I know I’ll only shoot a few packs of this film. It’s all I have. But I love it. And it’s even prettier with wax on top.
Polaroid: Gia Canali
Monthly Archive for January, 2011
{click any image to enlarge}
Sometimes, getting the photographer of your dreams means going with partial day coverage instead of full-day coverage. And if that’s what you need to do, do it. But—if there’s any way you can help it—don’t skimp on coverage early in the day. Unfortunately, photographs of getting ready are often the first thing to go with limited photographic coverage. Not only is the getting-ready time a beautiful ritual in and of itself, but it’s one you and your fiance generally go about separately from each other.
Adding time on the day of the event won’t necessarily give you time earlier on in the day when you’d have really needed it. So it’s a good idea not to rely on adding coverage on the day of the wedding. In any case, proper advance planning should tell you how much time you should budget for.
photos: Gia Canali
Remember these guys? This was their engagement photo, taken on a sunny afternoon at California Adventure.
I hope all of you have something exhilarating planned for the weekend!
photo: Gia Canali
Your wedding day will already feel like it’s moving by at lightning speed. I can tell you that for sure. And while nobody wants the ceremony to go on-and-on-and-on, the wedding ceremony is—truly—the wedding. You want to remember these moments. And not only by photographs.
But, frankly, you do want to give your photographer enough time to capture great images of all the goings on—not just with you and your beloved, but also with your attendants, friends, and family (sometimes the reactions are priceless). So, take a deep breath and look around while it’s all happening. Don’t rush yourselves. And while you’re soaking up your real life ceremony, your photographer can work on creating a beautiful and varied record of those fleet-footed moments.
(I’m hesitant to put a number of minutes as a minimum on your ceremony, but I’d say: planning a ceremony that is shorter than fifteen minutes should give you pause. Everyone is going to talk faster and walk faster on the day of the wedding. They’ll be excited. As a bride, I was so excited—and also so unfamiliar with the music—that my dad and I processed in at the wrong time. Not that I really cared. I just wanted to get on with it!)
photo: Gia Canali
(an iPhone photo of) contact prints from my new large format (8×10!) camera. I have a feeling I’ll be toting this one around a lot this year …
P.S. Don’t you just love Alexis’s black tulle ballgown?
photos: Gia Canali
{we’ll share more soon, but in the meantime, click any image to enlarge!}
We love C Magazine’s stylish C Weddings issue! Last year, they featured Negar & Peter’s downtown Los Angeles wedding. This year, they’re featuring S + E’s secret-garden-in-wine-country wedding. We were so excited to get our copy in the mail yesterday!
There are lots of different reasons people want engagement portraits. Some people want to get practice in front of the camera. Others want prints to display at the wedding. Some folks want nice images to use for their save the dates. Or they just want a few nice photos of themselves together in—if not regular—at least non-wedding attire.
In any case, planning engagement photographs is just like planning other sorts of portrait sessions, with a few special considerations, mostly in the interest of timing your session out before the wedding. So these tips are also good for people looking to plan a bridal session, a family portrait session or a children’s session (well, except you want to keep in mind kids’ naptimes and happy vs. grouchy times in mind, too, not just lighting).
I. Imagine a Concept
I always think the most successful sessions have the simplest concepts. Choose somewhere meaningful, like where you had your first date, or re-create your proposal, or take photographs at home, particularly if it’s a home you’ve built or remodeled together. Choose something fanciful (you know, I’ve had a few couples choose underwater photographs). Choose something you love doing together – my twin sister, Meghan, just did a portrait session with a couple skiing (so cute!). Your photographer might be able to help you get your ideas flowing, so definitely ask for help if you need it. She may be floating an idea around in her mind, just waiting to match it to the right couple.
II. Choose a Location
Your concept may dictate a specific location, but if not, it’ll certainly help narrow down to the type of location you want to find. In Los Angeles, be mindful of location permits and use fees (insert groaning and rolling-of-eyes). Other places aren’t so strict. Your photographer may have some ideas – you may have some ideas – and scouting is almost always very helpful, particularly if you want to use a location you aren’t familiar with.
III. Think About Time of Day
There are a few times of day that are generally excellent to take photographs: early in the morning, during that last golden hour before sunset, and, in some locations— think urban locations with lots of lights—just after sunset when the sky is deepening blue.
IV. Think About What You’d Like To Do with the Images
This might be counter-intuitive, but with engagement photos specifically, planning ahead for the output is important in case you want anything ready in time for the wedding. Do you want a single stand-alone image to print? Do you want a collection of prints? Are you looking to make a book? Would you rather have one or a few handmade prints? Does any of this need to be ready in time for your wedding?
V. Plan Your Wardrobe / Look
I think the best looks for engagement photographs are flattering and special. I’m not crazy about costume-like looks, but you want to look your best for sure! Note: though both partners should look equally dressy.
VI. Schedule Your Session
With all this information gathered, all you’ll need is to coordinate with your photographer. If you would like prints or albums in time for the wedding, be sure to ask how much lead time your photographer needs to put those things together. With destination weddings, “engagement photos” might not happen until the day after the wedding. But otherwise: give yourselves plenty of time before the wedding, if at all possible. And once you settle on a session time, stick to it! If you’re planning photos during the busiest part of wedding season, missing a session might make rescheduling tricky.
We’ll talk about getting great results at your session soon!
photos: Gia Canali
* This couple opted to take their photos on the Malibu hillside where he proposed to her!
