jodi mcdonald blog

So you have heard it before but the one thing left from your wedding day (besides your partner) are your photographic memories. I honestly don’t think every bride out there is right for me or me right for them. So how do you find the best wedding photographer for YOU? 

Start with these 3 simple but important points: 

1 - When you view their images, make sure you FEEL something. You are hiring an artist with a specific eye -  you want to resonate with how they see and capture the world around them - specifically relationships. Do their images tell a story?

2 - Ask to view entire weddings. Any photographer can show you a slideshow of their best 50 photos they’ve ever shot and you will be impressed. But that won’t give you a good sense for what YOUR wedding images will look like. You want to make sure they capture quality images throughout the course of an entire wedding. 

3 - Make sure you like them as a person. Whoever you pick to be your photographer is going to be around you and your family for many hours on the best day of your life. So you want to feel comfortable with them and most of all, be able to TRUST them. 

Below are some questions intended to help you get to know your photographer - they have no right or wrong answer though you must decide what is important to you.

* Will you be the person shooting my wedding? 

* How long have you been in the business?

* How did you get started?

* Are you part time or full time?

* Do you have any formal training?

* How many camera bodies do you have? (Should be AT LEAST two)

* How many lenses? (Again, at least two)

* How many weddings have you shot total?

* How would you characterize your style of photography?

* What range of services & products do you offer?

* Do you travel? What are your travel fees? (if applicable)

* How many proofs should I expect to see from my wedding?

* Are you willing to customize a package if none of yours fits our needs?

* Do you provide the digital negatives in the package? If so, are they fully retouched? If not, are they available for an additional cost?

* Can you show me a sample of an album similar to what I will get?

* Are you a member of any local or national photography associations? 

* Will you be photographing another wedding or event the same day as my wedding? 

* What happens if you are sick and injured and cannot shoot our wedding?

* What if we decide to change the date of the wedding?

This is the first in a series of posts Info for Brides - they will cover some of the common questions and misconceptions I get from clients either via email or at consultations.

Albums have come a long way since our parents day!  There are many different products and terms used though I will cover the products I offer in particular. 

Firstly I would like to say if you can stretch the budget the cost of an album does not equate to much over 50 years of marriage and with quality you are safe in the knowledge if stored and cared for properly your grandchildren will view your day as if they were there.

These are some of the cover options available through Jodi McDonald Photography. Suede is standard, upgrades include Leather, Acrylic (Clear, Brushed, Image) & Photo amongst many others.

A flush mount album (digital, magazine) mounts the photograph flush to all edges of the page as illustrated below right. A very modern and stylish presentation. My album manufacturer offers both the full image across both facing pages OR a print per page with no crease and a small gap which you can view in the image on the right. Visually the image across facing pages is more appealing though the likelihood of cracking &/or discolouration is high. Couples should be made aware of this. The first image below illustrates how a professional custom made album lies flat when opened regardless of number of pages or size - it is all in the spine and binding techniques.

Below are a couple of pages showing some design layouts - Jodi McDonald Photography creates simple stylish designs which will not date and focus purely on the images. In general we use 6 images per spread (2 pages) which equates to 72 images in a 24 page album. * All these studio layouts incorporate the one photographic print across two pages - creased down the spine.

Jodi McDonald Photography also offer matt style albums - these are more traditional and the prints are secured under bevel cut matts. We offer the choice of black matt with white bevel cut OR white matt with a black bevel cut - both illustrated below.

Another very popular product on the market is the wedding book - coffee table style book. We offer these as a parent’s album option or within our portrait range though not as a main album. I do not equate these to a archival photographic product - when viewed against a photograph there is no comparison - colour, texture, vibrancy. Though they are made well (I use an American supplier as I have not found a comparable quality offered here in Aust) they do not have the archival qualities or guarantee of a custom made album. Below is a sample of the wedding book - names embossed, comes with a dust jacket and box.

We do use an Australian supplier for our Signature Guest Books. These are a great alternative to the standard guest book - we use images from your Love Shoot to create a very personal keepsake. Again I stress this is not a photographic product - it is a book and the purpose of this one in particular is to be written in.

A cute alternative to a parents album is the concertina - perfect size to slip into your handbag and show off. Displays 12 images in total.Great price also.

I hope this clarifies some of the questions surrounding wedding albums and books. I use two Australian based Album manufacturers who produce nothing but the best. There are many good options for photographers to choose from and in turn offer their clients. I hope this helps and you can ensure you receive quality & value for money when booking your photographer.