My Heart is With Film

The vast majority of professional wedding photographers today use digital cameras. Wedding photojournalist Lisa Berry is one of the remaining artists who has not converted (surrendered) to digital photography. Lisa carries over seven years of experience with traditional photography. She remains an avid supporter of film and shoots weddings using a variety of traditional film equipments and techniques. In this interview, Lisa shares her thoughts and philosophy on digital technology, film, the future of photo education, and trends in the medium.
Question: Why do you stay with traditional photography? Do you ever plan to switch to digital photography?

Lisa Berry: Using traditional photography in a digital era means placing a value on all of the physical elements that create a photograph. A film photographer puts his own craftsmanship before efficiency. Digital photography is a wonderful medium, but I am more than satisfied with the results that I obtain from film. I am confident and comfortable using film because I know that I can deliver consistent results. A highly trained digital photographer will feel the same way about his medium. Each film carries its own particular strength out on the field. Here are a few of the tools I like to keep in my camera bag:

Medium format Natural Color film is excellent for portraits. Skin tones come out beautifully and consistently without needing any corrections. Faces feel solid and three dimensional instead of feeling flat. It’s like you could touch someone’s cheek.

3200 speed B&W film is a godsend for low light ceremonies. Its grainy texture gives a smoky, timeless look and allows a photographer to capture sacred moments in the ceremony without the interruption of a flash.

Kodak’s Professional Black and White CN film is very creamy and produces a great range of grey tones all the way through the highlights and shadows.

The more traditional tri-x black and white film has long been a favorite for its versatility. It produces a gorgeous film grain that is not possible to duplicate digitally. I can quickly switch from an outdoor to an indoor situation, and know that the film will adapt.

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Question: What are some of the common assumptions of traditional photography your clients have when they approach you? What results did they expect?

Lisa Berry: I end up photographing a lot of weddings for artists, photographers, designers, and other aesthetic professionals. It’s a very satisfying aspect of the work for me to provide a beautiful finished product for clients with high standards. These couples seem to understand that film and digital capture will both perform well, and they see both in their industries. The main priority rests in the photographs themselves. Most couples don’t come expecting something specific out of film, it’s more that they respond to the work and the fine quality of the prints that they see.

Challenge: In a recent WPD Article: “Digital vs. Film, Does it Really Matter?” by Texas Photojournalist David Hill, he expressed the most important choice is choosing your photographer based on his or her images and style, not whether the format is digital or film. He also provides a very valid observation:

Do you agree with him? What are some of the creative advantages you enjoy when working with traditional film? Are you ever tempted by the advantages of the digital format?

Lisa Berry: I don’t agree with David’s article entirely, but I do agree with him on this issue. When clients ask me if there is an advantage of film over digital, my response has always been that both formats are great for weddings in the right hands. There are poor quality film photographers and poor quality digital photographers. Likewise, there are some master film photographers, and some who have mastered a natural quality with digital photography.

If I were just beginning to learn the craft, there would be a great attraction in the ability to check your work that a digital camera provides. If you’re uncertain whether or not you’ve properly exposed a shot, you can look at the screen and take it again. But with experience, a light meter, and great film, a traditional photographer can get it right the first time without having their eyes glued to the camera screen.
Next: (Page 2) Lisa’s View On Wedding Photojournalism and Trend

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More About Film Wedding Photojournalist – Lisa Berry, IN, Indiana

Graduated from Rhode Island School of Design with Mastery of Photographic Technique, much of Lisa’s best training comes from the hours she has spent pouring over the works of William Eggleston, Henri Cartier-Bresson, Andreas Gursky, Robert Frank, and other masters of the real movement. Along with her favorite painters, they have all helped to shape her photographic sensibilities. Lisa’s wedding photography has been featured in the likes of: Elegant Wedding Magazine, and Grace Ormond Marriage Magazine. You may directly access Lisa’s Wedding Photo Portfolio, Photographer Bio, and the Indiana (IN) Wedding Photojournalists Index.

Source:(Article) Interview: Traditional Film Wedding Photographer Stands Strong

Market to Brides and Grooms from Your Own State
(Quick test, you should see your own state’s photographers featured on our home page.)

Have you observed a product or service that caught your attention, you ask yourself: it’s great, but how is it relevant to me? Serving the right content to the most eligible audience is the key in successful marketing. With 85% accuracy, the WPD home page intelligently detects web visitor’s geographical state origin, and provides the matching state exposure to featured photographers. The home page feature is free to all qualified members until Q1, 2008. Member must exhibit high quality work within the top 20% tile in his/her own state.

Equal Opportunity Listing Order

Most wedding / photography directories force members to pay high fees to increase their advertising and listing positions, or merely based rankings upon prestige. Wedding Photography Directory believes that consumers have the right to be presented with the most relevant information to the top of the listings, and each photographers should have equal opportunities to get their work of quality properly presented. Our default photographer listings orders are sorted by an Equal Opportunity Points System. For more information, visit the Wedding Photographer Listings Order Explained page.

Link to Your Wedding Photography Blog (New Feature)

Set yourself apart from the rest; wedding photographers whom keep active online journals (Blogs) about their photography adventures and experiences are rewarded with extra exposures. Brides & grooms crave for unique content and perspective on who their professional photographer are in real life. After all, choosing the right photographer could be a very personal choice. If you have an active Blog, you may submit the your Blog URL for review. A Blog icon and link will be added to your online profile once your Blog is approved.

Fully Tracked Photographer Statistics & Analytics

Our directory is fully tracked to provide our members feedback of how well their profile is being received by the consumers. Photographers online profiles are analyzed against the WPD’s quarterly directory wide analytics. Statistical data include: number of times State Listing, Online Portfolio, and Bio / Contact are viewed, photographer Web Site URL clickthroughs, time and geographical origins of visitor clickthroughs, and online profile user feedbacks.

Client Testimonial Certification (New Service)

Recent consumer survey conducted by the WPD of over 1,500 participants showed 45% of the consumers preferred proof of client testimonials and satisfaction; which led to their key buying decision on choosing their wedding photographers. The WPD Client Testimonial Certification is a online digital certificate to provide proof of client satisfaction. All bride and groom interviews are conducted via phone by the WPD. WPD does not present testimonials from the photographers, but rather obtain them from the clients directly to maximize creditability of the certificates.

Source:(News) WPD Releases New Wedding Photographer Profile Analytics Feature

Most women spend their entire time willing their partner to propose to them. But others – albeit not many – take matters into their own hands and ask the men to marry them. When it comes to who is doing the proposing, there are reasons for and against. On the one hand, you’re a modern woman. On the other hand, you don’t get a ring. Ah yes, to pop or not to pop, that is the question – and here is a list of the pros and cons to help you with the answer.

1. The Where & When

PROS:

The where and when is an important aspect of a proposal – especially the when. Most women just sit back and wait for their partner to propose but can end up waiting a long time. If you ask him to marry you, that’s no longer an issue. But even if your partner is prompt in popping the question, timing can still be a problem. Not known for being romantic, men are not the best at perfectly timed proposals. Taking things into your own hands can be for the best if you want to avoid any nasty surprises. No longer will you have to worry about being proposed to at a gas station, at that time of the month, or – shock, horror – right in the middle of ‘Desperate Housewives’!
CONS:

Unfortunately, the flipside of having no nasty surprises is that you’ll get no surprises at all. Getting sprung with a surprise marriage proposal is half the fun of getting married and if you do the deed yourself, you’ll miss out. But that’s not all.

Not only will you not get that big surprise, your partner might not even get one either. Because of your romantic tendencies, chances are you’ll propose on a bed of roses – in other words, the way it’s expected to be.

With their penchant for picking the worst possible time and place, men are actually better when it comes to the surprise element. Ok, so being asked if you would like to “eh, you know…” in the Tampax aisle of your local supermarket might not be how you expected it would happen but you couldn’t say it was cliché!

2. The Engagement Ring

PROS:

If you propose, you might miss out on the ring but it will keep you from missing out on the flirting. If you’ve got a ring on your engagement finger, you might never be hit on again making nights out with your girlfriends pretty dull. Sans sparkles however, you can have the best of both worlds.

But it’s not just flirting for the sake of it – it’s flirting for the benefits. Without a ring, you can wrap men around your little finger and get what you want – when you’re in a rush and need to skip the queue; when you’re not in a rush but just feel like it, that sort of thing…
CONS:

You may not be marrying for the money but – come on, admit it – you’re partly marrying for the ring. Big and beautiful, an engagement ring is the best bit about getting engaged. Not only is it a nice reminder of how loved you are, it’s also ideal to dress up an outfit and vital when passing a construction site. But not only will you not get a ring, you may even have to buy one for him! It’s tradition for the question-popper to be the ring-shopper and giver as well. Although you might think your man won’t want a ring, we are living in an era where metrosexuals are the new macho so there’s no room to assume.

Some companies even sell engagement rings for men that have a more masculine feel than a simple band with a diamond solitaire. If he does want a ring, not only will it put you out of pocket and make you very jealous, it’ll also leave you with quite a bit of explaining to do to your granny.

3. The Man’s P.O.V.

PROS:

Men love it when women make the first move but they’re always saying we don’t do enough of it. By asking him to marry you, you are taking the reigns and the heat off of him. Not only does this make him happy, it also shows you to be a modern and unconventional woman which will ease any expectations of you as the traditional chef cooking, bottle-washing superwife.
CONS:

By asking him to marry you, not only are you robbing yourself of an experience you’ve always dreamed of, you’re also very possibly stealing his manhood. While studies have shown that men are more open to being proposed to than they were in the past, they can still feel uncomfortable about the role reversal. They may feel their territory and manhood are being threatened if you decide to propose.

It’s also been found that some men feel trapped when the woman does the proposing. Knowing how much courage it takes to go against convention, some men end up saying yes simply because they feel they can’t say no. Although this may spare you the hurt and humiliation of rejection, it will only cause problems in the long run. You want your man to marry you because he wants to, not because he feels he can’t really get out of it.

Whatever you think of the role reversal business, there are clearly reasons for and against popping the question. Should you decide to ask him to marry you, we’ve compiled you a list of the do’s and don’ts of getting him to say “I do”:

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About the Author: Eva Hogan

Eva is a freelance journalist in Ireland. Having done some casual work for bridal magazine ‘Confetti’, Eva’s interest in writing wedding-related articles grew. A feature writer at heart, Eva writes articles offering tips, advice and basic information on tying the knot. Eva’s only marriage plans involve a beach, a cocktail party and a certain Mr Depp.

Source:(Article) Should Your Propose To Your Man?

One common misconception for any startup photographer is: once you’ve captured the photo, it completely belongs to you. However, in order to claim ownership and file a potential copyright infringement suit, you must properly present and copyright your work, register your photos, and know your rights as a professional photographer.

Step One: Properly Copyright Your Print and Digital Photos

Many photographers often include a copyright notice in the footer of their photo; some even overlay their copyrights with a watermark. It may seem like a no-brainer at first, but consider the following three rules:

1. Include the copyright symbol: ©
2. Include the year, or more precisely the date of your photo’s publication
3. Include your professional photography business name

Two more recommendations for copyright inclusion:

1. Consider adding your geographical location. This could help in court to speed up the process of identifying potentially similar business names.
2. It’s also a good practice to include “All Rights Reserved”. This phrase is automatically assumed in the U.S., however, it’s not always the case in other parts of the world. Although the U.S. serves as the dominant photography market, consider the option of registering a copyright in other countries. Some countries make clear distinctions between moral rights and economic rights in photography usage and copyright restrictions.

Step Two: Register Your Photography with the U.S. Copyright Office

Although you may register your photos at anytime, you may only recover the damage over the duration of your valid photography copyright registration. Without it would make recovering (or partial recovery) your attorney and court fees difficult. In order to prepare yourself before you proceed, you might consider registering your photography under these three fundamental guidelines:

1. You must register your already-published photos within three month of the date of your publication.
2. You must register your yet-to-be published photos before the infringement.
3. In order to qualify for copyright, your work must be tangible (on print, on media, not just an idea) and original.

It only costs you $45! To register, contact the Register of Copyrights, Library of Congress, Washington DC, 20559, and obtain the Works of Visual Art (VA) Form, or Short Form VA.

You may register a multitude of works under one registration fee. To get your money’s worth and speed up your filing process, include as many digital photos as you can onto a single CD or DVD. You are not required to include high-resolution images, as long as your photos could be clearly identified and compared with a “violation”; photo dimension ranging between 250 to 300 pixels should suffice.

Step Three: Getting to Know Your Photography Ownership Rights

Whether you are selling your photo to National Geographic, or finalizing details for your anxious bride or groom, you may wish to define the proper usage of your images in your contract. You may also consider including incentives for allowing restriction on the usage of your work. Example: a discount to your journalistic or wedding photography services in exchange for more control of your photo’s commercial usage.

1. Exclusive Photo Rights – The buyer is guaranteed exclusive rights to your material. No other vendor or publication could use your images. This exclusion could be further defined in a specific market, product sector, or geographical location. Certain flexibility could be negotiated to grant you more leverage. Example: A major wedding magazine wishes to exclusively purchase the rights to your image to be used for their summer magazine cover. You are prohibited from selling your image to any other competing online or offline wedding-centric publications. However, you may still sell your images to another market, such as a greeting card company.
2. One Time or Lease Rights – Your photo may be licensed for usage for a certain period of time, or a predefined number of usages.
3. Electronic or Online Media Rights – Your photos may be included in electronic format (CD, DVD), or be displayed on an online media website. You may wish to embed digital metadata in your photos. (for related info on metadata, refer to article: Protect Your Privacy When Sharing Photos)
4. Print Rights – Your photos may be published via traditional print media or publications.
5. All Rights – You surrender all rights to your photos permanently, or for a specified duration.
6. First Rights – This is similar to obtaining a One Time Right to your photo, but the buyer often pays extra to procure the privilege to be the first to feature your work.
7. Transfer Rights – Under special circumstances, you can transfer the copyright of your image to someone else. Be on the lookout for such hidden clause in certain client contracts, and stay vigilant on copyright renewals. The U.S. law currently only covers copyright transfer ownership rights for 35 years:

   “…The present law drops the renewal feature except for works already in the first term of statutory protection when the present law took effect. Instead, the present law permits termination of a grant of rights after 35 years under certain conditions by serving written notice on the transferee within specified time limits…”
   - U.S. Copyright Office

8. Work for Hire – Your photos belong to your employer, either automatically, or declared in contract. If you agree to a Work for Hire clause, negotiate to your best ability to balance the loss of your photography copyright ownership.

Source:(Article) How to Copyright and Protect Your Photos

We would like to thank the wedding photography community for your continuous support for the Annual WPD Summer Creative Wedding Photography Contest! We received over 1,500 wedding photo entries from WPD members and outside photographers alike. Over 52,000 votes were analyzed to determine the winning selections . We would like to congratulate Myong Hong (Prodigy Studios) for becoming this year’s Creative Wedding Photography Contest First Place Winner!

Wedding Photo Contest ($1,000) Grand Prize Winner
	“Love of St. Francis” Photo Equipment: Nikon D200, Sigma 18-50mm lens. Aperture f/2.8, Shutter Speed of 1/10th Sec., ISO-800 Notes: “The setting was dark and I had to use the little amount of lights that’s already lit up around the church. Since I had to drag the shutter to 1/10th of a second I had to make sure my camera was still so I had told it as steady as possible. I went slightly beyond the rule of thirds to create a more dramatic effect. This client was one of the best I’ve worked with. They allowed me to do whatever I wanted and they also went away from their reception for 20 minutes for this photo and some other night photos.”
Photographer:Myong Hong, CA. Photography Portfolio Contact & Bio
Wedding Photo Contest Second-Place Winner
	“Magnificent Veil” Photo Equipment: Fuji FinePix S3 Pro & Nikkor 17-55 F 2.8 Shot at ISO-800, 1/4000 Sec. at F.28 Notes: “It had been raining intermittently all day and we only had a few minutes for this shot. We ran out into the middle of Michigan Ave while I held onto one end of the veil and photographed up from underneath it. At the same time I tilted the camera to create a more dynamic composition.” “The bride and groom were so great and were completely open to all my ideas. My approach is always to make sure my clients feel comfortable and are having a good time during their day. I want the photos to look very natural and un-posed while I explore different angles. It’s fun to surprise my clients with something beautiful and unexpected.”
Photographer:Gina DeConti, IL. Photography Portfolio Contact & Bio
Wedding Photo Contest ($1,000) Third-Place Winner
	“Oh My God” Photo Equipment: Canon Rebel XTi, 17-55mm F2.8 IS. ISO – 200, Aperture – F2.8, Shutter – 1/800 Notes: “The bride and I were walking through an alley in the middle of a hot New York summer day. The idea of this fun shot came to me, since the groom was very outgoing; he was pretty much up for anything that day and it’s always fun to be a little risky. The key to this pose was that I didn’t tell the bride what the groom will be doing beforehand. Once the bride saw what he was doing, we got this great natural reaction from her.”
Photographer:Yun Gen Yang, NY. Photography Portfolio Contact & Bio

Honorable Mentions: Runner-Up Photographer Entries

Meghan Hof (MT)	Michèle M. Waite (WA)	S1 Photography (IL)
Tracy Turpen (SC)	Steve Depino (CT)	RJT Pictures (CT)
Tommy Martin (CT)

Source:(News) WPD Launches First Annual Wedding Photo Contest