Professional Photographer Serving Monterey, CA
A place of immense beauty, Monterey is an ideal setting for unforgettable wedding celebrations. When people get married here, they generally invest in one or more professional photographers. There's nothing quite like a nice collection of photos to immortalize a joyous union between two families. Whether planning weddings in Monterey or elsewhere, people should exercise care in choosing photographers. Each professional wedding photographer has unique strengths and abilities. While most of these professionals can do a decent job, certain skillful technicians can produce unusually artistic wedding images. Though these exceptional photographers deliver results that are well above average, they are often quite affordable. Many outstanding photography studios list remarkably low rates in order to improve their market shares.
Finding the Best Monterey Area Photographer
The best photography companies offer a wide variety of services. Beyond photographing receptions, forward-thinking studios advertise bridal portrait shoots, engagement shoots and even reception photo booths. Outstanding studios also provide leather-bound photo albums and highly affordable enlargements. Of course, professional photographers are flexible and able to document events of all types. Entertainers, lecturers and others often use professionals to photograph key engagements. For high school portrait shoots, look for a photographer who can create timeless portraits that age gracefully. To make the most of their available options, people should book photographers well in advance. Oftentimes, the most skillful photography studios have intensely busy schedules.
Best Days for Wedding Photography
For the purposes of hiring a photographer, it is important to know about peak wedding times. Overwhelmingly, Saturday is the most popular day for holding weddings. As a result, it can be tricky to hire in-demand photographers for Saturday receptions without plenty of notice. During the spring season, Saturday wedding receptions are particularly common. To book the best photographers for in-season weddings, it is advisable to book at least six months in advance.
Photographers with Experience
There are many fruitful avenues for researching brilliant local Monterey photographers. Since word-of-mouth advertising is generally quite reliable, it is sensible to consult friends and family members during this process. Looking over wedding albums is a fine way to get a feel for the available photography studios in any given area. When searching for studios, consult professionals who have experience in the wedding industry. Individuals in this category include wedding planners, caterers and florists. These sources often have inside knowledge about photographer attitudes and working styles. While photo quality and pricing are important considerations, people should also focus on finding professionals that are polite and easy to work with. On the day of the wedding, keeping the happy couple comfortable and relaxed can help produce better photos.
A Website Photography Portfolio is a must!
Needless to say, the Web is a tremendous resource for researching photographers. Studio websites always include samples of past work. Naturally, studios select from their best photos when designing website portfolios. Many customers will want to view a broader range of images before making their final decisions. Sending a quick email request can often produce more wedding photography samples. Keep in mind that different photographers have their own personal styles and may work best in different environments. For example, some photographers specialize in outdoor events while others are more comfortable shooting indoors with backdrops and props. Though individual abilities vary, a skilled wedding photographer is typically quite adaptable.
Well before the wedding date, it is important to communicate the needs and preferences of the couple and the wedding party. Some weddings are playful and unusual while others are more traditional and formal. These days, unconventional theme weddings are rapidly gaining popularity. Discuss these choices with photographers to ensure that they arrive ready and able to deliver satisfactory photos. As a final word of advice, always read over photography contracts carefully before signing. This measure can prevent surprises and ensure a more positive photography experience.
Call for more information
To speak to a professional photographer serving the Monterey Bay area, call R&R Photography at 831-540-5087.
Lorena and Luis Hollister Church Wedding
l have always enjoyed shooting a wedding for younger couples like Luis and Lorena. Their energy and open-mindedness to have a photographer like ourselves to be totally creative but also taking the traditional formal photos are a good balance towards wedding photography. Since we first met them at a local coffee shop in Salinas earlier in 2013, wedding advisement have been consistent with open lines of communication. Often Lorena would ask about the timeline of a wedding day and for the most part, R&R Photography likes to accommodate but we will share our experience as we shoot a good number of weddings each year.
Ideally, R&R Photography would like to shoot all the formal wedding entourage and family photos prior to the ceremony. As wedding tradition, the bride and groom don’t normally see each other prior to the ceremony but many of our clients are now open to seeing each other with a great wedding photo opportunity that we call “the first look”. Imagine blindfolding the groom and having his bride stand either beside him or behind him. With careful directions, R&R Photography will document the moment of having the groom see his bride for the first time and often enough resulting in tears from both the bride and groom. In all cases, this is a great moment to remember.
While the typical first look in a church wedding is having the groom look at his immediate future wife down a church aisle, it is important for wedding photographers to place themselves where they can capture that moment sincerely and without disruption of the procession. R&R Photography ranks this moment as an important photograph. Through the church wedding mass, we also take our time in capturing the most significant moments while being considerate of the pastor’s request of not taking photographs during the most important mass activities.
Once the wedding is complete and after a few minutes of receiving wedding congratulations, the bride and groom are whisked back into the church for formal photos as requested. R&R Photography is great in preparing all the necessary lighting and posing so these photographs are time efficient but also organized so more family photos can be taken. In all, R&R Photography understands the significance of these formal photos as it is a long time staple in wedding photography.
Overall, Luis and Lorena were a great joy to work with as R&R Photography was lucky enough to shoot their engagement photos in beautiful San Francisco. Luis, a die-hard San Francisco Giants fan, wanted their first location to be at AT&T Park. Their wedding and reception was beautifully set in Hollister, California. Thank you to Luis and Lorena for having R&R Photography as your engagement and wedding photographer. We wish all the best and happiness.
Fred and Sulema's Salinas Church Wedding
A few months ago, R&R Photography had the pleasure of meeting Fred and Sulema who were referred from past clients of ours. They remembered the professionalism and the great photos Ron Verba took at Fred's best man's wedding, Mark. With no doubt Fred knew who he wanted for his engagement and wedding photographers. So Ron sat down with the couple at a local coffee shop and collaborated on their engagement shoot and tentatively planning with their wedding. Many ideas come into play from the exact shooting location, day and time and the mood of the final result. At the end, R&R Photography created a beautiful outdoor engagement shoot in Carmel Valley which Fred and Sulema's family and friends enjoyed deeply.
At the day of the wedding, both Fred and Sulema were very nervous and excited. Family and friends traveled far and wide to share their very special day. Madonna Del Sasso church was decorated with flowers and had a solemn tone once you entered the church. As the wedding ceremony started, a sense of magic seemed to unfold. Church music filled the air and smiles upon smiles from guest and the wedding entourage as they entered the church. R&R Photography captured every moment in a calm and serene matter as there are limitation to shooting a church wedding in many cases. As experienced wedding photographers, R&R Photography knows how to get the right church wedding photographs at the right time. No flash, no close ups of the bride and groom at the alter, no problem! We still captured it all.
At the end of the wedding ceremony, that's when this young bride and groom got to really show off their excitement. They really wanted to party so after all the formal and traditional family wedding photographs in the church we headed out to a secluded part of a local park with beautiful willow trees and take amazing photos of the bride and groom along with their wedding entourage. The wedding group photos were fun and energetic so it was a bit challenging changing the tone of the moment, but we had to get some photos of the bride and groom alone. So we then asked the group to "take a walk", politely of course. The result was a moment of sigh and relief from Fred and Sulema and really soak in the freshness of being married.
Below are those remarkable wedding photographs that the bride and groom can enjoy for their lifetime. It's astonishing to see these two show their emotions and happiness in front of the camera as I know it may be difficult for some to just act as honest and natural as can be. Their reception was just as beautiful with more food and drink than one can imagine.
Thank you Fred and Sulema and we wish you all the best with your marriage and to beautiful life that is ahead of you.
Angel and Daisy
Since the first time we met Angel and Daisy at a bridal show, there was a good feeling about this young couple. They were well mannered and very nice. They also explained how beautiful they planned to have their church wedding and reception close to the beach. We enjoyed meeting with them through out the engagement and wedding planning. In the end, their special day was shared with close family and friends and with a reception full of laughter and activities for everyone. Angel and Daisy looked so happy together and these photos are just a glimpse of what their wedding day looked like. Enjoy.
Jake and Leslie
This wedding had all the make ups to becoming a fun-filled event. When I entered the hotel room where Leslie and her bridesmaids were getting ready, there was already a party atmosphere. The lovely ladies are already sipping on mimosas the room was filled with laughter and anticipation. The bride was taking her time in getting ready, as she should and when we got to the venue, guests had already arrived and wedding details were unfolding quite nicely. Jake and Leslie had a beautiful wedding overlooking the Monterey Bay with close family and friends. They enjoyed dinner and we even got some time to sneak away for a quick bridal portraits session at the beach nearby. We definitely enjoyed capturing all the beautiful moments of the day, from the pre-ceremonial preparations all the way to dancing the night away. Congratulations again Jake and Leslie! =)