Three Reasons Why the Digital Camera Age Has Lowered the Quality of Wedding Photography

Don't get me wrong. I love the digital photography age. I love its convenience, ease of use, and cost savings. I love being able to digital edit and manipulate my images. However there are some downsides to the digital photography age. Mainly, too many people think that aunt Sarah, who loves to take pictures and has a pretty darn good digital camera, will do an adequate job taking their wedding photos. High mega-pixel digital cameras have brought amateur wedding photographers out of the woodwork. Why is that?

Reason 1 - the image preview
Mainly because the photographer can see the image preview immediately after taking the shot. They can see, more or less, whether or not it turned out. You see, back in the day when photographers were using film, photographers did not have the advantage of seeing the image preview. They absolutely had to know what they were doing because they didn't get to see their work until sometime well after the wedding. A simple mistake of leaving the lens on manual focus when you thought it was on automatic focus or miscalculating the exposure settings or flash settings could ruin a wedding album. There was no "oops, that one was too dark. Or oops the flash was too bright on that one. I'll quickly adjust the settings and retake it."

The digital image preview can have its drawbacks, however. A would be professional photographer can feel invincible with the power to quickly preview and adjust settings on the fly. But the image preview still doesn't solve every problem. For instance...

- It is still very difficult to tell if an image is in precise sharpness from the small image preview.
- You could still miss seeing that strand of hair that was in front of the subject's face.
- If you are taken a group shot, you can easily miss if someone blinked during the shot.

Sure, you can zoom in on the image preview on most any digital camera these days and check on these items that are hard to make out on the small preview. That is if you had the time. But if you are shooting a wedding you don't have time to zoom in on every preview or even to glance at every preview between shots. If you did, you may miss a very important shot that happens in only a split second.

Reason 2 - increase in the quality of pictures from automatic camera settings
The quality of these digital cameras only continue to increase and thus so does the quality of the pictures they produce automatically. Most amateur photographers don't know how to use the settings on their cameras properly. They are completely dependent upon the automatic settings of these high quality cameras. So what is so wrong with that you ask?

Well, as great as these cameras are with their automatic settings there is still no substitute for understanding the intricacies of camera settings. How the shutter speed affects the lighting and motion blur or how the aperture affects the lighting and depth of field or how the ISO affects the brightness and graininess of an image.

These high quality cameras fair really well in ideal shooting conditions. Specifically outdoors on a clear day. But all too often a photographer has to photograph a wedding in conditions that are not ideal. Many churches, for instance, are dark inside. Too dark for "ideal" shooting conditions. I once had to photograph a wedding ceremony that was conducted by candle light. Would the automatic settings of a camera save the photographer in this situation? I wouldn't count on it. What would they do if the image previews were too dark? Hope the camera adjusts automatically I suppose. Receptions are notorious for being dark as well. Especially if their is any dancing going on, many times with colorful, flashing lights lighting the dance floor. There are many other situations when the subject if darkly light (maybe in a shadow) and the background is brightly lit (in full sun) or vice versa. The camera's automatic settings will be forced to choose which one to expose properly leaving the other too dark or too bright. Will it choose correctly? I have shot several wedding ceremonies outside at sunset when it is beginning to get dark and yet the sun is still very bright by comparison and is casting very bright highlights onto the subjects. These situations are infamous for confusing the camera's automatic metering system.

Reason 3 - Price
High quality digital cameras prices are constantly being lowered making it much easier for the amateur photographer to get started. I upgrade my camera every two to three years. Every time I have gotten a much better camera. And yet, every time I paid less for the better camera than I did for its predecessor. And lets not forget the price you save on film and being able to digitally upload your images to a lab for prints instead of having to mail the film.

And there you have it, three reasons why the digital camera age has lowered the quality of wedding photography. Now don't get me wrong. I don't have anything against the amateur photographer. I used to be one and professional photographers have to start somewhere. Just know the risk versus reward before deciding to let aunt Sarah photograph the most important day of your life.

6 Steps For Planning a Sorrento Wedding

1. Choose your wedding date.

The best time to plan a wedding in Sorrento goes from March until the beginning of November. During this time-frame the weather is truly divine, with just a few cloudy days and despite temperatures reaches the 80s, summer months are really pleasant. From March until Easter and from November onwards, chances of rain are high. Even during winter months temperatures stay around 50 degrees. Its mild climate makes Sorrento an ideal location for wedding ceremonies even during Christmas Holidays.

2. Find the location for your dream wedding.

You can get married with a civil, a catholic, a protestant or a symbolic ceremony:
Cloister of San Francesco: an impressive Arabian cloister located in the heart of town where outdoor civil weddings are performed.

Protestant weddings in Sorrento: choose to have your religious wedding ceremony in one of the historical and refined hotels/villas located in the very heart of town.

Symbolic ceremonies in Sorrento: unique hotels and panoramic terraces are delectable venues for commitment wedding ceremonies in Sorrento.

Catholic weddings in Sorrento: though this kind of wedding ceremonies are possible only for residents, catholic weddings can be performed on the Amalfi Coast, located a few minutes drive from Sorrento.

Wedding rites are in English.

3. Look for a reception venue.

Choose your Sorrento wedding reception in one of Sorrento's lively restaurants or in one of its incredible sea view hotels and villas. You can expect excellent Mediterranean cuisine, spectacular vistas and a friendly atmosphere.

The Garden Trattoria is a charming little restaurant with a vine covered pergola ideal for small and intimate wedding parties.

The Historical Hotel is a five star luxury hotel dating back from the Eighteen century, with sumptuous banquet halls and panoramic terraces.

The Romantic Hotel is a unique five star hotel in classical Sorrentine style with spectacular halls and terraces. Perfect choice for large wedding banquets overlooking the bay of Naples.
More venues are available for formal or informal banquets.

4. Choose photo services.

Photographs are the best keepsake for your wedding on the Amalfi Coast. It is important to choose a reliable wedding professional able to capture unique moments.

Classical or PhotoJournalistic photo services are available for a few hours or throughout the day: photo prints in 20 x 30 cm in color and B/W, hand-made leather bound album DVD, digital photos on CD with permission to reprint.

5. Choose your flowers.

Floral decors and arrangements personalize your wedding and give a special touch to your Special Day. You have to choose the right style and colors, a theme that allows you to coordinate the whole nuptial event, which reflects your lifetime dreams and unique personality.

Flower services for a Sorrento wedding usually include: bouquet for the bride; boutonniere/buttonholes for the groom and guests; ceremony floral arrangements (town hall, church, etc); floral decors for banquet; chairs decoration and carpet made of petals; bridesmaids bouquet; pin and wrist corsages for ladies; flower girls basket and hair wreaths; cake floral decorations; In-room floral arrangements; throw-away bouquet; flowers for hair.

6. Choose your music.

For a successful Sorrento wedding, music cannot miss! Music is a fundamental part of local culture and for sure an essential part of a family gathering such as a wedding day. You can choose music for civil or catholic weddings (organist and soprano duet is a must), music for wedding receptions (during cocktail hour and during dinner), music entertainment for guests.

Creative Best Man Wedding Speeches - An In-Depth Look

What do creative Best Man Wedding Speeches have that other speeches do not have? What makes a Best Man's speech sound unique and memorable?

A good creative Best Man Speech does two things. First of all it satisfies the curiosity of the wedding audience with enough detail about the wedding couple.

Secondly, the Best Man speech presented with a unique spin makes the speech enjoyable or memorable for the wedding audience.

Good speech content coupled with a unique spin make for great creative Best Man Wedding Speeches. Good content about the groom and bride is important to include.

If a Best Man focuses on being very creative -without much relevant content to the wedding - it becomes like a stand-up comedy routine. The speech could be seen as very impersonal to the groom and bride.

The first key to creative Best Man Wedding speeches is to decide what content to include in the speech. A Best Man speech will include some information about the groom's personal qualities and achievements, how the groom and Best Man met, the bride and groom as a couple, includes a compliment the bride and gives congratulations to the couple. Aim to make the speech from 7 to 10 minutes.

Next, consider how the speech can be made in a creative way. Below is a list of suggestions:

Quote a historical or modern source that marks the occasion of the wedding. What makes the occasion of this marriage unique? Is it the couple's characteristics or philosophy, the physical location of the wedding, the season of the year?

Quotes can be found through internet research. As well, there are books of quotes available at libraries and book stores.

Poem - Is there a special poem that says just the right thing? It can be a poem that suits the occasion of this wedding or maybe a favorite poem of the couple.

Photos - Display photos on a projected screen for the audience to see. Choose a variety of photos that illustrate the topics that you cover in your speech. There are two styles of displaying photos.

The Best Man can specifically switch photos at specific topics in his speech. This could be very interesting for the audience, but it does require practice to speak and click to the next photo with the correct timing.

Run a video presentation of various photos in the background, while the Best Man presents his speech is an easier method.

Props - Use props to illustrate the topics of the speech. Props are objects that the speaker holds up for the audience to see. Examples of prop ideas are prize ribbons, certificates, sports related, vacation souvenirs etc.

For example the Best Man talks about the groom's involvement in sports. The Best Man gives his speech and holds up a sports hat or team jersey for the audience to see. The Best Man can use several props to help illustrate his speech.

Creative Best Man Wedding speeches that use props work well, as long as the Best Man has spent time practicing displaying the prop while presenting his speech.

Valentines Photo Frames

If you are still looking for that perfect gift for your Valentine, have you considered a photo frame? You can purchase the perfect personalised frame to show your loved one how much you care.

A Valentines photo frame is the ideal gift because not only can you choose one that looks really pretty, you can also add a photo of you and your partner to make the perfect present for the one you love this Valentines day.

Valentines frames are available in all shapes and styles. You can get photo frames in the shape of hearts, decorated with pretty diamantes. Alternatively you can buy a regular shape, decorated with hearts or other pretty motifs around the edge.

If you want to really show your feelings, how about a frame featuring the words 'I love you'. If you have recently got married or haven't found a place for your wedding photos yet, these romantic gifts really do make the perfect centrepiece for those pictures.

Photo frames actually makes great gifts if you enjoy photography yourself, because you can add your own favourite picture of you and your loved one. They don't have to be expensive either. You can buy beautiful versions that are great quality even if you are on a budget this year.

There are even frames available for your loved one with several apertures, so that you can add a range of photos of the two of you together. This makes for a really artistic looking gift and is great for couples who have been together a long time, because you can add photographs of the two of you together over the years.

Valentines photo frames can be purchased for both men and women. You can get pretty versions for women that will look really decorative in the bedroom or on a shelf in the lounge. Similarly you can purchase simple versions for men that show how much you care, without being ostentatious.

So if you are looking for that perfect Valentines gift this year, then a personalised frame could be the ideal answer. They are presents that you can easily buy online and get delivered straight to your door.

This takes all the hassle out of going to the shops looking for the perfect gift. You can browse a wide range of Valentines frames online and have them delivered in time for the most romantic day of the year!

iPhone Wedding Photography - The Next Big Thing

I don't know what it's like in your group of friends, but in mine, almost all of us have iPhones. Half of us have iPads too. We all have digital cameras that we used to use to take photographs of our lives or our children, but these days almost all our photos are taken with our mobile devices. And surprisingly, the photos we take with our phones are almost always as good as those we can take with our digital cameras (and not all of our friends are wedding photographers!). These days, the digital photo technology installed on our mobile phones is often as good as some digital cameras, so obviously some people have decided on iPhone wedding photography to record their big day.

A quick Google will show you that there are wedding photographers out there who will offer this service as a secondary photographer rather than the lead photographer. Primarily in America for now, but once the iPhone 5 comes out, it is bound to gain popularity over here too. And given the popularity of the phones, it is always something you could ask a friend to do to give you another viewpoint of your special day.

So what do you need to consider when planning a spot of iPhone wedding photography for your wedding day? As anyone who has one will know, battery life is a concern, but you can get special battery packs that you charge up beforehand then attach when your phone is getting low on charge. Another potential issue is that the current models don't cope well with low lighting, so if your wedding is likely to not have great lighting, a mini-light reflector is a sound investment. A mini tripod designed just for iPhones is also a useful tool to have in your camera bag!

Just as with a digital camera, you will want to take as many different shots as possible as not all of them will come out the way you want them to. Once you have narrowed the images down to those that are good quality, you can start to have some fun with them, just like you would with your digital camera. Except with your iPhone, the application (a.k.a app) is right there on the device. There are a variety of apps you can use, so play around until you find one you like. Once you have edited each image so that it looks the way you want it to, you can print off your images as usual, and finish off your experiment as an iPhone wedding photographer by creating a little wedding album - the perfect wedding gift if you were there as a guest as you will be able to get it to the happy couple well before the lead photographer can!

DIY Wedding Invitations Can Be Really Funny!

DIY Wedding Invitations can mean you will write your own story. Imagine setting up a wedding that would be fun. You can use almost any theme. I will use a shotgun wedding theme as an example.

Say you have a photo of your (bride's) father with his hunting gun. You put that on the front of your DIY Wedding Invitations. When they open it up pops a photo of your fiance that you put on a pop up. Then inside is your photo smiling pretty.

I can already see you laughing. You have the photos and now the inside verse says: "Missy has found her guy and her dad is going to make sure he doesn't go anywhere" Come to the Freedom Fair Grounds for the shotgun wedding. It will take place at the demolition building. Don't be late cause we need all the witnesses we can get. The ceremony will begin at 5:30 pm on Saturday, September 18th.

Get your name in for the chin dig. Granny will be cookin' and you know she likes a crowd. She's got everyone's jobs schedules so send the RSVP so she won't get mad. She needs to know by Friday, September 3rd.

You can see that any rules can apply if the bride wants to make it her own way.

If you have an idea for a funny wedding then DIY wedding invitations can be a great advantage.

Although you would have to add your own style to these. A fun messy font would be perfect and using a burnt border might even add a more detailed feel.

This may be a little far-fetched but you get the idea. When you know what you want but can't find it, create it.

We all have some creative flair and there are so many ideas that you may have thought of. Consider everyone else too Your mom may not be open to something this hillbilly. or maybe she will add to it. But if you think it through and you have an idea that isn't the norm. Don't give up. Bounce the idea around. Talk it over with your fiance' and then when everything has been set up, get busy with it.

DIY wedding invitations are the perfect solution when you have planned a totally different type of wedding. Keep in mind you will have to make the RSVP and reception cards match. You still want it to be easy for your quests to read. You want them to feel welcome so try to make that come across.

Have fun with DIY Wedding Invitations.

Your Wedding Program and Guest Book Show Your Style

Your wedding program can certainly help convey so much about you and your wedding day. Here are some ideas to help make your guest book fun and add to your wedding style. Couples will often include a photo of themselves on the cover, but that is just the beginning.

The wedding program is a wonderful place to let your guests know the names of the beautiful songs that you have chosen. It is also a place to share the meanings behind the rituals that will be taking place.

We have seen many mothers begin to cry when they read the beautiful words that the bride and groom have written in the program about them. It is also a place to honor all of the attendants, children, readers and officiates that participate in the ceremony. You can even include a special message to your guests for their attendance on your special day.

Some couples have included quotes from literature or a poem that is special to them. We have even seen lovely handkerchiefs included inside of the program for those teary moments that are sure to occur.

The back of the program is the perfect place to provide your new home address and contact information. That way your loved ones will be able to stay in touch in the future. You can also include here the website that your photographer will use to post your wedding photos so that all of your guests will be able to see your wedding pictures.

You can have them printed or make them yourself with software and pretty paper, but what ever you choose, makes it your style.

Guest books can also define your wedding style. If yours is a destination wedding, you might want to consider a beautiful coffee table picture book of the location of the wedding having guests simply find a page that they would like to leave their sentiments. Or you could choose a book that reflects a special place to you both. This could be from a place where you met, a place you will visit on your honeymoon or even a place that you both dream about visiting. But rest assured as time goes by, this book will take on more meaning that just a guest book.

Another great idea is to create your own picture book. Put some one in charge of taking Polaroid photos of guests, fixing them into a blank album and letting the guests leave their well wishes next to their photographs. We have seen the same concept done with all of the components for this placed in a beautiful basket and passed from table to table allowing guests to take the photos of each other. That was a lot of fun and very special for the bride and groom.

A very unique idea for the wine loving couple is to select a magnum size bottle of the wine or champagne that you will be serving at your wedding as the guest book. You will want to provide either a gold or silver fluid marker that dries on the bottle. A magnum size bottle will provide ample space for all to sign.

So there are just a few ideas to help you create unique touches to your wedding and to help you make your wedding elegant.

Your wedding program can certainly help convey so much about you and your wedding day. Here are some ideas to help make your guest book fun and add to your wedding style. Couples will often include a photo of themselves on the cover, but that is just the beginning.

The wedding program is a wonderful place to let your guests know the names of the beautiful songs that you have chosen. It is also a place to share the meanings behind the rituals that will be taking place.

We have seen many mothers begin to cry when they read the beautiful words that the bride and groom have written in the program about them. It is also a place to honor all of the attendants, children, readers and officiates that participate in the ceremony. You can even include a special message to your guests for their attendance on your special day.

Some couples have included quotes from literature or a poem that is special to them. We have even seen lovely handkerchiefs included inside of the program for those teary moments that are sure to occur.

The back of the program is the perfect place to provide your new home address and contact information. That way your loved ones will be able to stay in touch in the future. You can also include here the website that your photographer will use to post your wedding photos so that all of your guests will be able to see your wedding pictures.

You can have them printed or make them yourself with software and pretty paper, but what ever you choose, makes it your style.

Guest books can also define your wedding style. If yours is a destination wedding, you might want to consider a beautiful coffee table picture book of the location of the wedding having guests simply find a page that they would like to leave their sentiments. Or you could choose a book that reflects a special place to you both. This could be from a place where you met, a place you will visit on your honeymoon or even a place that you both dream about visiting. But rest assured as time goes by, this book will take on more meaning that just a guest book.

Another great idea is to create your own picture book. Put some one in charge of taking Polaroid photos of guests, fixing them into a blank album and letting the guests leave their well wishes next to their photographs. We have seen the same concept done with all of the components for this placed in a beautiful basket and passed from table to table allowing guests to take the photos of each other. That was a lot of fun and very special for the bride and groom.

A very unique idea for the wine loving couple is to select a magnum size bottle of the wine or champagne that you will be serving at your wedding as the guest book. You will want to provide either a gold or silver fluid marker that dries on the bottle. A magnum size bottle will provide ample space for all to sign.

So there are just a few ideas to help you create unique touches to your wedding and to help you make your wedding elegant.

Your wedding program can certainly help convey so much about you and your wedding day. Here are some ideas to help make your guest book fun and add to your wedding style. Couples will often include a photo of themselves on the cover, but that is just the beginning.

The wedding program is a wonderful place to let your guests know the names of the beautiful songs that you have chosen. It is also a place to share the meanings behind the rituals that will be taking place.

We have seen many mothers begin to cry when they read the beautiful words that the bride and groom have written in the program about them. It is also a place to honor all of the attendants, children, readers and officiates that participate in the ceremony. You can even include a special message to your guests for their attendance on your special day.

Some couples have included quotes from literature or a poem that is special to them. We have even seen lovely handkerchiefs included inside of the program for those teary moments that are sure to occur.

The back of the program is the perfect place to provide your new home address and contact information. That way your loved ones will be able to stay in touch in the future. You can also include here the website that your photographer will use to post your wedding photos so that all of your guests will be able to see your wedding pictures.

You can have them printed or make them yourself with software and pretty paper, but what ever you choose, makes it your style.

Guest books can also define your wedding style. If yours is a destination wedding, you might want to consider a beautiful coffee table picture book of the location of the wedding having guests simply find a page that they would like to leave their sentiments. Or you could choose a book that reflects a special place to you both. This could be from a place where you met, a place you will visit on your honeymoon or even a place that you both dream about visiting. But rest assured as time goes by, this book will take on more meaning that just a guest book.

Another great idea is to create your own picture book. Put some one in charge of taking Polaroid photos of guests, fixing them into a blank album and letting the guests leave their well wishes next to their photographs. We have seen the same concept done with all of the components for this placed in a beautiful basket and passed from table to table allowing guests to take the photos of each other. That was a lot of fun and very special for the bride and groom.

A very unique idea for the wine loving couple is to select a magnum size bottle of the wine or champagne that you will be serving at your wedding as the guest book. You will want to provide either a gold or silver fluid marker that dries on the bottle. A magnum size bottle will provide ample space for all to sign.

So there are just a few ideas to help you create unique touches to your wedding and to help you make your wedding elegant.

Your wedding program can certainly help convey so much about you and your wedding day. Here are some ideas to help make your guest book fun and add to your wedding style. Couples will often include a photo of themselves on the cover, but that is just the beginning.

The wedding program is a wonderful place to let your guests know the names of the beautiful songs that you have chosen. It is also a place to share the meanings behind the rituals that will be taking place.

We have seen many mothers begin to cry when they read the beautiful words that the bride and groom have written in the program about them. It is also a place to honor all of the attendants, children, readers and officiates that participate in the ceremony. You can even include a special message to your guests for their attendance on your special day.

Some couples have included quotes from literature or a poem that is special to them. We have even seen lovely handkerchiefs included inside of the program for those teary moments that are sure to occur.

The back of the program is the perfect place to provide your new home address and contact information. That way your loved ones will be able to stay in touch in the future. You can also include here the website that your photographer will use to post your wedding photos so that all of your guests will be able to see your wedding pictures.

You can have them printed or make them yourself with software and pretty paper, but what ever you choose, makes it your style.

Guest books can also define your wedding style. If yours is a destination wedding, you might want to consider a beautiful coffee table picture book of the location of the wedding having guests simply find a page that they would like to leave their sentiments. Or you could choose a book that reflects a special place to you both. This could be from a place where you met, a place you will visit on your honeymoon or even a place that you both dream about visiting. But rest assured as time goes by, this book will take on more meaning that just a guest book.

Another great idea is to create your own picture book. Put some one in charge of taking Polaroid photos of guests, fixing them into a blank album and letting the guests leave their well wishes next to their photographs. We have seen the same concept done with all of the components for this placed in a beautiful basket and passed from table to table allowing guests to take the photos of each other. That was a lot of fun and very special for the bride and groom.

A very unique idea for the wine loving couple is to select a magnum size bottle of the wine or champagne that you will be serving at your wedding as the guest book. You will want to provide either a gold or silver fluid marker that dries on the bottle. A magnum size bottle will provide ample space for all to sign.

So there are just a few ideas to help you create unique touches to your wedding and to help you make your wedding elegant.

Your wedding program can certainly help convey so much about you and your wedding day. Here are some ideas to help make your guest book fun and add to your wedding style. Couples will often include a photo of themselves on the cover, but that is just the beginning.

The wedding program is a wonderful place to let your guests know the names of the beautiful songs that you have chosen. It is also a place to share the meanings behind the rituals that will be taking place.

We have seen many mothers begin to cry when they read the beautiful words that the bride and groom have written in the program about them. It is also a place to honor all of the attendants, children, readers and officiates that participate in the ceremony. You can even include a special message to your guests for their attendance on your special day.

Some couples have included quotes from literature or a poem that is special to them. We have even seen lovely handkerchiefs included inside of the program for those teary moments that are sure to occur.

The back of the program is the perfect place to provide your new home address and contact information. That way your loved ones will be able to stay in touch in the future. You can also include here the website that your photographer will use to post your wedding photos so that all of your guests will be able to see your wedding pictures.

You can have them printed or make them yourself with software and pretty paper, but what ever you choose, makes it your style.

Guest books can also define your wedding style. If yours is a destination wedding, you might want to consider a beautiful coffee table picture book of the location of the wedding having guests simply find a page that they would like to leave their sentiments. Or you could choose a book that reflects a special place to you both. This could be from a place where you met, a place you will visit on your honeymoon or even a place that you both dream about visiting. But rest assured as time goes by, this book will take on more meaning that just a guest book.

Another great idea is to create your own picture book. Put some one in charge of taking Polaroid photos of guests, fixing them into a blank album and letting the guests leave their well wishes next to their photographs. We have seen the same concept done with all of the components for this placed in a beautiful basket and passed from table to table allowing guests to take the photos of each other. That was a lot of fun and very special for the bride and groom.

A very unique idea for the wine loving couple is to select a magnum size bottle of the wine or champagne that you will be serving at your wedding as the guest book. You will want to provide either a gold or silver fluid marker that dries on the bottle. A magnum size bottle will provide ample space for all to sign.

So there are just a few ideas to help you create unique touches to your wedding and to help you make your wedding elegant.