The Engagement Session
I was reading one of my favorite blogs (Tony's Kansas City) a couple days ago and came across a post that caught my attention. Tony has a great blog because he cuts the bull and has some humorous things to say, but I have to defend the 'engagement sessions' he questioned in said post.
Tony basically says he doesn't understand what kind of guy would partake in an e-session with his fiancee. He also wonders if the "differences are race or class based". I have shot white people, black people, brown people, and yellow people (well, no red people...so if you are Native American and need a wedding photographer, holla at me! ;)
Before I became a wedding photographer, I never heard of e-sessions and thought they weren't important and sort of lame. I am the polar opposite now. With the right photographer, the couple get great photos that aren't completely cheesy and they turn from clients into friends.
I push e-sessions and have recently made all of my packages include it. Why? It's simple...I want to build a relationship with the couple that I will be shooting on their wedding day. It gives me a chance to get to know them better. They also learn my shooting style. This way on their wedding day, they don't have the feeling that some weird stranger is taking their photos. A bride might spend a couple hours with the hair-dresser and make-up artist, 30 minutes with the officiant, 4 hours in the same room as the DJ, but I spend the WHOLE wedding day with the couple so it is imperative that I get to know them and form a relationship early on.
E-sessions are a breeze for the couple though...I am the one who has to do all the work ;) Normally we meet at a bar or restaurant, and I recommend the couple have a drink while we talk so they can loosen up and not worry about the camera. I want the couple to talk, have fun, and laugh during the shoot. I will 'direct' the couple on what to do, but sometimes I will put a zoom lens on and tell the couple to just talk to each other and walk away to shoot from afar.
And if Tony was worried about not looking like a man's man...here are some shots where the guys kept their street cred. ;)
Come on...how can you not be a pimp next to an El Camino??? ;)
And I forbid Tony from posting the photos from my site where the dudes are all lovey-dovey with their fiancee to counter what I just said ;)
If you want some straight talk about KC politics (among other topics) follow Tony on Twitter or visit his blog: http://www.tonyskansascity.com/
Update: Here's Tony's comical as always response: http://www.tonyskansascity.com/2009/03/local-photographer-takes-tkc-to-task.html
Labels: chatter, engagement, p.binder.photography, pbp, photography
posted by Patrick Binder (pbinder) @ 1:31 AM
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