Ok these photos might be visually appealing but maybe your wondering what purpose do they really serve, on there own not much more than documentation but in a Wedding Album they look great. Maybe you haven't made modern weddings your career and your wondering what are all these extra little things Photographers are charging an arm and a leg for Engagement Pictures, Wedding Albums, Prints, Copyright etc., CDs, and Contact Sheets, what is it how does it work why pay and what should you pay for it, expecially if you've never heard of it.
Having worked with weddings for the past 6 years it never even occurred to me that someone wouldn't be aware of what Engagement pictures are so when I posted some I had taken of my self and soon to be official husband on Facebook, I expected everyone would understand, to my surprise I got the response from one of my friends that one particular photo should be my Engagement Photo as if one was all that anyone ever picked, was this woman living in another country for the last 20 years had she never seen a wedding. No she just wasn't aware of current traditions a trends and I would consider the engagement photo session one of the must haves of todays weddings. There's a number of reasons and a number of uses for the Engagement Photos, to the Photographer their thought of as important as a DJ is for dancing, not completely necessary a must have, but definitely a keeper if at all possible.
The engagement Photos are about a 2 hour photo shoot usually in an interesting setting or sometimes a studio causal dress and personality defining props or settings. They help to tell the wedding story, the before pictures the couple as lovers average people. For the couple it's a first glance look at the social interactions of the photographer and a fair idea of what it's like to be a super model for a day, if someone's not comfortable with having their picture taken the shoot can loosen them up and getting a glance at what the wedding day will be like with flashes going off all around them and not a moment that goes without documentation. If you don't get at least 50 photos taken and about 10 that come out looking really good you might have a bad photographer on your hands but it's not too late since Engagement pic are usually taken 3 to 4 month before the wedding chances are it's not to late to change photographers, one excuse I heard used by a couple unsatisfied with the engagement pics was that they couple couldn't afford the photographer .They didn't hurt the photographer's feelings and didn't ruin their wedding day with bad work, switching photographers they saved a bunch of money and got great pictures of their special day, no harm no foul. For the Photographer it's more than just a few extra bucks, it's also a chance to get aquantied with the couple, what their comfortable with how close to get to them even a first chance to see what type of shots look best with the couple what angles, lighting etc. that's right not all people look good in all shots infact everyone has a good side and bad side.
I covered why it was important as a dress rehearsal, but what do you need them for what do you use them for after the photos are taken. There are numerous uses, most adults haven't had professional photos since graduation, that purpose alone is good enough, but really it's about you as a couple so you now have a record of your pre-ceremony pictures the romance stage of the relationship. Post them on your face book and myspace, youtube and more it's like visually screaming to all your friends I LOVE this person! it really sets the mood for a happy occasion and a happy event. If your relationship is young (under a year or two)this gives you a chance to show and shine like couples with tons of pics together and vacations after years together. You can use the pics on your Invitations, rsvps, thank you notes menus wedding programs or any stationary as just photos they often serve the purpose of a small display in pretty frames of the happy couple at the front of the ceremony site, right in front of the guest book, the entrance to the reception or at the desert table and many couples display a full photo album of their most treasured times together at the reception, not to be confused with Wedding Albums. Engagement pictures are worth taking even if you don't go pro and their taken by your snap happy friend, so do it.
Wedding Albums have come a long way from your parents pretty pictures, it's not the family photo album, it's not a book with a bunch of picture slots and a hard cover, and it's not a scrapbook either, although those do pop up from time at weddings another good reason for engagement pics. Todays Wedding album is a montage of the day a professional bound book showing the different scenes details and people place and they like to claim the layout is magazine layout style which I would usually disagree with being a graphic designer but they do have nice layouts. If you want one you could be paying a few hundred dollars just for one, but then you could always choose your own pics and use a premade layout some albums cost as little as $20, if you are looking for the high end and really want amazing you could contact a local graphic designer and ask for the personal touch. These books are great for conversation pieces or coffee table books it's a perfect way to show off the wedding without boring someone while a mother can look at endless pictures of their children, a friend or someone less interested, only has the attention span of a few minutes so make worth some one getting jealous over your little keep sake. thumbing thru a thousand photos can take hours, but the artistic display of the best of your wedding put in a nice 2 page layout can show several pictures in a few seconds and make every aspect of your wedding look like gold.
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