Chicago Wedding Photography

In this day and age there are many couples planning weddings who believe that there are many different alternatives to hiring a professional wedding photographer. Many couples choose to have a family member or friend take their wedding videos and pictures. Others decide to allow friends to take the pictures, enabling the use of disposable cameras, or trusting friends to have remembered their digital cameras and to take worthy images of the event. While these may be good ideas, they do not usually work out well for the bride and groom in the long run.Family members and friends rarely have the professional caliber photography equipment that is necessary to record an event as special as a wedding. Your wedding is a once in a lifetime event for the vast majority of couples. If your relative or friend gets distracted during the ceremony or have inferior equipment, your memories of your special day could be compromised, ending in a large amount of disappointment for the bride and groom later. Someone who is related or otherwise close to the bride and groom will be easily distractible, something that you do not want in your wedding photographer. A professional wedding photographer is someone who is professionally trained with a proven track record of success. They have sample pictures or portfolios to back up their work, and are a neutral third party. Much like a wedding planner, the professional wedding photographer is there to make the bride and groom's day easier, more enjoyable, not to interfere. They can provide you with the high quality images of your wedding day that would otherwise be missing.The second option for amateur photography at a wedding is the disposable cameras. Some couples pass these out to guests at the door, others choose to leave several on each table at the reception, encouraging their guests to take all of the pictures. One of the problems with this method is that disposable cameras do not offer a good quality image. They are actually extremely limited in their functions. Though they are readily available now with a flash built in, they do not have many exposures per camera, they are expensive, and there is very rarely any zoom functionality available, little less the kind of zoom available to a professional wedding photographer. A professional will have excellent equipment made for just the kind of pictures that you will want to commemorate the day. They also have photography training and expertise that allows them to see shots that others will not, including those that your guests may take that you will not want. Where disposable cameras often generate dark, grainy pictures, a professional will have the appropriate experience to ensure that your photographic memories are of the highest quality.While there are alternatives to having a professional wedding photographer, they should be used in addition to the profession, not instead of. A professional will be able to provide you with the high quality images that you will want, not the random, dark photographs that you will not.

There are two major events that you have to plan on your wedding day: an unforgettable wedding ceremony and a fun-filled wedding reception. No matter how important the wedding ceremony is, there is also a need to provide full attention to your wedding reception in order for a perfect wedding memory. In fact with all the available options for you in Chicago, your dream wedding will be a blast. Chicago is indeed the best place for you to find the best hotels, restaurants and reception halls.For instance, the Galleria Marchetti, which is located just minutes from downtown Chicago, incorporates in interior design of a contemporary Milanese-style gallery space. On the outside, you can experience a wonderful urban courtyard with lovely pavilion surroundings. This is definitely Chicago's most special and beautiful place for private entertainment and celebration. In fact, Galleria Marchetti is well known for its beautiful secluded atmosphere and delicious Italian cuisine. Apart from that, it can also accommodate weddings with 25 to 500 guests.If you are looking for a venue in the city, The Hilton Garden Inn Downtown Chicago is an excellent place for a Chicago wedding reception. Located in the heart of Chicago's Magnificent Mile and the River North dining and entertainment area, just two blocks from North Michigan Avenue, the Hilton Garden Inn offers you upscale décor and a boutique-style lobby of comfortable elegance. This is great for guests to linger around before the celebration officially starts.Another excellent wedding reception venue would be the Chicago Midway Hotel Center. This is the perfect venue for out-of-town and local Chicago wedding receptions as it is conveniently located two blocks from Midway Airport and eight miles from Chicago downtown. Apart from that, this hotel provides a host of transportation options - including a complimentary airport shuttle as well as elegant facilities. Additionally, the hotel offers award-winning culinary catering, personalized menu options, assistance in event planning and state-of-the-art audiovisual technology. You can even host your wedding reception till late as accommodation is never a problem with advanced bookings.As Chicago is the city for professional entertainers, you can even engage a great band to host your wedding reception night! One of Chicago's famous bands is The Dan Hayes Orchestra which has been around since 1982. They perform annually for many functions and are especially a hit for Chicago wedding reception functions. From Motown to R&B to Rock n' Roll to disco and contemporary hits, they are multi-talented in a wide rang of music. This will provide your guests with unforgettable entertainment as statistics have shown that most wedding guests have a greater memory of enjoyable music as compared to food or interior design.Most importantly, be sure to book your dream venue as early as possible because popular reception sites get booked up fast. You may even need as much as a year and a half in advance for Chicago wedding reception bookings. Start planning for your dream wedding today so that you can host a memorable night of celebration that everyone will remember!

Aim to shoot the Bride and Groom on their own, away from any distraction. When you have satisfied the Bridal party and yourself that every permutation required has been taken, take the Bride and Groom aside for some shots alone and allow the rest of the Bridal party to leave and go to the reception. This will allow you to work with the Bride and Groom alone, an important opportunity, it will help them unwind away from the pressure of onlookers and will achieve more natural and relaxed expressions.The Bride and Groom are your First PriorityRemember it is the Bride and Groom who matter most, it is them you must please most. Ensure that you have a good repertoire of poses, which you can quickly and effectively arrange. You should shoot at least 8 to 10 of the couple and at least 10 of the Bride alone. When posing the couple it can be advantageous to ask them to turn their heads away for a few seconds, and on request, to turn back to the original position. This technique will often give you a more natural and spontaneous expression. Be sure to use soft focus in some of the close up shots of the Bride.BackgroundsWhen arranging these shots you should be aware of the following points. Firstly, and perhaps most obviously, choice of backgrounds, avoid telegraph poles, gravestones, lampposts, etc. and especially cars (their colours can be overpowering in the shot). In all shots check for small distractions which will detract from the overall appearance of the shot.Avoid too much sky in the background and avoid too many brightly coloured flowers. Always aim to fill the background with as much green foliage as possible; this will focus the attention of the viewer where it should be, on the bride and groom. An exception to having brightly coloured flowers, would be if you are intending to use the flowers as an integral part of the picture.Show Them What you WantWhen posing some shots it is sometimes easier to show the couple exactly how you want them to appear, ask them to relax from the pose, then ask them to return to the former position.Another tip is to ask the Bride to close her eyes just before the shot is taken, when you are ready to take it ask her to open her eyes and take the shot immediately. This will often result in a more spontaneous and relaxed shot.

Saying for better or worse and I do are the most exciting parts for every couple alongside having cake at the reception. Couples plan their wedding months or even years in advance just to make sure everything will be in order on the big day. The caterers and the church are booked, the gown and tux are fitted and the wedding entourage is finalized just in time for the big day. In order to have nice photographs to use for the invitations and to also get to know the photographer more, the pre-wedding shoot is done before the actual wedding day.Couples nowadays have different appointments with their photographer for the pre-wedding photograph. Couples can avail different types of pre-wedding photography. These are: a save the date photo shoot, an engagement or pre-nuptial photo shoot and a test photo shoot at the wedding location. These further provide the couple the photos to use for the wedding day.A save the day photo shoot is usually done in order for the couple to have pictures in their save the date video. This basically asks the guests of the wedding to save a specific date. This further announces the couple's plan on getting married, where and what time. The romantic stages of the couple's love story before they decided to get marries could be shown here. These show the fun and quirky side of the couple. It can be done at locations memorable to the couple like where they met or where they shared their first kiss.Once the save the date photo was done the engagement or pre-nuptial photo shoot immediately follows. Couples have different preferences when it comes to shooting their save the date and engagement shoots; some would like to do it all in one time while the other would like to do it separately. The bride's engagement ring will be shown in the pre-wedding photography shoot and it's usually held in a romantic location. Like the save the shoot, this could also be done at the couple's memorable place. The photos from this shoot are usually used in the invitation and the various backdrops at the reception. The romantic side of the couple will be shown in here.The last part of the pre-wedding shoot is not a formal shoot. Some photographers prefer having some knowledge about the location of the wedding before the day itself. In order to know where the lights enter what lenses to use and what other types of equipment to bring the clients may be invited by the photographer to have a test shot at the venue. These shoots are usually done a few days before the actual wedding.Through these pre-wedding photography shoots the couple and the photographer will have more interaction making them more comfortable and at ease with each other. Through this the photographer will have easier time to shoot during the wedding day itself.

Chances are if you are in the Chicagoland area or the surrounding suburbs you are expecting to have to fork up an arm and a leg for a local Chicago wedding photographer to photograph your wedding day. No matter where you are located, the decision factors should stay the same.Your Photography Studio ChoicesToday, there are many studios that specialize in event photography. They range from small one-man home studios to multiple franchise-type operations. Both have their advantages and disadvantages and both range greatly in price. Your first decision to be made is if you want an individual photographer or a larger multi photographer studio to photograph your wedding.Advantages & Disadvantages of different types of photography studios.One reason you may opt for hiring the independent photographer is because they are known to put personal care and attention to detail into their work. However this is not guaranteed to be the case. The best reason to have a one-man operation shoot your wedding would be because a friend referred him or her and you love his/her work. If a friend or family member did not refer this photographer for you, check for references or online reviews. The disadvantages of a one-man studio are that you are not guaranteed to have the security that a larger, more established studio may have. It is extremely important that you make sure the photographer has back-up equipment and a back-up photographer in case something unforeseen comes up and the photographer cannot make it to your wedding. It is very important that you read the contract to make sure that you will get all your money back in the case that no photographer ends up showing up.The main advantage of hiring a larger, multiple photographer type studio to shoot your wedding is security. They have the experience of running a business to keep customers happy as well as the responsibility of their photographers. Your money is usually safer (larger business cannot just take off so quickly). They usually guarantee a substitute photographer in case something happens to your assigned photographer and should always guarantee that their photographers carry back-up equipment. Disadvantages of a large studio can be lack of attention that a one-man operation can offer. It is really best to try to find a wedding photography studio that can provide you the security of a large studio with the friendliness and attention of a small studio.Never assume that the price you pay is in any way related to the quality of the photography.The quality of the photography itself, strictly depends on the photographer. It makes no matter if it is an independent photographer or a photographer from a large studio. You are never guaranteed to have a better one at either operation. Always ask to see a sample wedding of the work of the photographer you are hiring.Quite often the most expensive studios are only so expensive because they have to pay so much in advertising to keep up their "high-end" photography business. Though it varies from state to state, here in the Chicagoland area, wedding photographers charge very high prices on their wedding packages. They also have huge overhead costs as they have to pay for many employees and high rent. Keep in mind, it could very well be that the individual artist photographer will shoot weddings for a lot less because he is more interested in being an artist than in running a business. In other words, expensive does not necessarily mean better! Whatever you decide, the most important thing is to make sure the company you choose is a reputable, established photography studio.

Choosing the style of wedding photography that will suit you can be an overwhelming task these days. There are so many different wedding photographers and each has their own approach, a signature style. While traditional wedding photography has a predictable set of groups and formal poses, the modern photojournalist approach is incredibly varied, as individual as the bridal couple themselves. The only way to choose the right wedding photographer for your special day is to browse through their portfolios, until you find a style that you love.Here are a few tips of what to look for when browsing through wedding photography portfoliosThe FeelForget about technical details to start with. Look at the series of images and see if they capture the feel of the day. Does the emotion and happiness shine through. Do you like the pictures, do they wow you, inspire you. You don't have to want exactly the same format for yourself, but the feeling has to be one you connect with.The FormatThere is such a wide variety of wedding photography these days that there is no specific format that has to be followed. Having said that, if you are thinking of having some special portraits, or want a certain type of group photo, then look out for these sorts of shots in the portfolios as you browse. A good portfolio should display a varied selection of formats from informal spontaneous shots to carefully composed portraits and group shots in some shape or form. As you browse get ideas of what you would like for your wedding and jot down notes. You'll be able to give your chosen photographer a better briefing once you are clear on your likes and dislikes.The DetailsWedding photography is all about capturing the whole of the day so that you will remember every detail for the rest of your life. Look out for images that show close-ups of details; the decor, the flowers, the lace pattern of the veil. All these are part of the atmosphere and complete the picture.The Light

Photographs at a wedding are so very important for the bridal couple. These snap shots are going to be stark reminders of this very special day for as long as the married couples life together. Indian Desi Wedding Photographers are available to make this incredibly important day especially memorable.Taking photographs cannot be done by just anyone. There are many factors to consider when doing this. The last thing a newly married couple wants is a bunch of photographs that have been messed up.The photographer must be able to capture the subjects looking at their most natural. This is achieved by combining light and composition in a way that creates stunning selections of images. This is what creates photos that are worthy of being kept for a lifetime. Such pictures are obtained when a couple feels comfortable with the person taking the pictures.Couples should make sure that choose a person that knows what he or she is doing. Many people do this for a living or even part-time to earn some extra money. If the photographer is part-time couples should especially ask to see some of the previous work that has been done. Even with professional full-time companies this should be the case.Indian brides often want something that is unique to the traditional Asian wedding. They want the best that money can buy and also want the photographer to understand what is required. Indian weddings can be very different to traditional affairs of this nature and thrown into the mix is weddings that are attended by large amounts of people. As this race traditionally has huge extended families it is very likely that there will be a huge crowd at the celebration. The picture taker needs to understand all of this and also to be aware of timing within in the Indian culture.Certain companies specialize in these kinds of ceremonies and some of them have client bases that are seventy percent Muslim, Sikh or Hindu. Many of them have female photographers if this is required. Some of them are even experienced in taking pictures at Chinese ceremonies.Many of these are based in the United States as a result of the large Asian community in the area. Most of these companies offer quotes that include free travel. Couples can go into the offices of these larger companies or they can look at their websites to get a feel for the quality of work and their prices. Most often there will be certain Wedding photography packages that can be chosen. Furthermore, many of them will issue couples with a free no obligation quotation.Many of these Indian Desi Wedding Photographers will not only do Bridal Portraits or wedding photographs they will do photography for other occasions as well. This could include events photography or corporate get togethers. These functions could be team-building exercises or company awards gala evenings. As there are many of these companies around, time should be spent selecting the best company to use. Make a list of the companies that were impressive in terms of price and of course the quality of work. Couples seeking to get married should not be scared to ask for a discount.

A candid wedding picture is a mixture of storytelling and photography. It will create memories that are even more personal and unique. The wedding photographer will be the eyes during the wedding ceremony. They will be taking pictures of activities and turn them into a work of art.The traditional photography depends on staged and posed setting. The candid photography takes a narrative route. There are some couples that like to have candid shot rather than a traditional wedding picture since it has a more personalized and human touch to the event. There are others that choose to have a combination of both candid and traditional pictures for their wedding album.The wedding photographer that will shoot photographs must have experience in candid photography and has to be able to shoot a broad variety of subject in different lighting and setting. The wedding photographer has to be knowledgeable in both formal and candid pictures. However, some only focus on one type of photography. You will find some couples will choose to hire a photographer that concentrates on candid shoots and another photographer to focus on the formal photos.The photographer that will focus on the candid photography will aim to create a story of your wedding using photos. The pictures can be shot randomly or in series. It can start from your preparation and up to your departure from the wedding reception. It will make a compelling presentation of what had happened during your wedding day. After all, during your big day you will need someone to give you full account of the moments that you missed.You can work with your chosen photographer before the ceremony to make sure that he knows what you want for your pictures. You can also explain what kind of activities that you want him to focus on, but that will not mean that you will limit the photographer's subject choice. Remember, candid photos are informal and real representations of your wedding ceremony. It may need some light editing but it does not have to retouch your pictures totally.The photographer must have long zoom lens on his camera to be able to shoot from afar. He must also make sure to turn off the click sound and the flash in his camera that can be distracting during solemn moments. The key to a great candid photography is spontaneity. It is best to try to ignore that camera entirely to get wonderful wedding photos.

How many wedding receptions have you been to at which you know nobody else or few other people. Often sat with strangers at the table whilst eating which can be awkward as can mixing and getting to know other guests as the evening winds on after the meal. Some people are more natural in such social situations than others so it can help to build in a few ice breakers to get things going and up the atmosphere and get everyone involved.A nice, straightforward way to do this is to appoint an MC - this might be the bride, the groom, the best man, a bridesmaid perhaps. The MC is then in charge of the game. In advance of the reception the bride and groom compile a list of things and give that to the MC. That list will include things that the bride and groom think that their guests will have on them or can provide on the spot. For example this might include for women nails painted in a certain colour or for men those with a beard or wearing brown shoes.As the MC calls out one of the things on the list, those who qualify go up to the top table and introduce themselves briefly. This can help people to enter in to the spirit of the evening, help others to learn a little about them which in turn can help to break the ice when they return to sit at their table as all others on that table know who else is on it and get the conversation started.A simple quiz can also be an excellent ice breaker and get people involved. The quiz might be about the bride and groom (where they met, who proposed to who and where and similar) or of a more fun/general knowledge type nature. Bride and groom prepare the questions in advance and give them to their appointed MC who is then the quiz master. Each table becomes a team writing down their answers as the quiz master asks the questions.At the end of the questions, the bride and groom give the correct answers with each table team ticking off what they have answered correctly. Have some prizes ready and award one to say the top three scoring tables. Perhaps a bottle of champagne to help the winners celebrate or a box of chocolates. The main result not being who has won or lost but how the guests on each table have got to know each other and bonded a little through acting as a team.If you have invited young children to your reception, don't forget them either and get them involved. Perhaps whilst the adults are playing their ice breaker games you could plan a similar activity for the kids in a special area of the room just for them with a volunteer quiz master. Split the in to random teams and ask them questions about their favourite cartoon characters and other fun kids stuff and give everyone something for competing so no child feels left out. Help them to have fun as well as the adults.When planning your wedding reception do give some thought to the best ways you can get all your guests mingling, talking and get in to the happy spirit which your big day is all about. As you can see from this article that need not be complicated and the simple things are often most effective.

Imagine a cruise on Lake Michigan, taking a tour up the golden mile. Driving down rush street and taking the elevator ride up to the top of the Sears Tower. We're of course talking about the great city of Chicago. Despite the cities gangster past not helped by the recent movie with Catherine Zeta Jones, Chicago has transformed itself to one of the most exciting and beautiful cities. Chicago is also one of our most culturally diverse cities as well. The purpose of this article is to give you some tips on wedding planning in the city of Chicago.Those planning their weddings in Chicago will have a wealth of opportunity and choice at their fingertips. There are literally hundreds of businesses available to help you sort out the necessities of wedding planning. The yellow pages is packed full of photographers, caterers, restaurants, tailors and plenty more. Chicago, being our third largest city brings resources by the millions to plan the perfect day for any and all budgets.Chicago is a major travel hub in America. It is served by O'Hare international airport and can be reached from nearly any destination in the world. Chicago provides hundreds of hotels and restaurants as well as ranging from upscale to downright dirt cheap. So relatives attending will have an abundance of choice at hand on where to stay and eat. This will make the chore of Chicago wedding planning much easier.Those planning their wedding in Chicago may wish to consider having their honeymoon their as well. Chicago has plenty to offer from theaters, museums and endless blues and jazz bars where you can dance the night away. If your wedding is in the summer the shores of Lake Michigan provide an atmosphere that could rival and beach on the French reverieFor those planning their wedding in Chicago, you can't go wrong. This vibrant, windy city provides a perfect backdrop for weddings and honeymoons. The cultural diversity, music, bars and restaurants will guarantee a good time and a fantastic wedding. Escape to the windy city for your big day. You, your friends and family will love it.

When searching for a for a wedding photographer you may have likely come across the term reportage, or photojournalism. It is a real buzz word in the wedding photography community right now, but what does it mean?Reportage photography is where a photographer will try to photograph their subject without them being aware of them. In wedding photography this creates a very natural and real shot, one that will accurately depict the atmosphere and characters on your special day. The reportage style is often genuine and unobtrusive.Adopting this style will give your clients a complete record of their day, from start to finish. It is often a favoured choice for the bride and groom as they are not over ordered around by a photographer.The contemporary approach is to spend time capturing natural images, rather than creating unnatural images and looking for candid pictures to get real wedding photos that happen during their day, leaving them time to enjoy it.Be dedicated to documenting events as they unfold, with a relaxed and natural approach, unobtrusively capturing the details of the wedding day with sensitivity, intuition and experience; blending in seamlessly with the guests. Of course every wedding wouldn't be complete without the occasional, formal shot. But I often find from talking to my clients that the formal shots are for the benefit of the extended family; it's the natural shots that will carry real meaning for the bride and groom, and for years to come.When shooting reportage photography, I favor the Canon 24-70mm L Series lens. It is simply an excellent lens! At 70mm you can capture stunning portraits and all the macro details, wind the lens to 24mm and you can achieve a great subtle wide-angle look. The wide angle is superb for capturing large groups of people, building interiors and exteriors. It has a brilliant ability to replicate vivid colors, and work in low lights indoors. Perfect for reportage photography.

The wedding album until recently has been the last bastion of the traditional photo album. Glossy prints carefully preserved on acid free mounts, interleaved with tissue paper pages, again acid-free, are designed to make those precious photos last a lifetime. But there is a new wave of wedding album and wedding photography challenging the traditional old-style look. The wedding photo book, or storybook album, is becoming more and more popular with brides, providing a creative alternative that can be easily personalised to reflect your individual wedding style.Traditional wedding albums tend to have very simple layouts with not much variety. They are designed to hold a small number of large prints. This format suited the old-style of wedding photography, where there were a set number of formal poses and group shots to include in the album.Today's style of more informal wedding photography results in so many more shots, both posed bride and groom shots and spontaneous moments captured throughout the day. To fit all of these shots in a traditional wedding album would cost a fortune in printing, but with a printed photo book all your favourite moments can be part of the album. Full page shots can alternate with pages full of fun shots collaged together giving more scope to the creativity of the photographer and allowing the bride and groom's individual style to shine through.Digital photography makes wedding photo books very versatile. Because you no longer need to have individual prints made of your favourite photos for your wedding album, you can gather all your wedding photos together digitally. If you want you can combine the professional photographs taken by your wedding photographer with the best of those taken by family and friends. If you are planning a wedding on a tight budget, compiling your own wedding album as a photo book can save you money, as long as you are prepared to spend the time required to sort through all the photos and design a layout for it.Wedding photo books shouldn't be seen as a cheap alternative to the traditional weeding album however. They can be just as elegant as a traditional album, with board covers and tooled gold writing if desired, but have the advantage of a more personalized style. Your wedding album can become a gorgeous glossy coffee table photo book, where you are the stars of the show, a reportage photo story that tells the events of the day in glorious Technicolor, recalling precious moments that you hardly had time to appreciate on the day, but which you can look back upon year after year and enjoy in retrospect.If you still feel the need for a traditional wedding album, there's no reason you shouldn't have a photo book as well. The wedding album can contain all the more formal shots and the photo book becomes a more informal record of the day.