There is so much to consider in preparing for my wedding that it is a little confusing and overwhelming at times. Can you offer any advice about what I should know about wedding photography?

There are basically two types of wedding photography. The more predominant, traditional type is heavily dominated by posed shots. Generally a more traditional photographer will take many posed shots and then a few "candids." Because traditional photographers have lists of what they will/may shoot, many wedding albums tend to look the same. The second less common type of wedding photography, sometimes called wedding photojournalism, takes place without that lengthy portrait, posing, staging session in favor of a quiet, sensitive documentation that really captures the natural happenings of the day. Every wedding is unique, so recording the actual events means that your album will be unique or different instead of looking the same as everyone else's.

What type of photography do you do?

Everyone shoots both ways; however, one of the hallmarks of traditional wedding photography is long posing sessions, lasting an hour or more, with the photographer the center of attention, very involved in posing people a certain way. Typically there is a fairly long list of poses. In addition there are fewer images made. Many people like that type of photography, but it's just not me. Honestly, if that is the kind of photography you are most interested in, I'm not the photographer for you. I try to do the traditional posed shots in about 20 minutes or so and then let you go enjoy your guests and celebrate while I quietly observe and document the real happenings of the day.

Why have you chosen to shoot weddings that way?

The quickest way to explain that is to tell you a little bit about myself. In March of 1994 I decided to purchase a new "point and shoot" camera that would allow me to take better pictures of my kids than what was possible with the camera I had been using. Then somewhere between December of 1995 and February of 1996 the flash burned out. When I found out how much it would cost to fix it I decided to buy a whole new camera - the kind that uses interchangeable lenses. I did that because I wanted to be able to zoom in closer than I could with a point and shoot camera. By then, I had become a serious amateur photographer and I had decided that I really wanted to be able to document all the cute little things my kids did, without their being aware of the camera, because I noticed that as soon as they were aware of the camera they acted differently. I wanted to be able to document and preserve on film our family life as my children grew up because I knew that childhood was perishable and I would never ever again be able to take those pictures. Then in May 1997 I read an article titled, "Celebrity Wedding Photographer Tells All!" in a photography magazine I subscribed to, which described the photographic style of the photographer Town and Country reported to be "the great wedding photographer of our day." As I read the article I realized that after taking the normal, posed, traditional images he took pictures the way I was trying to take pictures of my kids - documenting the fun, spontaneity, and joy. I thought about it for about 5 months, and then I decided that if I were to start shooting weddings I could afford to buy some of the camera equipment I had been wanting. So, I got his phone number and called his office, and to make a long story short I ended up taking a course from him. I began shooting weddings in late 1998.

So what really sets you apart from other photographers?

First of all, it is really hard to capture joy and happiness in posed photography. If you look at most posed photographs, you will notice that a high percentage of the images consist of non-excited expressions. I choose to be a historian of one of life's great experiences. My mission is to document the most important day of a couple's life; to record all the little details, that all taken together tell the story of your wedding day. My job is to tell your story. I know that the one thing that will be left after the wedding, other than your new husband or wife and the wedding dress is the pictures. I want your wedding pictures to help you relive the actual memories of the day. I want them to bring back the feelings you had the day you got married - the fun and happiness. Doing this requires knowledge of photography, but it also requires a photojournalist's "eye" and good timing. Often, the difference between a good picture and a great picture is about 1/4 of a second. Eisenstaedt, a great photojournalist who worked for Life magazine for several decades, once described many photographers saying, "They know more about photography, about lighting, equipment, but not about seeing. You know it's not the camera which takes the picture, it's the eye."

What about your pricing?

I typically shoot somewhere between two and three times as much film as a traditional photographer, so my costs are much higher than most photographers; however, I have priced myself competitively with even the traditional photographers. My goal is to fill my calendar, because I know that other weddings will come from those I do today. I have priced myself so that virtually anyone who can afford a photographer will be able to afford to hire me, if their wedding date is still available when they contact me. I might add that it is a good idea to choose a photographer as far in advance of your wedding as possible, since it is common for people to book photographers 6 to 9 months or more in advance, especially for popular dates.

Do you charge for travel time for weddings that are outside the San Antonio area?

No. If your wedding is some distance away in another city or state, I may charge for travel expenses, what it actually costs to travel there, but not for travel time.

You say that you go through a lot more film than most photographers. Does that mean that the bride and groom get more pictures than with other photographers?

Yes, which brings up one other difference. Does it make sense to you that after you look at the proofs of your wedding, you have to give a lot of them back? If I give you 300, 400, or 500 plus proofs, why shouldn't you keep all of them? I think you should. Why should you just get a few? I put together what I call the "Wedding Day Story", an album which you can keep - including all the photographs.