Where do you go to begin your quest for the perfect wedding? You look to friends, to co-workers, magazines, blogs, tweets, facebook, other wedding professionals etc. etc. etc. Before you know it you have folders filled with notes, a browser filled with bookmarks and stacks of magazines dog-eared. How can you possibly (with the 50 gajillion other things going on) start to weed through all this bulk of information.

The secret to all this wedding madness is to figure out how to prioritize and categorize all this info to make it useful. I will give you a little bit of the behind the scenes on how to do this.

Source #1:
Paid Publications- This category of publication is found on bookshelves in super markets and book stores. They vary in cost from reasonable to OMG no way am I buying that Ill just sit down here at Boarders and take notes. These magazines stay in business mostly from the advertisers but also from the purchase price, so in turn they strive to provide value to the purchaser. The articles are very helpful in the general sense but you must remember that local markets vary greatly from one another, from things like common practices to price. There is a reason why New York and Long Island brides go to PA to get a photographer (the work is often times better at a significant $$ savings). Personally I am in Style Magazine (the back cover ) because I like the aesthetics of the book and its content

Read these books first to start formulating ideas and establishing thoughts on your weddings but once you start working with people locally these become not so important.

Source#2:
Free Publications- This category is mostly found at local professionals businesses and they fall into 3 categories (3rd party, self, and group) and I will explain why it is important to know the differences, because it can save you time and money.

3rd Party Free publications are considered by most professionals to be a legitimate form of advertising you pay for exposure, most established business choose to be here for various amount of reasons.

Self Free Publications are, in my opinion, not as credible of a source. These are the booklets that are put out by the professional you are visiting, mostly a venue that you are looking at for your reception. On the surface they look great but do not mistake them for a list of preferred or recommended vendors by the venue as often the venue has nothing to do with the books. These publications are actually sold by a publishing company to the venue and then populated with vendors they find on google or in other publications some are suggested by the venue. They are not necessarily the best or most used vendors for the venue. In fact there are a lot of venues discontinuing the use of these books because brides end up with bad professionals then look to the venue to be responsible for the recommendation.

Group Publication may be the most interesting form of free publication because these are made and distributed by the professionals themselves. Usually they have come together for their own personal reasons. They are not made for profit only exposure. It also usually means that the members in the publication have worked together or share a common vision and quality of work. Chances are that this is the closest you get to a personal referral with out going in and meeting with one of the professionals themselves, because these groups tend to attract like minded people

Personally I would only take the group publications home with me since online resources will turn up all the other professionals and you can help conserve our earths resources by not adding to the huge pile of paper that these other books generate (and chemicals that go into the production of them) The publishers probably found them in the same google searches you will be doing anyways. If a venue goes to hand you a booklet tell them politely that your ok but get out a piece of paper and ask them “Who would you hire to shoot your wedding?” Chances are that these recommendations may not even be in that booklet, and if they open up the booklet because a name doesn’t pop into their head chances are that recommendation isn’t all that valuable .

Source#3:
Online: Searching online is the life blood of wedding and even research so much so that many of the most sought after professionals have abandoned print advertising. A good general practice to remember here is to remember you are looking only at what has been specially prepared so it better look good. If a bulk of what you see doesn’t excite you and this is what they consider to be the best of the best then chances are you may not be happy with the entire body of their work. Its also important to remember, especially with photography, that your wedding is not just one picture but a series of pictures taken through out the day that all need to demonstrate consistency and artistry. It is ok to email a photographer to see an entire wedding rather than just greatest hits if they do not show it in their website.

Google searches make up a majority of the customers that find me if its not by a personal referral. I wont speak about the pros and cons of google but I will mention the online professional directory. When you google search a term for your wedding most probably the first link that pops up is a online directory.

Online Directories pop up first because they have the most links to them from all the vendors that advertise there. These are great resources to cover lots of ground for research. My one caveat is to remember that the order of the vendors in these directories are not from best to worst. Mostly the person on the top of the directory is the person that pays to be there so dont just go to the first couple ones, hit the whole list, skip around, start on page 2.

Facebook is a new phenomenon in finding a professional. I cant tell you how many times Im sitting down with a bride who tells me they stalk me on facebook. This is not a bad thing either, most of my friends and people that comment on my facebook page are other wedding professionals. Unlike any other online source you can see peoples personalities. This to me is great because when I hire people a lot of who I hire comes from who they are not just the work that they do.

Blogs are similar in that you get to see tons of who they are mixed with what they do. More so than a standard website. If you are looking at a blog that showcases lots of different professionals than these sites can function very similarly to the Group Free Publication mentioned above, in that normally there is a unifying theme that connects those showcased. So if that theme is something that exists in you or your wedding then bookmark it or better yet subscribe to it so you can see all the content through your email.

Source #4
Referrals

Friends- Nothing beats a referral from a friend that has used a certain professional and had a good experience. Just be wary of the referral from the friend that hadn’t used the professional. Sometimes these referrals can be the worst a friends cousin that DJs that they haven’t used may not be the best choice if they didn’t use them themselves.

Other Professionals- LOOK HERE, HEY YOU! IM TALKING TO YOU! LOOK HERE! If you scanned over this entire blog and forced yourself to read only one small part of it then read this. The very best way to find the best people for your wedding or event is to meet with people. When you find someone that you love, that you click with that you know will be perfect, grab a pen and some paper or whip out your iphone and pick their brains on who they think you should hire. Its not gospel but if you trust and respect (keyword trust and respect) the person then chances are they wont steer you wrong. These are the people that day in and day out over the course of years, live and breath weddings and events. They see the good the bad and the ugly and can give you the most reliable recommendation.

Hopefully this helps you out of that huge pile of wedding detritus and lends some insight to all the wedding related resources out there.

Q: HOW DO YOU KEEP COOL?

A: Easy drive the cart into a pond in the golf course. 

This is a bit funny followed by some seriousnes, especially for Brides and Grooms who are interviewing photographers to shoot their wedding.

so please read till the end.

Heres the story. The very nice young lady you see in distress was a rep from the golf course who was driving me and the couple to a very scenic  spot on the course of a bridge that spans a water hazard. We just dropped off the couple on the bridge and drove to the far side of the pond to grab their reflection in the water. I snapped a couple shots and walked back to the cart. Once in the cart the driver proceeded to make a 3 point turn to head back and get the couple. 

Now if you look closely its a big cart (6 passenger) and a tiny path, not the best places for her to choose to  make the turn. I remained quiet deferring to her expertise. Sadly though the cart got away from her just as soon as we were angled towards the lake. She missed the brake and gravity took over. SPLASH

Very quickly I had to make the call WTF DO I DO!!! I grabbed both cameras (I shoot with 2 black rapid straps so my cameras were close to me not on the seat) and raised them up as high as I can trying to protect the disks in them, abandoning all my lighting equipment (you can see it covered in seaweed in the lower left) When disaster strikes PROTECT THE DISKS!!!!! you can replace equipment not the images you have been shooting.

SPLASH!!!! now hip deep in water what do you do next. Pockets getting wet get out fast. Now I have always been an advocate of the GEPE Card Safe. It is a water proof hard shell case that I keep all my camera cards I carry  in. Why do I need the more expensive waterproof case LOL in case Im on a runaway golf cart that splashes down in a water hazard thats why LOL. 

Once on dry land I empty out pockets and set down all equipment on dry land. Im already wet so time to retrieve the rest of equipment from the lake bottom. Sadly its all electrical so can never be used again Id never reuse electrical equipment that has been submerged to unreliable.

Now assess damage. Cameras are good, images are safe, lighting is junk but I have backups back at the reception. Main priority now Im wet how do I keep shooting at a very elegant Golf club with sea weed in my shoes?

Proshop! I walk (run, lol its 95 degrees remember ugggggg) back to the proshop as the golf carts are dispatched to pick up the couple. Toss off my clothing grab a polo and slacks from the sale rack, good to go. Wait there are Coi fish swimming in my shoes. Here it comes, only golf shoes. Only ones in my size are a very nice white and tan alligator skin wingtip model -sigh- 

And the show goes on Whooo Hoo!!

Here is a shot of the bridal party on the course

NOW YOU MAY WANT TO KNOW THE MORAL OF THE STORY!!!! Especially if you are a bride interviewing photographers for your wedding. Well here it is ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS ask “Do you carry back up equipment with you? and if so is it just a back up camera or do you have back ups for everything?”

I would have been screwed if I didn’t have back up lighting. Its expensive to buy all the equipment then buy it second time “just in case” but WTF its a wedding. Professionals should never make up an excuse as to why they couldn’t get a shot if their preparation could have gotten it.

Conclusion: We lost no pictures, the Club is going to replace my equipment, we didn’t have to delay the reception, I got a refreashing swim in on one of the hottest days of the year and  I got to wear alligator skin wing tips all for the low low price of smelling like algae for the remainder of the night.

With that said why am I sharing another photographers work? Well 1 reason is that I freaking LOVE IT

I think its important to share things with peers and customers that are representative of what interests you. This album is an embodiment of what is so great about wedding photography right now. Its personal, emotional and eloquent. It does not need to do back flips and be embellished it can simple and powerful. Though each picture has been processed and toned the treatment is not at the expense of the message. I think that at times we can get bogged down in what we believe a wedding album has to be, and forget the story telling and emotion that we rely on our albums for in the years to come.

I can truly say I envy Virgina and Richard the bride and groom because they have something that in the bustling chaotic years to come of marriage and family and life. that serves as the perfect calm in the storm, and reminder of their day. It would absolutely slow me down, focus me, and bring back my day, creating a permanence to all invested time, money and emotion. There is no way that this ends up in a box or under a bed

Congrats Johannes on WPPI 2010 Album of the year. You can see more of his work here

WPPI 2010 Johannes van Kan’s winning album from Queensberry on Vimeo.

Photography and page layout design: Johannes van Kan of Modafotografica (New Zealand).

Wedding: Virginia and Richard in Barcelona.

Album: Queensberry (10×7 Musée).

Music: Johnny Cash.

Full story and links: http://ow.ly/1lpXi

As a father myself (Sienna turned 13 today, happy birthday baby girl) I know first hand how we dad’s have our own ways of dealing with things, often times it’s on our own, so the world can’t see or sometimes, at least for me, it’s easier to process things on my own. In all the hub bub of the wedding day, dads go through a lot and I think it’s important for a photographer or videographer to try to capture it.

At weddings we see our little girls (in our minds) transition to women in the course of hours then ride of into the sunset with another man. I’ve spoken about how I tear up during the Father Daughter Dance. In this picture though I’m struck twice, once as a dad and once as a husband. 

Im utterly moved by the sentiment and deep emotion on the father’s face as he dances with his daughter. But I am equally as moved by looking at the groom. Never before have I thought about the other side of it. The groom watching his bride as a little girl in her father’s arms.

For those that don’t know I’ve been married for 10 years and a wedding photographer for 12. When Sheri & I got married, we went to the court house with a hand full of family & our daughter Sienna. It is pictures like these that make me a bit regretful that we didn’t have a formal wedding but lets me look forward to Sienna’s. 

This one’s a Hot… Howwwwwse. It’s mighty mighty they let it all hang out. Congrats Tiffany and Everett Hothouse. definitely had a blast
Stay tuned, more pictures to follow. So many great people doing amazing, tender, heartfelt, ridiculous loving things, even I get goosebumps from it.

Didn’t I also say ridiculous?? I may have to have a separate folder in the online proofer for Ben D’ovier. and his antics

After watching  NYT op-ed video “Sex, Lies, and Photoshop”  by Jesse Epstein I thought it important to pass the link along and to share a couple thoughts

The quote for me from the piece is “I dare one magazine just to publish an entire issue without any retouching.”

In the world of photography there are the little white lies and the black lies. Every image that goes through my studio and finds their way into a clients hands has be adjusted in some form, but I wanted to share some of my philosophy behind what I do and what I don’t. My goal as a wedding and event photographer is very different from that of the advertising world or editorial. I believe the reason why people hire me is so that they can create a body for something intangible in hopes that it can live on and be a catalyst for the emotions and feelings they experienced when they look back 10, 20, 70 years from now.

So I have to play a balancing act between what happened and what people perceived as happened. Every bride is beautiful (Im serious) despite weight, complexion, wrinkles, blemish what ever, every bride should perceive themselves as beautiful on their wedding day. In my opinion true beauty comes from within and that is what I try to tap into whenever I work on images after they have been taken. If it is part of who you are and what makes you, you, it stays.

“Umm Mike what happened to my mole?” “Sorry Mr. Lincoln I’ll put it right back.”

If it is something that will keep you from viewing the picture and reliving your day, out it goes. Just ask my brother about the HUGE zit on his forehead when he got married (ha ha sorry Ben couldn’t resist). Like anything in life, we have to exercise moderation. For those that are saying secretly “I don’t care make me barbie”  I would ask you “who, at the core, is your photography for?” It is for that person and that person alone that you should try to satisfy.

For me it is your differences that make you, you and your photography should celebrate that.

Men are wonderful creatures and knowledgeable about many of life’s mysteries, but my wife will agree that there are somethings men are just clueless on. So I encourage you to check out Jasmine’s article, plus her photography rocks.

When I talk about first looks in the studio with clients, I get some of the yes head nodding followed by a “No I really want to see my fiancée for the first time when I walk down the aisle.” Which is great and can be just as meaningful but I wanted to write a bit about why I love the first look so much and why you may want to consider it.

For those that don’t know what a first look is, it is a moment taken out of the busy wedding day where the bride and groom see each other for the first time in a private and meaningful manner. When walking down the aisle you may be focused on a number of non groom things. “how do I look” “Dad hurry up” “Dad slow down” “Is there something in my teeth” “Left, right, left, right”
Before you know it you are down the aisle, you say I do, big kiss and back up the aisle “how do I look” “-insert new husbands name- hurry up” “-insert new husbands name- slow down” “Is there something in my teeth” “Left, right, left, right”

When you plan a few minutes prior to the wedding to see your groom for the first time you do a couple positive things:
1) You have a few memorable moments together just the 2 of you away from friends and family  
2) Weddings are made up of little events (or chapters) its these events that you flash back to later on. The ring exchange, cake cutting, saying I do. The more events you can create the more memorable you make the day
3) It can slow the pace down and centers you a bit. In the mad rush of planning and making sure every detail is perfect you can lose track sometimes of what is important until it is gone. The first look is a calm in the storm and a time to just say I love you and see you in a bit.

I hate long blogs but here are a couple quick tips to have a successful first look
1) Talk to your wedding crew (photographer, planner, bridal party, officiant etc.)  about it and make sure they know it’s happening so they can alter the sequence of events so it flows seamlessly.
2) Have a pre-arranged spot picked out where the ceremony will take place for it to happen. Make sure it is away from prying eyes and guests.
3) Have the spot you pick be picturesque, don’t rule out doing it outside.

The site has had some changes that have been taking up my time. You can now go to the links page and click on the clients link to view your online proofing and place orders. There is also an option to do this on the first mcnettimages.com page.

This system should work better rather than using a 3ed party host for the pictures. I can control more and provide better access with out worrying about who is viewing your information or if they are spamming you or selling your email address to nigerian scammers. This is hosted solely by me so the only down side is that when you apply for your password I have to do it by hand. I apologize in advance if it takes me a bit but in the end I think every one will be happy with the results. Like any technological improvements let me know if you notice anything buggy.

I well be posting more about some of the other exciting things that have been happening: New lighting techniques, a couple new ads have hit and Im going to start some contests/scavenger hunts so you guys can win some free stuff

MIke