Source: THE DOS AND DONTS OF WEDDINGS/FROM A WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER /creativefreedomphoto
Monthly Archives: September 2015
THE DOS AND DONTS OF WEDDINGS/FROM A WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER /creativefreedomphoto
There are so many after twenty one years of learning,I know I will leave out some.Here is a list that will be very helpful to you in planning your wedding!
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Get the groom to be involved, it’s his wedding too
Seat older guests away from loud music
Remember to involve step parents in some way
If it is the joining of two families, incorporate the kids into the ceremony,give them each a gift,have them participate
Have someone else do your makeup, you will be too nervous and critical,I dont suggest a relative I do suggest you hire a pro hair and makeup that will come to you!
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DO get airbrush and false lashes!
DONT be the last to get ready, as a wedding photographer, I need one on one time with my brides for the very important bridal portraits.
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DO have everything
in one place, have everyone come to you.
DO rent a house
on the beach perhaps as apposed to a resort , do you really want to see five other brides getting married,this is YOUR special day!
Look for your ceremony and reception sites first-one year out is average
Less is more,less guests = less stress Don’t invite guests you really don’t want to see at your wedding
Don’t seat divorced parents at the same table
Try to have an engagement session, great way to get comfortable with your wedding photographer,also nice to display an engagement photo next to your guest book
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I love this idea, donate flowers the following day to a nursing home or hospital
DO feed your vendors!
If you hire an award winning photojournalist who has a gift for capturing “the moment” DONT give him/her a list of a thousand group shots or constantly tell them what to do, trust them,and enjoy yourself,forget about the camera! 
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DONT hire any vendors you wouldn’t want as guests DO hire your photographer early,DO read my post on the art of finding the perfect wedding photographer,the best ones fill up fast!
DO ask your photographer for recommendations of vendors better to have people that work well together especially a photographer and video,everyone needs to work as a team!
DO work on the timeline with your photographer,keep in mind photography is light +composition. save the last half hr for just the two of you in the best light! Your guests will be fine,perhaps plan a cocktail hr for this time.I sometimes give a day after intimate session especially when it is a destination wedding, using the destination as a background, You get to wear your wedding clothes once again and will have the most awesome and unique photos of just the two of you!
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If you have an outdoor ceremony be sure to have a backup in case of bad
weather
Be sure your Maid of honor knows how to bustle your dress
Be sure to eat on your wedding day, it’s easy to forget or be too excited
but you don’t want to get run down or have low blood sugar!
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MOST OF ALL Don’t stress out over little things! REMIND YOURSELF, ITS ABOUT THE MARRIAGE!!
Planning a wedding, the “what if;s” /by creativefreedomphoto
Planning a wedding, the “what if;s” /by creativefreedomphoto
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TODAY WE WILL DISCUSS SOME “WHAT IF;S”
The Perfect Wedding day
For months, sometimes even years, wedding couples look forward to their wedding day. They want to be fully prepared and don’t want to settle for anything less than perfect. Hopefully, that one special day will be one of the most beautiful days in their lives. Unfortunately there are always aspects that can’t be controlled, however prepared you are. That does not matter. Matters only become a problem, when you make them a problem. There is always a solution. Wedding planners have the capacity to be creative and are known for their problem solving. Let’s discuss a few “worst-case scenario’s”.
“WHAT IF IT RAINS”!
Do not agonize over what you’re going to do about, or how you’re going to cope with, the rain. Decide early on what you want to do if it’s raining and stick to it.
I cannot agree more, you’ll not want to wait until the last minute to make a decision. I’d usually play on the safe side you do not want to compromise with the outdoor ceremony and have it no matter what, make a decision, (purchase umbrellas),Incorporate the wedding colors and stick with the idea. Better to be safe than sorry!
2. Trust your vendors
You hired professionals for a reason. They know their craft, they know your venue, so they will make it happen, rain or shine. This is where having an experienced wedding planner and photographer really makes the difference! I have a trunk filled with different color umbrellas!
3. Be prepared
This either means purchasing matching umbrellas for your guests, or having a tent ordered and delivered to your location (remember quick deliveries take an all new meaning when you’re in Tahiti, where logistics are a little more difficult than anywhere else), or at the minimum communicating with your guests so that they also get prepared (and wear adequate clothing and shoes).
If you are planning a wedding lets say in Florida,avoid the rainy/Hurricaine season! Yes it will cost less,but there is a reason!
4. Embrace it
The forecast says there’s a 100% chance you’re going to get wet, now what? You’re in Tahiti! Have fun!
AS a fine arts wedding photographer,rain presents some creative ideas,I use it to my advantage,The reflections in the puddles after the rain,or framing the couple with different color umbrellas. Also keep in mind overcast is one of the best light for skin tones.
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What if…. I’ll be a nervous wreck and won’t stop crying during the entire ceremony!
use water-proof make-up, keep tissue’s at hand, breath in and out and remember: emotions are allowed on your wedding day. Shouldn’t there be any, you would be the first tearless bride.,or groom!
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What if…. my wedding dress doesn’t fit on the day itself!
advice: don’t go crash- dieting shortly before the wedding. A bride always feels most comfortable during the first fitting session. Try to maintain that weight. Should things come to the worst, than rely on our toolkit and make use of handy tips and trics provided to us by well- known bridal stores.One of my brides did gain twenty lbs, she ordered a lace corset and pulled it off
What if…. a make-up stain ruins my dress!
Don’t fret! Talcum powder, a special tailor’s chalk or TMC 520 stain tissues should do the trick.
What if…. our tight time-schedule is being endangered by the hair- and make-up session!
Our advice: go for a trial session first. It will give you a good idea of how long it will take. Then add some extra time in your time-line. That will take the pressure off and will allow you to look and feel great all day long.
WHAT IF MY MOTHER-IN LAW IS TAKING OVER?
Give her a job to do, get her off your back,if she is a control freak, make her in charge of the group shots ets, she needs to feel wanted and in charge put her to good use!
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What if my hairdo falls out?
“Keep a brush, comb, hairspray, ponytail holders and bobby pins in an extra bag (along with makeup if you think touch ups may be in order) and then if it does fall out pin it back up. Or pull it down completely and do a side French braid where the end trails over the shoulder or a side pony at the base of the nape. It will look classy and guests will assume that you wanted to change it up for the reception.”
What if I have a low blood sugar attack? EAT SOMETHING!
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MY BEST ADVICE TO YOU: “Most importantly, focus on your marriage versus your wedding. The reception is a party to celebrate that you’ve made a commitment to spend the rest of your life with someone you wanted to meet your whole life. Just relax & have fun!”
STAY TUNED FOR SOME DO”SAND DONT’S
The art of finding the perfect wedding photographer/by creativefreedomphoto
The art of finding the perfect wedding photographer/by creativefreedomphoto
It must be an overwhelming task,everyone and their mothers are now “photographers”
When selecting a wedding photographer, there are three important elements you should keep in mind: personality, the photographer’s style, and cost. The first two are related to character traits unique only to that person and cannot be copied. The third element fluctuates due to many different variables. Let’s talk about each in the order of importance.
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STYLE-
The first element and almost as equally important as personality is the photographer’s eye. That is, the way he or she sees and captures the wedding day. This unique trait separates one photographer from the next, and is considered “the photographer’s fingerprint.” In other words, a photographer can copy another’s style, but the fact is no two photographers see exactly the same way. Therefore, when looking at different photographer’s work, really take notice of how and what they see.
Do the images move you?
Are They emotional?
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Do they tell a complete story?
Are they artistic and creative?
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Are they real, and do the people look comfortable?
Finally, out of all the photographers you met with, whose images did you gravitate towards the most? Usually, the answer to these questions, and the definitive question “Who is the right photographer for me?” is only an inner voice away. Just listen and trust.When you finally say “yes to the dress”,You have no doubts in your mind, you know this is the one!
PERSONALITY-
Very important is the character and personality of the individual who you will hire to capture your day, and invite as a guest to your wedding. These characteristics may not be the first thing you think about when choosing a photographer, however, it will definitely be the most important factor in the decision-making process.
The most obvious component is to determine whether or not you like the images and style that this particular photographer has to show you. Before you even schedule an in-person consultation, it may be helpful to browse through that photographer’s website. After you have scoured pages and pages of samples, your instincts will help you eliminate those photographers you don’t want to see and help you to figure out which ones you do. It is definitely important to be intrigued or excited by the images a photographer has to offer. If you have made an appointment or decided to visit the photographer, chances are you already are interested in their work but this is not always the most important factor.
What is? Personality.
Now that you are in this person’s studio or space, the questions you have to ask yourself are:
Do I like this person?
Do I trust them to handle such an important day in my life?
Do I feel comfortable with this person?
Will my friends and family like him?
Would I invite him or her to my wedding?
You could find the Ansel Adams of wedding photographers, but if he or she annoys you in any way and you are determined to politely overlook that fact, the only person who is going to suffer is you. The bottom line is, if you don’t like your photographer for any reason, your wedding images and your memories are going to be reflected upon as if looking into a tarnished mirror.
Cost
Finally, the last deciding factor is usually the cost. You have likely spent hours, if not days, of your time interviewing photographer after photographer and now you have found the perfect one for you. The images are amazing and he or she has a great personality, and it all feels right. However, your inner voice picked someone who is a little out of your budget. What do you do?
When it comes to budgeting, ask yourself an important question:
After the wedding is over, what am I going to have left?
Answer: Your pictures and your memories.
Everything else is going to be forgotten, eventually remembered only through your photographs. According to a survey run buy the largest online wedding website, the number one regret couples had is that they wished they would have spent more money on their wedding photography.
Shopping for a wedding photographer is like buying a house: you get what you pay for. In both cases, the purchase is based on emotion. Buying a little more than you can afford is always a wise investment that you won’t regret as long as you have put in the time to find the perfect one for you.
Don’t make the mistake of weeding out photographers because you called or e-mailed them for prices and then crossed them off your list because they exceed a certain dollar amount that you determined photography should cost. Finding a great photographer is much like discovering a great restaurant. Let’s say you were to call around to ten different eateries and ask, “How much are your meals?” If you never take the opportunity to meet the owner, taste the food or experience the ambiance and charm of the restaurant you cannot make an educated decision. All of these things make dining a great experience, and simply calling on the telephone won’t give you the same education. So, go taste the food. Wouldn’t you feel better spending more afterward because you loved your photographer and your images were so great you want to buy them all, than to get less than you imagined and end up spending more than you dreamed?
In summary, there is no secret formula or one photographer who fits every couple. What separates the good from the bad is in the eye of the beholder; after all, art is subjective. Just make sure you feel great about the person you hire and see a distinction in the work. Give careful consideration to your photography budget and invest as much as you can into that part of your wedding. In the end, you can’t afford to be disappointed when the curtains close on your wedding day.
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Improve your photography/rules of composition 2/by creativefreedomphoto
Improve your photography/rules of composition 2/by creativefreedomphoto
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Unlike technical aspects of photography, artistic aspects cannot really be easily defined and applied to every photo. Probably the most important element of any photograph is its composition. The composition is what makes or breaks your photograph and yet not every composition rule will work well with every photo
FILLING THE FRAME
There’s an old adage in photography that says if you want to improve your photographs 100 percent, move closer. It’s true. The one sure way to keep from including too much extraneous information in a photograph is to fill the frame with your subject and nothing but your subject. Filling the frame from edge to edge leaves little doubt about what your intended target was. There are two ways to get closer: Use a telephoto lens or put some more wear on your walking shoes.
Fill the frame encourages you, as a photographer, to really spend some time thinking about your subject and how best to feature that subject in your photograph. How can you bring forward the details or the patterns or the most critical element(s) of your subject? How does the background add to or take away from the story that you are trying to tell?
Background
This is one of those rules that almost all beginning photographers break. Sometimes we get so wrapped up in our subject that we don’t pay any attention to what’s going on behind them. If the background is busy and doesn’t add anything to your composition, try using a wider aperture so those distracting elements will become a non-descript blur. Or you can just try changing your angle.
Not all backgrounds need to be excluded, of course. Just make sure you pay attention to them and ask yourself whether they will contribute to or detract from your final image. Your answer will let you know whether you should get rid of them or include them. In the photo of the young just married couple walking on the beach, I included the old couple leaving the beach in the background for a reason,it does make the photograph more interesting. In the photograph of the little girl blowing bubbles, I used a swimming pool to isolate the background.
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COLOR
Most people don’t conside rhow color can effect a photograph/make it POP.Know your complimentary colors! Colors that compliment each other, the opposite colors on a color wheel,remember the saying “Opposites attract”Blue and orange,yellow and purple,yellow and blue etc…
VANTAGE POINT
One of the most common mistakes an amateur/novice photographer makes is to take the majority of their photos standing up with the camera held near chest or eye level. Although this is the most comfortable/natural orientation it’s not the one that is going to yield impressive or unique photos. Everybody else is doing it and if you’re interested in taking photos that are going to impress an audience outside of friends and family it’s time to get down & dirty, climb, contort & twist your body all over the place
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1) Look Up / Look Down
As mentioned previously, taking photos from chest or eye level is what 90% of other photographers are already doing. Start noticing what’s going on up & down. You might notice a man shaving nearby an overhead window or a cute dog scurrying about at ground level. Try taking photos of somebody climbing up steep steps from an overhead perspective. The next time you take a portrait of somebody have them sit down and look up towards the sky or ceiling before taking their shot from an above perspective. Try capturing architecture or a statue from a close-up perspective pointing your camera upwards to capture a distinct or select element.
2) Climb a Mountain, ladder, tree or just some steps
One of the easiest ways to change your perspective is to shoot from a higher vantage point. In other words, be prepared to get physical and do a little exercise climbing a mountain, ladder, tree, or just some steps When shooting above and looking down it’s almost as if you have a bird’s eye perspective of what is going on below. From a higher vantage point you can take great shots of parades, crowds, traffic or scenic valley views. The rewards of doing this are that ‘many’ other photographers are simply too lazy to ‘climb’ something. This is a tip that can’t be underestimated: putting in a bit of grunt work
…To show accomplishment, a child holding a trophy for instance,get down low and shoot up at your subject.
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