DiCAPRIO | Top Destination Wedding Photographers | Portland | Seattle | Los Angeles | San Francisco | San Diego| Best Wedding Photographers » Award-Winning Wedding Photography. Beautiful. Modern. Timeless.

Melissa & Nathan are getting married next year at Gorge Crest Vineyards in Hood River, OR. We spent some time at the Rhododendron Garden and Reed College for their engagement session before heading to dinner at Yoko’s for sushi. It was a great way  to get to know each other. More adventures to come with this couple!

[caption id="attachment_641" align="aligncenter" width="800" caption="Rhododendron Garden, Portland Oregon"][/caption] [caption id="attachment_642" align="aligncenter" width="400" caption="Reed College, Portland"][/caption]

Our award-winning photography team has built its reputation on consistently creating beautifully romantic photography in new and exciting ways. We provide an exciting blend of photojournalism and artistic vision while capturing the images you’ll remember forever. The tears, the laughter, and the unexpected.

Our passion has taken us around the world from small towns to international destinations. We truly enjoy our role in making your wedding the best it can be because each ceremony is as special to us as it is to your friends and family.

About The Lead Photographer

Benjamin travels the world living his dream, photographing people and their connections with others. His passion and excitement for photography has allowed him to work with Oscar Winners & Grammy Winners, World Champions & Olympic Gold Medalists.

Clients choose Benjamin because of his infectious sense of humor and compassionate energy for capturing beautiful images. With a Masters in photojournalism Benjamin and his team capture real moments in real people, making each wedding authentic and timeless.

It’s a must have when you work with your photographer. You’ll want to make the list to be as detailed as possible and show it to your photographer well before the wedding day.

Most likely your photographer has photographed more weddings than you can imagine and will be able to recommend shots you might have missed. After you come to a consensus make copies for the wedding day in case the list becomes lost. The photographer will most likely hold one and supply their assistant with another copy.

Try not to cram too much into a few hours with certain items in your list. Weddings don’t always follow the expected time line so it’s a good strategy to pad time in between shots just in case your schedule changes.

You’ll never get another chance to make these pictures with everyone in your family. Don’t miss this important piece of the puzzle.

Here’s a basic shot list to help you get started.

• Bride and bridesmaids getting ready.
• Mom and bride before the ceremony.
• Full-length shot of bride in gown.
• Bride with bridesmaids
• Groom with father
• Groom with groomsmen
• Bridesmaids and groomsmen walking the aisle
• Flower girl entering
• Bride and Father walking the aisle
• Bride and groom at the altar
• Bride and groom exchanging vows
• Kiss
• Bride and groom together
• Bride with immediate family
• Groom with immediate family
• Bride and groom with all parents
• Bride and groom with immediate family from both sides
• Bride and groom with groomsmen
• Bride and groom with bridesmaids
• Bride and groom with full wedding party
• Reception site
• Reception details
• The Cake
• Best man toast and Matron toast
• Father toast
• Bride and groom first dance
• Bride and Dad dancing
• Groom and Mom dancing
• Bride and groom cutting the cake
• Bouquet toss
• Bride and groom send off

We’ve been having a crazy winter storm up here in the Northwest. Never seen anything like it before. So to use our time wisely I’ve been researching, talking with people in west coast wedding industry and asking what they see for wedding trends in 2009. Here’s what people are saying:

1. The Economy Will Drive Wedding Budgets.

Brides are looking for ways to save by creating more intimate weddings and cutting costs on the details like floral settings and overextending invitations.

2. The Cheaper, Reusable Dress.

Nina Callaway at About.com foresees brides and bridesmaids looking to buy cheaper and re-wearable dresses.

“Forget the peach tulle atrocities of yesteryear. 2009 brides are considerate, and mindful of the economy, so they’re looking for bridesmaid dresses that are truly rewearable, and don’t come with a sky-high price tag.”

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3. The Fashionable Dress.

The classic ivory dress is still the chosen color for the bride but variations in color and influences by the world of fashion have pushed design in new directions for 2009. Look for Greys, Blush, Champagne and Two-Tone Gowns for 2009. The editors at Brides.com put together a gallery of spring dresses with some great ideas for next year.

As for bridesmaids’ dresses, ourweddingday.com has a nice guide on what colors to blend in with your themes and what colors to avoid.

“The trick is to keep the main areas of your wedding understated and classic, adding then extravagant touches using the colors of your choice. Here is our list of 10 up-and-coming color combinations to make your truly memorable and a stand out…”

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4. The Green Wedding.

From conflict-free diamonds to serving free-range local goods and wedding dresses made of 100% cotton, couples, especially here on the West Coast, are looking to minimize their impact on their communities in 2009.

5. Vintage.

We found this article at Suite101.com which was similar to the opinions of About.com, vintage is in:

“Weddings often evoke a sense of nostalgia, and many brides are choosing to incorporate vintage elements and styles into their modern look. Old-Hollywood glamor and the flirty fashions of the 20s are very popular this season. Chic 50s lines are also experiencing a comeback; a super-short visor veil is a beautiful, bold look that manages to look entirely modern, yet evokes a sense of history and tradition. Try accenting that visor veil with one of Grandma’s beautiful brooches for a truly custom and special wedding accessory.”

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6. Wedding Photography Trends.

Wedding Photojournalism. It was a huge trend at the beginning of the millennium and continues to be in high demand. It’s our number one request at Benjamin DiCaprio for 2009 as our chief photographer received his masters degree in photojournalism. Brides want to see black and white photos of emotional moments mixed in with the color images more and more. But a newer trend is also emerging. The fashion world has been influencing wedding photography at a rapid pace since 2004 and will continue into next year. Images like one we took at an Oregon winery are requested more and more:

…but trends are trends. Here one day, gone the next. It’s great to use them as a guide to understand what’s going on in your world. The best wedding is the one you make all your own.

Benjamin DiCaprio

As you know, the economy took a turn south this year, a recession experts say started at the end of 2007. With the economy looking to remain stagnant or worse for the first part of next year, brides are looking for ways to save for their weddings.

The Catholic Courier has a great piece profiling a couple and their secrets on saving money for their wedding day.

Here’s an excerpt:

“The newlyweds are proud of the way their special day turned out, Liz Quadrozzi said, especially since they doubt most of their guests could tell their wedding cost approximately $8,000.

The Quadrozzis have reason to be proud of that figure. These days the average American couple spends approximately $27,800 on their wedding, according to www.theknot.com, the go-to wedding-planning Web site for many brides-to-be.”

You have your date set and your venue selected. Eventually you’ll have to decide who will do the best at capturing your wedding in a style that fits your liking.

Ask the following questions of your photographer to find the best fit for your day:

1. Personality Match – At the professional level, many photographers will give you what you want at the end of the day. Focus on who you can work with best at your wedding. You’ll have a better idea during your conversations with your photographer if there is a good match and if the chemistry is right.
2. Find the right Style – Photojournalistic weddings were all the rave for the past few years. It became such a buzz word almost all photographers started shooting this style to some degree. The idea being the photographer would capture moments as they happen rather than set up poses. Others prefer set up shots to the documentary/photojournalism look. There are photographers that do only one style and others who can do both. Make sure you specify what percentage of your wedding you want covered in a particular style. Artistic, Photojournalistic, Traditional, a blend.
3. Ask for Commitment – Many wedding companies use photographers other than the person you think you’ve signed up for. It’s not uncommon. Make sure you ask to speak directly to the photographer who will be working with you on the day of the wedding. And don’t hesitate to ask for a guarantee in your contract. You should also ask if the packages include one or two photographers. The more photographers shooting your wedding, the more quality photographs you’ll have in the end.
4. Look for Experience – Has this person photographed other weddings in the past? Ask to see a selection of recent images from full weddings – start to finish. Also ask if the work you are presented with is a compilation of work from more than one photographer or the photographer you are hiring. This will help you judge the skill and style of the photographer you’re interested in.
5. The Offering – Make sure you understand what you’re getting in your packages. Sometimes the packages are set in stone, sometimes they can be customized to include changes in hours, shooting times, locations, end products, etc. Get this all laid out up front so you both have similar expectations. Are you interested in a “Shoot and Burn” wedding where you just want your images on a CD and that’s it? Do you want albums, proof books, online galleries for friends and family?
6. Travel Fees – Do you want to go to a third location for pictures? Will you be flying your photographer in or having them drive a certain distance to your venue? Most photographers will ask to be reimbursed for certain travel arrangements. Be prepared to have this discussion. A good rule of thumb is to pay for gas if they will be driving over 75 miles. If you’re flying them in, you’ll most likely have to pay for the cost of the ticket and overnight expenses.
7. Product Delivery – Do want a website and CD of your images? How long does it take for your proofs to come in? Do you want albums or do you want to get those on your own? You don’t want to be waiting two months for the final product to arrive.
8. The Price is Right – Is this person within your budget or worth the price difference. You’ve heard it before. You get what you pay for. The best photographers will cost more than the mediocre and they charge more for their skill level. They’ve spent time developing their sytle a product and should be rewarded for it. From your end, make sure you understand what everything costs and what you’ll get in the end. If the budget is out of your price range, ask your photographer to work with you to customize the best package for your current situation.
9. The Contract – Make sure you have everything clearly worded and that you understand the contract. You don’t want to dabble in the fine print. A good photographer will be clear and honest with everything up front. Ask about deposits and cancellations before signing the dotted line.

All the best in your search,

Benjamin

About an hour outside of Portland, Oregon…a nice winery wedding, gorgeous couple and a great party.