Choosing your Photographer
Photography is important. After the day is over, it’s the only thing left
from all that you’ve arranged. Photography sparks your memory.
Photography documents and preserves your personal history. In years to
come, seeing your wedding photographs will bring the next generation to
the you they never knew.
Finding your photographer can be fun. You already know a lot and you’ll
gather lots of information, but most important is your personal feeling.
How do you feel about this photographer and do you like their work? Do
their pictures stay with you? Look at websites, visit personally, handle
portfolios and ask lots of questions.
Three points:
Artistic skill
Experience
Personality
Artistic skill
An album of one wedding tells a lot more than a selection of the greatest
hits from multiple occasions. You want to see a wedding day from start to
finish. Good photography = beautiful lighting with rich density and color.
A wedding is about COLOR, the florals, the soft light, the bride’s
complexion. Great color sense conveys intense feeling. Many people
appreciate the elegance of black & white photography which is timeless.
Composition serves up an "idea" behind the photograph. Strong images
feel rounded-out and complete; the best images are focused and intense.
Variety is important, both vertical and horizontal prints, with close-up
and overall views.
Look for conditions similar to your wedding. Is the lighting handled well
both indoors and out? What is the time of day? Midday outdoors in full
sun creates harsh shadows. Has the photographer compensated for this
with skillful use of unobtrusive flash? In low light situations is the
ambient existing light pleasingly mixed?
Experience
Hire the person with the right skills. You want a full-time photographer
who can size up the situation and take care of things right away.
Someone who’s ready and anticipates what's next! Wedding photography
is about the fleeting moment. I am completely energized and enraptured
by the fast pace and fun! Your wedding photographer must take charge
when necessary, then fade into the background.
Personality
You'll be with your photographer all day. Is this person discreet and
unobtrusive with a light sense of humor? Is she patient? Will she be able
to direct people so portraits can be done quickly? And then let go and
follow the action? Will your photographer stay calm if family gets
stressed out?
Styles of photography
Traditional
I love to do loosely posed portraits where everyone looks great! I don’t
repeat poses we’ve see 100 times. Your style guides me. But I make sure
you look your best.
Photojournalism
This approach captures moments; the participants are less aware of the
photographer. It can be great, but I want to see faces and not backs of
heads. I watch for the telling instant, a laugh, a hug, a meaningful glance,
a surprise and an exclamation!
Summary
Unusual beauty is the goal. While photographing I am tireless; I’m
searching out creative, interesting moments. Everyone looks super on
their wedding day and the rest of the family and friends will look pretty
spectacular too! But mostly it’s a story, with all the spontaneous, fun,
wild and romantic moments.
50 years from now the next generation will pour over your pictures with
joy.
Planning Suggestions
Portraits of the bride & groom before or after the ceremony?
The day goes by so fast! Consider taking portraits before the ceremony.
Let your family know ahead of time where they should be right after the
ceremony for posed pictures so those can be finished in 15 minutes.
Some couples don’t mind seeing each other before the ceremony. We can
start with getting ready pictures and intimate portraits with each family.
A trip to outdoor venues for casual elegant pictures of the Bride & Groom
is lovely.
If you don’t want to see each other till after the ceremony, an alternative
is to schedule your ceremony early with a several hour break before the
reception for photographs around the City.
More to think about:
Will you be making very large prints? Medium format film photography,
(Hasselblad), gives your enlargements extra lush tonality. Ask to see
examples to determine if this is a difference you want. 35 mm is fine for
prints even larger than 11x14. The newer digital (mine is from this year)
resolution is superb. Digital allows me to photograph without concern
for cost so we have lots of pictures to choose from. It is now equal to
film.
Your contract/agreement should spell everything out, including the
number of hours, overtime costs if any, & if the album includes prints.
Last thoughts:
Your photographer should take only one engagement per day. A traffic
delay could cause heartache. Will the person you interview photograph or
is it a booking agency with lots of different photographers? How many
weddings has your photographer done under their name?
Ask all the questions you want. Learning about the process is part of the
fun.
All the best for your wedding and many happy years to come!
Sincerely,
Beverly
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