What Does a Wedding Photographer Do During the Week?

Being a wedding and portrait photographer means my schedule is a little different from the rest of the world. Many of my sessions take place in the evenings, and almost every single one of my weddings takes place on the weekend.

One of the first questions most people ask when they find out I’m a wedding photographer is: what do you do during the week?!

Totally a valid question, and I definitely understand why people ask!! If I’m photographing people on the evenings and weekends, it might seem as though I have a tonnnnn of free time during the week, but surprising to most, this isn’t quite the case (though it does come with lots of flexibility!). Ever wonder what a wedding photographer does to keep busy during the week? Here are a few things that keep me busy, even when I’m not shooting:

1.  Editing

Yes, those photos will always need to be slightly tweaked, and editing is probably what takes up the majority of my time – especially the week after a wedding!

2.  Bookkeeping & Taxes

While I’m blessed to have someone who does my taxes every year, my job is to pay local taxes (sales and income) and to keep up with my bookkeeping. I try to make sure I’m categorizing my expenses at least once a month, but I try to aim to do this every other week so I don’t get too behind!

3.  Client Management

There are a lot of moving pieces behind sessions and weddings – answering emails, contracts, questionnaires, invoices, session prep, phone calls – the list goes on and on! Thankfully, I recently implemented a new client management software called Pixifi that allows me to do basically all of those things (aside from phone calls and personal emails) right from the software! It’s pretty stinking amazing and has already saved me a ton of time!

4.  Blogging

Blogging has been huge for me in my business. I try to blog at the very least once a week and blog the majority of senior, engagement, family, and weddings I photograph. Prepping blog posts with images and a cohesive story can take a significant amount of time, believe it or not!

5.  Planning out Social Media

One of my absolute favorite things to work on in my business is social media! Believe it or not, I receive quite a few leads through Instagram and Facebook, which have led to booked senior, family, engagement sessions, and weddings! Having the ability to share my work, showcase my client’s stories, provide tips and tricks to current or future clients, and share a little bit about myself has really helped me connect with my clients (and hopefully soon-to-be clients!) in a personal way!

Two of my favorite apps for social media planning are Grum and Hootsuite. To read more about both, check out this article!

6.  Meeting with Perspective Clients

One of the best ways for a wedding couple to get to know their potential wedding photographer is by meeting with them (or Skyping/calling them!). I LOVE having the opportunity to meet with potential clients so I can hear their story and see if we mesh and would be a good fit for their wedding day!

7.  Location Scouting

If I’m photographing someone in a new location, you best believe I’m going to check that place out beforehand! Sometimes I’ll arrive early to a location before a session begins, and sometimes I’ll make a day of visiting different upcoming locations. Even though location scouting can take quite a bit of time, I love being able to make sure I have a game plan for every location I photograph before the session begins!

8.  Submitting Weddings for Publication

One of the fun perks of being in the wedding industry is having the opportunity to have work featured in various online and print magazines! Believe it or not, preparing weddings for submission can take quite a bit of time – narrowing down the perfect photos, gathering other wedding vendor information, and getting specific information from couples is all a part of the process! Check out a few of my features as the bottom of my home page - click here!

9.  Prepping, Cleaning, & Testing Gear

Before every single wedding and session, I make sure to organize, test, and clean my gear to make sure everything is in tiptop shape and working order. I never EVER want to arrive to a shoot with faulty gear (which is why, just in case, I always bring a backup, too!).

10. Practice & Education

I don’t think I will ever feel like I’ve fully arrived with photography. I’m always practicing poses, looking for inspiration, and working to improve my craft – whether it’s through posing, shooting, or actually practicing certain techniques. Before every single session and wedding, I run through my list of prompts and poses (or, for couples, movements) just to make sure I won’t miss anything during the session!

I also have a couple of classes that I love to rewatch every once in a while: Justin and Mary Marantz's "The Art of Authentic Posing" and Katelyn James' "KJ Posing Course." 

11. Photograph Other Types of Sessions

Aside from being a weekend wedding warrior, many wedding photographers take other sessions during the week - even if they don't promote work from those sessions. Personally, I love to fill my weeks with senior, family, and engagement sessions!

Hard to believe there’s so much to be done, right?! And while there are lots of things to keep track of and take care of even when I’m not shooting, I am SO thankful for all of the flexibility my job has given me.

To stay up to date on behind the scenes of JHP, be sure to follow along on Facebook and Instagram!

Why Professional Prints Are Worth the Investment

When someone pays to have photos taken, typically, they plan on printing them to hang around their home. At least, that’s usually the final destination. But not everyone gets there the same way. Some might choose to print through a local consumer lab, such as Walmart, Target, or Walgreens – all of which are helpful for keeping things cheap and fast. But what might you be sacrificing in the long run?

I like to liken having photos taken and printing them through a non-professional lab to going to a fancy restaurant with a picture of a meal that you want to eat from a different restaurant – for example, a burger with fries – and then having that restaurant make the meal with their ingredients. Technically, yes, you’re eating a burger and fries that resembles the photo you brought in – but the quality of the meal (and your experience) will most likely suffer, because you’re not eating the meal the way it was indented to be eaten with its intended ingredients. Much is the same with printing your photos. The photos might not look that different – in fact, they might look fairly similar – the same faces, the same pose. But what’s affected is the quality.

So, what can be affected in your prints when you order from a consumer lab, such as Target, Walmart, Walgreens, Costco, or Shutterfly?

• Colors could look off (too saturated, or just plain different)
• Skin color is always affected (you might look too orange, yellow, pink, or green!)
• Highlights may be too bright (making the subject look too washed out!)
• The print could lose contrast or have too much added (making the print look too soft or muddy and gross!)
• The photo could appear out of focus (I’ve had this happen several times to people!)

If you’re interested in comparing different photos from a variety of labs, I highly recommend checking out THIS ARTICLE, which gives an amazing comparison of prints from a variety of different consumer labs compared to a professional lab!

Printing from a professional lab ensures that your photos will look as close as possible to what you see on your screen and in your gallery. Remember – photos are an investment, and if you’ve spent money on having gorgeous photos taken, going the extra step to make sure they’re printed correctly is an investment worth making!

Bridal Emergency Kit Must Haves!

No wedding day is perfect, and no wedding day prep is perfect! In fact - there are a lot of things that have the potential to get left behind! Simple items like scissors, bobby pins, and nail clippers can seem not that important until you're a half hour away from show time (i.e., the bride walking down the aisle) and the bride gets a drop of coffee on her dress or chips a nail. Eeeek! What do you do then?!

If you are the mother of a bride, mother-in-law of a bride, bridesmaid, sister, or friend, you could be a lifesaver on the day of the wedding by having these items on hand! I've compiled a list of what I hear people ask the most for ("does anyone have any _______?") on a wedding day so that YOU can be prepared! And if there's anything you think I missed - feel free to add it in the comments!

• Scissors
• Nail file
• Tweezers
• Tissues
• Needle & thread
• Hair spray
• Deodorant 
• Comb/small brush
• Bobby pins
• Oil absorbing wipes
• Clothing tape
• Nail clippers
• Tums (or peppermint oil for a tummy upset!)
• Tylenol/Ibuprofen
• Stain stick remover
• Mints/gum
• A small mirror
• Clear nail polish
• Chap stick
• Hair ties
• Safety pins
• Flip flops (If the bride is wearing heels, these are invaluable come reception time!)

Is there anything you would add to the list? Comment below so everyone can be prepared! And if you're looking for a wedding day emergency kit - check out some of my favorites below! (They don't include everything on the list, but they do make a super cute gift for the bride in your life!)

How My Husband Proposed

Unbeknownst to me, for about a year before he popped the question, Nick had been hatching a major plan – and one that involved pretty much everyone we knew. He had been secretly preparing, filming, scheduling, and coordinating behind the scenes and I literally had no idea.

The day Nick proposed was a Saturday, and it was an unusual one for me. At that time in my life, I was working as a wedding banquet server, and that Saturday had been what my boss at the time called an “all hands on deck” day, when everyone was required to work and no one was allowed to request off. But, surprisingly – he told me to take a day off. I was a little surprised, but didn’t really think much of it and took it as an unexpected blessing (later I found out that Nick had called him and asked for me to have the day off – talk about a great boss!).

Another thing that made this Saturday particularly unusual was the fact that my whole immediate family was gone and out of the house pretty early in the morning and were (supposedly) going to visit my grandparents (not unusual for them on a Saturday). They hadn’t asked if I wanted to come, so I took it as a sign that I needed to take this day to rest – you know, between being a full time student and working multiple part time jobs, there was kind of a lot going on! (Later I found out that my family was NOT at my grandparents – they were at a park practicing a choreography routine – more on that soon! Also, I found out after the fact that my sister had left her journal open on the kitchen table with a prayer written inside, praying that “Nick’s proposal to Jenna would go well.” I cannot believe I didn’t see it, I was literally working FROM the kitchen table that day! Totally God!)

All that was on the agenda for the day was a picnic date with Nick in the afternoon after a relaxing morning. I hadn’t eaten much that day because Nick said that we were going to have a FEAST, so by the time he came to pick me up for our date, I WAS STARVING. Literally all I could think about was eating.

We got in the car, and there was a picnic basket in the back – I asked if I could take a peek to see what he had packed, but he immediately said no and that what was inside was a surprise. Then, for the entire drive to the park, Nick said basically nothing. It almost seemed like something was wrong, so he told me that he was having some trouble at his job with his new job (he wasn’t), so I reassured him and didn’t think much of it.

When we got to the park, my stomach was growling like CRAZY and I hopped out of the car, PUMPED to eat some delicious picnic food! I went to grab the picnic basket and Nick said “why don’t we take a walk first!” Oh my gosh. I wanted to kick him. I put up a bit of a fight, but finally conceded, and we started walking towards a big open field. But then, we saw a naked man sun tanning (no joke), so we turned around and headed back up the road (I learned later that Nick had to stall me because his mom had went to buy ketchup for the post-proposal barbecue! Also – he wasn’t stalling me with the naked man, that just happened to be unexpected and hilarious!).

We started walking up the road, hand in hand (Nick’s were sweating like crazy!), and I saw something move in the bushes – and it looked like something big. I started backing up, mumbling that we should probably turn around. But Nick grabbed my hand and kept pulling me along. What a picture of being in relationship with someone else – one of us falling behind from fear, the other grabbing our hand and walking us forward.

We finally reached the end of the road and turned to find a huge parking lot FULL of people – but all of their backs were turned towards us, and they were just standing there, all spread apart. At this point, I was starting to freak out a little bit “Nick, we should REALLY turn around!” But then, he pulled a boom box out of a bush, pressed play – and really, I should let this video finish the rest:

How to Choose a Getting Ready Location for Your Wedding Day

One portion of the day that can sometimes be forgotten in the planning process is the “getting ready” portion of the day. Though it might not seem as important or necessary, the location you choose to get ready on the day of your wedding can have a HUGE impact on the final product of your photos! While getting ready in the basement of the church or in a tiny hotel room might seem like the only option, I wanted to share a few criteria to help you choose a getting ready space that will not only make your bridesmaids comfortable, but will allow for the best possible photos!

When choosing a getting ready location make sure you have:

1.  Lots of natural light

Natural light will ensure that your photos are well lit – naturally. Flash can always be added, but natural light tends to be very flattering and will ensure that your photos are gorgeous and glowing! Natural light is also the best for having makeup done.

2.  A clean space

It’s always helpful to get ready in a location that has more than one room. Why? It’s easy to keep the room where the bride is getting dressed clean and tidy (i.e., a clean backdrop for the zipping of the dress!) if there’s another room for the bridesmaids and family to throw their bags, makeup, and miscellaneous items into!

3.  Close to the ceremony location

Choosing a location close to the ceremony location will save time (you won’t have to be ready quite as early), money (you might be able to save on a limo/party bus), and might even get you a few more photos (less travel time = more time for photos!). It’s a win-win from every angle!

So, you might be wondering – where can I find a place like this?! Some of my all time FAVORITE getting ready locations have been in bed & breakfasts. They are typically naturally lit, have lots of space, and they are all over the place, and therefore typically fairly easy to find in close proximity to a ceremony location!

Another great option is a hotel room – but when thinking of getting ready in a hotel, opt for a suite style with multiple rooms! This will ensure no one will be cramped and that the space won’t be too messy!

But what if your getting ready location has been decided for you in a small, dark, single room in the basement of your venue?! Here are a few tips:

1.  Be willing to relocate for the zipping of the dress and for putting on shoes/jewelry. In some cases where the getting ready location has been small and dark, we’ve moved the bride outside to a porch for the “finishing touches” of getting ready, allowing for some beautifully, well lit getting ready photos!

2.  Designate one corner of the room as the place to put everyone’s stuff before beginning the process of getting ready. This will keep the rest of the room clean for photos!

Sarah + John: Twelve Oaks Mansion Wedding Photos

Sarah's family would describe her as logical and dependable, and John's would describe him as the one that loves to make people laugh. He fishes - and now she does, too. She runs, and now he does, too. They even got engaged at the finish line of the Pittsburgh Marathon just a few short years ago! Because running is such a deep running (pun intended) theme throughout their relationship, they decided to incorporate tons of running details into their reception decor at the beautiful Twelve Oaks Mansion! Each table was "named" after a race they had run together (and let me tell you, there were a lot of tables!!). But before their reception - they celebrated by going to Chick-fil-A!

One thing I love about this couple is their sacrificial love for one another. They both do things they don't necessarily love just to spend time with the other - to make them happy. I remember at their engagement session, John told me that he doesn't really love running, but that he loves Sarah, so he runs. Isn't that what love is? Running just because she loves to run. Fishing just because he loves to fish. Love isn't a feeling, it's an action. And I'd say that these two are off to a pretty amazing start.

Congratulations, Sarah and John! We were so honored to have been a part of your day. Here's to many more races together! 

Vendors:

Bride's Shoes: Kate Spade

Invitations: Paper by JLee

Bride's Dress: Mary's Bridal

Hair: Pretty Hair Salon

Flower: Fairview Floral

Men's Attire: Top Hat Tuxedo

Ceremony: St. John Neumann Church

Reception: Twelve Oaks Mansion

DJ: D.J. DeHart

Cake: Tin Man Sweets Bake Shoppe

Videographer: Platinum Fire Productions

Pittsburgh Wedding Photographer: Jenna Hidinger Photography

When to Have Your Senior Photos Taken

Believe it or not, the summer after you finish your junior year of high school is the best time to start thinking about senior photos! It might seem a little early in the game, but trust me – the earlier you start planning, the better!

Start off by weighing your options. I’ve had many a senior find me through Instagram, Facebook, Google, and even Pinterest! When looking for a senior photographer, make sure you find a style you like – for example, do you prefer a bright and airy style, or more of a dark and moody one? Are you more into posed photos, more natural photos, or a mix? Your answers to these questions will drive the direction of your search! And don’t forget to look at reviews – you’ll be able to really find out what other people think by taking your time to search through reviews.

Once you find a senior photographer that you love, make sure you contact them right away to reserve your spot! Senior photographers can be booked up to a few weeks to a few months in advance, depending on the time of year you’re looking to have your photos taken. For example – in Western Pennsylvania, fall tends to book up to a few months out, so the earlier you contact your senior photographer, the better!

After booking your photographer, it’s time to start looking for a location and choosing your outfits! More than likely, your photographer will be able to guide you to a location based on your preferences and style. Some might even help you out with choosing outfits! Personally for me, I love to give my seniors suggestions without controlling what they wear. To me, it’s always important a senior’s personal style shines through their photos!

In addition, you’ll want to start considering appointments for professional hair and makeup, if it’s something you’re interested in. It can be nice to not have the added stress of making sure you look photo-ready on the day of your session.

I love to suggest having photos done mid to late summer (post junior year) or sometime after the school year starts, but before the holiday season begins for senior photos. This way, you’ll have more than enough time to meet yearbook deadlines and use your senior photos for graduation announcements in the spring!

Planning a senior photo session can be a bit overwhelming, but if you have a game plan from the beginning, you’ll have nothing to worry about! And even if you are on a bit of a tight deadline, it’s never too late to have senior photos taken!

Why are Anniversary Photos so Important?

Have you ever thought about what kind of legacy you’ll be leaving for your kids? For their kids? For the generations that come after you? Our legacy is what the people we love most and who love us most will remember us by when we’re gone - and legacy is what makes anniversary photos so important.

We all leave behind a little piece of our legacy every day in the way we talk, in how we act, and in how we choose to love the people around us. Those memories are stored in the minds and hearts of current and future generations – but so are the images they carry of us. They say that “a photo is worth a thousand words,” and that statement rings true even more so when someone is gone.

I’ve always seen photos as stakes in the ground, reminding us how where we’ve been and how far we’ve come. These “stakes” of sorts are what hang in our homes, decorate our coffee tables, and remind us of the good times and not so great times.

Take our first wedding anniversary photos, for instance. These photos are so precious to me for a multitude of reasons:

-       We had them taken at one of our favorite places

-       I wore won of my favorite dresses

-       We took them during a time of rest

-       They capture our joy at that time in our lives

-       They show so many elements of who we are as a couple

*Photo by KT Crabb Photography

ALL of those attributes point to a little piece of who Nick and I were at the time we took the photos, at that specific time in our lives. And now, we get to carry a little piece of that with us for the rest of our lives. Jenna and Nick in one of their favorite places, Jenna wearing that dress she loved, and both of them looking full present and joyful with each other.

Not only that, but we’ve changed SO MUCH since our first day of marriage. The way we interact together has changed. The way we move together has changed. What we wear has changed. And in a couple of years, all of that will probably change again. We’ll have grown physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually – and we want to remember that. And someday, when we’re gone, we want other people to remember that, too.

I've had a few couples over the years who have graciously trusted me to photograph them after a number of years of marriage. And let me tell you - those sessions are always some of my FAVORITES! Married people who are still in love are always so easy to photograph. So, because I had so much fun with these people, I reached out to a couple of them to see exactly why they decided to have their anniversary photos taken. And I loved their answers:

"We decided to get anniversary pictures because we think they are a great way to celebrate your years of marriage, regardless of how long you've been married, and reflect on how far you've come as a couple! Your understanding and love for each other grows so much deeper over time. Your wedding photos will always be so special, but there is something even more sweet about having that time together as a couple without the business of a wedding surrounding it. You can just be with each other and focus on how much your love has grown over the years. " - Kim C. (See her and her husband's anniversary photos here!)

"We had not invested in photos of ourselves since our wedding day SIX years ago.  Our treasured engagement and wedding photos hang all over our home. The only problem is that six years ago we were 22 and 23 year olds just out of college. And it shows. We look SO young! But I kept putting off having updated photos done because I believed it was only something to do for the HUGE milestones in life: Marriage and babies. But then I realized that was silly, and our life now is worth documenting. So Naz agreed and we began the process of locking down all of the logistics to making these anniversary photos happen (shout out to Jenna who made the process a blast!). 

Initially it seemed to us like a frivolous investment - which is why we kept putting it off. But that notion could not be further from the truth! It turns out, it was an incredible investment - not only into our home decor of updated, beautiful photos, but also into our marriage! It is so awesome to look at our updated photos and see how we’ve changed, not only in how we look, but in our interactions with one another. We are different people than we were even one year ago, and it's fun to see photos of ourselves in this season of life. Truly, they make us SO happy and we are so glad we decided to make this investment!   When we see our gallery of images, we can't stop smiling. We see two people who are more in love than ever after six years of sharing life through the ups and downs, and growing stronger in the process! 

A side note: It ends up being a BLAST of a date night. You get to get all dressed up and run around snuggling the love of your life. It's worth it to plan dinner or something else fun afterwards :) " - Elisabeth D. (Check out her and her husband's anniversary photo session here!)

So, why are anniversary photos so important? Because they are your physical legacy. They show how you’ve grown as a couple – and that’s something so precious worth remembering.

Megan & Sean: Butler Country Club Wedding Photos

I knew I was in for a treat from the moment I met Megan and Sean for their Historic Harmony engagement session this past winter! (Click here to check it out!) Kind, gracious, generous are just a few of the words I would use to describe this pair, and let me tell you - their friends and family fall right into that same category!

Megan and Sean's wedding day began with the ladies getting ready at Megan's parents' house - which just so happens to sit right on the edge of the Butler Country Club golf course! Her parents' house made the perfect backdrop for her gorgeous and classic bridal details - ranging from a dress bought at Kleinfeld's to the most beautiful jewelry and accessories! Though the threat of rain loomed throughout the day, it only sprinkled for all of five minutes on their day - regardless, Megan's parents have the most BEAUTIFUL front porch that we used from practically every angle for photos!

The ceremony took place at First United Methodist Church in the heart of Butler, which included a few personal touches, including a song sung by the bride's brother. It was beautiful!

After their formal exit, we headed back to the Butler Country Club for photos around the property, followed by a reception in the grand ballroom. The room was decked out in beautiful florals (by Julie James) and The Elite Show Band brought so much life to the party! There's nothing quite like a live band at a wedding!

Congratulations on your wedding day, and more importantly, on your marriage, Megan and Sean! Praying all the best for you two as you move forward into this next adventure!

Vendors:

Bride's Dress: Kleinfeld Bridal

Church: First United Methodist Church

Florist: Julie James

Cake: Pennies Bakery

Band/Entertainment: The Elite Show Band

Hair & Makeup: Salon Vivace

Reception: Butler Country Club

Videography: Nathan Kesneck Wedding Videography

Second Shooter: Ashley McLaughlin

Pittsburgh Wedding Photographer: Jenna Hidinger Photography

Frequently Asked Questions in the Bridal Getting Ready Suite

There are a few questions that are asked during almost EVERY bride/bridesmaid getting ready session. But why should you care about these questions? If you're a bride-to-be, a bridesmaid-to-be, a mother-in-law or a mother of the bride, knowing what could come up in advance could make you the most prepared person in the room for these questions that will most likely be asked!

Does anyone have any scissors?

Yes, this is probably the number one most frequently asked question in the bridal prep room! Tags and loose threads show up in large numbers on a wedding day in the bridal prep room. I recommend packing a little “bridal emergency” bag with scissors, thread & needle, hairspray, bobby pins, gum, tape, and any other items you think you might need!

Which leg does the garter go on?

The wedding garter is (traditionally) worn on the left leg, and the toss-away garter is worn on the right, both about 3 to 6 inches above the knee. But you can wear both on the same leg, if you’d like! But to be honest - it doesn't really matter that much! I actually took my garter off part of the way through my wedding day because it was so dang itchy!

When should my bridesmaids get dressed?

It’s best for bridesmaids to get dressed before the bride, along with the mother of the bride and anyone else helping the bride get into her dress. Why? For photo’s sake, having everyone out of their lounge clothes and into their formal attire to match the bride helps make the photos much more cohesive! Sweatpants and a wedding dress don't really go together ;)

Has anyone seen the rings?!

Just kidding about this one – but when this question is asked, it is scary! I’ve only been a part of one wedding where the rings were misplaced (i.e., left at the bride’s house) before the ceremony. But no worries – decoy rings were used, and the crowd didn’t even notice! The bride was thrown off a bit, though, as she had no idea they were missing until her husband went to slip the band on her finger! I would recommend having one person who is in charge of the rings to make sure they make it to the ceremony - just in case!