Are you a bride searching for the right photographer for your wedding day, or have you found the right photographer but are finding it hard to justify the price tag?

There’s no denying it: weddings are expensive! Even on a tight budget the cost can be well over what you had originally anticipated. In many instances the expectation of what we should pay and the reality of what we do pay very rarely, if ever match. Some brides dream about their wedding day from when they where little girls, but never in their wildest dreams do they expect it to cost so much…. frankly I blame Disney!!

It’s a common feeling for a couple when beginning the search for their wedding photographer to become frustrated in the initial stages of searching. After visiting some beautiful studios, and looking at some amazing photography, presented in some exquisite albums, you start dreaming about your special day. As you hold the photographer’s unbelievable studio sample album in your hands you ask the question that has be on your mind from the moment you opened up the album.” So if we were to get an album like this, how much will it cost?”. As the photographer explains the pricing to you, your heart sinks down to your stomach, you make sure that you keep your composure not to let on to the photographer that you are in a state of shock, and for the remainder of the appointment all you are thinking is, “Wow, I didn’t expect that”.

If you are confused and are considering taking a less expensive approach, then we hope that the information in this post will help remove the confusion in your search for a professional wedding photographer.

We have been an industry supplier to professional portrait and wedding photographers for over thirty years. We have been very fortunate to witness family and wedding photography on a number of levels. Whilst there have been many changes to the professional and amateur world of photography due to the rapid advancement of digital media, there has been one underlying element that has stayed true and cannot be replicated by anyone but a true professional wedding photographer.

The capturing of a moment and telling a story through incisive images is the most significant attribute of a true professional wedding photographer. Now the chances are that this statement may not provide you with that light bulb moment and clear all the fog that has built up in your search for a wedding photographer.  From our vast experience in communicating with brides over the years it’s a statement that has so much more meaning and sentiment in hindsight. Over 80% of the brides that we have communicated with over the last 10 years have regretted not allocating more to their wedding photography budget. In some instances some brides hated their wedding as a result of the photography. However in most instances, brides were disappointed that they took the cheaper less experienced option; the most expressed reason was not so much about the photos they had, it was more about the photos that the person behind the camera missed. The moments during the day, the people that mattered, the very moments a bride and groom never get to see or experience.  These are the images that in reflection we value so much more.

Like other service based industries, “there are PROFESSIONALS and there are professionals” and some times it can be hard to find that true professional photographer. Professional wedding photography is a segmented industry – there are photographers focussed on servicing the budget wedding, there are photographers focussed on servicing the average wedding and there are photographers focussed on servicing the high-end wedding. So when looking for your photographer you will need to understand where you fit in to these categories prior to commencing your search.

Another important factor or element when selecting your wedding photographer for your special day is what you get to take home with you. For a newly wed couple the feeling of taking home your album and placing it in your home as a key element of your home décor is an amazing feeling.

We as humans can at times take life, more importantly the life we have created for granted. We are so focussed on chasing our dreams, always fixated on the destination, very rarely stopping to enjoy the journey and take it all in.  It is well known that a high number of brides that receive a disk from a photographer never actually get around to making a wedding book or album.

Our place of residence, the house we live in is our sanctuary; we decorate it so that it is unique to us. But what makes a unique house into a home? Maybe it’s the images that we put up, the stories and love that we show people entering our home, or the daily reminders of our memories placed around our home.

Your wedding album is not just something that displays images of your wedding day, it’s so much more than that. It’s your unique story of the day when you create a sacred union with your partner to share a lifetime together. The official moment when two families unite, it’s a tremendous celebration of love and a new beginning.

How do you value you this?

How do you want to remember it?

How will it live with you forever?

How can you pass it on to your children?

Your wedding album is that everlasting tangible heirloom that is designed and manufactured to be the centrepiece of your home. Your mother will touch it, your grandmother will touch it, your children will touch it, it will never be replaced with a new updated model. It will age with you and grow in value with each passing year; as family members pass on the images of them will be ingrained in old archival paper capturing them at one of the happiest moments in their life and it was all because they were celebrating the love and union you created all those years ago. What is the value of a wedding album to you now?

Please check up the following links on related topics:

The Price of Wedding photography how much should i expect to spend, is an excellent blog post and well worth a read, be warmed it is a very long post.

http://www.rocknrollbride.com/2010/10/the-price-of-wedding-photography-how-much-should-i-expect-to-spend/

Here’s another great blog post by an amazing Australian Photographer  John Reyment talking about weddings in Australia.

http://reymentphoto.com.au/blog/?p=7091

In this article Marcus Bell, one of the best wedding photographers in the world writes about what to look for when choosing your wedding photographer.

http://www.sunshinecoastbrides.com.au/category/wedding-photography/

The AIPP are hosting a two day Portrait Workshop featuring some amazing and inspirational female photographers.

If you feel that you and your clients are not getting the most out of the experience or if you feel that you have yet to find the thing that makes your portrait photography unique to your business, then this workshop is for you.

We will be visiting Sydney from the 22^nd -  24^th February, to see some friends and sponsor this informative and educational Portrait Photography workshop, and we would love to see you!!

Michelle will be staying at Novotel Sydney Olympic park, Homebush Bay. Along with displaying some products, both new and old, Michelle will be discussing the importance of boxed presentation within your client’s home, and how your products will become part of their décor.

Please contact Michelle on 0417 086 889 or at michelle@photomounts.com.au to make an appointment between 2pm – 7pm on Wednesday 22^nd February. Should you be attending the portrait workshop, she will also be displaying products during the breaks.

For more information on the AIPP Portrait Workshop, please visit

http://www.aipp.com.au/imis15/AIPP/Events/Core/Events/eventdetails.aspx?iKey=NSW-2012_3&TemplateType=A

Portrait Workshop

Start Date:Thursday, February 23, 2012
End Date:Friday, February 24, 2012
Address:Waterview in Bicentennial Park, Sydney Olympic Park, Sydney, NSW 2127

If you would like to know about the amazingly talented woman involved with the workshop please read below.

Lesley Bom – http://www.aislinn.com.au/index2.html

Lesley Bom began her photographic career in 2000, launching her successful portrait studio, Aislinn Photo Art. Specialising in classic black and white portraiture, she has photographed thousands of newborns, children and teenagers in her signature style over the past eleven years.

Jennifer Stocks – http://www.jenniferstocksphotography.com.au/index2.php?v=v1

Jennifer is a dynamic baby, child and family photographer based in Bathurst, reginonal NSW. With a background in journalism, writing and PR, Jennifer takes her storytelling perspective to each session, providing her client with a mix of authentic, stylish, colourful and connected portraits.

Kristen Cook – http://www.kristencook.com.au/index2.php

As a relative newcomer to the industry, in three short years Kristen Cook has quickly become one of Australia’s premier newborn and baby photographers. She is drawn to the honest beauty of newborns – their fragility, infinite possibilities and power of worth. Her strength lies in her love of connection to the honest, the pure, the exploration of tenderness, and the simple beauty and authenticity that comes from human connection.

Kate Buechner – http://www.uberphotography.com.au/#

Kate began uber photography with her husband Chris in 2004. As a mother of three young children Kate has a special affinity with children and family portraits and her unique talent has been recognised through several awards, including NSW Family Photographer of the Year 2011.

To all the photographers that took the time out of their busy schedule to visit us last week in Sydney thank you so very much. Not only was it great to get an insight into your business and your customer’s buying habits, it was also exciting to offer a different perspective to the mix and perhaps help you think of things in a different light!

The view from our room at The Novotel Hotel, Darling Harbour Sydney.

Thank you to all that attended our party at The Novotel Hotel Darling Harbour, it was a wonderful evening with good conversation, good vibes, great views and fabulous people. A special thank you to Karl Welsch from Welsch Photography, Damien Ford from Evoke Photography and Daniel Capobianco from  Mentem Inc for sharing some great personal experiences with the group.

A Big thank you to Felicity & Daniel from Mentem Inc for allowing us to be part of their world and letting us use their wonderful facility to share our inspiration and passion with photographers. Mentem Inc is a wonderfully run creative learning centre for photographers and creatives alike, offering well constructed and industry recognized seminars and workshops in all aspects of photography, graphic design and video productions.

We had quite a busy schedule during the week which meant it was going to be difficult to find the time or opportunity to pull my camera out, however I did manage to get a few images.

On the way to see a friend in Crows Nest, we walked past this business. I couldn’t resist the opportunity to photograph.

We were talking to a very inspirational photographer when I saw this shot from across the road, thank you Lynda for letting me use your lens.

Just about to enter a studio in Leichardt when we saw this bug. I’m no entomologist but I’m guessing this is Spiderbug trusty sidekick to Spiderman…

Looking forward to coming back to Sydney early in the new year!!!

With APPA’s once again finished for another year its back to business. For some of us it will be with a renewed confidence and for others it will be with added determination for improvement.

Congratulations to Gerard O’Connor for winning ‘Australian Professional Photographer of the Year 2011′.

This year saw a record number of entries showcasing some amazing imagery. If you are into statistics then check out the AIPP blog post. Continue Reading …