Tag Archive for: ideas

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Wedding Albums – The Best Way to Commemorate Your Big Day

 

 

Why a Wedding Album is the Best Way to Commemorate Your Big Day

You’re planning to tie the knot with the most awesome person in the world, and you’ve found your perfect wedding photographer and are about to select your ideal package. A wedding album isn’t part of the bundle, and you’re debating whether your budget can shoulder one.

The short answer is: it should. The short reason is: your wedding photographs deserve a place to call home. Here are five other reasons why an album is the perfect choice of wedding memorabilia to commemorate your big day.

10x10 deluxe album

Seeing your wedding day come to an end is a bittersweet moment. You’re now married, which is great but also aching to relive your favourite moments – how many can you honesty remember?

Scrolling through photos on your phone, tablet, or desktop doesn’t do the essence of your Big Day any justice. While handy, there’s something a little disconnected about accessing memories through a USB drive or logging into an online gallery.

On the other hand, there is something unique about the high-quality feel, look, and scent of a freshly-printed wedding album. A book is unique only to you and your partner, and something you can fondly reminisce about page by page.

There is nothing quite like the heart of a leather, wood, or vinyl-bound album that captures some of your most significant life events.

A3 custom album

Commemorate Your Big Day with an album

Reason 1 – You’ll Have Something to Share with Family and Friends

While you can look back on memories with friends and family through a digital slideshow, there is something homey about being able to lay an album flat on the table, crowding over your favourite moments.

Thick album

Reason 2 – It Tells a Story

You can put the “fairy tale” in “fairy tale wedding” with a storybook of your best memories. From knotting your hair into an updo and slathering on layers of waterproof makeup to survive an inevitable waterfall of tears to walking down the aisle and dipping a cheeky finger into cake icing, you can relive your Big Day as if it were right in front of you.

While you can arrange and print a photo book yourself, your photographer should be more than equipped to position and layout your photographs with a thoughtful eye. Not to mention, there is nothing more magical than the surprise that comes with turning every page.

The quality of photobook developers available to professionals also blow the cheaper options out of the water.

Album cover

Reason 3 – It’s Something to Treasure

Something about having to keep a wedding remembrance safe and secure is what makes it precious. It’ll travel with you throughout generations and can even make for a heartwarming display over your fireplace mantle or bedside table. You can pass the book onto your children, much like a visual memoir.

Inside book

Reason 4 – It Makes for a Unique Wedding Gift

If you have room in your budget to print miniature albums for friends and family, it’ll be an excellent way for them to relive their cherished moments with you and your partner.

Guests enjoying themselves

From saying yes to the dress to the ring on your finger, planning a wedding takes months—or years!—and in the blink of an eye, it’s over. With a wedding album, you can  commemorate your big day and revisit every minute as if it were only yesterday.

Document your joy with Sven Studios, the best Australian wedding photographer. Our photography packages are entirely customisable and make their way home to you in the form of high-quality art prints and coffee table albums.

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3 Proposal Photography Tips to Capture the Moment

  • Engagement ring

 

Proposal Photography Tips

Photos are all about capturing perfect moments. They freeze time in place for you to recollect on the past, conjuring memories and emotions that you can look back on. Whether of your firstborn child or you graduating from school, these pictures are often priceless.

Because these photos are so valuable, you would want to ensure that they are the best they can be, especially for important milestones, like a marriage proposal. If you need help to capture the perfect surprise proposal photo, here are some proposal photography tips to keep in mind.

Capture Unforgettable Moments with These 3 Proposal Photography Tips

Plan the Perfect Proposal

Planning is key to success. While you can get away with doing everything last minute, you can get the best results if you take the time to plan. Go over as many aspects of the proposal as possible. This includes getting the ring, finding the right location for the proposal, and thinking of what you want to say when you finally do it. If you want the picture to be professional and high-quality, consider planning to hire a professional photographer as well.

Time it! Find a spot that’s memoriable and at the right time of day too! A cliff face might seem awesome, but your photos won’t look nearly as good in the middle of the day as they would during the golden hour. Your partner would appreciate the timing as more romantic too.

Mt Lofty Botanic Gardens Proposal

Find The Right Professional Photographer

Speaking of professional photographers, you should try to find a photographer that is knowledgeable of the area, allowing them to position themselves strategically and snap stunning photos. Don’t be afraid to have your favourite photographer travel to your favourite spot too! Every phtoographer’s style is different, so if you love one’s specific work, hire them! Even if they live on the other side of the world!

Of course this wouldnt be cheap, but photographers are always keen on shooting destination weddings or engagements!

Once you find a photographer, be sure to share your plans. This can include the location where you are going to propose, the time you are going to show up, and the signals you will give them to show that you are “ready” to propose. This can help the photographer prepare themselves for the picture-perfect moment.

Engagement

Identify the location for Your Proposal

As far as proposal photography tips are concerned, selecting a perfect location is a vital aspect of your plan for many reasons. First, different locations will have different aesthetics, meaning your pictures will look different in different areas. Second, it will affect how “secret” a photographer can be.

For instance, if you are planning to propose in a busy area, your photographer will be able to easily blend in. On the other hand, if you want to propose somewhere else more peaceful, such as a park, the photographer will have to work a little harder to stay discreet. I like to hide in tees 🙂

One Tree Hill Engagement shoot

Proposals can be an exciting but nerve-wracking moment in your life. Its success will hinge on not only your partner’s response but also how good your photographer is. With that said, try to stick to your plans as much as possible, but do not be afraid to wing it if needed.

If you are working with an experienced photographer, they will always be at the ready to capture the beautiful moment. Whether you get down on your knees and fully recite what you want to say or stumble around clumsily due to your nerves, a professional photographer will ensure that they capture the most beautiful moments on camera. They will freeze this momentous moment in time so that you and your loved one can cherish the experience and memory forever.

SvenStudios offers professional wedding photography solutions, videography, and more to help you immortalise unforgettable moments. If you are looking for engagement photographers to capture your surprise proposal, and give you more proposal photography tips, work with us today!

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3 Reasons Not to Make a Wedding Photographer Shot List

Don’t Make a Wedding Photographer Shot List

During the wedding planning, many couples do not know how to deal with wedding photographers. Having a professional cameraman running about taking photos on the most nerve wrecking day of your life is not something people do very often! This leads to a lot of Google searching and perhaps even asking family and friends who may know what to do in this unusual situation. While that is all well and good, advice can be a little behind the times.

One tip that is usually found handy is to provide a shot list for the wedding photographer. A wedding photographer shot list is exactly what it sounds like—a definitive list of shots the photographer must take before, during and after the wedding. However, that could put a lot of unnecessary pressure on the photographer, and on you. 

Wedding photography can vary on the day itself given a number of reasons, such as the high probability that you and your spouse will likely be pulled in multiple directions. 

Amongst the tall trees at Idyll & Co 2

With that said, a wedding photographer shot list may not be a good idea. Here are three reasons not to give your wedding photographer a shot list:

3 Reasons Not to Make a Wedding Photographer Shot List

  • It implies a lack of trust

If you’ve already booked a photographer, then you’ve already shown you trust them. After all, you had to go through a rather tedious process of research to find a photographer you get along with and will take incredible photos. Given all of that, you should not have any need to give this professional any specific directions. 

Embrace the idea that you may not get all the shots you want, but know that you will definitely get the shots you need. Discuss things thoroughly with your photographer and make sure that you both come to an agreement on how each other expects the day to run. Being a little picky on having a few ‘must have photos’ is fine, but micro-managing someone who knows what they are doing just puts a lot of stress on everybody.

Bride and groom holding one another in the undergrowth
  • Weddings vary

There are so many variables during the wedding day. The weather could change, there could be adjustments or changes at the venue, the lighting will shift and more. Even the hair and outfits of the couple can change, whether it’s a last-minute style change or something brought about by wind or the general rush of things. The nature of the COVID-19 Pandemic is an excellent example of how things can change quickly!

Even if you put together all the elements to shoot a copy of the ideal images you spotted on Pinterest, something will be different. If your photographer has a shot list, they may focus on getting the exact shots you’d like instead of managing to capture a lovely candid moment which they would know will work based on their own experience and ability with the camera.

Thorngrove Manor wedding couple
  • Precious time gets wasted

More often than not, wedding photographer shot lists include photos that have to be staged. Considering how weddings can essentially move from beginning to end in the blink of an eye, that’s tricky. Even if it’s just a matter of standing a certain way at a certain spot, setting up the shot can take time. This takes away not just from your photographer’s capability to follow the day’s actions as they happen in a timely manner, but also your time within the day itself that could be better spent on other aspects.

Lightning wedding photo

While a wedding photgorapher shot list may seem like a good idea in theory, in the long run, it actually is not. Your photographer most certainly knows what they’re doing. More than anything, make sure to have a good sit-down talk with your photographer so things can go as smoothly as possible.

This isn’t to say that you should not make a list of certain photos you’d like taken – like for example a list of family photos. But try not to drown your photographer with photos you’ve seen elseware and say you want them done the same way – just with your faces in them. 🙂

For reliable, top-notch wedding photography, contact Sven Studios today! Nothing brings us more satisfaction than capturing precious moments.

 

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Amani’s First Birthday Photoshoot

I was lucky enough to head out to the local Pimpala Conservation Reserve, just behind the Woodcroft Shopping center to meet little Amani and his family for his first birthday photoshoot!

We opted to head out later in the afternoon so that the sun was lower in the sky and we were able to make the most of the amazing light that filters through the trees at this time of day!

Amani was a very well behaved little boy, and together with his enthiusiactic family, we managed to not only take some lovely shots of him by himself, but also group photos and even individual portraits of everyone there.

It was a lovely afternoon for this fun little first birthday photoshoot and I hope they enjoy their delightful family photography!

mummy cuddles under the sun
Family photography in the long grass
Making Amani smile
mum walking with bub
having fun during his photoshoot
Family walking through reserve
Amani sitting in the gum trees
hugs under the sun
first birthday photoshoot in the grass
Lifting up Amani
Smiles on baby bub
Family photo under the sun in the long grass
Hugs on the ground
Amani’s first birthday photoshoot
Holding one another in the sun
Mum lifting baby up
Portrait in the sun
Dancing with Amani
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Selecting a Wedding Photographer – The Best Questions to ask

Engagement ring in pink flowers

Selecting a Wedding Photographer

Every step of the wedding planning process can be a daunting one. From saying yes to the dress to building your bouquet, selecting a wedding photographer is yet another task you’ll want to get perfect. You only get one shot at capturing a gone-too-soon flurry of memories, and you won’t want to regret the outcome. As a wedding photographer, I may be a bit biased but selecting a wedding photographer is possibly the most important selection you make besides your wedding venue.

The Best Questions to ask when Selecting a Wedding Photographer

Shopping for a wedding photographer who suits your budget, aesthetic, and schedule is challenging. After narrowing down your shortlist of contenders, don’t forget to ask yourself the following questions.

Mum with the money

Are wedding photos worth it?

The value of professional wedding photography ultimately depends on personal preference and circumstance. If having high-quality, memorable photos of your wedding day is important to you, then investing in a professional photographer may be worth it. On the other hand, if you don’t place as much importance on photography or have a limited budget, you may not need to prioritize it.

Consider how you plan to use the photos after the wedding. If you envision displaying them prominently in your home or sharing them with friends and family, investing in a professional photographer may be worth the cost. However, if you think the photos may only end up on a USB drive and rarely seen, you may want to reconsider the expense.

Bride and groom on crozier street

It’s also worth considering how important appearances are to you in your social circles. If you want to ensure you look your best in your wedding photos, hiring a professional photographer who can make you feel comfortable and confident in front of the camera may be worth the investment.

Ultimately, whether or not professional wedding photography is worth it depends on your personal priorities and circumstances. Consider your budget, your desired outcome for the photos, and how important the photos are to you before making a decision.

In amongst the trees 2

How much do top wedding photographers charge?

As a rule of thumb, you’ll want to select your wedding photographer amongst the first 3 suppliers as soon as possible. The other two being your venue and celebrant – and perhaps your videographer. The best wedding photographers book out at least a year in advance and if you love their work it’s best to lock them in as soon as you have made your choice.

An average wedding photographer in Adelaide, Australia according to the annual Easy Weddings survey of bridal couples is just shy of $3000, so pricing of photographers should be around, or just above that figure for someone who truely knows what they are doing and who you can trust.

Thera, Santorini Wedding

How Long Do I Need My Photographer for?

The duration you need a photographer for depends on your specific needs and preferences. Some photographers offer whole-day packages, while others offer more affordable hourly services.

Consider which events you want to be documented, such as the wedding ceremony, reception, and any pre-wedding preparations. If you want a comprehensive visual record of your special day, it may be best to opt for a whole-day package that includes coverage of all events.

Closeup of groom’s watch

If you want your wedding album to tell a complete story, including the lead-up to the ceremony and the reception, then having a photographer with you all day may be the best option. This allows them to capture every aspect of your wedding and create a cohesive visual narrative that tells the story of your special day.

Another benefit of having a photographer with you all day is that they have more time to get to know you and your personalities, which can result in more personalized and meaningful photos. If you’re worried about feeling uncomfortable in front of the camera, consider scheduling an engagement shoot with your photographer beforehand. This can help you feel more relaxed and comfortable in front of the camera on your wedding day.

Ultimately, the duration you need a photographer for depends on your priorities and budget. Consider which events you want to be documented, how comprehensive you want your wedding album to be, and how much you’re willing to spend before making a decision.

Bridal exit under bubbles

How Comfortable Are My Partner and I With Being Photographed?

Some couples will hire a wedding photographer simply because it’s custom to do so. If you’re camera-shy, having a photographer hover around you all day might take away from the overall experience of becoming a newlywed even though a good candid and natural wedding photographer will do their best to become invisible during the day.

Laughing in the vines

On the other end of the spectrum, some couples love being photographed and might even consider an engagement shoot. Which category do you and your loved one fall under?

This all being said however, If I had a dollar every time I heard that a couple is not good in front of a camera I’d probably be on a yacht in the bahamas somewhere.. The trick to taking nice candid photographs is simply having the couple do something while you’re taking your photos.

Bride and groom on Maslins Beach

What Other Products Do I Want from My Photographer?

Nowadays, wedding photographers offer more than just their service. They’ll also print your photos in an album, provide a photo booth for guests, produce wall art, or even offer hybrid shooting where they also produce a short highlight video so you save money on a separate videographer.

Think about what products you must have versus those that are merely nice to have. Alternatively, you might be entirely satisfied to receive a digital copy of your photos—nothing extra. Selecting a wedding photographer that offers exactly what you want is important. You don’t want to be stuck with albums or prints you’d never use, but it’s also important to select a wedding phtoographer that do offer such things as an option.

Digital Deluxe Album

Have I Received Any Recommendations?

If a married friend is suggesting their previous photographer, it’ll likely be for a good reason. Look into their portfolio and give them a call—you might even get a discount thanks to the friend referral.

Make sure they suit your own personal style though. Plenty of people opt to have a photographer that shoots in a current ‘trendy’ way that may age or rub you the wrong way to look at. You have to remember that these photos you’re having taken need to speak to your own personal style and allow them to store your memories in a way you’d want to look at them

Out on pride rock

How do I look good in wedding photos?

Looking good in wedding photos is a common concern for many couples. While every wedding photographer is unique in their methods and aesthetic, there are some general tips that can help you look your best in your wedding photos.

First and foremost, it’s important to feel comfortable and confident in front of the camera. If you’re feeling nervous or self-conscious, it may show in your photos. One way to feel more at ease is to practice posing and expressions beforehand. You can also schedule an engagement shoot with your photographer to get more comfortable in front of the camera.

Laughing bride in weeping willows

Another tip is to pay attention to your posture and body language. Stand up straight, keep your shoulders back, and relax your arms at your sides. Avoid slouching or crossing your arms, which can make you look tense or defensive in photos.

Makeup and hair styling can also make a big difference in how you look in photos. Consider hiring a professional makeup artist and hairstylist to ensure you look your best on your wedding day.

Putting on Makeup in car at SC Pannell Winery

Finally, communicate your preferences and vision for your photos when selecting a wedding photographer. Do you prefer candid shots or posed photos? Are you looking for a vintage or editorial style? Your photographer can adjust their techniques and approach to meet your preferences and ensure you get the photos you want. Be sure you compare what you’d like with your potential photographer’s portfolio of previous work.

Remember, the most important thing is to enjoy your special day and be yourself. If you’re relaxed, happy, and comfortable, it will show in your photos and help you look your best.

bride looking out windows

While reliving your Big Day in your head might bring about nostalgic feelings, being able to reminisce over a collection of photos provides a different experience. Don’t rush your decision when it comes to selecting your wedding photographer, the memories will last you a lifetime and the process of selecting a wedding photographer will allow you to hold onto those memories in exactly the way you want.

At SvenStudios, we capture every moment of your Big Day with passion, romance, and joy. We are consistantly rated as some of the top wedding photographers in Australia and our packages come full of value. Keen to travel anywhere too, so when selecting a wedding photographer, keep us in mind!