Wedding Planning Tips

Ok soooo…I’m getting married in September next year, and the next thing on my to-do list is to book a photographer!
We’re not after an album as we would like to create our own, but we would like a DVD with all images taken on the day in high-resolution print-ready format. It would be from me getting ready up until just after the first dance that we require a photographer, so say 8/9 hours ish. If at all possible, 2 photographers would be great!
So my question is…how much should I be looking at spending for this?? I’ve got quotes already but they seem quite expensive, so I thought I’d ask on here to get a better idea.

Hi all,
I am interest in buying a serious Canon DSLR, more than just a “beginner’s” dslr. My photographer boss/mentor says I am ready to step foot into the professional wedding/portrait/documentary photography world. I have done a couple of weddings on my own, assisted numerous weddings, done a couple of portrait sessions (lifestyle), and more, so I consider myself as a semi-pro. I have been blessed to have used his equipment and am now ready to buy my own gear. I am still young and just finished college, but started my “career” early at the same time, hence, the price concern.
The two things that are important to me are: focusing accuracy, great low-light/High ISO performance. The swiveling LCD screen on the 60D does not matter for me. Since I will be in Alaska for the next few years, you can see why the low ISO performance and body make are of concern. (the 60d plastic’s body worries me for Alaska weather). I am also aware that the more cross-type points in the 7D (along with the dual sensors) make a more accurate reading. However….
The 7D is out of my price range of $1200….and I know I want either of these L-series lens: least the wide 24-70mm f/2.8, 135mm prime, or the f2.8 70-200mm. I have greatly worked with all three of these lens and plan to someday own all three simultaneously.
Unfortunately, budget is the thing that is tying me down. Any suggests? Prefer expert advice or photographers who work professionally with any of these three cameras.
THANK YOU in advance

**Please don’t answer unless you know what you’re talking about. No one who’s never hired a wedding photographer and did DIY photography or anything like that. We live in Columbia, SC if that helps at all.
**I did research on weddingwire.com and this guy was one of the cheapest ones with the best pictures. The others that were $1000 weren’t too impressive and there were PLENTY more expensive. I’ve never hired a photographer before, so I’m wanting to know if this is about right or if I’m getting screwed out of my money.
Price: $1500
Time: Up to 7 hours (Covers pre-ceremony pictures of me getting ready with my girls, ceremony pictures, post-ceremony group/family photos and portraits, reception photos, and exit photos)
Product: No prints unless we order them separate, but we get 3 CDs with 400-500 photos to make unlimited prints on our own. He also puts up a slideshow on Facebook for our friends and family. His 4×6 prints are 99 cents, just to give you an idea of his a la carte menu.
**We met with him today and we really like him. He showed us pictures of his last wedding at our venue and we were definitely impressed. This package is normally $2000, but we get a percentage off for having a non-Saturday wedding. He has plenty of add-ons, but our budget only allows for $1500 for the photographer, so we wouldn’t do anything like a photo book.
Any thoughts would be appreciated!

i want to be a photographer me and my fiance are getting married in november!( parents are paying for a BIG wedding) and then we are planning on having a baby.. but is a photographer a good job/stable job to have with a baby? (there is loads of colleges where i live that has a baby creche ! ).. also what different types of jobs can i get in photography.. i heard a journalist photographer is the best? or a wedding photographer?

My older cousin asked me to be the photographer at her wedding in May. She said that her and I are booked at the salon the morning of the wedding, so from that I know that I’m not just going to have to look boring. I’m 16 years old. I’m not sure what to wear. I understand; NO WHITE, and I should wear black or darker shades of grey. I’m not sure about the idea of wearing slacks and sneakers like people have told me. I was thinking a pretty dark grey, subtle dress and some dressy flat-heel sandals so I can still be quick on my feet? What do you think?
I was also looking for some tips for getting shots during the wedding, and what parts of it I am allowed to be a part of, seeing as I’m part of her family.
I don’t drink, so I don’t have to hear about alcohol or anything. I’ll drink water.
I’ll try to have a filling meal beforehand so I’m not hungry when I’m taking pictures.
I don’t want to be all over the place and causing disruptions especially during the ceremony and speeches. How can I quickly and quietly do my job well?

Hiring a wedding photographer does not have to be as tedious and stressful as many bride’s to be think. You really can have fun interviewing various photographers, choosing wedding photography packages and planning ever minute detail of your special day.

When you are done with this article you should have less stress and much more confidence when it comes to hiring the right photographer to capture your special day. Here are your wedding photography tips to help you alleviate the stress.

First and foremost, one of the most important of the wedding photography tips is – you need to have a strict budget to stick with before you begin looking into various photographers. When you have your budget you should begin thinking about the amount of time you want your photographer to be with you and your guests.

Are there special poses you want, a particular person to have a picture of. For example, if you have an elderly grandparent you might want to have a few extra pictures taken of him or her. You also might want to have the photographer take a few pictures of you at your home while you are getting dressed, maybe with your dog or on your stairway. The possibilities here are endless.

When you are trying to figure out which wedding photography packages you are going to narrow your choices down to you should consult a few photographers. For the average person, simply telling us that we can have X number of pictures taken for Z amount of money is not fully informing us. By having your list of “must have” pictures the photographer should be able to give you an idea of the best package for your needs.

Don’t sign the contract for the wedding photographer or choose a specific package right away. You should have the price written down as well as the pictures you want and the package number. Look at the photographers portfolio and ask for references. You need to do your research before you commit to a particular photographer, even if he or she is within your budget.

Finally, ask yourself a few questions before you agree to the contract. First, are you both comfortable with the particular photographer? Is everything clearly stated in writing on the contract?

For example, the ‘must have’ pictures, the amount of money that will be the down payment, the number of installments, the balance, the time the photographer will begin taking pictures, where he/she will take the pictures, the time to start and the time he/she will stop taking pictures. Is the right price and wedding photography package written on the contract?

Following these wedding photography tips is going to help you to avoid unnecessary stress and keep everything clear for you and the photographer. Remember, you might know what you want from your photographer, but he or she is not a mind reader. Make sure it is all in black and white before you sign the contract.

As someone who grew up as a Nantucket photographer, I’ve been asked numerous times for wedding photography tips, here are a few suggestions.

Create A List Of Shots.

Request or suggest to the couple to provide you with a list of shots they would like for their wedding. This makes things easy to remember and you can check them off as you click away. very helpful for family and group shots. It would be a real bummer to find out when you get the photos back that you missed Uncle Joe.

Use An Assistant.

Shooting the family portraits can be frustrating when you have people missing and they are not organized. People are just having too much fun and are wondering about – not really thinking about photography. I recommend to bring an assistant (preferably female) to nominate a family member to gather everyone for the portraits. They can round everyone up and make the shoot go so much faster so everyone can go back to celebrating.

Stay Prepared.

So much can go wrong on the day – so you need to be well prepared. Have a backup plan (in case of bad weather), have batteries charged, memory cards blank, think about routes and time to get to places and get an itinerary of the full day so you know what’s happening next. If you can, attend the rehearsal of the ceremony where you’ll gather a lot of great information about possible positions to shoot from, the lighting, the order of the ceremony etc.

Discuss Expectations.

With Your Bride. Show them your albums and samples of your work. Find out the style they want to achieve, how many pictures, key moments they want photographed, format of the shots ( digital, film), and more. Make sure to go over the price so they know exactly what they are paying for.

Minimize Your Camera Noise.

Camera clicks and beeps during the vows and toasts can be distracting. Switch off sound before hand and keep it off.

Shoot With Two Cameras.

It’s too easy for one camera to go down during a shoot leaving stranded with out anyways to finish your work and destroying your reputation. Buy, borrow, or rent an extra camera for the day and set it up with a different lens. I try to shoot with one wide angle lens for candid shots and tight spaces and one longer lens (it can be handy to have something as large as 200mm if you can get your hands on one – I use a 70-200mm).

Capture The Details.

Take pictures of the rings, details in the dress, eyes, lips, table settings, interior etc – these help give the end album an extra dimension. Pick up a wedding magazine at your local news stand for a little inspiration.

Bring A Second Shooter.

Having a second backup photographer can greatly facilitate the day and improve your coverage. It means less running around during ceremony and speeches, and allows for your or your second to capture the formal shots while the other covers something else. Most importantly, it takes a little pressure off you being ‘the one’ to have to get every shot!

Don’t Be Shy.

Being shy won’t get you ‘the shot’. Sometimes you need to step to the front of the line to capture a moment. However, timing is everything and planning ahead to get in the right spot for key moments are important so you don’t disrupt the event. During the ceremony I try to move around at least 4-5 times but try to time this to coincide with songs, prayers or longer readings. During the portrait session take charge, know what you want, and ask for it from the couple.

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