Business Day Thursday: Where’s The Beef? Don’t Believe Everything You Read!

Good Morning Everybody,

It was a great day yesterday as we headed  to Radio City Music Hall and watched my daughter, Elizabeth, graduate from the Lubin School of Business of Pace University. She graduated just .05 points away from Suma Cum Laude receiving her Magna Cum Laude the night before at the Honors Ceremony.  She was also inducted into the most prestigious honors society for business in the world.  Beta Gamma Sigma is the highest recognition a business student anywhere in the world can receive in a business program accredited by AACSB International. Congrats Liz!!!

Today its over to Central Park for my BIG shootout for B&H.  It's shaping up to be the biggest shootout they've ever hosted at Central Park with upwards of 300 photographers taking part in today’s fun. WOW! We need to be hitting the road soon so lets get right to todays post.

Business Day Thursday: Where’s The Beef? Don’t Believe Everything You Read!

It just kills me when I see this kind of post telling photographers which photo to shoot at a wedding.  I guess what bugs me most is that photographers read it as a complete list and fail to see all the holes to the coverage.  Recently WeddingIdeasMag posted  "The 20 Must Have Wedding Photos You Must Take At A Wedding" [link].  I have no problem at all with the 20 suggestions given.  In fact, we take ALL those images and more at a wedding.

The problem for me is that there are so many holes in the list. The list implies that a wedding photographer is only shooting for the bride and groom - WRONG!!!  Any wedding photographer worth his/her salt realizes that they are shooting not just for the bride and groom, but the bride and groom's parents, the grandparents, family and friends as well. If any of us miss-interpret this list and shoot only for the images listed we only shoot about 2/3's of the event, disappoint the rest of our clients with the LACK of images missed during the day and can look forward to sales much lower than otherwise possible.

Here are 10 more images to add to the list referenced above.

1. Photographs of the Bride and Groom with the bride's mom and dad and immediate family.

2. Do the same for the groom's family.

3. Don't forget to photograph the grandparents in separate photographs with the bride and groom.

4. Photographs of the bride with her girls.

5. Photographs of the groom with his guys.

6. Photographs of the bride walking down the aisle with her dad - vitally important!

7. Photographs of the groom getting ready too.  Remember, half the guests at the wedding are there for him.

8. Several photographs of the ceremony, church, synagogue.  Get telephoto shots and wide shots.  They make great panoramas in the wedding album.

9. Be sure to request if the couple will have any special guests at the wedding.  You don't want to miss that special aunt from Milwaukee or a special uncle or godparents.

10. Be sure to check with the couple to see if they need any photographs of college friends, roommates, sororities, fraternities, etc.

11. Key to any/all photographs listed in the link above is not just capturing the action of the day.  It's also important to capture the reactions as well.  For me, its about capturing the moments of the day - actions+reactions+special moments - and you can't do that without capturing both

12. Yes, don't miss the first dance, but be sure you get photographs of the bride dancing with her dad and groom with his mom - must have images.  The reaction photo - when the last note of the song hits and the bride and the groom warmly embrace their parents - hugely important!

And that's a quick 12 off the top of my head - the list doesn't stop there either.  If you want to do the best job at a wedding, keep in mind who your REAL clients are - bride and groom, the couple's parents, and the grandparents and the rest of the family.  If you keep that thought in mind while shooting, you will will have a much more complete coverage for your clients.

_________________________________________

Hey gang, that's it for me today.  We've got to run and get up to Central Park a little early to check locations for today's shoot.  Hope to see a few of you there!

-David