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The Importance of a Photo Schedule on Your Wedding Day

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  • Bride and groom silhouette

 

Having a Photo Schedule on Your Wedding Day

Weddings are hectic affairs. You spend months and months preparing every detail like picking out the perfect dress and suit, decorating a venue, and sorting out a seating chart. When the wedding day finally arrives, it all whizzes by in a flash. Having a photo schedule on your wedding day will help certain ‘must capture’ events be remembered in your album.

There are so many things that have to fall into place in the span of a few hours. If even one element is late, it throws the entire day off. You will need to go from dressing up, getting to the venue on time, having the ceremony, and then entertaining guests at the reception. Somewhere in between, you will have dozens of precious moments with family and friends that you will want your wedding photographer to capture.

Wedding photographers are experts at observing events as they unfold and figuring out the best moments to capture. However, they can only be at certain places at once. The thing with modern, journalistic wedding photography is that they can’t ask you to repeat the moment because they got the angle wrong or the lighting was off. They have to work within the situation in front of them, timing included.

If you don’t want your photographer to miss out on anything during your wedding day, it’s best to take a small amount of planning time to make a deliberate effort to plan certain photos you’d like to have taken. You may have a general schedule of the major events, but getting down to the details such as having specific call times for bridal parties, setting aside an hour after the ceremony for intimate couple portraits, and making sure there are ample opportunities for group photos during the reception.

Having a photo schedule on your wedding day is an excellent way to ensure that you, your bridal party members, and your guests are camera ready at the critical moments. Modern wedding photography is all about ‘capturing the moment’ so to speak, so having a photo schedule on your wedding day seems a little counter-intuitive to that – however the idea still has merit when you’ve got your heart set on a certain type of photo, or specific setup you MUST have.

The Importance of a Photo Schedule on Your Wedding Day

If you are in the middle of planning your wedding day, these are the reasons why having a photography schedule is important:

You will want to take preparation photos

These will be your last moments as a ‘single’ man or woman. This will also be the last time your family will have you all to themselves. Taking the time to capture some candid photos as you prepare for the most significant moment of your life is something a lot of people feel as though isnt important; however when considering your album as a story of your day, it’s a wonderful opener, leading into the rest of the story of the day.

Also, having your photographer document your preparation is a great way to warm up to the big event, and get used to having a camera around all the time.

Bride looking out window

You will be surrounded by family and friends that you don’t see often

Your wedding may be the only occasion to bring all your friends and family together in one place. There are only a few other moments in your life when you will get to have them all in the same place celebrating a happy occasion. You will want to make sure you have keepsakes of your time together, so having a photo schedule on your wedding day will help capture everyone there.

bridal party peeking through window

You will need as much natural light as possible

The timing of your photoshoot is especially important if you plan on shooting outdoors. If you are going to have individual shots or your newlywed photos in a garden or a beach, you will need to make sure you go at the right hour, so you have enough sunlight for your photographer to work with.

Semaphore Beach Sunset

The unexpected can happen

As much as you want everything to go smoothly, things may not always go according to plan – in fact chances are they won’t. Unfortunate things can happen, like getting caught in a traffic jam between your hotel or the venue, or there might be a hiccup with the venue. Having a schedule will get you back on track even if you have to push some things back a bit.

Having a photo schedule on your wedding day is simply a way to list things that you need to happen on your big day – so if you need to rearrange things, it’s right there in front of you so you don’t forget.

Laughing

You can relax and focus on other things

With a schedule to guide everything, your MC can corral the photography crew into the right position to save time. You don’t need to be anxious thinking about whether you got a chance to pose with your grandparents, your university friends, or your colleagues from school. You can leave your worries behind and focus on wearing your most radiant smile instead.

Fun in the sun

You can never go wrong by taking a few extra steps in planning – even if it’s a very simple list of things that *must* be done. Wedding photography doesn’t get a do-over, so it is vital to control as much of the frenzy as possible. Your wedding photographer will work their magic, but only if you point them in the right direction.

Are you looking for wedding photography services? Our team of professionals will help you so you can look back on all the precious memories of your perfect wedding. Contact us today!

7 Tips for Choosing the Right Outfit for Family Photos

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  • Little Family :)

 

Choosing the Right Outfit for Family Photos

Taking photographs is a great way to capture meaningful moments and events in your life. If you and your family are scheduled for a family photoshoot, you want to ensure that everybody looks their best.

To ensure this, one of the things that you should pay close attention to are the outfits each of you wears. You can be surprised at how a single outfit can easily make or break the entire photo—which why it’s crucial to ensure that everybody is wearing the right outfit.

7 Tips for Choosing the Right Outfit for Family Photos

To help you pick out the right clothes, here are some tips for choosing the right outfit:

Skip the Matching Outfits—Colour Coordinate Instead

Matching outfits were once a novel idea, but they’re a thing of the past now. Today, it’s all about coordinating the colours of each family member’s outfits—which actually make photos a lot easier on the eyes. Aside from this, the colours will also let every personality in your family shine. To properly pull a family photoshoot off, decide on a colour scheme before you have your photos taken.

Duncan Family

Take It Easy On the Patterns

Too many patterns on an outfit can be distracting, especially in a photo—which is why it’s best to keep the patterns to a minimum. A good idea would be to choose just one particularly fun pattern or style for your family’s outfits; that way it will be easier for everyone to pick out coordinating colours. Makes things much easier on everyone to choose the right outfit for themselves.

Family photographer Adelaide

Always Plan Ahead

When the family has agreed to take a family photo and have finally booked a session, it’s now time to sit down and plan the shoot as well. Think about what to wear and what type of photos you want to come out of it. That way, everybody will be on the same page, thus allowing the photoshoot to run smoothly.

Walking together as a family

Think About the Background

If you will be using specific backdrops for the photo, then keep it in mind when picking out what to wear. You don’t want to clash horrendously with the background, or even worse, match with it! If you’re doing the shoot at a studio, then you can talk to the photographer ahead of time to discuss what type and colour of the backdrop will be used. This will help you plan out your outfits with your family accordingly.

Above the duck pond

Consider the Texture

Keep in mind that photos are static, which means that to generate interest, there needs to be eye-catching elements to make your photos look alive. You can do this by considering the textures of your clothing. Through it, your photos can depict subtle movement that will help make it come alive.

Proud Grandpa

Avoid Stripes altogether

When it comes to photos, wearing outfits that feature horizontal stripes by conventional wisdom be avoided! It’s an old wives tale that horizontal stripes can make you look wider in photos, which is why traditionally vertical stripes are preferred, as they are supposed to make you look more slender while outlining the curves of your body.

However this supposed illusion has been debunked by numerous studies and really just comes down to an individual person’s style and confidence in wearing any particular outfit. So when choosing the right outfit for you, simply consider wheather or not you like it or not – not if there’s any stripes or such nonsense.

Wear Outfits With Flattering Necklines

V-shaped necklines or a scoop neck tends to look good on a lot of people. Choose a flattering neckline that will make your outfit look better while suiting your body perfectly in photos.

Little Family 🙂

 

Choosing the right outfit to wear for a family photoshoot may be quite daunting, as everyone has different styles. By following these tips, you can make the shoot run smoother, while simultaneously giving you beautiful photos that you can look back on with fondness. Happy to get in touch if you’re planning on having some family photography done!

 

4 Tips for taking group photos at a wedding

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  • Drone group shot at Ekhidna WInes

Taking group photos at a wedding

No matter how unique you plan your wedding ceremony to be, you’re more than likely still going to dedicate some time taking group photos at a wedding. That will ensure that you have photos of friends and families aside from the other parts of your wedding as a record of who attended years down the track.

Taking group photos at a wedding would have to be one of the traditions during a wedding that just cannot be overlooked – no matter how tedious it sometimes can be!

Bridal group

4 Tips for taking group photos at a wedding

Even though a group photo session might seem simple, planning is vital to ensure its success and to make sure it doesnt eat up too much time on your wedding day. Here are a few tips to keep in mind to take the best group photos.

  1. Keep it small

Taking group photos don’t have to include everyone at the wedding in one frame. Ideally, there should not be more than around ten individuals per shot. That is because the more people to participate, the longer the time it will take to finish the session. Plus, everyone is going to have a photo of themselves anyways because that’s the photographer’s job.

What I usually like to do on a wedding day as a wedding photographer is take one big group shot of everyone attending – usually using my drone so that it’s a bit of a novelty, and captures everyones attention while taking the photo, and then peeling off for taking group photos in smaller groups.

Group shot
  1. Look for helping hands

Help is always appreciated, especially when you are trying to gather people to take photos. For this reason, do spend some time looking for people who can help. You can ask a family member who most likely knows most of the guests, which means they can get things done a little better.

Your photographer will not know anyone there, so they are usually limited to shouting out names blankly if you’ve given them a list. If you gave a list to someone who is natually good at rounding up people, this process will be done much quicker. I usually say it’s best for your parents to do this job.

Helping Dad get ready
  1. List the shots that you want

Create a list of all the shots you want to take on your group photo session. Doing so will allow you to announce who is coming up next and ensure that those who are going to take multiple pictures do not have to leave so often. For example, if one person were to show up in the first shot and then again four shots later, they might have already disappeared after the first.

It’s often the case that people don’t like having their photos taken in a group like you’re often forced to on a wedding day so they might run off – conveniently be hiding in the toilet, or taking an ‘important’ phone call. Try to have those people you know will try to avoid you have their photos all at once.

A big hint I like to point out is try to organise it so that elderly and children go first so that once they are done with taking group photos, they can go sit or play about. Also have your parents go last! They will be your best hellp in rounding up any groups who have not yet had a photo taken!

When you list the shots and organise properly, you ensure that the time where you’re taking group photos goes smoothly, and no one’s going to be missing.

group photo at Ekhidna Winery
  1. Talk to the photographer

You should always talk about your plans with your photographer. That is because they are the ones with the experience in photo taking and generally know what will work best. For example, if you have a place in mind for the session, tell your photographer about it. They will work with you to set up the area for proper lighting or suggest another place that may be better for the group photos.

If you want some help in this regard, I’d be super keen to have a chat, you only need to ask!

Close up portrait

Group photos on your wedding day can take up a bunch of your precious time if not correctly planned. They require plenty of planning to ensure success, and you will need to put in the effort if you want it to be so.

However, taking group photos on a wedding day generally just can’t be skipped as you’re likely to have family and guests in attendance that would rarely be seen together otherwise.

The photos and the memories you will capture from this will be ones you will cherish for the rest of your life, your group photos will help you remember when Uncle John accidentally tripped on Aunt May’s dress, spilling his champagne everywhere!

Our Tips For Taking Keepsake Family Photos

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  • Our Tips For Taking Keepsake Family Photos 3

Taking Keepsake Family Photos

Nowadays, almost everyone’s phone is equipped with a decent camera. People take photos of one another and of themselves at any old time of the day. Candid photos are nice to browse through every now and then. However, having proper family portraits taken by a professional are excellent keepsakes that you can look back on and pass on to your children and grandchildren.

Tips For Taking Keepsake Family Photos

If you want to capture milestones, take advantage of loved ones being in the same location, or you simply want to immortalize the present moment for future generations, here are few tips you can use to create beautiful family photos:

Hadley and her family

Dress using a similar theme

One way to elevate your family photos from the ordinary candid shots to encourage everyone to dress up a little more than usual. Decide on a color palette that you can all agree on. Be careful to choose muted, non-distracting colors that will flatter everyone’s skin tones. You don’t need to dress up in costumes or wacky attire, but rather give everyone some loose guidelines like wearing denim, or outfits in predominantly cream or light blue colors.

Family photographer Adelaide

 

Go natural

You and your family’s future generations will look back on your photos and will want to know all about you. Make it a point to look like yourselves, wearing your usual style of clothing and only a light layer of makeup. Avoid trying a new hairstyle in the week or a few days prior to your portrait session. You might end up with something you regret, and the way you look in that moment will be immortalized forever.

Little Family 🙂

Choose a photographer you are comfortable with

Professionals experienced in taking family photos will put you and your group at ease during your photography session. You may want to choose someone who has experience working with very small children, so they know how to get a good shot even with a fidgety baby in the group. The right kind of photographer will also be able to calm your nerves and elicit laughs and smiles from everyone in the group during the shoot. Be sure to have a chat with your photographer before you agree on services so you can see if they are the right fit for you.

Fussing family

Use levels

Make the photo visually interesting by providing a set-up that has two to three “levels’ all the participants can take turns shifting around on. Put a lower layer, with young children sitting on the floor or grass. Seated in the middle, you can have the head of the family, parents, or any grandparents holding infants. Finally, your top layer can consist of older children and adults standing around the rest of the family.

Duncan Family

Include those who can’t be there

If you have loved ones who can’t be physically present for the photo, there are still ways you can include them in the portrait.

For family members who have passed away, some people like to hold on to a framed photo of them, or even photoshop them in. Others wear a special dress, hat, or accessory that represents their family member. Even if they aren’t present to pose for the photo with you, there are still ways you can pay tribute to them and make them feel they are part of the memory.

Family together

If you are wondering when the best time for family photography is, the answer is: right now. Your children will grow up in a flash, your parents are advancing in age, and commitments may take you or your loved ones far and away from each other. Don’t worry about picking out fancy outfits or posing in front of a fanciful set. Find the right photographer and take your portraits now, so you can keep your memories for a lifetime.

Are you looking for family photography services in Adelaide? We’d be happy to help you capture your family’s special moments. Contact us to learn more and have a chat!

 

 

7 Activities for the Night before Your Wedding

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  • Nightime wedding photo

 

The Night before Your Wedding

The night before your wedding is one of the most nerve-wracking times on a wedding timeline – particularly for the bride. To make sure you are well-rested and glowing on your wedding photos, try to relax and ease your mind the night before. If you feel clueless about how to achieve this recommended ‘state of calm’ and need help finding things to do other than dream up all the horrible things that can possibly go wrong on your big day, here are our recommendations of seven things to do on the night before your wedding:

7 Activities for the Night before Your Wedding

  1. Remain hydrated

If you’re thinking of drinking your favourite glass of wine before your wedding, you might want to think again. Maybe drinking wine will help you feel sleepy and less nervous, but remember the consequences that might come from it. You’ll wake up feeling bloated, get anxiety attacks, look puffy, and might not feel the best. Try to drink a glass of water instead, and drink loads of it – maybe even throw in some vitamin drinks also. Your skin will thank you in the morning, and you’ll feel more refreshed than how you’d feel from alcoholic drinks.

Whiskey
  1. Eat something healthy

This is the night you might want to stop yourself from eating that greasy pizza or your favourite bag of chips. You wouldn’t want to wake up feeling bloated, so do your best to avoid it. Your body needs proper nutrition to stay healthy and to function well, so eat your fresh fruits and whole grains instead. Just be mindful of any past instances where you haven’t felt the best the night after a certain meal and simply stay away from it.

Wedding pizza
  1. Put extra love on your skin

You might have a glam team to make you feel and look beautiful for your wedding, but makeup on good skin will look so much more appealing. it may not be bthe most appropriate saying when talking about faces – but ‘you can’t polish a turd’ :). Make sure to free your face from any makeup and apply your skincare products the night before. Don’t even consider trying new skin products. You wouldn’t want to have breakouts or skin rashes, right? This goes for fake tans also! Often if you’re not the type of person to get a fake tan, it just looks horrible and sometimes stains your dress.

Makeup
  1. Destress

During the past months or years, you’ve been stressing out about your wedding, maybe take the night before your wedding and realise it’s all done and what happens will happen. Consider having a digital detox to help you relax. Staying away from gadgets can help you sleep earlier and better, and it will prevent you from suddenly sending out a last-minute direction-change to your suppliers. Instead of watching online videos or your favourite series, try a more relaxing activity, such as reading a book or a magazine because it can help stop you from overthinking.

Ring Books
  1. Write a love note

As a wedding photographer and vidographer, I love this one! Capturing the emotions of your loved one reading your note makes for a lovely scene. Instead of spending the night worrying or imagining the worst things that can happen, why not take the moment to relive how you and your future partner met? Remind yourself of how much you two have grown, and then, create a short and sweet message to make your partner smile the next morning. This will get your mind off of things that aren’t important, and it will let you focus on what truly matters – your other half.

Reading letter
  1. Pamper yourself

Another thing you can do is to treat yourself. What activities do you like doing? If you like meditating, listening to music, or having a relaxing bath, give yourself some time to do it. You can also invite your bridesmaids and have a relaxed gathering together. Just make sure to not overdo it so that you won’t tire yourselves.

Bridal party on bed
  1. Get a good sleep

Do everything you can to get a good night’s sleep – it’s going to be hard, not many people sleep well before their wedding day, but do your best. Set your alarm, drink a calming tea, make your bed, and put a book by your bedside table. To make you feel even more relaxed, set an appointment and get a body massage. Remember that you need enough rest so that you can fully enjoy the long day ahead.

romantic bed

The night before your wedding is traditionally the last night you have for yourself, so try to make the most of your time. On the following days, you’ll have a life partner to join you in enjoying every moment!

If you are looking for a professional wedding photographer in Adelaide to capture your wedding, get in touch with us today to see how we can help!