Tag Archive for: tips

A Professional Wedding Photographer’s Advice to Every Couple

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A Wedding Photographer’s Advice to Every Couple

Every couple should make sure they have done all the research to ensure their big day’s success. Look up the do’s and don’ts and the must-have lists, so you don’t miss any essential details in your wedding photography, videography and your day in general! While searching online and asking friends can give them good advice, one crucial source they might miss out on is their wedding photographer themself. 

Your wedding phtoographer is bound to be an endless source of wedding information – particularly if they are someone like me who not only loves the idea of being at weddings every weekend, but also the reason why we do what we do at weddings – from historical traditon to modern day convenience or prestige.

This article will enumerate five pieces of advice to every couple that professional wedding photographers want everyone to know about planning their wedding day. 

Family together on wedding day

Advice to Every Couple

1: Let Your Photographer Join You When Making a Shot List

The shot list a crucial document for every wedding. This list includes the wishlist of images that the couple wants captured. While any couple is free to write whatever they want, seeking the photographer’s opinion could result in a better list. 

Wedding photographers have attended and witnessed more weddings than any other likely at attendance at your wedding, so they have a fundamental understanding of the must-haves in wedding photography. Moreover, they are creative, so they could help you develop portrait concepts that are unique and more meaningful. By consulting them, you could ensure that you do not miss any vital shot. 

Try not to go overboard though with your list – the best wedding photographs are always taken using the unique combination of your photographer’s creativity and the circumstances on your day. A list is best for making sure the images you imagine in your minds eye are captured in addition to all the other images your phtogroapher will be taking.

Whats most important though is to make a group shot list so that we do not miss any group photos as your phtoographer will not know anyone in attendance and how any one relates to anyone else.

group photo at Alru Farm wedding

2: Add a “First Look” to Your Shot List

It’s traditonal that that the soon-to-be husband and wife should not see each other until the ceremony. However, if you’re the type opf people not overly beholden to the whole ‘traditonal’ thing, having a “first look” is a nice thing to consider. It is the moment when a couple can have their alone time before the ceremony.

Capturing the raw and intimate moment between asoon to be wedded couple is an excellent memory to keep, letting them enjoy each other’s company before the busy celebration also means they are at their best—less stressed. It also allows for your phtoographer to get a little closer as opposed to being out the front of your wedding congregation for the same emotion-filled shots.

Bridal first look

3: Draft a Timeline 

Aside from the list of group shots, it is imperative to set up a general timeline of your day. Make sure that you and your photographer, along with all your other wedding vendors are aligned.

Backed with their experience, they could help you draft the most efficient and straightforward schedule. They can suggest adjustments to ensure that your wedding would not run behind schedule, even with all the breaks to take photos. Involving them in the planning process guarantees, they do not miss your special photography notes and requests. 

It’s usually the case that when first meeting your wedding photogrrapher they will probably run you through a simple timeline themselves using what they consider, using their own experience to be a good, steady flow of a day.

Wedding dress reflected in mirror

4: Prepare All Props and Keep Them in One Place

Wedding props, such as wedding invitations, bouquets, and wedding rings, are essential elements of your day and you;’ve probably spent hours agonising over them leading up to your day. They should be part of your wedding photography too. Your photographers will be on the lookout for such personal touches on your day, however they are are not mind readers though, so my advice to every couple is that if there is something important that you must have a photo of, feel free to alert them to this fact.

Table settings

5: Only Hire Photographers You Trust

It is usual for couples to want to be hands-on even during the ceremony to make sure their requests are followed, but it defeats the purpose of them enjoying their day. That is why it is important to collaborate with reputed providers—the right caterer, wedding planner, DJ, and so on. If you believe in the talents and capabilities of your wedding crew, then you have nothing to worry about. You would just be surprised by what they can bring to the table.

Bride and Groom in Wellington park

Memories are important and can never be repeated or forgotten. That is why it is essential to have a well-documented wedding day. Wedding photographs have now become one of the most crucial elements in modern weddings. While there is a huge amount that goes into planning a wedding, these simple pieces of advice to every couple might make things a little easier on you. Would love to have a chat about your spoecific day as everyone is different!

For your wedding photography needs, Sven Studios is more than happy to capture beautiful memories on your special day. We provide our clients with professional wedding solutions and capture the best moments of their life in the most natural way possible. Contact us today!

 

7 Important Tips to Achieve the Best Beach Photo Shoot

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  • Beach shot

 

Tips to Achieve the Best Beach Photo Shoot

Wedding beach photo shoots can always go both ways; It can be an excellent experience for everyone involved, especially since you’ll be working with the backdrop of the peaceful waves, and the calming breeze has always been therapeutic, after all. On the other hand, it can also be very stressful, especially if you have to deal with unpredictable weather and other sandy problems. It can be a dream project that can turn sour if everyone isn’t well-prepared. 

For this reason, we have listed down a couple of essential tips to consider before the crew can even begin to hit the shores.

7 Important Tips to Achieve the Best Beach Photo Shoot

When done right, these tips will ensure a great set of photos by the end of the project and minimise the amount of stress that the crew may experience and achieve the best beach photo shoot possible:

  • Conceptualise the Angles before the Photoshoot

You have the location and the wedding theme right in front of you, but what about the angles of the couple? Thinking of something on the spot is just going to make your job harder. Before you can even travel towards the location, conceptualise how you will place the cameras and your crew of photographers. 

Are you going to shoot at a higher angle, or perhaps shoot from the sides? Do you wish to aim the camera high while you’re crouching? These different angles can yield other effects, and they will all determine whether or not the photos will come outright.

A good piece of advise for any spot you’re heading to – not just for a beach photo shoot – is to scout the location befroehand – either in person or online. Google Earth is an incredible resource to scout around before heading to a spot, and it would also be helpful to check out what other photographers have done at the same location.

Penneshaw beach Wedding

  • Look Up the Weather Reports before Going to the Venue

One main adversary that a photography crew has is the weather. It may be sunny today, but no one knows whether or not it will remain that way until tomorrow. Luckily, various weather reports on TV and the internet will tell you whether or not it would be a good idea to proceed with the photo shoot today. 

This is crucial, especially if you’re planning to take pictures by the beachside. You wouldn’t want the bride and groom to be soaked wet once the waves start splashing in. If you want to have a clear day of photo shoots, choose a month with the least amount of storms and pick out a day that you’ll think will not ruin the whole project.

Best way to check on the day for any poor weather is using the radar apps freely available on any smartphone.

All this being said though, depending on how adventurous your bride and groom is, you can get some incredible shots in the rain – on the beach with a storm in the background!

Lightning

  • Pick the Appropriate Shoes for the Occasion

So, you’re planning to shoot on the sand. If that’s the case, you may advise the bride to wear her flats instead of her heels. It is hard enough to try to pose in a tight wedding dress, but it’s much harder to walk on sand if your heels are digging deep enough to plant your feet. 

Even if they’re insisting on wearing their heels, explain the whole situation to them. Let them know that they can wear their heels during the wedding day within the comforts of their wedding venue, but they have to wear their flats on the day of the beach photoshoot unless they are planning on getting stuck on the sand.

Your own shoes is probably something to think about too – I personally always wear dress shoes to a wedding which get destroyed in salty water, so if you have the chance, change to some run about sneakers – or even thongs.

Bride and groom on Maslins Beach

  • Choose the Appropriate Colors for the Photoshoot

If you want the bride and groom to stand out against the sun’s rays and complement their backdrop, you may choose the colours red, fuchsia, and yellow. These may be bright colours, but they will not camouflage the subject of your photos with the brightness of the day.

On a wedding day – naturally most of the time the bride will be wearing white, which really makes for a nice beach vibe, but can be tricky to expose correctly on a sunny day with so many bright, light colours about. Be sure to expose for the white dress first and foremost, despite everything being under exposed – shadows can be brought back with modern camera – but blown out white wedding dresses cannot!

brides on the beach together

  • Choose Activities Instead of Mere Poses

The best thing about beach photo shoots is that they give the photographers a chance to put their creativity into play. The couple may stroll along the shores, swim in shallow waters, and even build sandcastles, so long as they will not end up doing cliche poses that almost all brides and grooms do on their wedding photos. 

If your client wants something unique, suggest this concept to them and feel free to let them know its overall appeal. After all, you are not just taking pictures of people in formal dresses doing typical romantic poses; almost anyone can do that. You are capturing their moments, a segment of their life that separates them from their average days.

Semaphore Beach Sunset

  • Pick Out a Day Where People Aren’t Flocking to the Beach

It’s hard to achieve the perfect shot when the wind and the sun aren’t cooperating with you, but it’s much harder to regulate other people casually strolling in the background. Yes, some modern software will enable you to edit them out in the post-photography stage, but if there are too many of them, it may be time-consuming and useless since too many edits may ruin the whole image. 

Pick out a day when tourists and locals aren’t flocking to the beach for a swim. Don’t schedule your shoots on the weekend; instead, pick out a day in the middle of the week, where people are mostly in their offices. Your client will appreciate your choice, especially since most couples would like to keep their wedding preparations under wraps. This is important, especially if your client is a well-known personality.

Middleton Beach Walkabout

  • Wear Comfortable Clothes for the Photoshoot

The bride and groom may need to be well-dressed for the shoot, but that principle doesn’t apply to the photography crew. The latter is required to dress so that their movements will not be limited while doing their job. Photographers usually have to stand, crouch, lean, sir, and even lay flat at times just to achieve the perfect shot. 

Wearing clothes that may restrict them from doing those positions may be detrimental to their work overall. Encourage your crew to wear light clothes as well, since you are at the beach and wearing layer after layer of fabric may get them dehydrated due to the heat.

Walking along Middleton beach together

Achieving the best beach photo shoot isn’t easy. There is a lot of planning and preparations to be done for the whole project to go smoothly. As a photographer, it’s your job to ensure your clients’ safety, convenience, and privacy. 

If the bride and the groom are comfortable with what they are doing and sincerely happy throughout the whole shoot, they will be able to express more raw emotions that you can capture on the fly. Just be sure to follow the tips above, and you’re on your way to having the best photoshoot ever.

If you’re planning to have your wedding day soon, chances are you are looking for a studio that can provide the best wedding photography in Adelaide. In that case, we at the Sven Studios are at your service. We craft only the most precious memories of your wedding day in a fun and relaxing way. Contact us now so we can discuss more your wedding themes and plans!

 

5 Simple Tips for Getting the Best Wedding Photos

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  • bride and groom in the water

 

Some Tips for Getting the Best Wedding Photos

Your wedding is a once-in-a-lifetime event, which is why it’s important to capture every moment of your special day in the best possible way. Hiring skilled wedding photographers allows you to preserve those memorable moments and share them with future generations. 

Your photographers may have the necessary skills, knowledge, and experience to turn your vision into reality and tell your love story through high-quality images. However, you and your significant other may be unknowingly making mistakes that can ruin the quality of your wedding photos. Try these tips for getting the best wedding photos on your big day!

  5 Effective Tips for Getting the Best Wedding Photos

  • Hide cables, microphones, and speakers

A sound system is essential for your celebrant on your big day, especially during the exchange of wedding vows. Ask the team you hired to set it up discreetly and keep unsightly cables, cords, and speakers out of sight to ensure they are not in your shots. 

Additionally, keeping the sound system out of the way can get tricky at times. This is especially true if they are directly behind you during the ceremony. You can cover them up, so they don’t stand out in your wedding photos. The same tip is useful for things like garbage bins, signs, etc that cannot be moved.

First kiss at Seagrass Long Point Wedding Ceremony
  • Don’t be a director

Professional photographers have years of experience in the industry. You may tell them how you envision your photos, but don’t instruct them how to take them. They know what they are doing, so trust them and let them do what they do best. Just relax, be yourselves, and go with the flow. This way, you can have an enjoyable shooting experience and increase your chances of getting the perfect wedding shots that mirror your love story.

Currant Shed Wedding photo in trees
  • Ask your guests to refrain from using their own equipment to shoot

Did you know that your friends and family members can easily ruin your wedding photos? This dilemma usually happens when their selfie sticks, cameras, phones, and other gadgets hinder your professional photographers from capturing your best photos. 

As a preventive measure, ask your guests to refrain from using their own equipment to shoot during the ceremony. It may disappoint them, but assure them that they can have their photos taken by the professional photographers you hired. This is what’s recently come to be known as an ‘unplugged’ wedding ceremony.

Mobile phone attraction
  • Empty your pockets

Your wedding day is when you supposedly look and feel your best. Don’t let your photos get ruined by a pocket bulge by placing your keys, phone, wallet, and other valuables in a safe area or entrusting them to your trusted friend or family member. This tip is also applicable to your guests, so make sure to ask those with pocket bulges to empty their pockets.

bride and groom amongst the tall pine trees
  • Opt for easy-to-eat meals

Tasty dishes make any celebration more special, but food stains can easily ruin your photos and mood during the wedding. When selecting the meals and refreshments for your big day, go for options that are easy to eat, especially if you are having an outdoor wedding instead of a formal sit-down meal. This way, you can prevent stained outfits and help everyone look pleasant and confident in photos.

Meal

Moments may be fleeting, but you can capture all the sights and sounds during one of the most unforgettable days of your life by immortalising them through photos. Once you have booked your photographers and feel like you are all set for your wedding, make sure to follow the tips for getting the best wedding photos listed above to enjoy having wedding photos you will cherish for years to come.

Enjoy having wedding photos you can treasure forever by hiring SvenStudios. Our experienced wedding photographers help you record your love story and capture your most precious moments through photography. Contact us to book a package today!

 

How to Find the Right Photographer for Your Wedding

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Find the Right Photographer for Your Wedding

A wedding is one of the most significant events in a person’s life; it is a precious day where you celebrate love and laughter and share good wishes for a happily ever after with family and friends. For something that only happens once in a person’s life – at least it’s supposed to – it must remain a lasting memory for decades to come.

As such, choosing the right photographer is one of the most critical aspects of planning a wedding. It’s crucial to find a photographer that you trust can deliver beautiful photos that reflect your vision of how your special day will go.

How to Find the Right Photographer for Your Wedding

Following these tips are only the beginning of the task of finding the right photographer to suit you and your partner, but they should set you on the right track!

Hugs in the trees

Set Up an Interview

Before committing to anything, meeting the photographer is something you should strive to make happen. It won’t always be possible – particularly with what’s happened in the world over the past year, but usually you can invite them for coffee, or if a meet-up isn’t possible, try communicating through a video call. If they refuse to meet with you, it is most likely a bad sign!

Talking to the photographer in person will help you better assess the kind of person they are. Carefully determine if they are someone you would like to work with. A face-to-face meeting also helps in establishing the relationship between you and the photographer.

The main thing to look for is if you feel comfortable around this person – after all they will be with you pretty much all day on the most intimate days of your life!

Bride and groom in vineyards

Trust Your Instincts

How do you feel after meeting with the photographer? Do you feel at ease, or do you feel a bit unsure? Trust is essential in any relationship, and the partnership with you and your photographer is no exception. 

Your photographer will be with you on the most important day of your life—they will bear witness to all the laughs, tears, vows, and speeches. If you don’t feel assured, no matter how convincing they might have been, maybe you should look for someone else. Really you’re looking for someone you would be comfortable to hang around with without them taking photos of you!

bride and groom amongst the sunny Serafino wines vineyard

Ask the Right Questions

Before hiring the photographer, make sure that you ask them everything you’re curious about. Take a moment and think about everything you want to know; you can even make a list so you won’t forget anything. Asking them questions will help prevent any misunderstanding and surprises. Don’t be afraid of getting technical!

Here are some questions that you might want to ask your photographer:

  • How many weddings have you participated in or photographed?
  • What is the estimated total of your travel expenses, if any?
  • Do you work alone, or do you have your own team?
  • Is there a contingency plan in case you get ill?
  • Do you have insurance?
  • Will you retouch the photos?
  • When will the wedding photos be delivered?

This is of course not an exhaustive list of questions you may like to ask your wedding photographer, but it’ a good start.

A good wedding photographer will be patient in listening to you and answering any question you may have. Meanwhile, a great wedding photographer will ensure to provide all the answers without you even having to ask.

bride and groom in the water

Sign a Contract

Even if you have a good relationship with your photographer, you can’t rely on promises. You never know what might happen—something might go wrong, conditions may not be met, or worse, they might not turn up at your wedding.

Insist your photographer on signing a contract. A legally-binding contract prompts the photographer to commit to everything agreed upon and ensure that he delivers what he has promised.

A good photographer will actually insist on this themselves as they have a business and reputation to protect as well – having a client sign a contract stating they agree to terms and expectations is just common sense for all involved.

wedding rings on table top

Weddings are only temporary—at the end of the day they will tear down the decorations, your bouquet will wilt, your guests will return home, and you will keep your dress in a closet. Wedding photos are the only things that will keep your wedding alive, even fifty years from now. Carefully choose the right photographer to capture your wedding, so you will always have something beautiful to look back on.

Let SvenStudios help you create the wedding album you’ve always dreamed of! We are one of the best wedding photographers in Australia—from church weddings to destination weddings, SvenStudios offers a professional wedding photographer solution. Visit our website to view our wedding photography packages and prices.

 

6 Tips on Preparing for Your Wedding Photographs

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  • Putting makeup on

 

Preparing for Your Wedding Photographs

Let’s face it: not everybody is comfortable posing in front of the camera. Often, we feel too much pressure to look good, especially when we have to take photographs for big events like weddings! It really isn’t the most natural thing in the world – and yet you want to get the most ‘natural’ wedding photos anyway!

To prepare yourself for your wedding photographs on one of the the most emotional days of your life, we’ve compiled a few things to remember before your wedding! Keep reading for a couple of tips on how to pose for your wedding pictures.

6 Tips on Preparing for Your Wedding Photographs

Tip #1: Build Trust with Your Photographer

Partnerships with your wedding suppliers are a must. You have to work with a team that understands how much this big day means to you! Given that, you must build trust with your wedding photographer. Allow them into your own outlook and give them time to understand how you really want to capture moments. 

On top of that, make sure that your taste matches their style. Work with them in preparing an engagement shoot or a prenuptial shoot. Explore and run by locations with your photographer to get their opinion. Once you build a unique rapport with your photographer, there’s no doubt that you will achieve your dream photos!

When preparing for your wedding photographs – it obviously stands to reason that you should get along with the person actually taking your photographs!

Grange Beach Engagement shoot

Tip #2: Pick the Perfect Glam Team

In hiring a hairstylist and a makeup artist for your wedding day, it’s important you assess their skills. These artists should have to not only make you look fabulous as you walk down the aisle, but also make you look fabulous in your wedding photos! 

There could be a trial-and-error stage, but the preparations are worth it. Be vocal; say what you want and say what you’re not comfortable with. Let them know their full schedule ahead of time. Remember, the couple to be wed always gets the final say!

One tip in finding the right makeup artists for you is to have a trial run where you may make the most of having makeup done before an engagement shoot – that you will have a much better idea on how your makeup will turn out with your photography from your big day.

Makeup artist doing her thing

Tip #3: Eat Right

What you eat shows up on your skin and face. Make sure you don’t eat too much junk or sodium that will cause you to bloat! Allow yourself a diet that hits all the right food groups, and don’t focus too much on your weight! You are your own worst critic when it comes to this – remind yourself that you are always going to be the most stunning person on your big day!

When you eat right, make sure it’s all about feeling good and getting that healthy glow. This way, you’ll effortlessly look beautiful in all of your shots!

Food on plate

Tip #4: Follow a Night time Routine

Following a night time routine will do wonders for your mind, body, and even skin! In the weeks and nights prior to your wedding, make sure to get lots of rest by sticking to a bedtime. 

Stretch before or practice some yoga before hitting the sack. Incorporate beauty tools in your skincare routine. Allow yourself to wind down before sleeping soundly, and then wake up feeling refreshed. You never know, this could even help you after your wedding day!

Gollops bridge shot at night

Tip #5: Be Punctual

If there’s one thing a bride shouldn’t stress on, it would be time. When everyone and everything is on time, things will go smoothly, and there would be no need to rush. So, stick to the itinerary! Get a friend or your Maid-of-Honour to remind everyone of their schedules and know that you’re the boss on the day, and being late yourself is pretty much expected!

Grooms watch on ties

Tip #6: Relax and Keep It Natural

Do what feels right with you and your partner. Feel free to explore poses and options and get some inspiration. But then again, don’t feel pressured to replicate the photos and poses from wedding magazines, especially if they’re not something you’d do! Be realistic and make the moment feel as genuine as possible.

If you feel comfortable, your photos will look comfortable. I always try to take my photographs of people actually doing things for this reason – as opposed to turning people into mannequins.

Smiles all round with the bride and groom

It’s completely normal to sense a little panic the closer the big day arrives. Milestones, after all, need to be captured because these are the memories worth holding onto forever. But at the same time, remember that you are not alone! Once you’ve built a wedding team consisting of your new friends, trusted circle, and family, it all makes preparing for your wedding photographs that much easier.

Are you still looking for a wedding photographer in Adelaide, or the Adelaide Hills? SvenStudios has a team that specialises in the craft of creating the most precious memories of your wedding day, with a wide variety of artistic services at your disposal. We would love to help you in preparing for your wedding photographs! We are just an email or phone call away!