Nerd-Friendly Wedding Photographer

choosing a

nerd-friendly wedding photographer

A GUIDE THROUGH THE MAZE OF WEDDING INDUSTRY RHETORIC

A publication of C Brown Photo

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. Introduction 2. Hallmarks of the Nerd-Friendly Wedding Photographer 3. Considering Style 4. Assessing Talent 5. Choosing a Nerd-Friendly Wedding Photographer 6. Conclusion and Link to Ebook about Pricing

Introduction The Nerd-Friendly Wedding Photographer If you’re engaged and inclined to research, like most intellectuals I know, then you’ve probably spent time searching for advice to help you plan your wedding.

In your quest for knowledge, you have most likely run across an article or two about choosing a wedding photographer. Those articles, written for a broad audience, are designed to be consumed by the typical couple.

But what if you’re not the typical couple? What if you are more nerd than routine stirred, more geek than fashion freak, more brain-themed than mainstream, or more egghead than tradition-fed?

Then you may want to boldly go where no Wedding-Wire-suggestion-writer has gone before. And instead, seek a new vision in your wedding photographer.

CHAPTER ONE

Hallmarks of the Nerd-Friendly Wedding Photographer

Hallmarks Of the Nerd-Friendly Wedding Photographer #1 Open-minded

Like any good scientist, the nerd-friendly photographer is able to appreciate and celebrate difference. According to board-game aficionado, Erica Vacare, the most important characteristic a nerd should look for in a wedding photographer is open-mindedness. A good indication of open-mindedness in a wedding photographer is a portfolio that includes weddings of different traditions as well as non-traditional weddings.

A mind is like a parachute. It doesn't work if it is not open.

Frank Zappa

Hallmarks Of the Nerd-Friendly Wedding Photographer #2 Flexible

Like any good scientist, the nerd-friendly photographer is willing to bend, stretch and adjust to the situation at hand. Research nurse, Elizabeth Ferry and real estate appraiser, Bruce Parsons, insist that flexibility is an important quality for less traditional couples. We looked for a photographer who would work with us on the day of the wedding, said Bruce. Someone who would not try to ‘take over’ and make the wedding about getting all the required” pictures.

Hallmarks Of the Nerd-Friendly Wedding Photographer #3 Unconventional

Liz Li, PhD engineering student, prefers a photographer who thinks and sees outside the box. I’m not a big fan of posed photography, says Li. I prefer a story telling style that is based on what is unique at each wedding, rather than what is similar from wedding to wedding. Like any good scienDst, the nerd-­‐ friendly photographer prefers to leave the cookie cuGer at home.

All you can do is plan to go unplanned, prepare to be unprepared, make going with the flow part of your agenda, for the most successful among us envision, plan, and prepare, but cast all aside as needed.

David W. Jones

Hallmarks Of the Nerd-Friendly Wedding Photographer #4 Unobtrusive

Theology grad student, Josey Snyder Bridges, recommends a photographer who can blend in, on a couple’s big day. Anny Dykes agrees that a photographer who can remain invisible and yet deliver images from a wedding ceremony is worth her weight in gold … well, maybe not quite that much … but close. Like any good scieniDst (the Heisenberg Principle not withstanding) the nerd-­‐friendly photographer is able to observe without disturbing.

Hallmarks Of the Nerd-Friendly Wedding Photographer #5 Creative

According to Woodruff Fellow Candace Hirsch, creaDvity is an important characterisDc in the nerd-­‐friendly photographer. Quirky, o8eat, visually surprising images delight the true nerd and are the staple of the nerd-­‐friendly photographer’s work. Like any good scienDst, the nerd-­‐friendly photographer’s life work is based on creaDvity.

Hallmarks Of the Nerd-Friendly Wedding Photographer #6 Tech Savvy

A nerd-­‐friendly photographer has a vast amount of technical knowledge, according to Bruce Parsons. The quality of the photographs displayed on a photographer’s website, as well as awards won, were important factors Bruce considered when choosing a photographer. Having some background in photography I could tell by looking at a porTolio of work when a photographer was technically proficient.

The ability to use the techy features of a camera, such as f-­‐stops, shu=er speeds and ISO seAngs will show in a photographer s porTolio, as will her ability to use off-­‐camera lighDng, as well as aVer capture ediDng and toning. Like any good scienDst, the nerd-­‐friendly photographer knows how to use the technical tools of the trade.

Buying a Nikon doesn’t make you a photographer. It makes you a Nikon owner.

-­‐ Author Unknown

CHAPTER TWO

Considering Style

Styles Of the Nerd-Friendly Wedding Photographer When looking for a nerd-­‐friendly wedding photographer, or any wedding photographer for that maGer, it’s important to understand the different styles of photography available.

While an internet search reveals more than 30 styles of photography, there are really only two broad categories of photographic style – make and take.

Photographers who “make” photos are concerned with orchestraDng people and events to create beauDful photos. Photographers who “take” photos are more concerned with capturing the essence of the people and events they photograph.

To me, photography is the simultaneous recognition, in a fraction of a second, of the significance of an event.

Henri CarDer-­‐Bresson

Styles Of the Nerd-Friendly Wedding Photographer Make photographers (tradiDonal portrait photographers, fashion photographers, commercial photographers) control what is in front of the camera. ”Make photographers” spend a good porDon of each wedding day asking folks to pose in a variety of se_ngs. Good “make photographers” use their ability to orchestrate people and props to create visually interesDng photographs.

The photograph at le, is a posed “make photo” taken by photojournalist Cindy M. Brown.

T

You don’t take a photograph, you make it.

-­‐ Ansel Adams

Styles Of the Nerd-Friendly Wedding Photographer On the other hand, take photographers (photojournalists, documentary photographers, street photographers) let events happen . “Take photographers” blend into the background. They take what is known in the world of photojournalism as a fly on the wall approach to documenDng your big day.

Good “take photographers” use their ability to see the intersecDon of strong composiDons and peak moments to create photographs of real events that surprise and delight.

If you know how to wait, people will forget your camera, then their souls will open up.

Steve McCurry

Styles Of the Nerd-Friendly Wedding Photographer In reality, you do not have to choose between one or the other. Most wedding photographers/photojournalists will actually do at least a li=le of both. What you should ask yourself is whether you prefer a photographer who will spend most of his or her Dme controlling what is going on in the frame or one who will spend most of his or her Dme capturing the essence of what is actually happening.

If you spend Dme looking at a photographer s porTolio, his or her true style will show through.

CHAPTER THREE

Assessing Talent

Assessing the Talent Of A Nerd-Friendly Wedding Photographer When choosing a photographer, any photographer, it is important to evaluate the talent displayed in their photographs. Here are a few elements to consider when assessing a photographer’s porTolio.

1) Surprising and DelighKul Look for a porTolio with images that surprise and delight -­‐-­‐ images that make you take a second look, or maybe even a third.

Assessing the Talent Of A Nerd-Friendly Wedding Photographer 2. Variety: Look for diversity-­‐-­‐in terms of what's in the image, the way the image

is composed, the angle the photo was taken from, the techniques used, and the content of the photos.

3: EmoDons: Look for photographs that make you feel something-­‐-­‐images that capture smiling eyes, a belly laugh, tears of joy or a special look between a couple,

Assessing the Talent Of A Nerd-Friendly Wedding Photographer

4. Consistency: Look for a porTolio that shows a photographer can consistently produce emoDonal, visually meaningful images. Ask to see enDre galleries, slideshows or album designs from several weddings.

5: NarraDve: Look for collecDons of photographs tell the story of the whole wedding day -­‐-­‐ scene-­‐se_ng shots, story-­‐telling details, images that depict interacDon, acDon photos, as well as portraits that really capture personaliDes.

Choosing A Nerd-Friendly Wedding Photographer So far we have discussed hallmarks, style and talent and ways to evaluate each.

1. HALLMARKS: Look at the descripDve text, tesDmonials and photos on a photographer’s website for clues to how well they live up to the hallmarks of a nerd-­‐friendly photographer.

2. STYLE: Determine the style of wedding photography you want and review photographer’s websites for work that matches your preferred style.

3. TALENT: Assess the talent of the photographers whose style is in synch with what you would like from your wedding photographs.

The heart and mind are the true lens of the camera.

Yousuf Karsh

Choosing A Nerd-Friendly Wedding Photographer AVer considering the hallmarks of the nerd-­‐friendly photographer, the style of photography you are most interested in, and the talent evident in the porTolios of photographers who work in that style, it’s Dme to narrow the pool of favorites

based on price and personality.

4. Personality:

My pictures are not escapes from reality, but a contemplaDon of reality, so that I can experience life in a deeper way.

Bruce Davidson

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