Wedding Photojournalism: The Business of Aesthetics: A Guide for Professional Digital Photographers

129 Pages·2011·12.69 MB·English

by  Paul D. Van Hoy II

a GuIDe for ProfessIonal DIGITal PHoToGraPHers
Wedding

Photojournalism
THe BusIness of aesTHeTIcs
Paul D. Van Hoy II
Amherst Media®
publisher of photogrAphy books

DeDication
To my two dearest friends, Jason and Jordan, who have always generously provided me with their abundant love, support,
and encouragement. you are my brothers for life.
a very special thanks to my close friends and colleagues Walter Mladina, alex Miokovic, angela carter, Gwen anderson,
susanne Knowlton, and Brady Dillsworth. Thank you all for your wisdom, advice, insights, and all the confidence you’ve
placed in me throughout the years.
last but not least, I’d like to thank my lovely kitty cat Indy who kept my lap warm through many long, arduous hours of
editing photos and writing this book.
Copyright © 2011 by Paul D. Van Hoy II.
All photographs by the author unless otherwise noted.
All rights reserved.
Published by:
Amherst Media, Inc.
P.O. Box 586
Buffalo, N.Y. 14226
Fax: [phone]
www.AmherstMedia.com
Publisher: Craig Alesse
Senior Editor/Production Manager: Michelle Perkins
Assistant Editor: Barbara A. Lynch-Johnt
Editorial assistance provided by Chris Gallant, Sally Jarzab, and John S. Loder
ISBN-13: 978-1-60895-294-6
Library of Congress Control Number: 2010940513
Printed in Korea.
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechani-
cal, photocopied, recorded or otherwise, without prior written consent from the publisher.
Notice of Disclaimer: The information contained in this book is based on the author’s experience and opinions. The
author and publisher will not be held liable for the use or misuse of the information in this book.
Check out Amherst Media’s blogs at: http://portrait-photographer.blogspot.com/
http://weddingphotographer-amherstmedia.blogspot.com/
table of contents
About the Author .............................8 Raves and Reviews ......................31
FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) .........31
a note from the aUthor....................9 About................................32
Contact ..............................32
1. history anD PhilosoPhy .................10 Links and Partners Page..................32
A Brief History of Photojournalism ..............10 Hosting and Domains......................32
The Philosophies Behind Photojournalism.........11 Choosing a Host .......................32
The Impact of Digital on Wedding Photography ....12 Choosing a Domain Name................32
The Digital Revolution .......................13 Better with Age...........................33
Debunking the Myth of the “Decisive Moment” ....14 Adding Links ............................33
PageRank.............................34
2. GettinG real Types of Links .........................34
aboUt weDDinG PhotojoUrnalism ..........16 Building Links ...........................35
Stress ....................................16
Avoiding Complacency .......................16
Emotion ..................................17
The Client’s Perspective.......................18
The Wedding Photographer Stereotype ...........19
The Prerequisites............................20
Conclusion ................................21
3. marketinG anD aDvertisinG ..............22
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) .............22
Keywords ...............................23
Title Tags...............................25
Penalties for Duplicate Content...............26
Stop Words..............................27
Meta-Description Tags .....................27
Meta-Keyword Tags .......................28
Alt Tags ................................28
Body Text...............................29
Shockwave/Flash .........................29
Site Architecture..........................30
Landing Page..........................30
Products and Packages Page...............31
TaBle of conTenTs 3
Online Wedding Vendor Directories .............46
Bridal Shows ...............................47
Magazine Ads ..............................47
Press Releases ..............................48
Blog Previews and Turnaround Time.............49
Community Service..........................50
Professional Wedding Photography Communities
and Affiliations.........................51
PPA ...................................51
WPPI ..................................52
SPS....................................52
WPJA..................................52
AGWPJA ...............................52
Photographik.org .........................53
WPW ..................................53
4. know yoUr aUDience ....................54
Consulting with Clients.......................54
Do You Really Know What Brides Want?..........56
Understanding the Competition ................57
Conclusion ................................57
5. workflow:
before anD after the weDDinG .............58
Before the Wedding..........................58
Equipment Check.........................59
Cleaning and Maintenance ..................59
Batteries ................................59
Memory Cards ...........................59
Sitemap.................................36 Camera Settings ..........................59
Google’s Local Business Center Listing ........37 Clothing................................60
Submitting to Directories ...................38 Sleep...................................61
Black Hat SEO...........................39 After the Wedding...........................61
Hidden Page Text ......................39 Previsualization...........................62
Purchased Links........................39 My Digital Workflow.......................62
The SEO Wrap-Up........................40 Batch Processing: Presets and Actions..........63
Booking Destination Weddings with SEO .........41 My Basic Digital Workflow Breakdown .........64
Blogs ....................................43 Speed ..................................65
Blogware Programs........................43
SEO Benefits ............................44 6. shootinG...............................66
Pay Per Click (PPC) Advertising ................45 How Many Captures Should I Make
Business Cards..............................46 During a Wedding Day? ....................66
4 WeDDInG PHoToJournalIsM: THe BusIness of aesTHeTIcs
Digital vs. Film..............................66 Chimping .................................81
RAW vs. JPEG..............................67 Confrontation ..............................81
RAW...................................67 Conclusion ................................81
JPEG ..................................67
Shooting in JPEG.........................68 11. critical weDDinG-Day Photos ...........82
Shooting in RAW .........................68 1. The Grandparents .........................82
The Verdict..............................68 2. The Cake Cutting .........................83
3. The Bride and Her Father: Pre-Ceremony .......83
7. Do i really neeD an assistant 4. The Groom’s First Glimpse of the Bride.........83
or a seconD shooter?.....................69 5. The Mother of the Bride Helping
The Cons..................................70 with Dress Preparation .....................84
Cost ...................................70 6. The Bride and Groom’s First Dance............85
Time Investment..........................70 7. The Mother and Son Dance..................86
Paparazzi Effect ..........................70
Copycatting .............................70
Babysitting ..............................70
The Pros ..................................70
Profit ..................................70
Weight Loss .............................71
Gross Take ..............................71
Ubiquity................................71
The Verdict ................................71
8. becominG a seconD shooter .............72
Finding the Right Photographer ................72
What Primary Shooters Are Looking For..........73
Resume and Portfolio ........................74
Income Expectations.........................74
Final Thoughts .............................74
9. the enGaGement session .................75
Location ..................................76
Time of Day ...............................76
Clothing ..................................76
Props ....................................76
Direction..................................77
10. shootinG style ........................78
Always Be Prepared ..........................78
Self-Awareness..............................79
Talking Through It ..........................79
Capturing Emotion: Laughter ..................79
TaBle of conTenTs 5
8. The Father and Daughter Dance ..............86 Prosumer Bodies..........................98
9. The First Kiss.............................87 Entry-Level Bodies........................98
10. The Father Walking the Bride Down the Aisle ...88 Lenses....................................99
Lens Speed..............................99
12. PhotoGraPhinG the Dress...............89 Focal Lengths............................99
The Dress as You Find It ......................89 Fixed Lenses vs. Zooms....................101
Make Small Refinements ......................90 Electronic Flash............................101
Final Thoughts .............................90 The Wedding Photographer’s
Essential Equipment List ................102
13. shootinG the Details...................91 Body..................................102
Rings ....................................91 Lenses.................................102
Shoes ....................................92 Flash..................................102
Religious Iconography........................94 Memory...............................102
Food ....................................94 Bags ..................................102
Table Settings ..............................96 Saving Some Money ......................102
The Basics: Nikon ..........................103
14. camera systems anD The Basics: Canon..........................103
Photo eqUiPment .........................97
Bodies....................................97 15. PricinG...............................104
Professional Bodies........................97 What Are Your Expenses?.....................104
6 WeDDInG PHoToJournalIsM: THe BusIness of aesTHeTIcs
What is Your Target Market? ..................105 Elizabeth and Ben ..........................122
What Are Your Plans for Growth and Expansion?...105
What Does Your Competition Charge? ..........106 conclUsion .............................124
How Does This Play Out? ....................107
How Low Can You Get Your Operating Expenses Index ...................................125
and Still Meet Your Market’s Expectations? ..107
Conclusion ...............................107
16. PackaGes.............................108
My Basic Packages..........................108
Time Coverage ............................109
Products .................................110
Lower Cost.............................110
Lower Time Commitment .................110
Product Vendors ...........................111
A Three-Tiered Approach ....................111
Basic Package ...........................111
Intermediate Package .....................111
Premium Package........................111
How Should I Name or Refer to My Packages? ....112
Should I Be Willing to Negotiate? ..............112
Friday and Sunday Weddings................112
Partial Coverage Requests..................112
General Negotiations .....................113
Conclusion ...............................113
17. the weDDinG PhotoGraPher’s
contract...............................114
Contract Page .............................115
Terms and Conditions.......................115
Cancellations..............................116
Image Licensing ...........................117
Copyright..............................117
Model Releases..........................117
Getting Listed with an Agency ..............118
Conclusion ...............................118
18. show anD tell:
the story behinD the imaGe...............119
Aesha and Natale...........................119
Eric and Elizabeth..........................120
Courtney and Ryan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .121
TaBle of conTenTs 7
aboUt the aUthor
Paul D. Van Hoy II began his business at the age of sixteen in his Mid-
western hometown of Evansville, IN. A native Hoosier, Van Hoy relo-
cated his business to Western New York in 2005, after being accepted into
the prestigious graduate program at the Rochester Institute of Technology,
where, in 2007, he earned his MFA in Fine Art Photography.
In the same year, Van Hoy received worldwide recognition as Microsoft’s
“Photographer of the Year.” Twelve months later, in 2008, Creative Quarterly
magazine awarded him the accolade of “Photographer of The Year.”
Van Hoy’s award-winning wedding photojournalism has been featured in
popular magazines such as Brides and Bridal, Wedding Style, InStyle Wedding,
Modern Bride, and Martha Stewart Weddings. His poignant and compelling
fine-art photography has appeared in publications such as PDN, Digital Photo
Pro, AfterCapture, Professional Photographer, CMYK, Camera Arts, and Com-
munication Arts. Some of his former and current clients include Forbes, Health
and Wellness, Men’s Health, Food & Wine, Better Homes and Gardens, Country
Living, Adidas, Barilla, DKNY, Jones New York, and Fossil Inc.
Presently, Van Hoy resides in Rochester, NY, where his destination wed-
ding photography business, Fotoimpressions, is based. He documents approx-
imately thirty to forty weddings annually, working throughout the U.S., and
shoots editorial, documentary, stock, and travel photography during his off-
season. AGE Fotostock in Barcelona, Spain, currently represents Van Hoy’s
work.
8 WeDDInG PHoToJournalIsM: THe BusIness of aesTHeTIcs
a note from the aUthor
oupled with my desire to teach others how to succeed as profes-
sional wedding photojournalists and to advance their artistry,
C
one of the most compelling reasons why I’ve written this book
is to reveal what has been understated and omitted by so many previously writ-
ten texts on the topic of professional wedding photography.
I’m not alluding to conspiracies or classified information but to the topic
of business strategy for professional wedding photographers, which is largely
overlooked in most publications for the industry. As an artist and entrepreneur
who braved shark-infested waters and began his business at the age of sixteen,
C
I will not only share the principles of image-making and business practices,
but also the headaches and heartbreaks that can clutter and inconvenience the
road to achieving success within this profession.
By writing this book, I seek to provide aspiring and experienced profes-
sionals with a relevant and resourceful text that speaks directly to their pas-
sions, interests, and experiences. Above all, I hope to guide and encourage
others who possess a similarly ambitious and entrepreneurial spirit to achieve
their goals of becoming professional wedding photojournalists.
I seek to provide aspiring
and experienced
professionals with a relevant
and resourceful text . . .
a noTe froM THe auTHor 9