| Wedding photography is an exciting field with | | | | how to deal with any situations that may arise.iii. |
| many photographic hobbyists looking to make | | | | Anything over three years is very good (as long |
| some extra money on the side providing cheap | | | | as it is their full time employment) as it shows |
| wedding photography. | | | | that they are doing pretty well and they should |
| After paying hundreds for just the dress alone, | | | | have a good reputation. |
| never mind the church, the flowers, the reception | | | | Ask about the photographer with your friends |
| and all of the food and drink. It's very tempting to | | | | and acquaintances; see what reputation they have |
| book a cheap wedding photographer; after all, the | | | | achieved. If it's good then they can be trusted, if |
| photography is probably the last thing you want | | | | not then don't trust them, think of it as a |
| to think about. | | | | confidence rating. |
| Choosing your wedding photographer is the most | | | | |
| important thing to do when planning your wedding. | | | | 1. How many weddings have they photographed? |
| In fact it should be the first thing you do. | | | | i. This is important, if they give you a figure under |
| First-class wedding photographers get booked up | | | | 20 then be on your guard and take all of the |
| months in advance so don't leave it to the last | | | | other answers into account when finally deciding |
| minute to book. However saying that, there could | | | | on whether to book them or not, especially take |
| be a few dates not booked, so give them a ring | | | | into account how many years they have been in |
| and see if your date is free. | | | | business. If they have only done 20 weddings in |
| Obviously everyone wishes for the dress to be | | | | two years, then perhaps you shouldn't book them. |
| beautiful, the flowers stunning, the food to be | | | | 20 is a very low number of weddings for two |
| delicious and the reception to be charming. The | | | | years; you can expect an expert photographer |
| wedding photographer, however, really should be | | | | on average to photograph at least 20 weddings |
| one of the top things on your list of essential | | | | per year.ii. If they give you a figure over 200 and |
| items. | | | | they've been in business for only a couple of |
| If you choose a poor quality wedding | | | | years then they are blatantly lying. There is no |
| photographer, it will be felt in every photograph | | | | possible way for them to have covered so many |
| that you look at. | | | | weddings in two years.iii. For a business that has |
| Nothing is more significant than your wedding | | | | been operating for two years, a reasonable figure |
| photography. Why's that? Well, just think about it | | | | for weddings covered is 60. |
| - what happens when your wedding is over? The | | | | |
| flowers are dead, the dress gets freeze-dried (or | | | | 1. Does the photographer go on seminars and |
| whatever it is the cleaners do) and put in a box, | | | | courses if so which ones? i. If they haven't been |
| the cake is eaten, and a year after your wedding | | | | on any courses or to seminars and say that they |
| you won't even remember what you ate. All you'll | | | | are completely self-taught, then they are |
| have left from this day are your memories - and | | | | definitely amateur photographers. Professional |
| your photos are the doorway to those memories. | | | | photographers frequently attend seminars and |
| Down to the tips: | | | | courses to keep fresh, and their skills honed to a |
| | | | fine point.ii. If they have been on a few courses |
| 1. Does the photographer have many different | | | | when they started up then they are not |
| photographs from the same wedding to show | | | | committed to quality and excellence within their |
| you? I'd be concerned if they were all from the | | | | photography and probably cut corners a lot. Be |
| same wedding. Proper professional photographers | | | | wary of these.iii. If they attend general courses, |
| have taken wedding photographs for many | | | | not specific to wedding photography then question |
| different brides and that should reflect in their | | | | their commitment to their craft.iv. If they go on |
| work. On the other hand if you only see one | | | | specialist courses on wedding photography quite |
| photograph from each wedding I would suspect | | | | often, then excellent! This proves that they are |
| that the photographer only gets one good picture | | | | committed and focused on their craft. |
| from the whole day. You need to know that they | | | | I frequently attend specialist courses on specific |
| are consistent and have taken photographs at | | | | styles of wedding photography. This is to keep |
| many different weddings with at least three | | | | me fresh and at the peak of my profession. I do |
| different pictures from each wedding in their | | | | learn from books and practise often but you can |
| gallery or book. As an average guide, photographs | | | | only get so far learning by yourself and there is |
| from three recent weddings are appropriate. | | | | absolutely no substitute for hands on experience |
| 2. Does the photographer listen to you? A | | | | and training. |
| photographer that talks all the time about how | | | | |
| great they are is someone you should be wary | | | | 1. Does the photographer have a contract? A |
| of. If a professional is not prepared to listen to | | | | photographer who doesn't have a contract is not |
| you then they are not very professional, I mean | | | | to be trusted. If you purchase any kind of |
| how do they know what you are looking for? | | | | service, from plumbing to photography there |
| | | | must be a contract. This is to protect you from |
| 1. Do you actually like this person? You will be | | | | anything that can go wrong and also so you know |
| spending the most important day of your life with | | | | exactly what you are getting. The contract can |
| a stranger, make sure you like them. If the | | | | either be long and complicated or short and |
| photographer's personality clashes with yours, you | | | | sweet. The photography contract guards against |
| could be in for an unhappy day - or at least an | | | | a photographer not completing their end of the |
| awkward one. Why risk being unhappy on the | | | | bargain. It also protects you from them taking |
| most important day of your life? That's why | | | | your money and running. It also allows you a legal |
| reading the photographer's personality is, in my | | | | entitlement to the service you have paid for and |
| opinion, more important than analyzing their | | | | also tells you what you are allowed to do with the |
| portfolio. Will they be officious? Offensive? Aloof? | | | | photographs. The contract should also have a |
| When you talk with a prospective photographer, | | | | section attached which tells the photographer all |
| get a feel for them and see if they are someone | | | | of the details of the wedding. |
| you'd want to be friends with. If the answer is | | | | 2. Does the photographer ask you about the |
| "yes", then put them high on your list! | | | | photographs that you would like taken on the |
| 2. A Professional has style. A professional | | | | day, do they ask you about family relationships |
| photographer will have a distinct style and taste. | | | | and family politics? The photographer should ask |
| The photographs may be in black and white or in | | | | you about the photographs that you would like on |
| colour; you may see lots of manipulation in the | | | | the day, a wedding is a great event that gathers |
| images or none. | | | | together many estranged family members and |
| 3. An amateur photographer posing as a | | | | there is usually only this day to photograph them |
| professional will not have much of a style. Their | | | | all together. Many relatives will be coming from far |
| images will look uninteresting and vulgar. If their | | | | flung places and the photographer must know to |
| style is all over the place then you can bet your | | | | get these important people. A wedding is a very |
| life that they are not professionals. | | | | emotionally charged event and the photographer |
| 4. What are the images like? | | | | should ask and know about any potential |
| 5. Are the images flat? | | | | problems between family members so they don't |
| 6. Too dark or too light? | | | | start any fights. As well as knowing all of this, the |
| 7. Can you see the details on the wedding dress | | | | photographer should ask for a liaison within the |
| or is it just a white blob? | | | | wedding party, it's usually an usher from both |
| 8. Do the people in the pictures look awkward or | | | | sides of the family, some one who knows all of |
| distracted? | | | | the family members by sight. Remember the |
| 9. Do the group photographs look messy? | | | | photographer has probably never met your family |
| 10. Are the backgrounds in the pictures cluttered? | | | | before so appointing them someone who knows |
| 11. Do the backgrounds compete for attention for | | | | everyone that will be there is paramount to |
| the people in the picture? | | | | getting everyone you would like photographed in |
| 12. Are the people looking at the camera? | | | | the right place at the right time. |
| 13. Do they still have their heads? If you answer | | | | 3. Price: "If it sounds too good to be true, then it |
| yes to these questions then I would say that the | | | | probably is!" I honestly wouldn't look at your |
| photographer is not a professional. | | | | photography budget the same way I would look |
| There are exceptions though; with the | | | | at the budget for example; your wedding dress. |
| Photojournalistic style, most people in the pictures | | | | 4. You might get lucky and find a cheap and |
| are not looking at the camera and the | | | | talented photographer for under £500 for |
| backgrounds can be a little distracting. | | | | a whole day coverage, but like most things in life |
| Also ask the photographer where the photograph | | | | you get what you pay for and you will most likely |
| was taken; sometimes they have done the best | | | | end up with nothing like you asked for, poor |
| that they can do. This is especially true with | | | | quality, badly composed photographs or no |
| registrar weddings, where the registry offices are | | | | photographs at all! |
| usually situated in or near industrial areas where | | | | 5. If you can find the budget to move out of the |
| the backgrounds are not very pretty anyway. | | | | bottom range and into the next level (say, |
| | | | £500 to £1,000 for half day |
| 1. Does the photographer seem professional? This | | | | coverage) you will expand your choices of truly |
| is the most difficult one to gauge as many people | | | | professional photographers greatly and you will no |
| know to dress smartly and it's easy to learn the | | | | doubt end up with gorgeous photographs that last |
| technicality of the camera, the terminology to | | | | a lifetime. |
| explain the photographs and sell their presentation. | | | | 6. If you move to the next level (say, |
| You can never know for sure but there are a | | | | £2,000 - £4,000) your choices |
| few pointers: | | | | expand exponentially, because now you're not |
| 2. Ask them if they do photography as a full time | | | | limited to the photographers in your local market, |
| career? i. If they answer yes then it's one point in | | | | you can begin to source from photographers that |
| their favour.ii. If they say no, then ask them what | | | | are willing to travel nationwide. |
| else they do. If it's a completely different field, like | | | | 7. The price of the service is obviously important |
| building or office work, then they aren't a | | | | to you, as you have probably already spent |
| professional photographer, they will have nothing | | | | thousands on the wedding itself. There is no point |
| to lose if they mess up the photographs of your | | | | scrimping on the photography. As mentioned |
| wedding. | | | | above, everything else gets eaten, forgotten or |
| | | | put into storage, the photography pretty much |
| 1. How long have they been in business? i. | | | | the only thing you will have from your day to |
| Anything under a year is suspect, mainly because | | | | show everyone. |
| they will probably not have enough experience | | | | Everyone has a budget, try your best to stretch |
| with professionally covering weddings outside the | | | | that budget and book a professional photographer |
| seminars and courses.ii. Two to three years is | | | | for as long as you can get them, you won't |
| good, the photographer has probably had enough | | | | regret it. |
| wedding experience to know what to expect and | | | | |