Wedding Photography, A Warning to All of You Brides to Be

On April 8, 2010, In Tips For Brides, Wedding Photography, By Aynsley

This morning started off like any other. I woke up and got on my computer to catch up on the day’s events. While looking over the headlines the words “frustrated brides” caught my eye. The article was talking about a bride’s worst nightmare: Never receiving her wedding photography.

When I read this I just got upset. As a recent bride myself, I cannot imagine never receiving my wedding pictures. All of the moments captured at weddings are irreplaceable. There are the images of the bride with her girls prior to her walk down the aisle. There of course is the sweetest of all kisses at the altar with the man she loves. And then there is the party afterwards celebrating this beautiful new marriage. Through these images brides are able to go back to that special day where they married the man of their dreams. Photographs help us remember all the special events in our lives, and no event is more precious than your wedding day.

The article talks about how a wedding photographer will not give her client(s) any of her wedding pictures. The client paid for the photography upfront, but once the wedding was over the photographer disappeared. Unfortunately this is not isolated incident. Of course now the bride is extremely upset, betrayed, and angry. Yes, she is frustrated about the money she paid up front, but more importantly are her images which are priceless. She has tried consistently to contact the photographer about her images. As of now, she still has received no images from her beautiful wedding day.

When I read this article it was a reminder yet again of how important the decision is when it comes to choosing the right wedding photographer. When you are looking for your wedding photographer consider the following:

1.)    Ask for references. The best way to get to know your potential wedding photographer is to talk to brides who have already used them for their special day. Ask the photographers you are looking at for a few names of brides you can contact about their wedding photography experience. If the photographer declines, walk away. Any quality honest photographer will have no problem giving you a couple contacts. Because of the importance of weddings, you will find that most brides will be extremely blunt about their vendors, and you will quickly get an idea if this is the right fit for you.

2.)    Read the contract thoroughly. When you receive the contract and Terms and Conditions, make sure you read the entire documents. There is important information in these documents that you do not want to skim over.

3.)    Ask you potential photographer about turn-around times on proofs, prints, DVDs, and wedding albums. Make sure this information is listed in your contract as well.

Choosing your wedding photographer is one of the biggest decisions of your wedding day, because it is through their lenses that your special moments will be remembered. Not only do you want someone talented, but you want someone who is honest and trustworthy.

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Wedding Photography, Go Formal Portraits!

On March 27, 2010, In Tips For Brides, Wedding Photography, By Jason

Dallas Wedding Photographer

Family Portraits: The soon-to-be newlywed’s guide to herding those unruly relatives for a quick photography session.

There’s nothing like it. The beautiful wedding ceremony, with tears and emotions flowing, is one beautiful moment after another as the couple declares their lifelong dedication. It’s one of those times when you get to see pure joy on a person’s face. Then come the family portraits. This is the part where tears may be flowing more out of frustration than anything. Any time you get together a large group that is stressed out and ready to go party, things are going to get tough. Though some people may enjoy this mad dash to get as many portraits possible of their entire family in a half hour, most couples would rather spend this time together, or heading off to the reception.

Additionally, many churches have time limits imposed for family portraits, usually around thirty minutes. So, to keep things moving along so that you can get to the party (and maybe even have a little alone time!), here is a quick guide to shooting the family portraits. By following this, you will have a better chance of getting all the shots you need and/or want, without squeezing someone out or compromising quality. After all, this is the greatest day of your life, but also one of the most hectic. You don’t want to figure out who needs to be photographed and how during the session.

Develop a Strategy

This is the most integral part of the process. Before getting a plan together, talk to your wedding photographer and see if they have any advice for you, or have a method to shooting the portraits. If they are an experienced wedding photographer, they may have a plan to help you along. If not, you will need to make a list of whom you would like included. Start with the basics, such as the wedding party and immediate family, i.e., siblings, parents and grandparents. From there you may add in as many or as few relatives you would like. (*Quick Note* When creating your list, organize for one family at a time, do not mix shots of either side together until you want a shot of everyone together. This keeps things flowing more smoothly, and will save you a considerable amount of time).

You may want to have pictures with certain relatives by themselves, gradually build groups together, or do certain groups all at once. Remember, it is up to you. As your list grows, it will also help to jog your memory and remind you of some people you would have forgotten to include otherwise.

Tell The Masses

Before the wedding day, make sure to inform the people on your list that they need to remain behind for portraits after the ceremony. Immediate family should know this, but some people outside of this may not be aware. If you want them photographed, let them know!

See It In Writing

Something else that may help you is to take your list, and print copies of it for everyone. This clears any confusion about the process and gives them a clear order, and can also help your family to organize themselves for maximum efficiency.

Someone To Herd The Cats

Finally, appoint someone in the family who is outspoken and doesn’t have problems giving orders. From our experience there is always someone in the family who is perfect for this. The wedding photographer is often distracted in making images, so if there is a person dedicated to calling out names and rounding people up, it will make the process much easier on everyone.

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Wedding Photography, What Style fits You?

On March 26, 2010, In Tips For Brides, Wedding Photography, By Jason

Dallas Wedding Photographer

We are all individuals. People may seem similar in some ways, but no two are ever the same. We all have unique tastes and desires, which carry over into all aspects of our lives. For many women, one of the biggest ways they will ever express who they are and what they like is through a wedding. Though budgets differ across the board, every bride will figure out how to make a wedding uniquely hers, and will seek out vendors to help fulfill her particular vision. One of the most lasting outcomes of her style decisions will be in the wedding photographer, and the wedding photography they perform.

If you think about it, you realize that any tangible memories of the event will literally be seen through their lens, so how they document it and the way the final product looks is incredibly important. After all, if a bride was going for a certain look with her wedding and the resulting images suggest something else entirely, then she will not have a true sense of how her day really was.

So what kinds of styles are out there?

Wedding photography used to be a pretty simple affair, and was done the same way with the same poses. Obviously some were better than others, but the basic concept was the same: Traditional. Now of course, things have changed, and a variety of different types of photographers have entered the wedding market, with each bringing their own unique style to wedding photography. In the last ten years especially, the photojournalistic style of photography has come to be extremely popular, as couples want to see themselves as they are, with the true emotions they had, and not just have a set of poses to thumb through in a 25-pound album.

Also in this time period, a high-fashion look has entered wedding photography, and major advances in Photoshop have allowed still others to create their own conceptual otherworldly look. All in all, the styles that exist most prominently are traditional, contemporary, photojournalistic, fashion, and surreal. Now, some photographers may stick to one style, while others create a harmonious blend of many or all of these styles. So what are you looking for?

Some brides may know right away, while others have never thought about this until now. Here are a few tips to finding out what kind of wedding photographer you are looking for.

1. Make a list of what you are looking for. Do you want mostly portraits, set up shots, or just candid moments? Do you like clean simple contemporary images, or do you prefer conceptualized ones that look more removed from reality? What types of images express the most emotion to you?

2. Do some research. Go check out Barnes and Noble or Borders Books, or whatever your favorite bookstore may be, and skim through all of the magazines. There are a vast array of titles that appeal to anyone’s tastes, and it is here that your journey should begin. What kinds of images draw you in? Do the beautiful, classic bridal magazines really draw you in, or would you rather see something a little more on the edgy side in Vogue?

3. Surf Photography websites. Use your favorite search engine to type in each style of wedding photographer, and look at portfolios. As you go through various bodies of work you will get a better feel of what fits for you, and will make you the happiest. After all, that’s what it is all about!

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Wedding Photographer, Five Questions to Ask When Choosing Yours

On February 20, 2010, In Tips For Brides, By Jason

Five Questions for Your Wedding Photographer

Congratulations, you’re engaged! Now it is time to plan your big day. You will no doubt spend countless hours sifting through bridal magazines and surfing the web to find vendors that will help you achieve your dreams. Every vendor is important, but there is one you must know and trust more in-depth than any other: your wedding photographer. This is the vendor that will spend all day with you, and they are responsible for making sure every detail you worked so hard on is documented to relive for years to come. Because of this you want to make sure that you are in sync with their work and personality, but there are also have five questions you should ask to ensure that your photographer is as qualified as possible, and will give you the results you are looking for.

Every vendor is important, but there is one you must know and trust more in-depth than any other: your wedding photographer.

Every vendor is important, but there is one you must know and trust more in-depth than any other: your wedding photographer.

Question 1: Wedding Experience

How many weddings have you shot, and for how long? One of the most important aspects of a wedding photographer is their experience. Wedding photography is an art unto itself, and unless a photographer has covered weddings extensively, there are many details and nuances that they will simply not know to cover. You should look at the number of years in the business, and how many weddings they do per year.  Of course, quality always trumps quantity, but this should give you an idea of how seasoned they are in wedding photography.

Question 2: Full-time Professional versus the Weekend Warrior

Do you do this for a living, or is it a part-time job? Documenting a couple’s day consists of many different types of photography: fashion, portraiture, food photography, architectural photography and more. Because of this, it is beneficial to have a photographer that does more than just weddings, and works full-time, not just on the weekends. A photographer that shoots for a living develops his or her craft more fully than someone who only does it as a hobby or to make extra income. Check and see if your photographer is a full-time professional, or is a part-time enthusiast.

Question 3: The Assistant

Will you be bringing an assistant? By having an assistant at the wedding, your photographer is bringing along a second set of hands and eyes. An assistant enables the photographer to not be bogged down handling equipment, and stay focused on capturing moments. Things happen quickly, and assistant is one of the best ways to make sure your photographer works as effectively as possible.

Question 4: Backup Equipment

Do you always carry a backup camera? Weddings are a once-in-a-lifetime event. No matter whom you choose, there is always the chance that something could happen. You need to make sure your photographer is prepared. Ask if they have at least two cameras, and if the cameras they have are professional series. There is a great deal of difference in the speed and most importantly, quality, between consumer and pro model cameras.

Question 5: Two Weddings a Day

Are you shooting more than one wedding on my wedding day? Always check whether your photographer shoots more than one wedding in a day, or keeps to a one wedding per day policy. It takes a tremendous amount of energy to document a wedding well, and their attention should not be split between two different events. Make sure to ask, as you want your photographer focused on making beautiful images of your day, not on how they are getting to their next shoot.

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