So why I am writing this blog post?  Because last year, I lost 20 pounds.  And I’m going to tell you exactly how I did it!

The weight was creeping slowly up as years went by.  I’m active on the weekends when I’m on my feet shooting, but during the week there is a tremendous amount of sitting time.  I edit everything that is shot over the weekend- countless hours of post-processing.  Answering emails.  Telephone calls.  Album designs, appointments.  Walking to the bathroom or to change out laundry isn’t really much, activity-wise.

Over the holiday season of 2007 going into 2008, I baked alot.  Brownies, cookies, cakes, pies.  And I ate it all, too.  I was putting on even more weight.   People minimized my weight gain because I wasn’t clinically obese.  It seemed that there is an underlying attitude that if you weren’t very overweight, you really shouldn’t complain.  But I knew I was bigger than I was comfortable with.  Even my “fat disguise” clothes weren’t disguising my problems lately.

Then, a few things happened.  My neighbor died- the kind little old lady that was like a grandmother to my son.  She was a fiesty, spunky 80-something who would never stay home, lived by herself, and drove herself everywhere.  She went for daily walks in the park and daily visits to see her waitress friends at the diner.  It was right around then that I just got disgusted of the rut I was in.  For years I had been saying I wanted to slim down and fit into my old jeans, but it never happened.

I had to make a decision to stop “saying” and start “doing”.

The first thing I did was I joined a gym.  It works for me.  I needed a reason to leave my house, to get out of that desk chair.  I have a smaller, more modestly sized home that just can’t fit excercise equipment.  So, I stopped making excuses, found a gym that didn’t work with contracts (I found a one time fee to join, then you pay monthly and can freeze the membership at any time without a penalty).   I have since switched to the local YMCA because they also have a pool (to break up the excercise) and a basketball court.

There is a fabulous Tanita body fat scale at the gym, so when I began, I measured my body fat- 37%!!!  That’s right- fill a plastic bottle almost halfway with water.  I was that bottle, and practically half was pure fat.

The first time I tried the stairclimber- *shudder* I don’t think I lasted more than 3 minutes.  But I perservered and before I knew it, I was doing 20-30 minutes.  I liked the stairclimber because I really felt like I was getting something done.  I would see people walking on the treadmill, and that’s fine, but I wanted to sweat my butt off (literally! LOL.)

In addition to the stairclimber, there were also the cardio bikes, treadmill, a cross-trainer, and weight machines.  I didn’t want to look like a man but everything I read talked about aging and osteoperosis, and how to use weight lifting to combat that.  Also, weight lifting speeds up your metabolism and burns calories even when you are resting.  It also resculpts your body beneath that layer of fat.  So I did weight lifting.  I used dumbells and also the machines. 

The weight lifting works.  As an older teen, I also lost 20 pounds.  But I didn’t look nearly as good and the reason for that is I used diet alone.  I didn’t work out- I didn’t lift weights.  I dropped one pants size.  This time, I did work out and did lift weights, and before I knew it I had dropped 2 pants sizes, for the same amount of weight loss that I achieved in my teens.

I read online stuff, a lot of Tom Venuto’s materials, but I also read The South Beach Diet.  I am not into fad diets- I never followed ANY diet, ever.  I never counted calories.  I never watched portions.  But everything I read in the South Beach Diet made sense to me.  I have to admit, it can probably feel rigid to some people, especially because they advise you to give up certain things.  I had no trouble giving them up though, because I eat almost no bread and pasta so I had half the battle right there.  But I did eat cookies, cakes, etc- so that was the other half of the battle. 

Besides just telling you what to eat and what not to eat- it also explained why and why not.  A lot of the book talked about diabetes, pre-diabetes, and how what you eat affects your blood sugar and is unhealthy or can cause cravings.  I liked that, because I like science.  I like “why”.  Phase 1 is where you give up those things that cause blood sugar spikes and cravings, and saturated fat.  So- you sort of detox from these things.  Phase 2 allows you to re-introduce good carbs- for example, brown rice pasta instead of white, whole grain bread instead of bleached flour.  And Phase 3 is just maintaining it.

I didn’t only read that.  I also read the online E book- Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle by Tom Venuto.  This balanced out some of the South Beach Diet, because I don’t want to believe in any diet like a religion.  This was very informative about burning fat off while keeping your muscle.    I also read Body for Life by Bill Phillips- also good ideas in there even though the excercise routines were really aggressive and I couldn’t always go 6 days a week.  But his food ideas and choices supported both South Beach and Burn the Fat.

Once I began eating properly and excercising, the pounds just fell off.  I began to realize all along, all I had to do was just *begin*.  Choosing a good program and beginning it is the hardest part.  Taking the step from thinking about it to doing it.  In one month and a half- I shed body fat and was down to 28%!  Six weeks- it’s astounding.  After, I did hit a plateau, it lasted for a whole month, but I read materials in Burn the Fat about plateau, and also, the South Beach Phase 1 helped push me past it and I was able to lose another 5% body fat. I have since leveled off and have been maintaining at 26%. Which is within healthy limits for my age (38) and height 5’8.5″.

The Biggest Loser show can make you feel like you aren’t doing enough because of how fast those people are losing weight.  But know this:  that speed is abnormal, and so is what they are doing.  Slow is normal and healthier.  Check out this link to learn more about Biggest Loser: http://www.diet-blog.com/archives/2007/07/04/the_biggest_loser_where_are_they_now.php

In addition to all that, I am generally just more interested in nutrition and excercise and I like to read different things about it and read reviews on excercises and books. The last thing I want to do is take advice that made 90% of the people unhappy.

Also, don’t let anyone drag you down. One analogy I recently read in Tom Venuto’s amazon.com book, “The Body Fat Solution”, is that people are a lot like crabs. And it is SO true. If you have just one crab, you need to put a lid on your bucket because the crab will crawl out. But if you have a bucket of crabs, you don’t need a lid because all the other crabs will keep dragging back anyone who tries to escape.

For a while, as I lost weight, but more so after I lost it and wanted to work at maintaining it, you will hit a very mysterious “attitude problem” from people. At first I thought it was an American thing but now I realize people are very much like those crabs in the bucket. They plant the seeds of failure in your mind to later blossom and sabotage you. Making fun of your nutritious choices when out to dinner, acting as if you are deprived because you refuse dessert. “What’s the point of living if you can’t enjoy it?” they’ll say, planting the idea that somehow you aren’t enjoying life when in fact, your healthier body and better fitting clothes make you feel better than the bloating that comes from too much beer or that big hunk of chocolate cake. I became very aware of that sabotaging attitude after I lost weight and I began maintaining. People want to insinuate that you must be a fanatic. They even act like you are “silly”. Oh, they are so much smarter than you are- it’s a good thing they are here to try and pull you back down where you belong with the rest of the Kentucky Fried Whopper gobblers. Now I call out that behavior when I see it, and people don’t like that. But be very aware when people are turning into the crabs in the bucket. Have a response ready because you will need it.

Feel free to discuss weight loss here on my blog.

I know a lot of other people that are also wedding photographers and so I’ve heard a lot of things from other professionals about albums.  Many other photographers gently try to explain to couples why they should keep their album images limited to just a few favorite ones, taking a minimalist’s standpoint (less is more).  I, on the other hand, have the opposite philosophy.  If I’ve come to your wedding and photographed 1,000 images, well, why would I tell you to narrow it down to 50?  What was the purpose of telling a story with hundreds of images in the first place if only a tiny amount of them really mattered enough to make it into the album?

I do understand the “less is more” standpoint and I have seen minimalist albums that are breathtaking.  I can do this if that is your preference.  However, I find most often that the opposite is the couple’s preference.  If you want to select 100 or more images for an album, I just have this knack- (I’ll call it a knack) for being able to bring those together in a fun, unfolding kind of way, and have it look good- not sloppy, not crowded.  It looks neat and clean when I’m finished, and people don’t have to feel like they paid for a book that only fit 1/3 of what they really wanted.  I have one book that contains close to 300 images but it is a coffee table book and the pages are like a thick magazine (otherwise it would be giant and heavy!)  I have no qualms about designing such a layout.

So, that is what makes my albums special and my design style special.  While I constantly hear others give advice to talk the image count down, I say:  “Tell me what you need, what you love, and I’ll give it to you.”  I base all of my decision making for my business on what makes the client happy.  In my viewpoint, it seems that the minimalist approach often has to do with the photographer’s preferences.  That’s fine- people have their own ways of doing things and I respect that.  This is the photographer’s style, and what they like, and how they want the story told.  And, while some genuinely prefer this look, the underlying fact is others just don’t want to muddle through 150 images. 

Personally, I don’t mind because it is telling a thorough story, (with images that I painstakingly documented for hours during the course of your wedding) and you don’t have to forfeit many of the images you would have to forfeit if working with a minimalist design technique.  So, if you hand me 150 pictures, I’m not gonna sweat it, because that’s what I’m used to.  That is what I do for people.  I have done albums with everything from one image per page in a fine art style, minimal amounts sweeping large pages,  to this- a documentary book that tells a thorough story.

Does it take a lot of time?  Heck yeah!  Is it a lot of work?  Yes!  I spend countless hours putting that kind of design together.  But it’s worth it.  When it’s done, I know my clients love their album and aren’t silently thinking:  “I just wish there was more room for those party shots…”

Not long ago, a couple came in to do an album and when I began going over things, they looked at each other, pleasantly surprised. It had turned out that the night before, they were frantically trying to narrow down the pics to what they thought was the typical amount, and when they learned they could put into the album what they originally selected, (about 120 images) they were thrilled. They began adding back in some of the images they had removed. 

Because my a la carte albums are flexible and there is no time limit, couples come in when it’s convenient for them, whether it’s a week after, a month after, a year after, or three years after their wedding.  Simply make an appointment and I’ll show you what I have.  Believe me when I say this is definitely an advantage for you.  It is often necessary for there to be strict time limits for ordering albums that are included in packages.  This is the #1 reason I prefer to keep albums a la carte instead of in a package, although I do offer it to people who want it that way.

So when we sit down and talk albums, I will show you books and give you ball park numbers what can fit in them, and show you samples of how it looks with that many pictures in them.  So keep in mind when you decide to hire me as your photographer, you will have an advantage on your album end as well, because instead of talking you into less, I will be fine with what you ask.  I offer different albums as well so that there are different price points, and even if you have an abundance of images you want in an album, I will definitely have an album that can accomodate it.  Anyway, I think it’s an important aspect to know about when you search for a photographer.

One thing photographic “authorities” are always encouraging us photographers to do is keep formals out of our albums.  They think couples somehow won’t want formals if the studio samples don’t contain them.  So far, I haven’t had one couple who left out formals.  Why would anyone want the record of their family history left out of the heirloom that will be passed on for generations?  I agree with not overdoing it- but leaving them out entirely is something I do not agree with unless that is the couple’s actual preference.  For this reason, I do include formals in my studio samples to showcase the tasteful way I set them up in albums.  I feel that I do interesting layouts with the formals, and they don’t look stagnant or boring at all.

Also, I now offer a service that allows you to view the design and make comments.  That’s a nice touch.  When you make comments or need changes, I view what you need and see if these are changes I can accomodate, then I make them, and reupload the updated layout for your approval.  I don’t charge extra for this- another advantage.  Commonly, in many studios, changes incur a fee.  But I plan ahead of time for you to need some tweaking on your album and so it’s built into my flat fee, and you don’t have to worry about every little thing adding more onto the price of the book.  I want my customner service to my clients to be pleasurable for you, and not a negative experience, so I am quite accomodating when it comes to the album.  I work it and work it until you are thrilled, and you don’t have to feel apologetic about what you need, or feel penalized by incurring more charges.   

I still offer matted albums as well, even though many photographers have discontinued them.  For me, it’s about what you like.   That’s what matters to me.  I don’t want to say to a couple- sorry, I just don’t offer matted albums anymore (while I have no reason other than it’s no longer my preference.)  Well, I still have folks order these, as well as the newer digital stuff.

So, there you have it.  What makes my albums special?  Why, you do.

Feel free to check out all of my album offerings on my website, in my downloadable PDF catalog.

My definition of photojournalism is derived from years of participating in online photography forums where gangs of photographers duked it out verbally over what it means and who photojournalists are.

Bottom line- it’s about interaction.  If a photographer is going to interact in any way, shape or form with you or your guests, then this is not photojournalism.  Many photojournalists allow interaction just for the quickie formals.  Photojournalists tend to limit the amount of formals that are taken, and that also helps cut down on the interaction time.  Some are very strict with their limits, others are more flexible. 

Also, depending on how much of a “purist” your photographer is, a photographer may decline spontaneous requests from yourself or your guests during your reception because it goes against the “no interaction” mindset that is required to be a strict photojournalist.  Check with them, they should be able to tell you how they handle spontaneous requests (For example- Mom decides during the reception she wants a shot with her own brothers and sisters. Will this throw a wrench into the photographer’s mental flow, or will your photographer be able to “snap out of” his or her journalistic mindset to accomodate this shot, and then easily “snap back” to photojournalism? Some die hard photojournalists claim this isn’t possible, but for me and many photographers I know, it is.) Also, if you need posed table pictures, you might be asked to hire another photographer, because often photojournalists don’t do posed tables. Some will, but I often hear others proclaim they won’t. If you want them, make sure you request them before the day of your wedding to warn the photographer so you don’t find out the hard way that your photographer doesn’t do them.

Can you see why there must have been many heated, passionate disputes about photojournalism in the professional photography community?  Ask any photographer if they have participated in a Photojournalism debate and watch their expression turn to one of dread. It’s been beaten to death. It is one of the most volatile topics photographers can bring up amongst themselves. It’s like Republican vs. Democrat.  I’m sure I will stir up some backlash against myself just for talking about the subject this way and because I am free with my interpretations and opinions. 

One thing that disturbed me about the Photojournalism Debate is that everyone who was not an ultra pure photojournalist was lumped into the “Traditional” catagory automatically.  But, that’s not an accurate way to sort photographers.  Traditional and Photojournalism are two polar opposites- what about that tremendous amount of gray area in between?  Trying to lump everyone into two extreme opposite catagories doesn’t make sense and is unfair to couples who are trying to decide on a style.

First, you have to be careful of anyone claiming photojournalism. Or, any organization or club claiming photojournalism, especially when it’s target audience is you- the wedding market.  Believe it or not, you often can’t tell from the pictures.  Many people are camera aware, just not looking at the camera.  It’s easy to prompt a couple to interact a certain way, and have it look “candid”.  It’s a good idea to go for a word of mouth referral when pure, true photojournalism is important to you. If that style is something you know for sure you want, you don’t want to hire someone who claims photojournalism and then have them show up and not be how they said they’d be. 

Personally, I don’t label myself as a photojournalist.  And many talented photographers who shoot a huge portion of candids also don’t label themselves.  First, I would never refuse a request.  I often work with my clients to figure out who is important for group shots, and I help create a realistic shot list that cooperates with the amount of time we have to work with in conjunction with my clients needs.  These schedules are based on what is best for my client and what my clients and their families want. Most of the time, group shot lists are modest and small, quickly and easily done. But, there are occasions when my clients have special needs. I am very willing to be flexible and accomodate families with special needs. My loyalty is to my clients and not a “label” I adhere to. That’s not saying it’s wrong to adhere to a label- I just don’t.

I had a client who flew many family members from Asia to America so they could attend her wedding.  Many family members and guests from out of state also flew in for the wedding.  She wanted many group shots, some of the people she hadn’t seen in years. They were a huge family. We reserved ample time before the ceremony so that we could relax and take our time, photographing everyone she needed.  During the reception, posed table pictures were very important to this bride.  Because of my experience, I am fast and efficient and know how to get my full tables, and I shot every single table for her, without missing any other important pictures. She had plenty of genuine candid moments to pick from when it came time for her wedding album.  The way I think of it is, people will be dancing for 4 hours- I have plenty of time for my candids, dancing, and fun party candids. I was able to accomodate this client’s group shot needs without taking anything away from her journalisticly. Taking these groups didn’t mean she had to forfeit journalistic reception coverage. She still got it. If a photographer tells you they will  not provide table pictures, there can only be two reasons.  1.)  They don’t want to do them  2.) They don’t know how to do them. They are tricky, believe me. You have to get the hang of them.

As far as organizations go- can you trust an organization to provide you with pure photojournalists? No. Sorry, but frankly, no. Many, many photographers are wearing the label “photojournalist” right now simply because it’s the hot  style.  It gets you attention, and it’s the ”word” brides want to hear. Organizations can try to screen websites so they have a better chance at providing you with a true photojournalist, but unless they were there, they really don’t know what pictures were prompted and what pictures weren’t.  Also, many organizations have guidelines for getting in- they dictate what you are and aren’t allowed to have on your site.  So, you remove the pictures they don’t want, and you’re in.  But it doesn’t mean those pictures never existed.  You just don’t see them, and in a way, it’s misleading to couples.  I stay away from organizations that claim to specialize in styles.  It’s just another form of paid advertising, and you are no more a photojournalist belonging to it than not belonging to it.  You are what you are regardless of what organization you pay to advertise with.  

Also, if I let someone else dictate to me what I’m allowed to put on my website, then I’m not being true to myself or true to my couples.  It’s a lie by omission.   Also, I want my couples to know I am good at all aspects of wedding photography, including their groups, including their portraits, including the details, as well as the live action.  I’m not going to show just one kind of picture on my website and pretend the other aspects of my photography don’t exist- until your wedding day.  Beware of organizations that put known restraints on the photographers that advertize with them.   

Also, what level of photojournalism are you looking for?  The difference for me is just how strict the photojournalism “claimee” is about the mindset of photojournalism. There are some photojournalists who adhere to the mindset rigidly- following it sacredly like religion. This, my friends, is true photojournalism in it’s purist form. 

Then, you have varying levels. You have people who shoot with a photojournalisitic overtone but who will bend the rules and make exceptions from the mindset. This is more like me. I am photojournalistic in nature, but will gladly accomodate clients’ requests whenever possible. Very rarely am I asked to do tables- but if asked, I’ll do them, and you wouldn’t have to pay for a second photographer (unless your wedding is so gigantic that it would be necessary- like 300+ guests!)

So, really, what you need to know is the level of purity your photojournalist adheres to.  How strict do you want them to be?

As far as Traditional, there are some Traditionalists still left.  Here are examples of Traditional.  If you want on-location studio type portraiture before an event, and you want someone to set aside a couple or a few hours for this kind of portraiture.  Also, this person will want pictures of you and loved ones looking at the camera during many highlights- your dances, your toasts, throughout the night this person may want to prompt you into looking at the camera for different things.  Some people still want these kinds of images.  Someone might say:  Those dance pictures are nice, but too bad they aren’t looking at the camera!  Well, this person might be better off with a more Traditional type of photographer.

Ugh, confusing, isn’t it?  Couples that speak to me mostly reveal they like a good mix.  They want their posed stuff, they want their groups, but they also want uninterrupted, fun, candid shots throughout the day.  I would also think that most photographers fit into this catagory, regardless of what they call themselves.  You find out more asking a photographer how they react to certain situations than you do looking at pictures or reading labels in their marketing.

Ask:

If my mom needs a posed shot during the reception, will you take it? 

When we dance our first dance, can we be ourselves or do we need to look at you?

How long do you take to shoot our groups, and what groups do you generally shoot?  (If you start seeing a lot of “alone with every girl”, “alone with every guy”, “alone with every member of your family”) then you are in for a long amount time posing.  My groups tend to be simple and quick, unless the couple has other preferences.

Disclaimer:  These are opinions only, and I base them on my own experiences.

Some Wedding Albums are ridiculously expensive!

But it isn’t photographers’ faults…

I remember when I first began working for a studio- my first studio job ever.  I had to sit with clients in the evening and show them the album that was included in their contract, and show them other options that they could upgrade to.  I remember the first time I was handed the pricelist.  My eyes almost fell out of my head.  When I had to discuss pricing with couples- I would begin almost apologetically.  When I began my own business, I daydreamed how different I would be.  I would offer couples the most wonderful albums at the BEST prices, and they would be so happy!

Well, time for eyes to fall out again.  When I began collecting brochures and catalogs from different album companies, I realized that if I wanted to offer high quality- then things were going to be more expensive than I imagined and there just wasn’t any way around that.  And when I spoke with colleagues- I found that it was the same way with them because there just wasn’t a choice in the matter, unless you wanted to offer lower quality economy items.

What I came to realize is that a wedding album is a luxurious work of art and is an heirloom.  But, it’s also a luxury item.  People live without them all the time.  It’s not a necessary componet for survival.  People purchase wedding albums when they want them, not when they need them.  It took time for me to actually comprehend that.  When I realized this about albums, I decided to use four different brands of albums that begin at different price points- from economical to the most luxurious.

I had a potential bride ask me over the phone why wedding albums ranged so drastically in price.  I gave her my “car” analogy.  Any car will get you there and back- it’s how you want your ride to be.  A Toyota is reliable, well built, gives you everything you need.  However, if you just happen to prefer the look and feel of a BMW, or a Mercedes- then you will absolutely definitely have to pay a premium for the luxury of driving that car, even though the Toyota would be more than sufficient.

Sometimes when I browse through online articles presented on wedding websites- I cringe at the lack of good advice about wedding albums.  And, the advice that is just casually tossed at brides is really a disservice at times.  One article actually recommended that you should simply bypass your photographer completely and buy your own album at a department store.

I will say this:  I have never once in any store or at an online consumer based lab found a wedding album that could even remotely equal, let alone surpass- the kind of albums that I have available for my couples.

Again, I sat here in frustration, concerned about this kind of advice and wishing that I could personally talk with every bride in the world about this misguided advice and cover the subject of wedding albums and their varying prices.  So, here I am, at my blog.

By all means- if a professional wedding album is not in your budget, then it is worth it to try to locate something nice in a store or online. However, if you had originally planned to purchase a good album and then wavered after reading advice like this- please think again. A store bought album will never be an equal substitute to a professionally handcrafted and designed wedding album, and this is where these online advice columns fail you miserably. The magazines want to save you money, but they aren’t thinking about everything.  The goal with ANY wedding album is to make it an album you’ll cherish and love and that will be a family treasure as it is passed down through the years.

As far as materials, hand craftsmenship, and custom professional designs- you aren’t just getting “an album” the way these magazines and articles suggest. You are getting a personalized, custom-made work of art actually, housed inside of a unique, superbly crafted presentation book.

Wedding albums have come a long, long way since the choices your parents had. The designs I see coming from my colleagues and myself, and wedding companies that specialize in design, is mind-blowing! I see and feel cover materials that are so incredible that the richness and perfection of them just amazes me . Japanese silk, embedded flowers, glove leathers, Italian embossing- the list goes on. Not to mention the innovating and eye-popping design work inside.

Why articles like the one I recently read online says things like this to brides really beats me. If they want to print a special article for brides who can’t work a professional album into their budget, there were so many far more constructive suggestions they could have given.  Also, it contributes to an overall tone and attitude that buying an album is somehow the wrong thing to do. That paying someone who is going to personalize and custom design an artbook of your event isn’t worth it.

Lets explore what actually goes into an album. I can’t speak for everyone, but most of the photographers I know pour their hearts into their albums. Each and every photograph is opened and fine tuned (because now it is not just a proof- it is an album print, so any last minute tweaks or custom artwork is going to occurr in preparation of the image going into the album.) I know I take my time at this stage. I want to make sure they look perfect.

After the pictures have had their custom artwork or have been optimized, it’s time to create a design, or for a matted album- order the prints. Creating a design is fun- there is no doubt about it- but it is also time consuming and taxing on the brain. Countless hours are spent laying the images out using different design ideas. The software used for many albums is usually expensive, professional design software that the photographer has purchased for his business, and sometimes more than one application (and has learned how to use). The photographer may use multiple professional applications to design your album. So now we are talking about hundreds to thousands of dollars worth of professional design software. Many photographers I know want to try everything, and end up owning all of the popular, professional software available. Why? So they have the ability to create jaw-dropping designs that will leave you crazy in love with your wedding album.

Photographers put in tons of time, expertise, experience, creativity, and MONEY to creating the ultimate album for a client. Wedding Photography is not just about taking pictures for one day and that’s it. It is so much more involved than that. You are an artist, making decisions from the moment you need to begin capturing the memories until you are finished organizing and creating a custom presentation piece (album or other) for your couple.

As previously stated, if a professional wedding album is not in your budget, then by all means, compromise with yourself. However, if you had originally planned to purchase an album, then by all means, do just that. You won’t regret it. Generations from now, it will be priceless.

It isn’t as easy as it might first appear, shooting a wedding. Playing a guitar is easy- when you know how.  Yes- the way a musician’s fingers fly up and down a guitar neck, making it wail, playing in a crazed frenzy- makes it look so darn easy.  But when you pick up that same guitar, ready to go- you just kind of stare at it, don’t ya?  Well, unless you know how to play like that.

We often hear stories about couples who took a chance and had a friend or a relative take their wedding day images.  In my opinion, the only time this is a good idea is when photography is completely out of your budget and there is just no way on earth you can afford to hire a professional.  Then, by all means, it is definitely appropriate to accept help if it’s offered.

However, if you plan to hire a professional, and have all intentions to hire a professional, the last thing you want to do is allow well-meaning family talk you out of  it because they are ”looking out for you” and don’t want you spending money on it.  Of all things to cut out, your captured wedding day memories are really the last thing that should be parted with beause that will be the only thing you have left from that day that can bring you back to relive it.

Also, you might be pressured to succumb to the “family photographer”- whether that be Uncle Joe or a family friend- to shoot your wedding just because they are eagerly offering and feel they are on-par with the professionals. If they get miffed because you want to do your own thing, keep in mind that you can’t do it again after it’s done. And Uncle Joe or Aunt Bunny won’t feel nearly as bad as you will.  Or, you might be looking to save some money and think that trying to find a cheap non-professional photographer is the way to go.  Any experienced, good photographer knows how much goes into photographing a wedding and would not be offering their services for super-buget prices.  Keep in mind that this is probably a “learning” person, and they will be learning on you.  And you will be paying them to “learn” on you. 

Through the years, I have on occasion had consultations with couples who later informed me they had decided to let a family friend, or a relative, photograph their wedding.  I always wish them well and deep down know what they will most likely lose out on because of that decision.  And at the same time, I have also experienced frantic phone calls from people weeks (or days) before their wedding hoping I am available or someone I know is available because the friend or family member that originally promised to photograph the wedding suddenly can’t make it/chickened out/won’t return calls.

 I would like you to take a look at this portrait I took of Holly. I just love this image of her. When I shot it, I used a special glass filter in front of my lens to create this soft look. What you need to consider is- will Mom, or Uncle Joe give you a portrait like this? Sadly, probably not.

Also, was this picture an accident? Did I take this, and then surprise myself by how nice it looked? No, not at all. I knew what I was going for- I always take a bridal portrait at every wedding, and have taken them all in kinds of situations and lighting so I am ready for anything. I took a series like this, all beautiful and slightly different, within two minutes and was finished. That’s an ability of mine and it comes from years of experience.

I was approached at my last wedding by a guest who brought five pictures to the event. He approached me with the pictures out. During the few minutes I spoke with him, he proudly went through each of them, and boasted to me and the videographer that he was pretty good. But, I have a trained eye, and I could see that these were all “accident” pictures. In one, I could tell that the automatic flash failed to fire so he had an accidental available light shot and the lighting was nice and soft, but the child was too blurry. The other I remember- the child was half in and half out of bright light, and the unlit side of her face was visible while the lit side was completely blown out and had no detail. (Again, some professionals blow out highlights deliberately, but this is a controlled thing, and they can fine-tune exactly how much highlight they want blown out.) This picture did not impress me, but to be polite I nodded my head and smiled at his pictures. (It just wouldn’t be cool to pull a Simon Cowell on his pictures at my client’s wedding.) The videographer asked him: How did you expose that shot? And the man looked at him dumbfounded and said, “I don’t know- but I’m really good at framing. I frame things nicely.”

During the ceremony, I shoot available light because to me, it looks best. Available light gives you a “what you see is what you get” result, where as if you add flash, you change the lighting- subtly or drastically. Some photographers might want to add a tiny amount of flash if they feel it’s necessary, but many churches do not allow flash after the processional. People photographing a ceremony with a point and shoot or even a professional “looking” camera are relying completely on the camera and it’s automatic flash.  An automatic flash would ruin a ceremony. For my ceremonies, I also use things like tripods and very expensive fast lenses to shoot my available light pictures. I use a telephoto to get as close up as I can to the bride’s and groom’s faces as they face each other, so I can get their expressions. This lens alone cost me $1700, is made of some of the best glass in the world, and has a special feature that actually minimizes my own hand shake while I am shooting if it’s not on the tripod. The camera body that it’s attached to also cost a couple of thousand.  And that’s just one of my rigs- I bring multiple cameras, back up equipment, and extra lighting.  Believe me, there is a world of difference between the equipment that Mom or Uncle Joe would bring to a wedding compared to the $20,000 worth of stuff I show up with- as well as most other genuine professionals.

My point is to consider how many variables there are to letting someone not qualified shoot your wedding. If photography is in your budget, and picture quality matters, then you need a pro, not Uncle Joe!

As professionals, we often spend thousands of dollars purchasing specialty lenses that perform specific jobs- and we know how to utilize them and do, so that we can create unique images that will “WOW!” you and your families and friends.  There is a lot out there to choose from, and every professional photographer will have a lens collection.  And each lens will be different and used for different jobs.   There isn’t one lens that can do it all.  And not every lens is equivalent.  A cheap 28-80 can cost $80 and up.  A professional one is often $1200 and up.  There are reasons the professional one is so expensive.  If all lenses were equal, we would just be smitten with the $80 lens.

This shot from the balcony is something that many couples request.  If I didn’t own this lens, I couldn’t take this shot.  I could take it with a different lens, but it would not look like this.  It’s a specialty lens, one that I purchased for you,  and every other current and future couple who’s wedding I will photograph.  A friend or relative would not be willing to rush out and spend thousands on specialty lenses so that he can provide you with these kinds of photographs.  But I already have, and so have most other genuine professionals. Our equipment collections and our years of experience help us tell an artistic, inspiring story of your wedding day. And we bring with us a wide variety of tools. Most learning professionals do not own such a nice collection, either. Hopefully, they have just enough to at least “get by”. You hope.

 Also, we know how to do things beyond regular picture taking, meaning, we know how to shoot and make art in any condition.  One example I can give you of this is a nightshot, like this one of a couple in a gazebo.  The interesting thing about this image is that the gazebo was completely pitch black.  There were no twinkling lights on it and no outside lights to light our path.  I’m not sure why, but there wasn’t (Crystal Point in Point Pleasant).  Although another photographer had tried to talk my bride out of that picture during a prior consultation, without being aware of that, when she asked if I could do a gazebo shot, I told her ”Sure, no problem- we can do a gazebo shot.”  I was able to take this gorgeous shot of Meghan and Soltan even in pitch black.  I placed a flash on the floor inside the gazebo and triggered it with a wireless remote that makes it go off when I take a picture.  They were thrilled with these images.  Even well-meaning relatives willing to attend with decent camera equipment most likely won’t have a remote control multiple wireless flash set-up for romantic night shots.   

The last thing to consider is your formals.  We make it look easy when it’s time to group families and start pictures- but this is one of those critical times during the wedding where the pressure is really on, for a number of reasons.  First- how much time is there?  If there is not alot of time, then you need to get your butt in gear and bang out these formals to get people onto the next thing- possibly their cocktail hour has already started.  Or, maybe there is a drive between the church and the venue.  Next, what is the lighting like?  Do you have good lighting?  Are these formals indoors or outdoors?  If outdoors, is the sun blaring in people’s eyes, what do you have in the background?  Are your horizons straight?  Is your flash strong enough to counteract the harsh black shadows on their faces from overhead sun?  A brave person is one who puts this in the hands of an amateur.  You hope the novice you picked can pull this off, as it is often hit or miss with people who don’t do this for a living.  They took a couple of nice group shots once in perfect lighting conditions and think they can do it any time.  I’ve been in situations that were incredibly challenging.

As for your reception- rarely, if ever, do I sit.  I’m not there to mingle with your company.  I’m not there to take breaks off in the lounge area.  I continuously browse the crowd looking for those precious moments.  I average about 1,000 pictures per wedding, which actually amounts to an averge of one picture per minute for 10 hours straight.  Will a friend or relative cover your event the same way?  I have in the past covered my own family’s events.  Guess what?  You work.  There isn’t room to really join in the festivities.  You truly must decide whether you are shooting the event or joining in the event.  There is no “both”.  Shooting the event requires constant awareness and coverage.  Even if a friend agreed to shoot moments- I doubt it would be to the same extent as a pro.   These are things that people should strongly consider when deciding between professional coverage and a friend/relative.

Either way, giving a non-professional friend or relative this responsibility should be your last resort.  No matter how expensive your weddng is- it is costing you money and is one of the most important days of your life.    I have seen people choose limo rides or pretty flowers over lasting memories- it really depends on what is most important to you.