Wedding Photography in Fresno - How to choose the best collection
So, you've read in many websites, emails and magazines that picking the right photographer or videographer is important, but how do you do that? You have to know what you need before you can select the "best one". I mean, if you are like me when I started out in photography I just knew whether I liked a picture or not. I couldn't tell you why or what to do with that information. Let me share with you how I help clients select the best collection for them in our no-cost consultations.
Photography Selection
First, are all of your wedding events in one day?
Yes - So, what time does your ceremony begin? 4:00 pm (I will use sample times to help demonstrate how to use this tool.)
What times does your reception begin and end? 5:30 - 9:30 pm - this client would need a minimum of 6 hours of coverage. Beginning 30 minutes before the ceremony and going on through the main events of the reception.
No - Each event will probably be a separate collection of time, but it would be best to get a personal quote from any photographer or videographer with your specific details for an accurate quote. But I will give an example of one of my destination weddings. Ceremony was in San Francisco on Friday at 4pm with a dinner after at 6-8pm. The reception was in Fresno on Sunday at 6pm-9pm. This was a total of 7 working hours and 7 hours of travel. This couple wanted the tuscany album, so the tuscany collection with 7 hours worked well. Then, they simply paid the $45/hour travel and the hotel for Friday night.
Are you going to see each other and take photographs before the ceremony?
No - With not seeing each other before the ceremony you are significantly shorting the number of quality images you can have if you want to get to your reception within an hour 1/2 of your ceremony ending. Those relaxed, fun images with brides and grooms laughing and walking and holding hands are usually done before the ceremony. Now, with good planning and a relaxed time line, taking the images after the ceremony is completely manageable.
Yes - This will add the number of hours needed before the ceremony, but almost always means getting to your reception earlier and therefore means less time at the reception. So, your ceremony is at 4pm you would want to take bride and groom images at 2:30 until about 3:15-3:30. Then all that you would need to do is bridal party and family images after the ceremony for less than 30 minutes. So, a sample of time would be 2:30-8:30, which is a minimum of 6 hours of coverage.
What type of album do you see your final images in?
Coffee Table Album - Press Printed, layouts out like a book with a binding, can have a photo image as the cover, leather cover or a cool vegan linen cover. These albums make good parent albums as well because they begin at $240.00
Tuscany Leather Album - Lay flat properties, referred to in many magazines as a "digital flush album". The images (at least 60) are selected by the bride and groom, edited into at least ten 10x20 spreads and bound to lay flat in a Leather cover.
These albums begin a' la carte at $1200.
Brilliance photo-cover album - This is a contemporary album with similar exterior qualities to a high-end text book, because the image the bride and groom choose wraps around the entire cover and is protected with a high-gloss protective coating. The images (at least 60) are edited into ten 10x20 spreads and bound into this beautiful photographic cover which lay flat when opened up. These albums begin at $1300 a' la carte.
Final question, do you want images of you getting ready?
Yes - Then you will need to add 1-3 hours of coverage to your collection.
The determining factors in the number of hours are:
Will you be at the same location your ceremony is (Peoples Church for example)? 1 to 1.5 hours more.
Are you going to have to travel from a getting ready location to the ceremony (St. Johns Cathedral for example)? Usually 2 additional hours.
Are you going to have to travel and it's in a different city (Kingsburg to Clovis for example). Adding in travel time to the total of hours needed prior to the ceremony.
No - Don't add any additional time to your collection.
Let me share with you some "typical time lines" and what collection those clients chose.
First, Clients got married at People's Church at 2pm and went to Tornino's for their reception at 4pm. They wanted getting ready pictures and preferred the Coffee Table album and they don't want to see each other in advance.
So, Their events are in the same day. Their ceremony begins at 2pm and with getting ready images they would like me there at 1pm and the reception events (cake, garter, first dance, toasts) would be complete by 7pm. They need 6 hours of coverage for photography purposes. Which means they only needed to pick their album, which was the coffee table album. The collection they chose was the Gallery package.
Second, Clients got married at St. Johns Cathedral in Fresno, CA at 3pm. Their reception is not until 6pm at a residence in Clovis, CA. They picked the Brilliance album as their desired destination for their images.
So, Their events are in the same day, their ceremony begins at 3pm, however St.Johns doesn't have a place for brides to get ready, so she got ready at the nearby Holiday Inn. I began with her at 12pm at the hotel. Then went to the church, then formal images after the ceremony for 90 minutes and then off to the reception (20 minutes of driving) to Clovis where the reception events would be done by about 9pm. So, there was 9 hours of working time and a brilliance album. This couple chose the Brilliance Collection. This covered the hours they needed and the album they wanted.
Finally, these clients were doing a simple ceremony and reception at one outdoor venue with just a few guests. They were married at 4pm and their reception started immediately after. They chose to do their images before the ceremony so that they could spend more time at the "party". So, I was needed from 2pm - 7pm. They preferred wall prints to an album and they selected the Charming Collection. This allowed them the 5 hours of coverage they needed and they simply purchased the prints a' la carte after the event.
Videography Collection Selection Process
These collections are usually a little "easier" to figure out what you need. They are based on the hours from 15 minutes before the ceremony to 3 hours into the reception. Then additional items can be added as needed.
1.Ceremony 2pm , move to a new location where the Reception begins at 4pm - Client would need 5 hours of coverage.
2.Ceremony 5pm at Wolf Lakes, Reception is at same location immediately following - Client would need 4 hours of coverage.
3. Ceremony only at a residence with no reception. Client selected the ceremony coverage only
The additional items you might consider are getting ready coverage and longer reception coverage because you are having some special dances or performances.
Ultimately, you figure out what you want covered, consider travel time and then your album choice.
Congratulations on your engagement and please let us know if we can help you personally find the best collection.
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