It is guest blog Monday, and today I’m fortunate enough to have Pat Blake, of Blake Photography, write a guest blog to talk about photographing destination weddings.
I know Pat from my business networking group, and he is my family’s photographer. We have portraits proudly hanging in our home, as well as my in-laws’ and mom’s homes, displaying his work; my avatar photo was taken by Pat; and he took photographs of my colleagues and I for a nation-wide recruitment initiative at my former host agency. Pat is attentive to detail, and really takes the time to get the photos you need and want. He ensures all is done right the first time. If you need a destination wedding photographer, give Pat a call. His contact details are at the end of the blog post, and a couple of examples of his destination wedding portraits are shown in the guest blog too.
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For most people, the most important day of their lives is the day they get married. Many couples choose to head south and avoid the “hassles” of planning a wedding at home, but one of the major mistakes they make is forgetting about the photography. Here are the main reasons you should consider bringing your own photographer to your destination wedding.
If you’re traveling to another country for your wedding, you have four basic options for your photographer: the resort photographer; a local photographer; a friend or family member; you bring your own professional.
I have friends who used a resort photographer for their wedding at a major hotel chain (before I’d met them), and they told me they paid over $2000 for 30 5×7 inkjet prints. I’ve seen them, and believe me, they’re not worth what they paid. Besides the poor quality, they can never re-order additional images as the resort does not archive the photographs. Many resort photographers will continually use the same locations, so every wedding they photograph looks the same; they often don’t have professional camera equipment and lighting, or don’t know how to make the best use of the equipment; and many may not even be trained photographers.
Local photographers may have better equipment and training, but what happens if there’s a problem? You’re in another country, so dealing with your photographer once you get home has the potential to be a headache. In the case of both the resort and local photographer, you won’t have the chance to really sit down with the person who will be with you all day. What if there’s a personality conflict? Standing at the altar is a bad time to find out you don’t enjoy being with your photographer. This is supposed to be the happiest day of your lives, and you want that to show in your photographs.
Having a friend or relative photograph your wedding can present its own set of problems. I once had a bride call in a panic because her photographer was unavailable on the wedding day. When I called back to confirm that I could help, she told me: “My uncle is photographing my wedding, he has a really good camera”. Being a great photographer takes a lot more than buying the latest camera! If this is your plan for your wedding, STOP! This is a day that cannot be repeated, you can’t go back and do it again! You want a professional who works with couples regularly so that they capture all the important moments of your day. This is especially true of weddings in the Caribbean, as noontime sun on the beach presents many technical challenges for capturing great images. What happens if there’s a problem with the photos? Do you want to risk jeopardizing your relationship with your friend or family member?
At a destination wedding I always include an engagement session with the couple the day before the wedding, full coverage on the wedding day, and a day-after session with the couple for more casual images. The day after is also a great time to do a “trash the dress” session!
Your wedding photographs are, in most cases, the only visual reminder of the wedding. The bride’s dress will stay in the closet and may never come out again; the groom’s clothing my have been rented and returned; the food will have been eaten; the wine is gone. Opening your album, seeing the joy on everyone’s faces and smiling at all the wonderful memories from your wedding are worth the investment of bringing your own photographer to your destination wedding!
Patrick Blake, Owner
Blake Photography
twitter: @blake_photo
P: 613.884.3355 F: 613.835.3759
