| Choosing a Wedding Photographer | | | | sound of and arrange for a meeting, ideally this |
| Lets be frank, planning your wedding day is a | | | | should take place at their office or studio so it will |
| nightmare! Other than building your own house, you | | | | give you a chance to see just how professional they |
| will probably never have to employ so many different | | | | are. The type of questions you should ask. Here is a |
| services. From cake makers to the DJ and from the | | | | list of the questions you should ask, remember it is |
| limo drivers to the dress maker, it is easy to be | | | | by no means a complete list, but it is a good start. |
| overwhelmed by the choice. But of all the people you | | | | - Are you a full time professional wedding |
| will engage to make sure that you have the perfect | | | | photographer? |
| day the photographer is probably the most difficult | | | | - What are your prices, including any taxes and |
| whilst at the same time being the only one that you | | | | expenses and what do we get for our money? |
| are relying on to leave you a lasting reminder of the | | | | (Don't say what your budget is before they tell you |
| day (husbands don't count here). Just one day after | | | | their prices) |
| and your cake will be eaten, your venue is being | | | | - What is the payment schedule? Most will require a |
| used for a 21st birthday, your car is being used to | | | | deposit to hold the date and full payment in advance |
| ferry kids to a prom and in a few months even the | | | | of the event itself. |
| dress will be a bit tight and relegated to the attic or | | | | - What payment methods can I use? If possible pay |
| worse eBay. But when you are sitting in your rocking | | | | by credit card as this will offer you some form of |
| chair with your grandchildren on you knee you will still | | | | protection. |
| have your wedding pictures to relive your special day. | | | | - What happens if you are ill on the morning of my |
| So having decided that choosing the very best | | | | wedding and can't attend? If they say that a "friend" |
| wedding photographer is important where do you | | | | will attend, ask to see some work done by this |
| start? | | | | "friend". |
| Good personal recommendation is about the best | | | | - How many photographers will be attending? If you |
| starting place, but note that I said "good". People like | | | | are being charged for two photographers (often this |
| to help others out, it's human nature, so they may | | | | will be the spouse), again ask to see work by the |
| well recommend their photographer who in reality | | | | other photographer. |
| was, well average, therefore it is important that you | | | | - What will happen if it rains on the day? Every pro |
| ask for some details. Start with asking to see their | | | | should have a rain plan and be able to show you |
| album, this is easy as what bride doesn't like to drag | | | | photographs from wedding where it rained. |
| out and show off that? Ask how they performed on | | | | - How much will it cost to purchase additional |
| the day, what you need to know here was, where | | | | photographs after the event? |
| they punctual? where they polite? did the guests like | | | | - Can we have a disc of photographs to print |
| them? where they unobtrusive? where they dressed | | | | ourselves and/or use on social networking sites? |
| appropriately (some photographers think its OK to | | | | - How will you deal with friends taking photographs? |
| turn up to wedding dressed in T shirts and jeans)? | | | | Some photographers simply don't allow this, so if it's |
| how much did they charge and what did you get for | | | | important to you, walk away. |
| that money? how fast did they take the formal | | | | - Do you take formal group shot pictures? Again be |
| family pictures ( none of the guests like these so a | | | | cautious of photographers who don't do this, formal |
| good photographer should be able to whip through | | | | photographs are tricky to do well and are a sign of a |
| them at an average sized wedding in about 20-30 | | | | real professional not only from a photography stand |
| minutes)? How long did the album take to arrive? | | | | point but from how they handle organizing people. |
| How much where additional prints? Did they supply a | | | | - How do you proof our photographs? There are |
| CD of the wedding images that you could print | | | | several ways this can be done, from providing you |
| yourself, if so how much was it? | | | | with individual prints, CD's or small proofing albums. |
| Don't limit yourself to asking just people who have | | | | - How soon will our photographs be ready? A |
| been recently married, but also make sure to ask | | | | reasonable time would be about two weeks. |
| friends who may have attended at a wedding for | | | | But overall the question you should be asking yourself |
| their opinions too. | | | | is do I get on with this person enough to have them |
| So you have tried personal recommendations and | | | | with me on what is one of the most special days of |
| none are pressing you buttons, so what next. Well | | | | my life? If the answer is no, then politely tell them |
| by now you will probably have booked your wedding | | | | that you have other photographers to see and leave. |
| venue so ask the coordinator there for suggestions, | | | | So what should it cost? Well prices for wedding |
| you will almost certainly will be given a list of | | | | photography varies enormously from just a few |
| photographers who have worked there before, but | | | | hundred to several thousand, in that case go for the |
| remember some venues will be taking a cut of the | | | | cheapest right? The answer surprisingly is maybe. |
| photographers fee for the recommendation so whilst | | | | Some fantastic photographers are just starting out |
| a good starting point you still have some research to | | | | and are desperate to build a portfolio and therefore |
| do. | | | | are charging well below the rate they should be for |
| Last but definitely not least, the world's greatest | | | | their skills. Unfortunately there are also lots of |
| research tool is at your command, the internet. If | | | | photographers who are quite frankly rubbish and |
| you type wedding photographer into one of the | | | | charge low because that is all they are worth. |
| search engines you will get literally millions of results | | | | At the opposite scale there are photographers who |
| so narrow down your returns by adding your area or | | | | will charge many thousands more than they are |
| town for example "wedding photographer wilmslow" | | | | worth knowing that some people will assume they |
| or add your venue for example "wedding | | | | are good because they charge a lot. Don't fall for |
| photographers crewe hall". Having done this you will | | | | this, meet with them, ask them the questions I have |
| still be faced with a huge list as it seems that | | | | said, look at their work at least 3 albums worth of |
| everyone who has bought themselves a nice camera | | | | full weddings they have done. Do you like their style, |
| for Christmas is trying there hand at wedding | | | | do the people in the pictures look relaxed? One of |
| photography. So how to cut the wheat from the | | | | the most common mistakes by inexperienced |
| chaff? | | | | wedding photographers is that they loose color in the |
| Firstly, click onto the website, does it look | | | | sky so it shows as white on the pictures or the |
| professional, easy to navigate around, contain the | | | | loose the detail on the wedding dress and it shows |
| information you need, have lost of images? Is there | | | | as pure white so look for these things. Professional |
| a proper telephone number (be wary of mobile | | | | wedding photographers should be able to accept |
| numbers only) or better still a toll free number. And | | | | credit cards so if possible pay that way to ensure |
| above all is the photographers address shown, after | | | | you have some come back should you need a |
| all you will be handing over a lot of money for this | | | | refund. |
| service and you want to know where they are if it | | | | But above all, make sure you get on with your |
| does all go wrong. | | | | photographer, so you can relax on the day an not be |
| Now pick the top 5 photographers that you like the | | | | worried that your pictures wont turn out. |