barry_davis___st._louis__m

i know its a tough hit,,,but honestly...I have yet to have anyone in the past three years put processionals in their album or order those lovely shots...they are more a tradition for us to bein the way as the brdie comes down the aisle...certainly good posed bridals after the ceremony are worth more than processionals! But as ohters suggested,,,reshoot the bridals after the ceremony...i know i have done this and with narrow DOF no one knew!

Justin, both Bambi and Jerry are dwf (digitalweddingforum.com)members...a lot of attendees are DWF. If you're a member, do a search on their forum as well. I'll even go one better...If you dont think its worth it I'll send you $100.00 afterwards! Only one thing, you'll have to tell me what you didn't like....

i thought of it in a different way.....What if someone in your area gleans some good info (style, lighting, marketing etc) from them and you dont! I think for the marketing aspect alone it was worth the dollars spent! But they started at 2pm and shot till 5pm with a model...in various locations at the hotel that I thought were plain, or without possibility! Then we saw their images strait out of the camera and knew they are worth every dollar!! And we can clone their technique...what a great oppoutunity to extend your business. You wanna run faster, run with someone who is faster than you!

Im not going to be rude to Ayre, but I would go again today! Even though I bought most of their DVD's and the picpockets from Jerry...(you dont have to buy either). Seminars elevate your thinking, elevate your way of seeing things differently. My wife who attended with me started saying (in our own house) how would you shoot differently in this room...or that room. The bottom line is these folks are better than average, way better...think about it...Jerry has won how many album of the year awards!!! Come on,,,and one would say they wouldn't go again! It wasn't interesting, it was challenging! There's a lot of decent wedding photographers who can pose and shoot, get good photos....but the difference is when you take your art form up a notch....as Jerry said "You may not be the best photographer, but be better than yesterday"!

Going to a seminar tomorrow with a few local friends/photographers in St Louis.

I will if its OK with Mary, share some of their insights without compromising

the entire seminar. Hope you find it useful.

Meg, you can put the showit onto a DVD, it just has to run from a Browser...so all the files would be on the DVD/CD and all they have to do is click the "index.html file....Like Colleen this is "extra and they anticipate it, cause they have seen my other shows...of other brides...so they are excited when they see theirs...especially before they see the videographers work...but i wont go there!!

Meg, I use webshowit from David Jay every chance I get!! Its an incredible marketing tool that showcases my work quickly and effectively. I do a wedding on SAturday and by wed/thurs the slideshow is being shared by the bride/groom with all their friends. Effective marketing in my book. The technical part is very simple...a folder that has the images you want on a slideshow...hit a few buttons and whola a slideshow that you can put on your webpage...it provides you an "index.html" page along with other files that run the show....its quite simple...matter of fact my 13 yr old, when she was 12 would build the slideshow for me during the dinner/reception and we'd show the clients and their friends a slideshow while still at the reception...I also have pro show gold and now almost 100% of the time use Web Show it....smart investment...if you have more questions please feel free to email me and I can even call you...here's a recent show...sorry there's a lot of images...

 

http://www.barrydavis.biz/Web_Showit_Albums/Kristin/index.html

Is it possible to organize Photoshop Actions in some type of organized manner

other than one right after the other in one main list. I'd like to organize it

based on cropping actions, enhancements, borders etc...Thanks for any

assistance.

Dotun,

I tend to use manual on my 5d for both aperature and speed. As well as setting the 580 manually if Im not using my studio strobes. A high f stop for DOF and more room to capture the image within focus. I adjust the 580 based on how far from my subject I am...its become second nature to adjust quickly. I know they're better methods but this one works for me!

i use LOMO (from showit affects) with PS2...works well.

Nicole...im just curious and dont feel obligated to reply. On this forum we often discuss current marketing conditions. Brides merely wanting digital negatives versus a person or studio that does a more complete end to end process. Most of us shoot the wedding, correct the files, enhance the files, build albums, etc...Was your wedding or your selection of photographer(s) just for the negatives a main consideration? Would you do it the same way you did? Or would you rather have a more thorough and complete package where the photographer shoots the wedding, edits, enhances, offers products and then builds your album?

Sam, i get 60% of my bookings from Bridal Fairs and the other by referrals. The last Bridal fair was a very good success. I booked "every" client that called us back and it filled my Jan - July 08 calendar! I had a knock out display. I showed my middle tier package not only by brochure but the product was grouped on one side of the display...the other photographers were taking pictures of it with their cell phones (they thought I wasn't watching them, LOL). No biggy! The key is your PERSONALITY, your art, your display and then your price. I had 2-3 former brides trickle in and talk to customers. I don not take the shotgun approach (thats what the other photographers are doing)....I take an intimate approach and "listen" to them! They pick you first because you care and your excited about "Wedding Photography"...good luck...below was my handout at the fair. The images were either 16x20's or larger and the product (bottom picture) was on a table by itself...So they saw the display in person, and then could remember the package with the brochure, once home....I didn't look to book any dates at the fair...else I would have missed oppourtunities to talk with other potential clients!!<div></div>

i just heard David Jay talk about the Mark III's ability to set an aperature and speed, and the ISO will adjust,,he had a few more items that were perfect for wedding photographers...I love my 5d...and will watch the prices come down as they will...every year with the intro of the"new" mousetrap....what I really need to do is completely exercise every thing the 20d or the 5d can do and do it without thinking...I think the tech part is far less important (please understand my post, correct exposure is a must) but the creative image is what is I desire more!

This has sorta been answered before, but its a good topic. Do you think the tux's go out the door unpaid? Does the cake get delivered without full payment? Does she get the dress hem'd without a service charge? DO they use the reception hall without payment? More than likely, no. It's a tough call on your part, but you know "your" client. I personnally feel that holding images hostage for payment is unethical. I think I'd be more direct and not shoot one image until payment is made...but hey, thats just my opinion...you have to go with what you feel.

i've tried a few URL's (guessing) and none made it thru! If someone be so kind as to share their link! Thanks

a local Wedding photographer booked me for her wedding next year and "she" will be trashing the dress as well....Like Colleen i'm so excited...this is a very fun couple and what makes it even more exciting is that earlier in the day we will have spent some times capturing images with "live" lions! Oh yeah....nothing traditional about this one!! Gotta love it!

i shot a wedding in June 07 that had one side of mirrors and the other sides glass...I tested with my studio strobes for the dances...they were fine as long as you point down. My 580ex (on camera) was tilted at 45' and the catch light was extended...not the diffuser! I was pleasantly suprised at the results. No reflections of glass or mirrors. I'd go to something similiar in your city and test! But if not, tell him i'd gladly go! :-) what a venue!!

Will the soldiers already be in formation? If so, Ask the First Seargeant to have 10 squads of 40, at "Close Interval, Dress". Have the first few rows (squads) take a knee. The first sgt is your ally here...with a few commands (with regards to height) he can make it look structured. For the light, make sure you position (if possible)the formation so that the sun/light sweeps across form one side to another. Use fill light to take out shadows. As a former (now retired) Army guy please feel free to email me and call. You'd be suprised how quick you could actually put this together...Is there a place where you can get higher then them. Finally bracket many shots!

I haven't seen too many threads on this but I know I use humor to my advantage

at the weedings so that I can get reactions, especially with formals. Since I

am in ST Louis, the Cardianls vs Cubs issue is a never ending source of jokes!

Here is a great line that is hilarious...A guy is taking a cruise and notices

this beautiful lady (they're both mature couple)on the deck and she "smiles at

him". He sees her again by dinner, and asks the Maitre D to sit her at his

table. So the next night the Maitre D obliges....the couple has an enjoyable

dinner...He said he was drawn to her smile, and she quickly smiles again. She

then says that "he" reminds her of her third husband!!! He rears back a tad as

she is looking down at her plate,,,and he then asks..."How many times have you

been married"....she says "two"...(pause).....with a gleam in her eye! I think

humor (at least a few good well placed jokes)has a good place in our business.

I see and hear of stodgy photographers and I can only think (if used properly)

that others will remember the fun photographer at so & so's wedding! Weddings

can be stressful, and often a well chosen word(s) can really change someone's

mood!

David, yeah, I love my photovision subscription. One of the best uses of my $$. One of the main reasons for the questions is and especially after seeing Parker's work is that a few that I have come in contact with seem to have two folders...the fine art folder and the folder that contains the normal (in most cases above average). The fine art folder gets their heavy artistic (PS) enhancements and the other folder may show the extent or the whole day...Interesting model..or workflow!

Really, Anne...thank you for your post...it did little for the futherance of this forum. Im in St louis and do get some seminars...others however in remote areas may glean from such a post!

Greetings, with all the celebrity type wedding shooters...Ascough, Pfister,

Celentano, Yervant, Busincik etc...and if you've attended their seminars...How

many images do they present to the client (i presume via the web) and are they

enhanced. I believe in Pfisters case he edits extensively every image before it

is shown, so I gotta believe that if they're doing that much post editing the

overall # is lower...Any ideas?

what i heard that would be brides booked with various vendors for that day and then once they weren'y or didn't get engaged they cancelled. Wild! I had a 7/7/07 but then they split. So 7/7/07 will be quiet! No worries...will have some quality family time. Interesting, 2008 seems to be a very good year. Bookings are very ahead of schedule.

i use to do my albums from scratch, just photoshop....and then came Yervants PG. It saves me tons of time. As the others have stated, I still tweek the PSD's, but as artist, that should be expected. I truly love the interface of Page Gallery. My time for album creation is quite lower now.

Kosta, last Saturday I had a very dark reception hall. Dark walls, dark ceiling and glass on the sides! I used my on camera 580 tilted at 45degrees with the white tab extended. I got great results from 2-15 feet. I use the flash in maual mode but could have gone with ETTL as well. The attached image was shotwith the 580 on camera. f5.6, 1/60, 800iso, 28-75Tamron at 54mm. I exposed for the Arch and filled them in with the flash. Most all my cake shots are done in the same manner stated above...the white tab I guess will act as your white ceiling as Jerry mentioned.<div></div>