Tomorrow is day one of my latest promotion of portraiture. As we face into the 10th year of the "new" century I am a little surprised when so many people tell me that they have not had a family portrait taken in years. It seems they were too busy during the so called "boom" years and during the recession they could not afford the cost.
With this in mind I am offering free studio sittings (normally €60.00 !) until January 31st 2010 where you can make an appointment, have your portrait commissioned or family sitting done and see the results via a secure link on my website.
From there you can chose to buy whatever you wish.
Call (090) 9684770 and book your aitting now !
Monday, November 9, 2009
Monday, October 12, 2009
Wedding Brochure
Just launched my new Wedding Brochure today. Never had a proper one before so I'm well pleased with my efforts. It looks well and hopefully it will promote the business in the way I feel it should.
If you need one just give me a mail with your postal address and it will be in the post shortly !
If you need one just give me a mail with your postal address and it will be in the post shortly !
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
The down side of Wedding Photography
This is probably something we will see more and more of as time goes by. The "in" thing right now is "reportage" which is a fly on the wall approach to wedding photography. This is casual shooting without setting up any formal photographs with "arty" type twists and turns. Done properly it can be interesting but can be dangerous. While a photography judge at a competition will see a photograph and deem it was taken in an interesting pose at, say, a 33 degree angle a judge in court may see it as a poorly taken photograph.
So many people will ask for reportage and describe it as "unposed, casual photography" .............. if you question further you will discover what they really mean is simular to the ones that appear in the glossy bridal magazines. Truth be told all the photographs that you see in these magazines are done under ideal conditions using models who are posed to look like they were just standing around looking beautiful. Hours of work goes into these shots.
This word "reportage" seems to mean different things to different people and the customer and photographer may see it differently.
Anyway ............ that does not seem to be the case below. By NOT doing the posed family and bridal party shots which are part and parcel of every wedding and family event a photographer is leaving themselves wide open to end up like this one has done.
Read on ......
By Paul Stokes (Tuesday October 06 2009, Irish Independent.)
A newly-married couple have successfully sued their wedding photographer after paying £1,450 (€1600 ) for a "woefully inadequate" service.
Marc and Sylvia Day were presented with a disc full of pictures from the big day with heads chopped off, inattentive guests and random close-ups of vehicles and of the 400 images ...... only 22 met with their approval.
In a further insult to the occasion, Gareth Bowers, of Fresh Images photography, misspelled their names on thank you cards, bearing a variety of the pictures, which read: “Thank you Slyvia and Mark”.
They have now been awarded compensations by a judge after winning a case for breach of contract against the photographer.
Mrs Day, 50, a shop assistant, from Wakefield, West Yorkshire, said: “He seemed very reasonable, very polite and professional.
”But we were left with no alternative but to take this man to court because the service we received was absolutely appalling.”
Deputy District Judge Keith Nightingale, found in favour of the Days at Pontefract county court and criticised Mr Bowers for providing “inappropriate” photos and a “woefully inadequate” service.
Mr Bowers told the court he had been in business for four years and in that time covering just 20 weddings.
He ordered him to pay back £500 from the £1,450 to the Days with £450 in damages, £100 for their loss of earning and £170 in court fees.
Judge Nightingale told him: “It is not just the quality of the photographs, but the subject of the photos is unworthy of wedding photographs.”.
Mrs Day said things went from bad to worse after a different video operator turned up at her home on the wedding on August 24 last year and she “broke down in tears” when she saw the photographs.
She said: “There are no nice group shots with the usual, bride and groom and family and bridesmaids".
Mr Day, 48, described his experience with the wedding photographer as “a car crash” from start to finish.
He said: “Some of those memories we will never get back again. He is the Don Quixote of wedding photography - he just doesn't believe that he can't do it.”
Mr Bowers didn't wish to comment.
- Paul Stokes
© Telegraph.co.uk
So many people will ask for reportage and describe it as "unposed, casual photography" .............. if you question further you will discover what they really mean is simular to the ones that appear in the glossy bridal magazines. Truth be told all the photographs that you see in these magazines are done under ideal conditions using models who are posed to look like they were just standing around looking beautiful. Hours of work goes into these shots.
This word "reportage" seems to mean different things to different people and the customer and photographer may see it differently.
Anyway ............ that does not seem to be the case below. By NOT doing the posed family and bridal party shots which are part and parcel of every wedding and family event a photographer is leaving themselves wide open to end up like this one has done.
Read on ......
By Paul Stokes (Tuesday October 06 2009, Irish Independent.)
A newly-married couple have successfully sued their wedding photographer after paying £1,450 (€1600 ) for a "woefully inadequate" service.
Marc and Sylvia Day were presented with a disc full of pictures from the big day with heads chopped off, inattentive guests and random close-ups of vehicles and of the 400 images ...... only 22 met with their approval.
In a further insult to the occasion, Gareth Bowers, of Fresh Images photography, misspelled their names on thank you cards, bearing a variety of the pictures, which read: “Thank you Slyvia and Mark”.
They have now been awarded compensations by a judge after winning a case for breach of contract against the photographer.
Mrs Day, 50, a shop assistant, from Wakefield, West Yorkshire, said: “He seemed very reasonable, very polite and professional.
”But we were left with no alternative but to take this man to court because the service we received was absolutely appalling.”
Deputy District Judge Keith Nightingale, found in favour of the Days at Pontefract county court and criticised Mr Bowers for providing “inappropriate” photos and a “woefully inadequate” service.
Mr Bowers told the court he had been in business for four years and in that time covering just 20 weddings.
He ordered him to pay back £500 from the £1,450 to the Days with £450 in damages, £100 for their loss of earning and £170 in court fees.
Judge Nightingale told him: “It is not just the quality of the photographs, but the subject of the photos is unworthy of wedding photographs.”.
Mrs Day said things went from bad to worse after a different video operator turned up at her home on the wedding on August 24 last year and she “broke down in tears” when she saw the photographs.
She said: “There are no nice group shots with the usual, bride and groom and family and bridesmaids".
Mr Day, 48, described his experience with the wedding photographer as “a car crash” from start to finish.
He said: “Some of those memories we will never get back again. He is the Don Quixote of wedding photography - he just doesn't believe that he can't do it.”
Mr Bowers didn't wish to comment.
- Paul Stokes
© Telegraph.co.uk
Saturday, September 19, 2009
Where does the time go ? ............. on your wedding day !
It's a question that many people ask afterwards.
Well, I recon the answer is that you have so much to fit into the few hours allocated in the "time allowed" that you just dont have time to think ......... so the average wedding day is like a ten minute event to many couples.
Time planning is one of the most important things you must do if you wish everything to run smoothly. After many years of watching and many, many weddings attended, this is generally how the timings work out.
Church Wedding Mass is 1.25 hours .......... maybe a little more - never less.
Signing register is about 15 minutes.
Greeting guests and congratulations at church door is 20 minutes for each 100 people.
Group shot outside church is 10 minutes
Family shots take about 30 minutes by the time all necessary people are found and located.
Travel to reception is on average 40 minutes depending on the location and the time of day.
All of that adds up to 3.5 hours ......... so if it the wedding is at, say, 1.00pm and you have, say, 220 guests then by the time you reach the reception it will be in or around 4.30pm !
This is assuming the ceremony begins ON TIME. If the bride is late walking up the aisle then add that amount of lost time on.
We have not added time for visiting a scenic location on the way for some photographs so this is an extra portion of time also and there are still bridal party photographs to be done !
My best advice is to begin on time and allow 4.5 hours from start of ceremony time to sitting down time. If guests are not ready to sit on time then the quality of the food is going down while its being kept hot and its not exactly fair to the venue or other guests to be kept waiting.
This also applies to us photographers. Its not "our day out" and keeping everybody waiting while we demonstrate our abilities and egos is simply not on either. The greatest complement that I ever get is when the couple send a card to say a special "thank you" to me for "making the day so easy and enjoyable" .......... when the priest says that I was hardly noticable in the church or when the hotel manager says thanks for getting finished on time.
A wedding day is not about photographs and many other people have parts to play in the success of the once in a lifetime event and we as photographers should never be the cause of having events running late because we are desperately trying to capture the next "award winning shot".
So ....... there you are ! ........................ Hope this is of help to some of you out there !
Well, I recon the answer is that you have so much to fit into the few hours allocated in the "time allowed" that you just dont have time to think ......... so the average wedding day is like a ten minute event to many couples.
Time planning is one of the most important things you must do if you wish everything to run smoothly. After many years of watching and many, many weddings attended, this is generally how the timings work out.
Church Wedding Mass is 1.25 hours .......... maybe a little more - never less.
Signing register is about 15 minutes.
Greeting guests and congratulations at church door is 20 minutes for each 100 people.
Group shot outside church is 10 minutes
Family shots take about 30 minutes by the time all necessary people are found and located.
Travel to reception is on average 40 minutes depending on the location and the time of day.
All of that adds up to 3.5 hours ......... so if it the wedding is at, say, 1.00pm and you have, say, 220 guests then by the time you reach the reception it will be in or around 4.30pm !
This is assuming the ceremony begins ON TIME. If the bride is late walking up the aisle then add that amount of lost time on.
We have not added time for visiting a scenic location on the way for some photographs so this is an extra portion of time also and there are still bridal party photographs to be done !
My best advice is to begin on time and allow 4.5 hours from start of ceremony time to sitting down time. If guests are not ready to sit on time then the quality of the food is going down while its being kept hot and its not exactly fair to the venue or other guests to be kept waiting.
This also applies to us photographers. Its not "our day out" and keeping everybody waiting while we demonstrate our abilities and egos is simply not on either. The greatest complement that I ever get is when the couple send a card to say a special "thank you" to me for "making the day so easy and enjoyable" .......... when the priest says that I was hardly noticable in the church or when the hotel manager says thanks for getting finished on time.
A wedding day is not about photographs and many other people have parts to play in the success of the once in a lifetime event and we as photographers should never be the cause of having events running late because we are desperately trying to capture the next "award winning shot".
So ....... there you are ! ........................ Hope this is of help to some of you out there !
Friday, September 4, 2009
Gift Certificates
Ever wondered what to give the friends who have everything?
A gift voucher for a portrait sitting, as a wedding gift to help towards their wedding photography has become an ideal and very popular gift.
It's worth thinking about !
We offer gift vouchers for Weddings, Birthdays, Mother & Father's Day Gifts, Graduation, First Communion's, Confirmation's, New Born Babies, Christenings, etc. The list is endless and you will be giving them cherished memories which will last a lifetime.
A gift voucher for a portrait sitting, as a wedding gift to help towards their wedding photography has become an ideal and very popular gift.
It's worth thinking about !
We offer gift vouchers for Weddings, Birthdays, Mother & Father's Day Gifts, Graduation, First Communion's, Confirmation's, New Born Babies, Christenings, etc. The list is endless and you will be giving them cherished memories which will last a lifetime.
Saturday, August 8, 2009
A Couple of recent Weddings
Ollie & Laura in Glenamoy Church, Co. Mayo.
Javier & Valerie In Carna, Co. Galway.
Laura & Seamus in Menlo Church
David & Kathleen in Fahy Church, Westport, Co. Mayo.
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
It's happened again ! ........... Be very careful !
For the sixth time in the last year I've got that telephone call again today. A girl in tears telling me she is getting married next week and she can't locate the photographer she booked almost a year ago.
Yes ..... the website is still up and the mobile phone number is there but it can't be reached. Yes ...... she paid a deposit at the booking but no contract was signed and given to her.
Yes ......... she knows where the photographer lives, she has called there but there is nobody at home and the place looks like it has been vacent for some time.
No .......... the address is not on the website. No ......... there is no landline number on the website.
Yes ......... she had viewed some work that was shown to her at the booking stage and she was happy enough at the time of booking. Yes ......... she booked the photographer because the price was cheap and it looked like a good deal. No ........ the photographer was not a member of the regulatory bodies (IPPA or MPA)................ "did this matter" she asked.
On checking up later I found that the photographer was not registered and the business was not registered either. She now has no photographer for her wedding and is desperate and panicing !
What can she do ?
The long and the short of all this is that the photographer has gone out of business or "done a runner" to some other location and is doing the same thing there and will not be back. She has been had and will unlikely get any of her deposit back. She knows this now and is just trying desperately to get another photographer to cover the wedding.
The only advice I could offer was to report this to her local Gardai but beyond this there is little she can do but write it off and move forward. The photographer is unlikely to have insurance or bonding of any kind and as no contact can be made it would be difficult to do anything about this mess that she finds herself in.
She will be really lucky to get anyone at this stage to cover her wedding as its a prime date and everyone worth their salt will be booked long ago. Its a sad situation and the worst of all is that it reflects on the industry and gives it a bad reputation. We all suffer as a result.
What can you do to prevent this happening to you ?
(1) Only book a registered, qualified and insured Photographer for your wedding.
(2) If you use the net then be sure that the site you are looking at has a business address, a
landline number and a business registration number.
(3) Make sure that the photographer is qualified ie. holds the distinction of LIPPA or LMPA
(4) Ensure that the photographer is insured as you can no longer take photographs at any OPW
scenic location (Parks, Castles, Woodlands, Old Abbeys, etc.) without your photographer
having the appropriate amount of Public Liability Insurance. (All members of the IPPA
must, as part of their membership, carry €6.5 million public liability cover).
(5) When you make a booking and pay a deposit ensure you get a signed contract. Remember
that unless a deposit is paid then no booking exists.
(6) Always use a business that has a reputation and history record.
(7) Remember ........ if the price is too good to be true then it probably is !
(8) A good idea is take all the prices you get and work somewhere in the average of this. The cheapest is never the best unless you dont mind poor quality, poor service, corners cut,
no after sales service, no backup, etc. etc.
Don't get caught out ................... it's now more common than you think ! !
This is not unique to the photographic industry ........... it's in every industry across the
board ...... EVERYWHERE !
So ....... be careful and then be extra careful !
Yes ..... the website is still up and the mobile phone number is there but it can't be reached. Yes ...... she paid a deposit at the booking but no contract was signed and given to her.
Yes ......... she knows where the photographer lives, she has called there but there is nobody at home and the place looks like it has been vacent for some time.
No .......... the address is not on the website. No ......... there is no landline number on the website.
Yes ......... she had viewed some work that was shown to her at the booking stage and she was happy enough at the time of booking. Yes ......... she booked the photographer because the price was cheap and it looked like a good deal. No ........ the photographer was not a member of the regulatory bodies (IPPA or MPA)................ "did this matter" she asked.
On checking up later I found that the photographer was not registered and the business was not registered either. She now has no photographer for her wedding and is desperate and panicing !
What can she do ?
The long and the short of all this is that the photographer has gone out of business or "done a runner" to some other location and is doing the same thing there and will not be back. She has been had and will unlikely get any of her deposit back. She knows this now and is just trying desperately to get another photographer to cover the wedding.
The only advice I could offer was to report this to her local Gardai but beyond this there is little she can do but write it off and move forward. The photographer is unlikely to have insurance or bonding of any kind and as no contact can be made it would be difficult to do anything about this mess that she finds herself in.
She will be really lucky to get anyone at this stage to cover her wedding as its a prime date and everyone worth their salt will be booked long ago. Its a sad situation and the worst of all is that it reflects on the industry and gives it a bad reputation. We all suffer as a result.
What can you do to prevent this happening to you ?
(1) Only book a registered, qualified and insured Photographer for your wedding.
(2) If you use the net then be sure that the site you are looking at has a business address, a
landline number and a business registration number.
(3) Make sure that the photographer is qualified ie. holds the distinction of LIPPA or LMPA
(4) Ensure that the photographer is insured as you can no longer take photographs at any OPW
scenic location (Parks, Castles, Woodlands, Old Abbeys, etc.) without your photographer
having the appropriate amount of Public Liability Insurance. (All members of the IPPA
must, as part of their membership, carry €6.5 million public liability cover).
(5) When you make a booking and pay a deposit ensure you get a signed contract. Remember
that unless a deposit is paid then no booking exists.
(6) Always use a business that has a reputation and history record.
(7) Remember ........ if the price is too good to be true then it probably is !
(8) A good idea is take all the prices you get and work somewhere in the average of this. The cheapest is never the best unless you dont mind poor quality, poor service, corners cut,
no after sales service, no backup, etc. etc.
Don't get caught out ................... it's now more common than you think ! !
This is not unique to the photographic industry ........... it's in every industry across the
board ...... EVERYWHERE !
So ....... be careful and then be extra careful !
Sunday, July 26, 2009
Jonathan & Aisling
Jonathan & Aisling at the Claregalway Hotel following their wedding ceromony at Ryehill Church.
The Bridesmaid in natural green !
Friday, July 24, 2009
Recession "bottoming out"
Its begining at last to seem that the recession that we've really seen here since the second quarter of 2008 is hitting the rocks and certainly for the smaller business its beginning to look a little better. It will, no doubt, be ages for a reasonable recovery to take place but things seem to be on the way back.
2010 will still be a great time to do anything (if you have the money!) as prices are now at a low and good value is to be had on all goods and services. Its worth thinking about !!!
However ....... remember that the cheap price is not always good value and its much better to hit somewhere in the mid point between expensive and cheap. The pointer still holds true that "you can have it GOOD, FAST, CHEAP, ................ Pick any two !
2010 will still be a great time to do anything (if you have the money!) as prices are now at a low and good value is to be had on all goods and services. Its worth thinking about !!!
However ....... remember that the cheap price is not always good value and its much better to hit somewhere in the mid point between expensive and cheap. The pointer still holds true that "you can have it GOOD, FAST, CHEAP, ................ Pick any two !
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Horse & Carriage
Recently had this delightful Horse & Carriage at a wedding I was photographing. It was a really nice touch and the combination of horse, carriage and driver was superb. If you are into this kind of travel on your wedding day then this is worth taking a look at.
Contact Tony McKeigue at (090) 9685708
Friday, July 17, 2009
Tomás & Louise at the Abbey in Claregalway
Relaxing after the Ceremony in Ryehill Church and just "stopping off" at the Old Abbey on their way to the Clayton Hotel.
Monday, July 13, 2009
Cold Sales Calls
If you have been one of the "poor sods" that have been calling me on my business line trying to get me to subscribe to some advertising pitch or to get me on the "top of Google" or if you were flooding my email account with "special offers" for "God knows what" then you've been wasting your time and energy. Sorry for being the bearer of such bad news.
During the best of times I am a pretty bad customer for cold calls and certainly since the present economic crisis began I'm as strapped for cash as the next and there is simply no way I can even afford any extra outlay ............ on ANYTHING !
Anyway ....... how many can fit on the top of Google ? Used to be one when I went to school a long time back so I cant understand how roughly 400 odd photographers can get to be on top of the list.
I did allow one guy to explain to me one day for almost an hour how it would be done. I put the phone on speaker and just continued working away at the desk just giving the odd "Yea" and "what was that?" and "Aye" ................... but I still did not figure out how he would get us all up there on the top ................ but he certainly assured me it was possible.
Needless to say I had no intention of "buying" anything and as he was paying for the call and since he seemed to love to talk I felt it was no skin off my nose. " Let him off" ..... "Bring it on !".
"HEARTLESS !!!" ..... you may say.
Well not really ........................ I felt that while I kept him on the line I was saving some other photographer, with a lot of work to get out, the bother of insulting him by telling him to "bog off!". I was thinking ............"while the burgler was trying to raid my premises then he could not be down the road trying to raid a neighbours premises".
Anyway ........ I love to watch an artist at work and this guy was a fine artist ........and I wanted to make sure he had finished the canvas but still have the paint wet before I allowed to birds to fly over it.
During the best of times I am a pretty bad customer for cold calls and certainly since the present economic crisis began I'm as strapped for cash as the next and there is simply no way I can even afford any extra outlay ............ on ANYTHING !
Anyway ....... how many can fit on the top of Google ? Used to be one when I went to school a long time back so I cant understand how roughly 400 odd photographers can get to be on top of the list.
I did allow one guy to explain to me one day for almost an hour how it would be done. I put the phone on speaker and just continued working away at the desk just giving the odd "Yea" and "what was that?" and "Aye" ................... but I still did not figure out how he would get us all up there on the top ................ but he certainly assured me it was possible.
Needless to say I had no intention of "buying" anything and as he was paying for the call and since he seemed to love to talk I felt it was no skin off my nose. " Let him off" ..... "Bring it on !".
"HEARTLESS !!!" ..... you may say.
Well not really ........................ I felt that while I kept him on the line I was saving some other photographer, with a lot of work to get out, the bother of insulting him by telling him to "bog off!". I was thinking ............"while the burgler was trying to raid my premises then he could not be down the road trying to raid a neighbours premises".
Anyway ........ I love to watch an artist at work and this guy was a fine artist ........and I wanted to make sure he had finished the canvas but still have the paint wet before I allowed to birds to fly over it.
Saturday, July 11, 2009
Shane & Lorraine
Shane & Lorraine looking splended on their Wedding Day at the Claregalway Hotel
The Wilson Sisters were truly magnificent in the Church. These girls are really worth seeing and hearing.
Top Brass Showband - A really brilliant Wedding Band
I have come across this band at a few weddings I photographed in Athlone over the past few years. I had a better chance to sit and listen to them at a recent wedding I photographed at the Keadeau Hotel in Newbridge, Co. Kildare.
The sound is really great and they are excellent at keeping the crowd dancing. Have a listen to them on the link below
http://arecks.net/topbrass.htm
The sound they produce live is as good as the sound you hear on the link !
A really brilliant Wedding Band !!!
The sound is really great and they are excellent at keeping the crowd dancing. Have a listen to them on the link below
http://arecks.net/topbrass.htm
The sound they produce live is as good as the sound you hear on the link !
A really brilliant Wedding Band !!!
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
Updatd Web Site
Have just updated my Web Site again to include an on-line ordering and viewing system.
Hope it will be of use to many customers for years to come !
Hope it will be of use to many customers for years to come !
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