Frequently Asked Questions About Weddings

Choosing your wedding photogpraher could be the most important decision could be the most important decision you make about your big day. This section will answer many questions about wedding photography, and hopefully point you in the right direction.

What are the advantages of hiring a professional?

A professional photographer will be timely, arriving at your wedding promptly, and getting the results to you on time. A professional has just the right equipment and film for photographing your wedding. Having attended many weddings, an experienced wedding photographer will be at ease at your wedding. A professional uses a color laboratory that is in the business of meeting high professional standards of print quality. And a professional is used to working with individuals, couples, and groups to make the formal photography go smoothly. When you think about the cost of photography, remember that the photographer's fee is only part of your investment; you, your parents, your extended family and your friends will be investing time with the photographer during your wedding. .

So, I want a professional to photograph my wedding. What do I do next?

Visit several photographers. Look at their sample albums. Pay attention to your emotional response to the photography and to the communication skills of the photographer. Look for high technical quality too. Once you have decided on a photographer whose work has meaning to you, discuss prices, deposits, packages, quantity of photographs, and so on. Money is an important consideration, just remember: the flowers will fade and the food will be forgotten, but your album will be with you forever.

What is the first question I should ask the photographer?

Once you have established that the photographer is available for your date and location, you will want to ask, "If we select your studio, will you be the photographer covering our wedding?" Some studios have several photographers and you may be speaking to a salesperson. A photographer who does not even work for the studio anymore may have created the sample albums. If this is the case, you should make arrangements to meet with and see the work of the particular photographer who will be doing your wedding. You should also ask for a commitment from the studio to that effect, in writing.

Shouldn't I be asking "What do I get and how much does it cost?"

Even when shopping for shoes or furniture, you wouldn't ask that question until you find the style and quality you like. After you have looked through a photographer's portfolio—seeing candid, formal and illustrative photographs—you will know if this photographer has the technique, style and spirit to be the eyes through which you and your children will see your wedding day. Of course, you should determine if the photographer is within your budget, give or take a little, but what you really want from photography is memories and feeling. Look for an established and reliable photographer whose work moves you, whose technical quality is tops. If you find a photographer who makes you happy, you will never regret your investment, whatever the dollar cost. When we have invested in items that will be with us for the rest of our lives, our satisfaction has been highest when we have paid that extra bit for the best quality.

So, how much does wedding photography cost?

In the Valley, prices range from $500 to $6,000, and even more! Photographs (and maybe video) will be your only permanent record of the day. You want good photographs (or you would not have read this far), so be prepared to spend a minimum of $1,000 for a small wedding. Also, for additional copies, an 8x10 reprint will cost $19 to $65 each. Expect better photographers to charge the higher rates. As with most things, you get what you pay for, and with a more experienced photographer you are paying for years of education and practice. If you are looking for a bargain and shop via phone for pricing, you are following a recipe for disaster. “Cheap” photography can mean poor to mediocre photography, even never getting your album! My research indicates that photography runs between twelve to twenty percent of the total wedding budget.

We're having a small wedding, with thirty people, and only wanted to spend $1,000 on photographs. What can we do?

The first thing to do, if you want a professional photographer under these circumstances, is to be flexible. A true wedding professional can only work so many weekends a year, and reasonably expects one or two large weddings per weekend from May through October. If he/she reserves a prime Saturday in October for you, then larger weddings will have to be turned away. If your budget is small, you will be choosing from the second and third tiers of wedding photographers. If you plan your wedding in the evening or especially early in the day, you might find a photographer who can fit you in after or before another event, and thus be able to work with your budget. Another path would be to structure your wedding so that most of the important things happen closely together, to minimize the photographer's time.


How much time will the photographer spend at my wedding?

That is really up to you. You can have the photographer meet you where you are getting dressed, and keep taking photographs until you leave the reception. Or you may just want a few hours of photography, with a few formal photographs and some photographs of the ceremony. (If you choose a high quality professional, the price difference between short and full coverage will be small.) Some photographers are offering to do the formal photography of the bride and groom a few days before the wedding. This gives you the luxury of selecting any location at any time of day for your wedding photographs. If you have a Saturday wedding, how about spending a few hours on Sunday taking some romantic photos at a special location? Since it will be after the wedding, you won't have to worry about your dress getting dirty!


What are previews?

With digital photography getting as good—if not better—than film photography, most photographers are now using digital cameras. That means that you initially view the images on a computer or television screen, in either a slideshow or DVD. At Mystic Images, you take home a computer disk with a slide show you can order pictures from at your leisure. You then select the images to go into your album. This means no waiting for printed proofs, as is still the case in some studios. Generally, this also means that there are more images to choose from than with film photography, so you can select the cream of the crop in the comfort of your own home—or right here in the studio.

Do I get to keep the previews?




What about getting an album?

Some photographers offer "Packages," each package having a set number of hours, images, and certain number of final photographs. It might be better to purchase an album that the photographer will assemble completely, because most of us never get around to putting our photographs in albums if we have to do it ourselves. Professionally done albums generally look nicer and last longer than store bought, as well, with matting on each page. Consider ordering parent albums too. If your parent’s vision is less than perfect, they would really appreciate getting an album with large photographs so that the faces are easy to see!


Who chooses the photographs that go in the album?

After looking at all the previews, the bride and groom usually decide what goes in the album. Some photographers will suggest a layout for your album or design the album with you, using previews or computer images to show you what the final album will look like. You will benefit from the photographer's eye and feel for the wedding. You will probably let your parents decide what photographs go in their album. In Mystic Images’ album deisgn process, we can either design for you or work with you to create the perfect wedding album. We take all the images you want in your album and create beautiful full-page digital layouts to create the perfect storybook. Mystic Images likes to see important images enlarged, and related candids grouped together.


What else should I know about albums?

Some popular album manufacturers are Capri, Leather Craftsmen, Leather Bound, Art Leather, General Products, Holson, Tap, and Spicer-Hallfield. Each manufacturer makes a variety of styles, so if you are picky about albums, note which styles and manufacturers appeal to you. Again, it is a matter of taste. The style to avoid is a non-reversible album. Reversible simply means that you don't have to flip the album sideways to look at horizontal photographs. Some albums have metal hinges visible on the spine of the album. I find these unattractive, but the pages do lie flatter. Look at sample albums that are several years old. If sturdy, they will not show wear. New technology allows album pages to be constructed digitally, with frames, borders, writing and digital manipulation making for a more dynamic album. Work with your photographer and you’ll have a family treasure that will last for years.


What about albums with the photographs permanently mounted on the pages?

Flush-Mount albums are striking and modern in appearance, with the image stretching the entire surface of the page. Most Mystic Albums are Flush-Mounted. The disadvantage is that if one picture is damaged, the whole album has to go back to the factory. Also, you cannot add another page or change the sequence later. Other than that, it is a matter of taste. I have had several brides whom, quite reasonably, decided to add or change photographs once they saw the final album. This was very easy to do because their albums were not permanently bound.


Should we get plastic covered pages to protect the photographs?

Protective plastic gets in the way of the image. It creates reflections and lessens the clarity. Acetate pages will react chemically and ruin your photographs. A lacquer coating on the prints provides protection, but does not react or get in the way. Lacquer coating (spray) costs more, so when comparing photographers' prices, be sure and note if lacquer spray is included.


Is there an advantage to textured prints, like canvas?

Again, anything that gets in the way of the image on the print can be a distraction. Textures (canvas and linen) can minimize skin blemishes. However, skin imperfections can also be minimized with a soft filter or digital retouching rather than with textured prints. Canvas is usually recommended for prints 16x20 and larger. Texture should enhance the image based on décor and subject matter, not correct flaws.


What about black and white photography?

Some couples want black and white photographs because they like the classic quality. This is purely a matter of preference. If you just love black and white photography, make sure your photographer either uses digital cameras or black and white film, rather than color film, to produce your black and white prints. In my opinion, there is a magical quality in black and white film that cannot be matched with color film. Yes, black and white film is more expensive, but black and white digital generally isn’t, depending on your photographer’s fees. Most Mystic albums contain a mix of black and white and color images, depending on the image.


Do color photographs last as long as black and white?

No. Color paper (and color negatives) are made of three layers of color. Each layer, being different chemically, fades both in sunlight and in an album in the dark at a different rate. So, if the green layer fades more in twenty or thirty years than the red layer, your photographs will look brownish. However, black and white prints (on black and white paper) should last at least a century.


I prefer color photos, but I want my children and grandchildren to see my wedding photographs.

Take black and white photos, along with color, for the formal poses of the bride and groom, and maybe also of your immediate family. You can be sure these very important photos will last. The rest of your wedding photos can be color. If your photographer is using a digital camera, be sure to purchase proofs; digital files last forever.


What technical details in sample photographs should I watch out for?

Lighting quality is an important ingredient in superior photographs. The light in photographs should be natural and flattering, so that the photographs look three-dimensional. Overuse of on-camera flash can ruin wedding photographs. Watch out for flattened faces, harsh reflections off of cheeks and foreheads, and dark shadows directly behind or next to the subjects. Look for a variety in subject size and a mix of distant, medium and close-up photographs. Even with groups, lighting and posing should be interesting. There is a trend among skilled photographers to produce highly posed bridal portraits—which can get great scores in print competitions, but which may not be a true picture of the bride and groom's personality. While you may anticipate wanting a few of these dramatic images from your own wedding, probably most of your album and your parents' albums will consist of traditional and candid photographs.


My mom likes soft focus photographs, but I want sharp photos.

Except for mood shots and some portraits, photographs should be sharp. You should be able to count the threads in the veil. But a soft filter can be flattering in a close-up photo. You might tell your photographer that you want a few photographs done soft-focus and the rest sharp. Then the photographer can either shoot some of each or digitally soften images, depending on what sort of camera they use. Then, when you get the previews, you have your choice for each pose. With digital photography, one pose can be available both sharp and soft, with digital editing. This may be the best way to go if you want both available.


Does the camera used make a difference?

Maybe? There are four cameras and film sizes used by wedding photographers. From smallest too largest they are -

35mm (2.4cm x 3.6cm) 6 45 "six-four-five" (4.5cm x 6cm)

2 1/4 inches square (6cm x 6cm) and 6x7 (6cm x 7cm)

Prints from a larger negative are better because they will be sharper and less grainy. The real difference is in the image size over grain and greater perceived color saturation from the larger negatives. With the advent of digital photography this philosophy holds true for the size of sensor. (mega-pixel/image size) If you enlarge a 3 mega-pixel images for your wall you will fined a degree of softness and lack of detail.

6 mega-pixel will look tolerable; 12 or more will look great. In today’s digital photography the final image is computer processed and the quality is also a result of the digital artist’s knowledge. We no longer just print what is on the digital negative. Mystic Images enhances and retouches all images that leave our studio. Look at a photographer's samples to see the difference in the image quality he presents. Also be sure that the work you are looking at is from the camera he is using now.

Except for a handful of professionals around the country, most photographers who shoot 35mm are less experienced, and may even send their film to a one-hour store front rather than to one of the professional color labs for processing. Some photographers are using the large format cameras for the formal images (where retouching might be used) and 35mm for candids or wedding-photojournalism. Most professionals have converted either mostly or completely to digital photography.

Why do some photographers make square prints, rather than the usual rectangular prints?

The most popular film size for wedding photography is 2 1/4 square. This negative produces square prints. When you want an 8x10 or 5x7 print, part of the picture will be cropped out. This cropping is no problem, as most square images will work well when made either vertical or horizontal.


I just hate posed photographs - I always look so stiff and unnatural in them.

I know what you mean. I had posed photographs of me taken for my high-school yearbook. I still cringe when I think about how awful they were. However, the person behind the camera was probably given minimal training and had no real interest in photography. Most posed portraits in the United States are taken under such circumstances. If you have gotten this far in this FAQ, you probably are going to be looking at professional photographers, who will be far more skilled (we hope). Unless you are a fashion model, you probably will look better posed—assuming you have a true craftsman behind the camera. Mystic Images’ poses may be arranged; however, they do not look posed.


What sort of balance between posed shots and candids should I get? What about the trend of photojournalism?

This is also a matter of taste, combined with necessity. Great wedding photography can be done with no formal posed photographs at all (wedding photojournalism). But, there may be many people and combinations of guests that will never be captured unless the photographer deliberately gathers them in one spot for a picture. (Whether the picture looks posed or natural depends on the photographer.) When planning with your photographer, draw up a list of "must get" photos, such as college roommates, kids from your old neighborhood, a four generation picture, and so on. If you want a large catalog of specified photographs, then expect your photographer to spend more time doing those, and less time doing candids and wedding photojournalism.


Should we do the formal photography before or after the ceremony?

Some couples think it is bad luck to see each other before the ceremony. If following this tradition is important to you, all of the photos of the bride and groom together will be done afterwards, but solo shots can be done before. However, getting all the formal photography done at the beginning has several advantages: Flowers, clothing and make-up are fresh, and you can carefully budget time for formal photography. (And, if your ceremony ends after dark, the only time for natural light photographs of the two of you will be before the ceremony!) Couples who feel formal photos are important will set aside one, two, or even three hours for formal photography, which finish up about half an hour before the ceremony begins. If you do formal photography immediately after the ceremony, guests have to wait before they can greet you, and members of the bridal party will have to pose for photographs rather than mingle. About a third of the weddings I photograph have all the formal photography taken before the ceremony.


What can I do to keep the photographer from running my wedding day?

It is essential that you meet with your photographer in that last week before your wedding. Go over your timeline for the day. Find out how long the photographs you have requested are going to take. If the photography takes too long, cut out some of the posed photographs. If you have dozens of posed shots on your photo list, expect your photographer to be persistent in getting them. Or tell your photographer the way you have scheduled the day, and that he/she is to follow your schedule. A posed photo of cutting the cake takes ten seconds, and the rest of the cake shots should be candid.


Suppose I want more copies in two years?

Your photographer should keep digital or film negatives on file for a specified number of years so that you can call or write any time and order more prints. Expect to pay a fee for retrieving old negatives from the files.


Shouldn't my photographer have a back up in case he/she is sick on my wedding day?

That would be ideal, but consider the plight of the backup photographer who has to turn down weddings just in case she/he is needed for yours. Professionals are part of a network of photographers, and do have many people they can call in an emergency. No doubt as your wedding approaches you will have many far more significant worries. Let your photographer manage this problem. I recommend that you always select a photographer that belongs to a PPA affiliate; this ensures a high level of professionalism.


Some photographers ask that no one else take photographs during the formal photography. Is that reasonable?

Yes. If the photographer is trying to work quickly through a series of formal photographs, a snap-shooter might slow the process. A problem arises when there are several cameras aimed at a formal group—the subjects will be looking at different lenses. The diverted attention will ruin the professional's picture. Or, if the professional is using a light-sensing trigger device ("slave") on a second flash, other flashes will trigger this flash, ruining the photographs (that you are paying for) and wasting battery power. Snap-shooters can also slow the transition from one pose to another, as they call for "just one more second." There are many other reasons why a professional might ask others to refrain from picture taking during formal photography. On the other hand, many guests find snapping a few photographs a pleasant part of attending weddings, so it should not be a big deal for your professional to be relaxed and let people snap away when formal photography is over. Ideally, guests should show respect for the bridal party and photographer and put down their cameras during the formal photos!


I want to make copies of my photos. Does my photographer really own the copyright of his/her photographs? Do I still have to pay the photographer if I make the copies myself at a copy shop?

Yes and yes. According to federal law, images produced by a professional photographer are copyrighted the moment they are created. Federal law prohibits copying or reproducing copyrighted material without permission from the owner of the copyright, i.e. the photographer. If you copy or scan your photos, the photographer should be paid just as if you were buying reprints. If you or your videographer transfer the previews to videotape, the photographer should be paid just as if you were buying reprints. Some digital photographers will sell you copies of your images on CD if you with to construct a web page or slide show. If you don't feel comfortable paying for copies, find a photographer whose work is so good that you are glad to pay. When I really appreciate something I purchase, like a fabulous meal, an antique, a good pair of shoes, or even medical care, I do not mind paying a premium for getting the highest quality. Look for the photographer who will provide you the satisfaction of paying for job well done.