I've got this theory about wedding photography and offbeat couples.

See, wedding photographers aren't just doing a service for you. You're also doing a service for them by providing images for use in their portfolios. And, let's be honest, which photos add more to a photographer's body of work: another traditional shot from a traditional wedding or a photo of a couple dressed as astronauts taking flight on their wedding day?

In other words, photos from your offbeat wedding may be of greater business benefit to a photographer … and therefore, photographers may be willing to negotiate a lower price.

I decided to test this theory by asking some of my favorite wedding photographers about their pricing policies and negotiating tips for non-traditional couples. Here's what I learned…

Continue reading "The offbeat advantage negotiating with wedding photographers" →

When I talked to Lara Swanson from Lara Swanson Photography about how she got to the place of becoming an independent wedding photographer in Washington DC, she explained to me that, "I used to work for studios and the reason I stopped was that I never got to know the couple — I went in blind, took photos I thought might be meaningful, and never really made a connection."

Lara went on explain that, "Now I'm picky with my clients — I don't take on couples who are going through the motions, taking steps they think they have to take. I take on much fewer clients than I could so that I can devote more time and care to learning about each couple and their wedding."

This care is evident in both the wedding photos that Lara takes, as well as the articles she writes on her blog. Past posts include explorations of inclusive language in client documentation, as well as a series called Wedding Conscious, Socially Conscious.

But all this would be moot if the nontraditional wedding photography from Lara Swanson Photography wasn't beautiful. But oh, it is beautiful. Here are a few of my favorite shots …

Continue reading "Washington DC wedding photography from Lara Swanson Photography" →