Miami Photographer - An Overview
There are a lot of styles of wedding photography out there, and while people in the industry might know these styles inside out they be confusing for couples. Remember as well that not only are you picking a style of photography, but different types of wedding photography can make different demands on your time on your wedding day.
Picking the style of photography you want at your wedding boils down to three things. What style of images you want, how long you want to spend with a photographer on your wedding day, and most importantly of all your own personality and comfort in front of the camera.
There are plenty of different photography buzzwords out there. Ultimately it is up to couples to ask plenty of questions and do plenty of research before picking a photographer, and to rely on seeing full set of photos from completed weddings Do not rely on the best five or six shots from several weddings to make a choice.
Wedding photography styles are a compromise between producing fantastic work and keeping to a timetable. A photographer might produce brilliant photos, but if he takes too long to produce them you probably won't enjoy the experience.
Traditional (or Posed) Wedding Photography
A lot of people think of traditional wedding photography as endless stuffy group photos where everyone looks stiff as a board. Worse still, the different collections of people seem to go on forever. I think there is a fashion to be down on traditional wedding photography, but the actual working framework is still the same for most wedding photographers. The photographs may be more stylish but the actual experience on the day for the bride and groom is very similar.
There is always a trade off between the type of work a photographer does and the time it takes to shoot it. More formal posed photographs will take longer to set up and achieve. Any photographer who produces artistic posed work will need a certain amount of time to produce his best work. It is important that you find out how much time he will need, and work out how it will fit into your day. There are photographers who spend a couple of hours on formal shots. Make sure you are happy with giving over that amount of time on your wedding day. , if you are not that comfortable in front of the camera you may find this type of photography more difficult.. A good photographer should be able to help you and put you at your ease but for many individuals it can still seem a bit daunting.
Reportage Wedding Photography (Wedding Photojournalism).
Documentary wedding photography demands a different skill set from traditional wedding photography so you have to make sure that your photographer has the correct photographic background and can show you full weddings to back this up. Wedding photojournalism is all about anticipation and being in the right place at the right time. It is not about closely directing people, so it puts many traditional wedding photographers outside of their skill set.
Wedding photojournalism is probably your best choice if you are reticent about having your photo taken. The photography happens without you really realizing and you'll look your natural best.
Although these two approaches might appear polar opposites, in reality most wedding photographers will offer a blend of these two styles. There are not many wedding photojournalists who don't shoot at least some formal photographs and traditional wedding photographers will shoot informal pictures as well. Find out what proportion of each a photographer likes to shoot, and better still ask them what they like to shoot the most - chances are this is what they are best at.
Vintage Wedding Photography.
Vintage wedding photography is a style that has been coming into vogue recently, but in lots of ways its a hard one to quantify. Vintage can mean anything from using old film cameras during some of the wedding to just a different approach to post production to produce 'vintage' looking digital files. There are some great photographers out there, but bear in mind that if you are receiving files that are heavily edited in a certain style, you run the risk of your photos looking rather dated a few years later. If I was hiring a vintage style photographer, I personally would want at least some of the wedding shot on film, I'm not a huge fan of faking things. As always ask questions, see examples and make an informed decision.
Editorial Wedding Photography.
This wedding genre is inspired by the fashion editorials of glossy magazines, at it's best it can produce fantastic high-end images. To produce this successfully on a wedding day the photographer needs to be highly organised, and would probably need an assistant to help set up some of the shots in advance, although that would depend on his or her style. Do your research to make sure that the time requirements for this type of shoot fit in with your plans. If you really like this type of photography but don't want to devote too much time to it on your wedding day, consider booking a separate photo session after the wedding. Often describes as a trash or cherish the dress shoot, a separate photo session might be the best way to get the wedding day you want and the photographs you'll love without losing a huge chunk of your wedding day. If it's pouring with rain, it also means that you and your photographer can pick the ideal time of day for the right light and you have scope for rescheduling. In many countries, particularly the US, high end wedding photography is evolving towards three shoots: the engagement shoot, the wedding day, and an editorial session. Don't necessarily think that it all has to be done in one day.
Fine or artistic Art Wedding Photography.
Essentially an evolution of traditional wedding photography, this type of photography offers a contemporary take on the traditional set of posed photographs, although these are both terms that have been somewhat over used by the photographic community, so again do your research. At its best this genre can produce moving romantic images, but some photographers can over use the same poses, so it can feel a bit impersonal. Ask to see lots of shoots and don't be afraid to input your own ideas at your pre-wedding meeting.
Conclusions.
Experience, personal service and professionalism are what ensure a consistent standard of photography from wedding to wedding, and the consistency and ability to deal with the different shooting conditions that present themselves throughout a wedding day. Even with more observational styles, planning and communication before the wedding is vital to get the best results and to get them efficiently. Keep to the guidelines and you are sure to have a memorable wedding day with photos to match.
You've chosen your date, booked your venue and started shopping for dresses. Now you're looking for a wedding photographer. There are a lot of styles of wedding photography out there, and while people in the industry might know these styles inside out they be confusing for couples. Remember as well that not only are you picking a style of photography, but different types of wedding photography can make different demands on your time on your wedding day.
Picking the style of photography you want at your wedding boils down to three things. What style of images you want, how long you want to spend with a photographer on your wedding day, and most importantly of all your own personality and comfort in front of the camera.
There are plenty of different photography buzzwords out there. Ultimately it is up to couples to ask plenty of questions and do plenty of research before picking a photographer, and to rely on seeing full set of photos from completed weddings Do not rely on the best five or six shots from several weddings to make a choice.
Wedding photography styles are a compromise between producing fantastic work and keeping to a timetable. A photographer might produce brilliant photos, but if he takes too long to produce them you probably won't enjoy the experience.
Traditional (or Posed) Wedding Photography.
A lot of people think of traditional wedding photography as endless stuffy group photos where everyone looks stiff as a board. I think there is a fashion to be down on traditional wedding photography, but the actual working framework is still the same for most wedding photographers.
There is always a trade off between the type of work a photographer does and the time it takes to shoot it. Make sure you are happy with giving over that amount of time on your wedding day. If you are not that comfortable in front of the camera you may find this type of photography more difficult.
Reportage Wedding Photography (Wedding Photojournalism).
If traditional is all about posed photographs, then reportage wedding photography is the opposite. It relies on capturing moments as they happen, and is more like a fly on the wall documentary. This form of wedding photography means that the photographer spends most of his time in the background, and so has become increasingly popular with couples. Weddings are also increasingly less formal than they used to be. Documentary wedding photography demands a different skill set from traditional wedding photography so you have to make sure that your photographer has the correct photographic background and can show you full weddings to back this up. Wedding photojournalism is more about a complete set of pictures from the whole day than a set of a dozen highlights. There are photographers out there who will jump on the latest bandwagon to gain business, but still use the same old style they always have. Wedding photojournalism is all about anticipation and being in the right place at the right time. It is not about closely directing people, so it puts many traditional wedding photographers outside of their skill set. There are some less ethical photographers who will use the latest buzzwords to improve their search engine presence, but still shoot the same tired old pictures.
Wedding photojournalism is probably your best choice if you are reticent about having your photo taken. The photography happens without you really realizing and you'll look your natural best.
Although these two approaches might appear polar opposites, in reality most wedding photographers will offer a blend of these two styles. There are not many wedding photojournalists who don't shoot at least some formal photographs and traditional wedding photographers will shoot informal pictures as well. Find out what proportion of each a photographer likes to shoot, and better still ask them what they like to shoot the most - chances are this is what they are best at.
Vintage Wedding Photography.
Vintage wedding photography is a style that has been coming into vogue recently, but in lots of ways its a hard one to quantify. Vintage can mean anything from using old film cameras during some of the wedding to just a different approach to post production to produce 'vintage' looking digital files. There are some great photographers out there, but bear in mind that if you are receiving files that are heavily edited in a certain style, you run the risk of your photos looking rather dated a few years later. If I was hiring a vintage style photographer, I personally would want at least some of the wedding shot on film, I'm not a huge fan of faking things. As always ask questions, see examples and make an informed decision.
Editorial Wedding Photography.
This wedding genre is inspired by the fashion editorials of glossy magazines, at it's best it can produce fantastic high-end images. To produce this successfully on a wedding day the photographer needs to be highly organised, and would probably need an assistant to help set up some of the shots in advance, although that would depend on his or her style. Do your research to make sure that the time requirements for this type of shoot fit in with your plans. Consider booking a separate photo session after the wedding if you really like this type of photography but don't want to devote too much time to it on your wedding day. Often describes as a trash or cherish the dress shoot, a separate photo session might be the best way to get the wedding day you want and the photographs you'll love without losing a huge chunk check here of your wedding day. It also means that you and your photographer can pick the ideal time of day for the right light and you have scope for rescheduling if it's pouring with rain. In many countries, particularly the US, high end wedding photography is evolving towards three shoots: the engagement shoot, the wedding day, and an editorial session. Don't necessarily think that it all has to be done in one day.
Fine or artistic Art Wedding Photography.
Essentially an evolution of traditional wedding photography, this type of photography offers a contemporary take on the traditional set of posed photographs, although these are both terms that have been somewhat over used by the photographic community, so again do your research. At its best this genre can produce moving romantic images, but some photographers can over use the same poses, so it can feel a bit impersonal. Ask to see lots of shoots and don't be afraid to input your own ideas at your pre-wedding meeting.
Conclusions.
There are lot of styles of photographer out there, but the main thing is to look beyond the catchy buzzwords and look long and hard at portfolios. Ultimately it is the competence of the photographer you are hiring that really matters. Experience, personal service and professionalism are what ensure a consistent standard of photography from wedding to wedding, and the consistency and ability to deal with the different shooting conditions that present themselves throughout a wedding day. Their portfolio should show a good balance of shots from bridal preparations to the first dance. Ask questions about how much time they will need to complete those all important formal and couples shots, and work out how much time you are happy to give. Even with more observational styles, planning and communication before the wedding is vital to get the best results and to get them efficiently. Keep to the guidelines and you are sure to have a memorable wedding day with photos to match.
What is a typical wedding video?
When asked this question, most people have the same stereotypical images flying through their heads - a dull Sunday afternoon, all the family crammed into the lounge watching a 6 hour long shaky video shot by Uncle Bob on his handy-cam; long boring shots and no editing.
Or maybe you get lucky and you've had your wedding done by a professional wedding videographer - Yay!
Not so fast - 9 times out of 10 even the videos you pay for are equally dull; full of tedious panning shots, cheesy video transitions straight out of the 80's, and set to the corniest love music known to man. The end result is the same - half your family fall asleep while watching it and the other half wish they were asleep; anything to save them from the cringe-worthiness of your amazing wedding video.
The above scenario is of course an exaggerated nightmare; that's what we don't want in a video, but what do we want? What makes a great wedding video? Well, in short, a great wedding video is one that entertains everyone who watches it and is never out of the DVD player. And that's all down to one vital ingredient ...
A great wedding video is all about fun!
When you hire a wedding videographer to film your special day he needs to have the eye to pick up on those great little moments, all the things you want to remember 10 years down the line; the smiles, the laughs, the tears, the bridesmaids strutting their stuff on the dance floor, and the hi-jinks of the best man whose had one too many beers.
Your videographer needs to be able to frame a great scene, and mix it up with wide shots, mids, and close-ups, not a succession of long shots panning round the entire room like a gardener hosing his lawn!
Wedding videography is about subtlety; it's about documenting the day, not directing it. The job of the wedding videographer is similar to that of the wedding photographer, but vastly different. The photographer has to direct the couple and guests in order to stage those all important album shots.
And then there's the editing. They say the magic is in the editing and they're right. Obviously the technique has to be there in the filming stage, but ultimately it all comes down to what goes on in the edit suite; that's where the magic is born.
What is editing?
Every video project is unique and different whether its television, corporate videos, music videos, or wedding videos. When choosing the right videographer for your wedding video its not just about choosing a cameraman, it's about choosing an editor. A great wedding video is one with great editing, simple as that.
And then there's colour grading ...
What is Colour Grading?
A colour grader is the person responsible for giving films like "The Matrix" and "Minority Report" that dark look, a style called "Bleach Bypass", and while that look isn't really appropriate for a wedding, it's absolutely imperative that your wedding videographer takes time to find a look that is. Grading those high definition shots of your wedding day, making them ooze with colour and detail, will literally make your video jump off the screen!
What about equipment?
To put it bluntly, your videographer MUST have the right equipment; He'll have at least one professional HD camcorder to do the job, but by using two he can capture a selection of wide, mid, and close up shots at the ceremony and speeches - variety is everything. At the time of this article any of these cameras are well respected and are used in TV, corporate videos, music videos, and weddings -.
Sony Z1/Z5/Z7, Sony XDCAM EX1/EX3, Panasonic AG-HVX200/ 201, Panasonic AG-HPX171, Panasonic AG-HMC151, Canon XL-H1, Canon XH-A1, Canon XH-G1, JVC GY-HD251, JVC GY-HM700.
There are many more camcorders on the market but these are some of the best ranging in price from ₤ 3000 to ₤ 7500.
A good videographer will have a professional shotgun mic mounted on the camera and a radio mic which will be hooked onto the Groom's belt during the ceremony; the audio levels have to be top notch - can't have the "I Do's" distorting like a robot!
As far as editing is concerned Final Cut Pro by Apple has become the industry favourite; its extremely powerful software, opening up many editing possibilities. Sony Vegas, Premiere Pro, and Avid are also good. Magic Bullet is great for colour grading, although effective colour grading can be done in all of the above editing applications.
Ultimately it is up to couples to ask plenty of questions and do plenty of research before picking a photographer, and to rely on seeing full set of photos from completed weddings Do not rely on the best five or six shots from several weddings to make a choice.
Documentary wedding photography demands a different skill set from traditional wedding photography so you have to make sure that your photographer has the correct photographic background and can show you full weddings to back this up. Experience, personal service and professionalism are what ensure a consistent standard of photography from wedding to wedding, and the consistency and ability to deal with the different shooting conditions that present themselves throughout a wedding day. Documentary wedding photography demands a different skill set from traditional wedding photography so you have to make sure that your photographer has the correct photographic background and can show you full weddings to back this up. Experience, personal service and professionalism are what ensure a consistent standard of photography from wedding to wedding, and the consistency and ability to deal with the different shooting conditions that present themselves throughout a wedding day.