Quinceaneras or Weddings: 10 Secrets for Capturing Memories Forever

Whether it’s your Quinceanera Celebration or your Wedding Ceremony how the memories are captured forever is critical. They have to be done correctly the first time there aren’t any second chances.

1. There is no dress rehearsal for the photographer. If your pictures don’t come out correctly, they can’t be redone after your Quinceanera or Wedding is over. Choosing your photographer is very important.

2. It’s not necessarily how much a photographer charges that determines the quality of their work. It’s the quality of the work in their portfolio. Beware, as to what work the photographer shows in their portfolio, the work might be of the person will be working your event. It might be someone else’s work that doesn’t work for them any longer. It could also be stock photo’s they purchased from a photo distributor.

3. You need to get referrals and find out if the clients would ever hire them again for another event. There are horror stories where a company promised one photographer for a celebration and another less capable person showed up at the day of the event. You know the disappointed outcome; the photographs were not as good as expected. The Quinceanera was over and there wasn’t second chance.

4. Know in advance what you kind of pictures you want is very important. Knowing what your budget is will allow you to be able to get the most for your money. Figure out how many photo albums have you seen that were obviously taken by family members with very little photographic ability? Is that what you’re hoping for?

5. You need to be very careful when choosing a photographer and videographer. The person you hire is documenting your magical moments. Those memories of your event, the keepsakes you will share with your children and grandchildren. When considering the budget this is one area you shouldn’t settle for an amateur. Check with friends and relatives.

6. Find a professional photographer whose work you have seen and are impressed with the outcomes. Then check out the costs involved.

Develop a list of professionals who come highly recommended. Set up appointments and visit the photographers’ studios. Make sure the photographers’ fit your needs and budget. Professional photographers usually sell their photographic services in packages. They include a commitment to deliver of a designated number of quality shots and an album and/or frames to go with them. Packages start as low as $400 plus expenses and range into thousands of dollars.

7. Videographers many times work with photographers. They usually shoot an event with unlimited footage and then edit the work. Very often use more than one camera and then edit the footage into a single finished product. Check out what the price includes. The usually charge for time at the event and the time they expect to spend editing. A good-quality movie that accurately reflects those special moments can cost anywhere from $1,000 to $7,500 depending on how complex (and long) your end product is.

8. Locating a talented videographer that fits into your budget is like finding the best cameraperson for your own movie. You’re the star of your own Quinceanera or Wedding celebration, choose the best professional for your movie After you’ve finalized your plans and have a good idea what you plan on doing, have a meeting with your photographer and/or videographer and let them know what specific shots you’re hoping to get.

9. LISTEN to the suggestions of the photographer and videographer. They are the ones with lots of experience. However, you are the one paying the bill. Talk it all over with the photographer and/or videographer, so you’ll be sure to capture that magical moment in ways that’ll make everybody happy.

10. If you’re working on a tight budget, consider placing disposable cameras at each table (one to a table) and let the guests take their own pictures. They can shoot shots of each other and of you at special moments. You can either have them place the cameras in a basket as they leave, then you can make copies and then offer copies to anybody who’s willing to pay whatever they cost you to print, or you can let people take the cameras home and make their own copies. Be sure you encourage them to forward copies of the better ones to you.