To both brides/grooms and photographers who may be reading this--I really can't say enough great things about having a slideshow at your reception of some of the photos from that day. This is something I've been doing for years and it's an amazing experience that has blessed my clients as well as my business. It's really a win-win situation.
For brides & grooms:
It's SO fun to instantly see some of the captured memories from your day while it's still happening. At your reception all of your guests are celebrating your union and seeing photos from your wedding day only adds to the celebration. The slideshows I do are on my 17" laptop and I just set it up on a table off to the side somewhere (near the bar works well because there's a steady flow of traffic, and as my friend David Jay has pointed out--the photos look better and better as the night goes on :)). The slideshow continuously loops and has no music because your band or DJ is providing that. Seeing the photos instantly also puts your heart at ease knowing that your photographer did an amazing job.
For photographers:
Brides, if you're reading this--don't hold it against us but the slideshow at the reception is not only great for you but it's an awesome marketing tool for us. We get to show our work to hundreds of people who are attending a wedding and thinking about weddings. They enjoy the photos and hopefully tell other guests to come look at the slideshow and it creates a buzz at the reception (and hopefully beyond) about the photography. Usually I also set out my business cards next to the slideshow so that if someone is in the market for a photographer, they can take a card home with them. As a photographer I also selfishly love the slideshow because I tend to get instant feedback about my work. When guests come up and let me know they enjoyed the photos it totally energizes me to finish off the night strong. It's SO rewarding. For those of you who have never tried showing a slideshow at one of your receptions--I would definitely recommend trying it. If you shoot in RAW, make sure to also shoot a small JPG and have your assistant off-load the small JPGs into a separate file so they are ready for you to edit when the meal is served. I always shoot with a 2nd photographer AND a third assistant and one of the many reasons I do this is so that I can pull off the slideshow without missing any shooting opportunities. I always work on the images during dinner and if there is an event that requires coverage during that time (toasts, etc.) either my 2nd photographer covers it or I jump up and cover it myself. I pick out around 50 images (but 20-30 is plenty) and edit them VERY quickly using actions that I've assigned short-cut keys to. It might seem stressful at first but it definitely pays off in the end.
I had one of the most gratifying experiences of my career so far at Michelle & Brent's wedding in July. There were only 13 people in attendance:
For brides & grooms:
It's SO fun to instantly see some of the captured memories from your day while it's still happening. At your reception all of your guests are celebrating your union and seeing photos from your wedding day only adds to the celebration. The slideshows I do are on my 17" laptop and I just set it up on a table off to the side somewhere (near the bar works well because there's a steady flow of traffic, and as my friend David Jay has pointed out--the photos look better and better as the night goes on :)). The slideshow continuously loops and has no music because your band or DJ is providing that. Seeing the photos instantly also puts your heart at ease knowing that your photographer did an amazing job.
For photographers:
Brides, if you're reading this--don't hold it against us but the slideshow at the reception is not only great for you but it's an awesome marketing tool for us. We get to show our work to hundreds of people who are attending a wedding and thinking about weddings. They enjoy the photos and hopefully tell other guests to come look at the slideshow and it creates a buzz at the reception (and hopefully beyond) about the photography. Usually I also set out my business cards next to the slideshow so that if someone is in the market for a photographer, they can take a card home with them. As a photographer I also selfishly love the slideshow because I tend to get instant feedback about my work. When guests come up and let me know they enjoyed the photos it totally energizes me to finish off the night strong. It's SO rewarding. For those of you who have never tried showing a slideshow at one of your receptions--I would definitely recommend trying it. If you shoot in RAW, make sure to also shoot a small JPG and have your assistant off-load the small JPGs into a separate file so they are ready for you to edit when the meal is served. I always shoot with a 2nd photographer AND a third assistant and one of the many reasons I do this is so that I can pull off the slideshow without missing any shooting opportunities. I always work on the images during dinner and if there is an event that requires coverage during that time (toasts, etc.) either my 2nd photographer covers it or I jump up and cover it myself. I pick out around 50 images (but 20-30 is plenty) and edit them VERY quickly using actions that I've assigned short-cut keys to. It might seem stressful at first but it definitely pays off in the end.
I had one of the most gratifying experiences of my career so far at Michelle & Brent's wedding in July. There were only 13 people in attendance:
As mentioned in the blog post about this wedding--I absolutely adore Michelle's family, so this wedding was such a joy to shoot to begin with. I feverishly worked on the slideshow during their 5-course meal. I'm so thankful it was 5-course because I didn't have a 2nd photographer at this wedding so I was bopping up and down shooting the whole time as well. After cake was served everyone gathered around the laptop to watch the slideshow. And I wish I had some photos--or better yet--a video of their reactions. I thought about taking some but I was enjoying myself so much and didn't want to take away from the whole experience. (By the way--the top photo was taken at a wedding I shot in the Spring of 2005: pre-blogging days.) It was such a blessing to be able to witness their reactions to the photos during that slideshow. My heart soared. I had goosebumps. And I wanted to cry. All at the same time. I felt so much joy because I had a part in creating that kind of happiness. I really do have the best job in the world.
What about you? Are you a bride who had a slideshow at your reception? What was your experience like? As a photographer have you tried it? What type of results have you had? I'd love to hear from you on this!
What about you? Are you a bride who had a slideshow at your reception? What was your experience like? As a photographer have you tried it? What type of results have you had? I'd love to hear from you on this!
Comments
If you liked this post, you might also like
