#albertaweddingphotographer – AdaLilly Photography

Apr

ACCREDITED PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHER

I am an accredited professional photographer and qualified member of the Professional Photographers of Canada (PPOC)

What is the PPOC?

The PPOC is a distinguished organization dedicated to the highest standard in professional imaging in Canada.

What is an Accredited Photographer?

Accreditation demonstrates that a photographer has proven professional ability to the Board of Examiners of the PPOC.

Accreditation is the first elevation above the general membership level, and is achieved by submitting 10 samples of the applicant’s photography to a PPOC Board of Review for Accreditation. Accreditation demonstrates that the photographer is capable of delivering above average quality photography in a chosen category. In assessing Accreditation Submissions, the judges will consider the following criteria: Impact, Creativity, Style, Composition, Presentation, Color Balance, Centre of Interest, Lighting, Subject Matter, Image file quality, Technique and Story Telling.

Why hire an accredited photographer?

In short, as a specialist in their chosen field a PPOC Accredited Professional Photographer has the proven

Confidence
Knowledge
Experience
Equipment

to provide you with quality product in their area of expertise. PPOC’s process of accreditation recognizes those who have reached a nationally accepted level of proficiency and knowledge in photographic arts and is able to demonstrate their capability of delivering image excellence in a chosen field setting them apart as industry leaders. Those who have earned accreditation have successfully completed the highest requirements from a panel of qualified judges across Canada.

Andrea

AdaLilly Photography

Accredited in High Key Portrait genre

Jul

LIGHT – WRITING

If you break down the word ‘photography’, it literally means “light – writing.” While technological advances have changed since it was first named, the original meaning still gives me all of the feels.

Light absolutely matters! Its a topic often discussed in the photography world regardless of your level of expertise. I believe one of the most common hurdles to overcome is how to use your light. Be it natural light or studio light. While I may not be the most profound expert on the matter I do understand that it is a key factor for creating a successful image. Brightness and darkness are determinations of light, it helps set the mood of the image. Hence why it’s imperative to know correct control and manipulation of it, getting your image the best texture, colour vibrancy and luminosity.

Please note, Im not an instructor and don’t claim to be one but I do hope this helps my clients understand why I choose specific times of day particularly when shooting outdoors and then when shooting indoors in the studio for specifically styled genre’s.

Thank you for sticking with us and supporting our small business!

AdaLilly Photography

Jun

FAQ FRIDAY #2

Location Location Location

‘Where are we getting our portraits done?’

It’s almost time for your session and we’re trying to decide on a location. Below are some things you’ll want to think about.

Keep in mind the décor of your home. My personal photography style is more modern minimalistic or brighter and softer. My home is also more modern minimalist. I would never have us dressed in bright colors on a canvas in my wall because it doesn’t go with my minimalistic style. Make sure you coordinate your outfits and locations to match the décor style of your home. You also will need to coordinate the colors with the walls of your house so they don’t clash.

If you have a modern minimalistic space like mine, studio portraits look gorgeous and outdoor pastels will go with all modern minimal decor.

The above being said however, if you have a more modern home, studio photos will more than likely be your best option.

You can also choose to have a lifestyle session done inside your home. We will come to your house and take photos of your family in your own natural environment. These are beautiful and will look great in your house because they match perfectly.

Xo,

AdaLilly Photography

Thank you for supporting our small local business!

Jun

WHY WE LOVE CANVAS

This is why we love our Professional Canvas’

ALP canvas prints are one of a kind! They are hand wrap premium fine art canvas on metal to create a streamlined piece with classic natural texture. Our cotton-poly canvas is acid- and OBA-free, and archival-certified. The opaque, matte finish has excellent D-max tones for spectacular highlights and an extended color gamut with our professional pigment-based inks. Canvas is water, scratch, and crack resistant, and finished with an additional protective coating for an heirloom product.

Talk about a statement piece!

AdaLilly Photography

Thank you for supporting our small local business!

Jun

CHOOSING THE BEST WAY TO DISPLAY PHOTOS IN YOUR HOME

You may not be aware but part of the experience of working with AdaLilly Photography is we can help design your at home wall display with our virtual design assistant!

Talking about prints and sizes, and where to hang and what to hang etc can be a tough and confusing decision. I mean talking about different kinds of paper and why we print on one vs another is something everyone should know right? No, we don’t expect you to know it all and part of the experience of working with ALP is that we love pampering our clients and being the experts in this area. After all it is what we do being a full service photography studio. We wanted to take the guess work out of choosing what to print and where to hang it, again taking you through a seamless transition through the entire experience. After all you’ll want your portraits to look their best in your home.

How does it work:

* Most of this is planned in the pre-session consult believe it or not. It’s partly how we decide on the backdrop to shoot your portrait on.

* Decide on a space in your home that you’d like to use as your ‘feature wall’ or space to showcase our work we just created together.

* Next, lets decide on print size(s)

* Then let me virtually design the look showcasing colours already in your home or more specifically the area these pieces of art are going to be enjoyed.

* Lastly we place your order together and await its arrival to share in your home with family and friends.

Some things to think about that we will discuss in detail at your ordering appointment.

Is the space large enough for 1 feature image or a collage of multiple images?

Pick your favourite images that you might like to see on your wall(s)

Still have questions?

Its okay, we understand that you may have questions. We also understand that you may want to see more than one option. No problem! Let us know we are happy to answer any questions you have and if its a concern about whether or not its the perfect image for the space, lets chat more and create a couple digital design options for you to choose from. Regardless, no need to stress, we have your back!

When hanging photos on your wall (framed or canvas) you can choose to hang a single photo, or a group of photos in a collage to change it up.

AdaLilly Photography

Thank you for supporting our small local business!

May

TIP TUESDAY #11

ALP Client Guide – Spring & Summer Session Wardrobe

Dressing for a Spring & Summer Family Session

Spring

The birds are chirping, the buds are blooming, and the snow has officially melted. That means it’s time for your spring family session. Here are a few wardrobe tips to ensure the whole gang looks smashing:

Play up the fact that it’s spring. Have a necklace with a butterfly pendant? Perfect! An insect-printed tee? Yes, please.
Channel the colors of spring. While pastels are the most popular colour during Spring, other colours will work too. Seriously – look out the window for inspiration for your family’s colour palette or pin our colour client guide image below. Greens, pinks, yellows, beige, khaki, and blues all work exceptionally well.
Layer up! Spring can be both warm and cold at once, so come prepared. We love spring scarves, light cardigans, vests, etc.

Summer

It’s hot outside, but fear not. Here are some cool wardrobe tips to make sure your summer family photo session is a hit:

Wear light fabrics that let you breath, but still look polished. It’s OK to show some skin, too. Shorts are good, as are tank tops.
Really play up the summer accessory factor. I’m talking sun hats for the ladies and big sunglasses for all.
You can even bring summer-appropriate props that complement your outfits. Maybe it’s a beach ball, balloons, giant lollipop or messy ice cream cone.
Choose shoes that are comfortable and summery. Flip flops, loafers, open-toed pumps, even sweet sneakers on your kiddos.

Now that we’ve shared some of our favourite colour schemes and you’re still unsure, keep it simple! You can never go wrong with white cotton/linen blends. All we can say is #swoon

May

ALP STUDIO – WE’RE BACK!

We’re more than dancing over here we’re so excited!

We love our photography family & clientele and want to make sure your safety is first and foremost our priority. So while we’re preparing to re-open the studio on May 14, 2020 we wanted to give you a little sneak peek into our phase one policies. We feel comfortable enough to open during this phase and plan to do so safely providing we all follow these rules together.

A few points:

You’re more than welcome to wear a mask in the studio, however masks will not be supplied by ALP Studios.
We will have ample amounts of soap and warm water in an open washing area for you to utilize to wash your hands as you enter the studio.
We ask that if you should become unwell prior to your session please contact the studio and reschedule.
We don’t have all the answers so if for any reason we can’t answer your questions please refer to the AHS website regarding COVID-19.

Thank you for continuing to support this little local business of ours!

Xo,

AdaLilly Photography

Jan

WEDNESDAY WEIGH IN #2

First off we’d like to thank you for coming back again this week! We appreciate your dedication to us and something we’re passionate about. So this week we’ll pop in here with two more tips to add on to last week.

STEP 3: SETTING UP THE INTERVIEW

The decision to be made…one of the most important steps in finding your perfect fit! Please believe me when I say MEET IN PERSON!!! If possible that is. There are other ways to virtually meet in person if you’ll be hiring from abroad and this is still important to talk face to face. (Thank God for FaceTime, Skype and many other ways to host ‘in person’ meets.)

Lets quickly recap, you’ve sought out the style you love, you’ve fallen in love with the photographer’s portfolio, now we have setting up the interview. First call them. Find out if they’re available for your date. If they are, go ahead and connect through their contact page introducing yourself and your soon-to-be-spouse. Most photographers will have a contact form on their website asking a few questions but in the space provided where it may say ‘tell us more’ you can add tidbits in about the day, such as the event itself and the vision you have for your day. If there is room attach 3-5 of your favourite images from their site or your research. This way they’ll have a better idea of what you love. Sadly your photographer may already be booked on your date…what next? Well, ask and see if they have an associate or can recommend another shooter with a similar style.

I’d be lying if I said we always want to be picked by every one we meet with. The truth is we don’t. While you’re setting up the interview, we too are interviewing you. To be honest we may just not jive together after meeting in person. So it’s best to always set up 3-5 potential photographer interviews who are available on your wedding date. Be prepared to talk about the venue, style and your vision for your photos, and remember it’s okay to not ‘click’ (pun fully intended) with everyone.

STEP 4: VIEW A FEW FULL WEDDING ALBUMS

This is so crucial!!! I see so many couples base their decisions on the highlight reel in a photographers portfolio. PLEASE DO NOT DO THIS!! View an entire gallery. That means ask to see one of their full weddings. Why? As a photographer I will be totally transparent with you. We show all our prospective clients a portfolio of the best of the best, or our favourite images from one or several weddings we’ve photographed. It’s not that we’re trying to hide anything its just those are the ones that get us really excited about the art we’ve created and we want to share it with you. But it still will not give you a well rounded idea of the entire picture. Ask to see two or three galleries from REAL weddings they’ve shot (not someone else at their company) so you can get the full picture of what your complete collection may look like after the wedding. If you fall in love with all the images rather than just the chosen highlight ones then bravo, you’re heading in the right direction! ASK questions! A LOT of them! I believe in honesty no matter how hard the question is to answer, if the person you’re meeting can’t be honest, that’s a red flag! Integrity is everything.

Time to go get the kids so remember to check back with us next Wednesday where we will talk about Critical Eye & Personalities.

AdaLilly Photography

Jan

WEDNESDAY WEIGH IN

As photographers we know and understand completely just how hard this decision is for your big day. Believe me it’s not easy for us either. While there are numerous photographers out there and some may think the market is over saturated, the key to finding the one to fit you and your vision is really very simple. But with all that wedding planning we understand just how hard it can be to try and make these decisions. You’re likely asking yourself where do we start?

ALP WEDDINGS – Wednesday Weigh In is here to help. We’re strictly keeping Wednesdays dedicated to weddings…and not just about wedding photography even though that is our passion!

HOW TO FIND YOUR PERFECT WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER

STEP 1: WHATS YOUR STYLE

While research is important, how do you begin to research someone or something you’re not even sure you know what/who’s style you love?

We recommend choosing the style of photography you fall in love with first. Seek out styles that taylor to how you want to feel overtime as you look back on your day as you flip through your heirloom album specified to fit you and your vision. So while you’re heading on over to Pinterest to start looking, make sure to create your board and fill it full of images that make your heart flutter. Images that inspire you. They may be from a fashion blogger, a real wedding or staged shoot, it could be as simple as a flat lay image. Regardless of inspiration its a great place to start to seek out that perfect match for your photography needs. I’d be lying if I said you won’t go down the worm holes because you will but the fun about creating these boards is you’ll have a pristine idea of what you want your memories to reflect on your big day.

STEP 2: DO THE DIGGING

This is so important. While one couple may not have been completely happy with their wedding photographer, they may not have clicked well enough to have a more than reasonable outcome. Whereas another couple may love and boast about the exact same photographer. We’re all human after all and therefore we won’t always click well with each other. So its very important that you dig into the ones with the styles you favour. This is just a start. Start reading their about me pages and get a small sense of getting to know who you’ll be meeting for coffee in the next step. Personally we offer all inquiring clients our free guide to wedding photography. (We’ll attach the form below to request our guide) It’s a small token of our appreciation for just looking us up!

A photographers portfolio will tell you a lot about how they capture ones wedding day. We all have a different eye. I may see one angle and another may see a complete opposite. But, that doesn’t mean one is more right over the other, it may just mean difference in perspective. However a portfolio will not tell you how you will get along. This brings us to the next step, of which we will touch more on next week. But we did promise you a little freebie!!! Scroll to the bottom and fill out the request form for your ALP WEDDINGS – A COMPLETE GUIDE TO WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHY.

We don’t want to overwhelm you as we know the process of planning a wedding is somewhat stressful and oh so busy. So we’re going to leave this right here and reconvene on the topic next Wednesday where we will discuss the next steps of setting up interviews with photographers and seeing a full album in person of a wedding.