09/05/10
All post for this blog will be moved to http://wedding-photographer-checklist.com/
08/04/09
Okay, so you’ve done your homework and booked the best photographer based on your needs, wants and budget. Great! Now what? In this session, I’ll discuss location ideas and strategies, what to wear to your photo shoot and how to converse with your photographer to ensure you get exactly what you want.
Let’s say you’re preparing for an engagement session. This is perhaps one of the most important photo shoots you’ll do because it introduces you to your photographer, how he/she works and his/her style of photography. You can get a feel for how things will go down on your wedding day and how to work with your photographer to get the shots you want.
First things first: You’ll need to meet with your photographer prior to your photo shoot. Bring some ideas of locations and style of photography you want. Do you want goofy or serious portraits? Do you want a romantic style or a hot and steamy style of session? How “touchy feely” do you feel comfortable being? Do you mind kissing in front of the camera? Or are you more of the conservative type? These are things your photographer will need to know before taking the first photo. What you do during your shoot will depend on your pre-consultation with your photographer, so it’s important to know what you want.
With that said, you should also keep an open mind when working with your photographer. Chances are, he/she has had loads of experience and really understands how to pose and manipulate your surroundings to really give you a one-of-a-kind photo shoot. Be prepared to do something out of the ordinary –t o you, it may seem silly or dumb, but to your photographer, it’ll be a work of art.
So let’s talk about locations. There are generally four broad types of engagement shoots: the city vibe, the romantic vibe, the playful vibe and the intimate vibe. The city vibe usually entails a downtown/ New York feel. Most downtowns today are into the art scene. Utilize public art galleries and artwork outside. This is also a great place to look for cool or unusual graffiti art on the sides of buildings or anything quirky you can find on the sidewalk or in front of stores. This is also a great place to do some night photography, if the city you’re in has a lot of vibrant lights.
The romantic vibe is usually broader of a term than the city vibe, but basically, you’ll want to be in a spot that the two of you feel is romantic. Maybe it’s by the park bench where your fiancé proposed. Maybe it’s in a nice flower garden or on a romantic beach, or perhaps a red barn isolated on a private farm. Whatever your location, make sure it translates to romantic to you. A park bench may not seem romantic to the average couple, but if it’s the first place you met or the place where you shared your first kiss, it’ll be extremely romantic to you. So, the romantic vibe really just depends on you.
The playful vibe is often held at a park with swings, slides – you know, fun stuff. Couples who go to the more playful route are often silly themselves and like to be goofy in public. These couples can pretty much find the fun in just about any setting. Going downtown during the day could be useful for this couple, too.
And lastly, the intimate vibe is also sort of a broader term than the rest. The only main requirement for the intimate vibe is that you find a location that’s private – maybe a private beach or beach house or your own house or apartment. Just find a spot that means something to you and that not a lot of people go. Couples who go the intimate route often do not have a problem with sexier, “come hither” poses, so make sure you find a photographer who can get this look for you. Also, make sure you are confident enough to do this style of photography. If you are nervous about kissing in front of the camera, it’ll show big time in your prints.
With that said, let’s talk about wardrobe. Again, the type of clothing you wear often depends on the type of session you want. I generally tell my clients to bring two outfits: a casual, down-to-earth outfit (maybe a nice pair of jeans and your favorite blouse) and a more upscale outfit (maybe a nice dress with some bling). Whatever outfits you choose, make sure they represent who you are as individuals and as couples. If you like to stand out in a crowd, go for vibrant colors and accessories. If you like to blend in, go with more subdued colors and fewer accessories.
Most photographers LOVE details (by the way, detail shots are often what sets apart “good” photographers and excellent photographers. The excellent photographer will take his/her time when shooting the detail shots at your wedding, so make sure you book a photographer who has an eye for the details. You’d be surprised how much those detailed shots will mean to you after the wedding is over). So if you’re into fashion, go all out and wear those shoes that are impossible to walk in (you can bring flip flops for in between poses if you want). Or wear lots of accessories. Seriously, these details are like eye candy to your photographer.
And lastly, if there’s a specific pose you want to do, don’t be afraid to let your photographer know. Remember, the number one priority to a photographer is to make his/her client happy, so if you want a specific shot, be sure to let him/her know. Bring magazine clippings and/or other examples to give them an idea of what you’re going for, but also remember to keep an open mind and do other poses your photographer suggests, too.
Carrie Hachadurian is co-owner of Blue Frame Photography and Design. She specializes in engagement and wedding photography, and she also has experience in graphic design. For more information, visit www.blueframephotography.com
07/22/09
07/07/09
Hi everyone! I apologize for the delay in my response – the long July 4 weekend took over and I’m just now recouping from it! As I said in Part One, my name is Carrie Hachadurian and I’m the co-owner (with my husband, Frank) of Blue Frame Photography in Western North Carolina.
In Part One, we discussed several ways to make sure you hire the right photographer for you. In Part Two, we’ll talk about the photography contract and the things you can do (or tell others to do) on your big day to help your photographer get the amazing shots you’re after.
So, let’s get started.
Read the fine print.
No, really. There’s a reason it’s there. Before I became a photographer, I figured if I needed to know anything, my photographer would tell me himself. The reality, however, is simply that a wedding photographer probably has several brides and weddings to juggle simultaneously and may not remember to point out all the “legalese” in a contract. That’s why it’s so important for you to read the contract in its entirety and ask about anything you don’t understand fully.
For instance, had I read my photographer’s contract, I would have realized that not every photo the photographer took would end up on his Web site. In fact, most wedding photographers end up showing 20 to 30 percent of what they take that day. That means, if a photographer takes 2,000 shots that day, you may only see around 400, 450 of them. BUT, those 450 pictures you do see will be drop-dead gorgeous. The other 1,550 were most likely either duplicates of the same pose or action or they just weren’t up to the same caliber your photographer generally shows.
I was so bummed when I only saw 300 of my prints, but had I paid closer attention to the fine details, I would have realized that the photographer contains all rights to his/her images and will show them at his/her discretion. Had I been prepared for that, I wouldn’t have been so upset and I would have saved myself (and my photographer) some time and aggravation after the wedding.
Just because you purchase prints doesn’t mean you own the rights to them.
Unless you buy a copyright release form from your photographer, you don’t own the rights to your wedding day prints. In other words, it is illegal to scan your prints to put on a Web site or to reprint at your discretion, unless your photographer gives you permission to do so. Many photographers offer an option of buying a CD of images, which comes with a copyright release form. But even then, make sure you have full rights to your images – meaning you can legally send your Aunt Margie in New York prints if she wants them.
Make sure your family knows when to be where for formal pictures.
Most brides still want the tradition stand-and-grin photos of family and bridal party members. It’s impossible for your photographer to know everyone by name. So, you should designate someone in your bridal party or family to make sure everyone involved knows where to go after (or before) the ceremony for pictures. Also, if you want a very specific picture – say, a four or five generation picture – be sure to let your photographer know so that he/she can add it to the list. Most weddings are on a very tight schedule, so if your Uncle Louie goes MIA after the ceremony, it isn’t the photographer’s fault.
Be sure to ask your photographer if anyone else can take photos.
We live in a digital world, and most photographers don’t mind family and friends taking pictures during the ceremony and reception. However, you should also know that if people use a flash at the same time your photographer uses his/her flash, your pictures will turn out a little funky. So just let your family and friends know to turn off their flash function during the ceremony and the after-ceremony formal pictures.
Also, most photographers say in their contracts that they are to be the only professional photographers during the wedding. Make sure you tell your cousin Evan, who’s learning to be a professional photographer, to be respectful and stay out of the photographer’s way. Again, most photographers don’t mind if family or friends take pictures from their seats but most would have a problem if he/she has to tell people to step aside so that they can get a clear shot of you (the bride) coming down the aisle with your father. Again, you are paying your photographer to be there, so you should make sure your family and friends know the rules so that your photographer can cater to you.
After all is said and done, your wedding is your one special day, so make sure your are prepared for it so you can have fun and be relaxed during it. The best thing you can do for yourself is to understand as much of the style of wedding photography you are seeking as possible and to interview and understand your photographer’s style and rules. Your wedding photos and memories are worth it!
Carrie is co-owner of Blue Frame Photography and Design, www.blueframephotography.com . You can reach her directly via email: blueframephoto@gmail.com; via cell phone: 828-550-6508 or via Facebook: Blue Frame Photography and Design.
06/24/09
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