Ben Pancoast Photography

We've MOVED, the Blog, come see whats NEW!!!

2009-05-07T11:08:00.010-04:00

I've enjoyed my blogger blog and it has been a great place to get into the swing of things with blogging but it just doesn't offer the flexibility that I want or need as a photographer.

With that in mind I made the switch to a Wordpress blog which I hosted on my own website. I think the new blog is a major step up from the blogger blog visually and functionally and I'm excited about all the things I'll be able to do with it!

Our latest posts are:
Wedding Photography at Notre Dame

A Trash the Dress portrait shoot and Engagement Photos in Washington DC

So if you haven't already, please check out my new and improved wedding photography blog here!

What if it Rains on your wedding day?

2009-03-17T02:38:00.010-04:00

So what really happens if it rains on your wedding day? Will your wedding pictures be ruined, will your guests have a terrible time, or will you have good luck and be blessed with many years of happiness? This past season I have had the misfortune or perhaps good fortune, depending on your artistic point of view, of having shot several outdoor weddings that had more than their fair share of stormy weather on the wedding day! So what really happens and does everything really work out in the end?

Carmel Indiana: The outdoor ceremony was finished and the cocktails had just begun on the back patio when this monster storm rolled in. Everyone ran for cover under the tent and watched as an inch of rain and nickle sized hail poured down on us. The skies cleared though and by the end of the night the storm had become just one more part of this fairy tale wedding!

Oval Beach, Saugatuck Michigan: Wind whipped rain drenched people during the vows but the bride, groom, and their guests simply laughed it off. After the vows everyone ran for cover and by the time we got to the reception site the rain had cleared, the dress had dried and everyone had a story to tell!

Chicago Illinois: Torrential downpours kept this couple from San Francisco from completing their vows on Wrigley field but it didn't stop them from going out on the town for some amazing portraits in the rain!

As you can see by the pictures here, not only did the rain not ruin a single wedding day but it actually provided an amazing backdrop for what turned out to be 3 spectacularly beautiful and unique weddings! Now I wouldn't wish rain on anyone's wedding day but if some should happen to come your way I'd suggest just going with the flow, at the end of the day you'll be married to the love of your life, have an incredible story, and probably have some pretty amazing pictures to help you remember it all by!
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This Blog is no longer actively updated, to view my latest work please visit my NEW wedding photography BLOG!!

Featured in: Shore Magazine BRIDE

2009-02-22T22:53:00.007-05:00

One of my favorite beach weddings of the entire summer was featured in the latest issue of Shore Magazines BRIDE. The photograph is their featured "Capture" and can be found just inside the back cover!

The ceremony took place on Oval Beach in Saugatuck Michigan, and yes the dark clouds on the horizon did end up soaking the bride, groom, and all their guests with wind whipped rain. Remarkably that didn't stop the ceremony, or the smiles, of the bride and groom as they finished their vows in the rain before running for cover!

Many thanks to Melanie and David for sharing their wedding day with me and allowing me to share this photograph of their incredible beach wedding with Shore Magazine.

If you'd like to see even more amazing beach wedding photos check out this blog post!

Baby Pictures: Saint Joseph Michigan

2009-02-09T01:55:00.006-05:00

Today I had the opportunity to photograph a beautiful baby boy here in Southwest Michigan. I don't normally blog about my family portrait work but I thought I'd start putting more of my baby pictures on the blog since it is slowly becoming a bigger part of what I shoot here in Saint Joesph Michigan.

Photographing newborns on location is not only a lot of fun it is a welcome change of pace from the hectic, but exciting weddings I'm so accustomed to shooting on weekends. A typical shoot revolves around the babies schedule and involves me showing up on location, scouting the light in a house and setting up a portable backdrop by a window. We'll shoot some portraits of the baby with the back drop and then sometimes get more creative and use the room or furniture in the house for props and backdrops. This is of course if the baby doesn't fall asleep first...

If you or someone you know is having a baby soon and would be interested in scheduling a newborn portrait session please contact me through my website! Many thanks to Dave & Molly for inviting me into their home and allowing me to photograph their son!

And the WINNER of the Free Engagment Session is...

2009-02-04T14:12:00.005-05:00

This weekend we gave away one free engagement shoot in the hope chest drawing and I promised everyone who entered the drawing that we'd give another one away this week on the blog Congratulations to the lucky recipient: Whitney Martin

Whitney will be receiving a free Engagement shoot along with a 10pg brag book!

Congratulations Whitney!

Engagement Photos in Madison Wisconsin

2009-02-04T12:27:00.003-05:00

I had the pleasure of shooting Dan & Sarahs engagement photos in Madison Wisconsin a couple of weeks ago. We started on the University of Wisconsin campus at the Memorial Union. Because it was so cold out we had to stay inside and shoot in the stair wells and hallways around the Union Theatre but I think the pictures turned out beautifully!

Once we were done in the Union we actually went out on the frozen lake for a few pictures looking back at campus and then we headed over to the capitol building where once again we used the incredible architecture inside the building to capture some really neat shots.

We wrapped up the shoot with a quick stop by a bar, a few photos in the Museum of Contemporary Art, and a small coffee shop which was perfect because by then we were all freezing!

I think you can tell from the images that Dan & Sarah are not only incredibly photogenic, they're a lot of fun to hang out with too! I can not wait to shoot their wedding here in Southwest Michigan this July at the Blue Dress Barn!

Check out Dan & Sarahs wedding photos at the Blue Dress Barn here!!

Chicago Wedding Photography: Art Institute of Chicago, Engagement photos

2008-12-21T01:04:00.013-05:00

Any wedding photographer who shoots a lot of weddings in Chicago knows just how easy it is to get caught up in all the hype about the skyline, the fountains, and the tourist attractions that you can find all over the city of Chicago. Most wedding parties have a list of hot spots they want to visit, The Adler Planetarium, Buckingham Fountain, and Millenium Park are a just a few of the most popular photo opps on a wedding day. While these places can be great for photographs they are typically more about the location than the couple.

One thing I think more brides and grooms should consider is finding a quite place where they can take a few minutes to relax, enjoy each one another and allow the photographer to take beautiful photographs that focus the couple on their wedding day.

One great location that allows exactly that is the Art Institute of Chicago. There's a beautiful little garden on Michigan Avenue just south of the main entrance of the Art Institute where a couple can stop for a few quite photos together.

It's away from the hustle and bustle, and crowds of bridal parties you'll find at the Fountain or Millenium Park but that doesn't mean the photos will be any less beautiful!

In fact, the simplistic backgrounds and simple settings focus the attention on the couple and the connection they have with one another which is really what the wedding day is all about. Rather than oohing and ahhing about the skyline or fountain, your friends and family will be saying things like, look how In LOVE they were on their wedding day! This is one of the reasons why Engagement photos at the Art Institute of Chicago are such a great idea

So, when you begin planning the photo walk for your wedding day, talk to your wedding photographer about a less touristy location that will compliment those amazing photos of the bridal party with the skyline in the background and take a moment to enjoy one another on your wedding day!

Thank you Adam and Tatiana for allowing me to spend an afternoon with you this November and congratulations on your engagement, I can't wait for the wedding!!!

To view a collection of more recent Chicago Engagement Photos please visit my new blog here, or check out the Engagement Photos at Sunrise in Chicago, here!

Wedding photos at W Hotel - Lakeshore Chicago

2008-10-23T09:42:00.010-04:00

A couple weeks ago I was in downtown Chicago at the W Hotel - Lakeshore shooting a wedding in the Altitude room overlooking Lake Michigan. The weather was perfect and the W Hotel was an amazing venue for a wedding reception.

Following are a few photos from throughout the wedding day. The bride and groom started the day at the W Hotel with prep in individual suites before heading to the Holy Family Church for the wedding ceremony. On the way back to the W we stopped at North Avenue Beach for a few quick portraits. North Avenue beach is a great location for wedding photos in Chicago because it's close to down town and it's easy on and off from Lakeshore Drive. If you've got a wedding on the north side of Chicago it's a great alternative to driving to the museum campus where most other wedding parties go for skyline photos.

After a few quick portraits it was back to the W Hotel - Lakeshore for cocktails and the reception in the Altitude room. The details were amazing and the view was spectacular!

Every Saturday Navy Pier has fireworks, and they made for a spectacular show during dinner, this is the view from the wedding reception at the W hotel.

We wrapped up the night with a quick shot of the bride and groom in the bathroom. Yes that is correct, this is the womans bathroom in the Altitude room. If the W Hotel puts this much attention to detail and style into their bathroom it's no wonder they can create such an unforgettable wedding experience for brides and grooms!

Engagement Photos by the Beach

2008-10-16T16:25:00.004-04:00

Last week I was lucky enough to be able to meet up with Emily and Dan and do their engagement photos by the beach. We started out in Grandmere State Park where the mosquitos tried to eat us alive and then moved up the beach to St. Joe where we ended the shoot at Silver beach. Emily and Dan where so much fun to work with and they look amazing in the pictures!

To more recent Beach Engagement Photos click on the link provided!

Rain Rain Go Away!

2008-09-17T01:50:00.004-04:00

What a mess the weather was this weekend! I had two weddings in Chicago this weekend the first of which was Chris and Niki's. The bride and groom flew all the way from San Francisco to Chicago to have their wedding here in Chicago on Wrigley Field but the weather had other ideas for their day! Unfortunately there had been so much rain leading up to the weekend that absolutely no one was allowed down on the field. The bride and groom were disappointed of course but we didn't let the weather prevent us from having fun taking pictures around the city!
We started out trying to take pictures of the skyline by the Planetarium but as you can see it was raining so hard you could barely see the buildings.

You can only keep a wedding dress so dry under an umbrella so after a few quick shots we were off to find some place nice and dry!

We ended up at Union Station in Downtown Chicago along with 2 or 3 other bridal parties. Unfortunately we all got kicked out by security for not having permits... apparently they aren't very sympathetic when it comes to brides running from the weather. But at least we got some fun shots before they asked us to leave including this shot of the bridal party by the south entrance!

Finally we headed for Wrigley Field to get a shot by the Marquee along with a few other photos around the stadium before finally taking cover from the weather once and for all in the Batters Eye!

Chris and Niki where so much fun to work with and I couldn't believe how they just kept having fun in spite of the weather. They actually embraced the rain and I couldn't have been happier to spend a rainy day with the two of them! Congratualations to them both!!

Congratulations Kim & Ernie!!

2008-09-11T00:10:00.005-04:00

After finishing my blog post last night I realized everything was about the reception at the Blue Dress Barn and I'd hardly shown anything from the wedding day so I thought I'd throw up a few fun photos to give you a feel for what went on during the day!

We started out at Mane Street Salon and Spa and managed to get the hair and veil done just before the electricity went out!

Weddings require a LOT of energy so on the way to the church we just had to stop for a little coffee!! =)

After getting ready for pictures I surprised the bride by bringing her into the basement of the church for a few quick portraits. Yes, she did wonder what we were doing in the basement... but after seeing a few of the pictures she got the idea, as you can tell she looked incredible in her wedding gown. I especially love the picture of her with her Mom and sister!

I love how this classic pose brings out all the details in the Kims amazing wedding gown and bouquet!

The ceremony was at The First Church of God in Saint Joseph Mi. It was a beautiful church to shoot in!

After the Ceremony I took the bride and groom down to the basement for a couple quick photos and then we stopped at the beach for a few more pictures before heading to the Blue Dress Barn!

All in all it was an amazing day and I was so excited to be a part of it! Congratulations to Kim and Ernie!!

The Blue Dress Barn - A wedding Reception

2008-09-09T22:15:00.009-04:00

This weekend I had the opportunity to shoot a wedding reception at the Blue Dress Barn in Millburg Mi. This is the first time I'd ever been there and I was amazed by what a neat place it was to take pictures. Everywhere you look at the Blue Dress Barn there's charm, and character. This is by far one of the best venues not only for a wedding reception but for wedding pictures that I have been able to shoot at in Southwest Michigan.
When we showed up we only had about 10 minutes for pictures outside the barn before dinner was supposed to start and I thought maybe we wouldn't have time for as many fun pictures as we were hoping for but I was in for a treat because the pictures inside the barn of the reception were just as fun as the photos outside the barn. What a fun day!

Look at the incredible light that was spilling in at the end of the barn during the first dance.

As the night wore on the the Blue Dress Barn really came alive and it became obvious why so many people choose this location for their summer weddings, it's simply beautiful!

To view more recent reception photos at the blue dress barn click the link!

OR

Check out this amazing Barn Wedding at Millcreek Barn in southwest Michigan!!

Milwaukee Wedding Photography at the War Memorial

2008-08-23T01:59:00.002-04:00

The Milwaukee War Memorial is an incredible venue for wedding pictures!! The wedding ceremony on the terrace over looking Lake Michigan was amazing and so was the wedding reception. The wedding party danced the night away to some great tunes and we finished the wedding pictures with this incredible bridal portrait of the Bride and Groom in the stair well of the War Memorial in Milwaukee Wisconsin!

In the background you can see the Milwaukee skyline! I think this is one of the most unique and beautiful facilities I've ever shot at and although this particular bridal portrait took quite a bit of co-ordination to pull of it was well worth it and one of my favorite wedding pictures of the year! Although I don't get to shoot in Milwaukee as much as I'd like I look forward to coming back to this location soon!!

Wedding Photography: Saint Joseph Michigan

2008-08-21T11:13:00.004-04:00

Saturday was such an incredibly beautiful day for a wedding here in Southwest Michigan! I started the day shooting the bride getting her Hair done at Devoir Salon's brand new location in downtown Saint Joseph, if you haven't been there it's worth the trip, what a cool space!! After the hair we went just up the road to Saron Lutheran Church where the bride had her makeup done and got ready. The ceremony was in a beautiful little chapel and we went to the Tiscornia beach for photos on our way to Point O'Woods golf course where they had their reception. The images where processed using one of the Boutwells Totally Rad Actions, which totally rock!! I love the way the muted colors enhance the mood in the photographs! Congratulations Kirk and Carolyn!

Photography Planning Tips

2008-08-14T13:13:00.004-04:00

If you just got engaged, and are starting to plan your wedding photography it can be a bit daunting. There are so many photographers and so many styles of photography, where do you start and what should you be thinking about when planning your wedding photography? Well today I was a guest blogger at Stella Event Design where I shared 6 really great tips on how to plan for the perfect wedding pictures. While I believe all the tips will help you plan for a successful wedding day here are a few of the most important ones to consider, Communication is KEY, Start the photography early, and Personalize your Must Have photo list. To read about why these things are so important and for even more tips on planning your wedding photography check out the blog post and good luck to everyone planning a wedding!

Stella Event Design - Photography Q&A

2008-08-13T11:53:00.004-04:00

This week is photography week at Stella Event Design, a full-service wedding coordination and event planning boutique, specializing in weddings along the Michigan lake shore. I worked with Stella Event Design on a spring wedding this year and they were amazing, I wish all of my clients had such a knowledgeable and creative resource at their disposal! This week they're featuring 3 photographers in a Q&A session and today it's my turn! Check out Stella Event Designs blog for the full Q+A. Also, I have been invited to be a guest blogger tomorrow so check back for some great tips on how brides can work with their photographers to get some really creative images on their wedding day!

Here are a few photos from the wedding I worked on with Stella Event Designs in April. The day started at 6am on the beach in Saint Joseph Michigan where the bride and all her bridesmaids went for a run. I kept up on my bike and documented the early morning run. What a fun way to start the day!

Another beautiful Chicago Wedding

2008-08-04T22:28:00.020-04:00

Joe and Gloria tied the knot on July 26, 2008 in downtown Chicago. After the ceremony we did this amazing portrait shoot under an overpass near their church in Chicago. For those of you who are planning a wedding, you'll definitely want to consider setting aside some time for a quick photo walk like this! It's a great opportunity to have fun, relax, and capture some unique wedding pictures on your wedding day. Don't limit your photo walk to a park either, as you can see from these photos, you can get beautiful wedding pictures just about anywhere!

This last shot was taken outside the Meridian Banquet Hall in Rolling Meadows, IL. We snuck out towards the end of their reception to get a quick closing shot for the day and found this spot behind an abandoned restaurant next door. Joe and Gloria were so much fun to work with and their willingness to try something different for their wedding portraits really made for some incredible wedding pictures! To see the rest of their Chicago wedding photos visit, www.benpancoast.com.

Wedding Photos at the Ritz Charles in Carmel Indiana

2008-06-09T02:18:00.002-04:00

The Ritz Charles in Carmel Indiana is one of the few banquet halls built specifically for weddings that really delivers a unique, beautiful ceremony experience. While many wedding reception venues offer the same great service for the receptions what set's the Ritz Chapel apart from the others is how beautiful their Chapel is! I've shot quite a few weddings here and they're always beautiful! One of my favorite ways to end the night is with a few beautiful bridal portraits outside the wedding chapel at dusk.

Yesterdays portrait of a bride and groom turned out particularly well because they incorporated their puppy into the shot. I love how the dog is looking up at them as they kiss, what a perfect way to end a beautiful wedding day! Congratulations to the happily married couple!

The Photography Team hits Columbus OH

2008-06-08T23:50:00.001-04:00

I teamed up with Dan Terpstra on 6/7/08 for this Photography Team event in Columbus Ohio where we photographed David and Mandy's wedding. Whenever Dan and I team up for one of our high end Photography Team weddings we make the most of the day and this wedding wasn't any different. After a quick stop downtown we headed over to the zoo for an outdoor ceremony and photo walk. Check out The Photography Team website for even more cool pictures from David and Mandy's wedding!

Wedding Photos at Notre Dame: Basilica of the Sacred Heart

2008-05-11T00:49:00.008-04:00

If you ever have the opportunity to watch a wedding ceremony at the Basilica of the Sacred Heart on Notre Dame's campus you simply can not pass up the opportunity.

As a wedding photographer I have been fortunate enough to have the opportunity to shoot several weddings in the Basilica of the Sacred Heart and yet I still can't help but pause every time I walk in for the first time on a wedding day and look up to admire how incredibly beautiful the church is.

The weddings I've photographed here are always incredible and the best thing is the bride and groom don't have to worry about decorations, just show up ready with your wedding vows and you are sure to wow your guests!

Although the Basilica does not allow wedding parties more than a half hour for wedding pictures it's typically plenty of time for a few important family photos before heading out onto the beautiful Notre Dame campus for a photo walk with your Bridal party!

I think one of the best things about having your wedding at the Basilica is the fact that you really don't have to go anywhere else for photos, you can walk out of the church and have as many options as you'd like for family photos or bridal portraits.

These are just a few of my favorites from throughout the day, as you can see you don't have to make every shot about being on the Notre Dame campus,

this classic bridal party shots are the perfect compliment to the photos of you and your new husband or wife in the Grotto or with the golden dome in the background!

Check out more recent wedding photos at Notre Dame here!

Engagement Photos in Saint Joseph Mi

2008-04-27T20:18:00.008-04:00

Kim, Ernie, and I spent some quality time hanging out in Saint Joseph Michigan by cool brick walls, walking along the beach, talking about wedding pictures, and oh yeah we took some engagement photos too! As I'm sure you can tell by the pictures these two are a lot of fun to work with!! I can't wait for their wedding in Southwest Michigan this September!

To view a selection of more recent Engagement photos on the Beach in Southwest Michigan please visit my new blog!

Chicago Wedding at A New Leaf

2008-04-12T22:00:00.008-04:00

Congratulations Matt and Angela!! The happy couple tied the knot at A New Leaf, which is an amazing location in down town Chicago just blocks from North Avenue Beach. While shooting at A New Leaf in Chicago IL was a real treat I think my favorite part of the day were the preparations with Angela. I love photographing all the details, the anticipation, and the reactions of the people when the first see the bride.

This wedding was unique because the bride and groom requested non traditional wedding photography, I was asked to shoot strictly in a photojournalistic style and really capture the day as it happened without posing any pictures. While I am accustomed to shooting weddings in a documentary style it is unusual not to have an opportunity to do any bridal portraits but I think I managed to capture some really great pictures of the bride and groom together without them noticing. To see even more wedding photos at A New Leaf click here!

WPPI conference in Las Vegas

2008-03-20T00:19:00.001-04:00

WOW what a week in Las Vegas! As usual the Wedding and Portrait Photographers International convention (WPPI) for short, was an awe inspiring week full of seminars, workshops, and shooting! This year brought another Award of Excellence for one of the prints I entered in the competition, I also presented a couple of small seminars for photographers, and Dan Terpstra and I did a quick Photography Team flash seminar on the streets of Las Vegas where we had live models! It got a bit crazy and stopped more than a little traffic as people tried to figure out who the models where but all in all it was a great time, and I think everyone walked away with something!

Here's one of my favorites from the Photography Team workshop on the strip...

And this is the shot that won an Award of Excellence in the international print competition...

Engagement Session in Saint Joseph Mi

2008-02-17T00:58:00.002-05:00

Kirk & Carolyn spent an hour running from the rain and hiding from the cold, during their engagement session in Sain Joseph Michigan. Luckily for them their wedding isn't until August 16th, so I'm sure it'll be quite a bit warmer! Watch out for their wedding photos later this summer!

Wedding Photography, it's all in the details!

2007-11-18T02:40:00.003-05:00

One of the most interesting things I document at every wedding are the details. Whether it's the rings, the cake, a center piece, or the invitation, no detail is to small to warrant my attention. Good detail shots require a little time and thought, careful composition, the right light, and practice. Coming up with something unique and beautiful is a challenge I look forward to at every wedding!

Beautiful fall wedding at Notre Dame.

2007-10-27T23:33:00.006-04:00

It was a blustry and cool fall day on the Notre Dame Campus but that didn't keep Amy and Brian from having fun taking wedding pictures on our photo walk! Brian helped me climb a tree for this beautiful portrait of his bride, I just love the fall colors and the unique perspective was worth the extra effort! Wedding pictures at Notre Dame are always fun because there are just so many cool places to take pictures on campus! Canon 5D 85mm f2.0 ISO 800 @ 1/500th.

Check out more recent Notre Dame Wedding Photos by clicking the link to our new blog!!!

Perfect weather for a wedding in Muncie Inidiana!

2007-10-22T02:26:00.002-04:00

October seems to be one of the best months for outdoor wedding pictures, every weekend has been beautiful so far! David and Amy got married at a beautiful little church just off campus and then we headed over to Occasions Banquet Hall in Selma, IN. Behind the banquet hall was this soybean field where we snuck out with the bride and groom for the last shot of the night. Canon 5D, 15mm fisheye, f2.8, ISO 1600, 1/15th sec.

No wedding day blues in Cincinnati Ohio!

2007-10-18T20:52:00.006-04:00

There were no wedding day blues for this couple in Columbus OH. Perfect weather a cool location and fun ideas made us oblivious to the time and we ended up being a bit late to the reception but no one seemed to mind! The couple had an amazing time shooting all sorts of wedding pictures in front of this cool blue wall! Canon 5D 24-70mm F4 ISO400 1/2000th sec.

Stevensville Michigan Bridal Portrait

2007-10-11T01:55:00.005-04:00

Congratulations Jess and Josh! What a beautiful day and what incredible photos! This is a shot of the bride and groom driving into North Lake Park in Stevensville Michigan. I took the photo while sitting in the back of their convertible. After we finished up the bridal party pictures at the park we headed over to the Heritage Center in Saint Joseph Michigan for the wedding reception. What a celebration!

Preparing for a Wedding in Southwest Michigan

2007-10-05T10:58:00.001-04:00

It's a Friday afternoon and I've got a wedding to shoot tomorrow. It's my wifes friends wedding here in Southwest Michigan and it should be a lot of fun. I actually love shooting friends weddings because I feel like people are even more comfortable with me than they might be around another photographer and that allows me to capture even more wonderful moments!

Here's my checklist of things I need to do the day before a shoot:
- Charge Batteries
- Clean camera sensors
- Print Directions (mapquest) I just got a GPS last week but want a back up!
- Pick up pants/shirt from cleaners
- Format CF cards
- Review schedule and notes for the wedding
- Look at cool pictures for inspiration

Saint Mary of the Lakes

2007-09-18T21:08:00.001-04:00

What an amazing place for wedding photos! This hidden gem in Illinois is called Saint Mary of the lakes, it's a secluded lake in the middle of suburbia that is surrounded by woods and amazing old stone buildings. This is a shot of the bridal party looking down from an ancient stone bridge. I'm on the road beneath shooting up at them. Canon 5D 16-35mm f22 ISO800 w/ Flash at +2.0.

A moment to remember

2007-06-30T21:44:00.000-04:00

Heide and Alex planed an amazing wedding day that started out on the Magnificent mile and ended at a beautiful country club in Hinsdale IL. Every moment was perfect.