The reception was on March 12, but that allows me to reach only those of you who had time in your schedule to visit the library then. So many have expressed an interest in viewing the photos, so I have posted them to the online gallery where they are also for sale in various formats. These images are great for gifts, greeting cards, screensavers, and of course home decor, plus if you purchase one, 25% of your purchase will support the North Fork Audubon Society.

Visit the online gallery here

Here’s a sample:

Of course there are times when my expertise in all things weddings is helpful in keeping the day flowing smoothly, and I will of course assist if I can. Typically, I am assigned the task of securely pinning the boutonnieres on the gentlemen in the wedding party, and I gladly oblige to assure that the flower remains secured to the lapel through the day. 

But I prefer that to remain the extent of my involvement.

Apparently other photographers handle their event coverage differently. I safely assume this because since the first wedding I covered as a semi-pro photographer every officiant has made a point of discussing with me the rules regarding where the photography team is to be positioned during the ceremony. This is especially so for the religious ceremonies, whether in a house of worship or not.

I understand that my fellow pro photographers are just trying to capture the best images for their clients, and I assure you that is my goal as well. However, no matter how well-intentioned, these overly enthusiastic photogs do a great disservice to their clients and their fellow photographers by prompting officiants to limit us in our ability to cover as many angles and perspectives as possible.

The solution is simple, and one that I follow as often as possible and practical: First, have the photographer scout the location to determine the best places to set-up camp. Then contact the officiant and discuss your plans for the photographer to cover your event.  (The rehearsal is ideal for this) Usually, when you demonstrate the proper respect for the ceremony, the officiant will help you determine the best way for everyone to do their jobs so the special day can be captured in images without compromising the solemnity of the occasion.

Since wedding photography provides the physical, visual record of the day, it is a great way to preserve the traditions that your families have developed. However, it is important for the photographer to know that something has a special meaning, so it can be captured on film. One family I worked with took special care to tell me about how the wedding album in each generation had finished with a photo of the matchbook, with the bride’s and groom’s first names followed by “a perfect match!”  Of course once we knew about it, we made sure we captured the matchbooks in a couple of different set-ups so the new couple’s album would finish with that too.

Does your family have special traditions? Share them here with us, but also remember to tell your photographer!

Another technique to help your colors really pop is to use a polarizer.  This is usually used to remove reflections on water and in glass, but it also helps accentuate the blue of the sky and the reds and yellows of the leaves.

After getting the exposure properly set, watch for your composition next. It is very easy to miss the stray power line, or car roof in our haste and excitement to capture the photo.  So, check the edges of  your image to make sure there is nothing that would detract from the photo when you print it out.

If it turns out Mother Nature has dropped the leaves before you were able to get out and shoot, all is not lost.  Look for carpets of fallen leaves along paths and on grassy areas.  These will make lovely backdrops to a still life of harvested bounty such as Indian Corn, mini pumpkins and hay bales.  If you can’t find a carpet of leaves, look for colorful stragglers that you can zoom in close on. If you light it from the side (easy to do as the sun sets), the texture of the leaf will add interest to the photo.

Do you have favorite Fall Foliage images to share? Post a link to your gallery in the comments section.  Happy shooting!

Lake Maratooka, Mattituck

Belmont Lake State Park, Babylon

Belmont Lake State Park, Babylon

Belmont Lake State Park, Babylon

Maratooka Lake, Mattituck

Belmont Lake State Park, Babylon

Our last post about saving money on wedding photography discussed how eliminating the pro photographer can lead to disappointing images.  This time, we’ll compare the cost savings of the “Friends and Family” method with the value received from pro photographer services

“Friends and Family”:
Your wedding guests are just that-guests, and once they get caught up in the celebration that your special day deserves, they may be too distracted to capture the important moments.  And, you are gambling that they know how to use a camera properly in the varying light that churches and reception halls are notorious for.  Lighting for ambiance creates real challenges in capturing properly exposed images. The usually come out too dark, or if they are well-lit a slow shutter speed means blurry pictures. But let’s look at your actual costs-disposable film cameras cost about $5 to buy, and another $10 to develop the film and make the prints.  If you have 100 guests, you’ll have about 10 tables, and most likely 2 cameras per table with 27 exposures each.

Total Cost: $300
Total Prints: 540 4×6 prints-if all exposures are printable.
That’s right, you’ll get the good, the bad and the ugly. So you may get 540 prints, but you might only get half or less that are truly keepers. There will be many that are too dark, too light, poorly composed (chopped off head, a thumb in the lens), out of focus or just plain indecent. Yes, your guests may also share some very nice digital images, but there is no guarantee that they will suitable for enlarging-especially if they are taken with a camera phone.

Professional Photographer:
Proper coverage of a wedding or special event is a big job. We anticipate the action and then snap the shot at the decisive moment with the camera and lighting at the proper settings. We make sure that there are captures of the details, such as the flowers, invitation and place settings, the special moments before, during and after the ceremony, and the festive atmosphere of the reception. And we have contingency plans in place in case of bad weather or other unexpected occurrences. No matter how many there are in your wedding party, we will pose them so they look their best in the gowns and tuxedos that you selected specially. We’ll make the rounds at the cocktail hour and the dinner to make sure that everyone is included in the photos, so your record of the day includes your specially selected and invited loved ones.

The total cost depends on the options chosen, but let’s match “Friends and Family” and go with just coverage, processing and proof prints, based on Vivid Visions Photo current price list.

Total Cost: $575 for 5 hours of coverage and unlimited images captured in that time frame
Total Prints: 200 usable images guaranteed and mounted in proof album with typically 100 to 200 additional prints provided
Extras: Password protected online gallery, DVD or CD of all proofs delivered formatted in print and email resolutions. All images presented will be keepers. They will be properly lit, optimized for color and dynamically composed.

When you have put so much effort into making sure your special day is as perfect as it can be, you’ll want to remember it in photographs that are the best they can be.

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Denis is in a class by himself, and his fees are beyond the reach of most. But, since he so willingly shares his technique with other photographers, we can replicate his lighting style for our own clients. The bottom line, as any half way decent photographer knows, is that a great photo needs to be properly lit, and properly focused. The trick that separates the pros from the wannabes is getting consistent results with available light and flash photography.

The techniques Denis shared showed me that I really only need to tweak my workflow a bit to get the consistently well lit results that Denis has become famous for. So, armed with this knowledge, Vivid Visions will be creating images lit in the Denis Reggie style, but offering it at down-to-earth prices so you don’t have to be a Kennedy to have beautiful wedding photos.

As much as I love the stark beauty of the snowy winterscapes–they make it easier to see the wild birds–the budding crocuses and warm afternoons are a siren song luring me and my camera into the great outdoors without worry of dead batteries and fogged up lenses that the winter weather guarantees. I love the available light of a late afternoon or early morning on shorebird paddling in the Mattituck Inlet, and I marvel at how unafraid most of them are as I aim my lens at them.

This is also the time of year that I start contacting the couples I will work with this summer to remind them to consider their photos as the finalize their plans. Light is the most important consideration in any photo session, and the time of day will make a dramatic difference in the quality of light in your wedding photos. So, as you plan the timing for your ceremony, cocktail hour and reception, remember to allow for travel time AND arriving when the light is right.

Of course, any pro photographer worth their salt will be ready to manage whatever lighting scenario is presented, but if given a choice, the lush, warm light of a late spring or summer afternoon will turn a nice photo into a work of art.