedding parties who joke around and laugh. I also love capturing the emotion of a wedding day, the love of a bride and groom. There is nothing more beautiful than a couple on their wedding day and I always think back to my wedding at every ceremony. I do this because I love what I do.

I also worked in some great locations like Salero, Nassau Valley Vineyards, the Indian River Lifesaving Station Museum, Golden Sands, Rehoboth Beach Country Club, Baywood, The Fountains, and the Cambridge Hyatt. I'm still looking for that destination wedding so I can work in Hawaii, Mexico, the Caribbean, or even the Florida Keys!

2009 is shaping up to be an even better year! I've got some new locations on the book, some really GREAT couples, a new camera and lens (I'm never satisfied, I just bought a new camera last Thanksgiving...two of them actually), and a renewed energy in what I'm doing. Each year things get better and better and as my work improves, the more I enjoy what I'm doing. My style is continually evolving and I love where it's going. It keeps things fresh and intersting rather than stagnant and boring.

If you're looking for a photographer for your wedding in 2009 or even 2010 (a destination wedding would be cool), take a look at my work. Shoot me an email or give me a call. I'd love to discuss your wedding with you.

Great way to end the season

2008-11-09T08:06:00.000-08:00

For me, weddings are a seasonal thing. I don't know if it's because I do a lot of beach weddings, but things quiet down this time of year. I finished up my last wedding of the season and it was one of the best. In fact, the past two were really exceptional events.
I thought that yesterday's wedding was going to be a washout, but the bride and groom really wanted photos in downtown Rehoboth. When we left the church it was raining pretty good, so someone ran out to CVS and got some black umbrellas! The rain wasn't too bad at the boardwalk, so we got some awesome photos with and without umbrellas.

Enjoying Louie's Pizza

Strolling down the boardwalk:
I love it when someone suggests this shot!

To see more of Meghan and Marc's wedding, click here.

Last weekend was awesome too, I just haven't had time to write about it. First, they were such a great couple! They had a great band, the Doug Segree Band. They play a lot at the Starboard and are the official Redskins band. Doug sang the National Anthem on Monday Night Football the Monday after the wedding. Not only did the band rock, but Allie's PARENTS rocked!

Allie's mom on the skins:

While her dad rocks out on guitar:

I should point out that both of these AWESOME weddings had their reception at Salero! It's such a great location, the food is incredible, the view is the best in Rehoboth, and the people are great to work with.

To see more of Allie and Matt's wedding, click here.

Next wedding- DECEMBER. I'm looking forward to a break. Of course, I'm still teaching, but I'll actually have some free time!

Best wedding kiss ever!

2008-10-11T20:11:00.001-07:00

I met with Jeremy and Jenny a few weeks ago to finalize plans for their wedding and one thing I asked them is to make sure they give each other a GOOD kiss at the end of the ceremony. I joked with them that too many couples just give each other a little peck and it's hard to capture that. Well, they pulled through and gave the best wedding kiss I've ever documented! I fired off NINE photos before they separated. For more of their photos from the Golden Sands, click here.

Creativity

2008-10-06T18:52:00.000-07:00

I haven't posted anything in a while...I've been too busy shooting and editing weddings. I have a couple venues where I am the preferred photographer and do several weddings there each year. Naturally, this is great for business, but sometimes we feel like our creativity is stifled because of the lack of variety in locations. To top it off, we do a lot of beach weddings and the scenery on the beach is the same no matter where you go in Delaware and Maryland. It's BEAUTIFUL on the beach and I LOVE it, but there's no trees, no shade, no variety. I got a great compliment via email the other day- a potential client said that she looked at a bunch of my work and loved how each wedding was unique. That's my goal, make every wedding special and unique.

I revel opportunities to do a wedding in a new environment and this past Sunday was one of those days. We were hired by Brooks and Lindsey to photograph their wedding at the Hyatt in Cambridge, Maryland. We hadn't shot there before so we really looked forward to it. We were getting ready to do the formals at the end of the ceremony and the coordinator tells us we have THIRTY MINUTES! Since it's the middle of the day and the sun is really bright with no clouds, we looked for some shade and did the standard wedding party photos. We like to get more creative when we do the bride and groom portraits, but time was short and the sun was harsh so we didn't feel satisfied when we were done.

The reception was great and was done about 5:30- just as the light was getting perfect outside. I asked the couple if they wanted to go out for more photos and they were happy to do so. It was perfect- no pressure, no time constraints, a beautiful and relaxed couple, beautiful light, and a beautiful golf course on the Chesapeake Bay. These became my favorite photos of the day and some of my favorites of the year. Below are my top picks, click here to see the rest of the preview.

Leslie wanted to do this all day, isn't she adorable?

This is why I'm glad to have Brandon working for me.

There is no more perfect love than on a wedding day.

Moonlight over Bethany

2008-09-04T20:12:00.001-07:00

This is a shot I've been meaning to post. I took this while on my way home from a beach portrait session. I'm always looking for this type of moment. I love these moments of inspiration.

Ahhh, summer...gone too soon.

2008-09-01T12:44:00.001-07:00

It had to happen eventually- the end of summer. It's been a great summer though, plenty of weddings and portraits, a trip to Maine, a trip to Key Largo, a camping trip, and a fair amount of beach time.
Today was a great end to the summer though. The wave report looked good, so I grabbed by bodyboard and my camera and went to the beach. I decided to shoot first but after an hour I had to go in. I'm no teenager anymore, so a few good poundings in the shorebreak and I was done. Here are a few photos from this mornings, plenty more are at www.samellis.com/surf. These guys were having some serious fun!

TRASH THE DRESS!!!

2008-08-10T17:54:00.000-07:00

For those who aren't in the know, a recent bridal trend is to wear the wedding dress (after the wedding) in places your parents would NEVER dream of wearing it. It's called Trash The Dress and it's very cool to contrast the formality of a wedding dress with no-so-clean places.

Maggie was my first willing participant. We weren't able to schedule an engagement session for them, so we made up for it by doing a TTD session! We started off pretty slow, getting some shots we weren't able to get at the wedding due to time. Then we went to downtown Lewes, DE and got some interesting shots around town before getting a "little wet". Then it was off to the beach for the real deal. Below are some of the initial photos, There's more on my website and more will be uploaded soon!

Thanks Maggie! Anyone else want to give it a shot? Prom dresses are cool to do it to also :)

Acadia National Park and Bar Harbor, Maine

2008-07-24T21:09:00.000-07:00

I finally went to Acadia National Park! I've wanted to go there since I started taking photography seriously, it's such a beautiful place! Below are just a few of the photos taken while up there, more will be posted in my online gallery soon. Most of my favorites are from the morning I went out to catch the sunrise and explore on my own. Nature photography is what got me hooked on photography to start with and weddings and portraits evolved from that love of pictures.

It was a great trip for the whole family. Ryan loved hiking the trails and climbing on the rocks, Gina loved the pool, Tara and I loved everything except the drive (15 hours to get home)! Ryan and Gina are now officially "Junior Rangers" after completing various tasks and being sworn in. They learned a lot from the various ranger-led programs we attended and booklets they completed. They were both great when we decided to take a loooong hike through the trails, parts of which were pretty challenging for kids.

The nice thing is that Bar Harbor (Bah Habah) is practically part of the park, so there's lots of options for dining and other things. We explored the sandbar that appears at low tide, went whale watching and saw humpback and finback whales, shopped, ate, and had lots of fun in town.

Sunrise on Bar Harbor

Sunrise on Sand Beach
Sunrise along the coast
Trail

What a fun job!

2008-06-25T21:18:00.000-07:00

I've gotten several thank-you cards, emails, and comments lately about how happy people are with my work. This is one of the most satisfying "jobs" I've ever had. Not that teaching doesn't have it's moments.

One thing that people comment a lot on is that they can tell I enjoy what I'm doing. Weddings are such a fun time, how can I not enjoy myself? Even when doing the posed formal shots of the wedding party, I'm having fun. I think that by having fun myself, it helps the subjects to relax.

Then there's the group I worked with yesterday from Colorado. At one point, I had to stop taking pictures because I was laughing too hard! They referenced a comedy bit I heard on the Bob and Tom radio show about dolphins...I can't say anything more about it but it's FUNNY!

I love the creative energy I get at weddings. Sometimes there's some little thing that will spark an idea and lead to a great photo. Yesterday's couple had two surfboards standing in the sand as a backdrop for their ceremony. While we were moving around setting up a group photo, the bride's shadow silhouetted on one of the boards for a split second and it led me to create this shot:

After the storm

2008-06-01T17:29:00.000-07:00

A pretty decent thunderstorm passed by today and as it was winding down, I looked out a west window and saw the most amazing colors in the sky. I grabbed the camera and the kids and drove to the end of our street. These photos are the result. Only in-camera exposure adjustments were made, no Photoshopping. Click on a photo for a larger view.

It reminds me of something Pastor Andy said last week. Nobody ever looks at something like this and says "look at how the molecules in the sky and the light, and the clouds just HAPPENED to come together to make that." No, they say look what God created! That's what Ryan, Gina, and I said tonight- Look at what God created.

Senior portrait time!

2008-05-30T15:26:00.001-07:00

The class of 2008 is out the door, it's time for the class of 2009! It's time to start thinking about your senior portraits. Sam Ellis Photography is now offering senior portraits and is looking for senior ambassadors from Indian River, Sussex Tech, Cape Henlopen, Stephen Decatur, Worcester Prep, and other area schools!

So what's a senior portrait session going to cost me? $200 for starters. That gets you a studio sitting for the formal photo and some candids, and an outdoor candid sitting (beach, athletic field, golf course, or wherever you like). That doesn't mean you get one photo each, we'll take lots of variety and let you change outfits a couple times. Each sitting is for about an hour (an hour in the studio and an hour outside). You also get 100 wallets, 2 5x7s, and 1 8x10 (up to three different images). Additional prints may be purchased a-la-carte, but editing charges do apply for each additional photo you would like retouched.

So what does an ambassador get? Each school can have one male and one female ambassador who gets 50% off their initial package (listed above). You also get 16 additional wallets OR a 5x7 for each referral that books with us.

Interested? Send me an email at sam@samellis.com.

Rehoboth Beach Country Club wedding

2008-05-27T05:26:00.000-07:00

This was definitely one of my favorite weddings ever! The weather created the perfect backdrop to a beautiful setting and a beautiful couple. Here are a few pictures, there are more here.

Beautiful Salero weddings!

2008-05-11T13:09:00.000-07:00

Brandon and I have been lucky to have two weddings in two weeks at Salero in Rehoboth. Salero is definitely one of my FAVORITE places to shoot a beach wedding. The beach is off the beaten path, so there's not a lot of "extra guests" to worry about. After the ceremony, it's just a short elevator ride to the reception- no traffic, no limo, no hassles. Just go upstairs. When you get upstairs, the view of the beach is unlike anything else in coastal Delaware. You can see all the way to Cape May.

Since Salero is on top of the Henlopen Hotel, everyone can stay right there. Many people make it a whole wedding weekend- rehearsal on Friday, wedding on Saturday, and brunch on Sunday. I haven't had brunch there yet, so I can't rave about it. Hmmmm, I think they need some professional photos of their brunch buffet, then I could tell people how wonderful it is!

Speaking of food, that's the real reason I love Salero. David is an AMAZING chef. I'll admit that one of the biggest perks about being a wedding photographer is the great meals we get to eat, and we always look forward to Salero. It doesn't matter if it's a plated dinner or buffet, it's all awesome. The new chop salad- phenomenal. Steaks, seafood, pasta, or chicken, I'll take anything they're serving plus any extra I can take home in a doggy bag...uh, for my wife.

If you're looking for a location for a beach wedding, go with Salero, you won't be disappointed.

Check out these photos from a recent Salero wedding:

That's Laslo, he's quite the cut-up!

The Fountains

2008-04-04T20:25:00.000-07:00

There is a great venue in Salisbury, MD that's been around for a while, but I finally got a chance to do a wedding in recently. The Fountains, right on Rt. 50 on the east side of town is just an amazing place.
First, the staff is outstanding, especially Kim Heath. They are really there for the bride and groom, but also make it easy for the vendors. They have their own sound system for the dj, he loved not having to haul his big equipment there, just his laptops and mixing board. The space is very well thought out with a HUGE bridal suite and comfortable groom's suite. Sometimes the bride and her girls get ready in church Sunday School rooms or nurseries, this was an elegant switch! It was a well thought out space and very comfortable for any size wedding party.
They even have a dress form for the wedding dress. I think that was my favorite thing about the place. It made it easy to get great photos of the dress without having to figure out where to hang it and how to hide the ugly plastic hanger. To me, that tells me that they really care about the entire experience for their guests.
I can't end without mentioning the food- awesome! As it turns out, I know one of the chefs. She's a former student at the high school I teach at and her mother is one of our secretaries. I'll admit that one of the great things about being a wedding photographer is the great meals I get to have :) This was one of the best.
If you're shopping around for just the right location for a reception, or even the wedding, check out The Fountains. You won't be disappointed.

RADIO SPOT!

2008-03-24T19:06:00.000-07:00

I've got an ad playing on KISS 105.5 FM! Roxi is the afternoon DJ there and I'm shooting her wedding this weekend. We did a trade-of-services for some radio spots for part of her wedding package. I never would have thought about doing radio ads before, but I figured it was a good opportunity to try it out. The spot will play for three weeks, this week and for two more when she comes back from her honeymoon.

Not only is Roxi a popular dj, but her fiance is Phil Ritchie! He was on Rock Star Supernova a few years back, kinda cool. It should be an interesting wedding!

Click play below to listen to it. Let me know if hear the ad!

Go ahead, Make My Day

2008-03-18T15:42:00.000-07:00

I had a meeting in Milford today and made a point to stop in and see some friends of mine at Make My Day Events and More. These two are awesome wedding and party coordinators! I had the opportunity to see them in action last year when I was helping a friend of mine shoot a wedding. I've never seen more detail-oriented people, they had things scheduled to the minute, but weren't pushy about keeping on schedule.

I've had the opportunity to work with a few different wedding coordinators and I have to say that it makes a huge difference for the bride. If you are from out of town, it's even more critical. In this ever-increasingly busy world, it's a tough to plan a wedding. I hear ALL THE TIME from brides that it's more work than they thought. Make My Day has packages for "day of" coordination to handling every detail and you just show up. OK, maybe that's a stretch, but they can take care of MOST decisions for you.

Contact them for a FREE consultation. makemydayevents@yahoo.com, 302-422-9744, or toll free at 877-MKMYDAY.

Most memorable wedding moment

2008-02-25T17:33:00.000-08:00

I was recently interviewed by Delaware Bride Magazine editor Kaytie Dowling for a short blurb on wedding photographers in Delaware. One of the questions was, "what was your most memorable moment at a wedding?" Now, I was talking to her from Disney World, so my mind wasn't focused on weddings at the time and I couldn't come up with anything that jumped out at me. Naturally, I came up with a few things AFTER I hung up the phone, so I thought I'd share them here.

1. I had a couple from Ireland hire me for their wedding in Ocean City. We emailed back and forth, talked on the phone, etc. but I hadn't met them until the day of the wedding. I was talking to some of their family members at the reception and found out they lived in California and Colorado. So I asked why they chose to have their wedding in OC since nobody was from here. I thought maybe they had met while working in OC as students or something romantic like that...nope, Maryland was a central location between Ireland and California! They figured if everyone had to travel, they might as well meet in the middle!

2. I photographed another wedding for a Kansas City couple who used to live near DC. They wanted to have their wedding in Ocean City since they spent a lot of time there. This was another couple I didn't meet until the week of their wedding, but we had spoken on the phone quite a bit and I had a very difficult time understanding their thick Ethiopian accents. They explained they were going to have a traditional Catholic wedding with Ethiopian customs interwoven into the ceremony. I didn't think anything of it, but when the ceremony started, not a word of it was in English! At the reception, I had to ask people what the DJ was announcing so I didn't miss anything. I REALLY felt bad for the videographer, I couldn't imagine trying to edit footage from two cameras and not be able to listen match the dialog from one tape to another.

That's it, the most interesting stories from the weddings I've done so far. Thankfully, there hasn't been anything too dramatic that's worthy of an episode of Bridezillas.

Delaware Bride

2008-02-14T18:01:00.000-08:00

I had a photo from one of my favorite weddings posted in the most recent issue of Delaware Bride! Christi and Ryan were married back in September at the Indian River Lifesaving Station Museum and they were such a joy to work with. They had such great chemistry with each other that taking their photo was effortless.
Delaware Bride also did short interviews of several Delaware photographers, including yours truly. Look for it on newstands everywhere, but I did have a hard time finding it around Bethany Beach.
There's also a great article on wedding planning featuring my friends at Make My Day Events. If you're planning a wedding, Kacie and Leanne can help you keep your sanity!

2008 is off to a great start!

2008-02-09T06:12:00.001-08:00

2007 was a fantastic year! I met some amazing couples, their families, and their friends. I consider myself incredibly fortunate to be a wedding photographer, it's so much FUN! The business has grown tremendously this past year, more weddings, more equipment, and a full-time second photographer. Brandon works every wedding with me and is a huge help and provides extra coverage of the event.

This is shaping up to be an even better year. My goal was to do 25 weddings and I've booked 22 so far with four more in the works. I certainly don't mind going over my goal, but I am limiting how many I do so I don't spread myself too thin. I had some insane weekends last year with multiple weddings and it took me a while to get caught up on all the post-processing and album fulfillment.

There are still some fall dates open and I'm currently getting inquiries for winter and even 2009! If you are planning a wedding, don't wait to start securing your vendors, in some cases you may even save money by booking early before prices increase.