Wedding Photographs: Finding The Perfect Wedding Photographer
By | July 29, 2010
As long as people believe in the institution of marriage, wedding photographers will always have a job to do! For a couple embarking on a new life together, choosing the right photographer becomes an important part of things to do before the wedding. No one wants fuzzy images of the ceremony or embarrassing pictures of a tipsy best man!
Wedding photographers are usually self-employed professionals who undertake everything from actual photography at the location or in a studio to mounting the pictures in an album and delivering it to the happy couple. The first step in choosing a photographer is to shortlist a few and ask friends to recommend any they ve been happy with. Don t let only the price factor determine who you choose; it s more advisable to spend a little extra to ensure quality.
It s a good idea to meet up with a few photographers to review earlier work and discuss price and other factors. Ask them everything you need to know about their method and style of working, facilities for studio portraits, type of finished product, maximum number of pictures, extra charges, cancellations, etc. Most importantly, try and gauge a photographer s personality and whether you will be comfortable working with him. A wedding day tends to get emotional, and chances are he will have to deal with a lot of tears and other drama before the day is out. Can he take it?
Before you make a decision, ask to see complete coverage of a wedding he s photographed. That will give you an idea of his style, creativity, and technical expertise. Decades down the line, photographs might be the only way you remember your special day, so you want them to last.
Usually wedding photographers will charge in the range of a thousand dollars, though rates may differ, depending on experience and reputation. Some photographers charge a set fee for all pictures taken while others charge a fixed assignment fee and charge separately for each print ordered. Remember to set aside a little extra in your budget in case you need extra shots or plan to order another set of prints.
It s your big day and maybe the only time you get married, so make sure you have some stunning pictures to record the happy event.
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You only have one shot at perfect pictures. If you choose the wrong photographer, your once-in-a-lifetime wedding pictures can be lost forever. Here are some tips for finding a great wedding photographer:
1. How experienced is this photographer? Does he specialize in wedding photography? While everyone needs to start somewhere, do you really want one to begin with your wedding, no matter how good the price? Choose a photographer who not only has experience with wedding photography, but who also can show you examples of his or her work at previous weddings.
2. What is the style of the photographer? Do his sample shots look the way you want your wedding photos to look? Look for a great mix of styles, from formal and posed to more casual and relaxed styles. Look for how the photographer uses light in the pictures. And look for a photographer who takes shots that you like.
3. Ask the photographer if he’s the one who will be handing your wedding personally or if he plans to send a staff photographer. You have the right to know who you’re going to be paying for. Asking in advance eliminates nasty surprises.
4. Do you like the photographer? If he’s nasty or bossy or has a trait you don’t care for, his presence – and direction for posed shots – can ruin your otherwise perfect day. There are plenty of photographers; pick one you can live with.
5. How does he dress? Is he well-groomed? And what does he intend to wear to the wedding? Especially if you have a dress code at the wedding venue, you need to be certain your photographer presents a certain appearance.
6. How expensive is this photographer? You don’t have to choose the cheapest photographer, and probably should not, but you want someone in your price range. Get an idea of all his prices, including any reordered packages. And find out how long he keeps negatives. You may want to order more in five years.
7. How prompt is this photographer? How quickly will they get the proofs, pictures and albums back? Does he supply electronic media as well, or just printed photos?
8. Look carefully at the offered packages and a la carte deals. Are they the wedding photos you really want, or do you think you can do better with a different plan? Try to arrange a deal if you don’t like any packages. If you’re making a large order, your photographer should work with you.
9. How much time will he take photographing you and the wedding party at the event? You don’t want someone who will take too few shots, but you also don’t want to spend your entire wedding day in front of a camera. Ask how many different shots he takes on average as well.
10. Does the contract make sense to you? It should be clear, with everything addressed you’ve discussed with the photographer. You should feel that it’s fair. Make sure deposits and cancellations are spelled out, as well as the photographer’s not showing up. If you don’t understand it, talk to a lawyer. This can be a very big investment, and you don’t want to find yourself in a legal bind over it.
11. Use our Wedding Photo Worksheet to help you choose all the perfect photos for your wedding, quickly and easily. Go through the shots you want with the photographer, and make sure he’s going to work with you.
12. Make sure you get references from previous clients, from the Better Business Bureau, from the Chamber of Commerce. Ask around at reception halls and churches the wedding photographer has worked at to see what they think. Is he a member of the Professional Photographers of America or another professional organization?
And one last thing: besides the wedding photographer, you really should have disposable cameras on the tables. You never know what’s going to happen: the photographer not showing up, or being busy photographing the wedding party while Uncle Milt is doing that weird thing with his nose. Sometimes the photos taken by guests become the most treasured keepsakes from your wedding.
Lesley-Ann Graham runs WeddingTrix.com – a valuable wedding planning resource with articles, tips and advice to help you plan your perfect wedding. The Bride, Groom, Best Man, Bridesmaids and Groomsmen can find it all at http://www.WeddingTrix.com
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Photography Online
By | July 25, 2010
Patience is a virtue. It always has been and always will. In photography terms, it is vital.
We are so used to things happening rapidly in photography that we can sometimes feel overwhelmed and ever ready for the sudden shot or opportunity. Candids, objects going at breakneck speed and the general rush of life all make us believe that getting the correct shot as soon as possible is the only way to capture a great image.
No so. Take your time, relax and chill out.
There will be times that you need to act quickly. But in more cases there is a need for patience and perseverance.
Consider a bird in your garden. He visits you on a regular basis and you have even put up some hanging nuts to capture his attention and entice him to stay that little bit longer. He visits and you snap away because he only stays a few seconds before he is gone perhaps alerted or frightened by something around him.
Why not take a different approach and instead of rushing to get that photograph when he is newly landed, set up with a view to staying an hour, two hours, three,,,,
In this way you are likely to capture him when YOU are ready. Even more, you are likely to find that he comes back again and again, giving you the opportunity for more shots of him in action.
If you are lucky, careful and patient, there might very well be other birds visiting that same bag of hanging nuts. Perhaps you hadn t even noticed them in your garden but now, because you were prepared to watch and wait, you now have additional opportunities for a great photo.
Patience is a virtue. Oh yes.
Eric Hartwell runs the photography resource site http://www.theshutter.co.uk and the associated discussion forums as well as the regular weblog at http://thephotographysite.blogspot.com.
As photography itself has embraced technologies like digital, we ourselves as photographers must embrace advancing technologies like the Internet. The door has been opened to showcase your work to not only a national but also an international audience. Once online, your photographs can be viewed from countries as far apart and varied as America to Australia and Russia to Africa.
A website has become an essential tool for any serious creative person. Indeed so much so, that it has got to the point that if you don t have an online presence, you simply don t exist. A website is the perfect place to show your images, sell your images and to build your reputation as a photographer. It is also the chance to familiarise yourself with the marketing practice of ecommerce, i.e. doing business on the Internet.
I have recently had a website designed to showcase my photography at www.capturednature.com I have found this to be wholly useful in both attracting business and as an interactive portfolio of my work. It is important to make your website look professional, and to be built in the most effective way that compliments your images.
Another positive side to using the Internet for imagery is that in the whole it is universally viewable. Of course text may cause a problem and come up against language barriers, but the images viewed can be understood globally.
On the cautious side, you need to look after your work and make sure your images are copyright and protected. Don t let this put you off though to the benefits that can be harvested by taking your photography onto the online stage.
John Threlfall is a self-taught photographer with a deep passion for nature photography. John has a Masters Degree in ‘Creative Imaging’. His work can be viewed at http://www.capturednature.com The images capture the pure simplistic, yet breathtaking beauty that is hidden away in rural Britain.
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