Mexican Wedding Traditions to Carry on The Wonderful Culture

Hola, My choice this time is Mexican wedding traditions and there are many wonderful ones. So I will get started. You might find something you would like to incorporate in your coming wedding.

In Mexico certain traditions are followed in different cultures. They turn out to be the most enjoyable parts of the entire day. I will include some traditions from some of these cultures.

Wedding Expenses

Both families are most often involved in planning nod sharing the expenses of the wedding in some way.

Wedding Colors
The bride is the one who chooses the colors for the wedding day. Everything is decorated in these colors including the cars that are used that day. The ceremony aisle is scattered with her colors and the pew bows and flowers will also reflect these colors.

Wedding Invitations and Programs

The couple almost always recognizes by name the many family members, bridal party and attendants in their wedding invitations and/or programs for the day.

Mexican Wedding Attire

Most brides wear lovely mantilla veils and they can be simple or as elegant as she chooses. Often she wears a slim white dress with an embroidered bolero jacket. The
choice might also be a white flamenco-style dress with ruffles at the skirt hemline.

For the groom is would probably be handsomely dresses in a Mexican wedding shirt with drawstring pants or a bolero jacket with tight fitting pants.

Wedding Ceremony

The wedding ceremony itself includes many traditions that reflect the Aztec and Catholic cultural roots.

One of the very beautiful traditions is two floral bouquets are carried down the aisle.
One by the bride and one by an attendant. In honor of the Virgin Mary it is placed by the bride usually at her statue or image at the conclusion of the ceremony.

El Lazo or Lasso
It is a large loop of rosary beads which is placed in a figure eight around the necks of the groom and then the bride and they continue to wear it until the ceremony is over.

The loop is a symbol of the love that binds them as they share their marriage responsibilities. After it is removed, El lazo is given to the bride as a memento that
she has become the mistress of the groom's heart.

13 Gold Coins (Arras)

The groom presents the bride with 13 gold coin. This represents Christ and his 12 apostles. It symbolizes trust and his promise to trust her with his finances and when they are accepted by the bride it is her promise to take this trust seriously and with prudence and care.

As the wedding ceremony begins the coin are given to the priest to bless. He then hands them to the best man who returns them to the priest near the end of the ceremony.

The priest then returns them to the groom who gives them back to the bride now endowing her with his finances.

Mexican Wedding Food and Music

Adding a Latin flavor with music is of course a great thing with the rhythms of salsa, merenge, and flamenco and the romance of tango, rumba, samba and bolero.

The Latin music is a nice accompaniment for the Mexican food serve which is typically tortilla dishes with a main ingredient if chicken or beef. The side dishes beans, spicy rice and anything else which might be a family favorite.

Mexican Wedding Money Dance

This is a popular and favorite dance for the bride and groom's benefit. Male guests "pay" the bride to have a dance with them. The men are expected to be quite generous since the money collected is traditionally supposed to be used for their honeymoon and getting the house set up.

Well there you go with some ideas of the truly wonderful traditions of different regions and cultures of Mexico.

I hope you find something you might like to use in these Mexican Wedding traditions.

Adios

Wedding Photography Services - Know What is Included in Your Package

How much do you really know about the various wedding photography services? There are a lot of questions that should be answered by the individual photographer you hire, but more than likely you are going ask these questions to your friends with the expectation of them being answered correctly.

Although your friends mean well, they might be giving you information that is no longer true or information that was never true for a particular wedding photography studio. However, each photography studio and photographer have their own packages and included services.

In order for you to know exactly what is going to be included with your wedding photography services and what is not going to be included you need to talk to your photographer. He or she will be able to tell you about everything that is included with your package and what is going to cost you extra. However, it is possible that you can enter into negotiations with the photographer and modify the package to meet your needs.

Usually, if you are more interested in a particular number of photos but could do without another portion of your package the photographer will be able to make the necessary changes for you for free to little charge.

Of course, you are not going to be able to eliminate something fairly inexpensive and replace it with something that is much more expensive. The individual cost should be fairly close in order for the photographer to be able to make the modification possible for you.

In general, the amount of time the photographer spends on your wedding day is included as part of the wedding photography services. Typically, included in this price is also the negatives, travel expenses, a specific number of actual print photos and a photo album. With technology advancing as it is, many photographers are even offering to host the wedding photos online for a short period of time. This is generally also included in the package price.

You can use the internet and check out the website of the photographer to determine exactly what is included for each of the wedding photography services. Read all of the fine print on the website also and make note of anything and everything that you do not understand or have a question about. This way you know what to ask when you meet with the photographer.

Is Becoming a Video Game Tester the Job For You?

If you're reading this, then you're probably wondering how to become a videogame tester. But before that, it is important for you to understand whether this is the job for you or not.

Looking for this page means that you likely enjoy gaming, so the first requirement is already set, but you need to think about becoming a game tester as a real job and not something you do just for fun. Or course that if you enjoy gaming you will have fun (imagine playing all the great games before everyone else) but you need to understand that there are deadlines and you need to know how to communicate.

I'm not trying to stop you here, but it's a hard business. Not everyone will succeed. It takes a lot of time and effort before you can use this to make a living, but it's very well possible and highly paid.

The fact is that for every game that comes out every single week, a great amount of beta testers are necessary for several months, in order to fix the annoying bugs and glitches of the games. Remember this is a business that moves millions and a buggy game won't sell well due to the negative reviews. This is why companies invest a lot in trying to find those problems and fix them. Since no job is done for free... here is where you come in!

If you want to know how to become a videogame tester, then you'll need guidance. As I said before, it's a highly competitive market, so if you don't know what you're doing, you'll just be wasting your precious time.

There are no excuses: it's all up to you. If you enjoy this and would like to do it for a living, yes, it's possible. But you have to work hard and you need to know how to write essays in a way everyone can understand as otherwise you'll ultimately fail.

Best Way to Start a Photography Business

So you have a digital camera and you are thinking of turning your photography hobby into a successful business. But where do you start? From a logo, to a website, blogsite, domain name, email account, business card, camera equipment, lighting equipment, accounting software -- you are feeling a little overwhelmed. The question is, what should you do first?

Identify the one action that will make the biggest impact

When starting any new business, you will have many things to do. The hardest part is knowing what to do first. Although, several things may be important, think to yourself, "what is the one thing that will make the biggest impact in launching my business?" For example, hiring a great accountant is important, but without any clients or income, this step will have very little impact in launching your business.

Biggest impact for photography businesses

Get a website! Getting a website will have the single greatest impact on starting a photography business. Certainly, word-of-mouth and referrals will bring you business as well. But, for example, if someone refers a business to you, what is the first thing you do? You go online and check out their website! Times have changed, getting a professional looking website is not difficult or expensive. There are many beautiful template photography website companies out there. You simply upload your own photos and content. You can even change the look of the website without any graphic design skills. Best of all, many of these companies help you set up your domain name and email accounts. These companies charge anywhere from $6 - $50/month on average. (Once your business is more established you may wish to hire a professional to design your website/blogsite - see branding below).

What content should be on the website?

Make sure to include your business name and location. So often I see photographers have forgotten to give their location! Don't have a studio or a physical address? That's okay. It is just important that you include the city and state/province that you work in. This is important for Google. You want your website to show up when someone searches for photography services in your city! For example, a potential client may type "Windsor Wedding Photographer" into a Google search. You want to make sure that you have mentioned on your website that you are a Wedding Photographer in Windsor!

Also, be sure to give your contact information - email and telephone number. It is ideal to have this on your "contact" page, and at the bottom of every page on your website. You want to make it as easy as possible for people to contact you!

Finally, write a little bit about yourself and what type of photography you do. People can't hire you if they don't know what you do!

What images should I put on my website?

Many new photographers worry that they don't have enough photos for a portfolio page. Don't worry! Less is often more. If you are starting a wedding photography business, put up some wedding related photos. Don't have very many wedding photos? Try this: go to your local florist and buy a beautiful bouquet. Then take some beautiful detail photos of it. Ask a friend if you can take some detail photos of her engagement ring and wedding band. Slowly, as you get more clients your portfolio will grow and you can add more photos. If you are starting a kids portrait photography business and you don't have a lot of photos of children - ask a friend if you can photograph her toddler for the website.

I am by no means suggesting that you lie to clients about your level of experience. These are just some ideas on how to get supporting images for your website. Also, getting out there and taking more photographs is a great exercise in photography!

Unsure of your company's identity? What about branding?

You always hear about people who haven't started their photography businesses yet because everything behind the scenes, (branding, logo, studio, etc), isn't perfect yet. They are afraid to start until everything is perfect. Chances are they will never be perfect - and they will never start. Your style and your company's identity will become clearer to you the more you photograph. For example, you may decide that would like to photograph newborns only to discover, from experience, that you don't have the patience. And you later realize that you really excel in the fast pace world of wedding photography.

Things to think about

There are many simple/plain website templates out there that you can choose from, if you are still discovering your style and brand. You can refine the your website's style later. Look at established companies - they are always updating their website's style! Don't wait until everything is perfect behind the scenes to start your photography company. You might just be waiting forever! Get your website up, because it is the one action you can take that will have the biggest impact on propelling your photography business forward. Good luck!

The Right Photo Book Company for Photography

Your interest in photography has been growing over time and you can't help but explore many different things to hone your craft. Your family and friends may have also been excited with your progress, so it's only fitting that you get to share your work with them. Perhaps you may also be a budding photography hobbyist who can't seem to put his camera down and your hard drive is almost out of memory from all the pictures you've taken. Creating a presentation of your photos to let others see them may be easy but there's still nothing like the feel of printed photographs. Having your photos printed on paper has a certain charm, perhaps the same as leafing through a traditional book, and nothing can beat having a tangible piece of art.

With that said, here's an easy way to turn pictures into a memorable book. Take note that we are dealing with digital photographs here. If you want to create a book for your previously printed pictures, this will work well, too, but you need to have them scanned first. Now, here's a lowdown on how to create a memorable book out of your pictures.

First thing to put on your list is finding the right photo book company to work with. There are several photo book companies that promise to deliver quality outputs so it boils down to choosing the one that suits your needs. Make sure that the company you will choose to work with has good reputation and delivers well. Your photographs are your personal works of art, so you would want nothing but utmost care for them. Choose a company that takes care of not only you as a client but your pictures as well.

In creating your book, choose what style and size would suit the collection of photographs you have. Choose the photo book company which offers a wide array of products for you to choose from.

Service is key, so make sure that the company you would work with delivers well and on time, with quality output. Before purchasing any products, ensure that you read through testimonials, product review and also ask some opinions by participating in forums or blog networks.

In order to have a excellent journey in photography as hobbies or passion, we need to be extra careful in choosing the right company for printing of photography or photo books

Good Reasons To Hire Indian Wedding Photographers

Weddings will not work without the photographer. Wedding photography is extremely important to the bridal couple at their wedding. These photos are what are going to make them remember this special day in the years to come as a happily married couple. Indian wedding photographers are ready to make this day as incredible and memorable as you want. Taking photographs is not something simply anyone can do. Photography includes various factors that need to be considered. The happy couple is not going to want an album filled with messed up photos.

India photographers of New York will capture the subject in its most natural looking pose and will make the couple feel at ease while the pictures are being taken. They will achieve this by combining composition and light in such a way that the image looks absolutely stunning. These photos are worth keeping and can be treasured during a lifetime of marriage.

The bridal couple must take the time to select a photographer that they are completely happy with. There are quite a number of people who do this as their part-time job or to earn extra cash. In such cases the couple can request for prior work done before making their selection. There are numerous Indian photographers in New York that work with professional companies or as individual freelancers and you can select from any one of these. Some couples tend to look at the cheaper wedding photographers to serve at the auspicious occasion. Whilst it is important that you stay within the wedding budget, looking to hire the cheapest one is not going to get you anywhere. Remember, your wedding photographs are meant to serve as treasured memories. Therefore, it is essential that you make certain the photographer you hire will provide priceless moments!

In the case of an Asian wedding in New York, the Indian bride will often desire unique wedding photographs. It is the duty of the photographer to comprehend what is required of him. Indian weddings in general are traditional affairs with large crowds filling up the wedding ceremony. Indians have extended families and the celebration will very likely be huge. India wedding photographers need to be aware of traditions and timing of how and when the picture needs to be taken. Professional wedding photographers usually attend a variety of ceremonies and not all of them are of Indian tradition. Some have experience of taking photographs at Chinese weddings, Muslim and Sikh weddings.

Many such weddings are held in USA because of the large community of Asians residing there. Many Indian wedding photographers in New York throw in a free travel with the package they are offering to the happy couple. Couple can take a look at the websites of Indian photographers to gauge their quality of pictures and prices. Many couples will be offered a wedding photography package including pictures in electronic medium aside from the wedding album. Furthermore, you can obtain a free quote from Indian wedding photographers.

Wedding Photographer Tips - How to Shoot in Direct Sunlight

Being a wedding photographer in the tropics, I am often forced to shoot the formal portraits in harsh sunlight. This is because couples love having their formal portraits shot on the beautiful beaches we have here. The problem is the wedding schedule is often set where I am shooting these formal shots during the worst time of day. Ideally, I would be shooting all these portraits after 4:00 PM, when the light is less harsh. After 4:00 PM, the sun can actually be used as directional light, that is, the sun can be used as the main light source coming from above at a 45-degree angle, and a reflector as the secondary light source. As I said above, this is not always the situation. Sometimes I am shooting between 12:00pm and 3:00 pm, where the sun is nearly directly overhead and making exposure very difficult. A problem with shooting at this time of day is that the background is normally totally blown out, with these harsh shadows on the faces of the subjects. So here are some tips for shooting in these conditions.

Obviously, if you can find some sort of shade, this is the easiest option. Just make sure the background is also in shade to maintain proper exposure, unless you are trying for a high key portrait. A more creative option though, is to shoot in the direct sun. To do this, you need to find a dark background. This could be, dark rocks/mountains, or dark vegetation, or anything that is darker than the skin tone of the wedding couple. This works really well for 3/4 portraits or closer, unless you have can find a really big dark background. At the beach I normally shoot, I use a big island off the beach as the background. The island is dark volcanic rock and a perfect backdrop. Next, shoot so that your subject (wedding couple) is between you and the sun, or if the sun is directly overhead that will work too. With the sun behind your subjects or directly above, you will find that what it is doing is just providing an interesting rim light to your subjects. That is because you are exposing for your subjects, with a darker background that is totally filling the frame behind them.

If properly exposed you will see the sun is just creating an interesting rim light around the shoulder and hair. If you have the couple positioned correctly you can shoot 2.8, and the background will not draw attention away from your subject. This means when choosing a background, you just need to make sure it is darker, and maybe has interesting lines or shapes when out of focus.

Practice this before shooting your next wedding. I hope this tip works for you.

Digital Workflow of a Wedding Photograher

Light, composition and camera technique are essential ingredients in making a great photo. But in today's digital age there's another crucial element that happens after the photo is taken - post production.

This is the digital equivalent of developing a negative. Instead of choosing a film type to render the desired colour, tone and contrast the digital photographer now has to make these decisions in post production.

Most pro photographers shoot in RAW because this format contains a huge amount of data which provides a blank canvas for the photographer to develop the digital negative to their taste.

The typical digital production workflow goes something like this: after importing the RAW files into LightRoom go through the process of selecting keepers and trashing the duds, then onto the post production phase. Make basic edits which include tweaking white balance, exposure and contrast. Hopefully there's not too much to do here as you should try as hard as you can to get the settings right in camera. Having the correct white balance preset and exposure saves SO much time in post production.

After these adjustments are done, export the files as jpgs and take them into Photoshop for further refinements and batch processing. This includes retouching, which should be kept to a minimum. There's a big difference between the way the picture looks straight out of the camera and when you finished processing it. However always be very careful to keep everything looking natural and make sure that retouching is subtle. Over-processed pictures can look fake, especially if skin is softened too much or the colour of eyes is enhanced beyond what looks normal. Pick up any glossy magazine and you'll find examples of models whose skin has been airbrushed so much that it looks unnatural and almost plastic. Teeth are pearly white and eyes pop with colour. This look works well for glamorous fashion photography but looks ridiculous in wedding photography.

The final process before delivering the images to the client is to sharpen the picture for output. The amount of sharpening depends on end media. Printing a large canvas will require more sharpening than a small print. Reducing a file in size for use on the web also has the effect of softening it considerably so these files need quite a bit of sharpening.

Wedding photographers have a huge number of files to manage and process over the course of a year, so anything that reduces the amount of time sat in front of the computer is very welcome. That's why so many professional photographers use LightRoom. It makes cataloguing and organising pictures a breeze. You should always be looking to improve your workflow so trying some new software to see if speeds up the process.

How to Plan For a Successful Prom

As the spring semester of high school resumes in Chicago, many students begin to have prom on their minds. Prom committees have usually formed at this point and a lot of the necessary steps to plan the event have already taken place. Planning a Chicago prom can be quite a task and can often go unrecognized and unrewarded. Often times if the prom dance is a flop the members of the committee will take a lot of the heat. So to help avoid some of those unnecessary negative comments we've created a step by step guide to help aid you in the planning of your Chicago Prom.

So where do we begin? When is the right time to start thinking prom? The correct answer would one year prior to the date. There are several things that will need to be taken care of that time. Listed below are a few steps you'll want to take one year prior to your Chicago Prom event...

1. Choose prom committee members and create sub-committees. Without the prom committee there would be no prom, so having the right leaders on the committee can often make or break your event. Your Chicago Prom committee should be made up of advisors and various student volunteers.



2. Set a realistic budget. Creating a realistic budget is a very important step in planning a prom. You'll want to begin by collecting the most detailed information on how much each element will cost. This will give you a good idea for how much to budget for. You'll then want to take things into account like how much money will be coming from fundraising and from sponsors. From there you can then determine how many tickets you'll need to sell to break even for the event.



3. Set the date. Setting a date for your event can be very difficult. You'll want to take things into account like holidays, school activities, sporting events, and even neighboring school's prom dates. You'll want to choose a date that coincides with all of those things. Nine times out of ten you probably you won't be able to please everyone with the selected date.



4. Choose you location/venue. You've successfully created a budget and selected a date now it's time to book a venue. When choosing a venue you'll want to find a facility that will be able to hold your crowd comfortably. You'll also want to look into food and catering options at those venues. If you're planning on having entertainment and dancing, will the venue be able to accommodate those needs? As you search for venues you'll notice a lot of reception halls prefer not to host school proms on Saturday evenings because they can conflict with their high priority wedding dates. Make sure you confirm your venue early as the longer you wait the harder it'll be to settle on the right place.

After you've done all the steps above you're well on your way to creating a successful Chicago prom, you can now relax and have the next couple months off before the next batch of planning begins. Around 8 months before your prom you'll want to pick up with the committee meetings again and begin the next stages.

1. Choose a theme. Choosing a prom theme often can be one of the most important decisions your prom committee will make. Choosing the right theme can make your prom stand out from others in the past and can be that key component in creating a memorable night. When choosing a theme you'll want to think of the mood you'd like to portray that night. You'll want to take into consideration whether you'd like to portray a fun mood, romantic mood, or even a mysterious mood. A good Chicago prom theme should revolve around an innovative title, unique decorations, and a treasured song. This is when you'll want a lot of input from your committee members.



2. Discuss fundraising opportunities. Fundraising is very important in planning a Chicago prom and should never be overlooked. After adding up the total expenses and dividing it by the number of students attending the event the cost per ticket can many times be rather expensive. Students are usually aware that prom isn't cheap so fundraisers are often appreciated. There are hundreds of fundraising ideas available on the internet and you should utilized them when planning your event.



3. Book your Disc Jockey. This is another crucial and overlooked step that many don't spend a lot of time on. The success of your event a lot of times rides on the music that's to be played and the DJ that's playing it. There are hundreds of Chicago DJ companies and only a handful of good ones. Make sure you spend some time when selecting your entertainment. Prices can vary greatly; most Chicago Prom DJs are priced around $1,000 and go up from there. You'll want to hire an experienced disc jockey that specializes in prom entertainment, not just your average wedding DJ.



4. Begin discussing decoration ideas. Now is the time when you'll want to start talking decorations. You'll want to choose decorations that revolve around your theme for the evening. As you plan for you Chicago Prom you'll be surprised as to all the decorations available out there. You can always buy pre-assembled decorations, but they'll cost you. Talk with your committee members and see what they can come up with on their own. This can help save on the decoration costs. A lot of schools in Chicago have actually cut back on their decorations and have invested their money into the dinner and the entertainment. This may be an route you'd like to take.

You've now completed most of the important steps towards planning your Chicago Prom. We recommend waiting about 2 or 3 months prior to your prom before you begin with the next steps.

1. Order invitations, programs, party items, and tickets. Now is the time when you'll want to send out for these important items. It can sometimes take a few weeks to get things printed so be sure to get your final work to the printers before it's too late. You'll also want to order your royalty party items like crowns, sashes, tiaras, and etc.



2. Begin your advertising campaign. You'll want to start hyping the excitement of your Chicago prom. You may want to consider hanging posters, placing ads in the school newspapers, hand our flyers, and/or even run commercials on your student radio station.



3. Book a photographer. At this time you'll want to finalize your photographer. You'll want to decide how pictures will be taken that night and where in the venue will they run their operation. Often times schools will use their yearbook photographers for the miscellaneous photos and then hire another professional photographer for portraits. You'll want to consider several options with your prom committee.

The time has finally arrived and it's now 2 weeks prior to your event. It's crunch time and there are a few other details that'll need to be taken care of....

1. Send out your invitations and start selling your tickets. Choose a central location in your school to setup a ticket sales booth. Make sure the kids are aware of this location. You may want to sell tickets at normal prices for the first week and then raise the price as the event draws nearer. This will encourage immediate ticket sales and will prevent students from holding off until the last day to purchase their tickets.



2. Confirm your vendors. Now is the time when you should finalize all the details with your venue, DJ, caterer, and photographer. You'll want to make sure everyone's timeline is laid out the same and there aren't any conflicting schedules. You'll also want to confirm your theme song with your Chicago Prom DJ. Don't forget to call your chaperones as too!



3. Setup a schedule for decorating your venue. You'll want to assign committee members the task of decorating the venue. Make sure you confirm times with the venue and they are OK with you hanging decorations. You'll want to take time and read through any instructions kits that came with your decorations. Make sure all the pieces are included in your kits and figure out the estimated time it'll take to set them all up.



4. Hold nominations for prom court. This job usually falls under your job description as well. You'll want to decide how nominations will be made and who will conduct them at the event.

After you've completed the above steps you should be well on your way to create a successful Chicago Prom. As you can see a lot of work and time goes into planning a big event like this. When it's all said in done though, the students you work with will remember this night for the rest of their lives.

Weddings - The Sequential Order of How Your Wedding Photography Should Take Place

WEDDING SEQUENCE:

Here is a good way to work the wedding sequence as I see it.

1. First I come out an hour before your wedding starts and shoot photos of the bride getting ready with her mom, friends etc. These photos are mainly candid, but I will make it look like art in a natural and "real" way. 

2. Then I will go over to the guys side of the venue and shoot all their formal and candid photos so as to have all the guys photos finished before the wedding even starts which saves time later. 

3. Then I cover the ceremony from all angles. Once the ceremony ends, after the bride and groom do their walk back down the isle I would ask the bride and groom to then come back to the alter where you will meet your family and anyone that you would like in your formal photos.

 [I would ask you to tell  your "main players", meaning the first two rows of seating in the front of the venue or church or who ever you want in your family photos to simply stay seated when they clear out the church or venue area where the ceremony took place, this way we can just have the bride and groom come back to the alter and we can then start the traditional family photos without having to track down the family] Then once your families come over to the alter ...I can say...."the brides side of the family come up for photos"...then have them stand aside...and I will say..."the grooms side come up"....then I will do some shots of both families as one big family [If you want me to only].....then any individual photos you want I will then ask you to simply point out the other people you would like to have in each photo. Or you can tell me their names and I will yell them out...or you can designate someone in your bridal party that knows everyone to grab people and gather them up in case they wonder off so this all goes smoothly...[if there is more then one family unit for either side, please let me know about step moms, dads...etc. and we can call them up by last names and do different family groupings too.]

Then once the family photos are done we will release the family to go to the reception area. 

4. Then we will shoot the brides maids and groomsmen together and you can suggest whatever you want to do as well; being fun shots or formal only. Since we already shot all the groomsman's group photos before the wedding we can then release all the groomsman to the reception after these few photos of all the bridesmaids and groomsman together. 

5. I will then shoot all the girls together and once we finish with that we will then release the girls to the reception too. 

6. At that point it will be time for just the bride and groom to do their photos alone and once we finish creating some beautiful artistic images. THEN WE PARTY!

For the rest of the time I will float around your reception and capture all the other events without you having to ever worry about anything as I always capture it all. Of course you can ask me any time for a special photo of anyone you like. Please let me know if you have any changes to this sequence as i am here to create this entire process as custom to your needs as I can. Thank you!

Wedding Photography on DVD

More wedding photographers today are providing full resolution and custom retouched JPEGs on DVD with full copyright release. But is getting your precious wedding images on DVDs such a great idea?

Some people, including a few professional photographers, believe DVDs may only hold data for up to 8 to 10 years at best. This is probably pretty accurate for most standard consumer grade DVDs. However, for archiving important files, gold archival DVDs are available which may keep precious photographs and other files archived over 100 years. You may find suppliers of gold archival DVDs by simply searching with this phrase in all the popular search engines. As of time of this writing, gold archival DVDs cost around $2.50 each. It is also good to know that there are blu-ray discs for high definition wedding videos which may expect to hold the video for over 200 years as well. To those photographers who are not so sure whether Gold Archival DVDs will keep wedding photos for so many decades, I remind them, gold is inert and does not oxidize. At minimum, it is reasonable to expect and believe 24 karat gold enveloped in a scratch resistant coating must be more archival than the conventional photo paper and chemical process which puts a wedding image on top of a sheet of paper! Yet, there are some photographers who want brides to believe the chemical process of putting an image on top of a sheet of conventional photo paper is more archival than 24 karat gold and which has been enveloped in a scratch resistant coating!

Brides who retain a professional wedding photographer who will provide her wedding images on DVDs might want to make sure the photographer uses gold archival DVDs. Some pro photographers, including myself, will provide on gold archival DVDs at a slightly higher cost. Brides who prefer not to pay the higher cost for gold archival DVDs know they will just be using the standard DVDs as a medium through which to acquire their wedding images for archiving on electronic storage media in its various forms. The DVD is simply a temporary portable means of sharing those images with others to copy and print.

DVD technology is therefore not a problem. But the concept of providing professional wedding photography with full resolution, custom retouched and full copyright released JPEGs on DVDs is the basis of a non-traditional business model for the wedding photographer. How does this new and growing "DVD wedding photographer" business model compare to the traditional "album package wedding photographer" model?

First thing you will notice which distinguishes these two photographers is the DVD wedding photographer does not contractually obligate the customer to a wedding album at time of signing the wedding contract. The DVD photographer prefers to allow the customer to first view their wedding photographs. Once the client has viewed her photographs, selected her favorite horizontal, vertical and various sizes, it can be more easily determined the wedding album the bride will actually need which best fits her particular needs and taste. Album package photographers on the other hand must obligate the bride to some pre-designed album package before the bride has seen any photography at all. While this makes business sense and must be required by the album package photographer, it is purely in the self-interest of the photographer and shows no concern for the best interest of the bride.

The second most distinguishing difference is that from the DVD wedding photographer the bride simply receives the valuable DVD of full resolution, custom retouched and full copyright released images. This benefit is not even on the table with album package photographers. And what a list of practical benefits the wedding DVD provides to the bride!

1. Cropping, retouching, photo tilting, blowing-up and other creative photo manipulation and control as she desires for her photographs and album(s).

2. If her photographer retires, moves out of state, passes away, goes out of business, suffers a business catastrophe or whatever, the bride has her wedding images! She has them!

3. If the bride's wedding album gets lost, damaged or stolen, she can always easily have another new album created since she has her wedding DVD.

4. She does not have to pay the photographer a middle man fee to have prints made. She may send her photos from her DVD to her favorite online or local photo lab for printing at direct lab prices. Of course, we all know that album package photographers sure can have a middle man fee tacked on print and album prices!

5. Most, though not all, album package photographers require the bride and groom to place their album order within 30 to 60 days after the wedding date. This can often be an inconvenience for the new couple just starting and who have arrangements to make to get their new life together organized. Some photographers will rush the bride and groom through this process and that really isn't the best way to make sure the bride receives a wedding album she is going to love. The DVD photographer does not require the purchase of a wedding album. If the bride wants to order one from her DVD photographer, she may do so at her convenience, on her schedule when she is ready. She may order an album if she chooses from any one of the dozens of online album services. It is her decision to do what she believes is best.

6. Depending on the wedding contract, with the DVD wedding photographer, the bride does not have to pay for an album which she may lose if she has to cancel her original wedding date. The only nonrefundable fee to the DVD wedding photographer is the booking retainer for the date. Any and all other money paid on the contract to a DVD photographer is refundable in the event the wedding date is canceled or rescheduled.

There are other differences inherent between DVD wedding photographers and album package wedding photographers but those differences vary in how both types of photographers choose to treat those issues in both their policies and contracts. That is beyond the scope of this article for me to address.

The reluctance of so many album package photographers today to accept the DVD photographer business model reminds me of the same reluctance to switch to digital photography from film. So many album package photographers were film photographers originally. It took many of them years before making the switch to the digital camera. Now that most of them have switched to digital photography, they still have this age-long industry mentality of placing their profits largely on the photographic prints and albums they sell. In this case, they want to keep the "digital negatives" and full copyright ownership and charge an arm and a leg for photographs and albums. But this old pricing philosophy does not take into account the inherent differences between digital photography and film photography as the benefits of each relates to the consumer and even to the professional photographer.

There are a lot of reasons why album package photographers still hold to the old business model. I'm not sure but I think it is mostly due to photo labs and album companies which are constantly providing programs and incentives to keep photographers thinking in terms of placing their profit on photographs and albums. Otherwise, there would be a dramatic decrease in business for photo labs and professional album companies. So photo labs and album companies have a lot of reasons to keep photographers thinking in terms of placing large profits on prints and albums.

But when it comes to digital photography, there are a growing number of photographers who feel that we can provide better and more efficient services and products to our customers through a different business approach. Instead of pricing photographic prints and albums at high enough prices to collect our necessary profits, we instead price our wedding photography skills and full resolution and custom retouched JPEGs at prices to collect our necessary profits. Unlike film negatives which were useful only for printing photos from, our JPEGs are immediately viewable and enjoyable "as is" right out of our cameras. Since wedding photography customers may use JPEGs in a wide variety of ways to include digital magazine style wedding albums and very sophisticated slide shows set to music, our "digital negatives" are in fact a more marketable or desirable photographic product than what photographs and wedding albums use to be. With all of today's digital devices including large 50" plus plasma monitors, being able to view one's wedding day images as a sophisticated slide show set to music IS very often more enjoyable to modern brides than flipping through photos in a small book.

When it comes to pricing our photo quality images, there are a few basic approaches. First, the larger the JPEG, the greater the price per JPEG. Secondly, some photographers sell their photo quality JPEGs in quantity discounts. The more photo quality JPEGs a bride purchases, the lower the price per JPEG. Also some photographers do not provide a full copyright release and they definitely will not transfer copyright ownership under any circumstances. But some do and at a hefty profit and then only after a certain minimum number of JPEGs have also been purchased. The idea behind this pricing approach: We as professional digital photographers are selling our actual work; we are selling what the vast majority of electronic media savvy customers really want to have - the digital negatives. Finally, we are still getting paid and handsomely for doing this!

Now, IF and when the customer wants to buy photographs and albums, she may do so anytime after her wedding day. She may still order photos and albums from her photographer or from any of the many labs and album companies online. The choice is hers.

This article is not by any means intended to persuade album package photographers to switch to the DVD wedding photographer business model. (I don't want the extra competition). I've simply hoped to explain why many of us have adopted this approach. I know this approach to operating a digital wedding photography business is NOT for everyone. Especially those photographers who feel they may lose money on the additional sales of photographs and albums if they give up full resolution images and copyright. That is a very good point in theory. And sometimes it is a practical fact. I've operated my business both ways over the years. For me, I personally feel the advantages to my customers and for my reputation far outweighs the loss of some extra income. Instead, I prefer to make more money serving more customers than trying to get larger sells from a single customer.

In conclusion, there are many benefits to both the digital photographer and to the bride when the photographer simply offers the full resolution and copyright released wedding images on DVDs to the bride.

Understanding Wedding Photo Albums

Choosing a wedding album can be just as confusing and difficult as choosing a wedding photographer. They come in hundreds of styles, covers, colors, sizes, mounting options, etc. Although there are lots of books and articles written for professional photographers about wedding albums, there's almost nothing out there for brides. Sheesh! So here's the 411:

Why do I need an album from my photographer? I've got the digital files, I can make my own prints and put them in my own album.

True, but since professional-quality, custom-made album companies only sell to professional photographers, you will have to buy an off-the-shelf consumer album. That means you either buy the type of album with slip-in plastic sleeves or a scrapbook-type album where you glue photos to a page. Some companies can print simple hardcover photo books. There's nothing wrong with that - these types of options can still be attractive. Just make sure you get albums made with acid-free archival materials so your photos don't discolor or disintegrate over time. However, if you want a truly professionally made, gorgeous album with either flush-mounting or professionally mounted in custom mats, you really have no other choice, you've got to buy one from your professional wedding photographer.

Why are wedding albums so expensive?

You can buy a photo album at the local drugstore for $19.95 and slip in all your 4×6 proofs and bam, you're done! So why is your wedding photographer charging you $2,500 for that album? There are a couple of reasons for this:

(1) Professional-quality albums cost your photographer a lot of money. It is not unusual for your photographer to pay five, six or seven hundred dollars or more for a custom leather album. Custom bookbinding is expensive!

(2) It can easily take your photographer 2 full days to do their file preparation and retouching (on Photoshop) of all the images you've chosen for your album and then to do the design work on the album. You are paying for the photographer's skill and time here, both as a photographer and graphic designer.

What is a flush-mount album? Is it better than a traditional album?

Flush-mounting means that the print itself is mounted all the way to the edge of the page. So the print itself is exactly the same size as the page it is mounted on. Most often, flush-mounting also includes digital graphic design. That means each page is designed using Photoshop or other graphic design software. That makes the design options nearly unlimited. Currently, flush-mount albums seem to be the most popular among today's brides. As for whether or not flush-mount albums are better than traditional, I can't say. It's just a matter of personal preference.

Traditional Matted Albums

This is the style of album that's been around for decades. With a traditional album, prints are placed in individual openings on cotton mats. There is a matted border around each page, so the photo itself doesn't go to the edge of the page. While I love flush-mount albums, there's something so classy and timeless about a matted album. Each image stands out on its own and gains importance.

Coffee Table Books

This most often refers to a book with photos printed on the actual pages. The pages are thin just like a regular book. Some couples prefer photo books to albums because they like the thinner, sleeker look. They can also be just as attractive. However, keep in mind that coffee table book pages will tear much more easily than true album pages, which are mounted on a rigid lining.

Cover options

Cover options are literally limitless. Although leather covers are standard, you can get almost anything you want: plexiglass, metal or fabric covers can be ordered. You can even send in your own fabric and have the album covered with it! Covers can include cover images or not, as well as your choice of text.

How to work with your photographer on your album design

One key consideration is how many images you want and how many pages you want. There are only so many images that will fit before the design becomes busy and cluttered. For example, I prefer a very clean, modern design. This works out to about on average 2 pictures per page in a digitally-designed flush-mount album and about 1.5 images per page in a traditional album. The bottom line here is that you should evaluate your photographer's album design style just as you would their photographic style. Don't be afraid to share your views on album design with your photographer.

It is my sincerest hope that every couple orders an album. In my experience, most people are so busy in their daily lives that they never get around to creating that gorgeous album themselves. This is really an investment in your most important memories. My goal is for you to be showing your album to your grandchildren - of course with tears in your eyes. Think of it this way: if your home catches fire and you have 30 seconds to grab one item as you rush out the door - you're going to grab that wedding album, NOT the china or the toaster. 'Nuff said!

Marketing for Chicago Wedding Photographer

Just about anyone with eyes can see that weddings are big
business. Between the church and hall rental, attire, catering,
flowers. Obviously the list goes on and on and on. But the
detail that makes the day live forever is the photographs. In a
thriving, busy city like Chicago, the potential for a talented wedding
photographer is enormous. The trick is to get all of the
excited brides to be to pay attention to your quality work and book you
for the big day. A few marketing ideas may be just what it takes
to put your name at the top of the Chicago wedding photographer list.

First thing first, a website is amazing marketing tool for the Chicago
wedding photographer. In this day and age of Internet surfing,
their computer is the first place many people go to find
anything. A well designed virtual space is a great start in
having your work seen. Even if you had to hire someone to build
the site, you would still have creative license over what material went
on it. Your web page designer could provide the photographer with
a place to display a gallery of previous wedding photos. That is
what people really want to see. They want to know that the
wedding pictures will look beautiful and be a treasure for
always. This is also a great media for providing future clients
with a general pricing guide. Don't forget contact information
and hours of availability.

It seems like a no brainer, but never underestimate the worth of a
bridal convention. Sure there are other Chicago wedding
photographers there, but this gives potential clients the chance to
see if their personality and photo preferences match their chosen
photographer. After all, no bride or groom wants to spend their
wedding day arguing over pictures with the photographer. A
pleasant, easy going demeanor will go further in attracting new
customers than a whole wall full of perfect pictures, though that helps
too.

Like many small businesses, some of the most important marketing you
can do is referrals from previous clients. New brides like
nothing better than to talk about their weddings and you can be sure
they will mention the photographer. For better or for worse, your
name will be mentioned and if the bride or mother in law goes on about
what a great job you did, you can be sure their friends are going to
give you a call. Providing just a few couples with stellar
quality wedding photos at a reasonable price can almost guarantee your
success as a Chicago wedding photographer.

People don't become Chicago wedding photographers because they don't like weddings.
Get your name out there on the Internet, take a full page phone book page
if you can, and enjoy the word of mouth referrals you get just because
you have satisfied customers. Using some or all of these tips
could have you taking the pictures of beautiful, happy brides and
grooms for a long time to come.

The Professional Photographer in Chicago

Like all professions photography is a field in which there can be any
number of specialties. Some photographers are freelancers and
their work appears in magazines and on the cover of books. Others
target their talents towards artistic expression and their work makes
its way into art galleries and museums, but the type of photographer
that most impacts the lives of the people in their communities are
those who specialize in photos of people and portraits. Due to
the large and diverse population, a professional photographer in
Chicago has many opportunities to further their craft and business.

Of course there is the always popular wedding photographer. These
lucky people get to work in a happy, joyous environment. Their
skills at achieving the perfect candid photo are tested at every
wedding reception. The Chicago professional photographer
would make an excellent name for themselves by
learning unique techniques and poses to make each wedding album its own
one of a kind work of art. In this specialty a good relationship
and understanding of the unique personalities of the bridal couple
would be incredibly useful in taking the exactly right style of
photographs.

All doting parents love to have beautiful, professional photos taken of their child.
A professional photographer based in Chicago has an exceptional
opportunity to make a good living with this specialty.
Beyond a love of photography, an outgoing and child
loving attitude will make all of the difference in being a success in
this field. Some child friendly props, quality backgrounds, and
lots and lots of patience reward both the photographer and the parents
with amazing pictures of the little one everyone can be proud of.

Another area in which a professional photographer in Chicago may excel is in the modeling field.
Several top modeling agencies have offices in the Windy City.
Portfolios and headshots are staples every model needs to succeed and a
photographer that can provide the best are a hot commodity. This
field is also well known for the chance to meet many exciting people
and career opportunities can abound for a talented photographer.

Photography portrait professionals are often in high demand for a large
number of events. Coordinators of a family reunion may want to
hire a professional photographer in Chicago to record the events of their special occasion.
Along with the family theme, many families have a portrait done about
once a year. This can prove to be great repeat business. A
compliment on their family portrait also easily leads into more
business from referrals. Professional photographers almost
always take the portraits for church directories. Anniversaries,
religious occasions, and company picnics are other events that a
professional portrait photographer may find that their skills are
required.

A professional photographer in Chicago has almost limitless opportunities to
broaden their business horizons. From weddings to 50th
anniversary parties, people enjoy many different photo worthy events in
their lifetimes. An accommodating, talented professional
photographer can take advantage of these special events to build a
successful business. Besides talent, it just takes patience and
the right equipment.

Creative Wedding Photography a Great Idea!

The wedding days are drawing nearer and you want some special photography to be done on your wedding. Everyone around you is giving you opinions, suggestions and recommendations but you are not really sure what to do. You are looking around for affordable, expensive, top and the best photographers in the area to get the best out of your wedding photography. Well, the best way to go about this is to go for creative wedding photography that makes use of everything from camera angles to the backgrounds and effects to make the pictures look extremely artistic. It is not formal photography - it is formal photography in its informally modern form.

When you are looking for a photographer you have to make sure that you find the best one because this is such a responsibility. You will be blamed and pointed fingers at for your entire life if you end up choosing the wrong photographer. Every time someone opens the album, he/she will blame you for the bad angles and lighting in the pictures. Through creative wedding photography you can make everyone excited and stunned at the same time. Creative artists are some of the best in the industry and take the wedding photography to a whole new level with their creative ideas and approaches.

What Will A Creative Wedding Photographer Do?

Here are some bulleted points on what a creative photographer can do for you with his creative wedding photography:

繚 He will use the latest equipment to take every shot professionally. With the latest equipment he can make small rooms look big and discolored walls look clean.

繚 He doesn't work with the formal poses only. He will ask you to give some crazy poses and do some unusual stuff to get the pictures that amaze everyone.

繚 He doesn't rely on the front camera angle only. He might take pictures from the roof, from corners, from behind the people and walls and whatever creative ideas he gets about angles on the spot.

繚 Many of his pictures will not even be the type of pictures you imagine. No poses, no meditation and preparation for the picture. He will take the pictures when you don't even know and this is called candid wedding photography.

繚 He can use the latest effects to make your pictures stunning. He can blur the surroundings so your couple is the point of focus or use the lighting to emphasize on the best features of your face.

繚 From faces to feet and clothing to veil, he can dim or lighten anything you ask him to.

Creative wedding photography is the present and future of wedding photography and just the right way of coming out of those formal poses and stiff pictures. Loosen up and do a bit more with your wedding photos because it is you who'll be laughing your heart out looking at those pictures in future.

The Five Things You Need to Do For Your Wedding Photography Consultation

When it comes time to book consultations with wedding photographers, it can be a bit daunting if you're not certain what to expect or what to do. But the process is actually quite simple if you follow these five basic steps...

1: Schedule your consultations wisely.

Assuming that you're arranging consultations with more than one photographer, it's best to schedule all of your photographer meetings within the same day or two. Wedding photographers will offer you the courtesy of holding your date while you make your decision, but they can only hold that date for you for a few days or a week at most.

By booking your consultations within the same day or two, you guarantee that your wedding date is held by all of your potential photographers for a similar amount of time.

2: Prepare for your meeting.

During your consultation, a lot of information gets covered in a short amount of time. You want to be sure to ask all of the questions that are really important to you, so it's a good idea to write a list out beforehand and bring it with you.

3: Know your budget.

It wastes your time and the photographer's time if you meet with them and you're not sure about exactly how much you're prepared to spend on your wedding photography. Before scheduling a wedding photography consultation, decide on a budget and be certain that you and your fiance are both in agreement about the amount.

4: Know your wedding schedule.

Before you even start contacting photographers, make a list of the wedding photographs that are important to you and your fiancee. Do you want pre-ceremony photos? Ceremony only? Do you want posed shots with your wedding party, friends and family? Photos at the reception? A comprehensive list of the photos you want, will help you figure out how long to book your photographer.

When you meet with wedding photographers, they'll need to know how much time you'll want to book them for on your wedding day. Try to be sure about this before you meet with them. If you're not sure, bring the list of your 'must have' photos to your consultation.

5: Trust your instincts, not your wallet.

If you've done your research, you'll have only booked meetings with photographers who have good portfolios, who offer services, rates and photography styles that suit your needs. So the deciding factor will come down to who you'd most like to have as an integral part of your wedding day.

Sometimes you'll know right away. But if you're uncertain, ask yourself which photographer had a personality that seems well-suited to you and your fiance? Which photographer seemed the most competent, knowledgeable and trustworthy? Who seemed to be the most kind, considerate, polite and friendly?

Don't make the mistake of simply choosing the person with the lowest rates. Choose the photographer who you feel will be the best fit for you, your fiance and for your wedding in general.

My Experience As a First Time Vietnamese Wedding Photographer

Weddings are equal to photographing a child or a baby. You have to wait for the right moment and click the moment of a lifetime. No wedding will offer a second chance. And that is true with Vietnamese weddings as well. They are highly ritualistic and capturing one such modern western Vietnamese wedding was quite an experience for me as a Vietnamese wedding photographer.

I am a professional wedding photographer and so being quick fingered with cameras is a second nature. Being familiar with wedding practices usually prepares a photographer's mind and he or she will know what to click next, what are the important events and which one of them will make a great photo. However, being a first time Vietnamese photographer meant a lot of homework and groundwork regarding the rituals and traditions.

Familiarizing with the different ceremony in itself was thrilling. The couple to be married took me to a friend's wedding, which happened to be an authentic Vietnamese wedding. The experience was quite enriching. There is a formal engagement ceremony in presence of elders from both the bride and groom's side. They solemnize the engagement at least half a year before the wedding date is set. A priest or fortune-teller sets the date.

Lot of gifts are exchanged and everything is wrapped in red or pink and gold. These colors symbolize luck and prosperity. On the day of the wedding, the groom wears a traditional 獺o gấm a formal men's attire, which is typically in red or blue. The bride wears an ao dai, which is the feminine version of 獺o gấm. She wears it in red or pink.

The parents pray at the family altar set up at the bride's house. The groom's family is received by the bride's family. The groom's family brings lots of jewels and gifts for the bride, which they present to her at the end of the wedding to mark the acceptance of her into the family. There are lots of speeches given by elders from both sides.

Modern twist

The modern twist is that, the wedding nowadays, takes place at larger wedding halls or temples or churches (in case of Catholic Vietnamese). The grooms no longer wear the traditional attire, but have changed to formal suits. Also, in case of Catholics, the bride wears a white wedding gown, rather than the pink or red ao dai. Exchange of rings is another modern addition.

The concept of a reception too has been adopted to keep in mind the changing lifestyles. Most non-Vietnamese friends would like to attend a familiar reception than attend a non-familiar wedding ceremony.

A Vietnamese photographer needs to keep all these in mind and come up with a plan of action that will make sure that none of the important ceremonies such as the praying at the altar or tea ceremony or candle ceremony or candid moments are missed.

Attending a prior Vietnamese wedding helped me as a photographer to picture and plan what I wanted to cover for the wedding and I was happy it that my clients were impressed by it!

Wedding Dress Trends for 2013

If you're getting married in 2013, you'll need to know next year's wedding dress trends, from bold splashes of colour to iconic sillhouettes. Here are five top trends set to take bridalwear fashion by storm for 2013:

Colour

White and ivory wedding dresses are not the only option! Inspired by vintage palettes, next year's designs are full of deep, Victorian red and blue tones, or delicate shades of brown, blush and pink with feminine lace detailing. Two-tone wedding gowns are growing in popularity two, and are a great option if you still want a predominantly white dress. Or if you're after something really unique, what about a retro or floral print for your wedding dress?

Cutout Backs

Keyholes and lace cutouts are a firm trend for next year's bridalwear, following on from the trend of low-backed dresses a few years ago. The latest look is once again borrowing from vintage design, with predominantly lace detailing on sheer panels, showing a modest peek at the bride's back. Sexy but sophisticated, this trend is a lovely way to add an extra element to your wedding gown.

Peplums and Layers

A peplum is a waist-defining short overskirt that is seen a lot on the runway. Adding structure and draping to the simplest dress, peplums are a hot high fashion trend for next year. Stylished layers are also a big winner, providing a combination of fabrics, textures and shapes to add extra interest and a modern twist to your wedding gown.

Lace

Ever since the royal wedding, the nation has been in love with lace bridalwear! Every designer and collection has been utilising this timeless fabric to add detail and sophistication into all styles of wedding dresses. From contemporary to traditional, vintage to modern, you are sure to find a wedding gown embellished with this enchanting detailing. Options vary from overskirts and cutout panels to sleeves and shrugs.

Combination and Convertible Dresses

Why settle for one dress when you can transform your gown into two (or more) different looks as you move from the ceremony to the reception? More and more brides are opting for a second dress in order to party down without the restriction of a heavy wedding gown, but what if you could combine the two and make a statement with an adaptable dress? Layers, detachable skirts, sleeves, veils, trails and jackets are all becoming popular as brides peel away different elements of their wedding look to create an entirely new one!

Whatever your wedding style, you're sure to find something you adore in next year's wedding trends. But most importantly, follow your heart and your tastes and keep looking until you find the perfect wedding dress for you.

Important Tips for Hiring a Professional Wedding Videography Expert

These days most brides and grooms are not satisfied with only having photographs of their special day. They also want to have a video that they can watch whenever they want to revisit the special moments of that day. Photographs are not always able to capture those special moments and feelings the way that videos can. People with limited budgets often opt to have home videos of their weddings made. They will have a friend or family member to videotape the day using a personal camcorder. Unfortunately, with these the images and sound quality can often be poor. With professional wedding videography the images and audio are of better quality. With the right equipment, editing and camera person, these can look like commercially produced videos.

There is now special editing software that can be used to create different styles out of the images and audio. And, because the equipment is light and mobile the wedding videographer does not have to interfere in the day's events. Wedding videography is now a special field that many people are choosing as a vocation. These are people who tend to be artistic. They do not only produce videos of the special day, but also other events such as birthdays, engagement parties, Bar and Bat Mitzvah's, and other special occasions in people's lives. Some of these wedding videographers even belong to special associations reserved specially for people who work in that field. Many of these organisations even offer special training to their members.

When wanting to have a professional wedding videography, people getting married have to take their time to look for a camera person and reserve their services for their special day. It is important to reserve one well in advance of the wedding date because most weddings are held on weekends, so wedding videographers will be fully booked on those days. Professional wedding videographers usually charge their fees on an hourly rate. Included in this will be the hours needed in order to edit the footage according to the style requested by the bride and groom. It is impossible to predict, how much a wedding videographer will charge for his or her services, because most of them charge according to how busy they are and how much experience they have. One can try to negotiate the fees with the videographers. When looking to hire a professional wedding videographer it is best to request to see samples of their previous work.

It is best to organise a consultation with the wedding videographers. Here they should be able to show samples of their work and get any information that they need to be able to determine their fee. For example, the amount of editing that is required will also determine the cost of the service. The more complicated a style is, the more likely that it will cost more. For this reason the samples that are shown should include the different styles that the videographer can use. Then they will provide a quotation based on the different factors. Make sure that the quotation is itemised so that one can remove different things that are not an absolute must in order to bring down the price.

The different styles should be explained to the wedding videographer as weddings and their special moments can never be repeated. Clients can also request to have their professional wedding videography placed on to special Blu-Ray DVD's. There are now also high-definition capabilities for improved image quality. With a sufficient budget, brides and grooms can have whatever they want in terms of their wedding videos. But, it is best to take the time to find a good professional wedding videography expert to get the best results.

Fun Theme Ideas For Coed Wedding Showers

Traditionally, wedding showers are only given to brides and these events are strictly for ladies only. Although that idea has become a tradition, but there are many people who don't like to stick with that pattern of planning a wedding shower. In fact, many wedding showers nowadays are open for gentlemen including of course the groom.

A wedding shower that involves men is also called a "Coed"wedding shower. This party can also be as fun as bridal showers that are only good for ladies, when planned well. One great idea is to include a fun theme that both the bride and groom will really enjoy. There are plenty of fun theme ideas for coed wedding showers, here are some to choose from:

Home and Garden Theme - for this theme, you can choose location that combines the indoor and outdoor feelings. Most probably you will think of holding this home and garden themed shower at home, patio, or yard. Let the sunshine be the light if you want to hold on daytime, but if you want a night party, you can light the outside with twinkling lights that you can hang on trees or tall plants. You can also use candles or garden torches if you want to. The decorations on the tables could be glass bowls, colorful fresh fruits, flowers, or fresh vegetables.

Hi-Tech Theme -this is for brides and grooms who are always fond of collecting modern gadgets or are simply have a contemporary taste. For this theme, you can think of creating a cyberspace-age like atmosphere in the party. This is actually quite easy if you have some blue light bulbs to counterfeit the techno blue glow of some computer monitors. There's a lot of unique ideas that you can use in this wedding shower theme, like you can use diskettes instead of coasters or you may consider giving out mouse pads as party favors. Instead of sending common party invitations, why not send electronic invites through e-mailing? This is actually a fun idea and unique for a modern-type wedding shower.

Wine and Dine Theme - for a couple that always enjoy a fine dine with their favorite wine, why not treat them to the best restaurant in town? A vineyard venue would also make a perfect wedding shower location for them. You may include a wine tasting activity for everyone to enjoy. Mini bottle of wines can be given out as party favors that guests can take home.

These are just a few themes that can be used for a coed wedding shower. For more unique ideas, you can browse different sites online. You can also order party supplies from specialty shops online. Usually, these web-based shops offer a wide variety of bridal shower invitations, bridal shower decorations, bridal shower favors, and other bridal and wedding party items. With the help of the Internet, planning a coed wedding shower is no longer challenging, not to mention there are lots of unique and fun ideas that you can easily find without working too hard or leaving your home.

Five Wedding Contract Clauses You Didn't Know You Could Get

For people new to the business of photography it's not unusual for wedding photography to be one of the first steps in that journey. There are more cameras at weddings these days than you'll find at most press conferences. Yet, even with all the coverage, the majority of brides opt for a professional photographer, some more than one.

As a professional wedding photographer, you will live and die by the strength of your contracts. There are wedding photographers who didn't require contracts and that's a financial disaster waiting to happen.

When it comes to wedding photographer contracts, here are some contract clauses most new photographers don't know they can include.

Exclusivity Clause

That clause says you're going to be the only professional photographer on the job. That won't prevent an "Uncle Bob" from shooting next to you, but it will make sure that if the bride wants a second shooter, which many do, that you'll be providing that second shooter who will be working for you.

Dinner Clause

This is a clause that says if food is provided to the guests, that they feed their friendly neighborhood photographer as well. This should not apply to half-day or ceremony-only wedding jobs, but for jobs that run all day, including the reception, it's definitely okay.

That applies to food, not the bar. Stab yourself in the eye with a pen before drinking at a paying wedding job.

Force Majeure

That's a clause that recognizes that bad things can happen outside your control as a photographer. Data cards can go bad in the middle of a shoot and pictures can be lost because of events outside your control. The other way to cover this eventuality is carrying E&O insurance, a wise photographer does both.

Lab Errors

Sometimes this clause falls under Force Majeure and it states that labs are staffed by human beings as well and it provides for a reasonable time frame to resolve disputes if the proofs or photos are late because you have to send them back to the lab.

Substitution Policy

States that, while you intend to be the primary photographer, if circumstances dictate a replacement you can provide another photographer to shoot for you.

For really big name wedding photographers, this is a standard clause and most often the shooter will be one of the staff. Some name photographers do nothing but drive between teams in the field to check the progress of their work.

Contracts for wedding photographers are a delicate dance. Make them too draconian and it will scare off customers; make them too soft and there's too much room for ambiguity. Being prepared to be fair and reasonable and spend some time explaining why those clauses are in the contract can go a long way toward smoothing over any trepidation.

The Important Questions to Ask Your Potential Wedding Photographer

So, you've narrowed down your selection of potential wedding photographers. You've now got to decide between two or three. You like their work and they have similar rates and packages. But you still aren't sure who to hire. What else can you do to help make your decision? Contact the photographers who made it to your 'short list' and ask them some key questions...

The rates are important, yes and of course you'll want to inquire about them. But once you've got a fairly clear idea of the amount you can expect to pay, there are several other things you should make sure of as well...

QUESTION ONE - THE CONSULTATION:

When you're arranging meetings with potential photographers, be sure to ask if they give you a free consultation before your wedding date.

The answer to this should always be yes. Whether it's in person or by telephone, at least a few days prior to your wedding, you and your photographer should have a one-on-one discussion about the kinds of photos you envision for your wedding day. This is makes sure everyone is clear about your vision and your needs for your wedding photography.

QUESTION TWO - THE SHOT-LIST:

Does the photographer provide you with a detailed shot-list to fill out prior to your wedding?

This list is invaluable for you and for your photographer. On this list, you'll fill out the names of the wedding party and family members so your photographer knows who is who, without you having to take time from your wedding day to make extra introductions.

Then you fill out information about the various shots you want. Do you want photos of the wedding party getting ready? Bridal party and groom's party? Family photos before and after the ceremony? Photos of the cake cutting and the signing of the legal documents? How much time are you allotting for each activity?

All of these details (and more) can be arranged with your photographer weeks or months in advance by filling out this shot list. This ensures you and your photographer both know what to expect and how much time you have for each location and activity.

QUESTION THREE - DELIVERY TIME:

This should definitely be a deciding factor in who you hire. Always ask your potential photographers how soon after your wedding can you expect to receive your photos? Anything within 90 days is reasonable. More than 90 days is not.

QUESTION FOUR - CONTRACTS:

A VERY important thing to make sure of before hiring any kind of service supplier for your wedding - including your photographer - is if they provide a contract and invoices and/or receipts.

Don't hire anyone who doesn't provide you with some form of documentation for your transactions. Contracts and invoices/receipts are for your benefit and protection just as much as they are for the tradespeople and service suppliers you hire.

Always, ALWAYS make sure you get a signed contract upon paying any deposit fee.

QUESTION FIVE - DEPOSITS: Always ask your potential photographers if they require a booking fee/deposit. A professional photographer will require this, so expect them to say yes. The average professional photographer doesn't tend to charge more than 30% for a deposit, often a bit less. This deposit guarantees the photographer's availability for your date and time.

Make sure that the booking fee is refunded from the total sum agreed upon for your wedding photography contract.

QUESTION SIX - PAYMENT:

It's important to know in advance, when you're expected to pay the entire sum for your wedding photography. Some photographers will invoice you after your wedding, some require full payment by the day of. Either is acceptable, but more often than not, you'll be expected to make the full payment on or before your wedding day. This applies to paying videographers as well.

QUESTION SEVEN - WHAT'S INCLUDED?

Many photographers will quote one rate for their actual photography coverage and then charge (often exorbitant) additional fees for things like your high resolution images and your image retouching. These are services that should be included; charging additional fees is a bit unscrupulous.

In this age of digital photography, Photoshop (or an equivalent program) is exactly like a darkroom. Contrast and color are corrected and adjusted. Blemishes are removed, focus is sharpened, effects can be added, images can be produced in black and white as well as color.

Making these adjustments to photos is all part of a professional photographer's job and you should not be expected to pay extra money for it. If someone doesn't include this service in their pricing, hire someone else who does.

(Custom photo-albums with prints however, are not standard and it's completely reasonable to pay an additional amount if you should require this extra service.)

When you've asked these seven questions, it's a lot easier to make your final decision about which photographer to hire.

4 Interesting Things to Consider Before Getting Wedding Flowers

Have you picked up flowers for your wedding? Have you talked to a florist who understands what you want to achieve on that special day? Choosing the best flowers for the wedding should not be taken for granted. The success of a wedding depends on how seriously you take the flower arrangement. If you are trying to avoid those mistakes that could spell a disaster at your wedding, keep on reading.

Preparation is the Key
Be organized and prepare properly. Choose your florist well ahead of schedule. The best florists get booked in advance. So, if you wait till the 11th hour before you start searching for one, you might end up disappointed. Most florists will ask to pay a small amount in advance so as to confirm you on their plans for the month. This is good as it commits them to your cause and reduces the chances of a 'no show' at your marriage.

Because of the importance flowers bring to a wedding, go for someone with a good track record. Ensure you sort out everything, including colors, flower type and quantity. Give plenty of time to your flower expert and correct any mistakes before your big day.

Do not try to cut corners and make do it with a newbie just starting out. It does not take much to show that a wedding is a dud. Just get a crappy florist.

Time is Everything
Even if your friends and family are supporting your special day by providing flowers, tell them not to get them too early. There is nothing more embarrassing than having dying flowers at a wedding. This is something you should take very seriously, if you are getting married in the summer. If your flowers have to be set up 24 hours earlier, ensure they are kept in water.

Even hydrangeas that are favorites for wedding flower bouquets need to stay in water or they would not even make it halfway into your wedding.

Another thing you can depend is on having a very good florist and make arrangements in the morning of the wedding. This is risky and takes a lot of clout to pull off. So, if you have doubts about your florist, concentrate on leaving your flowers in water overnight.

You can even afford to use a flower preservative which helps water retention and thereby reduces wilting. If the job is done properly, your flowers will stay fresh all through the day.

Careful with the Flowers
When choosing flowers, you should not only go for looks and fragrance. In fact, choosing heavily scented flowers could drive all your well-wishers over the bend, with their allergies taking centre stage instead of your marriage.

Do you know that lilies, especially Stargazers that are a top-choice at weddings can be a problem at the same time? The pollen grains can leave a nasty stain that is very hard to remove. Tell your florist to be careful with flowers that can be a nuisance. If they must be used, nip of the pollen parts of these flowers to avoid a wedding disaster. Alternatively, to avoid any disasters you can keep it simple like flowers on mothers-day.

Let Your Florist Work
It is understandable, that you want everything to be right and bright. But you cannot do everything, which is why you asked an expert for a hand. It is your wedding, but you have to give him some space to work.

You have to be flexible. No matter what you might think, a florist will do a better job than you. Getting an overall feel or look for a wedding is not easy. Give up your concept and let him do the rest. Let him justify the money that you are paying.

To The Layman: Why Is Wedding Photography So Expensive?

There are 2 kinds of people in the world. Those who know the going rate for wedding photography, and those who don't. Those who do usually gasp and be amazed at the prices they rake in per wedding, and soon after go on their daily lives. For those who don't, now is the cue to do the above. Wedding photography can cost up to US$3,000- $10,000, depending on the experience of the photographer.

The upper limits often put people in awe of how much these wedding photos cost, after all it was all in a day's work. But is it really just a day's work? More often than not, what people fail to see is the sheer amount of hard work required to prepare for the big day (yes, it is the photographer's big day as well) and the work that follows. Those au naturale shots you see? Not without the hours of effort from the photographer on end.

Weddings were never an inexpensive affair to begin with. From the caterer, to the DJ, to the venue - all these sum up to a substantial amount of money. For the uninitiated, today we shall unravel the mystery as to why these esteemed bunch of photographers deserve the amount they are quoting.

Wedding photography is no walk in the park, that you should already know by now. Work begins even before the wedding day starts. Photographers have to ready their equipment, which does not come cheap. Just the camera for example, is at $2,500 a pop. Photographers usually have a back-up just in case of a malfunction of the first. Not to mention other special equipment such as lenses for different scenes and situations, extra battery and memory card backups etc.

At the wedding itself, the photographer devotes 6-10 hours of his day (on a weekend, no less) to capturing the essence of the event of your lifetime. Anyone who has been through a day of wedding would have no problems seeing how demanding and stressful it is for anyone who is not a guest. Other than having to be on standby for planned shots, the photographer also has to be on the lookout for great candid shots that would mark the occasion and emotions for the newly-weds and their guests for years to come. That we are talking about non-stop, hardly any breaks kind of back-breaking work. If the client's pockets are deep enough, the photographer might have some to spare for an assistant photographer.

The event does not end there for the photographer. What happens behind the closed doors of the photography studio is the photographer crouched over the computer, editing the images so that your eyes are not half-closed or your beloved little cousin is not making a face at the group shot. And contrary to popular belief, perfecting a photo does not take the same time as snapping your fingers. It takes time, and a lot at that.

So, let's summarize what has the photographer has done to deserve the top dollar. First, there is the preparation stage where he has to spend time making sure he has all the necessary equipment (and beg, steal or borrow if he doesn't have it). Time is also required to create a shot list, and coordination if the couple requires some must-have shots of their guests. If the wedding venue is somewhere unfamiliar, it would also help if the photographer could conduct a recce of the place to seek out the good photo spots. Without stating the obvious, the photographer gets busy again after the actual event, going into post-processing of the pictures to create that perfect album in your eyes. ALL of that - takes time.

Other than your wedding favours, wedding photos are the only other souvenirs you bring home to remind you of your beautiful nuptials forever. Surely you do not want to compromise on this just to pinch that few pennies? Pick a wedding photographer whom you can trust and just relax, and focus on being the happy bride or groom you are supposed to be at your wedding.

Wedding Photography Dos and Don'ts

Should you or should you not be the camera guy in a wedding party is the question. You will not get paid for the favor, so I am hard pressed to come up with one good reason why you should do it but I can give you many reasons why you shouldn't.

Don't feel bad letting your friend or family know that you will not be able to take on the responsibility because for one it is the most important day of their life and they should really be looking into hiring a professional, not to mention working the camera and all the gear will pretty much ruin your chances of having any fun at the party.

But for some reason if you still decide you want to be the camera guy, here are some tips that will help you survive the day. First of all make sure you have the right equipment to do a semi good job. And by right equipment I mean at least a 5 to 7 megapixel digital SLR camera, so the resolution can support up to 8x10 pictures. If you can only have one lens, go with the 18 - 80mm, preferably high density lens to get sharp pictures. But if you have a choice of lenses then get 2 - 3 to cover close-ups, regular portraits and group snaps. For close up photography, prefer to get a fixed focal length 50mm or 55mm lens. For regular portraits, you can use a 28 - 80mm lens with low dispersion. And last but not least for group photography which is integral to Pakistani and Indian weddings, a wide angle 24mm - 28mm lens with low distortion would do fine.

Another thing to never forget is an external flash light for your camera. Reason for that is the mini built in flashes on the cameras don't have enough power to have much of an impact on your pictures at bigger venues. You should also familiarize yourself with flash photography before the event as at times it can be very difficult to get the pictures with correct exposure and settings with an external flash attached on the camera. Your pictures will either flat out by excessive light or will turn out to be too dark if you don't know what you are dealing with. Amateurs have their best chance sticking with automatic settings on the new super expensive DSLRs rather than trying their luck with manual settings. And last but not least don't forget to get a diffuser for the flash light to get that even tone across your pictures.

Quick check up list before you leave your house for the event:

- Camera with batteries
- Lenses
- External flash with diffuser
- Extra batteries
- Memory card and extra memory card(s)

Good luck, take your A game out there and remember to smile and try to enjoy the excursion.

Top 5 Wedding Favors for 2013

Preparing wedding favors for your guests after they attended your wedding ceremony is one of the best ways you can show your appreciation. Not only can you customize them to be as memorable as you would like, but you can literally prepare just about anything. With that being said, there are so many options to choose from that it can become a little overwhelming. Let's narrow down your selection to the Top 5 Wedding Favors trending in 2013.

Personalized coffee mugs make it to the top of the list due to their customization and daily use for any house hold. Put your names, wedding date, initials, location, or something that goes along with your wedding day on the mugs to personalize it. Add a small box of tea, coffee bag, candies, or another small token to fill the cup! These memorable mugs will fill the homes of your guests and keep them talking about the wonderful time they had on your special day.

Hang-Over gift bags have been trending the wedding favor list for the past couple of years and making a big hit in 2013. Get fun medium sized buckets or boxes and wrap a fun banner around the outside for a personal touch. Add a customized bottle of water, a sleeping mask, Tylenol, and maybe a Starbucks gift card to help them through the next day after partying on your wedding night. Your guests will be more than thankful for the thoughtfulness the next day when they wake up!

Bottles of wine always make for a great favor. They are easy to buy in bulk and perfect for customizing the labels! Add a fun wine opener, bottle stopper, or a pair of wine glasses to spice it up. There are a variety of wines to choose from so get a little creative and select a few favorites to narrow down your selection.

Unique bottle openers are small and perfect for wedding favors. You can engrave on them and make them unique to your very special day. Add a little ribbon around the top and put in a cute box and send off with your guests at the end of the night to keep the party going when they get home!

This type of favor took a turn on me when it hit the charts as a top favor idea- donating to charities instead of gifting favors! I thought this was a wonderful idea and apparently so did many others. Pick a one or two charities you want to donate to and let them choose from there. Before your guests prepare to leave, make an announcement and have a table set up for them to donate to throughout the night. This type of favor not only saves you money, but it is very rewarding by paying it forward.

Every bride and groom wants their guests to remember how much fun they had the next day and wedding favors are the perfect token for wrapping up a great night. Whichever wedding favor catches your eye, just remember to make it personal for your guests to show appreciation for their attendance on such a special night. Take time to think about what you and your groom want to offer, set aside a reasonable budget, and let the creative side take control!

Wedding Hairstyles: Tips for Choosing Wedding Updos

For many brides the hairstyle they choose for their wedding day is almost as important as the dress they choose. While every bride wants her hair to look great on her wedding day, there are also many factors to consider in choosing a style. Women with longer hair often have an especially difficult time deciding on a hairstyle.

Designing wedding updos takes a great deal of planning. An updo is essentially a hairstyle that involves pinning the hair up so that is off the neck. There are many different styles of updos available and the bride may find choosing the perfect one to be a challenging task. The bride has a lot of factors to consider when choosing a hairstyle. This article will outline some of the factors to consider when deciding on wedding updos.

The shape of the face is one of the most important factors to consider when choosing wedding updos. This is important because certain styles of updos are more appealing on faces of a particular shape while other styles may create an unappealing look. For example some hairstyles may make a round face appear even rounder while other hairstyles may create a slenderizing illusion.

The veil or headpiece which will be worn should also be considered when choosing wedding updos. While the shape of the face is very important, the headpiece is equally important because it will influence the types of styles which can be used. Once the headpiece is chosen, the bride to be can start choosing a hairstyle.

The process of choosing wedding updos usually begins with paging through wedding magazines or scrolling through websites. Most soon to be brides get their inspiration from magazines and websites which focus on weddings. Seeing models with hairstyles you like can give you the general idea of what type of hairstyle you will choose.

When looking through these magazines and websites it is important to consider the shaper of the face of the models in the hairstyles you like. If they have face shapes which are similar to your own, these styles will likely be flattering. However, if the models have faces which are shaped drastically different from your own, you may find the style to be unflattering.

The next step in the process of choosing wedding updos is to visit a salon to experiment with different styles. If you already have a hairstylist you trust or have recommendations from other friends you can choose this stylist to complete your wedding day look. Otherwise you might need to visit a few salons to see pictures of their previous work before deciding on a stylist. Once you have chosen a stylist you can do a trial run to see how the hairstyle looks with the headpiece.

Preferably the trial run to experiment with different wedding updos should take place close to the date of the wedding. This will ensure the hair is relatively similar to how it will be on the wedding day. You may experiment with different hairstyles a few months in advance only to find that the weather or other factors have changed to texture of your hair making the style that was so appealing a few months ago to not be as attractive. The trial run is very important because it is when the bride to be will really see how the updo will look on her and with her headpiece.