Destination Weddings – Karijini

Filed under ceremonies,Ceremony location,Choosing a Photographer,Destination Weddings,Recent Weddings,Timing for your day,Wedding Tips,Weddings Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , — • Written by Carol Darby @ 4:14 pm

I have been recently approached by Cosmo Bride http://www.cosmopolitan.com.au/cosmo-bride.htm to supply some images from a wedding I photographed in Karijini National Park in the stunning Pilbara region of Western Australia. Cosmo Bride will be running a feature on destination weddings and this issue will be out on October 31st 2011.

This got me to thinking that I should have a post on my BLOG to assist those who are having or considering having a destination wedding. I will add a few of my thoughts here (along with a selection of the Karijini images taken at Jen and Chris’ wedding). If you have any questions you are welcome to email me at info@caroldarby.com and I will add the replies to this post.

I will just be covering the photography aspect. Though it goes without saying that you will need to work with a company that specializes in weddings in the area you wish to have your ceremony and reception. As far as outback weddings go you can’t go past the Karijini Eco Retreat http://www.karijiniecoretreat.com.au where Chris and Jen had their reception. There were plenty of accommodation options for their guests and these ranged from budget camping to upmarket eco tents. Whether an outback wedding or one at the beach or on an island most of these hints can be adapted to suit.

First and foremost you will want a photographer who not only can photograph people well but also be a pretty decent landscape photographer. Beautiful wedding photos are obviously the priority but you will also want a collection of fantastic images that really show off your stunning location. You don’t want to be going to all the effort of arranging such a unique wedding and then having photographs that could have been taken anywhere. Start your search nice and early so that you have plenty of time to make the right choices.

You must be prepared to pay the photographers reasonable costs such as travel (including flights if need be), accommodation, meals etc. If this travel takes considerable time there may be an additional fee on top of their normal packages. It may be just one day of actually shooting your wedding but it could mean 2 days or more away from their studio and the photographer missing the chance of booking other work during that time. Remember, it is not a holiday for them. However do discuss your needs and a compromise can probably be reached – one that you are both happy with.

Once you have decided on a photographer communicate with them. Let them know your wishes and expectations. But also be guided by them. Some of your expectations may not be realistic and they can be an invaluable help as to logistics and timing. By working together you will achieve the images that truly reflect your special and unique wedding.

You may wish to consider booking the photographer for additional time at your destination. Prior to the wedding you can take them to the areas of the ceremony and location photography. They will be better prepared on the day and become familiarized with what will be happening. They can advise on positioning to make the most of the light and also the landscape. Most city based weddings involve locations that the photographer is already familiar with.  However a destination wedding may be somewhere totally new to them and the opportunity to check out things in advance can really pay off.

You may also consider booking the photographer for the day after the wedding. The actual wedding day will go so fast, especially with the added travel time that is often involved. Jen and Chris enjoyed what is commonly known as a “Trash The Dress” session the day after the wedding. This doesn’t mean really trashing the dress but you aren’t going to worry so much if it gets a bit dirty. This gave us the opportunity to visit some special locations without the rushed timeline of the wedding day. It was a lovely relaxed time and made for some beautiful images.

Please enjoy these images and contact me if you have any questions or would like to discuss your “Destination Wedding”.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Choosing a Photographer

Filed under Choosing a Photographer,Wedding Tips,Weddings Tags: , , , , , — • Written by Carol Darby @ 10:27 am
 
 
This post is the reply to an email received from Camilla who is planning a wedding for March 2011. She is not too sure where to start with her search for a photographer.
 
 
I meet with many couples. Some look at just a couple of photographers and decide from that. Some meet with as many as 10. Those couples usually end up very confused.
 
My suggestion would be the following.
 
1. Speak to friends who have recently married. Referral is always a good place to start and is where the biggest percentage of my weddings come from.
 
2. Look at lots of photographers web sites and see who does the type of work that appeals to you. Budget will definitely come into it but saving money will be long forgotten if you are unhappy with your once in a lifetime wedding photos.
 
3. Contact 3-6 of the photographers whose work most appeals to you. Then ask yourself these questions. Did they respond in a reasonably quick timeframe? (Do make allowances if it is winter or a holiday season as some may be taking a break before the busy wedding season starts). Were they helpful and friendly? Do they offer packages that will suit your needs? Are they willing to customise a package if need be?
 
4. Narrow the list to 2-3 photographers and make an appointment to view their work. Before the meeting write down a list of questions to deal with what is most important to you. When you view their work ask if you are seeing the work of the photographer who will photograph your wedding. Many of the bigger studios employ other photographers to photograph the actual wedding. You may see amazing work shot by the studio owner but your photographer on the day is a second year TAFE student with a basic camera and no back up equipment. Most big studios employ competent photographers with good cameras but you do need to check and you do need to meet this person and see a wide range of their work.
 
5. Ask to see a selection of the photographers work. Not just an album or two that have just a small range of photos. Anyone can shoot hundreds of photos and select a couple of the best to showcase. If you shoot enough there is bound to be a few good ones. Ask to see a proof book or proof disk of a whole wedding. You will quickly see if the work is of a good consistent quality. Not every image will take your breath away (though there should be some that will) but you want a good coverage of the whole day and have images of all aspects of the day that you are proud to show family and friends and that will provide the perfect reminder of the most important of days.
 
6. I would base my final decision on the following. You must love their work as these are the images you will have forever. You must be comfortable with your photographer as you will be with them for a big part of the day. If they are not friendly or helpful when you meet them then you have to wonder what they will be like on the day. Do they use good quality equipment and also have adequate backup should something fail on the day. What will happen if your photographer is ill or unable to attend the wedding.
 
7. If one of those photographers you have met meets all your expectations it is wise to reserve them ASAP. September through to May is the wedding season and March and April and October and November are the busiest months with those dates often booking up to two years in advance. If all the boxes are ticked don’t think about is for a few weeks as you may phone back and discover the date is taken.
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I hope this post is a help and thank you Camilla for posing the question.

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