Choosing a wedding photographer is a daunting task. Your wedding is a once-in-a-lifetime event and you don’t want to trust just anyone to capture the memories that you’ll cherish for the rest of your life. Here are some tips that can help you select the right wedding photographer for you.
Experience – Pretty much anyone can run out and buy a camera and call themselves a Wedding Photographer. But that doesn’t mean they’re any good though… Fortunately we live in the era of the internet and most photographers have web pages these days. By browsing through the web pages of wedding photographers in your area, you can get a feel for the quality differences. Here are some things to look for when viewing a wedding photographer’s samples. Are all the pictures from just a very few weddings? If so, that may raise a red flag about the experience level of that photographer. How long has the photographer been shooting weddings? You probably don’t want your wedding to be some photographer’s second wedding. Another thing to keep in mind is that if a photographer does have a lot of experience, that doesn’t mean that he’s any good either. If you see from his samples that none of his images are from the same wedding, it might mean that the photographer’s quality is lacking. Even if the photographer has shot a hundred weddings, one good shot per wedding is not a good sign of a quality wedding photographer. After you’ve narrowed down your choices a little and it’s time to meet your favorite photographers, ask to see a couple complete weddings. This will show you not only their style but also their consistency.
Style – You probably already have in mind the style of photography you prefer. It’s usually a subconscious preconception of how you think your wedding should look. When you look at different wedding photographer’s samples, they to discern what their style is. Is their style more traditional, or a little more modern? Modern is not necessarily better, if you want your wedding to be more “traditional”. One style is not better than another, just different. Make sure that you aren’t assuming that the photographer will shoot your wedding in the style you want. Most wedding photographers shoot in “their style” and you should select a photographer’s style that matches your expectations, not the other way around.
Personality – This is something you just can’t get from the Wedding photographer’s web page and it’s one of the most important aspects of selecting a good wedding photographer. Weddings can be a stressful time for most Brides, and the last thing you need is to have a wedding photographer that adapts and goes along with the flow. Is the photographer charming and personable, or a prude and a pre-Madonna? Will the photographer be a help or a hindrance at your special event? Make sure that you think you two can get along well enough to insure that your memories end up being positive ones.
Price – Price is something that will vary wildly from wedding photographer to wedding photographer. Maybe you’re the type of bride where price just doesn’t matter, but for most others, the wedding budget is serious business. You don’t want to spend a fortune, but you realize that a professional needs to make a living too. Most wedding photographers have packages from you to select from. While this gives you a place to begin your comparisons, be aware that some wedding photographers count on selling you additional products after the event is over. Make sure that you think this through and figure out ahead of time the quantity and types of pictures that you’ll want in the end. Usually, the prices for purchases outside the wedding photographer’s package, can be quite pricey and the markup on Photographic prints can be huge. So if one photographer offers the extras you want, (framed prints, mother’s albums, wedding party gift prints, etc.) you’re probably much better off. Just make sure that you ask about the price of the “extras” when attempting to compare wedding photographers.
Ownership – One way to control the cost of your wedding photography is to select a photographer that offers you the ability to purchase either the negatives or the files from your wedding. This is not the norm in the wedding photography business. Most photographers count on making money from additional sales and giving the negatives or files away keeps them from taking advantage of that captive market. (You!) It’s amazing the markup on prints. If you can get own the files, you’ll probably save a ton of money. Most photographers that offer you the negatives or files will also be able to suggest and quality lab to have your prints made. That way, you get the quality and not the cost.
Style – You probably already have in mind the style of photography you prefer. It’s usually a subconscious preconception of how you think your wedding should look. When you look at different wedding photographer’s samples, they to discern what their style is. Is their style more traditional, or a little more modern? Modern is not necessarily better, if you want your wedding to be more “traditional”. One style is not better than another, just different. Make sure that you aren’t assuming that the photographer will shoot your wedding in the style you want. Most wedding photographers shoot in “their style” and you should select a photographer’s style that matches your expectations, not the other way around.
Personality – This is something you just can’t get from the Wedding photographer’s web page and it’s one of the most important aspects of selecting a good wedding photographer. Weddings can be a stressful time for most Brides, and the last thing you need is to have a wedding photographer that adapts and goes along with the flow. Is the photographer charming and personable, or a prude and a pre-Madonna? Will the photographer be a help or a hindrance at your special event? Make sure that you think you two can get along well enough to insure that your memories end up being positive ones.
Price – Price is something that will vary wildly from wedding photographer to wedding photographer. Maybe you’re the type of bride where price just doesn’t matter, but for most others, the wedding budget is serious business. You don’t want to spend a fortune, but you realize that a professional needs to make a living too. Most wedding photographers have packages from you to select from. While this gives you a place to begin your comparisons, be aware that some wedding photographers count on selling you additional products after the event is over. Make sure that you think this through and figure out ahead of time the quantity and types of pictures that you’ll want in the end. Usually, the prices for purchases outside the wedding photographer’s package, can be quite pricey and the markup on Photographic prints can be huge. So if one photographer offers the extras you want, (framed prints, mother’s albums, wedding party gift prints, etc.) you’re probably much better off. Just make sure that you ask about the price of the “extras” when attempting to compare wedding photographers.
Ownership – One way to control the cost of your wedding photography is to select a photographer that offers you the ability to purchase either the negatives or the files from your wedding. This is not the norm in the wedding photography business. Most photographers count on making money from additional sales and giving the negatives or files away keeps them from taking advantage of that captive market. (You!) It’s amazing the markup on prints. If you can get own the files, you’ll probably save a ton of money. Most photographers that offer you the negatives or files will also be able to suggest and quality lab to have your prints made. That way, you get the quality and not the cost.
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