Central Mississippi Wedding and Portrait Photography

So, the big question has been “popped” and now you are on your way to planning the perfect wedding.  There is a virtual world of who, what, when and where waiting for you in the upcoming months.  Sit back and read along – we are going to help you narrow down one of the most important who’s you will have on your wedding day – your wedding photographer.

There are several different things to consider when selecting your wedding photographer:

Style

Products & Packaging

Professional vs Hobbyist

Personality

Let’s begin with Style.  With the digital age upon us, photography has blown it’s stitches and is now beaming with different creative lenses (both literally and figuratively).  It’s very important that your photographer’s style best represents your vision for your wedding. If you are planning on spending endless hours perfecting the “look” of your wedding you want to make sure that your photographer incorporates the aesthetics into your big day!

There are several different styles of photography used for weddings today.  There is the traditional style of wedding photography that we are all used to.  The posed shots of the bride and groom, their families and friends, and of cutting the cake and the first dance.

Another style is photojournalism.  This approach takes a step back from the more traditional wedding photography and allows the photographer to do a play-by-play of the wedding as it unfolds.  Special moments are captured along the way.

Illustrative/Artsy photography is another style that is commonly used today.  This style of photography allows the photographer to improvise and use his/her artistic sense to chronicle the wedding day events.

Considering that we live in a day and age where we like to have it all, we use a combination of all of these styles in our wedding photography, unless our bride/groom prefer to keep a certain style out.  We have found that although traditional photography has been deemed “dated”, it is super important to the wedding day.  Traditional photography (family shots, cutting the cake, etc) is timeless, so when you look back at your wedding day these photographs stand out just as much as the others.

Photojournalism happens.  It’s not for every photographer.  Many photographers feel most comfortable shooting with a controlled environment, so photojournalism might not be their forte.  But, there are many photographers out there that got their roots in photojournalism and it just comes naturally to them to shoot along the way.  Make sure your photographer is comfortable with this style of photography if it is on your must-have list!

Illustrative/Arsty photography is unique and is best done by those who advertise doing this style of photography.  Be sure to see examples of the photographers work before committing to their vision.  This style is loose, so you want to make sure that the photographers work matches what you were envisioning.

Products & Packaging

It’s very important to make sure you pick the right photography package for your wedding day.  There is nothing worse than having to deal with details on your wedding day.  The best thing that you can do for yourself is to iron out all of the details at your contract signing before the big day.

You want to make sure you are square on just a few big things in regards to the photography package?

Does it include a bridal portrait session?  Engagement Session?

How many photographers will be at the wedding?

How many hours will the photographer shoot?

(VERY IMPORTANT) Can you add hours “on the fly”?  – Many photographers will not allow this on their lower packages, so be sure that you can do it, just in case you foresee needing them a little bit longer than planned.

Are prints included in the package price?

Are digital files and reproduction rights included in the package?  If not, can they be purchased separately?

Is an album included?

We currently offer two wedding packages.  Both include a bridal or engagement session (one has both), 200-250 prints from the wedding day in a personalized presentation box, and a CD of the digital files with reproduction rights.  We allow for hours to be added “on the fly”.  We do not offer an album with our packages, but will design one a la carte.

Professional vs Hobbyist

We do a large amount of portrait photography at our studio and the most common complaint we hear from our clients is that the regretted their choice of wedding photographer.  We comically refer to it as the Uncle Bob Complex.  So many people out there for one reason or another have allowed a family member or good friend (with lots of photography knowledge – wink, wink, nudge, nudge) to shoot their wedding.  The results?  Less than desirable wedding pictures.   And, there is no going back, people!  So, here is the breakdown, in our defense, of why you should go with the pros!

Educational and Technical know-how. If a tornado rips through the neighborhood and kills the power for 20 blocks will Uncle Bob know how to shoot in a rainstorm without A) getting the bride and groom wet and B) ruining all of the wedding pictures by using bad flash technique? A pro would know how to keep them dry and make beautiful wedding day photographs despite natures fury.

Experience.  So, let’s say Uncle Bob happens to be a truly talented amateur.  Has he ever shot a wedding before?  Does he know what to look for?  If the answer is yes, then perhaps you should give him a shot at your wedding day.  However, if he doesn’t…let’s just put it like this – a good nature photographer doesn’t always know how to shoot a wedding and vice versa.  Stick with the pros on this one.  They know what they are doing.

Organization.  A good wedding photographer comes armed with great organization of their shooting day.  Will Uncle Bob?  Or will he miss the bouquet toss because he was hugging Great-Aunt Pearl?  Something to think about.

Tools.  Professionals come equipped with all of the things that they need to make your photographs the best that they can be.  AND, unlike most Uncle Bobs they know how to use it!

Resources.  It’s a part of the professional photographer’s daily grind to be current the best of the best of photography know-how.  They achieve this via researching blogs just like this one, photography forums, and interacting with other professionals out in the field.  The purpose of this is to give them an edge that the every day amateur might not have.  When was the last time your Uncle Bob went out in the field with his photography peers?

Cost.  Yes, I said it.  I know it is taboo, but after hearing the Uncle Bob Sob Story SO many times, I think it is appropriate to get to the meat of the matter.  The reason most people go with Uncle Bob is because he is free, honey.   Ain’t no shame in admitting to it, is there?!  No!

BUT, if you are considering having your Uncle Bob (or Aunt Gwen, or Cousin Shirley, or WHOMEVER it is) take a long look at the pros and cons of the Professional vs Hobbyist section to make 100% FREE offer won’t cost you pain and suffering in the end.

Personality

Bottom line, it doesn’t matter how experienced or talented the photographer is, if your personalities don’t mesh, look elsewhere.  You will be a much happier bride and groom for it.

Happy trails and GOOD LUCK planning your wedding!  If you are in need of a wedding photographer, we’d love to shoot it for you!

I just love it when the time “Springs Forward” and we can reclaim our long days and stretch out activities late into the evening!  There is  a sense of renewal that puts energy into everyone and everything!

Spring is also a great time to capture children and families enjoying one of the BEST signs of Spring – flowers blossoming everywhere.  Some photographers prefer to do chick and bunny shots during this time of year.  We lean towards showcasing the beautiful blooms and greenery of Mississippi Spring.  During the Spring months we tend to spend our days shooting outdoors at the historical Mynelle Gardens in Jackson and on parts of the historical Natchez Trace.

Mynelle Gardens is a seven acre collage of several distinct gardens, with winding pathways, cascading pools, and distinctive bridges which lead you across the pond to an island oasis.  It’s Spring blooms are brilliant during the months of March and April.  It is beaming with bright yellows, pinks, purples, and blues!

The 444-mile Natchez Trace Parkway commemorates an ancient trail used by animals and people that connected southern portions of the Mississippi River, through Alabama, to salt licks in today’s central Tennessee.  We like to focus our attention on the area at and around the Reservoir Overlook.  The Natchez trace lends a magnificent earthy beauty to our shots.

We have found that Spring is a time for more formal shots.  If you are thinking about doing Spring Portraits consider dressing your child/family in a light, pastel or muted color so that their outfit does not distract from the vibrance of their surroundings. Cream or white outfits shoot very nicely during the Spring months.

If you prefer less formal outdoor shots consider dressing your child in a simple outfit – shorts and a solid color shirt, overalls, or a simple spring dress.

Helpful hint -

Barefoot pictures are great during the Spring, however, if your child does not like to go barefoot in normal circumstances, you might want to avoid testing the waters during your shoot.  Sometimes something as small as taking their shoes off can cause a child to turn their happy switch off for the rest of the shoot.  If you have a child that does not like to go barefoot but have been dreaming of a shot of their little toesies -  you might want to wait until the very end of the shoot to try to attempt the shot – .

Hollie

Here are a few helpful hints to think about when preparing for Senior Portraits:

Clothing

1)  Bring a variety of clothing options (both casual and semi-dressy) to chose from (between 4-6 outfits) so that the photographer can chose what best fits the surroundings of the shot.  And don’t forget shoes to match!

2)  Stay away from ultra-bright colors and patterns as they take away from the real subject of the shot (YOU!)

3)  If you are in a team or sport bring your outfit and any accessories that might add excitement to the shot (i.e. – shoulderpads, helmet, and football for football players and uniform, trumpet, and case for trumpet player).  Don’t forget your team jacket!

4)  If you are an artist, musician, actor, or have a talent that you would like captured in your shoot, be sure to bring items that can be incorporated into your portrait (i.e. – paintbrushes, paint, and a few paintings for a painter or cameras, a tripod, and some larger prints for a photographer.)

Grooming

1)  Be sure to schedule a hair appointment before your shoot.  Bring any hair products and accessories that you might need to your shoot for quick fixes and up-dos.

2)  Groom your nails.  If you are going to wear a color on your nails, be sure to avoid any ultra-bright colors.  Try to stick with something a little more formal so as to not distract from your face – .  If you are planning to wear sandals, don’t forget your toes!

3)  Don’t forget to bring  your make-up with you to re-apply in the case that you start to “melt”.  For those of you who don’t wear very much make-up (or, if you are like me, none at all) this is one of those times that a little make-up will go a long way.  A little bit of blush and a light brush of gloss helps add life to your portrait.

Most Important – Relax!

Thankfully, the Senior Portrait process is not nearly as long as the Senior Year of High School!  A Senior Session generally lasts around 2 hours including travel from the studio to the outdoor shooting location(s).  If having your Portrait made seems a tad bit intimidating to you, feel free to bring a friend along with you to help coach you along during the shoot!

The best advice that I can give you to get the most out of your shoot is to BE YOURSELF!  Bring that energy and smile that best defines you!

Happy Senior Year, Y’all!

Many of our clients bring in family heirlooms to be incorporated into their shoot.  Whether it be an old family bible, a christening gown, or in this case, a dress that was handed down through the generations – family heirlooms always seem to  increase the emotional value of a portrait.

For this shoot, the client wanted to recreate a photograph that she had of her great grandmother in this dress by using her grandchild as the subject.  Yep, folks, that means that this gorgeous little girl is wearing the same dress that her great-great-great grandmother wore one hundred years ago!

Sometimes the easiest part of a portrait session is bringing your child/family in for the shoot!  Once all of the shooting is done there is the difficult process of narrowing down the shots to the ones that you would like to display in your home and office.

Here are a couple of helpful ordering tips (in no particular order of importance – )

1)  Come to your Proofing Session prepared with the number and size of the portraits that you need. It is helpful to do a visual sweep of the areas that you would like to display prints.  Going in to the portrait proofing session with and idea of the number and size of the prints that you need helps take the weight of indecision off of your shoulders during the process.

2)  Order largest to smallest. Start the ordering process off with the largest print that you need and then work your way down to the smallest.  It is stressful to get home and realize that you remembered all of the wallets that you wanted to get, but forgot the mantle piece.

3)  Try to stick to your budget. It is not always easy to stay on target when getting photographs, however, if you are on a budget, don’t get ahead of yourself too quickly.  Start with your favorite “must-have” prints first and then work your way down your favorite list.  If you must have one of each shot from your session, consider ordering a 5 x 5 pocket album of your shoot.

4)  Don’t forget important friends and family. Know in advance any extras that you might need to order during your Proofing Session.  Wallets, 4 x 6s, and 5 x 7s are good choice for extended family and friends.  Save the big stuff for yourself, your office, and the grands!

I hope this helps!

Hollie