Answers to the 22
most commonly asked questions on Wedding Photography
Weddings, like similar once-in-a-lifetime situations, require an
intuitive sensitivity for the situation, and outstanding
photographic technical competency. There are no second chances.
Brides and Grooms entrust the professional wedding photographer
with this, the most precious time of their lives, and in so
doing create a strong partnership, if only for a fleeting
moment.
It never ceases to amaze me that in the search for a
professional wedding photographer,
very often decisions are made on the basis of price. If there is
one thing I can advise you on, price should be the least
determining factor. What you should be looking for in a
professional wedding photographer is the ability to capture this
one moment for ever, in a way that you will enjoy viewing those
images for the rest of your life. For no matter how small or
large your wedding might be, you will remember absolutely
nothing of your wedding, it will be a haze in your memory and
the only reminder of your wedding will be the beautiful images
captured by your invaluable professional wedding photographer.
You will treasure these wedding photos for years. You will use
these images to recall those moments that you cannot remember.
You will look at these wedding photos with your grandchildren
and you will reminisce about that wonderful day in your life
Being given this moment, we as
professional wedding photographers
earn the trust of complete strangers, and in the process enter
into very personal relationships with our clients. This
relationship between wedding photographer and client might only
last several hours, but the results of the relationship will
last forever, in your wedding albums, in framed prints that hang
from your walls, stand proudly framed on your dresser, desktops
and in your parents homes.
So how do you, the bride and groom, go shopping for a
professional wedding photographer?
What follows below are several pointers to guide you in your
search for a
professional wedding photographer.
They have been formulated from my 10 plus years as a very
successful photographer, gaining most of my clients from
word-of-mouth referrals.
1. Why hire a
Professional Wedding Photographer?
If you are on a
budget, you might be tempted to get a friend to photograph your
wedding. He might even be a skilled amateur photographer. But
this is one area where you do not want to try to save money. You
have only one shot at your wedding photography; you do not get
any second chances. A professional wedding photographer makes
all the difference. The wedding photographer will be the one
person who has a lasting effect on the memory of your wedding. A
professional wedding photographer
is reliable, prompt and will deliver on time. Having
photographed numerous weddings, an experienced professional
wedding photographer will be in his element at your wedding, not
nervous and under pressure like an amateur. A professional
wedding photographer uses the best color processing laboratories
that deliver uncompromising quality. Professional wedding
photographers are experienced in working efficiently with the
limited time available, and are comfortable directing the family
groups during the formal group photography. When you consider
the entire wedding, the cost of professional wedding photography
is fairly small. Do not skimp. It will come back to haunt you.
2. How do I search
for the Professional Wedding Photographer?
A recommendation
is the best way to gain confidence in a
professional wedding photographer.
In the absence of a recommendation you will have to go looking.
The fact that you are reading this article online indicates that
you will most probably search for your professional wedding
photographer on the internet. This is a good way to reach a
large number of wedding photographers, and also to reach
professional wedding photographers outside your immediate
geographic area.
A good
professional wedding photographer
will travel frequently to exotic wedding destinations for his
clients. You can look for a local professional wedding
photographer, or for a wedding photographer who will travel to
your locale. For couples getting married in the Caribbean
Islands, it is often advisable to hire a South Florida based
wedding photographer as opposed to an island-based photographer.
This way you have the opportunity to meet with the photographer
prior to the wedding, and you will have easier access to the
wedding photographer after the wedding. It will also offer you
more recourse in the event of dissatisfaction. You will be
expected to cover all expenses related to travel.
3. How do I narrow
down the Professional Wedding Photographer Short List?
Examine the
wedding photographer’s
portfolios whether they be at his premises or his online
portfolios. Look for a style of wedding photography that suits
your own particular style. Are you looking for traditional
classic wedding photography, or do you want a more casual candid
approach? Have you considered the photojournalistic style of
wedding photography? A good professional wedding photographer is
capable of offering all styles, but might specialize in one
style. Look at what styles he offers in his wedding portfolios.
4. When do I speak
with my Professional Wedding Photographer?
You do need to
speak to your potential
wedding photographer very early
on in your planning process. Good professional wedding
photographers are often booked up months and even years in
advance. You need to secure your photographer as soon as
possible.
The way you are received on the phone should give you some
indication of how you will be able to connect with the
photographer in person. Having a close professional working
relationship is a vital requirement. Be sure that your wedding
photographer is approachable, calm, collected, listens to you
and actually pays attention to your requests and questions.
Establish whether your potential
wedding photographers are
available on your wedding date. Find out whether the marquee
photographer (normally the owner of the business) will be doing
your photography. It is important to note that the large wedding
studios employ many second and even third tier photographers,
one of whom may be assigned to your wedding.
If you are not going to get the services of the marquee
wedding photographer, establish
who will be the actual photographer assigned to your wedding,
and make sure that you see portfolios shot by the photographer
that will be assigned to your wedding. Does the 2nd tier
photographer have the technical expertise, the artistic
expertise? Does the photographer have an eye for the memorable
image?
5. Why should I
meet with my Professional Wedding Photographer?
Based on what you
have found, make your first choice and arrange a meeting with
the wedding photographer. This meeting will tell you a lot about
the photographer, whether it be the marquee wedding
photographer, or the assigned wedding photographer. Both Bride
and Groom, if possible, should attend this meeting. You will
quickly tell if you are going to get along, whether you and your
wedding photographer are on the same page. Are you comfortable
with the photographer, does he make you feel at ease? Does he
really listen to what you have to say? What style of photography
does the wedding photographer prefer to shoot? What style does
he think would suit you? Does he offer references with telephone
number for you to call and se how they enjoyed the experience?
And when you leave, did you feel as though you had met someone
who could become your friend?
If you have a positive face-to-face experience with the
professional
wedding photographer, and the
technical and artistic expertise exceeds your expectations, this
is the time to discuss all aspects of the wedding photography.
Ask the difficult questions. Don’t hold back. Get them off your
chest. I have listed most of the important questions below
6. How much does a
professional wedding photographer cost?
Prices can range
from as low as $1,000 to well over $10,000. You should expect to
pay a minimum of $1,500 for a small wedding on a weekday or
Sunday, and a minimum of $2,500 for a Saturday wedding. If you
are offered a wedding package under $1,000, you are probably
dealing with an inexperienced wedding photographer and you could
be at risk of inferior photography. Better wedding photographers
will charge upwards of $2,500. Most couples underestimate the
cost of good wedding photography, sometimes by as much as 50%.
So expect to pay more than twice what you expected. Your total
amount you spend on your professional wedding photography will
probably be at least 20% of your total wedding budget.
7. How much time
does a professional wedding photographer need in order to give
me what I need?
The time the
photographer spends photographing your wedding is dependant on
the events you want covered. The options are endless, they are
entirely up to you, and include
-
Rehearsal
dinners and services
-
Bride’s
preparation
-
Formal bride
and bridesmaid photography prior to the wedding
-
Formal bride
and groom photography prior to the wedding
-
Wedding
ceremony
-
Leaving the
church (ceremony)
-
Formal group
photography
-
Reception
photography, including speeches, first dance, bouquet toss,
garter toss, cake cutting and departure of the bride and
groom
8. How many
wedding photographs should I get?
Most professional
wedding photographer now
include the price of the proofs (now typically 4x6” prints) in
their package. This number will be dependent on the amount of
film shot. Photographers will remove all unflattering photos
from the proofs. A minimum of 120 - 150 photos is typical,
allowing you to select the best ones for your album and
enlargements.
9. Who keeps the
wedding photography negatives?
Some professional
wedding photographers retain
the negatives, and have the clients order reprints and
enlargements as necessary. They make a portion of their income
based on the reprint and enlargement orders. They will keep
their negatives on file for at least two years allowing you the
opportunity to order reprints up to two years after the wedding.
Other photographers hand over the negatives to the client. They
usually charge more for this approach as they forgo the future
reprint income. Decide which option is best for you and tell
your wedding photographer.
10. What about
wedding photography packages?
Professional
wedding photographers often price their wedding photography in
terms of packages that include enlargements and albums. This is
often a sensible approach for the client as the photographer has
the artistic eye to arrange the photos and enlargements in the
album in an artistic and sensible display, often at a fraction
of the cost that you would be able to do yourself. The cost of
the wedding photography package you choose will depend on
several factors.
-
Time allocated
to wedding photography
-
Number of
photos (proofs)
-
Number of
enlargements
-
Albums, type
of albums and parents albums. There are many different types
and styles of wedding photo albums from the inexpensive to
the very pricey. The more expensive albums will endure
better and give you a lifetime of happy viewing. Ask to see
samples.
11. What about
black and white wedding photography?
Clients often like
the timeless feel and beauty of black and white images. All good
professional wedding photographers will offer both black and
white and color wedding photography. Black and white prints can
be made from color film, but good wedding photographers will
shoot with professional black and white negative film. Black and
white photography is more expensive than color photography. Hand
printing of black and white enlargements will add incredible
beauty and atmosphere to any wedding album. Professional wedding
photographers have access to professional black and white
printers. Be prepared to pay for good quality printing.
12. What lighting
will the professional photographer use and will it ruin the
service?
Outdoor
photographs are usually made with ambient daylight and the use
of reflectors to minimize harsh shadows. Fill-in flash is also
used outdoors to remove shadows. Photography indoors normally
requires the use of artificial lighting, normally flash. These
days on-camera flash units are suitable for most applications,
but in the more expensive weddings, professional wedding
photographers will use flash bounced off tripod-mounted
umbrellas, often using radio controlled triggers. Photography in
the church is a delicate matter, and often flash is avoided if
there is enough ambient light. Certain churches restrict the use
of flash. Fast films reduce the need for artificial light but
sacrifice image quality.
Choose the time of day with your photography in mind. Choosing
your wedding late in the afternoon could mean that you will have
no light for natural ambient light photographs. Ensure that you
leave allow enough time for the daylight photography.
13. Should the
wedding photographer use filters?
A good
wedding photographer will use
filters sparingly. Soft focus photos give a romantic mood but
soft focus filters should be used sparingly. Most of your photos
should crisp and sharp. Graduated sunset filters can enhance the
mood of a setting sun, polarizing filters can enhance the color
saturation in daylight. With the software available today, it is
easy to add a filter effect to a non filtered negative, yielding
a high quality enlargement with a filtered effect. It is not
possible to reverse the effects of a shot photographed with a
filter.
14. What camera
equipment will the professional wedding photographer use?
Wedding
photographers typically have the choice of several formats,
Larger format
negatives yield better definition and better quality prints. The
cost of the wedding photography increases with increasing format
size. Color saturation and contrast is a function of the type of
film and the quality of processing. Professional
wedding photographers use only
the best professional quality negative film. The new
developments in film technology mean that the 35mm format has
become an acceptable format for wedding photography and yields
outstanding quality enlargements to 11 x 14 inches. For larger
enlargements, larger formats will yield visibly better results.
15. What style of
wedding photography should I choose?
Wedding
photographers normally have a preferred style, whether it be
classic/traditional, informal/candid or photojournalistic. The
photojournalistic style lends itself to telling the story as it
unfolds. The classic traditional style captures the romance,
affection and mood of the event and is still the most popular
choice. Non-conventional clients often go for a more casual
approach to their wedding photography. This is typically carried
through to their entire wedding, shirts and slacks as opposed to
Tuxedos, barefoot in the beach sand as opposed to patent leather
shoes.
The really good professional wedding photographer should be
equally comfortable in all three styles. It is up to you to
decide what you want, and possibly request all 3 styles in your
album.
16. Why do some
professional wedding photographers insist on an assistant?
Wedding
photography has to be accomplished in a very short space of time
and often involves moving lots of equipment, organizing many
groups of people, film changes, lens and filter changes. This is
normally too much for one person yet there are professional
wedding photographers who photograph weddings solo. Having an
assistant helps the professional wedding photographer
concentrate on the images, not on the unnecessary details. The
bride should appoint at least one person as the wedding
photographer’s liaison, and who can help with organizing the
groups for the wedding party group photography. Another person
to assist the solo wedding photographer is also advisable.
17. Why do
professional wedding photographers insist on a schedule of
events?
A lot of
photography has to be accomplished in a short time and often
critical moments are over in a matter of seconds and the
unprepared wedding photographer might miss the moment
altogether. A well-detailed script will give the wedding
photographer a timetable that prepares him for the proceedings.
18. Should we do
the formals before or after the ceremony?
If formal
photographs are important to you, set-aside time prior to the
ceremony so that the wedding photographer can take his time in
getting posed formal photographs out of the way. If you rely on
formal photographs being taken between the ceremony and the
reception, this means that the wedding photographer has limited
time to get all the formal photography completed. This often
takes longer than expected and this is normally responsible for
the guests waiting forever for the bride and groom to arrive at
the reception.
19. Why do
professional wedding photographers restrict other photographer’s
activities?
There can only be
one director of proceedings and having several photographers all
vying for the attention of the subjects is a recipe for
disaster. Flashes from other photographer’s cameras can trigger
the professional wedding photographers slaves, ruining his
shots.
20. Who owns
copyright to the photos?
The professional
wedding photographer is the creator of the images and therefore
is the owner of the copyright. Even if the photographer hands
over the negatives, the copyrights still vests with the
photographer. Ensure that you have the photographer’s permission
before making reprints, or submitting your photos to a magazine
or newspaper. You may not sell any images without the
photographers written permission.
21. Do I need to
sign a professional wedding photography contract?
All professional
wedding photographers will require you to sign a wedding
photography contract that specifies the terms and conditions of
the agreement between you and the photographer. Make sure that
you read and understand the contract. It will describe
everything from payment policies to cancellation policies.
22. What are
normal payment terms for professional wedding photography
All professional
wedding photographers require a deposit to secure the wedding
date. This can be as little as $250 or as much as 50% of the
wedding photography fee. Typically 50 % of the wedding fee is
due 30 - 60 days prior to the wedding and the balance payable on
the day of the wedding. Additional costs are typically invoiced
after the wedding on receipt of the photographs.
Now that you have had your most important wedding photography
questions answered, you should be in a position to choose your
professional wedding photographer. Choose with care and good
luck.
And for a no obligation quote, call me to find out about our
affordable wedding packages.
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