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WHAT MAKES A WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER BETTER THAN ANOTHER? WHY ARE SOME LESS EXPENSIVE THAN OTHERS? |
Shooting a "wedding" is NOT for "every" photographer.
It can be VERY stressful for EVERYONE involved if you don't have enough experience.
AFTER more than 20 YEARS EXPEREINCE Elizabeth Etienne considers herself a
"seasoned” WEDDING photographer.
1) Listen carefully to all client’s needs and make suggestions where and when appropriate.
2) Create a PHOTO time line schedule together with you (allowing different groups to arrive in a staggered fashion ).
This helps everyone know where and when to arrive and helps keep the day flowing and FUN!
3) Scout locations extensively in advance noting the ideal areas for specific key shots with the photo time line in hand so the day of the wedding flows effortlessly.
4) Have a "Plan B" for everything just in case!!(what is it rains? What if they’re late?)
5) Arrive on time or early on the big day, dress respectfully and be totally prepared mentally, physically and emotionally for the long day ahead.
6) Maintain a calm & fun-loving attitude while simultaneously being technically and creatively proficient. Contribute to the Fun, entertainment, and ease of the day.
7) Coordinate groups on a tight time schedule, (keeping the bride & groom from seeing one another of course!) while maintaining a courteous, professional, and entertaining attitude.
8) Having THE BEST, fail-proof equipment, numerous camera bodies, lenses, flashes, filters, film and batteries just in case one goes down.
9) Having a team of skilled photo assistants as an extra set of hands to pass a lens, camera body or another roll of film FAST so a priceless shot is never missed!
10) Having a keen eye, sense of timing and confidence to jump in and grab a great shot or coordinate one to look beautiful.
11) Create images that go FAR beyond the expected, ordinary, standard wedding photography - Create a touching, emotional, funny, sentimental images of your fabulous day!!
I want my work to stand out far beyond
any-one's expectations and this is why I was voted L.A.'s best wedding
photographer and have been published in numerous magazines. I simply
want to give my clients the absolute best images they've ever seen
while having a stress-free magnificent day all at the same time! THIS
TAKES THE SKILL OF A SEASONED WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER.
A WORD OF CAUTION!! Anyone that's skilled enough to handle the stress of shooting a "wedding" will charge more because they have hefty insurance policies, spend more time planning, prepping, ironing out all the details and use only the best equipment & assistants so important shots are never missed. Time is money. Contrary to belief an average wedding consumes more than ONE WEEK of labor time from prep planning to post wedding retouching and editing and the expense costs limit profit margins. It's truly a "labor of love,"(pardon the expression). I work with my clients to create an exclusive photo time-line schedule and do several walk-thrus of the various locations to find the ideal place to make the best pictures at a certain time of day. I am extremely detail-oriented and even teach workshops on how to shoot weddings. I am the exclusive and primary shooter. I work with my 2 professional assistants who are my extra hands passing me my various cameras, lenses and other equipment enabling me to never miss a great shot! We are in constant communication with each other and the coordinator through walkie-talkies. I can't tell you how many calls I've gotten from sobbing brides after their wedding who had cut corners, hired a low-cost photographer and now wanted me to try to re-stage and re-shoot many of the pictures again. The unfortunate and vulnerable bridal couple were initially lured in by a photographer or photography company offering double the amount of film and prints and/or multiple photographers only to learn on their wedding day the photographers were actually young, inexperienced students hired by a photography company for pennies on the dollar!! All the extra film and prints in the world doesn't make up for lousy photography. The bridal couple did not know this and had to throw out all the pictures afterwards. The expression applies, they "spent a dollar while trying to save a penny" and ended up with no memories of their magical day, (this happened to my very own brother!).
When making the decision to book a
photographer I remind my potential clients there are hundreds of
"cheap" photographers out there. Be careful who you are hiring and
make sure to review the work samples of the ACTUAL photographer who will be shooting YOUR wedding and client
references. While I respect everyone's budget I advise people to be
careful when cutting corners with the photographer since the pictures
are all you will have left after you've spent thousands. They better be
amazing!!! You only do this once!! Hiring anyone less capable is taking a big
risk. Not every photographer can necessarily shoot a "wedding." I knew a very skilled "celebrity" photographer friend of mine who wanted to try to shoot weddings. He assumed since he photographed Madonna he could surely shoot a wedding. I gave him as much advice as I could. It was a nightmare for him and afterwards he told me he would never do that again!!! Shooting "Weddings" in and of themselves is a unique and acquired skill.
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