A stand-in as the term suggests is someone who can step in to the role should you not be able to fulfil your obligation. As photographers we all have them (or at least should do), I have mine, and I’m obviously theirs. Thankfully I’ve never had an occasion to use mine, but I’m being used tonight.

Thankfully its not for the whole gig, I’m just standing in for the evening part of the show. I’ll be doing the photography presentation on the projector from my colleague’s photos taken during the day, and I’ll be covering the first/second and probably third dance.

So why do we need to use stand-ins? Well, we’re usually one man bands, working as individuals and those that book us buy into our services but more importantly our personality. Sometimes however we’re prone to sickness or family issues that mean we can’t meet those obligations, but only on very very rare occasions. We pick stand-ins that we know, trust and operate in a similar style to our own, any costs involved in using our stand-ins are met by us, so there should be no break in continuity of service. It’s just one of those things.

My batteries are on charge, my gear is all laid out, and I’m almost ready to go, even though I don’t have to leave for another 6 hours, you can never been too prepared.

Well, the wedding season is all but over, still taking bookings for the next two years though, but this month is mostly family portraits in the warmth of the studio. I’m glad that I purchased the green screen back drop cause it means I can put some of those winter scene selections into use.

I’ve also been busy with changing the style of the website, moving away from the ‘DM Foto’ brand, to more the ‘Darron Mark Photography’ name. I’m not dropping the DM Foto brand altogether, I’m keeping them both, but to work along side each other (doubles the chances of being found).

New website headers

So what does a wedding photographer do during the quiet months, well… He ramps up his/her game.

The perception is that as photographers, we take a lot of photos, the fact of the matter is we just wish we did. Since being a professional photographer, I’ve found that I’m taking even less than I did when I just enjoyed having a camera.

Courtesty of ISPWP.com

The fact that our life as professionals is much more like:

Image courtesty of ISPWP.com

There’s always a debate about full time wedding photographers and their prices when compared with the “Weekend Warriors”, an industry term used for those photographers who charge next to nothing as they’re usually in full time employment and probably don’t declare those earnings (some do, probably).

So why do you pay more for the professionals, well, because we’re doing this full time, and reputation is key.  The quality of our work in the post production, the quality of the final prints, the album’s they’re supplied in, and just the overall experience of working with a calm professional who will look after your every concern.

There are two things from your wedding day that will stand the test of time, your wedding ring and your wedding album.  The food will have been eaten, the dress sold or stuck in the attic, the honeymoon tan will have faded, and the wedding cake consumed.  The wedding album and the professional photographer producing it should be THEE most important decision you make, because you’ll be showing off those photos well into the future (even if you don’t think so, just ask my ex-wife, she still shows off hers, and I spent months looking for a photographer).

“Just one more”

Okay, I’ve out-sourced and I’ve in-sourced, but which is the best process to adopt? Simple, both.  I out-source my album design when I’m extremely busy, and I do it myself when the wedding season goes a little quiet, like now for instance. November, December, January and February are those quiet months when nobody is thinking about getting married (except the guys who are going to be proposing over the Christmas period), so these are the months that I choose to do the work myself. If there’s one thing I’ve found out about wedding album design, is that it’s time consuming and will pretty much take over your life.

A common thought as your get to page 9, page 19, page whatever it is “Just one more”, there’s always a flow going when your working on the pictures you took at a couples wedding. The time line kicks in, you have the process off pat with the images in the right order for the day, sometimes trying new layer mask options, blends, vector layers. It’s fun, it’s a little addictive, but one thing is for certain, you’ll be up all night doing it.

Then they’re finished. You’ve played them back through a viewer to see what they look like without all the layout grids, and to see them full screen, just make sure you’ve not forgotten any little details. A quick conversion to a low resolution JPEG (or print them) and off they go to the

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client in your chosen method of distribution (mine go on my site in a closed area for the couple to see online) and you wait.

The feedback on the day of the shoot was positive, everyone had a good time. The feedback on the images that the couple have seen was positive, they’re pleased with the result, then we get to stage 3, your interpretation of how the album should be designed. The 3rd instalment of a positive feedback seeking result. You wait…

Hopefully they’ll like them, hopefully they’ll like what you did with the photos that they’d chosen to appear in the one book that will be coveted in the family home for years to come, the wedding book. Their kids will be looking at this book, their grand kids (if they’ve maintained it as you would hope they do) too, but more immediately, their friends (potential clients) and relatives. What feedback are the going to be giving on the last stage of your work? We’ll just have to wait and see.

I will be at my first wedding fair tomorrow afternoon, not only is it the first wedding fair I’ve been to, but I’ll be taking a stand at it too!  This is probably going to be a huge mistake, mainly because I’m not entirely sure as to what I’m supposed to take with me as an exhibitor.  I’ve been to trade shows in the past, and unless you’ve got an unlimited marketing budget, most stalls I’ve seen have been pretty terrible.  So what the hell am I doing going to one as a participant when I don’t even know what to expect?  Madness…

The stock on show will be a couple of album samples (one of which I don’t even have images to insert yet as I’m still working on the designs for them as I only got the album this week), a couple from my suppliers (much thanks to them by the way) and my ’signature’ image which has been blown up and framed with an awesome mount and frame.

I’ve just this minute finished designing a few A4 designs to go into one of the sample albums, and I have to tell you, it’s much easier than I thought.  The software plugins for Photoshop are brilliant, and I’m really getting to grips with it.  Could have saved myself £200 on that design company in England I’ve been testing..!

The Intro Page

Well, it’s nearly midnight, and I’ve still got to put together a digital gallery display for my fair, so I’m going to set to work on that now and I’ll let you know how I got on very soon.

Fingers crossed for me please!

I’ve been attempting to catch up this weekend, what with the wedding shoot on Friday with the lovely Martina and Gareth in Bessbrook and those niggling images of Kathy Black I’ve been trying to get close to, its been all go this Sunday.  Needless to say I managed to get both projects out of the way, with the wedding images going online right now, and Kathy’s on the relevant social networking sites (Facebook and Bebo) and she’ll soon be making an appearance on my own site, once the batch uploads are complete.

Kathy Black

I’ve been using an album design company based in England, and now that the first few designs are through I’ve finally worked out how much its costing me, needless to say I’m going to have to workout how to do these myself, as its proving a little extravagant on my part not to do them myself.  False economy? I’m not sure yet…

Marketing wise, well… I’m attending the Corrick Hotel’s Wedding Fayre in Clougher this Wednesday, and I’ve my signature image framed and ready for display, so I’m hoping it will go down a treat with the potential brides.  I’ve also got to produce a short video with some of the more recent weddings I’ve been involved with, so that’s Monday night gone.  I’m just glad I’m up-to-date before I go away on my holiday trip to Turkey.  I will be taking the Canon EOS 400D along with me to get some shots of the locals and some of the more exoctic places near our resort, or at least that’s the plan anyway.

On order this week as been my new Canon EF-S 10-22mm f3.5 Wide Angle lens, my new laptop holder with extra cooling fans and USB2.0 adaptors, a new Pantone Pro monitor calibration system and some children’s blocks.  All in all, a busy time on eBay.  I’m going to be also getting the Hitachi ceiling mounting kit for my projector, to make the whole ‘viewing’ of post production images a little more special.  Now all I need is the ducting and a big hammer and drill to get it into place.  But that little lot is on the back burner for now…

I was uploading to my site recently and I noticed the batch upload system was adding extra digits as they were being imported, which I thought was strange as they were going into their own folders and there were no duplicate file numbers, however it seems that the system centrally stores them, and then just distributes them through the site categories, which must mean that I’ve over 9999 images on my site currently. Impressive, but this then does create a small problem in that when I’m uploading I’ve to rename the images for print reference purposes, so I was looking for a way to resolve that at source, i.e. via the camera.

Having looked online to see if there was a way I could change the default ‘IMG’ on the Canon 40D (my main camera of choice) within the camera itself, it appears that I can’t, and that the only camera currently capable of this is the 1D III range, but no matter, just means I’ve to put in a new file renaming strategy into place.  So all future images will be dated from the camera system date followed by a sequence number.

I spent last week synchronising the clocks on both my Canon EOS cameras, so that the time lines would remain true as I’d usually switch between them at weddings, because of the two different lenses I’d have fitted, that way when I get back to the studio and upload the cards I could choose the best ones, and then order them into their time lines, making the whole process faster when it comes to the Album Design (dull or what? – Those are the things I have to think about to make sure that everything run’s just that little faster).

So the plans for this weekend? To work solidly on the imags I’d produced for the weddings I did last week, I’ve one selection of wedding images filtered down (an impressive number of images to choose from I thought), I now just have to correct a couple of the levels before publishing them for the couple to choose for their album designs.

This week is wedding consultations, portrait sessions, wedding rehearsals, weddings and glamour shoots.  The weddings that were booked over a year ago are now upon me once again, with bookings coming in thick and fast (3 just this week alone), and a wedding fayre on the horizon in County Londonderry (which I’m really looking forward to).

I’ve signed up a fantastic new wedding album designer who is working on a portfolio sample album design for me, inconjunction with designing an album layout for a wedding shoot from a few weeks ago, all of which I hope to have by this Friday.  Really looking forward to that.

More sample albums have come in to show off to the clients that book me, and more packages have been added to the site, well I say more, just one really, but a more comprehensive/meet you half way sort of thing.  So I think I’ve the mix right.

Once the Summer Season is over, I’ll be rethinking the pricing on the wedding packages, as I’m vastly reducing waiting times on the picture choices, and the album designs through a more structured approach to my workflow, which has allowed me to speed up the whole process from shoot to print.  It’s an essential part of the business, to not have couples waiting more than two months (60 days) for their albums to be delivered.  As this is the target date for those who wish to purchase the original CD of their images before it to be released.

The Google Chat System that I’d integrated into the site seems to be working well, just a shame I can’t get it to work with any of my Blackberry phones, which is strange, seeing as how it was developed by RIM, the makers of the phone!  It neither works on the Storm or the Bold versions of the phone, but no matter, I’m online most of the time anyway.

So that’s this week/month… What have you been working on..?

Expanding on what you need as a wedding photographer, tips to make sure you’ve not left anything ‘important‘ behind.

Got a laminator? Make a small business card sized list of items that you’ll need so that you can check that you have everything before you leave, and laminate it. This little list has nothing to do with camera gear or lenses, reflectors or anything you would normally have to hand, as if you don’t already have these items, then stay well clear of a wedding commission, these are the incidentals that will make your shoot run smoothly. Things to remember would be:

1. Mints
   Having a pack of mints (not the chewy ones) during the shoot will freshen mouths that have probably been dry since the service. Remember that the bridal party will probably had nothing to drink since leaving home, so getting through the service sometimes dry’s lips and mouths, and fresh mint will be a welcome relief.
2. Chapstick
   It’s no secret that being a wedding photographer is a stressful job, and for some, stress can sometimes manifest itself as unconsciously licking the lips while preparing for the next stage of the shoot. This then results in dry chapped lips by the end of the day. Having a chap-stick of some form of lip balm will help remedy this.
3. Crochet Hook
   Your at the home of the bride, and all the females with her are all sprayed, clipped, dyed and tanned. They will all probably have had their nails done for the event, and for some, this will only done on rare occasions and for this reason they’re not going to be very helpful when it comes to the fiddly bits. The bride’s father won’t be much use either, as he’ll be running round looking for cuff links, shoes and socks, and working out how to do a tie. So it falls to you to put the camera down and get the bride’s buttons closed on the little hooks that loop over the button. The quickest and easiest way to do this is using a crochet hook. Get a sturdy one, as these do sometimes bend under pressure, especially if the bride hasn’t been in the dress for some months.
4. Batteries
   You’ve got all your rechargeable batteries fully charged, you’ve even got spare ones on hand. What happens if today is the day they decide that this is the day that they’re not going to be any good? Have a pack of good quality branded batteries (not the cheap ones)  on hand for your flash gun and camera.Camera..? You ask… Yes, remember when you purchased your camera (or expansion pack)  it came with a that flimsy AA battery holder option? Bring it with you. Even if your confident that your camera batteries are fine, you won’t be able to rush off to purchase a new one should it fail. Leave it in the car, just because…
5. Memory Cards
   Have you got enough? Make sure you do. I wouldn’t recommend going down the 8GB CF cards, 4GB at a maximum. Wedding photography is all about redundancy, if you’ve squeezed the service on an 8GB card and it fails, you’ve lost everything. Having two cameras to share the load during the shoot will reduce the risk of losing a section of the wedding service. Using 2Gb and 4GB cards will reduce the risk of having the major parts of a wedding on only a few cards.
6. Bum Bag
   American’s call them ‘fanny packs’. I’ve 3 (incase the zip breaks on one, or the buckle fails), this is to keep my spare batteries and memory cards on me at all times. We all have camera bags, and we all know it’s something we worry about no matter where we go, having someone dip into it and leave your bag a little lighter by the end of the day. Losing a memory card full of the days images is not something an insurance company can replace. Therefore its essential that you keep these cards on you at all time.
7. Business Cards
   There will always be the case that other couples within the congregation are thinking about getting married. You may be the first wedding photographer they’ve seen working, and if you were good enough for their friends wedding which they’re attending, then you should be good enough for them. Always be polite to all the guests, pushy if you have to be, but funny with it. There is nothing worse than having a crowd of people talking about you for all the wrong reasons whilst they’re sitting at their meal.Perform well, and you’ll be approached for a business card. Be a little cheeky if you wish, and leave some on the tables at the bar, you never know who’ll pick one up and make a booking.
8. Fountain Pen
   There is nothing worse, than a shot of the bride and groom signing their wedding certificate and the only pen to hand was the one the priest/registrar uses every day. Buy a nice classy fountain pen to be used  as a prop for the signing shots. Remember NOT to put any ink anywhere near it. It doesn’t need it, its a prop! You won’t be forgiven for an ink spill on a brides dress.
9. Bottle of Water
   Have a bottle of water handy to keep you going. Dehydration can reduce your energy levels, so its important to keep your fluid intake constant.
10. Collapsible Mini Stool
    These little steps come in handy should you want the bride to sit on the grass. You can slip these under the dress and have the bride off the ground slightly so as not to be exposed to any ground moisture. Not every occasion calls for this handy prop, however it’s a handy tool to have in the boot of the car.
11. Step Ladders
    The Group Shot is always a nightmare if you can’t get the height you need. Don’t bring anything too high, as you might be on uneven ground and could come crashing down and make a complete idiot of yourself. A three step ladder will suffice,  don’t bring a tatty old one that’s covered in paint, as it just looks wrong!
12. Comfy Shoes
    Soft soled shoes that you can run around in for up to 15 hours are a must. Make sure they’re soft soled as you’ll find most churches/chapels will have marble or stone floors. As you move around the venue the last thing you want to hear is the sounds of your footsteps clip clopping around the hushed service.

Although this doesn’t appear on the list, one of the most important things you need on the day is a smile. Smiling makes those your shooting smile too. It’s only human nature to smile back, so if its been a nightmare of a day, the weather has been against you (too bright or too wet), your tired, the groom hasn’t smiled once and the parents seem unable to look into your lens, remember that you have to keep smiling. As YOU are on show too, and people always love to talk about the wedding photographer.

Being a big Twitter geek, I’m always looking out for posts to do with the Wedding Photography sector to make sure I’m fully up-to-date with whats going on.  Today I found a great post by David Day, a wedding photographer based in Nottingham from www.ddpweddings.co.uk.

David has kindly allowed me to publish this post on my own site, and if you think there’s something missing that you’d like to add, then please use the comments section below.

1. Brides – tell your Dad to get ready in good time. Dad has worked out that if the service is at 1pm, it takes 10 minutes to get there, it takes him 10 minutes to get dressed and 10 minutes to have a shower, so he can start to get ready at 12.30. In fact the photographer might be getting there at 11.15 and leaving to go to meet the groom at the church at 12.15, so there are now no pictures of bride and dad at the house.

2. Hair and makeup can often take up to 40 minutes longer to do than the make-up artist estimates. Having overrun their slot and left you running late, they can walk away, not having to face the consequences of the bottleneck that follows. Book them a bit earlier and if they are swift and you are ready early, you can have an extra glass of champagne.

3. Take the labels off your shoes before the day and before you have had your nails done.

4. Don’t forget to turn your mobile phone onto silent before the service starts.

5. Wedding photography can be great in the rain. Don’t stress as you can often still have great pictures in all weather but don’t get caught holding a brolly when there is lightening about.

6. You can ask the florist to make you up a cheap throwing bouquet, with flight in mind. This saves your main bouquet, in case you want to keep it or give it as a present.

7. Warning: Catching the bouquet can be the end of a relationship. Mind you maybe it wasn’t meant to be and it just focuses the mind.

8. Try not to lose any friends in the run-up. Organising a big event can be quite stressful, so try and be aware of your new stress levels when you are dealing with people. And enjoy it and if possible share the organising with others who would also enjoy playing a part.

9. If you have booked the honeymoon suite and want some portraits in the room, during your portrait session time, make sure the groom has the key, not Mum, as come the portrait session, Mum could be anywhere and then half the portrait slot time is lost trying to find her to get the key.

10. Make sure the DJ knows your first dance song and even consider taking it on disk, just in case they cannot locate it on the day.

1. Brides – tell your Dad to get ready in good time. Dad has worked out that if the service is at 1pm, it takes 10 minutes to get there, it takes him 10 minutes to get dressed and 10 minutes to have a shower, so he can start to get ready at 12.30. In fact the photographer might be getting there at 11.15 and leaving to go to meet the groom at the church at 12.15, so there are now no pictures of bride and dad at the house.
2. Hair and makeup can often take up to 40 minutes longer to do than the make-up artist estimates. Having overrun their slot and left you running late, they can walk away, not having to face the consequences of the bottleneck that follows. Book them a bit earlier and if they are swift and you are ready early, you can have an extra glass of champagne.
3. Take the labels off your shoes before the day and before you have had your nails done.
4. Don’t forget to turn your mobile phone onto silent before the service starts.
5. Wedding photography can be great in the rain. Don’t stress as you can often still have great pictures in all weather but don’t get caught holding a brolly when there is lightening about.
6. You can ask the florist to make you up a cheap throwing bouquet, with flight in mind. This saves your main bouquet, in case you want to keep it or give it as a present.
7. Warning: Catching the bouquet can be the end of a relationship. Mind you maybe it wasn’t meant to be and it just focuses the mind.
8. Try not to lose any friends in the run-up. Organising a big event can be quite stressful, so try and be aware of your new stress levels when you are dealing with people. And enjoy it and if possible share the organising with others who would also enjoy playing a part.
9. If you have booked the honeymoon suite and want some portraits in the room, during your portrait session time, make sure the groom has the key, not Mum, as come the portrait session, Mum could be anywhere and then half the portrait slot time is lost trying to find her to get the key.
10. Make sure the DJ knows your first dance song and even consider taking it on disk, just in case they cannot locate it on the day.

I’ve been trying to be a little flash lately, by adding Google Talk to my main website so that potential clients could talk directly to me when I was online, but that didn’t work out the way I wanted, as my Blackberry Bold (9000) doesn’t support the Google Talk mobile application.

I’d spent a morning on the phone with O2, and to be fair to those guys, they tried everything to get the program to work on one of their own Blackberry’s but were met with the same problems.  So its official, the great PC application of Google Chat is NOT compatible with Blackberry Bold.

What about Google Latitude on the Bold..? Well, that’s working grand, it updates as it should do, but it doesn’t seem compatible with WordPress.com, as every time I’ve tried to import the code into a static page, it doesn’t seem to show anything on the blog.  Which is a  shame, as I think it would look great, and give my clients a chance to see whereabouts I am in the world working.  So that’s two great ideas down the pan I guess, it would have been nice to have the application installed, but its not a massive drama.  However, if you are a user of Google Latitude on your mobile, then please feel free to add me as a friend, to get in touch, please visit my main website, as I’m not publishing any email addresses online due to spam bots picking up the address and filling my Inbox with junk.