Contemporary wedding and portrait photographer in yorkshire :: Click Issue 2 - Your free inside photography eMagazine from Stancliffe Studios

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March 2008 – Issue 2

Wedding Special Edition

This month’s edition of Click is a wedding special. Packed full of helpful hints and tips to ease you along the way with your wedding plans. We have an article about the death of the wedding album and another about what to look out for when choosing a wedding photographer. We conclude with a quick list of other helpful hints for our blushing brides and dashing grooms.

In addition, have a look down the right hand column for some mini articles, such as “wedding” website of the month!

In next month's issue of Click, as well as our usual regular spots of website of the month and bride's tip, we will focus on contemporary lifestyle portraiture and how trends are changing.

Inside this issue

Wedding Special Edition

Wedding Albums are DEAD!

Wedding Photography

His and Her Wedding Tips

Bride’s Tip

Website of the month

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“No undies in the presence of ladies and officers is very bad form”

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Quick Links

Bride’s Tip

Buy a book, but only one!! - There are hundreds of books on the market so read the reviews and pick just one or two. A good book can saves you hundreds if not thousands of pounds and give you some great ideas saving you a lot of leg work, but 10 books will simply increase the bill for little extra. One book I’ve had recommended by a previous bride is the Wedding Bible by Sarah Haywood, which also receives perfect reviews on Amazon.

Website of the month

A nice little site I’ve found is Mrs 2 Be (www.mrs2be.com). The site offers a number of nice extras as well as the usual supplier listing. You can create and track your wedding budget, create personalised web pages with a guest for your friends and family to leave personal messages, as well as create and manage your guest lists with the ability to use online RSVPs. You also get a free desktop diary and personal wedding planner when you register with the site. If nothing else, they have some amusing wedding stories...

...oh and if you boys want a website, try the last night of freedom website. My only advise, what ever you plan for your stag, make sure you have your stag long before your wedding day to allow things to grow back!

Everyone's a critic!

Please help us to help you. As part of our commitment to giving excellent service, we are particularly interested to learn your views about our latest eMagazine. We therefore ask for 2 minutes of your time to give us your feedback. Recognising your time is precious, we have created a very simple feedback form available directly through our website, simple click here. If you prefer we always welcome any feedback via email or directly to our studio on 0114-233-1135

Thank you for your help.

Yours sincerely

Karl Stancliffe

Next months issue

In our April issue of Click, as well as our usual regular spots of website of the month and bride's tip, we will also focus contemporary lifestyle portraiture and how trends are changing.

Wedding Albums Are DEAD!!!

Did you know that wedding albums are dead? Yes that’s right, they are DEAD!!! If you don’t believe me, ask to have a look at your parents wedding album and then have a look at the new wedding day story books available on the market.

Couples request... ...no sorry I mean demand a wedding album that is both unique to them and tells the real story of their day. Long gone are the days of everyone standing in line to have a few ‘snaps’, which would have been used to create over 80% of the album.

Today’s albums are no longer albums; they are books, books which are individually customised and tell the visual story of your big day. The world leader in production of wedding books is GraphiStudio, an Italian based company used by 4 of the top 10 wedding photographers in the world (as voted by the American Photo Magazine). They also come with a fantastic choice of finishing, meaning not only will images reflect your wedding day, but the size, book cover and paper options will also be personal to you.

Not only can you have a beautiful wedding book, but GraphiStudio can also reproduce you several smaller copies to give to parents or as thank you gifts, or maybe just an extra copy for you to carry around with you. Story book sizes are currently available from a huge 50 x 40cm, all the way down to 4 x 4cm.

I’m often asked, “will they go out of fashion?”, and the answer I always give, is if the book tells the story of your day, then how can it ever go out of fashion? If you work with your photographer on your album, and ensure they design something that reflects you and your special day, then you’ll have a wedding story book which you’ll want to share with everyone and treasure forever.

For more information about GraphiStudio, then visit their website at www.graphistudio.com. For examples of our story books, then visit our website at www.stancliffestudios.com.

Wedding Photography

When choosing a wedding photographer what should you look out for? Unless you are either a keen amateur photographer or somehow involved in the wedding industry, choosing a photographer can a daunting task. So here are a couple of checklist to get you started. Why not print this off and keep handy for interviewing potential photographers.

Ask yourself the following 4 questions:
1) Do you like the style of photography?
2) Do you get on with the photographer? If not then you’ll struggle to be at your best in front of the lens!
3) Do they offer the services you're looking for? Wedding books, canvas prints, online viewing, etc.
4) And if they match all the above, then do they match your budget? If not, then perhaps they offer gift vouchers to add to your wedding gift list, or perhaps they will allow you to spread the costs before and after the wedding.

When looking at the work of a wedding photographer, look for or ask the following questions:
1) Wide range of sample albums – When looking at a photographer’s album make sure every one represent a full wedding. Any photographer will be able to grab some good shots during the course of a wedding, but can they do it again and again, from one wedding to another. So if a photographer cannot demonstrate a full set of consistent albums, then ask why!
2) Quality counts – Look closely at the images, is every one of a high quality? Do you see any pixilation? Pixilation is caused when a digital image is not reproduced cleanly or over enlarged. Plus what is the quality of the albums? There has been recent rush into the market of “wanna be” album suppliers, but some of the best are GraphiStudio, Queensberry, Jorgenson and Spicer Hallfield
3) How many weddings have they photographed? An experienced wedding photographer should have taken in excess of 70 weddings. Anyone that have taken less, make sure you follow-up more closely on the other checks.
4) Professional qualifications and memberships – Ask what qualification or professional memberships they have. Some of the greatest photographers in the world have no qualifications, but all have professional membership...
5) Testimonials and references – Any photographer who has been going long enough should have a long list of testimonials. Ask to have a look at them, or perhaps even ask if you can speak to a previous client. Doing this you will certainly find out if they are up to the job!

I hope this little article helps you when choosing your wedding photographer, but just remember who ever you choose that they have only got one chance to get it right and it will be your only true record of your day, so make sure you choose carefully.

His and Her Wedding Tips

Book early and get discounts – Many venue and other suppliers will give you an early booking discount. Even if they don’t then ensure that if you're booking in advance that they commit to the prices a year from now as you don’t want a big shock when you come to pay the final bill... Another good reason for booking early is that good wedding suppliers across the spectrum get booked up very early, especially for Saturday weddings. Stancliffe Studios are already taking bookings as far ahead as 2010, so reserve early to avoid any potential nightmares later.
Have you thought about a Friday wedding?? - Friday weddings are becoming more and more popular; after all, I got married on a Friday. Several couples have had a quite wedding with close friends and family on a Friday and then a second party at a venue more suited to large groups on the Saturday night for the extended family and friends... ...if nothing else it’s a great excuse to wear that dress again!
The confetti throwing might cost you - The run through the confetti makes for some great natural images of your wedding day and is a tradition that is here to stay for a very long time to come. If you would like to have this as part of your day then check with your venue is ok with it. Some venues insist on using on certain types of biodegradable confetti, some insist it is done in a certain area only and others will charge you a clean-up cost.
Save the Jimmy Choos - A good tip, especially for winter weddings, is for the bride to bring along an extra pair of shoes. Why? Well walking on wet grass can really mess-up your Jimmy Choos, but a comfy pair of trainers under your wedding dress won’t even be noticed!
No photographs of the ceremony? - Some wedding venues, especially places of certain religions, do not allow the use of cameras, even without flash, during the course of the ceremony. So if you want your photographer to capture your ceremony, then make sure you check well in advance. Your photographer might already know if they have taken image at that venue before.
No snake hunting! - Please guys, if you do one thing when having your big day photographs, do NOT put your hand in your pockets. If you do then just remember the thumb rule... ...your thumb should be the opposite to your fingers, so finger in your pocket then your thumb is out, and vice versa! Enough said...

And finally for the boys, here are twenty quick tips on dress code I borrowed from www.weddings.co.uk:

Don't rush into anything. Take time to read lots of magazines for inspiration. If you're still not getting anywhere, consult a professional style councillor and ignore this guide!
With the information gleaned from your research, set a realistic budget for your wedding outfit taking everything into account and stick to it, rigidly.
Start your shopping process well in advance of the wedding (preferably several months), particularly if you're having something such as a waistcoat, frockcoat or Star Trek suit made, as your tailor will require lots of warning. The same applies if you are hiring an outfit - you might need to make alterations which take time.
Get yourself accurately measured for everything from waistcoats to suits.
Don't buy anything tight fitting. it may give you bulges in all the right places but it is guaranteed to become devilishly uncomfortable after all that nuptial nosh and those bottles of bubbly!
Buy your wedding shoes at least a month before your wedding and wear them in as you don't want to be begging the chief bridesmaid for elastoplasts at the reception. Not very manly.
Co-ordinate your outfit to your Bride's by asking her for small details about her own dress. Whatever you do, don't force information out of her or make her spill the beans if she really doesn't want to. No does mean No, after all.
An ivory shirt looks better than a white one which can often look like something you would wear to the office.
Make sure you wash and iron your shirt the day before so that you don't end up with unsightly, unironable fold marks.
Morning Suit wearers (Grooms, Best Men and Fathers of the Bride, traditionally) should remember that cravats are worn by the Groom and Best Man only. It's ties for everyone else. Sorry Dad.
Morning suit wearers should remember that traditionally, their coat should be black in the morning and grey in the afternoon.
Dinner suits and black tie suits are generally reserved for formal evening do's, although they are popular for weddings in the U.S and abroad.
Always leave the bottom button of your waistcoat undone - but don't ask why!
If you're wearing a kilt, don't be a true Scotsman. No undies in the presence of ladies and officers is very bad form.
Your buttonhole should be made of the same flowers as your bride's bouquet.
Never have a waistcoat matching your tie and handkerchief. Instead, choose a colour from the waistcoat and select your tie accordingly.
If you're wearing a cravat, ensure you wear a high-necked waistcoat so that the cravat can be tucked in neatly with minimal fear of escape.
Make sure your trousers are the right length, neither too long or too short and that the sleeves of your jacket allow for an inch of the shirt cuff to be seen.
Morning wear is not the only suit. Take on board every style of jacket available - from a lounge suit to a frockcoat or Nehru-style jacket but, above all, wear something you will feel comfortable in.
On the morning of the ceremony, don't go to the pub to get some dutch courage, go have a professional shave and manicure instead. That way you'll be just as relaxed as if you'd downed a couple of pints, you don't risk blood on your collar and your hands will look simply lovely when you exchange rings.

Stancliffe Studios 82 Northwood Drive, Sheffield, S6 1RY t: 0114-2331135 m: 07808-594184 e: info@stancliffestudios.com

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