Wedding Photographer
Search for local wedding photographers in your area and view their photography. You will also find a photographers resource area which includes suppliers of photographic equpment, supplies and much more.
“Only your wedding photographer will be focused on you through all of it. To record the day’s events, we have to always be there…around…watching. Not in your face, in the background. Experience tells us when to expect things to happen, when to nudge them along and when to stay out of the way. We might take photos of your flowers, your table plans, your decorations, but we will always know where you are and when.
A smart bride knows that anything could happen on her wedding day and ensures that she has a Plan B for wedding photography. Outdoor photography may be impossible due to unpleasant weather or a planned street setting may be unsuitable due to traffic congestion. Discuss alternative photography locations so that you’ll still end up with gorgeous, artistic wedding photos should Mother Nature rain on your parade.
The majority of couples will meet their photographer only once while deciding who will shoot their wedding and perhaps again at the pre-wedding consult if there is one. The next time they meet and the first time they are photographed is on the day of the wedding. The chances of having built a meaningful rapport are minimal and this is why a photography session before the wedding can mean the difference between good photographs and amazing photographs.
Contemporary wedding photography involves having the cutting edge in photographic techniques and styles. Currently this involves informal photojournalism (whether posed or not) that gives more genuine emotions and reactions. From here artistic styles may or may not be applied to the original image to enhance the effect of the photograph. Most of comtemporary wedding photography aims for candid shots from a distance, usually catching original moments.
Visit the locations of the different places that you’ll be shooting before the big day. While I’m sure most Pros don’t do this - I find it really helpful to know where we’re going, have an idea of a few positions for shots and to know how the light might come into play. On one or two weddings I even visited locations with the couples and took a few test shots (these made nice ‘engagement photos’).
Wedding photographers used to get no respect, either from customers or other pros. It’s only recently that they’ve been widely recognized for their multifaceted talent. In the course of a wedding day they serve as architectural photographer, documenting locations; as portrait photographer, flattering the day’s key players; as product photographer, shooting a closeup of the rings; and as photojournalist, telling a story, under pressure, with pictures.
A smart bride will view a wedding photography proof portfolio (a sample album of another couple’s wedding photos). If you don’t, you’ll be shown a display wedding album compiled using the studios best pictures that have been shot with professional models, giving unrealistic expectations of the photos. Also, ensure the wedding photographer that took the proof album will actually be the professional attending your wedding. Some companies have other people to whom they subcontract the photography out.