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Zen and the Art of the Wedding Photojournalist


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Regarding group photographs:

 

I photographed a wedding Saturday (the daughter of a good friend) and wanted to try some candid artsie stuff, but the bride was totally focused on her group photo plan and let me know verbally that she didn't want me to follow her around taking PJ candids. She wanted everything planned, staged, and no surprises!

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Actually Rich, Joe's clients come to him because they don't just want the group formals. They go to him because they buy art and they want their wedding pictures to fit their lifestyle. His photographs can hang on a wall next to any of the great artists with no problem.

It's very special work, and he's a very unique person. The really cool thing is, as talented and successful as he is, you won't find a warmer and more "real" person than Joe. What a credit to photographic art!

 

Lou

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The PJ event style comes naturally to me because I was a PJ. But I try to encourage the couple to make room for some group shots.

 

At a large event it's too easy to overlook 89-year-old Auntie Mooshy and Uncle Burlap because they're hunched down in chairs somewhere in the middle of a crowd. These folks may not live to see another wedding or bar mitzvah.

 

So, ahead of time, I ask the couple and parents for a quick list of folks who *must* be photographed for posterity, as well as those who should be included in group shots. Beats regrets.

 

I don't get the Zen thing, tho'. But I didn't get it with "Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance" either. As I recall it was about squabbles with the author's son or stepson and trying to convince his anal retentive riding buddy that it's okay to use a makeshift shim from an aluminum beer can on his precious BMW until they reached an authorized dealer for service.

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Tood, I think you should review what you show your customers, it sounds like you get stuck

doing things in a way you don't like. Maybe you are showing people too many group and

posed samples verus candid. Reducing the number of posed and group photos to a very

small percentage of samples has

helped me get more customers that are more interested in candids. I have in few cases told

people they should consider finding someone other than me to photograph there wedding

because I didn't think they really wanted my style.

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Todd

 

It's too bad she wasn't open to the PJ style. Those are the memorable moments. It's no fault of yours. She wanted something different. Because of my photo background, the PJ style is very easy and natural for me, and those are the pictures that book future clients, and the one's that they always like the most when they receive their wedding album. I always do the "mandatory" posed snaps that the mother's and fathers want, then it's PJ, from there on out.

 

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