Choosing a Green Wedding Photographer

Of all the wedding vendors available to you, your wedding photographer is, more than likely, the most environmentally friendly. Not only are most wedding photographers traveling locally to their jobs, but most are also shooting digital, minimizing the use of harsh chemicals used in processing film. Yet, a true “green” photographer should not only go above and beyond the obvious of shooting digital, they should offer you a comprehensive choice of wedding items that are not only beautiful and stylish but “green,” as well.

The Wedding Album

There is no other item like the wedding album. It’s not only meant to present the memories of your once-in-a-lifetime day with elegance but it must also protect them. It’s that combination of style and safety that makes leather-bound wedding albums so appealing. From a green point of view, though, leather is atrocious. Not only are formaldehyde, coal and cyanide-based oils used in the production process of leather, but the tanning of leather is equally damaging to the environment.
Luckily, finding a wedding album that is stylish, sturdy and green is easier than ever – if your photographer knows how. Numerous companies throughout the US provide wedding albums that don’t use chlorine bleach, formaldehyde or other unnecessary chemicals. In California, for example, we’re fortunate to have Cypress Albums in Glendale.
Again, your wedding photographer should always provide you with options that meet a perfect balance between beauty and responsibility.

Wedding Prints

The paper used to create prints in your wedding album and in enlargements, as well, is an opportunity for your wedding photographer to show some green savvy. While it might seem logical to use post-consumer recycled papers for your prints, these materials many times are bad choices for your prints as they contain tree acids. Over a short time frame, your prints would start to show the effects of these acids.
Luckily, there are several sophisticated options available – tree-free fiber paper, cotton rag, and bamboo paper – that are readily available. Because these options are tree free, they are naturally acid-free and lignin-free so your art prints will look good hundreds of years from now. Best of all, these options are, many times, no more expensive than conventional options. Should your photographer not provide you with these options, suggest the following:

1. Epson Exhibition Fiber Paper - Fiber paper is usually a mix of fibers from cotton, hemp and banana leaves. Fiber paper gives art prints a distinguishing texture, weight, and remarkable surface quality. This is the premier photo paper for many photographers because of its remarkable contrast and sheen.

2. Hahnemuhle Bamboo 290 Photographic Paper - This is the first fine art inkjet paper made from bamboo grass fibers. Bamboo is a great choice for photo paper if the bamboo forest is FSC certified (waiting for a reply from Hahnemuhle on this one). This paper has a beautiful warm tone since it’s naturally white. A bonus is that a portion of the revenue is donated in supporting environmental projects.

3. Crescent RagMat - Rag matboard, used in the matting of prints, is made from cotton fibers and has an extremely soft texture. RagMat is the only matboard guaranteed safe next to prints and it meets museum conservation standards. The only other more green option for matboard is recycled matboard, but it’s not recommended for preservation. We love the look and feel of RagMat so much that we print our business cards on it!

The Green Philosophy

We realize that finding the right photographer is hard enough without the added burden of finding one that is also eco-friendly. But it’s precisely that ability to provide professional services while being mindful of your needs and the needs of the planet that make a green photographer the right choice. There is no compromising or no shortcuts - there’s just getting it right. On your wedding day, you want that philosophy working for you.

Eco-Friendly Wedding Invitations

I am loving these earth friendly seedling wedding invitations from Invitesite. The invitation holds cosmo seedlings and the whole tree-free packet can be planted.  If only I could plant this whole stack of friend’s outdated wedding invites that are sitting on my desk, I would finally have my backyard landscaped!

Invitesite is THE local source for green wedding invites in Southern California (Pasadena, to be exact, but they do have an online store).  Their handmade eco-friendly invite line includes using 100% post consumer recycled paper and post-harvest fibers, such as mango, sugar cane, and grass.

Helen and Scott are fine letterpress artisans that have been specializing in green wedding invitations since 1995!   Helen is a true inspiration, writing about Green Weddings from her extensive knowledge base about paper, and earthly tips on locations, food and decor.

If you are thinking about going green for your wedding, using tree-free paper is a major positive impact that is a no brainer.  Choose eco-friendly papers for your “save the date”, wedding invitations, RSVP cards,  dinner placement cards, wedding programs, and thank you’s.  Guests will surely comment on how gorgeous they are, then “rock ‘em, sock ‘em” with your choices on being sustainable!

Eco-friendly Photo Papers

There’s quite a bit of opportunity for photographers to go green.  A direct contribution can be made by choosing an environmentally friendly option from the currently available papers (for photos and matting). There are several sophisticated options available that will make you change your mind about being green. Some tree-free options are fiber paper, cotton rag, and bamboo. Because these options are tree free, they are naturally acid-free and lignin-free so your art prints will look good hundreds of years from now.

1. Epson Exhibition Fiber Paper
Fiber paper is usually a mix of fibers which can include cotton, hemp, and banana leaf. This is number one for us for our enlargements. Fiber paper gives art prints a distinguishing texture, weight, and remarkable surface quality.

2. Hahnemuhle Bamboo 290 Photographic Paper
This is the first fine art inkjet paper made from bamboo grass fibers. Bamboo is a great choice for photo paper if the bamboo forest is FSC certified (waiting for a reply from Hahnemuhle on this one). This paper has a beautiful warm tone since it’s naturally white. A bonus is that a portion of the revenue is donated in supporting environmental projects.

3. Crescent RagMat
Rag matboard is made from cotton fibers and has an extremely soft texture. RagMat is the only matboard guaranteed safe next to prints and it meets museum conservation standards. The only other more green option for matboard is recycled matboard, but it’s not recommended for preservation. We love the look and feel of RagMat so much that we print our business cards on it!

Click here for the “Green in Print” pdf published by The Nature Conservancy.