Wedding Photography Albums Bristol
0 Comments Published by Albert Palmer on Monday, March 8, 2010 at 11:57 PM.
When I started full time in the wedding photography business over a year ago one of the many things I wasn’t prepared for were wedding albums. I have done a fair bit of second shooting but never used this time to find out about wedding albums. I have a fairly solid print background so design and layout is something I enjoy. In fact I’d go so far as to say that I’m actually pretty good at it. But when I started getting enquiries about wedding albums I wasn’t quite sure who I could find in Bristol to print them. I was not interested in the cheap photo books that you can buy for £30 on the high street or online. I know I’m a budget photographer but this is due to my lack of experience, not the quality of my work. So I wanted to offer high quality albums that would last generations, not two years.
After a few days of calling around and making enquiries I couldn’t find a local Bristol firm who offered this service. I wasn’t able to find one! This was a bit of a shock as I had assumed with the wealth of creative people in this city I would easily come across a few companies who I could build a relationship with. I decided to inquire among my fellow photographers and after a bit of research decided to order a sample album from Loxley Colour. I was really impressed with the quality and decided to buy an album and fill it with examples of my own work.
I decided to order a brown, leather bound flush mount album with a printed cover. It arrived two days later wrapped like nothing I have unwrapped before! I have been using it to show my work to potential clients and also as an example of what my wedding albums look like. I’ve been thrilled about the positive feedback and also that my clients like my work.
Since using Loxley and offering wedding albums to clients I have been lucky enough to see my work in glorious print almost every month. The colours really stand out and the turning the thick pages is a real joy.
That said, if anyone knows of a company that prints wedding photography albums in or around Bristol then please leave a comment. I’d really like to be able to work with a local company.
Labels: Bristol, Guide, Thoughts, Web, Wedding Photography
Efficient Wedding Photography for Modern Wedding Formals
0 Comments Published by Albert Palmer on Wednesday, March 3, 2010 at 4:08 AM.
I recently stumbled over a great tip from wedding photographer extraordinaire Jasmine Star. I thought I would share it with anyone reading this blog as it's a real scorcher. Granted, not a resident in Bristol, but she writes a great blog and regularly shares her inspiring work. I’m always after tips to improve the efficiency of photographing weddings, especially the formals. Formal shots can be fun to shoot and Bristol has some great traditional wedding locations. When you mix this with my modern style of photography the results are always great to look and make long lasting memories that I am proud of.
That said formal shots aren't traditionally a fun thing for the bride and groom or the guests. Understandably they would rather be spending time together rather than looking at me behind a black box! The one thing that slows the process down is the organisation of people. Up until now I have always started with the Bride and then worked my way up to the whole wedding party. This has worked well and I can get the whole thing done in about 30-40 minutes. My assistant ticks off the shots as we go and lets me know which shot comes next.
Jasmine recommends you do the opposite. Start with a big group. Pose them well and then strip away the guests, friends and then the family with each shot. This saves people hanging around who are not needed until the end. It also saves a lot of reposing with every shot taken. My next wedding has an unusually large number of formal shots. There are about 25 as the bride has a large number of relatives coming from overseas. It’s going to take a long time whatever method I use but I'm hoping this method will shave a few minutes off what will be a long session.
Doing new things is sometimes a bit scary but I'm relatively confident this will work wonders.
That said formal shots aren't traditionally a fun thing for the bride and groom or the guests. Understandably they would rather be spending time together rather than looking at me behind a black box! The one thing that slows the process down is the organisation of people. Up until now I have always started with the Bride and then worked my way up to the whole wedding party. This has worked well and I can get the whole thing done in about 30-40 minutes. My assistant ticks off the shots as we go and lets me know which shot comes next.
Jasmine recommends you do the opposite. Start with a big group. Pose them well and then strip away the guests, friends and then the family with each shot. This saves people hanging around who are not needed until the end. It also saves a lot of reposing with every shot taken. My next wedding has an unusually large number of formal shots. There are about 25 as the bride has a large number of relatives coming from overseas. It’s going to take a long time whatever method I use but I'm hoping this method will shave a few minutes off what will be a long session.
Doing new things is sometimes a bit scary but I'm relatively confident this will work wonders.
Labels: Bristol, Guide, Techniques, Thoughts, Web, Wedding Photography, Wedding Photography Locations
Wedding Photography Post Processing Trends
0 Comments Published by Albert Palmer on Monday, March 1, 2010 at 1:19 PM.
I got in to an interesting discussion with a prospective client about post processing trends. We were having a wedding consultation and he commented that he liked the 'cleanness' of my photographs (thanks!) in contrast to some of the other local Bristol photographers he has met. I asked him what he meant by this just as a talking point to make sure I understood his meaning and to get some feedback. He responded that the last photographer's images were very grainy.
He put this down to the photographer's camera ability which is an astute assessment but it made me laugh because I have noticed a lot of photographers, not necessarily in Bristol but world wide adding Photoshop grain to their images in an attempt to give them a film like quality. Personally I think this can look really good when done well. I have experimented with it because I like this effect but I don't think it is for me. I see a lot of this and when it isn't done subtly looks BAD (like most post processing.) The effect seems artistic and gives the photograph a feel and quality that you don't often see in today's digital age.
This got me thinking about post processing techniques, when to use them and why. It's that compromise that exists in photography. Do you risk being creative and original with the knowledge that this may effect sales? Or do you shoot and process images to make them sell?
Grain is just one example. Textures, 70's polaroid colours, selective colouring, vintage effects and HDR are other examples I have seen which seem to go through phases of popularity.
I like to think I try and fit in the middle. Where the photograph needs a little something to make it come alive I will use a certain post processing technique. But I try and shoot in camera with my own style tailored towards what I have discussed with the bride and groom. I think it's good to be creative and do your own thing whether that's in camera or post processing (as long as it's doesn't involve selective colouring!)
He put this down to the photographer's camera ability which is an astute assessment but it made me laugh because I have noticed a lot of photographers, not necessarily in Bristol but world wide adding Photoshop grain to their images in an attempt to give them a film like quality. Personally I think this can look really good when done well. I have experimented with it because I like this effect but I don't think it is for me. I see a lot of this and when it isn't done subtly looks BAD (like most post processing.) The effect seems artistic and gives the photograph a feel and quality that you don't often see in today's digital age.
This got me thinking about post processing techniques, when to use them and why. It's that compromise that exists in photography. Do you risk being creative and original with the knowledge that this may effect sales? Or do you shoot and process images to make them sell?
Grain is just one example. Textures, 70's polaroid colours, selective colouring, vintage effects and HDR are other examples I have seen which seem to go through phases of popularity.
I like to think I try and fit in the middle. Where the photograph needs a little something to make it come alive I will use a certain post processing technique. But I try and shoot in camera with my own style tailored towards what I have discussed with the bride and groom. I think it's good to be creative and do your own thing whether that's in camera or post processing (as long as it's doesn't involve selective colouring!)
Labels: Post Processing, Techniques, Thoughts, Web, Wedding Photography
Cheap Wedding Photographers
0 Comments Published by Albert Palmer on Monday, February 22, 2010 at 3:00 PM.
There are lots of photographers in Bristol - a wealth of them. And plenty of wedding photographers so pricing is an interesting and controversial question.
I was recently reading an article by a popular ‘new media photographer’ which really made my blood boil. This doesn’t happen often but I felt compelled to share my view about cheap wedding photographers. The article I read said that wedding photographers should not undercut others in the market. He gave three reasons: firstly it devalues your work, secondly it means you don’t provide quality to your clients and thirdly it damages the industry as a whole.
I’ve heard these arguments many times and I agree up to a point. The point is that everyone has to start somewhere. It’s that old catch 22 situation. No one will hire you if you don’t have experience, but how can you get experience when no one will hire you? The solution: charge according to your skill and experience. You can’t charge as much as someone with 10 years experience if you have only been doing it for 6 months. As long as your customers understand your experience and have seen examples of your work I see no issue. Weddings are expensive and everyone has a budget. Very few people who hire budget wedding photographers are looking to pay more than they have to. They understand they won’t receive the same quality of work as a photographer who charges £2,000 + but they are happy to pay a few hundred pounds to get something reasonable.
Price is not necessarily an indicator of quality. You don’t have to charge the earth for good service and a certain quality of photography. It’s all about how you want to market yourself. Do you charge a small amount to attract more custom or charge a lot and shoot fewer weddings? When you’re starting out you probably want to get as much experience under your belt as possible.
Are budget wedding photographers damaging the industry? I don’t think they are. If an experienced photographer is loosing out on sales to a weekend warrior then there is something wrong. It might be expectation, marketing, quality or attitude (to name a few.)
My second point to make is that you need to raise your prices as your knowledge, experience and skill grow. If you continue to sell yourself for less than your worth, you will end up damaging yourself, your clients and the industry.
Labels: Thoughts, Web, Wedding Photography
Bristol Wedding Photographer - Second Shooting
0 Comments Published by Albert Palmer on Monday, October 26, 2009 at 2:34 PM.
Just a quick post while I have some time. I've been trying to do some more second shooting of late. I always find it a good opportunity to be creative and enjoy myself slightly more when not quite so much pressure is on me. It's also a good way of learning a little bit more about the business, as whilst I am happy with what I am doing (or my customers are more to the point) I have to be realistic that I have only been in the business a fairly short while compared to many other photographers.
Building a good relationship with my peers in Bristol is important to me for this reason, and I know that should one of my second shooters have to back out last minute I am confident that one of my other associates could jump in at the last moment. Especially living in Bristol, photography in general is very popular - even wedding photography!
Building a good relationship with my peers in Bristol is important to me for this reason, and I know that should one of my second shooters have to back out last minute I am confident that one of my other associates could jump in at the last moment. Especially living in Bristol, photography in general is very popular - even wedding photography!
Labels: Bristol, Thoughts, Web, Wedding Photography
Bristol Wedding Photographer - Change The Setting
0 Comments Published by Albert Palmer on Thursday, October 1, 2009 at 9:59 AM.
An easy way to be creative at a wedding is to change the backdrop and get away from the other people at the wedding. For example when going to the Bristol registry office for a ceremony there are some beautiful parts of Bristol that make a nice backdrop for any wedding photographer. All it takes is for you to get the bride and groom to plan this in to their schedule so that you get 10-15 minutes with just them. This really helps spice up the pictures.Not only do the shots visually change, but getting the happy couple away from everyone else lets them relax. When they don't have a crowd looking at them they will be a lot more comfortable and relaxed. Then you can encourage them to play, have a kiss or just enjoy a few moments together sitting down talking.
Labels: Bristol, Guide, Techniques, Thoughts, Web, Wedding Photography, Wedding Photography Locations
Wedding Photography Prices On The Website
0 Comments Published by Albert Palmer on Tuesday, August 25, 2009 at 1:08 PM.
I think this is a pretty interesting subject as a lot of wedding photographers don't advertise even their starting price.
I think there are some good reasons for this depending on your market. People ought to contact you because they like your work irrespective of price. This may result in lots of enquiries, but how many prospective clients actually follow that up with wanted a consultation or even a booking?
Speaking to the brides I meet every week I know they are busy people. In fact they are VERY busy. Even the bride looking for a budget photographer can be busy with family, work and even organising the wedding. I don't think many brides will consider you unless you have at least a starting price on your website. The same way you wouldn't buy a camera advertised on line which didn't have a price so you had to contact the owner.
If people see your pricing and still contact you then it indicates they are more likely to book you. If someone doesn't acknowledge their price it probably means they are going to hard sell you in an e-mail or telephone call.
Most of my clients are web savvy and want the information ASAP, so I'm happy to provide it to them.
I thing to keep in mind is to remind the clients that they are not just buying the photographs, but they are buying YOU!
I think there are some good reasons for this depending on your market. People ought to contact you because they like your work irrespective of price. This may result in lots of enquiries, but how many prospective clients actually follow that up with wanted a consultation or even a booking?
Speaking to the brides I meet every week I know they are busy people. In fact they are VERY busy. Even the bride looking for a budget photographer can be busy with family, work and even organising the wedding. I don't think many brides will consider you unless you have at least a starting price on your website. The same way you wouldn't buy a camera advertised on line which didn't have a price so you had to contact the owner.
If people see your pricing and still contact you then it indicates they are more likely to book you. If someone doesn't acknowledge their price it probably means they are going to hard sell you in an e-mail or telephone call.
Most of my clients are web savvy and want the information ASAP, so I'm happy to provide it to them.
I thing to keep in mind is to remind the clients that they are not just buying the photographs, but they are buying YOU!
Labels: Bristol, Thoughts, Web, Wedding Photography
Free Lens Focus Test Chart
0 Comments Published by Albert Palmer on Thursday, August 13, 2009 at 9:36 AM.
I thought I would put a quick blog post together to mention the focusing test chart. I recently played with it and was happily surprised to see that all of my lenses (except one) focussed perfectly.
I expected the 80-200/2.8 to not fare so well - as it seems to slightly back focus. I have been planning to upgrade this lens for some time and that day may be coming quicker than I thought! At least this gives me a genuine opportunity to test the micro adjust feature on my Canon 5DMKII.
I use this lens for a lot of my weddings in Bristol and do occasionally see a shot not being 100% when using this lens. It's a shame as the qualities of it are exceptional. This test chart is a great resource and I recommend trying it, if only for piece of mind.
I expected the 80-200/2.8 to not fare so well - as it seems to slightly back focus. I have been planning to upgrade this lens for some time and that day may be coming quicker than I thought! At least this gives me a genuine opportunity to test the micro adjust feature on my Canon 5DMKII.
I use this lens for a lot of my weddings in Bristol and do occasionally see a shot not being 100% when using this lens. It's a shame as the qualities of it are exceptional. This test chart is a great resource and I recommend trying it, if only for piece of mind.
Labels: Bristol, Equipment, Gear, Techniques, Thoughts, Web, Wedding Photography
Main website update - bertpalmer.com
0 Comments Published by Albert Palmer on Saturday, April 25, 2009 at 3:58 AM.
I've always tried to work hard to ensure my site looks as good as it possibly can. I do have a lot of pride in my website, mainly because I invest so much time in learning html, css and flash and what I make is my own 'art' as if I were building a house. So what have I changed?
Mainly the menus. I have focused the site more towards selling my services as a professional photographer rather than a showcase of my work. So, my menus have changed in line with customers visiting my site rather than other photographers.
I have also changed my flash galleries so rather than using simpleviewer where the user can navigate through the photos I have used Adobe Flash CS4 to create a simple slideshow of images. I have a different slideshow for each category (weddings, families and models) and although this is a bit of pain to maintain and update with new photos I am please with the overall look. Certainly it looks a bit tidier than the last version. I have made the flash slideshow a lot larger and placed it in the header bar. Adobe Photoshop CS4 really came in to it's own in helping my stretch my photos without distorting them so that they fit in the super wide slideshow.
I like the clean look of my site and whilst I'd like to have the skills to make it even prettier I'm a photographer not a coder! I do find it strange how the look differs from mac to windows. On my Mac everything is aligned beautifully but when I boot Vista or XP using parallels things are not aligned properly so there has been a fair bit of tinkering to get that looking right. This was especially important as I imagine most of the people who visit my site will be using Vista or XP.
One other area I need help with is the text on the site. I'm not naturally great with words so I will continue to rewrite that until I am happy.
Any comments please share them!
Labels: Web
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