December 9, 2011
The tragedy of the modern age

One of the greatest tragedies of the modern age is the media. Think back to the days of early television. The shows and production were primitive at best. No one knew the potential of media and most forms of it did not exist. You had a scratchy radio and a fuzzy, small black and white tv to watch.

As the medium grew to what it is today, so did the profession of being involved with that media. Stars were born and salaries skyrocketed as our culture became addicted and obsessed with television and all other forms of media. Of course, to pay for fancy broadcast studios and the salaries of those that did this work, the sponsors had to pay a lot more money for ads on tv and other forms of internet communication etc. Ted Turner discovered that having a channel like CNN with news on all the time was something our culture would come to crave. Other channels like FOX and Bloomberg, etc. followed suit and soon you didn't wait for a short news broadcast once a day. Now you had that news 24/7 on hundreds of channels and internet sites.

As Marshall McCluen said long ago, the “media becomes the message.” He is referring to the fact that the message is not as important as how it is delivered. Slick, over the top presentation of the news has gotten our culture hypnotized and convinced that the stories are always true and that is the way of this world. Nothing could be farther from the truth.

As we know the news people laughingly say "if it bleeds it leads," meaning that the more sensational and gruesome the news, the more it should be run first and run often in order to get more folks to watch the news. The more folks watch, the more the sponsors and advertisers make money off of all of us who helplessly watch all the commercials between the news. The news is ultimately a business. In fact is it a huge business. It has overtaken our lives with a constant barrage of negative scams, scandals, murders, rip offs and tragedies that has us all believing that everyone we meet is quite potentially bad and we are going to be the next victim of a horrible crime or rip off.

As a photographer, I have personally witnessed a vast change in how people relate to each other over these many years because observing people closely is what I do for a living.

People used to be warm, fun, trusting and open. Now they are closed and wary of anyone or anything that is not in their inner circle. This has been such a profound change in the whole nature of existence on this planet for everyone.

The very joy of living has been tainted as everyone is constantly watching news about another war, another courtroom drama or political scandal. I see fear in peoples eyes. I see distrust on such a fundamental level. This breaks my heart!

I contend that those born in the 80's and 90's have a whole new outlook on the world because of this. They grew up when Jacob Wetterling what kidnapped. They grew up with media whispering constantly in their ear....be afraid...do not trust...just go for it.

I am seeing very intelligent young people completely crippled in the area of gut instinct and trust due to this endless negative barrage they grew up in in the 80's and 90's.

This has been such a shift for me as a photographer. I used to have potential clients call instead of text or email. We would chat. We would meet. Instantly a bond was formed and they would become clients. We would do a fabulous job and they would become clients forever and we would end up doing their children's wedding.

We are plenty busy at our studio but I am saddened to see this change in cultural persona into one of fear and distrust. I know there are those that will take this offering the wrong way. They may be insulted or put off by this observation.

All I can say is, I apologize if this offends anyone. I do not want to suggest that my clients or the people I meet are paranoid and deranged. They are not, and I have many delightful encounters with the greatest clients on earth.

I just want to say there has been a definite shift. If you consider there are 7 billion folks on the planet and the news focuses on 3 or 4 crazy incidents a day and pummels us with the same story over again....that says a lot about we humans. It suggests that life is a beautiful miracle created by God and we are all good and lovely folks. Think of all the kindness, forgiveness and selflessness that goes on every day in this world in order to have 7 billion people getting along in this world.

My bottom line thought is this. Life and people are beautiful. Trust. Be open. Enjoy. If you meet someone you get along with, go on a journey with them. Your experience will far outweigh your expectations.

When you find that perfect photographer go for it. A perfect wedding photographer is like a rare diamond. Hard to find and precious to the soul.

December 7, 2011
Wedding photographer critique

There are many issues that come to light if you as ask one photographer “What do you think of this other photographer that I am considering?”

Photographers have to know much more than any client could ever ask and may bring up things that may really uncover the issues you really care about.

For instance...

Ask extremely technical questions.

“What kind of lighting is used to make a person look 30 pounds lighter? Do you use that kind of lighting and if so can I see a comparison between lighting that does not and lighting that does?”

Wouldn’t you say this is VERY important to uncover? Our best thinking could not come up with this kind of question. That is how you can play one expert off another to uncover relevant truth.

By the way, the answer is “short lighting and double lighting” and we use both and no one else we know does. We make folks look much thinner by far with this special lighting.

Another instance....

Did you know that most photographers either do not use a step stool or they do use one.

Why is this important to know?

If you sit while another person stands and look at their face you will see double chin, jowls, nostrils and a very unflattering angles of their face. Even if you are eye to eye with them you will notice this. However if you stand a foot taller than them they suddenly look much thinner, more elegant and quite frankly better looking!

Savvy photographers use a step stool to achieve this effect.
Less savvy ones do not. Most female photographers are shorter than their clients or their clients' loved ones.

Is this not an interesting question you would never know to ask?

By the way, I (Steve) am 6'6” tall. I am the tallest photographer in town by a long shot. I do not need a step stool and will naturally capture a better angle of the face. It is sad to see gals that are 5'4” call themselves photojournalists struggling with a step stool all day long. Its pretty hard to be capturing spontaneous special moments having to haul a step stool around all day.

Another question.

Ask the photographer if they understand facial analysis.
If they say yes," have them explain.

Why is this important?

If you look in the mirror, you may notice that you have a bigger eye and a smaller one. A wider side of your face and a narrower one. Some folks have a nose that is not perfectly straight. It bends to one side of the other. This is just a short list of many issues folks have with their appearance.

Ask the photographer to explain what they would do under these conditions to fix the problem. NO there is no Photoshop fix for this problem or any others mentioned. This is the real knowledge of a real photographer, not a person that has obtained a nice camera and works part time in the Summer months as a “professional wedding photographer.".

I have the answers to this question and can demonstrate them on you by taking your picture and showing it to you. There are very specific ways to light a face and to angle the face to dramatically fix these problems.

All of these issues are not solved by doing all day long photojournalism. If you take a tiny part of the day to do portraiture with a real Master of Portraiture, you will never regret it. It is the least expensive psychotherapy in the world because I can show you a side of yourself you have never seen. A glamorous, gorgeous, breathtaking side. Your family and friends will love this. Your elders will weep with joy when they see themselves!

I will also do a lot of photojournalism, but only when it is relevant and helpful for you.

Other great questions are “is this a full time job for you?”
“How many weddings do you do a year?” and “How many weddings have you done in your career?”

This is tricky. A lot of photographers are married to someone with a great job, so they can look full time but are doing a handful of weddings a year.

Why is this important?

It is easy to dabble in photography. I always say "easy in and easy out." Do you really want a doctor, lawyer or airline pilot that is just dabbling in their profession?

If someone is doing 10-20 weddings a year they are dabbling. What do they do the rest of the year? How do you know they are not going to run into some rough spot in their career and decide to suddenly leave while your future wedding is still on the books.

Why is this important?

We get calls all year long from brides who hysterically are looking for a last minute photographer because their photographer backed out or they can not get ahold of their photographer.

We have a very stable business. I do 80 weddings a year.
I have done 2,000 weddings in my career. I have never missed a wedding. EVER. This includes the Halloween blizzard of 1991 and is as recent as the blizzard of last December when the whole city shut down.

If someone is dabbling, they are much more inclined to call in sick or say the weather is too bad because they are not 100% in the game. This is not necessarily going to be their life’s work. I have had hundreds of people come up to me at weddings and say “I used to be a wedding photographer.” Of course they did until the going got rough and enough brides wanted to kill them. Then they got out.

“I will never make that mistake again”. Haven't we all said that!? That is what experience is all about. There is literally nothing that can happen at your wedding that I have not seen before that will throw me or ruin your day.

I have done astonishing things to help couples in the middle of many a crisis. I have put out fires that brides did not know existed. I am going to be the best friend you have ever had. If you sleep better at night with insurance then you want the insurance of me being your photographer!

Another question.

“What are your back up plans?”

“Do you drive a late model, well maintained car?”
“Do you carry 5 cameras, 5 flashes and a lots of back ups for all your gear?”
“What is your policy on social fun the night before my wedding?
"Do you like to party or go to bed early to be fresh for my big day?”
“Do you go out of your way to eat organic food, take vitamins, juice, meditate for stress management, work out regularly?”
“Do you have Master photographers in the wings should you not be able to make my wedding?
“Do you have a full time staff that is there to handle last minute problems and promptly respond?”
“Do you know and employ remedies to nip colds and the flu in the bud so you do not show up sick at my wedding?”
“Do you engage in extreme sports that might compromise you being at my wedding? Sports like down hill skiing, riding motorcycles, racing cars, etc.?”

We take wedding photography and YOUR wedding extremely seriously, and these are just some of our back up plans.

The subject of high level wedding photography is deep indeed.

It is the playground of many that attempt it at great expense to those who are spending a fortune on the biggest day of their lives and are making the ultimate emotional commitment in their lives.
This is serious business. We do NOT do this work for the money. We do this work because it is the most meaningful and creative way to live our lives on planet Earth. If you are looking for a legendary experience and a complete and perfect work of art at a very affordable price, we are a very wise choice. In fact with our “How to reduce the cost of your wedding by $7,000 report”
we will actually cost you nothing!

November 17, 2011

One of the major influences for me becoming a photographer was the movies. I loved the world they brought me to. I prefer magic to the mayhem of every day living and wanted to reside in the world I saw thru the lens of my camera and learn everything I could about how to create that world elegantly.
I have been obsessed with actors and all those that made the movies. I have traveled to Hollywood many times to see the studios and learn how they staged and lit the scenes that brought me such joy. I have learned a lot from those journeys and they have created the unique vision I put into my images to this day.
To celebrate the many actors who have made movies what they are today I have paid my respects to them at the many memorial parks in LA. One great way to put a face to a name and a movie is seeing-stars.com. You can spend hours remembering great actors and the movies they were in along with back stories about their lives.
To see the difference between photographers you can ask yourself if you see the lighting you see in movies in their work. Most photographers light by the flash of their camera or the light of the sun. Lighting from the camera to the face is a big mistake. This can give a real snap shot look to the picture, something you would never see in a movie. I prefer the movie lighting which never lights from the camera. I like to light from the side, from behind and from oblique angles to the camera. Lighting from the front can make people look fat and flat. The next movie you see look at the lighting. It can be a fascinating study in how incredible images are made.

In the far distant hills
Past sunlit swirls of dust
Over shimmering leaves
And just around the next bend
Are those moments we have loved
With open aching arms I reach for you
Hungry for you
Those glimpses of bliss that have
touched the landscape
Of feeling inside of my soul
Are those moments gone forever?
Only after we are gone
And the last wet kiss dries
From our lips and fades
Like the sounds of our beating hearts
When they beat no more

November 16, 2011

I've been in this business a long time. I have done over 2000 weddings! What can experience do for you in the world of wedding photography?

A highly experienced wedding photographer offers you amazing advantages over very likable younger photographers that have a nice portfolio but are missing one crucial thing. Experience!

They do not have young children at home. It can be a tough call when your child has a 104 degree temp or lands in the hospital and you have to shoot a wedding. Even if they do not cancel last minute how focused can you be on that wedding? My kids are grown and gone.

The reason you will be wanting to be paid a lot more 20 years from now in your job is that you have all that experience. The same thing works in wedding photography only I do not charge more. The degrees you achieved and years on the job merit advancement. Same here.

I bought my house 25 years ago when prices were a lot lower so I do not have to pass on my personal overhead to you. In fact I paid my house off so I can work for less and offer a much better collection of images and service at very low prices.

I am not in that early phase of finding a mate or working out the details of my relationship.
I have been married for 30 years so you do not have to worry about me going thru the ups and downs of dating or mating. I am way past that. I can really focus on your needs.

I have been to every location in town. I know their rules. I know great places to shoot. I know the folks that run the place. I know other vendors and get along well with them.

I am not using rented equipment. This is a common practice with younger photographers. They have not accrued the money to own their own stuff. They have no idea what happened to that gear last week in the hands of another photographer. Do you want to trust your wedding on gear failure? I also have a ton of backup equipment. I do not see younger photographers bringing backup or bringing the right gear to shoot the perfect wedding.

I take incredible care of my health. I have done karate for 35+ years. I swim and lift. I eat organic everyday and drink freshly made juices everyday. I take a ton of vitamins, have a far infrared sauna and have become somewhat of a health expert. Why? Wedding photography is all or nothing and my body is my instrument. Lets face it. Younger folks like to party, smoke and live like there is no tomorrow. What if they party hardy the night before your wedding?

I make sure I have a late model car and it is in perfect condition. If you are just starting out that may not be a priority or part of the budget. I have never missed a wedding in over 2,000 assignments. I have never called in sick or had my car be the reason I did not get there.

I am not starting out in a spare bedroom in my apartment or house or as a subcontractor for a large company where everyone and everything is a number. I have a brick and mortar studio. I am not just going to be in this one day and out the next. I see lots of folks come and go over night because of the “heat in the kitchen."

I have studied business and run a very financially stable business. Look at any newspaper. It is shocking to see how many businesses are here today and gone tomorrow. I have a proven track record and am not going to disappear on you. We are not going anywhere.

There are thousands of young photographers out there on line and probably living next door to you. I am on the walls of the major non franchise bridal shops in town. Wedding Shoppe, Angeliques, Dena Marie, Diamonds, Mary Kay and Rushes to name a few. I have been their preferred photographer. The reasons for this are all listed above. I am honest, above board, great at what I do and I do it very well. They want to recommend a long term and stable photographer that can be counted on.

Whoever you hire has your heart, dreams and dollars in their hands. Hiring experience is the best thing you can ever do.

-Steve

November 6, 2011

Here are some observations I have made in the wedding photography business.

99% of all wedding photographers' careers end in 2-5 years.
Why?
They do not have time to learn their craft before enough very angry brides basically drive them out of business. There really are not intern programs to nurture them. They get tired of giving up all their Saturdays to earn a meager living at best.

Less than 1% of all photographers become Master Photographers.
Why?
It takes at least 20 years to earn this prestigious degree from the PPA. If you hire a Master Photographer, it is guaranteed you will be thrilled with the results.

Hiring the most experienced wedding photographer around is by far wisest thing you can do.
Why?
It takes at least 20-30 years to perfect this craft. Every dollar you invest in your wedding is in the care of your photographer. We have no problem hiring the best doctor for major surgery, the best attorney if our very freedom was on the line or the best pilot to get us there safely. Why wouldn't we do that for the most expensive day of our lives? Would you hand your car keys to a 10 year old with as much confidence as a 40 year old? Same thing!

Hiring the most experienced photographer can actually pay for itself.
Why?
Seasoned photographers can point out areas that are costing you big money at a wedding and save you that money. We have a report that will save you around $7,000 on your whole wedding so whatever we charge will cost you nothing and save you thousands more on everything else.

Working with a photographer out of big company is not wise.
Why?
There may be some slick looking outfits out there that have great brochures, marketing and sales people but they subcontract to “rookies” that are just learning their trade. Most will admit right in their literature the “2-5 year experience” their “photographers” have. Their presentation is great and their product is just a lot of snap shots. Many send their people out the door with the camera on auto and tell them to “just take a lot of pictures.”

Hiring a photographer because they send 2 or more photographers, give you an amazing amount of hours or claim to give you a low price or a lot of pictures is a warning flag.
Why?
They are turning wedding photography into a commodity when it should only be an art. They are selling wedding photography by the pound. It takes one of these photographers hundreds of pictures to say what a Master photographer can say in one picture. There is a lot of “fluff” in what you are getting that is unnecessary in order to cover up what you are not getting....artistic quality.
Our images look like movie posters…not snap shots.

Hiring a friend, relative or someone just getting started is a major mistake and should be avoided at all costs.
Why?
Not only are you not getting images, ambience, entertaining personality (for smiles and nerves) or service at all...you are losing your ability to remember the most important day of your life. You are also about to destroy a relationship when bad feelings arise after you experience the lack of professionalism and see the horrible pictures.

The new high tech expensive cameras are NOT all you need to photograph a wedding.
Why?
If you bought the best pen in the world would it make you the best author in the world? If you bought the best cooking utensils in the world would it make you the best chef in the world? Hardly. There are so many skill sets involved in shooting the best wedding. A wedding involves complicated lighting, posing, time and logistics management, people skills and intuition just to name a few. This is one of the most complicated jobs on Earth!

Trying to get the most rock bottom price will lead to disaster and spending a lot of money will NOT guarantee quality.
Why?
Wedding photography is the wild West. There is no regulation or set standard. There are those that will charge a fortune that have no idea what they are doing and there are those looking for a quick buck in a part time job that are happy to make $10 an hour while they play with their new camera. Look at the long term reputation of the actual photographer you are going to get!

Wedding photography is not expensive.
Why?
If you invest $2,000 in a great Master photographer it is costing you 12 cents a day over 50 years. If your parents got married in 1980 that price would be $250 since the cost of living doubles every 10 years.
If you look at what you are getting from a Master from a quality standpoint in today's money it is a steal. Ask your parents if they would want an collection of images like what you are going to get for the price of $250. Look at their stiff and uncreative pictures they paid $250 for and see the value you are getting today!

Shop till you drop is not always the best policy.
Why?
In most things in life extensive shopping makes sense. We all want the best product and price for our hard earned money. A high level wedding photographer is an extremely rare bird in today's world. There are not a dozen of them on the shelf. Many potential clients regret shopping so extensively that their Master photographer has been booked and no longer available. It has been tried many times to clone a Master. Like a fine wine or a Stradivarius violin it takes decades to refine and perfect the skills of a Master photographer.

Hiring a photographer from the pretty pictures on the internet is not a good idea.
Why?
If you look carefully you will notice that most of the impressive images on the internet are taken outdoors on the perfect day in the perfect light. That is because most photographers do not know how to light.
Their images look incredible but you could have taken the same picture in those conditions. Are you willing to trust the weather in Minnesota on your wedding day to get those kind of pictures? With other photographers you will not see shots indoors, in bad lighting, in tough conditions and in inclement weather. Meet the actual photographer and look at a variety of work in all kinds of locations and conditions. It may be hard to believe but photographers
are also stealing images off of other sights and using them as their own work on line! Do not trust what you see on the internet!

This is one of biggest decisions of your life.
Why?
Of all the things you will ever own, your wedding images, if done properly, will be your greatest treasure. A Master photographer will capture family and friends in amazing ways. This time capsule of the greatest day of your life will be your family heirloom and bring you and your family endless joy forever.

Other wedding photographers do not post their booked date calendar on line.
Why?
Most photographers may tell you that they are full time but this is really a part time job for them. Many do 5-10 weddings a year. Minnesotans are very shrewd and smart shoppers and only hire the best. In this small community where word gets around, we have been in business for decades and Steve has personally done over 2,000 weddings. You would be hard pressed to find a photographer that has done 50-100. Minnesotans have voted with their hard earned dollars for many, many years to hire Steve because of his level of expertise, artistry and fun personality. We proudly show our booked dates calendar because we are excited about how totally booked we are year in and year out!

Photographers do not offer “random date referrals.”
Why?
Due to the many complaints wedding photographers get from their clients they would never want you to have access to their client list to speak with or email past clients.
We LOVE having you do that. Our clients are thrilled with what we do. YOU pick the date and we will let you connect with that past client. What better way to know about the photographer?

Photographers have very few reviews on line.
Why?
Two reasons. They do not do many jobs. They do not thrill many clients. Look at our reviews. On one site alone we have nearly 200 reviews where clients rave about our images and service!

Photographers have very little name recognition.
Why?
Most photographers have not been around that long and will not be around for long. Our name and images are everywhere. You will see us in most locally owned bridal shops and we have been on their walls for over 30 years.
Mention our name and ears will pick up. People you know have probably worked with us and will definitely recommend us to you!

Photographers do not bring a monitor to the wedding.
Why?
Probably because they do not want anyone to see their work at the time it is taken. There would be a lot of unhappiness at a wedding….that is for sure! We are the only place in town that takes a monitor so you can see the images right away and have a say in how they are done. It is so fun to see everyone see themselves for the first time ever in a more beautiful light then they have ever seen! It is such a positive addition to the day!

There are many more insights we would love to offer you. If you come in for a chat it will be a life changing experience. We have been perfecting high quality wedding photography at affordable prices for a generation. We would love to learn the dream of your day and help you on your journey to the perfect wedding. We may not be the photographer for you but we can definitely help you on your journey.
Thanks for reading! ~Steve

April 17, 2011
The power of memories.

When I was a child a day seemed to last a week and now that I am an adult a week goes by like it was a day. Every day I live I am trading the possibilities of the future for a memory of the past.

I had no idea what the power of memories would mean to me when I became a professional photographer at the age of 19. The world was full of potential and the promise of almost living forever lay before me. Now that I have been a photographer for 40 years I have noticed that the older the client I work with the more there is a value placed on memories. Young folks enjoy memories but they also have not experienced a lot of loss, of people moving away, of children suddenly growing into adults.

It is hard to put a price tag on memories. They are after all the one thing we have left at the end of the day, month, year or at the end of our lives. Hopefully the dread of Alzheimers will spare us because then we are left with nothing. Perhaps quality portraits will stir something in us even if our ability to remember starts to leave us. I do know that a photograph has a tendency to remember long after we have forgotten. Most things in this world either wear out, rust out or get thrown away. Portraits and wedding images never do.

Life can be broken down into the theory of the garage sale. Usually you have 10 of them in your life. We all slave to buy things we need. We spend most of our time in pursuit of those things. Then one day those things end up in a garage sale. We sell them for a penny on the dollar. Now we have very little money and no longer have the thing we slaved for. At the end of 10 garage sales we are at the end of our lives. What do we have to show for ourselves?

If we invested in professional photography we have treasures beyond belief. If we didn't we are lost. We have a pile of snap shots that do not capture the essence of those we loved and moments that we cherished. Hiring budding photographers that are neighbors or friends rarely yield what we desire for truly professional photography is total magic!

If we decided to keep our hard earned dollars in the cookie jar here is what happens to it over time. It erodes under the crush of inflation. If you took 500 dollars and held onto it for 50 years it will only be worth 18 dollars! Would you trade priceless photography for 18 dollars 50 years from now? I think not.

It is so tempting to have a new digital camera or friend save us “ a few bucks” for wedding or portrait needs. A true professional can far exceed anything done by friends and family and they can also show you how you can get their services for little or nothing with clever new unheard of ways.

Why settle for anything but the best when it comes to the one thing that will last not only for your lifetime but generations to come?

I have a portrait in my studio of 118 year old woman, her 95 year old daughter, her 73 year old grandson, her 49 year old great grand daughter, her 27 great great grand daughter and her 3 year old great, great, great grandson. Thousands of people are turning 100 each year in the US. Give your future self the gift of the precious memory of now and give future generations of your loved ones an heirloom that has no rival in its value!
~Steve

March 29, 2010

I am about to publish two new books...."Witness" and "The Rhythm of Light". These are the prologues to the two books and philosophies about my journey as a photographer.

Witness

I feel like an alien. I always have. I never fit in. I was always on the outside looking in. I feel weird being in a human body. Not much of what happens around me makes sense. I know there has to be a better way for most human activity on earth and I have been on a lifelong mission to figure the world out. I have studied many religions, systems of government, the rules of law and the theories of how things work. I have some answers, but more questions as time progresses.

I was blessed with a camera in my hands years ago. It literally saved my life. I needed to look thru rose colored glasses at the world to filter out the bad and find the good.

I am this innocent bystander that wanders the world peering into peoples lives and into amazing places thru the eye piece of a camera. I am a total believer in the “invisible hand.” Serendipity is the only way I seem to function.

This can be a beautiful world. Walt Disney showed me that on Sunday nights as a young boy. He demonstrated the magic and mystery of it all. That there is a secret place behind the mirror, the wall or the next side street.

I humbly present these images to you. I stand astonished as a “witness”.

Rhythm of Light

Someday I am sure that a scientist will discover that light is a language. They will determine that light has some hidden mathematical equation and it will change the world as we know it. The word “photography” means “to write with light” from the Greek translation. There are all kinds of light. Dawns early light, high noon light, the long shadows at the end of the day and sweet light right before the day ends. Each light has its own flavor like food. It has its own feeling like music.

I do not think I am taking pictures of people, places or things. I am taking pictures of light. I am fascinated with the different colors in light. I am fascinated with how light transforms the ordinary into the extraordinary. I have no idea from one minute to the next what my lens will find and capture. I tag along for the ride in a trance like state surfing on the vibrations of each light beam. Light travels at 186,000 miles per second! An atomic particle of light will travel around the circumference of the world 7 times in one second! Light is a miracle. Light could very well prove the existence of God. It does for me.

I humbly present to you what I have seen, felt, heard, touched and tasted with my soul. I present to you “The Rhythm of light”.

March 17, 2010

Wedding photography may look easy. Every website has astonishing images on them. The problem is that it's hard to tell if those images were taken out of thousands of so-so images or they were all great.

We have been perfecting the high art of doing “perfect wedding photography” with over 2,000 weddings under our belt. We have found that there are six distinct styles of photography that really make a wedding.

There is photojournalism, portraiture, group, commercial, architectural and fine art photography. Each has its place in the wedding day to create the ultimate image.

Doing just one style is like cooking one kind of food for dinner every night of the week. It will become boring and may not be appropriate for the moment. A peanut butter and jelly sandwich is not appropriate for a wedding reception and a sirloin steak is not appropriate for a regular lunch.

The high school yearbook is a perfect example. The photojournalism images are a great way to remember a moment and look into the way old classmates were as people. The portraits were necessary to show us the best likeness of the person so we could see what they look like.

It is tempting to hire a friend, family or someone new to the business because we know and trust them as people. Sometimes that may not be appropriate for such a major event like a wedding. Most folks do not dream of hiring a friend to handle legal or medical matters. They look for the best expert they can find. Since wedding photography lasts a lifetime and beyond it is crucial that you consider hiring the best person for the job.

For a free report on “How to reduce the cost of your wedding by $7,000” contact us thru this web site.

February 20, 2010

I did the Corliss wedding today. What a treat! She was referred by her two aunts. I did both of their weddings. It was fun to see them and think back to their weddings. It was fun to almost feel like a celebrity at the wedding and get a lot of positive feedback from so many old friends. That is the weird thing about wedding photography. No one really knows what you did for them that day. It may be a long time before everyone really comprehends what was created for them. It makes a day like today so rewarding to see so many folks that have enjoyed our work. It was like old home week!