I’m a big fan of engagement sessions and include one in all my standard packages. As couples look for ways to save money on their wedding, I’m often asked if the engagement session can be eliminated. My answer is always the same – I think they’re so important I don’t actually charge for them. The cost is not included in the calculation of the package. While I think it’s great for you to have a photo of you and your fiance for any number of reasons (local paper notice, looks great framed in your house etc.), the main reason I like them is they make your wedding photos better. Yeah, they really do.

I’ve said in other posts that you will spend more time with your photographer both before, during and after your wedding than any other vendor. How you relate to that person directly affects the quality of your photos. An engagement session helps that relationship along on a number of fronts.

I get a good sense of how you react to the camera. 

This is key to making sure I do the best job possible on your wedding day.  I can adjust angles, timing, direction and a host of other smaller details based on what I learn shooting your engagement shots.  And while I know plenty about photography, I’m still learning about you.  

You learn to trust me.  You spend days, months and sometimes years carefully planning your wedding.  You’ve done your research and you feel solid in your choices, but there’s always a niggling fear that your wedding may be the time your otherwise perfect vendors fail.  True, it’s irrational.  But we’re human and we do irrational things all the time.  When we spend a couple of hours shooting your engagement shots and you get them back and love them, you unconsciously relax a little about me.  And when you relax, your photos are better.  You know, in the end, that good photos CAN be taken of you, so you just trust me to take them.

You get even more excited about your big day.  There are many steps along the way to your wedding that involve planning and only a few that are small events themselves.  Showers are fun, but often only include the bride.  An engagement shoot is all about you and your fiance – no one else.  It’s a great time to celebrate your relationship, without worrying about all the other details.  There’s no pressure, there’s no rush.  And after the fact, you’ve got a beautiful record of who you both were, at that point in time, in your every day life (i.e. not in your wedding clothes).

To see more engagement photos, head over to my website at www.caycecallaway.com.   And if you’d like to talk to me about your photographing your wedding, just fill out the contact form or call 404.210.0879.

Looking your best in your photos

As you’re planning your wedding or portait session, there are a number of things you can do to insure you look your best.  Photographers aren’t magicians and it’s not feasible to retouch all your photos, so think about the following:

Hire a professional make-up and hair artist -  I know, you do your own make-up and hair every day and you’re very good with an eyelash curler, but believe me when I say your photos will be better if you let a pro take over when it’s important.  Special occasion make up is different from your every day style and it’s not just heavier.  It’s more targeted.  Let someone who understands eyes make yours stand out.  People are who really good at this give you the kind of looks that can handle a close up photo as well as a distant one.  In addition, they’re pretty objective.  They may have ideas that look great that you would have never thought about.  Let’s face it, weddings are an expensive undertaking – drop the napkins with your names and get someone to do your hair and makeup.

Choose your dress and your bridesmaid’s dresses based on body type  -  This sounds obvious, right?  Given the current trend of wedding gowns, it’s definitely not.  I may make a few enemies here, but as popular as strapless dresses are, they may not be the best gown for your body.  Back and arm fat both show up in a big way in a strapless gown.  Try these tips when you’re shopping for a dress.  Never make a final decision without a trusted, honest, friend or family member with you.  The person in the dress store has an incentive for you to walk out the door with a dress.  If you leave, even if you say you’ll be back, the odds of you buying from that store go down.  So don’t trust them to tell you if the dress you love loves you back.

 Try on a number of styles.  You might think you only want a strapless, but you might find a halter or even (heaven forbid!) sleeves of some sort look really great on you.  Feel free to buck the current trends.  You’ll actually stand out more on your wedding day (isn’t that what you want?) because to most people, all bridal gowns look alike these days since they look the same on the top.  

After you’ve narrowed it down to 2 or 3, have your friend or family member take a few photos of you from different angles.  Take one with your hands at your sides and one with your hands up in front of you as if you were holding a bouquet.  This will do two different things to your body.  You can do this with your cell phone.  You need to see how your dress looks from the back (the side your audience will see!) and side.  Pictures tell the story much better than mirrors.  

One of the contemporary bridesmaid’s dress trends is same fabric – different cut.  To my eye, it’s absolutely brilliant.  Bridesmaids come in all shapes and sizes and there’s nothing worse than seeing the very large friend stuffed into a dress style that fits your size 2 friend’s body.  Also, the variety adds a lot to your group photos and everyone looks better because they look more confident in their dress.

As always, if you have questions regarding any of this, or have a question of your own, feel free to email me at info@caycecallaway.com or comment below and I’ll be happy to answer.
 

General questions to ask a potential photographer:

As with the technical questions, many of these can be found on wedding websites.  This is just my take, from the other side of the camera, on which ones are valuable and why.  I often have people come to meetings with their lists printed off.  They sometimes look at me and say, “I’m not sure why I’m asking this one.”  Sometimes, it’s because it’s not really important and sometimes it needs a little explanation.  

Are you the photographer who will be shooting my wedding?  Many studios have more than one photographer or they contract out to other photographers in the area for booked dates.  Personality match is key to making your choice.  You will spend more time with your photographer than any other vendor, so make sure you’ve met them, talked to them personally and liked them.  Your photos will suffer if you don’t enjoy this person’s company!  Don’t hire a photographer you haven’t met, (unless you’re getting married out of town and meeting them is impossible, in which case you should have an extensive conversation on the phone).   Make sure the name of your photographer is in your contract without a substitution clause (except in the event of a true emergency).  When you talk to the guaranteed photographer, if they work for a larger company, ask them if the company they shoot for puts any limitations on their work.  This can dramatically change the artistic and creative freedom of the photographer.  If they’re shooting for a large company, ask to see not just their own work on their websites, but work they’ve shot for that company.

How are the edited images finished?  As I said in the faq on retouching, you can’t expect all 500 – 700 images your photographer delivers to be completely retouched.  You should, however, expect them to be professionally processed.  This means the color and exposure is perfect and bright and all vertical photos are rotated to the right orientation.  (This is a deal breaker, btw.  If your photographer doesn’t rotate your photos, then you can bet they aren’t doing a lot of other things as well.)   I go one step further.  I make sure all the people in my group shots have their eyes open.  I take 3-4 shots of every group set-up (it’s quick, so you may not even notice) and do what’s called a head swap in Photoshop to make sure everyone in the photo is looking good.  I’ve been using Photoshop for 10 years (a really long time in Photoshop land!) and even I can’t tell which heads I’ve swapped.  You’ll just think I magically managed to get all your groups looking at me and smiling at the same time!

What style do you shoot?  This is not a new question.  You’ll find it in every list of photo questions on the internet.  But it’s not as cut and dried as most wedding sites would have you believe.  There are a few photographers in the Atlanta and Chattanooga metro areas who shoot straight photojournalism for weddings.  To be true “PJ” that means there are no set up shots at all.  But there aren’t many.  Most photographers shoot a combination of photojournalism, traditional set ups and artistic set ups.  You should be able to tell from their websites what style they shoot, but it’s always nice to confirm.  The confusion comes from how posed photography is defined.  You might look at a beautifully intimate photo between a bride and groom and conclude it’s a candid.  It’s often not.  A good photographer can set the couple up to interact with one another in a way that’s aesthetically pleasing (good composition and light), but not force their emotions.  See the two following photos for examples:

This photo is posed.

This photo is not posed.

Unless you’ve done a bit of modeling, you need some suggestions from your photographer to get you looking natural.  I know that sounds backwards, but it’s true!

In addition, don’t be so quick to decide you want to forego family and bridal party group shots.  They don’t need to take a long time, but, statistically, they tend to be the photos most people print to display in their homes after the wedding.  However they don’t have to be everyone in a straight line looking uncomfortable!  Many photographers don’t display these images on their website.  Ask to see their traditional family shots.  

How soon will I get my photos?  This can vary wildly from photographer to photographer.  If you’re expecting two weeks (my delivery time for photos) and you don’t see anything till two months, you’re going to be really unhappy.  Clarify this, in advance, and ask how often they don’t meet their target.

As always, if you have questions regarding any of this, or have a question of your own, feel free to email me at info@caycecallaway.com or comment below and I’ll be happy to answer.

Technical Questions to ask a potential photographer:

There are lots of lists online of questions to ask a photographer when you interview them for your wedding.  I’m going to add one to the mix.  This is what I, as a photographer, would want to know if I was hiring someone to shoot my wedding.  You’re probably not a photographer, so I’m supplying you with technical questions that will dramatically improve your photos.

How long have you been taking photos?  Yes, this is a technical question.  The answer will go along way to determining how much your photographer knows about taking photos.  The impulse is to ask how long they’ve been shooting weddings (an important question to be sure), but photography is an acquired skill.  You don’t just want a photographer who bought a digital camera a couple of years ago and hung their shingle.  You want someone with a solid technical base.  Which leads me to my next question – one you will never see on a wedding site…

What camera mode do you shoot in?  There are a couple of okay answers for this question and one really good answer.  If your photographer says manual, (the good answer), then you know they have a decent understanding of exposure.  Setting shutter speed and aperture manually gives the photographer maximum control over the image.   That said, some very good photographers out there shoot aperture priority.  This means they let the camera set the shutter speed and they set the aperture.  A photographer who shoots in this mode typically understands depth of field (how much of the image is in focus from the front of the image to the back).  For many, it’s a matter of choosing speed over flexibility.  The bad answer:  There is no good justification, in my opinion, for a professional to shoot in auto or program mode.  They’ve given all control to the camera, which then takes the visual information and averages it together.  The result is less contrast and color range.  I can spot photos shot in program mode within seconds of opening a webpage.  You’ll hear all sorts of reasons why people do this – speed, accuracy, etc.  What they’re really saying is they can’t quickly calculate exposure or read a meter.

Do you use a flash?  Okay, I could start a war with this statement, but there are very few photographers out there who can consistently deliver great wedding or portrait images without some sort of additional light.  There, I’ve said it.  Natural light photos can be absolutely lovely, but in a quick moving environment like a wedding, there’s often not enough good lighting to deliver consistent results.  And you’ll see from the next question that I believe flash is only as good as it’s user.  When used well, it should look like natural lighting.  That said, most photographers won’t flash during the ceremony.  It’s extremely distracting and prohibited in many churches.  If your photographer has lofty ideals about shooting natural lighting, ask to see a full wedding.  There’s nothing pretty about under-exposure and many photographers wax poetic about natural lighting when, in fact, they simply haven’t learned to use their flash or invested in the equipment.

 How do you use your flash?  Again, you won’t find this question on a list at a wedding site, but it can make a huge difference in the quality of your photos.  If they use a flash on top of their camera directed straight at you, your wedding photos will look like your old school photos – flat and uninteresting.  They’ll be well exposed, but they will be completely lacking in depth.  Look for someone who uses off-camera flash (the best, in my opinion, and since you’re on my blog I get to share my opinion!).  This is where the lighting source is off the camera, attached to a lighting stand with either an umbrella or a softbox to modify the light.  Many people also use this setup and bounce light from the walls and ceilings.  This setup has the advantage of not only softening light, but giving it direction (i.e. like light coming from a window, which might not always be available).  Photographers who know how to bounce light from their cameras are also a fine choice.  They might bounce from the wall or use a bounce card on their flash.  But make sure they volunteer this information and explain why it’s better than flooding you with flash.  Small modifiers (little bits of plastic you put on your flash) don’t do much of anything if they’re directed right at you.  Light is the basis of good photography, so make sure your photographer knows how to use it to create beautiful images.

How many cameras do you carry and what lenses do you use?  I shoot with two cameras around my neck at all times (and yes, I can recommend a good Chiropractor!).  I do this for a number of reasons, the main one being flexibility.  Imagine the scenario with you and your almost husband/wife at the alter.  You want at least two views of this – one with the entire wedding party and the front of the church (a wide lens) and one with just the two of you and the officiant (a long or telephoto lens).  If I had to take time to change my lens, I would miss something, guaranteed.  Most good lenses, even zooms, only cover a limited range, with one of the largest (70-200mm) used by wedding photographers still not giving anywhere close to a wide shot.  Photographers who shoot with two people (my assistant second shoots the ceremony and reception, so technically I have three cameras going) can get by with one camera each, but make sure they carry a variety of lenses.

So I’ve laid a lot of information on you.  If you have questions regarding any of this, feel free to email me at info@caycecallaway.com or comment below and I’ll be happy to answer.

 Photo Retouching - 

In our daily lives, with the exception of editorial photos (newspaper), practically all photos we encounter are retouched.  Photos of your favorite celebs, all advertising photos and most magazine shots have some, and often a lot, of retouching.  Celebrities’ PR firms typically have the last call on images of their clients before they can be published in a magazine.  

So are all those folks attractive?  Yes, many are.  But are they as perfect as they look in the magazines?  No.  

So what are you to do when you want your wedding photos, headshots or family photos to look as good as the photos you see every day?  Make sure your photographer not only uses Photoshop, but is very proficient in it and understands it’s value to you as a client.

Don’t, by the way, confuse retouching with basic post processing.  Any good photographer should post process every image they deliver.  When shooting with a digital camera, even a pro one, you get what’s called digital fog or haze.  You might not even notice it by itself, but once the post processing is done, you see how the photo pops.  See the examples below:

Before Basic Post Processing

After Basic Post Processing

I don’t know any photographer who is going to retouch every image they deliver.  For a typical wedding, I usually edit my shoot down to 500 – 700 images.  To retouch every image would take me weeks, which is not feasible for a busy photographer.  But I do retouch around 30 – 40 per wedding of my favorite images, around 20 of every engagement session and around 10 for every headshot and family protrait.  In addition, every image that goes into your album and every image you order will get the same treatment.  That insures the images you like best will have a bit of retouching.

When I retouch an image, I smooth the skin, brighten the eyes, brighten the teeth and remove any visible blemishes.  I also take out those pesky circles that have been known to creep under your eyes when you haven’t had enough sleep (lots and lots of brides don’t get enough sleep the night before the wedding!).  I’ve even been known to take out a vehicle in the background, if I think it ruins an otherwise good shot.  But I’ve been using Photoshop for over 10 years now and am pretty good at it.  Most photographers won’t go that far and you shouldn’t expect it.  It’s harder than it looks to remove a person or object, so be gentle in your requests.  Here are a couple of before and afters.  

Before retouching

After retouching

This is a lovely bride, both before and after retouching, but you can see the difference just a bit of Photoshopping does for even an already pretty woman.

I was prompted to write this post by the staggering number of requests I’m getting for several popular dates in June – namely June 20th and June 27th. I’ve had those dates booked for many months now (see the engagement photos below!) and I’m guessing the same is true for other photographers and vendors. So a big head’s up to those of you who are still trying to decide your wedding date for 2009 – call around to the vendors you’re interested in first and make sure they’re available. If you’re still considering one of those Saturdays, you could be in for a lot of disappointment. In addition, consider non-Saturday dates. Most vendors, me included, will give your a small discount. Over the course of all your vendors, that could add up to big savings and increased availability. For those of you with 2010 weddings – If you want the popular Saturday dates, particularly for venue, photography and catering, it’s not too early to book!

Lisa & Jon, June 20, 2009

Do you shoot Black & White?
While this may be obvious to some, I get asked this a lot, so clearly there’s some confusion. In the days of film, you made your choice of black and white vs. color when you loaded film into the camera. The shooting, processing and printing were completely different than color. In the digital age, you shoot color and decide what you want your photo to look like after the fact. Photographers call this post processing. While photos sometimes work better in one form of processing or another, many work well in a variety of ways. Post processing includes anything a photographer does to an image after it’s been shot – b&w, sepia, textures, filters – anything that differs from the shot taken in camera.

The most important thing your photographer can do is take well exposed images (not too dark or too light) with a sharp point of focus. That doesn’t mean the entire image should be in focus, often a photo is far more interesting if it’s not, but there should be one person or element in the photo that is sharp. Starting with that solid photographic foundation, a photographer with good computer skills can do most anything. Check out the samples below.

Original

Sepia

Photo FAQ is all about things you would like to know regarding wedding photography or family and children’s portraits. I’ll include questions I’m frequently asked in booking meetings, but I want this to be a resource for brides, grooms, parents and grandparents alike, so send me an email at info@caycecallaway.com or make a comment with a question and ask whatever you’d like. Don’t fear looking stupid (I won’t publish your name!). Chances are if you don’t know, someone else won’t either, so just view your ignorance as a community service. And don’t worry, you’ll never get spam from me.

To access the posts, just click here or the Photo FAQ link above.