Friday, October 30, 2009

Setting expectations for yourself as a photographer

I set such high expectations of myself that sometimes after I shoot a wedding I have some doubt that I did not reach them. I feel like this keeps me sharp and pushing myself to be better. Going through every image and toning them helps alleviate some of this. Maybe because what I saw did not materialize until I actually created and toned the image to what I saw (If that makes sense). Maybe it's because I just don't look at what I've done until after everything is over. It's always somewhat of a relief and excitement as the images begin to take shape, but I still keep it in the back of my mind that I can do better.

I look at some images and wish I had tried a different angle or see something that i missed while I was there. I hope that all photographers are doing this. If you think you saw everything, then you definitely missed something. Many times I will try to step into another photographers shoes and ask how they might have seen it, suddenly a different picture will come forward that I am sure wasn't there when I was actually in the room.

Pushing yourself as a photographer can be tough sometimes. Sometimes you get into a groove that is comfortable. When I worked in newspapers I would see a lot of photographers who fell into this groove. They were amazing when they were young, but as they got comfortable their photography became basic. Staying out of this groove can be a huge challenge.

After six years at a newspaper I could see some myself sliding into that groove. Life starts to get in the way of being creative and it's relaxing sometimes to not think terribly hard about making a photo. I guess in some ways it was good that I was thrown a curve-ball and now I'm back on my toes.

I try to set my expectations of myself much higher than any of my clients. This way if I ever fall below my expectations, I am still producing amazing work that people are happy with. On the other hand it can be frustrating when you don't feel like you did as good as you thought you could.

My biggest fear in photography is that I will fall in that groove that I've slipped into, not enjoy what I'm doing as much, and not be able to get back out. This career is a job, and if you're not careful it will become a job. I want to go to my grave with a camera in my hand and enjoying it.

I hope to take every step possible to keep myself out of the groove and keep shooting fresh and different. Some of this includes going back to the basics, such as film or even a Polaroid camera. Challenging yourself to shoot something red, a picture of a hand, or make a photo every day. These are just a few of the things to keep you sharp.

What do you do to keep yourself out of the groove?

Wednesday, October 28, 2009

The average Wedding Photographer?

"If you think it's expensive to hire a professional to do the job, wait until you hire an amateur."
Red Adair

I often see the question of what the average cost is for a wedding photographer. A few months ago I answered this question on some discussion boards. I thought my blog readers might be interested in hearing my response, so I updated it and cleaned it up a little.

Average cost is relative to a lot of things.

The cheapest of course is to have a guest take pictures or have all of your guests take pictures. This could be the most expensive mistake on the other end. Likely you may get a couple decent images out of each guest. Plus if your guests are taking pictures they will not be able to enjoy your wedding. And if they are drinking, dancing and experiencing the wedding, then they are not putting the time into making the pictures that you would like to put in an album, hang on your wall or remember your day. Even if one of your guests is a pro or semi pro photographer, they will want to experience the party. I can tell from experience that when I am shooting a wedding, there is sometimes barely enough time to eat, let alone drink and enjoy the party.

$1600 is what you should expect to pay for an average photographer (About $250/hr for coverage without a package.) That would only include coverage and not a package (Such as a DVD or Album). I would say the less you pay the more risk you are taking. Remember this is an "average" photographer and about half are better and half are worse. Most people plan for a wedding above average and you should consider that you probably want it documented that way.

The more you pay the more creative, more experience, awards, reputation and better chances that the images at the end of the day will tell your story as you want to remember it.

If you are looking for above average, plan on spending at least $2400-4500 for coverage and probably a DVD. Albums are another subject, but they usually are $700 and up.

If you are looking for the top of the pack photographer then expect to pay $5000-10000. These guys have usually been around for quite some time. They are respected by the industry and usually the photographers who other photographers would ask to shoot their weddings! These are the photographers who's photos you will find at The PDN Top Knots contest or ISPWP's Contest

If you are looking for a luxury wedding photographer, then expect to pay over $20,000. They aren't always necessarily the best of the best, but they will offer a service that it takes a certain type of person to give. They are at your every beck and call and they know how to do it right. Their attention to detail is usually beyond anything that would probably be necessary for even the pickiest of brides.

Ask any photographer for references and access to the most recent wedding they shot online. A portfolio only shows the best stuff and can hide flaws. If you can see an entire edit, you will get a much better feel for how they will cover your day. Definitely look at blogs. These show how well photographers do on a regular basis.

When you do decide on a photographer don't be afraid to ask a lot of questions, and not the questions about what type of equipment they have. Make sure that you and the photographer click on a personal level. You are going to be spending many hours with this photographer on your wedding day and you don't want any friction.

Some places to look for good quality photographers are http://www.wpja.com, http://www.ispwp.com, and http://www.modernphotographers.com. One place to find reviews of photographer's is http://www.weddingwire.com or just look at Google Maps

But don't just base it on what other people say, find someone who you trust, who knows photography and get them to help you look at the photographers. Then just trust your instincts. If you don't LOVE the photography you are seeing, then there is a good chance you might be disappointed. It's like when you are searching for that perfect dress, you try a lot on that you really like and you look good in, but when it's the right one you know it!

Sunday, October 25, 2009

WeddingBee talks engagements, and guess whose photos are up there?



Two of our favorite clients Katie and Justin (Seen here. And I really don't have any clients that aren't my favorites, but I always like to say that.) picked as some inspiration for another bride to be's engagement shoot. The author, who is preparing to do her own engagement photos, loved how we used their dogs during the e-session.

The author also collected some pretty nice other engagement photos. It might be a good read if you are looking for some ideas yourself. You can also flip through some of our past e-sessions.

Friday, October 23, 2009

The Keys, Florida! Outtakes



One of the coolest things about going to a destination wedding (Part 1, Part 2), or even a wedding that is just a destination for me, is that I get to take the time to play tourist. I was lucky enough to have my awesome wife join me on this trip.

We had a great time enjoying Key West and then on the way back we stayed in Key Largo. We took the opportunity to go out and snorkel the reef. It's funny how different these two cities are. It's like comparing New York to a town in the middle of Kansas. Key West is party central with more tourists than you can count and always something to do. Key Largo was laid back without a central downtown. We found ourselves on the beach, sipping drinks and doing nothing in Key Largo.

Key West has great beaches and there is always something happening (We walked by a bar Saturday around noon and heard live music.), but it's relaxing in a different way than someplace like Key Largo.

















































Everything is bigger in Key West!

Wednesday, October 21, 2009

Pedicabs, Elvis, Steel Drums, a Key West Wedding! 2of2



The next day we had the beach wedding. (In case you missed Part 1)

I'm no good at surprises, I have to get this one out there.

So as we're coming back on the Pedicabs Tracie tells me she saw Elvis at The Bull. I asked them if they minded heading over there to get a couple shots with him. He gave us a song. "Blue Moon" what else!



Now that that's done, back to the day.





















Melvin "Toko Irie" was this amazing steel drum drummer. He played for the ceremony and then partied with us all night. He definitely loves what he does and that passion rubs off on everyone!



















Now this is a great idea. A pedicab parade!









After the parade and our little side trip to see Elvis, it was time for the reception to begin!















Not sure what this was about, not sure if I want to know.

















So just before the party starts to wind down Melvin starts to play "Hot Hot Hot," and starts to get wild. Everyone starts to get wild! The guy knows how to run a party!





And the night winds down...



And if you didn't get enough...



In case you are curious here are some of the wedding pros and locations.
Rehearsal was at Alonzo's Oyster Bar
Rehearsal cruise was with Fury sunset sailing
We all stayed at Simonton Court Historic Inn and Cottages
The wedding was on Smathers Beach
Transportation was A&M Moped
PediCab Parade by Perfect Pedicab
Reception was at the Hard Rock along Duval Street
A cameo by Bobby J as Elvis at The Bull
Dress is from White House | Black Market
The ceremony was performed by Ron Scott of Chapel by the Sea
http://keywestwedding.com
On Steel Drums was Melvin "Toko Irie"

Thanks for helping Liz and me have a great time in the Keys!

Monday, October 19, 2009

Key West with Tracie and Scott! Need I say more? Part 1of2







One thing that I always seem to be bad at is narrowing down my photos for a blog post. I can never squeeze them all into one entry, so you're going to have to suffer through two. Well that is if you can call looking at beautiful sunsets and gorgeous people suffering. There are definitely going to be some surprises in part 2, so check back in a couple days!

What an awesome trip, and it was truly an excursion. What better way to start off a wedding than everyone jumping on a sunset cruise after a rehearsal dinner! A great way to prepare for the next day













So part of shooting a wedding in a new place is experiencing a new place. I love to show my clients some of my experiences, and Key West has a lot of them!

Anyone have a dollar for Spidey? Apparently the newspaper business isn't paying enough.









Apparently people do look at the pictures on my website. If you saw another beach wedding I shot earlier this year you might recognize this and a few other really cool ideas!



A poem by Dave Matthews was left for every guest at their seat.





Tracie was such an awesomely relaxed bride. She went out and explored the town and jumped in the pool before getting ready. I guess this is just the culture of a Key West wedding!









She even took some time with her groom!







Time to start getting ready!



















Stylin!



The only way to travel in Key West!









And this is just the warm-up, wait until you see the rest!

In case you are curious here are some of the wedding pros and locations.
Rehearsal was at Alonzo's Oyster Bar
Rehearsal cruise was with Fury sunset sailing
We all stayed at Simonton Court Historic Inn and Cottages
The wedding was on Smathers Beach
Transportation was A&M Moped
Reception was at the Hard Rock along Duval Street
Dress is from White House | Black Market

Thursday, October 15, 2009

A little late, but we were in Central Florida Bride


Photos by Val Becker Photography



Photos by Pilster Photography!


(Cover by Marc Harmon Photography)


I don't know how I neglected to mention this, but we had some photos in Central Florida Bride. This was a wedding that we shot as a second for Val Becker Photography. It gave us an awesome opportunity to work with one of our favorite wedding planners Susie Weiss of Wonderful Weddings. She is who the feature story is about.

Congrats Susie!

Tuesday, October 13, 2009

We're on SportsShooter again for Round #2 of "Why Blog?"



It's back! Time for round #2 on "Why blog?" an informal survey that Jim McNay did to a group of blogging photographers. If you get a chance it's a really good read on what blogs photographer's are reading and why. It also suggests a couple blogs that we all wish we could of read.

Also if you missed round #1 it had some great answers to why we blog.

If you want to see all of Pilster Photography's answers, you can see our earlier blog post.

Thanks Jim!

Sunday, October 11, 2009

Jess and Blake's grand exit! Part 3o3





Have I mentioned how much I love these two! It's great when people are as quirky as you are. On top of that they just open their hearts to you and let you document the day that is so special to them.

This is when the party get's started!



Awesome hairpiece!



Can you believe they designed this room in only a couple days because they had to change venues?



I the windows in this place are cool!


Guess where these two go for coffee in the morning?







First dance.





Yummy food from Puff N' Stuff








When I saw John dance with his daughter I started to tear up. You can see the happiness in his eyes and how proud of a father he is.







An iPhone cake! Way to go Puff N' Stuff





Blake checks his messages





The grand exit!









Thanks Jess and Blake, it was awesome!



If you want to see a whole lot more, checkout!



Once again if you hadn't noticed, these two put together a great set of wedding professionals! I'm not biased or anything though.
Photography by US! Pilster Photography
Flowers and coordination by Joyce Adams of Creative Designs Weddings
Caterer, Venue (The Ballroom at Church Street) and both the cakes were provided by Puff N' Stuff Catering
Ceremony was at Rollins College Knowles Memorial Church in Winter Park
The rehearsal was at Ceviche in Orlando
Makeup by About Face Design
Hair by Kara and Adrienne from Clix Hair and Nails in Oviedo
Some very fun photo booth photos by ShutterBooth
DJ Dennis Michael kept the dance floor moving
And of course Jess's awesomeVera Wang wedding dress from The Collection in Winter Park
While the shoes were from Solutions Bridal
The amazing iPhone grooms cake by The Sugar Suite
And the grand exit was by High Horse Carriage Rides
Wow, you never realize how many people are involved with one of these until you type it all out!

Friday, October 9, 2009

Oh my gosh it's Jess and Blake's wedding already! Part 2of3



I had this amazing e-session with them months ago (Part 1, Part 2 and the outtake), and it felt like the wedding was so far off, but it just crept right up and then slipped right by! Certainly glad I was there to capture the memories though and give them a chance to always look back on what a joyous occasion it was.

If you are looking for some inspiration for a rehearsal and dinner check out part 1.

What better way to start this off than with shots of the dress. Let's just say it had a nickname, "Vera"





Jess's amazing and crafty mom made these awesome hair pieces.



Check out the cool feather! I want one.



The shoes! Not too high though, because Jess didn't want to tower over Blake. These are from the awesome girls over at Solutions Bridal.





I love taking pictures of getting ready. It's so awesome to capture the transformation from normal to spectacular. Plus there are so many little fun moments.

























Jess and Blake both work at the television station WESH 2 in Orlando. That's also where they met.












It takes an Ironman to get the cork off some of these champagne bottles. Being a triathlete also John and I got along well!



He even does shoe repair. This may need to be a new triathlon event.



And the most important shoes of all!





Even the painting couldn't take it's eyes off this stunning bride!













More bubbly.









A little moment just minutes before the ceremony.



and just 20ft away across the hall.





Look at that grin as Jess comes through the doors.



Have I talked about the floors yet?





Congrats!







They said they chose me because we are all journalists at heart. They both work for WESH and we had a great connection from the beginning. Have fun in Croatia you two!



Look for the wrap-up in the next couple days!

Once again if you hadn't noticed, Jessica and Blake put together a great set of wedding professionals! I'm not biased or anything though.
Photography by US! Pilster Photography
Flowers and coordination by Joyce Adams of Creative Designs Weddings
Caterer, Venue (The Ballroom at Church Street) and both the cakes were provided by Puff N' Stuff Catering
Ceremony was at Rollins College Knowles Memorial Church in Winter Park
The rehearsal was at Ceviche in Orlando
Makeup by About Face Design
Hair by Kara and Adrienne from Clix Hair and Nails in Oviedo
Some very fun photo booth photos by ShutterBooth
Lighting - Kaleidoscope Event Lighting
DJ Dennis Michael kept the dance floor moving
And of course Jess's awesomeVera Wang wedding dress from The Collection in Winter Park
While the shoes were from Solutions Bridal
And the grand exit was by High Horse Carriage Rides
Wow, you never realize how many people are involved with one of these until you type it all out!
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