3 Wedding Photography Basics to Consider

Decide on your style. Check out as many wedding photos as you can -- look online, in magazines, blogs, or check out your friend's album. You want to familiarize yourself with the many photo styles available: candid photojournalism, formal portraits, black-and-white, color and sepia prints. Try to determine which styles intrigue you and which you want to see in your own wedding album. You want your photographer to shine in the style you love most.

Video. While many brides choose not to hire a videographer, you should really think about if you'll want one. It may be a true treasure for you to have such important moments with such important people on permanent record.

Create a budget. Ask yourself this vital question: In 'the grand scheme of things' how important is it for you to have fantastic wedding photos? Many fantasy weddings have photo budgets of $15,000+, while most "regular folks" spend between $1,500 to $4,000 in photos. Yes, that's a significant portion of any wedding budget, but the trade-off is a beautiful visual record that will last forever and increase in sentimental value as time goes by.

[Source; Photo Credit]

Guest Post from Andrew Geddes Photography

Ottawa may lack some of the features that larger cities can offer your wedding day but one thing we're not lacking is professional photographers.

In our line of work, we work closely with the photographer the day of the wedding and we're always surprised with the jaw dropping shots they can create (sometimes it takes forever to choose what photos to use in this blog!).

When it's all said and done, the only thing that you have left over from your wedding day are your photos, so we can't stress enough how important it is to hire a professional for the job.

This week, we were lucky enough to have one of our city's incredibly talented photographers Andrew Geddes from Andrew Geddes Photography http://www.andrewgeddes.com/ stop by and do a guest blog post for us from the eyes of a wedding photographer. Listen up brides- this is fantastic advice entitled "Five Things Wedding Photographers Love"

The wedding season is in full swing! I thought I'd share a few quick tips on how to get the best possible photos on your big day. I can't speak for every wedding photographer, but in my experience the following five items can help make your wedding images outstanding.

Engagement Shoots
Once you have booked your wedding photographer, doing an engagement shoot is a great idea. Not only do you get beautiful pictures of you and your fiance, but it's also an excellent way to get to know your photographer, and to see how he or she works. We're all a little camera shy, and your they will no doubt give you tips on how to look and feel more comfortable in front of the lens. Also, your photographer can put together a fabulous guest signing book, featuring the engagement images, which makes for a beautiful addition to your reception.

Wedding Planners
An experienced planner can make a huge difference in the quality of your wedding photos. I've found that they help us photographers out in three major ways:

1 – They make venues look great.

2 – They help weddings run on time. This ensures that the time set aside for photos doesn't slowly disappear due to scheduling problems.

3 – They make for happier, more relaxed brides (and grooms and mothers-of-the-bride...). Stressed out people look, well, stressed out, which isn't especially flattering.

Lots of Time for Photos
Wedding photography is likely one of the larger investments you'll make for your big day. In order to get the most bang for you buck, you should discuss your itinerary with your photographer before you finalize it. They can provide valuable input on how to maximize shooting time and get you back to your friends and family ASAP.

In my case I'm shooting candidly most of the day, however, brides often book me because they're after artistic couple shots. Wedding photographers are used to working fast, but the more time you give us, the better, and more varied your shots will be.

Family Photos List
Photojournalistic wedding photography is the way to go (in my humble opinion), but you might be disappointed if you don't get some family group shots. To save time, alleviate unnecessary stress, and make everyone happy (including your wedding photographer) be sure to have a list of family groupings ready to go.

Cage veils and Other Standout Items
I'm far from an expert on bridal fashion, but I have seen enough weddings to know what makes great weddings great - attention to detail. Whether its help from your planner in selecting an awesome venue and decor, or your own unique fashion sense and style, photographers love things that help make a wedding stand out. Unique accessories, colours, themes, and anything else that personalizes your wedding, will ultimately make for fresh and exciting photos.

If you have any questions about this post, or about wedding photography in general, feel free to get in touch with me over at my website: http://www.andrewgeddes.com/

You can also see what I've been up to lately over at my blog: http://www.andrewgeddes.blogspot.com/

Must-Have Wedding Day Shots

When you think about it, all you have left over from the most magical day of your life are your photos. Any bride will tell you that the day goes so fast, it's so easy to forget to gather your high school girlfriends together for a shot or a generational shot of your grandmother, your mother and yourself.

Sure, your photographer does this for a living so they will most likely capture the major shots but you don't have this day to do-over so it's important to ensure you have every personal shot you want for your wedding day.

How do you do this? Weeks before your wedding, you sit down and list all the photos that you must have before the day is over.

Good news... In Style Weddings has already started the list for you. Head to www.instyleweddings.com/photography to download their list of 40 photos your photographer can't miss.