Should you pay for prints?

There are two different type of photographers when it comes to weddings.  There are the people that choose to offer you one flat fee.  For X dollars you are provided with a certain number of hours of shooting , the editing time, and all the images that are worth keeping.  You can add on albums for an extra charge, but you can also take the images and print them as you like, creating your own album.  On the flip side, you can hire a photographer that will charge you less for time on the day of the wedding and then charge you per print or image after the fact.  There is no right or wrong answer to what you choose.  It all depends on what you are looking for.  In the advent of digital photography, we like the idea of giving our clients all their images and allowing them to choose when and at what cost to do their albums.  This gives us and the client more flexibility in the pricing.  Weddings can be an expensive venture, it is nice to have the digital images, to print a few on your own and to wait on albums. This way, everyone can see your images and you can feel satisfied that you have everything you need to do an album later but still have something to show to people when they ask if you have your wedding pictures.  Depending on the album, prices range anywhere from 300.00 to 1500.00 to create.  Work with your photographer to see what their style is and how it best fits your needs.  Don't be afraid to ask a lot of questions or to let them know what your concerns are so that you can find what best fits you!

What people need to know when hiring a wedding photographer

I had the pleasure last week of shooting an impromptu wedding.  K. and M. called on Tuesday and wanted to get married the following Tuesday.  It worked out well, since i had a free afternoon.  It was a small wedding with 6 guests.  I was really excited about some of the great images that came out of this wedding and the opportunity to try some of my new software for collaging and making comic strips.  I also had a meeting with K. and A. on Saturday about shooting their wedding.  Both meetings were very different.  There are a range of different approaches to hiring a photographer.  K. and M.'s only question was are you free next Monday or Tuesday and how much will you charge for photographs?  K. and A.  had many more questions.

1. Look at images


Most importantly, get an idea of what your style is and what you like.  These are images you will be looking at for the rest of your life.  This is an important day.  Look at as many websites as you can to define your style and what appeals to you.

2. Set a budget


Define what you can afford to and/or are willing to pay for images.  Then try to match the two together.  Are their photographers in your area that encompass your style and still fit within your budget.  Going for the cheapest option is not always best.  It may seem like a good idea when spending lots of money for a wedding but you need to make sure you are happy with your choice.  Unfortunately the old saying is true, you get what you pay for.

3. Ask lots of questions and ask to see a sample portfolio


Make sure all your questions have been answered and that you are comfortable with what you are getting.  Know how long your photographer is going to be there, will they be staying to capture all the important moments? Are albums included or prints?  Can you get a CD/DVD with the proof images on them or will you need to pay extra for that?  How long does the editing process take?  Also, any concerns you have should be addressed here.  If you are worried because your cousin's photographer lost all the images she had, talk to them about a back up plan and if there is one.  We use two shooters for each wedding.  If one camera breaks we still have one person to capture images.  We carry extra batteries and extra SD cards.  Make sure that your photographer feels the responsibility of capturing your moment and thinks it is as important as you do.

If you have more questions about hiring a photographer and are unsure about what to ask feel free to talk to us.  We are always here to help.  If you are unsure about how to find good people in your area we maybe be able to help with that too.  Best of luck planning your photo session!

Beach with the Sanfords

I had the wonderful opportunity on Friday to enjoy some sand and sun with the Sanfords.  Sadie is a particularly easy subject to shoot because she enjoys life so much.  She can entertain herself and she is so sweet and fun that she makes the day so enjoyable.  We had fun building sandcastles and surfing, snapping some pictures in between.  Hope you enjoy these as much as I had fun taking them!

Amazing new wedding shots!

Weddings are so much fun! Especially when the people you have the pleasure of photographing are friends of yours.  I had the pleasure of taking a few photos for a friend of mine a few weeks ago and the pictures are some of the most fun I have had yet.  I was able to play around with so many different angles and different lighting.  They just wanted something that was fun and exciting.  This gave me the opportunity to totally go to town with the pictures and the results are amazing.  Here is just a taste of what I gave them.  I hope you like them as much as I do!

Welcome to the Mirrored Image Photography

The Mirrored Image Photography has been a constant learning experience for my sister and I.  When we began this venture together we had no idea whether it would work, who would like our photos, how we would work together as a team.  We have learned a lot along the way.  What we knew was that our photographs were good.  We also knew that many of our friends and family liked the pictures we gave them more than they liked the ones they paid for! We love taking pictures, so starting a business seemed like and obvious idea.  Every time I take pictures I learn something new about how I can make things better.  I have learned that the most important thing is to try new things. Get in there..really close! Take pictures from all different angles, lay on the ground, have your subject lay on the ground, get up high, and when other people talk, listen!  I have gone to countless weddings for friends, I have had the pleasure of meeting other photographers, and a few have given me tips on how to do more.  I value that advice.  Having someone take the time to show you something they have done or they have learned means an awful lot.  I like teaching other people things about photography too!  Showing people how to get more from their photographs pushes me to revisit the basics and to learn new things myself.  If people ask a question I don't know, it pushes me to learn about it.  Jenny is the same way.  We like to have fun with our photographs, to try new things, and we hope our clients have a good time too.  So far we have been lucky because they have fabulous.  My goal with this new blog is to give people tips on taking better pictures, what to look for when hiring a photographer, and to talk about our adventures along the way.  Hope you will join us on our photographic journey.  Feel free to post questions.  I am happy to answer them, maybe you will send me off to learn something new myself!