Wedding Photography Tips Pt 2.

Photographs are a visual memory of your wedding and you want to get the best for your money. Here are more tips for you to consider when planning your wedding photos.

Resolution

Film negatives come in different sizes as do different digital camera resolutions. Find out if your photographer is using film, if he or she is using medium format film or a 35mm camera. A MFC uses a larger negative that will give more detail and quality in the negative than a 35mm camera. The negative is 2 1/4" x 2 1/4" as opposed to 1" x 1 1/2.

As for digital cameras, the higher the megapixels, the better the photograph. Since digital cameras do not create negatives, you can see the final outcome on a computer before ordering prints. With an SLR digital camera your photos will be completely professional, as the photographer can change lenses and use all standard camera techniques with the added advantage of seeing that the lighting and other external factors of the photographs are working.

Also, since digital technology doesn't use film stock, the photographer can take 5-10 times more pictures (rather than 2-3 with film) so you have a greater selection of shots from which to choose at wedding album creation time.

Save Money

Consider hiring the photographer for the formal shots of your ceremony and wedding party and have disposable cameras at each table for candid shots during the wedding reception. As your guests to pitch in and help by taking pictures of their table, dancing and other photos they think you should have.

Pay the photographer for the photographs - they are digital anyway - and put them into your own wedding photo album yourself. That way you have all the photos, usually on a disk drive or disc and you can select the ones you want to include in an a photo album. As this is a time- consuming task, your photographer may reduce his or her package fee.

Order Several Different Wedding Photo Albums

You are going to need a complete photo album for you to keep as a memory of your wedding day. You are also going to need photo albums for each set of parents. By creating your own albums you not only save money, but you can tell the story of your wedding the way you want it told. For your parents’ albums, you can personalize them with specific photos that will mean something to both the brides and grooms parents - and they don't have to be identical. You may also want to give personalized photo albums to the best man and maid of honor to thank them.

Get Your Own Extra Prints

You can order extra prints from Photoworks.com so that you can provide them as gifts to bridesmaids, groomsmen, close friends, and family members. These make nice gifts when you don't want to provide a full photo album. If your photographer used film, see if you can purchase the negatives or with digital, just order these extra prints online at whatever size you want. You can make these at a fraction of the cost of having the photographer do it and the quality is just as professional. Since film photographers and even some digital ones don't want to lose the money of creating albums for you, make sure that a disk or the negatives are included in your fees.

Another time and money saving device is to create a wedding album on Webshots.com and have your wedding party select those pictures they want to have. They can share them, store them online or have their own photos made.

Choose your photos and photographer well – and in 50 years when you are celebrating your golden anniversary, you will be able to look back at these wonderful photo albums and share the memories of that special wedding day.

Wedding Photography Tips - Pt. 1

Your wedding photographs are the best way to preserve your special day. Chances are that you and your new partner will be looking at your wedding photo albums for years to come, so your plans for hiring a photographer and getting candid shots are among the most important tasks in planning your wedding.

Here are some suggestions as to engaging the best photographer for your wedding.

Experience

If you are going to the considerable expense of hiring a professional photographer for your wedding, make sure he or she is experienced in wedding photography. Your photographer should prove that he or she is familiar with your ceremony type. This way the photographer can anticipate your next move and be in the proper place to get the best shots.

Personal Rapport

You may hire the best photographer in the world, but if you feel intimidated or just not comfortable with his attitude, you may also not feel comfortable with the final product. Comfort and compatibility with your photographer will make all the difference. You will be able to communicate what you want and it will be done. You will also look more relaxed in the final product and that should make a difference.

Examples

Look at examples of his or her work. See if the photographer is able to capture the emotion and the excitement of a wedding. A good wedding album is like a storybook - it tells the tale of your wedding day from start to finish. See what sort of pictures your photographer offers, discuss what sort of photographic style you want and be sure you are both in agreement as to set poses, candid and more creative shots.

References

Remember that when photographers give you the names of their references, they are telling you the names of people who are happy with their work. Make sure that at least one of the references is recent. Ask if the photographer was prompt, cordial, properly attired and performed his or her duties as expected and as professionally and unobtrusively as possible.

Digital Photography

Many photographers are using digital cameras and this allows them to switch between black and white easily. It also increases the number of wedding photo images from which you can select, since digital cameras shoot a lot more images than stock film. Since these pictures are easily eliminated, photographers using digital can also take more creative chances since it isn't wasting film.

Interview

Be absolutely certain that the photographer you interview is the one who will actually be the photographer at your wedding. Some companies use more than one photographer and will send their best to "sell" their wedding package to you. You hire the company based on the work of that photographer and end up with a less experienced one at your wedding. Be careful to establish that the photographer you interview is the one who will actually be taking the pictures at your wedding - and get it in writing!

Tomorrow, I'll share more tips on getting the most for your wedding photography budget.