How would you describe your photography style? Wedding photography is no longer formulaic, and traditional posed portraits no longer rule the day. Different photographers have adopted different photographic styles both in shooting and in post-production work. It is important that you move beyond squishy words like “photo-journalism,” “traditional” “candid” and “editorial.” Instead ask your potential photographer to describe his or her style with three adjectives.
How long have you been shooting weddings? This is somewhat tricky because we are all beginners at some point. And being a new photographer does not mean that they cannot do a wonderful job. But you want to make sure that they are competent and can capture your day in a way that not only satisfies, but also inspires good memories for years to come. You can gauge experience a number of ways. Ask how many weddings they have shot. Whether they have done other professional photography work as well. What kind of equipment they use and how long they have been using it. What were some of their brightest moments and biggest challenges. By asking precise questions, you can get a good feel for the photographer’s experience.
Are you familiar with my venue? Different venues have different idiosyncrasies and no venue is perfect. Photographers must deal with a variety of lighting conditions, decor elements, and spacial considerations. Make sure your photographer knows how to get the best shot in your venue.
Are you familiar with my ceremony? Wedding ceremonies have become increasingly customized in the past 10 years, especially with multicultural unions. Make sure your photographer is familiar with the customs and traditions of your ceremony, whether it’s a traditional Indian ceremony, a hand fasting, or a modified Christian ceremony.
Do you work with a second photographer or an assistant? We are big fans of two-camera shoots. It allows us to more fully cover an event and to get multiple perspectives on the same shot. If your potential photographer is planning on using an assistant, you can ask to see some of their work as well. That way you can ensure the same quality throughout your wedding.
We had an amazing time on Saturday at Abby and Jacob’s wedding at Lake Eden Events. Lake Eden is in Black Mountain, North Carolina and is well known for the Arts Festival, LEAF. It’s fitting they chose it as their wedding venue because Abby and Jacob are both musicians! During the reception the newlyweds even got on stage for a song and rocked out with the band, Orange Krush. The energy and emotion of the day was off the charts and we were fortunate to be the photographers for this Lake Eden wedding.
Because we are always anxious to share photos from weddings we photograph, here are a few teaser images from their big day! We hope you like ‘em, and be sure to check back shortly for a full write-up and info on all the vendors involved with this gorgeous Black Mountain wedding! Thanks to Flora for the cute mustache props and fantastic floral designs you see throughout the pictures. Also cheers to Shay Brown Events and many thanks to Abby and Jacob!
We have a short write-up today on the Wedding Festivals blog. Wedding Festivals is a bridal show run by Marc and Colleen Wheeler of South Carolina. The bridal show comes around to Asheville, NC and some of you might have even stopped by our booth at the last one in downtown Asheville.
There is a promo on our feature for a complimentary engagement or bridal shoot if you book us before September 1, 2010. We also posted this promo on our blog recently.
Stop by Wedding Festivals and check out our feature:
Andrea and Scott had a destination wedding here in Asheville, North Carolina and we captured video for them on their big day. We also did photography, which is something we always love to incorporate in to our client’s wedding videos. Their ceremony was at the magnificent Basilica of St. Lawrence in downtown Asheville followed by a fun-filled, energetic reception at the Homewood castle. In between these two destinations we stopped at a third venue, Grove Park Inn, to do a photo shoot with the couple. That is something Andrea and Scott wanted to do and, of course, we had no objections since our wedding day checklist has “Make bride and groom completely happy” at the top.
So why Grove Park Inn for a video and photo portrait session? Scott proposed to Andrea there! We actually went to the restaurant at Grove Park Inn and had them sit at the same exact table where it happened. It was very romantic and emotional for them to be back there on their actual wedding day.
It was a pleasure working at the Basilica, Grove Park Inn, and Homewood all in one day. The bridal party got ready at the Hotel Indigo, which is a newly built hotel here in Asheville, NC. It’s worth checking out if you are having an Asheville wedding and need a place for your guests to stay. Staying downtown is convenient because you can walk to almost anything in 5-10 minutes.
We hope you enjoy the highlight video!
We posted their Asheville wedding photography on our blog already, but figured we’d post one more picture to compliment the highlight video. This portrait was taken in front of Homewood before the wedding reception.
Andrea and Scott in front of a Rolls Royce outside of Homewood in Montford
