I’ve had this blog post floating around in my brain for so long, that i’ve decided it’s about time i actually put it down so it can help all of my clients, other photographers, and even people who aren’t my clients.  I’m writing this because i absolutely love what i do, and i want to continue to love what i do.  and i am writing this because i want my clients (or anyone for that matter) to receive the best possible photography from their photographer they possibly can.  and believe it or not, the client (that’s you!) has a LOT to do with it.  its amazing how much control over the quality of your photographer’s work you have! and the client probably doesn’t even know it.   right now, i’m going to tell you just a few, tiny, SUPER simple steps you can take that will help insure that  your photographer stays at her peak performance, stays happy, and therefore, you get great pictures.  everyone wants that end result, but sometimes, surely unwittingly, the couple actually gets in the way of that happening.  but, how can we blame them? it’s not like they’ve done this before! here you are, finding yourself the producer of a wedding, not unlike a producer of a movie. you’re thrown into this role, and without experience.  so let me help you, help us: your wedding vendors (or you can call us artists too, if you want   )

hire someone you trust. and then trust us.

you’ve hired us based on our portfolio.  we’ve had meetings.  and you have liked our work enough to pay a couple thousand dollars for us to capture your day in photography.  I, in turn, have spent many years in school, umpteen hours working, perfecting, enjoying, creating, and striving to be the best that i can be at my profession.  you can be guaranteed that i will give nothing less than my absolute best.  remember, i want these photos too.  and, just like any artist, i love to hear that people love my work (see below, in appreciation).  and thankfully, i have never had a client lean over and breathe down my neck all day about how i am doing my job or how i should better do my job.  but, i hear rumors that there are clients like that.  When you hire someone, make sure you trust them. and then actually…. trust them.  understand that as artists, we might see the day from a different angle than you might, and it’s a good chance that you will be pleasantly surprised by someone else’s perspective, maybe for the mere fact that it’s not your own (the grass is always greener on the other side!) rest assured, that after our initial client meetings, i will have a good idea of the style of person you are, and what kind of photography you are jonesing with.  and, the wedding day itself will surely give a feeling of it’s own, and i will capture it accordingly.  i throw myself into what i do. i’m soulful about it.  there are probably photographers out there who arent, but if you’re reading this blog then you’re probably not going to hire one of those guys.

give your vendors what they need to perform with excellence (ie, time, space, water, food, rest, etc)

food and water: as superwoman as i feel sometimes, in reality i’m just human.  i’m exactly like you are, only i have a camera.  When a client hires me to shoot their wedding day beginning to end, i too, am going to feel tired, thirsty, and hungry at some point during the day.  and when you are entrusting your wedding photography to someone, you don’t want their performance to drag.  i always carry a granola bar and a bottle of water along (just in case…) but having a client make sure there is available water all day long as well as a few snacks helps considerably.  i dont take 10 minute breaks, i can’t leave to go grab a sandwich, so just remember that anytime you feel hungry, your wedding vendors probably do as well.  if you cater in a bunch of sub sandwiches, ensure that each vendor gets them.  photographers may not have time to eat dinner until… well… who really knows when.  and it is so disheartening to go into the vendor room at 10pm, this being your first chance to sit down in the past 10 hours
, and see that the band has eaten all of the sub sandwiches and has only left an apple and a bag of chips.  it’s the kind of thing that might make a vendor start ticking down the minutes until the end of the night when they can go out and get a real meal (if that’s even possible).

time, space, resources: i’m always in awe of people who claim they love the artistic photographs we take, the amazing portfolio shots, the variety of pictures, the set ups they’re imagining, but then only schedule 15 minutes to take pictures.  pictures are moments frozen in time, and we need time to actually make them.  i dont set up specific shots before the ceremony and hurry you through them (although i have had to do that before, when clients have only given me 10 minutes to work magic), i want to capture YOU and the essence of the TWO of you.  that takes time- time for the both of you to become comfortable in front of the camera, and actually forget that i’m there.  it takes time for me to walk around, get different unique angles, discover things i’ve never done before.  give me time, and give me space. i will never shoot a wedding in less than 4 hours, because it is just.not.possible.  i will never mislead a bride into believing that we could get great photos in less than 4 hours.  you can probably find a photographer who will work with you, but you wont get great photography.  and it’s just not ethical for me to give crappy photography.  remember, i love to do this too.  let me work WITH you on your wedding day timeline.  we can fit in an hour to two hours in for photography somewhere, guaranteed. whether we do a meeting of the bride and groom before the ceremony, or do the photographs during the cocktail hour, we will fit it in.  you’re inevitably investing a lot of money into a photographer, and you need to take advantage of their services.

Kindness/appreciation

in the same way an artist performs well to applause, so will your vendors with a little appreciation.  i have had the privilege of having  EXTREMELY kind and sweet clients, so much so that it actually makes my heart swell up and almost burst open (really!).  we do our jobs either way (with or without appreciation) but it makes us go the extra mile for someone who sees and truly appreciates how much we throw ourselves into what we’re creating for them.  we’re human. i want you to love the work i create as much as i love it.