Wedding Photographers

Finding a qualified wedding photographer is no easy task, most especially if you haven't hired one before.
What you should know is that most wedding photographers are booked out well in advance, but you need to be clear on several key features of your own wedding plans before you book, namely the wedding date, your budget and the wedding venue.

If you and your spouse-to-be don't know how to hire a professional wedding photographer, the following steps may help you:

1. Do your homework – looking for a wedding photographer can seem like a daunting task but simply use the internet to your advantage and research all local wedding photographers in your area. The best thing about finding photographers online is that you can see sample of their works and compare the package deals they offer to the clients, allowing you to form a list of who may be appropriate for your wedding.
Don’t forget to ask any family or friends for suggestions on who is a good wedding photographer, ask for any recommendations for experienced wedding photographers or for anyone they know who works in the industry.

2. Create a short list – As you should do with every major wedding decision, use the information and research you have to create a short list of potential photographers for your wedding. Once you've made your list, try to call them one by one. By doing this, you can inquire about the package deals and discounts yourself along with their availability dates for the month of your wedding. Likewise, you get a feel of the photographer's personality and attitude by talking to him over the phone.

3. Meet any photographers you are interested in – Now that you have narrowed down your potential photographers; make an appointment to meet up with them so you can meet the photographers in person. The meeting will serve two purposes: you can see the photographers' portfolios and you can learn more about them.

4. Prepare to ask your potential photographers a number of questions - The meeting will be the best time for you to ask anything you want about the photographers. It is important to prepare a list of the questions you want to ask your prospective photographer yet the most significant areas to cover include:

• Ask for a presentation of pictures – this refers to all the basic presentation matters of the photographer such as what type of paper and ink, size of print, method of printing, and variations of colours. Usually they will present you with a range of options to choose from, including examples and show pieces. Don’t forget to ask about how your pictures will be preserved and presented, whether it will be in an album type or contact sheets, electronically, online gallery, or combinations of two or more.

• Ask for references – like any wedding services provider, ask for their references or examples of work they have done, and be vigilant about checking them out. This may be the only way to assess their professionalism and their attitude towards their work.  

• Photography Style - The three styles of photography coverage are: Traditional – generally more formal, posed portraits of the bride and groom, wedding party and families. Photojournalistic - Candid photos taking on the photographers on time, generally capturing the biggest moments of the day with minimal posing. Editorial - A mixture of traditional and photojournalist coverage

• Service Charges – This refers to the basic charge system that the photographer employs, whether it is a flat fee, an hourly rate or a pre-packaged rate. There are times when a photography center sends more than one photographer to the occasion. It may send a group of photographers including their assistants, depending on what you want. Hence, you should ask how many people will they send and how much the additional service charges will be.

• Package deal and discount – ask about their package deals and what discounts they offer. Go in armed with a competitors price quote and be prepared to negotiate for a quality package deal.  This is where you will also want to ask about the cost of reprinting as this can be a significant cost.

• Work together before the wedding – once you have made your decision about which photographer you are going to hire, work with them to plan ahead for those ideal shots or images you want captured. Even visit the venue if they are not familiar as this will save you a great deal of time on the day.

Like most major wedding decisions, the choice of photographer is one that you want to make the right choice on, so research is key to understand the mechanics of the industry, what you are looking and which photography style suits you and your wedding best.