Frequently Asked Questions

Can our wedding photographer avoid the red-eye effect in our wedding photographs?

The red eye effect in which the eyes seem to have another worldly glow is actually the result of quick bursts of light bouncing off the eyes retina and being reflected back toward the camera. The red-eye effect is more common when the lighting is very low, thus causing the pupils to open up to a wider size. Your wedding photographer will likely have various techniques for avoiding red-eye when shooting your pictures, one of the most common: Keeping the flash a short distance away from the camera lens. If the flash is very, very, close to the lens, as is the case with many consumer point-and-shoot cameras, red eye will often result. If red-eye is unavoidable, your photographer may use various software techniques to correct images in which the problem occurs.

Glasses sometimes present a bit of a challenge to the wedding photographer. After all, they partially obscure one (or two!) of your most expressive features your eyes! Wedding photographers often make the eyes the focal point of their images, so wearing glasses could affect the final product. Glasses also can produce unwanted glare in your photographs. One way to minimize that glare is to tilt the arms of your glasses up a bit so that the lenses are angled downward. Your wedding photographer may have other tips, so don't hesitate to ask. It's sometimes possible to digitally remove eyeglass glare from pictures, but be aware that some wedding photographers will charge extra for this service particularly if its needed in multiple photographs. All wedding photographers have their own standards regarding the extent to which they will retouch photos before charging an extra fee, so be sure to clarify that point with your photographer prior to your wedding.

There are gorgeous dresses in every shape and color that photograph well. Whats really important is that the personalities of your bridesmaids shine through. The key to this is making sure everyone feels comfortable and confident in what they're wearing. If your bridesmaids dress is two sizes too big, she may be slipping out of it all day and her discomfort will be evident in your wedding photographs. Many bridal stores now carry lines of bridesmaid dresses that use the same fabric in a variety of styles. This is an easy way to let each of your bridesmaids choose the dress best suited to her figure and personality. If everyone looks and feels great, they will definitely shine in your wedding photographs.

Most people will go for the styles that emphasize their good features and avoid styles that emphasize what they are trying to hide. A very important factor to consider is the weather particularly wind. Be sure to consider how your hair will look if there is a breeze blowing, especially if you are having an outdoor ceremony. If you're taking any photographs outdoors, then a style that involves loose hair will be more challenging. A style that has most of your hair pinned or tied back but leaves tendrils framing the face could negatively impact your wedding photographs because you may find yourself pushing the tendrils out of your face all day long. When you don't push the tendrils away, the photograph will obscure your eyes your most expressive feature! Keep in mind that if you use glitter spray on your hair, it could end up on the groom's suit and give the appearance of dandruff in photographs.

Natural lighting is a wedding photographers best friend. Wedding photography involves fast paced, constantly changing situations. There may not be enough time to set up elaborate artificial lighting in every situation and location. The less time the photographer has to spend setting up lighting, the more time he or she has to shoot your wedding. Natural light is at its most beautiful and flattering in the couple of hours after sunrise and before sunset, but a great photographer can find nice lighting and create interesting photography at high noon, and yes, even indoors. However, sometimes natural light does not cooperate! Many wedding photographers are experts at quickly creating artificial lighting that flatters their clients. They can enhance a scene using a single light or multiple lights, either on movable stands or held on a pole by an assistant. They may even use artificial light outdoors to add sparkle to eyes and faces.

If you're self conscious about any aspect of your appearance, discuss it with your wedding photographer. He or she may suggest that you have an engagement or bridal photo session before the wedding, where your pictures will be taken in a more relaxed setting. This allows you to become more comfortable with your wedding photographer, and it will be a good opportunity for your photographer to find the angles and poses that flatter you most.

Here is my best advice on how to keep a wedding dress clean and dry when taking photographs in snowy conditions. Assuming the air is below freezing the trick we've used successfully in the past is to let the dress cool down to air temperature before exposing it directly to falling snow. If done correctly snow will not melt when it hits the dress as the dress will be the same temperature as the surround air. If you're very careful you can also place the dress down onto "Fresh" snow as well. The real trick comes when you're preparing to go back inside, be sure to brush and shake all the snow off of the dress otherwise the snowflakes will melt when exposed to the warmer inside air.

Discuss this special photo opportunity with your wedding photographer. A group shot of all your guests may be done with careful preparation on the part of you, your wedding photographer, and your guests. Talk to your photographer about how many people are expected to be in the photo, and where and when the photograph should be taken. The photographer will need a location that will allow everyone to be seen in the wedding photograph. A great time to record a group shot is right after the ceremony, and this can be arranged by putting a note in the program informing guests that their presence is requested as soon as the service ends. Alternately, the officiant can make an announcement toward the end of the ceremony so that everyone remains for the photo. If the photo is to be done at the reception, you can have someone such as the DJ make an announcement to gather everyone.