http://www.articletrader.com/ Articles at ArticleTrader en-us http://www.articletrader.com/society/weddings/new-york-wedding-photographer.html http://www.articletrader.com/society/weddings/new-york-wedding-photographer.html Sat, 23 Aug 2008 00:00:00 -0500
Longevity...
You ever wonder why one restaurant can survive for decades while others come and go? Do you think it might have to do with there service, quality of food, prices, or maybe all of the above? The fact is that the studios that have been around for years have managed to stay because they provide great service and a quality product. That isn't to say they are perfect, but in a city this demanding, you don't last long if you aren't earning referrals. New York City is the city that makes or breaks artists. Statistics show that 4 out of 5 photographers are out of business within the first 5 years. When it comes to your wedding, the last thing you want to consider is putting thousands of dollars in the hands of a business that isn't proven to be around when the big day comes. Longevity should be a consideration when you are planning an occasion as important as your wedding.

Etiquette...
With that said, you have to also consider style. Many studios that have in fact been around since the beginning of film may not have evolved with the times, or with the personalities and needs of younger generations. When I have a consultation with a couple, I tend to listen. Often couples can't tell us exactly what they do want, but certainly speak up when they tell us what they don't want. A recent mom and daughter sat down with me talking about a recent over the top wedding in New York City they took part in. They talked at length about the photographer's personality and how annoying he was. They proceeded to talk about how during the horrah, a jewish custom dance in which the couples is lifted on chairs, the photographer kept yelling for the people holding the chairs to turn the couple towards him, and how it seemed odd. They also mentioned that they were annoyed when asked to move over during the ceremony, and several other comments were made about his etiquette.

Although this may seem like an abnormal scenario, the fact is that in New York City, it is very common for photographers to be voiceterous. This is how things were done in the old days before equipment evolved allowing photographers to capture real moments in dimly lit situations. It is a style that is still very prevalent and taught by many studios that have the longevity you might be looking for. If you feel that things like this may bother you, it is smart to ask the photographer you interview point blank about their etiquette at weddings. Today's wedding photographer etiquette has evolved, and more in line with what most couples want. Most are looking for a photographer that captures history rather than one who creates it. In order to do that, they must have more than great photography, they have to have a personality that is in tune with the idea of being a historian. If you don't like what you hear when you ask, you may want to move on and weigh the pros and cons of style vs. longevity.

Experience...
One thing I have learned in my career as a New York Wedding Photographer is that you never know what is behind a door in Manhattan. You may be walking down a street that isn't the prettiest of sights or smells for that matter and open a door into another world of opulence and beauty. Photographers in New York have such varying degrees of experience options that it is endless. You might go to a studio to meet one photographer, an apartment to meet another, a luxury high rise for yet another, or meet at Starbucks to do business with others and some photographers make house calls as well. This makes it tough for a couple to define exactly the talent or character of the company they are considering. The truth is that none of this matters as long as you love your photographs in the end. However, I am of the impression that there is something to be said for the company that puts money back into their client experiences. If they take pride in their appearance, their decor and presentation, then they will obviously take pride in the presentations they create for you.

You may also have to consider what their online experience is like. The majority of photographers at this stage in the game offer a wide variety of online services for proofing photographs, slide shows for guests, etc... If you aren't impressed with the finesse of their website, then chances are, you won't be overly impressed with their post wedding online experiences either. The web is the ultimate tool for photographers to share their images with the world, so it makes sense that those with a focus on their clients experiences online initially will also offer more detailed post wedding experiences and opportunities as well.

Quality of Work
Too many technical details define what quality actually is in the photography industry. It may be the detail of the cameras a photographer uses, it may be the printer their photographs is printed on, or could be a variety of things. It seems that everyone claims to offer the best quality or be the best in the photography world because there is no way to determine what is best. Photography is after all an art. What is one man's masterpiece is another man's trash. Best in photography on the high end is usually defined by awards, client list, credentials, or all of the above.

The only true way to for a photographer to really state they are among the best is if they can back it up with some sort of data that showcases that their work is above par. There are endless competitions for photographers to enter, and the creme always rises to the top. Arguably the most coveted award in the world of wedding photography is the Grand Award of the International Photography Awards held by the organization WPPI or Wedding and Portrait Photographers International. Thousands of entries from the world's most renowned photographers are judged each year by a panel of the world's elite. Winners of this prestigious award are very few and far between, but history shows that there are a few New York Wedding Photographers that manage to place in the top three year after year making their work noticeably unique with defining qualities that are superior.

Another way to define best in class is with a client list. Photographers who are in demand by celebrities obviously have it going on. A combination of style, quality, and personality are almost always present with photographers who photograph Manhattan's social elite. These photographers obviously come with a price tag that is affordable by few, but the feeling of being photographed by the same artist that captures the soul of celebrities, dignitaries, and world leaders is a personal experience that makes the photographs and the experience a prized possession and memory in itself.

But quality has different meanings to different people. If on a tight budget, the best thing you can do is see artists of varying price levels and of varying credentials. Only then can you figure out who's eyes offer the best value for your individual tastes. If you love the images you see, and trust name behind the company you should be safe.

Sales Practices
Be wary of companies who have hard sales techniques as there is always other options. New Yorkers can have a way of fast talking couples into signing on the dotted line. Make sure you are comfortable with your decision and if you have any questions about the integrity of the company or artist, sleep on it. Never feel forced to book on the spot, and be careful for those who you feel are trying to swindle you.

On the flip side, if you are wowed and know you have found what you are looking for, secure the date. Truth is, there are a LOT of weddings in New York every year, and not that many dates. If you are working with a reliable company that you have come to by referral then chances are the date won't be available for long.

Think Inside the Box
Manhattan weddings aren't easy. Combine city navigation, extremely tall ceilings, large open spaces, and dim lighting and you have just written a recipe for disaster for those that aren't experienced. It is smart to hire a photographer that is used to working in these situations. That doesn't mean just a photographer from Manhattan, but you probably wouldn't want to hire a country mouse to do the work of a city mouse. Country weddings are more forgiving for photographers as they offer a great deal of ease.

New York weddings also flow differently from other weddings in terms of timeline and logistics. For instance, a photographer from the city knows how to coordinate with their assistants that can be 30 stories above them photographing the groom getting ready as the bride arrives to the entrance of a hotel. Coordination of the team requires expensive specialized walkie talkies that can penetrate concrete and mileage as the standard talk about just doesn't cut it. If you are planning a lavish Manhattan affair, saving money by bringing in a country photographer can be a mistake as they don't encounter the difficulties week end and week out.

Closing
There is nothing more fabulous than a New York Wedding. New York offers grandeur, excitement, glamour, and style which can resonate in your wedding photographs. These simple tips should allow you to navigate the waters with a little more thought in mind when you begin your research for the wedding photographer that is perfect for your wedding. New York has it all so enjoy it for a lifetime with phenomenal photography that you are proud to own and cherish.

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Celebrity photographer Charles Maring is among the worlds most famous wedding photographers capturing the weddings that make the headlines. He is a foremost expert in digital photography and among the dream team of International educators, and wedding experts. Charles and his wife Jennifer serve Manhattan, New England, and the world creating inspiring photographs that are published widely. Creators of Together In Style an online wedding talk show, the Marings are bringing expert advice to the table from professionals in every area of expertise. Charles divides his professional and person time between his Manhattan and Connecticut homes with his wife Jennifer. Visit Charles personal web site at www.maringphoto.com to view his photography and learn more.

Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]> http://www.articletrader.com/society/the-best-of-wedding-photography.html http://www.articletrader.com/society/the-best-of-wedding-photography.html Fri, 15 Aug 2008 00:00:00 -0500
Most families entering into the quest for the perfect photographer will undoubtedly have to settle on price vs quality. The fact is that at this point in the digital age, photographers are a dime a dozen. There is absolutely no pre-qualification in the photography industry to state who can say they are a professional and who cannot. But that doesn’t really matter. There are plenty of surgeons, dentists, or other key professionals who have schooling and a degree that lack talent and intuition. Talent is the key ingredient in great photography. Just like a fingerprint, each person’s eyes see things differently. Hand the same camera to a hundred different people where talent and skill are equal and each one will come up with something different in a given situation. The key is to find an artist that communicates visually with you. You’ll have to look beyond the well exposed image and consciously ask yourself “do I feel something looking at this work”, and then figure out if you enjoy the feeling you get.

A great way to sum it up is to visit the gallery district in the Chelsea neighborhood of New York City. You can walk through over 100 galleries on any given weekend and see a wild array of art. You’ll come out of some galleries perplexed, emotionally drained, or simply thinking how weird you feel based on what you just experienced. Photography should grab you emotionally and shake you up. If it doesn’t, it’s probably time to move on and find something that does. It’s out there, but you may have to seek it harder than imagined.

Why is Photography Expensive?
So what constitutes price for photography? Why does one photographer cost $3000.00, which by professional standards in the industry is the bottom of the barrel, to $25,000 which is the going rate for celebrity photographers who photograph the rich and famous? It is a combination of many things, and most likely my answer won’t be the most popular because, simply put, the best does cost more than most can afford. Supply and demand is one of the most crucial elements of why photography can get as expensive as a luxury car. Phenomenal photography does take a great deal of time to produce. You want to give an artist time as you want them designing and printing your photographs when they feel in the creative zone. That may be at 4am, that may be in the afternoon, but when the feeling hits them the results are usually well worth it. A high end photographer generally starts with a superior image based on years of experience working with light. A photographer that is just 5 years in is clueless about light, even though they may think they know it all. In photography, you never stop learning, and never know it all even if it is your life’s mission. A seasoned professional can walk into any situation and create a masterful image because they understand light and/or lack of light, and how to use their tools to master the situation. For everyone else, it is guesswork. Maybe the result will be good or maybe it won’t. On a wedding day, the last thing you want to do is leave it up to guesswork, and you certainly don’t have a second to spare on somebody trying to figure it out. So, a well paid artist is paid less for their time and more for the accumulated knowledge of their superior image making ability. Their entire life’s work comes down to the moment you hire them, and every experience and breath they took in between matters because it reflects in the images they create. High end professional photographers also have the ability to pay for superior processing of photographs, have luxury paper choices, and generally the latest in digital technology at their fingertips simply because they can afford to. They will no doubt have a more luxurious product offering, and you get the feeling that goes along with hiring the best. As you know, regardless of what you purchase, when you buy the best there is a great feeling that comes with it. To sum it up, think highly of the professional who draws the upper price scale as they have earned their way there by pleasing clients and their price is where it is generally because of the integrity of the product and service and the demand for their personal and professional time. They are setting new standards of excellence and raising the bar in their industry, while the cheap photographer is actually pulling industry standards down. You will no doubt get what you pay for in wedding photography.

Figuring out price can be challenging as well. Some photographers will have cookie cutter price menus with little regard for personalization. Others will have A-la-Carte pricing where you pick and choose your options. Still others will price by custom quoting based on the demands of the assignment. There is no right or wrong way to price photography, but I tend to feel that if photography is truly luxurious, then luxurious options apply in which a custom quote based on your individual wedding makes the most sense. How many hours do you need, whether you want an album, how many photographers should be present, how many parent books, whether you want luxury papers in them, and ultimately what your budget is should all be taken into account by the photographer and worked around what you desire. There are a lot of questions to be answered, and a custom quote takes all of the guesswork out and makes the decision making process much more simplified.

Beyond the Surface
With that said, you will have to look beyond price and even beyond the photography product itself if you want to really experience the best of wedding photography. What experience will the photographer provide you the day of the wedding? That is a very important question that you should get to the bottom of. In my 20 year career photographing weddings, I’ve been fortunate to hear over and over what an incredible experience couples had with us on the wedding day. There simply isn’t a lot of time dedicated to posed photography in the weddings I photograph. Couples that hire me, want to enjoy the day, each other, their family, and their friends. The seconds count and regardless of whether they hired a celebrity wedding planner/coordinator, the photographer is actually the person who controls the flow of the day’s events. The photographer makes sure you are on time, or you are late. They keep you on schedule or you are always behind. The credit of your day flowing smoothly ultimately should be given to your photographer if they take pride in your experience. Great wedding photography therefore goes well beyond the imagery, talent, and the price you pay. In fact there are many very expensive photographers who feel they are entitled to your precious time. Which of course is nonsense. This is your time, and part of the photographers job is to make sure you get as much of it as possible. Your photographer should be able to work quickly and have the people skills it takes to organize groups and get your portraits composed beautifully at the same time. They should also be able to see god gifted moments and capture history as it unfolds rather than interrupting your every move and breath. Every time they interrupt and change history the day becomes less about your life, and more about theirs while it burns minutes off of the time line of your day.

The Digital Masterpiece
Digital photography has come of age, and is now the standard of excellence. There has never been a more exciting time to be a professional photographer, and their has never been a more demanding time either. Customers have come to expect more from professionals, and rightfully so. Many couples have Adobe Photoshop or some other image editing software on their home computer and know what is possible. Just a few clicks of the mouse and a pimple can be removed, the sky made more blue, the edges can be darkened, borders can be added, and all sorts of creative effects can be done. It is important for people to keep in mind that this does take time. The images captured by professional level digital SLR’s are much different from consumer cameras. The files literally have millions of more colors available and the file sizes are dramatically bigger. Even the fastest computers take several seconds to open a file into Photoshop and a few minutes to edit and save.

Add 200 on top of that and the photographer just spent two days sitting at a computer. It is easy to get caught up on how easy it can be done to one image at home, but important to realize that this equals days of skilled work by a professional. And, what you expect from yourself at home is one thing, because when you are paying for it you expect perfection. What is thought of as quick just took the photographer days or weeks. Digital photography takes more time than tradition photography where little or nothing was expected in regards to retouching are artistic printing. With that said you also need to be careful that the effects used can’t be dated. If you think back to the 70’s and just how bad wedding photography became, you know what I mean. Effects are great when they are classic, but be careful that the effects aren’t going to be like a time warp of embarrassment when you look back at these photographs in twenty years. Just because the tools are available doesn’t mean that you will receive a masterpiece if in the wrong hands. Give anyone a paintbrush and every color in the world, chances are the end result will be less than beautiful. So choose wisely and think ahead when it comes to digital.


Visual Communication Experts
Many photographers work from home, others have professional offices, still others have studios. None of this matters when hiring a photographer other than your own comfort. The fact is that event photographers don’t need a studio because everything they photograph, portraits included, may be on location. However, you might pay attention to style in their home, gallery, or studio? Do they have style? Are the photographs presented well? Are there hundreds of photographs on the wall, or just one or two with clean lines and visual communication? Those that take pride in their style and their living or working environment usually take pride in taking care of their customers with obvious care for their experience. Successful artists invest heavily in their clients experience, and you should pay attention to more than the photographs. If the artist does in fact have style, it will communicate into their art and in the end, into your own home as well.

This also carries over to the photographers web site and presentation. Do they have style? Good question. The web is the ultimate tool for an artist to share their vision with the world. At the core, photographers are supposed to be visual communication experts. If that is true, then it should make sense that their online gallery should visually communicate and be inspiring. A good sign that they have style begins with how they deliver their message to the world. The web is a great place to start, and find out who has style and finesse. You and your guests will ultimately have online experiences with the photographer after the event with web proofing, slide shows, and other unique options. Since your experience starts online and ends online, this should be a consideration from the very start.

There are lots of articles on choosing a photographer, but very few that give it to you straight and are usually written around being budget conscious rather than experience conscious. This was written to offer you advice that has depth and things to consider other than price so that even if you are on a tight budget, you will pay attention to more than the obvious. When choosing a photographer for such a precious occasion it is smart to choose wisely and think beyond the surface. Only then can you have assured confidence to enjoy the days events in style.

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Celebrity photographer Charles Maring is among the world’s most famous wedding photographers capturing the weddings that make the headlines. He is a foremost expert in digital photography and among the dream team of International educators, and wedding experts. Charles and his wife Jennifer serve Manhattan, New England, and the world creating inspiring photographs that are published widely. Creators of TogetherInStyle.com an online wedding talk show, the Maring’s are bringing expert advice to the table from professionals in every area of expertise. Charles divides his professional and person time between his Manhattan and Connecticut homes with his wife Jennifer. Visit Charles’ personal web site at www.maringphoto.com to view his photography and learn more.

Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]> http://www.articletrader.com/society/weddings/your-wedding-perfect-as-it-gets.html http://www.articletrader.com/society/weddings/your-wedding-perfect-as-it-gets.html Wed, 04 Jun 2008 00:00:00 -0500 Your Wedding, Perfect As It Gets

The wedding day is here and you’re so excited about utilizing all of the products and services you paid for. You just know you got some great deals. Your dress, which is stunning, is a replica of a designer dress you once saw. And, you found somebody to make the dress at a fraction of the cost! You read in an online forum about this really great photographer that several brides loved. You visited their site and loved the photographs, so you hired them over the phone. The videographer you hired assured you that he has the best equipment so your video is going to be amazing on your new plasma TV at home. The limo company is in place to arrive and you booked them for two hours so you are good to go. Your DJ is going to be great as well. He plays major clubs in the city and you have a younger crowd so you have it made. And, to top that off, you found a florist that can make the same bouquets and centerpieces as a well-known celebrity party planner you visited and got some designs from even though you knew he was out of your budget. You’ve been smart, a little sneaky, and certainly savvy about planning your wedding!

It is going to be a fantastic wedding! The photographer and video artist arrive and you start to slip on your gown. Everything looks great and you are laughing inside about the bargain you got. Your friends all think you’re gown must have costs $10,000.00. As mom starts to zip up and button the dress you notice that there are strings hanging out of the back of the dress. If you tuck them in, the zipper shows. If you don’t there are strings hanging out the back. You also notice that it fits perfectly at the waist, but your boobs look like they are going to pop out at any second and as you look in the mirror, you are about to freak. Everyone assures you that you look fantastic and those are just minor details. All you can think in your head is “so much for that designer gown”. But, you suck it up and say "that is the glitch of the day." "I am not going to sweat the small stuff."

You are ecstatic as the florist arrives with the bouquets! They are beautiful! You begin to pass out the bouquets to the girls; one for Tammy, one for Jenny, one for Allison, and…. “Where is the fourth bouquet?” Frantically, you try to reach the florist on their cell phone. No answer. The florist is on their way to the ceremony and reception to make sure the décor is coming together. Nobody can reach them and your bridesmaid will just have to walk without one. “How could this mistake be overlooked”, you wonder as you try your best to get beyond it. You simply have to move on and think about what is important. The two of you are getting married!!!!

It’s noon and the limo arrives right on time! Yeah… Going to the chapel. The ceremony itself is beautiful. Everyone is here. Friends, family, and they are all trying to watch as you look into one another’s eyes. For you, the moment is like no other and is about as perfect as it gets. As you turn and face one another, you notice that the videographer is about 3 feet from you with his huge camera, on a huge tripod, and blocking your parents view! You are annoyed to no end, but can’t really say anything or you will disrupt the service. You don’t understand! The video you saw was great! "Guess I forgot to ask if he was unobtrusive", you think to yourself. Oh well, at least your parents can see you get married on the video.

As you leave the ceremony everyone cheers you on and you are on your way to take family photographs at a near by park. You get in the car and start to take off and the limo driver says. "You only have me for 30 more minutes and then I have to go." You ask him to stay extra time so that you can go take pictures and you will gladly pay him. He says “I can’t I have another wedding to get to.” You are frantic. What are you going to do? You argue, but that isn’t doing any good. You just have to hope for the best and hope the photos don’t take that long.

You get to the park and you tell your photographer the scoop. He states that there is no worry that he can work quickly and get it all done. Inside, he is a stress case, but he doesn’t let it show. That is one sign of a great professional. As he begins posing your family your mom says, “Where is your brother Billy and his wife?” You don’t know, your parents don’t know, and neither does anyone else. Did he have directions? Did he know when and where to go? Oh well, you’ll have to do the photos without him. Of course the limo driver reminds you of the time twice during the session so your smile is a little off at this point.

The portraits do move quickly, and suddenly in the distance, Billy arrives. As the photographer re-poses the family and takes the last shot, you see the limo pulling away and leaving you at the park! You simply can’t believe it. But, at least your parents drove! You can catch a ride with them. You’ll arrive at your reception in style in a 2000 Honda Accord. That’s ok. At the very least you are there and ready to live it up.

As you are announced into the reception you can’t believe your eyes. The designs you gave the floral designer are nothing like you are seeing before you. You have the strangest “happy look” on your face anyone has ever seen. You said you wanted the tall centerpieces to be big with lots of air. She took lots of air to mean sparse! No wonder the difference in cost. There are 1/4 of the flowers you expected to see in the center of the tables. And, when you sit down to eat you notice that the centerpieces block your view from the people across from you. The florist never considered that the height had to be perfect. Well, you’ll just have to talk to one another. That is ok to.

As you are announced to the dance floor for your dance as husband and wife, you are both ready. You prepared a special dance and practiced for weeks. As the song begins to play he looks into your eyes and sees a disturbing look. “This isn’t the song! He’s playing the wrong song!” you say to your new husband. Angry in the moment, you stop the first dance and tell the DJ. He searches on his laptop endlessly but just doesn’t have that song in his iTunes library. He does have several great club mixes though that could work.

At the end of the night, your friends have partied like it is 1999. All and all, you had a great night. You are exhausted, but in the end, you got married, which is what it was all about. Even with all the tragedies, it was still a great day, and you begin to dream about your honeymoon and new life together.

It’s been a few weeks of sun and fun. You are tan and when you get home there is an excited message from your photographer stating that all your proofs are ready. You are so psyched to get your photos. You go to pick them up and it all looks boring and average. There is a huge tripod and videographer in all of the shots of you on the alter! Of course that isn’t his fault. But also, there aren’t pictures of the bridal party. Most of the photos are all posed with very little real moments. You ask him and he doesn’t know what to say. But you had read online about how great their photojournalism was….? What you didn’t know is that those brides in the wedding forum online were actually his cousins, friends, and family members who are creating propaganda for him to make him look more successful. He’s really only been in business for a couple of months officially. You saw his portfolio, but the fact is that anyone can take a great photo now and then.

This is the last straw. You are burnt out, and wondering, “how did I not see all of this?” “I did my homework!” You just joined 1000’s of other brides in learning the same lessons hard way. For one, you didn’t ask the right questions to make a smart decision about your event professionals, and relied on sources that are about advertising dollars rather than information with integrity. These are very real stories that I have seen time and time again throughout my career as a wedding photographer. It is written as a sarcastic story to make several points and force couples to see behind the pretty logos and unethical propaganda that some businesses create to entice you to hire and utilize their services.

There is no such thing as a luxury bargain wedding. However, there is one place that has great experts that can help your friends and family find the best value and make smart decisions when planning a wedding. Learn what questions to ask, be entertained, get from the heart information, along with a behind the scenes look from the professional’s prospective at www.togetherinstyle.com. Together In Style is the world’s first and only luxury online wedding talk show with incredible tips and advice from the biggest names in the wedding industry. Your wedding! Perfect as it gets!

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Based in Manhattan, Charles Maring is a wedding photographer that captured the weddings you read about in the headlines. His photographs receive International Acclaim, and are among the most awarded in the world. Part of Charles’ mission is to share expert advice with couples to help them make smarter decisions and know what questions to ask. He has seen it all in his near 20 year career and is an expert at planning wedding timelines. See Maring's work and vision at Together In Style

Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]> http://www.articletrader.com/internet/technology-ties-the-knot.html http://www.articletrader.com/internet/technology-ties-the-knot.html Wed, 04 Jun 2008 00:00:00 -0500
Dawn of a new age is beginning to unfold as the information age reaches its peak before unraveling into the connected age. At the peak of this incredible time in society HD video, the Internet, art, and science are all coming together to create communication that is both entertaining, education, and connective.

Together In Style, an online experience for newly engaged couples is at the forefront of this excited time in history. The site is about as cutting edge as a website can be. At first glance you know immediately you’re in a place of luxury. The photography and visuals are incredibly classy and you feel more like you are in a boutique than surfing the web. You know immediately how to navigate the site. There is no clutter, and the ease of navigation is simple. This site was obviously designed by an artist and not a just a coder. Part website, part magazine, part television show, you will be amazed at the depth of the multiple experiences the technological site provides.

As you dive a little deeper, the visuals continue, and you find that there are hours on end of 5-15 minutes television shows with people you have seen on TV on a variety of networks. And, they are all sharing information from the heart based on their personal life experiences, and their expertise about how to make smarter decisions when planning a fantastic wedding. The TV shows have zero lag time and start playing immediately, yet the clarity is stunning. And due to the use of Adobe’s latest media server technology, and Actionscript 3.0, you can even watch the shows in full screen if you wish.

After watching an hour of interesting shows, you dive even deeper to see endless photographs of wedding gowns from the world’s top designers. But this isn’t like your standard thumbnail photos where you can’t see the detail. Each designer gets their own organized section where brides can flip through pages of luxury gowns quickly. The detail of the photographs is unparalleled, and there is no wait time for new html pages to download.

Another step forward and you are reading a blog with tips and information from the host of the site, Jennifer Maring. You can even interact with the host online by posting comments, asking questions, and spend countless hours reading her column. Jennifer, and her husband Charles are known for photographing many of the weddings that make the headlines. But if you ask them what they do for a living you might hear “Jennifer and I are both photographers, producers, web designers, graphic artists, writers….” The list goes on.

Take another side step and you can even interact to create your own personal wedding website to inform guests about all the details like where to park at the reception, the menu, dress code, and even post photographs of you and your adventures. Surprisingly enough, it is extremely easy, and you can even utilize many of Maring’s photographs as accents and themes in your own site available exclusively for you so that your site looks just as breath taking. If it sounds like a lot to do, it is but this is just tipping the iceberg of the options available.

Young, at the age of 36, Charles and 31 Jennifer, they are part of a new generation of visionaries that feel the Internet is about as boring and unsophisticated as it could be. As artists, they set out to create something more than a website. They wanted to create an oasis for couples. A place where they could sit back, relax, get educated, be entertained, and feel like they were part of a heightened luxury experience.

Blending art and science together, the Maring’s built TogetherInStyle.com using a blend of in depth HTML and Actionscript 3.0, which is Adobe Flash’s latest native language. They capture all of the photographs that give the site artistic integrity with Canon’s top of the line digital SLR, and work the images through Adobe Photoshop. They had to learn to produce HD video and television segments with Canon’s latest line of HD cameras. They even had to learn Apple Final Cut Pro, Motion, Sound Track, and many other technologies to bring this to life. “Tomorrows technology will have to mix the medias to be successful”, says Charles. “We learned all of these angles so that we could understand the entire process and the challenges each division would face as the companies grew.”

So, why would two totally successful photographers take on a challenge when they could have left well enough alone photographing celebrity weddings all over the world? Simply put, they did it for their clients and brides to be. They felt that there wasn’t information being shared that had depth, or could really help couples understand the challenges faced by event professionals. “In our 15-20 year career, we see the same mistakes over and over at weddings that could easily be avoided if couples just knew what questions to ask.”, says Charles.

Now that the site is up and running and getting hits from all over the world, Maring has even bigger plans for Together In Style that he doesn’t want to share in detail just yet that will go way beyond just weddings and into lifestyle and togetherness. For now, whether you are just into technology or are actually engaged to be married, check out www.togetherinstyle.com, and see one of the how blending multimedia together online is offering engaged couples a visual oasis that educates and entertains.

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Connecticut Photographer, writer, and video producer Derrick Watson photographs weddings throughout the United States. He makes it a point to stay on the leading edge of technology and co-creates with Together In Style, an online wedding talk show, to bring quality information to the forefront of the wedding industry and beyond.

Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]> http://www.articletrader.com/society/weddings/luxury-wedding-planning.html http://www.articletrader.com/society/weddings/luxury-wedding-planning.html Thu, 25 Oct 2007 00:00:00 -0500
When it comes to destination weddings, unless you have a friend in the area, hiring a wedding planner is almost a must. Wedding planners are not only experienced in making the day flow smoothly, but will also know, or have access to the who's who of event professionals in the area. If planning close to home, referrals from friends or family members should be high on your list, but a wedding planner is always a great idea as many can offer a calming experience that takes the stress out of all of the details. But brides beware, it is also important to note that many wedding planners, or wedding wedding referral services, are paid by local or national wedding professionals for their referral. While this isn't necessarily a bad thing, it can alter the wedding planners decisions on who to send you to see. It is important to know how your planner makes their suggestions so that you know if they are looking for the best of the best, or simply to those that pay for the referral. Many of the very best professionals are so successful in their own right that they don't need to pay for referrals, and therefore can end up on the wedding planner's long list rather than the short list.

In life most everyone has to budget for the things they want. When it comes to planning a wedding, there is literally no limit to the experience you can have, or the amount you can spend creating it. In my 15-year career as a New York City based wedding photographer, I have photographed small events with 20 guests and budgets of $10,000 to weddings with 500 guests and budgets of millions. Truth be told, it makes no difference photographically speaking. The importance of amazing photography is the same. The relationships between couples, their parents, their siblings, and friends are the key ingredient and truly what matters.

Wedding photography and video coverage is the only intangible element of planning a wedding before the event and is often under valued until after the wedding is over. Then suddenly it is of the utmost importance and often the biggest regret of couples that cut their budget in this area. Photography should never be lumped in with the other items to consider in the budget such as lobster vs. shrimp for the menu. It should have it's own separate budget because it is what you take away from this special day. The importance of great photographs cannot be stressed enough and to put it in perspective, when facing disaster at home, you don't go back in to the house for your microwave. You only go back in for your memories. Choosing to hire a photographer with a gifted eye and choosing to build a one of a kind gorgeous album with all of your friends and family is the perfect way to honor them, and share their existence with future generations.

Finding the perfect wedding gown to walk down that aisle is important to all brides. Having photographed bridal couture runway for years with the biggest names in wedding gown designs, I've learned a thing or two about how to choose your wedding dress. One key point is not to shop for your gown with an entourage of people. Go with very few key people that you trust, and that understand your body type, your vision, and that will be honest with you about how the gown looks on you. Too many opinions can quickly lead to indecision. Another key is to go with your gut feeling. If you feel beautiful in it, then chances are, you are making the right decision.

Figuring out the guest list, and inviting guests to your wedding, takes some serious time and thought. And, your wedding should be an extension of your being. Creating a theme for the event is a great way to allow guests to look beyond the surface into the depths of who you are both as individuals and as a couple. The key to a theme is following through, and it starts with the wedding invitation, and ends with the thank you. Your wedding invitations should give subtle hints, of what to expect during the wedding experience and intrigue guests to rsvp with a definite yes. By creating a theme and carrying out the theme to the end, guests are involved in your story, which allows guests that aren't as close to you as immediate friends and family to get solid picture of who you are.

Time is the ultimate luxury. And, today luxury isn't about how much you spend, it is about how much you enjoy it. It's the little personal touches and personalization in itself that constitutes planning a luxury wedding. Together In Style, luxury wedding television online, is a great online resource that caters to couples that want to save time, learn how to personalize their wedding, and enjoy every moment of the wedding planning process. These and other natural wedding planning embellishments can be found online through three hours of on demand television programming, which is free for all to enjoy.













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TogetherInStyle
Charles Maring Photography

Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]>