MONTANA WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER – RIHANNA IN LONDON

I had the good fortune of going to London recently for a honeymoon shoot as part of Carrie and Jake’s wedding photography. We call it a honeymoon session, or a day after session, and we offer worldwide travel for these kinds of shoots, but this post is not about that. As usual, no matter where I go or why I am there, I always like to make personal photos along the way. I made these one night when my wife and I were at Picadilly Circus, scouting some nighttime locations for the upcoming shoot. I really enjoy shooting at night and searching out light to work with. I noticed these new ads for Rihanna’s Puma campaign and thought they would make a nice soft light for a night time portrait if the opportunity should arise. As I was looking around at all of the lighting options, soaking in this busy corner at night, I made a few frames of people passing by this Rihanna ad. Looking at the photos later found it striking that three different women all had similar hairstyles and were each carrying a purse on their shoulder in the same way. I think they go well together! And of course I’m a huge Rihanna fan.

Tips for photographers: Keep your camera with you all the time. Countless photographers have given me this advice, countless times, but it never fails to amaze me that the second I don’t have my camera something catches my eye to photograph. I have recently started switching from Canon to Sony for this very reason: my Canon is too big of a beast to carry around casually and I found myself shooting on my iphone more than anything. When I saw these new smaller mirrorless camera bodies for the first time I knew it was the answer to my problem of leaving my camera behind, and I quickly settled in on Sony as the brand of choice, specifically the A7 series of full frame cameras and Zeiss lenses. Now I have a very small kit with the Sony A7ii and a few Zeiss lenses that can go anywhere with me, and it’s the only camera I carry when I’m travelling overseas. Often I will simply grab my A7ii with a 35mm on it and go. I’m not saying you should switch cameras, but just do whatever it takes to keep a camera with you and be ready for pictures when they happen in front of you.

I am Paul Bellinger, one of Montana’s much sought after wedding photographers. My studio is located in downtown Billings Montana, and I am available for any wedding destination around the world. I put everything I have into making the wedding pictures of your dreams, and I’ll go anywhere and do anything to make those dreams come true. From the mountains to the islands, there is no wedding destination too far or too difficult for me and my team of wedding photographers. Get in touch with us at www.paulbellinger.com

MONTANA WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER – EPIC BOZEMAN MONTANA WEDDING

Wow, this was an awesome wedding from top to bottom. It was beautiful, unique, and so much fun for everyone in attendance. Alysse and Daniel definitely know how to throw a party in style. This is just one of the many jaw-dropping views at the Big Yellow Barn outside of Bozeman MT. Consider this a sneak peek of things to come. Special thanks to the bride and groom and all of their family and friends for being so cool, Meredith Curtin and her team for coordinating the day so wonderfully, and my army of one, Zak Jokela for shooting along side of me.

Tips for brides: This one is straight from Alysse and she coined this phrase. Instead of being "bride-zilla" just relax and be "bride-chilla"! Ha! I love that!

Paul Bellinger Photography is based in Billings Montana and specializes in epic, fine art, wedding photography. We are dedicated to making beautiful pictures and will go anywhere and do anything to make the wedding artwork of your dreams. Contact us for your destination wedding here: www.paulbellinger.com

MONTANA WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER – ROMANTIC MOUNTAIN ENGAGEMENT SESSION

McKenzie and Tyrel are having a mountain wedding and wanted a mountain engagement session to go with it. Since they are getting married in West Rosebud, we did the engagement shoot in East Rosebud. Both sides have beautiful views of the Beartooth mountains that can rival mountain views anywhere. The Eastern side of the Beartooths are kind of a Billings area secret paradise that not many tourists visit. The motto of the nearest town, Roscoe Montana, is: “Where the hell is Roscoe?” How cool is that?! I can’t wait to get back and spend a few days in the Beartooths for McKenzie and Tyrel’s mountain wedding in October!

Tips for brides: It’s time to start booking your wedding photographer for 2016 weddings in Montana. We typically book about a 8-12 months in advance of a wedding and the fall seems to be the booking season when a lot of the best wedding days get booked. Because the wedding season is short in Montana, summer Saturdays go fast, and it’s not just the best photographers, but all of the best wedding venues and wedding vendors book up early in Montana. Personally I find the fall to be the most beautiful time of year in Montana, so you might think about avoiding the crowds and push your luck into September, October and even November for a more adventurous Montana wedding. Some vendors may even offer a discount for booking a wedding date in the fall/winter/spring. It also seems like we have a shortage of wedding venues in the Billings Montana area, so I highly recommend thinking outside of the box like McKenzie and Tyrel have, and having a mountain wedding, because there is no shortage of mountain meadows that would make for a unique and jaw dropping wedding location. Please contact us if you’re interested! We love mountain weddings at Paul Bellinger Photography! www.paulbellinger.com

MONTANA WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER – CARRIE AND JAKE’S BLACK TIE WEDDING IN BILLINGS MONTANA

Congratulations to Carrie and Jake on their black-tie wedding in Billings Montana! Carrie did a wonderful job planning the big day and it went off without a hitch, bringing together two awesome families in a celebration of love and the start of a new family. I love the contrast in this image between the rustic scene on Jake's family farm and their black tie look. I am blessed that they shared this most special of occasions with me and the team at Paul Bellinger Photography. Thank you Carrie, Jake and all of the family and friends that helped make the day so special!

Thank you also to my team of incredible photographers Jenna Masters, Trevan Hiersche for your hard work. For Montana wedding photographer Paul Bellinger please visit www.paulbellinger.com.

I can’t wait to meet up with Carrie and Jake for a photo shoot on their honeymoon in London! I’ll be in London for 7 days, and of course I’ll be photographing everything. We travel a lot at Paul Bellinger Photography and you can follow along on instagram by following @PJBellinger or click the link: https://instagram.com/pjbellinger/

MONTANA WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER – KALLI AND BRIDGER’S FAIRTYTALE WEDDING IN BILLINGS MONTANA

Kalli and Bridger’s big day went off like a fairytale complete with prince charming, a princess and a castle. It was a big wedding at St. Thomas and featured some of the best wedding vendors in the state of Montana under the helm of coordinator Patricia Clark. But like most fairytales, at the center of this big day was something incredibly simple: a true and passionate love. I have had the honor of being able to spend a couple of weeks with Kalli and Bridger, and I find their young love and positive outlook on life to be so refreshing and so simple. They’re in love and nothing is going to stop them! Thank you Kalli, Bridger and all of their family and friends for sharing your precious time with me!

Thank you to all of the vendors that made this amazing wedding into the fairytale that it was.

Designer/Coordinator – Patricia Clark (visit Pat’s website here for links to all vendors)

Floral – Mac’s Floral

Decorator – Moments in Time

Hair and Makeup – Sammie Semmler

Lighting – DiA Events

Wedding cake – Jayne’s Signature Sweets

Rentals – Party Time Plus

Venue – St. Thomas Catholic Church and Lonewolf Energy

Ceremony music – Stillwater Symphony

Reception band – Bucky Beaver Band

Carriage/Limo/Trolley – Total Transportation

Thank you also to my team of incredible photographers Jenna Masters, Trevan Hiersche for your hard work. For Montana wedding photographer Paul Bellinger please visit www.paulbellinger.com.

MONTANA WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER – HYALITE CANYON BOZEMAN ENGAGEMENT SESSION

Hyalite Canyon and all of its peaks, lakes, streams and waterfalls, are special for Carrie and Jake. It was their retreat while attending MSU Bozeman where they met and fell in love. Now it’s only 10 days until their wedding in Billings Montana and after that we’ll be meeting up for a shoot in London on their honeymoon. Thank you for sharing your special places and moments with us Carrie and Jake!

It’s an honor to share in people’s special places and moments and it’s something we have always been passionate about at Paul Bellinger Photography. That’s why we’re willing to go anywhere and do anything to make the images that are special for our clients, including worldwide travel. There is no wedding too large, too small, too remote, or too uncommon for us. From the beaches to the mountains, we approach every shoot with the same level of determination to make the best images possible. Being located in Billings Montana gives us special access to the mountains, and mountain weddings are a specialty for us, but we also have an airport, passports and a love for world travel. So where will your love story lead us? www.paulbellinger.com

MONTANA WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER – CLIFF SIDE ROMANCE IN MAUI, WEDDING IN BILLINGS MONTANA

Kalli and Bridger’s big day is only one week away and I’m excited to start celebrating with them this week as the bridal party arrives for bachelor and bachelorette parties, a bridal shower, rehearsal dinner, the wedding, the day after brunch, and finally a honeymoon session at Disney World! It’s going to be a busy week of celebration and I can’t wait to photograph all of it!

Before things get too hectic I want to share a few photos from our cliff side adventure in Maui Hawaii. Kalli and Bridger are Montanans, so they had no problem getting up before sunrise, driving 30 minutes North to the rocky coast and hiking to this location that I had pre-scouted a few days before. The rocky shore is really beautiful with waves crashing everywhere and crazy cliffs. This place is known as “the blowhole,” named after a hole in the rocks that shoots water into the sky when waves crash below. But we were there to see the beautiful seascape at sunrise and waves crashing behind a heart shaped hole in the rock. Mother nature rewarded our hard work and we have these amazing photos to remember the even more amazing experience we had. We got lost hiking back to the Jeep but that’s another story!  See more of our Maui adventures by clicking here.

I specialize in making heirloom quality wedding artwork that is as unique as your love story. I am based in Billings Montana, but I am available for romantic adventures worldwide, including engagement sessions, weddings, and honeymoon sessions. From the beaches to the mountains, it would be my honor to photograph your wedding in any destination. www.paulbellinger.com

MONTANA WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER – MOUNTAIN WEDDING SEASON

I’ve been spending some time in the Beartooth Mountains, and I’m getting excited for mountain weddings this summer! The weather is still too cold and unpredictable for typical mountain weddings, but more daring brides and grooms are already tying the knot in the mountains of Montana. Personally I can’t get enough of the mountains no matter what time of year it is or how bad the weather might be. Thanks to my awesome clients, I’ll be in the mountains a lot in the next few months with mountain engagements and weddings throughout the summer. Stay tuned for a lot more mountain action on the blog soon!

This photo is an outtake from a bridal fashion editorial I did last spring in the mountains with an outstanding team led by Katie Bennett and Cassie LaGreca.  Billings Montana is so lucky to have these awesome ladies raising the bar for all things weddings, floral, and design.  Full credits below.

Photographer: Paul Bellinger

Model: Hayley Anderson 

Styling: Cassie LaGreca Better To Gather Events

Flowers: Katie Bennett Mac's Floral

Dress: Belle en Blanc

Hair and Makeup: Kendra Halvorsen

Venue: White Deer Ranch, Vacation Rentals

Rentals: Party Time Plus

Assistant: Kaushik "Babu" Mukherjee

I am Montana wedding photographer Paul Bellinger.  I specialize in dramatic, fine art wedding photography that you would be proud to call your first family heirloom.  I shoot weddings large and small, from the beaches to the mountains, and it would be my honor to photograph your wedding.  Please visit www.paulbellinger.com for more information.

MONTANA WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER – MOUNTAIN WEDDING LOVE!

It’s heating up around here and that means we’re gearing up to head for the mountains this spring and summer.  Reports are coming in that roads are opening up, giving us easy access to beautiful mountains for spring engagement sessions.  I can’t wait to get up to East and West Rosebud to see what the winter has left behind for us.  This photo is from Melissa and Jeremey’s beautiful wedding at Emerald Lake, West Rosebud that was featured in Montana Bride Magazine.  I can’t get enough of this area of the Beartooth mountains and will scout the area several times to prepare for a season of shooting up there.  I am so grateful to be able to call this beautiful land my home and spend the summer documenting mountain love stories!

I am Montana wedding photographer Paul Bellinger and I photograph mountain weddings and destination weddings of all shapes and sizes, from the mountains to the beaches.  I specialize in dramatic, fine art wedding photography that is worthy of being called your first family heirloom.  I am located in Billings Montana and available for any wedding destination.  It would be my honor to photograph your wedding.  www.paulbellinger.com

MONTANA WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER – #TBT MAUI ENGAGEMENT SESSION

This is one of my favorite photos of Kalli and Bridger engulfed by the lush colors of Maui, Hawaii.  I love the eye contact and expression from Kalli, she looks like the goddess of the garden!  Maui is filled with flowers and romance, so these two madly in love amidst the flowers just sums up Maui perfectly for me.  Of course Maui is also all about beaches, seafood and cold beverages, but that’s too much for one photo!  Thank you Kalli and Bridger for an amazing time in Maui, and I can’t wait for the wedding in June!  See more from our trip to Maui here.

Looking at this photo I’m feeling blessed to be a Montana wedding photographer right now!  I’m very thankful that my first year in Montana has treated me so well.  I was lucky to photograph some amazing weddings and travel to many beautiful locations around Montana and beyond.  Thank you to everyone who has helped me reach this point and I look forward to what this year has in store for us.  www.paulbellinger.com.

MONTANA WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER – BRUSH STROKES

Photographers do it with light!  This is downtown Billings Montana at night, photographed through my awesome studio windows.  The lights shining through the old school windows in my studio looked like brush strokes to me.  I’ve had painting on the mind lately, hanging out with painters, shooting paintings in the studio, and painting some new backgrounds.  I made this photo after 2AM as I finished shooting a painting in the studio.  It was a long day, and I was bleeding thanks to running my face into an umbrella pole on a lightstand.  It was a scary cut because I barely missed poking my eye out (my right eye though, which is less important than my left J).  But all of that and my bed calling me, and I still couldn’t pass up this pretty light.  It’s during moments like this that I am so thankful to be doing what I love and am passionate about.  I can never get enough photography.

First and foremost, I am a wedding photographer.  I shoot a lot of things, but they all help me to become a better photographer and I put every ounce of skill that I gain into my weddings.  Everything I shoot is like pre-season for wedding season.  Despite my specialization in wedding photography, I don’t shoot a large number of weddings.  I try to shoot 10 or less each year and the reason is because I give each wedding my full artistic attention and every last bit of effort I have.  I go to great lengths for my wedding clients, sometimes traveling around the world with them, or hiking to the tops of the earth.  There is no wedding too big, too small, or too remote for me.  Each one is special and each one deserves my full creative force, with nothing routine or ordinary about the way I work.  I’ll never be burned out, I’ll never be tired from the wedding I shot the day before (because I don’t shoot more than one wedding a week), my creativity will always be at 100% and I’ll never give anything but my absolute best effort.  That much I can guarantee.  www.paulbellinger.com

MONTANA WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER – SPRING IN THE MOUNTAINS

Spring is here for Billings and the mountains aren’t far behind us.  It’s time for summer Brides to start putting the final pieces of the puzzle together and finish planning their upcoming weddings.  For Montana wedding vendors it’s kind of the pre-season, where we start to have a few early season weddings while we gear up for the summer wedding season.  Many wedding vendors are booked entirely for 2015 at this point, so any brides still making decisions had better hurry!  For brides looking for wedding design, planning, rentals, or florals, I’d highly recommend the team that brought together this shoot, with Katie Bennett and Cassie LaGreca at the helm.  These two ladies are raising the bar for Billings Montana weddings and we are lucky to have them here.  Thanks to everyone who made this shoot possible.

Photographer: Paul Bellinger

Model: Hayley Anderson 

Styling: Cassie LaGreca Better To Gather Events

Flowers: Katie Bennett Mac's Floral

Dress: Belle en Blanc

Hair and Makeup: Kendra Halvorsen

Venue: White Deer Ranch, Vacation Rentals

Rentals: Party Time Plus

Assistant: Kaushik "Babu" Mukherjee

Tips for brides: Get your planning done early for a stress free wedding.  If you’re a summer 2015 bride, hopefully you’re already finishing up your wedding planning and putting the final touches in place.  If not, or if your “to do list” is starting to get overwhelming, now is the time to call in the pros to help you out.  Professional wedding designers, coordinators and planners can get you back on track for your wedding.  They are well worth the peace of mind they bring, and without them you’ll almost certainly be stressed out on your wedding day, even if things go well, and that’s not how you want to look back and remember your day.  If you’re a DIY bride and moving forward alone, my best advice is to temper your expectations and not be too hard on yourself for expecting perfection on your first attempt to create a wedding.  Even pros with decades of experience make mistakes every now and then, so don’t expect you will get it perfect on your first try.  About 24 hours before your wedding day you need to just let go of the reins and enjoy one of the greatest events in your life as it begins to unfold (and let your family, especially your mother enjoy it too, without having to do a bunch of work).  Spend time with your family and friends that have come to see you and relish every moment of it.  Because when the wedding is over, it’s the feelings you had on your wedding day that you will remember, and you want it to be all love and friendship, with no stress.

For more wedding photography posts and tips for brides click here.

www.paulbellinger.com

MONTANA WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER – FASHION EDITORIAL OUTTAKES FEATURING THEIA

My fashion editorial for Montana Bride magazine featured an early look at spring/summer 2015 fashions from two outstanding designers, Theia and ti Adora by Alvina Valenta.  The Theia dress is featured here and it is truly something special with intricate bead work and sleek silhouette for an elegant and luxurious look.  My jaw dropped when Katalin (the stylist for this shoot and publisher of Montana Bride magazine) pulled this dress out for the shoot.  Katalin has the best eye for style in Montana, hands down, and the connections to get us these dresses straight from the New York bridal fashion runways.  We had an exceptional team for this shoot and it wouldn’t have been possible or successful without everyone on the team.  Thank you all!

See previous photos from this shoot here.

Photographer: Paul Bellinger

Styling: Katalin Green

Hair and makeup: Sydney Ross

Models: Arley Knerr and Braydon Sinclair

Dress: Theia

Hairpiece: Paris by Debra Moreland

Bowtie: Hitched Bowties

Suspenders: Jess Leather

Wedding band: Montague’s Jewelers 

Men’s Clothing: Jim’s Formal Wear

Stylist assistant: Brett Conner

Photo assistant: Zak Jokela

Location: Paul Bellinger Studio, Billings Open Studio

Tips for Brides:

There is a lot that goes into picking out the perfect wedding dress.  You want something that fits your body type, your personal style, your wedding theme, and your pocketbook.  Few people have more expertise in making sure you get all of these things and more than Katalin Green, the stylist for this shoot, publisher of Montana Bride magazine and owner of Avant Bridal, an intimate bridal boutique where you can meet with Katalin herself so she can help you pick out the perfect dress.  Get in touch with Avant Bridal on Facebook here.

Tips for photographers:

There a few different lighting techniques featured here, including natural light and studio strobe.  The first photo is lit with one large beauty dish (mola setti I believe, it’s about 3 feet wide) about 10 feet away from the models and the shadow on the background gives away the placement.  The two photos on the black background are lit with window light.  The window is closed down with the curtains so that the opening is about 3 feet tall and 2 feet wide with the opening up high, above 6 feet.  This use of the window light resembles a high beauty dish (or softbox if it’s cloudy outside). The models were surrounded on three sides by black, either a wall or the black side of my V-flat reflector to eat up the light spillage (also known as negative fill) to accentuate the fall off define the shadows more.  The remaining white background photos were all lit with one light, a bare strobe about 12 feet away from the models creating a hard, edgy light that I love in black and white.

I am proud to call myself a Montana wedding photographer and I love to mix studio work with my wedding work, which usually takes place out on location.  I am always working to improve my photographic craft so that I am at my absolute best for my clients, whether it’s a wedding day or a marketing campaign.  It would be my honor to be your photographer.  Please visit http://www.paulbellinger.com for more info about my wedding photography.

MONTANA WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER – ROMANTIC OUTTAKES FROM MONTANA BRIDE FASHION EDITORIAL

I love the romance of these outtakes from my recent shoot for Montana Bride magazine, and I especially love seeing them in this classic black and white film look.  Our models did such a great job posing for us in a very romantic way that still looks like fashion.  This shoot was very inspiring to see the talent that we could assemble in Billings Montana.  We had such a great team!  More from this shoot coming soon!  See previous photos from this shoot here and here (http://blog.paulbellinger.com/2015/01/montana-wedding-photographer-fashion.html).

Photographer: Paul Bellinger

Styling: Katalin Green

Hair and makeup: Sydney Ross

Models: Arley Knerr and Braydon Sinclair

Dress: ti adora by Alvina Valenta

Hairpiece: Paris by Debra Moreland

Bowtie: Hitched Bowties

Suspenders: Jess Leather

Wedding band: Montague’s Jewelers 

Men’s Clothing: Jim’s Formal Wear

Stylist assistant: Brett Conner

Photo assistant: Zak Jokela

Location: Billings Open Studio

Tips for Brides:

I’ve got print copies of this year’s Montana Bride magazine!  This issue features our photos in a fashion editorial, one real Paul Bellinger Photography wedding in the Beartooth mountains, and our double page ad featuring wedding artwork from Kristen and Jake’s Red Lodge romance.  Get your copy and see all that Montana has to offer! Follow Montana Bride on facebook to find out where you can get copies in your city.

Tips for photographers:

These photos are lit with natural light from a large bank of windows about 20 feet from the models out of frame to the right.  There are also two large 4x8’ reflector out of frame to the camera left bouncing a lot of the window light back on to the shadow side of the models.  The windows at Billings Open Studio are North facing, so the light is always indirect and beautifully soft.  Bounce it back with a huge reflector and you’ve got some super soft light with a hint of directionality from the windows.  I have the same kind of light in my own studio and I love it.  In fact, North facing windows have been revered by generations of artists, painters, sculptors, and photographers for centuries.

For more Montana wedding artwork and to book Paul for your wedding visit http://www.paulbellinger.com

For Billings Montana portraits, headshots and fashion editorials visit http://www.portraits.paulbellinger.com

It would be our honor to photograph you.

MONTANA WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER – TIPS FOR BRIDES: WHAT IS A SECOND SHOOTER AND WHY DO YOU NEED ONE?

If you’re in the market for a wedding photographer, you’re probably going to come across this term “second shooter.”  A second shooter is a second photographer that will be present on your wedding day to help cover the event and assist the main shooter you hire as your wedding photographer.  Most professional wedding photographers offer a second shooter and they are very popular among brides these days, but for brides on a budget there is always some temptation in cutting the second shooter from the wedding budget.  Hopefully this blog will dissuade the discerning bride from doing so.

What does a second shooter do?  When your wedding photographer brings a second photographer to your wedding, you will see the second shooter doing everything from carrying bags and getting coffee for the bridesmaids, to making family portraits and shooting candids on the dance floor.  Sometimes they will be backing up the main shooter during key moments such as the processional and recessional, sometimes they’ll be shooting the same thing as the main photographer but from a different angle, such as the ceremony and the kiss, and often second shooters will take on their own assignments throughout the day, such as shooting the cake or décor on their own or making a portrait of each person in the bridal party while the main photographer is shooting the bride and groom alone.

Why is a second shooter important?  A second shooter is integral to the way that I shoot weddings and I highly recommend that every bride hire a wedding photographer with a second shooter.  The second shooter provides backups and duplicates of the most crucial moments of the day, so you have peace of mind that nothing important will be lost due to an accident or bad memory card.  The second shooter also frees up a lot of time so that your main shooter can focus on getting the shots you want the most, such as the creative portraits of the bride and groom.  Your photographers can split up for bridesmaid and groomsmen portraits, and one can photograph the bride’s details such as the ring and dress, while the other shoots the cake and décor.  In doing so, you’ll be sure to have both on hand for the key moments and during the high pressure times such as family portraits and time sensitive times like the creative portraits of the bride and groom alone when all of the wedding guests are patiently waiting for the bride and groom to return and get the party started.  Lastly, second shooters bring their own creative eye to the day and brainstorm some amazing ideas on their own.  Put them with a good main shooter and you’ve got yourself a recipe for successful wedding photos on your big day.

What questions do I need to ask about a second shooter?  First, make sure that any wedding photographer you consider offers a second shooter.  A small handful do not, and if you are considering them you’ll want to be extra careful in reviewing full weddings from them so that you can make sure they aren’t missing key moments, or running out of time for creative portraits.  Second, ask a potential wedding photographer who they use as their second shooter.  I personally use only professional experienced wedding photographers who regularly shoot weddings on their own so that I know they can handle the pressure of a wedding day should something happen to me.  Third, ask how the photographer utilizes a second shooter on the wedding day.  Do they split up throughout the day?  Is the second shooter more of an assistant or a full time shooter?  You want to make sure your potential wedding photographer knows how to make the most of their second shooter if it’s something you’re going to invest in.  In my business second shooters are hired primarily to shoot; they are professional photographers and I want them shooting all day.  I hire a separate assistant to assist the second shooter and myself so that the second shooter is doing minimal assistance work and both of us can be focused on photography all day long.

This blog is part of my on-going series on how to choose a wedding photographer.  I wanted to provide brides with a serious educational resource they can consult before jumping into the wedding photography market.  Last year I wrote 5 tips for hiring your wedding photographer, with the first tip here.  There are lots of other tips for brides scattered throughout my blog and if you scroll down you can search for “tips for brides” or click the “tips for brides” link in the word cloud below, or simply click here.

I am a Montana wedding photographer located in Billings MT.  I’m in love with Montana but available for any wedding destination in the world.  www.paulbellinger.com

BILLINGS MONTANA WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER – HYALITE ENGAGEMENT ARTWORK

One of the best parts of my career as a wedding photographer is exploring the places that are special for my couples.  Thanks to my awesome couples I’ve been lucky to see all kinds of beautiful places across Montana and beyond.  I’ve been hearing about Hyalite Canyon (just outside of Bozeman Montana), since I moved to Montana, and Carrie and Jake were nice enough to show me their favorite parts of the park.  Hyalite Canyon has something for everyone, from rugged peaks and canyons, to streams, waterfalls, and a huge reservoir.  It’s a special place for Carrie and Jake, who visited often while in school at Montana State.  We spent the better part of an afternoon shooting in the area and admiring the beautiful scenery.  Thank you for showing me a wonderful afternoon Carrie and Jake!

Tip for brides: Engagement sessions are included with every wedding collection, along with a wedding album.  Most clients receive complimentary worldwide travel for engagement sessions, wedding days, and honeymoon sessions, and travel is always free inside of Montana.  Engagement sessions are a lot of fun, but they also play a crucial role in letting you get to know your wedding photographer and get comfortable with how your photographer works in the field.  For these reasons, I highly recommend doing your engagement session with the same photographer you'll have shooting your wedding.   

Paul Bellinger is one of Montana's most exclusive wedding photographers.  Paul specializes in making the wedding photos you’ve dreamed about.  A master of photographing any scene, Paul can go anywhere and do anything for our exclusive clientele.  There is no adventure too big or wedding too small, from the beaches to the mountains, it's our honor to photograph your wedding.  www.paulbellinger.com

MONTANA WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER – RED LODGE RANCH ENGAGEMENT SESSION

I met Ashley and Chad last January at a bridal show and just knew they were exactly the type of couple I’d love to photograph.  After meeting a few times, several drinks, and after lots of Ashley convincing Chad, we finally shot their engagement session eight months later!  It was worth the wait!  Horses play a special part in Ashley and Chad’s romance, so of course I was willing to do an extended engagement session out on a Red Lodge ranch with their horses, even though I’m actually really scared of horses!  It was fine though, I overcame my fear of horses and we made some pretty engagement artwork that they will cherish for generations.  Thank you Ashley, Chad and Aurora for showing me a great time on the ranch!  More to come soon from this Red Lodge engagement session.

As a Montana Wedding photographer based in Billings Montana, I often find myself in the most beautiful places Montana has to offer.  From Red Lodge, to Big Sky, and all the way up to the Flathead and Glacier National Park, I photograph weddings from the streams to the mountains.  My clients have one thing in common: are not satisfied with anything short of the best wedding photography that Montana has to offer.  At Paul Bellinger photography we don’t deliver anything less than heirloom quality artwork worthy of preserving your story for generations to come. www.paulbellinger.com

MONTANA WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER - LUXURY PRODUCTS FOR LUXURY PORTRAITS

At Paul Bellinger photography we take printing seriously, because it’s the only medium that is guaranteed to preserve your memories for generations.  A hard drive, or CD is not a family heirloom.  Digital is dangerous.  Drives fail, technology becomes obsolete, but prints are timeless.  That’s why we’re excited to be introducing some new print products this fall!  Featured here is a luxurious wooden folio box that is handmade in Billings Montana.  There are currently only two of these boxes in existence, and future boxes will be custom designed for each client so that you will have a truly unique family heirloom.  Inside the folio box is another new product, locally made and mounted fine art prints.  Featured here are 8x12 inch fine art prints with an additional half inch white border, mounted on rigid foam core.  The fine art print is glare free and has a texture that you will absolutely love to hold in your hand.  These types of prints are great for bridal, glamour and boudoir portraits.

This particular print is especially beautiful because it’s one of my amazing brides, Kristen!  More from that photo shoot will be coming soon.  As a Montana wedding photographer I specialize in photographing women, including bridal portraits, glamour portraits, and boudoir portraits.  I have a full service portrait studio in downtown Billings Montana.  www.paulbellinger.com

MONTANA WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER – SAM AND RYAN’S INTIMATE RED LODGE WEDDING

Congratulations to Sam and Ryan!  It was my honor to photograph their intimate wedding at their family cabin on Rock Creek outside of Red Lodge Montana.  It was a stunning Montana setting in the woods right next to the churning white water of Rock Creek.  Here’s a quick peak at a few of my favorites.  The first look was one of the most beautiful moments I’ve ever witnessed as a photographer and of course I love when the father of the bride gives his little girl one last big hug.  Stay tuned for more to come from this beautiful Montana wedding soon!

I am Montana wedding photographer Paul Bellinger.  I specialize in dramatic, fine art wedding photography.  My photography studio is located in Billings Montana and I shoot weddings of all of shapes and sizes at any wedding destination from the beaches to the mountains.  It would be my honor to photograph your wedding.  www.paulbellinger.com

MONTANA WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER – CONGRATS JENNA AND MIKE!

Congrats to Jenna and Mike!  They had a beautiful wedding at the Moss Mansion in downtown Billings Montana last weekend and this was one of my favorite photos from inside the historic mansion.  I love the way a freshly married bride and groom look at each other after the wedding ceremony when their emotions are overflowing.  Even the toughest of guys like Mike can’t keep their emotions under wraps.  Right after the ceremony is always my favorite part of a wedding day and I’m glad the Paul Bellinger Photography team was able to pull of this beautiful image during this brief moment.  There will be more to come from this awesome wedding on the blog soon!  Until then, congrats and thank you Jenna and Mike!

I am Montana wedding photographer Paul Bellinger.  Dramatic fine art wedding photography is my specialty.  From the mountains to the beaches, I photograph weddings of all shapes and sizes, and in any wedding destination in Montana or beyond.  I would be honored to be your wedding photographer.  Please contact me through my Montana wedding photographer website www.paulbellinger.com