Wedding Photo

Photo restoration involves techniques that you can utilize to either fix your damaged photos or edit your old photos to enhance their colors and visibility. By using modern technology and the latest applications, photo restoration professionals are able to attain amazing results for your old or damaged photos. Have you ever been to the Eiffel Tower? Have you ever stood in the middle of the pyramids of Egypt and experienced their enchantment? With photo restoration and photo editing techniques, you can change the background in the picture, do the required photo retouching, and show yourself anywhere in the world.

Photo restoration can be performed on any types of pictures, whether new or old. Variety of techniques and processes are involved in the restoration of photos in order to achieve the desired results. Photo enhancement techniques can be performed to make small pictures bigger or highlight the very tiny details of a picture. Not only you can revive the old photos of your parents and grandparents but you can also have these pictures enlarged to put on your walls. Even if some of the pieces are missing from an old photograph, with latest photo editing applications, the photograph can be completed.

People take help from professionals for various jobs related to the editing and restoration of photos. Some people want to have their photos edited to change the way they look in their pictures. If you think that you are looking bulky in a picture, you will be amazed to see that a photo restoration professional will make you look smarter in the picture. If you are looking very thin, you can make yourself look a bit healthier by photo retouching and other effects. You can even convert your favourite picture into your wedding picture. If you and your better half are standing together in a picture, with a little background change or wedding photo effects, this photograph can be converted into your wedding picture.

With latest photo editing techniques, you can even add objects in a picture. If you are sensitive to flash lights and you often end up shutting your eyes when the camera flashes, you don't have to bring tears in your eyes to keep them open while a picture is being taken. With photo editing, even the closed eyes can be opened. If an extreme close up of your face is making the less pretty features of your face look prominent, a photo restoration professional can make them look prettier.

The term fine art photography is probably a new term but it is so often heard now that it is a category by itself under the art of photography. Some people may, of course, be confused by the term 'fine art' being combined with 'photography'. Since photography is an art form by itself, it is actually quite natural to combine it and come out with a fine art category.

Fine art, as we all know, is a form of art that showcases the artist's skills in his or her masterpieces. Now, in this type of photography, instead of using brush and paint and canvas, the artist uses modern equipment, the camera, to express his creativity and piece of art. Thus, the artist cum photographer creates a masterpiece using light, camera, lens and digital photo editing.

Yes, this category of photography doesn't merely mean the artist capturing pictures using his camera. Rather, the artist will capture images in a creative manner and further enhance his images using skillful photo editing. The image will be edited, or 'painted' using the computer, in such a way that it ended up as a beautiful piece of art instead of just a plain photograph.

Some photographers may scoff at this category of photographer artists and say that this group depends too much on the computer to 'save' their lousy photography skills. But let it be known that more often than not, the photographer is actually a very creative photographer who is able to capture creatively composed shots and then use his editing skills to further turn the images into works of art. The photographer is not merely relying on computer photo editing to save his 'lousy photos' but instead, he is using his artistic computer editing skill to further enhance and bring out the beauty of his work of art. It is rather similar to an artist who uses different colors to bring out his work of art.

Many people also tend to confuse an artistic photographer with a photographer who uses too much photo editing to enhance his photographs. To differentiate between photographers of different categories, you only need to look at his work. An artistic photographer will produce shots that are artistic, with depth and a composition that is similar to paintings while photographers of other categories, such as photojournalism or sports, will have a totally different style of composition, lighting and editing.

Nowadays, this special category photography can be applied to almost anything. If you want your pre-wedding photographs or even wedding day photographs to resemble that of an artistic masterpiece, all you need to do is to look for a skilled, creative fine art photographer to take gorgeous shots of you on your special day. You will not regret having such beautiful pictures of your wedding day or of you and your husband as photographs will last forever!

Regardless if you are an amateur or a professional photographer, if you commit yourself to a wedding you must have top notch photo equipment. Countless times I've seen wedding photographers shooting a wedding with less than standard equipment. This is not only very unprofessional, but it is also very risky; if something goes wrong with your amateur camera, go tell the bride that you can't finish the job.

What is an adequate photographic equipment for a wedding photographer? Simple: the top, the best, the most expensive. No way around it. It is useless for me to list camera models here, because especially with digital photography, cameras evolve very quickly and before long this article would be dated. Instead choose a brand among the world's five best (Leica, Hasselblad, Mamiya, Canon, Nikon), look at the top 3 most expensive cameras... and pick one. That is the camera you will be expected to use at a wedding. Anything less will not be top notch photo equipment.

What are the lenses you need for a wedding? The more the better. Each lens gives you a different point of view and a different prospective. So why limit yourself... get as many as you can afford. Each different lens will open new possibilities by enabling you to get new ideas. As a rule of thumb, you will be expected to carry at least three lenses: a wide angle, a normal lens and a telephoto lens.

Because of the several moving optical elements, zooms are not very good quality wise (unless you spend really a lot of money) but they are commonly used at weddings when the photographer shoots using the reportage style.

What about the flash? Flashes are an integral part of your photo equipment. Believe it or not, I have encountered people that intended to shoot a wedding without a flash... simply because they didn't have one. Were they mad? No, they were just amateurs and unfortunately the market is filled with those. Most of a wedding day takes place indoors and you must have some sort of light aid, or most of the photos will obviously be improperly lit. Once again, only buy top notch flashes, yes I said flashes, because you need at least two of them: one to use and one as backup. There are two main brands for flashed: Metz and Quantum Instruments. Regarding Metz, I advise you not buy the latest Mecablitz 76 MZ-5 as in my opinion is a poor flash.

As a professional photographer, I am always looking for the very best performance in a flash, as well as in all my photo equipment. My wonderful old Metz 60 CT-4 was getting old, so I thought it was time to update. I got this new digital flash thinking it would have been just better than the previous one, but I was wrong. I used it once and sold it!

My first disappointment was when I realized that the recharging time is longer than the 60 CT-4... I imagined that the compact battery, as a result of technological development, would have performed at least like the one on the old 60 CT-4, but instead it's just a smaller/less powerful battery. On a wedding job I usually rotate the head of the flash all over the place all the time. This new Mecablitz 76 MZ-5 flash has a locked head; to rotate it you have to press a button in the back, which is not that easy and/or comfortable to do and it got me stuck a few times, causing me to miss that special shot.

I was in a quiet church when all of a sudden the newly installed cooling fan at the bottom of the head turned on... it is relatively loud and some people turned around to see what it was. To me it sounded like a vacuum cleaner and I simply cannot go around churches with photo equipment that gets people turning around... the job of a wedding photographer requires discretion. This fan stayed on for a long time, causing me some embarrassment...it just wouldn't stop! The ready flash beep is also very loud and it also gets people turning around, other than really bothering my hearing and nerves. There is no way to lower the volume. When using it in manual it is not as straightforward as the old 60 CT-4; you have to change the f/stop by pressing a few buttons on the control unit... when things are happening fast in front of you there simply isn't time to go through these electronic menus, that require me to put some extra thought and attention into them... nothing beats the old 60 CT-4 with clear manual dials that you can change without even looking.

In the whole I believe this is the worst flash Metz has ever produced. The only positive thing about it is that you can change the power of the small fill flash by operating a little dial on the site. As a result of this sad experience, I bought another old 60 CT-4, still king of flashes.

Used photo equipment is often very cheap, but make sure you get it from a proper dealer that took the time to test it and refurbish it. Professional equipment is usually worn out by the time it is sold, so make sure you are not throwing away your money.

The time before your wedding is a great time to have some portraits done of the two of you. Your engagement is such a special and fun part of your life that you will definitely want to capture the excitement in pictures. Here are some ideas on how to get really memorable pre-wedding pictures that will always remind you of your engagement.

In the rush to get everything ready for your wedding, it can be easy to forget to slow down and take the time to simply enjoy your engagement. Many couples do not even think about having professional pictures taken until they are already married and hear about someone else's engagement pictures. That's when you say, "Darn! I wish I had thought of that sooner!". The last thing that you want to feel later is regret over a missed opportunity, so be sure to find time in your busy schedule for some pre-wedding photographs.

It used to be that engagement photos were very formal. The traditional pictures were generally composed as a close-up shot of the engaged couples from about the waist up. The bride would usually wear a pretty dress, and maybe a piece of her wedding jewelry if she already had it. The groom typically wore either a suit or a nice sweater or golf shirt. As people have gotten away from formal or stiff wedding photography, this style of engagement portrait has fallen from favor. One exception would be the couple who is planning to have an engagement announcement in the newspaper, in which case, this may be exactly the type of picture that is needed.

Just because posed wedding portraiture has gone out of style does not mean that you should skip the engagement photos altogether. The new trend in pre-wedding pictures is to have images taken that are fresh, playful, and creative. These photos are intended to capture the spirit and personalities of the bride and groom-to-be. To make this happen, engagement photos are now being taken in interesting locations, with festive attire, and with whimsical props.

One of the most visually intriguing accessories to think about using in your engagement photos is balloons. They are bright and cheerful pops of color, and balloons are also always fun and lighthearted. Surprisingly, balloons in engagement photos has actually become a rather strong trend. You can pick one signature color (perhaps one that will foreshadow your wedding color palette), or go for a big bunch of colorful balloons. These pictures are best taken outdoors, and should definitely be candid action shots, rather than anything too contrived or posed looking.

Some engaged couples choose to have their photos taken in one of their favorite locations. The neat thing about this is that it creates a visual record highlighting a shared interest or passion of the bride and groom. These pictures will be especially cherished momentos in the years to come. The setting can be almost anywhere, and it can be as casual or elegant a place as appeals to you.

Golf courses, carnivals and fairs, museums, and parks are all wonderful sites for your engagement photo shoot. As it is a special event, you will want to choose a lovely outfit, even if the locale is low-key. Imagine a picture of the two of you drifting around the carousel at the fair; the bride can wear a pretty sundress accented with her wedding jewelry, and the groom can wear a nice button down shirt. The final result will be pictures that are playful, memorable, and that capture some of the spark of young love.

Technology is moving beyond the workplace and the home front to impact our major life events, such as weddings. From web sites that help couples plan their weddings to multimedia presentations prepared for their rehearsal dinner, technology helps preserve wedding memories.

Following are top technology trends for couples planning their wedding:

Online planning and research. Gone are the days when brides relied on monthly or seasonal bridal magazines for wedding information. Now, modern brides go online for their wedding planning purposes. Popular wedding sites make it easy for brides to track the latest trends, shop for wedding gowns, and find wedding checklists to help them prepare for their big day.

Multimedia presentations. One of the latest trends is to prepare a multimedia presentation for the rehearsal dinner or wedding reception. Presentations typically entail video and still images, typically set to music, featuring the couple throughout their lives. Multimedia presentations are replacing traditional photo albums and can create an exciting personal touch to a wedding celebration.

Personal web sites. For a small fee, a personal wedding web site allows couples to design their own web site in advance of their wedding day where they can post pictures of themselves, provide details of their wedding day, and provide gift registry information all in one convenient location online. Since most guests have access to the Internet, a personal wedding web site is a convenient way for guests to stay in touch with the couple and their latest wedding planning endeavors.

Ordering wedding photos online. Nowadays, wedding photographers and videographers take digital pictures or film and post their proofs online. Entire albums can be viewed by couples and guests enabling people to order photos as desired. Online ordering of wedding photos eliminates the angst of newlyweds anxiously awaiting their wedding photos, and allows family members and friends to order photos as desired.

If planning a wedding, consider these technology trends as a way to make your wedding planning process more efficient.

It's not unusual for domestic portraiture photographers to shoot outside on a pleasant day and take pictures of their model. As a photographer I believe that the photographic studio can make people a tad nervous. The big lights and camera lens can make for a nervous experience. For shy people wanting their photograph taken, a photographic studio may not be the best.

External sources of light such as direct flash is so vital even in outdoor portraiture. You must have your speelite with you to fill up any shadowed areas that become visible. A reflector is a practical tool as well. You can slot the reflector under the persons face to photograph a very abstract shot, or, to simply get rid of shadowed areas beneath the nose and jaw.

Recently I did a series of photos outside in a park. It was of a young lady who sought shots for her collection. She was hoping to break into modelling. After some ideas back and forth we made the mututal decision that going to the recreational area was an ideal way to do the shoot.

Lenses for Portrait Photography

Firstly, one of the most vital aspects of winning outside portrait photography is the photographic lens you employ. Using the correct aperture, focal length and depth of field are essential components to an outdoor portraiture shoot. A rapid photographic lens is the ideal lens by skilled portrait photographers. What is a fast lens? A fast lens is a lens that has a very big maximum aperture. This will be anywhere between 1.8 and 2.8. This will mean that you can let a lot lighting in and use a quick shutter.

Imaginative portrait photography ideas

You can cultivate a large amount of creative portrait photography ideas simply by working at it.. Working at it gives you with something so extremely precious: experience. Once you begin to acquire added experience in outside portraits you will understand how outdoor lighting and flash fill work, in what way shadows work together on peoples facial features and most notably how you can do it better next time.

A lot of my most innovative ideas come to me from not only getting official training in photography, but also, from watching the way light interacts with it's environment. Light can give you some good ideas about where to position a person, the best way to angle yourself to get the most ideal portrait shots.

Outdoor Portrait Photography Poses

Posing relies upon on the gender of your model. There are various stances that a gentleman will hold to appear more manly. There are very different poses a female will take so she seems to be more feminine. Female models look great when the angles of her body are softened as opposed to accentuated. This requires turning on an angle, leaning the face and using the clear, sharp focus on the eyes. You can employ a foot position modification to emphasize a posture change.

High Key Portrait Photography

What does "high key" actually represent? Well, if you examine the technical meaning it is all about reducing the lighting ratio present in the image. What this means, in English, is that the lighting is overexposed with just the main details in focus. This is wonderful fun and a great way to create appealing portaits. Can you create high key photography outdoors? Most definitely. As long as you have a strong lighting source on one part of the persons head for instance, you can utilise the flash on the other side. Ensure that you lock clear, sharp focus on the eyes to begin with so finer details is kept on the eyes.

Remember that taking photos of outdoor portrait photography is a huge opportunity to have an appealing background. A recreational area, seaside or city street scene can improve the story of your photo considerably.

Good editing can make all the difference to a wedding shoot. The following tips may help you to pull the most out of your photographs.

This article is intended for wedding photographers who shoot with digital cameras.

Tips:

Shoot and edit in RAW.

I can't tell you the number of times I have used RAW to save shots that would otherwise have been unusable. You obviously can't do all your editing in RAW but since RAW captures much more in formation than the highest quality JPEG most adjustments will look better done in RAW.

1. 
   Adjusting Exposure. The biggest advantage of RAW is the ability to adjust exposure, and restore blown out highlights or detail lost in deep shadows. Often however I will adjust exposure to increase already dark shadows, or blow out already bright highlights, to achieve various artistic effects or just to just increase the intensity of the photo.
   
   


2. 
   Use RAW when converting to black and white. Generally if you want a black and white image you want to do the conversion in RAW, not JPEG. Converting to back and white in RAW will result in a higher quality black and white image.
   
   


3. 
   Go easy with saturation. Over saturating a photo is an easy way to ruin a photo, and can easily look great on your screen and really bad in print.
   
   


4. 
   Don't over sharpen images. Sharpening artifacts look awful on large prints, be very careful how much you sharpen images. I prefer to just shoot with a sharper lens and then use no sharpening or noise reduction, for the most natural look possible. If you want to add punch to your images consider using curves or dodging and burning instead.
   
   

One of the biggest mistakes I have made is wasting time editing photos that will never look really great. There is really only so much you can do even with RAW, so unless it's an important shot keep your editing simple, that way you will have more time to focus on your best shots.

Tricks:

Use Vignettes

I use vignetting extensively to add depth to, or to frame my images. The trick to good vignettes is that they shouldn't be noticeable. If a vignette is noticed by a non photographer then it's to strong. I use a lot of feathering and sometimes even multiple vignettes to achieve a more powerful vignette effect that is still not obvious. I even sometimes use this vignetting technique with color filters to create depth through color, or to liven up an otherwise boring sky. There are several ways to create vignettes with photoshop, but this level of detail goes beyond the scope of this article.

If your shooting with a full frame sensor then the vignetting technique is less needed as full frame sensors capture the natural vignettes present in many lenses.

Dodge and burn

This is one of the most traditional photography techniques and was used in the darkroom long before computers where invented. For those not familiar with dodging and burning it is basically a manual way of lighting and darkening different areas of a photograph. I will often further burn, to darken shadows and give greater focus to a subject. Or, I dodge to soften the shadows on the brides face. I recommend dodging and burning because it gives you a lot of artistic control over the photographic process, whiles still allowing for a natural look.

50th wedding anniversary invitations are an invite for individuals to celebrate a half century of love between two people. A couple that has survived this long have likely built quite a legacy in those fifty years. Their children have produced grandchildren and there may even be great grandchildren in the mix. The generations just keep building and this one particular long-lasting union is the foundation to all of that. On the flipside, this union have likely suffered great loss to family members and friends that were close to their heart. When the rollercoaster ride of up's and down's has weathered the storm for the past half century, there is a definite need to celebrate. And in fifty years time there are likely many people touched by the presence of these two people, perhaps individually or as a couple. Family, friends, neighbors and co-workers. Needless to say there should be no shortage of invites going out.

Your 50th wedding anniversary invitations should display some delicate design significant of the occasion. For instance, the 50th wedding anniversary is popularly referred to as the gold anniversary. The likely party décor will include things like golden paper doilies under plates, china with white gold trim, gold ribbons and tassels around napkins or the back of chairs and gold candlesticks or votive holders decorating the table. You may want the engraving of your invite cards; say the initials of husband and wife, the year of the marriage and wedding anniversary, etc. to be done in gold letter or the card invite to be decorated with gold trim to reflect the occasion.

There is nothing more special than a couple marking 50 years together, especially in this day when many marriages can't even make it 10 years! All wedding anniversaries are a time of celebration and reflection but half of a century together is even more noteworthy and special. A likely theme of the anniversary party will be "Then & Now". Maybe the DJ will only play music from the year the two were married with guests receiving a compilation CD. There may be slide show presentations of old movies. Another nice touch would be to include the "Then & Now" theme in their 50th wedding anniversary invitations. Decorating the invitation with an original wedding photo or another photo from their youth complimented by a photo of the couple as they are today could do this.

Any couple that has lasted fifty years in a solid marriage deserves an anniversary party. This is an achievement worth celebrating. And the best way to highlight a half century of life, love and memories is to showcase photos that tell the couple's story. Here are some of the best ways:

Photo Anniversary Invitations

Put your guests in the mood to share the memories with a photo anniversary invitation. You can scan the anniversary couple's wedding photo, edit it on your computer, add the what, when and where information, and print it at home. Or you can leave it to the professionals and order your photo anniversary invitations online. If you choose this option, look for a company that has designs you like and can add both their wedding picture and a current one. Shop around the internet a little and you'll find beautiful photo invitations at very reasonable prices.

Photo Anniversary Favors

A small gold frame with the happy couple's wedding photo makes an elegant memento of the occasion. You could also pick up some pocket 4x6 photo albums available at dollar stores and craft stores, then fill them with copied or photocopied pictures from the couple's life.

How about photo anniversary bookmarks as keepsakes for your guests? It's something everyone can use, is inexpensive, and can also contain both the wedding photo and a current one. Order these online and you might find a company that offers photo bookmarks that match the design to their photo invitations for a coordinated look. Just do some browsing, and you'll find photo coasters, magnets, pocket mirrors, notebooks and just about everything else imaginable.

Photo Anniversary Decorations

For a no-fuss, easy way to extend your photo theme, set up a photo table at the anniversary party. On the table, place the couple's old wedding album and lots of family photo albums. Your guests will enjoy looking through them.

To take it a step further, make copies or photo copies of photos that represent important stages in the couple's life together. On large posterboard or foam board, make a collage from the photos and display.

Or you can make enlargements of those significant photos, anything from 8x10 to poster size, depending on your budget, and hang them from wide gold ribbons. Place them around the room in chronological order for a stunning exhibition of their 50 years together.

Another fun idea is to make photo placemats for the tables. Make a collage from copies of photos and have a print shop enlarge it to placemat size. They will then print and laminate the placemats.

Photo Anniversary Cakes

If you want a great finale to the evening, a cake with the couple's wedding picture is a real show stopper. The photo is imprinted onto the icing with safe, tasteless food dyes. You should be able to find a local bakery that offers these cakes. Speaking of desserts, you can also find photo cookies and photo chocolates using the same method, and they are available online.

Photo Anniversary Memory Book

No fiftieth anniversary party should end without a heart-felt gift for the couple. And one of the most meaningful gifts is a scrapbook filled with their memories. Ask everyone who attends the party to contribute. Give each person or couple a page to fill out. Keep the size of the page small, either a 6x6 or 8x8 album page is good. Instruct them to add a photo that the anniversary couple might not have in their possession. Then ask them to write a personal message under the photo.

To make it even easier, add photo corners to the page, so they can just pop in their photo. And instead of asking them to think up a few words, give them a "fill in the blank". Some examples would be, "I'll never forget when Bill and Jean____" or "my fondest memory of Bill and Jean was when ____". You can mail them the blank pages before the party and have them bring them to the event. Or you can ask them to bring a photo and fill out the page at the party. Not everyone will cooperate, but you'll still get a lot of great responses. And the anniversary couple will be profoundly touched by this memory book prepared with so much love and affection.

Fill their 50th anniversary with photos. Your guests will be delighted as they walk down memory lane. And the happy couple will have the chance to relive those precious moments that made up their lives together. It's a chance for everyone to reminisce and a wonderful way to celebrate such a monumental occasion.

Before you start making plans for your wedding photography, it's important that you have a general idea of how everything goes. Check out the most common concerns regarding Vegas wedding photography below to get more information:

How can I find a good photographer in Vegas?
You can look for your wedding photographer by searching the Internet, checking out ads at Craigslist.org, browsing the yellow pages, seeking referrals from people you know, and visiting different studios in Las Vegas. Remember to hire someone who's professional, qualified, affordable and easy to work with.

How much does wedding photography cost in Vegas?
The costs usually start at $400 and can go up to $4,000. The price will depend on the photographer you hire, photography package you avail of, time you got booked, date & season that your wedding falls on, and other relevant factors.

What are some ways in which I can lessen the costs?
Practical ways to save on your wedding photography would be to:

• Hire a professional photographer but only for the ceremony, and have your friends and family cover the reception instead.
• If you know someone who takes up photography as a hobby or has taken classes before, ask for their help so you won't have to pay much for their services.
• You could also consider getting an amateur photographer to really save on the costs.
• Purchase a photography package that's really affordable and within your budget. Avoid availing of unnecessary items and pay only for what you need.

What are the best city attractions to use as locations for my pre-wedding photoshoot?
The most recommended places are as follows:

• Bellagio Conservatory & Botanical Gardens
• Bellagio Fountains
• Eiffel Tower Replica at Paris Las Vegas
• Gondola Rides at the Venetian
• Las Vegas Strip
• Neon Sign Graveyard
• Stratosphere Tower
• Welcome to Las Vegas Sign

Some locations outside the city are also very ideal for your pre-wedding photoshoots. The best outdoor attractions are Lake Mead, Valley of Fire, Mount Charleston, Red Rock Canyon and the Spring Mountain Ranch.

When can I get the final prints?
It depends whether you chose film or digital photography for your pictures. Digital photos may only take a week or two, but filmed ones may take longer-from a couple of weeks to months. It also depends on how many clients your photographer has the same time as you. This is why it's very important to book early so you'll be prioritized. Make sure you clearly discuss the arrangement with your photographer so you'll know exactly how long to wait for your final wedding photos.

How can I help make the pictures turn out great?
Here are some tips to help your wedding photography turn out as planned:

Let Your Photographer Know What You Want
The only way to assure you'll love the final results is for you to discuss every detail with your photographer. Make sure he or she truly understands what you need; you should share your ideas, state your preferences, and give clear instructions so that nothing will be missed.

Get Enough Rest
Be sure you have a nice, long sleep before the wedding and the engagement sessions as well so you'll look stunning in your wedding photos.

Have the Perfect Camera Appearance
The wrong type of hairstyle and amount of makeup are often the most common mistakes that lead to terrible wedding photos. Be sure you've hired the right makeup artist and hairstylist that know how to make you look good on camera.

Cooperate
Lastly, you must work together with your photographer if you want your photos to be amazing. You should always follow your photographer's instructions so he or she can produce incredible wedding pictures. Remember, the success of your Vegas wedding photography relies on both you and your photographer; even if you've hired the best photographer in town, you can't put all the responsibility on him or her because you also have to do your part. You need to work well together in order to achieve the best results.