We’ve all heard that “cameras are so good today that anyone can make a nice picture.” Perhaps there’s some truth in that statement.

If all the conditions are right — if there’s filtered sunlight, if a couple happens to strike the perfect pose, if the camera reads the scene correctly, etc. — well then, sure, “anyone” can make a nice picture.

But let’s look at this from the perspective of what I do for a living:

A wedding photographer’s job is to make hundreds of nice pictures. And a few absolutely killer images. At every wedding. For every client.

A newly married couple does not want to hear that their pictures would have looked better if the light had been better, if their crazy aunt hadn’t been such a pain, if that lens hadn’t stopped working, if if if …

Wedding photography incorporates nearly every kind of photography there is into one crazy day. It’s like being a baseball player and being asked to play all nine positions — effectively — in one game.

For example:

• Low light photography. Ever been in a church or reception venue? Those places can look like midnight at noon.
• Portrait photography. Newlyweds want to look like they just stepped out of the pages of a magazine.
• Fashion photography. If you’ve ever seen beautiful dress/shoe/flower shots, then you’ve seen fashion photography.
• Photojournalism. There are plenty of storytelling moments (i.e., the first kiss) that a photographer had better capture discreetly as they happen.

Photographing weddings — in a way that will thrill a couple — takes skill. You need to be able to do it all.

Here are a few things to consider if you’re looking to hire a wedding photographer:

1. How many weddings have they photographed? The more weddings they’ve worked, the more things they’ve experienced and dealt with. In other words, the fewer surprises they’ll encounter on your big day.
2. Have they made portraits in bad weather? What do those portraits look like? Unless your photographer is also a meteorologist who can guarantee good weather, there’s a chance you’ll be making some pictures in rain/snow/humidity/a hurricane. And you want to know that those pictures will look good.
3. What’s their experience with lighting equipment and natural light photography? Can your photographer turn a dark reception venue into daylight without overwhelming your guests or making your pictures look unnatural? Can they make flattering portraits of you with artificial light? Do they also understand that there are moments during a wedding when using a flash would intrude on the intimacy of the day?
4. Do they have backups of their gear? There are photographers who show up to shoot a wedding with only one camera. Wow. Unfortunately, for their clients, the day will come when the camera breaks.
5. Does it seem like your wedding will be stressful to the photographer? Will they be overwhelmed when, with everything running behind schedule, a piece of equipment breaks and your Uncle Bob is demanding that a large family picture be made now?

I hope this information helps you choose a photographer who will deliver stunning photos of your wedding day.

If you’re getting married, you should plan on checking out the Mazzone Hospitality Wedding Show (http://www.onereputation.com/events.htm) between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. this Sunday. JFP will have a booth at the Glen Sanders Mansion, and your $5 admission fee also will cover entrance to Key Hall. Some of the areas finest wedding vendors (from photographers to DJs and bands to wedding planners, and more) will be on hand at both spots. Hope to see you!

OK, before I get into the meat of this post, can I just say that it’s really hard to stay out of a mirror shot?

Freaking mirrors see everything and, trust me, no bride wants to see my mug and Mohawk popping up in her getting ready shots! So I twist and contort in an effort to have the camera capture everything the mirror is capturing (except me).

Anywho … I always tell couples to make sure they choose a wedding photographer whom they like as a person. As you can see in the picture above, it’s Ciara (the bride) and her best friends. Her mom was also in the room.

And then there was me. A guy with a camera.

How uncomfortable would it be for a bride-to-be slipping into her dress and preparing to take one of the biggest steps of her life with a stranger hanging around?

But I’m not a stranger to my couples.

When we meet for the first time, we’re both trying to see if we’re a good fit. I ask a ton of questions and look for some common ground (Ciara and her now-husband Kurt and I all love the band Guster, for example). It’s a lot like a first date. And I only want to be part of the wedding if it’s a good first date!

When it works out, it’s awesome and I have the privilege of documenting some powerful moments, such as this one, where Sara and her dad are both trying not to cry as he sees her in her wedding dress for the first time:

Choose your wedding photographer wisely. Choose someone who makes pictures you like, and whom you like.

Congrats to the Giants on defeating the Packers last night. Although I’m a Jets fan, I have no problem rooting for a New York team. (I know, that’s sacrilegious to some people!) Anyway, in honor of the New York victory, here’s a portrait I made of Giants quarterback Eli Manning a few years ago for a New Jersey billboard campaign.

If we’ve ever met in person — me as a wedding photographer and you as a potential client — you’ve probably heard me give a spiel about what you should consider when hiring a wedding photographer.

I share this information with potential clients because:

1. Most couples have never hired a wedding photographer before. And since I have photographed more than 100 weddings, I know a little bit about what should go into the process of choosing a photographer.
2. It’s too easy for people to make a decision simply based on money. I understand how this happens, but I think it’s an approach that will couples will likely regret. Money is obviously a very, very important part of the decision, but I try to help couples look at other elements, too.

So, what should you consider when you’re hiring a wedding photographer? Here are three key ingredients:

• PRICE

See, I get how important price is. I put it at the top of my list.

The price has to work for you. It has to fit in your budget, or you have to see enough value in the photography that you’re willing to stretch your budget.

You should also ask photographers if their packages are customizable. Or, can they build a package that is unique to you and is based on your needs/wants? And is there flexibility in their payment structure?

• PERSONALITY

I can’t emphasize this category enough. Basically, if there’s any part of you that doesn’t feel comfortable with a photographer, do not hire them. Even if you like their work. Even if their price is perfect for you.

A wedding day is such a big moment in your life. Trust me, you want to spend it with people you could see yourself enjoying a beer or two with.

Your photographer will be with you during some of the most intimate moments you will ever experience. I’m there when a bride-to-be buttons up the back of her wedding dress. It’s me and her best friends. I’m also there, five feet away from you, after you’ve become Mr. and Mrs. and you’ve walked back down the aisle into a cramped little room for a few moments to catch your breath.

In that scenario, do you want a photographer whom you feel so-so about, or do you want someone you like as a person?

Ideally, your wedding photographer will be able to make you relax when they’re making portraits. And they’ll be able to make you laugh when you’re nervous or stressed. They’ll be able to connect with you in a meaningful way.

• STYLE

Do you like the photographer’s work? Do you think they can effectively tell the story of your day? Basically, when everything is done and you’re celebrating your 25-year anniversary, will your wedding pictures still make you smile?

Top-notch photographers have distinctive styles, and they specialize in making images that speak to viewers in unique ways. You need to find someone who’s style moves you.

Ask the photographers you interview if you can see someone else’s complete wedding. Don’t look just at a photographer’s best\favorite work. Check out an entire wedding, and see if you like the way they cover the day. Heck, look at multiple entire days. That way, you can see if a photographer does the same thing wedding after wedding, or if they let the wedding day and the clients drive the pictures that are made.

So, there you go! Add price, experience and style together, and you should end up with a wedding photographer who fits perfectly for you.

Jaime (a 2010 JFP bride) recently referred her friend Stacey to me for a 2012 wedding. Jaime also sent me this wonderful note:

“I was just looking up some info on vendors for Stacey, and I came across a link to your blog post of our wedding, and I thought you’d be pleased to know that I looked at it again, and it made me tear up a bit! Damn you are good at what you do.”

I’m so fortunate to have a career that allows me to give people something they value, and that allows me to connect with so many cool people.

Thank you, Jaime, for taking the time to share such a nice sentiment.

The first time Alysha and I worked together, making some relatively laid back images in my studio a few weeks ago, I mentioned that I’d like to photograph a tattooed model with a snake at some point. I envisioned the ink and the snake’s texture working well together.

A couple days later, Alysha texted me: My friend has an 11-foot Burmese python. When do you want to do this?

Gulp.

I am petrified of snakes. I have nightmares about them fairly regularly. Typically, in the dream, I can’t go into my front yard because it’s swamped with large, aggressive snakes that want to eat me, my wife and our dogs. Tina, the boys and I have to stay in the house and hope like hell that the slithering creatures don’t find their way in, which they are — of course — trying to do.

I knew that having a camera in my hand would provide a buffer, though. I have photographed some very serious subjects as both a journalist and as a corporate photographer, and I’ve been in situations that would make many people shudder and run in the other direction. However, when I’m working, I am able to eliminate a lot of my emotions and simply focus on the task at hand.

And that’s what I did on this three-hour shoot: I pushed my fear aside; I ignored Rocco’s hissing as he settled down and warmed up (the two handlers on set watched everything Alysha and I did, and they guided us through each step of handling the snake); I tried not to jump too much the few times he reached out touched me; and I directed Alysha with regard to posing, expressions, etc.  I actually allowed myself to be excited about finally photographing a model and a snake together.

Needless to say, these images have a much different feel than my wedding work. I believe it’s important to challenge yourself, though. Stretching myself and my limits can only make me a better photographer, which will help me deliver images that will make my clients happy.

Thank you to Alysha for a fantastic shoot. You are bad ass, and I look forward to working together again. Thank you again to the handlers who hung around for half a day. And thank you to Rocco for helping me move a little beyond a major fear. (I did not take the handlers up on their offer to hold Rocco. Being in the same space as him for so long was enough of a victory for me!)

I’m shooting today with Alysha, who has killer eyes. Yay! This is a pic from our last shoot:

This afternoon, we’ll also be adding an 11-foot snake into the mix. Gulp. I mean, um, yay …

Check out this promotional video for Glen Sanders Mansion, a wonderful, classy wedding venue located in Scotia, New York. The video features one of JFP’s 2011 couples — Danielle and Tim. The still images in the video are JFP pictures. A shorter version of the video has been airing on television stations in upstate New York.

Most strong photos do not happen accidentally. For me, at least, they occur through a combination of vision, preparation and execution.

I typically need to see the image I want to make well before I make it. Sometimes this happens days before, as I flip through magazines or sketch poses. Other times, I’ll visualize the picture a mere second before I press the shutter button.

Seeing the picture before I make it helps me with the preparation piece. In this way, I know what equipment to have on hand, where the sun will be, etc.

And the execution part is, again, for me, something that’s been years in the making.

Execution has to do with having a photography foundation (for example, knowing how ISO and aperture work together) and knowing the ins and outs of your gear. When a potential portfolio photo presents itself, the last thing you want to have to think about is your equipment, or the basics of photography.

Instead, you want the freedom to focus on composition, subject expression — all the things that are showing up in your viewfinder.

I knew the second I heard the thump of my camera recording the picture of Jimmy (taken at Birch Hill in Castleton-on-Hudson, New York) that I had a keeper, an image I’d be showing clients for a long time. Jimmy was preparing to marry Melissa, and I was making pre-ceremony portraits of the groom with a long lens, giving him room to gather his thoughts before he walked down the aisle.

I was also shooting from a distance with a 200mm lens because Birch Hill has many peacocks on the grounds, and I’d fantasized about making a cool peacock picture. However, they typically scurry away from people. I knew that if I were going to make a picture of the proud groom with the peacock, there’d have to be plenty of room between us, so the bird would feel safe.

As I photographed Jimmy sitting on the bench, I noticed one bird heading my way.

I willed Jimmy to stay put and quiet, and I kept the camera up to my face, adjusting my setting so the image’s focus would be on the bird, but so that you’d still be able to make out the groom-to-be in the background.

Then, as the bird sauntered between me and Jimmy, feathers down, I moved toward it quickly. I probably made some sort of squawking noise, too.

The birds feathers flared and I snapped off a few frames. Then I said, “Thank you very much, Mr. Peacock.” And I left him alone.

I had my photo, and he walked away, feathers down again.

I got this picture because I saw it before it happened. I had the right equipment ready, and I didn’t have to think about the mechanics of making the image. I was able to simply take advantage of the moment.