Suzy Clement - Weddings: From Snapshots to Great Shots

Suzy Clement

Weddings: From Snapshots to Great Shots
Suzy Clement

Peachpit Press
1249 Eighth Street
Berkeley, CA 94710
510/524-2178
510/524-2221 (fax)

Find us on the Web at www.peachpit.com
To report errors, please send a note to
Peachpit Press is a division of Pearson Education.

Copyright 2012 Suzy Clement
All photography Suzy Clement except where noted

Editor: Susan Rimerman
Production Editor: Lisa Brazieal
Developmental/Copy Editor: Elizabeth Kuball
Proofreader: Scout Festa
Composition: WolfsonDesign
Indexer: Karin Arrigoni
Cover Design: Aren Straiger
Cover Image: Suzy Clement
Interior Design: Riezebos Holzbaur Design Group

Notice of Rights

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publisher. For information on getting permission for reprints and excerpts, contact .

Notice of Liability

The information in this book is distributed on an As Is basis, without warranty. While every precaution has been taken in the preparation of the book, neither the author nor Peachpit shall have any liability to any person or entity with respect to any loss or damage caused or alleged to be caused directly or indirectly by the instructions contained in this book or by the computer software and hardware products described in it.

Trademarks

Many of the designations used by manufacturers and sellers to distinguish their products are claimed as trademarks. Where those designations appear in this book, and Peachpit was aware of a trademark claim, the designations appear as requested by the owner of the trademark. All other product names and services identified throughout this book are used in editorial fashion only and for the benefit of such companies with no intention of infringement of the trademark. No such use, or the use of any trade name, is intended to convey endorsement or other affiliation with this book.

ISBN-13 978-0-321-79265-5
ISBN-10 0-321-79265-3

9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Printed and bound in the United States of America

To my beautiful children. Brilliant Mielle, you inspire me every day with your strength, wisdom, and wit. There is no limit to what you can achieve, my dear. And Lucien, Mr. Delightful, your sweet and joyous spirit nourishes our family. I believe in you both, and I love you.

Naturally, this book is the result of a team effort, and there are many, many people to whom I am so grateful. Just to name a few:

The beautiful and brilliant Lenny Gonzalez, who supported this effort in every way imaginable, from discussing shooting techniques to color-correcting images to cooking dinner. Thanks for walking every step of the way with me, on this project and in life. Love you, husband.

My wonderful friend and colleague Julie Caine, photographer, writer, and storyteller extraordinaire, who provided fierce brainstorming power at a critical moment and graciously (and seemingly effortlessly) offered up some great metaphors for the book.

The incredibly savvy, smart and just plain awe-inspiring Amy Stewart, whose boundless support and sound advice have never failed to inspire and uplift me during the writing of this book, and indeed over the past 20+ years.

The entire team at Peachpit PressLisa Brazieal, Elizabeth Kuball, Scout Festa, Owen Wolfson, Aren Howell, and especially Susan Rimermanfor guiding this newbie through the writing and production process and taking such care to make the work look its best.

Anne Schlatter and all the lovely folks at Pro Camera. Thanks for always sharing your knowledge and experience, and doing it with a smile.

My wonderfully talented friend Thayer Gowdy, whose early wedding work inspired me to turn a beloved hobby into a business that has given me so much.

The many incredibly gifted wedding planners, designers, stylists, florists, cake bakers, caterers, and lighting companies with whom Ive had the honor to work. You create extraordinarily beautiful feasts for my camera with your amazing designs, florals, details, and event landscapes. Thank you for your brilliant work.

And most important, thank you to the many, many couples who have honored me with the privilege of capturing and preserving this singular moment in life. I am so grateful for the opportunity to fulfill my passion to create work that will endure and bring joy for many years to come.

Without the participation of intuition, sensibility, and understanding, photography is nothing.

Henri Cartier-Bresson

Nothing quite matches the power of a photograph to preserve a moment in time. The shutter pressed at exactly the right instant both records the scene in broad strokes and captures the more subtle gestures of those pictured in a way that speaks volumes about their experience at that particular moment. Indeed, photography has the power not only to document an event, but to actually shape the nature of memory. As time passes, the moments that remain most vivid in memory are often the ones that were captured in photographs.

For a couple on their wedding day, everything is a blur. All the months of planning are gone in a heartbeat. The moment is fleeting when the couple, surrounded by the love and support of family and friends, declare their commitment and embark on a new stage of life together. Its our joy and privilege as wedding photographers to preserve the power and grace of this day for the couple and their loved ones, for generations. And of all the photographs taken at a wedding, the images that reflect the authenticity of this experiencethe true and tender moments that could never be stagedare the ones that endure over time. Looking at these images years and even decades later, the viewers will actually feel everythingthe joy, the excitement, the unexpected momentsthat made the day so special. Its heady stuff!

And its no easy task. Wedding photography encompasses a bit of nearly every photo specialty, including documentary, portraiture, group portraiture, still life, landscape, action, low light, fashion, party, and food. Just to add to the challenge, you get only one chance to nail the most important moments, youre always in a rush, and emotions around you may be running just a bit high. Wedding photography is definitely not for the faint of heartand yet, if you thrive on the challenge and excitement of a pressure-filled moment, it offers amazing opportunities for creative expression, as well as the chance to provide something infinitely meaningful to your clients.

Over the 15 years that Ive photographed weddings, Ive experienced just about every type of situation imaginable. In this book, I share the skills and strategies that Ive developed to help me consistently create a body of authentic, intimate, beautiful images that tell a story, reflect emotions, and truly capture the essence of that unique wedding day for each couple.

wraps things up with information on editing and presenting the images to clients after the wedding.

This book is predominantly concerned with preparation and shooting strategies for the actual wedding day; it doesnt cover post-processing techniques or the marketing side of the business. The excellent book VisionMongers: Making a Life and a Living in Photography, by David duChemin (published by New Riders/Voices That Matter), is a wonderful resource to help photographers understand and develop the business side of things.