Category: Weddings

One question a lot of prospective brides ask is whether they will receive a wedding photography CD with all the images on it.  Many photographers provide one at the end of the wedding to the couple and then call it a day.  The advantage to this is that the client has a copy of all the images from the wedding and can get a print made years later if they so choose.  This sounds good in theory but there are some major drawbacks to doing this without having a number of questions answered first.

Sending electronic copies of photos

Suppose the bride wants to email 3 of her favorite images to her friends who are out of state.  She opens the disk to send the files only to discover there are 1,400 images on the disk.  She will now have to spend precious time trying to find these images out of the 1,400 on the disk.  Another problem is that the images may not be sized correctly for email.  The images are most likely full resolution images that are far too large to attach to emails.  The bride will then have to resize the photos in an image editing program like Photoshop Elements.

Printing Photos

Now suppose the couple wants to send grandma an image or 2 from the wedding as prints.  Again, some considerations need to be taken into account before having prints made.  Should the couple take the disk to the nearest store and have prints made (again having to locate the file amongst the 1,400) or should they just print the photos themselves on their home printer?  Custom photo labs do a wonderful job of printing and color match to the original file much better than mass production labs at the local discount chain.  Most places can print a decent 4×6 but what if bigger enlargements are needed?  Are custom adjustments needed such as cropping or contrast or lighting adjustments?  Another question that needs to be answered is what should the enlargement be printed on?  There are several great choices including canvas, metal, and traditional photo paper but each has its own purpose and unique look and feel.   It helps to have an expert walk you through this process.

Albums

Many couples like having memory books or leather-bound albums made from the photos.  If the photographer just gave them a disk full of images, this is something that can be done at a later date, but it requires an extensive knowledge of programs like Photoshop to design yourself or relying on a template from one of the album printers.  Albums take 8-12 hours to design.  Some people love doing this work themselves but most people don’t have the time or the patience to do this.

Customer Service

I don’t typically provide a CD of all the full resolution images unless it’s specifically purchased, and here’s why.  To me, this is like going to a fancy restaurant, ordering an incredible looking dessert, and getting a recipe handed to you at the table.  As you can imagine, you might have a perplexed expression on your face wondering what happened to the dessert you ordered.  You went to the restaurant for the very reason you didn’t want to cook the meal yourself.  This is my view with respect to image CDs. So what do I do instead of providing a CD with all the images on it to the client.   Simple.  I provide the services to the client that most don’t want to take the time to do themselves.  I post the best 25-50 images on Facebook and provide a DVD slideshow of the wedding including short video clips.  Now if the couple wants to email a friend a photo, there’s only 150 0r so images to cull through.  I provide custom made prints that are printed at the highest quality labs after consulting with the client what type of look they want their finished product to have.  I custom design albums and memory books and arrange the pictures in a logical order to tell the story of your wedding day.   And, I do provide a CD of images if the client wants that extra security and peace of mind, but only after I have provided all of the other services first.

I recently conducted a wedding photography fashion shoot.  I used models in place of actual brides and grooms to demonstrate what couples could gain by adding an element of fashion photography to the wedding photos.  Wedding photography is typically made up of formal portraits and candids.  Adding a third element of high fashion style to the photographs can give a unique look to wedding photos.

Working with models can make certain elements of photography easier such as posing but can create challenges as well.  Making people beleive the models are an actual wedding couple is certainly one of the biggest. Figuring out a model’s personality is just as important as when working with a real bride and groom.  It can be challenging since I only had a few minutes to meet with each model proper to the shoot. Determining what poses models like and what expressions best suit the model is definitely more art than science.

The shoot itself was a lot of fun.  I choose indoor and outdoor settings for the shoot.  I shot the models outside at the University of Colorado and indoors at the rental studio at Pro Photo Rental and Photo Space in Denver.  I completed the days at the Rembrandt Yard in Boulder and Holy Ghost church in downtown Denver.  Just like a wedding, I had a limited amount of time at each venue to accomplish my goals.  In preparing for the shoot, I had to treat it almost like planning a real wedding.  I had to assemble wedding gowns, tuxedos, rings, and flowers.  I also had to reserve the spaces for the wedding shoot.  After it was all over, I needed a honeymoon.  Unfortunately, that part wasn’t in our budget.

A big thanks goes out to all the vendors who contributed to the project.  d’Anelli Bridal http://www.coloradobridal.com  in Lakewood, and Blue Bridal Boutique http://bluegowns.com in Denver provided the gowns for the shoot.  Alter Occasions http://alteroccasions.com provided the tuxes.  Sue Kimball http://www.kimballfloral.com provided the beautiful bouquets.  Williams Jewelers http://www.williamsjewelers.net in Cherry Creek provided the rings. Barbizon modeling agency http://www.barbizoncolorado.com in Denver provided the models along with an assist from my friend Jessica.  Jett Middleton http://makeupartistdenverboulder.com was an invaluable asset as my makeup artist. I deeply appreciate Holy Ghost Church http://www.holyghostchurch.info for letting us use their gorgeous cathedral for part of the shoot.

Regensburger Photography is a full service photography studio providing innovative and stylish portraits, senior portraits, weddings, and more in the Denver metro area. If you are looking for someone to capture memories that last a lifetime, contact Regensburger Photography today at 303 478 -7586.

Several years ago, it was common for people to order engagement photos and place a copy in the local newspaper.  As newspapers are going the way of the dinosaur, people ask me why why I still shoot engagement photos.  The answer is simple: it is the best opportunity to get to know your photographer and for he or she to get to know you prior to the wedding.  Think about it.  After a one hour portrait session, the bride and groom will know how the photographer approaches his or her craft.  The session will also give the photographer a chance to figure out what makes the couple relax, laugh, and most importantly, how to make them look good in a photo.   This is a great time to develop a relationship between the photographer and the bride and groom which in turn will make the wedding day go that much more smoothly.

Engagement photos can be used for several purposes.  First, while newspaper announcements are not common any longer, couples can post the photos to a Facebook page announcing their engagement or use it to send out formal “save the date” announcements.  The engagement photos also provide some great exposure for the couple and the photographer at the wedding.  Couples will often request a photo to be framed and signed at the reception table or for photos to be placed in the signature book.  Many couple even like their engagement photos so much that they order enlargements to be placed on the wall next to their wedding photos.

I like shooting engagement photos outdoors.  The point is to relax the couple and have fun.  I think this works better outdoors rather than in a more formal indoor studio session.  Parks are a great choice for this purpose.

What happens if the couple is out of state?  See if they are coming in before the wedding to do any planning and arrange to shoot the photos then.  If not, check to see if by chance you are traveling to their home city in the near future.  Because I think engagement photos are so important, I include them free with the purchase of any wedding package.  So remember, don’t ignore the engagement photo session.