I majored in photojournalism about 27 yrs. ago.  I ended up with a pretty good job working as a bio-medical photographer for the state of South Carolina.  However, as with most jobs, I wanted greater income.  Therefore, becoming a wedding photographer came into play.  And besides, weddings and portraiture was my minor.

 You might do photography as a hobby, and if you are pretty good at it, there is a chance that you could become a wedding photographer.  However, be prepared for things that are never talked about!  There are many pros and cons to this field of photography and I will try to go over most of them.  I will also help you understand what kind of equipment you need to use.

 Digital cameras are available everywhere now, and at very affordable prices.  I would suggest at least an eight (8) megapixel camera.  Of course, bigger is always better, but not necessarily needed.  I still use my Canon 20D from time to time and it works great.  You can easily find this particular camera used and still in great condition.

Although I do use other newer cameras, I am just saying that you don’t have to go out and invest a ton of money to get yourself started.

Lighting is the second most important factor.  Tiny little flashes just don’t do justice to beautiful portraits.  They leave heavy dark shadows and are very contrasty. It is extremely important to purchase a bracket and elevate a  flash 12 – 18 inches above the lens.  Keeping the flash elevated will eliminate “red eye”.  A bracket simply makes for beautiful and professional lighting.

 So let’s say that now you have your camera, flash and bracket (and of course, memory cards), you are ready to start into the world of wedding photography.   Now, I say you are ready, but what I really mean is that you are ready to start doing research.  I live in Charleston, SC and our population is about 700,000 within the city limits.  There are quite a few large suburbs within 15 minutes of the city, so the population of our general wedding areas is much greater.  I heard it estimated about 10 yrs. ago that there were over 5000 weddings per year in the Charleston, SC area.  Don’t know that to be a fact, but I still believe it.  That’s about 100 weddings per week.  It is a huge destination for weddings so we get people coming in from all over the world to get hitched.  With all this business comes photographer competition.  I know there must be close to 200 so-called professional wedding photographers in this area.  Competition is steep, and with the internet at our hands and in bride’s hands, choosing the right photographer depends on several factors.

 Here’s the list to help you do your research:

1. Price – Too cheap might mean you aren’t worthy of their special day.  If your work is too expensive, they’ll keep on shopping.  You need to compare your competitor’s rates.  If rates are not published, pretend you are a bride or groom and request their price sheet.
2. Quality and Style – You are chosen because they like the way you shoot.
3. Availability – are you available?

 If you have never done wedding photography, get online and see how your competition is shooting.  See their styles.  Dreamy is what every bride wants.  But, it also depends on the location you have to work with.  You can still make dreamy photographs from dull and even dreary locations. 

 Go to the engagement section of your local newspaper and see who’s engaged.  See if you can locate them via the phone book, offer to do their wedding free of charge.  Go to bridal shops and see if they are willing to give you any leads.  Always start out for free.  It is the safest way to get into the business.  Once you have a few weddings to show, invest just a few dollars and create a website.  Most domains cost less than $10 per year and some hosting companies will let you create a website through their company.  It is very affordable.  Thank goodness for internet.  It was not available 27 years ago and Ma Bell’s phone book was ultra expensive. 

 Now some insights about wedding photography:   Keep in mind that I have been a wedding photographer in Charleston, SC for 27 years so I do know a great deal and have had just about every kind of incident happen whether it was good or bad!  I’ll go more into that later.

 The first time I walked into a church, I started shaking.  I had never been that nervous in my life.  To date, I don’t actually get nervous, but maybe just anxious.  I have photographed almost 2000 weddings to date and love every one I have had the honor of being a part of.

 Now for some fun!!  Just can’t resist telling stories about the REALITY OF A WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER: 

 Great little wedding.  Finished all the group shots.  Got the directions  to go to the reception.  What a SHOCK!  Little white cinder blocked building only about 500 square feet.  Dirt Floor.  A couple of “ladies of the evening” sitting at this bar that was about to fall down.  Our car was blocked in and we (my husband and I) kept going to the door to check on our car!  It was scary!  No air conditioning.  The cake melted!

1. Reception in the church hall.  Took many photographs.  One of the first ones I do is photograph the cake (thank goodness).  Cake was on a card table unbeknownst to me.   I backed up, leg folded, cake smoothly slid right down onto the floor and fell apart.  I ended up paying for that cake!
2. Big huge Catholic church.  Camera bags left in the foyer.  I had a ziplock bag with about 20 rolls of film (before digital).  All of my film was stolen.  Had to run to a drug store to get more before going to the reception.  Always keep your equipment within eye sight…..even in a church!
3. Signing of the marriage license on top of the piano in the church.  Bride was well-endowed, low-cut gown; boob fell out onto the piano!  Got the shot, but of course it was never shown!
4. Small community church.  Ceremony was taking place.  Fire alarm went off and the entire wedding party including the preacher tore out of there within seconds.  The preacher was the fire department’s captain.  Everyone returned an hour later smelling of smoke!
5. Bride and groom forgot the marriage license.  Actually, they didn’t know they even needed one, so the ceremony went on like a normal wedding.
6. Forgot the wedding rings.  All time favorite one.
7. Groom got so drunk the night before, that after making it through the vows he gets to the reception, takes one drink, passes out.  Got the shot!  Bride was not at all too happy with the red velvet $800 cake she had to cut herself.
8. Groom cried so hard through the vows that they had to stop completely before he could get himself back together.  This is the kind of thing that if you are only human, it will affect you!
9. Ring bearer was a male dog (Chihuahua).  Upon arriving up to the bride and groom, decided it was time for “business”…..right on the groom!!  Something too funny not to laugh.

 The overall stress of a wedding day can make angels turn to devils.  Be polite and courteous and always ask the preacher what he or she prefers for photographers.  Preachers will not remember good photographers, only ones that do not follow their traditions.  We always arrive a bit early to do getting ready shots which also gives us the time to interact with the preacher.  Never assume it O.K. to shoot during a ceremony. I guess that is the #1 most sacred rule of any wedding day.  Talk to the preacher.

 We would love to be of any help to getting you started with wedding photography.  Don’t hesitate to contact us:

http://www.charlestonphotovideo.com

Charleston wedding photography seems to have special meaning for us.  We were very young when we started and just the other day we were called by a bride that we did wedding photography for during our first year.  She was calling to see if we were available to photograph her daughter’s wedding.  Whew!!!  Sure doesn’t seem THAT long since moms wedding!

My point is; with all the history and especially the old photographs, we are creating family histories to be remembered for generations.  I know taking wedding photography in Charleston, say before the Civil War, is a little different now, yet it is exactly the same.  We are responsible for capturing that historic moment when somebody’s grandchildren are getting married and the couples grandchildren will someday be looking at the wedding photos.  I hope that makes sense…it is just an awesome task when you look at wedding photography that way.

We always hear other photographers say they have another wedding, same old same old.  We never feel that way because every wedding is unique in lots of ways.  WE feel that it is our privlidge to be chosen to capture that family’s history fot all time through photography.  It gives us sort of  a feeling of immortality and a most important job of recording the events forever.  That is why we take our jobs very seriously and we love it.

Charleston was ranked a few years ago as being the # 3 destination spot for weddings in America.  It probably has not changed much to date. 

On many occasions, we never even know what our bride and groom look like until the wedding day!  That doesn’t bother us.  We do the same for all of our clientele.  It just makes you wonder about the person you’ve been talking to for months until you see their face.  It’s always a nice surprise! 

Weddings to us are something that allows us to create.  Just like an artist starting w/ just the first brush stroke, we take the day a build upon ideas that hit our brains.  We use the beauty of what surrounds us to create beautiful and natural photographs. 

Charleston is one of the most beautiful cities in the world.  No wonder so many people choose to get married here!!

Thank goodness for a smooth no-rain Sunday.  We met Quinteria in Embassy Suites for her bridal portraits.  It was a great shoot. She seemed to be at ease with whatever we suggested.  She was relaxed and most importantly; happy! 

Her dress looked like it was made just for her.  It was her kind of style.  She’s a little short, but her dress did not show this at all. 

Once finishing at the hotel, we all went out to the Cooper River bridge right around sunset and got some awesome shots there, too.  The sky looked like buckets of beautiful paint colors were thrown up in the air.  The overall sunset affect was beautiful. 

She is going to be a very beautiful bride and as we have already learned by doing her engagement portraits and her bridal portraits, she will be easy to work with as well.  We are always happy when this occurs.  We can’t post the bridal portraits  until after the wedding date.

We are wedding photographers in Charleston, SC.  We have been doing wedding photography in Charleston for over 25 years.  We know a lot about what a bride and groom should be looking for in a professional wedding photographer.  Charleston, SC is designated as one of only a few top destination wedding places in the USA.  With our beautiful beach weddings and historic church weddings we have had the opportunity to do the fine art photography that most bride and grooms are fond of. 

Planning for a Charleston wedding can be very time consuming and expensive. You will want to remember it in the most beautiful of ways by hiring a professional wedding photographer, not just a friend who will do it for free.  

Charleston, SC weddings as well as most weddings in America can get expensive so follow a budget to help you stay in line.  No matter what you spend on the wedding and reception, this is a one day event.  The food and beverages will be gone and all you will have, along with your new spouse is the marriage license, wedding rings and your wedding photos. 

This brings to point the value of a professional wedding photographer.  This is your most important vendor.  They will have preserved the lasting memories that you will cherish forever.  The internet is the greatest place to start your search for a professional wedding photographer. 

Here is a list of things to think about in choosing the most important vendor for your wedding day:

1.  The quality of his or her work must be on a professional level or you could simply choose a cheap photographer who might not have ever shot a wedding before and therefore leaves you unhappy. 

2.  You don’t need to go to college for photography to see differences in quality of this fine art photography.  Photographers in Charleston, SC fill the internet with their beautiful wedding picture examples.  Every city in America offers unlimited resources as well.

3.  Points to be considered when hiring a professional wedding photographer:  (a) Are their images consistent in quality wedding after wedding?  (b) Can you view many different galleries that the photographer either has online, or has in their portfolio? (c)  Do you like their style?  (d) Are you the posed kind of person, or do you like fun, spur of the moment photojournalistic images?  (e) Does this professional satisfy your style?  (f) Have you screened all types of photographers even if they were over and above the amount you intended on spending?  (g) If you have screened a few photographers, have you noticed the quality of their images?  (h) Deep dark shadows on the walls behind you usually is the sign of a tiny camera mounted “wink” light.  (i) Is their lighting soft and natural looking?  (j) Are their posing techniques natural looking, even if it is a posed photograph?  

4. Know your budget.  Weddin photographers in Charleston, SC will probably have different prices than other city photographers. If you submit your wedding information online to different wedding websites, you can expect to get many emails offering photography services.  Read them and start shopping. Some photographers will make special offers if you respond to their emails.  It is nothing to be afraid of; it is a chance to get the best deal. 

 5. When interviewing a wedding photographer in Charleston, SC or other city, give them full details about your wedding day plans.  Tell them how many are in your wedding party and how many family portraits your think that to need be done.  Then, ask them how much time it should take for these photographs to be taken.  After they give you this time add a few extra minutes for unexpected things that might pop up.  Allow up to 30 minutes for the bustling of your dress if you are having that done before leaving for the reception.  Allow travel time as well.  You will forever regret not having enough time to get the photographs you will always want to remember.

6.   Wedding photography is a very physical job.  Give your photographer the chance to take breaks if they need them.  Make sure they are on your dinner list so that they too can take a break and have a bite.  Most photographers are always ready to jump up at any minute to get the shot!

  If we can be of any assistance at all, don’t hesitate to contact us: http://www.charlestonphotovideo.com  and we take phone calls until 11:00 pm nightly.  Good luck on finding Wedding Photographers in Charleston, SC.

There are many forms of artistry and of course, photography falls right in there.  We have been working for years with wedding artists such as hair stylists, make-up artists, musicians, and officiators.  We would like to get a few opions on budgets.  What do you think is a reasonable price for photography, officiator, hair and make-up designs if they were all inclusive.  Give us some feedback!