Economic Realities and Maui Photographers

There's been quite a bit of hype on various destination websites regarding the "state of the economy" and consumers' expectation of negotiating professional fees.

There's always somebody willing to sell their service more cheaply than somebody else. That doesn't mean we should all race to the bottom in setting fees. A client who's looking for a 20 or 30% discount off your pricelist may not be the client you're after. Conversely, the photographer who is willing to cut his fees dramatically just to book, may not be the photographer you want to retain. He may be a part timer who doesn't depend on his photography business to pay the bills, so what happens if he loses his part time gig? With the "state of the economy", that's a real possibility. Where does your deposit go when he leaves the island, especially if you've booked 5 or 6 months out? What happens when he gets a call from a client who wants to book him for his full rate on the same date as your discount wedding?

When your discounted photographer shows up for the wedding, is she bringing everything she normally brings? Her assistant? Her top end lighting gear? Her best creative attitude? Will the edit be cut short to minimize time spent? Corners are always cut when the product is discounted. Photography, like other businesses, is run for profit, and a discounted rate means less service to make up for lost profit. For your Maui wedding, this seems like a terrible risk to take. You don't get any "do overs", that'll cost you double.

My suggestion to everybody is to calm down. I've seen recessions come and go. To potential clients: Find photography you like and a package you can afford and book it. Don't believe the William Shatner ads and "negotiate like a pro". You might wind up with someone who doesn't shoot like a pro. To the professional Maui photographers out there: When the recession ends, you're going to be bummed that you can't book a full price gig because you held the date for a discounted one.

Maui Family Portraits

While the family is here on Maui it's a great idea to hire a professional to get some fabulous beach shots with the entire family. After a vacation, we all have a ton of images to edit and with the exception of one or two shots that we get a fellow traveller to take, there's always somebody missing from our family pictures. When checking out a professional to take your Maui family portraits, be sure they are creative, fun and knowledgeable and no matter what they may say, an assistant is critical to a successful outcome. Joe D'Alessandro always brings a seasoned assistant. This person can create studio quality lighting under even the most harsh lighting circumstances and the light in Maui can be harsh, casting shadows that lesser photographers try to lighten with on camera flash. We also offer cd's of your Maui portrait session with full reproduction rights.

Maui Wedding Photographers

Maui Wedding Photographers come in all shapes and sizes with varying degrees of experience and competence. Some have been doing this for half their lives, others haven't. How can you tell? Generally speaking, you get what you pay for. If your photographer is offering a zillion images for 69.95 you can be pretty sure they aren't going to be very good. If she tells you you'll have the disk before you leave the island it means she's either not very busy (bad sign #1) or doesn't know anything about photoshop and digital imagery, is shooting in jpeg format and dumping unedited images on a cd (bad sign #2). We all put a strobe on our camera to fill shadows on bright days but lighting is very important and we need to know when to use that strobe, how high the ratio needs to be and when to use the wireless strobe off camera. Typically, we use the off camera wireless lights at sunset, to avoid those ugly shadows and the harsh amateur look. If your Maui wedding planner is doing a 495.00 wedding with images on cd and full reproduction rights, the photographer is definitely not a professional. Check the online gallery and be critical. It's worth a few extra bucks to get awesome images of your once in a lifetime Maui wedding.

Dramatic Maui Sunsets

Drama. It can be bad or it can be good. On Maui, we try to engage in the good kind. Golden sunsets, beautiful beaches and great lighting. Even if you're on a honeymoon, bring the dress along and book a session on the beach. These images will add an exotic flair to your wedding album. Be sure to ask us about our honeymoon photography sessions.

Dealing with the Red Tape

The State of Hawaii has reared its ugly little head and has decided that all beach weddings in Hawaii must have a right of entry permit to be legal. Before you slam the mouse on the desk and call Mexico, call us first. If you're planning your wedding yourself and not using a professional that plans Maui Weddings, call me. I can get the permit easily and will only charge you what the state charges me which is usually 20 dollars unless you have a huge group. So don't fret, don't change your plans, Maui is still the number one destination wedding island in the world and I can steer you to the most beautiful, pristine beaches available here.

Maui Wedding Photographers

Maui wedding photographers can be seen scrambling over rocks and crawling on their bellies every afternoon around sunset on any given beach in Maui. Sometimes several of them at a time, making well dressed brides and grooms canter up the beach or walk in the surf. All in the name of getting "The Shot". There are a lot of us to choose from so follow a few simple rules when hiring a photographer:

1) Make sure you like the images on their website. The website is a direct reflection of the photographer. If it is old and poorly designed with bad imagery you should probably find someone else.

2) You get what you pay for. In these days of 500 dollar digital cameras and photo cd's, everyone is a photographer, even the guy who works at the T-shirt shop during the day and cranks out $99. weddings after work. These people are amateurs and your images will show it. Spend a few bucks on a professional, you will be glad you did.

3) Ask for references. Give a bride or two a call or an e-mail. If the pictures were great, they'll let you know

4) Ask to see a complete wedding. We all edit the best stuff for the website. You want to see what kind of work you can expect through the whole day.

Maui Beach Weddings

Many beaches on Maui, especially Kaanapali, are heavily used and not very private. While all beaches on Maui are public, we know a few that are only visited by locals and provide for a more intimate environment for wedding ceremonies. Beaches like Ironwoods in Kapalua or Paipu beach in Makena offer a pristine environment with no crowds. We are aware of these locations and seek them out every chance we get to provide a peaceful and special environment for your very special day. We perform weddings in Maui on a regular basis. We are sure to take nothing but pictures and leave nothing but footprints.

Maui Family Portrait Photography

"Can we get the disk before we leave?" is a common question I hear when booking a family photo session with a client on vacation. It's a legitimate question. We have become accustomed to half hour photo labs and drive thru food, why should we have to wait for our photography? Well, one reason is the time it takes to do a decent edit on the RAW files (what, your photographer isn't shooting in RAW?). The other reason is that your Maui photographer should be busy, otherwise he's got another job doing something not related to photography. Anyone can shoot 50 images in jpeg format, dump them on a disk and deliver them to your hotel room. The only problem with that is the images will no be color corrected, no photoshop filters or effects will be added and the images will not have that professional look you paid for. Take your time. You will be rewarded.

Capturing the Moment

Capturing "The Moment" is key to creating a beautiful Maui Wedding Album. While posed and dramatic portraiture are important parts of your Maui wedding photography package, the spontaneous expressions that happen during your Maui wedding day are what adds the charm to your photography package. Joe D'Alessandro Photography, Maui strives to capture that moment. We shoot constantly, looking for the decisive moment that captures the essence of a magical day. Call us Toll Free at 1-800-745-0344 or click on our site: http://www.joedalessandro.com