Wedding Photo

Wedding photography offers styles to choose from. Professional wedding photographers provide help for the bride and groom which wedding photography style they think would be appropriate for their taste. It is always time consuming and confusing for every bride and groom to decide on and pick a photographer with the precision in visual style, expertise, ethics and professionalism.

Professional wedding photographers employs the latest techniques in photography to keep up with the trend but one style doesn't fit all. The best thing to do is to focus on how you would want the images captured to create a prized possession. Have a detailed discussion and bare what's in your wish list to your photographer and come up with the best photography design appropriate and acceptable to you. These days' photographers boast of and rely on their sophisticated digital cameras to get the best shots. Providing quick and easy reviewing of the photos and probably retakes if need be.

There are two types of wedding photography styles to choose from: traditional and photo journalistic. Most couples need to understand the difference and it will help in decision making as to what style they would want for their wedding mementos.

Traditional Wedding Photography

Traditional wedding photography captures pictures of course, the traditional way with traditional poses. This is when all family members from different generation are present and has to be in the pictures. From the side of the groom's to the bride's family plus the combination of family, friends and the entourage take turns posing with the bride and groom for posterity. Not as pretty as the photo journalistic style but for those who value family from one generation to the next typically go for this style. It is the style that dictates the setting.

Photo Journalistic Wedding Photography

This is a very trendy approach and is ideally chosen by young and hip couples. It is more like taking pictures for a magazine and is like telling a story as it unfolds, a story of how it all began laid out in order. Wedding photojournalism "is characterized by its candid, creative and natural results spanning serious to humorous scenes as your wedding photojournalist documents the moment as it naturally happens." Photographer tries to take candid snapshots and capture best moments as well. This style usually devotes a day before the actual wedding to take photos of activities the bride and groom are into and captures images.

The most important decision in choosing a wedding photographer is to understand and identify what and how you want the images to come out. It would be helpful to allot more time when choosing and not regret on the decisions made. Remember, there is no way to fix the style of your photos once they are taken. It isn't something that you can return and exchange. You and your groom need to make sure their style is in sync with yours. The outcome will be a lifetime keepsake so make sure to go for the best flowers to the food and the gardens. Your wedding pictures will be a lifelong keepsake, so the wedding photography must be top-notch.

The big thing these days to have at a wedding reception, birthday party, reunion, or really any event is to have a photo booth. But if you have never rented a photo booth before what should you know?

The first thing you should ask is what type of camera does your photo booth use? Why is this important? Some photo booths use a "web cam" camera, these produce a lower resolution than normal cameras, they are cheaper for the photo booth operator to have in their booth and can cause blurry pictures. What you want in a photo booth is a DSLR camera, these are the cameras that the professional photographers use and provide the best photos.

The next thing you want to know is what type of printer they use. The worst case is a regular computer printer not made for photos, then there are "photo printers" that use the same type of ink cartridge as the regular printer. These printers do not give a good result and use the printer paper that you can buy at best buy or staples. You want a company that use the "sub dye" printers, these are more expensive printers (usually cost the operator about $1000) and uses a ribbon type of ink which provides the same prints as you would get at a photo store.

Does it cost for setup? Believe it or not some booth rental companies charge for setup. If you need them to setup hours before the event ask for a rate that would include "down time" which is time that the booth is not running.

What type of features does each package really contain? Ask about what you get with each of their packages. Plus if your event is not on a Saturday, ask if there is a discount for your date and what is their deposit.

Photo booths are a great way to wow your guest with custom photo strips with your information on them. It also gives a great conversation piece for all of your guest and something they can trade between each other. It is now a must have for every event for everyone. Also make sure to let your rental company know if your reception is on anything but the ground floor as some photo booths cannot go upstairs. One nice thing to do is if your photo booth operator is treating you good is to offer them food or even a tip.

If you want to spice things up a little bit you can ask about prop rentals or ask if you can use your own props for your event. This will make your photos more funny and interesting. One item you might want is a photo book if you are using it for a wedding, this way your will receive a copy of the strips to put into your book and everyone writes comments to you and you get to keep it as a present and is a perfect memory for your wedding. I highly suggest this as part of your package.

Also ask if you get the photos on a flash drive or CD for you to keep all the photos also that way or if they upload it to their web site or Facebook so all the guest can get a copy of other photos as well. This will make it more fun for all of your guests.

For a contemporary, unique and highly personal wedding album, have you considered a digital wedding album created by you with the help of your wedding guests? The result is a wonderful collection of intimate, personal pictures presented as a top quality album in the style of your choice.

The days when wedding albums were heavy leather-bound paper tomes, inevitably stuck in the back of a closet gathering dust are long gone. A digital photo album is a fantastic coffee table book that you will want to show off and look through again and again.

Obviously professionally taken photographs are fabulous, but you cannot underestimate the variety and spontaneity of photographs taken by your friends and family. So many couples spend their wedding day in a whirl of excitement, with little time to draw breath, and many admit that after the wedding, they felt as if they missed out on spending time with many of their guests, particularly if it is a large wedding. Imagine the joy of looking through your wedding photos, contributed by your guests, and seeing your wedding through their eyes. Wedding guests often capture moments that are missed by the official photographer, and using a collection of photographs from several different guests will increase your chances of having photographs of the majority of your guests.

If you know in advance of the wedding that this is the kind of album you want, you can let your guests know so that they can use their best photography skills on the big day! If you have a few guests who are keen amateur photographers, they will probably be snapping away all day anyway, but if they know what you are planning to do with the pictures, they can really make the most of their talent. Make sure you have all aspects of the day covered including of course the bride at home before leaving, guests arriving at the venue (e.g. church), the wedding party (bride and groom, bridesmaids, parents etc) after the ceremony, the meal and the reception.

You will undoubtedly find photos that you absolutely love, and you may decide to have these printed to be framed and displayed in your home.

The process is simple. Sign up for the service. Create your album by choosing what page size you'd like to have. A classic wedding album size is 12" x 12". Setup your album for sharing with your friends and family. Invite them in to upload their best photos and or just browse through the collection of digital photos. Begin creating your album's pages using the photos uploaded in to the gallery. Creating a page is as simple as selecting the page design, dragging photos on to the design and optionally adding text.

For a special touch, you could add other elements to the album by scanning and then uploading them to the gallery, such as the wedding invitation, the order of service and the menu.

Once you are done designing your album you then publish it making it ready for ordering. You can decide on what paper weight and finish you'd like (satin or glossy).

Because the album is created online, it is easy to try different layouts and experiment with alternative templates in a way that is not possible with a conventional bound album.

As well as being truly individual style of wedding album, a digital wedding album can be a cost-saving way of presenting your photographs. Once you have your first digital photo album, you may never go back to traditional albums! Digital albums are great not just for weddings but any special occasion; digital pictures of a newborn make a fantastic baby gift and a selection of party photos is a great way to remember birthdays and anniversaries.

More often than not, brides forget about specific wedding party poses for their wedding pictures. Typically, the bride will spend a lot of time looking through bridal magazines to find some beautiful poses for her and her husband and never put a second thought into the poses for her wedding party. We have decided, it is time that brides across the globe stop neglecting their wedding party pictures. So, we have put together a few pose ideas to influence your creative juices.

Here are a few of the most popular staged, but natural looking wedding photography ideas for your wedding party:

1. The bride should be standing tall facing away from the camera with her body but looking over her shoulder and downwards in the direction of the ladies in the wedding. The ladies should be sitting on the ground/floor facing the bride with their flowers being held up towards the bride.

2. Another great pose for the ladies of the wedding would be a picture taken from above. The bride and all of the ladies should hold their flowers up towards the camera so the photographer can get a close up of the flowers with the ladies smiling brightly in the background.

3. Pictures with the entire wedding party need to be a little more creative. For example, try having the groomsmen lined up on their knees looking over their shoulders at the camera while the bridesmaids are looking down at the men.

Feel free to take advantage of all of your wedding magazines. Look at the pictures and imagine your wedding party in those poses to determine the basic feel for what you want. You can be as creative with your photographs as you want. Talk to your photographer and even show him or her the magazine photographs that you like. Your photographer will be able to help you figure out the best poses for your wedding party that will meet your needs and personality perfectly.

If you have ideas, express them to your photographer and he or she will be able to tell you what poses will work and which ones are not going to work. Keep in mind, not all pictures that you see in a bridal magazine are going to work with your wedding party or even the season you are getting married in. Your photographer will likely have some great ideas for you to consider once he or she has the basic idea of what you are looking for.

1. Know Your Audience

Knowing who your intended audience is an obvious, but sometimes overlooked step in the process of developing your slide show. For instance, if you're showing your slide show at your wedding reception, perhaps you'll want to include some pictures of the guests, and not just pictures of you and your fiancee.

2. Shorter is Sometimes Better

After you've determined who your intended audience is you can start to get an idea as to how many pictures you'll want to include in your slide show. We've found that video montages that are between 8 - 12 minutes in length are ideal for wedding receptions. This usually works out to about 3 songs and 75-100 pictures. While you can certainly display more photos during your slide show, you want to be careful not to subject your guests to an extremely long slide show. Some people have elected to develop two slide shows. One that is their "personal" slide show that will be given to their parents or kept for themselves and the other is their "reception" slide show that will be shown during the big event.

3. Choose Quality Photographs

While recent advances in digital photo restoration have allowed torn and poorly developed photographs to be brought back to life, there is only so much that the software can do. Pictures that look great printed (correct lighting, framing, developed properly) will also look great while scanned. Pictures that are extremely dark or grainy, while perhaps improved somewhat, will still not appear the best. 

4. Choose a Variety of Photographs

Even though you may love all the pictures of your dog Rusty, you're audience may not want to sit through all the pictures of him. Instead of showing 10 pictures of ole' Rusty, perhaps choose the best 2 or 3. Using a variety of photographs can keep your audience interest.

5. Landscape pictures show better than Portrait pictures

Given the standard 4:3 dimensions of television monitors, photographs that are in landscape mode (vertical) as opposed to portrait mode (horizontal) show better on a TV. While portrait photographs certainly can and SHOULD be used, you should be aware that there will typically be a black border that appears around the photograph. It's best to use these sparingly throughout the slide show and not clump them all together.

6. Give some thought to music

Choose music that has meaning to you, music whose lyrics go well with the pictures. Also pay attention to how long the music you're choosing is. If you're only showing 30 pictures, you might not want to choose a 8 minute song.

7. Add short video clips

Do you have any home videos sitting around gathering dust? Think about adding perhaps a 10-15 second video clip in the middle of the slide show. The video clip can help break up the video montage and is a great way to keep your audiences interest.

8. Add motion to your slide shows

Slide shows developed on PowerPoint and other consumer level software will typically be just static photos that go from one picture to the next. Consider having your slide shows created with the "Ken Burns" effects that Pan and Zoom on each photograph. This can help bring your pictures to life.

9. Add transitions to your slide shows

Transitions such as fade in/fade out, dissolve, and image peel are also an effective way to move from one photograph to the next.

10. Test! Test! Test!

If you're planning on showing your video montage or slide show at an event like a wedding reception, try and test ALL the equipment prior to the big day. Make sure the projector or television, DVD Player or Laptop, and sound is all working. 

Creating a captivating slide show or video montage can be done successfully with keeping a few of these tips in mind. Pictures that are preserved to DVD can be enjoyed for years to come.

Your wedding guest book is one of the most special memoirs from your wedding. However, the time-honored tradition of the paper guest book in paper is slowly changing and many new innovative ideas for wedding guest books are becoming popular. If you are willing to take a walk on the wild (or mild) side, please consider one or more of the following ideas for your upcoming ceremony.

Lampshades Aren't Just For Party Hats

So what if you are not the party animal you used to be? Now you can put that neglected corner table lamp to use by using the lampshade as a guest book. Just place the lamp on the reception table with a permanent marker, and your guests can sign their names and wedding wishes for posterity. Simply explain that people will be writing on the shade and it should complement your wedding theme. The lamp then becomes a daily memory of your special day when you bring it back home, perhaps finally in a better location!

You've Been Framed

Every couple has at least one favorite wedding photo. And it goes without saying that you will proudly display your wedding photo in a lovely frame. So rather than sign a traditional guest book, you can have your wedding guests sign photo frames. Save your first kiss or other treasured moment for family and wedding party signatures, and let your other guests sign additional photo frames.

Is This Thing On?

For a modern-day interpretation, you can have an audio and video wedding guest book. Of course this isn't really a book, but it serves the same purpose: a living record of your wedding day. Use a professional videographer or ask a friend or family member to interview a few guests documentary-style about their thoughts on your matrimony. Some editing may be required!

Knit One, Pearl Two

You can turn a custom a quilt into a wedding guest book. At your wedding ceremony, set up a table with the pre-cut quilt squares and a few acid-free permanent markers. You can provide larger squares for those who deserve extra room such as the wedding party members. After the wedding, you can have the quilt professionally sewed, creating a lasting treasure that can also keep your feet warm on winter nights.

Getting Engraved

Many couples are opting for engraved or hand-painted wedding invitations. Did you know that you can purchase a hand-made guest book that will match your invitations? Local artists are often an excellent source for these special guest books, and an eBay search for "custom wedding invitations" will often put you in touch with the right vendors.

As you have seen, the wedding guest book is no longer just any book. In fact, it may not be a book at all. I hope you have enjoyed some of our guest book ideas that blend traditional and unique concepts. And make sure no one trips over the cord when they're signing your wedding lampshade!

You are a wedding photographer or looking at becoming one in the near future. You have grasped the technical side of photography and how important lighting is when shooting a wedding. Another component of photography is the addition of filters on the body of the camera and the inclusion of them when post editing.

Filters have been around for some time now before the introduction of software such as Photoshop and Lightroom. Filters are designed to blur, sharpen images and can also be used as a blockout for UV rays from the sun.

The addition of filters is used for creating soft blurs, changing colour contrasts, making the photo images look rustic or even the grunge look. Manipulating images to make them look more suttle to the human eye is very appealing.

When shooting wedding photography on location in the direction of Sun you require filters such as UV protector to block and guard against the harmful suns rays. The inclusion of a polarizer is necessary when shooting in direct sunlight. This will allow for a balanced image as opposed to an overexposed photo.

New technology such as Photoshop and Lightroom has made it very accessible for the photographer to manipulate images from the office room. The wide array of filter functions available has made it possible to increase creativity and make wedding photography a brilliant art.

Photography is an art and has been around for generations. The inclusion of filters on the camera and also software applications can create a photograph that is perfect to the human eye.

There are many filters that have been developed for specific purposes such as colour dampening, enhancing richer colours, correction filters, blurring etc. The key to photography is understanding what filter you require for the particular shoot you are on.

A good starting point is to have a UV filter on you at all times when shooting wedding photography. Whether you are a professional or an amateur make sure you know that lighting is crucial and the addition of filters are used of creation, balancing and protection from the suns rays.

Weddings are the most memorable occasion of a person's life. This is also a great time to get reacquainted with relatives or friends and receive wedding gifts. It is the right etiquette to write thank you cards in order to show your gratitude towards the guests for making your day special. These days thank you cards can be written in unique ways and one such way are through wedding thank you photo cards.

Creativity is the key to make wedding thank you notes even more special to the guests. Photos for your cards can be taken through digital cameras during your reception. Many of the professional photographers will be glad to do the shoots for you at affordable rates. Other ways that you can go about designing your thank you cards is through animations, templates and collages.

Many couples like the idea of comic wedding photo thank you cards. These cards are easy to design, provided that you have the right software. Digital photographs can be modified or altered by changing the color, removing the red eye images to give them a more appealing look. Many of the software allow you to change or hide the background in the photos and give the photos the color and shape of your choice.

If you are not a computer savvy, you can also hire the services of professional photographers for your wedding thank you cards. They can help by adjusting the digital images for your thank you cards. A better option would be to get the photos clicked at the time of your wedding with the guests at their respective tables. This not only adds a personal touch, but the guests will definitely appreciate the small gesture from your part.

Another splendid idea for your wedding thank you photo cards would be to add graphic designs, borders or frames to the photos. If you have had a theme wedding, you can choose borders or frames that match your wedding theme. For instance, for beach weddings, you can select frames with seashells or beach balls.

Wordings on the wedding thank you notes need to be kept simple and to the point. No guests would like to know about the things that you did on your honeymoon. All these can be shared when you meet in person or on the phone. Bear in mind to mention that the gifts that you received and how you plan to use them in future.

Many of the online stores provide you the option of customizing your wedding photo thank you cards. All you have to do is select the thank you cards that you like; personalize them with a photo of your choice. Once done, you can then change the layout, font style and size and have these ordered online.

These wedding thank you photo cards will surely be adored by the guests. Many of them will also keep them as mementos to remember you wedding in the future. You might even want to include photos of you extended family so that the guests can get acquainted with them.

Having a garden wedding is magical and romantic. It is one of a woman's dreams to hold her wedding in a garden with many trees around, the verdant grass, the flowers, and a small patio nearby. However, it cannot be avoided that some minor problems on the location may crop up. And it is good to be prepared so that the wedding photographer will know which areas of the garden are worth taking pictures together with the couple, their family, their friends, and their guests.

Assessing the surrounding should be done first. Is the area wide enough for the number of guests that will be attending the wedding? Does it need some wedding decoration ideas to make the area appealing to visitors? A little d矇cor will create a unique appearance that will make the guests truly astounded. Garden decorations that complement the surroundings are ideal for simple or elegant garden weddings. Everything has to be perfect for wedding photography shoots.

A garden wedding has to decide also whether to hold the wedding during the night or during the day. If a couple wants their garden wedding to be done during nighttime, there are decor ideas that will be perfect for the occasion. The surrounding can be highlighted with strings of white lights. The dining tables can also be accented with candled vases. The result is a dream-like atmosphere to the visitors in the wedding. The wedding photographer will highly appreciate the couple's creativity. In return, he will make sure that every little detail of the wedding decor is evident in the pictures.

Daytime garden weddings can also be made magical by applying wedding decorations that are unique and have a personal touch by the couple. Bouquets of flowers can be placed on every structure surrounding the garden. Flower petals can be littered on the grass. There is so much that the couples can do. A garden wedding can also be set at any season that the couple likes. Every vibrant colour that depicts the love, joy, and happiness by the couple and their family has no escape in the camera of the professional wedding photographer.

More elaborate accents can be constructed that will be attractive to the guests. Arches are excellent objects for wedding photography. Dressing up the arch with flowers can add beauty to the structure and give justice to its purpose in the garden wedding. The couple has to make sure also that everything in the garden is nicely decorated. Unsightly corners should be given attention as well. They can be hidden using big flower vases or white curtains.

Everything should be perfect for the perfect wedding photography pictures. With the right garden wedding decorations, the wedding ceremony and reception will be worth remembering and the wedding photographer worth thanking for.

For some people, planning a wedding anniversary can be tough and expensive. Hotel rooms, lots of flowers, and exotic dinners can come with a hefty price tag as well as a lot of stress. It doesn't have to be that way.

It's always important to remember that your wedding anniversary is a time to celebrate the years of love and devotion that you and your mate have shared. It's not always necessary to shower your spouse in expensive luxuries. The most memorable and valued anniversaries are those that are intimate and have deep meaning for your spouse and for yourself.

Here are a few ideas to help get you started.

1. Romantic Nightlife Picnic

Find a spot that has an amazing view. The top of a tall hill, cityscape or natural lake are all viable choices. The goal is to choose a scenic and beautiful backdrop for your late night adventure.

For picnic, make sure to pack foods and snacks that you know your spouse will love. This is an opportunity to show your significant other how well you know him or her. You also might want to stay away from heavier foods, such as fried foods, as this can create a sluggish feeling after eating. The goal of the picnic is to have an experience, not to gorge and fall asleep.

2. Home Cooked Candlelight Dinner

Simply preparing a romantic candlelight dinner at home can be an exciting experience, especially if your spouse is not used to you cooking. Create a meal that you know your spouse will enjoy and that has a bit of flare. This will go over a long way. You can also enhance the experience.

• You can play romantic songs to enhance the mood

• Prepare candles and dim the lights. It will be create a romantic glow.

• You can fill the room with her favorite flowers.

• On the dinner table, place scatter rose petals.

3. A Trip Down Memory Lane

Take your spouse on another "first date". Try recreating the first date. It's fun and romantic to relive the same experience through new eyes. Incorporate all the small details including where you went, what you ate, the car you drove, and then compare them to who you are now.

It's always exciting to see where you were as a couple before and compare that to where you are now.

4. Capture New Memories With A Romantic Photo Shoot

Spend some time searching for the right photographer for this one. You want these pictures to be sensual. Do this every few years and put into a special secret photo album for you and your spouse to enjoy for years to come.