Thank you twohuskies. You have to be a winner if you love animals. I'll vote for ya!!! I have painted several huskies...beautiful dogs (don't tell THEM they are dogs). I say "used to be a photographer" because my house burned several years ago and I lost all my camera equiptment. I did horse shows and weddings mostly. I have a few flower pix left that my Mom had at her house. I lost all of mine in the fire...sort of lost my heart for photography after loosing all that equiptment...BUT my love for flowers will never die and I will have all the roses I want some day. I'll get some pix together soon, but you rosey people are mighty good with your cameras too. I'm seeing some beauties here and enjoying every minute of it.

You have said that you're not a great people photographer..If they expect more than just snap shots my suggestion would be not to do it. A wedding is something that cannot be done again. To answer your question here are Lord Lichfield's top wedding photo tips: Shoot some photos in black and white: it helps capture the atmosphere of the Big Day Appoint a project manager - the bride's mother is ideal. Don't expect the bride or groom to attend to the details on their day. Visit the venue, do a "recce", plan every last detail in advance. walk through the events and timing or the day ( a similar rehearsal to that of the bride and groom) so he/she has a precise knowledge of the layout, expected details and location of the wedding event. Then, add time and a half to account for unforeseen circumstances on the actual day. Make sure you know who the important family members are - otherwise you will find strangers creeping into your valuable photographs Photograph the bride before she gets into the car to take her to the ceremony - if wearing a veil this is the only time you will find her with it in place over her face. Make sure when she gets out of the car you have the children in place. Always start your post -ceremony photographs with the biggest group and then start to discard individuals, this means you will not be searching for people at the last minute. Expect to work right through to the last photograph of just the bride and groom. Get the children in the first photograph - otherwise they will get their clothes messy, tired and emotional or even lost! Be ready for the speeches and cake - the photographer must not be distracted by the prettiest bridesmaid! Be aware of the time the bride and groom are likely to depart - shots of confetti and the car are important A good photographer will know the most flattering angles but generally it is not standing square on to the lens. Most people look best three quarters facing the camera, with their shoulder towards it and the head turned. Good Luck

These days, bridal shops really take the footwork out of your wedding photography. Step into a bridal shop, and youll be presented with irresistibly-priced wedding packages. For three thousand bucks you get this, you get that and you get the photography thrown in - FREE. That's a lot of bang for the bucks, you thought. And so you sign up for one of the packages. "Congratulations!" says the consultant, "Come in one month before your wedding and weÂll set you up for the photo shoot." It was a set up indeed. The problem with some of these packaged photography is that they require you to have your wedding pictures taken before your wedding day. Many of these photographers would prefer not to take your pictures on your wedding day. For them, 'actual day' pictures are best left to the amateurs. Curious thinking, that. Ask around. Check with your friends. Find out how many of them REALLY liked their so-called studio wedding photographs. "That wasnÂt me!" "Hey! I looked ridiculous in that pose." "No, no! This one is censored, you canÂt look at this, I looked ugly here." Sound familiar? Well, what went wrong? How your wedding photos will turn out eventually depends a lot on you too. Just consider the following: WAS IT TAKEN ON YOUR WEDDING DAY? One month, one week, or even one day before your wedding is still not your wedding day. So would you feel the same as you would have felt on your wedding day? While it wouldnÂt be fair to generalize that all photo sessions before the wedding would turn out wrong, weÂre really saying that itÂs not the real thing. Contrary to what some photographers might suggest to you (that youÂll be too tired to look good if the photos were taken on the actual day), actual-day photos will turn out well. And we are talking about studio-quality photography here, not those taken by your aunts and uncles. After all, it IS your big day and youÂll be naturally happy. And this happy disposition would naturally be captured in your photographs. BEWARE THE SNARE OF "ARTFUL" CONTRIVANCE You canÂt believe why on earth did you allow the photographer to "degrade" you that day. But you were certain you looked stupid in the picture. "Groom, hold up the phone receiver and talk into it. Bride, look the other wayÂthatÂs right, okay now, cup your right ear and pretend to hear him. Perfect!" Who would want a picture like that? You wonÂt believe the paces some photographers put people through, but they sure are silly. What your photographer feel is art may not really be your cup of tea. So, do be careful. Learn to say no if youÂre not comfortable with a particular pose. WeÂve seen too many poor couples manipulated into poses best performed by contortionists. DonÂt be another victim. ENDURING THE PERFECTIONIST TORTURE If you really have to take pre-wedding (studio) photography, check with your photographer how many shots and how any hours of photography heÂs putting you through. Setting a time limit with your photographer would be helpful for it is not uncommon for couples to go through 7-hour photo sessions. If you feel that you can take the marathon, fine. But would you still look good nearing the 7th hour mark? Checking ahead with your photographer would better prepare you for the photo shoot. In turn, this will minimize any unpleasant surprises that might arise due to poor planning. Another thing to consider before signing up with any photographer is the location of the photo session. These days, anything goes and hereÂs where you have to be careful. A number of couples have taken to endanger their lives by taking pictures on railway tracks. WeÂre not talking about disused railway tracks, but tracks that have regular (and speeding) services running on them. So, make sure your photographer really know the train schedule to avoid any unpleasantness, to say the least. THE PHOTOJOURNALISTIC APPROACH: A POPULAR OPTION A good and responsible photographer will surely want to get to know the couple first so that a relationship can be built between the couple and him. Usually, a planning conference would be held at the photographerÂs studio or at your home. This is essential as it helps the photographer build rapport with you. You will smile more naturally and readily before the camera if the photographer is somebody who already knows you. That in turn contributes to better pictures. While not imposing any particular form of photography, we find that about 60% of the couples prefer the photojournalistic concept. The other 40% is shared equally between candid photography and contrived ones. (couples looking at the wedding rings, the sort) The photojournalistic approach, is not to be confused with candid photography. Candid pictures are usually taken without the subjects knowledge. At times, candid shots may turn out well, but most of the time they become rather inconsequential as they do not adequately capture the mood of the occasion. The photojournalistic concept, on the other hand, captures the spirit of things. Posing is fine, but is done as naturally as possible. The advantages of choosing the photojournalistic type are aplenty. Firstly, you donÂt have to pose awkwardly. Some posing, while done correctly (but contrived) are best suited for models who gloss wedding magazines. TheyÂre slick, but cold. ThereÂs no atmosphere of love there. Secondly, unlike candid shots which end up being inconsequential most of the time, the happiness that permeates the occasion is captured in the photographs. It could be the audience laughing in response to a good joke or the glances that the newly weds exchange with each other. Or it could be a picture of the bride with her bridesmaids having a good time while looking into the camera. A good photojournalist would be able to capture not just the subjects but also their moods and feelings too. So, if youÂre getting married, discuss with your photographer first on the kind of photography you like. Ask for his portfolio and see whether you are comfortable with his works. As mentioned, a good photographer will tailor his works to your needs and not the other way round. Check with family and friends, youÂll be surprised how much they know about wedding photography and how to avoid the pitfalls of wedding photography.

I thought the same thing. This is either coincidence, the significant other of the other poster, someone doing research to start a business, or someone with another agenda.