Quality Wedding Photos are Eternally Valuable After years of being an Iowa wedding photographer, I’ve learned that quantity of photos does not mark a job well done. Rapid-fire photo taking and a gallery full of photos that all feel about the same doesn’t serve anyone. Here’s a few reasons why you don’t need 1,000+ photos […] The post Why You Don’t Need 1000+ Wedding Photos appeared first on Bethany McNeill ..read more

There’s been a lot of buzz around the word “candid” when it comes to photography. I have lots of couples who tell me they want candid photos on their wedding day, so I think it’s important to figure out what that means together. Here’s a definition of candid photos from Tracy Jade Photography that I […] The post What is a Candid Photo? appeared first on Bethany McNeill ..read more

WHO you pick as your photographer matters more than you think it does. I was young, 19 at the time. I’d been to very few weddings in my life, so planning my own wedding with nothing to reference was both a blessing and a curse. While not knowing anything was a benefit when it came […] The post My Biggest Mistake as a Bride appeared first on Bethany McNeill ..read more

Iowa Home Family Session Home: where you can throw footballs, make silly faces and snuggle your loved ones closest. This home family session in North Liberty featured absolutely all of those things. You want to know the best part? This isn’t the first time I’ve photographed this couple, but the first time I’ve gotten to […] The post Home Family Session in North Liberty, Iowa appeared first on Bethany McNeill ..read more

As an Iowa wedding photographer, one question I’m asked most often is “where should our wedding photos be taken?” My answer to this question is simple: at your venue (or wherever you’re getting married). If you don’t want photos taken inside your venue and your venue doesn’t have space outside where you can imagine your […] The post Where should wedding photos be taken? appeared first on Bethany McNeill ..read more

As an Iowa wedding photographer, I’ve seen a whole variety of wedding days. No matter the style of the wedding, there are three most important things on your wedding day: Relationships At weddings, it’s the people that matter! This is the one and only time you will ever have these exact people all together. Relationships […] The post 3 Most Important Things on Your Wedding Day appeared first on Bethany McNeill ..read more

Beyond Pros and Cons of First Looks It has been common in weddings over the last few years to have a very orchestrated “first look” moment. When I was a bride in 2014, this wasn’t something I knew about. I just wanted to have a quiet moment with my husband when he saw me in […] The post Reimagine Wedding “First Looks” appeared first on Bethany McNeill ..read more

Ankeny Newborn Photographer I’ve been finding so much joy in photographing families in their homes. It just feels like the right place for family to be. I recently had the pleasure of capturing the magic of a newborn session right before Christmas for the Cosselman family in Ankeny, Iowa. Their session was heartwarming, filled with […] The post At-Home Newborn Session in Ankeny, Iowa appeared first on Bethany McNeill ..read more

Newborn Photos at Home The Boyle family recently celebrated the arrival of their newest member. Eager to capture these precious early moments, Sadie reached out to me for an intimate newborn family session right in the comfort of their own home in Dubuque, Iowa. Sessions like this one are extra special to me because I […] The post Home Newborn Session in Dubuque, Iowa appeared first on Bethany McNeill ..read more

Iowa November Engagement Session As the last bit of autumn hung in the air during an abnormally warm November in Ames, Iowa, we were able to sneak in Abby and Josh’s engagement session. The air was crisp, and the last bits of golden hour sunlight cast a mesmerizing glow on the clouds. Abby and Josh […] The post November Engagement Session in Ames, Iowa appeared first on Bethany McNeill ..read more