Not just a wedding picture taker but a photographic eye

More Than Pictures – Memories
 
 When you are hired to be the main photographer for a portrait event it is quite an honor. For a professional photographer, we can sometimes just see it as another “gig”. But it pays to look at the event through the eyes of the wedding party, the parents, the siblings, the groom and above all the bride. For the bride especially, there is nothing run of the mill about this day. Everything is personal and getting the best possible photos of this important day could not be more personal and important to her and her family and her groom as well.
 
 If you’re thinking of taking the direction into or setting out on building your photography business to include wedding photography, you should plan to approach this task much differently than any other form of photography. You are doing a lot more than taking a few snapshots of an event. You are as much an integral part of the ceremony and the significance of that day for this bride and this groom as the minister or perhaps even many of the wedding guests.
 
 So what can you do to make sure the wedding albums you create capture not only the events of this day but the emotions and the spiritual importance of it as well? The key is to know the hearts and minds of the people who are involved in the event. That means, get involved early and be involved often.
 
 For most weddings, the planning process starts very soon. If you get hired to be the wedding photographer, it is not too early to meet the maid of honor that early also. To be a skilled wedding photographer, you should also have a bit of the investigative journalist, the amateur psychologist and the psychic in you as well.
 
 Your photographs will capture not only the images of the event but also the souls of the attendees. So get to know each of the key players individually. This certainly includes the bride and groom but a similar level of familiarity is appropriate for the wedding party, the parents of the bride and groom and their best friends too.
 
 There are some subtle ways you can learn the hearts of these people so you can plan to get photographs that will be ones the each person will say, “I am saving that one forever.” Here are some suggestions…
 
 . Get to know the colors of the wedding. But more than that, find out how the bride and significant decisions makers view colors. Watch how they dress and show them examples of wedding photographs and listen to their reactions. You can plan the how to stage your pictures accordingly.
 
 . Every bride has that perfect romantic setting in their heart. If you can discover that hidden treasure, you may be able to frame a special wedding photo just to fit that dream. Perhaps she there is a public gardens in the city that has a fountain that she has loved since she was a child. If so you can make arrangements to have the wedding party meet out there when the lighting is just right in full dress and get some wedding photos that will be in her heart forever.
 
 . Don’t forget the groom. Maybe he would love to have a fun photo showing him and the bride on his Harley. Or if he is a big sports fan, getting a photo dressed out in team regalia at some other time than the wedding can be a fun addition to the portfolio. And it will mean a lot to him too.
 
 Knowing the people, their personalities and what makes them tick makes you a better photographer. Don’t get lazy and not keep up with details at every stage of planning. The key players will not only not resent your presence but they will see that you have the same commitment to making this day as special as it can be. And they will love the outcome and you will remain as much a part of this big day as the flowers and the chapel itself.
 
 San Antonio Photography by Richard’s Photography – San Antonio,Texas

Choosing a Wedding Photographer Made Easy

The wedding day will probably be one of the most important times that occur for a person’s life. Hours and hours go into all of the planning for the wedding. Probably all of the list of things to do in wedding planning are frustrating, stressful, and time consuming. That’s why it is crucial that your homework is done when trying to find good people for all the jobs.One of the critically important jobs will be for the photographer. From my experience as a San Diego wedding photographer I’ll show you it can be a few simple steps away.

Trying to find a wedding photographer is huge responsibility and job. There are several factors to consider when making this important selection. The photos that you take away from your wedding are going to be the most memorable keepsakes that you have. The photos will be all over your walls for the rest of yourlife. One of the important factors when trying to find a photographer is price. A lot of photographers will charge you a certain price for a specific lenght of time for the wedding. It is important to know what will be included with that price up front
price. When it comes to finding a wedding photographer, the biggest upside to pricing is there is a lot of competition. Remember, that a lot of photographers can and will negotiate their price a little bit to fit what you need.

Another thing to think about and consider when choosing is the experience a person may have. Is this their firs big wedding job, or have they done a few dozen or more? Their price may reflect how long they have been in business as well. Just because someone has a lot of experience doesn’t always mean they will be better. Sometimes the photographers that are just starting their careers and are trying to build a name will turn out to be excellent. The advantage of a person like that and going with them is you know they are going to give it their best. When you are trying to find a wedding photgrapher, you will find photographers of different levels of experience. Doing an interview with a photographer can give you a good sense of what they will be like to work with.

A final thing to think about when you prepare to make that decision is what kind of personality does the photographer have. Are they going to call all the shots and make all of the poses? Or are they going to let the bride and groom make some decisions? Another thing to think about is whether or not you want to be the one to make the important decisions on the photos. The bride and groom will have enough to think about the day of the wedding as it is. Take all of these things into account when considering which photographer to choose. If you do, you will have some wonderful photos to cherish the rest of your lives.  Take it from me, your experienced San Diego photographer.

5 Tips from a San Diego Wedding Photographer

Being asked to take photos for a wedding is a huge responsibility.  If you’ve been asked to do it as a favor, or have been asked to do it professionally, here are 5 tips to do to get the job done right.

This tips are coming from first hand experience as a San Diego wedding photographer.  So whether you are seasoned pro, or a rank amateur, if you follow these tips, you will feel comfortable and not have to second guess yourself.Doing this you will be fully prepared come what may.

Our first tip is easy and that is to have the couple and maybe their families make a list of photos they want to take.With a day that can be as hectic and chaotic as a wedding day, doing this will help when you are trying to organize all the group and family shots later on in the day.  You will love it and when you can just go down the list and get everything without leaving anything out by accident.

The second tip on our list is to not delete any shots.  In this day and age of digital cameras, most photographers use them.Great as they are, they might tempt you to delete a shot they may like that you don’t since it is so easy to do.  Don’t even look at the previews.What you think may be a great photo, can differ widely in what the couple considers a great photo.You know what, they might like all those un “professional” shots you take.

The third tip to make sure you do is taking candid shots.A good photographer isn’t one who just takes the standard basic shots, like family shots, typical wedding shots, or whatever is the usual.  But they will also try and capture the emotions of the day through the shots of all the people that were there.  And that includes some of the things that could go wrong, like a flower girl not making it all the way to the front, or the ring bearer dropping the rings.Every photo matters.

The fourth tip is which is often overlooked is to make sure you have several cameras and other equipment as backup.Do you even want to think of a moment like that of not having a working camera halfway through the wedding.Be prepared for anything that can go wrong.By being ready with extra equipment, you will avoid the uncomfortable time of not being able to take any more pictures of the wedding day with a broken camera.

Finally, practice your lighting as well. There can be a huge difference between the lighting inside the wedding and outside, so make sure to practice for all the different possible conditions. You should try and see if you can scout the locations for the big day and try and find the best spots to shoot as well as gauging the lighting needs.

Doing these 5 tips will help you immensely.  It will prepare you for whatever might go wrong, it will prepare you for capturing what goes right, and it will prepare you to help contribute to this wonderful day by being the best photographer you can be.  Take it from my years of experience as a San Diego photographer.

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