Vendor Spotlight: Calculated Style Photography

We love discovering local vendors for our brides and one of our favourite types to explore are photographers. From traditional, editorial, contemporary or fashion photographers, we love them all and just can't seem to get enough.

This month we sat down with Aron Goss, owner of Calculated Style Photography (in Milton, Ontario) to find out just what makes him tick as a professional wedding photographer.

We asked Aron this simple question: What are some things you want your clients to know about you?

Aron's answer: A few things I want clients to know about me (and wedding photography in general) are:

• This is my full time job and your wedding photography deserves the attention only a professional can truly deliver. 
• Wedding photography is completely different from any other photography industry. While you might have a friend that takes incredible pictures, you only have one chance to walk down the aisle and if the shot is missed, it cannot be recreated. Professional wedding photographers know how to pose a crowd, work with any situation you might deal with, have back up equipment and can shoot in low light. I would really recommend whomever you decide to have capture your wedding, that they be prepared to handle these situations.
• I want to make sure my images stand the test of time. Your wedding images should be proudly displayed on the walls of your house for the rest of your lives. I worry that the trendy processing a lot of photographers are using at the moment will look rather dated in five or ten years down the road.
• I stress to any couple searching for a wedding photographer to insist that their potential photographers show them a few full weddings. Anyone can get lucky with a few shots but consistency is where your money should be spent.

To learn more about Calculated Style Photography visit their website and be sure to check out their blog too.

Wordless Wednesday: A Photojournalistic Approach to Photography

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Vendor Spotlight: Rebecca Lozer Photography Part II

A few weeks ago, SSE sat down with Photographer, Rebecca Lozer of Rebecca Lozer Photography to learn some photography tips. This week, Rebecca will share with us her advice to brides when choosing a photographer.
SSE: Rebecca, we know that some brides have trouble deciding on which photographer to use for their wedding. Can you share your advice on how to choose a photographer?
Rebecca: Sure, there are a few things to take into consideration that should make your decision a bit easier – especially after you’ve met with more than one photographer.

• Make sure that the photographer compliments your personality and preferred photography style. The most important factor, aside from their portfolio, is your gut feeling during your initial consultation. Do you believe that your photographer truly understands your needs and can deliver your bottom line? It is essential that you feel 100% comfortable with them and that you believe they can relate to you and what you want out of your day.
• Complete an engagement shoot with your photographer. This will help you to relax and to get to know one another better. Quite a few photographers, including myself, will offer the engagement shoot complimentary with a wedding package. In addition, the engagement shoot offers the bride and groom the chance to see their photographer in action – if you are not 100% confident in your choice after completing the shoot, then trust your gut instinct and research other photographers.
• Be wary of potential scams. Unfortunately there are photographers out there that misrepresent themselves. When you are looking through the photographer’s online and print portfolios, make sure that they are the ones who actually took all of the pictures you see. Another important factor to be aware of is to ensure that the photographer whose photos you like, is the actual photographer that will be shooting your wedding. The last thing you want is to have a different photographer sent in their place to shoot in their place. If it makes you feel better, work these details into your contract.
• Meet with a photographer more than once before making your final decision. A photographer that truly wants to be a part of your day should have no trouble taking the time to make you feel comfortable and answer all of your questions.
• Make a point of learning how long it will take to receive your deliverables before the wedding. The time it takes to get your proofs, thank you cards, albums, etc. back after your wedding varies between photographers. Personally, I like to give the bride and groom their CD and album in a maximum of four weeks after their special day. Not a lot of photographers will have them to you earlier than that. It is important to make sure that you ask in advance what their timelines are and that those dates appear in your contract.
• Read your contract! Before signing on the dotted line, make sure that all of your questions regarding the contract have been answered, and that you agree with everything that is listed in there. All expectations for your day should be stated within the contract, including the number of photographers present, arrival and departure times, deliverables and their timelines, and their contingency plan if any.

For more information about Rebecca Lozer Photography visit her website: http://www.rebeccalozer.com/.

Vendor Spotlight: Rebecca Lozer Photography Part I

We often get a lot of questions from brides asking us for tips on choosing the right photographer. What better way to answer some of their tough questions than to turn to an expert in the area?

We decided to get up close and personal with professional photographer, Rebecca Lozer from Rebecca Lozer Photography to get some answers on how to choose the best photographer for your wedding.

Ready? Here we go . . .

SSE: What are the advantages and disadvantages to hiring a professional photographer for your wedding or other special event?

Rebecca: One of the major advantages to hiring a professional photographer is that they have the expertise and proper equipment to capture your special moments so that you can relive them over and over. Our knowledge of angles, lighting, and body postures ensures that your photos tell the story of your day in a creative and unique way. The only factor that might be considered a disadvantage to hiring a professional is the cost involved. That being said, if a bride is looking for a way to save money by having a friend or relative take their pictures with a digital camera, they may find the quality of their photos are compromised. Also, a professional photographer is trained to capture all of the milestone moments (the groom seeing the bride for the very first time, the ring exchange, first kiss etc.) that a family member may miss by mistake.

SSE: Are there advantages to hiring a photographer who has taken pictures at the same venue that they may have photographed during other weddings or events?

Rebecca: Having shot an event or wedding previously at a chosen venue, the photographer is familiar with the lightening, scenery, and possible obstacles to vision. However, a good photographer will perform a site visit prior to the event day, to prepare themselves in the event that they have not been there before.

SSE: As a photographer how do you prepare yourself to shoot at a venue you have never been to before? Should brides expect their photographer to do test shots before the wedding at new venues?

Rebecca: I would visit the location about a week before the event, around the time of day that the event would take place. This will help me to learn the layout of the venue, familiarize myself with the lighting, and determine locations to set up specific shots. This is also very critical as I like to anticipate beforehand where any obstacles are to my field of vision. Test shots are not necessary to prepare for the upcoming event and should not be expected from all photographers. It is however part of my policy to do site visits closer to the event date.
SSE: In your experience, how can brides tell if the photographer’s style matches the type of photography they’re looking for?

Rebecca: It is very important for the bride and groom to take a look at the photographer's online and print portfolio. Photographers will take the best pictures from different events to put online, therefore, by looking through their printed portfolio from start to finish, it will give you a better idea of how they captured the entire day. Make sure to take all pictures into account to determine if this is how you would want your day captured. Remember, you will know by the feeling you have the moment you see their portfolio.
SSE: These days, there are so many different styles of photography. From classic, formal, photojournalistic, creative and editorial shots. What is the difference between them all? Can styles be mixed?

Rebecca: The traditional or formal photography style depicts people in posed positions. An example would be your classic family group shot (this is formal but not necessarily traditional). The photojournalist, editorial style features more candid shots that tell a story and unfold the events from your day. Most photographers use a mixture of these two styles to fulfill their clients’ needs. Personally, my style is a mixture however it always adapts to what the client prefers – depending on the person, usually one style makes them more comfortable over the other.
If you loved this interview with Rebecca, please stay tuned for Part II of our conversation. Part II will reveal Rebecca’s advice on things to keep in mind when choosing a photographer.

About Rebecca Lozer: To learn more about Rebecca Lozer Photographer please visit her website at http://www.rebeccalozer.com/.

Give the Gift of Photography

This week's Deal of the Week comes from our friends at Rebecca Lozer Photography.

Going to a baby shower, or have a little niece or nephew on the way? Give the parents to be the gift of photography with the New Born/Baby Mini Session package. Valued at only $75.00,this package gives you 30 minutes of photography time and a CD of pictures for you to view and print at your leisure. Did we mention all of the pictures are retouched? We think that's a pretty great deal!

To learn more about this fall promotion (expires in October 2009) please click here.

Interested in learning more about Rebecca Lozer Photography? Click here to visit her website.