Is Having a Good Camera Enough?

posted in: News & Messages, Portraits | 2

SFW-Before-and-after

 

“A photographer went to a socialite party in New York.

As he entered the front door,the host said ‘I love your pictures

– they’re wonderful; you must have a fantastic camera.’

He said nothing until dinner was finished, then:

‘That was a wonderful dinner; you must have a a terrific stove.’”

– Sam Haskins

One of the most common regrets I hear all to much,

is “I wish I hired a professional”.

 

Too many couples think that they’re getting a “great deal”

when a family friend or relative with a really nice camera

offers to shoot their wedding and give them the digital images.

 

Sad to say, it’s not always the “great deal” they were hoping for.

 

Take my first wedding for example. Even though I was just

starting out, I did some research and thought I was ready.

 

However, nothing could prepare me for the car accident

the night before, which left me battered and bruised for

the wedding day and the hurricane that hit just prior

to the nuptials of a beautifully planned outdoor wedding.

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And if that wasn’t enough, while the bride and I were inside

photographing her pre-wedding portraits, her family members

were busy trying to protect them from the pouring rain.

 

In their haste, they put a blue tarp, held up by a long white pole,

directly where the bride and groom were to stand during

the ceremony. You can imagine the look of pure panic on my face

as the ceremony began and there was no place to photograph

to escape the blue tarp.

 

You can’t just yell: STOP!

It doesn’t go over well with that beautifully planned entrance.

 

A week later, the bride told me that friends and family

gave her “tons” of pictures,  but she cried that

every photograph taken by family and friends

had a big white pole cutting either her or her new husband in half.

 

I also remember the look on her face

when I presented her with her nuptials free of the big white pole.

 

Thank you Lord for the gift of editing,

although the editing here is not nearly as good

as experience has made me today, it saved the day

and made this bride very happy

 

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Change of plans. It’s pouring. The beautiful outdoor portraits must be moved indoors. The only place to shoot formal portraits is in front of the glass doors. Thank God for a husband holding my extra lighting.

 

Does the photographer who will photograph your wedding

know how to edit or are they just giving you a disc of un-edited images?

 

Do you have the knowledge, expertise and hours of time

it takes to edit your photographs?

 

Does your photographer have the right equipment

for lighting churches with low light or outdoor weddings

with unexpected blue tarps?

Are they willing to work your wedding,

covering all the once in a lifetime moments?

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Are they prepared for the unexpected?

All of this can make a big difference on your special day…

even if there isn’t a big white pole in the way.

 

This is your special day.

 

You spend thousands of dollars for your

reception, your dress, the flowers, tux, and the music.

 

Yet when the day is over;

the food will be eaten, the flowers wilt, the tux  returned,

the dress packed away and the music moved onto the next party.

 

What remains to tell your story?

Your photographs…. They are the only record ,

besides your wedding license, left to tell your love story.

 

 

 

Photo Credit to my assistant, Lisa Ford. It’s important to have a second shooter to catch the moments you might miss while photographing somewhere else.

 

Still think having a good camera is enough?

Are you willing to risk it on your special day?

 

There’s still a few openings for 2014 weddings,

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Contact me today to discuss the possibilities.

photography@little-mountain.com

 

 

2 Responses

  1. Jennifer M, Erie, PA

    Our wedding was over 7 years ago and reading your post, Ann , brought tears to my eyes. I remember how upset I was about that pole. I was crushed that not only did the weather make the day more difficult but that it had ruined the photos that were to help hold all of the wonderful memories so that the bad ones could be forgotten. I had a warning about the pole because of the photos taken by my family, so I was prepared for more disappointment when you called to show me the prints. When I saw the edited photos, my breath was taken away. It definitely felt like magic. I show people those photos, even today with editing being more popular, and they are amazed. I could not have been more happy with the photographs and the fact that you came after a horrible car accident shows your dedication. You are wonderful at what you do and I would never hesitate to put my most precious moments and memories into your hands.

  2. Thank you so much Jennifer, it means more than I can say. I am just so grateful that I was able to help give you these special memories. I know when you were looking at your wonderful husband to be, you never saw that pole, only him… and thats the way I wanted you to remember it.