Andrea McDaniel Photography's Blog

Kandis & Adam Married | Orange Beach AL Wedding Photographer | Destin FL Wedding Photographer

AJM Photography — Thu, 17 May 2012 20:43:58 +0000

Adam and Kandis had an intimate wedding with just a handful of close friends and family. I love nice intimate weddings because it really gives me the chance to feel truly connected with my bride and groom and everyone else involved. What’s more, all I could hear during the whole ceremony while the pastor was talking were the waves crashing against the shore and sea gulls flying over us. I kept thinking to myself, they are blessed, they are really blessed. And I said to myself, we are all blessed.

The biggest reward of being a wedding photographer to me is the many hugs I receive from my bride and groom as I depart at the end of their wedding. That right there makes me realize how beautiful people really are and why I love what I do.

Tena & Keith say I do | Orange Beach, AL. & Destin Florida Wedding Photographer

AJM Photography — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 23:29:35 +0000

I am always truly blessed to be a part of the many weddings I photograph along the Gulf Coast. Tena and Keith were referred to me by a past bride from last year and we hit it off right away. There was an inordinate amount of joy and happiness all around, from the bride to the thrilled but nervous husband, to the very excited proud and happy families. It was such a beautiful day. And the wedding took place at a location in Orange Beach that in my 4 years of shooting weddings along there I’ve never photographed before. The location is actually hidden (which I passed the road many times) and I think I’m going to keep it my little secret now that I know exist. I hope you are able to share a little of their joy by viewing a small portion of their beautiful day.

Why I love the beach Santa Rosa Beach Florida Family and Wedding Photographer | We are moving!

AJM Photography — Fri, 06 Apr 2012 17:41:55 +0000

We Are Moving!!!

Many of us retreat to the beach to refresh our minds and senses. All of our daily stress seems to melt away once we get the first sniff of salt air and hear the sounds of the ocean waves washing up on the shore. I love the beach. I needed the beach yesterday, I need the beach every day. Fortunately enough I am able to sink my toes into that wet sand on a daily basis. I couldn’t imagine not seeing sea oats, palm trees, gorgeous green water, beautiful white sand, wetlands, and amazing sunsets. I grew up in the resort town of Gulf Shores, Alabama. I got married and moved away for many years but brought my husband back to my home town 9 years ago and we thought we’d never leave this sleepy little town. But things change, jobs change and here we are about to move to South Walton County Florida. Santa Rosa Beach to me is breathtaking. Located on 30A away from the hustle and bustle of 98, I’ve honestly never seen so many beautiful towering sand dunes, lakes and crystal clear water in my entire life. This is paradise and I never want to leave. I thought Gulf Shores was beautiful and don’t get me wrong, it is, but I think I have found my permanent home and my 4 girls are going to enjoy growing up where the sun shines a ton!

I cannot wait to do my first session on these gorgeous beaches. When we are completely settled in our new house be sure to be ready for many local pictures because you know me, I am going to be one picture happy person for a while. I will still be available for Weddings in Gulf Shores, Alabama but will no longer be able to take family sessions. If you need a referral for a quality beach family photographer I have one I can highly recommend who is very similar in style and price to me. As you know weddings are my passion and I Will continue to cover Gulf Shores and Orange Beach Alabama as well as our new home area of Santa Rosa Beach, Destin, Watercolor, Grayton Beach, Blue Mountain Beach, Seaside, Rosemary and all the scenic 30A areas of Florida.

If you are vacationing in the area be sure visit my website to schedule a session. I may be new to the area but I’ve been photographing families and weddings on the gulf coast for over 4 years.

No post is complete without a picture so enjoy these from my last session with Drue and Jay in Orange Beach Alabama.

Magnolia Manor Wedding Mobile AL Wedding Photographer

AJM Photography — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 02:12:09 +0000

Braeden and Ashley’s wedding was truly remarkable. The Magnolia Manor in Mobile, AL played a wonderful backdrop to their amazing wedding because of its true southern charm and elegance. Despite the nasty weather that day, things progressed very smoothly when everything had to be moved indoors.

Krista & Josh Engaged! Foley & Orange Beach AL Engagement Photographer

AJM Photography — Sat, 18 Feb 2012 02:24:24 +0000

Josh and Krista are getting married this October and I am so excited for their wedding. First because they are such a fun couple, and second because their wedding & reception are at a place I have never shot before and I absolutely love shooting in new places! This non winter we’ve had allowed us to shoot by the water without it being too cold or looking too gloomy! They even got their feet wet that’s how warm it’s been. Congrats Krista & Josh, I cant wait until October.

Gulf Shores AL Newborn Photographer

AJM Photography — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 17:41:10 +0000

Last year I took a break from photographing newborns and at the beginning of the year I reintroduced the All New Baby Plan with a special price and special discounts for members only. I can’t get over the response I’ve had and am overjoyed with the pleasure of getting to spend time with such precious sweet little bundles of joy.

There are many things that I absolutely love about photographing newborns…from the posing and style to comforting each little bundle so they know their time with me will be a safe and calm adventure. Every session can vary depending on the newborn so don’t expect a rushed session.

Jars, Jars and more Jars Gulf Shores Beach Wedding Photographer

AJM Photography — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 21:09:13 +0000

Being a wedding photographer I have the opportunity to witness the uniqueness and craftiness of many of my brides. They never seem to amaze me with some of the ideas they come up with but one thing I do see a lot of is the use of jars.

Jars are awesome because they can be used in the most obvious ways and you can really change the look of the jar depending on what you use to decorate or fill it with. They are great for vintage weddings, filling with flowers, using as candle holders, sand even acorns for fall weddings. They can be used as center pieces, isle runners, beverage glasses and the list goes on.

all pictures by Jennifer Bullock Photography and AJM Photography

used by permission. (all images and text on this entire blog are copyright protected)

Just Engaged! Now What? AJM Photography Gulf Shores AL Wedding Photographer

AJM Photography — Sat, 07 Jan 2012 02:45:06 +0000

Congratulations, you said yes but now what do you do?

First, take a deep breath and enjoy the moment. Spend some quiet time with just you and your fiance. And then take another deep breath and process everything again.

Think about what type of wedding you want. Do you guys want a formal, casual, destination or something simple and classic? When will your special day be? If you don’t have a date yet thats ok, but think about a season and that will help you with planning everything else. When you think about the location, ask yourself if you want to get married in your hometown, where you currently live, or in a romantic destination location? Is a white sandy beach or other outdoor location something you’ve always envisioned? Let your wedding be an expression of you, your lifestyles and absolute love for each other.

When you start to plan, remember this one thing–Don’t plan so fast. I have heard so many sad stories from brides that got caught up in a whirlwind of excitement, didn’t do their homework and had already put down a non-refundable retainer/deposit for a vendor that they now have to settle for that they wish they had never booked. So please, please, please slow down and think before paying that deposit.

However, Do not hesitate if you know that you just have to have a certain vendor or two. Be sure to book those vendors that you just cannot imagine having your wedding without. If there is a certain photographer, videographer, DJ or musician, be sure to retain them early because those vendors are the ones who’s calendars fill up fast, sometimes six months to a year in advance.

If you are planning a destination wedding it can sometimes be scary because your main communication will be over the internet via email and you may never meet your vendor until the day of your wedding. I’m here to give you some tips on how to ask the right questions and how to know you are getting top quality. Beings I am a photographer, my main focus is, of course, going to be on photography but the questions and steps can also be applied to other vendors as well.

The most important thing I can’t stress enough is to do your research and choose wisely. Ask questions before choosing and don’t choose based on who gives you the most hours for the cheapest price, there is always a reason for that price. Ask questions like:

Do you have backup equipment
Do you have a business license (don’t be afraid to ask to see it!)
Do you take other photos in addition to your style
Who will be the lead photographer (if there is more than 1 shooter)
How do you prepare for the day of the wedding
How long have you been in business
Whats the possibility of my prints fading if I order from you
If my package comes with digital files, how do I print them
What is your time frame for completed pictures
What is your overtime rate
What about extra items like albums and prints (if they aren’t included in the package you choose)
Are you opposed to requests for certain shots I may want

Don’t be shy… tell the photographer what you want.

Make sure the photographer you choose meets the following criteria that you want:

Personality (after all you will be working with this photographer all day)
Style
Packages
Price
Testimonials
Flexibility

A little about us: Andrea McDaniel Photography

AJM Photography — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 01:30:57 +0000

As I had promised in my previous post I would start introducing more personal posts into my blog and what better way to do so than with a little bit of info about who we are.

My husband, Allan, and I specialize as engagement, wedding and family beach photographers here in the Gulf Shores area of Alabama, but also travel all over the coast from Destin Florida to Mississippi and all points in between.

We have four beautiful girls that are everything to us. They range in age from 3 1/2 to 14. I started taking pictures shortly after the birth of my last little girl in 2008 and quickly realized that beach and wedding photography were my passion. Allan started in 2010 when I became too busy to handle all the weddings on my own. I went from small weddings to elaborate 8 plus hour weddings that required more than one photographer, and who better to bring aboard than my wonderful husband. I am that fun, energetic, easy going person that loves a challenge when it comes to capturing memories. You will find me on the floor in that awkward position capturing the perfect angle for the moment. I don’t force my clients to be stiff and smile on command, I let them be themselves which, in return, brings out their true personalities and is reflected in all the images you see in my blogs and on my website.

One thing that we love to do as a couple is, honestly, shoot a wedding together. Every wedding is unique and while I’m capturing all the important details of the wedding party, my husband is silently capturing shots of Uncle Fred on the dance floor over there. We work extremely hard to stay current with the latest technology and techniques of photography. After all, we want your portraits to be masterpieces when you display them on your wall.

When we aren’t photographing weddings we stay super busy with our 4 girls. The two middle girls play soccer, so during soccer season your will find us on the soccer field almost ever day of the week. Our oldest is in Color Guard and we juggle our schedule to make sure she makes it to practice and tournaments on time. And our sweet baby is the boss of the house. She really does keep us busy. She loves to swing, so a lot of my mornings are spent outside with her. As a family we enjoy going to movies together or simply renting a movie through iTunes and relaxing at home all cuddled up on the sofa for a nice family night in. And, we are that traditional family who always has dinner at the same time every night and we are all present. If you’d like to know more simply email me at andrea@ajmphotography.net and I will be more than happy to share the answers on this blog.

just a quick picture of the boss of our home:

Goodbye 2011 — Welcome 2012 Happy New Year AJM Photography Gulf Shores Wedding and Beach Photographer

AJM Photography — Sat, 31 Dec 2011 21:21:00 +0000

This year flew by with many new things and new clients, quickly becoming one of the most eventful times in my photography business! I knew from the beginning that 2011 was going to be an eventful year.

As I reflect over 2011 I think about the goals I hope to accomplish in 2012!
My Resolution: Blog more personal entries, write more from my heart, and share my life to you through my blog. I love when my clients can relate to me on a more personal level, I normally do this via email however I feel I would love to reach out and express this via my blog. This will be the one of the biggest changes for my business this New Year and I hope everyone out there will enjoy it! I hope to express who I really am and who Andrea McDaniel photography is. Who it really is behind the camera and what really moves me.

Below you will find a small review of 2011. Enjoy!

To all my clients: Thank you for giving me the honor of capturing memories of your big day this year! It’s because of you that 2011 was totally unforgettable.