Wedding Samplers

Over the next few months, I'll be posting a Wedding Sampler from every wedding I shot last year, just like the one below:

Katia and Dominic, August 17, 2005
(click photo to enlarge)



The light on Katia and Dominic's wedding day was fantastic, but especially during the portrait session. We were shooting in Montreal's Parc Jean-Drapeau, near the stylish Hélène De Champlain restaurant.

Katia and Dominic were in a world of their own, and had stopped beneath a tree for a kiss. Suddenly, the sun broke through the clouds and bathed the entire scene in golden light. It was a breathtakingly beautiful moment.

I gulped, snapped 3-4 photos, then the light changed. It was over in a split-second. Try to guess which photo it was in the Wedding Sampler above.

Wedding Sampler: Michel and Annie

Michel and Annie's Wedding, May 21, 2005
(click photo to enlarge)


Michel and Annie had what every couple dreads: pouring rain, right before the picture session in the park. Pouring rain, thunder, lightning-- a real Montreal summer storm.

Everyone was trapped in the church by the rain, so we got to work photographing the family groups, right there inside the church. We even managed to get a group shot of everyone.

The rain stopped just as we were finishing up, so everyone went around the corner to a nearby park, and we were able to take some lovely portraits outside under the trees.

The Myths and Realities of Digital Wedding Photography

Some common myths about digital wedding photography:

Myth: "My Uncle Bob just bought an 8 megapixel digital camera, and he's offered to shoot my wedding. It's a good camera, so I'm sure he'll take good pictures."
Reality: What if Uncle Bob's camera dies as you're walking down the asile? What if Uncle Bob forgets to photograph your husband's long-lost relatives from Italy? What if Uncle Bob has a few too many gin and tonics at the reception, and all your party shots turn out fuzzy and dark?

Uncle Bob is a great guy, but lets face it. He's an insurance salesman, not a professional photographer.

Myth:"Anyway, we can always fix it later in Photoshop."
Reality: No offence to Uncle Bob, but garbage in, garbage out.

Photoshop is a marvelous tool, but it's not a magic wand. Sure, Photoshop can do everything from changing the colour of Annt Maggie's dress to creating blue skies on a rainy day, but if-- and only if-- you start with a professional-quality digital image.

If you start with dark, fuzzy picture pictures shot by Uncle Bob, your wedding album will contain dark, fuzzy pictures picture shot by Uncle Bob.


For more, see Digital Wedding Photography: Myth vs Reality