By Allison Hopkins, written for Gino Creglia Photography
Ansel Adams once said, “You don’t take a photograph, you make it.”
The truth lies clearly in the end of his quote, as many things go into “making” a photograph. For Gino Creglia, “making” a photograph means having all the right ingredients to the recipe:
- Lighting
- Timing
- Location
- Preparation
This last bullet (preparation) has two important players: the photographer and the client. Just as the photographer must be ready with the right equipment and a game plan for the shoot, the client must be prepared on their end as well.
This means the client must:
- Communicate with the photographer prior to the photo shoot in regards to their location of choice (changing locations last minute can lead to problems with set-up, lighting, etc.)
- Be ready with appropriate outfits and clothing options (neutral colors with minimal prints are best; couples should avoid matching too closely!)
- Have hair, makeup, etc. ready to go and well thought out (wearing hair down for a wedding could be risky…what if it’s windy?)
- Make sure the photographer understands their goals (do they have a specific theme or style they are looking for?)
It’s important to take all of this into account in order to achieve the best photos possible. The photographer will do his/her part to make sure the shoot is a success—but the outcome is also determined by how prepared the client is.