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It was a treat to talk shop this past week with Chicago-area photographer, Emma Mullins of Emma Mullins Photography. Originally from Wisconsin (she is still active in the Milwaukee-area), Emma has traveled the world to develop her unique approach to docu-style event photography. Not only does Emma have a cool and capable energy (ideal for that potentially frantic wedding day photoshoot!), but she is one of the most responsive and positive vendors you'll find. (Yes, we are suckers for anyone who responds to our emails within 5 minutes!) Read on to learn more about Emma's influences, knack for capturing an urban landscape, and how to make the most of your relationship with your photographer, even if you're a bit camera-shy.  1) After perusing your portfolio, it seems like you have an affinity for a fair amount of hip, edgy, fun clientele. Would you say this is something you've sought out, or have these clients just magnetically gravitated toward your work? Oh wow! I suppose a lot of my clients do fall into the hip and edgy category – and yes, the point (to me) of being photographed is to have fun! That’s definitely something I encourage with my couples at all times. The work shown in my portfolio is based on a number of factors, including what I love to shoot the most. As much as I enjoy nature and outdoor weddings, I’m definitely a city girl. Urban landscapes can be just as breathtaking as natural ones – and provide so many options when it comes to photography! I think it’s fair to say I seek out couples who possess a similar style and vibe.
2) It sounds like you are a pretty experienced world traveler. When you're on a personal adventure, do you always bring your eye for composition to document the experience, or do you prefer to put the camera down? Do you have a favorite photo from your travels? This is a great question. Traveling has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember – it’s actually how I got started with photography. I don’t know what I would do if I couldn’t visit new places. I still always bring (at least one!) camera with me whenever I travel, but in recent years have made it a point to enjoy my travels from a non-photography standpoint as well. Of course, I still end up with tons of travel photos! I believe every trip is worth documenting if you have the chance.
3) As a self-described “documentarian,” can you cite any specific photographers or filmmakers who've inspired your aesthetic and approach? Two documentarians that come to mind are Sophie Calle and Errol Morris. I really admire the way each of them approach storytelling and have incorporated their personal lives into their work. I know it’s cliché, but another photographer whose work I will never tire of is Ansel Adams. I even spent a summer out west visiting a lot of the same locations and monuments he has made so famous in his life’s work.
4) Is there a perennial tip that you share with all of your clients when it comes to planning the approach to their photography package? Or is it more of a case by case scenario? Every wedding day is different, just like every couple is different. It’s pretty case-by-case. If there’s one thing I always recommend it’s adding an engagement session, so the three of us have a chance to hang out together before the wedding day. The more used to each other we are before their wedding, the better their photos will turn out! It’s the very best thing couples can do to prepare - especially for particularly camera-shy individuals.
5) It seems like photography involves a healthy amount of being out in the world, but also editing behind the scenes. Do you prefer one part to the other, or do they each have their own pros and cons? This is very true! I definitely spend more time behind the scenes than actually shooting. Something that not everyone realizes is how many hours go into creating a finished wedding gallery. I will admit that I much prefer being out in the world capturing moments that editing in the studio, however there’s nothing like getting into a good editing flow! Editing season = podcast season, basically :) 
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REAL ADVICE FROM A REAL INDUSTRY PROFESSIONALWe had the pleasure of working with Molly from m three Studio Photography this past February at the Historic Pabst Brewery. It was immediately apparent that she has an eye for capturing those rare fleeting magical moments while still making sure to take the time to compose beautiful shots that speak to the rich history of her clients' surroundings. Read on to learn some hot tips about wedding day scheduling, the most charming venues in Milwaukee, and how to make the most of a rainy day photoshoot!  So a little bird told us that you have a background in animation. That is fascinating! Do you feel like this has at all informed your eye or approach as a photographer? I imagine that you must have the patience and commitment to get that perfect frame! Animation was an incredible training ground for photography. Just as you describe, it was a perfect environment for learning patience and persistence. When you’ve spent hours and days drawing thousands of pictures that make up a few seconds of screen time - you learn to have that faith. But it also taught me so much about story and how to craft one, how to tell one, how to mold one, how to present one - that was the invaluable part. I tell my clients that I storyboard in my head as their day unfolds - and it is true. I’m always thinking about that final story presentation and what it needs, now to tell it. We understand that you have a keen eye for historic landscapes and architecture. After studying and traveling far and wide, would you say that any particular location or time period most inspires your personal aesthetic? I’m most drawn to European influences. I studied in Italy in college, but you’ll find me equally entranced by french or english styles. It’s always the details that draw me in - the capitol of a column, the wrought iron railing on some steps, even the framing of a window. I think it may be the craftsmanship involved that is so intoxicating. They had no modern machinery or tools, and they created beauty that we are still in awe of. I also grew up partially in Virginia, where there’s more of a history in the surroundings than here in the midwest. One of my favorite places as a child was colonial Williamsburg, because that history just was alive for the watching. That magic is part of what I’m always seeking when I stumble upon a historic setting - I’m always searching for it’s story, or making one up.
Now, getting down to the part where we tease out some expert advice: Do you have any photography-related tips for a couple planning an outdoor wedding on a day when the weather isn't cooperating? I've heard some photographers say that they love the look of shooting in the rain, but it can't be easy! Any advice to make the most of a blustery day? Embrace it. So many couples get caught up in how something “should be” and fail to appreciate what is, and ride the awesome ride that being present in the moment can be. So, if it rains - break out the umbrellas and roll with it. If it’s too stormy to salvage, then embrace the idea of a cozy indoor option. None of that has to do with photographs per se - but it does speak to attitude. And attitude changes everything. Truly. We had a lot of “rained out” weddings in 2016, and the ones that were most successful were the ones where the couple (and those around them) didn’t let it get in the way. From a more practical standpoint, having umbrellas on hand, a clear umbrella for couple’s portraits (because it doesn’t block light), some cute wellies to keep you dry, and a photographer who knows of covered but but outdoor options is how we handle it. Natural light is king, so you will often find me standing out in the rain with my assistant holding an umbrella over the two of us, as my couple is positioned in a covered area with good light. Rain light is gorgeous, and the light right after it is even better. Colors pop, and there’s a wonderful mystical quality, so don’t despair, it can be beautiful! I know a lot of my clients ask me for tips on the perfect timeline, and I'm sure you must have some suggestions of your own relating to photography. Are there any key tweaks a couple can make to their timeline to ensure that their photos are fresh and relaxed? 2 things. First, consider how you want to experience your day. Do you want to have a break after ceremony to do pictures and then rejoin your guests? Do you want to see each other first so you can set the tone for the day together? Do you want to flow straight from ceremony into cocktails and stay with your guests? Do you want to hang out with your wedding party at a bar for awhile? Whatever it is - build around that. There are certainly ways to make photography smoother, to make dancing and reception activities smoother - but they should only be used when they also serve the overall experience you want to have that day. Because you experiencing it - that is the whole point. I’d rather photograph a couple who is having the best day (even if its inconvenient for me), than one who feels pushed and pulled around by a schedule that is keeping them from enjoying the day. My second suggestion is very simple: add time. Everything takes more time on a wedding day. Moving more than two people anywhere is like herding cats. Truly. I add 15 minutes to everything. If it’s a 10 minute drive to the church - I guarantee you that drive will take 20-25 minutes on your wedding day. Because there are more people, a larger vehicle, more stuff, clothes you aren’t used to, people you aren’t always with, etc. Can you tell us about a favorite photo or shoot of yours that was a result of a happy accident? I always enjoy when necessity puts up roadblocks that I have to work with. Such instances make me think outside the box and push in a new direction. Like this shot from Stephanie & Brian’s wedding a few years ago [see below]…We had a whole outdoor plan for photos, but it rained. Thankfully the Overture Center is basically a glass box, so we had plenty of light. But we had to shoot around where the guests where cocktailing, and two other weddings also happening at the same time. So, I had a staircase. And I found this shot. Realizing I had more at my disposal than it seemed changed my whole perspective.  Want to work with Molly and the m three team? Read more HERE!
 We are huge fans of Best Place at the Historic Pabst Brewery, and even bigger fans of newly betrothed music buffs Ben & Ali! DJ Kyle had a blast working the dance floor for this fun crowd and soaking in all of that seemingly "effortless cool" that this couple worked hard to curate. A very special thanks to Molly at m three studio photography for capturing some of the dance floor action below. You'll be hearing more from her on our blog soon! 
REAL ADVICE FROM A REAL INDUSTRY PROFESSIONALIt's safe to say that Joan Cinquegrani is a bonafide Woman About Town in the Chicago wedding scene. If you are a fellow vendor, chances are that she or one of her colleagues has helped make your day a lot easier at a booked event, or that you've bumped into her at her monthly Therapy Thursday industry meetup. And not only does she know the scene like the back of her hand, but she is one of those uncanny minds that will recall that she met you 3 years ago and actually remember your name. It's no surprise that brides and grooms from far and wide entrust Joan and her Rolodex to help curate their wedding day dream team. Read on to learn a little more about Joan's story, how to balance planning and fun, and what it's like to be possessed by a passion for color coding.  (Photo: Melissa Marie) As someone who has cultivated a team of six expert and on-the-ball planners, you must have an eye for the qualities a great coordinator should have. Can you tell us some of the traits that a first-time bride or groom should look for when shopping for their spirit-planner? In your opinion, is there an over-arching list of characteristics to look for, or is it more of a “to-each-his-own” type of process? I think the most important thing is finding a planner YOU PERSONALLY jive with. That's going to be different for each person. If you feel you have a good connection with your planner, then you've found a right fit! It may go without saying, that your planner should be organized! It seems like you knew you were genetically-inclined to be a planner from a very young age. What would you say the biggest personal evolution has been for you since you officially dove into this line of work as a professional? Was there anything in particular that offered an especially interesting learning curve? I definitely lean toward the linear :). I think the biggest thing for me was learning that sometimes the best choice is relax the rules sometimes. Flexibility is something I have had to teach myself: there's a little coach in my head telling me when to be hard-lined and when to just let it go. I had to laugh at the story I read about you planning your family vacations since age 13, as my sister Erica (the other half of GLT) and I are always receiving eye rolls from our family for our overzealous vacation itineraries. (Note to self: 6AM surf lesson followed by 8AM ziplining is not recommended!) I must ask, do you think the planning gene tends to skip a generation? And how does a Type-A Italian relegate herself to a packed Google calendar, yet still make time for La Dolce Vita? Well, little known fact, I am NOT Italian! Cinquegrani is my married name. Regardless, now that organization is essentially my career, my homelife tends to be much quieter (or as quiet as it can be with two little kids!). I try to make sure I'm not out more than two evenings per week, and as often as possible reserve my non-wedding weekends for family, rather than client meetings.  Joan [pictured far left] and her team of impeccable planners at Five Grain Events. (Photo: Jennifer Kathryn) I know that as a DJ, technology is always tweaking the process of the music-planning process. Tools like Spotify playlists and hotspot music downloading have really enhanced our process. Have you been employing any new tools to help the modern bride/groom stay organized and stress-free throughout the planning process?
Google drive! The ease of sharing information and ensuring there are no "old versions" of documents floating around has been so helpful. With the rising popularity of things like the Konmari Method and blogs like Apartment Therapy, it seems that the cult of organization is suddenly en vogue! Do you have any other lesser-known blogs or pieces of literature on the topic that you might recommend for extra curricular reading? I LOVE Konmari--and have been employing her de-cluttering technique in my home and it has been a life-changer. I am in the midst of a Whole30 which is kind of like an internal declutter right now, and would highly recommend that! Non-planning question: What albums/artists have you discovered over the past year? Anything we should add to our playlists? Ok, please don't laugh, I do not listen to music. I love it, AND I HAVE A BACHELORS OF MUSIC IN VOCAL PERFORMANCE, but I just never find my own. It's terrible. Most of my listening is to podcasts. Big on Reply All right now :). No sweat, Joan! We've got you covered on the music front here at GLT. :) Want to work with Joan and the Five Grain Events team? Read more HERE!  We cannot tell a lie: We are obsessed with our nests and thusly longtime fangirls of Apartment Therapy. Who else better to trust when going down an endless rabbit-hole on the best Scandinavian throw blankets, or why every civilized human should keep a squeegee in their shower?! So when the fine writers at Apartment Therapy asked us to share some wisdom about curating the perfect wedding playlist, we were thrilled to join in on the convo.
You can read the official article HERE, and perhaps accidentally spend the next hour brainstorming playlists, or pinning 100 different farm sinks to your Dream Kitchen board. Don't say we didn't warn you! ;) REAL ADVICE FROM A REAL INDUSTRY PROFESSIONAL
We had the pleasure of picking the ever-active and innovative brain of LEAP Weddings' own Jack McClain. In case you haven't had the pleasure of working with the LEAP crew, they're of the dive-on-your-knees-to-get-the-perfect-shot kind of videographers that every bride and groom is on the prowl for. Read on below to figure out how to spot a killer videographer, look your best on film, and even keep the romance alive when a stampede of Santa-Con enthusiasts turn up on your wedding day....
For first-time planners, do you have any rules of thumb to help separate the men from the boys when it comes to selecting a videography team? Any suggested questions to ask?
In my opinion, the most important element in hiring any vendor for a wedding day is to hire people that will honor the experience of the bride and groom and their guests as the most important priority of the day. It doesn't matter if the most amazing wedding film is created if it is done at the cost of negatively influencing any one person's experience. Bottom line - if the bride and groom are not having fun than I am not doing my job. As a camera-shy person myself, I know I can sometimes come across as uncomfortable on video. Is there a trick that you pass along to clients to help get over that hurdle, and ensure a more natural, fun cinematic memory? As a camera operator, I feel as awkward pointing a camera at someone as they may feel being on camera. There's an element of acknowledging that common bond which can serve to "cancel-out" any fear. But, more importantly than any of that is to establish a good rapport with the bride and groom before their day. We accomplish this by meeting with the clients in person a few weeks before their big day. This offers us an opportunity to fully dissect the itinerary for their day and to gain a sense of trust amongst everyone At Green Line, we've accidentally discovered that musicians tend to make great DJs. Would you say that your musical background has also somehow informed your shooting/editing aesthetic? My musical background has played an enormous role in shaping my approach to documentary/wedding filmmaking. Being able to improvise is crucial because, as much as i may know about the itinerary for the day, something is always there to surprise me. Being in the right place at the right time is the name of the game and the only way to do that is to be aware of my surroundings. I relate this to playing music because, being a member of a band, it is important that everyone is listening to each other and working as a team rather than trying to be the star of the show. 
A few of the impossibly picturesque shots by LEAP Weddings.
After working hundreds of weddings and events, I feel like I've seen it all (Mark Twain impersonators, Drag Queen Kicklines, Star Wars Wedding Processionals, etc.). Can you tell us about one of the funniest or most unique events you've filmed?
On a few occasions, we have arranged "first looks" to take place on busy public streets and, immediately after the bride and groom see each other, something spontaneous happens. One time it particular, a mess of 30 or 40 people dressed as Santa doing a bar-crawl walked by our bride and groom while the B&G were making out during their first look. [See video below at ~1:00]. It was completely unpredictable and hilarious. The best part is that we caught everything on film and were able to weave it into their wedding film.
See if you can spot the white-bearded wedding crashers at 1:00 in.
Another unforgettable moment captured by LEAP! As a new dad, are your kids going to have the best home videos of all time, or will it just be all the more fodder to embarrass them with at their pre-prom get-together? Or have home videos become an antiquated concept in the onslaught of social media? I must admit that the majority of my home videos are captured on my cell phone. Children can be hard to predict so having my "real" camera on-hand is generally not the case. I feel like the quantity of videos that I capture is an average amount compared to the majority of people that I know with kids. It's too easy to pull out a phone and grab hilarious slo-mo footage or to capture all the many times that my three-year-old breaks out into song. The one thing that I enjoy more than anything is sharing photos and videos instantaneously with my family via the family sharing function on iCloud. I get to see updates from all my nieces and nephews every day and it feels great to be connected with them. As an aside, I can't help but imagine myself sharing the father daughter dance and giving speeches at the weddings of my two girls. I have certainly imagined a recap video of their childhood that could be played at those events as well. We'll see if they give me permission when the time comes. Are you working on any passion projects at the moment? I am currently working on a video for an organization in Kansas City called BoysGrow. They are an organization which focuses on educating intercity youth on agriculture, woodworking, entrepreneurship and a number of other skill sets. This is a passion project for me because I value the importance of understanding agriculture and the food that we eat but also because BoysGrow is an all-around good organization and I look forward to telling their story. Non-video related question: What is the song you never get sick of hearing these days at events? (Or what song do you wish the DJs would play more of?) One of my favorite songs/performances of all time is Stevie Wonder's version of "We Can Work it Out," by the Beatles. I know it's not a new song or anything, but hey... I'm old fashioned. It is super danceable and who doesn't like Stevie Wonder? Want to work with Jack and the LEAP Weddings team? Read more HERE!  It's not every day you get to set up your office between a vintage fighter jet, and a life-sized faux bois moose! We were lucky enough to spend the day hanging at the gorgeous and ever-distinctive Artifact Events yesterday, as part of one of our favorite events of the year, Wedtoberfest, Chicago! For those of you who are newly betrothed and planning, we highly recommend checking out the vendor list curated by this illustrious crew.
It was great meet Chicagoland's sweet and freshly engaged couples, peruse the funky antiques, and catch up with some of our favorite vendors. (Special shout out to our pals at Leap Weddings & Big Delicious Catering!)
For those of you who missed it, keep in touch, and come join us this February for IndieWed! Til then, happy planning!  This week, we are thrilled to contribute to Offbeat Bride's "Industry Insider" series, with a post on how to minimize stress when it comes to music planning for your wedding. You can check out the post in its entirety HERE!
 We are so excited to be part of the Chicago Indie Wed Expo this coming weekend! Please come join us and meet other likeminded vendors in the area to help plan your perfect stylish (and no-cheese) wedding! The event will take place Saturday February 6, 2016 at the Ravenswood Event Center from 11AM - 4PM. Come by, say hi, and have a snack with us!
 Happy new year, everyone! Just when we were feeling a little groggy and overloaded with one too many seasonal cookies and hot toddies, we opened our inbox to find Green Line Talent has been granted a Couples Choice award from WeddingWire for 2016! This means we are ranked in the top 5% of Chicago area vendors in the wedding industry, which makes us feel humbled and excited to say the least. Thanks to everyone on the crew for helping us along the way. We look forward to another great year together!
- Elissa & Erica |
