Wedding Planning Articles
Photography
...."Capturing your memories"
You will have many wonderful memories of your wedding day - a special laugh with your grandmother, the feel of your flower girl's hand in yours, the scent of your father's cologne as he kisses your cheek at the altar. All of your wedding memories will be cherished in your mind's eye forever. However, the only memories of your wedding day that you can easily visit again and again and also share with an unlimited number of family and friends are your wedding photographs (and videography).
The value of these visual memories of your special day should not be underestimated. Your wedding photos will be incredibly precious to you the moment you see them. Imagine how much more precious they will become to you as the years go by and you are able to simply open your wedding album in 30 years to revisit that special celebration attended by all of your family and friends! Responsibility for this valuable aspect of your wedding should only be entrusted to a professional photographer. This is not the area in which to save money by enlisting the services of a friend.
Finding Your Photographer Like wedding and reception sites and caterers, wedding photographers book up early so be sure to begin your photographer interview process as early as possible. You can start this search with the professionals listed under Local Wedding Vendors tab on this website. To see information about Photographers, click on the Wedding Vendors tab, then check off the county or counties you are interested in, then click on the Photographers tab. From this list of Photographers, you can easily check out their web sites - most photographers provide a variety of photographs on their site, which can save you time in the first stages of photographer selection. Next conduct phone interviews with the Photographers you liked best. Then set up meeting dates to get to know them better and to review their portfolios. Think about your style and your photographic preferences. Which photographer's style best matches your own? Are your personalities compatible? While not absolutely necessary, you will be working closely with your photographer for many hours, so it would be more enjoyable for you both if your personalities are complimentary.
Styles of Photography There are basically two styles of wedding photography: traditional and photojournalistic. Traditional photography mainly involves portraits, where the photographer puts the group members into position for photos. Photojournalistic photography mainly involves more candid un-posed photos. Many photographers are adept at both traditional and photojournalistic photography. Review their portfolio to get a feel for their predominant style and area of expertise. Ask a lot of questions and choose the photographer & photographic style that best fits you and your style.
Digital Photography Many photographers now offer Brides the option of digital photos. With quality professional equipment and printing, digital photography can now provide photos as sharp and clear as film photos. Digital photos provide a couple of advantages over film: many more photos may be taken without added expense of printing each one as a proof prior to reproduction. Plus every image can be viewed in real time and, if it is not the shot the photographer wanted, another may be taken right away. With film, every proof adds to the expense and if a proof of a particular shot isn't right, it is not possible to go back and recreate the moment weeks after the wedding.
Most photographers give you the option of viewing your wedding photos over the internet. Either film or digital photos may be viewed this way, as long as the film has been submitted to a lab that provides this service. With proofs online, your friends and family can also view your photos and order copies of any photos they like via the website without having to use you (and your time) as an intermediary. This is a big plus - you will be surprised how many people will want some photos from your wedding!
The Final Product Photographers offer a wide variety of packages - choose the package that offers the options that are most important to you. A package may include a certain number of proofs where you pay for all final photos, which are mounted in custom designed wedding albums for you, your parents, and your in-laws. You may have extensive experience designing memory albums and want to purchase certain prints but design your own wedding album. Please note, we recommend that you design your own album only if you are very creative and experienced. Otherwise, your precious wedding photos may remain in a box in the closet for many years to come.
A package may include one set of prints plus all negatives, from which you can make an unlimited number of prints in the future. A package may include proofs on the web, where you and your friends/family may electronically select and purchase prints. Review the package options available and select the one that best fits your needs and budget.
Other Considerations Another thing to consider in selecting your photographer is experience. How many years have they been operating as a professional photographer? What percentage of their work are weddings? Do they have experience at your chosen wedding/reception site(s). What about any special effects? Would you like a mix of color and black and white photos? What about hand painted black and whites? Sepia? There are so many possibilities to capture your wedding in stunning, beautiful photographs. Be sure to review all of your options with your selected photographer so that your wedding memories are reproduced in a manner that moves you.
The Paperwork As with all of your wedding professionals, be sure to sign a contract with your chosen photographer. This contract will generally specify the total cost, the number of photographers to work on your wedding, the number of hours included, the number and type of proofs that will be supplied, the number and sizes of photos provided, dates when work will be completed, and how long the negatives will be kept on file (and therefore available to you for reprints).
Detailed Planning Don't overlook the importance of organizational meeting(s) with your photographer well in advance of the wedding. Take advantage of your photographer's professionalism and experience by asking their advice as to timing and settings of photographs at your wedding and reception. Will your photographer take separate bride and attendant photos as well as groom and groomsmen photos prior to the ceremony? Or will your photographer take the majority of the formal photos after the ceremony prior to your entrance at the reception? It is a good idea to assign a friend or family member to help your photographer in gathering all required family members for photographs. This person should be comfortable with this assignment and should know all needed family members by sight. With your photographer, develop a photographic timeline of your wedding day to ensure all special elements of your wedding are captured forever!
Special Setting Photos Your photographer will have lots of ideas for special settings for photographs, particularly if he/she is familiar with the wedding & reception facilities you have selected. Take some time to visit your selected wedding & reception facilities with photo settings in mind. Walk the site slowly; taking in any special attributes it may have that will provide memorable backdrops in select photos. Is your wedding on a dramatic cliff over the ocean? Does it have views of rolling hillsides filled with grape vines or oak trees? Are there quaint architectural accents you would like to capture? A grand staircase that would highlight you and your attendants or your train? Bubbling fountains in flower filled gardens? The list of potential backdrops is endless. Once you have viewed your wedding & reception setting with photo settings in mind, make a list of special photos you would like and share this with your photographer.
Special Photo Presentations Have you ever been to a wedding where a screen was set up and a slide show was presented? These presentations may show a series of photos of the Bride and Groom growing up, followed by photos of them together throughout their dating life. These slide shows are often a major highlight of the wedding, bringing a tremendous feeling of warmth and connection to all present. While these shows look complicated and expensive to produce, they are actually surprisingly affordable. And all you need do is gather old and recent photos and your photo professional will provide the technology and expertise to create this masterpiece for your wedding, plus you may obtain copies as well.