Wedding Photography is super fun and I really, really love my job. But there are some things that make my job, well, not so fun. I thought that in the interest of helping all of you get the best photos you can on your wedding day, I would be a candid and tell you what can make my job a little difficult. Here are five things I absolutely HATE:
This is a great Recessional shot–and not one iPad in sight! Hurrah!
1. IPads. I am not a fan of iPads at events. The bride and groom are walking down the aisle and are getting ready to kiss. Great shot! If someone jumps in front of your photographer with their iPad lifted, the shot is missed. I am so glad that did not happen at Leah and Lee’s wedding on Lake George! This is one of my favorite shots from that wedding. Imagine if we did not get it! Consider telling your guests that you will be having an “unplugged” wedding.
This bridal party at The Inn at Erlowest was dressed and ready to go on time!
2. A Time Crunch due to improper planning = total stress for the photographer as well as the Bride and Groom. I work with all my couples so we don’t need to deal with this issue. Plan your Wedding Day Timeline carefully. Make sure you “pad” your timeline a bit in the beginning so if you start running behind it is not a big deal. And especially make sure your hair and makeup stylist(s) know how many people are being “done” so they plan enough time and bring enough stylists.
I really loved the location on Saratoga Lake for this large group photo. This shot was accomplished in under two minutes due to planning ahead of time. Everyone knew where to be and at what time. Yay!
3. Disorganized Family Formals. I actually like doing Family Formals. What I do not like is when it becomes a disorganized chaotic event. What could be accomplished in under 20 minutes can become a trip to the Fiery Inferno if there is no organization. Make a list of the Family Groups you want. Give the list to one person on each side of the Family. Make sure all people
on the list know ahead of time where to be and when to be there. That makes me super happy.
Linda’s Dress fit her perfectly, with it’s little cap sleeve and expert tailoring.
4. Wardrobe issues can suck the fun out of even the best days. Make sure you are comfortable in whatever you choose to wear. If things are tight, or you feel like you are going to burst out of your dress, or you can’t sit down, you will not enjoy your day. And it will show in your photographs. When you are choosing your attire keep this in mind. Sometimes my brides change into a cocktail dress for their reception because they know they will be uncomfortable in a formal gown.
This was a totally candid moment, not a Pinterest picture in sight.
5. Pinterest. Don’t get me wrong–I do love Pinterest. I go on it almost every day. It can be great for inspiration. But as a photographer, I want to create unique images of YOUR wedding day. I don’t want to spend all day worrying about recreating someone else’s day on YOUR day. It kind of inhibits creativity if your photographer has ten pages of Pinterest photos they are required to execute and deliver. I would rather make photos that will end up inspiring Pinterest users instead of copying someone else’s photos. Hopefully, this has been helpful. My weddings are usually delightful because we spend time planning ahead to avoid the above mentioned items. A little planning makes the wedding couple and the photographer happy and stress free. Did you enjoy this article on Wedding Planning? You might also enjoy this post on Planning a Wedding Day Timeline. Are you looking for a Saratoga Wedding Photographer? Please call 518.584.4237 to schedule a consultation or fill in our Contact Form.Saratoga Wedding Photographer Susan Blackburn photographs weddings and events in Saratoga, Lake George, the Adirondacks and beyond.
Fall is always a very busy time for Wedding and Portrait Photographers. It was a super busy weekend here at Blackburn Portrait Design. We finished up photographing our High School Senior Portrait Clients, plus we photographed two fabulous weddings! Both of these events will get blogged in detail as some point later on, but I wanted to post some of my favorite photos now.
Sometimes my friends ask me if all weddings are the same after a while. NO! And this weekend proved it! The best part was that these weddings were wonderfully different from each other, and if you look at these wedding photos, you will see what I mean. Most couples have a certain style or vision for their wedding, and it is up to their vendors to help them manifest that style. It is always nice to see and appreciate what other vendors do in their areas of expertise. I am continually amazed that most of the events I work are so completely different from each other.
Linda and Dave had a super elegant sit down dinner at 90 State Street in Albany. This fabulous event was catered by Mazzone Hospitality.Holly and Bill’s wedding was equally fabulous–but laid back and informal on the shore of Saratoga Lake.Linda’s granddaughter was a flower girl at her wedding.Holly’s two nieces were in her wedding party.
This is one of the more formal table centerpieces at Linda and Dave’s wedding by Fleurtacious in Albany.Holly chose a more vibrant color palette for her wedding flowers.
Bill and Holly chose to have a First Look prior to their outdoor wedding ceremony on Saratoga Lake.I really loved the look on Bill’s face when he saw Holly for the first time.Linda and Dave saw each other for the first time at the altar at the church.
These were just some of the differences that made these weddings different from each other. So while each wedding is about two people joining their lives together, the details are what makes each wedding different and unique. Did you enjoy this article on Weddings? You might also enjoy this post on a Lake Placid Destination Wedding we photographed. Are you looking for Wedding Photography for your upcoming event? Please call 518.584.4237 or fill in our Contact Form to schedule a consultation. Wedding Vendors from this past weekend included: Wedding Photography by Blackburn Portrait Design Hair and Makeup for Holly and Bill’s Wedding by Lipstick N Lashes Entertainment at Holly and Bill’s Wedding provided by Jeffrey Scott Linda and Dave’s Wedding Venue was 90 State in Albany and was catered by Mazzone Hospitality Entertainment at Linda and Dave’s event was by Scott Pallone Susan Blackburn is a Wedding and Portrait Photographer located in Upstate NY. Susan is also available for out of area assignments. Please call 518.584.4237 to schedule a consultation.
I have been a Wedding Photographer in Saratoga Springs NY for a long time.
If you want beautiful wedding photos, hire a professional wedding Photographer.
“We Can’t Afford A Professional Wedding Photographer.”
Many times I am at a bridal show, and I will have someone tell me, “A professional Photographer is just out of our budget. We decided to have our friend/uncle/neighbor photograph our wedding.” I have learned to just take a deep breath, smile, and say, “That is great. Have a great day.” Inside I am dying because nine times out of ten, that scenario is a disaster.
Truth: You Can’t Afford To NOT Hire a Professional Wedding Photographer
I know this because I have had countless unhappy brides come to me after the fact asking me if I can “fix” the problems created by these “helpful” friends and family members. Almost all of the time, the problems are not “fixable.” Especially if the photos have not even been created.
First of all, I will address the large elephant in the room–having your photographs created by a professional photographer is not cheap. It can be really tempting to save a couple bucks here. You can conservatively expect to pay at least around $4000 to have someone photograph your wedding all day, get an nice album, etc. But please keep in mind that out of all the items you will be spending your hard earned dollars on, the photographs are the things that last.
Over the years I have heard every variation of the friend scenario, so I will combine them to give you an overall view of what can and does go wrong.
Posing and lighting as well as understanding your gear is so important to produce professional Wedding Photos
The Hire A Friend Scenario
Let’s pretend your friend John is going to shoot your wedding. Let’s pretend he even has some top of the line gear because he is into photography and has some disposable income. He has a great camera body, a wide angle telephoto and something like the 70–200 mm to zoom in from far away. He also has a nice flash. WARNING: You should know he only has one of everything–no back up equipment in case something breaks.
John begins at the location where the bride is getting ready. He has his camera set in “P” mode because he does not really understand the other modes on his camera. He takes some detail pictures of the shoes, invitation, etc. that look pretty cool. He realizes while the bride is getting her makeup on that he left his wide angle lens in the car along with his flash and the room is tiny and dark–oh no! He needs to go out to the car and get the rest of his gear.
By the time he makes it back in, changes the lens and puts the flash on, the bride has her veil on and the make up is done. Missed those shots. John tries to corral the bridesmaids for some group
pictures. However, they are not really paying any attention to him because he is just John–everyone’s friend, not a paid professional. John gives up trying to get a group shot because he figures he can do it after the ceremony anyway.
He gets a couple shots of the bride alone, but only takes a few. Later on he realizes the bride’s eyes are closed in most of them because she is what we in the wedding photography business call a “blinker.” He has one usable shot of the bride alone. And that shot is poorly composed and lit because he does not understand portrait posing or lighting. He has inadvertently made the bride look 15 lbs heavier than she is because she is straight on to the camera in a solid white dress. The detail in the dress is lost because he placed her in direct sunlight–you can’t see the detail of the lace on the $5000 Vera Wang dress. She also has “raccoon eyes” because she is outside in direct sun, and he does not know how to properly use fill flash. There is an unsightly shed in the background and the wash line in the neighbors yard is growing out of the bride’s head.
Now John heads over to the ceremony location. He takes a couple shots of the groom and the groom’s friends. He does not realize, because his camera is in “P” mode and he does not understand exposure compensation or how to spot meter, that everything he just shot is WAY over exposed because the guys’ suits are dark and the camera is too dumb to know that it should be properly exposing for skin tone, not the overall scene. Again, he shoots a few pictures, but does not take very many because he figures he has enough. Uh oh–the bride’s brother is a “blinker” too! No usable shots of the guys together.
While he is taking the pictures of the groomsmen, the limo arrives. John misses capturing this because he does not have an assistant to tell him the bride has arrived. So he misses the bride’s Dad helping her out of the limo and into the church. He misses Dad getting all misty at the back of the church with his little girl. He takes a couple shots of the bride coming down the aisle–which are out of focus. Some of them are also either over or under exposed because of the other guests’ camera flashes–it is a true paparazzi moment.
During the ceremony, he realizes he needs the 70-200 lens because he is not allowed on or near the altar. But he forgot it in his car. So he goes out to the car to get it–and misses the ring exchange. He does not think to get any pictures of the people in the pews–like the mom and grandma crying, or the cute niece with the floral wreath on her head. He does get the kiss–Yay. Coming down the aisle–again, out of focus, guest flashes, etc.
Time for family pictures–only no one wants to listen to John because he is just the friend/relative/neighbor and no one is taking him seriously. Finally after 20 minutes he manages to get a big group picture. Again, he is outside in bright sun. No one looks good because he has just allowed them to stand wherever and however they want. Everyone just wants to be done, including John. Oh no–no more time left because the limo needs to get the bride and groom to the reception! He still has not taken pictures of the bride and groom alone. He figures he will do this when they get to the reception venue.
But wait! When they get to the venue, the banquet manager grabs the couple and takes them into the bridal suite because they are already running late. So John decides to go to cocktail hour and grab some pictures there. Some of them are pretty artistic, like the pictures of people stuffing food in their faces. John also has a cocktail. Or three. Time for the Bride and Groom to be introduced–Yay! Only like at the church, these are poorly exposed and many are out of focus. He gets a couple good shots of the First Dance and the Toast.
John sits down to dinner and has a glass of wine because after all, he has been working for about five hours at this point and needs a break. He unwinds and starts to have a fabulous time. So fabulous that he is dancing, drinking, hanging out, and generally forgetting he needs to be documenting the reception, not LIVING it. At the end of the night the couple leaves for the honeymoon.
John goes home and downloads everything to his computer. He even does the right thing and backs up onto an external hard drive. This is when he discovers most of the pictures that are over or underexposed and are beyond saving. He also thought he had way more images than he actually does. He thinks the Bride and Groom won’t notice–that is what he hopes. Our Bride and Groom get back from the honeymoon. Everyone has been telling them how great the wedding was–best wedding they ever attended, blah, blah, blah. They cannot wait to see the images. The ones friends have posted on social media are not so great, John has a way better camera, right?
John gives them the flash drive with their images. A quarter of the way through viewing the images, they are looking at each other like, “WTF?! Where are the pictures of the bride with her bridesmaids? How come there is only one picture of the Bride with her eyes open and it kind of, well, SUCKS?! Did she really look that fat?! Why does the ceremony go from one picture of the bride coming down the aisle to the kiss on the altar with nothing in between? Wait–there are no pictures of the Bride and Groom alone together?! The reception only has some cocktail hour pictures, the First Dance and the Toast. What about the conga line, the Cake Cutting, the Dessert Table, etc. Didn’t they specifically ask John to get a photo of the Sparkler Exit?!
The Tragic End Of A Friendship
Angry, upset Bride + Groom = big fight with John the Best Friend. And no usable wedding pictures.
OK, this is a little extreme, but you get the point. This is a compilation of events that we have heard about over the years, and it makes us sad every time we hear them. It takes more than great gear to get great wedding pictures. It takes experience and knowledge to be comfortable with your gear in an ever changing environment. It takes back up equipment in case anything breaks. Even more, one needs the experience and knowledge to deal with a complex, emotional human event. It also takes creativity and artistry to create beautiful images. Keep in mind that while you can always order albums and large prints at a later date, if beautiful images are not created in the first place, it really does not matter.
You need to start with beautiful professional wedding photos to create a gorgeous wedding album.
Moral of the Story: Hire a Professional Wedding Photographer!
Disclaimer–While the events depicted here are all true, the names have been changed to protect the innocent. So if your name is John and you screwed up your best friend’s wedding, we are in no way talking about you. Really. If you are interested in what to look for when hiring a professional Wedding Photographer in Saratoga Springs, please read our FAQs for Hiring a Wedding Photographer. If you are interested in commissioning us to photograph your upcoming wedding, please call 518.584.4237 to schedule a consultation.
I think he said this because they are really cute and they tend to upstage you. I don’t mind photographing kids at weddings because they are usually very funny and sweet. They know it is a big deal to be in a wedding and most times they can rise to the occasion (to the best of their ability at any rate). I know of several instances where the kids behaved way better than the adults, but that is better left for another time. The only time it is not fun is when they need a nap. Or if they are hungry. Of course I feel that way as well at times. Especially when hungry.
So without any further ado, here are some of my favorite photographs of kids in weddings.
Here is Marla all spiffy and ready for the ceremony to start at The Mountain House in Keene, NY.Can you tell how much Emily’s niece was into being in the wedding? She thought she was pretty grown up and cool.One of my all time favorites because I love the light and the color.This kid was obviously really impressed with me–not!How cute are these two in their kilts?The Bride Was a Real Dog. Holly looks like she ran through the rain to make it on time.So cute–and the wreath is angelic.He was very intent on doing a very good job.Double Trouble–look out.This just cracks me up. They were too, too excited about this party.Bust a Move at the Hall of Springs.
I don’t know, I guess I just feel like kids bring a little excitement to a wedding–they have usually not been to many, so it is all new and different for them. I like their energy and enthusiasm. We should Always Work With Kids and Dogs.
Want to see more Saratoga Wedding Photography? View our online Wedding Photography Portfolio. Or call 518.584.4237 to schedule a personal consultation to discuss your wedding or event. Want to read more about weddings? Check out this article on our wedding photography blog–Lights, Camera, Action.
Susan Blackburn is a Photographer located in Saratoga Springs NY specializing in Wedding Photography and Portrait Photography.
Classic Black and White Wedding Photos are making a comeback.
OK, so I was just reading an article on Wedding Trends for this year at Bridalguide.com, and I am so happy to report that my brides, as always, are right on trend (and many are way ahead of trend, but that is a subject for another post). The fun part of being a wedding photographer, especially in an area like Saratoga and the Adirondacks, is seeing what things are trending and how people personalize their event to make it their own. The following are some of the trends that are current:
The envelopes of this invitation not only have pockets, they are also made of recycled paper. The invitation has a light green pattern/picture as an accent.This invitation is within a pocket and tied with a ribbon.
1. Invitations–Pattern or pictures are very current. Invitations with pockets and folds to lend a three dimensional look are big this year. Also, there is a trend toward gleam and glitter with silver or gold foil accents. Monograms are still in vogue. Getting photos of you invitations can really help add to the overall design of your wedding album.
This centerpiece/wedding favor is a plant the guests can bring home for their gardens.
2. Going Green–a move toward recyclable or sustainable products, particularly in paper goods and invitations. Plantable trees as favors for guests are gaining in popularity for centerpieces.
A tuxedo jacket with a black tie is always elegant and handsome.Bonus points for a tie that the groom must tie himself instead of just a clip on.
3. Black Tie is back! Yay! So handsome.
Peonies are so delicate and beautiful, but are only in season for a very short time.
4. Flowers with a delicate petal, such as peonies or roses are on trend right now.
These flowers look as if they were gathered from a formal garden.
5. English Garden floral design–Brides are looking for arrangements that feel like the flowers were just picked from a formal English Estate garden rather than informal, “weedy” looking arrangements. Bouquets with tons of green are definitely on the way out, as are orchids.
The laser cut paper garland is from the Pink Orange.This floral garland, which was used as an altar decoration, is by Ambiance Floral in Albany, NY
6. Garlands are big–either as floral arrangements, paper garlands or garlands hanging from chandeliers.
The champagne glasses were a vintage find at a thrift store.The Signature Cocktail at this wedding was blue, which contrasted nicely with the purple linens on the high top cocktail tables on the terrace. The Mother of the Bride gets bonus points for coordinating her bracelet to the drink.
7. Barware with a vintage feel–think the look of a champagne saucer instead of a flute. Or mint juleps served in silver cups. Martini bars are on the way out and are being replaced with artisanal cocktails. People are looking to make a statement with signature cocktails.
A more traditional shape and decoration for wedding cakes is back.
8. Wedding cake silhouettes are returning to a more traditional shape.
Emerald wedding shoes.
9. The Pantone color of this year is emerald. Looks great for shoes, especially in an unexpected combination for weddings like suede with a cork heel.
I loved the way Rudy at Experience and Creative Design decorated the terrace for this wedding last year at the Mohawk Country Club in Niskayuna. The white chandeliers with the purple linens was very elegant and fun.
10. Chandeliers in outdoor areas to make the space feel more formal or whimsical.
I really liked the peacock blue of the bride’s dress. What you can’t see is that this 1950’s inspired cocktail dress had pockets–so fun! Sidney looked elegant and fashionable while staying true to her personal style.
11. Color in the bride’s dress–YAY!
I love seeing the current trends my brides choose to incorporate in their weddings. I especially like that all of them put their own twist on things to reflect their individuality. If you are on the cutting edge, we would love to photograph your wedding.
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Saratoga Wedding Photography by Blackburn Portrait Design
The day was truly perfect: comfortable temperature, no rain, no humidity, and blue skies. And most importantly, two people who were really in love and ready to make a life long commitment to each other. I will definitely blog more about this couple later, but here are a few photographs for now.
You may remember Michelle and Tim from their Engagement Session Blog Post:)One of the unique things about Birch Hill is that they keep peacocks on the grounds. We found this feather while walking around.
I like to use black and white for the preparation shots. I think it enhances the emotions and mood of the photos.
I thought it was very sweet how Tim’s dad helped him get his tie on.
I also like to do some of the formal portraits in black and white–it is so timeless and classic.
I love this black and white of Michelle before the ceremony.
This is when Tim and Michelle exited the Loudonville Community Church after the ceremony. I love the way he is looking at Michelle.Birch Hill also has amazing willow trees on the property.The Conservatory at Birch Hill is very unique and photographs extremely well.
If you enjoyed this post, you might like to visit our Wedding Gallery to view more Saratoga Wedding Photos.
Hope you have enjoyed these wedding photos by Saratoga Wedding Photographer Susan Blackburn of Blackburn Portrait Design.
As a Saratoga Wedding Photographer, I am always looking for ways to photograph my clients differently. The last thing I want is to create the same cookie cutter pictures in the exact same way for all my clients. I feel like every wedding or portrait session is unique, so I am continually looking for something to make the photos a little different. They need to fit with the personality of the client. I am so excited about the wedding I photographed last evening down in Albany at the State Room. Immediately following the ceremony, we did formal photos during the day in Glens Falls, both at the church and in Crandall Park. But I was really excited because the reception was in Albany so we got to do some really cool night photos of the the bridal couple, Yulia and Dan. I will be blogging the entire wedding later on, but I wanted to get some of these up to share. I am really enjoying using off camera flash in some of my photographs. I think it can make the photos more dramatic and enhance the feeling of the images.
In the two images below, I noticed this building and wanted to create a dramatic, contemporary set of photos for the couple. I wanted to have a slightly higher angle on the light to emphasize the great bone structure of Yulia’s face. The light made the images feel really modern. I also really like the expression on Yulia’s face in the first shot–almost wistful.
I liked the simplicity of the stone building combined with dramatic lighting. Yulia looks like a movie star here. The photos have an editorial feel.
In the next image, the location is more Victorian because of the period clock and the street lamps. It also helps that the Dan is wearing a kilt and Yulia is in a ball gown.
I like this location because the clock tells what time we made the photo. Too bad it was not midnight.
I really like it when I can capture different moods in the same session as I did on this event. I think both sets of images are romantic, but in completely different ways.
Nina and Sander’s Private Saratoga Springs Elopement Wedding
I recently photographed a wedding in Saratoga that was unique in that it was a very small, very private event.
In additon to the Bride and Groom, there were only four guests. The ceremony was held at a private residence. It was kind of an elopement/destination wedding. Some people might think that is somehow not a wedding. I honestly felt like it was more of a wedding than some events I have attended. The Bride and the Groom were fully focused on why they were getting married and what that truly meant. And I really loved the story of their journey together. So here it is:
You can see the excitement in Nina’s face in this photograph.
So how did you meet Sander?
As for how we met – am not sure we’ve got such an interesting story to tell. Anyway, as Sander describes it, I was kind of like a stealth bomber that hit him on match.com. I had a hidden profile, since I was living in smAlbany at the time in the doctoral program at the U at Albany School of Social Welfare, and didn’t want the world to know that I was on match. So, out of nowhere, Sander received a match.com e-mail from me introducing myself. He broke a cardinal rule he had of not engaging in discussion, much less meeting someone, without having a photo of the person to see if there was some possible attraction and we met at the Starbucks in downtown Albany shortly thereafter. And, I guess, the rest is history!
Love the symbolism of the Chuppah.
Tell us a little about the proposal.
As for the proposal, it took place on Valentine’s Day in 2008 at the Koto Japanese steakhouse in Latham. Given that I don’t wear much jewelry, Sander made a matching necklace of his, that included a smaller replica of a lovely ankh emerging from a lotus flower pendant, that he bought in Egypt years ago. It was the perfect engagement gift for me and I’ve worn it ever since. Similarly, as you may know, we were supposed to have gotten married 5 years ago at the Sagamore and, due to some unforeseen business circumstances that eventually panned out to be inconsequential, were stressing us out at the time, we decided to cancel the wedding 3 weeks before it was to take place. Given what I learned about the stresses of planning a more formal wedding, I decided to take a different approach this second time around and arranged for a more informal, private, intimate ceremony that ended up being perfect (and, quite frankly, was the way Sander wanted it all along). We also reconnected with the wonderful service providers that we had found 5 years ago. We contacted Rabbi Monte Sugarman, who we liked so much, and arranged our wedding around his availability. Similarly, I used the same family run organic floral farm that we were going to use 5 years ago and reached out to the same photographer (as you know).
The flowers by Balet Florist were perfect.Signing the Ketubbah, the Jewish marriage contract. The Bride and Groom are actually married before the ceremony by signing this document.
What is the significance of the date you were married on?
Additionally, the day that the Rabbi was available (June 23rd) happened to be a lucky day in the Chinese wedding day calendar. The original wedding date, 5 years ago, on which we were supposed to get married actually fell on Tisha B’Av – a day of mourning, which is regarded as the saddest day in the Jewish calendar and a day which is considered destined for tragedy. That day was the only day that members of my family of origin, who live all around the world, were available that summer.
I love the elements of fate that came into play in Sander and Nina’s story. I feel like they were somehow destined to meet each other and they got married on exactly the right day. Congratulations to Sander and Nina! Have a wonderful life together!
If you liked Nina and Sander’s story, be sure to leave a little love in the comments section below for them.
