Overlooking the famous Neapolitan Mount Vesuvius at sunset, Rossella e Raffaele celebrated at the lovely Hotel Corallo on the devine Sorrento Coast. With Vespa & Jimmy Choo, the Italian bride and groom detailed their wedding with all class.
Wedding Portraiture – Florence – Italy
Ideas on ways to save without anyone noticing – part 02
4.have a destination wedding
They are great weeder, meaning you won’t have to invite half the people you would usually have to. Depending where you live it can be much cheaper too.
5.don’t waste money on nonsense
Seems simple enough but let me give you an example. Those disposable cameras take terrible pictures and are expensive. I often see brides who buy a selection of headpieces but to use only one. Let’s face it, us girls are good at focusing on the details and in doing so loose site of what kinds of investments will actually be worth something one day.
Time to work – part 02
If you want images that look like they belong in fashion magazine 30 minutes is the minimum time you can expect to invest. Often things run late, and then I have to do all the groups and portraits in ten minutes. So I rush everyone about, end up being late, the guests and chef hate me and the bride would like to know why her pictures don’t look like “Amanda and Dylan’s”. Well Amanda and Dylan gave me literally 6 hours to shoot their portraits. Exaggeration? Perhaps but the photographs rock.
The runaway bride and groom …5 things to remember, so you can make the most it. #4
4) Pay close attention to your appearance. The details will become an important feature in your photos, and will be the things you want to look back on – shoes, flowers, cufflinks, hair, makeup, the vows. Remember …It’s the little things.
A checklist when hiring a wedding photographer
1 check references by phone and email
2. See individual wedding albums not just portfolios, it’s easy to do a good portfolio but hard to produce lots of good images on one day.
3. Look around and compare to be sure of your choice
4. Make sure they offer you a binding contract
5. Make sure you know who will shoot your wedding and see images shot by that person
6. Ask other service providers what they think of the photographer; usually where there is smoke there is fire
7. Do not hire someone rude or arrogant, it will ruin your day
8. Look for someone kind, charming, gentile and sensitive
9. It’s often better to have a photographer who speaks your language or at least speak theirs, communication is essential
10. Look for a photographer who is interested in your ideas and is flexible with his/her style
11. Remember photographers who offer large discounts and highly reduced rates are not working a lot. This could be that they are very talented and just starting out. In which case you are lucky. But usually it means they don’t have bookings.
Digital Retouching
Before & After
Ever been disappointed with how you look in photographs? Perhaps your skin has a tendency to look shiny and you hate the bags under your eyes.
Or perhaps it your body that makes you feel self-conscious in front of the camera. So what if you could ban your potbelly, the loose skin on your upper arms and that birthmark on your back from attending your wedding?
At JoAnne Dunn Photography, we can fix all the little things that bug you about your appearance—that untimely spot, the bump on your nose, even the extra padding around your waist. Using modern technology we’ll give you all the advantages supermodels have been enjoying for years in glossy magazines.
Don’t worry; you will still look like yourself after we’re done. The re-touching will be done carefully, so as to not change your personal beauty. You won’t even see the changes, unless you have the original photo to compare with.
This is how it works: After your wedding, each image is selected and analysed by various computer programmes to highlight the areas we can improve. In some images, we will subtly suggest the mood of the day. We will go over every image to bring back the sparkle and achieve a fine art look to the images.
You will have these photographs to treasure forever, so you deserve them to perfect. Just tell us what you want, and we promise to blow you away.
Some more examples of what we can do using digital re-touching:
- We can remove eyesores that might be in the way of the perfect view (e.g. wire lines, shadows, cranes, or pillars)
- Using Photoshop we can magic away dirty marks on your suit, an unexpected pimple or those nasty summer mosquito bites.
- It is impossible for anyone to have a great smile, with open eyes and perfect positioning in every picture. We can make small enhancements to correct imperfections, like whitening teeth or slimming flabby arms.
- We can slim you down and add a little glow to your skin. We can gently make a large nose seem a little less so without changing it so much that no one will recognise you.
- Sometimes, there will be people in lovely couple or family shots that shouldn’t be there (like your brothers ex-girlfriend who turned out to be a psycho). We can play with your photos and remove these ‘extra’ people.
Or perhaps it your body that makes you feel self-conscious in front of the camera. So what if you could ban your potbelly, the loose skin on your upper arms and that birthmark on your back from attending your wedding?
At JoAnne Dunn Photography, we can fix all the little things that bug you about your appearance—that untimely spot, the bump on your nose, even the extra padding around your waist. Using modern technology we’ll give you all the advantages supermodels have been enjoying for years in glossy magazines.
Don’t worry; you will still look like yourself after we’re done. The re-touching will be done carefully, so as to not change your personal beauty. You won’t even see the changes, unless you have the original photo to compare with.
This is how it works: After your wedding, each image is selected and analysed by various computer programmes to highlight the areas we can improve. In some images, we will subtly suggest the mood of the day. We will go over every image to bring back the sparkle and achieve a fine art look to the images.
You will have these photographs to treasure forever, so you deserve them to perfect. Just tell us what you want, and we promise to blow you away.
Some more examples of what we can do using digital re-touching:
- We can remove eyesores that might be in the way of the perfect view (e.g. wire lines, shadows, cranes, or pillars)
- Using Photoshop we can magic away dirty marks on your suit, an unexpected pimple or those nasty summer mosquito bites.
- It is impossible for anyone to have a great smile, with open eyes and perfect positioning in every picture. We can make small enhancements to correct imperfections, like whitening teeth or slimming flabby arms.
- We can slim you down and add a little glow to your skin. We can gently make a large nose seem a little less so without changing it so much that no one will recognise you.
- Sometimes, there will be people in lovely couple or family shots that shouldn’t be there (like your brothers ex-girlfriend who turned out to be a psycho). We can play with your photos and remove these ‘extra’ people.
The list is endless, so it would be better to show you some examples. In this section of the website we have a few photographs of models. The pictures explain the value of touching up.
Why use a wedding planner?
Whether your wedding is taking place in a castle with 200 guests, or on an intimate beach with only your closest loved ones, it is always a good idea to hire a wedding planner. Here are our top reasons why:
1. A wedding planner will have reliable and trusted contacts at their fingertips, from florists and venues to photographers, hairdressers, make up artists and musicians. Even the dry cleaners to iron your dress will be sourced from the very best.
2. You’ll have someone on the ground that you can trust. Your planner can help with things that need be tested and approved—like site inspections, measurements, and fresh flower arrangements.
3. You are likely to get better service if your planner has been a long-term client of a hotel, florist or photographer.
4. A wedding planner will keep an eye on situations that might affect your day—anything from weather, best transport timetables and options, road closures, local festivals or events.
5. Your wedding planner will take care of all the last minute hiccups, leaving you and your relatives to get on with enjoying your day.
6. If you are getting married abroad, your wedding planner can provide a translation service—either themselves or through an interpreter—to avoid the stress and confusion caused by language barriers.
7. Using a planner will ensure that your wedding observes local rules, regulations and codes of conduct. Can you release fireworks at your chosen venue? Or wear a deep cut dress to church? Your wedding planner will know the answers.
8. Getting a marriage license can involve a lot of complex administration, especially if you get married abroad. A wedding planner can get documents stamped, signed, translated and delivered to you, without passing on the stress.
9. Hiring a wedding planner won’t break the bank. You pay the same fees to service providers as you would if you booked it yourself, and you will only pay the wedding planner for her time.
In short, everybody works harder and everything goes a lot smoother when there is a wedding planner around!
Joanne Dunn
Favourite towns and venues on the Amalfi coast #1
Ravello – Close to heaven
The charismatic and picturesque town of Ravello perches on a cliff 350 metres above the sea. The sharp drop gives the impression of looking down from a window in the sky. Its piazzas and terraces offer countless gorgeous panorama views of the Amalfi coastline, the endless Mediterranean, and surrounding vineyards and lush gardens.
Ravello was an important town of the Maritime Republic of Amalfi, a trading power in the Mediterranean region between 800 and 1200 AD. It has also been a cultural hotspot in the twentieth century, and has been a favourite of great artists and writers including E. M. Foster and Virginia Woolf.
Ravello is a place of music. In the summer, concerts are held in the village¬¬ in styles ranging from jazz to opera. They are performed in front of sea, sky, clouds, mist, specks of colour and light from March to November.
Ultimate venue idea
Villa Cimbrone – Villa Cimbrone is the crème de la crème of what the Amalfi Coast has to offer. Views, sea, sun and sky all mix to create that magical ambiance for your day. The exquisite palace mixes the understated luxury of an elite venue with the intimate and romantic ambiance of a family-run hotel. Marry in the open air in the splendid gardens with breathtaking views, or in the elegant rooms in historical surroundings that date back almost a thousand years.
The earliest records of the Villa Cimbrone date to the eleventh century. As a patrician villa, it belonged to a noble family called Accongiogioco and then to the Fusco, a wealthy and influential family related to the Pitti of Florence and the Angio of Naples. But around the seventeenth century, the fate of the villa becomes unclear.
It was an Englishman, William Beckett, who purchased the villa in 1904 with the intention of making it “the most gorgeous place in the world”. With the help of Nicola Mansi, a local, Beckett transformed it into a fortified palace with towers, battlements and a mixture of Arabic, Venetian and Gothic details. Between the house and the cliff edge he built a garden, high above the Gulf of Salerno. The garden is an eccentric mixture of formal English rosebeds, Moorish tea houses, picturesque grottoes and classical temples.
The villa’s reputation for intimate romance is second to none—it was the setting for the famous elopement of actress Greta Garbo and Leopold Stokowsky in 1938. Over the years, it has housed some of the greatest minds of modern times. It was a favourite of the London Bloomsbury set, and former guests include Virginia Woolf, D. H. Lawrence and Winston Churchill.
A sparkling jewel in a class of its own, Villa Cimbrone provides a unique setting for your wedding day.
Other venue ideas
Villa Eva – A romantic villa surrounded by a park of over 3000 square metres and beautiful gardens. It offers a view of the incomparable scenery of the Amalfi Coast and is a wonderfully tranquil spot.
Palazzo Sasso – This is a stunning five-star deluxe hotel that overlooks some of the Amalfi Coast’s most picturesque fishing villages. The hotel is a 12th century Italian villa whose beauty and tranquillity have inspired many famous personalities. General Eisenhower was a resident when he was planning the attack on Monte Cassino, and former guests remember Ingrid Bergman and Roberto Rossellini giggling over dinner in the restaurant.
Hotel Caruso – Narrow alleys carved between stucco-fronted houses and a deluge of steps lead you to Hotel Caruso. Have your wedding set against the panoramic views of the Mediterranean Sea or directly on a private section of its lush terraced gardens. The breathtaking views of the Amalfi Coast guarantee that your wedding will be special.
Hotel Palumbo – From the enchanting gardens of this lovingly restored medieval palazzo, your gaze can wander out to the furthest point of the Gulf of Salerno, the Cilento Coast and the archaeological inland area of Paestum. The astounding blues of sky and sea are enhanced by the intense green of the hotel’s Mediterranean gardens.
Mamma Agata – For an exciting and different epicurean experience, Mamma Agata is the perfect spot. Situated high above the Amalfi Coast, it boasts terraces with views of the cliffs of Ravello cascading down to the sea. This famous and favourite location makes for a personal and intimate wedding.
Magical Places and Spaces
At JoAnne Dunn Photography, we have the privilege of shooting weddings in some of the most beautiful places in the world. Many of our clients travel great distances and spend small fortunes to share with their loved ones their love of a particular part of the world.
To honour this commitment, we take care to carefully describe the place chosen for each and every wedding we shoot. At the end of the day, our photos will include not only gorgeous shots of your wedding, but also the surroundings—beautiful landscapes and environments, at different times of day.
Our location shots help to set your wedding in context, both in time and space. The architecture, land and sky will be portrayed so that everyone watching the photos will be cast under the same spell that first caught you.
Joanne Dunn
Timefull Classics
Clients often tell us that they want timeless photographs. What a strange thing to request! Washing away unique time stamp images, only makes the photos weak tools for bringing back memories.
At JoAnne Dunn Photography we aim to produce ‘timefull’ images that evoke memories and capture what the people in them were like when they were taken. Photos that tell a story about the time, the location and the love shared by the wedding couple.
We know that when people ask for timeless photos, they really mean classic. But classic wedding images need not be cheesy or embarrassing, or detached from the ‘time fullness’ of your wedding day. We prefer to define a classic wedding image as a little quieter but stylish with a hint of romance. Although we still take a relaxed and natural approach to posing we may request you to kiss, or walk through a gorgeous puddle of sunshine.
Joanne Dunn
Insiders Guide to the Amalfi Coast – part 04
Positano
By foot or by boat
Positano is a tiny town without cars and only three thousand seven hundred inhabitants. It can only be reached by foot from the above. One walks down many little stairs and hilly pathways down the sides of the Lattari Mountains which crown it. Walking down at a pace a little faster than a stroll, due to the sharp decline, finally one reaches the volcanic sand beach. Nestled and protected in the arms of the mountains, the tiny rectangular coloured houses spread themselves half way up the mountain lazing in the sunshine. On a clear day, if you look out to sea you will clearly see the islands Punta Licosa and Capri. Just another six kilometres out to sea you would find three little islands collectively called the “Sirenuse”. As the name would suggest legend has it that their shallows are inhabited by bewitching Syrians. One thing is certain, that this place is so exquisite in its situation; the imagination can’t help but get over excited.
Fishermen and seafarers, they were some of the very first to set sail to America. Some to become very wealthy and later returned, even if only for the holidays. Positano was quickly discovered after the Second World War by the discerning American traveller. By the sixties it was the fashionable hide away of the wealthy, with visitors like Any Warhol. Much like Capri is today. Fashion has always had an on going love story with Positano. It was the first town, in Italy, where the bikini was introduced in nineteen fifty nine.
I love Positano because it is slightly more difficult to get to, there are fewer tourists and early morning you will find an old man hanging over the side of his boat trying to catch octopus. In the late afternoon his friends will sit together and sew their nets. It’s ridiculously pretty and one has the impression that change hasn’t been around for ages. Italy the way I fanaticised it would be. But the fantasy in its natural form is rare. Positano seems to be a legend of the Mediterranean Sea caught in a little protective cove.
One of the best ways to see a place is to be guided by some one who lives there, if they love the land all the better. Only as I wrote did I realise how very in-love with the Amalfi coast I am. Place of sea, sky and mountains. Place of tastes, music, song, dance and art. This is the Amalfi coast as I know her; divine and delicious. Naturally.
Joanne Dunn
15 good reasons to get married in Italy
1. Weddings are an institution in Italy and therefore are super organised. Large Italian weddings are notorious all over the world (they take their traditions with them where ever they go). So everybody from wedding planners, venues, hairdressers and florists work a lot. Practise makes perfect and so it’s safe to say Italy offers some of the world’s finest wedding service providers.
2. Italy is seriously beautiful from Lake Como (where George Clooney lives) to Sardinia and everywhere in between. It seems to have many worlds contained in one, so no matter what your taste, your desires can be satisfied.
3. The food is amazing and is so varied from one neighbouring town to the other. Johnny Depp can be quoted as once saying “it hard to get a bad meal in Italy”.
4. It’s about as romantic as it can get. From the old architecture to the old folks sitting watching on the piazza. Can’t really beat Italy for a little bit of “amore”.
5. If you like fireworks Italy has a long fireworks tradition and just about any venue can organise a fireworks display.
6. The live music which is available is quite astounding even in little towns like Ravello. You can find just about anything imaginable from classic to jazz, from Opera to Hip Hop. Just as Justin Timberlake discovered last summer when he was caught getting down to the tunes of the local Ravello DJ at Villa Cimbrone.
7. Delicious wine and “prosecco”.
8. Some of the most beautiful cities in the world are in Italy. Cities adored with amazing architecture and art. The streets bustle with life and history. Hours can be spent sipping wine at the café on the piazza.
9. The weather is mild and a delight with most of the rain coming in Autumn and winter. But we do not recommend August because it can get very hot.
10. Venues which are quite sublime, there is with something for everyone.
11. It’s a great people ‘weeder’. The reason so many couples choose destination weddings, is that for the same price of having a big ‘come all’ wedding back home, they can have a smaller wedding with only those they really want at the wedding.
12. All your guests will be in a holiday spirit and way from their reality. They are therefore far more likely to let down their hair and kick off their shoes. SO not only will you be giving your guests a dream wedding to attend but also a little holiday in the mix.
13. Italians understand and love, LOVE. The have written, sang and died in the name of love for centuries. They are a passionate and emotional bunch, if you are in love you will feel at home.
14. Italians are warm and very hospitable. They welcome foreigners and pride themselves on being friendly. Doesn’t hurt that the men are shall we say sensitive to a girls need for a little attention.
15. Italians are known for their style and taste. Which will naturally be infused into your wedding and there is absolutely nothing wrong with that.
Letters to brides after their weddings…
When it was suggested I start my own blog I couldn’t help but wonder what would I write. Even if I did think of anything, who would be crazy enough to read my babbling. But after giving it some thought I realise I often write letters to brides in my head after their weddings. Sometimes I wish I could tell couples all the bits I learn along the way but being an international photographer, there is seldom enough time to get to know my clients.
So if you are planning to wear white anytime soon, you too may find my blog useful, no matter who will be doing your images. Hints and ideas to make your day go smoothly, help with choosing wedding venues and planners in Italy and tasty bits like looking your best in front of the camera.
We don’t just shoot weddings. It may help to build your confidence in our team if I let you know what we get up to when we not shooting weddings. The blog will include news of our travels, awards, publications and exhibitions around the globe.
I believe that the more the subject understands all that is involved in creating great pictures, the better the pictures will be. I have come to realize that a blog would be a great place where we could chat about what goes into making a great picture. I can show you how we work and what options are available to you when choosing wedding photography styles and packages.
The more confidence you have in who is taking your picture, the more comfortable you will feel in front of the camera. So let’s try to understand each other and please feel free to post any input or comments. All feedback is greatly appreciated and all questions will be answered.
With adoration and gratitude I dedicate my blog to my brides. The women who make my world go round.
JoAnne Dunn