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Wedding photography is encompassing more aspects of a wedding couple’s relationship than ever before. There is the surprise proposal, the engagement portrait session, the rehearsal dinner, the wedding, and the Sunday brunch.  There are four reasons I love engagement photography!!

1. The session can happen when the light is at its best in a location of your choice.

2. There is plenty of time to relax and create playful images of couples doing what comes most natural.

3. It gives me, the photographer, a chance to get to know the couple before the big day.

4. If the wedding day has a tight schedule where portraiture is given only a small amount of time, in an engagement session, you can create very romantic portraits with no time constraints.

I was fortunate to have the pleasure of photographing Liz and Adam this past weekend at my favorite East Hampton beach. I hope you enjoy these photographs.

Engagement portraits at the beach

Engagement Portrait Session at the beach

If time allows, plan an engagement portrait session along with your wedding day celebration!! If you haven’t proposed yet, check out an earlier blog I wrote on “The Proposal”

https://debkalasportraits.com/engagement-photography-secret-proposal/

 

 

 

 
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The most important day of your life is approaching, your wedding!!  Finding the best wedding photographer for you can be a journey unto itself. Having been a wedding photographer for over twenty five years, I have five suggestions for what to consider when making your decision for your wedding photographer.

1. Personality: You are going to be with your photographer during the planning stages of your wedding, the day of your wedding and after your wedding. Is this someone you feel comfortable with, enjoy, and can talk with?

2. Experience: Make plans and watch reality take over! A seasoned professional will be able to meet any situation as it unfolds ensuring complete coverage of your wedding day. Some questions to ask might be, how long have you been a wedding photographer and how many weddings have you photographed?

3. Competency: Look carefully at all of the samples you are shown in the initial meeting. Do the albums tell a complete story, are the products well-made, is there a variety of books and sizes and are they archival?

4. Pricing: Make sure you understand the pricing structure. There is a fee for the wedding which may or may not also include products. What are the prices for prints and albums? It is important to have a large enough budget that encompasses the wedding fee and the products.

5. Second Photographer: The biggest advantage of your photographer having a second shooter is that two locations or activities can be covered simultaneously. One photographer can be photographing the bride getting ready while the other is photographing the groom.  At the ceremony, one photographer can be on the ground level, the other in the balcony. At the reception, you also gain two perspectives for the activities making sure everything is covered.

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Choosing your wedding photographer

At my studio, I consider the job complete when I can present a beautiful bound album to the bride and groom that carefully and beautifully portrays their wedding day. “The day goes by in a flash”, and the album can be enjoyed for many years to come.

Also check out a previous blog: 5 Tips For Planning Wedding Photography https://debkalasportraits.com/5-tips-for-planning-wedding-photography/  for more information.

 

 

 
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With all the decisions that have to be made, choosing a wedding photographer is one of the most important. As a Hamptons wedding photographer for many years, I’ve had a lot of experience of working with couples before, during, and after the big day. Successful wedding photography depends on good planning. Here are some things to think about when planning the photography for your wedding.

5 Things To Keep In Mind When Planning Your Wedding Photographs

1. Pre-Wedding Consultation: A consultation beforehand is where you can discuss your “Must Have Photographs.” From this, a “shoot list” is created. This list has descriptions of the special photographs you want that are unique to you and your wedding. As an experienced wedding photographer, I know how long it takes to make a group photograph or to move from one location to the next. I like to plan how it can be accomplished with the greatest of ease. Of course, this schedule is not set in stone and it can be changed at any point during the wedding.

2. Portraits or No Portraits?: Many couples like the photojournalistic approach and ask for all the photographs to be candid. However, I still recommend a very brief portrait session, about 20 minutes in length, of the couple and family. This may consist of the bride and groom alone and with each of your families, and the wedding party. During the festivities it may be difficult to make a lovely portrait when everyone is moving in and around friends and family.

3. When to Make Portraits: I have found that making portraits in a location near the church or reception where the guests are not gathered works best. This way, we go quickly and efficiently through the portrait list and there are no guests to distract us.
The most important thing I take into consideration is the light. When considering your wedding time schedule, try to have the portrait session occur when the light is most flattering, which is late afternoon or early evening. If that doesn’t work, and the light is too bright, the portraits can be made shortly before the reception starts. This approach gives everyone a chance to relax and have something to eat and drink. One challenge is making sure everyone “shows up” for the portraits. Think about a friend who can be designated as “The Gatherer” who can wrangle the groups so everyone appears at the designated time.

4. The Most Important Hour: Many of the important events at a wedding reception occur within the first hour. Keeping that in mind, if you are on a tight budget, shooting an hour or an hour and a half into the wedding reception can be enough to complete the story. The entrance, the couple’s first dance, parent dances, the first dance sets, and the toasts, occur early in the celebration. If the cake is set out, a mock cake cutting can round out the coverage.

5. The Tone: Keep in mind; you, the bride and groom, set the tone of the wedding. If you dance, everyone else will too. If you are having a wonderful time, so will your guests. Plan to enjoy every minute and your wedding pictures will be amazing.

So, take it from a veteran Hamptons wedding photographer: good planning is the best way to ensure that your wedding photographs are all you want them to be. Don’t wait until the last minute: Your wedding day will go by in a flash!