Tips On Hiring a Wedding Photographer

Hiring a professional photographer to help capture those beautiful moments is an important step in your wedding preparation.  Follow these guidelines for best results when selecting a wedding photographer:

If you are planning a destination wedding, you may want to look out for the best with the particular style you want, before you decide, as it is usually  a bit higher than an amateur photographer, but the difference will be worth the time and money invested. You cannot expect an amateur photographer to take the same quality on your wedding ceremony pictures as they will not be able to meet up to the standards which a professional photographer guarantees on. Wedding photography requires a lot of skill and artistry to take those perfect memories.  Lighting, contrast, composition, body positions, all play a part in making those photos beautiful. Now that you have understood the importance of wedding photography, it’s time to find the right person who is skilled especially for the wedding ceremony and the reception party. You will cherish and display your wedding photographs all your life and even show them to your children and grandchildren to remember the beautiful and wonderful moments of a lifetime. A Professional Wedding Photographer is the best option to cherish those beautiful moments, without worries!!!

Joseph LaMotta is an experienced destination wedding photographer located in San Juan, Puerto Rico, serving the Islands and the U.S.

Advice for the Bride and Groom

“As a professional wedding photographer, part of my job is to help educate the bride and groom, to make better decisions when hiring a destination wedding photographer. My advice is, to remember that you are not just paying for a package, you are INVESTING in an entire experience, a service and a final product that will last for many years, if not a lifetime. The style and the experience of the photographer is the most important of all, as well as the overall quality of the work itself. This should be top on your list of priorities, when searching for a good photographer for your wedding.  He should also be able to work with you on any special requests and provide different packages that will help meet your needs, besides being always polite, responsive and quickly returns your emails or calls. Don’t be afraid to ask questions, until you are satisfied with answers. This person will be documenting an important day of your life, and photographs are the only true memories you will have of that unique event.”

Make a Personal Connection with Your Photographer

A great thing to do, if you get the chance, is to at least engage him or her in a conversation, to get a feel of what he or she is about and ask open ended questions. You should be able to get a good idea of the person behind the lenz by doing this. Don’t be afraid of interviewing your photographer by phone or personally. Read the customer’s testimonials to get a good idea of how couples reviewed the overall experience with the photographer. You can see some of my own posted here in this blog, in the categories tab. Getting to know and becoming friends with your photographer will go a long way for you.  After all, you will spend many hours with him on the wedding day and the relationship you develop with your photographer will also help in reflecting good expressions and great pictures!”

Joseph LaMotta

PHONE: 787-370-1133

PPA Active Member – Professional Photographers of America

(General advice for destination weddings)

WHY HAVE A DESTINATION WEDDING? See the answers here…
A destination wedding is fast becoming more preferred than the conventional weddings primarily because in most cases it is more affordable. Though the traveling cost is an addition, it will still be less expensive than if you hold it in your own country. More often than not, these weddings are much smaller in scale because the guest list shrinks considerably. Even if you end up inviting a lot of people, not many are able to attend the wedding at a different location. A destination wedding is also more romantic than the traditional ones. This is because the occasion is much more FUN, cozy and comfortable with a fewer number of guests. It creates a personal and private space for the newly married couple who are able to spend quality time with each other. It also means that the guests get personal attention which is very rare in elaborate conventional weddings which are too crowded!
Destination weddings are fun and exciting. It gives the chance to be creative and innovative with the wedding plans. The couple can choose their own wedding venue according to their taste. This way, the event can be personalized. It even gives the license to modify the way in which the wedding vows are repeated. So, overall these weddings are the modern way of getting hitched, away from the chaos of the city, in a new and quiet place where the bride and the groom get to spend time with each other after tying the knot!

Simon Johnnson

Make The Most Of Your Destination Wedding

“If you are looking to have a wedding that is fun and relaxing for everyone involved, a destination wedding may be just the ticket. Getaways to beautiful locations have a special flavor that simply cannot be matched by a traditional wedding in your hometown. To make the most of your destination wedding, read on”

“The key to having a truly great destination wedding is to get into the spirit of it. You know how when you vacation at a top notch resort on a scenic island, the staff conveys that “don’t worry, be happy” vibe? Well that is exactly the mood to aim for. In other words, even if you are normally a very detail oriented type A person, you will only be able to really enjoy your destination wedding by letting go a little (or a lot, depending on how tightly you are used to controlling things!). Don’t sweat the small stuff, and trust in the hotel/resort’s wedding coordinator to put together a beautiful event for you”

“Since the location itself is part of the magic of a destination wedding, try to stay as long as possible. You will definitely want to arrive a few days in advance of your wedding so that you will have some time to unwind before the big day. Undoubtedly, you will also be glad to have a little time to go over the last minute details with the hotel staff, but remember, you are not going to sweat the small stuff!. A longer lead time will also allow you to spend some quality time with your closest family members before the rest of the guests arrive. And obviously, the longer the honeymoon, the better!”

“Something that will truly make your destination wedding a success is embracing the local culture. Carry a bouquet of big tropical flowers in bright colors, include seashells and faux coral in your centerpiece design, and serve fresh local fish for dinner, if it is available. Fresh tropical fruit and flowers make beautiful decorations for the wedding cake, and seem much more appropriate for a beach wedding than fussy (and costly) sugar flowers. Why not take advantage of all of the best aspects of your wedding location?”

“Don’t forget to embrace the relaxed island spirit for your wedding attire as well. A tea length organza wedding dress with large fabric flowers for decoration would be marvelous for a ceremony on the sand. Accent it with beach theme wedding jewelry, such as a crystal starfish pendant. Aim for a similar effect for your bridesmaids. Stick with shorter bridesmaid dresses in breezy fabrics and cheerful colors (no black!) and for their bridesmaid gifts, think about beach wedding jewelry similar to yours. Silver starfish pendants or bracelets would be fabulous souvenirs of your wedding for your friends to enjoy. Last but not least, learn about your destination before you go. Every place will have special and unique features worth seeing.”

“Taking the time to really enjoy the entire location that you have chosen for your destination wedding will make the whole experience that much more memorable.”
By Irene Francesca

Why Should I Hire a Professional Wedding Photographer For My Wedding?

So you’re engaged to that special someone and now it’s time to start planning for the big day. One of the first things you’ll want to do after securing a venue for your wedding is to retain the services of a professional photographer. As anyone knows, finding a talented photographer is very important.
According to Martha Stuart Weddings, approximately 10-15 percent of your wedding budget should be allocated towards wedding photography. So why should you or any other bride/groom be spending so much money on a photographer for one day of your life?
Let’s take a look at what defines a wedding photographer…

PHOTOGRAPHER - one who practices photography. Especially one who’s work is of  making photographs. An image artist that, through a lenz, creates graphic images for many people for a living.
Photography – the art or process of capturing and producing images by the action of radiant energy, and especially of light and shadow on a sensitive surface (such as film or a CCD chip).

Taking photos sounds pretty simple. Point the camera, say “cheese”, and press the button… So why not allow Uncle Bob and your friends to photograph your wedding? They all have cameras and surely between everyone there will be some good photos, right?! Well, the answer is yes and no. Yes they all have cameras and yes there will be some amateur photos taken at the wedding that are acceptable, but do you really want to leave capturing such an important event to chance?
So what does a professional wedding photographer do differently or better than your guests with cameras?

Advantages of having a professional wedding photographer

• Invest in expensive, high-quality professional camera/editing equipment, which means you get superior images.

• Carry duplicate (secondary) equipment, in case of equipment malfunction.

• Have a strong understanding of the wedding flow (knowing what happens next before it happens) and the protocol.

• Abide by the most strict and ethical rules established by a professional photographer association, such as PPA.

• Capture beautiful, artistic images from every segment of wedding – creating a group of images that tell a complete  story, from start to finish.

• Conduct research on wedding locations and usually know very well the areas where weddings typically take place

• Undertake extensive planning/scheduling for wedding events.

• Devote extensive time to photography training & education.

• Absorb the stress of a wedding in stride and even help in running things smoothly.

• Maintain control of wedding events w/ a positive attitude, without influencing wedding events 
• Usually work unobtrusively, with a 2nd photographer and or assistant.

• Professional photographers depend on satisfied clients to refer future work to them for their livelihood and therefore take the wedding business very seriously.

They meet with the bride/groom months in advance of the wedding for input, visit the wedding/reception locations, prepare their equipment, secure assistants/2nd shooters and more to prepare for a single wedding. All the preparation combined with industry knowledge and experience allow a professional photographer to arrive on wedding day and seamlessly execute beautiful, artistic photographs – while a chaotic wedding may be simultaneously unfolding. And most of all, they have a PASSION for what they do best and live for creating memorable images for many people, for life.

All of the aforementioned actions separate a professional from the camera-toting guests at your wedding. So, after this being said, trust us when we say, uncle Bob should NOT be left with the responsibility of capturing this once in a lifetime event for you.

Wedding and Events Professionals