Here are two great articles that touch on what photographers wish you knew and what they would tell you if it wasn’t going to hurt your feelings.

 

12 Things Wedding Photographers Want to Tell You, but Can’t

by Off Beat Bride

Most wedding magazines will give you a list of questions to ask your wedding photographer. Stuff like: “Can you describe your style? What equipment do you shoot with?”

Let’s be real: Those questions are boring. And you probably don’t actually care about the answers anyway.

So I surveyed some brides and photography-friends, and put together a list of all those questions you really want to ask, and all those things we really want you to know.

How do I pick a good photographer when there are hundreds listed in my area?

First, look for a forum or blog that appeals to your style. Obviously, if you’re an Offbeat Bride, you’re in the right place — I receive my best clients through the Offbeat Bride Vendor Guide. The photographers listed are both gay-friendly and accustomed to photographing offbeat weddings.

Once you’ve got a few favorite photographers, narrow it down to a handful of favorites, and set up a time to meet them. Make sure you’re meeting with the person who will be wielding the camera at your wedding, not a sales consultant or studio owner. You have to, like, trust and get along with your photographer — that way you can leave the magic of photo making in the photographer’s hands. Not only should you like their images, you should also like them! You’ll be spending many hours with them during your wedding day.

How many photos do I get?

The wedding photographers I surveyed typically deliver 50-100 photos for every hour of coverage they provide. Four hundred photos may seem like a lot, but your wedding photographer is preserving all those little details and the moments you missed while you were mingling.

 I love those photos with the blurry backgrounds. How do you get that look?

You’re talking about shallow depth of field. Photographers get that look by using professional lenses that are able to focus tightly on the subject.

 I found one photographer whose images look soft and pastel, one whose images look clean, and one whose images look like they were shot on old film. What’s the deal?

Every photographer has a different way of editing their images using computer software (the high-tech version of a darkroom). This is called “Post-Processing.” Most photographers do some basic lighting and color adjustments, but you can also use editing software to create a unique look. Three popular styles right now are:

• Clean: lightly processed to appear natural
• Matte: a low-contrast look with muted pastel colors, similar to vintage film
• High Contrast: a vibrant look with rich colors that pop

It doesn’t matter which style you go with, as long as you love it!

Why is wedding photography so freakin’ expensive?

This is the question I see most from brides on the interwebs. Wedding photography seems like easy money — work for one day and rake in the cash, right? But most full-time wedding photographers I know carry over $15,000 worth of wedding gear and often work 60-hour weeks. (Remember those 800 images from question #2? It takes several full days just to edit those.) Add insurance, taxes, software, advertising, albums, repair, shipping, and studio expenses, and many photographers end up making less than minimum wage for the first few years of their career.

How can I make sure I look good in my photos?

Relax. Trust your wedding photographer. If you’re relaxed, it’ll come through in your photos.

Leave some breathing room in your schedule so you don’t feel rushed — I recommend a minimum 30 minutes for family and wedding party photos, and an hour for the couple portraits.

Oh, and get plenty of sleep and drink lots of water the night before. Take it easy at the rehearsal dinner. Wedding-day hangovers are not fun.

 I keep hearing about “shoot and burn” photography. Sounds painful. What is it?

Actually, yeah, it can be kind of painful. “Shoot and burn” is slang for photographing a wedding and burning it straight to CD without post-processing. It’s usually super cheap — for a reason. Bad lighting isn’t corrected, distracting elements aren’t removed (hello, Speedo-clad photobomber!), and zits remain proudly on display.

Digital files may be important to you, but find a full-service photographer who will edit the images and print reference proofs before handing over the digis.

And please, don’t let the digitals rot on your hard drive. As a photographer, I want you to proudly display your wedding photos. It makes me sad when I think of all the photos that never get printed. Don’t hide your wedding photos! I tell my clients to hang up a large print or two — when you’re having a crappy day, it’s great to look up in your living room and see a photo of an awesome day.

Should we do a “first look”? And, um, what the hell is a “first look”?

The first look is a chance for wedding couples to see each other privately before the ceremony. Two-thirds of my clients currently opt to do a first look. It’s a great chance to get the wedding jitters out and spend a few minutes alone together. I find that first look photos tend to be some of my favorites. It’s a real moment with real emotions.

Honestly, it’s also a great way to avoid stress on your wedding day. (Some of my couples even choose to get ready together!) And many of my couples get to enjoy their whole cocktail hour because they got all of the photos out of the way before the wedding.

Do I really need a second photographer?

No one needs a second photographer, but they can provide you with more images and a different perspective. Many of the top photographers only work with assistants who carry gear and help with professional lighting. The best thing is to ask your wedding photographer to see how they prefer to work. You can get good results either way.

How far in advance should I book a wedding photographer?

Many in-demand wedding photographers book weddings at over a year out. As it gets closer to your wedding date, it will be harder to book your first-choice photographer.

If your favorite photographer is unavailable on your date, don’t panic. Ask them for recommendations — they may know someone with a similar style and a lighter schedule.

You can Photoshop that, right?

It depends. As I photographer, I want to get everything as perfect as possible in camera. Posing, location scouting, and camera settings can “fix” most things before I even click the shutter. If your uncle photobombs you, I’m going to retake the photo — it’s much easier to get the photo right than to fix it with Photoshop. Many photographers charge for extensive editing in Photoshop, because it can be very time-consuming.

Should I tip my photographer?

I get asked this a lot. There was a great article about tipping on Offbeat Bride. For photographers, “Tips are never expected but are always appreciated.”

Hopefully this clears up some burning questions about wedding photography — and makes it a little bit easier to find the perfect photographer for your wedding day.

 

Source: Off Beat Bride

 

 

The 33 Things Your Wedding Photographer Really Wants To Tell You (But Can’t Without Hurting Your Feelings)

by Yellow Umbrella Events

 

Oh if you could only hear the things that we hear from wedding vendors, both during and after, a wedding. It’s not meant to harm though. It’s much like any other job held by anyone anywhere. Doctors complain about patients not following their release instructions when they get out of the hospital. Mechanics complain about people not following the routine maintenance schedule for their vehicles. Teachers complain about students not following directions. Regardless of their chosen profession, people are gonna “talk shop” with their peers. Sometimes it’s just complaining, but more often than not there’s some truth behind those snarky comments.

So Shea and I asked wedding photographers, both locally and nationally, what they would like to tell their brides – FOR REAL, if they could be as honest as they wanted. And we promised not to reveal names (or locations). As I’m sure you can imagine, we got some very, ummm…..hilarious responses! If you’re easily offended you might want to just skip on out for the rest of this one.

And just so you know, we DID NOT censor any of the responses. Please remember – these comments are not our own, but they are real!

In no particular order, here are the 33 things your wedding photographer really wants to tell you:

1.) It cost me money to shoot your wedding—just because I own my camera doesn’t mean I don’t have expenses.  I spent $850 last year on just cleaning, maintaining and servicing my camera and lenses.

2.)  I need to eat when you do.  I can’t photograph people eating (gross). But if your servers say they won’t feed us until AFTER the guests then I don’t get to eat because that’s when “the couple” is finished and the action starts up again. And I’m starving all night. Please give instructions to the caterer to feed the photographers at the same time as the wedding party, NOT after the last guest.

3.) Let me know your budget right away – for real! I get a ton of emails and THEN when we meet they say  ”Oh, we wanted to spend less than $1K” and then everyone’s time is wasted and everyone is frustrated and all disappointed.

4.) Make sure to tell your guests you’ve hired a professional.  I have TONS of photos of guests standing in the aisle with their iPads and cell phones, completely blocking the shots of the bride and groom!  And sometimes I even miss pictures that I really need to get because someone’s “amateur photographer” cousin decides to use your wedding to build their portfolio.

Can we say too many photographers?!

5.) I don’t just work for 8 hours on your wedding day.   For each hour I shoot I probably spend 1-2 hours just editing your photos.  Not to mention the time to spent on your engagement sessions, bridals, emails, etc.  So your 8 hour wedding is more like 30-50 hours of work, depending on how many sessions you have.

6.) Those great bridal portraits you saw on my website were taken at places that charge $$$.  Great locations are rarely free.  If you want free, you get the Capitol. If you want Laguna Gloria, it’s $100 for a session. If you want Hotel Saint Cecilia, it’s a lot more. And don’t ask me if we can sneak in anyway. Yes, they will know. And no, I won’t ever be allowed to shoot there again.  You’re not the only client I will ever have and I have to be respectful of the properties in this town if I want to be able to shoot there in the future.

7.) I work during the week so my weekends are for weddings.  It’s really hard for me to meet you on Saturday afternoons. Again, because I’m actually shooting a wedding at that time. Somehow people think I should make my schedule totally fit their needs.  And I’m okay with that to a point, but an 8 p.m. consultation on a Wednesday night doesn’t work for me. You’re single with no kids or responsibilities yet. I have kids and a family now. You’ll understand in a few years.

8.) Please, for the love of God, do not copy some online “list” that tells you what pictures you should have your photographer take. Really think about the family combos you actually want–and be realistic.

9.) Speaking of photo lists, you hired me based on liking my work. Trust that I will tell your story as I see it. I can’t make moments like “mother of the groom and groom in a teary eyed embrace” when they are not a huggy family.

10.) Think about your ceremony time and ceremony location. If you want a sunset wedding, your post ceremony images are going to be in the dark.  Also, if you have a noon wedding, lighting is harsh and you’re not going to look very good.

11.) The Knot blogs are so full of crap.  You are hiring me for MY style and skill, not because I am a robot checking off a list. While they attempt to offer you some helpful tips, they really end up making us sound like we’re all the same – and we’re clearly not!

12.) Please let us in on the special details of your day. If you’re wearing your grandmother’s locket as your something old, let me know!  Those are important details that I want to capture for you.

13.) Do not even try to compete with the pictures of that $50k wedding when your wedding budget is more like $5k. You’re not going to get those details. That’s why the wedding was $50k. While I do try to make everything look like a million bucks, at the end of the day…

15.) Can we say Uplighting?  A little (blueish, purple) uplighting instantly makes your wedding photos look so much better!

Without Wedding Uplighting

Same Room With Wedding Uplighting

Photos courtesy of www.ildlighting.com

16.) You should use Pinterest as inspiration only, NOT to be a copycat.  Drives me CRAZY to have the “let’s hold up a picture frame and take a photo”. Ugh! Let’s do something a little more original already.

17.) Please hire your own wedding coordinator. The venue chick takes care of her staff and makes for sure that you don’t mess up anything at the venue – not the way the wedding day moves along. Otherwise, I end up moving it along. And that puts a lot of additional stress on me.

18.) Can I just say, No dollar dance? Never, ever. It’s so done. And so tacky. And awkward. That is all.

19.) Think about your crowd before you do a garter or bouquet toss. If all of your friends are married and you have 2 single friends, you should skip it. Oh, and the ever awkward act of making the guy who caught the garter put it onto the chick who catches the bouquet.   Just tell the DJ NO!!!! I’ve actually seen a bridesmaid leave the room crying after this once – so terrible. Some people are just shy.

20.) Do not yell at your vendors.

21.) Go get fitted for a GOOD BRA!  If you are over a B cup you cannot wear a strapless dress without a bustier.  And cutlets aren’t bras ladies! So sick of the tugging up of the dress all night. Or better yet, the Nip Slips! Yikes!

22.) While we’re talking about bras – please, for the love of all things holy, pay to put straps on your dang dress.  If you can’t do jumping jacks without the ladies falling out, you need a better bra – or straps.

23.) Don’t be a bridezilla on your wedding day.  No amount of photoshopping can fix “bitch”.

24.) Don’t worry about getting your dress dirty, so that you opt to skip photos until after the ceremony or let your sister tell you that the spot I’ve chosen (based on beautiful lighting/background) will ruin your dress.  It’s important to keep it clean to a point, but know that this is the ONLY day you’re going to wear it.  So WEAR IT and be confident (because freaking out about letting the bottom of it drag – which no one will ever see – and losing pictures, is way worse)!

25.) Brides should go first (or close to it) for hair and make-up.  Too many times bridesmaids make lots and lots of changes and that takes up the make-up artists’ time, which makes the bride late to start – which means late first look, rushed bridal party portraits, and all together… less photos. Damn bridesmaids can really sabotage a day. And sometimes on purpose!

26.) Try to keep the room neat.  No, I am not photoshoping out G-strings from your photos.  Clean up the room you are getting ready in so it looks nice during those shots.

27.) Photographers love first looks! These are almost always our favorite pictures of the entire day.

28.) Trust your photographer!  Most of the best shots are the ones that require something outside your comfort zone.  If your photographers suggests a location, she’s probably got a pretty amazing idea in her head. Just go with it!

29.) Tip your photographer AND his/her second shooter, even if they’re the owner of the business. Just about everyone else gets tipped at a wedding. Even the guy that’s bussing your table. And I went to school and have years of specialized training for what I do! Trust me, we do appreciate it!

30.) Instruct your DJ to communicate with the photographer during the reception.  It’s best if they let me know BEFORE they start the cake cutting, bouquet toss, etc., so I can be prepared for these shots. Your aunt Margorie might have dragged me into another room and is having me take pictures of your second cousins twice removed while something important is happening on the dance floor. And then I’ll miss it. And you’ll be upset. And so will I!

31.) Don’t crop out our watermarks and tag our facebook pages. In some cases, what you’re doing is actually illegal and a violation of your contract with us. And it’s just not nice. If I have my watermark on an image,  it’s supposed to be there if it’s a publicly posted image.

32.) Couples should think about their kiss when they say ‘i do’. It’s hard to edit an all tongue kiss. Eww! Make it a good “church kiss” and don’t forget to hold it for a few seconds at least. I have had couples that kiss so fast that I get a shot right before and right after,  because the kiss is actually faster than my cameras burst rate!

33.) Just say no – to body glitter! It looks awful in your photos – and you’re not a member of the Twilight cast.

Well I asked for it – and boy did I get it! Yes, it’s a pretty exhausting list. But they all took the time to email me so I thought it was only right to post them all.

Are some of these funny? Yes! Are some of these bitchy? Yes! Are most of them totally accurate? You better believe it.

Source: Yellow Umbrella Events