Endors Photography Blog

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Kelly and Lee along with beautiful daughter, family and friends chose Sirromet Winery as the location for a perfect day.  The day was a bit windy (90-100 kph gusts), but the images tell the story of a great day.  Thanks to Kelly and Lee for allowing us to be part of the day and capture your very special moments.

Nicole & Shane asked us to share their day with them at Sanctuary Cove.  The wedding was shot at the Hyatt.  It had rained all week and nerves were on edge, but even with a late storm we managed to capture some great moments.  Thanks again to Nicole and Shane for a great day…

This question if frequently asked and in fact the answer is quite easy. 

If it’s outdoors - the answer is 1 hour before sunset. 

While this can be inconvenient at times - there are good reasons - and here they are….

For a photographer - its all about THE LIGHT.  For a great photograph the light has to be even, but not “flat” so that it allows some gentle modelling on the subject.  Direct sunlight that cast shadows across the subject is just not good!

In a studio setting the photographer has total control over this, so it doesn’t matter when you shoot.

For outdoors, the best light of day is found 1 hour before sunset - any time of year.  And that’s when we shoot outdoor portraits.  It is possible to shoot at other times, if scenery is not important and even light can be found - for example, in the shade of a building or dense foliage - but this is never ideal.

At Endors Photography we work with you to deliver the very best result possible, so we need to spend the time in planning your portrait session to achieve great results.  Learn more about how we work with you by downloading our portrait photography information sheet.

Please feel free to contact us and tell us about your portrait requirements.

The trend lately seems to be a move away from the “studio look” for portraits.

Studio shoots don’t always suit everyone because its not a natural environment.  In fact it can be very hard to get some people to relax at all in the studio environment.

Most of our families and couples these days are opting to go to a selected location that suits their personality - for example the beach, or a park - to spend the time with us.

If you’re not sure of what would work for you or if you’d like to discuss your ideas with us - please feel free to contact us.

Given that portrait photography is something special for you, careful attention needs to be given to your selection of clothing during the portrait session. The purpose of a portrait is to highlight your faces and capture emotions - not what you are wearing.

Here are some important clothing guidelines that will enhance the outcome of your portraits.

General Rules For Everyone:

• White or pastel colors are perfect for lighter backgrounds.
• Casual outfits in darker earth tones work best for outdoor photographs with darker or mid-tone backgrounds. Middle tones or deeper solid colors are ideal for formal portraits.
• Simplicity is the key. Solid colours are best.
• Avoid large prints or patterns. They detract from your face.
• Long sleeves are best for everyone (no matter what the temperature is outside), except for small children. Bare arms can draw attention away from your faces and sleeveless tops can make your arms appear larger than they really are.
• Darker tones will help slim.
• Broad stripes, like the “rugby” style do not photograph well, as they tend to broaden your physique. Try to avoid lettering and extreme patterns on shirts. These attract attention away from the people in the photograph and can date the portrait.
• Necklines are important. A scoop or v-neck is best if your neck is on the shorter side. Longer necks look great with higher necked garments.
• Dress everyone in the same style of clothing. Don’t mix casual and formal attire.

For Larger Groups:

• Families and larger groups should pick a color theme. A good color theme would be “cool earth tones” which consists of shades of blue, gray & green. Another option would be “warm earth tones” which could be various shades brown, beige & cream.
• Please avoid RED in your colour selection at all costs.
• Feel free to mix the colors of the theme to create a pleasing and cohesive look. A good way to see if the clothes go together well is to lay them out on your couch for a day and see if anything jumps out as being out of place with the rest of the clothes. If a piece of clothing draws attention then it will do the same in the the photography.
• Also, dress the larger people in the group in darker tones as those will be more sliming and the smaller or slightly built people in the lighter tones to even out their size with the rest of the family.

If you’d like to know more - please feel free to contact us.

What a great question - But no easy answer!

We’ve split this question down into the basics of any good wedding coverage to give you some idea.  If you are after a great wedding album you’ll need to cover preparation, ceremony, some location work and at least the start of the reception.

Bridal Preparation

This part of the day usually takes 1 hour and focuses on the Bride as she is getting ready. 

• Its always better if the hair and makeup is finished before we really start. 
• We capture the details (dress, boquets etc), the Bride putting on her gown, fussing with the bridesmaids, some private one-on-one portraiture and the finally the shots with mum, dad, the bridesmaids and maybe the family pet.
• We plan to leave the the Bride half an hour before she departs for the ceremony location - to her the last minute “chill” time.

Groom Preparation

Often the Groom prefers to be ready rather than the getting ready shots.  Regardless we can cover the preparation for up to 1 hour if required.  Coverage needs to commence early enough to leave the photographer time to leave the Groom and his mates and get the Bride in time for her preparation coverage.

• Its always best to be almost ready if not fully dressed by the time the photographer arrives
• We normally focus on some ‘lad’ shots, some solo portrait shots and if there are family around some shots with the mums and dads.

Ceremony

Coverage for this part of the days is very standard, from half an hour prior to the ceremony right through to family photos.   Coverage includes all the important shots (guests, atmosphere, arrivals, couples gazine, rings, kiss, vows, signing etc).  We do our best to capture some of the ‘congratulation’ action as well.

Family Photos

If family photos are well organised they need only take 15-20 minutes (depending on the size of the family of course.  One of the secrets to avoid a time blowout at this point is proper planning of the family groups.

You will need:

• A detailed list of family combinations
• An MC or ‘gatherer of people’ with a loud voice to keep the process moving

Location Shoot

This is the best part of the day (for a photographer).  If you’re looking for great photography we need at least 1 hour of shooting time (excluding travel).  Our prefernce is 90 minutes to 2 hours all up - especially if there is more than one location involved.

Remember that the best light for the location shoot is the last hour before sunset and the immediate twighlight.  Juggling this fact with your reception timing is nearly always a drama.

Reception

All our coverage ends with 1 hour at the reception.  This is ample time to capture:

• Table settings and atmosphere
• Arrivals
• Mock/Real Cake cutting
• Table shots of guests

We recommend not having a professional photographer stay right through the evening for a number of reasons:

• The guest do get tired of seeing the photographer
• There is often nothing more to photograph (alcohol has a lot to do with this)
• The photographer gets a bit tired as well (on the go for approx 8-10 hours by this time)

      What about the real Cake Cutting and Bridal Dance?

• If couples really want this part of the wedding captured they often re-schedule these events first up in the evening (e.g. make their entrance and immediately go to the dance)

Sometimes a wedding photographer can get very disappointed with the lack of time available to produce the works of art that they know the couple will treasure. All too often a tight agenda can end up a disappointment, especially if the couple concerned value their photography (and want a great album as well).

Here are some basic principles you need to keep in mind when developing your wedding plans and schedules for the day (if you value your wedding photography):

1. Always involve your photographer before you set things in concrete.
2. Don’t forget travel time between the ceremony location, locations for photos and the reception location.
3. Family photos can often take longer than you think.
4. Don’t forget about sunset times.  The best time for any outdoor photography is the last hour before sunset when the light is beautiful and even.  That’s when real magic happens!!!!
5. Have a wet weather plan.

All too often the best laid plans end up with last minute ‘disasters’ which are not so disasterous if you’re prepared.  Over the years we have put together a list of a few essential items the should be considered (and on hand) that can fix most of the last minute nasties.

Here’s a few things to have on hand…

• Pain killers
• Band-Aids
• Bottle of water
• Chalk or an “Exit” Stick to cover up any last minute smudges or smears on your dress
• Clear nail polish (for stocking runs)
• Safety pins
• Eye drops
• Extra cash (because you never know)
• Extra earring backs/Hair pins/ponytail holder
• Hand towelettes
• Hem tape / Mini sewing kit
• Static-cling spray
• Straws (so the bride can sip something without messing up her lipstick)
• Tissues
• Tweezers

Keep it mind that the Bride doesn’t need to hold any of this stuff - leave it to the attendants a close friends who seem to hang around.

The maid or matron of honor may want to keep the following items on hand in a small evening bag at all times for the bride.

• Make up (for touch-ups)
• Comb/brush
• Dental floss
• Extra panty hose
• Hair spray
• Mobile phone
• Mirror
• Nail file
• Perfume

We hope you find these hints helpful.  We’d love your feedback as well.

Feel free to contact us anytime at info@endorsphotography.com

We provide creative and artistic portrait photography for your family and friends servicing the greater  Brisbane area.  Our images will provide you with lasting memories of all your special occassions. We can also provide special designer art solutions with specialised photography products and concepts.

Contact us about our portrait photography services.