san antonio wedding photography Archives

Apr

Preparing for Your Destination Wedding

San Antonio Destination Wedding Photographer

This past week, I read that any wedding which is at least two hours or 120 miles away from your home and most of your guests have to travel that same distance is considered a destination wedding. Who knew that the second wedding I photographed was a destination wedding? Having discovered that, it got me to thinking. What are some of the details that go into planning a destination wedding?

Get Your Passport First
Before you even settle on the destination, make your you’ve applied for your passport. You won’t be going anywhere without it!
Will the marriage be legal in the U. S.?
Unless you’re willing to repeat the vows in the U. S., make sure that your marriage will be legally recognized in the States. In addition, each country has its own set of laws for a legal marriage including residency requirements, immunizations, marriage applications, witnesses and blood tests. However, since most destination venues want your business, they are usually more than happy to help you navigate through all the unfamiliar requirements.
The Dress, the Rings & the Groom
Do not forget to take these things! Do not ship these things! Pack them and travel with them. It is also a great idea to get a rider on your insurance policy for the rings—especially if you’ll be dipping into the ocean after the ceremony. Most home policies will only cover claims up to $500 for jewelry.
Combining to Actually Save Money
The best part about planning a destination wedding is that most locations are romantic getaways. This is ideal for honeymooning couples who want to stay put after the nuptials are exchanged. Since there’s no need for additional travel, couples who combine the wedding and the honeymoon can save a significant amount of money.
Travel Etiquette
Be sensitive to your guests. On average, each guest will be spending between $750 and $1,100 to attend your destination wedding. Even if the bride and groom are not paying for the trip, there are things they can do to help attending guests as much as possible. Well in advance, provide detailed traveling instructions that include directions from the airport to the hotel. If possible, make arrangements for guests who are arriving at similar times to travel to the hotel together. They can share a cab, shuttle or rental car. Also include a few lodging options of varying prices so that guests who are on different budgets will have a choice. If your budget allows, consider hosting a dinner, cocktail party or group excursion as way to say thank you to the guests who went out of their way to attend your wedding. Most importantly, remember that most couples who have destination weddings do not register for gifts. This is to show their guests, who are already spending major bucks, that their mere presence is a gift in and of itself.
Wedding Planner/Consultant
A destination wedding consultant will be able to take care of the small but important details for your special day. They have the knowledge, experience and list of the vendors to get the job done quicker and easier than the average bride. In addition to identifying those foreign marriage requirements, a professional planner is often aware of the legalities for the ceremony and reception planning (ie. obtaining an event permit). Again, since the venue wants your business, many popular destinations now have event planners on staff and combine the cost of their services into the packaged wedding deal. Using a professional planner will allow you the opportunity to truly enjoy one of the most important days of your life.
The Photographs
The detail shots of your wedding and reception are great, but if you’ve gone through all the trouble to have a destination wedding, ensure that the photographs easily depict where you were… even if you were stateside in Tulsa. Include many pull backs of the landscape, buildings and surrounding environment.
Relax!
Murphy’s Law will always prevail and like any big day, destination weddings often hit snags along the way. These obstacles and barriers can seem to be compounded due to currency exchange issues, language differences or just general unfamiliarity with the location, its residents, and its customs. If problems arise, just relax and take a deep breath. Stand back and take a look at the issue. Utilize your family or bridal party to help you correct the problem or just to put a different perspective on the problem. Most wedding experts recommend that the couple arrive a few days in advance of the big day. This may allow them to correct any last minute snags before they erupt. The bottom line is don’t let any minor hiccups ruin your day! Enjoy your destination wedding day to the fullest extent possible!

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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. Ata-Girl Photography Co. offers an amazing San Antonio wedding photography service that you won’t soon forget. As a San Antonio wedding photographer, my sole purpose is to treat your San Antonio wedding like a regal event.

In addition to wedding photography, I also specialize in San Antonio senior portraits and senior portraits for high school seniors in my local surrounding areas.

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 and listening to Elvis!

This post first appeared on Ata-Girl Photography Co’s website and blog. Please enjoy this San Antonio senior photography provided by Tammy Blalock and Ata-Girl Photography Co. Ata-Girl Photography Co. also offers superb San Antonio wedding photography in the San Antonio metro and surrounding area and strives to be one of the finest San Antonio wedding photographers.

Jan

Fame & Shame #11

Fame & Shame #9 was posted on August 28th; #10 was posted on November 1st–both in 2012! That means it’s been almost three months since I’ve posted a Fame & Shame and the last two were two months apart. And, that’s way too long! Time to get busy!

SHAME

Photo Challenges: Photo Challenges that take a year to complete deserve total shame. I am just about to the point where I am so sorry I ever started this project. I have resorted to taking almost every picture with either my phone or my point-and-shoot. I’m way behind with blogging about the themes. In fact, I’m so behind, when I do blog about them, I won’t even post them as new blogs. I’ll just put them in the queue of blogs in their respective time slots. For now, you can read what I have blogged about so far. I’m not convinced I’m getting the benefits I thought I would when I started this. On the bright side, I only have about five more themes to go before finally completing this monster.

There’s nothing else to shame today.

FAME

Plans, Tweaks & Concentrations: In order to progress my business and skill the way I’d like to, I have spent a lot of nights over the past 45 days or so writing a business plan and doing a lot of thinking. I have come to the decision that, moving forward, I will only photograph weddings, families and seniors! I will also shoot sports, as that is my first love, but it will continue to be a hobby. I will be turning down all maternity, newborn, baby, pet, and other jobs. As enjoyable as these other areas of photography are, I want to focus on my future!
Mentor Photogs: Tomorrow, if all goes as planned, I will be meeting with an award-winning, international wedding photographer. He has generously agreed to sit down and talk with me about the wedding photography industry. I’m a little nervous about the meeting, but excited at the same time.
My Daddy! Last week, we had a pretty big scare when he decided to go and have a “coronary!” I had never really given this cliche much thought until it clicked with me in the heart hospital. My dad had a 99% blockage in his right coronary artery—he had a coronary! Thankfully, he was a trooper and he was in good hands! He walked out of the hospital two days later anxiously waiting to resume playing volleyball. I love you, Dad!

Ata-Girl Photography Co. | Daddy!

Remember. YOU’RE GORGEOUS! (I’m leaving that line in from my last F&S. It’s an important message and it’s relevant!) Until next time, be positive, be happy, be healthy, and don’t forget to be photographed.

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I started Ata-Girl Photography Co. in 2010 and I am one of the premier San Antonio wedding photographers who is available for local and destination weddings. In addition to wedding photography, I also specialize in high school seniors and family portraits in San Antonio and the surrounding areas. 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 and listening to Elvis!

Jan

My Portrait Editing Process

As a photographer, I have two clearly defined obligations every time someone hires me to click my shutter button. #1-I have an obligation to implore every ounce of knowledge I have about photography and put it to go use making their portraits. #2-After the shutter button has been pressed, I then have to exercise everything I know about post processing to make those portraits look the absolute best that they can.

When images are straight out of the camera (SOOC), they are dull, flat and well… boring. I would never dream of turning over work to clients that is straight out of the camera. I have turned down paying jobs that have asked me to do this. I don’t ever want to give anyone reason to think that is a good representation of my work. Here’s an example. The image on the left is SOOC.

Ata-Girl Photography Co. | Editing Process

In the video below, you will see that I:

Smooth out bumpy clothing. Between poses, clothing has a tendency to become bunched up or bumpy and this is not flattering. An image can be made better simply by smoothing out this bumpy clothing. I use this same technique to make body parts appear slimmer and thinner, and believe it or not, I use it on thin people just the same as I do on curvier people.
Redness or discoloration. Men have a tendency to photograph very red in the face. If someone is a tad too red, I use Photoshop to eliminate the red hues in certain parts of the photograph. Color casts can also occur if you’re near a colored object—like a red car, or a yellow-bricked building.
Dark circles under eyes. Everyone, even toddlers, has dark circles under their eyes. I always take special care to eliminate or at least lighten these cirlces. This always makes my subjects appear younger, energized and refreshed.
Sharpening. Eyes are what gets my attention when I look at a photograph. So, I take special care to sharpen and brighten them up in all my closeups to better their chances at making a connection with the viewer. I sharpen all the women’s hair, eyebrows, teeth, jewelry, and other fine details in the photograph as well.

Watch the video to see me work!

You will not receive this sort of attention to detail from value photographers, like Sears and Wal-Mart. As far as hiring an independent photographer, your chances are 50/50 that your images will receive quality post processing. Buyer be warned! Not all post processing is quality post processing!

Each portrait image I take receives this special attention. I always remove any distracting elements from the background. It’s not shown in the video, but I also make adjustments to create contrast, vibrance and increase the depth of the photo. This removes all the flatness that the camera leaves behind. I generally spend five to ten minutes on each finalized photo from the portrait session. For reference, if your photo shoot lasts one hour, it will take me another three to four hours to post process the session—sometimes even longer. My aim is NOT to make an exact replica of a moment in time, but to create a piece of art that will hang on your wall.

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Jan

Photography Goals for 2013

Although I have have made lots of progress in terms of growing my business, there are many areas that I can improve on. Here is a list of some of the things I have planned for 2013 in order to get closer to my goal of becoming a self-employed photographer/artist!

Network. Network. Network. I will network more with professionals in the industry.
As much as I despise business operating plans, I will complete my very own annual operating plan for 2013. It will detail steps and goals needed to make the financial and artistic growth I need. This will be completed by January 31st.
I will be more disciplined with all the aspects of my business and not just the photography part. Taking pictures is the fun part! Post processing, blogging, marketing, planning and budgeting is not. I will make efforts to apply the same discipline to all these parts of my business in order to achieve success.
I will continue to learn and grow my skills and understanding of quality photography on a daily basis.
I will continue to document other people’s milestones, achievements and important events in a professional and artistic way!
I will continue to work on my own health and happiness! This will include gym time, camping and backpacking, reading, relaxing, time on both sides of the lens, music, spirituality, and much dreaming and planning!
I will try and keep my room clean and organized more often.

This isn’t a complete list, but these are definitely the highlights of my plans for 2013! God willing, they will happen!

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Dec

2012 in Review

This year was a great one! At the end of last year, I had five distinct goals for 2012. I didn’t meet these goals 100%, but I am happy with the way things happened to me this year.

I will be more committed to my health and happiness. I didn’t ride 2,000 miles on my bike. I barely ended the year with a total of 340. However, I did spend a lot of time in the gym and I did complete a century ride. I didn’t lose any weight, but I didn’t gain any either. This goal will definitely be a repeat for 2013.
I will shoot more weddings this year. This past year I was weddingless. I didn’t have an opportunity to shoot any weddings. I did shoot a Sweet 16 which, in a lot of ways, is similar to a wedding. Again, this goal will be a repeat for 2013. However, without shooting any weddings, I did complete more shoots. In dollars alone, my business grew by 65%.
I will not be threatened by other photographers. For the most part, this held true. There was a few instances that I questioned why someone would choose such-in-such to shoot their event or portraits. That may be something that continues to confuse me, but I will not let it bother me. I realize people will make choices for photography that do not make sense to me.
I will continue to grow, learn and improve my skills. This is absolutely true in every way. Every single day of 2012, I attempted to grow as a photographer. I read, watched, practiced, researched, or shopped for something that would improve my skill. The two most memorable was a photography workshop at South Fork that was hosted by I Heart Faces (Sue Bryce was there!) and a Sal Cincotta video workshop that I purchased from Creative Live.
I will get a backup camera. I didn’t even have to wait all year for this to happen. I completed this goal on May 2nd. I also added strobes, umbrellas, light reflectors, stands, remotes, wireless triggers capable of firing my strobes from over 100 meters, and memory cards.

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

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Nov

See the Light!

Funny. I’ve been thinking a lot about this very issue lately. When we don’t take time out to get to know people, or even speak to people, people tend to pass judgment. I’m including myself in this group of “people”. I’ve often thought I that I didn’t really care for someone. Most times, this is without even knowing a person. It was only because I didn’t know them very well, I had made my mind that I didn’t like them. What a vicious cycle! I’m sorry to say that it took me until my 40s to realize this flaw. I’m now going to make a conscious effort to speak to people. My hope is that I will get to know more people and that more people will get to know me without all the pretense of not “liking” each other for no good reason.

A few weeks ago, my favorite online resource for learning, CreativeLive, hosted Photographers Ignite 2012. Twelve photography professionals each made a 5-minute presentation about anything they wanted. Here’s the video of Tamara Lackey talking about getting to know someone as soon as possible. Amazing insight.

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

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Nov

Fame & Shame #10

It’s time for another installment of Fame & Shame. I am way late on this. I can’t believe I have not written a Fame & Shame since August 28th. Wow!

Shame

Speedy Internet Registerers: After listening to Dale Smith Thomas give an invigorating motivational speech tonight, I made up my mind to register for United 2013. (Jasmine Star and Zach & Jody will be there, y’all.) It is a photography workshop/seminar being put together by David Jay and ShowIt. I was very “disenchanted” (Thanks, Dale!) to discover the event had sold out in one day. 🙁 Next year. Next year.
Sweaters: It was cooler weather last week (for South Texas) and that prompted me to buy two new sweaters. I love sweaters, but can they please keep their shape? By the end of the day, my cuffs reach my knees.
Ozzie: Even if you’ve developed a habit of waking me up every morning at 2:30 to go potty, I still love you! You’re gorgeous!

Fame

Dale Smith Thomas: I was fortunate to attend STRMC’s Heathly Woman Gala and I had the pleasure of listening to a lady who grew up at Route 3, Box 89 speak. Her message was incredible! If I took away just one thing from her, it was that I am gorgeous and so are you! I’ve always thought of myself as a pretty positive person, but from this day forward, I will try harder… I will be even MORE positive! And, I will be more positive with YOU!
30 Minutes: Listening to Dale Smith Thomas’ motivational CD, she asks that you devote 30 minutes a day thinking positive thoughts and coaching yourself to be positive. At the end of a year, you will have invested 28 8-hour days to becoming a more positive person! I’m in!!
YOU: Take 30 minutes today and tell yourself how intelligent, resourceful, capable, gifted, blessed, loved, lucky, fortunate, faithful, healthy, positive, ambitious, awesome, energized, friendly and gorgeous you are!

Ata-Girl Photography Co. | Ozzie

Remember. YOU’RE GORGEOUS! Until next time, be positive, be happy, be healthy, and don’t forget to be photographed.

Let’s “hangout!” I wanna hear about your love story!

Schedule a virtual or in-person discovery meetup!
For more options, visit my “Let’s Connect” page.

About Ata-Girl

I am a San Antonio-based wedding photographer and I cater to outdoor-loving couples who prefer to have all the realness captured on their wedding days. I am the wedding photographer for the outdoor adventurers, the romantics, the laid back, the snugglers, and those who wish to capture all their realness.

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!

You can always call or text, but if you really want to get to know me, schedule a meetup!

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 journeys and consider myself privileged to document their legacies.

If you enjoyed this blog post and would like to get your hands on 20 FREE interactive wedding planning tools that every couple needs, please take a moment to access them here.

I am a published author (purchase my book here), a podcast host (listen here) (watch here) and a WPPI-C certified professional, full-time wedding photographer. I specialize in a 10-day image delivery, same-day prints, same-day slideshows, Italian handcrafted wedding albums and I have a mobile meeting space.

When I’m not behind my camera, you can find me hiking, cycling, backpacking, camping, enjoying water sports, listening to music (Elvis and Prince), hunting for arrowheads, reading audiobooks, occasionally eating a few glazed donuts (my only weakness to sweets) and then re-starting my keto diet about every 10 days. The most important things in life are for me to see my two daughters happy and to create a family history my grandparents and grandson would be proud of.

Oct

Auto/Program vs. Manual

Someone recently asked me why I don’t just shoot on automatic all the time if the camera is able to make technical decisions about a picture. When I first started taking pictures of my kids, I always shot in the automatic mode. Then, I got a really cool camera that had advanced options like action, close-ups, sunsets, or portraits. I sort of have to laugh out loud when I say that because they’re really not advanced options at all. They’re sort of advanced options of the automatic mode–none of which give me the control I need to take the best picture possible.

Since pursuing my love of photography, I have, sometimes painfully, learned how to manually create a good exposure–to use my built-in light meter, my histogram and to look for the light. While my camera is extremely smart and can achieve an excellent exposure in situations where nice, even lighting is present, these are things the camera cannot fine tune. I, on the other hand, can.

Here is a demonstration comparing Program Mode (left side) vs. Manual Mode (right side).

Ata-Girl Photography Co. | Auto/Program vs. Manual Mode

For the program/left picture, the camera chose the settings of 1/250 shutter speed, f-stop/aperture 4.0 and ISO 800. I chose to shoot a very similar photo at 1/500 shutter speed, f-stop/aperture 2.8 and ISO 4000. This gym has exceptionally bad lighting. Ideally, I like to shoot all my indoor sports at a shutter speed of at least 1/640th of a second.

By telling my camera to let in more light (f 2.8 and ISO 4000), I was also able to speed up the shutter speed—capture less time/movement. So, not only is my picture brighter, it has less motion blur in it. Compare the things in motion in each picture: the balls, hands, feet and shoelaces. The picture captured in program mode has motion blur in all those areas, plus it is darker. While my picture, taken in manual mode, will contain more noise/grain, I have stopped virtually every part of the picture except the hitting hand. The left picture barely has any detail in the stands area, but I can see the faces of the Cotulla fans in the picture on the right. My subject’s skin is even brighter. This fine control is extremely helpful in situations like weddings, sweet 16s and quinceañeras, where there is little, if any, light.

If you’re a DSLR owner, I encourage you to get to know your camera and how to make a proper exposure. You can start by test driving the coolest DSLR simulator ever! Your pictures will thank you for it.

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

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Oct

Coolest Simulator Ever!

Do you know what a flight simulator is? Of course you do. Who doesn’t? Okay, let me introduce you to this little piece of software—a DSLR simulator. I think that whoever invented this must have also invented stretchy jeans because this is a piece of pure genius.

From different polls and research that I’ve looked at over the years, it seems that the majority of DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex) owners shoot in Automatic or Program mode. To me, that is like choosing to eat a microwave dinner when you could have had chicken fried steak, mashed potatoes, country gravy and Texas toast. Crazy! You’ve made the financial investment for your camera, now make the educational investment. Even if you’ve mastered focus, composing, framing, perspective, posing, and storytelling but you haven’t mastered expsoure, your photos are not the best they can be. Learning to have full control over your images will allow you to take much better photographs. Pass the gravy, please.

Distance
Use this slider to replicate how close you are to your subject.

Focal Length
This slider replicates zooming in and out with your lens. A wide, zoomed setting creates the greatest depth of field (DOF) where more things are in focus. Zooming in creates a shallower depth of field. Typically, just the subject will be in focus.

Light Meter
The camera’s light meter will help you to get the proper exposure. This is a great starting point in most lighting situations. Ideally, you will want the indicator lined up with the arrow right in the middle of the meter (between -2 and +2). Be aware, there are exceptions to this.

Mode
I’m pretty sure that every digital camera has an Automatic mode, but there is not one included here. You already know how to use that one. The exposure modes of a DSLR let you control one setting while the camera decides how to adjust the others. In Shutter Priority mode, you set the shutter speed while the camera sets the aperture/f-stop. In Aperture Priority mode, you set the aperture/f-stop while the camera sets the shutter speed. In Manual mode, you get to decide all the controls. This is the part where you get to eat the chicken fried steak. Yum!

Lighting
Evaluating your light source is always the first step in setting up the camera for a proper exposure. Lighting is the single, biggest determining factor of how your camera needs to be set. With only a few exceptions, you can never have too much light. Use this slider to experiment with different indoor and outdoor lighting conditions.

Shutter Speed
The way I explain shutter speed is the amount of time you want to capture—how long your shutter will be open to record information. Being that I ran track for Coach Johnson back in the day (the best track coach ever!), I have an excellent understanding of time. I can mentally break down a second into 8,000 parts if I need to. For example, you may only need a shutter speed of 1/100th of a second to photograph your grandma sitting in a recliner. You can probably get away with a shutter speed of 1/400th to photograph your two-year-old on a tricycle. However, photographing a daytime softball game, you can really stop time with a shutter speed of 1/4000th. Faster shutter speeds allow you to “stop time”, but require lots of light. While slower shutter speeds allow you to shoot with less light, they allow blur to happen.

Aperture
Once we determine how long our shutter will be open, we need to figure out how wide we want the lens to open. The aperture, or or f-stop, refers to how wide the lens will open. The wider the lens opens, the more light passes through to be recorded in your image. It’s very confusing at first, but smaller numbers (f 1.4) mean that the lens is open wider. Larger numbers (f 22) mean that the lens is barely open. The smaller aperture (higher f number) means that more things will be in focus in your image, but you’ll need more light. The bigger aperture (lower f number) means that less of your image will be in focus but you won’t need as much light. This is how you control focus, bokeh, depth of field, magic, etc.

ISO
ISO stands for International Standards Organization, which refers to the group that set the standards for film speed. You can relax. You don’t really need to know anything about ISO except that it determines how sensitive your picture will be to the available light source. Higher ISO settings allow you to shoot at faster shutter speeds in lower light situations. However, shooting at higher ISOs allow “grain” and “noise” to be present in your images. The higher the ISO, the more noise you will have. Lower ISO settings generate the cleanest images, but require more light. I always use the lowest ISO I can get away with so that I have the cleanest images. However, that sometimes means shooting at 4000 ISO at a nighttime football game.

Ready? Go for it!

I’d like to thank the people over at CameraSim.com for this nifty little tool and for also helping with the invention of stretchy pants! But for now, I need to head on out to the gym to work off some of this chicken fried steak.

Be happy, be positive, be healthy and don’t forget to be photographed!

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Oct

Reasons to Hire a Professional Photographer

I’m going to give you the top ten reasons to hire a professional photographer. But first, have you ever heard any backhanded compliments like this?

(1) “That custom-sewn wedding dress is exquisite, you must have a GREAT sewing machine!” (2) “That was a fantastic dinner, you must have a GREAT stove!” (3) “That bouquet is beautiful, you must have a GREAT garden!”

Okay, I think you get the point. These things would never be said to a seamstress, chef, or florist. Yet every day, people compliment a photographer’s camera. While it is true that a camera with a better light sensor or faster glass can take a better picture, the person who clicks the shutter button ultimately makes the photo what it is. Anyone can take a snapshot, but only an experienced professional can capture the moment. Here are ten reasons why you should hire a professional photographer to capture your special day. Here are my top ten reasons to hire a professional photographer:

Reasons to Hire a Professional Photographer

Peace of Mind: Hire a professional instead of relying on on a family member or friends to photograph the event. That way, Uncle Joe won’t miss the cake cutting because he’s catching up with Cousin Emily.
Access: Professional photographers have access to pro-level resources like print labs and album companies. Anyone can order a photo book from Snapfish, but not everyone can order an heirloom wedding album from KISS.
Experience: Not only do professionals have nice equipment, but they have demonstrated a skill and knowledge to consistently produce pleasing images. They don’t take pictures hoping that “they turn out.” They are skillfully prepared for bad lighting situations, uncooperative subjects, and unexpected changes in the day’s schedule.
Photo Equipment: Professionals have invested thousands of dollars in their equipment. Today, many people own DSLR’s, but most DSLR owners shoot in “Automatic” or “Program” mode. Most professionals have learned how to properly use the camera in “Manual” mode and have also invested thousands of dollars in their lenses. They’re not using kit lenses to photograph a $20,000 wedding.
Software & Computer for Post Processing: Professional photographers purchase professional-level software and have spent many hours learning how to use it. They also invest a lot of money in the computer systems needed to run this software. They don’t just turn over images to you straight out of the camera. They deliver images that have been processed using the latest software and techniques to ensure the images look the best they can look.
Insurance: What if Aunt Edna accidentally trips on a camera bag, falls in the pool and breaks a hip? A professional can cover that.
Backup Plans: Professionals have more than one camera body. Professionals have access to and often use second shooters, back up their images… sometimes even remotely and will keep your images for years to come should something happen to your copies.
Diligence & Dedication: Professional photographers spend a lot of time and money attending professional seminars and workshops. (On average, I attend at least two of these each year to hone my craft and keep up to date in the field.)
Vested Interest: A professional photographer is going to perform above and beyond your expectations. Not only are they going to deliver great images, great products and great customer service, they are protecting their brand image in doing so. Their reputation is what puts meat on their table. They have a vested interested in performing well—repeatedly and consistently.
History Preservation: The average cost of today’s wedding is $20,000. The ONLY thing you will keep, besides the dress, is the photographs. The music, food, flowers, cake and venue will all be gone the day after the wedding, but you will have your photographs forever. Make sure they tell the story you want them to.

I make it my personal mission to create a set of images that permanently cements this moment in your mind forever. It is my goal that each image will make you relive that exact moment, stop time and induce all the same feelings you had the second the shutter was pressed. Images mean the world to me, and I want them to mean the world to you as well.

In closing, I spent several minutes trying to figure out how to spell “exquisite” and here is a cute video I found on YouTube. Also, please see all the reasons I lay out why a professional photographer charges what they do. I think you’ll be more surprised what you MAY NOT be paying for more than what you are paying for when you’re hiring your wedding day photographer.

Be happy, be positive, be healthy, and don’t forget to be photographed!

Let’s “hangout!” I wanna hear about your love story!

Schedule a virtual or in-person discovery meetup!
For more options, visit my “Let’s Connect” page.

About Ata-Girl

You can always call or text, but if you really want to get to know me, schedule a meetup!

If you enjoyed this blog post and would like to get your hands on 20 FREE interactive wedding planning tools that every couple needs, please take a moment to access them here.

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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!