Allen Arrick Photography – Tyler, TX – 903.253.1848 »

A friend of mine sent me this link to an article titled “Top 10 things you should ask your wedding photographer.” I generally don’t like these articles because they’re typically super-lame and completely off base. Whenever I read one of these articles, the writer usually tells brides to ask “do you use a backup camera.” Of course I use a backup camera. You pay me upwards of 3 grand to shoot the most important day of your life.

However, this article was a little better. These were good questions and I might end up adding a few more. Instead of just linking to the article, I’m going to answer each question honestly and openly (There may be some things that surprise you). So here goes:

10) How are your people management skills?
While the bride and groom are busy exchanging vows, stuffing cake in each other’s mouths, or trying to talk to as many guests as possible, the photographer is usually off on their own trying to navigate a sea of friends and family members they’ve never met. For this reason, it is important that the photographer be able to manage people in a friendly, effective way.

Ask a photographer to describe any particular wedding photography challenges they may have encountered in the past where their people management skills played a positive role.

A) This is a tough question to answer. I would like to say “my people management skills are excellent!” People management skills are extremely important in the wedding industry. I like to say I have 10 different bosses at each wedding, and this couldn’t be more true. If you’ve ever waited tables you understand how difficult it can be – with so many people pulling you in different directions, some of them conflicting.  This is just something you have to be around me to understand. It’s difficult to give you a straight answer without having a sit-down chat.

9) Are you familiar with my type of wedding ceremony?
Not all wedding ceremonies are the same. In fact, it is common for the bride and groom to customize the events of their ceremony to match their individual personalities or interests. Describe the ceremony to the photographer, and then ask them if they have ever shot a wedding with a similar structure.

A) Over the past 6 years I’ve shot about 70 weddings, ranging from typical church-style weddings, to full out gala’s at million dollar estates. In 2007 I shot a vampire-theme wedding (ask me about it sometime). Most likely I’ve shot your style of ceremony, and if I haven’t, please let me know so we can go over the details more closely.

Can you show me a complete, unedited wedding shoot?
This can make some photographers cringe, but it is a really great way to get an idea of how they work, and what you should expect after the day has come and gone. Keep in mind that photographers tend to take a lot of pictures, and then edit them down to only the best. Don’t freak out if you see some out of focus images, or many images of a particular moment.

By looking at a complete shoot, you can get a sense for how the photographer thinks and moves. And, while you’re at it – ask the photographer if you will have the opportunity to see the full shoot from your own wedding.

A) Absolutely. I have one que’d up on my iPad. Drop by and I’ll show you (If you have at least an hour to look at everything). Also, on my print website I have the last few sessions available for viewing, and none of them are password protected. Enjoy!

7) Are you comfortable with providing direction?
The bride and groom, and many of their guests, aren’t usually professional models, and may get uncomfortable in front of the camera. They may hold themselves in an awkward position, and the resulting images may look unflattering.

Ask the photographer if they are willing to coach people into more flattering poses, and ask if they can show you some images where their direction played a large role.

A) Of course! I have a few tricks that I tell everyone to let them be more relaxed-looking in front of the camera. How to smile, how to hold your arms — the typical areas where people go wrong. It’s not comfortable having your photo taken, so I like to be as up front as possible. I generally tell people that it takes a few different poses to get in the groove of things. By the end I hardly need to give any direction at all.

6) Can we arrange to do an engagement shoot first?
If you can set up an engagement shoot first, you are essentially giving the photographer a trial run before the big event. Assuming all goes well, you will both get to know each other better, become more comfortable with each other, and the results will likely show in your wedding images.

A) If you’re getting married in the Tyler area and live here I almost insist that we do an engagement session. It will get both of us comfortable with each other, and it will allow me to see any problems beforehand.

5) What is your turn-around time?
It’s important to know how long it will take to get to see the pictures once the event is complete. The time will vary based on many factors (film will take longer than digital, and amount of retouching involved are a few) so ask a photographer to give you a time estimate based on what you’ve requested. An experienced photographer will be able to provide you with an estimated timeframe.

A) Engagement and bridal sessions: 1 week. Weddings: 2-3 week for the online gallery, 3-4 weeks for the disc.

4) Are you easy to get along with?
You can’t really ask this question directly, but you need to get the answer anyway. Unless you spend time with each other, in person, it will be difficult to figure this out. When interviewing the photographer, don’t limit your questions to just weddings and photography. Ask about their interests, try to get a feel for their sense of humor, and try to find some things that you have in common.

A) I’m a fairly easy-going person and love meeting new people. Come by my office sometime and we’ll chat

3) How long have you been shooting weddings?
In most cases, you don’t want to hire a total rookie to shoot a wedding. You want someone with experience. During your questioning, be sure to ask questions that will cause the photographer to reveal their experience. How many weddings have they’ve shot in the past year? What camera gear are they using, and how long have they been using it? (You want someone who is very comfortable with their gear, and not experimenting with some strange new gadget during your big day.)

A) Since June 2004.

2) Do you work with an assistant?
Shooting a wedding is a lot of work for a photographer, so it is common for them to bring an assistant. It is also common for the assistant to shoot some of the pictures. You should ask the photographer if they plan to bring an assistant, and if so, ask what role that person will be playing.

A) I’ve worked with assistants before and currently I do not hire a full-time assistant. When I do hire out an assistant they generally don’t take photos, but help me carry stuff around.

1) Can you describe your photographic style?
Asking a photographer about their personal photographic style is probably the best way to start a conversation that will reveal what makes them tick. This is one of the things that makes photographers unique. It’s like a fingerprint – every style is different.

In short, their style should match your personality. The way the wedding images are shot should be be a subtle reflection of the couple’s personality.

Ask a photographer about their influences. Which photographers and artists did they admire most when they were just starting out? If they give you some names, go home and look them up – you may end up being inspired too!

A) This is a tough question. Rather than have me explain my style, just go look at the photos. If you like them and they match your style, then great. If not, there are plenty of other photographers who shoot different styles. When I’m shooting I try to keep a solid style in my head. I like the phrase “simple elegance,” which is a vague but perfectly suited style label. I tend to not “overdo” my photographs, and I like to keep things as clean and elegant as possible. Weddings are an event unique to themselves, and no matter where you’re planning on having your wedding, elegance is important.

Now it’s your turn. Here’s a link to 10 questions I’ll probably ask you in our meeting. http://blog.photoshelter.com/2010/07/op-10-things-you-should-ask-a-wedding-client-befor.html

And because every post is better with a picture, here’s one from my last wedding:

You might remember Sarah and Matt from their engagement session, or from Sarah’s guest blog post about her “unique” wedding. Sadly I was already booked on their wedding date in April, but Sarah decided to have a big ol’ party on July 3rd for all her guests who were unable to make it out to the wedding. I insisted Sarah just HAD TO HAVE the photobooth. It’s something Ive only done a few times, but it’s always a blast and it’s a great way to get awesome photos from your reception. If you’re interested in having the photobooth at your wedding, it’s just $300 bucks! It’s also available for parties, class reunions and Bar Mitzvahs.

*If you were a guest at Sarah and Matt’s reception, you can view the full photobooth gallery here.*

(FYI: I’m not sponsored by Budweiser or Miller. I hope they don’t sue me for “tarnishing” their company image with these photos)

Today was iffy. It rained all last night and early today. Lisbeth and I were’nt sure whether or not to postpone her bridal session for a prettier day. After midday the rain cleared up but the clouds didn’t. I always love moody skies so this was the perfect opportunity to bust out some crazy lighting techniques and pull out those dramatic clouds for some awesome effects. The Villa Di Felicita made a great canvas and Lisbeth looked fantastic in her dress from David’s Bridal. The flowers from La Tee Da were fantastic as usual and Hanna Riddle did a great job on her hair. Enjoy!

When I was editing Kaitlyn and Nathan’s engagement session I got an extreme case of Deja Vu. I swear to God I had edited these pictures before…maybe somewhere in my dreams. Who knows? This couple was so much fun to work with in spite of the extremely hot weather and general sweatyness. It’s the first session I’ve ever had with a water break. But hey, good photos are hard work.

I’ve been waiting for Alyssa and Marcus’ wedding for a long time. Alyssa had such a good bridal session that I just knew her wedding was going to be awesome. On top of that, it is the first indoor wedding I’ve shot all year — a decent relief from the heat.

Alyssa and Marcus opted to have a “first look,” which makes the day so much more fun and relaxing. Instead of trying to hide from each other all day they were able to spend some time together before the ceremony. It’s a great option that every modern couple should consider.

If you follow me on facebook you might have seen my post about the gigantic Longhorn’s Stadium cake complete with digital picture frame jumbotron. This thing was huge, and only about a quarter of it was eaten.

When I showed up for Hannah and Cody’s E-Session, Hannah gave me a warning. She said they were the most awkward people in photos. I took it as a challenge and did my best to reduce tension and give them every reason to relax and have a good time. I typically don’t write a whole lot before E-Session posts, but this is a good time to discuss awkwardness in photos. I have a few tricks that I use to get clients to relax during photoshoots. Being photographed is a difficult thing to do. It’s similar to giving a speech or jumping off a cliff. You’re inner self wants to run away and hide, but with a few simple ideas you can trick your mind into relaxing and being yourself, which is ultimately the goal behind getting good photos. The first thing I tell clients to do is focus on each other — chat, flirt, cuddle — anything that reduces tension. It takes some practice but in the end I usually have to get them to stop talking so I can take a picture. Secondly, I tell them to focus on what their eyes are doing, not what their mouth is doing. We’ve all seen cheesy fake smiles, but when you focus on another body part, your smile generally gets more natural. Thirdly, I try to constantly talk to the couples when I’m shooting. If I have to adjust camera settings, I’ll tell them what I’m doing. Generally, a “beautiful” or “perfect” or “keep doing what you’re doing” is enough. I try to approach photoshoots like a child who’s playing the back yard. If you’ve ever seen kids just playing, you know that they don’t have any sort of goal in mind. They just do it, and that’s the mindset I try to take with every couple. Just explore and you’ll get great photos.

Hannah is an interior designer and mentioned she wanted some artsy photos. I think the next photo applies.

After our downtown shoot we moved to a secret location off of Grande Drive in Tyler. It was a cool and serene spot with great, tall grass and some obscure power lines. We even got out of there without any snake bites or cactus pricks.

Whew! What a weekend. I can’t believe how much fun I had at these guy’s wedding. The reception was completely off the hook thanks to a fantastic DJ. Casey had everyone dancing the entire night and certainly worked butt off. He also did a bangup job on the reception lighting. Honestly I could do an entire post just on the dancing pics, but you’ll just have to scroll down to get a little taste.

If you’re offended by personal blabbering on the blog, then avoid this post. Otherwise, read on.

I really didn’t want to write this blog entry. It wasn’t something I had even considered writing until a friend suggested it. I went back and forth in my head for about 2 months about how to let everyone know in a way that was uplifting instead of making you feel uncomfortable. You know…the way you feel when someone randomly comes up to you at a coffee shop and says “let me tell you about Jesus.” Even the pope would blush.

I wanted to wait until the time was right.

If you’ve been following me since last August you might recognize that I’ve stopped writing about my fiance, Adrienne. As of February we decided to call it quits. It started as cold feet and quickly turned into “maybe we should push back the wedding” and became “maybe we should cancel it all together.” Soon after, she decided she wasn’t ready to marry me, and never would be.

I’ll spare you the details and answer a few questions I know you’re having. Yes, it hurt and yes, I’m ok. No, I don’t think there’s a chance we’ll get back together. As far as I know, she feels the same way. It hurt, it’s going to take a long time to get over, and that’s the only way it should be.

As much as I’ve gotten those questions, the one I’m seldom asked, but rightly so is: Is it affecting your ability to shoot weddings?

It might make sense that I would feel some kind of extra hurt, going to weddings every weekend while my own wedding was canceled. At first I wasn’t sure how I would react to seeing a wedding after we broke up. I brought a good friend – who’s also a wedding photographer – along with me to a wedding in late February just to make sure I didn’t have some kind of meltdown where I had to sit in the corner and listen to Coldplay. I had a blast. It was great to get back to work and my couple (Krystal & Grant) were amazing. The ceremony was over and I felt a sigh of relief that I hadn’t lost anything in my heart that made me who I am as a photographer. Nothing changed the things I love about weddings.

During the “post-fiance-breakup-palooza” (PFBP) if you will, I had a ton of people offer me advice: former clients who had gotten a divorce, friends who’ve broken their weddings off, family who have gone through tough marriages or breakups. To them I am eternally grateful. Not necessarily for your advice, but for your shoulders. Sometimes the best advice we can give is to be quiet and listen.

I do have a few words for the couple’s who’ve called off their engagement. After two months of reflecting I really don’t have any revelatory advice. Don’t listen to the people who will say “better to break it off now than later when it’s more expensive.” It doesn’t help one bit. The best advice I can give is let yourself grieve. You WILL change as a person. There’s not really a good way around it. How you change is entirely up to you.

In the meantime do a lot of thinking. Be around your friends and family and talk it out. You won’t find any answers to your current problem but you will find a new path to follow. Get back to doing the things you loved doing. For me it was shooting pictures and taking care of myself via P90X. For you it might be a new hobby or a bit of traveling.

Two things stuck out at me when PFBP went down. I’m not sure how many of you follow Conan O’Brien on late night TV(bear with me here), but the short story is that he was contracted to be the host of the Tonight Show basically until he wanted to retire. He had it in his head that this would be his last gig — the one he loved. After 7 months NBC was having a ratings problem and decided to supplant Conan with Jay Leno at 10:30, pushing Conan back to 11:00. Conan held strong, claiming that the time change would ruin the show he had grown up watching. NBC and Conan parted ways in late January.

On his last show he gave a minutelong monologue, which he ended with this:

And finally, I have to say something to our fans. The massive outpouring of support and passion from so many people has been overwhelming. The rallies, the signs, all the goofy, outrageous  creativity on the internet, and the fact that people have traveled long distances and camped out all night in the pouring rain to be in our audience, made a sad situation joyous and inspirational. To all the people watching, I can never thank you enough for your kindness to me and I’ll think about it for the rest of my life. All I ask of you is one thing: please don’t be cynical. I hate cynicism — it’s my least favorite quality and it doesn’t lead anywhere.

I try not to talk about religion this much on the blog, but sometimes God speaks to you through other people. Cynicism is the last thing I needed at that point, but it’s human nature to close yourself up and just be angry. The easiest thing to do is be a curmudgeon.

The second thing is a book a friend of mine told me to read called “Wild at Heart” by John Eldridge. In summary it’s a book on masculinity and the problems we face in the modern world where being a man is considered evil. It deals with taking risks in life…ones that might potentially hurt emotionally.

Life is not a problem to be solved; it is an adventure to be lived. That’s the nature of it and has been since the beginning when Got set the dangerous stage for this high stakes drama and called the whole enterprise “good.” He rigged the world in such a way that it only works when we embrace risk as the theme of our lives, which is to say, only when we live by faith.”

I sincerely believe life is a very long journey with plenty of risk and reward with no practical destination. We’re climbing mount Everest and then we’re climbing back down. Breaking things off with Adrienne was one of the most difficult things I’ve ever been through. God was nice to Job compared to this. Looking back from the other side there were plenty of good times after PFBP. I’ve made a ton of new friends, been on some really good dates (and some really bad ones), and lived life the way I wish I had before. I would be lying if I said I didn’t have any regrets. Of course things could have been different. I could have…she could have. The biggest lie is that regrets are inherently bad. They’re only bad if you dwell on them.

To conclude his book, Eldridge poses a question to God.

What are we doing, God?

We’re climbing mount Everest.

Thanks for reading. It was about time.

-Allen