Established in 1989, Andeamo Wedding Photography has over twenty years of experience in crafting superior wedding photography images and video. Andeamo has equal experience as professional digital videographer and cinematographer. Our experts travels the world to get the shot, and capture your  black tie  event, and  black tie  moments. Company founder, John Strand, remains personally involved in the production and quality control of all video and images the company creates. Andeamo Studios promises the best of both worlds: a modern style and feel to its photography, video, and professional services with the stability of a well-established business that’s still in its prime.

In addition to free travel services throughout the Southwest, Andeamo, located in beautiful Woodland Hills, California, offers services within 100 miles of every major city throughout the US, but with an emphasis on Los Angeles, Woodland Hills, and Beverly Hills

Andeamo wedding photographers are professionally trained with extensive film industry experience, and are well-versed in the fine art of photojournalism and classic wedding photography.

In addition to wedding photography, Andeamo handles many corporate and  black tie  events for companies ranging throughout the Fortune 500. On-location event photography includes award presentations, conferences, celebrity performers or speakers, and individual and group portraits. Many engagement, wedding, and family portraits are photographed in our studios each year.

Whether for your wedding or other  black tie  event, Andeamo Wedding Photography is the name to depend on.

John Strand is an important name in wedding photography – and as professional digital videographer and cinematographer. He is a photographer and President on Andeamo Wedding Photography. John frequently handles photographic services for Andeamo Video & Photography personally.

So whether your wedding is in Los Angeles, Woodland Hills, Beverly Hills, or anywhere else in the country, call Andeamo now.

A Brief History of Weddings

Like the technology of photography itself, the practice of wedding photography has evolved and grown since the invention of the photographic art form in 1826 by Joseph Nicéphore Niépce. In fact, an early wedding photograph, recorded some 14 years after the fact, may be a recreation for the camera of the 1840 wedding of Queen Victoria to Prince Albert. However, in the early days of wedding photography, most Los Angeles, Beverly Hills, Woodland Hills of more humble means did not hire a photographer to record the actual wedding itself. Until the later half of the 19th century, most people didn’t pose for formal wedding photos during the wedding. Rather, they might pose for a formal photo in their best clothes before or after a wedding. In the late 1860s, more Los Angeles, Beverly Hills, Woodland Hills started posing in their wedding clothes or sometimes hired a wedding photographer to come to the wedding venue.

Due to the nature of the bulky equipment and lighting issues, wedding photography was largely a studio practice for most of the late 1800s. Over time, technology improved, but many Los Angeles, Beverly Hills, Woodland Hills still might only pose for a single wedding portrait. Wedding albums started becoming more commonplace towards the 1880s, and the wedding photographer would sometimes include the wedding party in the photographs. Often the wedding gifts would be laid out and recorded in the photographs as well.

At the beginning of the 20th century, color photography became available, but was still unreliable and expensive, so most wedding photography was still practiced in black and white. The concept of capturing the wedding "event" came about after the Second World War. Using film roll technology and improved lighting techniques available with the invention of the compact flash bulb, wedding photographers would often show up at a wedding and try to sell the photos later. Despite the initial low quality photographs that often resulted, the competition forced the studio photographers to start working on location.
Initially, professional studio wedding photographers might bring a lot of bulky equipment, thus limiting their ability to record the entire event. Even "candid" photos were more often staged after the ceremony. In the 1970s, the more modern approach to recording the entire wedding event started evolving into the practice as we know it today.

Technology

During the film era, professional wedding photographers favored color negative film and medium-format cameras, e black tie ly by Hasselblad. Today, many more weddings are photographed with digital SLR cameras as the digital convenience provides quick detection of lighting mistakes and allows creative approaches to be reviewed immediately.
In spite of diminishing film use, some wedding photographers continue to shoot with film as they prefer the film aesthetic, and others are of the opinion that negative film captures more information than digital technology, and has less margin for exposure error. Certainly true in some cases, it should be noted that exposure latitude inherent in a camera's native RAW image format (which allows for more under- and over- exposure than JPEG varies from manufacturer to manufacturer. All forms of RAW have a degree of exposure latitude which exceeds slide film - to which digital capture is commonly compared.

Currently, it is fair to say that many professional labs have a greater capacity to provide services in post-production for film compared with digital, such as quickly generating adequate prints in the event of some over- or under- exposure. This should change over time, with manufacturers like Kodak announcing a commitment to further develop streamlined services in the area of professional digital lab output.
Technology has evolved with the use of remote triggers and flashes. Wedding photographers are now able to take advantage of traveling light and having the ability to use creative lighting.

Approaches

There are two primary approaches to wedding photography--and professional digital videographer and cinematographer--that are recognized today: Traditional and Photojournalistic. Traditional wedding photography provides for more classically posed images and a great deal of photographer control and interaction on the day of the wedding. Photojournalistic wedding photography takes its cue from editorial reporting styles and focuses more on candid and unposed images with little photographer interaction. These are two extremes and many of today's photographers will fall somewhere in the middle of these two styles.

A third style that is becoming more popular is a fashion-based approach. In contemporary/fashion-based wedding photography, photojournalistic images of the events of the day are combined with posed images that are inspired by editorial fashion photography as would be found in magazines like Vogue or Vanity Fair.

A fourth style that is popular in Asian countries, e black tie ly in China, is wedding studio photography. Typically, Los Angeles, Beverly Hills, Woodland Hills will select a studio in a similar manner as western Los Angeles, Beverly Hills, Woodland Hills select a wedding photographer. They will then make an appointment with the studio for either in-studio or location shoot, which is becoming popular in recent years, to do "glamour wedding shots". In attendance will be a hair stylist and make-up artist in addition to the photographer and the Los Angeles, Beverly Hills, Woodland Hills. The Los Angeles, Beverly Hills, Woodland Hills will go through many changes of clothing and backgrounds in a similar manner to the fashion based approach.

The term contemporary wedding photography is used to describe wedding photography that is not of a traditional nature. The emphasis in contemporary photography is to capture the story and atmosphere from the day, so the viewer has an appreciation of what the wedding was like, rather than a series of pre-determined poses. This term can be mistaken for meaning any photograph that is not posed or formal. The advent and advancement of digital cameras (and increased use of the internet) means that many people can offer their services as a wedding photographer, but contemporary wedding photography is more than taking informal photographs and involves the use of composition, lighting, and timing to capture photographs that have a strong visual appeal.

There is some uncertainty over what constitutes contemporary styling and how this differs from other forms of wedding photography. The PSA Journal, March 1994, records a debate on this subject. This highlights the difficulty with the word contemporary when defining photographic expression, as some feel this term is not sufficiently defined. For example, is photojournalism contemporary or is it different? Photojournalism is easier to define, as the term infers the photography is by its nature similar to journalism, where the emphasis is upon reporting and recording events in a newsworthy manner, whereas contemporary may include an element of photojournalism but is not exclusively that style of photography.

Perspectives On Your Wedding: Consider the Advantages of a Second Photographer

Your wedding day is perhaps the most important event of your life, whether you're in Los Angeles, Woodland Hills, or Beverly Hills, so you'll want to be sure to capture every beautiful, memorable moment. Accordingly, many wedding Los Angeles, Beverly Hills, Woodland Hills are now opting to hire a second photographer. Since you'll want to include both formal portraiture and candid shots in your album, having two wedding photographers coordinate the shoot throughout the day brings spontaneous style and dimension to your wedding memories.

Most Los Angeles, Beverly Hills, Woodland Hills have a vision for their wedding photography that includes several must-have artistic moments, and a lot of them need to be captured virtually simultaneously. Two wedding photographers working together will be able to work two different places at once.

For example, the bride will likely want a photo of her dress hanging in a beautiful spot that's evocative of the wedding location, such as backlit in a window or on a cottage door. She'll want her preparations covered, e black tie ly shots of her mother or sister helping her with her veil or necklace. The Los Angeles, Beverly Hills, Woodland Hills will want their cake, flowers and beautifully set tables documented before the festivities begin.

And while the bride's getting ready, the groom will be undergoing his own preparations with his groomsmen, which can involve moments of hilarity and camaraderie — as well as solemn introspection — as the groom prepares to take his vows. With two wedding photographers, you'll be able to capture all of these meaningful details before the ceremony even begins. At the very least you’ll want a professional digital videographer and cinematographer.

Capture the Moment
While you'll want plenty of formal family portraits in Los Angeles, Woodland Hills, or Beverly Hills, the images of spontaneous emotional moments are the icing on the cake. While one wedding photographer is documenting your father's toast, the other might capture your mother's happy tears. A second wedding photographer will also be able to get shots of your guests' reactions to the multitude of touching and moving moments throughout the day. Particularly with weddings of more than 100 people, having two wedding photographers on hand will ensure that every detail of your wedding day goes down in history.

Another Angle on the Day
Having a second wedding photographer often adds a tangible sense of time and dimension to the photos of your day, which will vividly bring your story to life. With two wedding photographers capturing moments that occur simultaneously, they will be able to bring a real-time, photojournalistic, quality to your images.

For example, while one photographer is up front with the groom during the processional, the other can be in the back with the bride and her family. With two photographers working at once and from different angles, you will end up with shots of the groom's face when the bride first appears. You'll have the bride moments before walking down the aisle, as well as beautiful shots of her back as she proceeds.

You'll have close-ups of the VIPs in the front row. You'll have the flower girl watching the bride and the bride catching the groom's eye at the same moment. Taken together, these different facets of the ceremony, like a diamond, create a full emotional picture of the  black tie  event. And whether you're in Los Angeles, Woodland Hills, or Beverly Hills, you'll have something to be happy with.

The Assistant Photographer
Wedding events tend to be fast-paced, so your two wedding photographers will need to communicate clearly, quickly and often, with each other. The second wedding photographer will help the first with formal shots, but will also be searching for spontaneous shots. At times they'll be capturing the same event from different angles, and possibly with different lenses, all to go for different effects. And you’ll be certain to have a professional digital videographer and cinematographer on hand.

Recent Trends in Wedding Photography
Whether the wedding is a beachfront affair or “black tie,” every Los Angeles, Beverly Hills, Woodland Hills wants their wedding photography to be picture-perfect. Now more than ever, there are countless ways to catalogue your big day in pictures. Here are some of the latest trends in wedding photography today.

The Digital Revolution
Thanks to digital cameras, the days of celluloid and dark rooms have given way to higher quality images that are cheaper and quicker to turnaround. Wedding photographers can snap an almost unlimited supply of shots without having to reload the camera or alter the moment.

Forget having to wait months to finally receive your ceremony negatives. Within weeks, wedding photographers can post event pictures online for easy viewing. Friends and family of the bride and groom can also browse through the photos and order prints of their own favorite images. Not to mention digital pictures are a snap to store on a DVD or computer and can be printed over and over again. And whether you're in Los Angeles, Woodland Hills, or Beverly Hills, digital offers the best quality wedding and event photography results you can get.

The Heart of the Matter
In recent years, a new style of wedding photography called “photojournalism” has become wildly popular among newly marrying Los Angeles, Beverly Hills, Woodland Hills. Instead of snapping staged shots — which entail forced smiles — photojournalistic photographers focus on telling the story of your  black tie  day as it unfolds. From the pre-ceremony prep to the very last dance, they capture the events with wedding photography that elicit the unique emotions of the wedding experience. Whether the bride's hug with her grandpa or the best man's dance with the flower girl, photojournalistic wedding photography captures the spontaneous and touching moments in an artistic and objective manner.

What’s In Vogue
Some Los Angeles, Beverly Hills, Woodland Hills are opting to have wedding photography taken in a style inspired by the pages of fashion magazines like InStyle or Vogue. This type of wedding photography plays up the glamour and romance of the day. Images of the bride and groom are shot in an artistic manner and later edited to get a high-fashion look. Los Angeles, Beverly Hills, Woodland Hills can look like celebrities, with  black tie  photographic techniques both in-camera and in the editing room. And whether you're in Los Angeles, Woodland Hills, or Beverly Hills, people will know you're a star on your wedding day event.

Options
The possibilities are endless for newlywed Los Angeles, Beverly Hills, Woodland Hills today. Can't decide between black and white photos, or color? Now you can have your cake and eat it too! Traditional wedding photography, or photojournalism? Try a combination of both. Don't want to miss the reception while you're posing for pictures? Wedding party shots can be taken before or after the ceremony so relax and have it your way. As long as you have a professional digital videographer and cinematographer to capture the shots.

Have It Your Way
The one trend that never goes out of style is being true to the moment. You only get one chance to take pictures of your ceremony, so make sure your wedding photographer has a good sense of “you.” Be sure to discuss the possibilities and communicate your desires clearly. Agreeing upon a wedding photography style before it's time to say "I do" will help ensure your photos turn out the way you want them. And most of all, don't forget to smile and enjoy your big day! You can have it your way whether you're in Los Angeles, Woodland Hills, or Beverly Hills.

Must-Have Photography Shots
Your wedding photography is a record of your big day that you will keep forever and be able to pass on to your children and grandchildren. In order to have your story told your way, it is important to think ahead about which moments you want captured and which shots you simply don't want missed. The increasingly popular photojournalistic method of photography (which is what Bella uses) ensures that the most meaningful candid moments will not be missed. However, there might be certain shots on your list that you'll want to let your wedding photographer know beforehand so that they can plan.
The following is a list of just a few shots that many Los Angeles, Beverly Hills, Woodland Hills want to ensure they get:

The Tables
With all the work you put into selecting flowers, table settings, candles, favors and other details that your guests will get to enjoy, wouldn't you like a record? There's also a good chance that you won't even get to see your gorgeously set tables before the reception, so make sure that your photographer gets a few shots of the beautiful fruits of your labor.

The Dress
Your bridal gown is likely to be the most beautiful garment you'll ever wear, and it is a piece of art in and of itself. Before you put it on, have your wedding photographer get a few shots of the dress hanging on a door or over a chair, highlighting its simple beauty and artistry.
Once you put the dress on, you'll be taking dozens of photographs, but make sure that your wedding photographer gets some shots of your back. While you'll hardly even be aware of your own back, you'll want to see and remember the dress's detail and beautiful lines. Beautiful shots of your wedding dress are important to people from Los Angeles, Woodland Hills, or Beverly Hills.

Getting Ready
Your wedding photographer will take plenty of pictures of the ceremony and reception, but often the emotional behind-the-scenes shots of the bride's preparations are overlooked. Whether you're getting dressed with just your mother or sister or with all of your bridesmaids, you'll probably need assistance with the veil and jewelry and all those buttons. These small details make for beautiful wedding photographs. If you love your shoes, get a nice shot of them, and don't forget the veil.

The Groom
When she's walking down the aisle, all eyes tend to be on the bride — including the groom's. You're not going to really see him up close until the end of your approach, but the emotion on his face is something you'll want to capture and remember. Make sure your wedding photographer gets a few shots of the groom as you're walking towards him.

Entering the Reception
The party doesn't really begin until you get there, and you're going to be excited to arrive at the reception. Have your wedding photographer ready to capture your faces when the two of you enter the reception to celebrate your new union with your family and friends.

Dancing
The first dance and the two of you dancing with your parents are no-brainers, but you'll want plenty of evidence of your guests having a great time. Make a list of the people who you must have pictures with. Be sure your wedding photographer gets lots of shots of the revelry — grandparents, coworkers, college friends, your aunt and uncle doing the dip — This is the stuff you're going to want to remember! This is just a start, and there will be numerous elements to and  black tie  moments of your wedding day that are unique to you. So, think ahead and ensure that every last detail is captured just the way you'd like it to be.

In the selection of your wedding photographer, you are often at the mercy of a super-salesperson and/or your own intuition. It seems as if PRICES are usually the main determining factor, even though there is NEVER a second chance.
Nor has there ever been anything written that gives you, the bride, a true guideline as to how to select the one person who could supply you with a heart full of memories to last a lifetime.

Where to Start

Undoubtedly the best way a bride has to pre-judge the competency of a wedding photographer is to have a recommendation from someone whose opinion she trusts. If she has more than one recommendation, that is even better...e black tie ly if the same wedding photographer’s name comes from different sources.

Then, a phone call is appropriate. The telephone conversation should begin with the availability of the studio to cover the wedding on the specific date. You should also learn the name of the wedding photographer who would be doing the actual pictures, and at least a rough estimate of the costs involved.

An appointment should be made to meet with the wedding photographer who will be assigned to your wedding, see his work and discuss the details. Without doubt, this meeting should include the bride and groom as well as the bride’s parents. Just make sure they'll shoot in Los Angeles, Woodland Hills, or Beverly Hills.

The Best Man and Woman at the Wedding

At the meeting, the first assessment you should make is whether you feel comfortable in the presence of the wedding photographer. If you are going to spend a good part of the most important day of your life with this person, it should be someone with whom you know you will enjoy sharing that time.

Then, you should see some of the wedding photographer’s work. If you see a picture, or a series of pictures, that you really like, you should ask:

1. Who are these people?

2. Did you, personally, take these photographs?

3. May I call these people for a personal reference?

After all, it is one thing to see some beautiful pictures, but it is equally important to find out if the bride and groom enjoyed working with this wedding photographer.

It is also a way of knowing that the wedding photographs you are being shown were actually made by the person you are speaking to. You want to be sure that the work you are admiring was made by the wedding photographer who will be at your we dding.

Another result of this meeting could be to allow you and your wedding photographer to begin a one-on-one relationship. In that way, neither of you would be strangers to each other on the day of the wedding, and you will be more relaxed in front of the camera.

Now the Fun Begins

For the most part, when prospective clients come to my studio, their questions pertain to prices, sizes and numbers. I have often felt that the reason for this is that they have never thought to consider some of the more important questions, such as:

4. How do you feel about the bride and groom not wanting to see each other before the ceremony? What are the alternatives? How will the various plans effect us on the day of the wedding?

5. Do you have any goals for approaching each wedding? Any long-term goals for yourself as a person, as a wedding photographer?

6. How long do you expect to be with us on the day of the wedding? Beginning at what time? Until when? Is there an extra charge if the wedding runs a little overtime?

7. Whom would you include in the wedding photographs? Where and when would they be taken?

8. What can I do to help you perform your duties to the best of your ability?

See A Whole Wedding

If you are still interested in the wedding photographer’s services at this point, I would ask to see a complete coverage of a single wedding. That is a lot more important than seeing a selection of beautiful highlights from many different weddings.

When looking through the album, evaluate the work by placing yourself in the position that this could have been your wedding coverage. Ask yourself if the wedding photographer has actually considered the individual characteristics and personality of each of the persons in the photographs to come up with these pictures. Then, you might follow up with some of the following:

9. Considering my facial features, physical attributes in general, what angles of my face would you consider to be better than others?

10. Have you noticed any expressions or mannerisms of mine that you might want to try to capture or avoid?

11. How did you get qualified to take professional wedding photographs? What kind of educational background and/or experience have you had in developing your techniques?

Get Specific!

Now, let us get down to the nitty-gritty. Too often important details that you had never before considered come back to haunt you later:

12. How will you be showing me the wedding photographs for selection?

13. Will you be helping me in the selection of the final pictures?

14. How can people who live out of town be accommodated with ordering, paying and delivering?

15. What are the costs of the various styles of coverage? Are there different degrees of coverage? What is included in each?

16. How much for the extras? Duplicates? Ask to see the specific style of album you will be receiving. Are alternate choices available? At an extra cost?

17. What kind of time frame are you looking at for preparing the pictures for my selection? Are you providing me with proofs, slides or what? How much time do I have to make up my mind as to which pictures I want and how many? Are the “proofs” for sale?

Look to the Future

18. How much money would you expect me to eventually spend before you think I would be completely happy with my wedding photography coverage?

19. How much money would you want me to spend in order for me to make it worthwhile for you to give me your full attention on my wedding day?

20. How long have you been in business? How long do you plan on staying in the business? In other words, what kind of guarantee comes with my hiring you and/or your studio?

Wrap it up Intelligently

Finally, let us consider a few topics of conversation that should help you make your decision of a photographer.

21. Do you have any particular philosophy about your approach to wedding photography?

22. What would you plan to do at my wedding that would make my wedding photographs unique and personal to me? Can I tell you who I want in my pictures? How will you find them?

23. How can I be certain that you will be taking the pictures?

24. With whom will I be dealing with after the wedding?

25. What is your payment policy? Do you give any guarantees on your services and photographs?

By now, you have probably spent a good deal of time with the wedding photographer. Their time is money, the same as yours. Realize that in the long run someone has to pay for the hours each wedding photographer spends as a consultant. Keep their (and your own) expenses to a minimum by going to the meeting with the wedding photographer prepared to leave a deposit to confirm the date.

Before you do, however, you may want to assure yourself of a few more last-minute details. Find out the wedding photographer’s policy if the date of your wedding is changed and they are not available on have to know whether this photographer is for you.

If the wedding photographer is for you, if the wedding photographer is available, and if you are convinced that it is worth the price, then make the commitment and rest assured that this is undoubtedly one of the best and most intelligent decisions you have made in planning your wedding!

It is difficult to pay too much for something you really like. Yet, price is usually the one obstacle that prevents many wedding clients from selecting the wedding photographer who undoubtedly could give them the best value for their money.

Within the framework of the entire wedding day, it makes good sense to evaluate the money spent on wedding photographs in relation to what is being spent on flowers, food and music. Although everyone knows that the video and images are the only thing you have after the moment has passed, some people still feel they have to put the money “where it shows”.

Later, in the privacy of their own hearts, many of these people are often disappointed with photographic memories that give them nothing by heartaches...and there is no remedy!

You are going to remember the wedding day through the eyes, heart and talent of your wedding photographer. When making the decision as to whom that wedding photographer is going to be, realize that often times you are talking a relative difference of pennies. On the other hand, if you are unhappy, regardless of the “good deal” you are getting, you could lose everything. What is the “going rate” among wedding photographers nowadays? The price difference is as great as the time, talent and technique of the wedding studios being considered. Certainly, among competent wedding photographers in a highly competitive area, or wedding photographers in their formative years, a good wedding coverage can be found around the thousand-dollar category. Spending less than that would probably be a high-risk gamble.

Other wedding photographers may begin somewhere around a thousand dollars and go upwards from there. A true  black tie ist, one who has a reputation for consistently delivering the best wedding photography, images and shots, might begin at two or three times that amount and go upwards to five thousand and more for your  black tie  event.

When considering the cost of a wedding photographer, you may find that studios sometimes approach this matter in one of two different ways. Whereas some wedding photographers have basic “packages” of an agreed number of wedding photographs for a specified dollar amount, other studios might have a predetermined charge for their services and allow you to buy whatever amount of images you want.

There are, of course, benefits to both approaches. In the first instance, you have a good idea right from the start how much money you are probably going to spend, and you are locked into that minimum. That is a double guarantee, for both you and the wedding photographer.

Studios that offer you what is know as their a-la-carte system of video and images are taking a chance (along with you) as to how much money you will be spending.

You may feel more comfortable with either one of them. The both have merit. Be prepared that regardless of the method used, you could easily spend much more on wedding photography and event photography than you originally planned.

The bottom line is not necessarily how much you end up spending on wedding photographs, it is how much pleasure you get from the images over the years.

At a time as important as your wedding day, it is better to invest a little more money for wedding photography than you had planned, instead of a little less than you should? Why risk your photo memories of a once-in-a-lifetime event on a gamble?

Finally, For the Photographers:

In order to get a good idea what Wedding and Event Photography is all about, take a look at these 17 tips for young Wedding Photographers on a shoot.

1. Create a Wedding ‘Shot List’
Get the Los Angeles, Beverly Hills, Woodland Hills to think ahead about the wedding shots that they’d like you to capture on the day and compile a shot list so that you can check them off. This is particularly helpful in the family shots. There’s nothing worse than getting the photos back and realizing you didn’t photograph the happy Los Angeles, Beverly Hills, Woodland Hills with grandma!

2. Family Wedding Photo Coordinator
I find the family photo part of the wedding (or event) day can be quite stressful. People are going everywhere, you’re unaware of the different family dynamics at play and people are in a ‘festive spirit’ (and have often been drinking a few spirits) to the point where it can be quite chaotic. Get the Los Angeles, Beverly Hills, Woodland Hills to nominate a family member (or one for each side of the family) who can be the ‘director’ of the shoot. They can round everyone up, help get them in the shot and keep things moving so that the Los Angeles, Beverly Hills, Woodland Hills can get back to the wedding party.

3. Scout the Wedding or Event Location
Visit the locations of the different shot sites that you’ll be shooting before the big wedding event. While I’m sure most pros don’t do this - I find it really helpful to know where we’re going, have an idea of a few positions for shots and to know how the light might come into play. On one or two weddings I even visited locations with the Los Angeles, Beverly Hills, Woodland Hills and took a few test shots (these made nice ‘engagement photos’).

4. Preparation is key
So much can go wrong on the wedding day - so you need to be well prepared. Have a backup plan (in case of bad weather), have batteries charged, memory cards blank, think about routes and time to get to places and get an itinerary of the full day so you know what’s happening next. If you can, attend the wedding rehearsal of the ceremony where you’ll gather a lot of great information about possible positions to shoot from, the lighting, the order of the ceremony etc.

5. Set expectations with the Los Angeles, Beverly Hills, Woodland Hills
Show them your work/style. Find out what they want to achieve, how many shots they want, what key things they want to be recorded in the ceremony, how the shots will be used (print etc). If you’re charging them for the event, make sure you have the agreement of price in place up front, before the wedding or event photography takes place. And let them know the value of a professional digital videographer and cinematographer.

6. Turn off the sound on your camera
Beeps during speeches, the kiss and vows during the ceremony don’t add to the event. Switch off sound before hand and keep it off during the wedding ceremony or  black tie  event.

7. Shoot the small Wedding details
Photograph rings, backs of dresses, shoes, flowers, table settings, menus etc - these help give the end album an extra dimension. Flick through a wedding magazine in a news stand for a little inspiration.

8. Use Two Cameras for the Ceremony
Beg, borrow, hire or steal an extra camera for the day - set it up with a different lens. I try to shoot with one wide angle lens (great for candid shots and in tight spaces (particularly before the ceremony in the preparation stage of the day) and one longer lens (it can be handy to have something as large as 200mm if you can get your hands on one - I use a 70-200mm).

9. Consider a Second Photographer
Having a second backup wedding or event photographer can be a great strategy. It means less moving around during the wedding ceremony and speeches, allows for one to capture the formal shots and the other to get candid shots. It also takes a little pressure off you being ‘the one’ to have to get every shot! And you can be sure to have a professional digital videographer and cinematographer.

10. Be Bold but Not Obtrusive at the Wedding
Timidity won’t get you ‘the shot’ - sometimes you need to be bold to capture a moment. However timing is everything and thinking ahead to get in the right position for key moments are important so as not to disrupt the event. In a ceremony I try to move around at least 4-5 times but try to time this to coincide with songs, sermons or longer readings. During the formal wedding shots be bold, know what you want and ask for it from the Los Angeles, Beverly Hills, Woodland Hills and their party. You’re driving the  black tie  event at this point of the day and need to keep things moving.

11. Learn how to Use Diffused Light for your Wedding and  black tie  Event Photography
The ability to bounce a flash or to diffuse it is key. You’ll find that in many churches that light is very low. If you’re allowed to use a flash (and some churches don’t allow it) think about whether bouncing the flash will work (remember if you bounce off a colored surface it will add a colored cast to the picture) or whether you might want to buy a flash diffuser to soften the light. If you can’t use a flash you’ll need to either use a fast lens at wide apertures and/or bump up the ISO. A lens with image stabilization might also help.

12. Shoot Wedding Photos in RAW
I know that many readers feel that they don’t have the time for shooting in RAW (due to extra processing) but a wedding or  black tie  event is one time that it can be particularly useful as it gives so much more flexibility to manipulate shots after taking them. Weddings and events can present photographers with tricky lighting which result in the need to manipulate exposure and white balance after the fact - RAW will help with this considerably.

13. Display Your Shots at the Wedding Reception
One of the great things about digital photography is the immediacy of it as a medium. One of the fun things I’ve seen more and more photographers doing recently is taking a computer to the reception, uploading shots taken earlier in the day and letting them rotate as a slideshow during the evening. This adds a fun element to the night.

14. Consider Your Wedding Backgrounds
One of the challenges of weddings is that there are often people going everywhere - including the wedding backgrounds of your shots. Particularly with the formal wedding shots, scope out the area where they’ll be taken ahead of time looking for good backgrounds. Ideally you’ll want uncluttered areas and shaded spots out of direct sunlight where there’s unlikely to be a wandering great aunt wander into the back of the wedding shot. Read more on getting backgrounds right.

15. Don’t Discard Your ‘Mistakes’
The temptation with digital is to check wedding images as you go and to delete those that don’t work immediately. The problem with this is that you might just be getting rid of some of the more interesting and useable wedding and event photography images. Keep in mind that wedding and event photography images can be cropped or manipulated later to give you some more arty/abstract looking shots that can add real interest to the end album.

16. Change Your Perspective
Get a little creative with your wedding shots. While the majority of the wedding images in the end album will probably be fairly ‘normal’ or formal poses - make sure you mix things up a little by taking shots from down low, up high, at wide angles etc.

17. Group Wedding Shots
One thing that I’ve done at every wedding and event that I’ve photographed is attempt to photograph everyone who is in attendance in the one wedding or event shot. The way I’ve done this is to arrange for a place that I can get up high above everyone straight after the ceremony. This might mean getting tall ladder, using a balcony or even climbing on a roof. The beauty of getting up high is that you get everyone’s face in it and can fit a lot of people in the one wedding or event shot. Just make sure you have a professional digital videographer and cinematographer. The key is to be able to get everyone to the place you want them to stand quickly and to be ready to get the wedding shot without having everyone stand around for too long. I found the best way to get everyone to the spot is to get the bride and groom there and to have a Los Angeles, Beverly Hills, Woodland Hills of helpers to herd everyone in that direction.