Archive for the ‘Choosing a photographer’ Category

What should I look for in a wedding photographer?

There are three main things to look for when choosing a photographer for your wedding:-

Personality,  Style,  Cost

• Personality

The photographer is the only vendor that will be with you for the whole day and will be mingling with your family and friends throughout, taking photos of them as well as you. When you meet a potential photographer, do you have a sense of rapport with them? Do you feel comfortable with them? You want to feel that you are being photographed by someone who is potentially a friend rather than a distant professional.

• Style

Every photographer should have his or her own style – make sure you choose someone whose style you connect with and who reflects the type of photos you want.  Do ask questions about how they approach different issues.

There are a number of different buzz words flying around – photojournalism, formal, classic, candid etc. Do you want all colour, black and white, black and white with a detail in colour, a mixture?

• Cost

Photographers generally fall into one of two categories – those that offer packages and those that don’t. In reality most photographers will mix and match the components in order to give you what you want.

The package approach is the photographer’s attempt to demonstrate their typical cost to potential brides so that you don’t waste your time talking to people outside your budget.

However, although price is part of the decision process, it shouldn’t be the main factor. If you find someone who fits the above criteria but who is more than you budgeted for, maybe you could consider cutting back on other things. If you are quoted a price that seems too good to be true – then it probably is. Remember, the photographs are the only products that last forever.

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Questions to ask the photographer

• How long have you been photographing weddings?
• Is this your job or just for fun?
• Do you have an assistant or second photographer?
• Do you have back-up equipment in case of failure?
• Will you be the actual photographer on the day of my wedding?
• Who will I be dealing with after the wedding?
• How will you show me my pictures for selection?
• How long will it take to get proofs, albums, thank you cards etc?
• Do we get a DVD with high resolution JPEG’s
• Can I print my own photos?
• Can you work from a photo checklist that we agree beforehand?
• What are the costs of any extras?
• Do you have insurance?

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Questions to ask yourself

• Are you being shown an album of a complete wedding rather than a collection of the photographer’s best photos?
• Does the album/storybook tell the story of the wedding?
• Are the pictures of the couple different from each other? Are some close up, some mid distance, some full length?
• Are group photos well organised or are there people cut off at the edges?
• Can you see detail in the pictures of the dress, the cake, the flowers, peoples’ faces?
• Does everyone look relaxed and happy?
• Is there a contract/agreement that you understand?
• What about deposits and payments?