Added: 01/13/2006 |
Wedding photos and videoWedding photographers work in many different styles, and the decision rests upon your tastes. The two most popular styles used in wedding photography are “photojournalistic” and “portrait”. The two most common styles of pictures used are posed and casual.
The portrait style photographer should be able to take both formal shots and casual shots. Generally, couples tend to buy more of posed shots, but you may want just the opposite. To find out if a wedding photographer uses one type over the other look through his portfolio.
The wedding photographer that uses a photojournalistic approach usually takes shots that are not planned, and that’s why they are usually casual. Often a wedding photographer using this style has experience in making shots for newspapers and magazines.
There is a third type of wedding photographer as well. It's harder to gauge what type of pictures will result though, for this type of wedding photographer is not a professional, and often has no portfolio. This person is an amateur photographer who will offer to photograph the wedding at a very low cost. Your pictures may not come out as well, so take care and have a look at most of his works before hiring him.
There are two basic types of cameras that wedding photographers use, 35mm and medium format. There is some contention, even among professional photographers as to which is best. The 35mm cameras will give you a slightly grainier appearance, if the photo is enlarged than the medium format will. Unless you plan on very large enlargements, the only one that will notice this graininess is your photographer.
The film comes in color or black and white. Color is the most popular choice in wedding photography, but black and white is gaining a foothold. Black & white film will give you a more artistic looking photograph, no matter whether you prefer portrait or photojournalistic style. It also lasts longer than a color film. The choice is usually made according to the couple's tastes.
Another consideration is the speed of the film. Most wedding photographer's have a certain standard, and you don't need to worry about the film speed. When using the facilities of an amateur wedding photographer, you should discuss the issue. Since most amateur wedding photographers use a 35mm camera, the focus will generally be on 100, 200 or 400-speed film. 100-speed is best in strong sunlight and is the least grainiest of the three. 200-speed is the middle ground and often used for partial sun or partial shade. 400-speed works well in low light, it’s most commonly used for wedding photography (by amateurs), because it can be used for both indoor and outdoor shots.
Some Wedding photographers have a reputation of being high strung and haughty. The best time to find out about the personality your wedding photographer has, is the interview. Ask pointed questions and gauge his reactions. If you feel the photographer is putting on an act for your benefit, you are probably not wrong. Trust your feelings. Ask for references and then follow up on them. Make sure to ask about the photographer's personality. If you feel comfortable with you wedding photographer and vice versa, it will be shown in the pictures.
Finally, always look through a photographer's portfolio. In the case of an amateur wedding photographer, look through albums of pictures that he has taken. Sure, you will also want an album, a wedding album in your case. These photographs will probably be the best and give you an indication of what to expect. Look for photographs where subjects are slightly out-of-focus, where attention is drawn away from the subject, colors are muted or too strong (lighting), streaks in pictures and so on. If you find any of these things, it's likely that the pictures of your wedding day will contain some of these elements as well.
Not to be sorry looking at your spoiled wedding photos, keep in mind four approaches to wedding photography: traditional, wedding photojournalism, illustrative and creative.
• Traditional photography includes portraits of bridal party and family - close-up and full length - and candid photographs that tell the story of the day.
• Wedding photojournalism means no posed photographs - all pictures would be taken without any instruction from or awareness of the photographer.
• Illustrative photography has drama, grand poses and majestic scenery. Every detail in the image is carefully arranged to produce a photograph with impact.
• The creative or impressionistic photographer creates images with the unusual angle or juxtaposition. The photographer is creating his artistic impression of your wedding day. The goal is to produce a limited number of art prints from your wedding.
Most wedding photographers actually present a mix of all of these, with an emphasis on traditional photography. This makes sense: even if you love the impressionistic approach, your mom will surely want a touching photo of the bride and groom, and a smiling picture of mom and dad with their son or daughter.
Until you have visited several photographers, you don't know the cost of photography that suits your taste. That's why a wedding photography budget should be drawn up only after you have met with a few photographers and looked at samples to determine your own preferences. Expect to invest 8% to 13% of your entire wedding budget in photography.
Here are a few ways to save money without sacrificing the quality of your wedding photos.
1. Better hire a professional, and one that has experience photographing weddings.
2. Choose a wedding photography package rather than purchasing all of the items separately. If there is something that you really want, but not included in a package, ask the photographer, if something can be swapped without increasing the price.
3. Be careful of all the extras that your photographer may offer, such as the Deluxe or Ultra wedding album or a framed wedding portrait. Remember, what really counts are the pictures themselves - not the packaging.
Your wedding video is a wonderful and meaningful gift of precious memories that will last a lifetime.
Today many couples hire a videographer to record their special day. To be sure all will go smooth, do the following:
Ask for recommendations from banquet managers and photographers;
Make sure that your videographer uses a professional S-VHS, Beta Cam or JVC KY27camera;
Ask for your final copy to be recorded on Hi-Fi tape;
View full-length demonstration tapes of videographers and check them carefully for lighting and sound;
Be sure that your ceremony site allows videotaping.
Do not be afraid of the high prices of wedding videography. Better to pay a good price, than find a videographer, who will tape your wedding for as low as $500 - or maybe even less, and end up with a low quality video.
If you are on a really tight budget, here are some ways to save some money on the wedding video:
Buy a ceremony video package where the professional videographer only tapes the wedding ceremony. Some videographers may charge less to tape the ceremony only.
The videographer might offer discounts for weddings in unpopular months or on days, other than Saturday. You can also ask for a volume discount, if you need several copies.
To ensure your wedding video will be of high quality, check out your wedding videographer to be well stocked, i.e. has the following equipment:
At least two VHS camcorders with high-quality low-light functions;
At least one VHS VCR for editing and dubbing;
At least one free-standing light for each camera;
A tripod for each camera, preferably the ones with a large range of heights;
At least two twelve-hours batteries for the camera;
The best quality wireless microphone you can afford (one for each camera);
All necessary cables, with spares;
Extra tapes of the best quality available.
Other equipment you may want to consider would include a good video editor deck, for putting your finished product together; a film-to-tape camera attachment and a graphics/title generator.
So, you may have wondered, why would you need more than one camera? If you have two cameras set up, you can have different angles of the action, instead of the standard wedding video, which has a half-hour of a still camera; and you are secure if one of the cameras messes up.
The worst wedding video is the most common: one stationary camera, no zooms, never moving. People look around when they're at a wedding, and so should the camera.
All the points mentioned are essential if you are aiming at a video story, the one you will return to again and again throughout your future married life, and if you want your children to see it. If the video is just contribution to modern wedding traditions, you do not have to bother yourself with all those details.
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