jenni k. - vancouver, b.c.

<p>Nikon D300s<br>

ISO 400, 17mm f2.8, 1/60th sec shutter</p><div></div>

<p>Those Jimmy Choo's are the 'it' shoe of this wedding season... one of my brides had them too and I see them on sooo many blogs!<br>

It was all about the groom's shoes at this wedding, a sweet pair of Salvatore Ferragamo's... the bride had a teensy bit of 'shoe envy' indeed...</p><div></div>

<p>I use showmyphotos.ca<br>

I'm really happy with them. My last gallery provider never paid out on time, showmyphotos does a great job in this regard. Rob is a HUGE help in getting things set up. It's a free service, just adjust your print pricing to cover the commission. You can design your own banner to correspond with your overall web design/look.<br>

I do my own print fulfillment however, so I can't speak to that. I use Technicare (they have labs in across Western Canada) and a regular shipping program as well if you aren't close to a location. I think Technicare may even offer an online proofing system? Not sure...</p>

 

<p>We all know we're there, one foot in the grave.<br>

But it's always good to network as much as you can with other local photographers... truly have a web of people you can reach out to in a real emergency. They'll help you get the word out... we all understand the necessity of this.<br>

Things can happen in an instant. Last year I was 1 block from bride's prep location and a motorcyclist hit my vehicle at high speed. I was 45 mins early, dealt with the accident and made it on time. (My mental state, another story but only I knew that) It reminded me that things beyond our control can happen when you least expect it. What if I had been hit head-on by another car?<br>

Have a wide net of contacts. Know how to put it in play quickly. Work out the details afterwards. We all understand.</p>

<p>I have to disagree here... I used FB advertising during the high traffic browsing months and so far have booked about 7 weddings directly thanks to my FB ad.</p>

<p>Congrats, there's a beautiful photo everywhere you look. I shot a wedding in the Tuscany region last year, in the small town of Poppi. I arrived 2 days before the wedding and did a walk around the area we'd be shooting in... but really, just go for a wander with the b&g, see what you find... there will be lots! Italians have an afternoon 'siesta' time when everything shuts down and the streets are quiet... perhaps not in somewhere more touristy like Siena, but I found it a great time to shoot and have wide open, empty streetscapes.<br>

Enjoy the food & wine too :)<br>

Ciao!</p>

 

<p>Hi everyone,<br /> Bob's unfortunate incident got me thinking about my own from last weekend... so I put this to you all as a 'What would you do?' but also, something to consider as it relates to your own business...</p>

<p>I was involved in an accident last weekend on my way to the wedding. I was 1 block from the bride's prep location making a 3 point turn on a quiet residential street when a motorcylist on one of those sport bikes flew out of nowhere at high speed and hit my vehicle. He was badly injured, and I called 911, gave my statement to the paramedics and emergency services when they arrived. Thankfully, an injury, as horrific as it was, was so much better than any alternative.</p>

<p>Now, I was 45 minutes early, as I always am (lots of bridges and traffic problems here, and I'm paranoid about lateness!) and I was still on time after dealing with the accident. I suppressed my feelings and carried on to shoot the wedding... telling nobody what had happened, or I would have fallen apart.</p>

<p>Not sure if I will ever tell the bride what occured just before my arrival that morning... although my vehicle damage was quite apparent, and I feel I should perhaps mention that it's not normally my thing to drive a smashed up vehicle with blood on the bumper to a wedding, and they definitely noticed, I followed them to the ceremony. Would you tell them? (After they express their happiness with the outcome of course!) So many people are telling me how impressed they are that I was able to carry on after witnessing such an event... but my commitment is that if I'm physically capable, I'm there no matter what, and physically capable I was! The show must go on.<br /> Thoughts?</p>

<p>Try new locations, or look at a familiar location in a different way. I shoot engagement photos as a popular spot pretty often and for the last one we walked a different route than the one I usually take and the images are far and away my favourite of the season. I'm usually equipped with my standard 'poses' but other than that I let my imagination go with the surroundings.</p>

<p>Thank-you, these answers have helped quite a bit. I do feel it's appropriate to acknowledge this... and I will do so by a note card in the mail.<br>

To give some more details... this is a MOB I booked with in place of the bride who lives in another province. The ceremony was outdoors with a VERY casual officiant, as the majority of my ceremonies are. The only rule is not to place a lens between the couple & the officiant, really, it's very, very relaxed.<br>

Said complain has come from other guests, not the MOB. I of course would NEVER block the view of those in the front row... not to negate the importance of any guest, but this complaint stems from guests a few rows back, which is where I spend the majority of my time, crouching when not shooting.<br>

Anyway, as I said, I feel it's important to acknowledge it... but by no means will I make apologies, I do my job to please the clients with their images first and foremost... nor would I refund any fees for a job that has been completed to the utmost satisfaction of the bride. This wedding was in June, I met with the bride for a review of my work, she is thrilled. MOB isn't asking for anything, it was more of an "FYI, this is how I feel" e-mail.<br>

I agree, this situation can be amended by a simple note, then at least she can't say I was in the way AND ignored her correspondance.</p>

<p> </p>

<p>no kidding... last year I asked a bride to sit on a huge Vancouver beach log, she did, and I realized my toe was under there... crunched, toenail ripped, bleeding profusely... I said a few nasty words IN MY HEAD and carried on until I could clean it up...</p>

<p>I have a mother-of-bride who sent me an e-mail to voice her opinion that I didn't do a satisfactory job staying out of the way during the ceremony. (I disagree, but that's beside the point)<br /> This is the first time in 5 years that I've had any negative feedback, so yeah, it stings. <br /> My question is simply this; do I reply with an apology? An explanation? Or do I just chalk it up to someone who just needed to tell me how she felt, and let it go unanswered? <br /> What would you do?</p>

<p>I agree, their website is great. I used to be in the area, still have friends that shoot there. I think the light is good, it's very grand, lots of wide angle opportunities!</p>

<p>I booked eight weddings for 2009 as a direct result of facebook advertising. Add to that the handful of referrals from past clients who post their (watermarked) images... facebook is a powerful marketing force with better results than I've ever had from wedding shows or print ads.</p>

<p> </p>

<p>When I stop liking weddings, I'll stop shooting them.<br>

I'm from Canada, we use neither y'all or yous' guys (ugh). But we use another certain word a lot, eh?</p>

<p>What Marc said, a few posts up from here.<br>

I bring a list of VIP's so nobody is forgotten in the formals.<br>

I bring a list of 'poses' I like to use as my stand-by's. I only pull it out if I'm feeling a little uninspired by the surroundings, as a way to ensure some creative images in an otherwise boring location. I use the term 'poses' very loosley btw.<br>

I don't have setting cheat sheets unless I'm specifically trying something new because we've got an excessive amount of time for photos and the couple is cool with some experimentation.<br>

Hope you all are enjoying your season so far!</p>

<p>Hi Nicola,<br>

I'm using them now... just switched from another company. I don't have a lot of online sales, so I liked the no fees thing. Their service is great (so far) but I haven't had any orders yet so I odn't know how they are in that respect. But definitely impressed by their service thus far!</p>

<p>Well, I love my shoes... and I like to wear heels most of the time. Check these out, I swear by them:<br>

http://www.sofftshoe.com<br>

I can shoot for 10 hours and still walk (not limp) to my car... I have a pair of wedge heels... and they're quiet too.<br>

For shorter days I have a pair of Rockport heeled sandals that are a close 2nd.</p>

 

<p>You're off to a good start. I won't comment on the metering but rather a small detail, your model really needs some lipstick :)<br>

Keep it up!</p>

<p>one more...</p><div></div>

<p>another...</p><div></div>

<p>Sorry, I couldn't pick just one either...</p><div></div>

<p>Destination wedding May 8, '08 in Poppi, Italy. Nikon D200, 24-70mm f2.8<br>

B&G returning to reception leading a honking line of cars from the ceremony out of town and up to the villas. There's actually a driver in this car, his head is behind the groom. I chose the spot and went ahead to wait so the red poppies would be in this series of images.<br>

I don't recall my settings but the only post- adjustment is a slight bump in contrast.<br>

Happy 2009 everybody!</p>

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<p>To George's list of things we 'are' I add my own... make-up artist, hairstylist and seamstress, when things go off the rails it's these little things that can keep a bride from losing her cool... worth putting my camera down for a few minutes.</p>

<p>As for (business) inspiration, I assisted for and eventually worked with a wonderful photographer who taught me the importance of fabulous customer service... it's what sets me apart from my competition in many circumstances.</p>

<p>What C Jo said...<br>

I added $500 onto my basic package price... now the disc is 'included' but really it's been paid for to accommodate my average print sale that is lost.<br>

Nobody blinks an eye. When I moved here and wasn't offering the disc, I had trouble with bookings. btw, my pkg with disc is $2200.</p>

<p> </p>

Great topic.

 

I had a wedding in August that the father of the groom did not attend the ceremony, but left the hospital to attend the reception. He was dying of cancer. I carefully chose which images made it into the proofs... only ones where he was smiling, looking very happy, etc. He passed 2 weeks later. Right after the wedding, the groom contacted me about having a 4x6 printed, so his dad could have it in the hospital room. I printed 5 different ones, and sent them gratis... the couple was so grateful.

 

In a few weeks I have a wedding where the groom's father has very recently passed. I didn't think about the implications this may bring... so I will ask. Thanks for jogging my memory on this subject.