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A L L T H E D EC I S I O N S YO U M A K E W H EN P L A N N I N G A W ED D I N G A R E I M P O RTANT. FE W, H OWE VER , AR E M O R E C RU C IAL , LO N G -TER M , THAN C H O O S I N G T H E R I G H T P H OTO G R A P H E R A N D C I N E M ATO G R A P H E R . Your photographer and cinematographer will be with you for a large part of your wedding day. Make it a priority to find professionals with positive energy and attitude—someone you have chemistry with. The more you “click” together, the better your photographs and video will be.
FINDING YOUR PHOTOGRAPHER Tempting as it may be to enlist the talents of an acquaintance who dabbles in photography — don’t. Experienced photographers have the experience, equipment and know-how to make your photographs sensational. They understand the different moods created by proper lighting and posing, and use reliable techniques and equipment to create quality images. Not to be overlooked is the fact that your photographer has but one opportunity to get it right. There are no second chances. STYLE Just a few years ago wedding photography styles could be conveniently grouped into two categories: traditional and photojournalistic. Not so, today. As you delve into the task of finding your lens master, you’ll quickly discover a plethora of new styles. From vibrant enhanced color process to the milky, washed-out tones of the vintage process, or even the retro Fuji Instant prints, photographers are doing more with specialty filters, lenses and post production software than ever before. Find a photographer whose portfolio showcases the style you’re drawn to. LIGHTING Like photographic styles, you’ll find that most photographers have specific strengths and preferences when it comes to lighting. Some are masters with natural light, others excel in delivering spectacular 42
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images from indoor and low-light conditions. Skill is required, regardless. When looking at portfolios, think about the time of day and location where you’ll be getting married. If your reception is midday, outdoors, but the images you love in the portfolio are all dark, moody and shot indoors, you might want to look a little further for a photographer whose body of work features a nice volume of outdoor or natural light images. EQUIPMENT Some photographers shoot with film, others have migrated to digital. Is one better than the other? Not necessarily. Some photographers prefer the end product film delivers, while others prefer the convenience of digital. The most important factor is the quality of images in the photographer’s albums. If you like what you see, and can be guaranteed the same camera that captured those images will be capturing yours, don’t worry about what type of equipment or format. View the work! BLACK & WHITE Of course you’ll want to capture the vivid hues of your centerpieces and décor with vibrant, color photos. However, when it comes to documenting the emotional, unscripted moments of the day, black-and-white is in a class all by itself. The fewer colors your eyes have to process, the easier it is to focus on the subject matter. Black-and-white is great for capturing intimate and sentimental close-ups such as: mom buttoning the gown, the vows, the kiss and the first dance. In addition, black-andwhite helps mask skin imperfections because shades of gray don’t record blotchy, skin irritations. It’s also perfect for those “getting ready” shots.