Jean Vallette Photographer

Why choose a professional photographer ?

Wedding photographs require a photographer with enormous technical skill, artistic feeling, and a good rapport with people. Only a perfectly controlled technique gives the photographer the freedom to express himself artistically, and to adapt to any situation at a moment’s notice.  
There is no second chance at a wedding; it is a unique, organized event, which is often full of surprises.
For a few hours, not only must he become a virtual member of the family, but he has to move around unnoticed, and know how to position himself to capture these magical moments, and at the same time be a friendly but efficient director, setting up and posing the family photos.
He must accomplish this while putting the married couple, who inevitably are stressed at the beginning of the ceremony, at ease. He turns the photographic session into a moment of fun that they will remember with pleasure as they leaf through the pages of their album.
A wedding is a ceremony, but also a family celebration.
The pictures should help to create this sense of joy and should not be a source of tension.
Once again, only an experienced professional photographer with great technical mastery will achieve this.
The photos are all that remain of a wedding, don’t sacrifice this day or your future memories by entrusting this important mission to a friend who is an amateur photographer, who under normal circumstances is probably very talented, but who, lacking experience, and under stress, which is inevitable for a non-professional, could easily wreck the day.

The price should not be a determining factor :

You will forget the price you paid, but the album will remain in your library for the rest of your life, and you will leaf through it with your grandchildren and relive these happy moments that otherwise might have been forgotten.
The professional photographer will deliver a quality product to you, in the form of a cd, DVD, or album, which will last through time. The photos will be enhanced, the colours perfect, and the presentation beyond reproach.
To be short, the professional photographer :

• Will relieve you of the stress of the day
• Will be hte perfect Director for your family and group shots, and will be there to catch the emotions
• Will deliver fast your photos perfectly presented

Why choose a local photographer in Saint Martin?

A photographer who has lived on the island for many years knows all the best sites: the ideal rock on a beach, a particular corridor on the third floor of a hotel, a flamboyant alongside a gorgeous bougainvillea in a park, and so forth.…
He makes the best use of the light according to the time of day and the seasons. We have seen numerous photographers, newly arrived from New York in winter, who are uncomfortable with the heat, and unable to position subjects ideally on a beach.
The local photographer knows the key participants, such as the minister, the florist, the DJs and the musicians : This helps to create an atmosphere of trust, which is essential at a wedding.
A practical detail: he is already there, so there are no travel expenses or problems  to worry about.

But will I not be meeting my photographer before the wedding ?

Thanks to the internet, it is now easy to make contact without meeting personally.
In the case of large weddings, couples often do have to travel around the island organizing details, and I am always happy to meet them.
In other situations, I would say that it’s the talent of the photographer that creates a bond with people he has never seen before.
All my clients will tell you about my experience...
Marriage is a reflection of society in all its diversity: a professional photographer knows how to capture the nuances even if he is not familiar with the culture or religion of the couple. In some cases a little “script” or “storyboard” of the marriage ceremony provided by the family can be useful for the photographer and the other people involved at the wedding.

And be aware that work permits are stricly limited on the island : it is not legal for a foreign photographer to look for a wedding photography contract in the island without french or dutch work permits.

But it’s an island ... What if something goes wrong? Should I not have a contract ?

I prefer to work on trust and a promise given than to consign a marriage to the law: experience has taught me that a bride who cancels her wedding obviously has a valid reason, and there is nothing else she can do. If I have to cancel an appointment, (which never happened), it would be due to an act of God, which is a situation that no contract would cover either.
My philosophy of life is that we must accept risk.
I would prefer a marriage cancellation (unlikely) to the guarantee that contracts and lawyers provide in return for lots of money and time…
I do not ask for a deposit unless I have two requests for the same date.
When I have given my word to a client, I honour my commitment no matter what happens.
But if you prefer the security of the law, my company is registered in Saint Martin, a French jurisdiction where the French laws apply.
You are protected in the same way as one would be in Paris and my contracts are written in English.

Why Jean Vallette ?

It is not very easy to compliment yourself but the following points are worth mentioning...

• Years of experience, and a perfect mastery of light.
• Warm human contact and determination: I know how to put people at ease and direct them in a manner that is both gentle and firm, even though my command of English is sometimes questionable.

In my profession, gestures are as effective as words.

•  A "look" that captures the lines, the touch of colour or light used in a unique way every time.
• Humour… never forget that a wedding is a celebration!
• I forgot to mention: I am French..

Pictures are worth more that a lengthy discourse, so I would prefer to show you my work before explaining what I do with words…

Rates

I offer different packages

Prices are based on the amount of time, and the medium (digital, album, photo books etc...)
A few key points :

• All photos are retouched and ready to print.
• They are developed in low resolution for easy viewing on a screen, and in high resolution for printing.
• You have all the reproduction rights (not resale): When I started in the profession, I would never have handed over the wedding negatives. Today, working mainly with tourists, I totally understand their need to be able to print pictures.
  So I include the "transfer" of reproduction rights in my price.
• Our rates are often cheaper that in the United States, but the quality is equally good. The reason they are cheaper is because we are aligned on local market.
  Enjoy it !

With regard to albums or photo books:

You can do it yourself with your cd at home.
But will you? How many wedding photos wait desperately on a cd to be finally printed or mounted in an album … Until the day when cd readers have disappeared and been replaced by some other format, and the cd gets put away with Grandpa’s super 8 tapes, which no-one will ever see again…
Take advantage of the experience of your photographer, who will create your album quickly, so you can relive your special day, and share it with your family for several generations.
I am not satisfied to simply assemble pictures : I create a story of this special event, either in a traditional album or a photo book.
So go for it! Order an album or a photo book ...

FAQ

What style do you suggest?

I opt for:

• Traditional photography with group and family “poses”.
• From experience, even couples who do not choose traditional photographs are always delighted to have them ... (think of the grandparents ...).
• Photojournalism for the small magical moments when I moved unnoticed among your guests. (cocktails, during the evening etc...)
• Artistic creativity in the photos of the bride and groom (among others, I find it hard to curb my imagination...)
• For more examples, see my photographs!

How many hours do I need?

• That depends on how the wedding proceeds, the usual stages are:
• The rehearsal dinner
• Preparing the bride
• Traditional wedding photos – the bridesmaids, the bride groom and the groomsmen…
• The ceremony
• Family photos (some of these may be taken before the ceremony)
• Pictures of the couple
• The cocktail party
• The dinner: including photos of the first dance, the cutting of the cake, throwing the bouquet and garter at the beginning of the dinner.
  It is rarely necessary to cover the whole evening: after the speeches and photos of each table, the photographer has enough material. He is not needed any longer and this will save you money.

Will all the pictures be on the CD?

I make a selection, eliminating the less flattering shots (eyes closed ...). All the remaining ones are reworked and edited with Photoshop.

Colour or black and white?

I do a mixture of colour, black and white, black and white with a little colour, or sepia according to my artistic inspiration.

Can you put my pictures online?

Yes, we provide this service, with the option of ordering free prints.
 This relieves you of the task of ordering copies for the family, as they can do it directly themselves.
The photos are be protected with a password, contact us if you don't have yours !

Do you know a good .. ?

Your Wedding Planner is there to help you !
Have a look to my recommendation links pages !

Share this post