Wedding Photography Etiquette for Guests

This is a re-blog of a great set of tips I read last night that I thought went right in with what I had been writing about for the last few weeks. These tips were written by Casey Fatchett and can be found here, I simply don't think I could have put it better myself!

- All photography by me :)

• With the explosion of digital photography and social media, more and more guests are taking photos at weddings. They have camera phones and DSLRs and they really, really want to take pictures. And there's nothing wrong with that, as long as they follow some very simple rules:
• 1. Do NOT Tweet, Facebook, or share in any way pictures of the bride before the ceremony!
• You would think this would be pretty obvious, but this year alone, I’ve heard nearly a dozen people tell me that the groom saw a picture of the bride posted somewhere. As a recent groom and a wedding photographer, I can tell you that guys generally have a bit of downtime before the ceremony and it is not unusual for them to check their phone. “Oh look, my fiancé was tagged in a photo...”
• I know you want to be the first person to post a photo of the bride in her wedding dress, but just hold off until after the ceremony – because, even if the groom HAS seen the dress, all the other guests haven't and it is kind of an important moment.
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• 2. Don't stand (or jump) in front of the professional photographer
• I know you want to get a shot of the first kiss at the ceremony, or the bride and groom cutting the wedding cake. But remember, the couple paid the photographer to be there and perform a service, so don't waste their money by infringing on the pro’s ability to capture the perfect shot. This also holds true for the “I'm just going to stick my arm out into the aisle and take a photo” move. I can't tell you how many great shots this move has spoiled over the years.
• There's plenty of room for all of us to take pictures, and I personally don't mind if someone stands right next to me. Just don't block the shot – this isn't the NBA!
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• 3. Don't engage the photographer in a long discussion about photography
• I love talking to people about cameras, lenses, photography, etc. - just ask my wife. Most wedding photographers probably won't mind talking to you quickly if they have some down time. However, we don't want to come off as impolite trying to get out of that conversation because we need to get back to doing our job. So take their business card, and continue the discussion via email, Facebook or Twitter.
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• 4. Don't mess with the camera in the photo booth
• If the couple or photographer has set up an unmanned photo booth, it’s best not to touch the camera. Please resist the urge to check out that awesome photo you just took or to change the settings on the camera. You might mess things up for everyone after you. And if you think there’s a problem, let the person who set it up know about it.
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• 5. Put the camera down and have a good time!
• This is advice I need to take myself, because I am totally guilty of it on occasion. Unless the couple did not hire a photographer, or the photographer is not around or left because their contracted time was up – you do not need to be taking tons of pictures. Get out from behind the camera and enjoy yourself! It is a celebration.

Engagement Photography session helpful hints

When it comes to having engagement photos taken, a lot of people can be a little lost as they may have not had professional photos taken since they were kids, if at all. These are some helpful hints Ive put together to help you get the most out of your engagement session. The same hints can mostly be said for any couple shoot :)

1. Talk to your photographer about what sort of images you are after. You've heard me say this one before but it is very important. This could mean you have a specific place in mind for the photo, that you are wanting something printed on canvas, you really want a close up of the ring, you mainly like black and white photos or simply that you like traditional photos (everyone looking at the camera) or contemporary photos (more casual style of photography).

2. Wear something that you feel comfortable in. If it isn't something you would normally wear or you are too over dressed or under dressed for the conditions then it will come across in the photos and you might wish you'd just worn your converse instead of trying to balance in those 6 inch heels! If you wouldn't normally wear matching white shirts and jeans down the street, you probably wont want them up on the wall for life.

3. Pick the right location, this could be a place that means a lot to you and your partner or just a place that you know has a lot of nice scenery that you enjoy.

4. Bring some makeup and a brush to touch up between shots, changing outfits is also a good idea to get variety out of your shoot.

5. I love having themes in my portrait sessions- check out this couple shoot with an Up! theme. If you have a theme you would like o incorporate, or even just a special prop let's talk about how to make it work!

Pet Photography session helpful hints

Hey everyone, I've decided to start a new helpful blog series for anyone looking at booking a photography session and that would like to know some insider tips so that the session goes smoothly.

Today were starting with Pet Photography. They say never work with children and animals but I love both. Even better when it is together. The major thing is just having patience, understanding and the optimism that things can only get better!

1. Talk to your photographer about what sort of images you are after. This could mean you have a specific place in mind for the photo, that you are wanting something printed on canvas, you really want a close up of their nose, you mainly like black and white photos or simply that you like traditional photos (everyone looking at the camera) or contemporary photos (more casual style of photography).

2. Pick the right location. Somewhere that is familiar to you and your pet can be a good idea. You might want to have somewhere that will give you a variety of different looks (see this previous pet photography session in a park) or somewhere that all of the images have a similar kind of background which can be great for building a story out of your images.

3. If you want to bring a prop or something to keep the pet occupied, don't introduce it straight away. For example, if your dog is obsessed with playing fetch, don't introduce a ball straight away as then it could become a distraction.

4. Bring treats. Nothing can be said as to how much these can help during a shoot.

5. Have your pet groomed before the shoot. Your wouldn't go to a photography shoot without brushing your hair, your pet doesn't want to either.

Special- Pet Photography session in the location of your choice just $100 if you book this week only. Great idea for a Christmas gift voucher!

Eden for Wildfox

Inspired by and incorporating nature, Theresa who is the designer of all things beautiful at her Wildfox etsy store. A fellow NSCAD student, her designs still follow trends and are still contemporary but are also like little pieces of art in themselves and finely crafted with some strange source materials. If someone told me they had a pair of earrings made from seaweed I would probably look at them strange and start wondering what that would smell like but as you'll see here, pine cones, sticks, bark, flowers, herbs all come together to make a beautiful series. Thanks to my model Eden who is currently Miss Eastern Nova Scotia Globe.

Do you know anyone who is a designer? I would love to work with Central Coast locals on future projects. email me at erin@erinwoodgatephotography.com

Vincenzo and Laura for Swallow and Twig

As soon as I saw the collection by Mary from Swallow and Twig it made me think of the movie 'UP' and so we rolled with that theme for the product shots of her beautiful hand painted and resin set jewellery. We shot in iconic Halifax locations of the Public Gardens and on Citadel Hill and one of my favourite moments was right at the end of the shoot when I gave the balloons we had been using to a little girl. I strongly suggest you go and check out the Etsy page of Swallow and Twig as they have a sale on at the moment and I just can't say enough good things about the little pieces of art!