We talk to Native Roaming Photography’s Daedra Lynn Logan, the photographer-stylist behind the Western Wedding feature in our May/June issue.
The cost of an American wedding is creeping up to around $40,000, but photographer-stylist Daedra Lynn Logan knows how to bring things in on a budget. She had an idea for a “Buffalo Bride” feature that was so resourceful, we know that if it had been a real wedding and not a magazine photo shoot, she could have brought it in under budget. And we know she delivers the goods photo-wise. For proof of that, you need only look to our Western Wedding feature in C&I’s May/June issue.
Logan’s newly minted company is Native Roaming Photography, based, as of a recent move, in Phillipsburg, Kansas, where she’s originally from. But her “Western Weddings” photo shoot took place in Colorado. A slideshow with a selection of images is below.
“We shot it outside of Colorado Springs in Black Forest,” Logan says. “The blonde in the shoot was my connection to the location. She trains cutting horses there on that ranch she leases.”
Apart from the blonde who’d done a little modeling before, the models had no experience. “The dark-haired girl is a friend who I worked with at Texas Roadhouse. The bearded guy is my husband. I found the other guy at Cavender’s when all the backup models fell through. He happened to be working there and all his friends said, ‘Dude, do it!’”
We love that can-do, up-by-the-bootstraps spirit, and we love how the styling and pictures turned out.
We talked to Logan about the shoot, photographing weddings in general, and what her personal “love language” has to do with it.
Cowboys & Indians: What about your own wedding — did you have a big do?
Daedra Lynn Logan: We actually forewent a wedding to save for a house. And so now I’ve got my four acres in my hometown and my big giant windows. I’m putting in shiplap, and I get to still play with the pretty stuff. I really love lace, boots, turquoise, flowers, and putting it all together. We were actually planning a wedding at Fulford Barn in Brownfield, Texas, but we just couldn’t afford the wedding and the home. But we are planning to renew our vows in the mountains, just the two of us, kind of adventure elopement style. And you can bet, I’m going to get one helluva photographer!
C&I: How long have you been married?
Logan: Oh, my gosh. Don’t tell my husband, but ... three long years and two babies!
C&I: What’s the secret to a happy marriage?
Logan: Holy crap. Not killing each other! We pray a lot about a lot of things. We always try to give it to God when you want to bury the body.
C&I: What was your favorite part of this shoot?
Logan: Probably styling it, in all honesty. I got to work with a lot of quality vendors in Colorado Springs on this one, which is what allowed me to pull off the overall look I was going for. My models were all great considering they were not real couples or professional models. They followed direction; they were easy to prompt. The chemistry was there. If you can fake that chemistry with people who aren’t real couples and don’t have experience as models, then real couples are easy because they know and like each other.
C&I: What does Native Roaming Photography do?
Logan: I do live weddings and I’m actually in the middle of doing a branding. And I do senior photos and families. I’d call my focus lifestyle photojournalism with Western flair — some adventurous stuff in the mountains and hiking, too. My ideal clients love horses and dogs and wear cowboy boots.
C&I: What are some tips for getting good wedding photos?
Logan: As a photographer I recommend capturing the emotions. That’s my style. The little moments — looks, laughs, smiles, tears — rather than the perfect posed photo, because that’s not real life and doesn’t invoke a memory.
C&I: You talk about your wedding photos as an expression of your “love language.” What do you mean by that?
Logan: My love language is presents. Why I like photography so much is that once I get the photos edited and give the gallery back to the client, it’s like a present. I’m able to give something that can’t be ordered. It’s heartfelt, inspirational, like a legacy. Weddings are one big, important event. You don’t get a redo. It’s not like a family session or a senior portrait session. What’s left after the big event is that you’re now husband and wife and you’ve got your pictures. So I like being able to give images that invoke the memory of the emotion and the day.
On the subject side of the lens: Just be yourself. Wear what makes you feel comfortable and confident. Start with Mom and the bride. Pick their outfits first. If Mom is comfortable and happy, usually everyone else is. Pick a shooter you feel comfortable with. The style of photos is always important — you want someone that you have some chemistry with. You don’t want to feel weird when they’re giving you directions.
Click on the image above to view the slideshow.
Stylist-Photographer
Daedra Lynn Logan, Native Roaming Photography, 210.355.9318
Western Wedding Resources
Leather gown: Livewire Style
Lace gown: Dame and Maiden
Denim jacket: The Rollin J Boutique
Hair and makeup: Taylor Edwards
Turquoise jewelry and Navajo pearls: The Buffalo Mercantile
Green turquoise jewelry: Eastbound Silver
Women’s wedding bands: Rockin Out Silver
Women’s hat (green): The Rollin’ J Boutique
Women’s hat (gray): Charlie 1 Horse Hats
Hat and boot bands: Boot Belle Accessories
Florals: Something Styled Events
Bouquet wrap: Something Knotty, @somethingknottyql
Men’s boots: Anderson Bean
Women’s boots (black): Ariat
Women’s boots (brown): Double D Ranch
Men’s cowboy hats: Greeley Hat Works
Men’s belt (tan): Texas Saddlery
Men’s belt (buckstitch): High Country Western Wear
Men’s blazer: High Country Western Wear
Men’s vest and tie: Men’s Warehouse
Men’s jeans and slacks: Cavender’s
Blue velvet chair: A Love Tale Rentals
Calligraphy: Blush and Swoon Shop
Models
Eve Anderson, Heather Jones, Alec Noriega, Tyler Logan
See our guide to Western Weddings in the May/June 2019 issue.
Photography: Daedra Lynn Logan
