Maui wedding photographer

Tuesday, October 16, 2007

Digital Photography Primer



"How many megapixels is that camera"? That's a question I always hear. Most people believe that more is better but that's not necessarily the case. "What format do you shoot"? Might be a better question. Bit depth not mega pixels, determine the quality of the outcome. Many photographers will shoot jpeg's, a compressed file, and then just dump them onto an online gallery for the free color correction upload. This is a time saver for the photographer which probably relates to a money saver for the client, but at what cost? RAW files are massive and allow for minute, subtle corrections in post production, corrections that can make a good photo look great and on your wedding photos isn't that what you're after? We believe in quality. We believe that the extra time we take to tweak your images and create magnificent, archival images is worth our time and protects your investment.

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Tuesday, August 14, 2007

Romantic Maui Wedding Photography




Choosing a wedding photographer for your romantic Maui wedding is as easy as calling Joe D'Alessandro at 808-242-1100. With 22 years of experience and a passion for the island of Maui, we can create a dynamic collection of images in a contemporary, photojournalistic style. We can create digital albums, online galleries, professional slideshow dvd's, all for a reasonable cost.





For architectural, food or other Maui commercial photography, I take a contemporary approach to the subject. Many businesses try to save a few bucks by hiring a friend with a digital camera to shoot for their website. Most often, these business owners are then having to redo the entire shoot, spending more in food and employee time than they would have if they'd hired a professional in the first place.





My passion for photography and my love of Maui have melded in my business ventures; Joe D'Alessandro Photography Inc.,Maui and Marry Me Maui Wedding Planners. As a Maui wedding photographer, I meet people from all over the world here in Hawaii and capture the magic of a Maui sunset or the golden glow of a walk on one of Maui's fine beaches.





Black and White photography has always been a favorite way to express myself. From my early days in the darkroom to my current love affair with photoshop, black and white photography adds a dimenson of drama and elegance to any Maui wedding photography package.





Digital imagery is a tricky business. I have been immersed in digital photography since 1998 when I purchased on of the first Nikon D1 professional cameras. I only shoot in RAW format, a 16 bit high resolution file which can be fine tuned in post production. Many photographers simply shoot jpegs, dump the image onto a disk or online gallery and leave it at that. Jpegs are fine for print but to capture a nuanced and rich image, RAW files are the industry standard.





Capturing an intimate moment while bringing out the tropical beauty of Maui is a fine art, one that I have mastered over the years; a fine balance between the expression of the newlywed couple and the background. I try not to let Maui's beauty overwhelm the moment but enhance it. Many photographers focus on the flora or fauna but that is not what we'll be interested in 20 or 30 years from now.





Sunset on maui is a tempestuous time of day. The wind blows, the sun gets lower and pops in and out of the clouds, changing the lighting every few seconds. A professional photographer must take all these variables into account, make the bride comfortable and capture the unique essence of each moment that is presented, for the only time, never to be repeated again.





As the Hawaii sun goes down, I still capture the natural light and the nuance of the moment. Many photographers start blasting their clients with a camera mounted flash, unaware of the delicate light still left to the day, illuminating the happy couple as they stroll down a secluded Maui beach.






Photojournalism is the style of choice for most couples. What is photojournalism? It is the ability of the photographer to capture the event, in an artistic way, as it happens, with no staging or direction. Most portrait and wedding photography is "staged", the photographer sets up a scene and the couple walks through it, much like in a commercial shoot or movie. True photojournalism is not staged.


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