Advice For Your Upcoming Wedding!
As the middle of our busy wedding season hits us... I am starting to reflect back on all the photos I've taken this year and the years before and I've thought of some great ideas to give you great photos and keep everyone happy and smiling! ~
1.) Smile, I want to take a photo too! The first biggest problem that I as a photographer run into when doing the formal portraits at a wedding is everyone else wanting to take their own photo with their cameras as I am taking them. Even though it is in the contract that I am the exclusive photographer, I don't have a problem letting others shoot photos of their own, I just ask that they wait until I am done taking mine... Often times when others are trying to take photos too it turns their direction away from me and we end up with everyone looking all over the place, just not at me, which makes a very unpleasant photograph. And if I have to ask them to please wait I look like the bad cranky photographer... It always seems better coming from the couple. And if you ask they'll listen. It also helps a lot if you educate your guests beforehand. This also saves time.
2.) Time Management. Speaking of guests with cameras. No one really likes taking the formals, and I really strive to keep it under a hour. You get a disk of all your photos so think about that every time we have to stop and let a family member take a picture between poses. This is time away from the reception and the fun photos that I love to take of just the two of you!
3.) H20 - A few weddings I've been to provided bottled water for the guests... I thought that was a wonderful idea... Especially for outdoor weddings. Or at the very least someone (ie maid of honor) should be standing by with water for the bride & groom, since they can't travel too far during the formals... Photos take a while and you can become parched and tired during the session... Again especially in the hot sun... I don't want anyone passing out on me!
4.) The Bride & Groom Session. Really it should just be the two of you and me. If we have an entourage of 10 people following us, it's kind of hard to make it romantic and intimate... Just so you know.
5.) Surprises! If someone is doing something special for the bride & groom I'd like to know about it beforehand. I'd hate to miss it because I was covering something else... And I can keep a secret... I promise!
6.) Show Off Your Dress. Your dress in the plastic bag that says "David's Bridal" etc. isn't that pretty.... Take it out of the bag before we arrive... Hang is somewhere nice like on a doorway, a mirror, or a bedpost... This way we can get some great up close details of it... This makes awesome background images in the albums I design.
7.) Dinner is Served! For any wedding package that is 6 hours and over we require that we are included in your guest count for food... With that being said it doesn't mean that we will be making 5 trips to the buffet line or that we need the expensive prime rib. It just means that we like to have a little nourishment to substain us through a long day. Try to reserve us a spot near the headtable and allow our service to be the same time as yours so that we can keep up with the events going on. This also doesn't mean we need to be right next to you, but close enough so that we can see what's going on at all times. For both video and photography our cameras never leave our sides. I have never seen anyone who likes photos of themselves chewing food... so if we take a break when you do, we will be ready to get up and go again as soon as the action starts happening again, and we'll be sure to capture any spontaneous moments as they happen as well.
8.) Feeling Good! You should feel GREAT and rested on the day of your wedding... I highly discourage bachelor and bachlorette parties the night before your wedding. Or heavy drinking the day of before the ceremony... While I know it's your wedding and I don't want to tell you what to do... it does make a huge difference on your well being on your special day! Imagine having a headache all day or feeling ill as you greet guest after guest and smile for photographs. Having a hangover, it can, and probably will show in your photographs and I won't be able to retouch that out later.
9.) Special Requests - I am always happy to fullfill any special shot requests at anytime, by any member of your family! Just let me know... as our packages state... the photos are unlimited for our contracted times. So no matter how wacky, weird, or how large the group... I'm there to serve you and make sure every possible moment is captured! Likewise, if I make a special request for a moment of your time to do a photograph please consider it... because even if it feels weird or takes up some extra time it may make the difference between your everyday wedding photos and ones that when people look at them they say wow!
10.) Take it All In! Last, but certainly not least enjoy your day... This may be your one and only opportunity in life to feel like a rock star! You may be wearing the most expensive gown you've ever worn, you've had your hair and make-up put on special... And everyone of your friends and family is there to celebrate with you! Enjoy it! Allow the day to just happen... Let everyone else pamper you! Carpe Diem! And don't worry your photos and video are going to be awesome!
Congrats again! And Mike and I are both looking forward to being a part of your special day!
~ Jamie
1.) Smile, I want to take a photo too! The first biggest problem that I as a photographer run into when doing the formal portraits at a wedding is everyone else wanting to take their own photo with their cameras as I am taking them. Even though it is in the contract that I am the exclusive photographer, I don't have a problem letting others shoot photos of their own, I just ask that they wait until I am done taking mine... Often times when others are trying to take photos too it turns their direction away from me and we end up with everyone looking all over the place, just not at me, which makes a very unpleasant photograph. And if I have to ask them to please wait I look like the bad cranky photographer... It always seems better coming from the couple. And if you ask they'll listen. It also helps a lot if you educate your guests beforehand. This also saves time.
2.) Time Management. Speaking of guests with cameras. No one really likes taking the formals, and I really strive to keep it under a hour. You get a disk of all your photos so think about that every time we have to stop and let a family member take a picture between poses. This is time away from the reception and the fun photos that I love to take of just the two of you!
3.) H20 - A few weddings I've been to provided bottled water for the guests... I thought that was a wonderful idea... Especially for outdoor weddings. Or at the very least someone (ie maid of honor) should be standing by with water for the bride & groom, since they can't travel too far during the formals... Photos take a while and you can become parched and tired during the session... Again especially in the hot sun... I don't want anyone passing out on me!
4.) The Bride & Groom Session. Really it should just be the two of you and me. If we have an entourage of 10 people following us, it's kind of hard to make it romantic and intimate... Just so you know.
5.) Surprises! If someone is doing something special for the bride & groom I'd like to know about it beforehand. I'd hate to miss it because I was covering something else... And I can keep a secret... I promise!
6.) Show Off Your Dress. Your dress in the plastic bag that says "David's Bridal" etc. isn't that pretty.... Take it out of the bag before we arrive... Hang is somewhere nice like on a doorway, a mirror, or a bedpost... This way we can get some great up close details of it... This makes awesome background images in the albums I design.
7.) Dinner is Served! For any wedding package that is 6 hours and over we require that we are included in your guest count for food... With that being said it doesn't mean that we will be making 5 trips to the buffet line or that we need the expensive prime rib. It just means that we like to have a little nourishment to substain us through a long day. Try to reserve us a spot near the headtable and allow our service to be the same time as yours so that we can keep up with the events going on. This also doesn't mean we need to be right next to you, but close enough so that we can see what's going on at all times. For both video and photography our cameras never leave our sides. I have never seen anyone who likes photos of themselves chewing food... so if we take a break when you do, we will be ready to get up and go again as soon as the action starts happening again, and we'll be sure to capture any spontaneous moments as they happen as well.
8.) Feeling Good! You should feel GREAT and rested on the day of your wedding... I highly discourage bachelor and bachlorette parties the night before your wedding. Or heavy drinking the day of before the ceremony... While I know it's your wedding and I don't want to tell you what to do... it does make a huge difference on your well being on your special day! Imagine having a headache all day or feeling ill as you greet guest after guest and smile for photographs. Having a hangover, it can, and probably will show in your photographs and I won't be able to retouch that out later.
9.) Special Requests - I am always happy to fullfill any special shot requests at anytime, by any member of your family! Just let me know... as our packages state... the photos are unlimited for our contracted times. So no matter how wacky, weird, or how large the group... I'm there to serve you and make sure every possible moment is captured! Likewise, if I make a special request for a moment of your time to do a photograph please consider it... because even if it feels weird or takes up some extra time it may make the difference between your everyday wedding photos and ones that when people look at them they say wow!
10.) Take it All In! Last, but certainly not least enjoy your day... This may be your one and only opportunity in life to feel like a rock star! You may be wearing the most expensive gown you've ever worn, you've had your hair and make-up put on special... And everyone of your friends and family is there to celebrate with you! Enjoy it! Allow the day to just happen... Let everyone else pamper you! Carpe Diem! And don't worry your photos and video are going to be awesome!
Congrats again! And Mike and I are both looking forward to being a part of your special day!
~ Jamie
posted by Jamie Striplin at 2:04 AM
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