Chicago Wedding Photography

One of the most important things that you need to consider if you are planning to get married is the Wedding Photography. Nothing beats impressive and creative shots during one of the most memorable days in your entire life. You do not only need to consider the photographer that you will be hiring, but you also need to focus on the concept of your shoot.Aside from the people in front and behind the camera, one of the most important factors that can definitely make a shot perfect is the location. If you want to have very unique, beautiful and stunning wedding photos, you need to pick a very nice location for your photo shoot. Most of the people may not be aware, but there are actually a lot of great locations in Sheffield that you can choose from. If you are able to choose the best Sheffield photographer and the most stunning location, you can definitely be sure that your wedding photos will be truly amazing.The Leopold HotelThe Leopold Hotel can be considered as one of the best locations for wedding photography in Sheffield. This hotel is considered as a luxury location that can be found right in the heart of the city. There are about 90 different bedrooms with 14 elegant mezzanine suites with tall ceilings and very classic and unique decors. Every room and suite has a very impressive and adequate lighting with huge and modern chandeliers that can definitely give you a taste of luxury living. If you choose the Leopold Hotel to be your location, you will even be assisted by an expert wedding team that can help you bring out your best in your photo shoot. The place is also very comfortable and relaxing, thus allowing every Sheffield photographer to capture the true beauty of any wedding event held there.Ringwood Hall HotelOne of the most famous wedding locations in Sheffield is the Ringwood Hall Hotel. This hotel has been known to be one of the favorite choices of people when it comes to weddings. It is said to be able to provide a very beautiful and unique wedding location all year round. This hotel is filled with about 6 acres of breathtaking gardens and even 23 acres of huge parkland. Every picture taken in this garden filled hotel is surely proven to be magnificent and one of a kind. This place is full of color any time of the year that is why it is not only best for weddings, but for other special occasions as well.Bagden HallAnother one of the best locations for weddings in Sheffield is the Bagden Hall. This place ensures that every wedding event will be truly one of a kind. Your individual requests for your wedding will be definitely granted in this location. Whether you decide to have a simple wedding or an extravagant one, the Bagden Hall can be the perfect location for you.These are some of the best wedding photography locations in Sheffield that you should definitely try to see.

Weddings are momentous occasions that need a lot of expertise and poise from professional photographers for capturing the best moments. Every photographer has his own preference for the models of cameras, lenses and accessories that he chooses to use. However, there are some standard lenses that all professionals swear by for wedding shoots. The mid-range zoom, fast prime and telephoto are the basic lenses every wedding photographer should have.Zoom Lenses

Medium Range Zoom Lens - This is the most common lens that is a necessity for wedding photography. It is a standard lens that can give good results in all kinds of situations regarding lighting. If using a full frame digital camera, the mid-range lens is between 24-70 mm. If not full frame or 35mm lens, this lens will be around the 17-55 mm range. All camera brands have put out their own versions of this kind of lens because of its wide applicability. This lens is ideal for all kinds of shots: from wide group photos from a distance to single portrait shots nearer by. Focus is good since with a high shutter speed less lighting can be exploited.
Telephoto Zoom Lens - According to the brand a photographer prefers, this lens will be 70-200 mm. This lens is the best for taking zoomed photos of individuals, especially from a single location. It is especially useful during church marriage ceremonies. The aperture is quite wide so darker areas can be successfully captured at a high-speed with minimum blur or shake.Other Important Lenses

Fast Prime Lens - This is the most effective type of photographic lens for minimum light areas or for photographers who want to experiment with depth in their photos. Having a fast prime lens makes dark shots come out perfect since the wider aperture reduces blurring and vibration with its fast shutter speed. The aperture needs to be at f/1.8 or even faster for optimum results. 50 mm f/1.8 is the standard for fast prime, and costs the least among this lens type from most manufacturing brands.
Wide angle lenses are the forte of some wedding photographers and they cannot compensate for a lack of them with an array of medium range, telephoto and prime. They are highly suitable for close up shots by putting heavy focus on a particular object you wish to bring to the forefront. A photographer knows how to use it well though without causing unnatural distortion of people's features.

We all have memories from childhood that we love. Some of my favorite memories involve our family traditions. I'm often not sure where these traditions started or why we did them (like holding your breath when passing a cemetery) but they are traditions I love so much that I want to pass them on to my own children (like stuffing the Easter Ham - yes, ham...with spinach, green onions, and hot peppers!).Traditions create anticipation and excitement in families, especially children. They also give a sense of stability and security. There is a feeling of connection to the past that helps bond families together, generation after generation. Traditions are important in my family because we live all over the United States and they bring us together over the miles. I call each of my four sisters, from California to Chicago, every Easter Sunday to find out if their ham was "the hottest ham ever" this year.Even if you don't have generations of traditions to bring into your family, it's never too late to start. A simple, fast, and fun tradition is the May Day basket. It is customary on May 1st to leave a May Day basket on your friends and neighbors' doorknob. A simple "basket" can be made with colorful construction paper stapled in a cone shape, with some yarn or ribbon strung through two holes punched into the top for the "handle". Pick some spring flowers out of your garden, or make them with more construction paper, tissue paper, or coffee filters!Not only is this a great opportunity to start a family tradition, but it can also be a great way for you and your children to meet new friends in the neighborhood. Make it a point for you and your children to select one neighbor each year you have never met or don't know very well to deliver a special basket to.If you don't have the desire to create May Day baskets, why not spend some time with your family in the garden? Start a planting tradition and spend a few hours on May 1st planting flowers. After all, May Day began as a festive day to celebrate the first spring planting and as a reminder of the renewal of nature.Whether you use May Day to begin a family tradition, plant a flower garden, or meet new friends, it is a great opportunity to gather your family together and spend some quality time with them. The juggling of work schedules and school activities combined with the amount of time kids spend watching TV, on the computer and playing video games has lead to a drastic decrease in quality family time over the past 15 years. Use a family tradition to slow down the day or, as my Dad always says, "take time to smell the flowers."

The most expensive and often the most fun part of a wedding comes after the vows have been exchanged. Between emotional toasts from family members to dancing and great food - the wedding reception holds some of the dearest memories after your big day is over. It is important that you feel comfortable in the venue you choose for your celebration and that it is able to accommodate you and your guests adequately. Before you can reserve your dream banquet hall, bed and breakfast, garden or church, you must know your budget, and how many guests you expect to attend. Having this estimate is crucial for purchasing food, beverages, flowers and a cake as well as booking a photographer, band or other entertainment. It will assist you in your venue decision making as well, as some locations are more suited for smaller or larger groups.Describing and understanding your wedding style is also important in this process, as it will be the first thing your guests see as they arrive. Whether you envision bright colors and playful centerpieces or black and white linens with sophisticated decorations, the evening should represent you and your partner as you venture out as a newly married couple. This style will also be present in the cake decoration, the music chosen and overall atmosphere. However, finding that style can be just as tricky as finding your venue.Organizing such an important event can feel overwhelming, and sometimes this means enlisting the help of professionals in your area to assist you and ensure you have a flawless and memorable wedding day. Visiting many venues is often part of this process, and it can take months to find your perfect spot. Staying organized, taking notes when visiting a location, and asking questions are the keys to making your final decision.Many times, your concerns have been shared by other brides and grooms, and these professionals will have answers for you which may ease your mind or help you realize it may not be the perfect place for you. Beyond asking questions, it is also crucial that you clearly voice your desires and explain your style to the representatives from locations you are visiting; unless they know what you are looking for, they will not be able to help you achieve your dream.Working with the owners or managers of your reception hall can be quite helpful; as they offer professional advice and can help you narrow down your preferences. Often, these places also provide packages to make the planning process a bit smoother. Whether you want a small reception with a few of your closest family and friends, or a party with three hundred people, finding the perfect place to hold your celebration is the first step to making your dream come true.

For a superb alternative to a traditional Wedding album or Wedding video, consider the services of a Photo DVD Professional to produce a personalized movie from the very best selection of your Wedding photographs. Photographs are carefully selected and combined with romantic music, title, special effects and captions to create a unique movie to enjoy on DVD. A totally custom-built Wedding Photo DVD product!Your Wedding Day is one of the most important and joyous days of your life. Imagine reliving the day by transferring all of those wonderful memories onto a DVD that will do your photographs justice. Create so much more than a photo slide show - bring your treasured photos to life with the help of a Photo DVD Professional who will combine your perfect moments with perfect music to create an absolutely unique movie experience.For most Weddings, guests usually bring their own digital cameras and between them there could be hundreds of photos taken. Wedding photos are so special! Ask your friends and family to send you their photographs on CD or memory stick. Choose the photographs that you want to use in the creation of your special keepsake. Pick and choose all the pictures you like best; a combination of your Professional Wedding Photographer's pictures, plus all the best photos taken by your Wedding guests during the day. Think of it as a way of capturing all of the wonderful magical moments of your Wedding Day.A Photo DVD Professional Service takes care of all the choreography involved in generating a unique movie for you that is superior to any photo slide show. A Professional DVD movie disc is digitally processed using the most up-to-date computer technology, using the most amazing transition effects, with customizable pan and zoom.The result will be an incredible story of your Wedding Day that you can share with friends and family. The photo DVD disc will play right on your TV with a DVD player. Imagine your Wedding displayed in full color on a large flat screen TV for all the family to enjoy! Watching the resulting movie on DVD promises to bring back all the special memories and emotion felt on the day.A photo DVD makes an incredible Wedding gift that could be prepared for a Bride and Groom before they even return from their honeymoon. Copies of the DVD can be ordered for friends and family. A DVD is so much more durable and lighter than any Wedding album and can be enjoyed for years! A photo DVD or CD is also a great way of backing up all of your very best Wedding photographs.For couples who have been married for a while, consider using the services of a Photo DVD Professional to produce a very special Anniversary gift. Bring all those old wedding memories into the digital age by gathering slides, negatives and old photographs that can be enhanced and restored with present-day technology. A modern day DVD is a great present for any special couple celebrating a Wedding Anniversary. What a great way to recollect and enjoy all of those precious memories!A professional photo DVD is in fact the perfect souvenir for any special occasion, including birthdays, honeymoons, holidays; even for capturing the important moments of a child growing up. Whatever the occasion, turn your photograph collection into stunning movies on DVD, with the help of a Photo DVD Professional Service.

Wedding photography is very much part and parcel of the modern couple's couple big day. Soon-to-be-married couples are willing to spend small fortunes in order to have a beautiful wedding album. But wedding photography is not a new phenomenon as even the Victorians also liked having pictures taken of their wedding days.Wedding photography dates back to the 1840s. Because photography was only in its infancy there were serious technical limitations on the kind of pictures that could be taken. There were none of the pictures taken outside that are popular today. The photos were not even taken at the church or in the reception. The happy couple had to pose, before or after the event, in the photographers studio. They wore their best clothes for the shoot, which meant no pictures of the bridal gown. Also, the idea of a wedding photograph was only the preserve of the better off during this period.Some twenty years later, during the 1860s, couples had started posing in their actual wedding clothes, which meant there would be a record of the bride in her beautiful white wedding gown. Also during this period some couples were hiring a photographer to actually come to the church to take a formal photo. But because cameras and photography equipment at this time was very bulky, and not easily portable, most wedding photography remained the preserve of the photographer's studio.By the early years of the twentieth century colour photography was available, but for at least the next 50 years it was far too expensive and unreliable to be used for all but the most exclusive wedding photography. The development of the film roll, better lighting and the introduction of flash photography led to a change in the whole concept of wedding photography. Instead of the standard picture of the bride and groom, the scope was extended to include photographs from the wedding service and the reception. This meant that the traditional wedding photographer could no longer rely on couples coming to him to have their wedding photos taken, he had to be prepared to give up a few hours and go to the wedding itself.Photographic equipment remained bulky, with off the cuff, candid photographs impossible to take. Even photos from the period which appear to be candid had, in reality, being posed. But, by the 1970s we saw wedding photography becoming more like it is today, with pictures taken throughout the happy couple's big day.The advance of technology, with the advent of the digital camera, has seen wedding photograph develop further and couples can bring the whole day even more alive with a DVD movie of the event.

At this point in my career I've been to and worked my fair share of weddings, and I've seen and experienced a wide variety of things. On more than one occasion I've run into overly excited guests who've caused one (or more) issues below. I understand how exciting and fun photography is and the joy that can be found in helping a friend capture their special day! I truly do! But I also understand that the camera enthusiast might not understand the hired professional's perspective... thus the reason for this article.Now let me preface this by saying - if you've been guilty of one or more of these things don't fret! But now you know - so you can't say that you don't. And I'll be the first to admit - when I'm a wedding guest I make sure to abide by these rules too! I'm not saying you can't use your nice camera and I'm not telling you that you can't take pictures. Just try to be mindful of the hired professional and not interfere - after all, the professional photographer has been paid a lot of money to capture the happy couples day.So here are just a few do's and don'ts as a wedding guest regarding taking pictures and interacting with the wedding photographer.Aisle Duckers - These are the guests who duck out into the aisle as the bride (or bridal party) are walking down the aisle. I understand that you are just trying to quickly get your shot, but as the bride is walking down the aisle the only people who should be in the aisle are the bride, her father, and me. It's my job to capture that look of joy on her face as she's walking towards the love her life. If I've got guests ducking out into the aisle to 'snap a quick pic' it hinders my ability to capture that special moment for her. So please - if you're going to photograph the bride processing in - do it from your seat.Flash Photographers - I'm not a huge fan of flash in general as I much prefer natural light, but there are definitely situations where it's necessary such as dimly lit reception halls. Long story short - when you use your camera's flash it ruins the professionals photos. All it takes is for the perfect moment to arise and for you to flash off a shot at the same time we do. With my camera set to be properly exposed for my flash - the extra light from your flash will over-expose my photo and ruin what could have been a great shot. So help the pro not miss out on those special moments by avoiding using your flash as much as possible.Look Over Here - In addition to flash ruining moments, wedding guests who call the bride and groom to look at them on the dance floor, during the cake cutting, etc kill those intimate moments. I totally understand that you want to get a photo and I by no means want to stop you from getting one, but when you say, "Look over here!" - you're pulling them out of their moment so that you can have your photo - it becomes about you and not them. I always try to be mindful of wedding guests with cameras too and I will often make sure to have the couple pause for a moment before cutting the cake or tossing the bouquet so you can get your shot. My main point is - please don't call their attention away from each other or their moments but capture them IN the moment instead.Shop Talkers - There seems to be at least one guest at every wedding who is super excited about photography! And believe me - I understand that excitement! But when I'm at a wedding - I'm working. I don't have time to stop and help you figure out why your pictures are coming out blurry or how to fix the shutter speed on your camera. I love talking about cameras and photography as much as the next photography enthusiast, but there is so much to keep track of on a wedding day. I can't be distracted by a guests photo-related questions when there is a very important event coming up that I need to be ready for.Over the Shoulder Shooters - More than once I've been working a wedding and turned to get a lens out of my bag and literally bonked my head on a guest's lens as they hovered over my shoulder to take their photo the same time I did. I'll be honest - this is incredibly distracting and very frustrating! What's worse is when these guests try to direct the bridal party! As mentioned before I'm being paid a lot of money by the bride and groom to take amazing photos for them. Having someone over my shoulder while I'm trying to work is not only distracting but rude. It's also technically a copyright infringement and can cause all kinds of problems. And when these guests start trying to direct the group or bridal party - it creates confusion as to who they should be looking at for these photos. We've run into enough problems with these guests that we actually have it written into our contracts that no guests are allowed to take photos while we are doing formals so as to avoid this confusion and frustration. We've found it creates for a more stress-free environment for our brides and grooms and helps guests to enjoy the day rather than feeling the need to constantly document it. After all, that's what we are being paid to be there for!Who's the Boss - I would think this one is self-explanatory but just in case... at the end of the day, the bride is my boss! We may have covered 100 different ideas for what she wants to photograph on her wedding day, but when the day arrives if she changes her mind I'm going to follow her direction. Granted if mom and dad are paying for the wedding and want a couple shots - we will definitely work them in. But ultimately the Bride gets to call the shots.

Running a successful website involves more than merely ranking high for your chosen keyword and getting traffic. How your site looks and behaves is also an essential part of making a successful website. Tons of research has been done on finding out the best way to convert visitors into long lasting customers. A customer friendly website is the most important thing in the arsenal of anybody trying to sell anything online.Here are a few tips to making a customer friendly website:1. Hire a Professional Web Designer
Your 12 year nephew who knows a bit of HTML isn't exactly the best person to turn to if you want a professional looking website. Professional webdesigners can not only make your site look good (which is essential for evoking trust in your customers), but also know all the ins and outs of placing different elements in the right place. When starting off in the online business, trust only a professional webdesigner.2. Pick a Quality Host
What could be worse than spending hundreds of hours building your website, spending hundreds of dollars in marketing, and when the traffic finally starts to trickle in, finding that your host has a downtime and your site is not reachable. A reliable host should have 99.9% downtime. Don't go with mom-and-pop hosting companies; pick only the top ones like Hostgator, MediaTemple, Dreamhost, etc.3. Have a Contact Form and Privacy Policy
A contact form is a must. Make it easy for your customers to get in touch with you by including your email address or putting up a simple form. Same goes for a privacy policy. Have a well written privacy policy that tells your customers about any information that you collect. It will put them at ease and save you a lot of trouble later.

Photographers are very much in demand as all the occasions are becoming commercial and a means of increasing PR. The need of a great professional photographer for shooting the entire wedding function is not just desirable, but is also very important for a memorable wedding.Weddings have now become so commercial and expensive that most people have next to nothing left moneywise for their honeymoon after a grand wedding celebration. Starting from the wedding dresses, gowns, renting out halls, decorations and serving guests, little is left for a very important part of the wedding, which is wedding photography. Most couples want those memorable moments photographed, so they can look on them for years ahead.The question is how to get a great wedding photographer to make your event more memorable, while still staying in budget?The task may be difficult, but if you have done advanced and detailed research on cheap wedding photographers, then you are that much closer to finding yours.1. First of all, you have to make your wedding budget and allocate funding to prevent any potential problems or issues later.2. The next step is to search while using all your resources to look for a professional but cheap wedding photographer in your locality (it is better to look for a photographer in your area, so that you don't have to pay them travel expenses and also it becomes easier for you to access them anytime). Look online and your phone book.3. You can look on internet for affordable and professional wedding photographers in your area or city.4. You can also take the help of your friends and family if they know any professional wedding photographer.5. After you have found your desired photographer, negotiate over the price of wedding pictures and portraits, while staying in your budget.

Being a full time wedding photographer, I rely heavily on my computer and software. Below are 10 Mac applications that make the job easier.Adobe PhotoshopWhat can be said about this product that hasn't already been said. It's the industry standard, and has more features than you could imagine or use.Adobe LightroomImage management software that is perfect when handling lots of images. Useful for re-touching. A bit slow at times, but saves a massive amount of time in the long run.TransmitA neat little FTP programme, that comes with a reasonable price tag and performs well and looks kinda cool too!ChronoSyncAnother beautifully engineered piece of software, this programme allows you to keep your drives or folders synchronised with each other. I use it to keep my off site backup hard-disks synchronised with my desktop.