I had the pleasure of photographing Lily & Rob’s wedding at Callaway Gardens. There were about 20 people in attendance at the ceremony, then dinner at Horse and Carriage restaurant. We took advantage of many beautiful locations around the Ida Cason Chapel and Butterfly Center for portraits. Simple and romantic were the words Lily used to describe how she wanted her photos. I hope I achieved that for her.

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A few weeks ago, I attended the monthly design seminar hosted by Darcy Harris of The VIP Room which specializes in contemporary interior design. Every month is a different topic with this one focusing on Asian influences. The showcase included Asian antiques from August Avery; Japanese floral design from Green Reasons; and Japanese customes from The Atlanta Opera’s Madame Butterfly. If you’re a design or HGTV addict, I highly recommend signing up for The VIP Room’s mailing list and attending her next design seminar.

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Last week I attended Lunch and Lounge at the Loft at Castleberry Hill, an event and wedding facility just east of downtown. This is a nice space for any bride looking for a chic, urban setting and has great views of downtown. I especially love the canvas paintings on the ceiling. Here are just a few photos of the event.

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Check out the Be Bold, Be-YOU-tiful page to the left for my latest photo special.

Have you’ve been searching Atlanta wedding photographers online and gotten sticker shock. You’ve noticed there is a HUGE difference in what Atlanta wedding photographers charge. Unfortunately it’s no really possible to make direct comparisons because it’s such a personal service. But here are a few reasons why there’s such a big difference.

1. Talent & skill
Talent is the biggest factor in determining the value of a wedding photographer. Some are downright bad, possessing no fundamental knowledge of photography and relying on their camera to get the shot. In the middle you have the mediocre, or what I call competent wedding photographers. Yeah they can the job done with proper exposures and create nice pictures, but the images are boring and uninspired. They don’t elicit any emotional response. Finally there are those with true talent to create or capture an image. Their images are captivating and draw the viewer in. I believe having a photographic eye is inside a person and can’t be learned. It can be developed with experience but not learned. With that comes the skill, or the knowledge of the technical side of photography needed to pull of your vision. Skill without talent is why some photographers are only competent.

2. Experience
Experience is the second biggest factor in the price. Newer photographers are generally less expensive even if they are talented. But they may have difficulty organizing your family for portraits and quickly & politely get them done. They may not be able to anticipate moments or be in the right place to get the shot. Experienced photographers are able to work under pressure and solve problems without missing a shot.

3. Image Processing
Some photographers will deliver you photos straight out of the camera with little or no adjustments, while others will completely retouch some or all of your images. Several hours of work goes into processing these images so some with lower fees may charge you to retouch a photo, while others like myself, include it in the base fee.

4. Quality of Products
Some photographers offer consumer style albums where you slip prints behind plastic sleeves. These are not archival and can eventually result in discoloration, fading or even transfer of the image to the plastic. Then there is varying quality in professional albums where the images are permanently mounted to the page. Some don’t hold up to wear & tear. The image may discolor at the seams or even separate from the page. Cover materials (leather versus leatherette, metallic or canvas photos) are also a big factor in the price. High quality wedding albums are expensive even at wholesale so a low priced photography package will likely not have the best quality albums available. I guarantee my wedding albums.

5. Customer service
Lower cost photographers may not have the time or patience to deal with the many questions a bride may have. They’ll take days or even weeks to respond to questions. They may not be helpful or pro-active in handling problems. There’s also a big difference in delivery time-lines. Some photographers deliver your wedding photos within weeks of the wedding while others take can take several months for the photos with even more time need to complete your album. I’ve gotten wedding albums to couples in less than 2 months after their wedding.

6. Legitimate business
Photography is one of the easiest businesses to start. There are plenty of magazine articles advising people to make money off their cameras but it’s actually a very challenging and expensive business to maintain. Some cut corners by not being properly licensed and insured, not paying taxes, or having inadequate equipment for the job. I do operate my business legally but I keep costs down by not having a studio or staff and limiting myself to only the number of weddings I can handle while still providing excellent customer service.

I remember going through sticker shock when I was a bride. I was a hobbyist not a Pro photographer at the time. Wedding magazines often underestimate the true cost of photography and give bad advice for keeping costs down (like using disposables or hiring students). But here is a good resource for actual cost of Atlanta wedding photography as surveyed by recent brides. My prices very competitive and I do offer a lot of value. Contact me for more information.