Photo Restoration and Editing For Your Wedding Photos

Taking photos is necessary at wedding ceremonies and other such parties. However, you are not able to get the perfect pictures every time. Sometimes, you are not able to take the perfect pictures because of bad camera quality. Sometimes, you get blurry pictures because of too much movement at the time of taking the picture. And on other occasions, the lighting plays a big role in ruining your pictures. Too much lighting along with bad lighting can also be bad for your pictures. If there is too much light, you will observe glares and extraordinarily white spots in your pictures. With photo restoration, all these problems can be dealt with.

If you have had a bad experience with pictures on your wedding, you can take services from a photo restoration professional to restore your pictures. A lot can be done to your wedding pictures with the help of latest photo editing software and tools. Not only can you restore the pictures that have become faded but you can also add wedding photo effects to them. With the help of photo retouching and photo enhancement, you can bring life to your wedding pictures that have dull colors. Brighter, darker or lighter colors can be added to your wedding pictures with the help of photo editing software.

With a background change, photo restoration experts can create a perfect picture of your couple. Due to bad lighting, your pictures can have a very dark background at times. Who would want to have a dark background on a wedding picture? With background change, you can get rid of the dark background issue from your wedding pictures. If there is something in the background that is ruining a romantic picture of the couple, you can have the background changed to your liking. Even if there is no background or picture is not from your wedding, you can make it a wedding picture by using background change options.

If some features of your face or body are not looking good in the picture, you can make them disappear with the help of photo retouching. Photo enhancement can be used to balance any colors distortion in the pictures. If you visit a professional's office or website, you will find a huge range of wedding photo effects that could be added to your wedding photos. With photo restoration and editing techniques, you can add items on your wedding pictures. How about trying different color effects on your plain white wedding gown?

Wedding Photography - Using Photoshop Actions to Improve Your Wedding Photography Editing

The invention of actions in Photoshop opened up a whole new arena for photographers wishing to improve the look of their work. They are particularly useful in Wedding Photography, where many images need to be edited in a short amount of time.

Actions can be accessed from the Actions panel in Photoshop, where you will find several default actions already there. In short, an action is a tool, which performs multiple repetitive tasks with the press of one button. For example, there are actions for creating soft filters, for turning Wedding Photographs to black and white images and for almost any other action you want to perform.

Many leading Photographers, as well as graphic designers have their own actions, which they have made and are available for sale. There are also millions of photoshop actions available for free on the internet. You can also make your own actions in photoshop, quickly and easily by pressing the record button before you perform a task and pressing the stop button afterwards. You can name this action whatever you like and use it every time you wish to perform that task, with the click of one button.

There are many different types of actions, but some more popular ones will cover different sharpening tools, resizing images, adding borders and giving the image a particular look, like old fashioned, sepia or modern. Some very popular action sets for sale include Totallyrad actions, and Kubota actions. Both of these are utilised by Wedding Photographers extensively to quickly put out the beautiful images that their clients seek.

Starting a Wedding Photography Business - The Details

So You've Got Talent

So you are a photographer and not just any type of photographer you are a wedding photographer. You've chosen a profession that will require many different skill sets, not the least of which is your ability to take a great picture. But there is a lot more to running a successful business than just having a service to offer. Many people have had a great idea or a special talent but have not been able to capitalize on that talent. This series of articles is intended to help you achieve your dream of working on your own, providing a unique service to deserving clients, and doing it all successfully.

The Real Cost of Wedding Photography Business

First and foremost let's get the necessities out of the way. If you're going into business as a wedding photographer there are certain things you are going to have to have at a minimum. Some photographers have done without some of the following items but to be honest I wouldn't suggest it. These are just the basics to get you started. You can build up your equipment later on. Each of the following items is listed within its own article:

• website (with a secure gallery for customers) and email

• marketing plan

• photography equipment and home office

• a second photographer

• insurance, taxes, business license and bank accounts

What's Not Listed

You'll notice that I didn't list photographic skill. When it comes to your skill as a wedding photographer I'm assuming you've already looked at your ability from an objective standpoint and determined that you do have something unique that others will want to pay for. If you have done this you'll also want to make sure you can handle the responsibility associated with wedding photography. This is an extremely special day in a couple's life so you have to be sure you are able to take on the immense responsibility of capturing every moment of that day. If you have both of those items then it's on to looking at the other aspects that make up a business owner's skill set, such as attention to detail, customer centric thinking, and patience.

The Devil's in the Details

Details can make or break a wedding photography business. This is important to realize up front. If you don't pay attention to those details you can easily falter. As a photographer you'll need to pay attention to the details of the wedding. Equally important you'll need to focus on the details of the business. These details include the wording on your wedding contract, the promises you make to your clients, your ability to keep track of the different weddings you might have at any given time. This leads us to the next important part, being customer centric.

The Customer's Always Right

There is a reason that corporations spend so much money on figuring out ways to make customers happy, because it's easier and cheaper to keep a customer than to get a new one. The same goes with the wedding photography biz. If you learn how to make your customers happy you'll get repeat business, referrals, and a better reputation within your community. There is no secret to making your customers happy. Here are some simple things to remember:

• Always deliver what you promise - if you say it will take 2 months to edit their photos it shouldn't take 2 and a half months

• Be quick about your replies - Wedding Photographers are notorious about not replying to emails and calls, set yourself apart by replying to all inquiries within 24 hours at the max

• Be courteous, friendly, knowledgeable, and helpful before, during, and after the wedding.

• Always keep in your thoughts that this is someone's special day - When you have edited your 30th wedding and you are looking at your 600th picture in that wedding remember that while this is a job to you, its someone's wedding day

• Don't be on time, be early - Being early to meetings, weddings, and events will allow you to prepare yourself for those events. It also has the added benefit of making you look more professional

• Dress appropriately - Black or natural colors are always a good choice for photographers. Dressing business casual for most weddings will be sufficient but always check with the couple if in doubt. ***Remember, while you should look professional, you should also be comfortable***

Patience is a Virtue

Remember that your photographic skill didn't happen spontaneously so don't expect that your business will boom over night. It takes work to make a business successful and even given all of the right ingredients it still might fail. Even if it fails, learn from your mistakes, try again, and try and try and try. Never give up on something as important to you as pursuing your dream. If you have to work a day job during the week while getting your business of the ground then so be it. If you have to learn how to design websites just to put up your own website, so be it. If you have to shoot weddings for free to build up a portfolio then so be it. Just don't give up.

How do I know all of this?

I'm the owner of a Pensacola wedding photography business. I have built my business from the ground up with no help from anyone else. I started by shooting weddings for free for friends and family members. My first cameras were consumer grade digital Rebels. I've upgraded everything along the way as I could afford it. I trained with a local wedding photographer and have always been into photography, web design and marketing. With these talents I created a solid business that exceeds my customers' expectations, stays profitable, and allows me to live comfortably based only my own skills. I've had failures along the way but have learned from them and have become one of the top Pensacola wedding photographers.

Read On

Please make sure to read the other articles in this series. They cover everything from websites to insurance but by no means are they the end all be all. Take what you can from what I have to offer and learn what you can from other sources. Be a sponge, soak it all in. It is my hopes that it will help you in your effort to run a successful wedding photography business.

17 Great Questions to Ask Your Wedding Photographer

The wedding date is set! Already, the excitement is building for your big day. You want awesome wedding pictures. But the challenge feels daunting. You know your family shutterbug Uncle Ned is not who you had in mind. Chances are you have never hired a photographer before. So where do you start? You know you want to interview the candidates, but what do you ask them? Here are 17 great questions to ask photographers before booking.

1. Are you full-time? When did you start shooting full-time?

The truth is most wedding photography operations are very fly by night. The photographers are doing their photography on a part-time basis with negligible photography experience. Do you believe your once-in-a-lifetime event should be on-the-job training for your photographer? I didn't think so. A full-time photographer has already made the considerable life-long investment of their energy, time and money to create a valued and trusted service. Your wedding memories deserve your photographer's 100 percent commitment not a 20 percent commitment.

2. Why do you like to photograph weddings?

This question helps you to gauge who your photographer is as a person and artist. Take stock of the person's passion and energy. Does he/she seem enthusiastic or kind of flat? People who love what they do have a tendency to be very good at what they do and working with them is always more enjoyable and fun.

Also, knowing a little about what makes the person tick is a good way to feel out what kind of a personality "fit" you may share with the photographer. After all, you will be spending an entire day with your photographer, so do what you can to be sure the person you pick will be genuinely excited to be there and pleasant throughout that day.

3. Will you be the actual photographer to shoot our wedding? If not, who?

It's not uncommon for photographers and larger studios to have a network of shooters. If you learn the person you are talking to will not be the shooter then insist you talk to the person who will and also insist you see their personal portfolio.

4. What kind of input can we have on the shots? i.e. subject matter, shotlists and ideas from other wedding shots we liked?

A formals/posed groupings worksheet is sometimes necessary when planning when and how to get that part of your wedding completed and done in time. Lots of communication is key here. When working with a good wedding photographer, it is important when capturing the unique qualities and moments of your wedding to keep it open-ended for your photographer. A good photographer cannot produce every photo you can think of, but he/she can produce photos you never dreamed of.

5. (For self-described photojournalists) How much of your candid-looking work is posing and setting-up of shots or do you get shots as they happen without posing or reenactment?

"Wedding photojournalist" has become a buzzword which has lost its specific meaning with its surge in popularity among photographers. Often, the term "photojournalist" means candid-looking when used by photographers and studios to describe their own work. Often these photographers will set up and reenact a few things during your wedding day but rely heavily upon traditional portraiture for a lot of your photos... there is nothing wrong with this approach if you are comfortable with that. However a true wedding photojournalist has the talent and ability to anticipate, observe and "see" moments as they happen without the need to interfere with the natural flow of your wedding day.

6. Are the digital files available on CD/DVD? If so, are they high resolution?

This is a popular request by couples. The discs can vary widely in price. Also ask if there are any discounts applied to the CD/DVD after a certain time has passed from the wedding. For example, the photographer may offer the discs at half-price two years after the wedding.

7. What kind of improvements do you make to the files on the CD/DVD?

It is nice to have your pictures in hand to keep safe and make whatever prints you like. Keep in mind all digital images on the disc should be toned, adjusted and worked a little to make an adequate print. You should have some guarantee of the quality of pictures on the disc.

8. Do you have a list of references with contact info?

This is a rarely asked but very effective question. A real live person who has worked with a photographer will give you valuable, objective information.

9. Who do you carry liability insurance with?

Businesses that adhere to professional practices will deliver professional service and results to you. Chances are slim you will ever have to worry about insurance coverage. But accidents can and do happen. Would you let a roofing company put a new roof on your home that did not have liability insurance? How about a mechanic working on your car? I hope not.

10. What is the delivery time for the various products you offer?

It really shouldn't take half a year to receive an album, your proofs or any other products. Try to be timely with any input your photographer requires as far as albums, edits to help this process along.

11. With the albums, how does the design and picture selection process work? Are there any fees for changes we would like prior to the album's production?

You should have some input into important keepsakes of your wedding like an album. Some photographers charge extra for a certain number of changes to the albums they design for you prior to the printing and binding of any album. Make sure such fees are all clearly stated. Beware of time deadlines too, they are necessary to preventing production bottlenecks.

12. When will the proofs be ready? Is there a time limit for the online proofing galleries?

If working with a digital photographer, online proofing (when you first get to see your photos online) should be completed within a couple of weeks of your event. The time period of online availability for those galleries varies among photographers. Some post them for three months, others post for a full year. Check with your photographer.

13. What happens if the photographer is ill? What about back-up equipment?

Any successful, established professional studio should have a network of shooters available for emergency help. You should have a written assurance the substitute photographer will be a competent professional.

14. Should our event last longer than scheduled? Will the photographer stay, are there extra charges?

Most weddings will not exceed a six to eight hour time commitment from your photographer. If you think you will need more time, find out how your photographer handles extra hours.

15. What associations do you belong to?

Another useful way to gauge a photographer's qualifications and professional commitment.

16. Why should we hire you?

Again, this question is similar in spirit to Question 3. Your photographer's answer should communicate some excitement about the privilege to shoot your wedding.

17. May we see your second photographer's entire shoot from a wedding?

Wedding photography studios often promote themselves as two shooter "teams." They are often a husband and wife duo. They are usually not the 2-for-1 benefit they advertise. For the most part they are maybe one decent photographer and a person who is nothing more than a camera holder with with very little qualifications or experience. Have you seen an entire take of both photographers? Insist on seeing the second photographers entire shoot.

Wedding Photography - Capturing the Memories of Your Big Day on Video

By capturing the memories of your wedding ceremony and the reception that follows, you will be able to relive them time and again through the years through pictures. Wedding photographers have traditionally played an important role in capturing the joy and emotions of this special day. Today, there is a new tradition in wedding photography, recording the event on video. Whether in Blue Ray, HD, or regular DVD format, videographers can keep these memories alive by memorializing your big day on video.

This article explores some things to keep in mind when hiring a videographic expert, including why using a friend or family member isn't a good choice and how your video expert can work as a team with your wedding photographers.

Choosing A Friend Or Family Member

While choosing a friend or family member to video your ceremony might be the only option if you're on a budget, a professional will usually provide you with a better video. A videographer uses high quality equipment and has the experience to understand vital components like multiple camera placements, getting the best sound quality, and editing a video into a treasured piece of memorabilia.

A professional will also know how to stay out of the way of your wedding photographers so they don't end up in your final album. Additionally, if you choose a friend or family member, they cannot enjoy this special day with you because they will be working diligently to video the event.

Make Sure You Can Film

Many venues have strict rules that do not allow for filming. Make sure you are allowed to film before you hire a videographic expert. In addition to getting permission from your ceremony location, get written permission from your rehearsal dinner and reception hall venues as well.

Book Your Videographer Early

There are fewer professionals that specialize in videos than there are photography services. Most talented videographers stay booked for months in advance, so contract your professional early. This allows enough time for exploring a venue and planning the best location for cameras and equipment.

Video And Photo Experts Working Together

It's all about capturing that perfect moment at the right time. Wedding photographers watch for that perfect moment with an eagle eye. Videographers work to document your event by quickly catching those spontaneous moments that make for special memories.

Make sure the professionals you hire can work together. Hiring photographic experts that have never worked at an event that also included a video expert can lead to problems. Put both professionals in contact with each other so they can make a plan for staying out of each other's way while also providing you with beautiful photos and video of your special day.

Some wedding photographers work with certain videographers all the time. This usually results in a strategy that works well for everyone. Many companies can even provide you with a team that is accustomed to handling both tasks effectively. Whether you're in a small town or a big city like Chicago wedding photography professionals can beautifully document your big day, leaving you with a way to relive your treasured moment for a lifetime.

Finding Fall Wedding Venues

Choosing a venue for a fall wedding is an exercise in vision. A successful choice of locations for an autumn nuptial will reward the bride with memories and wedding photography that should make any bride proud.

The standard, over-used, modern wedding venues such as hotel ballrooms and golf courses are fine for brides who want a wedding just like every other wedding they have attended in their life. But for the bride bold enough to plan a wedding that sits outside the traditional wedding season, same ol' same ol' is not enough. Rather, choose a location for your wedding which will pay dividends for you, your wedding photography, and your guests by rewarding you with a sweeping view of the beauty of the fall season.

Fortunately, there are many ways to achieve such a lofty goal. If you live in or near the countryside some of my favorite fall wedding venue options are as follows:

Orchard: An orchard brings built in leaf color opportunities. Create your own outdoor chapel with colorful trees providing the decor.

Barn: One of the most memorable wedding venues I have ever seen was created with an old weathered barn as the starting point. The bridal party took long swaths of off white fabric and hung it from the rafters to transform the rustic structure into a tasteful cathedral. Of course you can dress it up or down from there.

Add hay bales, gourds, pumpkins, and bushels of the fall harvest or dress it up with white chairs and silver accents. Either way, whether you leave the doors open so your guests can admire the changing colors of the season or wait to throw the doors open after the celebration a barn could make a great venue for your fall wedding.

Countryside Lodge: Imagine your fall wedding in a lodge nestled in the hills (or better yet, mountains) with a glass wall revealing the grandeur of the season's colors. Enough said.

Old Country Church: Long eschewed by modern society, these old structures offer character that you just can not find anywhere else - and by definition the location of many of them makes them an ideal backdrop for an autumn wedding.

Vineyard: In many ways this offers the same opportunities as an orchard, except vineyards are often already equipped with venues designed to accommodate the general public.

If you must stay in the city your choices are considerably more limited, but you are not without hope in finding a venue for a fall wedding:

Park: In your town, you know where to go. Remember the color of Central Park in New York? What about Stanley Park in Vancouver, B.C.? Millennium Park in Chicago? Boston Commons? You get the idea. Of course you have to adjust to local weather considerations. For example, it rains a lot in the fall in Vancouver so an outdoor fall wedding might not be feasible. So it might be necessary to choose a hotel or restaurant (or the aquarium?) with views overlooking Stanley Park for your wedding. Other cities might not allow weddings in the park. Check with you local municipalities.

Zoo: Many major zoos have facilities ideal for hosting private functions and the nature of a zoo is to design a place that brings a little bit of the wild into the city. That is a perfect scenario for one looking for a great fall wedding venue.

Estate: Every community has a number of estates that have been cultivated over the years in an attempt to bring a little bit of the best of the countryside back into the city. Some of these are made available for special events and make a great venue for a fall wedding.

Old Church: The old churches of the city are much different than the quaintness of the old country churches. These tend to be bigger, often made of stone and are appropriate for grand wedding celebrations year around. For a fall wedding, however, you want to find one that has managed to maintain grounds around the building or is next to a city park that will reward you with a dramatic view of the glory of the fall season as you exit the church as a newly married couple.

These are just a few suggestions for fall wedding venues. I doubt it is possible to exhaust the possibilities without traveling to every hamlet in the world, but these are a good place to start.

Ultimately, if you want to put together a fall wedding you can choose literally any venue that will reward you with a sweeping view of the color of autumn and not go wrong.

5 Benefits to Outdoor Wedding Venues

If you're not proactive, the choice of wedding venues at the time when you need it most, may be limited. You may not realize it, but many places are reserved years in advance.

If you're having difficulty finding the perfect indoor place, why not think about an outdoor location? Your special day can stand out as different and unique with the right outdoor choice.

Benefit 1 - Nature

The first benefit of an outdoor location has to be the beauty of nature. There are so many terrific spots and themes you can choose from. How about a romantic and intimate beach setting to thrill and inspire your guests?

Benefit 2 - Scenery

Outdoor wedding venues have one great thing in common - superb scenery. What about getting married in a beautiful garden? Your photo shots will be the envy of all your friends.

Benefit 3 - Mood

Another word for mood is ambiance and outdoor wedding venues have it. Make sure you plan for an evening wedding to commence just as the sun is setting. The use of lanterns, candles and a fantastic sunset will be sure to create an atmosphere of mood and magic. It's best to check ahead of time to know in which direction the sun will be setting in order to avoid blinding you or your guests.

Benefit 4 - Cost

Outdoor locations seem to be more cost effective simply due to the fact separate payments do not need to be paid. The ceremony and the reception can both be handled quite efficiently within the same location.

Having your ceremony in a garden, for example, will help keep your costs down since you will most likely be able to use the garden flowers themselves as decorations. This will enable you to put that money toward some other way to make your guests feel special.

Benefit 5 - Comfortable Atmosphere

Casual, relaxed and serene are the best adjectives to describe a natural setting outdoors for both guests and the bride and groom.

You may be convinced by now that outdoor wedding venues are the way to go, but you must keep in mind adverse weather possibilities. It's a good idea to have a backup plan such umbrellas or a tent for the entire ceremony area. Wind and noise can be other disadvantages but both of these can be minimized with secured decorations and noise barriers.

Truthfully, there's nothing wrong with a traditional indoor ceremony. But, there are so many terrific outdoor locations which should not be overlooked when planning yours. With the way people believe nowadays, they are becoming more popular today than ever before.

With outdoor wedding venues, if you begin early enough in the day, you can scout around your planned outdoor area to check for any other things which may have cropped up over night. That way, you'll be way ahead of the game and hopefully your special day will come off without a hitch.