5 Pro Tips from Calgary Wedding Photographers

If you happen to be an amateur wedding photographer in Calgary then this article consisting some important tips for Calgary wedding photography will definitely help you.

Smart and Comfortable Dressing

Most weddings are pretty fancy affairs and you don’t want to stand out with your queer dressing sense. Plus a good photographer is the one who can blend with the crowd and take natural looking photos.

Equally, a wedding day tends to be long and you have lots of equipments to carry so you must avoid wearing formal suit with new, tight shoes.

Always wear smart but comfortable clothes – especially the shoes.

Assistant Friend

Take a friend who can double-up as a photographer or an assistant. Your friend will shoot some candid moments while you are busy taking the formal shots.

They can also be useful assistants, carrying your equipments, making sure your gear is safe and holding diffusers, reflectors or off-camera flashguns.

Firm but friendly

A wedding photographer in Calgary usually has lots of groups to organize, while most of them are not comfortable in front of the camera.

However, must always keep in mind it’s a happy occasion. Make your audience feel comfortable as it is very important for them to smile and pose in front of the camera, regardless of the weather condition, crowd and nervousness. Be firm and confident, and also make them relax by making the situation light and funny.

Stay calm and keep clicking

Prepare beforehand all your shooting locations for all weather conditions, make sure your kit is ready for action, take things in your stride as they happen.

During tough situation, relax yourself by taking a deep breath. When faced with extremely nervous groups or couple, it is important to make them think they are looking good.

Always use fast lenses

All Calgary wedding photographers confirm that fast lenses are a big bonus at weddings because they let you use safe hand-holding shutter speeds in extremely low light without the need of pushing the sensitivity up very high.

False lenses also have the advantage of allowing you to restrict depth of field to blur backgrounds and focus all attention to your subject.

They are also relatively affordable in comparison with fast zoom optics. One can cover many weddings with focal lengths including 24mm, 50mm and 85mm on a full-frame camera.

Benefits of Hiring Calgary Wedding Photographers

One of the most obvious questions that people ask when choosing Calgary wedding photographers is what are the benefits? There are several benefits that people can enjoy when they opt to go with a professional photographer who has the necessary experience and expertise in handling wedding photo shoots. The one thing that most people are unaware of is that there is a lot of painstaking work that has to go behind wedding shoots to bring those little wedding moments to life!

How is the wedding photographer different from any other photographer? The truth is that a wedding photographer Calgary not only has specialization in this field of photography but also has the experience of having handled photo shoots in several such events. A professional wedding photographer can offer several benefits including the following:

1. Photography equipment: Having an expensive camera and lenses need not necessarily mean that the final pictures will come out as desired. At the end of the day Calgary wedding photographers know which or what type of equipment to use. For example: if the wedding ceremony is taking place in a church where there is not much of natural lighting then they can bring their own lighting equipment to ensure the images are well composed, sharp, and well lit. Some of the equipment used by professional wedding photographers includes:
   
   
   • Full frame digital camera
   • Wide aperture lenses
   • Flash units
   • Floodlights and moonlights
   • Flash brackets
   • Wireless radio slaves
   • High capacity memory cards
   • Battery grips
   • Light diffusers and modifiers
   • Monopods and tripods
     


2. Back-up equipment: What would happen if a photographer ran out of memory space or card? Normally, this type of situation never appears when professional wedding photographer Calgary is shooting as they always carry their own back-up equipment. The equipment can range from a high end DSLR camera to extra batteries, external flash, and memory cards among others. The main aim is to ensure that the shoot doesn't get disrupted and they are able to click as many pictures as possible of the event.

Services Offered by Wedding Photographer Calgary

Wedding is one of those few events in your life that you would want to have fond memories of forever. After all, life is stitched together by random, special, and day to day events, some of which fade away with time while others remain etched in the mind. Wedding is one such memory that remains etched deep in the heart and the mind. Once the wedding is over, the guests are gone, and all is quiet around, you can simply lay back and relish each and every moment all over again through a beautiful set of pictures taken by wedding photographer Calgary.

Yes, a picture does say a lot! It doesn't really matter whether the camera clicked you with cake on your nose or one of your relative crying her heart out; all that matters is that specific moment. All that matters is the moment of the first kiss, the laughter and applaud, the cluttering sound of champagne glasses, the speech, and the heavenly atmosphere. When you are focussed completely on the marriage rituals, someone has to take the responsibility of ensuring each and every moment is captured very well. This is where professional Calgary wedding photographers play a key critical role.

The most important aspect of a wedding photographer is that they will bring along their experience and expertise to create a strong and beautiful portfolio of your wedding pictures. Professional wedding photographer Calgary can offer you the following services:

• Indoor/Outdoor shooting: It is important to understand that all photographers cannot shoot indoors as well as outdoors. This is because outdoors has plenty of natural light available and hence makes shooting easier. Indoors is all about using existing artificial light sources and using special equipments like LED, Tungsten, HMI, and other types of continuous lighting. In some indoor venues, Calgary wedding photographers may need to use mono lights or portable strobes to take better pictures or to highlight a particular style of photography. The need and use of lighting equipment also increases in the evening or night photography.

• A variety of styles: The wedding attire and themes have undergone a major facelift since the 50’s or 60’s. The wedding of today can range from the tradition and formal to the informal and outrageous. In order to keep up with this extreme change, a professional wedding photographer Calgary can offer a range of photography styles to suit the occasion. The good news is that you can ever create your own style or mix and match different styles like high fashion dramatizing the subject and attire with portraiture focused on the bride, groom, and specific guests or people attending the wedding. Experienced wedding photographers can also shoot your entire wedding like a news story or a documentary film. There is no dearth of styles and each style has its own uniqueness.

• High quality prints: Yes! At the end of the day, the wedding prints are the most precious thing you can ever possess. Calgary wedding photographers will not only provide you with prints and albums but can also provide you the opportunity to choose your photos before they are printed. The pictures are normally put up on their website and you will be given a time frame like 2 weeks to check the proof and give the go ahead.

Different Types of Camera Lenses Necessary for Good Wedding Photography

When it comes to wedding photography, there are certain lenses that are absolutely indispensable. All wedding photographers Calgary use them, and if you are planning to become a wedding photographer Calgary, then you better add them to your photography kit as well.

Prime or Portrait Lenses

Prime lenses are photographic lenses having fixed focal lengths. Compared to zoom lenses, prime lenses have better optical quality. They are excellent for clicking good portrait images, and as a result they are often referred to as portrait lenses. Most photographers carry a 28mm prime lens in their kit. Some of the other models that are also widely are 50mm and 85mm lenses.

Wide-Angle Zoom Lens

Wide-angle zoom lenses are usually between 17-35mm in focal length and come in a fixed aperture of 2.8. They provide with a larger depth of field, enabling a photographer to have the background and foreground in focus. They are often preferred because they allow for greater flexibility in confined spaces like a crowded dance floor or some small banquet room.

Wide-to-Telephoto Zoom Lens

These lenses are absolutely necessary when it comes to wedding photography. Wide-to-telephoto zoom lenses that have a focal length of 20mm to 70mm along with 2.8mm aperture are best for these occasions. They are excellent when you have to take group photos and they also offer enough versatility when you need to capture facial expressions in close range. Sometimes they can also be used as secondary portrait lenses.

Image-Stabilized Telephoto Zoom Lens

These lenses come in a focal length of 70mm to 200mm, which is very important in wedding occasions. They allow your subjects to have greater space while you photograph them. While taking snapshots of important moments like the couple exchanging vows, it allows you to click pictures comfortably while staying reasonably distant from the action itself.

Top 2 Styles of Calgary Wedding Photography?

There are many people out there who believe that wedding photography is not a mainstream photography and hence often opt for a novice to take the pictures. The result is often disastrous! Sometimes it is the moments that are not well captured and at other times, the final rendition is like a hazy and noisy portrait. So what is the truth? The fact that most people are unaware of is that a Calgary wedding photographer has to study photojournalism and also participate in a project of their choice to be awarded with the necessary certification.

In fact, a wedding photographer Calgary can offer you an interesting and innovative mix of several styles of photography depending on your requirement. Let’s look at the top 2 styles.

• Style#1: Portrait photography
  Portrait photography is a type of photography that has been in existence since the use of the first cameras in the mid 19th century. In portrait photography, the art lies in using different types of lighting used on a subject's face. Some of the common types of lighting used include three-point lighting, fill-light, key light or main light, Accent-light, butterfly lighting, and background lighting among others. Although, portraits is a field in itself, most top wedding photographer Calgary can use this art to create constructionist romantic portraits or even silhouettes.

• Style#2: Candid Photography
  A candid photograph refers to a picture that has been taken without the knowledge of the subject and it highlights an action or emotion that is not posed. A professional Calgary wedding photographer can use their skills, knowledge, and equipment to capture those moments that we normally would miss out on. These moments really matter during a wedding as it helps in capturing the mood, the emotions, the behaviours and mannerisms of a single or multiple subjects.

Important Tips for Calgary Wedding Photography

Just as beautiful it feels, a wedding can be quite a stressful affair. There is so much you need to prepare, so many areas to be handled. In this obvious chaos, the one thing you should not miss out on is Calgary wedding photography. You are probably wondering, is that really as important as ordering the cake or overseeing the 8-course meal for guests?

The truth is that finding a professional Calgary wedding photographer is as important as finding the best chef in town! After all, your wedding is a once in a lifetime event and you would want to cherish the pleasant memories for years to come. It is one of those memories that you can not only share with your partner but also with your children, grand children, and even friends. So what all do you need in place?

Here are a few tips that will help you understand what your Calgary wedding photography requirements are:

Tip#1: Style of wedding photography
What is your style? Are you looking for more of an outdoor romantic photo shoot? Are you looking for a traditional approach or do you require candid and portraits? Do you need the photographer to bring in an element of fashion or glamour in the photographs or you prefer the black and white shades? These are some of the questions you need to ask before taking an appointment with a wedding photographer Calgary.

Tip#2: Level of Service and Commitment
This is another very important aspect. Do you need the photographer to be there throughout the wedding ceremony like a 12-hr shift? Do you need photographs of specific functions like bridal shower, engagement party, the wedding ceremony and reception? Do you need a photo album? If yes, then what design, style, or creativity will go into designing it?

Tip#3: Number of Photographs
How many photographs do you require? The minimum amount of photographs is 100 although you can even stretch this to around 2,000 photos as well.

The important thing to remember here is that the expense of hiring a Calgary wedding photographer will not be more than 10-12% of your wedding budget.

Styles of Wedding Photography

There are several distinct wedding photography styles that are in vogue nowadays. While shopping for a photographer to do your own wedding, you might come across such terms like traditional, photojournalism, documentary, contemporary, illustrative, reportage, candid, etc. However, instead of just randomly developing an idea about one’s individual style based on such terms, you should have a look through their albums and portfolios as each Calgary wedding photographer has his or her very own unique style. In this article, we will discuss some of the most common Calgary wedding photography styles that are practiced nowadays.

Traditional Style

Photographers belonging to this genre often attempt to create “timeless” images by capturing the bride and groom in romantic poses that are done in classic style. Extended shots of family members and friends are also often emphasized. A traditional photographer also gets to spend a lot of time with the couple and thus take more time to click the images. Sometimes these photographers also carry out pre-wedding sessions that are later added to the wedding albums.

Photojournalistic Style

This approach combines elements of documentary photography with wedding photography and puts emphasis on informal, candid pictures with almost little to no posing. It is also referred to as candid, reportage or documentary wedding photography. A salient feature of this style is that the photographer attempts to capture all the real emotion and humour occurring during the weddings. One may also say that the photojournalistic style takes an anecdotal approach to wedding photography.

Illustrative Style

This mode attempts to combine elements from both traditional and photojournalistic styles. An illustrative photographer will try to get as much candid shots as possible, but also improvise on the given circumstances. This may include choosing an ideal outdoor setting to shoot the couple in, or experimenting with available light while working indoors.

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Things To Consider To Have Your Engagement Photos

Are you getting married soon? If yes, then your engagement might be just round the corner. When it comes to your engagement, you would like to announce it through the local news daily to make your acquaintances or close friends aware of your big day in life. However, getting a perfect engagement photo is essential for the local news paper. And therefore, you need to schedule an engagement photo shoot to capture one of the best moments of your life. Let us know some tricks to get the best shots.

Make Your Engagement Photo Look Beautiful

First of all, you have to decide when and how you want your engagement photograph. If your engagement date is just a month away and you are likely to put it on the newspaper for an announcement purpose, check out the newspaper website to know the guidelines for certain print quality.

How Do You Get Your Engagement Photo?

Many photographers take photos for engagement. They use to include that photo session in the overall package. This gives you a good opportunity to have your photographer in action and experiment how you look before your wedding takes place. If you are yet to contact a photographer, get in touch with professional photographers like Calgary wedding photographer to get prepared for your wedding poses.

However, before you contact a photographer, decide what type of engagement photos you want for the classified on the local newspaper, suggests wedding photographer in Calgary.

What To Wear For Your Engagement Photos?

You do not require buying costly dresses for engagement photos. However, opt for that outfits that does not make too flashy. Or else if you choose this type of outfit, your photo is not going to be perfect. The skilled and professional photographers such as Calgary wedding photography firm can help you with your outfit.

So, forget not to get tips from your photographer to have the best engagement photos.

Why Documentary Wedding Photography is Preferred

Being in the industry for several years have given me the opportunity to observe it in close quarters and now I can see the changes coming and even tried to do a few things that have been appreciated by my clients.

Wedding photography trends have evolved a great deal over the years. Coming of age from studio days to more matured documentary photography. Now most couples want natural and candid moments to be captured on their wedding than posed photo shoots.

Document photography is more about narrating a story through photos that reflect the unique style of the bride and groom. Most of the photos that we include in documentary are of impromptu moments. That delivers the best results. Some of the photos are also posed with props to add a quirky twist to the narration.

Clients now want candid photos, taken in most natural surroundings, which have made the job of wedding photographers more difficult. They are now required to work more on outdoor, with natural lights with available settings. It demands that a wedding photographer Calgary perfect his skills in making an ordinary moment special while maintaining the tonality of it.

On the other hand, advent of document wedding photography has literally liberated photographers from confinement of studio photography. Now they can use their creative best in creating memorable wedding albums that would be cherished by the couple for long time. All those minute but emotion evoking moments that had went undetected before are now coming to the fore to create wow moments. To know more about documentary wedding photography visit - sarahpukin.com

Wedding photographers committing to documentary photography are required to be more focused and alert during the function. While you have worked in an industry for several years you can actually sense the pictures coming and therefore, would know where to place yourself to catch those moments.

As a wedding photographer you must be open to take risks. Push your limits beyond conventional and create some unique, magical moments that is special for your client.

Drama Created by Black and White Photography

Photography has travelled its path, completed its orbit to have come to the point where it has all begun. Modern day photographers have reinvented the magic of the shadowy world of black and white photography. If you take a keen look at modern days wedding photography trend you can’t miss the craze surrounding black and white photos.

It is true that wedding photographic trends have come a long way to establish itself as a specialized branch of photography but it still couldn’t manage to detach itself completely from the nostalgia created through black and white snaps. Most ace wedding photographer Calgary will suggest you to include a few black and white photos in your album to catch different moods of the ceremony.

To be honest you can’t go wrong with timeless black and white photos to immortalize your memorable day. I prefer to create a collage with a black and white picture of the most opportune moment to add a dash of surprise for the couple. All my clients have loved this trick so far.

Black and white photos add necessary depth and drama to a wedding album. As a Calgary wedding photographer specialized in documentary wedding photography my approach to b/w photos is different from others. I use them to highlight some precious moments, to create an effect, to play with light and almost always my clients appreciate the dimension it adds.

B/W photos are timeless. These are elegant and simple both at the same time. When I strive to create a wedding album that would stand the test of time I use b/w photos as a formidable tool to deliver emotive photos to support my storytelling.

Many couples nowadays are opting for a complete black and white album. The choice is however entirly yours. But even if you are not as adventurous as to have an entire album full of b/w photos adding a few can improve its overall appeal.

Wedding Photographers Sets The Ball Rolling

Wedding photography is an exciting area. It might seem monotonous to many, but for the professionals who deal with weddings every other day it is about capturing those special moments of one’s life. Gone are the days when wedding photography was regarded as boring and monotonous. Today it has gone beyond clicking a few shots of the newly-wed couple to clicking little details that make the wedding a long and memorable time.

The Calgary wedding photography scene is bustling with young photographs who are taking special interest in marriages, engagements and boudoir. The young and the old wedding photographers in Calgary have made the scene so vibrant that young, about-to-be-married couples are increasingly getting in touch with them.

Knowing the Art of Wedding Photography

Wedding photography is quite different from all other types of photography. One of the main differences is that a wedding happens in a designated way and any step cannot be repeated for the benefit of the photographer. Thus it is important to keep a few things in mind while becoming a Calgary wedding photographer –

• Talk to the bride and groom before the wedding. Tell them your plan and understand their expectations.
• Make sure that your subjects are comfortable with the whole idea of you following them. If necessary, take a few practice sessions with them.
• Check out the location beforehand and understand the lighting condition well in advance. This will help you get the right shots with the right lighting at the right time!

Observing the Unnoticed Emotions

Wedding is always a precious time for any couple. Though they share their happiness with many, they invariably look for some moments which are just their own. It is not easy to get such special moments and cherish them in the frenzy of preparations, taking the vows, attending to invites and being part of the family. To take care of the ‘memories’ part of the wedding, the wedding photographs in Calgary place themselves in such a way that they can capture those precious moments that are just the couples.

Immortalize Your Wedding Moments with Calgary Wedding Photographer

All of us want to immortalize the moment when we unite with our loved one in Holy matrimony. Wedding is a happy moment with chirpy guests, fun, food and frolic. Everyone gets into a state of excitement with you at the centre of all the frenzy. Who doesn’t want to frame these moments to cherish them for life long?  A wedding photographer is trained to capture these moments to present you with a life’s event.

A wedding photographer is hired to capture the different moments before and during the wedding day -of the couple, customs, guests, traditions etc. It is very important for the photographer to know exactly what photographs need to be taken during the ceremony. Wedding photographers are very popular and for that reason many commercial photographers expertise in wedding photography.

The tradition of wedding photography is as old as the history of photography itself. One of the oldest wedding photographs was found of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert.

Nowadays, wedding photographers have taken their trade to a new height by introducing new techniques and innovations. They can turn a mundane, common place wedding event into an epic.

However, choosing the right wedding photographer for the ceremony is crucial. You can ask for references from your friends, who have got married recently to suggest a few. You can also search through the internet to find one in your area. If you are in Calgary, Canada try searching with phrases such as - Calgary wedding photographer, wedding photographer Calgary, to get details.

But before you begin your search, you must determine what services you want from your photographer. There are boutique photographing studios who concentrate on wedding photography only. They are expected to offer you more comprehensive wedding photography solution. But if budget is also a concern then there are other options available too.

There are fulltime wedding photographers available at your beck and call. You are likely to get more professional quotes from them. It is also easy to discuss arrangements with an individual photographer and get customized wedding photography solutions.

4 Factors You Can’t Ignore While Choosing Wedding Photographer In Calgary

Wedding pictures are a cherished piece of art. It’s your memories that are passed down through generations that will be an important part of your families history. This is the reason people spend thousands of dollars to plan their wedding photographer. Other than choosing your partner, probably choosing your wedding photographer is the next big thing you want to do for your big day.

Photographer’s eye

The way a photographer sees and captures an image is an important element. This is a unique trait that separates a normal photographer with an excellent one. It’s the “photographer’s fingerprint” that is unique in everyone. It’s the creativity that makes the difference in wedding photography in Calgary. You must notice how the portfolio of your photographer is different from others. Do the photographs move you? You need a specialized photographer who crafts a story and imbibes an emotional quotient in the photographs.

Prepare your budget

The second element that is important to many as first thing to think is the budget. It is obvious that if you want good photographs you need to cough up some good money. You find a perfect photographer but your inner voice wants someone who is affordable, so what do you do? The whole cost of photography including prints, albums etc. cost you around 12% of the entire wedding budget. Prepare your budget according to it and abandon contenders that you can’t afford.

Decide your level of service

Most couples will want a complete package including pre-wedding engagement sessions, dinner photographers, bridal portraits and others, in that case you need a Calgary wedding photographer who can do all these things.

Confirm beforehand

The topmost priority of wedding planning is to confirm your appointments, reservations, guest listings and others necessary work. Once you hire a photographer confirm 2 months, 2 weeks and 3 to 4 days before your wedding. Confirm the last minute details, changes and other requests 2 days before your wedding for a piece of mind.