Chris Maxwell photography California weddings

[FloraKitty35]

I can't imagine Stevehovah allowing him to see the work of ANY famous professional photographers such as: Cecil Beaton, Richard Avedon, Ritts, Margaret Bourke-White, Robert Mapplethorpe, Dorothea Lange, Helmut Newton, Terry Richardson,David LaChappelle, Annie Leibovitz etc... for various reasons

[Shirley Blest]

Where are these pictures at?

[PearlKrabs]

I can't imagine Stevehovah allowing him to see the work of ANY famous professional photographers such as: Cecil Beaton, Richard Avedon, Ritts, Margaret Bourke-White, Robert Mapplethorpe, Dorothea Lange, Helmut Newton, Terry Richardson,David LaChappelle, Annie Leibovitz etc... for various reasons

Or even the works of regular wedding photographers. He surely can't browse freely through a random website. A bride could be wearing a low-cut dress (most of them are by Maxwell standards) or a same-sex couple could be featured.

This explains the dated 'everyone jumps at the same time' shot he used for Joseph and Elissa's wedding. The Maxwells were probably fellowshipping with a family and he saw it in a seven-year-old wedding album that was sitting out. It was probably one of the most interesting group pics he'd ever seen.

When I take into account his limited exposure I'm impressed he does the 'wedding dress hanging by itself' shot, even if it looks like a death shroud and there's random junk in the frame. He's doing the best he can.

[MamaJunebug]

Im hyperventilating: Chrisso has a page of tips on how to be a good wedding photographer!

And it's got 11,000 words--he tells us so! And he tells us not to quit reading!!!!

And if you can stand it???? HE PROMISES AN E-BOOK!

My belated gift to you all:

christophermaxwell.com/wedding-photography-tips.htm

[anjulibai]

Oh FFS.

[twin2]

One of Steve's many flaws is his huge ego and he has passed that on to his offspring. In his mind, the Maxwells can teach themselves to become experts at anything. They can't seem to understand that there are others that know more than and that they can learn from them (not to mention any learning from a worldy source would inevitably lead them away from god :roll: ). It is why they Christopher's photography sucks, Sarah can't write, and none of them can sing. They all could get better, they choose not to as they don't see they have anything to improve upon.

Remember, THEY are great conversationalists, it is the whole rest of the world that is bad at it....

[nelliebelle1197]

One of Steve's many flaws is his huge ego and he has passed that on to his offspring. In his mind, the Maxwells can teach themselves to become experts at anything. They can't seem to understand that there are others that know more than and that they can learn from them (not to mention any learning from a worldy source would inevitably lead them away from god :roll: ). It is why they Christopher's photography sucks, Sarah can't write, and none of them can sing. They all could get better, they choose not to as they don't see they have anything to improve upon.

Remember, THEY are great conversationalists, it is the whole rest of the world that is bad at it....

That is just the saddest thing I have heard in a long time.

[Pastors Daughter]

Only 26 weddings to his credit in 10-1/2 years. What experience! I'm seriously impressed.

In addition to plastic storage bins, Chris could instruct hopeful future photographers how to leave in all props and people used for lighting effects on the bride and groom's photo page (19th counting from the bottom on Rebecca and Moses' wedding). Perhaps he hasn't covered cropping yet:

[ILoveJellybeans]

26 weddings in 10 years

That's about 2 or 3 weddings a year. Not enough to make a living. It isn't a job, its a hobby. And he isn't very good at it.

Maybe Steve should get Jinger to give him lessons :lol:

[gardenvarietycitizen]

26 weddings in 10 years

That's about 2 or 3 weddings a year. Not enough to make a living. It isn't a job, its a hobby. And he isn't very good at it.

Maybe Steve should get Jinger to give him lessons :lol:

That right there is what has everyone speculating about just where they make their real money. There is no way the photo biz or the now-defunct home improvement biz are paying the bills because they just don't have enough contracts.

Every so often there's mention of Nathan (and Christopher too? I forget) doing actual IT consulting for companies, I suppose that might be part of it.

Though on the other hand years ago they had some sample web page stuff up and it was horrible - just someone's implementation of "look ma, I can make a javascript calculator with no CSS!" type thing.

ETA: From what we see of the home improvements they do on their own houses, I think they could easily make money doing that (or starting a rental empire, for that matter). Perhaps they do more of this than they let on, and just don't blog about it, but I don't know. Probably not the rental empire though because if they were doing that, people here sniffing around the property records would find them owning lots more houses.

But either way - we know there's more to their lives than they see fit to post to the blog. So it's possible they have some sort of more mainstream gig that they just never, ever write about.

[divadivine]

I think they are strippers on the side... Christian strippers. Dollars for Jesus!

[Handmaiden of Dog]

So he is writing a book on photography. Not surprising. They have figured out that they can write books on anything, give a Christian spin, and sell it to suckers. Ugh. Jesus would LOVE that, I'm sure.

Hint #434: Always take a few pictures with extreme tilt. This gives the viewer an unsettling sense of vertigo which they just might confuse with emotion.

Hint #752: Always take close ups of the wedding rings being held by the bride and by the groom. Don't bother focusing on the people. For some reason viewers just love pictures of the rings by themselves (after all we see enough of the bride and groom already.)

Hint # 929: Ask the groomsmen to jump up as high as possible as a group. This is a "dynamic" action shot. The viewer will love this because it looks fun and spontaneous. Note this only works with young, thin grooms. For fat, elderly grooms, omit.

[Seven Severn]

This is my absolute favorite Christopher picture of all time:

The hangers, hanging rod, crap on table, and random arm just scream Beauty! Romance!

[ILoveJellybeans]

Chris makes any dress look awful. Why would anyone choose to have him photograph their wedding? You could look like an absolutely gorgeous couple, and Chris will get the most unflattering photos that will make you look hideous.

A five year old could do a better job. I wonder how many of the weddings he photographed were not relatives or close family "friends" who felt obligated to. And how many of his clients look back on their photos with regret, and feel his photos ruin the memories of their wedding day.

[sparkles]

I'm particularly fond of the one with the fan in sharp focus in the foreground, blurry bride in the back. High art indeed.

christophermaxwell.com/weddings/josh-lexi/index.html (scroll down a bit. And while you're at it, have a gander at the glory of Lexi's cobbled together modest wedding gown, possibly the worst fitting dress ever)

What Christopher does is take pictures. And taking pictures does not make one a photographer in anything other than name only.

[twin2]

I'm particularly fond of the one with the fan in sharp focus in the foreground, blurry bride in the back. High art indeed.

christophermaxwell.com/weddings/josh-lexi/index.html (scroll down a bit. And while you're at it, have a gander at the glory of Lexi's cobbled together modest wedding gown, possibly the worst fitting dress ever)

What Christopher does is take pictures. And taking pictures does not make one a photographer in anything other than name only.

Just what I would want to pay money for, a pic of the back of the fan. Almost as much as I would want to pay for a pic of another camera taking a pic.

What is the guy's fascination with askew pics?

[usmcmom]

I'm particularly fond of the one with the fan in sharp focus in the foreground, blurry bride in the back. High art indeed.

christophermaxwell.com/weddings/josh-lexi/index.html (scroll down a bit. And while you're at it, have a gander at the glory of Lexi's cobbled together modest wedding gown, possibly the worst fitting dress ever)

What Christopher does is take pictures. And taking pictures does not make one a photographer in anything other than name only.

That picture of the groom looking in the mirror? At first glance I thought, "Why is there a picture of a surgeon at the wedding?" It looks like a doctor wearing his white coat over his scrubs.

Why do these girls insist on buying an "immodest" wedding dress and attempt to modify it?? *sigh* I just bought my daughter's wedding gown and there are plenty of options with high necklines and sleeves. Even if there weren't, there are options. My daughter fell in love with a strapless gown and when she said "I really wanted sleeves," the clerk brought out several sleeve attachments specifically made to compliment her gown - same designer, same lace...everything. It is hard to explain, but it attaches to the dress to make it look like a cap sleeve design, looks beautiful in the back, and blends perfectly with the dress. I know not everybody is on the same budget, but there have to be better ways than basically wearing a t-shirt under your bridal gown.

[sparkles]

Hoo boy, I just read through all of the blather on his site. Damn, he does like to go on and on and on and on, doesn't hse?

I was somewhat surprised to see that his "high-end professional camera" is only 6 MP. Shoot, my Canon 60D, which is considered a prosumer model, is 18MP and the one I'm upgrading to is 22.5. Even my iPhone is 8MP and I take better pictures with that than Christopher does with his big-deal pro setup (because, you know, I actually STUDY photography and welcome critique.)

Edited because damn you, autocorrect!

[Seven Severn]

I'm particularly fond of the one with the fan in sharp focus in the foreground, blurry bride in the back. High art indeed.

christophermaxwell.com/weddings/josh-lexi/index.html (scroll down a bit. And while you're at it, have a gander at the glory of Lexi's cobbled together modest wedding gown, possibly the worst fitting dress ever)

What Christopher does is take pictures. And taking pictures does not make one a photographer in anything other than name only.

How dare you!! I'll have you know that that white, plastic fan has been handed down through the generations! The bride's great-great grandmother brought that white, plastic fan with her on a covered wagon across the Ohio Valley to NE Kansas in 1872. That white, plastic fan is a cherished family heirloom and it deserved to be the focus of that picture! You...naysayer, you!

In all seriousness, I wonder what the couple thought when they saw that pic.

[kpmom]

I'm particularly fond of the one with the fan in sharp focus in the foreground, blurry bride in the back. High art indeed.

christophermaxwell.com/weddings/josh-lexi/index.html (scroll down a bit. And while you're at it, have a gander at the glory of Lexi's cobbled together modest wedding gown, possibly the worst fitting dress ever)

What Christopher does is take pictures. And taking pictures does not make one a photographer in anything other than name only.

Oh yes. That's the wedding where "Now Let's Do It" was stenciled on the church wall, just to the left of the bride and groom while they took their vows. :lol:

[Rebelwife]

I will say this for anyone who hires him to photograph their wedding - they know EXACTLY what they are getting. He does the exact same (stupid) shots of every wedding. :roll:

[anjulibai]

You know I always assumed that Christopher didn't put all of the weddings he did on his website. Do you all really think those are his only weddings?

And if there are more, does he choose based on permission or based on what he thinks is his best work? Does he really think those pictures are his best work?

[quiversR4hunting]

I'm particularly fond of the one with the fan in sharp focus in the foreground, blurry bride in the back. High art indeed.

christophermaxwell.com/weddings/josh-lexi/index.html (scroll down a bit. And while you're at it, have a gander at the glory of Lexi's cobbled together modest wedding gown, possibly the worst fitting dress ever)

What Christopher does is take pictures. And taking pictures does not make one a photographer in anything other than name only.

first the fan- OMG. I thought it was going to be an antique metal fan that would cut your fingers off but no- it's a bigbox special fan. :rawr:

second - dress modification - why why, why super shiny super white fabric to go with that gown??!?? :angry-banghead: agree with everyone else - you can find modest wedding dresses without any alternations to the neckline at a reasonable price without looking like you slapped something together in 7th grade sewing.

[sparkles]

You know I always assumed that Christopher didn't put all of the weddings he did on his website. Do you all really think those are his only weddings?

And if there are more, does he choose based on permission or based on what he thinks is his best work? Does he really think those pictures are his best work?

I think he does.

Another popular "concern" about part-time photographers if the quality of their work. That's one of the reasons why I put so many images up on my web site: you can be the judge of the quality of my work.

We certainly can, Christopher.

[16strong]

So Chris posts a ton of images so you can judge the quality of his work?

He takes the same 5 photos over and over again. I don't understand why he needs to exert needless effort into posting them again every time he shoots a wedding. In any case, he has probably spent more time uploading photos than learning to use a camera.