Piper Studios Wedding Center

Magna Golf Club Private Party

2009-03-28T21:34:00.000-07:00

MAGNA GOLF COURSE
PRIVATE PARTY

Mike's 60th Birthday - Friends & Family fly in from around the country to join Mike for a birthday celebration at the legendary Magna Golf Club. Video by Piper Studios } MILAN VIDEO STUDIOS - www.piperstudios.com

Mike Henson's 60th Birthday from Richard Emmanuel Studios on Vimeo.

DESTINATION WEDDING SPECIALISTS

2009-03-28T21:13:00.000-07:00

PIPER STUDIOS PRESENTS } RICHARD EMMANUEL BOUTIQUE STUDIOS

"ISLAND WEDDING"

DESTINATION WEDDING SPECIALISTS - www.richardemmanuel.com

Mark and Laura's Cuban Wedding from Richard Emmanuel Studios on Vimeo.

Gown Shopping Tips

2009-03-17T12:55:00.000-07:00

Take a day off and go out with a bunch of friends just to look at what’s out there. Leave your wallets at home, and don't make any final decisions that day. It'll be fun, but not stressful.
Don't bring a lot of friends with you when you are making a final decision. Bring one trusted friend, or your mom. If you have a whole bunch of people in on the final decision, all you will end up with is a headache. You can get all the girls together to go accessory shopping after you’ve got the gown.
Try to avoid busy shopping times, like Saturdays, Pre-Christmas shopping, etc
Don't leave it to the last minute. You MAY fall in love with a gown that needs to be ordered in, or requires major alterations. Starting early keeps all your options open.
Bring shoes that you that match or are approximately the same height as the shoes you expect to wear to with the gown.
If you are planning on wearing structural undergarments like a push up bra, a corset type bodysuit, or anything like that, that will alter your shape at all, wear it when you are trying on gowns. It WILL affect how it looks in the end.
On the flip side, if you are going for a dress that you won't be able to wear a bra with, don't try gowns on with a push up bra on!
Even if you have your heart set on that princess dress with lots of lace and pouffy frills, try on a bunch of different styles. You may be surprised at what looks, and what FEELS the best on you.
If you are using magazines to help shop for styles, don't rip pages out of them. A lot of times, gowns can be searched for using the page number of the magazine it is in.
Don't spread yourself too thin, and don't expect to find your perfect gown in one trip. Try to space it out over a few trips, and set a limit to how many gowns you will try on in a trip. Once you get to, say, the 100th dress on a given day, you'll be sick of it all. Twelve hours of gown shopping would be a killer! At that point, you'll probably either buy whatever (no matter what it looks like), or pass up a dress that would be perfect!
Be wise when it comes to listening to salespeople. Many are paid on commission. Trust yourself, and any of your shopping companions first!
Realize that the sizing guides upon which sample gowns are created are VERY different from the average figure. Average women are shorter in the waist than the fit models used, and this can translate into a poor fit in a gown.
Not that all gown shops try this, but some do. If you have to order a gown, or all your bridesmaid gowns in, compare your measurements to the chart, and order the size it has on the chart. If you try a size 7, and it fits well, don't be talked into getting a size 9. Some shops actually order larger than needed, to make more money on alterations.

Questions for your Wedding

2009-02-19T15:58:00.000-08:00

You need to inquire and get answers to a number of questions for your wedding in Toronto area & GTA

Since your photographer is important part of your wedding you should begin your search as early as possible. Quality photographers are booked months, sometimes years, in advance. Below are some criteria you should consider before you make your final decision:

Do you use a professional medium format film or professional digital camera?
Do you have back-up equipment?
What kind of educational background and/or experience have you had in developing your photographic technique?
Have you earned recognition for your wedding photography?
What is your philosophy about wedding photography?
Considering by facial features and physical attributes, which angles of my face would you assume to be better?
Have you notices any expressions or mannerism of mine that you mighty want to capture or avoid?
How much can I expect my photographic coverage to cost?
How many images will have to select from your wedding Toronto?
Can the coverage be customized to my specific needs?
How can my coverage be customized to fit my specific needs?
How long will it take to see our wedding images and how long will it take to complete the finished album?
Is a complete set of photographic images included with the coverage?
Is black and white coverage and special effects available?
Who will design and layout our wedding album?
If the studio designs the album, can I make changes?
If I design and layout my album, how much assistance will the studio provide?
How long will it take to get our completed album?
Are the images of my wedding Toronto available in digital/electronic format?
Do pictures and albums have a guarantee?
How are orders, payments, and delivery of additional products and services handled?
What could we do special, just for my wedding?
What are your studio's policies?

About Wedding Photography

2009-02-19T15:44:00.000-08:00

Professional Wedding Photography is NOT a generic product!

Wedding photography is one of the most demanding areas of professional photography. Your wedding photographer must turn non-professional models into stars, use whatever locations are presented, in whatever weather conditions prevailing,

Wedding photography is a highly specialized field. There are great differences in artistry, talent, creativity, attitude, and experience among "professional" photographers. Trust in quality referrals, your own eyes, and ask a lot of questions.

Another important thing

Another extremely important thing, if not the most important, is the style, creativity and beauty of a photographer's work. When you look at the images pay attention to lighting, posing and different techniques. Don't be afraid to express your feelings about the photos you are looking at, especially what you like and dislike (if anything). See if these photographs are what you had in mind for your wedding pictures.

There are three types of photography at Piper Studios; posed or formal images, black & white "photo-journalism" or candid photography. It is important to know what type of photography you would like and make sure that the photographer offers it.One of the last things to consider when choosing a wedding photographer is the price. Most photographers offer a basic wedding package, as well as several upgrades. It is also a good idea to discuss a schedule about when and where the photographs will be taken, and how much time there is available to take the pictures.All of these things are very important to consider when choosing your photographer, because after the day all you have are your memories and your photographs.

Wedding Budget & Investments

2009-02-19T15:41:00.000-08:00

The investment in the memories of your wedding in Toronto

Every couple has a budget, which is based on the priorities they place on each item that will be a part of their wedding expense. Most of the items in this budget are truly that; an expense. Something that is used and enjoyed only once, and then they're gone. But the photographs of your wedding, and the album that tells the story of the most exciting day of your life is something that can be enjoyed again and again for the rest of your lives.

Your wedding photography is truly an investment; something which provides value over a long period of time. Even when you're gone, your children will continue to treasure them, as lasting remembrances of the love that ultimately brought them into the world.

It's important for you to know and understand the importance you place on these memories, and the heirlooms that keep them alive. Put this in the proper priority next to all those other budget items. Remember, you only have ONE OPPORTUNITY to get the photographs you'll treasure for a lifetime. The only thing worse than paying too much is paying too little.

Good wedding photography isn't expensive; it's priceless!

Professional Wedding Photographers

2009-02-19T15:30:00.000-08:00

The professional qualifications of the photographer

Anyone can purchase a camera, and call him or herself a wedding photographer. But saying it doesn't necessarily make it so. Wedding photography is a specialty; one that requires all the right equipment, the right training, lots of experience, and a real love of photographing weddings. Weddings are perhaps the hardest type of portrait photography there is, because the photographer has to capture everything beautifully, in a short period of time, with an artistic eye, and no chance to do it over again should anything go wrong.

Look for someone who specializes in wedding photography; someone whom you can obviously tell from talking with them loves to photograph weddings. This doesn't necessarily mean you shouldn't consider a "weekend warrior" - someone who works another job during the week, and photographs weddings on weekends, but understand that they will probably be in the lower end of the service range, because they don't have the time to do much of the after wedding work.

Ask the photographer how many weddings they photograph in a year. If it's only a few, then this may not be someone who really specializes in weddings and has the equipment, knowledge, skill and presence of mind or "cool" to handle the requirements of a wedding. If, on the other hand, they photograph a very large number, they may emphasize quantity instead of quality.

Ask the photographer what type of training he or she has, and how often they attend classes to keep their skills updated and fresh. A photographer who has been in the business for 20 years, but doesn't attend continuing education classes may in fact be "stuck in the 70's."

Insist on seeing an entire set of wedding photographs, not just an album that shows the best print or two from each of a number of weddings. The only way you can fully assess what you're likely to get is to see a whole wedding, or at least a very substantial subset.

You can also judge a photographer by the presentation he or she makes. Look for someone who obviously cares enough about photographing your wedding to give you a well prepared, well thought out presentation of his or her work.

Look for someone who is a member of the professional organizations, like Professional Photographers of Ontario, and Professional Photographers of Canada. Members of these organizations have made a commitment to the highest standards of business and professional ethics, and usually are participants in a program of continuing education, which these organizations provide.

Selecting a Wedding Photographer

2009-02-19T15:27:00.000-08:00

How to select a wedding photographer in Toronto

When we're interviewing brides, we always ask the question "What are you looking for in a wedding photographer?"

The most common answer - "We don't know!"

Wedding photography is a mystery to most couples, because for most people we talk with, it's their first wedding. Sometimes mothers can give some insight, but for the most part, wedding photography has changed dramatically (and for the better) since the time this generation of parents were married. To badly paraphrase a now defunct car companies commercial "This is not your mothers wedding photography!"

Choosing your photographer is one of the major choices in designing your wedding. While good wedding photography is a major investment, is the only part of your wedding budget that will continue to bring you enjoyment for the rest of your lives. And while the end product is important, so is the process; the experience of being photographed. No matter how good the photographs are, if all you remember when you look at them is a photographer with no people skills, who thinks it is his or her day, not yours, your investment is wasted.

So, how do you choose just the right wedding photographer for you? This document is designed to give you some helpful information. Click on each of the categories below to continue, or just scroll through the document.

The Photographic style

2009-02-19T15:25:00.001-08:00

The Photographic style

Wedding photography today can be divided into 2 major categories - Traditional style posed photos, and photojournalistic candids. The traditional style tends to be mostly color, mostly posed (we like to use the term "structured") and is typically planned out ahead of time. This certainly doesn't mean they need to look posed, stiff or boring, but there is an element of control on the part of the photographer.

These photographs are typically taken with care and attention to lighting, backgrounds, and good poses. These are the photos that capture all the important people who are sharing your wedding day with you - your family, your wedding party, and perhaps some of those special friends.

Photojournalistic photos are typically black and white, completely non-posed, taken without flash and without interference on the part of the photographer. In other words, these photographs "document" the happenings of the wedding day as they actually happened without controlling those happenings.

Some couples prefer one style to the other, but most couples we talk to are looking for a combination of both. As one of our brides put it, "The color photographs show me what my wedding looked like, the black and white (photojournalistic) show me what it felt like".

Not all photographers are comfortable with both styles, so it's important that you determine what appeals to you, and find someone who can provide your preferred style or mix. Make sure you see an entire wedding, not just a few of the best prints from a bunch of different weddings. Make sure you understand how they approach the whole process of photographing a wedding, and that you are comfortable with the approach as well as the finished product.

Styles of Photography

2009-02-19T15:17:00.001-08:00

Styles of Photography

The photographic styles used to cover your wedding can vary from the very formal to the very informal (journalistic). You have the option of selecting the specific style or styles to be used in photographing your wedding. A word of warning: There are many photographers who promote the (journalistic) approach to wedding photography who do no more than take "snapshots".

Many photographers offer only one or two styles; whereas others offer you an extensive repertoire of wedding photography styles from which to choose. Each of the following styles involve a great deal of knowledge in blending the technical details of lighting and equipment with creativity and photographic artistry: