Introduction
Well, summer time is quickly approaching and that means the number of wedding ceremonies will be rising rapidly. To be sure you are ready to go through with your big day, we have added some key points for you to view as you prepare for one of the happiest and most memorable days of your life.Your Personal Budget
Many wedding photographers will work with clients to create a package to fit the clients' individual needs. This would include location(s), total photography time, images, albums and copyright releases. There are many photographers that will have a package that already meets your budget and tastes. Ask questions to figure out what you truly need.
The Working Relationship
You should feel secure, comfortable and confident with and about the photographer you select to photograph your wedding. This is a day full of events that will not allow opportunities to re-shoot mistakes. Also, the pace is very rapid and your photographer should be able to document events as they occur without being obtrusive. They should also be willing to listen to any requests you may have and discuss what can and cannot be done throughout the wedding day. The best advice is to meet with the photographer in person and ask as many questions that you need answered. This will also allow you to determine if you are comfortable with this particular photographer or if you need to look elsewhere. There is no charge or harm with meeting multiple photographers. Ultimately, it is your money, time and day and should occur as you envision.
The Wedding Location
Most professional photographers can produce stunning and breathtaking images, but some are better at different location types than others. So often, it seems like a piece of cake to compare the work of different photographers, but be sure to compare apples to apples. Be sure that the person(s) you select has the skill and experience photographing in a venue similar to the one you will be using. Also, if your photographer has not photographed in a church or cannot show images in a church, then they may not be prepared to shoot without using flash as most that have shot in a church know. This is critical for your image quality.
Image Quality
Sometimes, be very weary of photographers that use black and white or sepia toning for most or all of their indoor shots. This is often used to mask image noise due to poor exposure, cheaper, low quality lenses and entry level camera equipment that do not handle well in low light conditions. A mix of these is fine and artistic, but a red flag should go up when the majority or all of the images are processed in this manner. Another aspect to observe are how images are cropped on websites and in portfolios. If the aspect does not look quite right on websites and in portfolios, chances are they are not going to be done correctly with your images. There are some websites where this is readily noticeable, so look for these things. This reflects quality control. Also, observe color accuracy when searching websites and viewing portfolios. This alerts you of time spent editing and processing images, versus just posting images directly from the camera.
Equipment
All professional photographers will have top notch equipment and know how to use it properly. The name brand won't affect quality, but proper use and good technique will. However, an amateur photographer may believe that they can sell themselves as a professional photographer if they believe the equipment is the most important tool for exceptional images. Thus, you have some people with the most expensive cameras producing sub par images, and people with less expensive cameras creating stunning images. The equipment is important, but is only a fraction of the equation. Let the photographer's images speak for themselves.
Final Notes To Consider
Does the photographer look as if they can get around quickly enough to capture your day? Photographing weddings and events are tiresome and on-going tasks that last for an entire day. Meaning the photographer(s) shall be on their feet for most or all of it. If they don't really seem as if they can keep pace, keep looking until you know that your selected photographer is ready to be there when you need them. It is also a plus to have more than one photographer for the event.
Is confidence immediately noticed with the photographer, or is doubt readily visible during the consultation? Does the photographer know about their equipment and how to fully utilize it to produce the best images possible? Research some questions that true photographers should be able to answer and ask as many questions as you need until you are 100% comfortable. Any photographer can show you images, but can they explain why it was shot or composed the way it is presented to you? Also, beware of the auto photographer that sets the camera to auto mode and shoots away.
Does the photographer look professional? Are they well spoken and can they explain things to you along with answering your questions? Are they well dressed and/or well groomed. Photographers that take care of themselves will take pride in their work because they know how important their appearance is to selling their product. Be up front concerning what attire and demeanor you expect from your photographer.
Does the photographer seem to have the ability to blend in or will they stick out like a sore thumb? The wedding day is yours, not theirs and they should be invisible to the audience when moving in any location throughout the wedding venue. They should not block the family and friends in attendance from being able to view and share your day with you.
If you have an uneasy feeling or doubt about the photographer, chances are there is a reason for it, so continue to look until you feel totally comfortable.
We hope that these tips will help to point you in the right direction in your search for a wedding photographer.
Congratulations!
Sincerely,
Perfect Silhouette Photography (PSP)
Is confidence immediately noticed with the photographer, or is doubt readily visible during the consultation? Does the photographer know about their equipment and how to fully utilize it to produce the best images possible? Research some questions that true photographers should be able to answer and ask as many questions as you need until you are 100% comfortable. Any photographer can show you images, but can they explain why it was shot or composed the way it is presented to you? Also, beware of the auto photographer that sets the camera to auto mode and shoots away.
Does the photographer look professional? Are they well spoken and can they explain things to you along with answering your questions? Are they well dressed and/or well groomed. Photographers that take care of themselves will take pride in their work because they know how important their appearance is to selling their product. Be up front concerning what attire and demeanor you expect from your photographer.
Does the photographer seem to have the ability to blend in or will they stick out like a sore thumb? The wedding day is yours, not theirs and they should be invisible to the audience when moving in any location throughout the wedding venue. They should not block the family and friends in attendance from being able to view and share your day with you.
If you have an uneasy feeling or doubt about the photographer, chances are there is a reason for it, so continue to look until you feel totally comfortable.
We hope that these tips will help to point you in the right direction in your search for a wedding photographer.
Congratulations!
Sincerely,
Perfect Silhouette Photography (PSP)
