Corey Ann Photography | Northeast Ohio Photographer

Between couples not knowing what to ask and the recent flare up of fraud photographers I thought this list may be helpful to the couples out there that are still looking for a photographer and don’t know what to ask or what they should be looking for! Below are just a few questions that you should ask your photographer when interviewing them. Do you have any suggestions? Let me know by commenting!!!

How long have you been a wedding photographer? With each year a photographer shoots, they gain not only more experience but also have worked in more situations when it comes to lighting, time lines and so forth. They more experience the photographer has, the more likely they are to be able to handle tough shooting situations. With experience comes price and the photographers that are typically value priced are priced as such for a reason and usually the main reason is lack of experience. This doesn’t mean that the pictures will be bad, but it is taking a risk.

How many weddings have you been the primary shooter? Make sure that you ask how many they have shot as a PRIMARY shooter here, as some photographers shoot as an associate or secondary shooter for many weddings/months/years before taking on their own work. Most photographers will agree that being a second shooter is nothing like being a primary shooter. Again, as with the above question, more weddings is more experience. Sometimes a photographer can be a photographer for many years but not take many weddings so make sure to ask.

What happens if you are sick/your child is sick/there is a death in the family? Any professional photographer should have a backup plan in case the worst case scenario happens.

Do you have backup equipment? Is it equal to the quality of your primary equipment? A professional photographer should have backups of not only the camera they shoot with (another professional body, not a point and shoot) but also back up lenses, flashes and other essential shooting equipment in case something goes wrong.

Do you have liability insurance? Equipment insurance is not so big of a deal, if a photographer chooses to get it that’s their own decision but what clients need to be worried about is liability insurance in case something happens. If I set up off camera lighting and someone knocks a light over and it hurts someone, that’s where liability insurance comes into play. Any pro should carry this.

Do you have a vendors license and do you have a business license with the State of Ohio (or applicable state)? Ask for proof. One thing that’s been a sticky subject locally is that there are photographers that have been operating without a vendors license and have been shut down because of it making their clients loose their photographer. In Ohio since Photographers sell products, we must have a license to do so. Any professional photographer should have a license and be able to prove it if need be.

Will you be shooting my wedding? Some photography companies have multiple photographers, if the person you are meeting with will NOT be your photographer, I highly recommend having a meeting with the person that will be before you sign a contract to ensure that you will enjoy being with that person for the entire wedding day.

What do you wear for a wedding? Sounds silly but there are photographers out there that show up in jeans and t-shirts and there are some that show up in tuxes! You need to know what to expect and if it’s not something you would prefer to address it before the big day.

Describe a typical wedding day from your perspective. It may seem trite but you have your wedding day in your mind already, you want someone that is going to go along with that vision you already have formed. It also helps you get an idea in mind of what happens and goes on – the less surprises the day of the wedding the better!!

How many pictures, on average, do you deliver after a wedding? This number is always variable per wedding, however a photographer should be able to give you a ballpark on what number of finished proofs to expect from a wedding. This not only gives you an idea of what to expect but prepares you so there are no surprises later. Some photographers will deliver a max of 500-600 images, some go upwards of 2000.

May I see an entire wedding from start to finish? Everyone can show a best-of album but you want to make sure that you will like the end result from a full day including all of the non-album images.

How long after the wedding will it take to see all of my pictures? Make sure that you know up front how long the process will take and make sure you clarify ALL of the pictures. Some photographers deliver a “favorites” slideshow of a select images but take months later to deliver all of the images, some have them up within a week and others are in between. There is no “right” way to do this but asking ahead of time gives you the opportunity to know what to expect and when to expect it.

What kind of images are on my disc? Every photographer has their own way of doing things when it comes to delivering the files on disc. You want to know two things, the file size and the edit style. The file size is either full resolution, high resolution, mid resolution and low resolution. The higher the resolution, the bigger the file which means the larger you can print the images. Make sure you know what you are getting as the mid and low resolution files either cannot be printed or can only be printed to a certain size. The edit style is also something you want to know. Typically you either see SOOC (straight out of camera), Color Correted and Fine Art files. SOOC files are exactly what the photographer took the day of the wedding, without any corrections or edits. Files may be overexposed or have color casts. Color Corrected is the next step up with typically all exposures corrected as well as color balanced so there is no color casting. Fine Art files are generally what you see on blogs and on websites. You want to make sure that the images you fall in love with are the type of images that you will receive.

How do you back up your files? This is one that should be asked more often! Many photographers dump on one drive and have no backups so if something happens, your wedding is gone. Almost once a week I read on photography forums that someone’s hard drive failed and they have lost a wedding and don’t know what to do. Sometimes data recovery works, but not always.

How long does it take to get —– product? Whatever your package includes, make sure you ask how long, on average, it takes to get the item.

I am often asked about timelines and how to build one. Rather than show you a timeline from my typical wedding day, I’d rather give you the information behind how to build one so that you can create your own based on your needs and what you will be doing during the day! At the end I’ll show a couple sample timelines using the info I’ve written just so you can see how it all goes together.

Above all, each vendor is going to want you to plan their day around them. We all are somewhat egotistical in the thought we’re the most important vendor of your day . If something is important to you though – DO NOT be afraid to say it! If you really really really want to cut the cake first, say so! If it’s important that you don’t do a First Look, don’t let your photographer force you into it!! It’s your day and as vendors, we are here to serve you and make YOUR day how you want it not how WE want it. I’m just here to help you muddle through what is often a daunting task of putting together the timeline!

Salon

Time: 1 – 3 hours depending on services.

Whenever a bride creates her own timeline, this is the first area to fall apart which can then trickle into the rest of the day. I highly suggest having a hair trial not only so you can test the look, but also so you can estimate how long it takes for you to achieve that look – and then add on another 15 minutes at least for fusssing and adding the veil on. Typically an hour is about spot on for a bridal updo but everything depends on the brides hair, style and how much it takes to achieve the look (straightening, curling and so forth add on time).

When adding bridesmaids into the equation you want to add on another hour. Even if all of your appointments are at the same time, almost ALWAYS there is one stylist that is running behind (usually due to another bridal party ahead of yours) and/or someone in your party is running late. When it comes to making a timeline – it is always better to OVER estimate on time than UNDER. You’ll hear this a lot from me!

If you are adding on makeup to the services at the salon, I suggest adding another hour. Typically I see this service taking about 30-45 minutes but you want a buffer in case you don’t like the way you look, the mascara gets all over your face etc.

If you are adding nails onto the service, I suggest (if it is color only) another 30 minutes. However I STRONGLY suggest having your nails done the day or two before as nails are SO easy to mess up when drying and typically the day of the wedding you don’t have the luxury of not doing anything for an hour so that they look perfect.

Makeup

Time: 1 – 2 hours

If you are not having makeup done at the salon but are having someone else do it or doing it yourself where you are getting ready I suggest to budget at least 1 – 2 hours for this time. 1 hour should be sufficient for JUST the bride, but when you factor in more girls, you need to factor in more time. There are only so many mirrors and usually everyone wants everyone else’s opinion on what they are doing. Consider this time as your fun giggle time before the stress of the day takes over. I also highly suggest OVER budgeting on time here than under budgeting. Something always happens. Mascara falls and hits a cheek, the blush makes you look like a clown and so on. I also HIGHLY suggest again that brides test their look out before the big day so they know exactly what to use and how long it takes to get there. Takes less time and less trial and error!

Getting Dressed

Time: 1 hour

I know I know, you’re saying ONE HOUR??!?!? Here’s the thing. I like to have all of my maids and mothers dressed BEFORE the bride. Why? It makes for MUCH better pictures! It doesn’t look good if some girls are dressed and some are still in sweats when getting the bride into her gown. With having the bridesmaids being dressed before the bride, it helps then be able to get out the door much quicker. The extra time is also for snafus that can and DO happen. I’ve had more than one bridesmaid’s zipper break this year and one bride had to be sewn in her dress as well. Stuff can and WILL happen. If you have cushions of time, then these things will not be things that ruin your wedding. Also with bridal gowns comes the crazy buttons, zippers, ribbons and so forth so having the extra time helps in case there’s anything special that needs to be done to the gown.

Pre Ceremony Formals

Time: 30 minutes (without a First Look)

While I love love love when my clients do First Looks, I realize that it’s not for everyone. If you are not planning on a First Look I usually suggest about a half hour for formals prior to the ceremony. These are typically the “smile and pose” type shots with your family and bridal party as I personally like to do all the fun shots afterward. It usually is about 15 minutes for each side and I’m pretty quick about it. I save all of the fun shots until after the wedding when I’m not worried about you seeing each other and getting your dress at all out of sorts. Please note that what WILL slow me down at this point is any guests that take pictures while I am taking the pictures. Not only do I have to wait for them to get their shot, but often their flash messes up my meter readings and I have to take more shots to ensure that I have one exposed properly. For more information about how Guest Photographers can muck up the works on your wedding day, read my past blog about it here. Note that I like to have my brides hidden away by 15 minutes (AT THE LATEST!) before the music starts so that no guests see you before the big reveal.

First Look

Time: 15 minutes

I LOVE when my couples opt to do a First Look. It’s always such a beautiful moment and it’s nice when you can actually HUG and talk instead of standing at an altar biting your tongue and hoping you remember to say all the things you wanted to say when you can speak again. Not only does it make for a great moment – it also makes way for the ability to do all the pictures before the ceremony!

Ceremony

Time: 30 minutes – 1 hour

This is one thing I really can’t fuss with much as this all depends on your type of ceremony and service. Some are short and sweet, some are long and thoughtful. Keep in mind this is JUST the ceremony time!

Receiving Line

Time: 30 minutes – 2 hours

This figure all depends on the type of line you do. Some couples opt not to do one at all and instead get to the cocktail hour to greet guests before they enter the reception. Some choose to exit by row, which is the quickest option from the church (about 45 minutes for 200 guests) and some choose to do the formal line which can take up to 2 hours for 300 guests – and yes I’ve seen it take that long personally! For a more in depth look at Receiving Lines, please read my blog post about it!

The Exit

Time: 15 minutes

Up here in the North, we do our “grand exits” from the ceremony. Down South, they do them from the reception. I’m listing it here in the day since I primarily shoot in the north but the same time applies to this in the South. This usually doesn’t take much time but it’s an activity you still need to budget for! Typically it takes about 15 minutes to run out, hug the random person that has to hug you and get into the car. NOTE!!! If you have a messy exit remember to factor in time to get the rice, birdseed or whatnot out of your hair, bouquet etc. You may have to completely undress for this!

Family Formals

Time: 30 minutes

I always tell my clients to budget at least 30 minutes for these formals even though I’m usually done quite a bit sooner. What can take up time is when someone has to be tracked down that needs to be in the pictures – so make sure that everyone is present and accounted for so we can get the ball rolling. This time is also the same whether or not I got family formals before the ceremony – why? Because when I do them afterward, I just pull people in and out so it’s not any extra time to do them after for me. The time wasters here are children – many times the younger children do not want to stand still or will pull faces when they have to, large group portraits as once you try and get 10 + people positioned and smiling it’s not quick and other guests taking pictures. If you have extra time planned, it makes it easier to deal with these problems as they arise.

Bridal Party & Bride and Groom Portraits

Time: 1- 2 hours

The reason I lump both of these together is that typically on a day of the wedding after the formals in the church/ceremony area are done, the bridal party & bride and groom jump on a limo and we head off to locations for shooting. When on location I work with the full bridal party and will split off and come together off and on depending on the location to get the maximum use out of the areas we go to. Ideally I always want 2 hours after the family formals to play with the rest of the party. I know it SOUNDS like a lot of time but rarely is it. If we are going to locations there is the drive time to factor in – and if you are using a limo, bus etc. it takes longer for them to get around and park than it does for a car so that’s extra time. Out of my ideal 2 hour timeline, at least 30 minutes of that is driving and parking (and that’s when it’s all local going to a typical 2 location spots). The other time waster when it comes to bridal party location shoots is… the bathroom! You have no idea how often I’ve had to wait after we’re “on the road” so to speak for bathroom breaks. So make sure your bridal party thinks to use the restroom before getting in the limo! Even if we stay ON location I still like to have at least an hour because the bottom line is that if guests can see you, they’ll want to talk with you and inevitably that takes up time.

Cocktail Hour

Time: Time that you set aside for pictures, minus 15 minutes.

The idea behind the cocktail hour is for the guests to be entertained while the bridal party is off taking pictures so they aren’t twiddling their thumbs. Recently, more and more Brides and Grooms are wanting to be there for this part of the day which can put photographers in a bit of a pickle when it comes to taking pictures. If you want to be a part of the cocktail hour, have it start an hour after you expect the receiving line to end so that you can arrive towards the end of the hour and still enjoy it. Otherwise have your guests seated by the time you plan to arrive so that the guests are all seated when you arrive and are ready to make your entrance. Also note that you don’t want the cocktail hour to be TOO long otherwise guests will be pretty tipsy before the reception begins!!

Entrance

Time: 15 minutes

Unless you are planning something elaborate, entrances typically only take about 15 minutes at the most. As with the rest of the day, plan a bit of extra time here so you have a few minutes breathing room in case something runs behind i.e. the limo gets lost coming to the reception (I’ve seen it happen!).

Toasts/Blessing

Time: 15 minutes – 30 minutes

This is one part of your day that will be virtually impossible to plan on as no one tells you what they are going to say! However you should be able to plan on who is going to speak and with that add about 5 minutes per person. The typical speeches are from the Best Man, Maid of Honor and a blessing (15 minutes) but often parents speak, friends speak and so forth so make sure to plan accordingly.

Dinner

Time: 1 – 1 1/2 hours

This all depends on how many guests you are having and what style of dinner you are serving. Typically a plated meal takes longer than a buffet line but it all depends how they are set up! If it’s a single buffet line it can take as long as a plated dinner. Check with your cater and plan accordingly. I typically suggest about 1 1/2 hours – time for everyone to be served and time for the bride and groom to eat and visit while others are finishing up their meals.

Cake Cutting

Time: 15 minutes

This is pretty straightforward and simple and usually takes less time than 15 minutes but again, the extra time gives you space in case anything needs to be taken off of the cake before you cut in. For some information about cutting the cake see my blog here.

Special Dances

5 minutes per dance

Not everyone does every dance so I’m lumping this all together! Any “special” dance that you want to do (First Dance, Bridal Party, Father/Daughter, Mother/Son, Anniversary) estimate about 5 minutes unless you know the song is longer. This allows you a bit extra time to be introduced and to dip/kiss/spin/hug at the end.

Bouquet & Garter Toss

Time: 10 minutes

Again, not everyone does this but in case you want to do it I would estimate 10 minutes for both activities unless you know the DJ is planning something elaborate. I’ve seen some garter removals and such that are more than the norm so always check with your DJ/Band to make sure that you’re allowing ample time for it.

Whew that’s a lot of information isn’t it??? To start a timeline, typically you need to know the ceremony and reception times. My example is going to use 3 (without a First Look) or 5 (with a First Look) for the Ceremony time and 6 for the Reception.

Timeline Without First Look
9:00 – 12:00 Salon Appointment (Hair, Makeup for Bride, 5 Bridesmaids and Mothers)
12:00 – 12:30 Drive time from Salon to Bride’s Parents, bite to eat at house
12:30 – 1:30 Getting Dressed
1:30 – 1:45 Drive time to Ceremony
1:45 – 2:15 Pre Ceremony Formals
2:30 Music Begins
3:00 Ceremony
3:30 Processional
3:30 – 4:00 Bride and Groom Receive by Exiting Rows
4:00 Exit by rose petals
4:10 – 4:40 Family Formals
4:40 – 6:40 Bridal Party & Bride and Groom Portraits
6:00 – 6:50 Cocktail Hour
6:40 Photographer takes pictures of Reception Room before guests enter
6:50 Guests allowed into Reception
7:00 Introductions
7:15 Toasts (MOH, BM, Blessing)
7:30 Dinner
8:30 Cake Cutting
8:45 First Dance
8:50 Father/Daughter Dance
8:55 Mother/Son Dance
9:00 Bouquet/Garter Toss
9:15 Open Dancing
11:00 Reception Ends

Timeline With First Look
9:30 – 12:30 Salon Appointment (Hair, Makeup for Bride, 5 Bridesmaids and Mothers)
12:30 – 1:00 Drive time from Salon to Bride’s Parents, bite to eat at house
1:00 – 2:00 Getting Dressed
2:00 – 2:15 Drive time to First Look location
2:15 – 2:30 First Look
2:30 – 4:15 Bridal Party & Bride and Groom Portraits
4:30 Music Begins
5:00 Ceremony
5:30 Exit by rose petals
5:30 – 6:00 Family Formals
6:00 – 6:50 Cocktail Hour, Bride and Groom receive guests
6:50 Guests allowed into Reception
7:00 Introductions
7:15 Toasts (MOH, BM, Blessing)
7:30 Dinner
8:30 Cake Cutting
8:45 First Dance
8:50 Father/Daughter Dance
8:55 Mother/Son Dance
9:00 Bouquet/Garter Toss
9:15 Open Dancing
11:00 Reception Ends

As you can tell, the First Look doesn’t change the timeline much at all – but what it does is exchange the time from receiving your guests after the church to greeting them during the cocktail hour. Each couple has to decide for themselves what style they want but the nice thing with the First Look is that it enables the Bride and Groom to spend more quality time with their guests and not have to leave their guests while they are out getting pictures taken.

My dear friend Heidi has a great post today on her blog where a bride wrote in asking for advice on anti-perspirant. First, you are to go and comment and give the bride your advice. THEN you can come back here and read what one of the best discoveries was for me when I was planning my wedding.

Did you go comment?

I know I know… I’m pushy. But we’ve ALL been there. Not able to raise our hands because darnit, we are NOT SURE!

Ok thank you for commenting and helping a lady out!!

Now… my blog topic of the day, deodorant/anti-perspirant!! Are you excited? Are you starting to get frightened of me because I am?

Two years ago I was a Knottie. I bounced around and read more often than I posted but I got some amazing ideas from some really clever girls. One of them ended up being life changing and that was the discovery of Certain Dri. There was a topic asking about what deodorant they should use and this bride starting singing the praises of Certain Dri. I was intrigued so I decided to order it. At the time it was pretty hard to find in stores so I just got it from my online love Amazon.com. I have to say, I actually STALKED that package I was that eager to try it. I was getting married, on the beach, in North Carolina, in August, in a HUGE WEDDING DRESS. I was desperate to find something that would cure the inevitable pit stains that were to appear.

Why was I so eager to try Certain Dri? Well I confess, I am a sweater. I don’t know when it started – I suppose that lovely stage of puberty but all of the sudden in high school I noticed that there were times that I would go throughout the day having to not raise my arm in class due to my embarrassing wet spots beneath my arms. This continued through the years and stuck with me throughout my twenties resulting in many embarrassing moments including stripping in a mall bathroom during a date to use the dryer on my pits. I can laugh now, but back then I would rate pit stains as essentially the worst thing EVER. I tried every single deodorant available out there. I tried the men’s versions. I tried the crystals. I tried every single trick in the book to wind up still sweaty and more irritated. When I had heard of this NEW awesome thing on the market I figured it was worth a shot.

The package finally arrived and I have to say it was less than 5 minutes before I had put it on and was on the floor wondering what in the heck I had done to myself. It BURNED. Not to the point of crying but to the point of “ow” and many curses. It warned that this would happen for the first few times of application so I stuck with it. Then came the bit test…. a dress shirt. Every time I had worn a dress shirt previously in the heat, it immediately was stained. I DID NOT SWEAT ONE DROP! I figured it was a fluke so I kept wearing different ones. The skies opened and angels sung – and I finally had the magic stick! WOO HOO!!!! *insert really insane happy dance here*

I have been using Certain Dri now for over 2 years and am still just as happy with it. It itches/burns sometimes still when I put it on (usually because I do it after shaving when they say NOT to) but that pain is WORTH IT.

Why am I making a post about this? I can’t tell you how many brides/bridesmaids I have had (your secret is safe with me) tell me the day of the wedding that they are sweaters and are so sad about their pit stains. I’ve had to photoshop it out when it was really obvious. I have kicked myself EVERY time because I wish someone had told THEM of this magic potion available, over the counter, that will change their life. Heidi reminded me of this post I’ve been meaning to write and I didn’t want to take up her entire comments section so I wrote up more here.

If you are a gal that thinks that Certain Dri sounds like a magic potion for you (it’s unisex so guys too!) you can now pick it up at your local Wal Mart, Target or drug store! It runs about $3.50 or so for a roll on bottle. They also have a stick or roll on that you can use for day-to-day use.

Yep, it’s another photo location post!! I do not know the West Side much at all, so please bring on the recommendations for photo locations!!!! I am CONSTANTLY tweaking these lists as I find new locations so always check back!

Avon Lake

Veterans Memorial Park
Lake Road, Avon Lake, Ohio
One of the few beaches that have pubic access on the west side, here you will find a boardwalk along with a beach, great for those sunset shots!
Cost: Free

Berea

Baldwin Wallace College
275 Eastland Road, Berea, Ohio
A beautifully landscaped college complete with historic buildings makes this a perfect place to stop for portraits during your wedding or engagement session. Jenna and Doug’s ceremony took place here and we used the area around the chapel for their pictures after the wedding.
Cost: Free

The Big Quarry
The Big Quarry used to be a stone quarry but it eventually filled up with water and was abandoned and is now a beautiful lake in Berea. Since the water is so calm it makes for beautiful reflections – one of my favorite things to seek out for portraits!
Cost: Free

Mill Stream Run Reservation
Valley Parkway, Berea, OH
This park is a simple type of park but still has a lot to offer for photography locations. I went here this past fall with Jenna and Doug for their engagement session where we started out at Music Mound and ended up on a trial.
Cost: Free

Elyria

Ely Square
Located in this square is a gazebo, open green areas and a fountain. This was a “must stop” place for Nooriya and Randy and I’m glad we did!!!
Cost: Free but they do require the gazebo to be reserved for weddings.

Lakewood

Lakewood Park
14532 Lake Ave., Lakewood, OH
This park borders Lake Erie and has a paved brick walkway along the shore. At the east end of the walk, there is a beautiful skyline view of Cleveland (weather permitting! Also located here are playgrounds and Old Stone House. I stopped here with Tracy & Dan for the end of their engagement shoot.
Cost: Free

Lorain

Lakeview Metropark
1800 West Erie Avenue, Lorain, Ohio 44052
Lakeview Metropark has almost everything someone would want for a photo shoot. There is a beach, gazebo, historic rose gardens and much more to this picturesque park on the lake.
Cost: Free

Westlake

Crocker Park
25 Main Street, Westlake, Ohio
Small village, shopping, interesting features. Not your common location but there is a lot of nooks and crannies to shoot in here. Dehanna & Craig chose this location because it’s where their first date and engagement took place at.
Cost: Free

Other Photo Locations
Cleveland
East (Mentor/Willoughby)
South (Akron/Canton Area)