Customer Reviews

Professional Techniques for Digital Wedding Photography

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

My wife and I are long-time photographers (digital and film) who are planning on adding wedding photography to our resumes. We found this book to be useless.

Consider the title: Professional Techniques for Digital Wedding Photography. First, there is very little content in this book that would qualify as a "professional technique." In fact, only a handful of pages are dedicated to any sort of photographic technique. Second, much of the book is wasted trying to convince the reader that it's time to invest in digital photography. Well, if you've purchased a book for "...Digital Wedding Photography", there's a pretty good chance that you've already made (or are about to make) the leap into the digital medium.

As for content, I am not sure to whom the authors are targeting this book. The initial chapters are spent trying to convince the professional photographer that his/her days are numbered if he/she is still shooting film. The remainder of the book appears to be targeting aspiring wedding photographers by providing a marginally useful discussion of the business end of wedding photography (something a professional is already familiar with) along with a very shallow treatment of Photoshop techniques. Finally, the photos are, by and large, less than inspirational.

If you are a newbie hoping to start your own wedding photography business, this book may provide a few useful tidbits but won't do much to get you there. More likely, you will be annoyed by the condescending digital-or-nothing tone prevalent throughout this book. If you are a professional photographer, then you are probably already familiar with the pros & cons of switching to digital photography. If not, I suggest putting the $30 toward a new lens and try a free book instead: the Yellow Pages. Find a nearby professional camera shop. You'll get more information regarding the costs and advantages of going digital than you will from this book.

WOW!!! For anyone thinking about moving into Digital Wedding Photography this book is a must have. I have operated a Photography Studio for over 25 years and have taught and attended hundreds of seminars thru the years and have never seen a more down to earth, thought provoking system. Jeff and Kathleen lay out there approach to handling a Digital Wedding from start to finish. In the book they cover every aspect of the Digital Wedding from marketing to equipment, sales, production, to the delivering the finished Wedding Album. They show you how to do simple digital special effects to add to the wedding story and your bottom line. Jeff & Kathleen show you how they lay out their workflow in a time saving fasion that keeps you files organizedand easy to work with.

This book will return at least five times the price you pay for it on your first Wedding.

George Dunlap - Master Photographer, Cr., CPP

Having photographed about 45 weddings per year for the last 15 years using film, I bought this book looking for some direction. I had just purchased my first Canon D60 and was wondering, "OK, I've got the digital camera, so what do I do now"?

Although the information on wedding albums, marketing and sales will be old news to the more seasoned wedding photographer, it is all VERY sound advice and will be very helpful to those just starting out in this challenging field.

Here's where this book shines. The information presented on what type of media to use, digital workflow and numerous proofing methods will be absolutely priceless to those photographers who are considering, or are in the process of switching, from film to digital capture. There are also a few examples presented on how to quickly make your images stand out through some simple digital manipulation techniques. These techniques will be helpful whether you're an experienced image editor or are just starting out.

If you are making the switch from film to digital wedding photography, this book will save you a lot of time, money and headaches.

Do not look at this book if you are interested in improving your photography. I has a few "tricks" for making some slick modern looking images in post production, but there is little to no mention of capturing the images on the day of the wedding. However, I would HIGHLY RECCOMEND this book to professional photographers looking to actually run their business like a business. Although some of the sales techniques in this book are "high pressure" they can easily be tuned down to fit the individual photographer's taste. The negative reviews I have seen in here so har have mostly been from people who are only interested in the art of photography, and not the business side of it. All I have to say is that digital is making the market far more competitive. Not making the transition to digital today would be like not making the transition to color a few decades ago. Film is going the way of "fine art" and will have little commercial use in the next few years.

This is a book about marketing NOT photography! If you want to know about the business side of it, this is the book to get, otherwise forget it. It's a waste of money!

This is an excellent work which teaches how to plan a wedding with particular emphasis on the photography. The author discusses three types of photogs i.e. the traditional photog, photojournalists and a combination

She advises couples to search the internet, attend bridal shows and follow-up on referrals. The work is a "must have". It will save you time and money. The planning for a wedding can be hectic. There are pressures. People tend to think emotionally with little room for reasoning. This work will focus your attention on the important planning horizons for accomplishing a successful wedding without spending too much money.

This 125-page book is an introduction to moving your wedding photography into the digital world, but it is also a guide to further your business if you are already involved in digital photography. The generously illustrated volume discusses the advantages of digital photography and what may be behind your efforts of avoiding the digital arena. Okay - you've made the plunge and are willing to advance to digital photography. Now what? Where to begin? The author suggests you, "Look before you leap, but don't overanalyze!" He then discusses your decision-making type and how to deal with the "cheetah thinkers and the turtle thinkers" (do you know your style?). Authors Jeff and Kathleen Hawkins then give you names and numbers for organizations and publications that will help you enter the digital world. Selecting equipment is discussed as is time management, delegating tasks in your business, marketing and the actual photographing of digital weddings. Chapters 9-12 help with the after-the-wedding process and album design. Chapter 13 offers advice from industry professionals in the digital world of photography. I think that's a lot of information for one slim volume.

I disagree with the sales/marketing methods described in this book. The sales tactics described are borderline "high-pressure" if you ask me. The author recommends getting the clients into the studio for 3-4 hours some time after the event to proof the images and assemble an album. And it even offers sample phone conversation scenarios on how to head off couples that ask to review the proofs at home at their convenience. The book states that you want the client to make an "emotional" buy rather than a practical one. Well, that's great for the photo studio - but not so great for the client. There is already enough stress that goes along with the typical wedding. I think the photo studio should not add to this stress with high pressure sales tactics.

This book does have a few useful tidbits. For instance, it explains how to speak about digital photography to your clients so they see it as an advantage/so they feel that they are getting more than they would if you shot with film. Most of the book is not helpful, though. For instance, it includes the advice that one does not buy on credit and wind up paying interest on purchases. It includes a chart listing the hours of the day, which the reader can use to plan his or her schedule. Overall, there's not a lot of useful info in the book.

This book is terrific! It is just what I needed to make the leap. I have been photographing portraits digitally but I have been hesitant to take the plunge with my weddings. Mainly because I was overwhelmed with the workflow process and not sure if I wanted to take the additional time to prep, save, and create the images digitally. This book gave me the confidence and the steps required to do move forward and capture weddings digitally. Once I made that leap, I was amazed at how the steps and tools shared in this book helped me in the process and now weddings are fun once again! Anyone thinking about taking the leap should read this book!!!