Roberta Claire Wedding Photography Blog

Thinking about hiring Bella Pictures for your wedding?

2011-02-10T09:42:00.000-08:00

Just to let you folks know, Bella Pictures (the Big Box wedding photography studio with the high pressure sales team) has just been sold to CPI Corp. CPI owns the SEARS and WALMART photo studios.

I can't say if the "New Bella" will operate as it did before it was sold, but I would think that some changes are in order since Bella allegedly was losing money.

Now I do speak from experience, having been a "Bella Certified" photographer during 2007. I quit because I didn't like the fact that I was not allowed to meet my bride and groom until the actual wedding day. I have run my own professional photography studio for 10 years and I love meeting my couples way before the wedding day so that we can discuss their vision for their special day and I can go over the details of the day, the timeline of the day and get to know the couple so that we are friends by the time the wedding day approaches. I have to admit, I also quit Bella Pictures because they paid their photographers terribly low wages.

I've written this post because I believe that the more informed people are, the better equipped they are to make a decision that they will be happy with regarding the most important day of their lives.

Choosing a wedding photographer tips

2010-06-01T08:57:00.000-07:00

I just found this great article over at http://www.yourbridalplanner.com on HOW TO HIRE A WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER. Please check it out. Thanks

CHAIR COVERS OR QUALITY WEDDING PICTURES?

2010-05-03T21:29:00.000-07:00

This post is sort of "tongue in cheek" if you would indulge me for a minute.
I have been giving HUGE discounts on wedding photography packages lately. Why am I doing this? A couple of reasons come to mind. First, the state of the current economy. Many, many people are without jobs and/or have lost their homes and let's face it, it could take some time for things to really turn around.

I am trying to help my brides and grooms have the same fantastic wedding photography services that I was once providing at three times the cost.I understand how tough things are right now.

I have had too many brides come to me after their weddings, showing me their wedding pictures with tears running down their faces in disappointment. These are brides that had wanted desperately to hire me because of my work and my reputation, but chose to have a family member or someone that they found on Craig's List to shoot their weddings in order to save money.

One particular bride said "If only I had given up the chair covers, I could have had you shoot my wedding, I'm so sorry now. How many guests really cared or even noticed the chair covers?. I hate my wedding pictures, and it's too late to do anything about it".

For some brides, their wedding pictures are the most important aspect of their wedding budget. Your pictures are the one thing that you will have for the rest of your life. You will look at them time and time again, show them to friends, family and co-workers. They should evoke the same emotions that you felt on your wedding day.

There are literally hundreds of "newbie" wedding photographers popping up every day. The choices for brides are overwhelming. Take your time finding the perfect match for you. Ask questions of each photographer that you interview. How long have they been in business? Are they licensed and insured? Do they belong to professional wedding photography associations? Ask to see a COMPLETE wedding, not just the "best of the best" pictures that they showcase in their albums and on their websites. Be a smart consumer.

If your wedding photography is very important to you and budget is a concern, look at ways to cut back in some other areas (chair covers perhaps?,or using the standard chairs that your venue provides for your reception instead of upgrading to Chivari chairs, have a smaller cake to cut in front of the guests and sheet cakes that are served from a back room (no one will notice, I promise!).

If you skimp on your wedding photography, it WILL show. You WILL be disappointed. No one wants that for you on the most special day of your life.

BRIDES REGRET NOT SPENDING MORE ON PHOTOS.

2010-04-16T09:57:00.000-07:00

Brides Regret Not Spending More on Photos
www.digitalweddingforum.com
Well there you have it! Right there in black and white. Good photography is worth paying for but 22% of Brides don’t realize it until after the wedding is over.

Don't be one of those among the unhappy brides. You only have ONE chance to have it done right.

Choose an experienced,licensed, insured professional wedding photographer for the most important day of your life.

WOW! TERRIFIC RESPONSE NOTED FROM MY LOCAL WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHY DISCOUNTS!

2010-04-16T08:51:00.000-07:00

I am very excited to report an amazing response from couples looking for my wedding photography services for weddings taking place in Oakley, Pittsburg, Brentwood and Antioch, California.

I am offering up to a 70% discount on local wedding photography packages and folks are grabbing up dates fast!

There are many wonderful wedding venues in this area(Antioch Golf course, The Nines at Brentwood Golf Course, Brownstone Gardens in Oakley, The Wedgewood Banquet Center at the Pittsburg Golf Course and Shadow Lakes Golf Club in Brentwood, just to mention a few.)

There are also a multitude of lovely churches in the East Contra County area.

Thanks for your great response to my newest discount offer!

Up to 70% off on wedding photography packages!

2010-04-10T17:24:00.000-07:00

For those of you that need a wedding photographer for a Brentwood,Pittsburg,Oakley or Antioch,California wedding, I have a super special offer for you! If you are getting married in one of the above mentioned cities, you can get up to 70% off on your wedding photography and get a second photographer at NO additional cost. This is a limited offer.
I am experienced, licensed and insured and have shot hundreds of weddings. I have produced thousands of beautiful images for my couples over the years. Let me create beautiful memories of your special day!

REMEMBER: JUST BECAUSE SOMEONE OWNS A CAMERA, DOES NOT MEAN THAT THEY ARE A PHOTOGRAPHER.

WEDDING PLANNER GIVES ROBERTA CLAIRE PHOTOGRAPHY A 5 STAR REVIEW!

2010-03-14T18:54:00.000-07:00

I was thrilled to receive this review from Diane DuBose, an absolutely wonderful wedding coordinator that I worked with in October. Hope you don't mind me sharing this with you! Diane also does floral design and created this bouquet for the bride.

"Last year, I had one of those weddings that all Wedding Planners dream of having. My bride and groom live in Singapore but were coming back to the Bay Area for their wedding, as the groom was raised here. Every detail was left to my company Details, with the bride and groom making final decisions on key elements. As their photographer ranked as extremely important to them, I began my search to find the caliber of photographer I could attach my name to at the end of the day with no worries. The logical choice was Roberta Claire Photography! You may wonder what sets this individual apart from the rest of the very talented photographers in our area in my opinion? It is her ability to capture the essence of the bride and groom, to gather all the wonderful shots. But more importantly~~~do it without interrupting the flow of the day for the bridal party and guests. Roberta’s low key personality does not ruffle feathers as the day progresses, and she has the ability to work with your time lines and cooperates always with a smile! Now that the out of the norm-above and beyond skills have been discussed—there is her EYE for Photography! The pictures she will capture are phenomenal. My bride and groom loved working with her, are so pleased with their end product, many pictures as well as a wonderful album to share with their families for years to come. For me, their satisfaction means a job well done!"

Diane DuBose, Details www.detailseventsandweddings.com

Diane DuBose
Details
707 416-8840

WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER ROBERTA CLAIRE SHOOTS WEDDING AT LOVELY BROWNSTONE GARDENS.

2010-03-11T13:50:00.000-08:00

OVERVIEW

Brownstone Gardens in an "outdoor only" venue located just outside the city of Oakley, CA. This is one of the most unique wedding venues that I have had the pleasure of photographing.
The site fee is very reasonable, there is ample parking and the venue does have a bridal room for the bridal party to dress and wait for the ceremony to begin.
The venue has three distinct areas: The Grand Court, The Koi Garden and Bridal Falls. Guests have use of the entire property if you are having both your wedding and reception there.

Tables,chairs, linens,set up,clean up,and a wait staff in uniform are included with your catering package. You can upgrade chairs and linens for an additional fee. I would strongly advise the use of a DOC (Day of Coordinator) for this venue as they do not provide someone to help you to navigate through your wedding day.

Weddings generally take place in the Grand Court (see pictures), which is lovely.

Bar services include wine and beer only.You may bring your own wine, beer, and champagne, but you must hire an insured bartender. The venue is happy to assist you with finding vendors from officiants to DJs and everything in between.

PROS:
Lovely location with lots of foliage and plenty of room for guests to roam around and mingle.

Very reasonable prices.

CONS:
It can get very hot in the Grand Court area during the summer. There is little to no protection from the direct sun.I suggest having chilled bottled water available to guests. I would also advise you to bring your elderly guests into the Grand Court area just before the ceremony, so that they are not sitting in the hot sun on summer wedding days. There is plenty of shaded area where guests can wait adjacent to the Grand Court.

IMPORTANT NEWS FOR ENGAGED COUPLES.

2010-03-01T06:37:00.000-08:00

It is with great sadness that I have had five of my longtime, professional photographer associates close their doors and go out of business in just the past three weeks.
I realize that the current economy is a mess and people are trying to save money wherever and whenever they can. I do the same thing, believe me.

There has been a proliferation of "newbies" popping up all over the place that purchase a camera and decide that they are now "wedding photographers.Since this is an unregulated field, ANYONE can say that they are a wedding photographer.

It is a tough job being a truly excellent wedding photographer. It takes YEARS of experience and the investment of thousands and thousands of dollars worth of camera bodies,back up equipment, good lenses, lighting equipment etc to really be prepared to shoot under the very difficult conditions that weddings and receptions often present.

Please think carefully before trusting someone to capture the memories of the most important day of your life. Pick an experienced, licensed, insured, professional photographer. All that you have left after your wedding day are the memories. Make sure that your photographer captures your memories for you by providing you with pictures that represent how you felt on your wedding day, the laughs, the tears of joy, the true emotion that you felt on that day.

YOU CAN'T AFFORD NOT TO HIRE A TRUE PROFESSIONAL.
www.robertaclaire.com

WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER ROBERTA CLAIRE SHOOTS WEDDING AT RIOS-LOVELL ESTATE WINERY: VENUE REVIEW INCLUDED IN ARTICLE.

2010-02-27T09:14:00.000-08:00

OVERVIEW

Rios-Lovell is located in the beautiful "wine country" area of Livermore,Ca.
As far as wedding and reception locations go,this is one of my all time favorites.I've included pictures from a wedding that I shot there in October that shows a sample of some of the beautiful grounds.

The venue has a lovely garden area and gazebo that will accommodate up to 300 guests. The indoors reception area will hold a MAXIMUM of 230 guests and if you plan on having that many guests, just be aware that it is a very tight squeeze with very little room to move around the tables.

Rios-Lovell has their own winery and provides all beverage service. No outside beverages are allowed.

You must choose from one of the two following catering services: Scott's Garden and Bon Vivant, both of which provide delicious meals (no rubber chicken dinners served here!)

You must also choose from one of the following Dj's: Eastwood Entertainment or Fantasy Sound (both are excellent).

Although the venue has a preferred list of photographers, you may select your own.

Guest chairs and tables are provided by the venue.

The unique thing about Rios-Lovell is that besides the garden area and gazebo,there are vineyards, large grass areas, a pond, and a section of the grounds has an area that looks like it came straight from a European country.

The staff and service are top notch. I highly recommend this wonderful venue.

PROS: Beautiful,spacious grounds,hand painted wall mural behind cake cutting area, great food and service. There is also a very large bridal dressing room overlooking the ceremony site.

CONS: The only con that I can think of is that if you are planning an event with more than 230 guests, this venue will not work for you.

DISCLAIMER:The opinions expressed in this review are solely those of Roberta Claire Berry, owner of Roberta Claire Photography, Oakley, Ca.
This review is based on personal experience. Venues and Vendors are welcome to leave feedback. Solicitations for review will not be accepted. All images taken by Roberta Claire Photography.

My new Promo Video for myself

2010-02-25T10:39:00.000-08:00

Here is my brand new promo video that shows me in action! It was produced by my friends over at Axiom Videography.

COMPLETE NEW LOW PRICE PACKAGES!

2010-02-25T06:32:00.000-08:00

Roberta Claire Photography is offering all new, low price packages for all San Francisco, Bay Area weddings.
You will be receiving the same excellent service and quality that you have come to expect from my staff and me. All packages now include a second, professional photographer at no cost to you as well as deeply, deeply, discounted wedding photography packages.
You will have your wedding photography services customized to meet your needs and budget.
No more "cookie cutter" packages. YOU choose what you want and we will deliver!
Give the studio a call at (925) 625-1123.

Edgar & Iduma's Wedding Photography Photo Montage

2010-02-24T12:42:00.000-08:00

This is a wedding I shot recently at the San Ramon Marriott for a wonderful couple I adore.

Kudos to all the other wonderful wedding vendors I worked with on this wedding photography shoot.

Robert Valdes - Axiom Videography
Diane Dubose - Details Event Planning
Mariachi Band

I'm still here!

2010-01-07T06:21:00.000-08:00

Hello everyone!
I can't believe that it's been so long since I've posted to my Roberta Claire Photography blog! I've been using Facebook so much that I have neglected my blog.
Well it's time to check in! I hope that you all had a great holiday season and that 2010 brings you love, prosperity, good health and that your hopes and dreams come true.
I had a back injury in 2009 that forced me to really slow down and rest, but I'm ready to shoot some weddings!
I know that this is a really tough time for a lot of folks with the economy being as it is, so if you love my work, know me through a past bride or groom etc, and would like to talk to me about capturing your wedding day through my cameras in a way that you will cherish forever, give me a call.
I'll be happy to arrange a payment plan for you or customize a package for you that will fit your budget.
I'll try to blog more often in 2010!

Mel and Chris's Unique Wedding

2009-03-28T12:59:00.000-07:00

Last Saturday I had the opportunity to photograph one of the most interesting weddings that I've ever done. It was held at the Exploratorium in San Francisco, and for those of you that have never been there, it's a fascinating place!

The wedding was going to take place next door to the Exploratorium at the Palace of Fine Arts, but it is under construction and is all fenced up.

You can't actually get legally married at the Exploratorium (I have no idea why), so Mel and Chris had a private ceremony the day before at another location and re-enacted the whole wedding at the E.

There is an auditorium with theater style seating and a stage and the whole wedding was performed in full regalia!

The E is open to the public until 5:00pm, so we had the whole place to ourselves after the tourists left, for our 6:00pm ceremony. There are tons of super neat exhibits with plenty of opportunities to interact with them and the guests had a blast having the whole place to themselves.
The caterers did a wonderful job with both food and beverages and the service was better than I've seen at a lot of 4 star hotels.

I'll post pictures as soon as they come back from post production.
One last thing, I'm going to devote a whole blog about how to choose a great videographer, but until I do, I HIGHLY recommend Axiom Media Corporation. I have worked with a lot of videographers and these guys are the best. Their website is: www.axiommediacorp.com and their toll free number is 888-999-9214. Their prices are reasonable and trust me, your photographer (whoever you choose) will appreciate Axiom's non intrusive style.

Thank you for the referrals!

2009-02-01T02:30:00.000-08:00

I would like to thank all of you wonderful past brides that have been sending your friends and family members to me to photograph their weddings.
There is no better way for an engaged couple to feel as comfortable with their choice in their wedding photographer than to get a recommendation directly from someone that they trust.
Thank you for sharing your wedding pictures, albums and experiences from working with me on your wedding day.

Free Great New Items Added to Platinum Package!

2008-12-24T01:13:00.000-08:00

Let's face it. Times are tough right now. I just added a couple of great NEW items to our Platinum Wedding Photography package at no extra cost to you. I'm really excited to be working with Jim Leung and we are now including a DVD slide show with 100 of your beautiful wedding day images set to music that you can watch on your television with your family and friends AND a web version of the same slide show with a private link that you can email to anyone that you would like to. This is a $350.00 value for FREE! I take about 1200+ pictures on your wedding day and then edit that amount down to around 800 final, professionally post processed images. I take so many pictures because I don't want to miss a thing on your wedding day. I want to capture the emotional moments of your special day and for you to feel those same wonderful emotions every time you look at your wedding day pictures.
When it comes to wedding photography, you really do get what you pay for, and there is no way to do a re-shoot if you are not happy with your pictures.

Ted and Jenn's Wedding

2008-10-15T09:15:00.000-07:00

Ted and Jenn's wedding was held at the beautiful Pulgas Water Temple followed by a reception at Mezza Luna restaurant. Here are a few of the images from the special day. Doesn't Jenn look stunning!!

Jason and Amie's Beach Wedding

2008-10-03T10:39:00.000-07:00

Here are some of the pictures from Jason and Amie's Sand City beach wedding on September 14th. The bonfire "after party" was so much fun! Everyone made S'mores and drank hot chocolate. It's wonderful to see a couple that are so much in love get married!

What does an "album credit" really mean?

2008-10-01T15:40:00.000-07:00

You may have noticed that in a lot of photographer's package/price lists (including mine for 2009 weddings), there is a dollar amount for a wedding album credit. What does this mean? It means that you may apply that amount of money towards the wedding album of your choice. I'll give you an example from my own package list. If you order the eight hour Platinum package, you will receive a $900.00 album credit. One of the albums that I currently offer is a 20 page, beautiful, custom designed, flush mount, engraved wedding album. This album sells for $950.00. With your $900.00 album credit, you will only pay $50.00 for this beautiful wedding album. You get to select the pictures that go into the album, then I design it. I then post it to a website where you can look at the album in it's entirety and decide if you would like to have any changes made to it, or you can give the OK to go ahead and approve it and it goes to press. If you find that you have any more questions about album credits, shoot me an email or give me a call at (925) 625-1123 and I'll be happy to give you more information.

Jose and Kim's Sneak Peak Pictures

2008-09-23T05:34:00.000-07:00

Here are a few of the pictures from Jose and Kim's wedding at the beautiful Wedgewood facility at the San Ramon golf course. The ceremony was done in both Spanish and English. The flowers were gorgeous, the food was delicious and everyone had a great time!

Nicholus and Wendy's Wedding Day Pictures

2008-08-12T10:59:00.000-07:00

Here are just a few of the over 800 pictures from Nich and Wendy's July 25th wedding. I usually take about 1200-1400 pictures at each wedding and then cull them down to a more manageable 800 or so. I hope that you enjoy this sneak peek at some of the great images captured that day!

Brett and Christina's Wedding

2008-08-02T06:44:00.000-07:00

Here are a few of the images from Brett and Christina's wedding. The couple got married at the beautiful chapel at St. Mary's college in Moraga. After the ceremony we took off for a super fun reception at Wildwood Acres.

Anthony and Chariss Wedding

2008-06-27T07:22:00.000-07:00

This wedding brought together two very different cultures (Persian and Filipino). The newly married couple blended these two cultures with a wonderful combination of belly dancing and Filipino dancers at their wedding reception that included 350 guests. Everyone had a great time (including me and my assistant!). Here are a few pictures from this wonderful wedding.

What makes me unique?

2008-06-01T22:50:00.000-07:00

I would love to invite you to my studio to see my beautiful new wedding album samples. Just give me a call and schedule a time that is convenient for you. I always look forward to meeting new people. I am happy to answer any questions that you have about wedding photography in general and will help you to choose a photographer that will be a good match for you (even if it's not me). What do I offer my couples? Excellent customer service before, during and after your wedding. Prompt return of phone calls and e-mails. I make sure that I capture your wedding day in the style that YOU want. I have lots of experience photographing weddings in all kinds of settings from church ceremonies, beach weddings, backyard weddings and even some really unusual venues. Each wedding is unique and special. I also have a knack for making people feel very comfortable when having their pictures taken. I understand that sometimes there are difficult situations that arise at weddings ( parents that have divorced or remarried and there are awkward or uncomfortable moments). That's why I take the time to discuss these things with my couples before the wedding so that we can have a plan to make sure that everyone feels comfortable and enjoys the day. The last thing that a bride and groom need on their wedding day is to be worried about family dynamics. Leave that to me. I have had plenty of experience with these types of situations and know how to handle them without people ending up with hurt feelings etc. I take a very personal interest in my couples as many of my previous clients will tell you. I also want to express my gratitude to my brides from the knot and for all of your referrals.

ARE YOU RENTING A CLASSIC CAR FOR YOUR WEDDING?

2008-04-15T07:51:00.000-07:00

A lot of couples are renting special classic cars for their weddings. What a fun way to make your exit from your reception! Classic cars make great photography props too! They are coming down in price and there are a lot of fun options to choose from.

Beach Wedding Tips

2008-03-09T18:20:00.000-07:00

For those of you that are having beach weddings this year I thought that I would offer some helpful tips:

1) Remember that it is often windy at the ocean. Make sure that you use "extra hold" hair spray and secure your veil in place with extra pins and clips.
2) Getting down to a beach wedding location can be difficult for elderly and/or handicapped guests. Check ahead to make sure that there is easy beach access for those guests that may require special assistance.
3) If you want sunset photos taken at the beach, check a sunset calender in advance so that you can plan your wedding day timeline accordingly. The most beautiful light occurs about 30 minutes before actual sunset when the sun is low on the horizon and casts a golden glow on you. Photographers refer to this as "sweet light".
4) It can get chilly at the beach so make sure that if your bridesmaids are wearing lightweight, strapless gowns, try to provide them with a wrap of some kind like a pashmina to put around their shoulders between picture taking.
5) Select your shoes carefully. Many brides wear sandals or choose to go barefoot for their beach weddings. High heels can be dangerous when walking in sand.

Beach weddings are beautiful and your pictures will be gorgeous. Just plan ahead and you will have a wonderful wedding day!