Wedding photography blog

Your wedding day is probably one of the most important days of your entire life. For many, it may even top the list. It is a special day when you and your loved one can celebrate your love for each other with all your friends and family, and what better way to capture these beautiful moments in tangible forms than to hire a wedding photographer? Wedding photos have now become an integral part of the big day, whether it is candid pictures of the ceremony and the reception or traditional photos of beautiful and artistic portraits. Everyone values their special day and want pictures to remember them by, which is why they hire a professional wedding photographer to capture moments that matter in the most beautiful manner. However, some people may choose to skip hiring a professional wedding photographer and instead, appoint a friend or family member who "takes really nice pictures." If you or anyone you know is thinking the same thing, don't. Passing the baton to someone other than a professional may help you save a few extra dollars, but it will be something you are surely going to regret. There is simply no better wedding investment you can make than hiring professionals to do the job, and you will thank yourself down the line for it. If you are still not convinced, Grand Lens Photography presents 7 points that will help you change your mind. 

Your wedding day is a day that you cannot redo. The moment you tell each other your vows, the moment you put your wedding rings on each other’s fingers, your first kiss, your first dance – these are beautiful, life-changing moments that happen only once.  When you hire a wedding photographer, you ensure that these memories are captured beautifully so you can relive them 20 or even 50 years from now. The wedding photographer helps you have a tangible connection to your wedding day, a way to imprint these heart-warming and meaningful moments in your heart forever. ​

Quality is an assurance that comes with hiring a professional wedding photographer. We understand that you want everything to be perfect on your wedding day, from your dress, the decorations, the ​food, to the photos. For this exact reason, professional wedding photographers are your best options to click breath-taking pictures. You can be assured that you won’t have to compromise on anything. They are professionals for a reason – for their years of experience, for their unmatched skills, for their qualifications, and/or for their powerful tools and equipment. You can sit back, relax and enjoy your big day and let the professionals take care of the work. 

​As we have mentioned before, your wedding day is a day that unites you and your loved one for life. It is a day of love, of new beginnings, of family and years of friendship. Your wedding day is a celebration of everything you have to be grateful for in life. When you hire a wedding photographer, they do more than just click pictures of people. They understand your story, your journey that you and your partner, and all your loved ones have taken to be able to celebrate your wedding day, and they capture moments that define these stories. They don't just take pictures of people and places, and they take photos of moments that tell a meaningful story so your pictures will have depth, literally and metaphorically.

Professional wedding photographers have the best tools and equipment which are technologically advanced so you can have the wedding photos you have always dreamed of. Whether it is a camera, lens, lighting equipment, stand, or others, you can rest be assured because professionals know their tools extremely well, as if it's an extension of their own body. If you settle for an amateur who simply shoots with their iPhone camera or their standard camera, the picture quality will suffer greatly. Even if someone has the best camera possible, it is of no use if they are no proficient in operating it​.

When you hire a professional wedding photographer, you can be certain that he/she will stick to his or her role for the entire day, till the last guests leave. Professionals know they are there to do their job, and they will ensure that they do it well. ​On the other hand, if you put a friend or relative in charge of taking pictures, there is a high chance that they will miss out on capturing important and beautiful moments since they would also want to join in on the celebration. If you want every little moment captured beautifully, it’s best to hire a wedding photographer.

Amateur photographers probably don’t know the different wedding photography styles. This means you will have to compromise and settle with whatever photos they manage to capture. However, with a professional photographer, you can have any style you want, whether classical, traditional, artistic, or photojournalistic. They can help you understand the difference between these various styles and help you choose which style will work best for your wedding day. 

Lastly, a major advantage of hiring professional wedding photographers is that after your big day, you can have your photos delivered to you on time. There will be no delays and you can be assured that you will be able to see your wedding photos in just a couple of weeks. In other words, you can expect professionalism in all aspects of your dealings, not just the quality of the pictures.

​Your wedding photos are the only items that remain after the wedding cake has been cut and the flowers have wilted.  We are certain you have heard this once or twice already while planning your wedding.  Clearly, it is extremely important to find a suitable wedding photographer, which occasionally is an uneasy task.  New York City alone has 500+ wedding photographers.  From this quantity, you are expected to select one to capture your magical day exactly how you always envisioned it.   

Grand Lens Photography previously shared how to choose your wedding photographer, but today we present several factors that should NOT support your decision and how you can ensure that you have found the best wedding photographer for your wedding day.

With any of these lovely small wedding venues, New York City ceremonies and receptions take on an intimate, friendly vibe no matter the size of your wedding guest list.  While the trends of expansive barn wedding venues and spacious outdoor sites can make it seem like small venues do not exist, there is definitely an equal number of cozy restaurants, private clubs, and historical buildings that are a great fit for weddings of less than 150+ guests. Some New York City wedding venues may be able to accommodate parties that are larger than your guest list, but there are spaces within said locations that are smaller and more fitting for intimate weddings.  Without further ado, Grand Lens Photography presents 7 favorite locations for intimate weddings in New York City.

Kimberly and Samuel

Getting ready, portraits, and reception seaside in New Haven, Connecticut. 

Lighthouse Point Park

September 2018

We met Kim for the first time at a wedding expo in Uniondale, Long Island, NY in January.  She attended the show with her mother and sister, who Kim appointed as her maid of honor.  Following the show, Kim gave us a call introducing us to her fiancé, Sam.  During our conversation with this amazing couple, we knew we would be a great fit and working together would be a breeze. 

During a time with constant cold rainy days, their wedding day turned out to be warm and so bright, allowing us to capture the most gorgeous of sunsets and the memorable expressions of family and friends riding the park's carousel. 

Fall is on its way here and we could not be more thrilled! There is a plethora of benefits to getting married in the fall. There is the gorgeous foliage, the frequently temperate weather, seasonally-inspired decor, and possible off-season discounts to take advantage of. It is the perfect time to tie the knot! Here are Grand Lens Photography's 5 fall wedding tips to consider while planning your special day!

While we are extreme fanatics for first looks during a wedding day, we understand that some couples prefer to wait until the altar to see each other.  Nevertheless, there are various ways to connect pre-ceremony without having to break tradition!  There are a couple of reasons you might want to consider one of these first look alternatives.  First, your wedding day goes by faster than you can say “I do,” so any time you are able to spend alone becomes exceptionally cherished.  An alternative to a first look gives you the opportunity to take a deep breath and enjoy each other’s company, even if you are not seeing one another’s face. 

The second reason is in regards to your wedding photos.  Arranging a first look provides your photographer with a chance to capture more portraits of you together without interrupting a definite wedding day timeline.  Whether you decide to do a standard first look or one of these first look alternatives, those photos will truly become several of your all-time favorites due to the intimacy, emotion, and excitement you will come to appreciate every time you view them!  Without further ado, here are 3 of Grand Lens Photography's "first look" alternatives.

Congratulations! You're engaged! Once you get over the hysteria of your new fiancée status, the wedding planning begins. Your first act as a newly engaged couple might be to take your engagement photos. Grand Lens Photography shares 5 things to consider before taking your engagement photos.

In the real estate business, the location of a house can make or break the way a couple feels about a new home. We believe this to also be true for photography. It can just as easily influence the way couples feel about their photographs. While we know that the truly essential element of a beautiful photograph is gorgeous light, we also know that it is our job to find great light anywhere. What we have found when scheduling portrait sessions is that as long as we have control over what time of day we are shooting, we can make our clients extra happy by allowing them to take ownership in their session and have a say about the location of their shoot. The more input they have, the more invested they feel. The more personal it feels to them, the more meaningful the photos will be. Now, we rarely work with couples who know precisely where they want to do their engagement session. They are not sitting around dreaming of their location; they have only been dreaming of lovely photos. Today, Grand Lens Photography will assist you in choosing a location for your photo session.

We encounter so many engaged couples who both anticipate and dread their engagement photos. Couples look forward to a special portrait session that celebrating an exciting time in their lives. However, at the same time, they dread their engagement session because they worry that they will appear awkward in the photographs. Fortunately, we believe you can easily overcome the nerves that come with being in front of the camera by utilizing a few of our suggestions. For all our camera shy friends out there, Grand Lens Photography shares these tips with you!

We truly believe that hiring your wedding photographer is one of the most crucial decisions that you will make during your wedding planning process. You are assembling not only one of the most emotional and important days of your life, but also planning a beautiful and entertaining event that is full of meaningful features. The way that day is documented, and the person you hire to do so, surely matters! We have previously shared suggestions for how to choose a wedding photographer and some questions to ask yourself before you start the search to help you with the process of finding just the right photographer. But along with HOW to choose a wedding photographer, we also often hear engaged couples ask WHEN they should hire their wedding photographer.
As with other various circumstances, the answer is "it depends." The wedding planning timeline at the bottom of this post suggests booking your photographer by 10 months before your wedding and we think this is a great recommendation. When looking for a wedding photographer, it is important to consider their photographic style and cost, but also ensure that you get along well with your photographer—you are going to be spending a lot of time with him or her on your wedding day! However, every couple's situation is different. To be on the safe side, Grand Lens Photography provides three questions to consider as you decide on who your wedding photographer will be.

Wedding photographers have had numerous conversations with clients about what they HIGHLY advise do not on their wedding day. We want to give our clients the world, but at the same time we do not know too many other people who attend as many weddings as we do, so we learn a few things. So, Grand Lens Photography decided to share a few insights in this article.

An engagement session is an excellent way to grow comfortable in front of a camera with your wedding photographer. You will avoid all of the jitters, learn how your photographer operates, and your photographer will receive a solid idea of your comfort level and your best angles, which results in excellent pictures on your wedding day. However, the abundant common reason to capture engagement photos is for your save-the-dates. That is why we admire when couples show off their personalities with creatively themed shoots. What suitable way to introduce your guests to the two of you as a couple?  Grand Lens Photography offers 5 different photo ideas to improve your engagement session.

Are you thinking about having a photographer capture your proposal? Do not leave your special moment to chance! Follow these 6 tips Grand Lens Photography has shared with you to ensure that your photographer is adequately prepared and equipped to capture your once in a lifetime memory!

Specific moments during a bride's wedding day are certainly worth capturing on film. However, we believe achieving a charming photo of the bride and her bridal party rests on the same level as the first kiss, the first dance, and tossing the bouquet. The special relationship a bride has with her bridesmaids is one to be treasured and a beautiful image that preserves those bonds will be something to reminisce forever. Grand Lens Photography shares a few entertaining photo ideas to include in your voluminous wedding gallery.

Whether you are tying the knot by the sea or dancing as newlyweds under the stars, your wedding is one beautiful photo op after the next.  Grand Lens Photography shares a few trends that will ensure you have every moment of your magical day on film.

Wedding preparation is exciting and complete with challenging obstacles. Couples have time-sensitive decisions and investments to secure, from determining the absolute location to agreeing on which vendors to arrange for your wedding day team. These professionals will be part of countless special memories from your wedding day. One of your most important vendor choices is who will capture those powerful moments of your wedding. A friend or relative may own a DSLR camera, however, you should hire a professional photographer to ensure the day is documented properly. Before you book your wedding photographer, schedule an engagement session with your to get a feel of how they operate. This simple guide will help you decide who the perfect engagement and wedding photographer is for you and your future spouse. To help ensure that you will discover an excellent fit when you select your photographer, Grand Lens Photography shares five areas of consideration for you to rate and then compare.

Your wedding images only increase in value as time goes by, which is why our products are made to stand the test of time. Despite the transition to social media, we still acknowledge generating valuable prints and other palpable products. Grand Lens Photography shares these items that are certain to be treasured for years to come.

Attaining a suitable photographer is much smoother these days, whether by searching the internet, asking friends and family for personal recommendations or looking through magazines for advertisements that catch your attention. Any savvy, reputable photographer has a website showcasing his or her photographic style and these galleries are an amazing place to narrow your search to those you want to interview. The advantage of hiring a photographer close to home is that you can schedule an in-person consultation to plan your wedding. Additionally, it makes ordering photo albums and prints after the wedding incomparably convenient. By hiring a local photographer, you have the ability to work together on your engagement photos before the wedding, which will allow you to develop a solid “working” relationship that would not be possible with a destination photographer. Grand Lens Photography shares 3 questions you should ask your photographer before committing to them.