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Houston Wedding Photographer

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Bad Wedding Photographs are Everywhere

By gmiller | Published October 8, 2011

someone's bad wedding photograph

I have to say that I just don’t get it. Everywhere that I look I see it. There it is in plain sight for anyone to see. Don’t people notice? Don’t people care? I am talking about bad wedding photographs. I do not understand why wedding photography has become like that old joke about people who can’t do anything, teach. And people who can’t teach, teach gym. Well it seems that we have come to the point where people who can’t photograph very well, and are not willing to learn to improve their skills, photograph weddings. I think that I get the most upset about bad photography when it comes to weddings because a wedding is such a special and important event. Those photographs are your lifetime memory of the event. People only get one shot (not pun intended) at it. If someone hires a poor photography then they are stuck with poor images. You can read more about this in my post ‘Mediocre is Unacceptable.’ If you could buy one car for say $15,000 an another more reliable, better looking, lower maintenance, longer lasting model for $25,000 would you go for the cheaper one just because it is cheaper? If you think that there is no difference you should read my post about ‘Why Wedding Photograph are so Important.’ These unskilled photographers are cheating their clients. They are willfully deceiving them just to make some money. And that stinks for everyone.

Unfortunately anyone with a camera can have some business cards printed, created a poor website, and they are instantly a wedding photographer. What about knowledge and skill? What about years of practice and specialization in wedding photography? Why does everyone think that it is so easy? Wedding photography is actually one of the most difficult photographic areas around, and I have done many types of photography including corporate/industrial location work with high ranking executives and high pressure deadlines. Wedding moments happen in a fraction of a second. You have to know what you are doing, have the right equipment, and the right knowledge to get those great photographic moments. Then you have to have an artistic aesthetic to make them look great, with great lighting, mood, emotion, and composition. That is why I am a fine art wedding photographer. I have many years of photographic experience. I know what I am doing. I have insurance. I have professional level photographic equipment, way too much of it, including backup systems to cover any malfunctions or problems during the wedding day. I take the time to get to know my clients, their likes and desires, and I deliver a custom fine art wedding album of the highest quality along with fine art wall prints. You can’t just hire a photographer because you want to save money, or you like them. Look at their work. No, really look at it. People can tell a good photograph from a bad one? I hope they can.

I am a real photographer and I am not ashamed to say it. I am getting tired of all of those wanna be’s entering the wedding market. They are land mines just waiting to explode during some wedding ceremony and you will have lovely blurry, crappy images to cherish for the rest of your life. Hiring the wrong wedding photographer is a big mistake. Spend the money and get a competent wedding photographers! I do not know how much more I can keep saying it and shouting it to the rafters. I am tired of all of those lame photographers out there. Go away and stop cheating your clients!

For more advice on how to hire the perfect wedding photographer you can read my post ‘Hiring the Perfect Wedding Photographer.’

Posted in digital photogarphy, philosophy, photography, Uncategorized, wedding photography | Also tagged bad, bad photograph, lame, lame photograph, wedding Comments Off

Photography Technology, More or Less?

By gmiller | Published September 5, 2011

old meets new in photography

Photography, like many other things, is very linked to technology. From the start, because photography was more of a scientific instrument, it was linked to the technology of the day. As technology changed from metal plates and paper coated with light sensitive silver salts, to flexible acetate film, to now digital sensor based cameras, photography has joined right along. Now, as we are firmly in the digital phase of photography, that technology is ever changing. It seems that even other week a new camera comes out. At first it was just smaller packages or more megapixels, or both. Then is was the addition of high definition video capabilities that showed up first in the Canon 5D Mark II camera. This one small event has had a very dramatic effect on the photography industry and we will see more and more video come into play in both the commercial photography and the consumer photography world. This one technology could forever change the balance or the medium. Photography has remained mostly a still-based medium. I know that there have been movies around for a hundred years, but the division between a moviemaker, a filmmaker, and a photographer has always been distinct. Now, those lines are really blurring. Just look at people like Vincent Laforet or Philip Bloom. Both of these guys have fully embraced the HD video DSLR technology and have really pushed into new visual territory.

In my field, wedding photography, I am seeing more cinematic video pieces like those from Joe Simon. Joe produces beautiful, artful work that I really love. The days of boring wedding videos with ugly lighting and a full on documentary style are falling to the new aesthetic produced by the DSLR cameras. At Red Photo we have begun producing fusion video pieces. This is where we take stills, video, audio, and music from the wedding ceremony and reception and combine them into a multimedia presentation. It is a hybrid of the current technologies of still photography and videography. So once again the technology link of photography is pushing us into new creative territory.

There are many people, professional photographers and videographers, who fear the change in the medium. It was the same way 170 years ago when photography came onto the scene in 1839. Prior to the invention of photography if you wanted a portrait or an image of your town, you had to hire a skilled artist to paint it. Photography changed this overnight and many artists were afraid that photography would cause the death of art. If anything, it actually helped free up art and lead to Impressionism, my favor style of art. Artists were no longer confined to realism. Photography could capture realism better than they could. Many classical artists moved on with the shift in the media and benefited from it. Many did not move on and they faded away.

In the end we have to remember that it is not the technology that we cherish in a wedding photograph. We reward the vision, the art, and the creativity, and hopefully, no technology will ever replace that. That is where artists are unique and should continue to grow. This is where being a fine art wedding photography is more about passion and vision and less about technology and toys.

Gary Miller

Eye Candy and Brain Veggies

Posted in digital photogarphy, fine art photography, philosophy, photography | Also tagged digital photography, film, HD, HD video, impressionism, Joe Simon, Philip Bloom, technology, Vincent Laforet 1 Comment

5 Successful Engagement Photography Tips

By gmiller | Published August 27, 2011

engagement photograph

Part of being a fine art wedding photographer, and photographing weddings, is that I photograph engagement sessions. These sessions are always important to me because I like to spend time with a couple before their wedding day to become more at ease with them and to learn more about them. It gives me a chance to see if they are nervous in front of the camera or more natural. I can see if they like being posed or respond better to a more casual photojournalistic approach. It also gives the couple a chance to begin to get used to having a photographer around taking lots of pictures. For may people this is a unique occurrence, even if they like having their photograph taken. Many couples do not realize that an engagement session, or a portrait session, can be tiring.

The engagement photograph above is from a recent session with Jessica and Antonio and was taken in Sugar Land, TX, part of Houston. We decided on a more casual outdoor feel and ended up photographing in three distinct locations. You can see more images from this session in the post ‘Jessica and Antonio’s Houston Engagement Photography Session.’

Here are some tips to help couple get great engagement photographs.

1. Planning

Make sure to have a game plan when it comes to your engagement photographs. You should discuss this with your photograph prior to the actual day of the session. Make sure to have several alternatives. It is always better to have more choices. Please don’t wing it, and don’t let your ‘artist’ photographer talk you into figuring it out on the fly. The best times to photograph are early and late in the day and you will only have a small window of great light.

2. Relax

The engagement session should be a calm affair. If you have a plan that will help a great deal. If you have a good, competent, professional photographer, that will help alot. You can read more about hiring a professional photographer in my posts ‘Hiring the Perfect Wedding Photographer‘ and ‘Photography is not a Commodity.’ If you hire the right photographer you can relax, knowing that you are going to get great images and have great memories preserved. Spend the extra money to hire someone who is good. It will pay off big in the long run.

3. Have fun

This goes hand in hand with being relaxed. Don’t forget to have fun during the photography session. In fact I prefer more of the documentary style and do not like to pose or stage my couples. I want them to be as natural as possible, have fun, and show their love for one another. So leave any troubles behind and really enjoy the great moments.

4. Be yourself

I am never happy with photographs that do not show the true individual, the real people. Just be yourself. It is fine to become something for a photography session, but I think that the best value lies in the true individual. It is part of that fun, relaxed thing that I mentioned before. People should be real and approachable. If you want to do a high fashion thing make a separate photography session for that.

5. Know your style

Knowing your personal style, your likes and dislikes, and telling the photographer, will make your images better because they will resonate with you more. Let you photographer know if you are really into the Texas country thing, grunge, or an urban feel. This will really feed into the choice of locations and could even influence which photographer you choose. On the flip side I do not recommend that a photographer take on a style that they either do not like or are not feeling. Forced photographs from either the subject or the photographer will always look forced. So be honest and open. You may even have to use a different photographer for the engagement session than for the wedding. It is unusual, but it may be the best thing in certain situations.

These tips should help your engagement photography session go smoother and help you to have great images and a great experience. Don’t discount the importance of engagement photographs. They are not just important for their memory-value, but they will make your wedding photographs better. I always recommend that a couple spend the time and the money on an engagement session.

Gary Miller

Eye Candy and Brain Veggies

Posted in digital photogarphy, fine art photography, photography, wedding photography | Also tagged bride, engagement, fine art, fine art wedding photographer, groom, houston wedding photographer Comments Off

Jessica’s Houston Bridal Portrait Session

By gmiller | Published August 26, 2011

jessica at the chapel at briscoe manor, houston, tx

a detail photograph of a beautiful wedding gown

bridal bouquet and wedding dress

flowing veil and wedding dress detail

I have been working with Jessica and Antonio on their wedding for several months now. You can see some of the photographs from their engagement session in my post ‘Jessica and Antonio’s Houston Engagement Session.’ As I mentioned in that post we like to spend adequate time with our clients leading up to their wedding day to help them become used to being photographed and to help us to learn more about their likes and dislikes. We care about our clients and want to provide them with the highest level of fine art photographs that will preserve their wedding memories. To get this level of imagery you have to invest the time before, during, and after photograph sessions. This post is about the bridal portrait session that we did with Jessica at the chapel at Briscoe Manor, located just outside of Houston, TX. Since this is where the wedding reception was to take place, and they have a lovely attached stone chapel, we thought that it would be a great place for a bridal session. With the weather in Houston already hot and humid we look for indoor locations, especially for bridal portraits. We like to keep our brides comfortable and relaxed. Briscoe Manor provided the perfect setting with a beautiful bridal preparation room and a very cooperative staff. It is a wonderful place to be married, have your reception, or any other type of special event.

The portrait session day was a complete one. We were allowed to photograph at the chapel from 9-12. But Jessica was going to have her hair and make up done beforehand. This process can take up to 2 hours and then there was about 30 minutes of travel time from her home to the portrait location. This meant an early start for me, the make up artist, the hair stylists, and Jessica’s friends who were there to help. I am so glad that she had some people around to help her get dressed and to give her support. I attended the make up session to take some preparation photographs. The make up and hair styling was going to be done again on the wedding day, but at that time there would be seven other people involved and you can never be sure how much time, or room, you will have. I wanted to cover myself by photographing the first make up session.

Once we arrived at the Briscoe Manor Jessica was able to quickly change into her wedding gown and we were able to get started. The chapel had lots of natural light so we had many options for our portrait session. Jessica did a great job posing and we are all excited with the results. I purposely have waited to post these photographs. Many people do not like to show off the dress until after the wedding. I will be posting images from their wedding reception shortly so stay tuned. During the session we covered both conventional and fine art photographs.

Gary Miller

Eye Candy and Brain Veggies

Posted in digital photogarphy, fine art photography, photography, photography techniques, wedding photography | Also tagged bridal portraits, fine art, fine art wedding photographer, houston fine art wedding photographer, houston wedding photographer 1 Comment

Popular Wedding Dress Trends

By gmiller | Published August 26, 2011

maison de mode bridal boutique in houston, tx

a lovely jeweled top wedding gown

ruching on a wedding gown

lace detail on wedding gown

wedding dresses

The wedding dress is such an important part of the overall wedding celebration. Many women spend a great deal of time finding their perfect dress. As a fine art wedding photographer I get to see and photograph many dresses and it is always interesting to see the current trends. The wedding dress is so important that I have written several posts on it. You can read ‘Anatomy of a Wedding Gown‘ for some basic information on the parts of the dress. You can also read ‘Trends in Wedding Dresses for Spring 2011‘ and ‘It’s All About the Wedding Dress.’

To find out some more information about wedding dress trends in Houston I spoke to Emily Poole at Maison de Mode, 2431 Rice Boulevard, in Houston, TX. Maison de Mode is a wonderful bridal boutique with great personalized service and a beautiful selection of unique bridal gowns. It is refreshing to see that in this age of large, impersonal chain stores, that you can still find personalized service and high quality products.

GM: How is Maison de Mode unique?
EP: We try to pick something that is going to be different. Not so different that no one will buy it, but different enough so that it doens’t necessarily compete with the average store.

GM: What types of things are popular now in the Houston market?
EP: Ruching is very popular. This is the gathering or folding of fabric to one side or straight across the dress. It tends to be form fitting and flattering to the girl’s figure. It can show up on any part of the dress.

GM: Besides ruching what other trends are you seeing?
EP: For the gown silhouettes, the dropped waist and fuller bottom are very poplar. The ball gown shape is not as popular right now. We are seeing more form fitting styles. Girl’s are wanting to show off their figures more than trying to cover it up with the big ball gowns. They may incorporate both with the body of the dress being form fitting and then the bigger style bottom. We are also seeing the convertible gowns where the bride can take off a larger skirt after the ceremony, like having two gowns in one…Because of the heaviness and the train girls are going more towards the really light end gowns.

GM: I’ve read about a trend now where wedding dresses are not white or off white. Are you see any request for dresses with color?
EP: More along a blush or ivory, more along the pink side. Girl’s will typically purchase the ivory or the white I haven’t really seen the colored dresses being requested. It takes a while for people to see what the major trends are with the designers…I don’t think that they will ever go with the blues or yellows. The light pinks are probably as far as they are going to go…I think Reese Witherspoon wore a blush pink tone dress.

GM: Have you seen any of the influences from Kate Middleton’s royal bridal dress with the long sleeves and lace?
EP: Not really. American designers really don’t do sleeves very much. It is very uncommon. You can find sleeves in a Spanish designer that will have a more extravagant, elegant-type look versus American designers who are more voluminous. Spanish designers are going to be more likely to use more lace. You can pick out who the Spanish designers are because they do a lot of lace and a lot of full skirts.

GM: What do you think is the most popular style overall right now?
EP: Our most popular style is more of a trumpet look, narrow through the hips and bigger at the bottom. I think that it is very figure flattering for most girls. And of course strapless dresses.

Thanks again to Emily Poole at Maison de Mode for all of the great information.

Gary Miller

Eye Candy and Brain Veggies

Posted in digital photogarphy, fine art photography, photography, wedding photography | Also tagged bridal boutique, bridal shop, Maison de Mode, wedding dress Comments Off

Dedication and Wedding Photography

By gmiller | Published August 25, 2011

bride and groom dancing at their wedding reception

I am always amazed by the number of people that decide to become wedding photographers. I think that many of them are a bit misguided and are getting into the business of wedding photography without really knowing what that entails. Because there is nothing stopping anyone there are unfortunately many people who just go buy a decent digital camera, get some business cards printed, and they are in the business of photography. These people are in for a big shock because most of them do not know much about photography, the fundamentals, the technical aspects of it, or business. No one should ever go into business without fully understanding what it means to run a business properly. That could be why 80% of new businesses fail within the first three years. People get an idea, get an impulse, and think that it is easy and they are going to be rich. This is like watching a skydiver, thinking that it would be cool to do it, going out and buying a parachute, and then jumping out of a plane the next day without any training or knowledge. We all know how that is going to end.

Many people that have no business doing wedding photography have been coming into the market at a rapid pace. They charge low rates which attracts many potential customers. But these photographers are not professionals, are poorly trained, have inferior equipment, and will disappoint their clients every time. I have written several post related to this subject including ‘Hiring the Perfect Wedding Photographer‘, ‘Why Wedding Photographs are so Important‘ and ‘Service in the Photography Business.’ I write about these subjects so much because there are tons of lame photographers out there and I do not want people to be disappointed in their wedding photographs. Unfortunately, when a couple chooses the wrong wedding photographer those special memories of their wedding day are lost forever. I am very sensitive to this because you can’t do it over again. If you had one chance to get lifesaving surgery would you just go with the cheapest surgeon? Or do you want to go with the best, most competent one you can find? I know my answer.

The Red Photo team photographed the beautiful wedding of Jessica and Antonio a few days ago. I will have an entire post with images shortly. After working over 14 hours photographing in three different locations, traveling 100 miles, and sorting through a few thousand images the word dedication came to my mind. If you want to be a good wedding photographer, or any type of photographer, you have to be dedicated. This is in addition to other attributes that I have spoken about before in ‘4 Simple Truths of Photography‘ ; passion, persistence, patience, and practice. Many photographer-wanna-be’s will also lack dedication. They are in it for the money, the quick turnaround, and are willing to put in as little effort as possible. I have been at this for years and I am constantly studying and working to improve my images. That is passion. That is dedication. That is what you should look for when you hire a photographer.

Gary Miller

Eye Candy and Brain Veggies

Posted in digital photogarphy, fine art photography, philosophy, photography, wedding photography | Also tagged dedication, fine art wedding photographer, houston fine art wedding photographer, houston wedding photographer, passion Comments Off

Hiring the Perfect Wedding Photographer

By gmiller | Published August 24, 2011

a natural light portrait of a bride and groom in houston, tx

Too often people are quick to hire a wedding photographer. In most cases they either hire the first person that comes along, because it is easy and they want to get it out of the way, or they hire the lowest priced photographer that they can find. I recently wrote a post about the pitfalls of hiring a low price, inexperienced, non-professional wedding photographer. You about that in my article ‘Photography is not a Commodity.‘

To help people find the right wedding photographer I recommend the following six points.

1. hire a pro

We live in the digital age and one of the downsides of this great technology is that anyone can go down to their local store, buy a cheap digital camera and lens, and then instantly go into the wedding photography business. Weddings are tough places to photograph and you want to make sure that you hire a professional photographer with the proper training and experience. Don’t take changes here or your precious wedding memories could be lost forever. These special moments only happen once. Are you going to trust that to some poser?

2.look at their work

Don’t just take someone’s word for it. Look at lots of samples of work including website images, Facebook posts, and blog posts. A blog, like the wonderful Red Photo blog, will showcase the photographer’s work and give you a sense of their true style and breadth. Look at their non-wedding work to to get a real sense of their skills and style.

3. meet face-to-face

We are all strapped for time, but take the time to meet with the photographer candidate face to face. Anyone can post images, but you need to know that you and the wedding photographer are on the same page, that you get along, and that you like each other. People who like each other will create a better working environment. Remember that you are hiring a person first. They need to have a good personality and good manners.

4. make sure they are insured

The easiest way to spot an amateur, or a weekend photographer want-to-be, is to ask them if they have insurance. Any reputable, professional photographer will have liability, indemnity, and equipment insurance. You can read more about the different types of insurance in my post ‘Photographer’s Insurance.’ If they do not have these then they are fools and they are not serious about their work. Please do not hire uninsured photographers. This is a recipe for disaster. Venues do not want an uninsured photographer on the premises.

5. hire someone who is good

This may sound so obvious, but make sure that the wedding photographer that you hire is good. They should be competent and skilled. Who wants ordinary photographs? I know that I don’t and I strive to do everything to produce unique fine art wedding photographs all of the time. I am constantly looking to improve my work because I am totally obsessed with producing great photography for my clients.

6. find a good fit

Just because a photographer is good does not mean that they are right for you. Just because your friend loved him/her does not mean that you should work with them. Most of the time a recommendation is the way to go. But make sure that you fit with the photographer. If you love country and they are rockers you might want to consider someone else. It just depends on personalities and you need to make sure that you both get along and are on the same page.

I hope that these tips will help you to hire the perfect wedding photographer. If you take just a little time and do some legwork you will get the right photographer, a professional, experienced, insured, one and you will have great images that will last a lifetime.

Gary Miller

Eye Candy and Brain Veggies

Posted in digital photogarphy, fine art photography, philosophy, photography, wedding photography | Also tagged fine art wedding photographer, houston fine art wedding photographer, houston wedding photographer 3 Comments

Photography is Not a Commodity

By gmiller | Published August 24, 2011

i give you money

Everyone seems to be looking for the best deal. We want to buy things at the lowest possible price. While that may work for some items, especially products that are all the same, that approach does not work very well when it comes to services, like wedding photography. Too often customers looking for a wedding photographer will make the mistake of going after low price without realizing that they are sacrificing many things and will more than likely not be pleased with the level of photographs that they receive. You should read my post ‘Why Wedding Photographs are so Important.’

In my experience everyone who is making a buying decision is looking for three things; high quality, great service, and low price. I have found, and I would think that you have too, that you can not get high quality and great service at a low price. The equation will never balance out. Low priced items are cheap, both in cost and in workmanship. Yet people mistakenly believe that they can go out and look for the lowest priced photographer for their wedding. Or worse yet they have their cousin Joe or their hobbyist neighbor do the job. This is a bad idea on several levels. So which part are you willing to give up. High quality, great service, or low price? Which ones are the most important to you?

Wedding photography should be done by an experience professional photographer. You do not want a jack of all trades. Your wedding is a very special day that will only happen once and you want to capture those memories in great, creative photographs. Those are precious memories that you and your family will have for a lifetime. Now do you want your cousin Joe with his $200 digital camera to do that job for you? I hope not. You see, wedding photography is not a product. It is a service, and with services the high quality, great service, low price equation is in full effect. Too many people make the mistake of seeing photography as a product. Well it is not. I am a fine art wedding photographer with years of experience. My business partner and I at Red Photo have years of photography experience in the wedding, portrait,commercial, and fine art worlds. We know what we are doing. We have been there and captured beautiful, timeless images before and we will continue to do it. That expertise and experience demands a higher cost.

People have to see the value in something before they are willing to pay more for it. If I show you two oranges and tell you that one of them is 50 cents and the other is $1.50, which one are your going to take. Most people will go for the lower priced one. But if I told you that the $1.50 orange is organic, has more flavor, more vitamin C, lasts longer, and does not have mold like the cheaper orange, you might change your choice.

Photography is not a commodity and you should not be buying it based on price alone. Wedding photography is an important service and you should buy it based on what you want and the level of product and services that you need.

Gary Miller

Eye Candy and Brain Veggies

Posted in digital photogarphy, fine art photography, philosophy, photography, wedding photography | Also tagged commodity, fine art, fine art photography, houston wedding photographer 1 Comment

The Power of Silhouette Photographs

By gmiller | Published August 24, 2011

silhouette of bride and groom at wedding reception

contemplative bride before her wedding ceremony

bride and groom portrait at sunset

In photography there are certain techniques that are often guaranteed to create dramatic and memorable images. One of these photographic techniques is the use of the silhouette. I have found that they can work especially well when I am photographing weddings. There are many ways that they can be utilized, but I find the results are always stunning. There is just something about the drama and the mystery of having your main subject be very dark. The silhouette technique can come in very handy when you find yourself in a backlight situation. This is where you have a strong light source behind your subject. Many times it is better to put the light source behind someone then in front of them. If you are outside, putting the sun in front of your subject creates flat light and squinting brides and grooms. This situation can be really uncomfortable to your subject. And the last thing that you want to do is make your subjects uncomfortable and teary-eyed. There are more appropriate parts of the wedding for people to be teary-eyed and portraits is not one of those times. When you place the sun, or your light source behind your subject you can get very dramatic results but you have to know how to handle this type of exposure properly. You could use a flash unit to light the subject, and this is very common. You could also choose not to light your subject and let them go dark, thus creating a silhouette image.

There are some important factors to keep in mind when producing a silhouette image. They usually look better if the subject goes very dark. You can see this above in the two images with the bride and groom. Letting your main subject go very dark creates a great deal of drama. As I mentioned before there is also that air of mystery because you cannot always see who they are. Another aspect of these dark subject images is that you get to work with the form and shape of your subject(s). I have written several times before about how I like formalism and use in my work often. You can read more about formalism in my posts ‘Photography Movements- Formalism‘, ‘Simplicity in Photographs‘, ‘7 Steps of Better Black and White Photography‘ and many others. I actually talk about formalism a great deal and it is one of the most searched terms on my blog.

The other type of a silhouette is the partial one. The image above of the bride looking out the window is an example of this. Here we can see details in the subject. The key is to find that fine line between showing too few and too many details. If you show too few, it becomes the type of photograph that I spoke about before. If you show too many details you loose the allure of the silhouette.

I have used the silhouette technique countless times over the years in my commercial photography and in my fine art wedding photography. It also works great in color or black and white. So keep to the shadows, go into the light, and create some dramatic photographs.

Gary Miller