What makes a great wedding photographer?

I had the honor of working with Marla Rutherford of Cake Knife Photography twice last season. I’ve been waiting for a break so I could sit down and do Marla justice on my blog!

First of all, there are a lot of photographers out there to choose from – how do you know which one is the right one for you? Do yourself a favor and look through their website & portfolio. Do you like their style? ar they capturing all the "good moments?" Make an appointment to meet with them. Do you like their personality? How long have they been in business? How many weddings have they shot? Is this a fulltime job for them? You want to make sure you LIKE who you hire, because you’ll be working closely with them when it comes to your wedding day!

Anyhow, I cannot tell you how many times I am told by a photographer that the “room is too dark. . .can you turn up the lighting so I can shoot some images?” Well, no. . .that’s called ambiance. . .and it’s the romantic candle-lit vibe the bride wanted. Not to mention, if we turn up the lights, you’re not going to capture what the event truly looks like.

So flooding the room with light to take a picture is not the answer. Then what is?

Hiring Marla. No joke. She comes fully equipped. There is no lighting situation this gal can’t handle. She brings specialty lighting and is prepared for really any scenario. Not only that but she understands the lighting, and captures some great images that play off of it. I honestly think I overheard her say “lighting is my bitch” . . .and she means it. She knows what she’s doing, loves what she does, and makes my job so much fun! (I enjoy it when I work with people I LIKE!)

Understanding lighting is key to being a professional photographer, and she produces some amazing, one of a kind images. And her photography captures all the great moments, and produces magazine quality prints. I’d like to share a few pictures below from the weddings we worked on together. But I invite you to check her out at: www.cakeknifephotography.com

And for those Montana brides of mine. . .she DOES travel!

All photos courtesy of Cake Knife Photography