When is a Photo not a Photo

Over the past 12 months I have been looking and admiring the work of a number of photographers, but I have found myself asking, what on the face of it, a simple question - when is a photo not a photo, but a piece of art work? I am of course talking about the many images that comprise of a series of several shots, combined into one, images that have been through the PS process and now look as if some one has a million pound budget or access to some very strange landscapes, and so the list goes on. Well this is what I think, for what it's worth. A photograph, should be just that, an image capturing a moment in time. Yes I still think it can be enhanced in post production, as the camera cannot hope to capture what our eyes see and our creative mind envisioned, but basically that should be that. I think once we start combining images to make a new and unreal world or creation, then we should be talking about photo art. I am in no way saying that one is more worthy than the next, but I do think they should be viewed and judged separately. I was looking at an image of a lighthouse with a large number of gulls flying around it, against a wonderful sky. This image had won a photography contest, landscape I think, but it came out later that the image was made up of a number of separate images. The sky was from one shoot, several gull shots were combined and then the light house was introduced. Now all of this was done wonderfully, but! can you tell me the skill and patience that would be needed to capture the image in it's true form is the same as the computing and visionary/artistic skills needed to create the photo art? As I have said already, I love both aspects of the creative process, but I do believe they should be judged separately, as two distinctive art forms. This brings me on to a similar subject, wedding photography competitions. How many times have you seen a photo with the heading wedding photographer of the year, or some such, depicting an image which could not possibly have been taken at any real wedding event. We know and indeed the photographers openly admit the photos were taken with models and studio lighting, or other lighting control measures that would not be possible at any real event. This also applies to some nature photography that I have seen where we all know the shot was taken in a studio environment and not in the wild. Now I am not belittling any of the images, or indeed the creative skills required to create and capture them, but once again I do feel that these images should be viewed separately from the work carried out in the field, under real conditions. The wedding photographer who can create stunning images, of everyday people in normal lighting conditions is by far the better creative thinker than the photographer who has all the time in the world to work with a very attractive and slim model with plenty of time to set up the lighting just right. Also the nature photographer who spent hours, if not days, waiting for his subject to be lit just right and capture a unique image of a subject is someone who should be rewarded on their achievements and not judged against an image created under 'special conditions'. I love all forms of creative art, but perhaps photography should be looking more closely at what we do, how we do it and then how we judge it.

3rd Wedding of a 3 Wedding Shoot

Well that's it, all edited and posted and ready for the date to be set for the viewings. These three weddings were all different and all wonderful, not for the money spent on them or the locations used, but rather for the sheer joy and happiness that radiated from all three weddings. We have been remarkably luck as all three weddings took place on a clear sunny day, between constant bouts of rain. Yes the sun was a little harsh at times and yes the sky was a little lacking in interest on occasions, but I will take that over rain any day. My second shooter also headed out for his first solo shoot this weekend, boy was he nervous. I had forgotten all the worries and concerns that I had on my first shoot. The one thing that I, and i hope he learned during the first wedding assignment is preparation and planning makes or brakes the day. Our planning starts at the first interview stage. Is the couple right for us and are we right for them. Get this wrong and it is a very miserable day for all. Then it's the pre-wedding shoot, more on this on my next blog. This shoot will set the scene for the main event. Then there is the follow up calls and meetings with the couple to set out what shots they 'must have' on the day. Get these recorded down and work to them as quickly after the ceremony as possible. Once the guests and family have settled down at the bar or in conversation with other family and friends you will have a devil of a job to get them back out for photo's. Set out and check all your equipment and paperwork the day before the wedding, and have plan 'B's in your mind for weather and venue problems. Keep the couple at ease all day and remain as much in the background as possible, at least this is how we roll. The day is theirs and not a photo opportunity for me, so they come first. Of course we ask the couple do they want to spend any special time getting photos, if the answer is yes then location selection and shoot planning comes into effect. I like to have a set of clear ideas in my mind for any planned set shoots we do, which may evolve and change during the shoot, but have a plan in place first. Well here are a few of the shots taken during this wedding, hope you like them.

The first of 3 weddings in 7 days

Feeling a little daughter, this being the first of three weddings we are about to do in the next 7 days, we set off for the first of our weddings. We are a family team, consisting of myself, my wife and my daughter. We also have a second shooter who sometimes works with us who will also be there today. As I have a second shooter available we ask if the groom would like some shots done at the house as he gets ready, to which the bride and groom say yes and I promptly dispatch my wife and the second shooter over to the house, while myself and my daughter head for the bridal preparation room. My second shooter is a photographer who has not done weddings before, and would like to start. I shadows us to see how we set up shop and work through the day. At the moment he lacks people skills and is a little reluctant to give direction to people, but he can work the detail shots very well. My wife goes with him to provide direction and help set up the shots we would like to get. My daughter is also a second shooter, but she has not, as yet, got the bug for photography, so at the moment she just likes working with her dad and who am I to complain at that. Our couple, Sarah and Carl, are a wonderful pair and we are looking forward to spending time with them. We do tend to attract a particular kind of client. We don't do divas or bridzilas, we don't do the kind of couple who just want you because you are the cheapest or you agree to give them everything for next to nothing. We chose people who we like as individuals, are happy to be getting married and not there to show off to their friends and who we would like to have a more long term photographic relationship with into the future. We are still in contact with the vast majority of our Brides & Grooms and are now pleased to know them as friends as well as clients. But back to today's wedding. The photos start at the bridal preparation, and the atmosphere in the room is just wonderful. Everyone is relaxed in each others company and enjoying every moment. Then it is on to the ceremony, where i am joined by my wife and the second shooter. The room is small to work with but all goes according to plan, yes we have a plan and had already visited the venue quite some time ago so there were no surprises on the day. The weather is holding, following days of rain the sun has come out for today, hurray. All the guests and the bridal party now head out for a nearby park for the group shots, with us in hot pursuit behind. Yes we have a plan in place here as well, been here and set out our locations already. All the group shots are in the bag and it is now time for the bride and groom on their own. All done and it's back to the venue for the meal and nighttime festivities, or the first dance which is what we are here to capture. From start to finish, about 15 hours including traveling. Now it's back to the studio for the sorting and editing phase, which I have just finished, some 3 days later. Here is a small selection from the day and I will be back to let you know how the other two wedding go, these are back to back and some traveling is involved.

A small wedding

To be a wedding guest

I recently attended the wedding of my wonderful niece and it was one of the first weddings I have been to in several years, where I was a guest and had no pressure on me at all to take photos.  As you may suspect I still took my camera and 2 lenses, just to snap away with and have some fun.

The temptation to get the camera working started out very strong, but once the official photographer arrived I surprisingly found it very easy.  After all the weddings i have attended where I have had to deal with guest photographers getting in the way, I was determined that this was not going to happen as a result of my activity.

So I deliberately put the camera away, while the official photographer was working and only brought it out when there was a lull in activity and even then I only used it to capture candid shots.

I loved watching another photographer at work, giving me the time to watch how he conducted himself and worked the crowed.  I took away several practices that I will adapt and employ in my working practice.

On top of all that I was able to fully participate in the day and enjoyed myself greatly.

The Pre Wedding Photo Shoot

I am now fully underway with the pre wedding photo shoots.  Despite the weather, which right now is pretty bad, unless you like the wind and rain that is, I have three couples to shoot this Saturday. 
Despite the rain I still enjoy these shoots.  I don't treat them as normal photo shoots, in so much as the end results are not as important as bonding with the couple and getting them to feel comfortable in front of the camera.  If I can achieve both these results then shooting the wedding gets so much easier and lets face it that's where it counts.

These are a few examples of last weeks pre wedding shoot.  Due to very high winds and heavy rain we had to take these in a stair way of a nearby hotel.

The wedding of Vince & Lynn 27/4/12

All week  the weather was very poor, wedding photographically speaking.  We had very heavy downpours of rain and blustery winds.  The date of the wedding growing near and I was getting very anxious.

Of course non of our anxiety can be shown to the bride and groom, so we talked about how unique the rain would make the shots and how the large white umbrellas we always carry will make for some quirky shots, and of course the vent was great and if we had to we could do al the shots in doors.

Well the venue is great, St Pierre Hotel near Chepstow, but there was very little room inside for us to do any large group shots.  Never mind we would deal with all this as and when.

The night before the wedding I am loading my car up with all the gear, prepped and cleaned the day before and the weather is still not looking great.

At 9am on the morning of the wedding I am at the hairdressers and the weather is dry, but with rain clouds still in the sky.  Still it's dry and that will do me fine.

I spend over an hour with the female bridal party while they have their hair done and then it's off to the venue, where the bride has a room, after spending the previous night there.  Now it's time to get the shots of the dress and preparations.  I met the brides father, we had a further 40 minute wait while the ladies went off to do other female preparations etc.  The brides father helped me to arrange the brides and bridesmaids dresses and get the room ready for the bride.  I now have all the shots of the dress that I want and the bride is now here and I get to work capturing the next series of shots.

The room is small, but with a nice big window at one end.  This is where the pre wedding shoot proves it's worth.  The bride is now so familiar with me that she gets on with the preparations and has no problems or concerns with my presence, which help to make for some very natural shots.
We are then off, very quickly, to get the groom and the best man before the bride leaves her room.  I work very quickly and soon have all the shots in the bag and it's off back to the bride to get her as she makes her way to the main event.

Today I am working with a second shooter, this is the first shoot he has done with me so I am reluctant to put to much trust in him and I try to work as though I am on my own to ensure all the shots I want are there at the end of the day.
We stop only a few times on route to the ceremony for some quick story telling shots and then it is into the main room and the big event.

I take up a stance at the front and left and my second shooter covers the rear and the right.
The ceremony is both joys and emotional, all you could want in a wedding, and then its over and we are heading outside for the group shots.

As always this takes some controlling, which is the role my wife does so well.  The rain has stopped, but the grass on the lawn we want to do the group shots is still wet.  No problems, my wife brings out the white sheet we have and places it on the ground.  She then lifts the brides dress and assists her in walking onto the sheet.  The dress is then placed down and the sheet tucked back under the edges of the dress.  All the other guests and family, as well as the groom, make their way out to join the bride and I, from my vantage points in a window up one of the towers, get the group shot in the bag.
I now run back down to ground level and priced with all the 'must have' shots of the day, the main family groups.

All done with the group shots and now we have a few moments with the bridal party, first in the grounds and then inside the building.

Once these shots are done, and I am still working very quickly, the second shooter and myself head for the functions room to get the detail shots of the layout before the guests sit down for their meal.
We also use this time to get a shot of the bride and groom mock cutting the cake.

And that is it.  We are not stopping for this event after the bridal party and their guests enter the functions room for their meal.  So its back to the studio and start the long process of uploading, sorting, editing and preparing the images for the bride and groom to view on their return from honeymoon.
A great day, with great people and the rain held off for the whole event.  What more can we ask for?

A small selection of the images taken on the day.

Lynn & Vince pre wedding photo shoot

Last Friday I had a great photo session with a new wedding couple, Lynn and Vince.
When they first came to my home to discuss the possibility of Oakfield covering their wedding day, it became obvious that the Groom was very nervous of having his photo taken.  I offer all my couples a free pre wedding photo shoot and thought that Vince would really benefit from this.  A date and time was set and we just had to hope that the weather would remain dry long enough to get the shoot done.
On the morning of the shoot the weather was overcast and cold, but no rain.
We started slow, just a few shots with them sitting on a bench and then spent the next hour walking around the castle grounds.  As the shoot progressed Vince became more relaxed and we all got to know each other.  I had a few wild moments while I held the dogs lead between my legs to get a shot of the couple on their own, I forgot to mention they brought their dog with them, and I hope both vince and Lynn got some enjoyment out of the session.

The Pre Wedding Shoot

The pre wedding shoot is a vital and often overlooked part of the wedding photography experience.  The reasons for this shoot are often misunderstood.  The reason normally given is so that the couple can use the photos for their wedding stationary, which of course they can, but this is not the real reason.

The real reason is for the couple and the photographer to get to know each other.

The wedding couple have an expectation that the photographer is going to be able to capture all the emotion and intimacy of the day and in order for the photographer to achieve this the photographer will not only need to be able to blend into the environment while the emotions are being shown but couple and their family will also need to feel totally at ease in the presence of the photographer.

When I arrive on the morning of the wedding, I don't want to hear the call that the 'photographer' is here, no I want to hear the call 'Stefan' is here.

I am normally met at the door, on the morning of the wedding, by the bride in a dressing gown and handing me a mug of tea and telling me to make myself at home.

I have pored drinks for the bridesmaids, laced up the wedding dress for the bride and always fully enjoyed the day and the company of all present.

The pre wedding photo shoot is the start of the process.  Here the wedding couple and the photographer get to know one another in a friendly and stress free environment.  I like to take the shoot at a location which is special to the couple, such as the spot they first met or where the proposal took place.  Here we spend at least one hour walking and talking, while we get time in front of the camera.

If you have a choice always have a pre wedding photo shoot and use this time to get to know your photographer, his way of working as well as his personality.  Get this shoot done well in advance of your wedding day, so if you find any incompatibility problems you both have the option of making a change.

First Wedding Bookings of 2012 and what we can expect to face in 2012

It is now February and we have completed two wedding fairs and taken 4 bookings for weddings, three this year and one in 2013.  The wedding fair circuit has proven, for us, to be the best form of marketing so far by a long way.  I think when you are relatively new to an area, or new to this form of photography, you do need to get your name out there as quickly as possible and at wedding fairs you do get a one to one with potential clients, who are there looking for a photographer and are interested in what you have to sell.  Of course we are living in times where everyone wants to have as much as they can for as little spend as possible, and there are many 'photographers' out there willing to give it away for nothing, but we are here for the long haul and will try and weather out this storm.

I do think the storm will blow over as more and more horror stories of failed wedding shoots emerge, here is but a small example;

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1218248/Newlyweds-win-court-battle-1-500-wedding-photographer-shoddy-pictures-include-missing-heads-car-close-ups.html

http://news.ninemsn.com.au/world/872387/couple-sues-over-disastrous-wedding-photos

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/8292164.stm

There are many many more where the couple just did not want the fuss of suing the photographer and lets face it, suing in not going to suddenly provide you with the images that we not taken or poorly taken on the day.

I have just been reading a fellow photographers blog regarding the price you can expect to pay, against the level of competence the photographer will have.

http://www.niccleave.com/wedding-photography-prices-uk/

I must say that I think he is a little out with his figures by a little, as he is providing price comparisons against ability, when the price these days is more directly linked to the number of wanner be photographers working in an area that are willing to charge very little for their efforts, forcing the rest of us to rain back our prices or move out of the area altogether.

This current situation does remind me of what it was like for tradesmen back in the late 70s and early 80s. This was a time when there were large numbers of electricians, builders, plumbers etc all out of full-time work and claiming benefits.  These out of work tradesmen then offered their trade skills direct to the public at a fraction of the normal price.

These people were not relying on their trade skills to pay the bills, the government were doing this for them via the benefits system, and they had no over heads to pay except travel costs.  I remember many legitimate tradesmen being forced to cease trading or go bankrupt as a result of this kind of work practice.

photographers are currently finding themselves in the same sort of position, especially at the lower end of the wedding market where money is a little more constrained.  The cheap wedding photographers that are now plying their business mostly have full time work, normally outside of the photographic industry, and use the wedding photography as a means of generating extra cash on a weekend.  These people seldom have any insurance, normally are equipped with limited equipment and have no fall back plan should they be sick or otherwise unable to attend the wedding day.

Well for now I think all we can do is hunker down, demonstrate the reasons why a full-time professional photographer is always the best way to go and wait for the wannabes to fall by the wayside, and more importantly the public to wake up to the fact that this is a very important aspect of their big day and should not be treated with any less importance than the wedding dress, cake or car.

Why pay for a professional wedding photographer

I have lost count of how many brides and grooms I have met and read about who fail to see the importance of a professional photographer covering the big day, or paying a realistic price for that service.

They spend hours, if not months, selecting the decorations for the room, the table layout, the venues, the cars, the cake, the grooms suite and the brides dress etc, etc, act.  Booking a photographer is normally one of the last items on their preparation list.

But lets face it, without the photos of ALL the detail that has gone into the big day, what is the point.  24 hours after the event and most of your guests will not be able to recall anything about the room decorations, the food or the clothes worn on the day.

Also we consistently hear brides and grooms complaining about the cost of a professional photographer.  Why do we pay so much for someone 'just' to take photos, surly anyone can do that?

Well should they not also ask, why are they paying for someone to make a cake for them?  there must be plenty of people in the family who can cook!

Why are they spending all that money on a hand made wedding dress, there are plenty you can buy second hand, lets face it they are only ever worn once so how much wear and tear can there be.

And why pay for a vintage car to take you the 10 - 15 minute drive between venues, there are plenty of family members who have cars and can do that just as well.

And the price you are willing to pay for the food, it's just cooking and we can all do that surly?

The reason! You all want your day to look different from every one else and you want the cake 'to be right' and not just hope it will be ok on the day.

You want the dress to fit right and every one to look at it and there not to be another quite like it.

You want the car to separate you out from the rest of the world on that day so people will know you are getting married and not just another member of the public going about a normal day.

You want to know the food is going to be right and not just hope it all turns out OK.

Obviously the list can go on and on and lets not forget you are also looking for some form of assurance and guaranty that the day will pass off without disruption or disasters and the bulk of the strain to be taken up by others while you and your guests get on with enjoying the special event.

So with all this careful planning and preparations why would you take any risks when it comes to recording the event for prosperity?  Lets face it that is what the photographer is doing.  The wedding service will be all over is an hour or so, the car journey over in minutes, the food eaten and forgotten in an hour, the cake cut up and consumed in no time at all and your dress, well that will find it's way into some box in the attic never to be seen again, certainly it's very unlikely it will ever be warn again.

But your wedding album you should expect generations to come to be able to sit down with it and look back on your day.  You want to relive those moments with your children and your children's children.  And your future descendants will also be looking back on this important document with keen interest and you still want the emotions of the day to shine through, even then.

I have seen people hand cameras out to their guests to record the day, great, so just to clarify, you are happy to 'hope' that 'luck' is with you on the day and you get 'some' good snaps!!

What will you do if there are no good snaps?  There is nothing wrong with this if they are in addition to  the presence of a professional photographer, whom is going to ensure nothing is missed or left to chance.

And all photographs need editing of some description, even if it's just cropping or colour correction, who will do this for you?

Do you want 'photos' of your wedding or do you want 'snaps'?

What will your album look like?  Will it have the quality to last at least several generations?

Just because such and such has a new top of the range digital camera for christmas does not make them a professional wedding photographer, it does not even make them a good photographer.  

My wife bought me a top of the range oil painting set up for christmas, does that mean I now expect to find my work hanging in some gallery any time soon?  Or people to be lining up to purchase my work?  Of course not.  

To become a professional artist takes time, training and a natural ability.  Why would you assume this is any different for photography?

Most cameras have an 'auto' setting on them these days, which will pretty much produce good snaps, but it cannot allow for the users inability to compose an image, inability to understand the various properties of light and it's effects on the image, understanding the dynamics of posing people so they can look their best in the image.

Your wedding photographer should be a tried and tested professional, who can cope with whatever the weather conditions are, whatever lighting is available and whatever the physical environment you find your self in to produce the very best images possible on the day.

If the professionals camera fails for any reason he should have at least two other cameras to fall back on, if his flash stops working he should have a back up and batteries and memory cards to cover the whole day, with some to spare.  He should have reflectors and tripods and know when and how to use both.

In other words the professional photographer should leave nothing to chance.

This is, we all hope, a one off event in your life and there are no second chances for a reshoot if something goes wrong.

All that effort that you have put into creating this wonderful day, the months and months of planning, the number of suppliers you checked before ordering, the number of venues you looked over before booking, where will all that effort be recorded?

The current state of affairs is not being helped by the number of so called professional photographers out there willing to perform work for little to no financial remuneration.  These people normally have no insurance and no contracts will be signed to provide protection for all concerned.  They are also very unlikely to have the ability to store your images for several years, in case you have any mishaps and need copies, the ability to order high quality wedding albums or the time necessary to concentrate on your requirements fully, as they must surly be running a second job in order to cloth and feed themselves and they families and your wedding will always take second place to this.

Please take as much time selecting your photographer as you have the other suppliers contributing to your big day and leave nothing to chance or luck. Take the time to understand the different styles of photography and which you think suites your personalities.  And the photographer, lets not forget you will be spending quite some time in their company throughout the day and you must be able to get on with them and like them as people or the day will be a little strained to say the least.

Check out our web site page;
http://www.oakfield-photography.com/wedding-gallery/

Here you will find plenty of information to start you off regarding styles of photography along with other useful tips and advice to help you make the right decision.