So, bear with me for a minute. Styled shoots are a big trend in the wedding community. In essence, a styled shoot is a collaboration of photographers, planners, florists, models – really anyone and everyone who wants to craft a gorgeous photoshoot to both practice their craft and connect with others in the community. They can be an amazing opportunity to try new techniques, play with angles, experiment and gain those drool-worthy portfolio pieces we all dream of.

Here’s the catch, sometimes…a lot of times we play styled shoots off like real weddings. That can get a bit hazy and unfair, especially if we are copying others’ poses or just tagging along in a sea of other photographers and not crafting our own visuals or pushing our creativity.

But, they ARE real moments. Real couples. Real talents being pooled together to craft something magical. Our California shoots dealt with seriously tight time constraints, extensive planning, but very real, amazing couples and individuals to bring about these moments.  And for that, I’m so so incredibly proud that KMC Destinations asked me to capture these gorgeous photos for the whole team, it really was an honor and a ridiculously fun time! 

Without further ado, enjoy a glimpse of our time at Chateau Carmel with Oksana and Dmitriy.

Odessa James Photography
Planning: KMC Destinations
Hair/Makeup: Jireh Artistry
Dress: BoChic Bridal Boutique
Tux: Generation Tux
Florals: Floral V Design
Hairpiece: Green Alaska Decor
Venue: Chateau Carmel
Models: Oksana Vadimova + Dmitriy Semey