Tips about wedding photographers

Tips about wedding photographers

Author: Jordan Cawley

Weddings. They're always going to be the biggest events of the people's lives, so immortalising the amounts of unbridled joy is always going to be important, and that's why so many photographers make themselves specialists for weddings. As far as weddings go finding a good photographer is one of the least stressful things to arrange, but you always want to make sure you find someone who is well equipped and has plenty of credentials, because, although it is easy to find a good photographer for your wedding, its also easy for mistakes to happen, and on the happiest day of your life, you'll want the pictures to look good so you can remember how happy you were on that day.

To avoid this, make sure that the photographers you've hired have a few years experience each to their name, and always look for people with qualifications to BA Honours level or higher, so you can be certain that they know what they are doing. If they are members of the Royal Photographic Society and are Affiliated Members of the Society of Wedding and Portrait Photographers and the British Professional Photographers Associates then you should certainly hire them because they have been deemed worthy by peers with more experience than they.

Other factors normally come into the equation when thinking about your wedding photograph, such as location, however if you get a good photographer these will already be taken into account by then. That said, if you find a location that you think is better than the one they chose, don't be afraid to say something, after all, it is your wedding. Another thing you should ask the photographers to do is to use digital film. I know it may take the romantic edge off of the idea, by having it produced by a computer, but it means that there is less chance of the photograph sustaining any damage while in development. Also the weather may be an unavoidable nuisance so make sure to check the weather in advance and if you see that it may be rainy or dull, ask your photographer to bring lighting equipment to the church and reception. A good photographer will gladly oblige such requests

Hopefully these little tips will help you find good photographers and help make your special day that little bit more perfect.

Wedding Photography Do's and Don'ts

Author: Ashley

Do's

- Choose your photographer carefully. You want to hire wedding photographers, who make you feel comfortable, are mellow, and have an overall pleasant demeanor. Choose a photographer you really feel gets who you are, and can capture the essence of your coupling.

- Contact your wedding photographer at least one week before our wedding to go over last minute concerns. This is the time you want to be upfront about your expectations, express any of your ideas, and make the photographer aware of any don'ts. For example a "photography don't" would include if your ceremony is located at a place of worship. There may be certain areas of the building where photography is not-permitted. It is your job to let the photographer know of such limitations.

- Make a list of the type of photos you would like taken. While planning your wedding you will be flipping through dozens of pictures. Clip out any shots you would like and show your photographer so they have an idea of what you are looking for.

- Have the photographer shoot until the end of the wedding. Most couples tell their wedding photographer to stop shooting an hour before the reception is over. However, that is a time when some of the most interesting moments happen, so to be sure you don't miss one photo opportunity have your photographer shoot through the entire day.

Don'ts

- Do not take stiff, posed pictures. Formal pictures are to be expected, but do not forget to take some silly fun pictures with your bridal party. These pictures show more emotion and joy of the day than any posed "perfect" pictures taken through the day.

- Do not schedule your pictures to be taken around noon. Noon is the time of day when the sun is the highest. At this time of day the sun creates shadows and unflattering light that no bride wants to be caught in. It is better to schedule your photo session later in the afternoon.

- Do not underestimate the time it will take for your photo session to complete. It takes time to shoot a variety of pictures and when working with large numbers of people, photo sessions may run longer than you expect. It would be in your benefit to block out a large amount of time for your wedding photos; otherwise you will be limited on the variety of photo choices.

10 Things to remain in Mind about Baby Portrait Photography

By: pasha kazmi

There is nothing like capturing the spirit of a child in a photograph. They grow up so fast so you want to really get every valuable moments on film. You will learn simpler baby portrait photography techniques as you go along, and you'll be proud each time you get a cute little smile recorded for eternity. With the technology available in today's photo editing software, you should also never be frightened you will take a bad shot. So many photo blunders can be fixed these days.

1. Try shoot in grayscale. Black & white photos come out very classy and elegant, so if aim to frame the photos, you will never go immoral with it.

2. If you are using a digital camera, it is best to have batteries prepared.

3. Familiarize yourself with the use of shutter speed and camera flash.

4. Do not be afraid to take ultra-close up photos of your brood.

5. Try shooting at distance and capturing the drama of the scene.

6. If you are going to pose your babies, grasp them securely.

7. Your babies need not be wearing clothes in costumes all the time, just make sure they are clean unless you intend to take photos of them wiping chocolate on their faces which is very adorable too.

8. Make sure that your camera has film all the time and that your batteries are full

9. Remember that babies can easily get diverted, if you caught your baby doing something really cute, be quick in clicking the camera or you might miss the moment.

10. Get others concerned. Have your family members or friends make coo-coo sounds to make the baby smile or simply talk to the baby to get eye contact.
The beauty of digital photography is that if you don't like the photo, no reservations, just delete it! If you have a baby in the house, you are approximately sure to have a digital camera or other type of camera. If you are a new parent, you may not have ever involved yourself much with cameras in the past. If that is the case, you may be in need of some photography tips like you can find here. No matter if you are a expert photographer or a complete newbie to the world of cameras, make sure you do not miss those precious moments in a babies life. They pass so quickly. And while you will always remember them yourself, keep in mind that baby pictures can make great blackmail photos when those beautiful babies become terrible teenagers!

Photo Tips – How To Shoot Amazing Portraits (Part Two)

By: Steve J. Kristof

In Part One of How to Shoot Amazing Portraits, you learned about the value of choosing suitable locations, keeping your portrait subject comfortable and filling the frame with more of your subject's face. In this second part of the article you will learn more about how to be in control of the creative portraiture process while letting your subject feel that he or she has command.

Portrait Tip #4: Speak-Up and Listen-Up!

As a professional photography educator, I've had countless occasions through the years to teach students who were sincerely terrified of social human contact and who did not possess the interpersonal skills that are so crucial to the occupation of full-time photographer. The truth, whether or not they wanted to hear it, is that most full-time professional photographers earn most of their income by photographing people rather than by shooting abstract macro images, Ansel Adam-ish landscapes or surreal photo manipulations. Yes, there is a market for non-human images and a small portion of photographers make a full-time living shooting these very genres for stock photo services or through publications. But consider that most of these photographers likely built-up their skills, repertoire, network and revenue base earlier in their careers by catering to "people" photography.

-This brings us to the inescapable truth that for almost all photographers, portraiture will be the bread and butter, from a revenue and daily activity standpoint, that supports the inanimate artistic forms of photographic expression.

-So, what's the portrait tip associated with this particular revelation? Quite simply, portraiture deals with people and people like to talk. While you need to have the technical skills and stylistic presence of mind, you also need to engage your subject in conversation during the entire portrait shoot! -Do what Dale Carnegie taught us about being successful in business and friendships; ask a lot of questions! Listen intently to your subject's answers. Ask more questions based on their answers and on your sincere interest in what more they have to say. Do all of this continually while you shoot. I guarantee that the resulting portraits will be truthful, natural and revealing. In short – compelling.

portrait photo


portrait photo

Portrait Tip #5: Experiment!

-It's interesting to note how many photographers of "things" are more than willing to experiment with angles, perspectives, lighting, reflections, textures and so-on, but how the same photographers seem stuck in a rut when it comes to portraits.

-Experiment with angles; try getting higher and lower than your subject.

-Experiment with perspectives; position yourself so that your subject's body is facing away from the camera and then engage them with conversation so that he or she swings the head around to face you. Poses with the body and face in different directions are interesting. Try getting half of the face in the frame. Experiment with eyes, mouth or profile exclusively.

Photo Tips – How To Shoot Amazing Portraits (Part One)

By: Steve J. Kristof

Have you ever wondered why the ‘people' photos you take with your digital camera end-up looking more like snapshots than the compelling portraits you intended to create? You're not alone; this is one of the most common experiences shared by amateur and, yes, professional photographers. It's not surprising that this is such a common problem, given that most of the photographs produced around the world at any given moment on any given day involve a human subject as the significant theme.

But if you count yourself as a member of the "BPB", or the Boring Portrait Brotherhood as I like to call it, you've already set yourself apart from the pack and will likely be able to improve your results – perhaps even dramatically. That's because most of the fingers snapping those shutters belong to people that simply cannot discern the difference between a compelling portrait and a rather ordinary snapshot of a human being. The fact that you want to improve the portraits you create suggests that you already recognize there is a difference between what you compose and what you'd like to compose.

Try some of these easy-to-follow tips to begin creating portraits that appear thoughtful, original and that show an authenticity of expression or personality.

portrait photo


portrait photo

Portrait Tip #1: It's Like Real Estate – Location, Location, Location!

-Try to find locations that compliment your subject rather than compete for his or her attention.

-Avoid flat backgrounds and walls; they tend to produce "mugshots". -If you can't avoid a flat background, try to set your subject closer to the camera with greater distance between the subject and wall.

-Find a location in which your subject will feel comfortable and relaxed.

-Choose locations that fit the subject's mood or the overall atmosphere you intend to bring about.

Portrait Tip #2: Comfort is King!

-One of the main stumbling blocks concealing the authenticity of a portrait subject's mood or personality is the artificiality of the entire situation. That's why many of today's up-and-coming portrait photographers prefer to go to their subject's home or meet them at another place of the subject's choosing. While the controlled environment of a studio can enhance a photographer's confidence, it also unfortunately tends to mute the subject's genuine response. Ask your subject where THEY would like to have their portrait taken.

-Consider having your portrait subject DOING something while you snap the shutter. Whether he or she is manipulating something with which they are familiar, are at work or are at play, the act of "doing" tends to encourage more natural, relaxed and honest expressions.

Portrait Tip #3: Get Closer!

-Most pro photographers have one very important piece of advice for amateur photo enthusiasts who wish to improve their portrait skills. It goes like this, "Get closer. Now get closer again. O.K., now get even closer." Filling more of the frame with your subject's face will make it hard for momentary expressions and revelations of various personality traits to evade the camera's lens.

-Try using a "gentle zoom" to get a bit closer. This will have the added benefit of shorter depth of field, which is sought-after in most portrait images. (Short depth of field allows the subject to be in focus while the background gets increasingly blurry with greater distance from the lens.) For those with some technical savvy, try using a zoom in the 80-120 mm focal length range which will allow you to get a closer shot without being in your subject's face and yet avoid the distortion that often comes with longer focal lengths.