jayreilly

Hi Jessica I am sure you can take a class at a local college. You might also find some online classes as well... or maybe a book, there are some great reference books that will allow you to just look up by need of the type of work you think the photo needs. Digital Files(jpgs) have very little latitude in editing and it is always good to not work on the only copy you have!! So save a backup copy then work on them. Good luck! (posted from Akumal, Mexico, some pics here: blog) Jay

lifestyle photograpahy comes from advertising and brand campaign photography. it is a term that defines photography by shooting senarios that reinforce the lifestyle of a market or demograpahic. for example, Abercrombie and Fitch has a VERY determined agenda about what people want to look and act like by shooting lifestyle photography. Same holds true with any strong brands that are image conscience and smart. There images are totally different than rolex watches, which might feature a well-to-do good looking man in his 50s on a sailboat...or in a sportscar... I shoot a ton of lifestyle photography for my stock work, some editorial, and for clients like nike, activia, marika...but i would not call my wedding photography lifestyle ;-) Dont get too sucked into the terms of defining wedding photography, because when it comes down to it, it is wedding photography and thats what is should be called. BUT what is important is if you like it!

nice, FMIL are crazy! for a STD, they are great, better than what i ussually see;-)

hey nic! what are you doing up so early! my excuse...i have a 2 year old that cant sleep. young guy lik eyour self, probaly just getting in from froma night of club hopping, must be nice;-) jay

I have been to mexico for about 35 plus wedding in northern baja, cabo, cancun, puerta vallarta, cancun and playa and south... I have NEVER had a problem. The only issue is how much camera equiptment your bringing PER person. A photographer can not bring more than 2 cameras to mexico, it is in the custom rules on entry, the declaration document that you sign. It is a resale, taax issue not a working permit issue. The chances of your photographer not getting in to shoot is VERY SLIM. I have never heard of ANYONE haveing a problem and I know MANY photographer working in mexico on a regular basis. I have shot in The Bahamas, Barbados, Jamaica, Mexico, Scotland, France, Italy, Canada... with no issue. I would not loose sleep over it but I would make sure your photographer is comfortable with travel work. Some photographers want to jump into DWs because it sounds exciting but in reality it is alot of work, tiring and you end up spending more money on incidental things to get the job done. These little things of safely getting into the country is just part of the experience;-) Hope that helps, just my point of view. jay

orginally posted here: http://jayreilly.squarespace.com/destination-paris/ How long have you been in business? I’ve been planning events for about 10 years, first in the US, and then in Paris. I’m married to a French man, and decided to start a wedding planning agency after planning my own wedding in France long-distance from San Francisco. My agency, parisian events is in its 3rd year. How many weddings do you coordinate a year? We’re averaging around 20 – 25 events a year, which includes weddings, vow-renewals, private parties and social events. Are your clientele all from Paris or do many of your clients come to Paris to be married? The majority of our clients are people who come from English-speaking countries- mostly the US, but also Canada, the UK, even as far away as South Africa- specifically to celebrate in Paris. Conveniently for me (ha ha), the beauty and romance of Paris is known worldwide! We also work with many bi-cultural clients- one of the couple is usually French, and the other from an Anglophone country. Often, it’s the bride-to-be who is American, and is looking specifically for someone who “speaks her languageâ€, both literally and figuratively- When it comes to something as important as your wedding day, you don’t really want to risk not being understood. What are some of the challenges of planning a wedding in Paris? The biggest challenge that many people face when they first entertain the idea of getting married in Paris is the long list of requirements that are requested. In order to be legally wed in France, one of the couple needs to have been a legal resident in the district in which they plan to marry for 30 – 40 consecutive days prior to their requested wedding date. And that doesn’t mean buy a ticket to Paris and hang out for a month and a half and then get hitched. You have to show proof that you’re legal- usually in the form of a utility bill, plus a plethora of other documents: birth certificates, doctor tests, etc., all translated and notarized within specific time frames. Also, you’re not allowed to be married in a Catholic church in France without first having had a civil ceremony, so…back to square one. It’s a far cry from the Tunnel of Love Drive-Through in Vegas! The good new is that it IS possible to have a symbolic ceremony in Paris without all of the run-around. The symbolic ceremonies that we design are just as sweet, romantic and inspiring as civil ones. They can also be spiritual- We work with members of various clergy in Paris who will perform a religious blessing for couples who have been married before they arrive in Paris. Another good thing about symbolic ceremonies is that, unlike civil ceremonies in France which can only be performed at City Hall, symbolic ceremonies can be performed wherever it’s permitted to do so. So, while you wouldn’t be allowed to set up a tent and trellis and 50 foot aisle runner beneath the Eiffel Tower (believe me… the request comes in at least once a month!) by working with an agent with access to the right channels, you can have a sweet, intimate ceremony with a small gathering of friends and family within its’ shadows. What do you see as the beauty of having a wedding in Paris? Take a look around! Really, after living here for over 6 years, there are still many, MANY days when I am literally dumbstruck by the beauty of this city. As a planner, it seems that you’re always scouting out locations- you pass a park and think, “Hmm, I could set an alter space up over there, work some jasmine into that urn over there, etc...†It’s almost a curse being a wedding planner in Paris! EVERY turn is a “wedding opâ€! You walk along the Seine and see the beautiful bridges with the boats passing beneath you, and people strolling along and kissing…It’s almost like a movie set, but this IS Paris. And the history! Like many Americans, before I moved here I would see a building that was built in, say, 1892 and think, “Wow! That’s oldâ€. Here, it’s possible to have your wedding in the room where Louis the 14th was born (1638, for the record- now THAT’S old!). You can have your wedding cake made by the same bakery that has baked for kings, you can dance your first wedding dance in Marie Antoinette’s sitting room, and on and on and on. Some cynics will try to call it a cliché, but Paris is what it has been for hundreds and hundreds of years. Don’t hate it because it’s beautiful! What are some of the best views of Paris. For most clients who get married in Paris, a big part of the event is to include a photo session around Paris. While the ubiquitous “Eiffel Tower Shot†is almost a prerequisite, I usually try to set up an itinerary that also includes some less obvious locales- ones that are just around the corner from the “Classic Paris Shotâ€. For instance, rather than have your picture taken on the steps of Sacre Coeur, why not try the steep steps of Montmartre ( also very dramatic in black and white). Instead of posing in front of Notre Dame Cathedral, cross the river and take some shots in front of les bouquinistes (the famous bookstalls that line the left bank of the Seine) with Notre Dame in the background. If you want portraits taken in the Luxemburg Gardens, try to schedule time to take a few snaps in front of the magnificent Fountain of the Four Corners of The Globe, located in the back of Luxemburg Gardens, just outside of the park exit. If you’re planning on staying in Paris for even just a days before or after your wedding, chances are you’ll have your own photos of most of the tourist spots. I think if you’re spending the time and expense to have professional wedding photos taken, you should “look outside of the box†and have something truly memorable created. What sets your company apart from some of the other wedding planners in Paris. Paris is a beautiful, romantic city- like I said, it seems that everyone dreams of getting married here. Even so, most American women have dreamed about their wedding since they were a little girl, and, subsequently they have a pretty long list of "must haves". There are certain elements to their wedding that they don't want to sacrifice- not even for Paris! Our weddings are tailor-made specifically with the American Bride in Paris in mind. We combine all of the romance and historical beauty of Paris with the traditional elements of an American wedding. We’ll design an American style ceremony, reception, wedding cake, favors, etc., and then tastefully introduce just the right touch of Paris to make the event unique- substituting the American wedding cake with a French croquembouche, for example. Or mix American and French gifts and treats to create a nice welcome basket for out-of-town guests... It’s important to keep in mind that wedding consultants are a fairly new concept in France. The industry has only really taken off within the past 4 or 5 years. These days, there seems to be quite a few French wedding planning companies that have employees who speak English, which is quite convenient and miles ahead of what was available just a few short years ago. But just because you can communicate with someone doesn’t necessarily mean that your intentions are being conveyed. Planning a wedding in a foreign country from abroad can be very stressful- you don’t want someone who only speaks the same language as you, you want someone who understands what you mean. (How do you describe the robins-egg blue mini Chinese take-out boxes that you saw in the Spring 2006 edition of “Martha†to someone who has never even HEARD of Chinese take-out boxes? OR Martha??) How can people find you for more information? To find out interesting cultural tidbits about getting married in Paris, or French wedding trends, or even info on planning French-themed parties wherever you happen to live, you can check out my blog, “parisian party: tales of an American wedding planner in paris†at: http://www.parisianevents.com/parisianparty/ For more information about planning your wedding or event in paris, visit www.parisianevents.com or drop me a line at [email protected]

Quote: Originally Posted by LC_Rachel Beautiful siggy Jay Reilly! thanks Rachel, but i like yours better! haha!

hi michelle, from a photographers perspective... dont worry to much about defined styles. just go with your gut on do you like the images. but make sure you have seen enough images to feel like you can make that decision. there are a lot of hip terms that mags say are cool, like photojournalism, so many photographer also jump on terms to connect with what is popular. just find something that speaks to you and talk about why you like it...what is it about the photographer and the images, why are you hiring him or her, that makes you thinjk about it. good luck.

how about a hole in the wall bar...in mexico.

i dont think it is rude. i think this is a conversation that should have taken place perhaps a bit sooner. maybe before booking them...but expectations should be checked a bit. look at your photograghers images on the web site...do you like them? BUT...you should ask to see an entire wedding...and that is what you can expect for your wedding set. but i think talking to the photographer to make sure your on the same page as far as the tone, the style shot. The difficult thing is that it is easy for you to copy your favorite photos from a variety of weddings and mix them all together and hope that is what you get...but in reality, this is your wedding and your wedding images should be creative, orginal and unique to you and your husband/wife... if that makes any sense? jay

Bonjour LeXiee! This is a tricky one... but I am sure insurance can be purchased the your entire wedding: Wedding Cancellation and Liability Insurance online provided by WedSafe I do have a term in my agreements which are if the photographer is acting in good faith the perform the job but circumstance out of his control impede the ability to shoot, then the retainer and the travel cost are not recoverable. As only the photographer is seems to be too much risk for me to have all the liabilty. I think this is one of those things that can keep you up at night if you think abuot it too much. The risk of having a wedding 4000 miles away in a third world country does come with it chances but those of us who have destination weddings live life a bit different;-) Me included, should have seen the look on my grandmothers faces with the mexican federales search our car with machine guns in hand...grandpa had a cool story for all his friends! Bon Chance! Jay

very cool and very cool for surfrider foudation as well! i just ordered address stamps from vista print, custom made, might be nice thing to do for invitaitons and save the dates...just an idea. jay

$10 is very fair. but it all depends on what was in the package or negociated at the time of booking. Perhaps you can buy digitla images from him...or maybe you got an album?? I am NOT a pictage fan at all but i think as long as your photographer is managing his files correct(and Sergio is top notch in that category) then the prints should be as good as any other lab. In my opinion. If you want a lot of 4x6s, you might try email sergio direct and working up a deal. Pictage takes a nice chunk of change from the photog and if you had a large order, it might be more beneficial for both of you to go direct to the photog. The photog might not want to do it, but you never know, worth a try. good luck!! Jay

sometimes i have budget for these shoots, but not this one, depends how hard it is to find and produce the content i am looking for and its not hard to find happy fun people on the beach in mexico;-)

Hi All, Hope this is appropriate to post here, please remove if it is not. I am shooting a wedding January 26 in Akumal and a side from shooting weddings, I also shoot stock/editorial images and looking for couple models for this trip. Just thought i would toss it out to see if there are some interested people. Looking to shoot stuff like, sailing, snorkeling, beach fun, golf, lounging at the pool, rolling on the beach. All of it would be nice couple shots that would document a honeymoon or site visit nice..natural stuff. i am just a little paticular about the look and style, has to look conde nast cover quality;-) more info here: http://jayreilly.squarespace.com/shoots/ http://jayreilly.squarespace.com/models-wanted/ thanks for reading! Jay

i think that andrew reilly guy is pretty good ;-) jay

things to do: go to laguna beach see the san diego sites: zoo, balboa park, hotel del if you go to mexico, i recomend going to puerta nuevo for lobster gaslamp for evening drinks dinner shoping some areas that are cool in san diego - point loma, la jolla, del mar take surf lessons - Surf Diva Surfing School - San Diego Surf camps - Surf lessons in La Jolla, San Diego California i seond the W hotel to stay or for drinks have fun!!

travelocity.com i do all my travel with them, luvem

careful, there does not seem to be much consistancy in the rule. some that i thought were gonna be strict, i could walk right on to and no problems. others that i had not expected a fee, hit me on location. i would be prepared either way ;-)

www.shuterfly.com Welcome to Flickr - Photo Sharing both i think are good.

thanks guys for the warm welcome!

hi all! just a quick introduction, i am jay, from san diego, my wife and i got married at real del mar, baja mexico about 7 years ago. I started doing destination weddings about 5 years ago...have been to puerta rico, bahamas, jamaica, barbados, cabo, puerta vallarta, maui, kauai, hawaii, banff, aspen, scotland, england and I am probalby missing a few..cancun, play del carmin... i love to travel, have the travel bug, love weddings, fashion, photography, music, art, water, sand, beaches, cities and photography. as side from shooting weddings i shoot lots of lifestyle stock images for distributors like getty, image source, jupiter images. i also shoot catalogs and kids. here are my web sites: http://www.jayreillyweddings.com http://www.jayreillyportraits.com my blog and where you can see my latest destination wedding: http://jayreilly.squarespace.com/jou...o-1132007.html for scheduled travel, i will be in cancun, 2 weeks of January 2008, first 2 weeks of april shooting in paris. and...thats all! thanks for letting me share!! good luck and have fun! Jay