For the first guest post on this forum I have called upon Bill Hurter to share his thoughts with us. Bill Hurter has been involved in the photographic industry for the past thirty years. He is the former editor of Petersen’s PhotoGraphic magazine and currently the editor of both Rangefinder and After Capture magazines. He has authored over thirty books on photography and hundreds of articles on photography and photographic technique. He is a graduate of American University and Brooks Institute of Photography, from which he holds a BFA and Honorary Masters of Science and Masters of Fine Arts degrees. With Bill’s kind permission I am reprinting, in part, the introduction to his fine book “100 Techniques for Professional Wedding Photographers”. When this book first came on the market in early 2009 I suggested that “What Makes a Great Wedding Photographer” should be required reading, not only for everyone who calls them self a professional wedding photographer, but also for every single bride-to-be.
WHAT MAKES A GREAT WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER?
CONSISTENCY. Those photographers that produce splendid albums each time out are well on their way to greatness.
LIKABILITY. A common thread among the really good photographers is affability and likability. They are fully at ease with other people and they have a sense of personal confidence that inspires trust. Maximizing these personal interactions allows the best wedding photographers to create animated, filled-with-life portraits…images that bring out the real personality and vitality of the subject.
COOL UNDER PRESSURE. To be successful, wedding photographers must not only master a variety of types of photography but also perform them in a very limited time frame. This means that, aside from technical skills, achieving success requires calm nerves and the ability to perform at the highest levels under stress.
UP TO DATE. To stay on the cutting edge, the leading wedding photographers also scour bridal magazines, studying the latest looks in editorial and advertising photography. These magazines are what prospective brides look at and want to see in their own wedding images.
A GREAT OBSERVER. The truly gifted wedding photographer is also a great observer. He or she sees and captures the myriad of special, fleeting moments that often go unrecorded. The great wedding photographer develops the knack of predicting what will happen next and making sure he or she is ready to capture it.
THE ABILITY TO IDEALIZE. The exceptional photographer produces images in which the people look great. Through careful choice of camera angles, poses, and lighting many “imperfections” can be made unnoticeable.
CREATIVE VISION. Australian wedding and portrait photographer, David Anthony Williams describes this perfectly by saying “Good wedding photography is not about complicated posing, painted backdrops, sumptuous backgrounds or five lights used brilliantly. It is about expression, interaction and life! The rest is important, but secondary.
IMMERSION. Great wedding photographers involve themselves in the event and with the people. It’s interaction and communication, but also a little magic.
There you have it. The short version of the introduction to this great book….a book that is a must-have for every wedding photographer working in today’s fast-paced digital world. The book is filled with extraordinary images from some of the most highly regarded wedding photographers working in the world today. The list includes Marcus Bell, Joe Buissink, Cherie Steinberg Coté, Mike Colón, Jesh de Rox, Dan Doke, Bruce Dorn, Jerry Ghionis, Greg Gibson, Kevin Jairaj, Claude Jodoin, Kevin Kubota, Charles & Jennifer Maring, JB & DeEtte Sallee, Ken Sklute and Yervant Zanazanian. I was truly honored to have my photographic work, techniques and philosophy featured in this book alongside some of the finest photographers in this industry. Bill’s book is available at Amazon.com, Amherst Media’s web site, Camerabooks.com and at the WPPI online store
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