Benfield Photography Blog

Clinton Library Reception of Kady and Tyler

noreply@blogger.com (Benfield Photography) — Fri, 24 May 2013 08:00:08 PDT

Hey everybody!

Well, well, well... we meet again! This time I'm going to show you a reception that will make you swoon! In the details below, I love how Kady filled her Clinton Library wedding reception with sweet messages to her guests, and added her perfect touches to all the little things (like the "CAKE" letters on the cake table)!

The ballroom at the Clinton Library has the most amazing light! Brides, take note! If you're looking for a fab space, the Clinton Library is perfect for wedding receptions!

Gorgeous centerpieces and tables!

Ah! The cake... the cake table... the gorgeous lighting...

Just after the sun set, Kady and Tyler had their first dance.

So happy!

This was the view the guests were blessed with from the Clinton Library as the reception continued behind them. The Little Rock skyline is gorgeous at night!

Near the end of the night, Kady changed into dress number three... I think Tyler approved! ;)

Some grooms need no direction! Way to go Tyler!

Talk to you soon,
Dale

~~Kady and Tyler... y'all are SUCH a FUN couple! I'm so glad we became such great friends over the last year and a half! Your wedding was amazing, but your love surpasses any ceremony! Mere, Cece, and I love y'all!!

Clinton Library Wedding Ceremony of Kady and Tyler

noreply@blogger.com (Benfield Photography) — Thu, 23 May 2013 07:00:07 PDT

Hey everybody!

Kady is a self-diagnosed Pinterest addict. I must say, I love that about her! She took a canvas like the Clinton Library and turned it into a dream wedding ceremony (and reception, but more on that tomorrow). With perfect little touches and some amazing do-it-yourself projects, her details were to-die-for!

If you knew how hard I worked on this dress shot, it might baffle you. However, if you're going to do something, it deserves to be done right. I love this final product and I know Kady will appreciate it!

How gorgeous is this bride?! Her sis and mom were sweet as pie, and Mere captured this great moment of the three of them...

...meanwhile, I was hanging out with Tyler at the Clinton Library as he finished getting ready for the wedding ceremony.

Um, Hello. Stunning bridal party.

One of the things I adore about Kady is that she is real and allows herself to be in the moment. This moment with her dad just GETS ME!

This gorgeous ceremony location at the Clinton Library was dressed up even more with some finesse by Kady's wonderful team of vendors.

I was sneaky and caught this sweet moment with the groom's parents...

... as the sweet bride took in the words in the vows she was saying. Precious!

And then, the kiss!

I'm excited for you to see the reception details and story tomorrow!

Talk to you soon,
Dale

Spring Wedding Portraits at Clinton Library of Kady and Tyler

noreply@blogger.com (Benfield Photography) — Wed, 22 May 2013 05:00:00 PDT

Hey everybody!
Normally I end a wedding blog series with portraits, but after you scroll down you'll see why I couldn't wait. Kady and Tyler are a dream couple: fun, loving, gorgeous, and stylish. Mere wanted to try something a little different for their sunset portraits at the Clinton Library following their fab wedding (coming to the blog soon): BUBBLES! Yeah, I love her ideas!

Ready for my closeup!

I love this moment right before the kiss. Ahhhhh!!

Special shoutout to our bubble-gun shooters. :) Thanks new assistants! How about a Benny Backlight pic for your facebook cover photo? ;)

Talk to you soon,
Dale

Kady's Beautiful Southern Spring Bridal Portraits

noreply@blogger.com (Benfield Photography) — Tue, 21 May 2013 06:00:16 PDT

Hey everybody!

A few weeks ago, we photographed Kady's bridal portraits in Fayetteville among the beautiful spring flowers!
Kady had multiple dresses (which I love) and both were amazing! She brought along some ideas which I put my own spin on, and Pigmint created her bridal bouquet. Great job team! Have a look at some of my favorites...

Talk to you soon,
Dale

Kady and Tyler's Engagement Video

noreply@blogger.com (Benfield Photography) — Mon, 20 May 2013 20:30:02 PDT

Hey everybody!

Really, there's no better way to start Kady and Tyler's wedding posts than with the video we created of the couple's story that they played at their rehearsal dinner. Get to know our sweet couple and check back the next few days for an AMAZING wedding and some portraits that rival my favorites ever!

Talk to you soon,
Dale

Ellie's Dance Portraits

noreply@blogger.com (Benfield Photography) — Sun, 19 May 2013 20:00:06 PDT

Hey everybody!

How could I forget? I took some portraits of sweet Ellie in her 2013 dance costumes! I played around in Photoshop and gave Ellie a oil painting look in a couple of the images. :) I hope you like!
Have a lovely day!

Talk to you soon,
Dale

Ellie's Ballet Recital ~ Moon River

noreply@blogger.com (Benfield Photography) — Sat, 18 May 2013 22:13:31 PDT

Hey everybody!

I've had many snap-to-reality moments with Ellie getting older. Frankly, it's difficult for me to process how grown she has become, when in my mind she's still just a baby. The latest of these moments happened in the 34th second of the video below. When did she get so graceful? When did she become so mature?

And with every one of these moments, I love this little girl more.

Talk to you soon,
Dale

Sarah and Matt's Anniversary Portrait Session

noreply@blogger.com (Benfield Photography) — Fri, 17 May 2013 11:56:51 PDT

Hey everybody!

Sarah and Matt are celebrating 5 years of marriage! Yay! They contacted me to do an engagement style anniversary session! They are such a sweet couple, and Matt is a shooter himself! Oh, and Pigmint whipped up the cool little number Sarah wore in her hair! Awesomeness.

Talk to you soon,
Dale

Julianna's Trick Session and Proposal

noreply@blogger.com (Benfield Photography) — Thu, 16 May 2013 12:07:13 PDT

Hey everybody!

Matt called me with some exciting news: he was in the middle of planning a proposal to his girlfriend (and lifelong friend), Julianna, and wanted our help to capture it! We've known Julianna for a couple years and were so honored to be a part of this happy time, and Mere put on her creativity cap and helped devise a foolproof plan!

Here's how it went down...
Matt gave Julianna a Riffraff giftcard (she lives in Tulsa and never gets to come to Fayetteville to see one of her favorite stores) for Mother's Day, as well as a "mom/daughter portrait session with the Benfields"

Sneaky, right? It gets better.

Matt claimed to be spending Mother's Day with his own mother in Oklahoma, so the girls were to make it a girls day in Fayetteville.

See where we're going with this?
I started shooting images of Julianna with her sweet 8-year-old daughter, Taya. Aren't they major presh?

As I had them walking down toward me, Matt revealed himself from our super secret hiding place. Julianna was surprised! (which apparently is hard to do!)

Special little family time... #heartmelt

I gave Taya my other camera (don't worry, it's insured!) and had her help me shoot a few pics of Matt and Julianna...

As this happened...

I could hear her answer. Instead of "yes" she said, "of course." So cute.

What an amazing couple.

We shot a few family portraits! First official!

Here's my cute 2nd shooter in action... I didn't even have to tell her what to do! #naturaltalent

I'm SO looking forward to more shooting with this wonderful family! Wedding planning in the works!

Talk to you soon,
Dale

Loss of a Sweet Riffraff Family Member

noreply@blogger.com (Benfield Photography) — Wed, 15 May 2013 21:41:15 PDT

Hi sweet friends,

It's no secret that Benfield Photography takes great care in building relationships with each and every one of our clients. Never has the case been more true than with our wonderful partners at Riffraff, Fayetteville's lifestyle boutique. We cherish and cultivate that relationship so much that Mere and I call them our family. Kirsten (Riffraff owner) is Aunt Kiki to our little Cece. We truly love her and cherish our relationship with them.

We were absolutely heartbroken to hear that a member of the Riffraff family, Rachel Swetnam, passed away Tuesday. She was such a sweetheart, and we were honored to know her.

As a father of daughters myself, my heart aches for her family... there could be nothing worse to endure as a parent, and I lift them up in prayer in hopes that the Lord give them peace and healing in a way only the God of the universe can.

rrweblaunchbb from Dale Benfield on Vimeo.

Talk to you soon,
Dale

Horton Farms Wedding Portraits of Erin and Kevin

noreply@blogger.com (Benfield Photography) — Tue, 14 May 2013 13:13:00 PDT

Hey everybody!

We don't let the weather stop us! We were still able to get some really beautiful portraits... of course, the couple is the key here! How can you go wrong with these two? And Horton Farms? It's almost like we were cheating! :)

Talk to you soon,
Dale

Horton Farms Wedding and Reception of Erin and Kevin

noreply@blogger.com (Benfield Photography) — Mon, 13 May 2013 13:10:00 PDT

Hey everybody!

I'm a dog lover, like my couple today... Oliver even got to dress up a bit for the wedding! His wedding attire was just a small portion of the fun details Erin and Kevin incorporated into their wedding day at Horton Farms. Have a look!

Erin looked stunning!

They had the coolest chairs at the reception! Don't you just love???

I'm all about finding those perfect moments with my camera, and during Erin and Kevin's first dance there were plenty of them! I love how happy they look here!

And this is just total sweetness, with some great light!

I'm in love love love with this getaway shot! How fun and lovely!

I'll have some pretty portraits coming your way tomorrow! Stay tuned!

Talk to you soon,
Dale

Happy Mother's Day!

noreply@blogger.com (Benfield Photography) — Sun, 12 May 2013 05:00:06 PDT

Hey everybody!

Mere has been a mother for years, but this year is a little bit different. After such a troubling pregnancy and childbirth, Mere got a pretty sour introduction to official motherhood, but she embraced the challenge and is one of the strongest, best mother's the world has ever seen.

I've loved Mere with all my heart for so many years, so it's difficult to explain to you that I now actually love her more than I did before. Is there no limit to this? Seeing her as a mom, as such a great mom, fills my heart up past the brim. Who knew she'd be amazing at this, too? {it's almost unfair... she's good at everything!}

Anyway, I wanted to wish her Happy Mother's Day!

Talk to you soon,
Dale

5 Minute Fix: What Others Are Saying!

noreply@blogger.com (Benfield Photography) — Sat, 11 May 2013 09:20:00 PDT

Hey everybody!

Check out what other photographers and business owners are saying about 5 Minute Fix:

Dale this is awesome!! I can't believe I haven't {can't give away the secret... haha!}. it's going to save me a sh*t load of time, THANKS!!!!
Jewel

I have transitioned to complete manual mode (rather than av) and I am loving it! Wish I had done it sooner. Thanks for inspiring me to take that step!
Courtney

I am seriously loving your tips. I don't typically enjoy this kind of stuff, but they are such a breath of fresh air.
Joel

I love your tips! My "business" is teaching Zumba, but I have to do my own marketing, etc. for one of my classes. I also help out at a dance studio. I love how your tips can be applied across the board! Thanks for sharing your brain with all of us.
Ashley

Just wanted to say THANK YOU for these! Although most of them are completely over my novice head, I still love looking at cool stuff and hearing your perspective on lots of things from tips and tricks to customer service and retention! Just wanted to let you know it was appreciated even from the not so serious hobbyists out there.
Lewel

The 486 page e-book is in pdf format (so it'll work on any computer or device!), and is on sale through Sunday for $20 (after Sunday it's at its regular price of $39).

Get the book here:

Talk to you soon,
Dale

Dale's New Book! 5 Minute Fix: On Sale Now!

noreply@blogger.com (Benfield Photography) — Fri, 10 May 2013 09:18:28 PDT

Hey everybody!

It only took me 14 years to be an overnight success. :)

Along the long road of building Benfield Photography I learned hundreds of little things I could do here and there that, collectively, turned Benfield Photography into the business it is today. I couldn't be more proud of it, and I have been working over the past year on writing down the hundreds of little things that I discovered and used. Finally, it is finished!

This is super exciting for me: Today I'm announcing my new book: 5 Minute Fix

This book is the full collection of my daily photo tips that I've been sending out to a great group of pro, amateur, and hobby photographers over the past 13 months. It's written in the same tone as my blog, and I cover everything from composition tools to marketing techniques to dealing with tricky business situations to how I created some of my favorite all-time images.

The 486 page e-book is in pdf format (so it'll work on any computer or device!), and is on sale through Sunday for $20 (after Sunday it's at its regular price of $39).

Get the book here:

Talk to you soon,
Dale

Amy & Cody's Fayetteville Wedding Portraits... Part 2!

noreply@blogger.com (Benfield Photography) — Thu, 09 May 2013 06:00:06 PDT

Hey everybody!

... and the cutest couple award goes to... Mr. and Mrs. Mack! Here's just a few more portraits of this adorable couple. Attending so many weddings each year as a photographer and spending so much time with the bride and groom you start to think you've seen it all. Amy & Cody were so clearly in love with not only each other but also with all their friends and family that attended their wedding. It was great to be able to be a part of that and capture their big day for them!

Congrats Amy & Cody!

Talk to you soon,
Lauren

Pratt Place Wedding Portraits of Amy and Cody

noreply@blogger.com (Benfield Photography) — Wed, 08 May 2013 05:57:56 PDT

Hey everybody!

The weather on Amy and Cody's wedding day was a bit chilly and I was so scared it might rain. However, they were both great sports about it and were willing to do their portraits outside! These two also did engagement portraits with us so they had a bit of practice... but they were so easy to shoot and so fun! We don't do a lot of "posey" shots anyway, but I hardly had to give Amy and Cody any direction. I would just say, "Stand here... and.. keep being cute!"

Come back tomorrow for a few more portraits!

Talk to you soon,
Lauren

Pratt Place Fayetteville Wedding Story of Amy & Cody

noreply@blogger.com (Benfield Photography) — Tue, 07 May 2013 08:30:35 PDT

Hey everybody!

Here are some more of our favorites from Amy and Cody's wedding at Pratt Place Inn & Barn. If you missed yesterday's post be sure to go back and see the first few details of this gorgeous couple!

Chelsey snagged a great shot of Amy Bates and her awesome team in action!

and the kiss...

I have to say I was pretty impressed with their dance moves...

Following tradition, Pops sang a song that he dedicated to the bride and groom. He combined two for Cody and Amy that made him think of them...

A few more great shots by Chelsey! Check out Cody rockin those glasses...

We have some beautiful portraits of the couple hitting the blog tomorrow! Can't wait for you to see!

Talk to you soon,
Lauren

Pratt Place Wedding Details and Story of Amy & Cody

noreply@blogger.com (Benfield Photography) — Mon, 06 May 2013 19:57:28 PDT

Hey everybody!

I am super excited to share this wedding with y'all! Amy and Cody could be one of the sweetest couples I have had the chance to work with! From the second Chelsey and I arrived at Pratt Place Inn Amy immediately started catering to us! She offered drinks and food and made sure we felt more then welcome. I also got the sweetest voicemail of all time the very next day! Amy had called and left a message thanking us, when she and Cody were the ones who made the day so great for everyone! There will be three or four posts of this awesome couple and their wedding. For now, check out the start of the day with sweet Amy and Cody.

I had Chelsey sneak into the barn to steal a shot of the gorgeous decor...

Could she be anymore beautiful?! We made sure we had some extra time in the agenda for some shots of just Amy...

Chelsey and I loved getting to hang with these girls all afternoon!

I LOVE this shot. Amy's father walked in and immediately got teary eyed as he saw her for the first time in her wedding dress. Being a daddy's girl, I absolutely love moments like these...

Check back tomorrow for more of their wedding story!

Talk to you soon,
Lauren

Sunday Superthoughts: Making a Difference

noreply@blogger.com (Benfield Photography) — Sun, 05 May 2013 17:57:21 PDT

Hey everybody!

When I was growing up, I didn't even think outside my neighborhood. I'm not sure if the world has changed, I have changed, or both, but I'm proud to say that Ellie is able to think on a grander stage than I ever did, and it's my plan for Cece to do the same.

When Ellie decided to do her lemonade stand and give the money to her school, it was one of my proudest moments as a dad. When Meg from Art Feeds texted me that Ellie had brought her a ziplock of money (Ellie's allowance savings) to donate, I cried.

Ellie is already a great big sister, and I'm excited to see Cece benefit from her older sister's positive influence.

Talk to you soon,
Dale

Happy Derby Day!

noreply@blogger.com (Benfield Photography) — Sat, 04 May 2013 15:00:02 PDT

Hey everybody!

Happy Derby Day! This is family weekend at the Benfield household and we're watching the Kentucky Derby! Our friend Tressa has a horse in the race so we're naturally voting for him! Regardless of the outcome, it's a great day to hang out inside together! Cece even has a derby hat! :)

The girls and I hope y'all have a great weekend!

Talk to you soon,
Dale

Benny Photo Booth Images of Ashley and Matt's Wedding Reception

noreply@blogger.com (Benfield Photography) — Fri, 03 May 2013 15:29:00 PDT

Hey everybody!

Time to get silly! I love Benny Booths because it gives guests an outlet to let loose for some great entertainment! Enjoy!

Talk to you soon,
Dale

Beautiful Spring Wedding Portraits of Ashley and Matt {Swoon}

noreply@blogger.com (Benfield Photography) — Thu, 02 May 2013 06:00:07 PDT

Hey everybody!

Mere thought of a brilliant little workaround when it comes to keeping the dress cleaning during wedding portraits. A quick trip to Hancock Fabrics and $50 later, we were able to get one of my favorite poses (and portraits from this wedding season) of Ashley and Matt. I love how he is looking at her here. Lovely!

We also found a great row of yellow mid-week that we knew we wanted to take the couple to for their wedding portraits after the ceremony.

Not much posing here... just a bride who is head over heels for her groom.

Loving a little Benny Backlight with this amazing couple at a secret location! :)

I hope this image ends up as a huge canvas above a fireplace! Love love love!

Okay, so Mere said to me... Ashley is a sexy bride... we need to do a sexy shot. Here's what she got! Perfect moment, too!

One more thing from the fabulous wedding tomorrow... Benny Booth pics! See you then!

Talk to you soon,
Dale

Garden Room Reception of Ashley and Matt

noreply@blogger.com (Benfield Photography) — Wed, 01 May 2013 06:00:11 PDT

Hey everybody!

After the wedding at St. Catherine's at Bell Gable, we arrived into a wonderland of beautiful things at the Garden Room on Dickson for Ashley and Matt's reception. Ashley has impeccable style, and with a great team at the Garden Room, Jules Design (florals), Mary Crawford (coordinator), and others, the venue was transformed into such a dream!

The linen for the cake table was DIVINE! Paired with the florals and chandelier, the cake was given it's proper respect with an amazing display.

The tablescapes were so beautiful!

Matt is such a catch... not only is he a thoughtful groom, he can brew his own beer! He made a DELICIOUS batch for the reception. Yeah, I had one. :)

By far, my favorite part of the night was the beautiful first dance of the bride and groom. It was a classic and perfect dance for this stunning couple. Not lying... I looked over at Mere during this dance to check her reaction, and she was crying.

Of course, any good dance ends like this. Haha!

Mere captured this perfect moment during the best man's toast.

And this one during the maid of honor's speech...

Boom Kinetic gave a great party, as usual.

These kids can dance!

Ashley gives the band (and her groom) her approval. ;)

My boy Wiley from Boom Kinetic sporting a hog nose. That's a good-lookin' razorback, yes?

Such a fun party pic!

I think the Garden Room needs a new promo pic, don't you? This is such a perfect ending to a perfect day.

As promised, portraits are hitting up the blog tomorrow! Want a sneak peek? Head to the Benfield Photography Facebook page!

Talk to you soon,
Dale

St. Catherine's at Bell Gable Wedding of Ashley and Matt

noreply@blogger.com (Benfield Photography) — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 13:40:05 PDT

Hey everybody!

When it comes to outdoor Southern weddings, I don't know if there is a more beautiful little chapel than St. Catherine's at Bell Gable. And when it comes to Southern brides, I don't know if there is a more genuinely kind and beautiful bride than Ashley. And well... those go together like a photographer's perfect dream.

The wedding at St. Catherine's was filled with beautiful details. From the bride's amazing dress...

...to the flower girls' steal-your-heart fluffy numbers... (I LOVE this image!)

... to everything in between... I was surrounded by beautiful things all day long.

One of my favorite memories from the day is when Matt and I tag-teamed his bowtie. It was a straight bowtie, which I hadn't tied before, but it turned out to be pretty much the same, but there was panick in my eyes nonetheless. As soon as he started with the first couple steps, I was able to coach and manipulate the neckpiece into a passable state (by Ashley's impeccable standards for fashion).

Our bride and groom wanted to wait to see each other when she walked down the aisle, so I put myself in a position to get his reaction as she walked gracefully with her brother as her escort. I love the expression on Matt's face. It is equal parts excited, happy, and choked up.

As our couple was exchanging vows, I wanted to get a shot that also included the bridesmaids' dresses. Notice they are in complimentary shades of pink... (brides, take a page from Ashley's book... your bridesmaid dresses don't have to be the same!).

Such a gorgeous place to have your first kiss as husband and wife, wouldn't you agree?

Yay for the happy couple! I love that bouquet (from Jules Design in Fayetteville) too. Notice, like the bridesmaid dresses, the various shades of pinks? Perfection!

Believe it or not... this isn't a wedding portrait. No, really! After the bride and groom came up the aisle, they walked over and had a really special moment with each other that I was able to capture. Portraits are coming, promise!

Tomorrow I'm going to share their reception with y'all. You won't want to miss it! The Garden Room on Dickson looked breathtaking, and Ashley and Matt had some pretty special moments I can't wait to show you!

Talk to you soon,
Dale