What Pics do you release for your Wedding Photography Clients?

When you photograph a wedding do you only give your clients your best shots?

Most Professional Photographers will say yes to that but I have always had a slightly different approach.

I have a view that any picture taken is better than one that is not taken.

Mostly that is.

Sometimes I believe we should not pull the trigger.

Seem my link to a previous post on this.

 http://geoffthompsonsblog.blogspot.com.au/2011/10/when-not-to-take-photograph.html

There are however pictures that mean a lot to people even though the shot may have virtually no artistic or photographic merit.

I always had the view that there may be a pic that had some emotional significance.

In that thought I always showed my customers the rejects in case there was something important.

My grandmother was virtually staying alive to come to our wedding.

She died a few months later.

A couple of snaps taken by others that show she was there were very important to me.

I have known people to lose a parent even before they came back from their honeymoon,

Some guests at a wedding we were videoing lost their little baby who was at the wedding a few days after the wedding.

Sometimes just the expressions on the faces or the significance of what was happening in the moment are priceless regardless of the merits of the pic as a wedding image.

Of course so many people are taking images as guests these days that some of the special moments  are likely to be captured.

This Granny  had just had a pacemaker fitted for her heart condition. She died a few short weeks after this wedding of her eldest grandaughter.

These pics show how much she enjoyed being there and are priceless.

A wedding Photography Timetable

Matthew and Sung. copyright Geoff Thompson 2011

Without a doubt a most valuable tool in photographing a wedding is a photography time table.
Below is a sample of the type I developed.
I learnt this from working for a studio many years ago.

Your Business name here.                                                      Phone:

Wedding of_______________________________________Date:……………

* Address where Boys are for pre wedding shots………….Phone:……..
*
* Photographer arrives…………………………………………Time:
*
* Photographer leaves for brides address………………………Time:
* Photographer arrives at Bride’s address……………………   Time:
*
* Brides address:
*
* Photographer leaves for Wedding Ceremony……………........Time:
*
* Ceremony starts at……………………………………………  Time:
*
* Address for ceremony………………………………………………………
* ……………………………………………………………………………………………
*
* Ceremony Finishes……………………………………………Time:
*
* Leave for photo location number 1……………………………Time:
* Address for location  number 1………………………………………………
* Arrive at Photo location  number 1……………………………Time:
* Leave for location number 2 if required…………………….....Time:
* Arrive at this address…………………………………………   Time:
* Address……………………………………………………………………………
* Leave for reception/wedding breakfast………………………   Time:
* At
* Arrive at venue…………………………………………………Time:
* 
* Do mock cake cutting photos…………………………………   Time:
* If this is part of plan.
* Stay no more than hour at beginnings of reception doing some candids and bridal party entrance an some table shots if agreed to.I usually do shots of table settings, cake, detail photography.
*
* Leave for home and rest and then editing:

* Boys in Bridal Party first names:
* Girls in Bridal Party first names:
* Ages of little people if any involved in party:
* First names of parents:
* Mobile Phone numbers for significant people:
* Special requests:
* Address and contact details after marriage:……………………………

I make sure that the Bridal Party, Parents and their Wedding Car Drivers all have a copy of this timetable. Also I like to liaise with whoever is doing video so we are all on the same page.

Work out your travel times as this is critical.

I usually start with a blank proforma with names and date already there and then work backward from the possible or actual time of the wedding and then forward from the time  the ceremony finishes.

At wedding consult I sit down  with customer after I have shown my samples and then discuss this timetable.

I usually allow up to an hour with boys pre wedding,

One hour with girls if a "standard" size wedding party eg. 3 girl attendants.

If more than this I would add on a 15 mins.

 How much light you have at the end of the day is critical although High ISO performing digital slrs are now a big help in this. In the days of film my rule of thumb was to finish outdoor photography no later than 30 mins before sunset.

 I usually suggest about 15 mins be allowed for bridal group shots on or near the front of the Church after the ceremony.

Then I get people to start moving to the location for after ceremony shoot.

You really need a minimum of an hour for after ceremony and pre reception shooting.

That is actual shooting time not including travel.

I find that customers are very receptive to this timetable at quote times as they usually don't have too many clues about how all this part happens and are very happy for your advice and assistance.

Often if the time of the ceremony is not locked in they will be happy to change timing a little so they don't miss out on good light and they allow proper time for travelling.

I find with my years of experience I can hit these in/out times within a minute on most occasions.

Of course if things start to come unstuck that's when you need to consult and think on your feet.

See also the link below to my take on how to make your own app so  you can have this on your phone on the day.

http://geoffthompsonsblog.blogspot.com.au/2015/12/make-your-own-app-for-time-table-for.html

The Walk Up method of Bird Photography

Over the years I have done lots of bird photography.
Never with real expensive cameras or real expensive lenses.
I have also never sat in a bird hide all day to capture images.

My approach has been mainly to shoot as opportunity arises.

This means having a camera ready to shoot.

I have adopted an approach as under.

1. Spot your bird(s)

2. Look for cover to approach from un-noticed.

3. Preset your camera so you can re act quickly.

4. Walk slowly towards your subject taking pictures from furtherest distance and progressively
    as you get closer.

5. Watch for changes in direction of birds head and pleasing poses.

6. Aim to try to fill the frame with the bird.

7. If you sense the bird is about to take flight get ready to capture a sequence of flight shots.

8. If your bird is fairly passive and quite tame take time to quickly make any necessary camera adjustments.

9. You could try using a tripod or monopod but this will be difficult.

10. With Australian Emus you can actually attract them in close to you and get many great shots.
 They are very curious and will come form a long way off to investigate if you are sitting in a 
 stationary car and slowly waving say a red jersey out of the window.

The camera, a Nikon D60 was not up to getting this shot but nailed the next one.

These emus came from the horizon you can see in the background right up to our staitonary car.

Egret captured at Dix's Park Paringa,South Australia, Emus at Calperum Station near Renmark.