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One of the most important factors of a wedding is the wedding photography. The wedding photography is what is left when everything else has been packed up and put away. It's the pictures that will be looked at by generations to come. Photos are the most substantial thing you walk away with.
In this manner, it is a must to hire the best photographer for your tastes Wedding photography is the photography of activities relating to weddings. It incorporates photos of the couple before marriage, as well as coverage of the wedding and reception. It is a major commercial endeavor that supports the bulk of the efforts for many photography studios or independent photographers.
Wedding photography is the most ideal way to immortalize your extraordinary day. You only get one chance of capturing your wedding day, so it is wise to utilize a professional wedding photographer for this important task. It’s okay to have family and friends bring a camera and take photos of their own, but at the end of the day having professional quality photos taken using professional equipment will produce results that you will be able to treasure for years and even share with future generations.
Another important aspect of having your wedding photograph is a rare get-together. Actually, in our daily schedule, it is unrealistic for us to stay in contact with each relative and friends. Anyway, while preparing the guest list we generally try to include everybody. Weddings are the main events that you can discover everyone to present and impart their delights and distresses. It will be a good idea to capture these moments in your wedding. Wedding does not only imply the union of two persons. It is the union of two families, who come forward to bless the couple for their future. If you are planning to capture these blessed moments, you definitely cannot miss the photography of your big day. If you look at the other aspect of wedding photography, you may agree with the value it has in everybody's life.
Friday, June 20, 2014
Must-Take Wedding Photo Checklist
Whatever the occasion is, Freshminds Photography is there to meet your requirements and give your needs in professional photography. Check out freshmindsphotography.com for more details.
A week or so before your wedding day, give the photographer with a list of moments that are important to you. Pick and choose from these photo options. This checklist is very important to avoid missing out capturing your special moments.
Preparation (before the ceremony)
• Bride having her hair styled and makeup applied
• Bride’s gown hanging on a padded hanger, spread on the bed, or draped over a chair
• Still life shots of the bride’s shoes, jewelry, something old, something new, something borrowed, and something blue
• Detailed shots of the bride’s and bridesmaids’ bouquets
• Candid shots of the bridesmaids getting dressed
• Mother buttoning or zipping up the bride’s dress
• Mother helping the bride with one last detail, such as the veil
• Full-length shot of the bride in her gown, looking at herself in a mirror
• Bridesmaids reacting to the bride in her gown
• Father seeing the bride in her gown
• Bride with her parents and siblings
• Bride with her bridesmaids
• Groom getting ready with his father and groomsmen
• Close-up shot of the wedding bands
• Groom with his parents and siblings
• Groom with the best man
• Groom with his groomsmen
• Groomsmen putting on boutonnieres or ties
• Bride and groom separately making their way to the ceremony
The Ceremony
• Exterior and interior shots of the site before guests arrive
• Groom walking down the aisle with his mother
• Close-up of groom’s expression while waiting for the bride
• Bridal party walking down the aisle
• Both sets of grandparents walking down the aisle
• Bride and her escort waiting to walk down the aisle
• Close-up of bride just before she makes her entrance
• Bride and her escort walking down the aisle
• Groom reacting to bride walking down the aisle
• Bride’s escort giving her away
• Bride and groom at the altar
• Both sets of parents watching the ceremony
• Wide shot of the altar, from the guests’ point of view
• Wide shot of the guests, from the couple’s point of view
• Special moments, such as the candle lighting and the readings
• Close-up of the bride and groom as they recite their vows
• Close-up of the bride and groom’s hands as they exchange rings
• The kiss!
• Close-up of the newlyweds immediately after the ceremony
• Bride and groom hugging family and friends
• Bride showing off her wedding ring to her bridesmaids
• Bride and groom leaving the ceremony site
Before the Reception (or Ceremony)
• Bride and groom together
• Bride with her mother
• Bride with her father
• Bride with both parents
• Bride with her entire immediate family
• Groom with his mother
• Groom with his father
• Groom with both parents
• Groom with his entire immediate family
• Bride and groom with bride’s family
• Bride and groom with groom’s family
• Bride and groom with both sets of parents
• Bride and groom with immediate family members from both sides
• Bride and groom with bridesmaids
• Bride and groom with groomsmen
• Bride and groom with flower girl and ring bearer
• Bride and groom with entire wedding party
The Reception
• Exterior and interior shots of the site before the guests arrive
• Still-life shots of place cards, menus, centerpieces, decorations, table settings, favors, and Champagne glasses
• The cake
• Hors d’oeuvres and specialty drinks
• Guests arriving and signing the guest book
• Bride and groom arriving
• Close-ups of friends and family making toasts
• Bride and groom sipping Champagne at their table
• Bride and groom speaking with guests
• Bride and groom’s first dance
• Bride dancing with her father
• Groom dancing with his mother
• Parents and grandparents dancing
• Wedding party dancing
• Musicians, deejay, and/or entertainers performing
• Guests dancing
• Bride and groom dancing with the bridal party
• Bride and groom cutting the cake
• Bouquet toss
• Newlyweds’ vehicle
• Bride and groom leaving the reception
A week or so before your wedding day, give the photographer with a list of moments that are important to you. Pick and choose from these photo options. This checklist is very important to avoid missing out capturing your special moments.
Preparation (before the ceremony)
• Bride having her hair styled and makeup applied
• Bride’s gown hanging on a padded hanger, spread on the bed, or draped over a chair
• Still life shots of the bride’s shoes, jewelry, something old, something new, something borrowed, and something blue
• Detailed shots of the bride’s and bridesmaids’ bouquets
• Candid shots of the bridesmaids getting dressed
• Mother buttoning or zipping up the bride’s dress
• Mother helping the bride with one last detail, such as the veil
• Full-length shot of the bride in her gown, looking at herself in a mirror
• Bridesmaids reacting to the bride in her gown
• Father seeing the bride in her gown
• Bride with her parents and siblings
• Bride with her bridesmaids
• Groom getting ready with his father and groomsmen
• Close-up shot of the wedding bands
• Groom with his parents and siblings
• Groom with the best man
• Groom with his groomsmen
• Groomsmen putting on boutonnieres or ties
• Bride and groom separately making their way to the ceremony
The Ceremony
• Exterior and interior shots of the site before guests arrive
• Groom walking down the aisle with his mother
• Close-up of groom’s expression while waiting for the bride
• Bridal party walking down the aisle
• Both sets of grandparents walking down the aisle
• Bride and her escort waiting to walk down the aisle
• Close-up of bride just before she makes her entrance
• Bride and her escort walking down the aisle
• Groom reacting to bride walking down the aisle
• Bride’s escort giving her away
• Bride and groom at the altar
• Both sets of parents watching the ceremony
• Wide shot of the altar, from the guests’ point of view
• Wide shot of the guests, from the couple’s point of view
• Special moments, such as the candle lighting and the readings
• Close-up of the bride and groom as they recite their vows
• Close-up of the bride and groom’s hands as they exchange rings
• The kiss!
• Close-up of the newlyweds immediately after the ceremony
• Bride and groom hugging family and friends
• Bride showing off her wedding ring to her bridesmaids
• Bride and groom leaving the ceremony site
Before the Reception (or Ceremony)
• Bride and groom together
• Bride with her mother
• Bride with her father
• Bride with both parents
• Bride with her entire immediate family
• Groom with his mother
• Groom with his father
• Groom with both parents
• Groom with his entire immediate family
• Bride and groom with bride’s family
• Bride and groom with groom’s family
• Bride and groom with both sets of parents
• Bride and groom with immediate family members from both sides
• Bride and groom with bridesmaids
• Bride and groom with groomsmen
• Bride and groom with flower girl and ring bearer
• Bride and groom with entire wedding party
The Reception
• Exterior and interior shots of the site before the guests arrive
• Still-life shots of place cards, menus, centerpieces, decorations, table settings, favors, and Champagne glasses
• The cake
• Hors d’oeuvres and specialty drinks
• Guests arriving and signing the guest book
• Bride and groom arriving
• Close-ups of friends and family making toasts
• Bride and groom sipping Champagne at their table
• Bride and groom speaking with guests
• Bride and groom’s first dance
• Bride dancing with her father
• Groom dancing with his mother
• Parents and grandparents dancing
• Wedding party dancing
• Musicians, deejay, and/or entertainers performing
• Guests dancing
• Bride and groom dancing with the bridal party
• Bride and groom cutting the cake
• Bouquet toss
• Newlyweds’ vehicle
• Bride and groom leaving the reception
Hot trends in wedding photography
Profiting in any type of photography is tough and the wedding business is truly cut-throat. We put our heads together to come up with these top tips to help you do more than just stay floating as a wedding photographer.
Things have moved on since then, thanks to much more relaxed and candid approach favored by forward-thinking photographers and a growing desire for what is called ‘reportage’ wedding photography.
Freshminds Photography is a professional photography provider, perfect for your wedding, and any other occasions as well.
Wedding photographers need to stay ahead of the game, though, so here’s a quick reminder of some of the hot trends (current and future) that can give your wedding images the edge.
One of the trends in wedding photography is the “story telling”. Create a storyline, do the drama. It is one of the biggest trends in portrait photography at the moment. It’s about using themes and props to work up a sense of magic and mystery, and really emphasize being special of your wedding day.
Obviously all good wedding photography should tell the story of the event – from the bride’s preparation to smoochy dancing at the reception – but think about adding a sense of ‘fairy tale’ to how you work. So it’s about image making rather than just image taking.
Popular themes could include A Midsummer Night’s Dream, or classic fairy tales. However, your creativity is the limit in that case. That’s your wedding, anyway, so, you’re the boss!
Things have moved on since then, thanks to much more relaxed and candid approach favored by forward-thinking photographers and a growing desire for what is called ‘reportage’ wedding photography.
Freshminds Photography is a professional photography provider, perfect for your wedding, and any other occasions as well.
Wedding photographers need to stay ahead of the game, though, so here’s a quick reminder of some of the hot trends (current and future) that can give your wedding images the edge.
One of the trends in wedding photography is the “story telling”. Create a storyline, do the drama. It is one of the biggest trends in portrait photography at the moment. It’s about using themes and props to work up a sense of magic and mystery, and really emphasize being special of your wedding day.
Obviously all good wedding photography should tell the story of the event – from the bride’s preparation to smoochy dancing at the reception – but think about adding a sense of ‘fairy tale’ to how you work. So it’s about image making rather than just image taking.
Popular themes could include A Midsummer Night’s Dream, or classic fairy tales. However, your creativity is the limit in that case. That’s your wedding, anyway, so, you’re the boss!
How will you avoid having poor wedding photos?
Freshminds Photography is sharing you this article to let you know that it’s not all the time that poor photos are products of photographers alone but you, the customer, do have a fair share either.
Wedding should be one of the best days of your life — not a source of disappointment, regret, and buyer's remorse. Everything should be planned to attain perfection.
What to do if you really dislike your wedding photos? You've stepped away from them for a few months and come back and you still hate them. You've shown them to your family and friends and they all think they aren't very good either.
To avoid this scenario, consider the following tips:
1. Like your photographer
Not only do you have to like the photos your photographer takes, but you have to like your photographer's personality as well. When you meet with a photographer, make sure you're meeting with the person who will shoot your wedding. Start your search with photographers who are offbeat and awesome — find them here. Beware of wedding photography mills (they exist!) where you talk to a sales person, view their best sample images, and then get stuck with a minimum-wage photographer with minimal experience to match. To avoid getting burned, you may ask to see a full wedding, or if you're still having trouble deciding, book an engagement session first — this lets you take your photographer for a "test drive" before the big day.
2. Choose a professional WEDDING photographer
Experience is the best teacher, so hire someone who specializes in weddings and has shot a lot of them. Good wedding photographers use their Spidey senses to sense moments before they happen. Just because your cousin is an amazing food photographer, it doesn't mean he can document your wedding.
3. Tread cautiously when hiring friends or family
Allow your friends and family to be guests at your wedding. Photographer friends may offer to take photos out of kindness, but I suggest turning them down. Here's a secret: They probably won't mind being turned down. Wedding photographers never get to be guests. It's refreshing to attend a wedding where we can leave the camera at home, hit the bar, and maybe do the Wobble.
4. Delete your wedding Pinterest boards
Comparison is the death of joy. I'm sure he would have a thing or two to say about Pinterest. If you're expecting your photographer to emulate all your favorite photos on Pinterest, you're setting yourself up to be disappointed — because those weddings aren't your wedding, so your photos won't (and shouldn't!) look the same. Not just on Pinterest, but also on your other social media accounts wherein you uploaded photos or videos of beautiful weddings. Better delete those to avoid comparisons.
5. Avoid the time warp
Wedding day transportation always takes twice as long as you think it will — plan for it. If you forget to account for freeway traffic en route to your reception venue, you might cut your photo-taking time in half. Find out how much time your photographer will need, and work on a realistic time schedule. Photographers are magicians, but we can't actually bend time. Build a solid wedding day timeline with the help of a planner or coordinator, if you can.
6. No laser lights ever
Do you look good with green spots on your face? No? Then kindly ask your DJ to kill the laser light show. Laser lights are pretty much the worst thing ever invented — they make your guests look like they have a mutant green skin disease in the pictures.
7. Put down the vodka cranberry
Wait until after your ceremony and photos to go all Andrew W.K. I'm not saying you have to skip the mimosas, but keep hydrated and take it slow. Hate your drunk face? I can't fix that with photoshop. Plus vodka cranberry is hard to get out of a wedding dress.
8. Unplug during your wedding ceremony
The new trend of guests using iPads as video cameras is getting out of hand. I've seen guests holding iPads in front of grandma so she has to duck to see the wedding. Unless you want all of your ceremony photos peppered with people's iPads (which will look as silly as a Zack Morris cell phone in 20 years), ask them to put them away until after the first kiss.
9. Feed your photographer
Your caterer has a sinister plan called "hide the photographer." After the photographer's blood sugar hits rock bottom, they lead them into a dark hallway 100 yards from reception. At that exact moment, the DJ will announce that it's time for parent dances. I'm not sure where this awful tradition started, but there's an easy solution: Ask your caterer to feed the photographer at the same time as the bride and groom, so they're back in action at the same time you are. If possible, give them a table in the main reception room. That way if an epic moment happens, they're there to capture it.
10. Turn crappy into happy with uplighting
I've seen a DJ turn a bare room with four walls into a Vegas Nightclub with uplighting. Most professional DJs offer uplighting packages.
11. Find the photos you DO like and get them on your wall and in an album
After spending money on wedding photos, please do not leave them in the digital nebulas and interwebs. When historians (or *cough* family members) dig through your attic, old broken hard drives with wedding photos will be useless.
Even if you're disappointed with your wedding photos, find the few you do like, and print them up. If it's literally only a couple photos, cherish them, print them, and hang them on the wall.
If you can find a few more, make an album. The process of choosing photos to print might help you re-live all the excitement of your wedding. You may never go through the 1,000 digital images that you hate on your hard drive, but you'll look at the certain photos that you do like in your album or that one photo on your wall for years to come.
Wedding should be one of the best days of your life — not a source of disappointment, regret, and buyer's remorse. Everything should be planned to attain perfection.
What to do if you really dislike your wedding photos? You've stepped away from them for a few months and come back and you still hate them. You've shown them to your family and friends and they all think they aren't very good either.
To avoid this scenario, consider the following tips:
1. Like your photographer
Not only do you have to like the photos your photographer takes, but you have to like your photographer's personality as well. When you meet with a photographer, make sure you're meeting with the person who will shoot your wedding. Start your search with photographers who are offbeat and awesome — find them here. Beware of wedding photography mills (they exist!) where you talk to a sales person, view their best sample images, and then get stuck with a minimum-wage photographer with minimal experience to match. To avoid getting burned, you may ask to see a full wedding, or if you're still having trouble deciding, book an engagement session first — this lets you take your photographer for a "test drive" before the big day.
2. Choose a professional WEDDING photographer
Experience is the best teacher, so hire someone who specializes in weddings and has shot a lot of them. Good wedding photographers use their Spidey senses to sense moments before they happen. Just because your cousin is an amazing food photographer, it doesn't mean he can document your wedding.
3. Tread cautiously when hiring friends or family
Allow your friends and family to be guests at your wedding. Photographer friends may offer to take photos out of kindness, but I suggest turning them down. Here's a secret: They probably won't mind being turned down. Wedding photographers never get to be guests. It's refreshing to attend a wedding where we can leave the camera at home, hit the bar, and maybe do the Wobble.
4. Delete your wedding Pinterest boards
Comparison is the death of joy. I'm sure he would have a thing or two to say about Pinterest. If you're expecting your photographer to emulate all your favorite photos on Pinterest, you're setting yourself up to be disappointed — because those weddings aren't your wedding, so your photos won't (and shouldn't!) look the same. Not just on Pinterest, but also on your other social media accounts wherein you uploaded photos or videos of beautiful weddings. Better delete those to avoid comparisons.
5. Avoid the time warp
Wedding day transportation always takes twice as long as you think it will — plan for it. If you forget to account for freeway traffic en route to your reception venue, you might cut your photo-taking time in half. Find out how much time your photographer will need, and work on a realistic time schedule. Photographers are magicians, but we can't actually bend time. Build a solid wedding day timeline with the help of a planner or coordinator, if you can.
6. No laser lights ever
Do you look good with green spots on your face? No? Then kindly ask your DJ to kill the laser light show. Laser lights are pretty much the worst thing ever invented — they make your guests look like they have a mutant green skin disease in the pictures.
7. Put down the vodka cranberry
Wait until after your ceremony and photos to go all Andrew W.K. I'm not saying you have to skip the mimosas, but keep hydrated and take it slow. Hate your drunk face? I can't fix that with photoshop. Plus vodka cranberry is hard to get out of a wedding dress.
8. Unplug during your wedding ceremony
The new trend of guests using iPads as video cameras is getting out of hand. I've seen guests holding iPads in front of grandma so she has to duck to see the wedding. Unless you want all of your ceremony photos peppered with people's iPads (which will look as silly as a Zack Morris cell phone in 20 years), ask them to put them away until after the first kiss.
9. Feed your photographer
Your caterer has a sinister plan called "hide the photographer." After the photographer's blood sugar hits rock bottom, they lead them into a dark hallway 100 yards from reception. At that exact moment, the DJ will announce that it's time for parent dances. I'm not sure where this awful tradition started, but there's an easy solution: Ask your caterer to feed the photographer at the same time as the bride and groom, so they're back in action at the same time you are. If possible, give them a table in the main reception room. That way if an epic moment happens, they're there to capture it.
10. Turn crappy into happy with uplighting
I've seen a DJ turn a bare room with four walls into a Vegas Nightclub with uplighting. Most professional DJs offer uplighting packages.
11. Find the photos you DO like and get them on your wall and in an album
After spending money on wedding photos, please do not leave them in the digital nebulas and interwebs. When historians (or *cough* family members) dig through your attic, old broken hard drives with wedding photos will be useless.
Even if you're disappointed with your wedding photos, find the few you do like, and print them up. If it's literally only a couple photos, cherish them, print them, and hang them on the wall.
If you can find a few more, make an album. The process of choosing photos to print might help you re-live all the excitement of your wedding. You may never go through the 1,000 digital images that you hate on your hard drive, but you'll look at the certain photos that you do like in your album or that one photo on your wall for years to come.
Tips to avoid Fraudtography
Freshminds Photography can absolutely meet your requirements in professional photography, particularly on your wedding day. Be worry-free on your big day.
Freshminds Photography would like to share this article so that you’d be aware of those fake and unprofessional photographers.
The new scary trend in wedding photography is called Fraudtography.
Here's how this trend works: a brand-spanking-new photographer wants to shoot weddings, but it's kind of hard to book a wedding if you don't have any wedding photos in your portfolio. So they "borrow" a few fabulous images from established photographers and pass them off as their own.
It's illegal, but that's the photographer's problem. Your problem is that you see a portfolio filled with dazzling images, but you actually get an inexperienced photographer who's cutting his teeth on your wedding day.
Look for consistency
The best photographers have distinctive personal styles. If one wedding has a vintage wash, one has a deep matte edit, and one is clean and vibrant — and they're all equally amazing — there's a chance you may be looking at photos from three different photographers.
Meet the photographer in person
Trust your gut when meeting with a photographer. If something seems off, it's a sign that you aren't a good match. If they don't have sample albums to show you, take that as a red flag — it could mean they don't have access to the high-res image files.
Ask for references or reviews
If you don't see many reviews online, ask for references. If they have lots of raving fans, it's a good sign.
Check their social media
If the style and the quality of the photos on their Facebook page seem much better — or much worse — than what you've seen on their website, that's a bad sign.
Look for the wedding party
Bridal parties and guests usually make their way into at least a few photos in a photographer's portfolio. If you don't see anyone except a bride and groom, there's a chance your photographer's wedding "experience" only comes from workshops, styled shoots, and hired models — totally legit, but not the same as shooting a wedding in real-time.
Ask to see an entire event
When you see a whole event, you'll get an idea of the type of photos you can expect on your wedding day. Online wedding portfolios are wonderful, but they're a highlight reel of every wedding the photographer ever photographed. Ask to see a few full weddings, and you'll get a better idea of their abilities.
Consult with a wedding planner
Wedding planners have heard plenty of feedback from past clients and can recommend photographers who play nicely with others.
Pay attention to geographical clues
I always would cringe when The Office would show driving scenes that were obviously shot in Southern California, not Scranton, PA. Unless the photographer is a destination wedding photographer, their photos should match the local scenery. Feel free to ask the story behind photos that don't match your local area.
Google the photographer's name
If your photographer has been caught stealing before, there's a chance that someone like Photo Stealers wrote about it.
Use a reverse image search tool
If you're still unsure about a photographer, run a few of their photos through Google Reverse Image search, and it'll list any URLs where the photo has been used.
Freshminds Photography would like to share this article so that you’d be aware of those fake and unprofessional photographers.
The new scary trend in wedding photography is called Fraudtography.
Here's how this trend works: a brand-spanking-new photographer wants to shoot weddings, but it's kind of hard to book a wedding if you don't have any wedding photos in your portfolio. So they "borrow" a few fabulous images from established photographers and pass them off as their own.
It's illegal, but that's the photographer's problem. Your problem is that you see a portfolio filled with dazzling images, but you actually get an inexperienced photographer who's cutting his teeth on your wedding day.
Look for consistency
The best photographers have distinctive personal styles. If one wedding has a vintage wash, one has a deep matte edit, and one is clean and vibrant — and they're all equally amazing — there's a chance you may be looking at photos from three different photographers.
Meet the photographer in person
Trust your gut when meeting with a photographer. If something seems off, it's a sign that you aren't a good match. If they don't have sample albums to show you, take that as a red flag — it could mean they don't have access to the high-res image files.
Ask for references or reviews
If you don't see many reviews online, ask for references. If they have lots of raving fans, it's a good sign.
Check their social media
If the style and the quality of the photos on their Facebook page seem much better — or much worse — than what you've seen on their website, that's a bad sign.
Look for the wedding party
Bridal parties and guests usually make their way into at least a few photos in a photographer's portfolio. If you don't see anyone except a bride and groom, there's a chance your photographer's wedding "experience" only comes from workshops, styled shoots, and hired models — totally legit, but not the same as shooting a wedding in real-time.
Ask to see an entire event
When you see a whole event, you'll get an idea of the type of photos you can expect on your wedding day. Online wedding portfolios are wonderful, but they're a highlight reel of every wedding the photographer ever photographed. Ask to see a few full weddings, and you'll get a better idea of their abilities.
Consult with a wedding planner
Wedding planners have heard plenty of feedback from past clients and can recommend photographers who play nicely with others.
Pay attention to geographical clues
I always would cringe when The Office would show driving scenes that were obviously shot in Southern California, not Scranton, PA. Unless the photographer is a destination wedding photographer, their photos should match the local scenery. Feel free to ask the story behind photos that don't match your local area.
Google the photographer's name
If your photographer has been caught stealing before, there's a chance that someone like Photo Stealers wrote about it.
Use a reverse image search tool
If you're still unsure about a photographer, run a few of their photos through Google Reverse Image search, and it'll list any URLs where the photo has been used.
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