I posted the other day my results from my print off from professional photography labs, today I’m going to blog about the results of the same test from consumer labs.

I polled my friends on Facebook to find out where they most often order from and ordered prints from all of those companies.  I ordered 15 different prints – landscapes, portraits, engagement and a wedding.  I used images that were in a wide variety of lighting conditions and were edited differently (black and white as well as color).  I then ordered the same set of images from every lab that was feasible for me.  Note that near me, we do not have a Costco whom I hear has really excellent results with consumer printing.

Here’s my results.  They may surprise you!  NONE of these images were color corrected by the labs I ordered from but a few I used the “fast” upload since the software shoved me into it.  I wanted to order these like a client would NOT how I would so if I was shoved into the faster upload I didn’t chose full.

I think that when comparing these results to the professional lab results it’s really easy to see why prints cost more when ordered through a professional lab.  Simply put, the extra money is well spent for preserving priceless memories.  15¢ prints are fine for that softball game but when you invest in a photography session with a professional you really should invest in the best way to preserve those moments captured.  I guarantee you that these prints from the consumer labs won’t last as long or stay as true to the original image as the professional labs.  I may do a wear test to see what happens down the line for kicks…

In depth reviews of each printer 

Here’s some insight into the lingo.  Exposure = the light/dark of the image.  Color = matching the colors as are true to my original image.  This includes color casts (more of one color vs another) as well as saturation (how bright a color is).  Shadows = amount of detail in the darker parts of the picture.  If they are clipped, this means that you lose detail in the darker parts of the images which is often dark eyes and hair.  Cropping = are the images cut how they were uploaded, is the whole image there or are parts missing.  Sharpness = how in focus the picture is vs. how it was originally.

CVS
Cost:  19¢ prints
Paper:  Kodak e-surface paper
Ordering:  Ordered online with in store pick up in one hour.  Software forced me into “fast” upload.
Results:
•  Exposure: Pretty close to being spot on.
•  Color:  Slight yellow/magenta cast, a bit over saturated.
•  Shadows: No clipping.
•  Cropping:  Crop is correct.
•  Sharpness:  Images are as sharp as the original file.
•  Overall feeling:  The ordering system forced me into a fast upload which promises that there is no difference in most images.  The image quality is TERRIBLE and I am hoping this is due in part to the fast upload.  The images are VERY grainy and in the highlights of the image, the colors are “blocked” much like in 8 bit video games.  It’s truly awful.  The paper is also quite awful, it sticks to itself and every time I try to flip through the images they stick, which is quite frustrating.  The colors are good but the rest of it was terrible!

Kodak Gallery
Cost:  15¢ prints
Paper:  Kodak e-surface paper
Ordering:  Ordered online.  Delivery took the longest of all the labs with 1 week turnaround.
Results:
•  Exposure: Pretty close to being spot on.
•  Color:  Slight magenta cast.
•  Shadows: No clipping.
•  Cropping:  Crop was a bit tighter than on original file.
•  Sharpness:  Image is a slight bit softer than original file.
•  Overall feeling:  Before MPix came out, I was a champion of Kodak Gallery as I really believed in their lab.  Out of all of the labs, I really think I did OK as this was by far my favorite of all the consumer labs BUT the delivery time is terrible.  I also think the paper is thin and I don’t like the feeling of it (they do offer a pro paper option for 35¢ a print).  So it’s really a toss up between Kodak and MPix as the true winner but both are decent labs for the price.

MPix
Cost:  29¢ prints
Paper:  Kodak e-surface paper
Ordering:  Ordered online. Delivered in 3 days.
Results:
•  Exposure: Spot on.
•  Color:  VERY slight red/yellow cast making image a hint warmer. A bit over saturated.
•  Shadows: Very slight clipping.
•  Cropping:  Crop is correct.
•  Sharpness:  Images are as sharp as the original file.
•  Overall feeling:  I was very impressed with MPix but I was expecting to be.  This is whom I tell my clients to order through if they are not going to use me, I’m glad that I was not disappointed.

Shutterfly
Cost:  9¢ prints
Paper: Fuji e-surface paper
Ordering:  Ordered online.  Delivered in 3 days.
Results:
•  Exposure: Slightly overexposed.
•  Color:  Prominent yellow/green cast.
•  Shadows: Slight clipping.
•  Cropping:  Crop is correct.
•  Sharpness:  Images are very soft.
•  Overall feeling:  When I opened up this envelope I actually let out a yipe.  These are absolutely, positively TERRIBLE.  These images definitely fit the old adage, “you get what you pay for.”  Holy crap these are atrocious.  The color is so bad it makes the baby look sick.  The images are so soft they appear to be out of focus.  BAD.

Snapfish
Cost:  15¢ prints
Paper: Fuji e-surface paper
Ordering:  Ordered online.  Delivered in 3 days.
Results:
•  Exposure: Pretty close to being spot on.
•  Color:  Blue/green color cast.
•  Shadows: Slight clipping.
•  Cropping:  Crop is correct.
•  Sharpness:  Images are as sharp as the original file.
•  Overall feeling:  The images look okay but if I’m going to have a color cast, I much prefer to have a slightly warm cast vs. a cool cast because cool casts (blues/greens) makes skin look sallow and people look sick.  A warm cast (when not excessive) makes for a glow which is definitely preferable to sick!  The images would be OK for landscapes but definitely not ideal for portraits.

Cost:  19¢ prints
Paper:  Fuji glossy paper
Ordering:  Ordered online with in store pick up in one hour.  Used full resolution upload.  Glossy is the only paper option for in store pick up.
Results:
•  Exposure: Underexposed.
•  Color:  Red and a slight yellow cast.  A bit over saturated compared to the original.
•  Shadows: Clipped.
•  Cropping: Crop is correct.
•  Sharpness:  Images are as sharp as the original file, possibly a tinge more sharp.
•  Overall feeling:  This was the first set of pictures I picked up and I immediately saw they were much darker than my originals.  The color cast isn’t terrible but makes an impression.  I also dislike glossy paper (fingerprints!) so I was bummed I had no option but to get glossy in the store.

Wal Mart
Cost:  15¢ prints
Paper:  Fuji matte paper
Ordering:  Ordered online with in store pick up in one hour.  Used full resolution upload.
Results:  Shadows have no detail and images are over saturated compared to original print.  White lines along bottom of prints with an odd notch.  Very very slight red cast, barely noticeable.
Results:
•  Exposure:  Slightly underexposed.
•  Color:  Red cast, over saturated.
•  Shadows:  Clipped.
•  Cropping:  Slightly miscut image, took a bit off o the top and the bottom of each image has white lines.
•  Sharpness:  Images are as sharp as the original file.
•  Overall feeling:  The redness of the image is noticeable but other than that the images are OK.

"Corey Ann is a Wedding and Portrait Photographer in Northeast Ohio. Her work has been featured in books and magazines across the country. You can read the original blog post here Corey Talks | Print Comparisons (Consumer)."

One of the things on my to-do list this year before heading back into wedding season was to do a massive print test across a multitide of labs to make sure that a) I’m using the best pro lab for my vision and my clients and b) that when I refer a consumer lab to clients I’m referring them to the one that I truly can stand behind.  I originally wanted to post my consumer print lab comparisons first but one lab is taking FOREVER to deliver prints (almost a week so far!) and all of my pro lab results are in.  Without further ado, here are the professional lab results!

In comparing the labs I sent out a selection of 15 prints of various types of sessions and lighting conditions.  I’m only showing one print from the lot but I used all 15 to base my comparisons on.  The print I’m showing you for comparison in my opinion hit upon many of the things that I’m looking for when evaluating a print and felt this was a good representation of things that could go wrong in one print.  Keep in mind that while I calibrated my scanner to the best of its abilities, the real life comparisons are MUCH more accurate than any scan.  However each scan was done with the same settings with the same scanner and while the results may be a tinge more pronounced, I did compare each file to its scanned copy and none are vastly different from the prints.  Also, please don’t note the cropping on these comparisons as scanning to a millimeter perfection is nearly impossible.

In depth reviews of each printer 

Here’s some insight into the lingo.  Exposure = the light/dark of the image.  Color = matching the colors as are true to my original image.  This includes color casts (more of one color vs another) as well as saturation (how bright a color is).  Shadows = amount of detail in the darker parts of the picture.  If they are clipped, this means that you lose detail in the darker parts of the images which is often dark eyes and hair.  Cropping = are the images cut how they were uploaded, is the whole image there or are parts missing.  Sharpness = how in focus the picture is vs. how it was originally.

Bay Photo
Results:
•  Exposure: Pretty close to being spot on.
•  Color:  Slightly red.
•  Shadows: Slight clipping.
•  Cropping:  Crop is correct.
•  Sharpness:  Images are as sharp as the original file.
•  Overall feeling:  I have not used Bay Photo before but have heard good things.  When I talked online about doing this test, many photographers urged me to use them.  They were a very close runner up to being the top choice.  Their delivery took about 3 days which is decent and the range of products is good.  I would recommend them!

Millers
Results:
•  Exposure: Slightly underexposed.
•  Color:  Red cast, oversaturated.
•  Shadows: Clipping.
•  Cropping:  Crop is correct.
•  Sharpness:  Images are as sharp as the original file.
•  Overall feeling:  Millers is generally known as the cadillac of labs with professional photographers and I have to confess – I was a bit let down with them.  Their delivery time is amazing (often next day!) but the cost of their products definitely has that service built into it.  While these prints are still a far cry better than 95% of the consumer labs, I still was a bit bummed.

MPixPro
Results:
•  Exposure: Slightly underexposed.
•  Color:  Slight red cast, slight oversaturation.
•  Shadows: Slight clipping.
•  Cropping:  Crop is correct.
•  Sharpness:  Images are as sharp as the original file.
•  Overall feeling:  I got these prints the same day as Millers and I have to say, I was actually more impressed with the prints from MPixPro than from Millers, which is kind of weird because MPixPro is a step down from the Millers lab (they are in the same family).  In person the differences are less noticeable and before I received the final sets of prints, this was my top contender for the “winner” of this contest.

ProDPI
Results:
•  Exposure: Very slightly overexposed.
•  Color:  Slight red cast, slight oversaturation.
•  Shadows: No clipping.
•  Cropping:  Crop is correct.
•  Sharpness:  Images are as sharp as the original file.
•  Overall feeling:  This is my lab of choice and I was on pins and needles waiting for these results.  I was SO happy when I got them (with the requisite candy in the box!) and saw that they were exactly what I was hoping for.  Their CS has always been top notch and I’ve always been impressed with their products.  While the image is slightly warmer, it still reflects my vision for my images and it is hands down my favorite of all the pro labs!

WHCC
Results:
•  Exposure: Slightly overexposed.
•  Color:  Slight red cast, slight desaturation of colors *more noticeable in person
•  Shadows: No clipping.
•  Cropping:  Crop is correct.
•  Sharpness:  Images are as sharp as the original file.
•  Overall feeling:  Prior to switching to ProDPI I used WHCC because I really liked their products and prints.  After WPPI in 2009 however, I switched to ProDPI after WHCC had some questionable marketing endeavors that I didn’t quite agree with.  I did want to include them though because if they ended up being the best, I wanted to make sure my clients were getting the best, despite my misgivings.  While the scan shows that this print isn’t terribly different than ProDPI in person it’s a bit of a different story.  The colors are a bit muted and the ProDPI print pops a lot more on the paper.  However, I do like the Tootsie Roll Pop that came in the box!  It’s not enough though to woo me back.

So…. there you have it!!  If you are local to me and would like to see these suckers in person, feel free to drop me a line.  If you aren’t local and want to have the high resolution files to pick over yourself, let me know!  Got any other ideas?  Comment away!

Stay tuned for the comparison of the consumer labs in the coming days!

"Corey Ann is a Wedding and Portrait Photographer in Northeast Ohio. Her work has been featured in books and magazines across the country. You can read the original blog post here Corey Talks | Print Comparisons (Pro)."

Holy crap!  It’s almost time for wedding season again!  It’s hard to believe it’s been 4 months since I shot a wedding!  I haven’t had a break that long in quite a few years… but I have to say it’s been nice to just relax. I am excited to get back into the swing of things though and weddings will be on the blog in the next week!

Today’s Corey’s Talks is about formals.  I’ve got this question quite a few times in the past few weeks as my clients for this season are starting to tackle the dreaded timeline and want to know when I should arrive and what they should expect.  For every wedding things will always be different but over the past 5 years (and 100+ weddings) I’ve found that generally this is the case… it is MUCH easier to do ALL of the formal portraits AFTER the ceremony!  I know, you may be thinking to yourself, wait!?  What?!?  If we do all of those pictures ahead of time we’ll save all that time after and will be able to get to outdoor pictures/booze on the bus/cocktail hour/reception so much faster, right?  Au contraire!  Here’s why…

1.  Someone is almost always late.  It may be a bridesmaid or groomsman but usually it’s the family member that HAS to be in the family portraits but isn’t in the wedding that somehow forgot they had to be ready early and won’t be there in time.  This either means not doing that set up at all and saving it for after the wedding or working around that person until they arrive, frazzled and stressed out.  The time “saved” by getting this picture (i.e. bride and her whole family) out of the way has now been nullified by the sister not showing up.  I know you say this won’t happen to you, but trust me when I say it’s happened more often than you can imagine.

2.  Someone isn’t ready.  This applies usually to the bridesmaids or groomsan and isn’t quite #1.  There’s always that bridesmaid (sorry ladies, it is usually you) that is a bit more high maintenance than others and fusses and fusses with this or that until you, the bride, are waiting on her to get the show on the road.  Love them dearly, yes, but we all have that friend, and they usually our are best friends.  Then there is things not fitting.  There is almost ALWAYS a coat, pant or shoe that doesn’t fit one of the guys.  Usually they can make it work but sometimes it means a mad dash to the rental location.  Sometimes a bridesmaid busts a zipper.  This isn’t meant to scare you (crap, I am scaring you aren’t I?) but to let you know that these things happen and the first thing that I will offer up as a sacrifice is the pre-ceremony formals.

3.  Hair and/or Makeup Runs Late.  This could go along with #2 but it’s my list and I will list what I want to.  If you are having your hair and/or makeup professionally done it often runs late.  When making appointments, Brides often goes along with the time the salon quotes them and plans around it.  I have NEVER in 5 years had a bridal appointment at a salon end early.  Please, please, please pad your time if you are having professional services the day of.  I HIGHLY recommend the services but trust me when I urge you to pad that time.  Add in at least an extra half hour.  It’s easy to have an extra hour to kill but when you are running an hour behind it can create all sorts of drama.

4.  If guests see you it can get messy.  Even though I try to have my clients hidden away at least 15 minutes before the music starts (generally 45 minutes before the ceremony start time) there is always the eager guests that will arrive even earlier than that.  If they see you, they are going to want their own pictures with you.  Which leads to kissing you – with their freshly applied lipstick and so forth.  Then their friends see you because they’ve kept you past the magic hiding hour and it gets messier from there on out.

5.  It takes about 5-10 extra minutes to do ALL the formals later.  This may sound bizarre but while you think you are “saving” those 30 minutes of time by doing the formals beforehand, you are really ADDING 25 minutes of time to your day with me.  After the ceremony I’ll need to do the same groupings again but with both the bride AND groom.  I’ve found it is MUCH easier to do the set up of each group once with the bride and groom and then have one or the other step out for the individual picture with the group.

6.  Confusion.  I wish I didn’t have to say it but I’m going to be honest with you.  It never fails that someone that is needed in the second formal grouping after the ceremony (a parent or sibling is usually the culprit) thinks that since they took the first one with you before the ceremony, they don’t need to stay after the ceremony since it’s already been done.  They forget that there usually is a bride/groom AND family shot and they follow the crowd away from the ceremony location.  This then results in having to reshoot during the reception or sometimes not being able to capture the portrait at all which makes me sad.

I know that seems like a big wall of text, I’m sorry.  Here’s a sample timeline – done both ways – to show you what I mean.  Keep in mind this is the basic of basic lists of formals.  There’ll be an upcoming Corey Talks for the formals I do generally at every wedding, it’s way more detailed than this I promise.

Formals Before Ceremony

12:00 Photographer arrives – takes pictures of dress, shoes & details
12:15 Bride gets dressed/Groom gets dressed
12:45 Formals begin
- Bride
- Bride + Bride’s Family
- Bride + Bridesmaids
- Groom + Groom’s Family
- Groom + Groomsman
- Groom
1:15 Hide Bride and Groom
1:30 Music begins
2:00 Ceremony
2:30 Exit
2:45 Formals Begin
- Bride + Grandparents
- Bride + Groom + Bride’s Family
- Groom + Grandparents
- Bride + Groom + Groom’s Family
- Bride + Groom + Bridal Party
- Bride + Groom
3:05 Formals End

Formals After Ceremony

1:00 Photographer arrives – takes pictures of dress, shoes & details
1:15 Bride gets dressed/Groom gets dressed
1:30 Music Begins
2:00 Ceremony
2:30 Exit
2:45 Formals Begin
- Bride + Grandparents
- Bride + Groom + Bride’s Family
- Bride + Bride’s Family
- Groom + Grandparents
- Groom + Groom’s Family
- Bride + Groom + Groom’s Family
- Bride + Groom + Bridal Party
- Bride + Bridesmaids
- Groom + Groomsman
- Bride + Groom
3:15 Formals End

The beauty of timeline #2 is that on neither one are you going to be out and about during the time guests are being seated.  The groomsman have to usher so they can’t be photographed and the Bride and Groom need to be hidden from guests.  In timeline #1 you will be just sitting and twiddling your thumbs where with timeline #2 you will be getting the finish touches done and the dress zipped up so there’s not as much time to get nervous. The guys will be playing a game of poker or watching the final play in the game – a bit more chill than worrying about smiling.  During that time I’ll capture the candid moments and the smiles with your bridal party and casual portraits.

Whatever you decide, it is your day so whatever you want to do is your decision.  I just like to let my clients know that there is more than one way to shoot formals and my thought is that I like to do them as quick as possible as I know it’s the least favorite time for most people!  Since people do not generally love this part of the day, doing it once is often best for everyone involved – especially young ones!

"Corey Ann is a Wedding and Portrait Photographer in Northeast Ohio. Her work has been featured in books and magazines across the country. You can read the original blog post here Corey Talks | Best Time for Formals."

Brides, Grooms and all people involved with planning and/or paying for a wedding.  I have a PSA that you may find enlightening.

Preferred Vendor Lists are often a list the vendors PAY to be on!

Recently I was approached by not one but TWO different local venues that are working on brochures promoting their business through Hawthorn Publications.  At first, I was extremely flattered as one of these venues had gone as far as to get a list of photos together of mine they wanted to feature and have a mock up done of the brochure utilizing images from weddings at the said venue.  It was flattering and an awesome sight to see.   Confession: it was a huge stroke to my ego.  I may have even done a happy (chair) dance when I read the email.  However that balloon was quickly deflated when I received a follow up email that told me to be included in said brochure, I would have to pay upwards of $800 to have an ad and be included in the brochure as a preferred vendor.  Without the money, they couldn’t feature my work.  I was so sad because I really was so flattered AND excited to be featured on this venues brochure and to be on their list but eventually I decided that wasn’t the kind of game I wanted to play.  When I got ANOTHER call a few weeks later from Hawthorne, urging me to reconsider and showing me other venues featuring such beautiful places such as the New York Public Library with Christian Oth’s famous work I still wasn’t wooed, despite their efforts.  It made it easier to turn down the next venue that approached me weeks later with the same deal.

This also isn’t a practice that is limited to venues and brochures.  Last year I had a wedding coordinator that reached out to me wanting to know my availability for a client they had and thought I would be perfect for.  I was elated!  The wedding sounded amazing and it was a date I was available for.  I sent over my information and eagerly awaited the reply.  After receiving my brochure, the coordinator replied and said that everything was great… except they wanted me to know one “small” thing.  They charge a 10% fee to refer clients to me.  If I wanted to build it into the pricing so their clients got pricing that included the charge (hidden, of course) then they’d be happy to send the different list or I could pay it out of pocket if not.  I was completely flabbergasted!  I told them promptly thanks-but-NO-thanks and nipped that one in the bud.  This sadly isn’t just a one-vendor-exception thing, this is happening with many coordinators all over the world.

I’m not writing this blog post to piss local vendors off (but I’m sure that may happen… oops) but I’m writing this to educate my clients and OTHER photographers.  The more we put up with this kind of shit, the more that it is going to happen.  I urge ALL of my fellow photographers to take a stand and say NO to kickbacks and paying-to-play.  Clients, I want you to be informed that sometimes (NOT always) those lists you get from vendors of “preferred” vendors are not always based on merit but on money.  If you see that the brochure is from Hawthorn Publications, you can be certain that those vendors paid to be listed.  I think that is HUGELY important to know!  When I was planning my wedding, I asked vendors I hired for recommendations for vendors I hadn’t hired and hired based on their advice.  I know that the referrals I got were solid ones and they made my wedding that much more amazing.  I can’t imagine what kind of disasters would have happend had my vendors NOT been the best to be recommended but the ones that had paid to be!  Don’t even get me started on the idea of what I would have done if I had paid more so that my coordinator could have got referral fees!!!  JUST SAY NO!

I never, ever want to have a referral based on money, not on merit. 

I may never be a preferred vendor but at least you know when you hire me that I’m not charging you any hidden fees to have me photograph your most important day.

"Corey Ann is a Wedding and Portrait Photographer in Northeast Ohio. Her work has been featured in books and magazines across the country. You can read the original blog post here Corey Talks: Preferred Vendor Lists, The REAL Skinny."

After MANY requests for this and a few years under my belt I feel that I am finally ready to have a post dedicated to those vendors whom I LOVE to work with.  Believe it or not, this post has been in my draft folder for over a year!  I will revisit this from time to time as I return and work places or find new vendors to add to this list.  If someone isn’t on my list, it isn’t necessarily because I don’t recommend them, I just only feel comfortable vouching for vendors that I have worked with (depending on the type of vendor, I prefer multiple times!) and can vouch for.

Bakery
Cupid Cupcakery - Oh my gosh.  SO SO SO good.  I can’t even describe how delicious they are.  I first had these delicious cupcakes for Kristin and Jacob’s wedding and have had them a few times since.  Trust me, they are amazing!  April is also pretty awesome and I’m not recommending her just because she’s a past client!

West Side Bakery – If we would have got married locally, I guarantee that they would have been making our cake.  Instead they made my sister-in-law’s baby shower cake and have been behind some of my favorite cakes at weddings.

Wild Flour Bakery – When I tasted Heidi’s cake, the first thing that came to mind was unmelted ice cream.  Since then, every single bite of a piece of their cake that I manage to sneak a nibble of has equalled or surpassed that first delectable bite.  Yum!

Band
The Sellouts – So here’s a thing you don’t know about weddings.  Bands are notorious for eating ALL of the food in the vendor room and not leaving any for the photographers.  This was the first band I ever worked with that actually REFUSED their meals and gave them to me and my assistant before they’d take theirs.  They won my heart RIGHT there.  THEN!  They were amazing.  If I ever have an event that requires music I guarantee you I’m hiring them in a second.  Tracy and Dan loved them and I promise you will too – especially if you are a child of the 80′s! 

Shout – When you can make my husband, whom is the biggest music snob ever, stop, stare and whip out his iPhone to record the music you KNOW it’s a good band.  He STILL, two years later, raves about this band!!  I must confess, they were quite fantastic and the floor was PACKED all night long.  Erin and Tony sure chose well when they picked this band!

Special Request – Another fantastic band that won my heart when they made sure I had food before they did.  However when I heard them play, they were my new favorite friends.  They also were willing assistants when I was shooting Lawren and Mike’s wedding rings!  Win! 

Catering
Spice of Life Catering – not only is their food and presentation amazing, but they are such a pleasure to work with!  Trust me, their food though is AMAZING.  To see a sample of just how amazing take a glimpse at Alyssa and Jon’s wedding.

DJ
Jeff with Rock the House – Jeff seriously made me smile so, so much.   You will be hard pressed to find someone that is much more easy going, fun and just a blast to work with.  The floor for Marshall & Colleen was jam packed all night long and much of that was thanks to Jeff and his amazing skills.

John from The DJ Crew – John and I have worked quite a few events together and he’s been a lifesaver a few times.  He’s the consumate professional and has always been one to bring the party up a notch.  He’s a joy to be around and that joy floats to the floor whenever he’s working.

Florist
Blooms by Plantscaping – Heidi was the first wedding I worked with Arne and his talented staff and I’ve worked with him many times over the years.  I still dream about Jillian’s amazing peony bouquet.

Prestige Floral – Tina is so fun to work with, I do a happy dance when I know she’s going to be working with me.  Her flowers always take my breath away and she is such an artist.  I still swoon a bit when I look at the roses at each place setting at Tracy’s wedding and Sarah‘s flowers are still some of my favorite works of floral art EVER.

Makeup Artist
J Kelly Face Art – Jason is the BEST makeup artist around.  He’s the bees knees and when I find out a client has hired him for makeup the day of the wedding, I jump for joy as I know my brides will look fabulous!  Meghan, Kristin, Rachel, Kelli and Colleen are just a few of the brides he’s worked with of mine.

Kajal by Kimberly – Kimberly is so awesome and is amazing at what she does.  She and Jason worked together at MAC so it only makes sense that they are my two top picks for makeup artistry!  I still hear raves about Alyssa’s amazing makeup.

Stationery
Print Julep – Katie is a past client but she’s also just freaking amazing at her job.  I fell in love with her when I saw her amazing work at Carla and Craig’s wedding and Katie’s own wedding was even more jaw dropping.  Check out her cake toppers!

Venue
Lantern Court at Holden Arboretum – home to my FAVORITE favorite favorite aisle of all of the aisles I have photographed.  You can take alternate routes to the altar they have here but WHY?!?

Stan Hywet – I know, it’s really popular but it is with good reason.  You’ll be hard pressed to find a more beautiful ceremony location in the Akron/Canton area.  The birch alee and the flower gardens are two of my most favorite locations to shoot at and with good reason.  Oh and my Dad did a lot of the lighting and electrical goodies here back in the 80′s so it’s an extra reason why I love it here.

Videography
Focus on You –  It’s hard not to love Bob & Krista because they are just fantastic people.  They are so easy to be around and just good people.  Beyond that though, they are fab because they work WITH photographers and not against us.  Trust me, you want your photographer & videographer to have that kind of friendship the day of.  If it becomes a battle of wills over who gets “the shot” everyone loses.  They are awesome to be in the trenches with and get what’s going on.

RAD – I know right?  I’m not supposed to be recommending my competition but seriously, after the intro video for Colleen and Marshall (can’t wait to see more from that day!) I was stunned and amazed by their work.  The camera guys were easy peasy to work with and we all got along great

Wedding Planning
Heidzillas – Heidi may be the only bride that has ever intimidated the crap out of me.  Seriously.  SHE CAME WITH A BINDER AND SPREADSHEETS!  Scary stuff I’m telling you, especially my first year out.  However, her wedding was flawless and much of that was due to her amazing organizational skills and planning.  Since then I’ve watched her go from a weekend warrior at day-of coordinating to running a full time business with her own crew of ‘zillas (whom are all fab ladies).  She’s awesome and when I work a wedding with Heidzillas, I know the day is going to be amazing like it was for Svetlana and Sandor, Codi and Joe, Jillian and Kevin, Jennifer and Todd, Erin and Tony, Erica and Aaron and Colleen and Marshall (I’m sure I’m forgetting someone…).

"Corey Ann is a Wedding and Portrait Photographer in Northeast Ohio. Her work has been featured in books and magazines across the country. You can read the original blog post here Corey Talks | Vendor Love."

One of the very last things I ever want my couples to feel on the day of the wedding is rushed.  However it seems that more often than not that’s how the wedding day ends up rolling due to trying to cram in too much in too little of time.  Sometimes I’m able to finagle a way to make things work to give everyone some breathing room but often it just isn’t possible.  So today’s blog is about giving yourself some TIME!  I’ve touched upon this in my timelines blog but I wanted to further elaborate on this subject and concentrate on the time for portraits.

As my friend Kate McElwee recently remarked, “[the wedding day] is an experience, this day, a time to relax and love, to wander – meander – to smile and spend a little time with the one[s] you love. Not: bam bam bam next bam bam bam next bam.”  I’m quoting her because I couldn’t say it any better myself and is what inspired this blog.

Your wedding day is such a big day and no matter what, it will flash by in an instant and all that will be left is memories, a few mementos and your photographs (and possibly video).  That’s it.  These items will become heirlooms for future children and generations to come.  Those extra 30 minutes that you could have spent getting quality images for future generations to get to know you by are often tossed aside because people are worried that guests will be upset they had to wait on a bride and groom to arrive to the reception from taking pictures.  In 5 years what are you going to be more upset about, guests having to wait on you to get your pictures or the images you didn’t get to make the guests happy?  I don’t know about you, but in all the years I’ve been attending weddings I’ve NEVER once been upset about waiting on the bride and groom.

In an ideal world, I like to have at least 1 hour of active shooting time after portraits for solid picture taking time.  I start the session off with the bridal party and then dismiss them to spend the final 30-40 minutes with the couple.  The more time the better!!  Instead of slamming out poses and getting through the have-to-do’s this extra time allows me to let you guys visit and talk (often our portrait time is the ONLY time you will spend alone the day of the wedding, which is why I like to dismiss the bridal party if possible to allow you to have more quality time together).  While there are the standard poses I like to make sure you have, my favorite images and almost always the clients favorite images, come from the candid moments that happen between the couple which often can’t be scripted and rarely happens when we’re on a tight schedule.  If there is extra time (and sometimes there is) at the end it becomes a bonus because it gives you time to regroup, freshen up and collect yourselves before the next wedding day event…. and maybe sneak in a snuggle and a kiss.  If you want to get really crazy, schedule a break during the reception for you and your photographer to sneak out for some more portraits in the evening with the sunset and perfect light.  Not only are these images almost always my favorites but it gives you more images and another chance to regroup and reconnect with the one that this whole day is about: your partner.

Hopefully those marriedto-be’s out there keep this in their minds while planning.  Trust me, you will be thankful for every second (which are precious few!) during the wedding day that you aren’t worried about the time.

"Corey Ann is a Wedding and Portrait Photographer in Northeast Ohio. Her work has been featured in books and magazines across the country. You can read the original blog post here Corey Talks: Time, Time, Time!."

It’s a new year and it’s been a while since I’ve done a Corey Talks!  I’ve got a slew of new topics to talk about but I wanted to make a “best of ” list to familiarize new clients with some gems they may have missed.  I plan on keeping this list up to date with new articles as well so feel free to bookmark away!  If you have any topics you’d like to see covered, please let me know!

Wedding Day Advice

• Cake Tips

• Feeding Your Vendors

• The Real Skinny on Vendor Meals

• Receiving Lines

• Timelines

• Wedding Insurance

Photography Advice

• Be a Photo Friendly Guest

• Digital Negatives

• Engagement Session Ideas

• Formals, Tips to Make Them Quick!

• Guest Photographers

• How to Get the Best Photos

• Pictures With Dogs

• Table Shots

• Why Photographers Cost So Much

• Why Professional Prints Cost More Than Wal Mart’s

Miscellaneous Advice

• Saving the Date with Corey Ann Photography

• What Should I Know Before We Meet?

"Corey Ann is a Wedding and Portrait Photographer in Northeast Ohio. Her work has been featured in books and magazines across the country. You can read the original blog post here Corey Talks | Best of Corey Talks."

Regardless if you had a budget for each vendor before your wedding or not, most couples know where they want the bulk of their money to go and where they’re willing the splurge and what they are willing to skimp on.  Some people splurge on the venue, some on the food, others on the bar and some on the photographer.  There is absolutely NO wrong or right choice in my opinion – although I’m sure it wouldn’t take long for most photographers to insist they are the most important since it’s one of the few tangible items left after the wedding day.  Personally, I think that each element is important and it’s all about what is important to YOU!  The very most important thing of the day is the commitment you are making, the rest is just icing on the cupcake!

Recently I had a client meeting where a bride asked me how to best plan her day around getting the best images possible.  I was flattered and elated to be able to give some input on items that really help a wedding that much more beautiful in images. It also made me think there may be other clients out there that are wondering the same thing, so I thought I’d make it a blog post!  Here’s some tips for future clients to think about if having beautiful images is a key element in your day, broken down into times of the day.

In General

- Hire a photographer that suits your tastes!  I cannot stress this enough!  If you want a candid approach to your day, find a photographer that is a photojournalist (WPJA is a great place to find this style of photographer!).  If you want more of the “get together and smile” style pictures from the day, look for a traditional photographer.  The single best way to get the best images (for you!) from your wedding is to hire a photographer that suits your needs and style.

- I hate to say it but it has to be said, often you get what you pay for.  Sometimes you will score a great up-and-coming photographer that is starting out low but it isn’t always the case.  If you are going to go with a cheaper alternative make sure to check review sites and the BBB to ensure that they are running a legal business and have satisfied customers!  NOTHING ruins images faster than having a photographer that doesn’t know what they are doing.  The sad thing is that you won’t know until much later when pictures can’t be saved.

- If there are certain images you have seen and have to have, I want to know!  Email it to me so that we’re both on the same page.  Keep in mind that if you send 50 images, I may not be able to get them all but it will still give me a better idea of what your mental picture is of the day.

- Trust us the day of to do our job.  Believe me, this helps a great deal with getting you the best imagery from your big day.

- Having a wedding planner often is the key to staying on time during the day and also allowing the clients to RELAX and enjoy the day – which in turn makes the pictures SO much better due to happier people and more time!  I realize it’s not always in the budget but even a day of coordinator can make a world of difference!

- Details, details, details!!!  The more little details, the more of you that is a part of the big day and the more the images will reflect you.  If having your wedding featured on a blog or in a magazine is something high on your want list, details are a must.

Getting Ready

- You’ll hear this often but the more natural light in the room, the better.  If you are getting a room at a hotel, see if you can make sure you have windows that will have sunlight filtering in the time of day you’ll be getting ready in your room. Hotel lighting is usually very warm so the more natural light, the better you look!  If you are getting ready at a salon you are most likely at their mercy – most salons have atrocious lighting from a photography standpoint.

- I always tell my clients that unless they totally love and rock the no-makeup-and-I-was-up-late look, the best time for the pictures to begin is after the makeup is complete.  I don’t know about you but I’m not a pretty person first thing in the morning (ok mostly never, but ESPECIALLY then!) and I’m most self-conscious of my looks then.  If the pictures start after your face is on (or just when it starts to get the transformation) it’s the best for everyone!

- For all dresses – bride, bridesmaids, mothers – REMOVE THE STRAPS! Not spaghetti straps or the like, but the ones that keep the dress on the hanger. Those suckers pop out all day long and are one of the most requested items for me to photoshop. I can usually (but not always) get them out of the picture but it saves you cost (as retouching is an additional charge) and time worrying about it if you just cut them out from the get go. If you plan to rehang your dress, save the straps and safety pin them back on after the wedding. Some of these straps need to be removed by seam rippers and resewing as well – David’s Bridal bridesmaids dresses are notorious for having them in the lining and on dark dresses – even cut – the white straps are quite obvious.

- Another tidbit, make sure anyone wearing a dress does a bra trial run!!  Those suckers pop out a lot and it is often because someone thought any bra would do!

- If your bridesmaids are going to be helping you get in your dress, make sure that they are dressed and ready before you get dressed.  It looks better in pictures if everyone is dressed and ready.

- This also goes for Moms and any other family members that may be a part of the getting ready process. It looks more polished if everyone is dressed and ready by the time the bride is getting into her gown.

- When you put your dress on, try to put it on in an area of open space with ample natural light. Not only does this help with the images, but open space will be very much needed for the dress and amount of people that will be around.

- If the dress involves a corset back, make sure the strings are flat when doing the corset up.  It sounds silly but it really does make for a prettier look in images AND in person!

- Guys usually are a bit easier when it comes to getting ready, if they are going to be photographed make sure they know to wait for the photographer to arrive for the fancier digs to get put on and tweaked.

- Again, the more ample natural light the better so if the guys are getting ready in a church basement, perhaps see if they’re able to get shirts and jackets on near windows.

- For both guys and girls – drink in moderation before the ceremony and/or pictures. Drinking can make an otherwise cooperative bridal party go amuck! If drinks are a must, make sure there’s plenty of water on hand to keep hydrated and sober!  Hydration is key for the best looking skin in images

Ceremony

- If you are having an outdoor ceremony, please please please have an indoor backup. Nothing ruins pictures quicker than a rainstorm and no place to have a ceremony!

- Another tip for outdoor ceremonies is to look at the location during the time of day and near the time of year you will be married. It’s amazing how different light can change a ceremony location outdoors! One location that I’ve shot at was GORGEOUS in June but in October the shadows fell so that there was a line from a tree across the groom’s face. Make sure that where the bride and groom will be will have similar lighting conditions (not one in full sun and one in shade which is really hard to shoot and doesn’t look the best in images).

- If you have an indoor ceremony, it really helps when you get the officiant on board with your desire to have quality images from the wedding. Many times indoors we are “stuck” to certain areas of the building – balconies or the end of the aisle. Sometimes a pre meeting with them and assurances from me allow a bit more freedom in the church areas to get the best images of the key moments of the ceremony.

- If you are carrying a bouquet (unless it’s the kind that lays in your arm) remember that your thumb should be at your belly button.  This way the bouquet doesn’t creep up so that it eventually covers your face.  We want to see all the pretty ladies smiles!

- The more of YOU that is in the ceremony, the better the images are.  Write your own vows.  Have a reading that is something meaningful to you rather than a standard poem.  The more of you that is in the ceremony, the more you will react to the service!

- Hankies are a beautiful way to wipe away tears.  If you don’t have a pocket, either tuck it in your bouquet or wrap it around the stems.

- When processing and recessing please do not dash!!!  Slow and steady not only looks graceful but also is much easier for photographers to get a sharp, clear image!

- My easiest ceremonies are ones where the programs request either no flash or no photography during the service in the programs.  While I love that guests are as eager as I am to get that perfect picture of you, it’s often very hard to get that picture when I have to compete for it (especially if I’m stuck to the back and they are in the aisle).

- Make sure you don’t lock your knees – this goes for the bridal party too.  I’ve had a few go down during the ceremony and it’s never a photographic moment and it often ends up requiring some recovery time for the person that passes out.

- When you kiss for the first time, make sure it’s not a peck! The longer you kiss, the more angles and looks you’ll get of that very important first moment!

Family Portraits

- Know ahead of time how much time we have for pictures at the ceremony location after the service. Often there are events happening after and we are on time constraints. If I know ahead of time, it helps me plan and make sure everything runs on time.

- I love being able to take family portraits outdoors! It’s my first go-to place for family portraits if they are willing.

- I cannot stress this enough but please make sure that the members of the family you want to take pictures with know that they are going to be included.  Also let them know when and where the pictures will be.  This helps eliminate a lot of the chasing around of people and time wasted trying to find everyone that was supposed to stay.

- Having a list of the group shots you want taken is extra helpful.  You then have a list to hand off to a friend (see below) but you also then are thinking about who you want pictures with before the crazy stuff begins at weddings.  If you leave it to spur of the moment there is often someone left out.

- Having a people wrangler is a HUGE help.  I can yell out who is supposed to be in pictures but it really helps when someone is there that knows the people and can help sort them out.

- If you have little kids that are going to be a part of portraits, try to do them either before the ceremony or immediately after.  Much of their “I have to be good” quotient of the day is taken with the ceremony so the longer after the ceremony their pics are taken, the less likely they are to smile for the camera.

- Understand that sometimes, kids just aren’t going to cooperate.  They may be in the shot in body, but it’s possible that they will be crying, laughing or looking away.  If you are okay with this, things go a lot smoother than trying for that ‘perfect’ shot from the 2 year old that is just done for the day.

- If we are under a time constraint (and nine times out of ten we are) it is best that I am the only one shooting the family portraits.  Once more and more people are taking pictures behind me, it’s more time we have to wait and that time usually comes from the pictures that follow the family portraits (bridal party/bride and groom).

Bridal Party

- The key element to getting the best pictures with the bridal party is (again) limiting the alcohol intake.  I knowwwwww – trust me.  I know.  It’s your big day and you want to celebrate with champagne and cocktails!  However, I’m sure you’ve seen how alcohol can affect people.  People don’t tend to listen to direction, get sick and sometimes get belligerent.  I want you guys to have fun, but I also want you to have pictures with all of your bridal party looking at the camera

- Choose an outdoor location that has some shade.  If it’s a really bright day often the best places to shoot are in the shade.  Not only does it look best in camera, but it also helps the squinting.

- Is your location going to have a bit of walking?  Think about doing pictures with the girls early on in their heels and letting them kick off the heels for flip flops or the like to make walking around easier (and less painful).  If you are feeling pain, it will show on your face and then will be in pictures.  Happy feet = happy smiles!

- When choosing bridesmaids dresses, keep movement in mind.  Some dresses are gorgeous on the rack but require constant tugging to make it stay put all night – strapless dresses are notorious of this.  Photographers call that style of dress “the tug” for a reason and I’ve had plenty of beautiful bridal party shots ruined by “the tug.”

- If you want to go to various locations for images, make sure to have the names and addresses handy.  Not only does it help me when driving but your limo driver will thank you as well.  Also make sure to think of alternative locations!!  I usually suggest one alternative “dry” spot in case one is crowded (many locations are often overrun with bridal parties making it not easy to get pictures).  I also suggest having “wet” locations as well in case of rain.  As long as it isn’t pouring I’m not opposed to taking pictures in the rain but often my couples aren’t as keen!

Couple Portraits

- Every emotion you are feeling tends to show itself on your face.  If you are in pain, it shows.  If you are uncomfortable, it shows.  So make sure that all elements of your ensemble are going to make sure you are comfortable, happy and pain free!

- Brides, please please please do a movement test in your dress.  Jump.  Dance.  SIT DOWN!  Shake it like a polaroid picture!  Make sure that everything stays put and you are able to move.  As I mentioned above, “the tug” is not a pretty look – especially on a bride!  You want to be comfortable in your dress!

- First looks are the best way to get the most out of your time.  I understand that it’s not always ideal but keep it in mind if you know you are going to be tight on time between the ceremony and reception. It’s also the best way to spend the most time with your guests as it frees up that time between events that is usually taken up with pictures.

- The best time and light for portraits is the hour before sunset when the light is golden and beautiful.  If you can schedule your day to have portraits taken during this magic hour as it’s called, you will be guaranteed to LOVE the images.

- It is best if it is just me + the couple during this time.  It’s the most efficient way to make the most of the time we have together.

- I can’t say this enough but plan for enough time for pictures!  I suggest to set aside 90 minutes of SHOOTING time to get everything done (family, bridal party and the couple).  This doesn’t include driving times to/from locations.  I can work with times lower than that but shorter than 90 minutes and things get rushed and we end up having to cut images out (usually from the bridal party pictures).

Reception

- I cannot stress enough how much lighting can change a room.  I’ve been so lucky to have been able to shoot some wonderfully lit receptions and they make a HUGE impact on images.  Uplighting is such a fantastic way to bring beauty into your reception without killing the floral budget.

- If having pictures of the reception room empty and details are important to you, make sure that the photographer has a way to get in the room before the guests are let in.  Often having the cocktail hour in a separate room easily solves this and allows us to jump in the room for some quick shots and jump back out to continue our coverage of the cocktail hour.

- Brides, please please please have  backup shoes.  I don’t care if you work in heels every day.  PLEASE bring a back up pair of comfy shoes – flats, flip flops or even slippers.  It’s much better to have brought them and not needed than to be in pain – which again, shows on your face.

- I usually urge my brides to get bustled before we head outside for pictures but if we don’t, I definitely recommend it before the reception gets going.  Make sure that at least two people know your bustle other than your Mom.  Usually the bustle point person (Moms, sisters) aren’t around when we have to bustle.  Most of the time I can figure it out but sometimes the bustle is a crazy puzzle that isn’t easily figured out.  If done wrong, it can look wonky in pictures and also get stepped on!

- Putting the main “events” of the night (special dances, toasts, cake cutting etc.) at the beginning of the reception AND all together (no open dancing between) not only gets you the best use of your time with your photographer, but also makes sure that the big events are captured when you are still looking your best.  Once the fast dancing and drinking begins, you don’t look quite as perfect.

- Having a great DJ or band really helps set the tone for the reception.  They are the key to a fun or boring reception.  Make sure that you check reviews and hire the perfect person to suit your needs!

- While choreographed dances are crazy fun, the standard stand-and-sway dances do lead to the best images.  When you are dancing fast, you’re concentrating and most of us aren’t blessed with the best looking concentration face.  If you do a choreographed dance, make sure to either bookend it with some standard slow dancing or get a slow dance in later so that you have some of those intimate images as well.

- While a dark dance floor may be fun it is really hard for photographers to be able to focus in the dark.  Make sure that the venue leaves a little bit of light on for us to focus with and be able to see who we are focusing on!  It also helps the DJ be able to see what they are doing as well – bonus!

- Make sure that you and your new spouse take a few twirls on the dance floor – to both fast and slow songs.  Not only does it make it great for pictures since you’re out there but guests faces light up when you are on the floor with them.

- HAVE FUN!!!

"Corey Ann is a Wedding and Portrait Photographer in Northeast Ohio. Her work has been featured in books and magazines across the country. You can read the original blog post here Corey Talks: Tips For Best Photos."

Vendor meals.  They’re a pesky thing.  Sometimes as photographers we view the “vendor meal” warily as we’re never sure what it will entail.  Sometimes we get the same meal the guests have.  Sometimes we get a cheaper version.  Sometimes we get a boxed lunch and sometimes the promised meal never comes.  I’ve addressed this issue before but I feel that I need to expand on my thoughts from before in a new blog as things have changed and meals have evolved.  In talking with my couples, I’ve realized that they often don’t quite know what exactly their vendor meal is or what it even entails so here’s the meals that we usually get and what they mean.  Hopefully this helps clear some of the mystery surrounding those pesky meals!

Same Meal Guests Have

As photographers, we’re elated when we get the same meal that guests have.  The first thing this ensures is that we will be able to photograph the meal that you have chosen to have served to guests.  If we aren’t served the same meal, it’s often something we cannot photograph as most people aren’t friendly to strange people taking aside their plate of food.  This also usually means we are seated with guests.  Some photographers don’t like this but I always enjoy getting to meet someone new.  It also means that if we’re in the same room, we’re around to know when anything spontaneous happens during dinner that need photographed.  The final perk to this option is that we are also served with guests, so that we are able to eat while everyone is eating and are able to get back to our jobs before events start to happen.  The only downside that I’ve encountered while being seated with guests is that often since we’re not in the seat until dinner is about to start, someone moves to our seats assuming we’re not there or we’ll find somewhere else to sit and there isn’t always a place for us to move to resulting in us not having a meal.

Stepped Down Guest Meal

Usually if we are placed in an ante room to the reception for our meal, we are served a vendor meal which is a lighter version of the guest meal (chicken/pasta is typically the option).  Sometimes it is really nice to have a room to go to and completely relax and not worry about our stuff being messed with and just talk about the day so far.  The food is usually the most economical version of the guest choices (pasta or chicken) and still quite good and nourishing.  The downfall to this option is that we do not have a full guest plate to shoot (often ours aren’t dressed up like the served plates are or have the side dishes the guests do).  We also are usually pretty far off from the main reception area to know what is going on unless someone keys us in to an event taking place.  Since we’re often far off from the main floor, we’re the last to be served since the guests are the priority.  I totally understand that but usually by the time we get our meals in the room, the bridal party is already finished with theirs and circling the room – moments we would like to be there to capture.  Finally it’s becoming a reality that most of the time, these meals never come – or they come too late for the vendors serving you to enjoy them because your reception is already swinging back into gear.  I feel SO badly for my couples when this happens because they pay for a meal that never is enjoyed and I hate to see people loose money!

Boxed Lunch/Sandwich Tray

This option is the most popular with guests that also have to feed a band but has been used a bit more lately.  This meal is usually a boxed lunch consisting of a sandwich (baloney and PB&J being the most popular versions) a bag of chips and sometimes water.  If it’s a sandwich tray, it’s usually a ring or mini subs from a sub shop.  These are usually served in either a back room of the kitchen or in a room that is off to the side of the reception.  I’m not a picky eater so I’m usually fine with this but I do get upset when I have to battle the band for a meal.  Bands are notorious for eating all of the food in a vendor room.  I thought this was a tall tale when starting in the business but I quickly found out that generally bands eat up everything assuming it’s all for them and the rest of the vendors are left without meals.  The Sellouts will forever have my heart for insisting we eat first because we’d been working hard all day.  The first and only band to ever do this!  I’ve found that a great solution to this issue is to have the caterers have one box/bag/ring for the band and another for the other vendors that isn’t brought out until we are there.  That way the band can tear through their food but there’s still some left over when we and the videographers, wedding planners etc. come back for our quick bite.

Hopefully this helps solve some of the mystery around Vendor Meals and what exactly they are and what each scenario means behind the scenes!

"Corey Ann is a Wedding and Portrait Photographer in Northeast Ohio. Her work has been featured in books and magazines across the country. You can read the original blog post here Corey Talks: Vendor Meals, The Real Skinny."

Have a doggie daughter or son and want to include them in your wedding day pictures but not sure how?  Here are some easy tips to help your dog be a part of your day when you can’t make them a part of your bridal party!

•  Pick a location to take pictures with your dog that is dog friendly but not overly distracting.  Dog parks are a great place to play with your dog however too much of a distraction for sitting for pictures.  On the other hand, churches very rarely are dog friendly.  If the location also will work for pictures afterwards with the humans in your wedding it’s even better!

•  Everyone has a friend or family member that is itching to help with the wedding.  Have them be the dog person!  If they are pet friendly, have them bring your dog to meet you at the specified place and time and take them back home afterwards.  If you do a first look it makes it even easier for them as they still have time to get ready for the wedding!

•  Make sure your dog is bathed and ready for their close up!   Pack a few baby wipes for muddy paws in case of them finding a mud puddle.

•  A pretty collar and leash that matches the bridal party is always fun!

•  Have bottled water and a traveling water bowl on hand.  It gets hot in the summer and if they had to wait in the car they are even going to be more thirsty!

•  Treats are an easy way to get dogs to look up at the camera and well deserved after being good for the camera.

•  Make sure that your photographer is dog friendly!!!  I personally ADORE dogs but not everyone does.  Make sure that your photographer isn’t afraid of dogs before planning to bring your friend in for some pictures during the day.

Do you have any tips to add?

"Corey Ann is a Wedding and Portrait Photographer in Northeast Ohio. Her work has been featured in books and magazines across the country. You can read the original blog post here Corey Talks: Pictures With Dogs."