What is photojournalism if not a multifaceted testament to truth? Although the truth may not always be pretty, the intrepid photojournalist holds his camera up to it. He captures what is real and human and honest. His work stands as a testimony to those moments that define us and define the world around us. He photographs the truth when it is difficult to look at and impossible to look away from; when it’s breathtakingly beautiful; and when it makes one feel connected to the world in a very personal way. The truth may take on different shades, but it never changes.

The same holds true for wedding photojournalists—they are inspired by the setting, the subjects, and the outpouring of different emotions throughout the day. The product of their inspiration is clearly seen in their wedding images. With the right lighting, clever compositions, and appropriate usage of computer programs available, wedding photojournalists’ artistic vision is more readily achieved.

Though based on the proliferation of wedding images that have been given a warm tone (or a brownish tint), it seems a handful of wedding photojournalists have become trigger-happy with tinting their work. Over the past ten years, images with a warm tone have become ubiquitous. The tipping point has been reached. In this ‘digital revolution’ era, it seems as though everyone is adding a warm tint to their wedding photographs.

A number of questions should be asked before you click your mouse and instantly change a photograph’s color scheme to the monochromatic brown. First, let’s look at a popular toning technique and ask: Why Sepia?

WHY SEPIA?

Sepia tone is associated with a bygone time. It was used from the late 1800s to the early 1900s for the sake of preservation. A number of photographs taken then and preserved with the pigment from the Sepia cuttlefish are still around today. Over time, we began to connote brown-color-schemed pictures with that period of yore.

For many years, the only sepia toned pictures that were seen were from that era. Then, approximately thirty years ago, photography studios made to look like they’d been plucked out of the Old West popped up in tourist towns throughout America. The photographers therein used sepia tone mainly because it was associated with that period and place in time. These studios have been immortalized in Hollywood films, and they’re generally seen as a part of America’s pop culture history.

Notwithstanding those quirky, faux Western photos, pictures that are given the sepia tone are instilled with a sense of age. They communicate nostalgia and with it a simpler, sweeter time.

FAST FORWARD TO THE MODERN ERA

Adobe Photoshop—it is many a photojournalist’s best friend. Where would warm tones or filters for that matter be without it? They would be left to the overworked camera. Photoshop has evolved from a relatively small program that hit the market in 1990 to what it is now: a massive, multifaceted, wildly diverse one. It’s able to incorporate multiple external programs, allowing for documents more suited to the Web platform. And with its many dozens of filters, it can completely alter an image, creating anything from a dramatic effect to a subtle one. For some photographers, using the filters can become automatic, like adding salt to a dish to enhance its flavor. It’s easy to give warm tones to images with the use of filters, by adjusting the color balance, and by converting images to a sepia tone.

With the wide range of filters available on Photoshop, the line between what is and is not a warm-toned photograph has become blurry. There are a multitude of actions within the program that you can take, creating the allusion that your path towards nostalgia is your own. In general, you will have converted the image to a duo-tone, then to one of the many different beige tones and then to one of the dozens of browns. Though regardless of how you get there, when the result is an image coated in warm tones, it is a sepia-toned image.

WHEN TO USE WARM TONES

Weddings wrapped in tradition, are an appropriate subject matter to color in tidings of yesteryear. When warm tones are added to a wedding photo, instantly it has that romantic, old-time feel. If the bride is the subject, the shades of brown may give her a distinction and demureness that she would not otherwise have. It can also give a photograph a sense of longevity. And that is an appropriate theme to give the union, which is sealed with “until death do us part.” Warm tones communicate wedding is not only about the here and now; it is forever. These are all good things for a photograph to convey.

One important consideration would be that the elements in the photograph, such as hair and clothing styles, architecture, or transportation vehicles lend themselves to the retro-look sepia offers. The use of warm tones can be more successful if your image has one of these elements present.

When brown tones are added to one wedding photo after another (within the same portfolio), the effect is overdone and their impact may be weakened. What had once stood out and was admired can be lost in a sea of brownish hues; and the technique that had seemed original and artistic loses its lore. The strength of the subject matter, the composition and the lighting becomes diminished when overwhelmed by the brown.

When deciding whether or not to give a photograph a warm tone, first ask yourself the following questions: What does it add to the picture? It should fit into the portfolio of the entire wedding. Going through the pictures one at a time, each one should pop out at you. Like every other image that you present to the B&G, the image colored with sepia tone should make you stop and admire it.

BACK TO BASICS

While color photographs capture the numerous vibrant colors throughout the festive day, black and white pictures represent what is timeless, classic, dramatic…and even romantic.

The basics, black-and-white and color photographs are diverse enough to cover the spectrum of settings, emotions and subjects within the wedding context. If you feel obliged to tone your photographs ask yourself why. Is it to instantly create an old-time feel? If so, consider that the same can be accomplished with black and white.

THE BIG PICTURE

If you feel that tinting your photographs will add artistic value to your portfolio, proceed with wand in hand. But use discretion and try not to lose sight of the big picture, that is your work as a whole. When used in moderation, post-production techniques can produce wonderful results; though when overdone they can prove disastrous. A small percentage of tinted, even sepia toned pictures is appropriate; however, the majority of wedding photojournalists’ portfolios should be comprised of black-and-white and color images.

When putting together your portfolio, there should be a design to everything you do. No decision in photography should ever be made without asking, “What is the reason for this?” If there is no reason, or the reason is not a good one, there is no need to do it. If you include photographs in which their coloring has been altered, again you must ask yourself, “Why?” Does it add to the overall aesthetic of the portfolio?

Wedding photojournalism is about capturing the truth of a moment, as well as creating a beautiful aesthetic. It is a fine line to walk, and to do so, there must be balance. Leaning too far towards one color scheme can throw off even the most talented photographers, as well as their clients. When you find that balance, each individual photograph is seen, appreciated and absorbed.
—by Lauren Ragland for the Wedding Photojournalist Association

Just because you’ve taken hundreds of party pictures with friends and aced a Photography 101 course in college doesn’t mean you know all the secrets to getting the best, most unique photos. We asked the experts to share their wedding-day wisdom by telling us about their favorite cool photo techniques and tools.

 A Must-Have: Variety

To capture a rich variety of colors, textures, and tones, ask your photographer to use a variety of films — black-and-white and color — at different speeds. Sometimes certain film types and lighting techniques are more flattering or dramatic than others. Even if you think you’ll want only color images, consider adding black-and-white photos to your coverage. Not only is it trendy to have a variety of films, it’s also the safest way to ensure all emotions and elements are recorded. In other words, while color is perfect for capturing the true beauty of the weather, your bouquet, and the details in your custom-made tablecloths, black and white will capture the emotion, intimacy, and intensity of your ceremonial kiss, your first dance, and that hug from your grandmother.

Trendy Techniques

There are two techniques topping the charts of cool wedding photography: cross-processing and the use of grainy film. Cross-processing is a technique that heightens the intensity of colors in the images and even tweaks them to be a little off-key… in a good way. (Think Andy Warhol.) It’s great for outdoor scenes full of rich color: Since you’re aware that the sky is blue and the grass is green, when the sky becomes a rich purply color, you’ll know it’s not a mistake. Grainy film lets your photographer create artistic photos in low-light situations without having to rely heavily on flash photography. The result is an image where you can literally see the graininess. It works best in black-and-white and ends up looking a little like “old-fashioned photo meets Impressionist painting.” You’ll want some more traditional images too, so use these alternatives with caution…maybe for just one or two rolls of film.

Engage Infrared

Ask your photographer to use infrared film to re-create your fairy-tale wedding in your portraits. This film records light waves just below the visible spectrum, which creates an ethereal picture by spreading a white glow over warm areas of a photo. It’s best outdoors where steamy sun rays will yield sexy shots. Make sure your photographer snaps one of these hazy pictures if you like a dreamy look. Try something romantic, albeit a tiny bit cheesy: you on a swing hanging from a tree in your parents’ backyard; holding hands walking away from the camera in a field full of flowers; running off barefoot into the sunset.

Get Around

Use the environment. After all, there’s a reason you chose to marry where you did. Whether it’s a huge oak tree in the courtyard of the fanciest hotel in the city or on the city streets in the bustling downtown area where your childhood church is located, the natural environment and the objects around you — kids playing hockey in the street, historic statues or bridges, street signs, buses full of tourists — will create a colorful and playful palette. It’s an opportunity to capture the essence of life going on around you on your VID (very important day), something you might miss while caught up in wedding-day doings.

Something Fishy

Looking for something to rock your world? Try the tool that music-video directors have been using for years: the fish-eye lens. This wide-angle lens records more than the normal vista, spanning the spectrum from floor to ceiling and everything in between, all in one shot. Because the lens is putting more in the frame, the angle of view is distorted from what our eyes normally see, creating rounding at the corners (sort of liking looking out from a fishbowl). Fish-eye can be really cool in the hands of the right photographer, but we don’t recommend using a fish-eye lens for the majority of your photos — just to spice some of them up a bit.

Get Into the Groove

Don’t stop moving — get those smooth moves on film! Forget about stopping to pose — just keep moving. A camera set at a low shutter speed, letting the action run by, creates a photo where images are intentionally blurry. This is a definite do, especially when you and your wedding party are giving it your all while doing the cha-cha.

Line it Up

Keeping your wedding party standing in a straight line for formal portraits does not always make for the prettiest pictures. Would it hurt to be a little adventurous? Consider some carefree alternatives where everyone is a little offbeat. Something so simple as the group of guys and gals trotting toward the camera will make great photos. No two people will look alike, and no one is likely to be able to keep a straight face. It’s a good way to photograph people’s personalities.

Strike a Pose?

If you’ve hired a photojournalist, don’t stop and pose each time you sense a camera pointed your way. The photographer was attracted to whatever you were doing and is trying to capture the true spirit of your day, not a pose. Therefore, it’s best to let your families know that you’ve hired a candid photographer so that they’re not constantly asking him or her to take posed photos. A good photographer will capture the dazzling drama on film, whether you are smiling from ear to ear with your wedding party or you’re caught smirking in your seat after hearing some embarrassing words from the best man’s toast.

On the Horizon

Don’t obsess about the background. Lighting is much more important than a backdrop. A photojournalist’s look hinges on capturing a natural mood, so natural light is preferred. If there’s a portrait shot being taken, the people are the main focus, so sometimes photographers will blur out the background to increase the emotion and interactions between people. Granted, we have seen some fabulous shots marred by the unfortunate position of an exit sign, but let the photographers worry about that — that’s their job.

  -Allison Micarelli  

Source: theknot.com

Why You Need a Photography Specialist for Your Wedding Event

Author: arun

Your wedding day is a very special day in your life. You are making a step in life and you are committing yourself into a lifetime agreement to care about someone’s feelings and to love them even more for as long as you live. No doubt, this is a great step that you need to keep memory of. Certainly, an Orange County Photographer is one of the best ways you can be sure that you would have those memories forever.

But, the kind of photography that you need for this particular day has to be special. Remember, you would not have a second wedding day and you would not have time to pose again for the photo sessions. So, you have to be sure that you hire a professional who would not disappoint you. You need someone who is confident in the job and there are only so many things that can build that confidence.

The professional should have the best equipment and expertise that would help him handle even emergencies. There should be proper backup especially for this day when you would never have a repeat of. So, before you hire someone, you have to check how prepared they are and what kind of confidence they have in taking the task you have for them. If possible, source from a photography shop where there is more than one expert.

The photography on your wedding is aimed at captured all the fun and the candid sessions of the great day. The professional would need to be someone who has experience in handling weddings and they know exactly what should normally be captured. Oh, you can’t take someone who will miss on that moment when you will be kissing.

You may need to interrogate this professional before you hand over the contract. Then, you also need to agree on the copyright issues. You need to be sure that you will get all the files and copies of the photos alongside with the negatives. You would not want someone to use your photos for other intentions and a professional would ensure that this is arranged.

Photography on your wedding is wholesome. It is more than just the snap shots. There is video as well and this should be handled by one company and collectively referred to as photography. It would be good if you could watch samples of work that the photographer has done before so as to be sure.

Then, you also need to be sure about the cost issues. You need to shop for the company where you get best value and best prices also. You need the money more after the wedding so you have to be sure that you are getting any discount offers available.

At the same time, ensure that the quality of the work is best. Remember, the keyword while shopping for your wedding photography is affordable and not cheap. Cheap always extends to the final quality also and this is not what you want. You can shop online and actually even make your bookings online.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/business-articles/why-you-need-a-professional-photography-specialist-for-your-wedding-event-1700914.html

Beautiful location and Great Weather! Crystal and Eddie got married on January 8, 2011 at the Neighborhood Church with the reception following at the Doubletree Hotel in San Pedro Marina. The wedding coordinator at the Church: Barbara Johnson, DJ: Justo of DJJ, Photography by Srdjan of A&Mphotography and Video.

Five Questions to Ask Your Wedding Photographer

Author: Julie Davidson

One of the most important days of your life is approaching–choosing the right wedding photographer can be a daunting task! Certainly, you want the highest quality of wedding photographs without going broke. You are looking for a wedding photographer who is in tune with your wedding style as you imagine that day. You also want a photographer who is professional, experienced, talented, and a pleasure to work with.

Partnering with the right photographer is easy when you know what to ask. Start by doing a quick phone interview of each wedding photographer to narrow down your choices. Find out first if they are available for your wedding day—if they’re not, it narrows things down immediately. Ask about prices, who will be photographing the wedding, what style of wedding photography they use to shoot weddings (black and white, color, posed photos or candid shots).

After you narrow down your wedding photographer choices, you’ll want to set up a date to interview the photographer. In some large companies, the photographer you talk to might not be the one they send out for your event. Make sure you interview the photographer who will actually be at your wedding and see his/her portfolio, in order to evaluate their style.

You’ll also want to find out what happens if the wedding photographer you choose is fired before or right after your wedding date. It will put your mind at rest if you are assured that your wedding will be photographed even if your photographer is no longer with the company and that you will also have access to your photos no matter what the hiring status of the photographer.

Be sure to ask these questions when interviewing the photographer:

1) Experience Level.

On the most important day of your life, you want someone who is an expert at wedding photography to preserve your memories in a professional manner. Therefore, it’s very important to make sure you ask your wedding photographer questions about their experience.

Is this a job or a hobby for the wedding photographer?

Do they have formal training or education in wedding photography?

You might be tempted to save money by hiring a novice wedding photographer, but do you want stunning photos that capture your special day or just so-so ones?

Do they frequently photograph weddings?

Some photographers are better at static and posed studio photography than action oriented and “on location” wedding photography. Photographing a wedding involves capturing spontaneous moments, not just poses, so it’s important to have someone who is an expert.

Does the wedding photographer use professional-grade equipment, and do they have back-up equipment available, just in case?

Have they photographed weddings in your chosen location before?

Prior experience in a location gives the wedding photographer an advantage because he’ll know ahead of time what film, filters or flash he/she might need to get the best results.

2) Ask About Their Portfolio.

Photography is an art, so it’s understandable that you may or may not like the style used by the wedding photographer. To make sure you’re going to love the way your wedding is photographed, request to see a portfolio featuring their work.

To make an educated decision, you’ll want to view an entire wedding portfolio from start to finish, not the best few photos from many weddings. Ask what style the wedding photographer uses. Some photographers tend to like more posed shots while others have what is called a photojournalistic style, which involves more candid shots.

Ask if he/she likes to use color photos, black and whites or a mixture. Also, ask if they use a digital camera and retouch the photos to make them black and white, or if they use film.

3) Will They Dress the Part?

Your wedding photographer will be spending a lot of time with you on you on the most important day of your life. It’s crucial that his or her personality blends in, making it a pleasure to have him/her at your side.

If the wedding photographer makes you uneasy in a short interview then don’t hire them for your event!

No matter how charming he is, you’ll want to make sure the wedding photographer will dress the part and look professional while taking those important photos.

Finally, ask about any assistants. Ask if you can meet them and ask about how they will dress and conduct themselves to ensure your wedding goes smoothly.

4) Money and Technical Matters.

Though you don’t want to skimp on wedding photos, it is important to make sure this particular photographer isn’t going to break your budget. Find out ahead of time about how much it will cost to have him/her photograph your wedding.

You’ll want to know how much time you’ll be allotted, and how many rolls of film they’ll take during that time. If the wedding photographer uses digital cameras, ask how many shots they will take to ensure the event is well-documented.

Most photographers offer packages that specify a certain amount of pictures for a set fee. If you don’t see a size of photograph that you want, ask if those packages can be customized to meet your needs.

You’ll also want to ask about the cost of albums and copies, since you’re probably going to fall in love with a lot more of the photos than you bargained!

Ask about deposit and cancellation policies. In order to hold your date, what method of deposit is needed? What are the cancellation policies? If the wedding photographer cancels, will your deposit be refunded?

5) Ask If You Can Get It In Writing!

You’ll want a contract to protect you in case you’re unhappy with the services of your wedding photographer. If you end up going to court to settle matters, the judge will only be concerned with the conditions written in the contract. Therefore, it’s very important to make sure you get all of the details in writing.

The contact should include:

Expected services, fees, cancellation policy, fee schedule and all aspects of your photo packages written in detail.

You’ll also want their name and address, as well as your name and address on the contract. Be certain that the contract has a signature and date for both of you and that you receive a copy of both sides.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/art-and-entertainment-articles/five-questions-to-ask-your-wedding-photographer-625418.html

About the Author

Finding the right wedding photographer isn’t so hard when you know the questions to ask–but where should you start your search? Try Start Local, Australia’s fastest growing local search engine and business directory. Explore a choice of wedding photographers and find the one to capture your special day at http://www.aandmphoto.com