Subjectivity

After a wedding and after I have weeded out the shots that I dont like or more like ‘unusable’ I tend to find myself with still far too many photographs left for me to make a ‘simple' choice in the wedding album!

Eventually I will go to my favourite folder and decide what I am going to do, or how I am going to use these in the album. I will look at 3/4 similar photographs say of the Bride, One looking down, one looking at the camera, and can spend an age deciding which would be better suited in the album? I will ask my partner, but they normally say, the opposite of the one that I have more or less decided on, which doesnt help.

The advantage with using graphistudio software to design your album is that you can easily view the finished page or change the image very quickly, whether it be Black and white or Sepia, crop or enlarge. With that in mind I tend to keep most of my pictures in colour, (because I love it) but it is still very very easy to change if the Bride and Groom decide it.

Which Double page would you choose for the album?

The Queens English

Just a quickie I just saw this somewhere on the net ( not sure where.so apologies to source) but I love it

"I have been previously attempting for a short time for any proper content articles in regard to this specific theme . Scouting around in Yahoo I lastly have discovered this website. After reading this data I’m truly satisfied to enunciate that I have a fine sensation I located everything that I was ready for. I most certainly will make sure to don’t forget this blog and look it over on a constant basis."

BRILLIANT

Keeping Photographs!!

As wedding photographer I normally take around one thousand images per wedding, which I think is around the standard. the problem is what to do with all the images? Which to use? Which to Keep? Which to throw away.?

The selection process is not always that simple and I must admit that I find it very subjective. With weddings I normally make the initial selections and make up the album from this but let the Bride and Groom tweak it with their selections, sometimes there are very few changes (occasionally none!) but sometimes the Bride wishes to make wholesale changes.!!
I am of the opinion that the customer is always right therefore I dont really mind, but I will try and persuade them with other options and I WILL tell them them if I think its just not right.

What I really wanted to mention today was what to throw away from any set of images? Normally I would only really get rid of the really obviously flawed images, leaving the semi flawed images until a later cut. Many times now I have used part of a photograph, maybe the groom has a better smile, and with a little bit of tweaking I can make a much better finished product. The idea of using these spare parts is purely to maximise the final image, I normally do not tell the couple that I have sliced a few pictures together, I merely give them the finished result - which they love. (If you tell them they will undoubtedly want more images changing which takes up valuable time.)

For this reason I do not throw many pictures away and I really enjoy looking back on some of my very early work, (wedding or Not) and seeing what I could do with them now, a few years on.

A good example of a picture being useful at a much later date was not actually one of my weddings but a typical day out by the seaside. I took this photograph in the very early nineties of some Sand Yachting on Lytham St. Annes beach and managed to get the old buliding in the background,It went into the filing system with dozens of others and not thought of until very recently.

Eighteen months ago we purchased a beautiful apartment right on the beach at the very same spot. I remembered the series of sand yachting photographs and dug them out I was amazed to find that the picture I had taken over 20 years ago, was where we actually lived now (well at weekends!)

.
It must be the only picture of the old buliding taken from the beach, and with the sand yacht and seagulls it makes it very very special.

I now have this picture enlarged and framed on my wall and is a massive talking point with all our visitors.

I was so glad that I did not throw these pictures away, and now regularly look through old collections. With external storage so cheap and easy now it really is no excuse to get rid of those "average" photographs.

David Barry Photography's Blog: Speech, Speech

David Barry Photography's Blog: Speech, Speech: "Well the excitement of winning a commendation in the international Professional Wedding Photography Awards is almost over, but I did bring &..."

David Barry Photography's Blog: Timing of Wedding Speeches

David Barry Photography's Blog: Timing of Wedding Speeches: "I never get asked by Brides to be -'When is the best time to have the speeches?' I think it is assumed that tradition says AFTER the m..."

Timing of Wedding Speeches

I never get  asked by Brides to be -"When is the best time to have the speeches?" I think it is assumed that tradition says AFTER the meal. so it is always one question I ask in the pre wedding meeting.

The main reason being is that if you have the speeches BEFORE the meal, it means that the Best Man and Groom and to some extent the Dads will be able to relax and enjoy the meal and the rest of the day. I have seen many Best Men , nervous wrecks before their moment of fame. One poor soul was rehearsing from his  notes outside when he suddenly dropped the lot!! He went totally white, as he looked at all the slips of paper wafting around the car park. I have seen  some Best Men so drunk that speaking was was hardly an option, and what came out was guesswork and embarrassment.

I always tell the Couple that it is their day and they should do what best suits them. Normally I find that it is the wedding planner or more commonly the reception host that tries to get you to fit in with their timings for the meal, their argument is that all the guests will be hungry by this time. True.

I also tell them that it does not have to be either, I have done a  wedding reception  where the couple decided to have the starter first, and then the speeches, followed by the main meal. ie IN BETWEEN. It was a VERY big wedding everyone had their soup or pate, or whatever it was, and felt suitably refreshed. The main Speech makers went onto give brilliant accounts of their memories, without having had too much to drink or time to think. Result.

I must admit that it worked really well, both in terms of keeping the guests happy and the speech makers less nervous. Even the Cooks didnt have to wait too long to dish up the main meal.
It made little difference to my photography other than the fact it made everyone happy.

Keep your options 'open' and do whatever suits YOUR plans.

Planning the Wedding Photography

I normally see my Bride and Groom around two weeks before the wedding. Most ask what should they bring? I normally say that they can make a list if they wish, but my system seems to cover most requirements. Occasionally brides will come with scrap books of images, again nothing wrong with that, but they normally say "we want them like this -nothing posed just natural" the trouble is that 99% of the photos are posed/set up- it just that the Bride hadn't realised it.

The worst is when the couple give you a list with No1. John, Jane, and Fred - No. 2 -John, Johns cousin and Mike. etc. The names mean absolutely nothing to the wedding photographer and are never in any kind of order.!! I tell the couple  to keep hold of their list and see if I miss anybody from it  once I have finished.
The first thing I ask for is the wedding party -just first names - thats Bridesmaids; Ushers and any variations ie groomsmen page boys;flowergirls etc, If they are young I will ask for their approx. age (so that I can second guess who is who on the day- It always surprises them when I walk in and say " Hi Let me guess you most be Hannah and I bet you about 6 .? " I also ask who is giving the Bride away?

I then go to the Brides family ie Mum & Dad and or Step Parents (and I ask if they are all ok with each other for the photos!!!!)-then Brothers and Sisters then respective partners and family. Grandparents are next, very important is how to address them some dont mind others prefer more formal greetings! and I always ask if they are mobile or not. (A lot of the time we will go to them to take a photograph)

Once the immediate family are done I go to the extended family. ie Uncles and Aunts Godparents etc. I say that they can split it up into the 'Jones" Smiths" etc. or we can just put them all on one photograph. (This is the most popular choice) - I repeat this for the Grooms family (after listening to the first part he always has a much better idea of whats to expect!!)

The next section is usually where the couple need their list if they have one. Its where I ask the Bride and Groom for any special shots - shots that I wouldnt know to take without them telling me. ie The bride and Aunty Sheila from Australia or the girls form Uni. whatever they want. I just try and tell them not to have too many in this list has it can be very time consuming and boring if you are just taking two off and adding two on.!!
I remind them that they WILL get the expected shots of flowers,the service, confetti, group, car, cake etc. plus Lots and lots of people milling around enjoying themselves ie the unplanned shots that normally produce the best images, you just cant guarantee who is going to be in the shot.!! hence the previous section.
That normally covers all the photographic requirements of the day and I normally transfer it all onto a small piece of paper which I will discreetly refer to during the day.
This normally looks something like this:-
BM&U
GA
BdMs
-------
BRIDE FAMILY
M&D
B&S
GRANS
UA&C
--------
GROOMS FAMILY
M&D
B&S
GRANS
UA&C
---------
EXTRAS .
All I need to now is to sort out the practicalities ie  times of everything, Where I am going to start? Where is the bride getting ready from? What time are they sitting down for their meal? Are the Speeches before during or after the meal? What time is first dance? etc.

VOILA- That should be that - but I always say that this is just a plan. It can be changed at any time, they can add to it when they suddenly forgot to mention Uncle Brian. No problem let me know before hand or  if on the day I will pretend that I forgot to add it on.!!
By this time the Bride and Groom normally realise that I have covered ALL their choices and are more than happy to add or take away later. All this takes about 20-30 minutes. After this its package choice but thats another BLOG.
All of this is not definitive, It just works for me. It seems a lot but on the day I have a very small piece of paper to refer to for ALL the names and times. It means I never miss anything  IMPORTANT and that leaves me free to think about the Bride and Groom's  special shots.

Villians

Again 'Villians'   is still a bit too strong but what I mean  is   someone  who has got in your way  at a wedding or annoyed you enormously. (Some might say that it would be easier to to list the ones who dont annoy you!!)  Any way  here goes  just one incident from my weddings.

This is from a recentish wedding and it was an army one ie all the lads were serving. (now I know that I could have included them in my Heroes blog) but this one particular guy  was a totally pain in the neck.

For some reason  this Usher took an instant dislike to me( I know - I dont know why either!!!) perhaps I am being unkind perhaps he did like me but decided to take the **** anyway!!

Now of course I didnt want to upset the rest of the party and the Bride and Groom seemed to be enjoying themselves and I couldnt really have a go at him- he being a trained 'killer' and all that -so what I did was to have a quiet word with him after the photo session. (WOW you say bet that told him!!)- Well -

I told him that I thought that he was being unfair  and was spoiling the day for the Bride and Groom, and I asked him if he had noticed that I had put him on the very END of every photograph? He said yes and so I told him that if he didnt lay off giving me some stick I would erase him from every single image in the album!!!!!! he said I couldnt do that - `I said 'Watch Me' .

Now truth is I  wouldnt have taken him off. I might have added a few spots or made him smaller and fatter or perhaps balder!! but I wouldnt have taken him off.-probably!

The main point here is that the more weddings you do the more chance you will have of someone 'getting in your way'  whether it is a guest, video-man, caterer, driver, toastmaster, planner or whoever,- dont stand for it. Be polite, stand your ground and make sure that you do your job to the best of your ability, without causing a scene, remember it is not YOUR day.

It is all about being PROFESSIONAL.

Try this Wedding Blog Site

Great Wedding Blog Site

Every Ash Cloud Has Silver Lining.

Rossendale Photographer snaps up worldwide recognition

Published: 8th December 2010 21:41

Rossendale Photographer snaps up worldwide recognition

A wedding photographer from the Rossendale Valley is in the frame for a top industry award.

A picture tells a thousand words: the relief as Jennifer reveals
her wedding dress to her bridesmaids

David Barry, who is based in Rawtenstall, has been shortlisted for the prestigious Professional Photographer of the Year Award.

The esteemed awards recognise the crème de la crème of worldwide photographic talent and David has made the shortlist for his entry in the wedding category.

Entries to the awards are open to all photographers worldwide.

David, whose studio is on Haslingden Old Road, says: "It's so exciting.

"I'm competing against photographers from all over the world, so for my photograph to be shortlisted is such an amazing honour.

"I'm very passionate about what I do but when I entered I never thought I'd get this far so I'm thrilled!"

They say that every picture tells a story and that was certainly true of the image David put forward for the awards.

He was contacted just one month before the wedding by a panicked couple whose plans for a dream day were turning into a nightmare.

The couple, Jennifer Small and Lee Sharples, of Sudden Rochdale, had seen their plans for a beach wedding in Mexico ruined by the volcanic ash cloud that caused havoc across the skies last year.

Still determined to tie the knot, the devastated pair then set about planning a speedy UK wedding, calling in favours to try to make their big day special.

David said: "The photograph I chose to enter into the competition shows the bride finally revealing her dress to her bridesmaids after all those weeks of constant worry and uncertainty.

"It perfectly shows that magic moment that Jennie thought would never come.

"I wanted to capture the relief, after all of the emotion and tension leading up to the day, that everything was going to be okay!"

The wedding of Jennifer and Lee took place on 7 May 2010 at The Royal Toby Hotel in Castleton.

David now faces an anxious wait to discover the results of the 2010 Professional Photographer of the Year Awards, which will be announced in the January issue of Professional Photographer magazine.

World record? Let’s beat it, says firm - Rossendale Free Press

My next Wedding is of Aaron and Jade in a few weeks time. Aaron made this World Record Poster of Michael Jackson - WOW

World record? Let’s beat it, says firm - Rossendale Free Press

Heroes

No not the TV programme (although I really enjoyed that!) and perhaps 'Heroes" is a little strong.
I was just sat here thinking of who had influenced me in  recent years with my photography? I am not traditionally trained photographically  so the likes of Bresson are less of of an influence - although timeless.

No  I am talking about Photographers in the wedding industry who I want to meet- who I want to read about - who I want to go to their seminars- who I would look at their images  prior to my wedding to give me inspiration.
I dont think there are any major surprises to my list- its just MY list.

I have to start with YERVANT I simply adore his work. Watching and listening to him in his seminars make you realise that you still have a long way to go to reach  the dizzy heights but he also shows you that it really can be done. I remember him doing a photo shoot in Warrington of all places and  thought -Well I do that and I do that but then I looked at his finished images and went WOW. It made me look at the obvious more closely, made me aware of the possibilities of what you could do with an image once you had it in the bag.
JOE BUISSINK again another master whose style is totally different  to the relaxed shooting of Yervant Joe seems to like the Ninja approach (as he calls it) Regardless the results are fantastic.

(photo of YERVANT; DAVID BARRY; JOE BUISSINK)

A few years ago I did 3 weddings for people who currently live in Australia, but were getting married back here in the Uk. (Very Flattering considering the quality of Aussie photographers) However one of the brides came along for chat to discuss the wedding day  and most brides bring some notes or clippings from 'Your wedding" mag.or something similar - but this bride brought an Australian magazine. I say Magazine  it was more like an ultimate guide to the Masters of Wedding Photography.
 I was 'gobsmaked when I saw this edition I promptly nicked it from her and said she couldn't have it back.  I still use it and a later issue to this day for inspiration.

It features greats such as XSIGHT with JERRY GHIONIS and RYAN SCHREMBRI  - MARCUS BELL at STUDIO IMPRESSIONS  and ROB HEYMAN PHOTOGRAPHY and DAVID OLIVER fantastic photographers with fantastic images. If you get the chance to get a copy it is well worth it. As I said I nicked the first copy called 'THE MASTERS OF BRIDAL COUTURE & WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHY" I bought online another issue entitled "THE MASTERS OF WEDDINGS (from studio magazines) - (no I am not connected or paid by them in any way!)  In terms of a bridal magazine they are simply Stunning.
More recently my inspiration comes from JASMINE STAR - Fresh and fast only being doing it for 4 years so it proves it can be done but she makes me laugh with her tweets and her blogs. She really should write a novel she is a natural. Her work is simple and clean and fresh and you feel like you already know her. She makes ME feel comfortable. Brilliant. One not to miss is Jeff Ascough a brilliant photographer with a distinctive style, and he is based very near to me!! check out his website at http://www.jeffascough.com/

Well there we have it some of the worlds greatest (sorry if I missed you-it was just my list thats all).
If you have not seen any of their work and I doubt that, then google them- Twitter them or go to their Facebook pages  You will find a wealth of inspiration.

Twitter Improvements That We Need!

Twitter Improvements That We Need!

Speech, Speech

Well the excitement of winning a commendation in the international Professional Wedding Photography Awards is almost over, but I did bring  on  a little smile to myself  this morning  thinking back!!

I wondered in all the excitement  what would happen if I had actually won the main  prize? Would I have to attend the London Do? Would I have to make a speech? Oh No What would I say? - Well I thought I would tell them of the last wedding  I did in London.

Competition Entry

Ok  So  its  a New  Year  and  I have decided to actually, really, honestly, start  my Blog.!
I have been promising myself this for years  and well everyone says its the THE thing to do get traffic to your website. Its  a brand new website and I think its great (feedback always welcome). I feel that I just need more viewers to see just how good I am - so here goes.

First Topic - Always  a problem - How to get started?  I decided that not only  will I do this Blog but I would enter more competitions. Now I am not renowned for entering let alone winning  comps.  so again  its not always easy to get started. I first entered some local competitions years  ago for my town and found that I won 3 of the 4 categories mainly of 'The Flying Scotsman' steam train - Brilliant.  The pictures are still on display at the local Railway station but many, many years later I still have only entered 2 others.!!

Both of these were from 'The Professional Photography Magazine'  A mag. that I subscribe to and find really useful for keeping up to date with current trends. ( Not the least for introducing me to the queen of Blogging/Tweeting @JasmineStar - and a good looking and fantastic photographer too- Its not fair!!!)

Sorry back to the comps. Last year  I entered my first image. Very Difficult. Not  to enter but to choose which one of my thousands of images I have available.