How to Plan Your Wedding Photography - 4 Steps to Memorable Wedding Pictures

 As one of the most important decisions you will make concerning the big day, planning your wedding photography should be considered with care. Follow these four steps to ensure your wedding pictures capture these priceless wedding day memories.

1) Select Your Photography Style

How do you envision your wedding photographs? Wedding Photographers generally fall into three stylistic categories: traditional, photojournalist, or a combination of both. Traditional photographers are practiced in obtaining great portraits and posed shots. For more candid shots that document the day's emotions and all the behind-the-scenes action, you may lean towards the photojournalistic style of photography (a hot trend for today's weddings). For brides who simply cannot decide, seek a wedding photographer who can offer the perfect mix. (that’s us) J

2) Consider the Cost

This really is one area in which you should avoid cutting corners, as your photographs will be one of the few keepsakes you can actually take from your wedding. Expect to allocate at least $1000 to your wedding photography budget (the bottom line in metro areas will be higher). If budget is a concern, consider ordering the most basic package, but avoid hiring an inexperienced photographer to save money.

3) Hire your Wedding Photographer

Do your research, and compile a list of potentials and commence the "meet and greet." When meeting with potential photographers, be sure to review his or her work and remember to consider the importance of personality. Your photographer will capture some of the best shots behind the scenes, so you must feel comfortable in working with this person and inviting them backstage. Trust your instinct: if you find anything disagreeable about working with this person, keep looking. And don't forget to get everything in writing.

4) Plan the Wedding Pictures

Well before your wedding day, make sure you have considered the must-have photography shots and their execution. You should discuss these details with your photographer so that he or she will be familiar with the site location, the VIPs of the wedding (attendants, parents etc.), and the best and most un-obtrusive way to get these important shots.

Consider every aspect of your wedding day and how you would like it captured. From the pre-ceremony preparation, to your walk down the aisle, to your "I Dos," to your first dance and finally to your departure, make sure to discuss the perfect shots for each special moment. Throughout the planning process, be in the lookout out for images that catch your eye, and consider bringing clips to your photographer. Browse this gallery of creative wedding pictures for inspiration.

Now that you know the basics, this complete wedding photography guide will walk you the rest of the way towards planning your wedding day pictures.

www.crystalimagephoto.com

It's your turn! ~ Ask Me Any Photography Questions You Have

On any given week I am asked questions about photography. Rather related to general photography "How To" questions or questions on how to start or run a successful photography studio or about Project CIP (something very special to me)

Here is your chance to ask me any photography related question you may have.

For the next week, until July 19th I will take and answer your questions.

All questions and answers will be posted here on the blog for others to read and learn from (no names will be used) so, don't be shy! Ask away!

The one who submits the best question will receive a gift certificate towards a portrait session with Crystal Image Photography and I personally will spend an hour with them showing them just what it is I do and answering any other questions.

So, if you're an inspiring photographer or a newbie here is your chance!

Send your questions to:  cv@crystalimagephoto.com

Photographers Be Nice.....To Each Other!

Photographers Let's be nice to each other~

Just a few weeks ago I saw a post from a young photographer just learning her way around a camera and how a professional photographer had basically put her down and criticized her. 

Now, this young photographer fired back! Stating how she was not a pro...just a beginner and didnt need a pro telling her she was not good....it was her customers who she looked to for approval.

I commented on her post, giving her encouragement, agreeing with her.

As I drove home that afternoon I began to think more about it.

All professional photographers had to start somewhere! Did we not? We all started out as beginners. I'm sure we all as beginners had other professionals looking at our work and judging it. Shoot, even pros judge other pros and put each other down! Why?

My thoughts on that - other photographers do not pay my bills or your bills nor do they define us. We each have our own style and way of doing things.

It is our customers that we should seek approval and satisfaction from. They are the ones who spend their hard earned money on our photography.....Why? Because THEY like what it is we do!

Becoming a better photographer requires times, practice and learning new things.....The things your customers  want....the type of photography they want and will buy. Not what another photographers say is right or wrong.

This is exactly why I do not belong to  professional photography groups, clubs, or otherwise. Oh, I have in the past. But each time, I find the same thing....a room full of arrogant photographers (now there is always a few who are not) seeking to come across as they are more skilled than the next.

No matter what it is we do or the type of job or service one preforms there is always room for improvement, so help one another and stop putting each other down because you may not like their style of photography.

Life's about helping one another! Pass it on! And, remember we all started out as beginners!

www.crystalimagephoto.com

Two Important Wedding Photography Questions We're Rarely Asked

As wedding photographers, it's no surprise that we meet with a lot of brides. And their mothers. So it goes without saying that we have become professionals at answering questions about wedding photography as well just about everything else that has to do with weddings.

I guess it's precisely because we answer so many questions that we've become aware of the questions that aren't being asked. And the ones that should be.

I think the first question stems more from my personal conviction than from the hearts of brides. But if they knew ins and outs of wedding photography, my bet is that more brides would be asking this question, "what is your backup strategy and how do you protect my files against data loss and corruption?" Or, more simply stated, "what do you do to make sure you don't lose our pictures?!"

From my brief research, i've picked up that approximately 7% of hard drives crash in their first year, and by the end of the second year, that number climbs closer to 20%. Yikes! That means that if your wedding pictures are being saved on a drive that's at least two years old, then there's a one in five chance that that drive will crash. That's comforting.

While this article is not a primer on digital backup and media protection, I do hope that it encourages more brides to simply ask the question. For what it's worth, we maintain copies of every wedding, including one offsite in the event our studio burns down, until our product has been delivered and archived online.

The second obvious question that's rarely asked is, "how many weddings have you been the lead shooter for?" Well, I’ve been the lead for just about all the weddings we do. But, this is a question you may want to ask if you’re looking at bigger studios with several photographers.

 In these days of website templates, it's rather easy for photographers to come by some great photos and fancy websites which really make them appear established. I encourage brides to ask for links to view complete wedding galleries from recent weddings as this will give them a good idea of what they might expect to receive. Anyone can come up with a few good shots for their website. But it's much more difficult to come by a complete and impressive gallery.

www.crystalimagephoto.com