What to look for in a wedding photographer?

Based on the title, you might think I'm going to use this entry to toot my own horn. I'm not, I promise. :) Actually, in the very near future, I'm going to be in the market for a wedding photographer myself. On June 23, 2007, I'll be marrying my wonderful fiance Janna. Here's a photo of her:



Isn't she lovely? :)

Anyway - back to the topic at hand. Due to the advice of various wedding websites, I've noticed that to alot of engaged couples, the process of finding a photographer has become more complex than it need be. I know the three page questionaire you've pulled from your favorite wedding website seems very well written but do you really care if they use a fish eye lens or shoot medium format? If the photographer detailed every piece of equipment in his/her bag, would you have any idea what they were talking about? For most of you, its probably safe to assume the answer is no. So, that all being said, here are the three guildlines that I'm going to use in picking my photographer.

1) Do I like their work?

Do their sample photos stir me emotionally.. make me feel like I was part of that particular wedding? I'm not talking about one shot or one wedding... I want to see samples from various weddings that show the photographer has both the technical skills and artistic eyes to come up with consistently solid photos. I'm not going to analyze every photo - I'm simply going to scan each of them and see if I get that 'happy' feeling from looking.

2) Does their price suit my budget?

Like many folks, I have to consider the wedding budget in all aspects of wedding planning - including the photography. With that in mind, I'm going to establish a range of prices I'm willing to pay before I begin contacting photographers. If they're prices are too high, I won't bother contacting them (I'm not the type to haggle). Nor will I if they're too low (although there are exceptions, low prices often mean a lower standard of service or quality). If the price fits and the work looks good ... we move to the final qualification.

3) Do I like the person?

First off, when I attend a consultation, it better be with the actual person or persons who will be photographing my wedding or there's no deal. Feeling comfortable with and liking the photographer is critical. If you don't like the person, you'll look more like a couple of hostages in your photos than a happy bride and groom. The person I'm looking for will be easy to talk to, laid back, and will show interest in learning more about my fiance and I. If they're able to come across like this, I'll feel alot more comfortable and happy having this person around all day at my wedding and it'll show in the final product.

That's it that's all! Well ok - maybe not. AHA you say.. there is more. Actually, I also want to make sure that the photographer has a full set of backup equipment - just in case. Nobody wants to gamble on Uncle Jim getting great photos when the photographers shutter refuses to fire.

THAT is how I'll be selecting a photographer. Really, it's THAT simple.

Hope this helps.

Basic Retouching

Every wedding package I offer comes with basic retouching on every image delivered. What the heck is basic retouching you might ask? Well, here's the deal. Due to various factors such as lighting and digital sensor characteristics, photos straight out of the camera often require processing in order to ensure ultimate quality.

Here's an example of a first dance photo straight from the camera.



It's not horrible but theirs an obvious yellow/orange colour cast to it and the tones are a bit flat overall.

This is the image after basic retouching.



As you can see, the colours have been corrected and the contrast is a bit punchier.

Beyond basic retouching, I also select a dozen or so images from the wedding and apply additional retouching as seen below.



In this case, I converted the image to black and white and added some vignetting in order to draw the eye more firmly to the happy couple.

Hello gang,

Welcome to the first entry in my blog!

My name is Jason Kasumovic. I'm a photographer from Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. What do I photographer, you ask? What don't I photograph is probably the better question. Weddings, portraits, stock, commercial, scenic, and wildlife all make the list... and I love them all equally.

Photography is a powerful form of expression and, for me, a passionate one. Ensuring the composition, light, colour, focus, and style of the final image is JUST right is all part of a process that I love. Whether I'm standing on the shores of a beautiful, still lake as the sun peaks over the horizon at 5:30 am or capturing the vivid emotion of a happy couple's special moments on their wedding day, I'm loving every moment.

I've been asked more than once what -my- favorite scenic shot is. That's a toughy.. each of the scenic photos on my site has fond memories associated with it. But I have to go with this one:



It was a beautiful, winter evening, of course. But beyond that, the unique architecture of the Muttart Conservatory in Edmonton combined with the lovely cloud patterns and wide angle perspective makes this shot seem almost out of this world. In colour, it worked - in black and white, it worked even better.

So that's it for now. Keep checking back as there'll be more updates (at least weekly). And brides to be that have booked my wedding photography services this year - this might be a great spot to see some sneak peaks of your photos. ;)

Bye for now!