| How to choose a wedding photographer | | | | photographer? Does the studio and business look |
| With so many wedding photographers, so many | | | | efficient and organised? |
| prices, and styles choosing the right wedding | | | | If the photographer is coming to you, ask them to |
| photographer can become quite a big and unwieldy | | | | bring a few complete albums, but remember they |
| task for the modern couple | | | | take up a lot of space and are bulky. |
| To begin with, the internet makes things easier, | | | | With sample albums, expect to see fingerprints, dings |
| because you can see lots of work side by side, but | | | | and the like, they tend to get carted from pillar to |
| this does not immediately let you know the most | | | | post, and lots of people thumb through them. |
| important bits of information, which will in the end | | | | #11 Make sure the photographer shooting your |
| determine the best choice for you | | | | wedding is the photographer you are booking |
| 20 top tips for choosing a photographer | | | | There are a number of industry practices you need |
| #1 Who ever you choose, you must click with them | | | | to be aware of: Firstly there are networks of |
| A website will only go part of the way of finding out | | | | photographers, run from a head office. You may look |
| about attitude and the person. | | | | at the website and see stunning images, but that |
| You will be with your wedding photographer, on your | | | | doesn't mean the local chap they send is any good. |
| special day from dawn to dusk in some cases, inviting | | | | Secondly, A small number of unscrupulous |
| them into your dressing room, while you are getting | | | | photographers actually use stock images or copy |
| ready. The photographer will then work with you and | | | | images from other photographers sites. This is done |
| your family through the day. You need to find | | | | to defeat the chicken and egg problem that |
| someone you trust, and get on with | | | | photographers have when they are starting out and |
| #2 Who ever you choose, you must click with them | | | | have no portfolio. |
| Yes that's point one! But it is point 2 as well. Anyone | | | | Thirdly, a number of the better photographers |
| shooting your wedding needs to get the best out of | | | | actually run their businesses like hairdressing salons - |
| you, and this ultimately is a mix of communication, | | | | i.e. the name on the door is the award winning |
| and camera craft. You need to be confident your | | | | hairdresser, you can pay so much for the junior, and |
| wedding photographer can guide and instruct you and | | | | a little more for the executive, and the full rate for |
| your family during the poses and group shots. If they | | | | the owner - however the style book contains only |
| make you smile, put you at your ease, the job is half | | | | the best work from whoever. |
| done | | | | #12 Award winning photographers |
| #3 Know that wedding photography is both a | | | | There are 1000's of awards, and nowadays all |
| business and a vocation | | | | photographers seem to be award winning. If they |
| Wedding photography is a business, and professional | | | | are saying this - find out what award, what |
| wedding photography is one of the hardest and | | | | photograph, and when. Don't be too swayed by |
| stressful disciplines in the photography game. You | | | | awards, look at results - real wedding photographs in |
| need to choose a photographer, who is a good in | | | | albums, and use your own eyes and judgment. |
| business and photography. I am not talking about | | | | #13 Professional qualifications / letters after names |
| profits here; I am talking about the way they run the | | | | Be very clear to find out exactly what the letters |
| business. You need to look at the business and think | | | | mean. In most instances, the photographer sends in |
| - will they be here in 5 -10 years time, when I have | | | | 12 mediocre images with a "joining" fee, and all of a |
| lost my disk, and I want a re-print. | | | | sudden they have flashy letters after the name. If |
| #4 Can you communicate with them easily | | | | you see this, go to the website, and find out how |
| Like all wedding suppliers, you need to know - can | | | | the photographer joins, and find out if it is merely a |
| you communicate with them easily. A hotmail account | | | | commercial organisation that promotes |
| and a mobile phone number are a giveaway. Look for | | | | photographers, or a genuinely educative organisation |
| a landline number, open in office hours. Ask yourself - | | | | promoting excellent photography. |
| how quickly do they reply to e-mails, and at what | | | | #14 Contracts, deposits, copyright, pricing |
| time of the day. However, remember we don't work | | | | Good professional photographers have this sorted, |
| 7 days a week, and we don't answer the phone if | | | | and have an immediate view. No contract - alarm |
| we are shooting a wedding. It is not uncommon for | | | | bells. Discuss releasing the wedding photographs on |
| busy wedding photographers to take off a day in | | | | disk, and what the copyright issues are. Discuss the |
| the week | | | | pricing, and pricing for things that are sold afterward |
| With a wedding photographer, you need to be clear | | | | like re-prints, and copies of disks. |
| on this issue, because unlike nearly all of the other | | | | #15 Attitudes to backups |
| vendors, you will be communicating a lot with the | | | | Film used to last for ages, decades. Digital has issues, |
| photographer a long time after the wedding | | | | disks degenerate, hard drives crash. A photographer's |
| #5 Choose what style you like | | | | attitude to backup is vitally important. As a minimum, |
| There are a number of different styles of wedding | | | | the images shot at the wedding, and the |
| photography ranging between stiff and formal, | | | | photographs produced after editing need to be |
| through to totally documentary (nothing at all set up). | | | | properly backed up, on and off site. If the wedding |
| There are also photographers that pull in aspects of | | | | photographer can't immediately tell you his or her |
| other photographic disciplines such as fashion, fine art, | | | | process for backing up then an alarm bell should be |
| avant-garde etc.. On top of that, there are a number | | | | ringing. |
| of ways the photographs are processed, ranging | | | | #16 Do not be swayed by today's fashions |
| from standard colour, black and white to totally | | | | Do look at your mums wedding photographs - some |
| gimmicky processing. | | | | things done 20-30 years ago, look cheesy now - |
| Before you seriously look at choosing a | | | | faces in champagne glasses, spot colouring etc. We |
| photographer, choose the style you want first | | | | can all do these tricks, but do not let the fizz and |
| #6 Matching a photographer to the style you want | | | | polish sway you between one photographer and |
| This is obvious, but more often than not, the | | | | another. The most important thing they can do is |
| photographer is chosen for another reason, and their | | | | shoot the wedding photographs properly in the first |
| style is foisted on the couple. You need to know | | | | place. |
| that good professional photographers can change the | | | | #17 You do have to pay for quality |
| style they shoot a little from shoot to shoot. | | | | If the price is stupidly lower than al of the others, |
| However you do not want to choose a formal | | | | corners will be cut. This will be in equipment, |
| photographer to shoot a reportage style etc. Most of | | | | processing time, quality of materials. Often people |
| us are in the middle, and lean one way or the other. | | | | who have full time jobs doing something else, view |
| Look at the photographers work, try and look at | | | | shooting weddings not as a full time job, but a s a |
| whole weddings if they are available, and if many | | | | way of earning cash on the weekend, so the price is |
| weddings are available to view, look to see that the | | | | set low to attract anyone who wants to pay. While |
| photographer does shoot in the way you want. | | | | this works for a few weddings a year, you need |
| #7 Portfolio shots are different to general wedding | | | | more commitment than this, because as they get |
| photographs | | | | busier, something needs to give, and it isn't normally |
| Photographers choose images for their portfolios | | | | the day job. |
| because they are either the best of the best, or | | | | #18 Ask what backup kit / contingency plans they |
| they fit a certain format, or both. They tend to be | | | | have |
| dramatic, show stopping images. The 99.9% of the | | | | Any professional wedding photographer worth hiring |
| images the wedding photographer shoots are the | | | | will be able to immediately tell you this. You need to |
| ones you need to be interested in.. | | | | cover - what if a camera breaks or stops working? |
| #8 Recommendations | | | | What happens if the photographer gets ill on the |
| Nothing is better than a recommendation, but nothing | | | | day? What happens if the weather is bad? |
| is worse than an unqualified recommendation. If | | | | The correct answers are - I have a full duplicate kit |
| someone recommends any wedding supplier or | | | | (and some), I have a network of professionals I can |
| wedding photographer to you, then you need to | | | | call on at the drop of a hat to cover for me, I know |
| know: have they actually shot the wedding yet? | | | | the venue, I have a plan, I will do XYZ. |
| What is the relationship between the photographer | | | | #19 What to look for in the photographs |
| and the person doing the recommending? I am often | | | | When you look at wedding photographs, and you are |
| approached by venues, wanting a 10% cut, so that | | | | comparing photographers ask: Has the photographer |
| they can recommend me. I always say no. This goes | | | | got the attention of the subject? (Ignore if the |
| on a lot | | | | photograph is purposefully a candid). Are the eyes, |
| If you get a recommendation from a happy couple, | | | | and face sharp? Is the background distracting? Are |
| who have had the album, and enjoyed the service | | | | the poses natural or awkward looking? Do the |
| provided from start to finish, then go with it, but still | | | | photographs work well as a set in terms of colour, |
| ensure you like the person and style. | | | | skin tones and lighting? Are there annoying traits like |
| #9 Deliverables | | | | every background blurred, or every image heavily |
| Getting the wedding photographs shot is the most | | | | tilted? On the straight images - are the key parts of |
| important thing. If you have little money, invest in | | | | the shot straight and parallel to the edges of the |
| getting the day covered before investing in products. | | | | photograph? |
| All other products - albums, canvases, prints - need | | | | #20 Get the balance right |
| to be considered separately. What is the | | | | The relationship, meeting and conversation you have |
| photographer's attitude to longevity, and quality in | | | | with your wedding photographer needs to be two |
| the products? Your wedding album should last | | | | way. In other words the best place to be is where |
| generations if it is made properly, and will last a few | | | | you bounce off of each other creatively. If it feels |
| years if poor quality materials are used. Consider this | | | | like your potential wedding photographer is telling you |
| to be an investment. | | | | what he will do and need to the point where you |
| Do a little research first - find out about acid free | | | | feel you are changing what you want, or if you feel |
| materials and pigments, and why using them is | | | | you have to spoon-feed the photographer with ideas |
| important. | | | | - then you have the wrong photographer. |
| On the subject of deliverables, find out how reprints, | | | | Again this is just like the hairdresser. You won't go in |
| albums and products are delivered, and if online | | | | the hairdresser and be bullied into having a perm and |
| galleries are provided, and if reprints can be | | | | a colour, but on the other hand you expect your |
| purchased online. | | | | hairdresser to react to what you say constructively, |
| #10 Get a short list and have a meeting | | | | and come up with ideas. In the hairdresser, when you |
| If you can get a very short list of photographers, | | | | find the right one, you know it - there is a balance |
| and go and meet them at their studio. At the | | | | between what you want, and the creative input the |
| meeting you need to cover a few key things. Look | | | | hairdresser brings to the table. Dealing with wedding |
| at complete wedding albums. Are there any surprises, | | | | photographers is the same; you don't want a mouse |
| or inconsistencies? Look at the quality of the work, | | | | or a prima-donna. |
| does it match the website? Do you click with the | | | | |