Selecting a wedding photographer to document one of the most special days of your life is possibly the most important wedding planning decision you'll make. Your experience with the wedding photographer is perhaps the most intimate of all of the wedding vendors you hire. Remember that you are entrusting this person to immortalize you in still images that will be passed down from generation to genertation. Therefore, the best way to have a memorable and joyous photographic experience is to invest in a photographer whose work, personality and commitment meet your needs.
When looking for a wedding photographer, start early and decide how important having great photographs of your special day is to you. This will help determine how much you should spend on your wedding photography. Sadly, many couples do not consider this ahead of time and try to cut costs on their photography only to realize after the wedding how important the photographs are to them. Depending on the type of coverage or package you choose, photography can range from under $1000 to as much as $4000+, with the pajority of packages (including time, albums, etc.) around $2000-$3000.
For help with deciding on a wedding photographer, here are some important things to look for:
EXPERIENCE: Be suer to hire a photographer who has been in the business a while and one who can offer you professional service and quality products. Today, there are typically two types of photographers; those who are true professionals and whose business is solely wedding photography and then there are those who do this as a hobby or weekend job. Weddings are very unpredictable and wedding photography experience will best allow for one to adjust to changing conditionals and insure the best images possible. Also, a professional photographer will not have your prints made at a one hour printer. They send your images out to a professional lab or even better yet, print them in house (or in their studio). In addition, there are innexpensive wedding book makers and there are professional level wedding book makers. While the commercial printers and top level wedidng album makers can be a little pricey, remember that you get what you pay for.
PERSONALITY: metting with your photographer before hand and developing a positive relationship with him or her is crucial. This way you can gauge the type of person you are hiring and be sure that you will work together well. A good photographer will be fun, confident and personable. Remember that this person will not only be interacting with you but they will also be interacting with your family, bridal party and guests the day of your wedding and you want everyone to have a pleasant experience.
PORTFOLIO: When you meet with a photographer, be sure that they have a wide variety of photos to show you. Ask to see samples of complete wedding albums or better yet, an actual proof book from a recent wedding so that you can know exactly what to expect. Also, ask to see samples of the various types and style albums that they offer. While looking through the photos, take note of the photographers style to see if it matches the style photos that you are going for.
STYLE: Today, more and more brides are concerned with a photographer who offers "photojournalistic" style photography where images are candid and not posed. Remember that while the days of the police lineup bridal party portraits are gone, that doesn't mean you won't want any formal photos of your closest friends and family decked out in their finest. Though the candid style continues to gain steam and shows no signs of stopping, you still need some basic formal shots for "family historical purposes". Be sure to consider this when meeting your photographer and look for a good mix of "traditional" and "photojournalistic" styles in their work. This combination style could also be called "loosely posed".
PACKAGES: This can often be one of the most confusing parts of choosing a photographer because everyone offers something different and because there are just so many options! Some, what I like to call "weekend photographers" simply offer a high resolution CD / DVD of all of your images for one low price. While this deal can be tempting, keep in mind that a lot of times the photos on the disc will be in their original, un-edited format and will look nothing like professional photos if you have them printed at your 1 hour photo lab. Couples often times find themselves spending a lot more than planed after the wedding when they need to hire a professional to edit the images they received and create an album for them. This can often be just as expensive as a complete wedding package!
Other photographers price their services "a la carte" meaning you pay for the day of coverage and then buy albums, prints, etc. seperatley. This option can become quite pricey. It is best to look for a photographer who offers an "all inclusive" package. All inclusive packages will often include an engagement sesison (& prints), the photographers time on the day of your wedding, a proof book of all of the images taken and a complete bridal album. Depending on your budget, packages can also include extras such as a high resolution CD of the edited images, loose prints, parent albums, online viewing and ordering and more!
On the topic of wedding packages and albums, do your research ahead of time to determine what type of album you will want (this will also help to determine your budget) as the options are endless. The style of bridal albums available today ranges from the "traditional" matted style albums to the
modern "storybook" flush mount or coffee table styl ablums. The later are generally more compact than the "traditional" albums while at the same time, usually display more photos. There are a variety of cover options available ranging from leather to canvas, fabric, acrylic, photos, metallic, etc. Also, the layout of the photos inside the album is much more contemporary as well, with each print generally becoming a composite of multiple images.
Other important things to consider when choosing a photographer are:
1. Are they insured?
2. Do they use professional grade equiptment and do they bring back-up equiptment?
3. What is their cancellation policy?
4. What will happen in the event that they are unable to photograph your wedding?
With some time and research, you should have a good idea of what you are looking for and what you expect from your photographer before you even start to interview them. Remember that choosing a wedding photographer is one of the most important wedding planning decions you will make and it is important to start your search early as the best and most experienced photographers book prime dates as far as a year in advance.
copyright 2010- Amy Lingenfelder
Monday, March 8, 2010
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