Wedding Resources Archives

Feb

Secret Marriage Proposal

Planning a secret marriage proposal for your future bride can be a lot of fun! When you enlist the help of a photographer, this becomes what is known as a paparazzi proposal. Guys, this IS A THING! If you’re planning on asking her to marry you, make it unforgettable! Make it romantic! Plan, preparation and execution are key! Here are a list of tips to ensure your secret proposal goes off without a hitch.

Tips for the Best Secret Proposal

You better be good at keeping secrets (and telling white lies).
Tell as few people as you can get away with. The less people who know about your plans, the less likely the surprise is going to be ruined.
Plan a romantic way to ask or romantic things to say. Speak from your heart.
Pick a spot that has significance to your relationship.
Be traditional, get down on a knee when you ask.
Invite both of your families to participate.
Without being obvious, try to coordinate your clothing to hers. If she dresses fancy, dress fancy. If she dresses casual, dress casual. Be safe and keep your clothes in the same color family as hers. If she wears a neutral color (ie. white, black, beige), choose a color that contrasts with that.
Incorporate music and choose a meaningful song. If a band, DJ or overhead speakers aren’t available, simply playing something on your phone will have impact.
If you’ve asked her parents for their blessing (which is proper and chivalrous), share a photo of that day with her. Let her share in that moment as well.
Scout the location and choose an exact spot. Mark it with an X if you have to. Make sure she faces the photographer. Have a good idea how big the crowd might be and know what the light will look like.
Propose early in the evening and keep the surprises coming. Don’t stop with the proposal and DIAMOND! Plan a romantic date, surprise spa visit or secret getaway. That way, she get’s to wear (and admire) the ring all night!

a photographer hiding behind a bush secretly shooting a marriage proposal happening without one of the person's knowledge by San Antonio TX Wedding Photographer Tammy Blalock, Ata-Girl Photography Co.

Document this moment. Hire a professional photographer (with a long lens). Maybe you’re lucky and she’s mentioned the wedding photographer she will one day want to have capture her special day.
Hire a photographer who utilizes a second shooter to ensure multiple angles are captured. A second shooter is key to get additional angles and coverage should someone step in front of the action.
Create communication signals that indicate (1) you are good to go/on schedule, (2) it’s time to come out of hiding and (3) Heaven forbid, abort the mission.
Hire the photographer for an engagement session directly after the proposal to capture all the new joy, happiness and emotion.
Lastly, make sure you’re girlfriend is up to a public proposal. If she doesn’t enjoy being the center of attention, select a place that is low key and is less likely to be crowded. Don’t be that guy who mortifies his girlfriend on the jumbatron only to have her shake her head “no” and run away.

Of course, if you’re not ready to start with the proposal, you could always start with a gift.

The post, Planning a Secret Marriage Proposal, first appeared on Ata-Girl Photography Co.’s website and blog. Please feel free to comment here, or share this post with your friends via Facebook, Twitter or Pinterest. Please email me if you have any questions about this article or want to share a neat idea for a future blog post with me.

Jan

25 Backyard Wedding Tips

A backyard wedding can hold special meaning to you and your parents. It’s very sentimental. There is charm and there are memories. There is a family history here. If you are planning a backyard wedding, there are tons of ways you can transform a backyard into a beautiful space to make the experience classy, gorgeous and memorable. Facebook’s Marc Zuckerberg got married in a backyard wedding, why can’t you?

The most important thing to do is treat the space exactly as you would if it were a high-end wedding venue. Have a vision of what your day will look like and create a seamless theme. Don’t overlook any detail that will help your vision become a fruition.

Tips for Your Backyard Wedding

You should still consider hiring a wedding coordinator. They will be able to give a unique perspective on the property with fresh eyes and imagination. At the very least, employ your maid-of-honor or a very close friend to help you stay organized.
You may want to consider supplemental home owners insurance for the event. Make sure your vendors have their own liability policies.
Notify your neighbors so they won’t host a party on the same night or decide to mow the lawn during your ceremony.
Make sure your outdoor space has room to accommodate your anticipated number of guests.
Have a backup plan indoors should the weather not cooperate. Make sure it will comfortably hold your guests and make sure Plan B is as good as Plan A.
Start babying your lawn way before it’s time to exchange vows. This may be a good time to consider replanting flower beds or reseeding lawns. You could even plan a separate garden to grow all your own wedding flowers. Succulents are a great choice for a backyard wedding!
If you’re putting up a tent with lighting or hiring a catering kitchen, make sure you have the necessary power to operate these. A generator may be necessary to avoid knocking out the power to your entire block.
Don’t wing it. You still need a rehearsal and a timeline of events.

Tents will provide shelter from rain, snow, wind and sun and can be your saving grace. They are available with walls, floors and heating/air conditioning.
Consider boarding your pets for the event, or at the very least, make sure they are out of the way.
If your yard is uneven, temporary outdoor floors may be needed so the cake doesn’t topple over and so that guests can boogie the night away.
If possible, consider separate areas for ceremony, reception and a comfortable seating area away from the music so your guests can easily mingle.
Unless you have a 25-room estate, make it clear who will be staying overnight. Recommend a close hotel for your guests.
Check with city ordinances and fire departments. You may have a restriction on noise levels or need an inspection or permits for parking.
If parking will be an issue, ask your neighbors to borrow their drives for the night. Encourage your guests to carpool or arrange a valet service at the nearest church/school.
Plan on three bathroom trips per guest and one bathroom per 35 guests. You may need port-a-potties, but not to worry. There are some very upscale options that include lighting, mirrors, air conditioning, sinks, and hot water.
Use a hired cleaning crew before and after the celebration.
Make sure your chosen officiant will give their blessings at a place outside their worship.

Greet your guests with signage/balloons/streamers welcoming them at the street or entrance to your property.
Plan your alter to be in a place in the yard that brings back those carefree childhood days.
Don’t decorate at eye level only; look overhead for ways to incorporate tree limbs, eave overhangs, light poles. etc.
Take full advantage of any existing landscaping, yard decor or water features.
Your music and lighting have to be on point. Purchase Chinese lanterns and battery-operated tea lights online in bulk. If a band or DJ is out of the question, consider a commercial-free Spotify account. At $10/month, you can create your very own wedding day playlist.
Plan yard games. Cricket, horse shoes or a bean bag toss will provide something for your guests to do while they have a cocktail or wait for you to take photos. Make sure you especially plan activities for your younger guests like face painting, coloring books, or a bubble station.
Above all else, personalize the day! Make this as personal and possible for your guests—after all, that’s the advantage of having a backyard wedding.

Having a wedding in your backyard should be exciting, not scary! Just be prepared. This is an amazing idea and your guests will forever remember the unique, intimate and personal time they had. There couldn’t be a more perfect place to say, “I do.” Find the right people to help you carry out your vision, and you will walk down your backyard aisle stress-free.

If you enjoyed this blog post and would like to read more, receive exclusive content and special news from Ata-Girl, please take a moment to subscribe to my newsletter. I usually only send them once a month! Until next time, be positive, happy, healthy, and don’t forget to be photographed.

**The images contained in this post were shot under the direction and for assignment of A to Z Photography. The images are copyrighted by A to Z Photography but are used herein with permission.

The post, Tips for Your Backyard Wedding, first appeared on Ata-Girl Photography Co.’s website and blog. Please feel free to comment here, or share this post with your friends via Facebook, Twitter or Pinterest. Please email me if you have any questions about this article or want to share a neat idea for a future blog post with me.

Jan

Plugged-In Wedding

A few weeks ago, I wrote about an unplugged wedding. What’s an unplugged wedding? In a nutshell, no phones, iPads, or cameras are allowed during your wedding. The absence of all these extra electronics has many benefits. It helps your guests to be fully present and enjoy your celebration. It helps you control what images are posted online and eliminates the possibility of spoiling your walk down the aisle. It helps to alleviate obstacles for your paid photographer to work around and helps family formal portrait time to run more efficiently.

However, if you still want to have a plethora of images from your day, then maybe you should consider a plugged-IN wedding. On average, guests posting to social media during your wedding day will each post an average of 22 photos. Here are a few ideas, benefits and warnings if your wedding is plugged in.

+Unique hashtags. Create your very own hashtag to use across all social networks. Make sure your hashtag is completely unique so your posts are not intermingled with someone else’s wedding, ie. #r&lbrownwedding2016. This will ensure all the photos from your wedding day are easily accessible and those who couldn’t attend your wedding have instant access to the happenings as well.

+Encourage your guests to participate. Establish your hashtag early and notify your guests in the save-the-dates and/or invitations. Prepare signage for your ceremony and reception that reminds your guests about your special hashtag.

+Make it a game! Prepare a list of the types of images you want shared using your hashtag. Make it a good ol’ fashioned game of I Spy (ie. a beautiful dress, fresh flowers, hugs, dancing partners, laughing faces, friends and family, something blue).

+Pick an app. A simple internet search revealed an almost endless list of apps that gather your online wedding day images. The apps make it possible to download your favorites, share them on Facebook®, or even create a slideshow to play at your reception. Some of the apps also shared other information like your itinerary, information about your venue and maps. The apps do require a download (for each guest who would participate) and some also require a fee.

-Less-than-perfect images. Be prepared to see all sort of images online of yourself. Expect your future husband to see your dress before your walk down the aisle. Expect blurry pictures, orange skin, bad angles, and people looking at the wrong camera. You have given up control to curate your special day.

-Un-invitation Announcement. In a survey conducted by Wedding Paper Divas regarding digital etiquette, 31% of of those surveyed found out they had not been invited to the wedding through social media. 🙁

If you’re still in the camp of more photos IS better, then make sure every device at your wedding is plugged in!

On the other hand, if you’d like advice from a professional, I’d encourage you to lean toward the unplugged option—at least for the ceremony and important pieces of the reception (announcement, cake cutting, first dances, toasts, etc.) I do believe that as a paid professional, I should be able to work around any obstacle on your wedding day, but having an unplugged wedding just makes life so much simpler. Here’s a quick list of benefits:

Have your guests fully vested in your moment.
Don’t chance aggravating your wedding officiant.
Eliminate unflattering images from appearing online.
Don’t have your big reveal on Instagram before you’ve even made it to the end of the aisle.
Keep uninvited guests from feeling left out.
And finally, make your paid photographer’s job easier.

**Some of the images contained in this post were shot under the direction and for assignment of Philip Thomas Photography, LLC and Robin’s Nest Photograph, LLC. The images are copyrighted but are used herein with permission.

The post, Plugged-In Wedding, first appeared on Ata-Girl Photography Co.’s website and blog. Please feel free to comment here, or share this post with your friends via Facebook, Twitter or Pinterest. Please email me if you have any questions about this article or want to share a neat idea for a future blog post with me.

Jan

Formal Family Portraits

I think the ABSOLUTE most stressful part of the wedding day is when it’s time for formal family portraits. The entire rest of the day flows so much better in my mind. Chaos always happens when it’s time for the family formals. Murphy’s Law.

It generally takes about three minutes to gather, arrange, inspect, pose and capture each group pose—and that’s if no one is using the bathroom, gone for a drink, or having a conversation with someone oblivious that we are waiting on them. If you multiply 15 formal arrangements by the three minutes it’s going to take to capture each one, 45 minutes post-ceremony will be needed. I like to educate my bride and grooms to be super selective when choosing the arrangements they will want captured.

I give my couples a worksheet to complete. This way they have a visual list of what they may want and I have a definitive list of family images to capture on the wedding day. The worksheet lists different combinations starting with a small group (bride, groom, officiant), working our way to the largest group (bride, groom and their entire family), and then back down the a small group (bride, groom, groom’s parents). This really is the most efficient way to capture these images AND it allows the bride’s parents and family to get to cocktail hour to mingle with the guests sooner.

Formal Family Portraits on Wedding Day

What can you do to make family formals flow as smoothly as possible?

A few weeks prior to wedding day, notify everyone who will be needed for family formals. This might include the wedding party and officiant.
Remind anyone who is at the rehearsal that the formal portraits will immediately follow the ceremony.
Have the officiant or wedding planner announce that formals will take place immediately following the ceremony. Remind the guests who is needed, ie. parents, sisters, brothers, nieces, nephews, grandparents, etc.
Designate a staging place out of the view of the other wedding guests to gather while the ceremony room is being emptied. Otherwise, people will stop and talk to you and the groom, and the room will never empty.
Ask your wedding planner or maid-of-honor to help corral people to the staging area.
Do not let anyone else take pictures during family formals. Other cameras are very distracting. People will inevitably look at the wrong camera.
And lastly, remember that the formal portraits don’t have to be all that formal. Have fun!

Having family formals flow nicely ensures that you get to the reception as soon as possible. If you have an outdoor ceremony, it may also mean you’ll have sufficient lighting for the portraits. Lastly, it may mean that no one becomes stressed or agitated and puts a damper on your special day.

The post, Formal Family Portraits on Wedding Day, first appeared on Ata-Girl Photography Co.’s website and blog. Please feel free to comment here, or share this post with your friends via Facebook, Twitter or Pinterest. Please email me if you have any questions about this article or want to share a neat idea for a future blog post with me.

Dec

Unplugged Wedding?

Have you considered having an unplugged wedding? Your first question may be, what is an unplugged wedding? An unplugged wedding is a wedding that is completely free from guests having cell phones, cameras and/or iPads.

Your second question may be, why would I want my guests to leave their electronics at home or in their purse? There are several reasons to consider.

#1 You want your guests to be fully present at your wedding. If your guests are live tweeting, Instagramming and Facebooking your wedding, chances are they are not fully vested in the moment, the day, the celebration. They are not able to take in all the minute details and enjoy all the fabulous components of your wedding day… all the specifics you have spent the last 12 months or so dreaming, planning, researching, testing, crowd sourcing, discussing, and envisioning for your special day. They just aren’t enjoying ALL the things that you have put together for them to share in your wedding day.

#2 You want control over what images of your special day appear online. Ever have a friend post an image online that you don’t, well, look your best in? Face it, not everyone is a professional photographer. If you would like to curate the images from your wedding day, so to speak, this is one way to control what images are seen online. Your paid photographer will know that you don’t want an image of you with your mouth wide open at dinner time on Instagram, or anywhere for that matter.

#3 There are less obstacles for your wedding photographer to work around. Although I haven’t experienced this personally, there are many horror stories online from wedding photographers who have had key moments ruined by a guest jumping in front of the first kiss, the first dance or the toast. Instead of capturing what was a very important peak point of the day, the photographer successfully photographed an iPad. That’s sad. There’s also the chance of your guests’ camera equipment either firing off your paid photographer’s flashes, therefore possibly making them unable to fire the very next split second which might be the first kiss. Or, there’s also the chance that the guests’ cameras can add extra light into the scene that your paid photographer hasn’t calculated for, thereby ruining your bouquet toss because there’s too much light.

#4 It makes family formal portraits move much more efficiently. When I counsel my wedding clients on the formal photographs that will happen directly after the ceremony and before their announcement as Mr. and Mrs., I always tell them to plan on at least three minutes for each set up. Yes, it takes, on average, three minutes to set up each arrangement for family formals. First, each person needs to be gathered. Quite frequently, a few family members wander off after the ceremony, so it takes a bit to coral them back to where they are needed. Once everyone is gathered, the bride’s dress and veil need to be fluffed just right. Shirts, ties and jackets need to be checked. The persons need to be arranged in the frame. The arrangement needs to be double-checked to ensure no one’s face is being blocked by another. Check again for sunglasses, cell phones sticking out of pockets or making weird shapes in pants, shadows, background distractions, and making sure the bride is the most beautiful person in the image. Then, take no less than three clicks to ensure that you have at least one good photo of everyone with eyes open and looking straight at the camera. Repeat until you’re done with all the family setups. If the bride and groom have requested 15 setups, that will take no less than 45 minutes.

Now, two things can happen at this point. If your paid photographer is ignoring all the people behind them with cameras, at least one person in each setup will NOT be looking at the paid photographer. Guaranteed. There’s really no way to fix someone’s eyes not looking at the camera. The second scenario is that your photographer will allow a minute or two after they capture the setup for all the other guests to capture the same image. This will add time on top of your three minutes and instead of being ready to get to your reception in 45 minutes, guests will have to wait over an hour to see you.

#5 If you’re having a traditional wedding, there’s a chance your husband-to-be may see your dress before your grand entrance. Imagine this. You’ve bought THE DRESS… the dress that your future husband has waited the last 16 months to see you in. This dress makes you feel incredibly beautiful, super sexy and completely confident. You can’t wait to see the look on his face when you begin your walk down the aisle to spend the rest of your life with him. However, the moment is completely wasted because he saw it first on Instagram.

Have a Successful Unplugged Wedding

If having an unplugged wedding is something that appeals to you, your last question may be, how in the world do I convince my guests to cooperate? There are several tactics to employ to make sure they abide.

Include it in your invitations. Include a piece in your paper suite (save-the-dates, invitations, RSVPs, etc.) that politely asks them to cooperate. Tell them why you’d like this and how it will make the day more special to you.

Ask the officiant to announce it. After everyone has been seated and escorted into the ceremony, ask your officiant to announce that this will be an unplugged ceremony or wedding day. Who wants to defy the clergyman?

Posters. Have a few posters printed reminding guests that you’d like the day to be special for everyone. Personalize the poster by including you and your husband’s name so that guests are clear that it’s your special request.

Programs or Place Settings. The ceremony program and dinner place settings are also good places to remind your guests to stay focused.

Share the professional images. Reassure your guests that you will be sharing your professional images from the day. Let them know when and where they will be able to freely download and/or purchase any professional prints from your day. When my clients choose to share their images with the guests, I also supply them with cards to leave on the gift table or include in the place settings. The leftover cards are usually included when the thank you cards are mailed out.

If an unplugged wedding is something that you really want, I think these reminders will gently encourage your guests to comply. And, if you’re sharing all your wonderful images from the day, who could be mad at that?

Very soon, I’ll discuss the opposite of an unplugged wedding. Until next time, be positive, happy, healthy, and don’t forget to be photographed.

The post, Have You Considered an Unplugged Wedding?, first appeared on Ata-Girl Photography Co.’s website and blog. Please feel free to comment here, or share this post with your friends via Facebook, Twitter or Pinterest. Please email me if you have any questions about this article or want to share a neat idea for a future blog post with me.

Nov

Welcome Your Out-of-Town Guests

Surprise your out-of-town wedding guests by having welcome bags waiting for them when they arrive to their hotel. It will be your first opportunity to show your awesome hospitality to immediately make them feel right at home. An amazing welcome bag is just one more way to let your guests know how much you appreciate their presence at your wedding.

A welcome bag is a bag, basket or other container that has a few items in it to welcome your guests to your wedding. Some of the items in it can be for fun and some can be necessities. So, what do you put in this bag?

Ways to Welcome Your Out-of-Town Wedding Guests

Schedule of Events: Map out the events of the wedding day and/or weekend so that guests will know what’s going on and where it’s going on. If you’re putting together a blanket timeline, be sure to note who’s specifically participating in what. You don’t want Uncle Fred showing up to the bridesmaid cocktail social. Also include maps, locations, and proper attire for each event. It is also wise to list the phone number of a wedding contact to field questions for you. Assign this task to your wedding planner, close relative or one of your bridesmaids. List of Local Attractions: Help your guests enjoy the time surrounding your wedding events by letting them know local area attractions and the best restaurants to eat at. Be sure your list also contains your favorite boutiques and coffee shops. You also can include a guidebook, map or the issue of a local magazine or newspaper. If your wedding is taking place in the same city where you two fell in love, be sure to incorporate a sweet story about where you met, your first date or your first kiss. If they know what to see and do, they are more likely to enjoy their time and remember your wedding with fondness.

Miscellaneous: Among the other things listed above, your welcome kit for your out-of-town wedding guests should include a few snacks and drinks. Water, granola, beef jerky, hard candies and breath mints or gum are good recommendations. You can also supply a few toiletries that the hotel doesn’t usually provide like lip balm, sunscreen or hand sanitizer. If your guests like to party, they may also appreciate some ibuprofen, Alka-Seltzer and maybe even some Emergen-C for the morning after. A small souvenir is sure to make their stay memorable.

Thank You Card: I have listed this last, but this is probably the most important piece in your welcome bag for your out-of-town wedding guests. Some of your guests will have traveled long distances to your wedding by car, plain or train. Let them know how much their presence is valued by giving them a personalized, hand-written note. Let them know how much it means to you to be sharing your day with them.

**Some of the images contained in this post were shot under the direction and for assignment of CAKE Photography. The images are copyrighted by CAKE Photography, but are used herein with permission.

The post, Ways to Welcome Your Out-of-Town Wedding Guests, first appeared on Ata-Girl Photography Co.’s website and blog. Please feel free to comment here, or share this post with your friends via Facebook, Twitter or Pinterest. Please email me if you have any questions about this article or want to share a neat idea for a future blog post with me.

Jan

A Family Heirloom Photo Box

I’m thrilled to introduce you to another Italian-made product! It’s a family heirloom photo box and it has an unprecedented level of quality. It’s called a folio box. It’s the perfect medium for building a lasting memory of an important event in your life. This folio box is available with all my portrait and wedding collections.

Family Heirloom Photo Box

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The basic folio box is 6″ X 8″ (also comes in 6″ x 6″) and inlcudes ten mounted prints. The box can be completely customized by choosing different colors of exquisite Italian leathers for the cover, sides and the inside of the box. The cover can also be personalized with overprinting of text.

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The folio box can hold up to 30 images and is built in custom heights of 2″, 3″ or 4½”.

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The images are mounted on a .08″ thick rigid subtrate that can either be black or white.

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This detail makes them even more enjoyable to touch, admire and display. The mounted prints can easily be displayed on an easel and alternated throughout the year.

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Don’t delay!! Add this folio box to any collection to create family heirlooms to preserve your personal legacy!! Call for a consultation today to see this and many more of the quality products offered by Ata-Girl!!

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Until next time, be positive, happy, healthy, and don’t forget to be photographed.

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I am a professional wedding and senior photographer based in South Texas near San Antonio. I pride my business in offering a premier and personal service coupled with an unforgettable photography experience. I cater to clients who appreciate quality photography and help them to create family heirlooms that will last for generations. As a full-time professional photographer, my sole purpose is to provide amazing, memorable and full-service photography.

I started Ata-Girl Photography Co., LLC in 2010. I firmly believe that the unique set of circumstances I have faced in life has prepared me to take a personal and genuine interest in my photography clients. I enjoy documenting the important milestones and captivating moments in people’s lives. I love being a part of people’s journey and consider myself privileged to document their legacies.

When I’m not photographing a wedding, family or high school senior, I love to spend my spare time hiking, cycling, reading, listening to Elvis and Prince. The most important things in life are for me to see my two daughters happy and to create a family history my grandparents would be proud of!

The post, A Family Heirloom Photo Box, first appeared on Ata-Girl Photography Co.’s website and blog. Please feel free to comment here, or share this post with your friends via Facebook, Twitter or Pinterest. Please email me if you have any questions about this article or want to share a neat idea for a future blog post with me.

Feb

Professional Hair and Makeup

This past Saturday, my living and dining rooms were turned into a makeshift beauty salon. There were seven ladies getting professional hair and makeup done, and for some of them, it was their last high school prom. It was extra special!

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Professional Hair and Makeup

Having your hair and makeup professionally done for your wedding day photos is very important. It not only gives you a chance to be pampered and made to feel beautiful, but it allows you to look your very best from the grand march to your grand exit. Professional hair stylists and professional makeup artists make a difference… a professional difference. They have a professionally-trained eye. They know what colors and what styles will look best on your features. They have the tools and all the products to accomplish this. They have the expertise. A professional makeup artist knows how to highlight and contour your unique features to make you look glowing and glamorous. A professional hair stylist has worked with all hair types (thin, thick, unruly, extra-curly, straight as a board, etc.) and knows how to create a look that will outlast the final dance.

Using professionals for your day will help to give you and your bridal party a fashionable, cohesive look. They will ensure you look good from every camera angle: front, back, sides and even from the top! They will ensure your look is balanced, flattering and stunning! They will ensure you are camera-ready! The bottom line is that using professionals helps to take more stress off of you.

Ten or 20 years from now when you look back at your wedding day photos, you will want to see everyone looking their best, you’ll want to see your bridal party complementing each other and you’ll want to see a cohesive look.

And, here’s the final product! This isn’t a bridal party, but look how beautiful they turned out—and, you just feel how great they feel about themselves! Until next time, be positive, happy, and healthy, and don’t forget to be photographed.

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I am a San Antonio-based wedding and senior photographer who started Ata-Girl Photography Co., LLC in 2010. As one of the up-and-coming San Antonio wedding photographers, I am also available to shoot in Austin, Houston and Dallas and the surrounding areas. I am also available for destination weddings worldwide. Ata-Girl Photography Co. offers an amazing wedding photography service that you won’t soon forget. As a professional photographer, my sole purpose is to provide you the absolute best photography experience.

I am a professional photographer who enjoys documenting the important milestones and captivating moments in people’s lives. I firmly believe that the unique set of circumstances I have faced in life has prepared me to take a personal and genuine interest in my photography clients. When I’m not photographing a wedding, family or high school senior, I enjoy watching my daughter play softball, hiking, cycling, reading, and listening to Elvis!

The post, Professional Hair and Makeup, first appeared on Ata-Girl Photography Co’s website and blog. Please feel free to comment here, or share this post with your friends via Facebook, Twitter or Pinterest. Please email me if you have any questions about this article or want to share a neat idea for a future blog post with me.

Jan

Italian Wedding Albums

It’s official! I’m in love—with my line of Italian wedding albums, which I call storybooks, that come with each of my wedding collections. (Yes, each of my wedding collections come with a storybook that has been made in Italy with Italian leather and by Italian hands—an Italian wedding album.) Aesthetically speaking, this storybook is stunning! This is an heirloom your children will fight over! This is love at first sight!

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I’m beyond excited to get the opportunity to get to deliver this to one of my gorgeous 2013 brides today! This particular Italian wedding album is 16″ x 16″—the largest in the line. That means, when she and her husband open this baby up to reflect on their wedding day, it will be nearly three feet wide! The pages are lay-flat. No matter which spread they’re looking at, the book will always lie flat. Printed on photographic paper, the rigid pages resist creases and tears.

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The craftsmanship and attention to detail are impeccable. The perfect binding system is one of 20 International Patents and Trademarks. Only superior leathers are chosen for the covers; this exudes only excellence.

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These storybooks are classic and timeless. They will tell the story of your special day for future generations.

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There is no denying the rich appeal this book offers. It’s elegant and stylish. This is an heirloom guaranteed to preserve unaltered through the years. The book takes a photographer’s art and passion, the couple’s emotions and dreams and delivers them in a world-class quality and style that can only say, “Made in Italy.” This is an exceptional product that I am proud to offer to my wedding couples.
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Be photographed.

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The post, Italian Wedding Albums, first appeared on Ata-Girl Photography Co’s website and blog. Please feel free to comment here, or share this post with your friends via Facebook, Twitter or Pinterest. Please email me if you have any questions about this article or want to share a neat idea for a future blog post with me.

Jan

Misconceptions about Wedding Photography

With the popularity of the DSLR and the influx of camera owners to an already-saturated market, it seems everyone is a photographer these days. If you you’re shopping for a wedding photographer, please allow me to rebut a few misconceptions about wedding photography. I’d like to try and clear up a few things that some people assume. Below, I’ve outlined and explained the five top misconceptions about wedding photography that I encounter.

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Wedding photographers make up prices and charge way too much. I know I have painstakingly looked at my dedication, experience, workflow, equipment, software, training, and education and used actual mathematical formulas to set the prices of my collections. I have networked with other professional photographers to ensure my prices are inline and fair. If you feel your prospective wedding photographer is pulling numbers out of thin air, ask them to substantiate their costs. If they’ve used logic to arrive at their numbers, they shouldn’t have any problem sharing that with you. [Side Bar: I cringe when I hear of a photographer charging a few hundred dollars for multiple hours of wedding coverage. On average, for each hour I spend shooting, I will spend another four to six hours downloading, culling, editing, exporting, uploading, designing, and blogging. There are also all kinds of administrative tasks and marketing goals that need to be met. If someone is charging $250 for a four-hour wedding, they are grossing $10.41 per hour. Uncle Sam will expect $75 and the State of Texas will expect $20.62, so the $250 wedding photographer is left with about $6.43/hour which will also be used to pay for the business expenses (equipment, insurance, all marketing collateral, business cards, web site and hosting, packaging) before paying themselves. They end up making much less than minimum wage—oftentimes working for FREE—because they have either made up numbers or tried to undercut other photographers.]
You need the RAW images. If you’re unsure what a RAW file is, you probably don’t need it. Basically, it is a series of complex information your camera stores when it records an image. Until it is converted into a flat piece of information (ie. jpeg), it is much easier to manipulate that information to alter or improve the appearance of the final image. Only certain softwares are capable of viewing and working with RAW files. RAW files tend to be very large. For example, the RAW files recorded by my camera, range between 21 and 22 MB. For comparison, the jpeg I export for printing usually varies between 1 and 8 MBs. Where it will be printed determines the final size of jpeg. I keep a backup of each and every RAW file andjpeg image I create. I have a revved up computer processor so that I can work with these huge files and I have huge Terabyte drives to store these images and back them up. As a visual, having access to a RAW file would be the same is having access to da Vinci’s paint samples and brushes. Unless you’re a bona fide painter, they’ll do you no good.
It’s all about the camera. The best camera will not automatically produce the best images. A $4000 camera is useless in the hands of someone who doesn’t have adequate photography experience or knowledge. In general, it is impossible to produce stellar work simply by placing the camera on A and cutting loose. Spraying and praying is not an option when a client is paying you to capture a special moment. While a pro camera and lenses are capable of producing better images, it’s ultimately the photographer who is responsible for the outcome. Photography is a skill in which one never ceases learning.
Uncle Bob can do a fine job because he has a nice camera. In addition to #3 above, there is a whole slew of other skills required to produce professional-quality wedding images. A professional wedding photographer should have a good understanding of lighting, composition, posing, timing, in addition to having pro equipment. An experienced wedding photographer will know how to solve unexpected problems and deal with them in a professional manner. They will also be able to face each moment of the day with forethought. Simply put, they just won’t be reacting to the day as it unfolds.
You need to provide a list of shots to your photographer. You do not need to provide your wedding photographer with a list of 148 images you would like captured on your wedding day. Most likely, a detailed shot list is overkill and will wind up causing undue stress for the photographer who is constantly worrying if they’ve covered the requested shots. If you’ve taken the time to research your wedding photographer’s portfolio and collections of an entire day’s coverage (before you’ve hired them), then you should already be familiar with the shots you will receive. This usually hampers their creativity and neither the bride nor photographer is happy with the work. Generally, I ask my brides for the top five images they want captured on their special days and work from that. My brides know in advance that most of their day is covered in a documentary+editorial style. I make sure they’ve seen examples of my work and are very familiar with my photographic voice.

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I hope I have debunked a few myths about wedding photography and have helped you understand more about professional wedding photography. Until next time, be positive, happy, and healthy, and don’t forget to be photographed.

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**The images contained in this post were shot under the direction and for assignment of Rhobyn’s Nest Photography, LLC. The images are copyrighted by Rhobyn’s Nest Photography, LLC, but are used herein with permission.

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The post, Misconceptions about Wedding Photography, first appeared on Ata-Girl Photography Co’s website and blog. Please feel free to comment here, or share this post with your friends via Facebook, Twitter or Pinterest. Please email me if you have any questions about this article or want to share a neat idea for a future blog post with me.

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Hi, I’m Tammy.
I'm a San Antonio-based wedding photographer for outdoor-loving couples who value real moments.

I am a San Antonio-based wedding photographer and I am absolutely in love with capturing the kinds of weddings where there are more hugs than handshakes, the dance floor rumbles all night long, and chairs are pretty much rendered useless after dinner. Whiskey bottles are passed around, most of the wedding party has been best-best friends since kindergarten, Grams is likely to lose her shoes and your partner is much more emotional than you are. These kinds of weddings are my jam!

Since 2010, I have excelled in helping each of my couples plan for one of the very best days of their lives! I’d love to share my very personalized wedding experience, my super-human organizational abilities, and my U. S. Army combat skills (when needed) with you too.

I want your wedding day to be as perfect as you do! I am all in with my whole heart!