BLOG.LASVEGASWEDDINGPICS.COM

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: BLACK AND WHITE SPIDER AWARDS HONORS PHOTOGRAPHER DON PARNALL FROM LAS VEGAS NV USA

Click_blog_photographers_View — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 05:11:00 GMT

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
BLACK AND WHITE SPIDER AWARDS HONORS PHOTOGRAPHER DON PARNALL (Las Vegas wedding pix) FROM LAS VEGAS NV USA

LONDON Feb 26th 2010 - Professional photographer Don Parnall of Las Vegas NV USA was presented with the 5th Annual Black and White Spider Awards Nominee title in the category of Fashion at a prestigious Nomination & Winners Photo Show attended by 35,000 online viewers who logged on live from 154 countries to see the climax of the industry's most important event for black and white photography.

Thousands of images were received from 68 countries worldwide. The awards international Jury included captains of the industry from Magnum Photos, The Armory Show, Fratelli Alinari, Contrasto to Tate and Hamiltons in London who honored Spider Fellows with 84 coveted title awards in 28 categories. The judges reviewed the entries online for eight weeks before making their final nominations and Don's Through Bambo," an exceptional image entered in the Fashion category, received a high percentage of votes overall.
"The Spider Awards celebrates photographers who operate at the highest levels of their craft," said Basil O'Brien, the awards Creative Director. "Don's work represents black and white photography at its finest, and we're pleased to present him with the title of Nominee."
You can view the 5th Annual Winners Gallery at www.thespiderawards.com/gallery5
BLACK AND WHITE SPIDER AWARDS is the leading international award honoring excellence in black and white photography. This celebrated event shines a spotlight on the best professional and amateur photographers worldwide and honors the finest images with the highest achievements in black and white photography.
Contact: Don Parnall Costellophoto
Telephone:702 459 3121
Email:donp@costellophoto.com
Website: www.Lasvegasweddingpix.com

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
BLACK AND WHITE SPIDER AWARDS HONORS PHOTOGRAPHER DON PARNALL (COSTELLOPHOTO) FROM LAS VEGAS NV USA

Tie 'The Knot" in Las Vegas professional wedding photographer in Las Vegas

Click_blog_photographers_View — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 20:30:00 GMT

Las Vegas the Wedding capitol of the world!
I have written a few articles about wedding photography in Las Vegas, and perhaps you have read some of them, I would hope you understand and agree and got a few good ideas out of them.
One thing I love to shoot are couples who have spent a little time planning their photos, or have a theme in the back of their minds, usually when this happens Ideas get bigger and the level of fun is increased along with the quality of the pictures.
One couple had a Rock and Roll idea , vague at first but it turned in to an event, and great pictures were made along with memories, all that was needed was a guitar and an outrageous wedding dress, now this would not work for ever one of course, each to their own as the saying goes.

The Idea was simple enough , Las Vegas as a back ground and our couple acting as a rock band, (well it was type casting as they are both well known musicians) the shoot time was set for 4 pm about an hour before sunset , only problem now is the heat, but as the sun set the lights of old Vegas turned on, the location was down town by a new sign similar to the famous 'Vegas' sign on the other end of Las Vegas Blvd, this one just reads Welcome to Down town Las Vegas, and with the right angle you get the Stratosphere in the back ground along with an assortment of old Motel signs.
There are problems of course, the sign is in the median, and the new landscaping of cactus does make it a little painful if you're not looking where you're going , trust me I speak with experience!

You also need to consider the laws about photography in a casino, although largely relaxed these days an professional photographer with a 'real' camera and flash will of course attract attention of the hotel security, some hotels have a strict no photography in gaming area policy and no one nor anything will get them to relax it, oddly Circus Circus is one of those, not that you would want to shoot in there I wouldn't think , the property is old and smells , however go to the Encore and if you're staying there you can ask the Security in advance for permission and recommendations , they will help and steer you in the right direction and let you know what you're allowed to do, don't expect to shoot a craps table with high rollers ,unless you are one too .

The reason is quite simple, gambling is still a little risqué, so to speak and understandably gamblers don't want to risk they're picture getting in the hands of the wrong people and exposing their habit, now days with the internet and camera phone it's quite a problem much more than in days gone by, the possibility of black mail is enormous if you stop to think about it.
It wasn't unusual to have the film ripped out of your camera by security and be escorted out of the casino , you might get your camera back if you were lucky.

Years ago I worked for ABC news here in Las Vegas, and every month one of the video photographers would be sent out to try and get 'casino footage' the trick back then , and you need to remember that video cameras were huge, and you had a tape deck to carry around too, was to turn off the 'tally light' the little red light that shines when you are recording, or just cover it up with tape and walk through the casino in a very casual manner , just supporting the camera on your shoulder, point the camera one way and physically look the other, it was a literal crap shoot if you ever got anything worth keeping, but on occasion you did, but if you got caught things had been known to get physical .

Not just another las vegas wedding web page

Click_blog_photographers_View — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 05:51:00 GMT

Not that any one has read this blog, but thats ok we're working to change that, and if you go to lasvegasweddingpix.com and view our new and simplified web page.
Our goal is to give you excellent service at affordable prices, artful ,slightly off center and above all something you will love now and for years to com.
The new web site is designed to stand out from the usual durge of web pages with unexciting imagery and reply awful music, what we found was that brides quickly tired of badly done tacky images and having to surf through numerous pages of tright drivel about how much that particular photographer just loves weddings ,but sadly has little imagination and falls in to the old trap of line 'em up and shoot.
I've never counted how many photographers there are but I do know there are only a few good photographers.
Brides and Grooms you all deserve better and your time is valuable, so our web page is for you, there you won't see boring groups of relative, non relatives that are barely relative at all, but simply out rates and a gallery of other peoples weddings that might give you ideas for your own.

Getting Married in Las Vegas is a crap shoot at best, I've never counted how many photographers there are but I do know there are only a few good photographers, LASVEGASWEDDINGPICS.COM is a branch of a very well respected Las Vegas professional photographer Costellophoto who have been in Las Vegas for twenty years plus ands won many awards , you've seen our work on many front pages nationally so you can relax and enjoy your wedding with out fear of having blurry or odd colored images.
It's mentioned at the very beginning that all our photographers have back up equipment of the same standard and quality of their prime gear, ask other Vegas photographers if they do the same, you might be surprised at the answers, why take that enormous risk?

So after allot of research and hard work we hope to be hearing from you soon, whether you decide on that custom package or one we have put together for you we look forward to hearing from you soon, and having the honor of being your Wedding photographer in Las Vegas.

Wedding day and your Las Vegas Professional Photographer what you must demand!

Click_blog_photographers_View — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 06:22:00 GMT

Hi let me introduce my self, I am Don Parnall ISAD owner of Lasvegasweddingpix and Costellophoto, I have been a photographer for most of my life and as I have found my self living in Las Vegas,it wasn't planned trust me, some twenty years ago, and I have taken a good long look at the Wedding Industry here in Las Vegas and I have seen some awful things on both sides of the business.
I used to shudder at the thought of working as a Wedding photographer especially here in Wedding Central 'las Vegas'
it seemed a pretty lowly way to make a living, I pictured a photographer as a middle aged guy in a bad suit and bad hair!
line 'em up and shoot 'em
Honestly I wasn't far off the mark in a lot of cases, even if you go by price it didn't seem to matter, the formula was the same, line 'em up and shoot 'em, then let them wait and charge them the earth for prints, and packages, we've all done it or had it done to us.

So here's is what I think you, as the Bride and Groom other wise know as the client should demand from your wedding professional photographer in Las Vegas.
First: work out how much you can afford, then add 10% ,Why, because you no doubt want to spend a little as possible, that's fine but lets turn the clock forward say 40 years, and your children are getting married and you want to relive your big day, you get out the Album or CD and the images are all faded , some are out of focus or just pain tacky, at the time you thought it was OK but just like looking at any old wedding photo's fashion changes quickly and before you know it you're laughing at those awful hair cuts but thinking why is it fuzzy, and the group picture is ever so slightly leaning down hill to the left, and why does every one look so uncomfortable?
Then it hits you like a freight train you could have gone with the slightly more expensive chap with who seemed very entertaining but you picked the slick salesman who fitted your picture of the wedding photographer and went with him.
Lesson learned the hard way, your photographer should be artistic, yes there are standard wedding pictures of groups, but why not ask your photographer to think of some thing just a little different, get him/her to stand on a chair , that way they will get every one in the shot and...you can see every ones face, hey there's a novelty!
Now my photographers are all hand picked I have one Woman who I have to say is great, always finds a different angle, and lets face it Women know weddings much better than any man, she will get up on ladders tables hang one handed to get the shot.
Your Photographer must be friendly and able to communicate with all the guests, I have seen competing photographers treat the guests like school children, ordering them about even yelling, yet the clients let them get away with it, that in my company is instant dismissal.

'owning a camera does not make one a photographer'
I would not want nor expect any photographer to 'Be' the entertainment, but the best way to get the best wedding shot is to get the guests to relax and humor is the best way to get people to show their true selves.
We use a Journalistic method of shooting, this means that we capture wedding pictures much like a news photographer might, this is some times referred to as 'Reportage' particularly in Europe and in England, America has not quite caught on to that as yet, but flattering images of the bride getting ready or the best man clowning around, there are a million and one opportunities at every wedding ceremony, even the Elvis wedding ,a specialty of Las Vegas weddings can truly provide that 'money shot'.
With the advent of the digital camera I want to say one thing 'owning a camera does not make one a photographer' with all the best intentions in the world there are so many 'wedding photographers' who just own a camera, be afraid...be very afraid, $399 for a wedding and the 'photographer' turns up with a point and shoot, or worse yet a some what complicated camera and spends most of the time head bend down fiddling with his pride and joy and starting to sweat perfussley as he or she has pressed a button and changed a setting unable to reset it, and bingo there goes all your memories.
I actually had someone call me in the middle of their wedding shoot to ask me how to reset their camera, not wishing to ruin someone else's day I explained and saved the day and suggested that ,that person might like to read the manual and keep it in their camera case in future, I do!

One thing we don't do at Lasvegasweddingpix.com is tie you up with packages of 8x10 images for $40.00 each and 30 wallet sized images for a mere $200.00.
We will provide you with a DVD edited and you may if you wish print from that, we do offer fabulous albums that are made in Italy and look like a printed book, they really are great, also available are 'Mother in Law' albums ,a little smaller but make great gifts to say thank you.

"hey uncle Fanny look over here"
Here's something else you might want to consider, two photographers at your wedding, this in the days of digital is a truly marvelous way of covering your big day tying 'the knot' a little more money wise but now you have two
independent views and if it's status symbol your after well that will work wonders.
Thinking of more photographers it is most important that your choice of professional photographer takes control of those who have to jump in and basically get in the way, every one has a camera or camera phone these days and it is vital that you professional photographer be able to do their job, here's what can and does happen : picture this .. you have a group nicely positioned you get the shot and as you do some one comes up to stand just a little to the right and yells to get the crowds attention "hey uncle Fanny look over here" so what happens half your group is looking at Uncle Fanny (hey he's from their side of the family!) the others at the photographer you employed and paid for, so what you get is a useless image that looks horrible.
So your Professional photographer needs to politely but firmly ask the guests to refrain from snapping away until he is done, failure to do so will indeed result in wedding pictures you'd just as rather not look at, in fact you might also ask you maid of honor to help in this regard,and in shepherding the groups together, she after all probably knows most of the primary players by name.

The following things will never happen with our photographer:
You have every right to demand the your photographer does not smoke on the job, I would say ever but the world isn't perfect.
Sitting down at the head table or any table making them selves at home and stuffing their faces with your food, they are there to work, should you offer and the professional photographer accepts they should find a place out of view.
Drinking alcoholic drinks...want you wedding pictures in focus? again I would demand or ask nicely that your wedding photographer not drink whist on the job, again I may sound strict but that is one thing I will not tolerate of my photographers, I have only had one experience of some one drinking one the job, it was not at a wedding but a convention for Beer and wine, I should have known better , this individual was alcoholic and i guess the temptation was just too great he disappeared and I was getting call from the client asking where is ******, we found him later drunk and in possession of a bunch of gifts for the client, that has never happened since .
So you have every right to demand adult behavior,tolerance and good manners.

Please visit our other sites:
http://www.costellophoto.com

http://www.lasvegascostellophoto.com
http:www.lasvegasweddingpix.com