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Q: In addition to hiring you (of course!), do you think it’s recommendable to place a disposable camera at every table for my guests during the reception?

A: In short: No, it’s not recommendable. Thanks to the prevalence of personal digital cameras and camera-phones, when your guests see Auntie Gertrude gettin’ down with her funky self on the dancefloor, the first thing they’ll be reaching for is their OWN CAMERA, not the disposable one on the table!

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Even if the disposable cameras themselves are inexpensive, it’s a waste of money to get all those rolls of film developed only to find the vast majority of them are blank. Disposable cameras are a trend hailing from a time when film was king and very few people possessed a camera of their own, but today they’re pretty obsolete. I find that the people who use and enjoy them the most often are the absolute drunkest guests whose pictures get increasingly offensive as the night progresses, or Grandma herself because–you guessed it–she doesn’t own or know how to use a digital camera herself.

An alternative idea, if you want to see your wedding through your guests’ lenses, is to create a group on Flickr and invite your friends to upload all the photos to it that they’ve snapped on their digital cameras or phones. Flickr has some instructions for this very concept that you can check out here.Similar Posts:

• FAQ Friday: How Wedding Photography Can Be “Green”
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Cindy and Jaime braved mysterious rustling bushes and possible poison oak to land some of these photos. I love how they’re able to roll with the punches, and all the awesome plans they have lined up for their wedding at the Museum of Art in Long Beach are making me antsy for July to hurry up and get here!

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Such a cute ensemble! I can't wait to see what kind of wedding dress Cindy picked out for herself!

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So, Matt thinks Billy Corgan from the Smashing Pumpkins looks a lot like Jaime. I am leaning more towards Billy Zane. I don't know how we both landed on in on a "Billy"...what do you think?

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At one point Cindy & Jaime had the opportunity to watch the sun go down together, something Jaime speculated they hadn't done together in years. Ah, well...I aim to please.

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Similar Posts:

• Long Beach Museum wedding photographer
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• Published: Associated Press
• [38] Wedding images: Rachel & Joel

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We are proud to announce that a same-sex inspiration session that we produced and photographed is currently being featured in the May 2012 issue of EquallyWed. We worked with a fantastic team of vendors on this and are thrilled with the outcome. Please share if you see a detail of interest that inspires you! Below are some of our favorites from the “East Coast” inspired session, with detail design by A Good Affair, photographed at Hyatt  The Pike Long Beach. Complete with delicious appetizers and a s’mores station!

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Conceptually the project aimed to acknowledge the legalization of same-sex marriage in Eastern states such as Massachusetts and Washington D.C., and celebrates the recent legalization of gay marriage in the Western states such as Washington.

 Similar Posts:

• Published: Holiday Party Designs on The Plunge Project
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• Images from this week
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Q: Should I tip my wedding photographer?

A: Most wedding professionals price their wares and services without the expectation of a tip, so gratuity is certainly not anticipated or necessary unless you feel that your photographer went above and beyond the call of duty for your wedding.

The main exceptions to the rule are subcontracted photographers. A subcontractor is a freelance photographer who is not the owner/president/etc of the photography business, who has been hired by the company to cover your event*. If a subcontractor has been hired to photograph your wedding, a tip is often appreciated.

*The concept of “subcontractor” does not generally apply to assistants, though if you tip the lead photographer, it is polite to tip the assistant or secondary photographer as well.

 Similar Posts:

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Lovin’ on these photos I just got back from our Luminaire Images associate Carolyn, of one of our June couples in downtown Orange. Such a cute pair! Looking at Ashley and Brian flirting and snuggling kind of put me in a hand-holding mood

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Happy Monday!Similar Posts:

• [39] Wedding images
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Q: Should we both wear our rings in our engagement photos?

A: Traditionally, only the bride-to-be wears an engagement ring until the wedding day, when wedding rings are exchanged and both bride and groom wear wedding rings for the rest of their lives. Women also typically wear their engagement rings in addition to their wedding rings for the rest of their lives because when ya got it, flaunt it…right?!

However, you do not have to be a conventional bride and groom if you don’t want to be—there is no “Wedding Force” who will haul you away if you break from tradition. My brother is engaged and he wears a mens’ engagement ring that his fiancée gave him. Nobody minds, it’s a token of endearment and an expression of who they are as an (untraditional!) couple.Similar Posts:

• Engagement Photography, Ellen + Bill
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If you’re looking for a sweet new furbaby, go visit the OC Humane Society at the OC Pet Expo this weekend! Here’s a little taste of some of the faces that they may be available…

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King the redhead!

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(L): Stella hamming it up (R): Nellie has SUCH a cheesy, toothy grin!

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Sprout reminds me of the character in the door in the Wizard of Oz. "Not no way, not no how!"

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Brownie

• OC Humane Society | November 2011
• Orange County Humane Society (April)
• Orange County Humane Society January 2011
• [11] Humane Society images

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This image was created after the couple's ceremony, which took place in the middle of the afternoon so there was plenty of daylight left for pictures. The couple also allowed more than an hour in between their ceremony and reception to accommodate photographs.

Q: Is it better to do take the family and “formal” pictures before the wedding, or after?

A: Unless you are a very traditional couple (or the custom of not seeing each other until you walk down the aisle is important to you), then it’s usually more convenient to take pictures with both your families and bridal party before the ceremony.

Generally I strongly advise couples to schedule most of their formal photos before their ceremony if:

1. Their ceremony takes place during or shortly before sunset.
2. They have an outdoor ceremony on what is anticipated to be a hot day (girls’ hair and makeup are usually their “freshest” if the pictures are taken beforehand).
3. One or both of the newlyweds will have a large number of family or guests in attendance who may interrupt family pictures after the ceremony to request or take their own photos, or congratulate the couple.
4. The couple wants to attend their own cocktail hour.
5. The couple has a greater number of immediate family members and/or “people combinations” to be photographed, so the photographer is less rushed to accommodate this.

As photographers, oftentimes when doing pictures before the ceremony we still arrange for the couple to have a “moment” when they see each other for the first time so they still have that memory. I’ve often heard brides say it was actually more special that way, and as a result they could focus more on “not tripping” when walking down the aisle instead of their groom at the front!

If, after reading all the reasons to schedule your photos before the ceremony, you *STILL* can’t let go of that special instant you’ve envisioned for when you walk down the aisle—then if I were you I wouldn’t change a thing, and do the pictures afterwards when you originally intended to do them. If your photographer is a true professional then he or she can accommodate your wishes regardless of what time during the wedding day they take place…and ultimately you will have no regrets!Similar Posts:

• How You Can Avoid Awkward Family Photos
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Not too long ago my fabulous tax accountant Summer asked me to attend and photograph her grandson’s first birthday party. The theme was “little monsters,” though ‘monster’ would hardly fit the description of Chace himself. He was sweet, quiet, attentive, friendly, and enjoyed every minute of his party…from the delicious blue birthday cake frosting to his new red bike! Ah, it’s good to be one!

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This was something special indeed...it's a good thing Summer ensured I was there, because Chace took some of his first steps and we were able to get photos of it!

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Chace's uncle J.R. playing with the piñata eyeball

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"Happy biiiirrrthday toooo you!"

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Chace takes a whack at the piñata with his mama and daddy, and his great-great grandma acting a little "monsterish" herself!

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Happy birthday to Chace!Similar Posts:

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Q: What are the different kinds of wedding photo sessions available?

A: A Bridal Session is a professional photography session of the bride in her wedding dress, traditionally taken days or even weeks prior to the wedding. This session can take place outdoors or in a studio, and usually includes full makeup, hairstyling and occasionally even a bouquet. The idea behind a Bridal Session is that plenty of high-quality images will be taken of the bride in an unhurried and controlled environment before the wedding chaos begins, however over the past few years Bridal Sessions have begun to be viewed as overly-traditional and old-fashioned, and in some areas of the country they have fallen out of popularity.

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Click the image to view more pictures of beautiful bride Wendy and her woodsy wedding!

An Engagement Session is a professional photography session of the soon-to-be-wed couple, in nicer everyday clothing. It is much like a regular portrait session where the couple is well-groomed and often dressed nicely/fashionably in clothing that reflects their personal style at its best. Sometimes brides-to-be also utilize professional hairstyling and makeup for an Engagement Session. These types of portraits can take place in a studio or outdoors, though with the advent of digital technology, outdoor/on-location engagement sessions have exploded in popularity over last few years.

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Click the image to see more from Amy & Coleman's beach engagement session!

Some brides-to-be also consider Boudoir Sessions several months before their wedding, so they can present the photos to their partners as a wedding gift on their wedding day (or night!). Boudoir Sessions are private photo shoots that are often taken in a studio or other controlled environment, featuring the bride-to-be in lingerie, and incorporating a variety of flattering and daring poses. Some women opt to do their Boudoir Session after the wedding as well, to use the photos as a surprise anniversary present instead of a surprise wedding present.

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Click the link to see the rest of this boudoir session (password: forhiseyes)

Another type of session that’s growing in popularity is the Day-After/Day-Before Session. This type of session essentially operates as a more casual Bridal Session featuring both newlyweds instead of just the bride, and is usually scheduled at a site for which time and logistics do not allow access on the wedding day itself. It’s thought that Day-After/Day-Before Sessions originally developed during destination weddings, when the couple could be taken to an exotic picturesque location at their destination a day or two before or following their wedding, for a portrait session that incorporated the feel and beauty of the area. These types of photoshoots are now arranged even for domestic and local weddings. The couple can wear their wedding attire more casually, such as no jacket, tie, or veil; or it can be regarded as an Engagement Session at their wedding destination. The session is named as it can be scheduled for before the wedding or shortly afterwards.

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Click on the image to see more from Carol & Pete's destination Day-Before Session in Greece!

Lastly, a unique spinoff of Day After/Before Sessions is the Trash The Dress Session. Also known by a variety of other, gentler monikers (i.e., Douse the Dress, Mess the Dress, etc) this type of photoshoot generally appeals to a select group of people who believe that there are no other foreseeable uses for their wedding dresses following the wedding. So a Trash the Dress session is created with the intent of getting the couple dirty, wet, and messy resulting in some fun or sexy photos.

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Click on the image to view more of Andrea during her "dog bath" Trash the Dress sesh!

If you’re planning your own wedding, hopefully this helps illustrate the different kinds of options that are open to you and your fiancé when it comes to pre- and post- wedding photography.Similar Posts:

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