Wedding Photography - Rules Beyond Picture Taking Part 2

Must read for professional photographers or those who want to learn to be a professional.

In previous article I wrote about some common rules that wedding photographers should follow. They were.. Be Professional, Be Early, Dress Properly, Check equipment before arriving, and introduce your self upon arrival.

Here are some additional rules that wedding photographers should adhere to:

Know the car routes for the day. The photographer should know the routes of the limos in advance. The processions can be delayed for any number of reasons and then take off suddenly. They generally do not ask if the photographer is ready. It is even a good idea to drive the routes before the wedding day especially if the photographer is not familiar with the area. You don't want people asking what happened to the photographer.

Predetermine best positions to take pictures. Once at the church or reception hall, the photographer should make a quick determination of the best positions to get the required shots. This way he can always be in a good spot to get the required shots without interfering with any proceedings.

Practice Crowd Control. Sometimes, the wedding party will draw a crowd while they are being photographed. For instance, after the wedding when the formal photos are being taken. Guests will run to get pictures of the great set ups by the photographer. Unfortunately, sometimes in their zeal, they will get in the way. The photographer should be polite in requesting guests to clear the way so he can get the shots he wants. This would be a good time to enroll the services of the wedding planner or the person you previously asked to help guide you through the events. Remember, a rude photographer will lose referrals.

Do Not sit down and eat. That is unless you are invited to do so by an authorized person. Even if you do, make it quick, because you don't want to miss something happening that you were not expecting.

Limit Socializing and stay away from the bar. Be polite to guests and keep it short and sweet. If they are interested in your services, give them your card or take their phone number and you can speak with them longer at a later time. They will understand stand that you are working. Any trip to the bar should only be for a non alcoholic beverage. You don't want to be perceived as partying and not working.

Let the Bride and Groom know you are leaving. When things are winding down, check with the bride and groom and ask if there are any shots they want that you might not have taken. (there is always that shot with Uncle Joe or Nephew Bobby that wasn't taken) This will show that you did a complete job and they won't be disappointed once you have left.

Following these rules should make a better day for everyone involved, and also make sure that you don't lose any referrals or extra sales because of your actions during the day.

Wedding Photo Album Compiling - Professional Or Amateur Photographs

The wedding photo album is a crucial part to remembering the best parts of your wedding ceremony. You can have one professionally compiled, which will consist of photos taken by a professional photographer and steer wedding; or you could have an album containing photos taken by friends and family members at the ceremony. This can give a unique insight into the ceremony as a whole.

If you are having a professional photographer take photos at your wedding, then chances are they will be including a wedding photo album with their charges. Many photographers offer a wide range of outputs you to choose from so you can pick out exactly what you want your cherished wedding photos sitting. However, these albums can be overpriced because they come from a professional. Like with most things, sometimes prices are jacked up simply due to the fact that they are being sold by a professional. It is possible to also get the photos from the photographer and compile your own album. This can be a more affordable alternative.

If you do not have a professional photographer coming to your wedding, then having the photos taken by the people who attended the wedding is a good idea. A wedding photo album that includes pictures taken by loved ones can do much more intimate than those taken by professional. What your friends and family lack in professional skill, they make up for in caring and being all over the ceremony. A professional can only be in one place at a time. If you have more than one person take photographs, then you can get every detail from different perspectives.

The album itself should be high quality solo last for years to come. The more common and more durable albums you can get will be made of leather. These can be customized to your liking if you want them to be, and they will last you for much longer than you may expect. These are where the more expensive options, but if you really want to album to last that is a good way to go.

Look of the album itself is almost as important as the photographs that it contains. Make sure that the album you choose is appropriately themed for your wedding so that you can look at the cover alone and recollect fond memories of that day. This way those memories will be ingrained into you forever, even the ones that you would not expect to remember.

It should be no small emphasis and how important the wedding photo album is. All of your precious memories of the ceremony will be stored within, and you will be able to look at them whenever you want. People cannot remember every detail of every day for but so long, and the same can be said even for days as important as your wedding.

Guest Book Alternatives: Wedding Accessories That Put the Keep in Keepsake

The wedding guest book is a time-honored tradition that nearly every wedding follows. Everyone has seen it, that stereotypical white book sitting lonely on a table. Some people love it. Some people hate it. Some people just don't know what to say. And what do you do with the book afterwards? Now there are many guest book alternatives, however, that can be displayed in your home after the wedding to enjoy for many years down the road. Learn about all the latest wedding accessories that present useful alternatives to the traditional guest book and put the "keep" in wedding keepsake.

Memory Boxes

The wedding memory box presents an easily personalized alternative to the traditional guest book. Stationery personalized with your names or monogram can be left out for guests to write their own personal message on, which when completed will be placed inside the keepsake box. The finished memento is a beautiful box containing the well wishes and advice from all those that attended the wedding that can be displayed in your home with other wedding mementos. Both stylish and sturdy, the memory box will stand the test of time and hold the precious memories of your wedding to be enjoyed for years to come.

If you don't want to pressure guests to write something as soon as they arrive at the wedding, you can also put cards at each table that double as place cards. On one side is each guest's name, and the other side is blank for them to write their note. Place pens on each table, and guests will have the ability to write a well-thought, meaningful message to the happy couple.

Other Decorative Containers / Wish Holders

If a memory box doesn't suit your style, you can always choose another type of container to hold guests' well wishes (just make sure the guest cards will all fit inside). Use a pear-shaped jar that represents you and your new spouse as "the Perfect Pair" or display an old-fashioned birdcage for an elegant, timeless feel. Other ideas include a large colored vase or flower pot for your spring or flower-themed wedding, a treasure chest for your beach wedding, or a cowboy boot for your country-themed wedding.

Framed Wedding Photo Mat

A signature photo mat is a great alternative to a traditional paper guest book, and something you can proudly display as a keepsake from your wedding day or special occasion. There are no special treatments needed for the mat - just have your guests sign it and it is ready to display. Inside the mat you can put one of your engagement photos while it's out at the wedding, and then put a wedding photo inside later on.

Metal Signature Keepsakes

As some cardboard signature mats fade over time, wedding companies are now also offering metal guest book mats as a more permanent and decorative option. Your guests etch their names onto the sturdy, metal surface with easy-to-use engraving scribes (generally included with each kit) and now your photo will be surrounded with personal handwritten messages that can be enjoyed for years to come. For the best results, choose a metal guest book mat with a titanium finish to avoid rusting or tarnishing.

With all these great ideas, you don't have to be bound by tradition. Choose a creative guest book alternative for your wedding, and you'll guarantee a lifetime of memories that you'll actually keep and read on a regular basis.

Become a Top Wedding Planner - Wedding Portfolio Do's and Don'ts

As a new wedding planner, you'll need to create a portfolio of your wedding planning experiences so you can show potential clients what you have done.

Here are some Do's and Don'ts for putting together your first one:

DO's

• Invest in an attractive, high-quality photo album or binder. Remember this is a representation of your work, make it impressive.


• Make sure you use clear, sharp, high-quality photographs taken with a digital camera, not a cell phone. Cell phone photographs are often too grainy when they are printed.


• Take the time to attractively organize the photographs on each page of your portfolio.


• Let the brides and grooms whose photos you use know they will appear in your portfolio.


• Be ready to talk about the photographs and other information you decide to place in your portfolio; for example, favors you created, worksheets you use for planning, etc. Practice what you'll say and remember to highlight the benefits of working with you.

DON'Ts

• Worry if some of the photos are from weddings you planned for free.


• Use photographs of anything you didn't do yourself. If things you didn't handle are in the photos, for instance, centerpieces that you didn't design, give appropriate credit.


• Include photographs from other types of events that you plan. For instance, don't feature photos from corporate events and children's parties, stay focused on selling the benefits of your wedding planning services.


• Just hand the portfolio to someone to let them look at it themselves. Review pages with them and tell the story behind each picture. If you show your timelines and worksheets, talk about how your clients benefited from your highly-organized system of planning weddings.


• Make up testimonials! (Yes, I've seen this.) Ask former clients, even those whose weddings you did for free, to give you testimonials that you can quote in all of your marketing materials, and ask them if they would be willing to be references.

Remember to bring your portfolio to your first meetings with potential clients and wedding vendors whom you want to add to your network. And don't be afraid to brag a little about the fabulous benefits your clients get when they hire you to plan their weddings.

Tips for Wedding Photos - Group Shots

Many a times, those precious moments in our lives are shaped and defined by our interaction with the people in our lives. One of the reasons we want our families and friends to be with us at our wedding is because they are the reminders of those defining moments in your life, and you know their presence will make the most significant day of your life even more special. Naturally, you would want these memories to be well-documented in the form of your wedding photographs, so that you'll always remember the people who were there to make that day special.

There's a lot that goes into a group shot and although it does indeed drain much of the time in your wedding programme, it is of utmost importance and sometimes signifies a tradition that must be upheld. Never mind the hassle; it is a great way to thank each of your guests and leave a lasting memory of their presence.

Moving on, group wedding photos also allow you to relieve your special moments, even in a story form. Perhaps you might want to take the group shots over different times during the wedding, or add an element of fun to it.

With relatives, it might be necessary to keep it formal as a form of respect. However, with your close friends or ex-school mates, you can always do it your way. Feel free to spice it up by portraying the very mood of the occasion. Be spontaneous without trying too hard - do what you feel comes along. Strike a balance between both types of photo shots and ensure that at the end, everyone has been part of a group photo and that they've all had a share of the magical moment.

Always honour those guests whom you might not know too well, or have a close bond with, making sure that none of your guest is left out. Ultimately, you want them to feel comfortable and know that they are acknowledged, not just someone you have to invite because of politeness or protocol.

Keep in mind you can never take too many photos, but do give priority on having quality photos taken with your direct relatives and family members for all the love and support they have given you. Make sure you make some effort to be considerate to your guests' wishes in terms of the wedding photographs. Although, some might still feel going to tables after tables for group shots take too much time off the wedding programme, but it does provide the best opportunity for you to formally introduce your spouse to your relatives and your friends.

In a nutshell, have a good time, and know that at the end of your wedding day, you'll have an album full of the day's precious moments to look at and feel the deep appreciation of those who have come your way to make that day extra special.

Creative Wedding Favor Bookmark Ideas

Here are some creative bookmark ideas and how to easily blend them into any wedding themed event like vow renewals, bridal showers and anniversaries. You can use photos or special themes and colors and transform your bookmarks into something more than just marking a place in a book or hanging as a refrigerator magnet. Your personalized bookmarks will become keepsakes that your friends and loved ones will keep on hand for years to come because they'll know you put a little of yourself into each one.

Each of these creative bookmark ideas will give you some ways to use your bookmarks or design them to fit whatever event you need to use them for, whether you're announcing your engagement or celebrating a vow renewal after a few years of marriage.

Whether you decide to use them as stand-alone favors or added to another type of favor like mints or candies, these ideas for bookmarks as favors or announcements are sure to help you decide how and where you want your bookmark favors to blend into your theme.

Ideas for using personalized laminated bookmarks for weddings & vow renewals...

We know that personalized bookmarks are an exceptionally easy way to say thank you to your guests for sharing your special day with you. Some of the ways that you can use your bookmarks as wedding favors are:

• Place them in your ceremony programs. Your guests can admire them while following the program along with your ceremony.


• Use a ribbon to tie the bookmark to another favor such as an organza bag with a candle inside or a small token box of mints to dress up the mints.


• For vow renewal ceremonies, add a photo taken from your original wedding to the bookmark to celebrate the years you've been together.

Creative bookmark ideas for bridal showers...

Show your shower guests how much you appreciate their gifts and sharing in the fun party that your bridesmaids have given you by including a personalized laminated bookmark in with any other favors or even as a stand-alone favor:

• Choose a custom bookmark design with a photo of a wedding dress or veil


• Design the bookmark with an engagement photo


• Clip a bookmark to the favor bag that you give to your guests.


• Attach a bookmark to custom wrapped candy bar

Ideas for using personalized bookmarks as wedding announcements...

Every couple has friends or relatives that were not able to attend the wedding ceremony or reception. Let them know they were missed and thought of by sending them a special personalized bookmark announcing your wedding day.

You can include it in with an announcement card or send them a ceremony program with the bookmark favor inside. Your friends and relatives will feel honored that although they were not able to be there in person, you still care enough to send them special favors anyway.

These are just some creative bookmark ideas that will help start the ball rolling and hopefully provide other options of how bookmark favors can be easily mixed with other favors or used alone as favors or even announcements of upcoming events.

Whatever the occasion, your family and friends will love receiving your little gift that says a lot.

How Can You Make Your Wedding Stand Out From The Rest?

Your wedding is supposed to be the best day of your life, and for this reason you will want to make it memorable - not only for yourself, but for your guests as well. To do this, you need to make it different from the run of the mill weddings with which most people are familiar. What you need is to inspire your wedding with a few unique wedding ideas. If you are stuck ideas, then read this article for inspiration.

The Location
In the past, most people got married in church, nowadays, though, this is no longer the case. Today, you can choose to marry almost anywhere. You can get creative with this, but a beach wedding always goes down well. Other venues may include castle ruins, ancient sites (think Stonehenge, but less well known - they don't let you get married there!), and even your garden. You will need permission, but often, the process is relatively straightforward.

Making an Entrance
One of the most memorable ways in which you can mark a wedding is by arriving in style. Many people choose to make a big entrance, but they usually opt for something cliche (although, we have to admit, nonetheless spectacular) such as a horse drawn carriage or a vintage car. If you wanted to opt for something different, you could arrive by helicopter (yes, it will be expensive), hover craft, bat mobile... you get the idea, you can get creative.

Reception
Once you have the vows over and done with, it's time to get on with the fun bits: the reception, meal and after wedding party. You will likely have guests arriving from all over the place, and you can make their journey truly worth their while. Wedding receptions have been hosted in many strange and unusual places, from low-lying caves to the top of the Eiffel Tower. You can really let your imagination run wild here. The great thing is that some of the best venues are the cheapest - the fewer the number of people that consider that location, the less likely the venue is to attract a premium.

Fancy Dress
You can spice up the ceremony by opting for a fancy-dress themed wedding. This will do away with many traditions, but it is becoming increasingly popular. Last year, for instance, we were invited to a grunge themed wedding - that was great fun and something c completely different. It was definitely a wedding to remember. Here, you can opt for a theme that means something special to you, and add a touch more magic to your wonderful day.

Fun Added Extras
It is becoming increasingly common to add fun and interesting features to the wedding. One thing that people are doing is bringing in a 'Wishing Tree'. This is a ceremonial centrepiece where people throw in their money and make wishes, or else attach notes to the tree by ribbon. This can be a fantastic way for people to give the wedding guests a little extra help in their earl life together, and at the same time, they get to make a wish. What better time to make a wish than on such a positive and happy occasion - surely, a wedding is a place where dreams come true.

Photo booths are also increasing in popularity. These are exactly the same as the booths you would find in a supermarket (the ones where you have your passport photo taken), but there are fancy dress items inside - guests pick an outfit then have their photo taken. They get to take away some fantastic memorial photos, and the machine will store the photos digitally for the guests, too.

Improve Your Scrapbook With These Wedding Scrapbook Layout Ideas

Among all life occasions, a wedding can be considered as women's favorite. Whether you're the bridesmaid, or the bride, weddings just give this giddy feeling especially if those getting married are your close friends. All the excitement and fun rubs off all your female friends, making the wedding better than you expected. Of course, you also have to plan for everything, and that is the tricky part. But once everything is done, you and your spouse would have to sort through all the gifts and pictures that you have accumulated during your wedding. One good way to keep your pictures is to make a wedding scrapbook, and make your scrapbook standout with these wedding scrapbook layout ideas.

Before working on your project, it would be better if you sort your pictures first. Not all pictures are the same; there might be some candid shots, some professional shots, and some wacky shots that can be grouped together. Think of a theme for your scrapbook. Will this scrapbook just focus on your wedding day, or will it tell your personal love story? Will you be adding more pages in the future? Once you've figured out what you want to do, then you can go out and buy some supplies. Visit the nearest craft store and look for scrapbooking materials. Most stores have an aisle especially for scrapbooking, and you can surely find everything that you need: from scrapbook paper to twine to stickers to flowers and other ornaments for your scrapbook. You can even use materials like magazines and newspapers. It all depends on your creativity, and of course, your wedding scrapbook layout ideas.

Deciding on the layout of your scrapbook can be tricky, but there are a lot of websites that can help you in deciding on the look that you want. The most common and highly customizable wedding scrapbook layout idea is to create a collage of your pictures and post different pictures as one picture. There are different photo editing websites that you can use for your pictures. Use the online applications to edit and create your collage, and then download them or print them directly from the website. Another option, if you have more time, is to create the collage on your own. This can be a bit tricky, but with enough time and patience, you can surely get it done. Once you have finished with your scrapbook, put it somewhere where your visitor can admire your work. Who knows, you might even get requested to make your friends' wedding scrapbooks.

10 Brilliant Personalized 1st Wedding Anniversary Gifts

The 1st wedding anniversary is, without doubt, one of the most significant of all anniversaries. Like any first-time event, this anniversary is super special. It is the first time after marriage that the two of you are celebrating such a momentous occasion (not counting the birthdays). Expectations on her part run high -- naturally. She is eager to know just what lovely surprises you have planned for her on this important day.

One of the ways to ensure that you capture her heart all over again on your 1st anniversary is by completely avoiding run-of-the-mill stuff. In other words, don't present her with a faux leather handbag bought off a shelf in high street. You're headed for the dog house if she happens to run into the neighbour across the street who is sporting the same bag!

To avoid such disasters, plan your first anniversary gifts in a manner that make them exclusive - and that means, personalised. What are the top 10 personalised gifts that you can give her on your first wedding anniversary? Read on...

1. Handmade card or a handwritten letter. There's little that can beat a letter or card written in the giver's own hand. It makes the gift so very personal and meaningful. While a store-bought card may be more extravagantly worded, it lacks your personal signature. If you are writing a letter, use good quality paper, take time over the words as you highlight all the big and small moments that have become cherished memories of the past one year. You can affix your wedding photograph on the card cover to make it really exclusive and personal.

2. A personalised piece of jewellery. Jewellery is the number one choice of both, men and women, when it comes to anniversary gifts. But, make it personal by choosing the gemstone that corresponds to the 1st anniversary year (freshwater pearl). Have her name or both your names engraved on a heart-shaped pendant, or a bracelet.

3. A personalised memory book. If you have planned to give this as a gift, then start preparations from day one! Create a memorable memory book for her in which you stick favourite photographs -- wedding, honeymoon, other holidays and significant events - jot down romantic memories, verbalise your thoughts and feelings. Make her go all goose-bumpy when she gets hit by all that passion and romance that leaps out from every page.

4. A bespoke photo collage. Never underestimate the power of visual appeal. Decide the size of the montage you want to create -- huge or medium or something that she can comfortably place on her bedside table. Let your wedding photograph dominate centrestage and fill in the rest of the space with other photos of the two of you.

5. Personalised apparel and crockery. For a newly-married couple (after one year, you still feel newly-married, right?), cute and romantic gifts continue to be charming. So, monogrammed tees, dressing gowns, coffee mugs or even personalised photo quilts and pillow cases with motifs of hearts and heartbeats make for wonderful first anniversary gifts.

6. A gift basket of all her favourite things. This tells her something truly heart-warming -- that you are cued in to her likes and dislikes and have taken enough effort to assemble her favourites in one delightful hamper. Fill a gift basket with her favourite author's hardback edition, her favourite bubbly, chocolates, bath and beauty products -- and, of course, the mandatory red roses.

7. A song composed just for her! Have professional song-writers create a song just for her. Have the CD ready and waiting to be played when she wakes up in the morning of the big day. It will be your declaration of love to her that few gestures can match.

8. Personalised champagne flutes. Raise a toast to your love for each other with champagne flutes bearing your names on each glass, with your wedding date and year printed at the bottom. Don't forget a bottle of sparkling bubbly!

9. Let your latent talent woo her! If you have a talent for painting, carpentry, or if you are a wizard with high-tech gadgetry, why not create something unique and exclusive just for her? You could paint her portrait (or, alternatively, get both of you painted in oil on canvas) or make her a table, a bookcase, a shelf, just anything that she'll like and enjoy.

10. A bespoke poem. Have a poem written just for her. Add flourish by adding a special photograph alongside it. Have the whole thing framed attractively. It's your ode to all her many wonderful qualities that made you fall in love with her.

If you have put in a little thought and advanced planning into your gift, be sure she'll be over the moon. Nothing says, 'You are special' like a personalised gift.

Surprise Yourself - Try Personalised Photo Frames: The Easy Gift Everyone Loves

A Personalised Photo Frame is an ideal way to elevate a present into a gift that makes someone smile and feel special, it's wonderful to gift a gift that means something and is a joy to receive as well as to give.

Personalising a gift especially a photo frame creates a gift that's both memorable and shows the recipient is special, yet engraved gifts can be some of the simplest to order and give.

Children and teenagers love to receive gifts with their name engraved but Personalised Photo Frames are universally loved because it's such a thoughtful gift. A present that can be enjoyed and also used to display a photo the person who receives it really enjoys, it's a double gift suitable for all occasions.

Selecting a present for family or friends is always challenging, but it's hard to go wrong if you choose a frame as the central gift and ask for it to be engraved to suit the person or occasion.

For instance there are wonderful Wedding Photo Frames available but if those are not in the range of your budget a simple silver plated frame engraved to wish the happy couple well, is equally as welcomed and loved as any other gift.

The range of frame choices, especially online has grown so that it not only includes engraved text but engraved images alongside to add to the photo frame to create a special gift. If you are able to stretch to these slightly more expensive frames, they have some magnificent ranges online to suit Weddings, Birthdays, Graduation, and special family members such as frames for a sister, mum, dad, or grandma.

Professionally if you want a gift for a client a personalised photo frame is ideal, unlike many gifts a frame is an item the client will use and remember your company every time they look at the photo it contains. In fact for an extra fee many online engraving companies will engrave your business logo for corporate gifts, the extra expense is well worthwhile if you would like the client to appreciate your company and impress them.

Personalised gifts are loved so much that once you begin and see how easy it is to have your greetings, special message, or well wishes engraved on the wide and beautiful range of photo frame designs it will be easy to see that giving presents will never be difficult again. There is a frame for every occasion, Wedding Birthday, Graduation, Christening, New Baby, Anniversary, retirement, moving home, the list of occasions is endless.

Also you can find a frame material to suit the style of the person and their home, from stylish silver or gold to flattering woods like Oak and Walnut, to the stunning new designs like Layered Black Glass Photo Frames, there is a style, design and personalisation to suit everyone.

Wedding Photography - Traditional Or Trendy?

Wedding photography offers styles to choose from. Professional wedding photographers provide help for the bride and groom which wedding photography style they think would be appropriate for their taste. It is always time consuming and confusing for every bride and groom to decide on and pick a photographer with the precision in visual style, expertise, ethics and professionalism.

Professional wedding photographers employs the latest techniques in photography to keep up with the trend but one style doesn't fit all. The best thing to do is to focus on how you would want the images captured to create a prized possession. Have a detailed discussion and bare what's in your wish list to your photographer and come up with the best photography design appropriate and acceptable to you. These days' photographers boast of and rely on their sophisticated digital cameras to get the best shots. Providing quick and easy reviewing of the photos and probably retakes if need be.

There are two types of wedding photography styles to choose from: traditional and photo journalistic. Most couples need to understand the difference and it will help in decision making as to what style they would want for their wedding mementos.

Traditional Wedding Photography

Traditional wedding photography captures pictures of course, the traditional way with traditional poses. This is when all family members from different generation are present and has to be in the pictures. From the side of the groom's to the bride's family plus the combination of family, friends and the entourage take turns posing with the bride and groom for posterity. Not as pretty as the photo journalistic style but for those who value family from one generation to the next typically go for this style. It is the style that dictates the setting.

Photo Journalistic Wedding Photography

This is a very trendy approach and is ideally chosen by young and hip couples. It is more like taking pictures for a magazine and is like telling a story as it unfolds, a story of how it all began laid out in order. Wedding photojournalism "is characterized by its candid, creative and natural results spanning serious to humorous scenes as your wedding photojournalist documents the moment as it naturally happens." Photographer tries to take candid snapshots and capture best moments as well. This style usually devotes a day before the actual wedding to take photos of activities the bride and groom are into and captures images.

The most important decision in choosing a wedding photographer is to understand and identify what and how you want the images to come out. It would be helpful to allot more time when choosing and not regret on the decisions made. Remember, there is no way to fix the style of your photos once they are taken. It isn't something that you can return and exchange. You and your groom need to make sure their style is in sync with yours. The outcome will be a lifetime keepsake so make sure to go for the best flowers to the food and the gardens. Your wedding pictures will be a lifelong keepsake, so the wedding photography must be top-notch.

4 Things to Know Before You Book a Photo Booth Rental Company for Your Wedding

The big thing these days to have at a wedding reception, birthday party, reunion, or really any event is to have a photo booth. But if you have never rented a photo booth before what should you know?

The first thing you should ask is what type of camera does your photo booth use? Why is this important? Some photo booths use a "web cam" camera, these produce a lower resolution than normal cameras, they are cheaper for the photo booth operator to have in their booth and can cause blurry pictures. What you want in a photo booth is a DSLR camera, these are the cameras that the professional photographers use and provide the best photos.

The next thing you want to know is what type of printer they use. The worst case is a regular computer printer not made for photos, then there are "photo printers" that use the same type of ink cartridge as the regular printer. These printers do not give a good result and use the printer paper that you can buy at best buy or staples. You want a company that use the "sub dye" printers, these are more expensive printers (usually cost the operator about $1000) and uses a ribbon type of ink which provides the same prints as you would get at a photo store.

Does it cost for setup? Believe it or not some booth rental companies charge for setup. If you need them to setup hours before the event ask for a rate that would include "down time" which is time that the booth is not running.

What type of features does each package really contain? Ask about what you get with each of their packages. Plus if your event is not on a Saturday, ask if there is a discount for your date and what is their deposit.

Photo booths are a great way to wow your guest with custom photo strips with your information on them. It also gives a great conversation piece for all of your guest and something they can trade between each other. It is now a must have for every event for everyone. Also make sure to let your rental company know if your reception is on anything but the ground floor as some photo booths cannot go upstairs. One nice thing to do is if your photo booth operator is treating you good is to offer them food or even a tip.

If you want to spice things up a little bit you can ask about prop rentals or ask if you can use your own props for your event. This will make your photos more funny and interesting. One item you might want is a photo book if you are using it for a wedding, this way your will receive a copy of the strips to put into your book and everyone writes comments to you and you get to keep it as a present and is a perfect memory for your wedding. I highly suggest this as part of your package.

Also ask if you get the photos on a flash drive or CD for you to keep all the photos also that way or if they upload it to their web site or Facebook so all the guest can get a copy of other photos as well. This will make it more fun for all of your guests.

Digital Photo Wedding Album

For a contemporary, unique and highly personal wedding album, have you considered a digital wedding album created by you with the help of your wedding guests? The result is a wonderful collection of intimate, personal pictures presented as a top quality album in the style of your choice.

The days when wedding albums were heavy leather-bound paper tomes, inevitably stuck in the back of a closet gathering dust are long gone. A digital photo album is a fantastic coffee table book that you will want to show off and look through again and again.

Obviously professionally taken photographs are fabulous, but you cannot underestimate the variety and spontaneity of photographs taken by your friends and family. So many couples spend their wedding day in a whirl of excitement, with little time to draw breath, and many admit that after the wedding, they felt as if they missed out on spending time with many of their guests, particularly if it is a large wedding. Imagine the joy of looking through your wedding photos, contributed by your guests, and seeing your wedding through their eyes. Wedding guests often capture moments that are missed by the official photographer, and using a collection of photographs from several different guests will increase your chances of having photographs of the majority of your guests.

If you know in advance of the wedding that this is the kind of album you want, you can let your guests know so that they can use their best photography skills on the big day! If you have a few guests who are keen amateur photographers, they will probably be snapping away all day anyway, but if they know what you are planning to do with the pictures, they can really make the most of their talent. Make sure you have all aspects of the day covered including of course the bride at home before leaving, guests arriving at the venue (e.g. church), the wedding party (bride and groom, bridesmaids, parents etc) after the ceremony, the meal and the reception.

You will undoubtedly find photos that you absolutely love, and you may decide to have these printed to be framed and displayed in your home.

The process is simple. Sign up for the service. Create your album by choosing what page size you'd like to have. A classic wedding album size is 12" x 12". Setup your album for sharing with your friends and family. Invite them in to upload their best photos and or just browse through the collection of digital photos. Begin creating your album's pages using the photos uploaded in to the gallery. Creating a page is as simple as selecting the page design, dragging photos on to the design and optionally adding text.

For a special touch, you could add other elements to the album by scanning and then uploading them to the gallery, such as the wedding invitation, the order of service and the menu.

Once you are done designing your album you then publish it making it ready for ordering. You can decide on what paper weight and finish you'd like (satin or glossy).

Because the album is created online, it is easy to try different layouts and experiment with alternative templates in a way that is not possible with a conventional bound album.

As well as being truly individual style of wedding album, a digital wedding album can be a cost-saving way of presenting your photographs. Once you have your first digital photo album, you may never go back to traditional albums! Digital albums are great not just for weddings but any special occasion; digital pictures of a newborn make a fantastic baby gift and a selection of party photos is a great way to remember birthdays and anniversaries.

Great Poses for Your Wedding Party Photos - 3 Popular Ideas

More often than not, brides forget about specific wedding party poses for their wedding pictures. Typically, the bride will spend a lot of time looking through bridal magazines to find some beautiful poses for her and her husband and never put a second thought into the poses for her wedding party. We have decided, it is time that brides across the globe stop neglecting their wedding party pictures. So, we have put together a few pose ideas to influence your creative juices.

Here are a few of the most popular staged, but natural looking wedding photography ideas for your wedding party:

1. The bride should be standing tall facing away from the camera with her body but looking over her shoulder and downwards in the direction of the ladies in the wedding. The ladies should be sitting on the ground/floor facing the bride with their flowers being held up towards the bride.

2. Another great pose for the ladies of the wedding would be a picture taken from above. The bride and all of the ladies should hold their flowers up towards the camera so the photographer can get a close up of the flowers with the ladies smiling brightly in the background.

3. Pictures with the entire wedding party need to be a little more creative. For example, try having the groomsmen lined up on their knees looking over their shoulders at the camera while the bridesmaids are looking down at the men.

Feel free to take advantage of all of your wedding magazines. Look at the pictures and imagine your wedding party in those poses to determine the basic feel for what you want. You can be as creative with your photographs as you want. Talk to your photographer and even show him or her the magazine photographs that you like. Your photographer will be able to help you figure out the best poses for your wedding party that will meet your needs and personality perfectly.

If you have ideas, express them to your photographer and he or she will be able to tell you what poses will work and which ones are not going to work. Keep in mind, not all pictures that you see in a bridal magazine are going to work with your wedding party or even the season you are getting married in. Your photographer will likely have some great ideas for you to consider once he or she has the basic idea of what you are looking for.

10 Tips For Creating a Great Wedding Slideshow

1. Know Your Audience

Knowing who your intended audience is an obvious, but sometimes overlooked step in the process of developing your slide show. For instance, if you're showing your slide show at your wedding reception, perhaps you'll want to include some pictures of the guests, and not just pictures of you and your fiancee.

2. Shorter is Sometimes Better

After you've determined who your intended audience is you can start to get an idea as to how many pictures you'll want to include in your slide show. We've found that video montages that are between 8 - 12 minutes in length are ideal for wedding receptions. This usually works out to about 3 songs and 75-100 pictures. While you can certainly display more photos during your slide show, you want to be careful not to subject your guests to an extremely long slide show. Some people have elected to develop two slide shows. One that is their "personal" slide show that will be given to their parents or kept for themselves and the other is their "reception" slide show that will be shown during the big event.

3. Choose Quality Photographs

While recent advances in digital photo restoration have allowed torn and poorly developed photographs to be brought back to life, there is only so much that the software can do. Pictures that look great printed (correct lighting, framing, developed properly) will also look great while scanned. Pictures that are extremely dark or grainy, while perhaps improved somewhat, will still not appear the best. 

4. Choose a Variety of Photographs

Even though you may love all the pictures of your dog Rusty, you're audience may not want to sit through all the pictures of him. Instead of showing 10 pictures of ole' Rusty, perhaps choose the best 2 or 3. Using a variety of photographs can keep your audience interest.

5. Landscape pictures show better than Portrait pictures

Given the standard 4:3 dimensions of television monitors, photographs that are in landscape mode (vertical) as opposed to portrait mode (horizontal) show better on a TV. While portrait photographs certainly can and SHOULD be used, you should be aware that there will typically be a black border that appears around the photograph. It's best to use these sparingly throughout the slide show and not clump them all together.

6. Give some thought to music

Choose music that has meaning to you, music whose lyrics go well with the pictures. Also pay attention to how long the music you're choosing is. If you're only showing 30 pictures, you might not want to choose a 8 minute song.

7. Add short video clips

Do you have any home videos sitting around gathering dust? Think about adding perhaps a 10-15 second video clip in the middle of the slide show. The video clip can help break up the video montage and is a great way to keep your audiences interest.

8. Add motion to your slide shows

Slide shows developed on PowerPoint and other consumer level software will typically be just static photos that go from one picture to the next. Consider having your slide shows created with the "Ken Burns" effects that Pan and Zoom on each photograph. This can help bring your pictures to life.

9. Add transitions to your slide shows

Transitions such as fade in/fade out, dissolve, and image peel are also an effective way to move from one photograph to the next.

10. Test! Test! Test!

If you're planning on showing your video montage or slide show at an event like a wedding reception, try and test ALL the equipment prior to the big day. Make sure the projector or television, DVD Player or Laptop, and sound is all working. 

Creating a captivating slide show or video montage can be done successfully with keeping a few of these tips in mind. Pictures that are preserved to DVD can be enjoyed for years to come.

5 Wedding Guest Book Ideas That Make Unique Wedding Keepsakes

Your wedding guest book is one of the most special memoirs from your wedding. However, the time-honored tradition of the paper guest book in paper is slowly changing and many new innovative ideas for wedding guest books are becoming popular. If you are willing to take a walk on the wild (or mild) side, please consider one or more of the following ideas for your upcoming ceremony.

Lampshades Aren't Just For Party Hats

So what if you are not the party animal you used to be? Now you can put that neglected corner table lamp to use by using the lampshade as a guest book. Just place the lamp on the reception table with a permanent marker, and your guests can sign their names and wedding wishes for posterity. Simply explain that people will be writing on the shade and it should complement your wedding theme. The lamp then becomes a daily memory of your special day when you bring it back home, perhaps finally in a better location!

You've Been Framed

Every couple has at least one favorite wedding photo. And it goes without saying that you will proudly display your wedding photo in a lovely frame. So rather than sign a traditional guest book, you can have your wedding guests sign photo frames. Save your first kiss or other treasured moment for family and wedding party signatures, and let your other guests sign additional photo frames.

Is This Thing On?

For a modern-day interpretation, you can have an audio and video wedding guest book. Of course this isn't really a book, but it serves the same purpose: a living record of your wedding day. Use a professional videographer or ask a friend or family member to interview a few guests documentary-style about their thoughts on your matrimony. Some editing may be required!

Knit One, Pearl Two

You can turn a custom a quilt into a wedding guest book. At your wedding ceremony, set up a table with the pre-cut quilt squares and a few acid-free permanent markers. You can provide larger squares for those who deserve extra room such as the wedding party members. After the wedding, you can have the quilt professionally sewed, creating a lasting treasure that can also keep your feet warm on winter nights.

Getting Engraved

Many couples are opting for engraved or hand-painted wedding invitations. Did you know that you can purchase a hand-made guest book that will match your invitations? Local artists are often an excellent source for these special guest books, and an eBay search for "custom wedding invitations" will often put you in touch with the right vendors.

As you have seen, the wedding guest book is no longer just any book. In fact, it may not be a book at all. I hope you have enjoyed some of our guest book ideas that blend traditional and unique concepts. And make sure no one trips over the cord when they're signing your wedding lampshade!

Wedding Photography and the Use of Filters

You are a wedding photographer or looking at becoming one in the near future. You have grasped the technical side of photography and how important lighting is when shooting a wedding. Another component of photography is the addition of filters on the body of the camera and the inclusion of them when post editing.

Filters have been around for some time now before the introduction of software such as Photoshop and Lightroom. Filters are designed to blur, sharpen images and can also be used as a blockout for UV rays from the sun.

The addition of filters is used for creating soft blurs, changing colour contrasts, making the photo images look rustic or even the grunge look. Manipulating images to make them look more suttle to the human eye is very appealing.

When shooting wedding photography on location in the direction of Sun you require filters such as UV protector to block and guard against the harmful suns rays. The inclusion of a polarizer is necessary when shooting in direct sunlight. This will allow for a balanced image as opposed to an overexposed photo.

New technology such as Photoshop and Lightroom has made it very accessible for the photographer to manipulate images from the office room. The wide array of filter functions available has made it possible to increase creativity and make wedding photography a brilliant art.

Photography is an art and has been around for generations. The inclusion of filters on the camera and also software applications can create a photograph that is perfect to the human eye.

There are many filters that have been developed for specific purposes such as colour dampening, enhancing richer colours, correction filters, blurring etc. The key to photography is understanding what filter you require for the particular shoot you are on.

A good starting point is to have a UV filter on you at all times when shooting wedding photography. Whether you are a professional or an amateur make sure you know that lighting is crucial and the addition of filters are used of creation, balancing and protection from the suns rays.

Wedding Thank You Photo Cards With Digital Images

Weddings are the most memorable occasion of a person's life. This is also a great time to get reacquainted with relatives or friends and receive wedding gifts. It is the right etiquette to write thank you cards in order to show your gratitude towards the guests for making your day special. These days thank you cards can be written in unique ways and one such way are through wedding thank you photo cards.

Creativity is the key to make wedding thank you notes even more special to the guests. Photos for your cards can be taken through digital cameras during your reception. Many of the professional photographers will be glad to do the shoots for you at affordable rates. Other ways that you can go about designing your thank you cards is through animations, templates and collages.

Many couples like the idea of comic wedding photo thank you cards. These cards are easy to design, provided that you have the right software. Digital photographs can be modified or altered by changing the color, removing the red eye images to give them a more appealing look. Many of the software allow you to change or hide the background in the photos and give the photos the color and shape of your choice.

If you are not a computer savvy, you can also hire the services of professional photographers for your wedding thank you cards. They can help by adjusting the digital images for your thank you cards. A better option would be to get the photos clicked at the time of your wedding with the guests at their respective tables. This not only adds a personal touch, but the guests will definitely appreciate the small gesture from your part.

Another splendid idea for your wedding thank you photo cards would be to add graphic designs, borders or frames to the photos. If you have had a theme wedding, you can choose borders or frames that match your wedding theme. For instance, for beach weddings, you can select frames with seashells or beach balls.

Wordings on the wedding thank you notes need to be kept simple and to the point. No guests would like to know about the things that you did on your honeymoon. All these can be shared when you meet in person or on the phone. Bear in mind to mention that the gifts that you received and how you plan to use them in future.

Many of the online stores provide you the option of customizing your wedding photo thank you cards. All you have to do is select the thank you cards that you like; personalize them with a photo of your choice. Once done, you can then change the layout, font style and size and have these ordered online.

These wedding thank you photo cards will surely be adored by the guests. Many of them will also keep them as mementos to remember you wedding in the future. You might even want to include photos of you extended family so that the guests can get acquainted with them.

Garden Wedding Ideas for Beautiful Wedding Photography

Having a garden wedding is magical and romantic. It is one of a woman's dreams to hold her wedding in a garden with many trees around, the verdant grass, the flowers, and a small patio nearby. However, it cannot be avoided that some minor problems on the location may crop up. And it is good to be prepared so that the wedding photographer will know which areas of the garden are worth taking pictures together with the couple, their family, their friends, and their guests.

Assessing the surrounding should be done first. Is the area wide enough for the number of guests that will be attending the wedding? Does it need some wedding decoration ideas to make the area appealing to visitors? A little d矇cor will create a unique appearance that will make the guests truly astounded. Garden decorations that complement the surroundings are ideal for simple or elegant garden weddings. Everything has to be perfect for wedding photography shoots.

A garden wedding has to decide also whether to hold the wedding during the night or during the day. If a couple wants their garden wedding to be done during nighttime, there are decor ideas that will be perfect for the occasion. The surrounding can be highlighted with strings of white lights. The dining tables can also be accented with candled vases. The result is a dream-like atmosphere to the visitors in the wedding. The wedding photographer will highly appreciate the couple's creativity. In return, he will make sure that every little detail of the wedding decor is evident in the pictures.

Daytime garden weddings can also be made magical by applying wedding decorations that are unique and have a personal touch by the couple. Bouquets of flowers can be placed on every structure surrounding the garden. Flower petals can be littered on the grass. There is so much that the couples can do. A garden wedding can also be set at any season that the couple likes. Every vibrant colour that depicts the love, joy, and happiness by the couple and their family has no escape in the camera of the professional wedding photographer.

More elaborate accents can be constructed that will be attractive to the guests. Arches are excellent objects for wedding photography. Dressing up the arch with flowers can add beauty to the structure and give justice to its purpose in the garden wedding. The couple has to make sure also that everything in the garden is nicely decorated. Unsightly corners should be given attention as well. They can be hidden using big flower vases or white curtains.

Everything should be perfect for the perfect wedding photography pictures. With the right garden wedding decorations, the wedding ceremony and reception will be worth remembering and the wedding photographer worth thanking for.

4 Low Cost Romantic Wedding Anniversary Ideas

For some people, planning a wedding anniversary can be tough and expensive. Hotel rooms, lots of flowers, and exotic dinners can come with a hefty price tag as well as a lot of stress. It doesn't have to be that way.

It's always important to remember that your wedding anniversary is a time to celebrate the years of love and devotion that you and your mate have shared. It's not always necessary to shower your spouse in expensive luxuries. The most memorable and valued anniversaries are those that are intimate and have deep meaning for your spouse and for yourself.

Here are a few ideas to help get you started.

1. Romantic Nightlife Picnic

Find a spot that has an amazing view. The top of a tall hill, cityscape or natural lake are all viable choices. The goal is to choose a scenic and beautiful backdrop for your late night adventure.

For picnic, make sure to pack foods and snacks that you know your spouse will love. This is an opportunity to show your significant other how well you know him or her. You also might want to stay away from heavier foods, such as fried foods, as this can create a sluggish feeling after eating. The goal of the picnic is to have an experience, not to gorge and fall asleep.

2. Home Cooked Candlelight Dinner

Simply preparing a romantic candlelight dinner at home can be an exciting experience, especially if your spouse is not used to you cooking. Create a meal that you know your spouse will enjoy and that has a bit of flare. This will go over a long way. You can also enhance the experience.

• You can play romantic songs to enhance the mood

• Prepare candles and dim the lights. It will be create a romantic glow.

• You can fill the room with her favorite flowers.

• On the dinner table, place scatter rose petals.

3. A Trip Down Memory Lane

Take your spouse on another "first date". Try recreating the first date. It's fun and romantic to relive the same experience through new eyes. Incorporate all the small details including where you went, what you ate, the car you drove, and then compare them to who you are now.

It's always exciting to see where you were as a couple before and compare that to where you are now.

4. Capture New Memories With A Romantic Photo Shoot

Spend some time searching for the right photographer for this one. You want these pictures to be sensual. Do this every few years and put into a special secret photo album for you and your spouse to enjoy for years to come.

Advantages of Photo Restoration Techniques

Photo restoration involves techniques that you can utilize to either fix your damaged photos or edit your old photos to enhance their colors and visibility. By using modern technology and the latest applications, photo restoration professionals are able to attain amazing results for your old or damaged photos. Have you ever been to the Eiffel Tower? Have you ever stood in the middle of the pyramids of Egypt and experienced their enchantment? With photo restoration and photo editing techniques, you can change the background in the picture, do the required photo retouching, and show yourself anywhere in the world.

Photo restoration can be performed on any types of pictures, whether new or old. Variety of techniques and processes are involved in the restoration of photos in order to achieve the desired results. Photo enhancement techniques can be performed to make small pictures bigger or highlight the very tiny details of a picture. Not only you can revive the old photos of your parents and grandparents but you can also have these pictures enlarged to put on your walls. Even if some of the pieces are missing from an old photograph, with latest photo editing applications, the photograph can be completed.

People take help from professionals for various jobs related to the editing and restoration of photos. Some people want to have their photos edited to change the way they look in their pictures. If you think that you are looking bulky in a picture, you will be amazed to see that a photo restoration professional will make you look smarter in the picture. If you are looking very thin, you can make yourself look a bit healthier by photo retouching and other effects. You can even convert your favourite picture into your wedding picture. If you and your better half are standing together in a picture, with a little background change or wedding photo effects, this photograph can be converted into your wedding picture.

With latest photo editing techniques, you can even add objects in a picture. If you are sensitive to flash lights and you often end up shutting your eyes when the camera flashes, you don't have to bring tears in your eyes to keep them open while a picture is being taken. With photo editing, even the closed eyes can be opened. If an extreme close up of your face is making the less pretty features of your face look prominent, a photo restoration professional can make them look prettier.

Fine Art Photography Explained

The term fine art photography is probably a new term but it is so often heard now that it is a category by itself under the art of photography. Some people may, of course, be confused by the term 'fine art' being combined with 'photography'. Since photography is an art form by itself, it is actually quite natural to combine it and come out with a fine art category.

Fine art, as we all know, is a form of art that showcases the artist's skills in his or her masterpieces. Now, in this type of photography, instead of using brush and paint and canvas, the artist uses modern equipment, the camera, to express his creativity and piece of art. Thus, the artist cum photographer creates a masterpiece using light, camera, lens and digital photo editing.

Yes, this category of photography doesn't merely mean the artist capturing pictures using his camera. Rather, the artist will capture images in a creative manner and further enhance his images using skillful photo editing. The image will be edited, or 'painted' using the computer, in such a way that it ended up as a beautiful piece of art instead of just a plain photograph.

Some photographers may scoff at this category of photographer artists and say that this group depends too much on the computer to 'save' their lousy photography skills. But let it be known that more often than not, the photographer is actually a very creative photographer who is able to capture creatively composed shots and then use his editing skills to further turn the images into works of art. The photographer is not merely relying on computer photo editing to save his 'lousy photos' but instead, he is using his artistic computer editing skill to further enhance and bring out the beauty of his work of art. It is rather similar to an artist who uses different colors to bring out his work of art.

Many people also tend to confuse an artistic photographer with a photographer who uses too much photo editing to enhance his photographs. To differentiate between photographers of different categories, you only need to look at his work. An artistic photographer will produce shots that are artistic, with depth and a composition that is similar to paintings while photographers of other categories, such as photojournalism or sports, will have a totally different style of composition, lighting and editing.

Nowadays, this special category photography can be applied to almost anything. If you want your pre-wedding photographs or even wedding day photographs to resemble that of an artistic masterpiece, all you need to do is to look for a skilled, creative fine art photographer to take gorgeous shots of you on your special day. You will not regret having such beautiful pictures of your wedding day or of you and your husband as photographs will last forever!

Your Wedding Photo Equipment - What You Must Have and Why

Regardless if you are an amateur or a professional photographer, if you commit yourself to a wedding you must have top notch photo equipment. Countless times I've seen wedding photographers shooting a wedding with less than standard equipment. This is not only very unprofessional, but it is also very risky; if something goes wrong with your amateur camera, go tell the bride that you can't finish the job.

What is an adequate photographic equipment for a wedding photographer? Simple: the top, the best, the most expensive. No way around it. It is useless for me to list camera models here, because especially with digital photography, cameras evolve very quickly and before long this article would be dated. Instead choose a brand among the world's five best (Leica, Hasselblad, Mamiya, Canon, Nikon), look at the top 3 most expensive cameras... and pick one. That is the camera you will be expected to use at a wedding. Anything less will not be top notch photo equipment.

What are the lenses you need for a wedding? The more the better. Each lens gives you a different point of view and a different prospective. So why limit yourself... get as many as you can afford. Each different lens will open new possibilities by enabling you to get new ideas. As a rule of thumb, you will be expected to carry at least three lenses: a wide angle, a normal lens and a telephoto lens.

Because of the several moving optical elements, zooms are not very good quality wise (unless you spend really a lot of money) but they are commonly used at weddings when the photographer shoots using the reportage style.

What about the flash? Flashes are an integral part of your photo equipment. Believe it or not, I have encountered people that intended to shoot a wedding without a flash... simply because they didn't have one. Were they mad? No, they were just amateurs and unfortunately the market is filled with those. Most of a wedding day takes place indoors and you must have some sort of light aid, or most of the photos will obviously be improperly lit. Once again, only buy top notch flashes, yes I said flashes, because you need at least two of them: one to use and one as backup. There are two main brands for flashed: Metz and Quantum Instruments. Regarding Metz, I advise you not buy the latest Mecablitz 76 MZ-5 as in my opinion is a poor flash.

As a professional photographer, I am always looking for the very best performance in a flash, as well as in all my photo equipment. My wonderful old Metz 60 CT-4 was getting old, so I thought it was time to update. I got this new digital flash thinking it would have been just better than the previous one, but I was wrong. I used it once and sold it!

My first disappointment was when I realized that the recharging time is longer than the 60 CT-4... I imagined that the compact battery, as a result of technological development, would have performed at least like the one on the old 60 CT-4, but instead it's just a smaller/less powerful battery. On a wedding job I usually rotate the head of the flash all over the place all the time. This new Mecablitz 76 MZ-5 flash has a locked head; to rotate it you have to press a button in the back, which is not that easy and/or comfortable to do and it got me stuck a few times, causing me to miss that special shot.

I was in a quiet church when all of a sudden the newly installed cooling fan at the bottom of the head turned on... it is relatively loud and some people turned around to see what it was. To me it sounded like a vacuum cleaner and I simply cannot go around churches with photo equipment that gets people turning around... the job of a wedding photographer requires discretion. This fan stayed on for a long time, causing me some embarrassment...it just wouldn't stop! The ready flash beep is also very loud and it also gets people turning around, other than really bothering my hearing and nerves. There is no way to lower the volume. When using it in manual it is not as straightforward as the old 60 CT-4; you have to change the f/stop by pressing a few buttons on the control unit... when things are happening fast in front of you there simply isn't time to go through these electronic menus, that require me to put some extra thought and attention into them... nothing beats the old 60 CT-4 with clear manual dials that you can change without even looking.

In the whole I believe this is the worst flash Metz has ever produced. The only positive thing about it is that you can change the power of the small fill flash by operating a little dial on the site. As a result of this sad experience, I bought another old 60 CT-4, still king of flashes.

Used photo equipment is often very cheap, but make sure you get it from a proper dealer that took the time to test it and refurbish it. Professional equipment is usually worn out by the time it is sold, so make sure you are not throwing away your money.

Memorable Pre-Wedding Photography

The time before your wedding is a great time to have some portraits done of the two of you. Your engagement is such a special and fun part of your life that you will definitely want to capture the excitement in pictures. Here are some ideas on how to get really memorable pre-wedding pictures that will always remind you of your engagement.

In the rush to get everything ready for your wedding, it can be easy to forget to slow down and take the time to simply enjoy your engagement. Many couples do not even think about having professional pictures taken until they are already married and hear about someone else's engagement pictures. That's when you say, "Darn! I wish I had thought of that sooner!". The last thing that you want to feel later is regret over a missed opportunity, so be sure to find time in your busy schedule for some pre-wedding photographs.

It used to be that engagement photos were very formal. The traditional pictures were generally composed as a close-up shot of the engaged couples from about the waist up. The bride would usually wear a pretty dress, and maybe a piece of her wedding jewelry if she already had it. The groom typically wore either a suit or a nice sweater or golf shirt. As people have gotten away from formal or stiff wedding photography, this style of engagement portrait has fallen from favor. One exception would be the couple who is planning to have an engagement announcement in the newspaper, in which case, this may be exactly the type of picture that is needed.

Just because posed wedding portraiture has gone out of style does not mean that you should skip the engagement photos altogether. The new trend in pre-wedding pictures is to have images taken that are fresh, playful, and creative. These photos are intended to capture the spirit and personalities of the bride and groom-to-be. To make this happen, engagement photos are now being taken in interesting locations, with festive attire, and with whimsical props.

One of the most visually intriguing accessories to think about using in your engagement photos is balloons. They are bright and cheerful pops of color, and balloons are also always fun and lighthearted. Surprisingly, balloons in engagement photos has actually become a rather strong trend. You can pick one signature color (perhaps one that will foreshadow your wedding color palette), or go for a big bunch of colorful balloons. These pictures are best taken outdoors, and should definitely be candid action shots, rather than anything too contrived or posed looking.

Some engaged couples choose to have their photos taken in one of their favorite locations. The neat thing about this is that it creates a visual record highlighting a shared interest or passion of the bride and groom. These pictures will be especially cherished momentos in the years to come. The setting can be almost anywhere, and it can be as casual or elegant a place as appeals to you.

Golf courses, carnivals and fairs, museums, and parks are all wonderful sites for your engagement photo shoot. As it is a special event, you will want to choose a lovely outfit, even if the locale is low-key. Imagine a picture of the two of you drifting around the carousel at the fair; the bride can wear a pretty sundress accented with her wedding jewelry, and the groom can wear a nice button down shirt. The final result will be pictures that are playful, memorable, and that capture some of the spark of young love.

Planning a Wedding - Technology Makes Wedding Planning Efficient

Technology is moving beyond the workplace and the home front to impact our major life events, such as weddings. From web sites that help couples plan their weddings to multimedia presentations prepared for their rehearsal dinner, technology helps preserve wedding memories.

Following are top technology trends for couples planning their wedding:

Online planning and research. Gone are the days when brides relied on monthly or seasonal bridal magazines for wedding information. Now, modern brides go online for their wedding planning purposes. Popular wedding sites make it easy for brides to track the latest trends, shop for wedding gowns, and find wedding checklists to help them prepare for their big day.

Multimedia presentations. One of the latest trends is to prepare a multimedia presentation for the rehearsal dinner or wedding reception. Presentations typically entail video and still images, typically set to music, featuring the couple throughout their lives. Multimedia presentations are replacing traditional photo albums and can create an exciting personal touch to a wedding celebration.

Personal web sites. For a small fee, a personal wedding web site allows couples to design their own web site in advance of their wedding day where they can post pictures of themselves, provide details of their wedding day, and provide gift registry information all in one convenient location online. Since most guests have access to the Internet, a personal wedding web site is a convenient way for guests to stay in touch with the couple and their latest wedding planning endeavors.

Ordering wedding photos online. Nowadays, wedding photographers and videographers take digital pictures or film and post their proofs online. Entire albums can be viewed by couples and guests enabling people to order photos as desired. Online ordering of wedding photos eliminates the angst of newlyweds anxiously awaiting their wedding photos, and allows family members and friends to order photos as desired.

If planning a wedding, consider these technology trends as a way to make your wedding planning process more efficient.

Outdoor Portraiture Photography Tips

It's not unusual for domestic portraiture photographers to shoot outside on a pleasant day and take pictures of their model. As a photographer I believe that the photographic studio can make people a tad nervous. The big lights and camera lens can make for a nervous experience. For shy people wanting their photograph taken, a photographic studio may not be the best.

External sources of light such as direct flash is so vital even in outdoor portraiture. You must have your speelite with you to fill up any shadowed areas that become visible. A reflector is a practical tool as well. You can slot the reflector under the persons face to photograph a very abstract shot, or, to simply get rid of shadowed areas beneath the nose and jaw.

Recently I did a series of photos outside in a park. It was of a young lady who sought shots for her collection. She was hoping to break into modelling. After some ideas back and forth we made the mututal decision that going to the recreational area was an ideal way to do the shoot.

Lenses for Portrait Photography

Firstly, one of the most vital aspects of winning outside portrait photography is the photographic lens you employ. Using the correct aperture, focal length and depth of field are essential components to an outdoor portraiture shoot. A rapid photographic lens is the ideal lens by skilled portrait photographers. What is a fast lens? A fast lens is a lens that has a very big maximum aperture. This will be anywhere between 1.8 and 2.8. This will mean that you can let a lot lighting in and use a quick shutter.

Imaginative portrait photography ideas

You can cultivate a large amount of creative portrait photography ideas simply by working at it.. Working at it gives you with something so extremely precious: experience. Once you begin to acquire added experience in outside portraits you will understand how outdoor lighting and flash fill work, in what way shadows work together on peoples facial features and most notably how you can do it better next time.

A lot of my most innovative ideas come to me from not only getting official training in photography, but also, from watching the way light interacts with it's environment. Light can give you some good ideas about where to position a person, the best way to angle yourself to get the most ideal portrait shots.

Outdoor Portrait Photography Poses

Posing relies upon on the gender of your model. There are various stances that a gentleman will hold to appear more manly. There are very different poses a female will take so she seems to be more feminine. Female models look great when the angles of her body are softened as opposed to accentuated. This requires turning on an angle, leaning the face and using the clear, sharp focus on the eyes. You can employ a foot position modification to emphasize a posture change.

High Key Portrait Photography

What does "high key" actually represent? Well, if you examine the technical meaning it is all about reducing the lighting ratio present in the image. What this means, in English, is that the lighting is overexposed with just the main details in focus. This is wonderful fun and a great way to create appealing portaits. Can you create high key photography outdoors? Most definitely. As long as you have a strong lighting source on one part of the persons head for instance, you can utilise the flash on the other side. Ensure that you lock clear, sharp focus on the eyes to begin with so finer details is kept on the eyes.

Remember that taking photos of outdoor portrait photography is a huge opportunity to have an appealing background. A recreational area, seaside or city street scene can improve the story of your photo considerably.

Wedding Photography Editing Tips and Tricks

Good editing can make all the difference to a wedding shoot. The following tips may help you to pull the most out of your photographs.

This article is intended for wedding photographers who shoot with digital cameras.

Tips:

Shoot and edit in RAW.

I can't tell you the number of times I have used RAW to save shots that would otherwise have been unusable. You obviously can't do all your editing in RAW but since RAW captures much more in formation than the highest quality JPEG most adjustments will look better done in RAW.

1. 
   Adjusting Exposure. The biggest advantage of RAW is the ability to adjust exposure, and restore blown out highlights or detail lost in deep shadows. Often however I will adjust exposure to increase already dark shadows, or blow out already bright highlights, to achieve various artistic effects or just to just increase the intensity of the photo.
   
   


2. 
   Use RAW when converting to black and white. Generally if you want a black and white image you want to do the conversion in RAW, not JPEG. Converting to back and white in RAW will result in a higher quality black and white image.
   
   


3. 
   Go easy with saturation. Over saturating a photo is an easy way to ruin a photo, and can easily look great on your screen and really bad in print.
   
   


4. 
   Don't over sharpen images. Sharpening artifacts look awful on large prints, be very careful how much you sharpen images. I prefer to just shoot with a sharper lens and then use no sharpening or noise reduction, for the most natural look possible. If you want to add punch to your images consider using curves or dodging and burning instead.
   
   

Don't wast time on bad photos

One of the biggest mistakes I have made is wasting time editing photos that will never look really great. There is really only so much you can do even with RAW, so unless it's an important shot keep your editing simple, that way you will have more time to focus on your best shots.

Tricks:

Use Vignettes

I use vignetting extensively to add depth to, or to frame my images. The trick to good vignettes is that they shouldn't be noticeable. If a vignette is noticed by a non photographer then it's to strong. I use a lot of feathering and sometimes even multiple vignettes to achieve a more powerful vignette effect that is still not obvious. I even sometimes use this vignetting technique with color filters to create depth through color, or to liven up an otherwise boring sky. There are several ways to create vignettes with photoshop, but this level of detail goes beyond the scope of this article.

If your shooting with a full frame sensor then the vignetting technique is less needed as full frame sensors capture the natural vignettes present in many lenses.

Dodge and burn

This is one of the most traditional photography techniques and was used in the darkroom long before computers where invented. For those not familiar with dodging and burning it is basically a manual way of lighting and darkening different areas of a photograph. I will often further burn, to darken shadows and give greater focus to a subject. Or, I dodge to soften the shadows on the brides face. I recommend dodging and burning because it gives you a lot of artistic control over the photographic process, whiles still allowing for a natural look.

50th Wedding Anniversary Invitations To Celebrate A Half Century Of Commitment

50th wedding anniversary invitations are an invite for individuals to celebrate a half century of love between two people. A couple that has survived this long have likely built quite a legacy in those fifty years. Their children have produced grandchildren and there may even be great grandchildren in the mix. The generations just keep building and this one particular long-lasting union is the foundation to all of that. On the flipside, this union have likely suffered great loss to family members and friends that were close to their heart. When the rollercoaster ride of up's and down's has weathered the storm for the past half century, there is a definite need to celebrate. And in fifty years time there are likely many people touched by the presence of these two people, perhaps individually or as a couple. Family, friends, neighbors and co-workers. Needless to say there should be no shortage of invites going out.

Your 50th wedding anniversary invitations should display some delicate design significant of the occasion. For instance, the 50th wedding anniversary is popularly referred to as the gold anniversary. The likely party décor will include things like golden paper doilies under plates, china with white gold trim, gold ribbons and tassels around napkins or the back of chairs and gold candlesticks or votive holders decorating the table. You may want the engraving of your invite cards; say the initials of husband and wife, the year of the marriage and wedding anniversary, etc. to be done in gold letter or the card invite to be decorated with gold trim to reflect the occasion.

There is nothing more special than a couple marking 50 years together, especially in this day when many marriages can't even make it 10 years! All wedding anniversaries are a time of celebration and reflection but half of a century together is even more noteworthy and special. A likely theme of the anniversary party will be "Then & Now". Maybe the DJ will only play music from the year the two were married with guests receiving a compilation CD. There may be slide show presentations of old movies. Another nice touch would be to include the "Then & Now" theme in their 50th wedding anniversary invitations. Decorating the invitation with an original wedding photo or another photo from their youth complimented by a photo of the couple as they are today could do this.

50th Anniversary Party - How to Use Photos to Make a Golden Anniversary Shine

Any couple that has lasted fifty years in a solid marriage deserves an anniversary party. This is an achievement worth celebrating. And the best way to highlight a half century of life, love and memories is to showcase photos that tell the couple's story. Here are some of the best ways:

Photo Anniversary Invitations

Put your guests in the mood to share the memories with a photo anniversary invitation. You can scan the anniversary couple's wedding photo, edit it on your computer, add the what, when and where information, and print it at home. Or you can leave it to the professionals and order your photo anniversary invitations online. If you choose this option, look for a company that has designs you like and can add both their wedding picture and a current one. Shop around the internet a little and you'll find beautiful photo invitations at very reasonable prices.

Photo Anniversary Favors

A small gold frame with the happy couple's wedding photo makes an elegant memento of the occasion. You could also pick up some pocket 4x6 photo albums available at dollar stores and craft stores, then fill them with copied or photocopied pictures from the couple's life.

How about photo anniversary bookmarks as keepsakes for your guests? It's something everyone can use, is inexpensive, and can also contain both the wedding photo and a current one. Order these online and you might find a company that offers photo bookmarks that match the design to their photo invitations for a coordinated look. Just do some browsing, and you'll find photo coasters, magnets, pocket mirrors, notebooks and just about everything else imaginable.

Photo Anniversary Decorations

For a no-fuss, easy way to extend your photo theme, set up a photo table at the anniversary party. On the table, place the couple's old wedding album and lots of family photo albums. Your guests will enjoy looking through them.

To take it a step further, make copies or photo copies of photos that represent important stages in the couple's life together. On large posterboard or foam board, make a collage from the photos and display.

Or you can make enlargements of those significant photos, anything from 8x10 to poster size, depending on your budget, and hang them from wide gold ribbons. Place them around the room in chronological order for a stunning exhibition of their 50 years together.

Another fun idea is to make photo placemats for the tables. Make a collage from copies of photos and have a print shop enlarge it to placemat size. They will then print and laminate the placemats.

Photo Anniversary Cakes

If you want a great finale to the evening, a cake with the couple's wedding picture is a real show stopper. The photo is imprinted onto the icing with safe, tasteless food dyes. You should be able to find a local bakery that offers these cakes. Speaking of desserts, you can also find photo cookies and photo chocolates using the same method, and they are available online.

Photo Anniversary Memory Book

No fiftieth anniversary party should end without a heart-felt gift for the couple. And one of the most meaningful gifts is a scrapbook filled with their memories. Ask everyone who attends the party to contribute. Give each person or couple a page to fill out. Keep the size of the page small, either a 6x6 or 8x8 album page is good. Instruct them to add a photo that the anniversary couple might not have in their possession. Then ask them to write a personal message under the photo.

To make it even easier, add photo corners to the page, so they can just pop in their photo. And instead of asking them to think up a few words, give them a "fill in the blank". Some examples would be, "I'll never forget when Bill and Jean____" or "my fondest memory of Bill and Jean was when ____". You can mail them the blank pages before the party and have them bring them to the event. Or you can ask them to bring a photo and fill out the page at the party. Not everyone will cooperate, but you'll still get a lot of great responses. And the anniversary couple will be profoundly touched by this memory book prepared with so much love and affection.

Fill their 50th anniversary with photos. Your guests will be delighted as they walk down memory lane. And the happy couple will have the chance to relive those precious moments that made up their lives together. It's a chance for everyone to reminisce and a wonderful way to celebrate such a monumental occasion.

Vegas Wedding Photography Frequently Asked Questions

Before you start making plans for your wedding photography, it's important that you have a general idea of how everything goes. Check out the most common concerns regarding Vegas wedding photography below to get more information:

How can I find a good photographer in Vegas?
You can look for your wedding photographer by searching the Internet, checking out ads at Craigslist.org, browsing the yellow pages, seeking referrals from people you know, and visiting different studios in Las Vegas. Remember to hire someone who's professional, qualified, affordable and easy to work with.

How much does wedding photography cost in Vegas?
The costs usually start at $400 and can go up to $4,000. The price will depend on the photographer you hire, photography package you avail of, time you got booked, date & season that your wedding falls on, and other relevant factors.

What are some ways in which I can lessen the costs?
Practical ways to save on your wedding photography would be to:

• Hire a professional photographer but only for the ceremony, and have your friends and family cover the reception instead.
• If you know someone who takes up photography as a hobby or has taken classes before, ask for their help so you won't have to pay much for their services.
• You could also consider getting an amateur photographer to really save on the costs.
• Purchase a photography package that's really affordable and within your budget. Avoid availing of unnecessary items and pay only for what you need.

What are the best city attractions to use as locations for my pre-wedding photoshoot?
The most recommended places are as follows:

• Bellagio Conservatory & Botanical Gardens
• Bellagio Fountains
• Eiffel Tower Replica at Paris Las Vegas
• Gondola Rides at the Venetian
• Las Vegas Strip
• Neon Sign Graveyard
• Stratosphere Tower
• Welcome to Las Vegas Sign

Some locations outside the city are also very ideal for your pre-wedding photoshoots. The best outdoor attractions are Lake Mead, Valley of Fire, Mount Charleston, Red Rock Canyon and the Spring Mountain Ranch.

When can I get the final prints?
It depends whether you chose film or digital photography for your pictures. Digital photos may only take a week or two, but filmed ones may take longer-from a couple of weeks to months. It also depends on how many clients your photographer has the same time as you. This is why it's very important to book early so you'll be prioritized. Make sure you clearly discuss the arrangement with your photographer so you'll know exactly how long to wait for your final wedding photos.

How can I help make the pictures turn out great?
Here are some tips to help your wedding photography turn out as planned:

Let Your Photographer Know What You Want
The only way to assure you'll love the final results is for you to discuss every detail with your photographer. Make sure he or she truly understands what you need; you should share your ideas, state your preferences, and give clear instructions so that nothing will be missed.

Get Enough Rest
Be sure you have a nice, long sleep before the wedding and the engagement sessions as well so you'll look stunning in your wedding photos.

Have the Perfect Camera Appearance
The wrong type of hairstyle and amount of makeup are often the most common mistakes that lead to terrible wedding photos. Be sure you've hired the right makeup artist and hairstylist that know how to make you look good on camera.

Cooperate
Lastly, you must work together with your photographer if you want your photos to be amazing. You should always follow your photographer's instructions so he or she can produce incredible wedding pictures. Remember, the success of your Vegas wedding photography relies on both you and your photographer; even if you've hired the best photographer in town, you can't put all the responsibility on him or her because you also have to do your part. You need to work well together in order to achieve the best results.

Expert Event Photography Tips

Event photography is probably a special skill which can be learnt but also requires a lot of experience. The ability to create memories captured with aid of a standard camera lens is what separates an event expert from regular photographers with a digital SLR camera. Below we discuss some expert tips which should help any budding event photographer.

Become part of the event

While you may have heard that your job as a photographer is to take pictures the fact is that getting involved in the event allows you to get in deep. You are able to take pictures which you otherwise would not be able to if you were not part of the event. This is why all good photographers dress to be a part of the event while packing along everything they will need to take memorable photos.

Individual portraits

People love to strike poses at events so why not take individual portrait photos. Allow them to be themselves and capture them being natural. This is what will make a picture memorable. You can also give individuals a theme like classic, romantic, funny, movie character etc and let them chose a pose based on these subjective suggestions.

Make use of props

Many pro photographers make good use of props like mustaches, cigarettes, hats, and glasses to get people excited so that they get more involved. In both big and small events people are competing for attention and so what better way than to hand them a prop and take a picture. This will help capture a moment which they remember for life.

Candid shots

Instead of just focusing your attention on wide shots try more candid shots. Everybody has a candid moment at an event; all you have to do is wait and snap a photo when the opportunity presents itself. But be ready to do it very discreetly.

Theme of the event

Regardless, of what the theme of the event may be it is your job as an event photographer to blend in and encourage people to blend in and accept it. This will help you not only understand the various picture taking opportunities you have but also capitalize on these instantly.

Event photography is something that requires a degree of skill and experience. But everyone wants to become a photographer especially when at a wedding, birthday or a company event. If you want to spice up the photos you take the tips mentioned above should help you a great extent. If you are hosting an event and you want to capture every memorable moment of it then hire a professional for the job. This is the best way to ensure that everything is captured for eternity.

Framing Wedding Photos With Acrylic Photo Frames

Are you looking for a sophisticated way to frame your wedding pictures? Acrylic photo frames are a stylish option for framing and displaying the most important photographs you will ever take. Frames made from these quality materials protect the images from damage and allow the photographs to be the most important part of the display. Some frames overpower an image, but this is not the case with Acrylic Photo Frames. Your wedding pictures will look sleek and suit your decor if you frame them in acrylic.

One of the biggest challenges people face is finding an elegant way to frame wedding pictures. Acrylic frames help you solve this dilemma. They are durable and sturdy, and they provide the protection you need to keep your photographs from getting dusty, soiled or scratched. They are easy to hang and do not detract from the other decor in a room. Their utilitarian nature makes them the perfect solution for framing photos of all different sizes.

Acrylic photo frames also stand up in a variety of locations, so if your photographs are in direct sunlight or in an area of your home that has a tendency to be hot, humid, cold or damp, the frame will protect the photograph much better than with many other materials. The last thing you want is to have your precious wedding pictures damaged. Acrylic Picture Frames ensure they are protected.

These truly modern acrylic frames look great within a wide variety of decor. Typically, this type of photograph frame is found in homes that are modern and sophisticated. They offer a sleek look with clean lines and little to no embellishment. This is ideal for a chic, modern look.

However, acrylic frames are also versatile, so you can use them in homes that have styles other than modern, as well. In most cases, the frame blends into the background and fits into any style. If your style changes over the years, you can still display your wedding pictures without the concern they will look out of place or outdated.

When choosing a picture frame, you want to pick something that highlights the image without detracting from it. Acrylic photo frames enable your pictures to stand out and be noticed. They come in a variety of sizes, but are simple and clean. This means you can frame your wedding photos without concern for them going unnoticed because of an ornate frame. Acrylic photo frames are, of course, made of acrylic.

This means a heavy wooden frame will not obstruct your image. You also need not concern yourself with matching the wood of the frame with the wood furniture in a room. Acrylic Photo Frames suit the style of your photographs, so you never have to worry about whether the frame will match its picture.