Rachel and David’s Wedding in Toronto – What a Party ! -

Cliff — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 02:11:45 +0000

There are wedding that are fun and then there was Rachel and David’s wedding. These guys, their family and wedding party knew how to have a good time. Check out a few of their wedding photos and you will hear the laughter in the photos. Rachel is stunning looking and has eyes that most girls would die to have. She looks awesome and makes Lisa and my job seem easy. With this series of images I wanted to focus on the candid images more than anything and get back to my roots in photojournalism. I also wanted to give the images the look of film and I wish I could describe what I mean but I guess if I could do a good job of that I would be a writer and not a photographer. Check out their wedding photos that were shot in Toronto and I am sure you will see what I mean by “the look of film”.

Retouching Samples – What do you think ?

Cliff — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 08:25:51 +0000

Here is a photo of Rachel who is an absolutely stunning bride I shot recently. I am working on some Photoshop retouching techniques and I always find it difficult if I am on the right track because the results are so subjective. The first image is the original photo that was shot in RAW,colour and density corrected, but nothing else done to it. The other images are looks that I like and while I don’t think each one is a winner, I do think most enhance the original photograph. I would love to hear your feedback if you think the overall look of the retouched images are an improvement to the original photo? The other debate I have is that while I love the look of some of these retouched images I am not sure how I would work these into clients albums or proofs to show clients what can be done. In the past, I have sometimes used a soft focus look that I loved and had a few clients ask why it looked all blurry. I thought dreamy looking and they thought blurry looking. Any ideas how you would like to see the images come to you? No retouching at all, a select few retouched for example or leave it up to my artistic judgment and work on a series of images for your proofs?

Original Image

Diana and Henry’s Wedding at Ontario Place

Cliff — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 02:07:53 +0000

I wanted to share some photos that Lisa and I shot of Diana and Henry’s wedding at Ontario Place. You can tell this is a fun couple to work with. Diana suggested we take some photos at a playground and she hopped right up on the slide with her dress on and was ready for fun. I love shooting in the core where you just wander around with a couple and photograph what looks like it’ll work. With enough time you can really do some neat stuff and I think we did this with Diana and Henry.

5 Tips on Saving Money on Wedding Photography

Cliff — Thu, 21 May 2009 18:53:00 +0000

There is a good chance that when you started planning your wedding the economy was great, the sun was always shinning and there was no sign of a recession is sight. Then out of the blue we are in a global slump that is affecting almost every industry and individual is some way or another. In terms of your wedding, the show must go on and while you don’t want to give up too much but with most wedding vendors there is some wiggle room and wedding photography is no exception. The problem is that in years to come when the wedding gifts are either worn out or broken the most important part of the day that is remaining is your wedding photos. With that said, you don’t want to give up quality to save a few bucks because the economy will turn around an you will be kicking yourself if you booked the wrong photographer just to save a few dollars. Here are 5 tips you can use to get the photographer you want and still squeeze some extra value out of the most important part of your wedding day. Just remember your strategy is not to nickle and dime a vendor to death but to make it a win win for everyone.

1. Negotiate the additions you can make to your package
Like most people, photographers don’t want to take less money for their valuable service but there can be some wiggle room on the package add on. Asking a photographer if they can offer you an extra hour or two of their time won’t hurt them as much as you asking them to take $400 off the package and if you need the extra time you can save a few dollars here. As well, other items such as prints and extra pages in albums may also be on the table for negotiation.

2. Look to see if they offer a better price to hire their second photographer
Many photographers today offer a second photographer at your wedding and depending on the length of time this additional photographer has been part of their team you may get some great photos for a cheaper price. Any independent photographer who makes their sole living from photography has a lot to loose by not working with great people. If a second photographer is included in your package you can be assured that this additional photographer is good at what they do. They may have another career or just a love for photography but don’t want to run their own business. If this second shooter has been with the principal photographer for a few years you can be confident they have seen and done it all as well as learned the techniques and style of the principal photographer. This means that you may be able to book them through the principal photographer at a discounted rate at the time of booking. It is more than likely the principal photographer will book another wedding on the same day and they will also make a small profit on having their second photographer photograph your wedding. Double the referrals is always a good thing.

Second photographer Lisa Wiebe Works Her Magic

3. Split the hours between the principal photographer and second photographer .
If you want the principal photographer to shoot your wedding but can’t swing the extra time you will need them on the day of the wedding, why not see if they can shoot the formals and more creative images and see if you can get the second photographer to stay and shoot at the reception. Chances are the role of the second photographer is to photograph candid images during the day and they have become good at it. See if the principal photographer will agree to let the associate stay later or start earlier at a discounted rate. Wedding photography is hard work and I know that after shooting a wedding for 8-10 hours on a hot day I would like be home eating kraft dinner and relaxing but generally the associate is more than glad to get the extra solo experience and cash.

4. Skip the proofs and proof album
Your main goal should be to get the photographer you want and you can worry about the extras when things loosen up. Their is a physical cost to the photographer to have proofs made, to purchase albums and the time to stuff all those proofs into the albums. Many of your proofs are very similar images and a proof is just to allow you to see what images you want to have retouched or for your albums. Why spend hundreds of dollars on the proofs when you may be able t0 purchase the files off of the photographer or the files may be included in your package. Take your time to view the files on your computer and send the photographer the list of images you want retouched or included in your albums.

5. Only pay for the retouching
Almost all the images you see on a professional photographers site have been retouched or enhanced in some way. This is a real skill and having a copy of Photoshop does not make you a retoucher. If it was that easy then I would buy a guitar and be able to play like BB King. Fat chance of that happening. You may be able to hire your photographer on a hourly or per image bases to do your retouching for you. This way you can get the look you want and get additional items made with this enhanced file. Make sure you read the photographers contract very carefully to make sure you can reproduce the images for personal use. I know for myself I give couples the rights to use the images for personal use but not commercial uses.

Before Retouching

After Retouching

I hope these 5 tips help you out. If there is one thing you don’t want to skimp on for your wedding it is great wedding photos but there is no harm in trying to do some negation to make everyone happy.

Couldn’t resist putting up some cute kid photos

Cliff — Wed, 20 May 2009 20:10:40 +0000

I confess I am probablly an overly bias dad but I think my kids could possible be the cutest kids in the world. M youngest son Gavin and I spent the day hanging otu at home, going to the park and messing around in the backyard. I pulled out the camera and did some snap shots of him and I wanted to share them with anyone who is not tired of cute kid photos. These photos remeind me I need to pull out my cameras for personal photos more often.

The New York Times Photo Essay – The Wedding Wardrober

Cliff — Thu, 14 May 2009 22:55:29 +0000

I can across this amazing photo essay about Michel Kramer-Metraux who helps grooms pick their attire for their wedding. It is really interesting to hear him talk about how the location of the wedding plays a part in his job and how the classic look of a tuxedo can give a man years of service. This would be true of me if I was still a 30 waist but I can only remember those days when I think back really hard. The wedding industry is very focused on the bride ( I realize brides are reading this and thinking, “ah, ya Cliff, what’s your point? :) )and it is nice to hear Michel talk about the details for the groom you don’t really hear otherwise. Check it out and I hope you like it.

Go the The New York Times site to view this great photo essay

Alice and Lucio’s Engagement Photos – The Esplanade and St Lawrence Market in Toronto

Cliff — Mon, 11 May 2009 17:53:14 +0000

One of the great things about taking engagement photos is the relaxed atmosphere where you can really get to know a couple and test out new photo ideas. My approach to an engagement session is to not plan too much but set a time and place and walk around and look for things that inspire both the couple and myself. I test out some new ideas, angles and looks that may work and may not but by having the luxury of time and the collaborate of the couple we keep working till we either get tired or need coffee. I never approach an engagement session where I set aside one day and motor through many shoots in a day all at the same place. I like to work with the couple and make each look match who they are. Alice and Lucio both loved the relaxed urban feel of The Esplanade and the St Lawrence Market Area so we spent a few hours just creating the candid photos below. I am not photographing their wedding but they called me because they needed engagement photos done quickly so they would have them ready for their wedding which is this weekend. We spent a few hours shooting and had a coffee while they selected the images on my laptop so they could decide if they had the images they wanted. It is a great feeling being able to see their reactions right away and knowing they have exactly what they were hoping for. I wish Alice and Lucio nothing but happiness and know these guys will be great to work with for their wedding photographer.

Q & A with Melissa Samborski of one fine day event planning & design

Cliff — Mon, 11 May 2009 14:15:55 +0000

In any wedding I am involved in, my main concern is that the couple have the wedding they hoped for. After being in the business for over a decade, I have come to learn that the wedding vendors the couple select, play a paramount role in making the day run smoothly. As a photographer, I have one role, but working with other vendors who are passionate and experienced just makes the day so much better for everyone. Now and then I want to feature on my blog, other wedding vendors who I have worked with and who I think are amazing at what they do. Melissa Samborski of one fine day event planning & design is one of these great vendors I have worked with for many years and Melissa is amazing at what she does. You can tell she really cares about her clients and puts their needs first, which is what makes Melissa one of the best in the business. I sent Melissa a series of questions that I thought would help couples get a deeper appreciation for what a wedding planner does, as well as how they can make a a great day go to a fantastic stress free day. Hope you enjoy the Q & A and I am sure Melissa would be happy to answer any other questions you may have.

Cliff

Q & A with Melissa Samborski of one fine day event planning & design

Q Tell me a little about yourself and what services you offer?

A I have been planning weddings for over 10 years and I love every minute of it. My services are customized, I don’t charge a percentage of the budget (which is total wrong to do) but rather a flat fee based on the scope of work that I will do for each couple. Every couple is different so I tailor my services accordingly.

Q What is your philosophy in terms of planning a wedding?

A Keep it simple and it will be beautiful.

Q What type of clients do you work for and the average wedding budget?

A I tend to do a lot of unconventional weddings, couples that don’t live in Canada and the vast majority are multicultural. Average budget we work with is$100K -$130K range but that’s not to say that we don’t work with couples with smaller budgets. We also do a number each year that are in the $350-$500k range.

Q What is the one mistake you see couples make all the time?

A Signing a vendor contract before asking the planner what they signed for.

Q What is the perfect wedding to plan for you? Is it when the couple give you a generally idea of what they are looking for such as a theme or is it when the couple give you a more specific idea of what they are looking for each step of the way?

A Couples that have a general idea of what they want –because they tend to be more open to suggestions. Some couples come with a very specific mind set/budget but its not always possible to make the two work.

Q What are your 3 favorite venue to work with at and why?

A Graydon Hall – amazing food/service, (everything from the ceremony-reception can take place outside). Fermenting Cellar – a blank canvas that you can transform in anyway and Canoe – love the food/service and great view of the city skyline

Q Who would be your absolute dream wedding to plan for?

A would love to do Chad Kroeger of Nickelback

Q Does any wedding stand out in your mind as being one of your favourite to plan

A. Favorite couple – Charu and Brian – their wedding is featured in the current issue of wedluxe…the most down to earth, unselfish, fun and giving couple I have ever met –the entire wedding was build/designed with their guests in mind from the time they arrive to the time they departed.

Q What is your biggest challenges when planning a wedding?

A Couples who cannot make up their mind.

Q Give me your 5 favourite vendors to work with?

Q I find that after a wedding some brides really want to become wedding planners since they had so much fun working on their wedding. What would you say to them to convince them that planning their own wedding and planning a strangers is a whole differnt thing?

A Planning your wedding is very very different then planning for other couples. You may not always like the colors/flowers/design that a couple has selected but you still have to design the wedding within the perimeters they provide. As a planner you are not planning one wedding at a time, you are planning multiple weddings at a time. Brides tend to get stressed while planning 1 wedding, imagine planning 10+ weddings at the same time. Time management and organizational skills are the most important. As planner you sacrifice your nights/weekend for work. Its very difficult to balance a career, family etc…when work schedules are not the same.

Q I am sure all planners are not created equal. What should a couple look for when they are hunting for a wedding planner.

Look for a planner that you ‘click’ with. A couple will spend months working with this person so they have to like them.
Look for a planner that has a proven track record and experience —the planners with experience will charge more for their services but there is a valid reason for that.
A planner that has an extensive experience in the field will be able to save you thousands in the long run. Look for a planner that charges a flat rate for their services, not a percentage of the budget! Hours of work not your budget should be the deciding factor for a service fee.

Contact info

Melissa Samborski

416.522.0503

www.eventsbyonefineday.com

Wedding Photography Make-up Tips From Rhia Amio

Cliff — Mon, 04 May 2009 14:05:11 +0000

I stumbeled upon the blog of Toronto Make-up artist Rhia Amio and was blown away by how much useful information she provides about wedding photography make-up tips. So many wedding professionals I see spend their time promoting themselves ( not that there is anything wrong with this) but it is obvious that Rhia has so much more to offer and share and I have learned something about giving good content from her. I have never worked with Rhia, but anyone who knows this much about make-up and is this willing to share her knowledge has to be very good at what she does. I am grateful that Rhia gave me permission to post her content on my site and I hope you follow the link below to get more of Rhia’s awesome tips.

Aside from applying foundation on your Wedding Day, an important part of putting your best face forward actually involves a little concealing. Using a quality concealer can help to eliminate the appearance of those little “problem” areas (like blemishes and undereye circles) that tend to stand out on camera. Foundation helps to balance out the skin overall, but if you’re like me, you need something a little more heavy duty to address the areas of concern! Enter concealer.

Just to make it easy on us, concealer (just like foundation) comes in different forms. The most common are a liquid concealer and a thicker concealer with a putty-like consistency. The best concealer texture for you will depend on the area you’re trying to cover up.

Covering up Under the Eyes
For underye circles, a creamy liquid concealer works best; it covers up the area without producing a cakey finish. Use concealer sparingly underneath the eye – too much concealer on this area of the face can draw negative attention to the undereye area, which completely defeats the purpose of the product you’re applying! If you have darker undereye circles, I would recommend first applying a pink or peach toned concealer to initially brighten the undereye area. Follow with your skin tone matching concealer for a flawless even-toned finish.

Camouflaging Blemishes
A liquid-based concealer will have too much “slip” to adhere to the oily surface of a blemish; a thicker cream-based concealer will have the right amount of stick to build up coverage that lasts. To conceal blemishes, choose a colour that matches your skin tone exactlly or one that is just a shade darker than your own tone. A darker shaded concealer helps create the illusion that the raised area of a blemish is receding – just be sure to blend into your foundation well so that the effect is seamless!

Powder And Go
Set your concealer application with powder. Under the eyes, use only a light veil of powder to avoid a cakey build-up. On concealed blemishes, you can apply powder more liberally, but blend edges well so that it diffuses into the skin. Once the skin is perfected, remember the rest of the make-up is like icing on the cake – great make-up always starts with this clean canvas!

To see more on concealer:
BEAUTY 101 | Basics of Concealer
PRODUCT REVIEW | Concealer is a Girl’s Best Friend

More make-up tips to come!

Rhia Amio, Toronto Make-up Artist
web: http://www.artistrhi.com
blog: http://artistrhi.blogspot.com
email: rhia@artistrhi.com

Wedding Photography Tips – Taking your wedding photos to the next level

Cliff — Fri, 01 May 2009 17:54:28 +0000

We have created a wedding photography tips screencast that highlights the post production work we put into each photograph we create for our albums and enlargements. The question of why enlargements are so much more expensive if you purchase them from the photographer instead of taking your copy of the DVD your wedding photographer may have given you to a lab is discussed. I should also mention that we have no problem just doing the retouching on your wedding photos if you like and we would be more than happy to give you a quote. As long as your wedding photographer doesn’t have a clause in their contract that doesn’t allow anyone else to work on their wedding images and you have the digital files we would love to take those photographs to the next level for you.