| Getting married is an amazing experience. It is a day | | | | the family who I did not charge because I need the |
| filled with emotion, joy, happiness and sometimes a | | | | experience and the images for my portfolio" - is this |
| little sadness when a family member or friend who is | | | | the right photographer for you? |
| no longer with us is not there to share our special | | | | Q. Are you insured? |
| day. | | | | All professional photographers should carry |
| As professional wedding photographers we know | | | | Professional Indemnity and Public Liability insurance. If |
| how stressful arranging your wedding day can be. | | | | they do not then tread carefully. |
| With so many photographers around, where do you | | | | Q. What are your prices, and what do I get in my |
| start? What do you need to know when looking for | | | | package? |
| a wedding photographer? With prices ranging from a | | | | Seems a silly question to ask right? Well no! There is |
| few hundred pounds to many thousands, how do | | | | nothing worse than handing over your hard earned |
| you know if they are right for you? | | | | cash only to find that after the wedding you are not |
| It is a simple fact of life that with the arrival of digital | | | | getting what you thought you were. Is there an |
| cameras, many people now call themselves a | | | | album in the package? How many hours coverage do |
| "photographer". Over recent years there has been an | | | | you get? What additional products are included in the |
| explosion of people offering their services as | | | | price? Does the price include image editing? Do you |
| wedding photographers, many of who have never | | | | have an overtime fee if we run over? |
| received any training, have no insurance, do not use | | | | Q. Do you contract out your wedding photography |
| professional equipment and do not have sufficient | | | | service? |
| backups in place to cater for any eventuality. | | | | Picture this scene..... you spend months researching |
| A professional photographer will have all of the above | | | | photographers, finally decide on one, get them |
| and this post is a quick "Help Guide" to the things to | | | | booked then on the wedding day, someone you |
| look for and the questions we recommend you ask | | | | have never met before turns up to photograph your |
| when choosing a wedding photographer. Grab | | | | big day. How are you going to feel? Angry? |
| yourself a cuppa and get comfy. This is not a | | | | Make sure that the person you book with is the |
| definitive guide, merely a general overview of what | | | | person who will attend and take your wedding |
| to look for. | | | | photographs. Sounds simple I know but you will be |
| Looking for a Photographer: | | | | surprised just how many photographers sub contract |
| Personal Recommendations: Have you been to a | | | | out their work to other, often inexperienced and |
| wedding recently? What did your friends think of | | | | uninsured, photographers. |
| their photographer? As a Yorkshire wedding | | | | Q. Is this your full time job? |
| photographer the majority of our clients come from | | | | Many photographers have full time jobs and |
| personal recommendations from either Bride and | | | | photograph weddings on a part time basis so may |
| Grooms who have used us, or from Venues that | | | | not necessarily be available to answer your questions |
| know the quality of the work we produce and the | | | | or emails during normal working hours. If you have a |
| fantastic value for money we offer. | | | | last minute question, it may take some time to get a |
| Google And Other Search Engines: | | | | response or you may not be able to schedule |
| A quick search on any of the major search engines | | | | meeting times that are convenient to you. |
| will produce a mind numbing amount of choices. For | | | | Q. Do you provide a written contract? |
| example, if you type into Google the search terms | | | | It is absolutely critical that you receive a written |
| "Wedding Photographer" it will return millions results. | | | | contract detailing your exact expenditure and what |
| Simply going through each result would take you | | | | products/services you are getting. |
| years, so as a general rule of thumb, stick with those | | | | Q. How many weddings do you cover per day? |
| on page 1 or page 2. The reason for this is simple: If | | | | If the answer is anything other than ONE - be |
| they are on page 1 or 2 then they have taken the | | | | careful. Many photographers will cover more than one |
| time to ensure that their website is well designed, | | | | wedding a day and this can lead to problems at |
| optimised and placed, to ensure that their products | | | | YOUR wedding. What if the first wedding runs late? |
| or services are easy to find for prospective Bride | | | | This will mean that the photographer may be late to |
| and Grooms. | | | | yours. |
| Choosing A Photographer | | | | Q. Can I see some of your work / view the demo |
| As soon as you have decided on a date, have | | | | albums? |
| booked your wedding venue and received | | | | Make sure you have a good look at the |
| confirmation then book all other services required for | | | | photographers work. Look at image quality, look at |
| your wedding day as quickly as possible. Leaving it to | | | | album quality. Looking at images of babies, sunsets, |
| the last minute to book your wedding photographer | | | | buildings or family portraits will not give you any idea |
| is not a good idea. | | | | of their abilities as a wedding photographer. Also ask |
| Many Bride and Grooms start looking for their | | | | the question "Is this from a real wedding?". You will |
| photographer the day they get engaged. | | | | be amazed just how many photographers use |
| Websites: | | | | images taken on training days in their portfolios. They |
| The first thing to do is look at a photographers | | | | attend a training session where a Trainer sets up the |
| website but do NOT be fooled into thinking this is the | | | | shot then tells the photographer how to take it. The |
| be all and end all. Always concentrate on the images | | | | image may be amazing but can they reproduce it |
| and not the website design. These days for a few | | | | during a real wedding with all the pressure and |
| hundred pounds you can have a real classy looking | | | | stresses involved? |
| website designed. Never forget that a website only | | | | Q. What backup equipment do you bring to the |
| shows the content that the photographer WANTS | | | | wedding? |
| you to see. You will only generally see the best | | | | It never fails to amaze me that photographers still |
| images, the ones they want to use to showcase | | | | attend a wedding with only ONE camera! If that |
| their abilities so take a good look around the website. | | | | camera breaks down what are they going to do? |
| Have a look and see how many different weddings | | | | Pop out their mobile phone and carry on shooting? |
| you can see. If there is only one or two, have they | | | | Q. Do you do a pre-wedding site visit? |
| only photographed a few weddings? Also how much | | | | Have you ever been to a wedding and when it |
| information does the photographer give you? Are | | | | comes to having the photographs taken, it is |
| they up front about their prices or do you have to | | | | absolute chaos? Uncle John has gone to check in, |
| go in and see them to find out how much they | | | | Aunty Flo has nipped to the loo, your Best Man has |
| charge? Do they give you specific detailed | | | | popped to the bar. Surely the Bride and Groom |
| information about their services? | | | | should have been a bit more organised shouldn't |
| Also be VERY wary if they say they are a member | | | | they? Well actually no! |
| of a "Professional Trade Organisation". Some trade | | | | This is down to the photographer and not the happy |
| organisations only require photographers to pay an | | | | couple. Site visits allows photographers to create a |
| annual subscription fee to join then allow the | | | | plan for the day and are a critical component to the |
| photographer to use the Organisations logos on their | | | | overall planning of the day. |
| website. Indeed some organisations have absolutely | | | | Q. What "style" do you photograph in? |
| no joining requirements, you do not even have to | | | | There are different styles such as Traditional, |
| own a camera and your Granny, who has no idea | | | | Reportage, Photojournalistic, Fashion, Glamour - does |
| about photography, could join if she wanted. Do your | | | | the photographer photograph in the style YOU are |
| homework and check out Trade Organisations | | | | wanting? Do they do it weekend in, weekend out, or |
| carefully as they are not all the same. | | | | are they trying to photograph in a way they may |
| Some are for full time professionals only and | | | | not necessarily do on a regular basis. Get this bit right |
| Members are required to undergo evaluation, | | | | and you will love your wedding photographs as you |
| inspection and have insurance documents checked, | | | | will receive what you expected. Get it wrong and |
| others simply let you pay a nominal amount and | | | | you could end up hating them. |
| declare you to be a "Professional Photographer". | | | | Q. Will you put my wedding photographs online for |
| Remember that the photography industry is not | | | | our guests to see? |
| regulated and anyone can claim to be a | | | | The majority of photographers now do this as |
| "photographer". | | | | standard though some still do charge extra for it. |
| Price: | | | | Check if there any additional costs involved. |
| If it seems too good to be true, chances are it is! | | | | Q. Do you do a pre-wedding meeting? |
| Many photographers just starting out tend to charge | | | | A professional photographer will prefer to sit down |
| really low prices and only cover their costs. Many see | | | | with each and every Bride and Groom at some point |
| your wedding as a way of building a portfolio of | | | | before the big day to discuss the day itself. Topics |
| wedding images. Now this will not apply to all budget | | | | covered may include things like what photographs are |
| priced photographers but as a general rule of thumb, | | | | to be taken and where, any special requests by the |
| if the price seems really low, then there is a reason | | | | Bride and Groom etc. This helps ensure that the day |
| for it, so try and find out what it is. | | | | runs as smoothly as possible. |
| For many Bride and Grooms, price ends up being the | | | | Q. What will you wear when photographing my |
| determining factor. You spend hundreds, if not | | | | wedding? |
| thousands on the dress, the venue charges a small | | | | Again seems a silly question right? You will be |
| fortune, then there are the cars, the Grooms attire, | | | | surprised how many "professional" photographers |
| Bridesmaids dresses, the cake, the flowers - cutting | | | | turn up to photograph a wedding dressed in jeans, |
| costs on your wedding photography can result in | | | | t-shirts and trainers. Smart business attire is the norm |
| poor wedding photographs resulting in huge | | | | but do check! |
| disappointment and photographs of the day that you | | | | Booking Your Photographer: |
| simply do not want to look at. | | | | As soon as you have decided on the photographer |
| Remember it is a one shot event - to get everyone | | | | who is going to cover your big day... PHONE THEM! It |
| back to retake the photographs will be time | | | | is not unusual for photographers to work on a "first |
| consuming and very expensive. | | | | come, first served" basis and there is nothing worse |
| Make An Appointment: | | | | than doing all the hard work only to find that |
| Until you go meet the photographer, you will not be | | | | someone booked your date 2 hours earlier. |
| fully informed if they are the right person for the job. | | | | Many photographers will require you to pay a retainer |
| At the meeting ask to see photographs from AT | | | | to secure the date. This will be either a fixed amount |
| LEAST five recent weddings. Ask if the | | | | or a percentage of the total package price and will |
| photographer has worked at your venue before and | | | | be deducted from your total photography costs. |
| if so ask if you can see some images from that | | | | Remember: Make sure you get a written contract |
| wedding. Ask to see the demo albums - is there a | | | | which details the amount you are paying and what |
| good range to choose from? Does the photographer | | | | you are getting. |
| have letters of recommendation from previous | | | | One final thing to think about: Personality. Chances |
| clients, if so ask to see them. Does the photographer | | | | are that your wedding photographer will spend more |
| work from home or from a Studio? | | | | time with you than any of your other suppliers. Can |
| During this meeting there are some really important | | | | you spend a whole day with them? Can you work |
| questions to ask, a few are detailed below: | | | | with them for an extended period of time? This is a |
| Q. How long have you been trading and how many | | | | point that is often forgotten about! |
| weddings have you photographed? If the answer is | | | | Hope this has helped and if you are getting married in |
| "6 months and 2 weddings, both of them friends of | | | | the near future, I hope you have a wonderful day! |