WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHY

WHY YOU WANT A PRO

by ANNE PYBURN CRAIG

date posted: March 14, 2018

Long after the last dance is danced, the last dessert devoured, and the last thank you note sent, you’ll have one major keepsake that serves as a record of your special day.

Your wedding photos will become part of the family archive, a chronicle that says more than words can tell about the day you celebrated the joining of your lives.

And, yes, it is incredibly generous of your relative or friend to offer to document the occasion, or incredibly tempting to ask, especially if you have a loved one who’s really good with a camera.

It may even seem like the best idea; your friend knows you, after all, and will bring that love to the task. Not to mention saving a little money is always nice.

A skilled professional knows how to analyze your wedding plan and then strategically figure out which shots to capture and when.

Hold on there. Consider our list of reasons why you should tell Loved One to just concentrate on having a wonderful day with you, unburdened by responsibility, and hire a professional instead.

1. Love. You wouldn’t want youg Cousin Heather to spend the day fixing drinks even if she’s a genius barista or barkeep. You want her to immerse herself in your party. An objective pro will be focused on capturing your bliss at its most beautiful. Cousin Heather belongs on the dance floor.

2. Diplomacy. You want to be able, within reason, to tell your photographer what you want. There’s a simpler, cleaner dynamic involved when you’re hiring a pro. Should a volunteer accidentally screw up your keepsake shots, it won’t be easy, on either end, to deal with that disappointment. A pro won’t screw up.

3. Experience. A skilled professional knows how to analyze your wedding plan and then strategically figure out which shots to capture and when. Someone with a talent for making beautiful photos, but no specific wedding experience, will not be as likely to know when to get the right shots without having to bother the newlyweds with questions.

4. Skills. A pro knows when to fade into the woodwork for candids and when to take charge and stage just the right shots. A pro knows how to handle every sort of lighting, and how to get an action shot that’s more than just a blur.

Photo by Samantha Lauren Photograpie.

Photo by Arius Photography

A pro knows how to handle every sort of lighting, and how to get an action shot that’s more than just a blur.

5. Equipment. An experienced pro has everything they need, has backup equipment at the ready, and has thought through every last detail. A volunteer is unlikely to travel with extra batteries and lenses and a backup camera. A pro won’t leave home without the right gear.

6. Post-production. There’s a lot more to creating the visual art that your wedding deserves than pressing the shutter button at the right moments. Selection, editing, and printing are arts in themselves. A pro will hand you a clean selection of files to keep and can offer prints in many sizes and styles.

7. Posterity. Picture your descendants, generations down the line, getting their hands on your album and rejoicing at this window into family history. Your choice to hire a talented professional photographer today is one you’ll appreciate for the rest of your life, and family history lovers will continue to appreciate long after that.

alicia king photography

New York City, Hudson Valley, www.aliciakingphotography.com

Photography Duo Alicia and Rachel of Alicia King Photography have a candid, natural approach to wedding photography. They strive to go the extra mile to create images that will be cherished for years to come. Working with each couple’s unique vision, they feel the pictures will come out best if you just be yourself!! They are based in the Hudson Valley but are happy to travel anywhere! Mention Wedding Vortex to receive a free engagement session added to your package!!

arius photography

New Paltz, 845-532-6337, ariusphoto.com

Organic. Romantic. Non-cheesy. I love to make beautiful images that artistically tell your story and I take pride in my creative approach. I have a distinct style that combines artistic portraiture with the ability to candidly capture intimate moments. I love light and I use it strongly... I am totally NOT afraid! My clients genuinely care about their wedding photography and their trust is all I need. Let’s make magic together!

cappy hotchkiss

New York City, Hudson Valley, 917-741-2730, www.cappyhotchkiss.com

Cappy Hotchkiss is a photographer who has had the privilege of shooting weddings all over the world. Based in New York City and the Hudson Valley, she aims to capture the styles and moods that couples work so hard to create for their weddings. Her goal is more than simply creating beautiful images; it is to capture the emotions behind them. She achieves this using a variety of techniques from classic to modern, and she shoots with both film and digital cameras.

clean plate pictures

New Paltz, 845-658-0276, cleanplatepictures.com

Clean Plate Pictures is a boutique, fine art wedding photography studio based in the Hudson Valley. They make the experience of being photographed easy and fun, capturing genuine emotions and telling each couple’s unique story. Although the day may fly by for you, they document the big events and unexpected candid moments so you have visual memories that will make you laugh, melt, and maybe tear up a bit.

dear alex and jane

Hudson Valley, 646-240-3745, www.dearalexandjane.com

With 20 years of experience in the fashion and beauty industries in New York and a BFA from The Rietveld Academie in Holland, artist-photographer Rachel Brennecke brings her background to her new company Dear Alex and Jane, founded with assistant photographer Alex Liguori. Press for her Stone Fox Bride X Honor campaign was featured in publications such as Martha Stewart Weddings, Vogue, Elle, InStyle, The New York Times, and Harper’s Bazaar.

duetimage photography

New Paltz, 845-905-6323, duetimage.com

Duetimage is a collaboration between two photographers—Doug Madden and Regina Gloor—who live and work in New York’s historic Hudson Valley. Based in New Paltz, Duetimage Photography specializes in weddings, portraits, and events. They pride themselves on offering a wide range of finished photo products, from luxurious handcrafted albums and museum-quality prints, to canvases, metal prints, and ceramic heirlooms. They focus on the process from beginning to end with a truly unique product.

elizabeth unterman photography

West Hurley, 845-489-0975, www.elizabethuntermanphotography.net

This will be the best day of your life. It goes by in a flash, and I make sure I am there to capture those precious moments for your memories later on. The sweet time with a bridesmaid fixing your dress, the look in your eyes when you see each other for the first time, or when your aunt gets loose on the dance floor—it is all on my radar as a photographer. My natural, artistic, and fun approach is a perfect fit for your Hudson Valley wedding day.

hudson event studios

Hudson Valley, Catskills, NYC, hudsoneventphoto.com

Hudson Event Studios is one of the premier studios based in the Hudson Valley, Catskills, and New York City region. Specializing in natural event photography and video, our focus is to blend those candid moments organically with a timeless quality. Offering both customizable still and video packages for your budget. Booking now for 2018 weddings. Follow us on Instagram @hudsoneventstudios

jeff tisman

Hudson Valley, NYC, 732-940-5602, www.jefftismanphotography.com

After twenty-three years, I still consider it an honor and privilege to capture weddings. There are a lot of choices out there and I appreciate it when I am chosen to document such a special day in a couple’s lives. Every wedding is unique and I go into every one with eyes wide open. I want them to be alive, emotional, timeless, and outrageous. There are no rules!

jeremiah shaffer

Hudson Valley and Beyond, jeremiahshaffer.com

Specializing in really bad jokes and darn good photos, Jeremiah Shaffer captures your most special day with a candid and unobtrusive approach. Born and raised in the Hudson Valley, I love living here and being able to use our diverse scenery in creating unique magical photographs of your wedding day. My favorite part about photographing your wedding is getting to know you and not just being “the photographer,” but becoming another friend at your wedding.

joshua brown photography

Hudson Valley, NYC, 646-374-8688, www.joshuabrownphotography.com

Joshua is a photographer and videographer based in the Hudson Valley with over 18 years of wedding experience. His unobtrusive style and natural light approach yields images and moments that are both timeless and modern. His ability to offer both photography and videography in the same package enables him to tell the full story of the day. In addition to videography, typical packages might include albums, photo booths, or engagement photo shoots.

love me do photography

Fleischmanns, 267-603-2086, lovemedophotography.com

Love Me Do Photography is a small collective of female photographers founded by friends and former art school class¬mates. Our backgrounds in editorial and fine art photography provide us with the skill to capture genuine moments in a creative and unique way. We aim to capture the love and affection between our couples. With each wedding, we enter into a partnership with our clients, one that is honest and pure, inviting them to trust us to document their day artfully and organically.

maggie marguerite studio

Hudson Valley, NYC, 347-683-3693, www.maggiemarguerite.com

Internationally acclaimed photographer Georgi Richardson set up Maggie Marguerite Studio to capture the heartfelt and spontaneous moments of family life and celebrations through photography. Maggie Marguerite has been featured in New York magazine’s “Best of” Weddings List every season since 2010 and is a regular contributor to several renowned American and international publications and blogs. The studio shoots weddings, parties, bar and bat mitzvahs, portraits, and corporate events across the country and around the world.

magnolia grace studios

Millbrook, 845-605-2052, magnoliagracestudios.com

Magnolia Grace Studios is a boutique photography studio, who's focus is documenting the natural emotions and human connections that exist among people. We mix digital photography and analog film when photographing engagements, intimate weddings and elopements, and anniversary sessions and we embrace couples of all ages, shapes and orientations within our studio. Magnolia Grace Studios also offers fine art boudoir sessions for women or couples. As believers in tangible keepsakes, we strive to provide you with heirloom quality photographs, albums and products so your story can be shared with generations far beyond your own.

rachel collet photography

Hudson Valley, NYC, 845-554-3443, www.rachelcollet.com

Rachel’s photojournalistic approach captures the unique charm, tenderness, and excitement of every celebration in its rich, authentic form. Her creative eye illuminates the subtle moments and details that give our memories texture. Rachel listens carefully to her clients to make sure what they value is reflected and preserved in their gallery of images. You can also add a playful element to your event with her boutique photo booths!

samantha lauren photographie

Hudson Valley, 646-320-6945, samanthalaurenphotographie.com

Samantha is an editorial and intuitively artistic wedding photographer. She splits her time between New York City and the Hudson Valley, and she loves local, creative, and emotional weddings. She has been in the business for nine years, and her philosophy—that love is the greatest story—is the driving force behind her work. She is invested in the true documentatio

surprise photography

Poughkeepsie, 845-616-1733, www.surprisephotography.com

Surprise Photography will capture the unique moments of your day so beautifully that in years to come you can look through your wedding day album and your memories will come alive. Melissa aims so that every photo evokes powerful emotion and every photo tells its part of your unique love story.

susan baker photography

Hudson Valley, NYC, 917-439-4819, susanbakerphotography.com

Susan Baker is a seasoned wedding photographer who resides in the Hudson Valley. Her work can be described as painterly and cinematic. Through unposed, romantic portraits, quiet, candid moments, and poetic, atmospheric details, the captures of the day unfold in an intimate storytelling narrative. With an editorial flair and fine art approach, Susan photographs with both film and digital cameras. The passion behind her work is a desire that each couple receive a collection of images that are elegant, truthful, and timeless.

teresa horgan photography

Hudson Valley, 917-612-2963, www.teresahorgan.com

Striving to capture all that makes your day distinct and memorable, Teresa will photograph the emotion, the mood, and the spirit of your day as well as the beautiful instants you may miss while you are present in your own moment. Teresa shoots in a distinct editorial style, with lots of fun candids sprinkled throughout. Every couple’s story and wedding is unique, and Teresa Horgan Photo captures each individual wedding in the most beautiful way possible, with over ten years of wedding experience.

vivian photography

Milton, 845-795-6189, vivianphotography.com

To Vivian, each wedding is a special individual experience. She is grateful to be a part of such a personal affair, and it truly shows through the genuine shots she takes. She feels that everyday is a blessing, and taking photographs is the ideal way to remember it. Her camera is an extension of her hands, eyes, and most importantly, her heart. From weddings and events to families and babies, Vivian is a perfect photographer for it all.

your day photography

New Paltz, 845-594-3130, yourdayphoto.com

Denise Edkins loves what she does, and it shows in her work. Your Day Photography offers top-notch wedding and event photography with a personal touch. Her style is unobtrusive photojournalism combined with romantic portraiture, focusing on the unfolding story and emotions of your day. She loves the unique opportunity of each individual wedding and the joy of meeting and working with her clients