Tips On Choosing A Wedding Photographer
Weddings are memorable events that couple and their families wish to remember for the rest of their lives (hopefully for the right reasons, though we have been to some weddings that we could right a book about). What better way to capture those moments than by a camera.
The wedding day may be gone, but the joyfull feelings will stay because of the fabulous moments captured on film, (or digitally as the case is nowadays)
Like most things in life, photographers come in all shapes and sizes, and with a varied budget. You need to balance the costs with the level of ability of your photographer, more expensive isn't always better, but going for the cheapest option isnt the way to go either.
1 Hire A Professional
Hiring a professional photographer if you have the budget is usually the best option, as they have all of the necessary equipment, and tend to have the experience and knowledge in this field. Look around your area for a professional that suits your needs and the style you are after, and compare prices to draw up a list of those in your budget. The use of the Internet means it is now possible to quickly find quotes for dozens of photographers.
2 Research
If you go down the route of a professional, do your research, not just the price, but ask to view his portfolio, does his style tick the boxes of what you want. Some togs specialise in reportage style images, others are strictly traditional, there should be a selection that will suit your precise requirements.
Ask to talk to his past clients to determine what his/her professionalism is like. Did he turn up on time, were the arrangements made smoothly, was he polite or bossy during the shoot. A good tog should be able to direct your guest and family how they need to for the best images, but they shouldn't be rude or bossy doing it. Asking about his style and professionalism as well as the quality of his work will greatly determine your overall satisfaction, and ensure you get the best value for your money. Although the ultimate aim is to receive great pictures, it isn't what you want if your wedding is ruined by a rude, grumpy photographer.
3 Book Early
Good photographers tend to be in demand, book as early as possible to ensure that not only do you get the photographer you are after, but you wont need to worry about him dealing with multiple clients on the same day.
4 Think About Hiring A Photography Student
Everyone starts somewhere. Some of the university students of today, are the prima wedding photographers of tomorrow. Sometimes a student can bring fresh ideas, and unleash their creativity to give you something special. However use the same caution as with a professional, ask to see their portfolio, though they probably wont have previous wedding clients for you to check with, you can still get a feel for their level of skill and professionalism.
5 Pre Wedding/Engagement Shoot
Many photographers will include an engagement shoot or pre wedding shoot as part of the package, this will give you a good feel for how they will work on the day, if you are uncomfortable with their style during this shoot, then you are unlikely to feel better on the big day.
6 Ensure That You Receive Digital Copies
You really want digital copies of your images as well as the wedding album, this will allow you to print additional photos yourself, you can use them for thank you cards later.
7 Have Your Guests Take Photos
Place cheap disposable cameras around the tables to allow your guests to take informal snaps of everyone enjoying the day, sometimes these shots are the best. A modern take is hiring a socail photo booth, these work by allowing your guests to take photos with their phones, they then upload these to twitter or instagram with a special hashtag, the booth captures these and stores them for you, or can even be sent to print instant copies out for the guests.
8 Have Uncle Jim Take The Photos
This is one tip we don't recommend, unless of course uncle Jim is a talented amateur photographer, with good organisational and people skills. Although the advent of digital cameras, and photo processing software makes it mush easier for an average person to take great photos, you aren't going to find out what they are like until after the event, and by then its too late.
The most important point to remember is to talk to your partner and determine exactly what you want from your wedding photographer, then spend plenty of time researching the options to ensure you end up with exactly what you want.
What You Want
What You Don’t
Copyright © 2006 - 2018 Emmerson E. Moody & Jason A.R. Moody