 |
Choosing a Wedding Photographer
by Ed Han
http://www.beau-coup.com
Choosing a Wedding Photographer
Many couples get so caught up with planning all the obvious
details of their wedding--such as the cake, the wedding
decorations, the gown and gifts for members of the wedding
party--that they often overlook the importance of selecting
the right wedding photographer. It's important to remember
that the photographer you choose will be responsible for
capturing the moments and memories of what may be the most
important day of your life! With this in mind, you'll want
to take great care in selecting a wedding photographer
considering there are no second chances.
As you might imagine, wedding photography is one of the most
challenging types of professional photography. The wedding
photographer has to make everyone look beautiful, shooting
in a multitude of locations in all kinds of weather
conditions--and accomplish all this in minimum amount of
time. At the same time, your wedding photographer should
have the personality to complement you on your most joyous
day. Take your time and follow some of the simple
suggestions discussed below, and you will most certainly be
satisfied with the outcome.
Where Do You Begin?
Personal referrals or asking friends, relatives and
co-workers for suggestions, is a great place to start.
Typically, people who have had positive experiences with
photographers are more than willing to share that
information. In addition, you'll already have some insight
about the photographer's personality before you actually
meet. After compiling a preliminary list, visit each
photographer's web site and thoughtfully review his or her
online portfolio. If a portfolio looks appealing you,
chances are, that photographer might be a good fit. Next,
call or email each photographer on your list. Through this
initial contact, you can determine the photographer's
availability, the type of work they specialize in (candid or
traditional) as well as an estimate of the cost and what
you'll receive for that fee.
Schedule appointments with the photographers who seem most
appropriate and ask to view their portfolios in person and
discuss more details. Ask each of them to show you a
complete portfolio of a single wedding--this will give you a
much clearer sense of what you can expect than a collection
of choice shots from several different events. Pay attention
to whether the photographer is adept at portraying
individual expressions and personalities. Ideally, these
meetings should include the bride and groom as well as the
bride's parents since you will all be interacting with the
photographer.
What Questions Should You Ask?
Be sure to write down all of your questions beforehand, and
take thorough notes during the meetings. Although most
professional photographers will provide you with a clear
outline of their services and fees prior to your meeting,
you will, in all likelihood, still have a large number of
questions to ask. Remember, the more information you have,
the more confident and relaxed you'll feel on your special
day. The following are some questions, courtesy of
http://www.iqphoto.com/, you may wish to consider asking:
~How will you show me pictures for selection (e.g.,
electronic, proofs, contact sheets, online gallery, etc.)?
~Will you help me choose the final pictures?
~How will you make it easy for friends and family to order
reprints?
~What are the costs of the various levels of coverage?
~Are there different degrees of coverage?
~What is your photography style; photojournalistic,
traditional, mixed, etc.?
~How much for the duplicate prints, albums, folios,
enlargements, thank you cards, etc.?
~What's your time frame for preparing the pictures for my
selection?
~How about engagement session?
~How long do I have to make up my mind as to which pictures
I want and how many?
~How long have you been in business?
~What kind of guarantee comes with my hiring you?
~What's your philosophy for photographing weddings?
~Will you have an assistant?
~Do you have travel fees?
~How much is your overtime fee?
~What do you plan to do at my wedding to make my wedding
photographs unique and personal to me?
~Do you have a backup?
~Will you be shooting my pictures personally?
~Will you use film or digital?
~What's your payment policy?
~Do you give any guarantees on your services and photographs?
~What is the possibility of the pictures fading?
How Much Will It Cost?
The following are some points, courtesy of
http://www.elegala.com/, that will help prepare you for what
you might expect to pay for your wedding photography:
~Plan to allocate a significant portion of your wedding
budget to ensure photographs are perfect. Expect to spend at
least $1000 on a professional wedding photographer to
document your event. Albums and prints are usually extra.
Other extras that may increase your bottom line include
additional hours, additional photographers, custom albums
etc. etc. Add on too many extras ~ and your photography
budget could quickly creep to $5000 and beyond!
~Cut the extras and purchase a basic wedding photography
package from a skilled photographer. By paying for the
photographer's expertise only, you will ensure great images
~ and you'll buy yourself some time to save up for the
custom album and prints after the wedding.
~Get the proofs! To that end, try to find a photographer who
will let you keep the proofs. Many photographers consider
themselves to be photographers only - artists not in the
business of selling photographs. After the big day, they'll
hand over your proofs and be on their way. They're yours to
keep ~ you can print them in any manner you please or save
them for printing after you've saved up some cash.
~Enter the digital age with digital photography. It's less
costly than film, and with technological advances in
equipment ~ digital images are no longer a sacrifice in
quality. Many photographers have taken the digital plunge ~
which results in savings for you!
~Cut the timeline~the longer your event, the more it will
cost to document it. Since photographers often charge based
on the number of hours they will spend at your wedding, a
shorter/smaller wedding celebration will yield big savings
in your photography budget.
Making a Commitment
At this point, you should have a relatively clear idea of
which photographer is best suited to capture your wedding
day memories. Once you have made a decision, be prepared to
leave a deposit to reserve the date. You may still wish to
reassure yourself by asking about a few final details. For
example, find out what the photographer's policy for
wedding-date changes is and what the alternatives are if he
or she is not available on the backup date. Also, ask about
their policy for an unexpected cancellation. If you feel the
photographer is right for you, then relax and make the
commitment with the confidence that you've made a
well-formed, intelligent decision in planning the most
important day of your life.
This article brought to you by Beau-coup Wedding Favors.
Submit An Article
|
|  |
