Digital camera & digital photography resources
for professional & amateur photographers

Tips for Choosing Photographers, Creating a Shot List and Capturing the ''Not to Be Missed'' Wedding Day Photo

Company Shares Top Findings from Bridal Photography Survey Along With New Wedding Inspiration Center and Photo Book Design

REDWOOD CITY, Calif. Shutterfly, Inc., the leading Internet-based social expression and personal publishing service, today announced the results of a nationwide survey to help brides of all ages capture, share and preserve the memories of their wedding day. Not surprisingly, 84 percent of brides-to-be plan to hire a professional photographer for their wedding, according to a survey conducted for Shutterfly by MH, Inc. According to the survey, selecting the right photographer was one of the most stressful parts of the wedding planning. Some of the least stressful decisions? Choosing the date, the cake and first dance song.

Choosing a Photographer

“Our customers tell us that choosing a trusted wedding photographer can be difficult, so we have devoted a section of our newly launched Wedding Inspiration Center specifically to help guide brides through this decision process,” said Kathryn Olson, chief marketing officer of Shutterfly.

For tips on using photos creatively before, during and after the big day, please visit www.shutterfly.com/lifestyle/wedding, and for more information on Shutterfly’s new wedding products, please visit www.shutterfly.com/wedding.

Also, below are some tips for brides to consider when choosing a photographer:

1. Pick your photography style. Do you like traditional vs.
photojournalistic? Or do you like a combination of the two?
Do you like close-up shots or full body photos? Know what you're
looking for before you get started researching a wedding
photographer. Visit Shutterfly's Wedding Inspiration Center for
advice on deciding how to tell your wedding story.

2. Take advantage of the Internet. Online research can be a quick way
to sort out which photographers you like. You can view their
online portfolio to see if their photographs complement your
style. Shutterfly's Wedding Inspiration Center gives advice to
help brides identify the criteria by which to select a
photographer that will be a perfect match.

3. Conduct a pre-wedding interview and check references. When
surveyed, brides said the top three questions they wish they'd
asked photographers beforehand were: What to do in an emergency
should the photographer not make the wedding? What type of camera
are you using? How long will you stay at the wedding/reception?
A complete list of interview questions can be found at
www.shutterfly.com/lifestyle/wedding.


4. Create a shot list. According to a recent survey of Shutterfly
brides, 74 percent of respondents were happy that they created a
list of desired shots with their photographer prior to the
wedding. Be sure to cross check your shot list with Shutterfly's
complete wedding photo shot list at the Company's Wedding
Inspiration Center.

5. Secure the digital rights to your photos. 60 percent of brides
told Shutterfly they acquired the digital rights to their photos
so they can add them to their online albums, order keepsakes for
guests and share them with friends and family unable to attend
the ceremony.

Picture Perfect

Armed with the right photographer, brides can easily get that “perfect” shot – the only trouble is knowing what that shot is. More than 520 brides nationwide report that the “Not to Be Missed” photograph is one with the following composition: full-body, outdoor, color photo featuring just the couple. The kicker? It has to be candid.

“More and more, brides are requesting that we focus on candid moments of the day. The candid shots are prized for their personal feel and the way they capture the wedding party and guest interactions in a natural way,” said wedding photographer Vince Tarry, www.vincetarryphotography.com.

Moreover, when it comes to other compositional elements of photos, younger brides have a different view. Brides, ages 18-24, prefer non-traditional touches such as close-ups vs. full-body photos and black and white prints vs. color.

After the Big Day

Photo thank you cards are among the most popular uses for wedding photos. 40 percent of brides surveyed created photo thank you notes from wedding shots. One couple even staged a photo of themselves holding a “thank you” sign to be used in their thank you cards later on. Shutterfly has launched a new line of Wedding Thank You Greeting Cards to help couples send their guests a personal note of gratitude.

Young brides are also making the most of their photos after the wedding. When surveyed, 40 percent of brides, ages 18-24, have created items like photo jewelry and keepsake boxes from their wedding photos, and a whopping 60 percent of them shared their photos online using services like Shutterfly Share (www.shutterfly.com/share).

Another way to commemorate the day? The recently released, “Our Wedding” Photo Book from Martha Stewart, exclusively at Shutterfly, makes an elegant gift the newlyweds’ parents will showcase on their coffee table. It is easy to create by simply adding favorite pictures to the stylish designed pages with narrative headlines such as “Friends & Family,” “The Big Day,” “Past & Present,” “Bridesmaids” and “The First Dance.”

About Shutterfly

Founded in 1999, Shutterfly, Inc. is the leading Internet-based social expression and personal publishing service. Shutterfly provides high quality products and world class services that make it easy, convenient and fun for consumers to preserve their digital photos in a creative and thoughtful manner. Shutterfly's flagship product is its award-winning Photo Book line, which helps consumers celebrate memories and tell their stories in professionally bound coffee table books. More information about Shutterfly (NASDAQ:SFLY) is available at www.shutterfly.com. Shutterfly and Shutterfly.com are trademarks of Shutterfly, Inc.

Report this to a moderator | IP: Logged