Capturing Picture Perfect Weddings On Film and Video by Donna Lee Nardo

   These days, most brides and grooms desire both a photo album and a video to preserve their wedding festivities for posterity. Indeed, some professionals perform both services while others specialize in one technique. Yet, couples with budgetary constraints who must choose one method or the other generally forgo videos and choose traditional photo albums instead. Either way, photographs and videos can be duplicated and presented to the bride and groom's parents and family members and friends as mementos of the occasion. Couples can also choose among color, black and white and antiqued, sepia-toned photography with or without special effects, or a mix of popular styles.

   By far, the most difficult choice facing the bridal couple lies in selecting the photographer and videographer who will cover their wedding in the first place, according to "Photographer to the Hamptons" Dennis Wayne, president of Long Island-based Dennis Wayne Studios and past-president of a local professional association for photographers. Securing the right professional for your wedding is a process that requires you to choose carefully and then place faith in the expertise of the professional you've chosen.

   The reliability of a photographer and videographer is a crucial consideration in this age of consumer shams in the headlines. "Avoid fly-by-night operations that take your money and close up shop," advises Wayne. Brides should look for referrals from family and friends or wedding consultants and secure appointments to view sample wedding portfolios and videos. Wayne says that while you are sizing up a professional's work, try to get an overall flavor of their style. Ask yourself if the style reflected in the portfolio or video matches your own, a quality that Wayne says you can easily identify when you see it.

   For example, some photographers favor elaborate posing and this will be evident in their portfolio. Is this a method that suits you, or were you hoping for photos involving more spontaneity? Does the work rely heavily on a barrage of special effects when you're counting on shots of traditional wedding moments? In the end, follow your taste. Have an idea of what you want but be open to the expertise and suggestions of the photographer and videographer you select.

   Wayne calls himself a "story line" photographer who captures moments unobtrusively to tell the story of the wedding and its participants as the event unfolds. This is similar to photojournalism, where images are captured realistically and "in the moment." However, since you cannot get certain groups or guests together at a wedding naturally, a photographer's job will always require a certain amount of posing. Still, Wayne says photographers and videographers shouldn't "be in the guests' faces all wedding long." Wayne strives to work in the background, and he considers it a compliment when clients are concerned over whether he took enough shots at the wedding because they "hardly noticed him." The proof of a good professional is in the wedding proofs and in the video footage where clients are happy to see all the important shots included.

   Most professionals offer several different packages so you can select the option that's best for you. Basic photography packages generally include the main photo album, folios for both sets of parents and thank you notes. As for videos, a starter or economy VHS containing no editing or special effects is ideal for the budget conscious, or you can add custom effects like music, fancy frame transitions and baby or honeymoon photos for a higher price.

   To Wayne, "trust" is the bottom line in successfully capturing your wedding for posterity and working with a photographer and videographer. It just doesn't make sense to engage a professional based upon their portfolio and then try to alter things mid-stream because the end result will not be similar to that which you hired him or her to accomplish. So hire a photographer and videographer wisely, then put your faith in their expertise.

Source:

Dennis Wayne, President
Dennis Wayne Studios
1207 North Ocean Avenue
Medford, NY 11763
516-654-1314