WEDDING WORLD WEDNESDAY: STOCK PHOTOS

Advertising agencies, Web designers, graphic designers, and lots of other entities frequently take advantage of stock photography – images that aren't taken for a specific client or purpose but are used and reused for multiple assignments.

For weddings, take some stock images of flowers, champagne glasses, couples' hands, rings, wedding cake brides and grooms, etc., that you can then use to create themed stationery ensembles: invitations, response cards, reception cards, and guest books.

Taking stock shots is fun; you have complete control and can get really creative, and you can also transform them into image transfers or manipulate them in Photoshop. I'm constantly repurposing my images. (Just between you and me, the old suitcase you see in the latest of the "Flight" series posted yesterday is something I shot about ten years ago; I knocked out the background and added it as a layer with a drop shadow.)

For baby-themed stationery – shower invitations, thank you notes, and photo albums – I took some stock shots of baby shoes ("painting" boy and girl versions in pink and blue in Photoshop), a teddy bear (again, "painting" a boy version with a blue ribbon around its neck, a girl version with pink), and a rubber ducky (unisex!).

These projects and more are detailed in my books, "The Art and Craft of Keepsake Photography: Engagements & Weddings" and "Baby Face: Celebrating Your Pregnancy & Baby with Beautiful Photo Crafts," available in My Shop and at amazon.com and other online booksellers.

WEDDING WORLD WEDNESDAY: SELF PROMOTION

An "envelopment" wrapped in ribbon turns a simple flat card printed on a nice heavyweight stock into a gift.

I think word-of mouth is by far the most effective means of promotion, especially for a wedding photographer. Most people ask their friends for referrals before choosing an unknown entity from a directory or magazine.

So, after you've shot a wedding, here's a simple way to maintain the special connection you've cultivated with your clients so that they'll be sure to refer you, and it will even keep them coming back for more: As each anniversary approaches, send them a special card featuring a photo from their wedding and include a freebie or gift certificate for a discount on an anniversary photo session.

Next week I'll share another great tip for "guerilla marketing"... an inexpensive and very effective idea I bet you'll want to incorporate into your existing work flow.

Find step-by-step instructions for this project and others in my book, The Art & Craft of Keepsake Photography: Engagements and Weddings, available in my website shop and through amazon.com and other online booksellers.

WEDDING WORLD WEDNESDAY: AN ELEGANT INVITATION

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This deluxe invitation is easier to lay out than it looks. In Photoshop, the opacity on the image layer is lowered, then layers of text are added. By putting text blocks and elements on separate layers, they can be edited and moved independently as you finesse the design.

Varying the size of the text within a layout creates visual interest. Enlarging the initials of the bride and groom adds contrast, an important element in graphic design. Invitations look best with lots of "white space" within and surrounding the text. Airiness adds elegance and prevents the piece from looking too busy.

The final image is printed on 8 1/2 x 11-inch photo paper, trimmed to a 6 1/4-inch square, then mounted on 90-pound hot-pressed watercolor paper (available at art supply stores). A sheer ribbon edged in gold holds additional components of the stationery ensemble in place behind the invitation, and a black linen envelope pulls the look together.

(Fonts: Shelley Allegro and Bank Gothic Light)

Find step-by-step instructions for this project and others in my book, The Art & Craft of Keepsake Photography: Engagements and Weddings, available in my website shop and through amazon.com and other online booksellers.

WEDDING WORLD WEDNESDAY: THANK-YOU NOTES

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A thank-you note is the perfect place for a favorite photograph from the wedding. The inside is usually blank or printed with a brief thank-you, affording sufficient space to accommodate a hand-written message.

Matching the three-pixel “stroke” of color around the image and the font color to the decorative paper lining the envelope creates a sense of unity. 

If you're a professional photographer, don't forget to add your contact information to the back of the card...free advertising to a targeted audience!

Here's a fool-proof way to line an envelope:

MATERIALS:

- premade envelope

- decorative paper for the lining

- glue stick

- paper cutter and/or craft knife or scissors

- bone folder (for burnishing)

1. Cut the lining paper to 1/8 inch smaller than the envelope's outside width and equal to its height with the flap up.

2. Insert the lining into the envelope and trim around the flap.

3. Remove the lining and trim the bottom edge to the width of the glue strip on the flap of the envelope.

4. Insert the lining into the envelope, making sure to push it all the way in. Apply glue to the inside of the flap portion of the lining, then apply pressure to the glued area to adhere it to the envelope.

5. Fold the flap down and burnish the crease so that it lays flat.

Find this project and others in my book, The Art & Craft of Keepsake Photography: Engagements and Weddings, available in my website shop and through amazon.com and other online booksellers.

WEDDING WORLD WEDNESDAY: SAVE-THE-DATE CARDS

Save-the-date cards are the perfect  excuse for sharing one of those great photos from the engagement photo session!

The save-the-date card is a thoughtful way of notifying guests of the wedding date and location well ahead of time–three to twelve months–so they're able to plan accordingly. Although they've recently become pretty much de rigueur for just about any wedding (except an elopement ;-)),  they're especially appropriate for destination weddings and those for which guests will be coming in from out of town. Often a simple flat card, save-the-date cards can also take the shape of an elaborate program of events, travel routes, and suggested accommodations, although they are definitely not a substitute for the invitation itself.

Here's a simple yet elegant folded card using a printed vellum overlay and vellum envelope. If you're making the cards yourself, be sure to purchase vellum that's suitable for your printer (i.e., inkjet compatible). Action Envelope is my favorite resource for vellum envelopes in just about any size, shape, and color.

Since most printers don't allow you to print to the edge of the sheet, we'll use a larger sheet, then trim to give the effect of what is known as a "full bleed."

1) For a 5" x 7" folded card: In Photoshop, align the top of a 5" x 7" photo along the horizontal center line of a letter-size file (8 1/2 x 11"), then print on a letter-size sheet of heavyweight paper.

2) Remove the sheet from the printer, then flip, rotate, and reinsert into the paper feed.

3) Type the save-the-date information in the same area but on its own layer, then turn off the photo layer and  print the inside text.

4) Fold* the sheet in half and trim the sides and bottom.

5) Print the vellum overlay in the same manner, with the text on its own layer and positioned so that it falls within the photo area.

6) Fold* and trim the vellum overlay.

7) Apply a bit of glue along the top edge of the card and adhere the overlay.

*Note: For clean folds, use a bone folder to score and burnish.

Oh, and if you're a professional photographer, be sure to add your contact information (tastefully, of course) to the back of each card...free and effective promotion!

This and many other projects are detailed in my book, "The Art & Craft of Keepsake Photography: Engagements & Weddings," available in my website shop and through online booksellers like amazon.com.

MONDAY MORNING MUSINGS

Introducing Monday Morning Musings...wherein the blogger blogs about whatever strikes her fancy.

This morning it's to INSPIRE and ENTHUSE, and to that end, my Photo Fusion Facebook Fan Page is now open for business!

In addition to my blog feed with tons of FREE information, I've added lots of photos, some videos, and a few discussion topics awaiting your participation. Much more to come, including links to my new video workshops. My hope is for the page to become a living, breathing thing as we share our passion for all things photographic. It's eclectic, exciting, and effervescent (shrug...I can NEVER resist the opportunity for a little alliteration)!  So join the fun, become a fan, and please do tell your friends!

Coming up...Wedding World Wednesday (groan, there I go again!):  Tons of tips on wedding and engagement photography—whether you're a bride, groom, guest, or pro shooter—and even Photoshop tutorials on what to do with those great images.