Oregon Wedding Photography - Great Wedding Tips

Some Great TIPS

Bruce Berg, award-winning Oregon wedding photography

" I was very Disappointed! "

Don't let be how you feel.

There are no 'do-overs' in a wedding. For many brides, they wish there were.

A photographer can be very pleasant but not helpful or organized, letting YOU pick up the pieces. Others can be so directive and 'in charge' that you no longer feel it's fun, let alone that it's your wedding.

Over the 25 years that I’ve been in this profession, I’ve heard thousands of stories of how bad photography has ruined weddings. These range from couples never getting their photographs to missing key images to horrible lighting to disruptive and rude behavior and even a lawsuit.

Today it is easy for any photographer to show you a dozen beautiful images, but what is much more difficult is breadth and depth from YOUR wedding.

Thoroughly research your photographer and visit at least three photographers if you can. See at least 2 complete weddings that they've done so you can tell how they perform throughout an entire wedding.

Do they have a first rate studio and how long have they’ve been in business full-time?

Meeting you at a cafe is a warning sign about the fact they don't have a studio and may not be around for the long term. Your wedding is not the time to hire a semi-professional and right now there are hundreds of them around. Also, insure that they (not an associate) will be doing your wedding photography.

Find out what you are getting for your money (albums, retouching, service).

Only offering you just a DVD of your images? This should be a concern.

Photographers offer this in lieu of albums so they can save a lot of time and hassle on their end. This practice truly is in the best financial interest of the photographer and not yours.

I recognize that The Knot and many bridal magazines say "get the disk" and I guess that can be ok, but it should only supplement what the photographer gives you, not be the end product.

Why?

1. Your digital photography files will not be retouched. Or with any fun effects to make them unique.

2. Our color monitors are custom color balanced with our professional lab. If we sent a file to another lab, its iffy that the color will match. This will apply to your DVD as well. From my observation, over 75% of the "professional photography" images that I encounter have problems with their color.

3. OK, maybe you're different than me, but I'd be afraid of losing or misplacing this DVD ...let alone damaging it and then what? Plus, will you be able to print off it in 20 years with the change in technology? True professionals pride themselves in archivally protecting your images in a variety of ways.

4. Album Design. One of my employees was quite a scrap-book person. Once she started working here though, she was blown away with all the acceleration of knowledge she had to attain to come up to speed with what we do.

We have spent decades now designing books that truly tell a story, that flow, that move emotions, that are unique. It is akin to being a director of a movie...there is much more than what meets the eye. Plus, we find albums that are stunning and will last forever.

5. Service. Isn't it nice when others put EVERYTHING together for you?

6. Finally, when a photographer sells you the DVD, ask yourself, except perhaps for a referral, what motivation do they have to blow you away with the images? We want to go the extra mile, not only for your total satisfaction, but others as well.

Pricing?

For those wedding photographers that don't just sell DVDs, many charge you on the back end. Meaning that they won't give you most everything you need upfront, so their prices seem lower. Then, after the fact, they charge you more for the things you really needed in the first place.

I charge a realistic fee upfront, so if you don't spend a dime more, you will have an album that tells a story and won't be disappointed. That makes us seem initially more expensive, because we aim to please at the very beginning.

Really look into what you are getting for your money.

Most couples allocate 10-20% of their wedding budget to photography, as this is THE one place NOT to skimp. Price should take a back seat to the photographer's personality and quality. It is the only service you will have that will last for a lifetime. I’ve heard the regrets hundreds of times of "Shoulda Coulda Woulda".

I believe you should choose your wedding photography like you chose your rings: by looking for something that you will love forever.

Listed below are locations or wedding services that I've worked with before and have loved the end result. If you need more help, feel free to call or email me!