How Many Hours of Photography?

I should start photographing an hour before your wedding. This allows me time to take photos of you, your mother and your bridesmaids getting ready. I will also take photos of your fiancé and his groomsmen and of everyone getting their boutonnières or corsages along with any other photos that present themselves.

I do not need to stay until the end of your reception. I will have taken a lot of great photos by the time you do a grand march, have had your first dance, have danced with your father, your husband has danced with his mother and you have tossed your bouquet and garter. A dollar dance provides a great opportunity to take photos of the two of you with people at your reception. After that, there are still great photos to take, but not that many.

How I photograph weddings.

Wedding photographs are not just photos of you walking down the aisle with your father, your first kiss, walking back up the aisle with your husband or cutting the cake. While everyone expects certain photos from their wedding day, and I have that list well memorized, I feel that what you really want are photos that are so terrific that you look at those photos over and over because you like them so much.

I think about people’s possible reaction to the photos I take. I want you to have photos that everyone, including you, just loves. If you have not yet selected your wedding photographer and you want really memorable photos, then I should be your wedding photographer.

I generally take photos of weddings from the back of the church. This means that my photos will show your backs, which are not great photos. If you are going to light a unity candle, how about going to the other side of the candle so that all of us can see you lighting the candle and I can get a great photo? I know you are preoccupied when you are getting married, but if you could turn ever so slightly away from the front every now and then, all of us can see you better and I can take some great photos of something other than your backs. Lastly, your first kiss should be a big deal. How about prolonging your first kiss for longer than a nano second so your hapless photographer can get a great photo?

Wedding photography usually starts with interior and exterior photos of your church, photos of the bride and bridesmaids preparing for the wedding and photos of the groom and groomsmen preparing for the wedding. You should schedule me to arrive at the church at least an hour before the wedding to allow time for these photos.

Photos of the wedding service include photos of people coming own the aisle, the families of the bride and the groom, the bridesmaids and of course the bride. Unless you specifically request close up photos during the service, I will take photos from the back of the church with out using a flash.

After the service, I take photos of the bridal party walking down the aisle. Then I take the posed photos of the bridal party at the altar. These photos start with photos of the bride and groom, then with their families and then with the remainder of the bridal party. I want to encourage you to request photos of the bride and groom with any other wedding guests. I have a specific list of photos I will take, but please let me know if you have other photos in mind. The posed photos generally take at least a half hour.

You may want to go to a park or another location to take photos of the bridal party. Let me know what you want. Please allocate sufficient travel time and photo time for these photos.

I have a list of specific photos that I will take at your reception. Again, please let me know about any additional photos you would like. I will spend most of my time walking around taking photos of everyone at your wedding. Instead of the typical table photos, I will take photos of couples or families at the tables, before dinner is served, time permitting. If you have music and dancing, then I will take many photos of couple dancing.

Here is a list of photos that I take:

Table shots of everyone at the reception. A better idea is specific photos of groups of people who would like photos. Table shots are generally photos of people who may not know each other along with their half eaten meals.

Notes

You may have some specific ideas of photos you want. Please let me know what you need. For instance, you may really like the chandelier at the reception and you would like a photograph of it to help you buy one.

The photos of the ceremony, the traditional photos of the Bride and the Groom, the wedding party and other posed photos are the starting point for albums for the bride and the groom and other members of the wedding.

Your family may like photos of just you or the bride and the groom with the members of the family. You may want photos with friends from work or school. Just say "Yo Photo" and I will take any photo you want.

There is NO additional charge for additional photos of whatever you want. Your wedding may be the first wedding you know of where everyone is able to receive photos that will help them remember your wedding.

I no longer eat dinner at receptions. I would rather scout around, looking for photos to take.

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