Posts Tagged ‘wedding Photographer’
You’ve done it! Yes, you’ve decided to get married and the long crazy train called ‘Wedding Planning’ has just started to roll. Dress, rings, cake, venue, celebrant, invitations, the list goes on. At some point amongst it all, you will no doubt consider the photographic aspects of the day.
How do you choose a Wedding Photographer? Here are a few tips from the inside:
1) Importance of Photography
How important is Photography to you? If the answer is “not very”, then selecting a photographer should be very straightforward as the quality of the output is not going to make or break your wedding day. You are also probably not going to spend much time researching every option available. However, you will still benefit from following the tips below in terms of getting the most suitable photographer in Sydney for your needs.
2) Budget
First up is to establish the dollars that you have allocated to the Photographic elements of your wedding budget. Just as with any profession, fees can vary wildly from a few hundred dollars for the ‘shoot’n’burn’ weekend warrior to the full-time legends of the wedding photography world – think Cantrell, Ghionis, Buissink, Yervant, Ascough – any of the latter could run well into the five figures depending upon your requirements.
Secondly, be very clear on what you would like to include in your ‘package’ so as to allow you to make an ‘apples for apples’ comparison. Do you just want a copy of the images from the day or are you looking for an album? Do you want extra prints and parent albums included?
3) Apples for Apples
Be sure you understand the charging basis under which the photographers that you are considering operate. There is no point in trying to compare one package which includes a twenty-sided top quality album with one that includes twenty sided coffee table book as the costs associated with each are clearly very different. By the same token, even albums vary wildly in quality from highly crafted, hand assembled, locally produced to often inferior low quality overseas products.
4) Availability
Best advice here is simply to get in early. Many of the best photographers are booked over a year in advance. There is little point in drawing up a shortlist of unavailable photographers. Furthermore, few photographers will hold a date without a booking fee. My advice, therefore, is that once you have seen a wedding photographer in Sydney that you like, you really need to get their services for your day locked in with a signed contract and deposit to avoid disappointment.
5) Style
Some photographers follow a more traditional posed style of wedding photography whereby the day is highly directed so as to create every moment that is captured. Others are disciples of the more ‘Photojournalistic’ or candid style; the intent of which is to photography key events as they happen with minimal or no direction from the photographer. Both have their place and it is common to see some photographers mix a little of each into their work. Nor is there a right or wrong approach – it is a purely subjective choice for the couple to make based upon nothing other than personal preference. Be aware, though, that the more direction that there is on the day, the higher the awareness of and impact of the photographer on proceedings.
Finally, both bride and groom should ask to see some recent work of the photographer who will be shooting their wedding. At the very least this should be a complete album or two from recent weddings and not a mixture of images from different events.
6) Recommendation
I guess this is a bit like hiring a new employee. You have interviewed them, like their style and personality – they are definitely talking the talk. However, what is the reality of working with this individual? Nothing like following up on recent references to validate your gut instincts.
Of course you may well have arrived at a meeting with the photographer in question by way of a recommendation from a friend or relative. Again, this kind of information is valuable in helping you choose a photographer from Sydney Wedding Photography with whom you will be comfortable and confident with on the day.
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7) Professional accreditation
Again, just as when choosing the services of a number of other trained professionals, there are trade bodies that offer memberships those meeting certain criteria. Photography is no different. Take the time to find out who the relevant bodies are that operate within your particular location and bear this in mind when choosing your photographer.
Personality
Well this is final but probably the most important criteria from my perspective. Let us say you have found this amazingly talented photographer who is available for your big day and fits within your budget. Surely you should just go ahead and book him or her? Absolutely not! If you have not book yet, it is wise to go and meet them first. I have heard tales of couples booking a photographer only to find out on the day that the photographer that they had chosen had the most dominating and controlling style that completely took over their wedding day. Both Bride and Groom need to feel that they can work with the photographer and “click” with them. The other aspect to this is that not only is it a case of having to tolerate someone who is a major part of your big day but that your discomfort will shine through in the photographs. If you can not relax and enjoy your newly acquired marital status then that is exactly what will be captured on film.
My final advice on this point is that you absolutely must insist on meeting the photographer who will be shooting your wedding. Some studios will not allow this or will not commit to a particular photographer – I suggest you consider very carefully whether or not this scenario is one you are willing to accept.
I will finish this article with a brief true story: I recently met a lovely young couple that were looking for a wedding photographer to cover their wedding day the following year. They came down to the studio, sat down and promptly informed me that I was the eleventh photographer that they had seen! There is a moral to this story: having considered all of the above points and, in the words of one famous series of adverts, “Just Do It”! For more information on wedding photography you can visit: http://sydneyweddingphotography.com/.
omes to Asian weddings, such important events should not be left in the hands of amateur photographers! Even if your cousin or your aunt takes excellent photographs, a wedding is just too important to ask someone you know and love to take pictures for you. It is very necessary to turn to the services of a qualified, trained, and professional asain wedding photographer if a soon to be married couple wants any assurance that the wedding photos will be nothing short of excellent. Friends and family should be enjoying the wedding, not taking photos of the ceremony and events. You don’t want one or two people left out of your wedding pictures because those one or two people were taking photos the entire course of the wedding and reception! UK asain wedding photographers offer superlative services for couples who intend to wed in the near future. When it comes time to locate one or more UK wedding photographers, the couple needs to examine the credentials of the photographers, the years of experience that the photographers have, the UK wedding photographers’ photographic portfolios, the packages supplied by the photographers, and the overall level of professionalism that the photographers exude. While it is only necessary to choose one photographer or one team of photographers out of all the UK wedding photographers considered, the weighted significance on a couple’s selection cannot be over emphasized. Since a wedding is a once in a lifetime experience which will be cherished for many years to come, the couple will want to hire the best of the best when it comes time to choose one of many UK wedding photographers. UK wedding photographers are certainly in abundance but that does not mean that every single photographer delivers the types of services a couple might expect. The bride and groom will need to clearly locate UK wedding photographers that are intimately familiar with the type of traditions one will maintain in a wedding and reception so that such traditions and moments of incredible importance can be properly captured in beautiful photographs. Here the style used by the UK wedding photographers will need to be thoroughly examined and questioned; a couple will want to know what type of photographic approach that the UK wedding photographers utilise when taking photographs at the wedding and reception. Understanding the significance behind tradition and familial values is part of being a good wedding photographer. For example, if the couple is having an Indian wedding ceremony, the photographer will need to be able to recognize some of the typical traditions and events that occur in Indian weddings worthy of photographic attention. Thus attention to the type of wedding ceremony being held is crucial for the photographer, and the couple will want to question the photographer’s experience when it comes to various wedding traditions and ceremonies. UK wedding photographers will vary in terms of the packages offered to couples, so what is included in packages will need to be carefully reviewed. In addition to formal photographs of the bride, groom, the in-laws and the wedding party, the couple might also have an interest in outdoor photos, photos of the wedding location, and the reception area, and of friends and family enjoying the ceremony and reception. Posed photos are sometimes desired by couples in addition to spontaneous or candid captures of the wedding. The UK wedding photographers’ portfolios will reveal the exact style that a photographer or studio leans toward and the couple can even suggest that they would like similar poses or captures identified in the portfolios they view. Couples may want to spend a bit of time on the Internet browsing different UK wedding photographers websites too. The web presence established by professional UK wedding photographers makes it truly convenient for couples to seek out qualified wedding photographers while relaxing in the home environment. This step should, however, not exclude the act of making sure you go to visit the studio of a photographer; a meeting should be had with the photographer in person so that portfolios can be viewed, packaging options can be discussed, and so the photographer can provide the couple with information about his or her services. At this meeting, the couple can then determine if the UK wedding photographer has the type of personality that is conducive to the wedding: one that will come across as warm, professional, friendly, and approachable. The couple will have a chance to review the images captured by the UK wedding photographers hired and to choose the images that are most appealing. Some UK wedding photographers offer wedding album compilations services as well; the images are all placed into a pre-selected wedding book for the bride and groom. This saves the bride and groom an extra step after the wedding of having to place all of the photographic captures into a protective wedding album. It also ensures that the photos will be in an album suitable to photographs: one that will look after the longevity of the images captured on the couple’s wedding day.
Amongst the plethora of wedding professionals that you will need to consider for your most singular day, there are several reasons your photographer is probably the most important and possibly the most difficult vendor to choose. While the caterer, limousine service and reception hall operators are all very important in their own right, your photographer is perhaps the only artist with whom you will spend the entire day; this means a good rapport is an absolute must.
Products provided by other vendors such as the cake, music, tuxedos and food may be absolutely fantastic – but after a few months have passed since your wedding day, when the cake is gone, the music has stopped and the tuxedos were last seen prancing around at the local prom, what will remain to immortalize those majestic moments of your life? The photos from a professional photographer will last a lifetime at the very least.
Which Style Suits You Best?
When it comes to wedding photography there are two major style philosophies that tend to dominate the current market place, Traditional and Photojournalistic.
As the name may imply, the traditional style has been around the longest and until recently was the most common. Essentially the traditional style wedding photographer is one who prefers to place the couple and groups in specific poses for their photos. This style of photography usually requires that a shot list be prepared in advance by the bride and groom so that the photographer can have a step-by-step checklist and be sure to photograph everyone the couple wants. This style calls for a meticulous photographer who excels in portraiture and is very concerned about each detail in an image including things like: head angle and body positioning, hand placement and ring location, lighting ratios, backgrounds, etc. As you might imagine the time requirements for this type of photography are significant and require a commitment from the couple and attendants to accommodate this style.
With the photojournalistic wedding photography the concept is to capture images as they occur, with little or no intervention. This photographer will typically create more images during the course of a wedding in an almost documentary fashion and usually has a great eye for storytelling. Photojournalistic photographers must be skillful at capturing candid, emotional moments and therefore should have great timing and anticipation. Currently this style has become the most popular throughout much of the United States, whereas overseas there are still some places such as France where the traditional style appears to remain in vogue.
There are many photographers that offer some elements of each style in an attempt to provide the ‘best of both worlds’. Often this takes the form of a photojournalistic approach to the ceremony and reception, but with traditionally posed portraits of the bride and groom as well as group shots either before or after the ceremony.
Quite frankly there is no ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ style; either method can deliver very beautiful images. You should review prospective photographer’s portfolios and consider the ones that you have the best feelings about – also, remember that on your wedding day you will need to be prepared to either work with a person who is something of a ‘director’ in the case of the traditional photographer, or more of a ‘reporter’ with the photojournalistic style photographer.
Finding the Right Photographer
There are many things that go into the choice of your photographer – style, professionalism, value and cost are some of the commonly considered attributes. The best way to get started is to do your research by asking friends and family members for recommendations and searching the internet for photographers in your area; also many of the professional photographer associations such as PPA or WPPI have searchable listings of their member photographers.
Most photographers you’ll find have websites where you can view their work and narrow your search down to the ones who have produced images that you find impressive. Once you find several credible photographers that have shown they can produce excellent photos, it’s time to pick up the phone and call them – ask them about their services and just feel them out in general. The initial conversation should give you enough of an impression to determine if a face to face visit is warranted.
When you decide to meet your photographer in person most likely you will have already seen some of their work online and have a pretty good feeling about the artist; while you may discuss many things during the meeting, its main benefit is to determine if you feel comfortable around this person. Do they make you laugh or smile? Does the conversation flow smoothly? There are many things that make for great photographs, not the least of which is a highly skilled artist behind the camera, but not even the most technically proficient photographer can produce truly beautiful photos of people when they are not comfortable and relaxed.
How Much Will it Cost?
Your choice of photographer in a perfect world would have very little to do with the cost of services and everything to do with their professionalism, photographic abilities and penchant for making you feel at ease when in their presence.
In many ways this purchase is similar to that of the engagement ring in that you really ought to get the best that you can afford because you’ll have to live with it for the rest of your life. Can you imagine calling around to your local jewelers and asking what they charge for an engagement ring, hearing them tell you $3000, $8000, etc. until finally you get one that says “I have one here for $350” and you yell “SOLD, hold that ring and I’ll be right down to pick it up!” You might say it’s silly to buy a ring you’ve never seen just because it costs less than the others but of course I’m just trying to show that sometimes it doesn’t pay to buy heirlooms based on the price tag alone.
While not every photographer lists their prices online the fact is these artists charge wildly varying prices, from the guy down the street who can shoot your magical day for $500.00 to the who earn $120,000 per wedding assignment. Keep in mind when making your choice that the old adage of ‘you get what you pay for’ does not always apply very well to photographers. Paying more money does not guarantee getting the best photographer and hiring Uncle Larry to shoot your wedding for a six pack and a couple of NASCAR tickets does not necessarily mean your photos will be horrible. Generally speaking, you can expect to pay anywhere from $2,500 to $20,000 for a full day of wedding coverage from a professional.
Before You Sign That Contract
Most of us have heard the horror stories where photographers don’t show up, don’t deliver the photos, get drunk and start hitting on the bride or tragically try their hand at the old ‘watch me yank this table cloth off without affecting any of the dishes’ during the reception. The fact is in most cases these sorts of photographers are the exception, not the rule. If you perform the same due diligence that you should before hiring any vendor – meet with several professionals, view samples of their work, get references from past customers and perhaps check them out with the , you should feel completely confident by the time you decide to retain your artist.
With all that in mind, there are many things to be wary of when selecting your photographer. Here are some things about any professional wedding photographer’s service that you should ask before making your final decision:
1. Who will actually photograph your wedding?
Quite often there are studios that have many photographers working for them; also there are outfits that act basically as a referral service, booking couples and then assigning one of their many affiliate photographers. Be sure to make it clear that the whiz-bang images and album samples that you see actually come from the same person who will be shooting your wedding. If that’s not the case then ask to see samples from the actual photographer.
2. What happens in the event of equipment failure?
We’re all familiar with good ol’ Murphy and his laws by now. Any professional photographer should have, at a minimum, duplicates of every vital piece of equipment. This means a second camera body, backup flashes, extra batteries, cables, etc. I know several pros that steadfastly refuse to work at all unless they have a backup to their backup!
3. Will you receive the negatives or high resolution digital files?
Some studios include the negatives or digital images in their packages, some don’t and others include it only at an extra cost. Many photographers depend on income from print sales after the wedding and so are concerned that giving negatives or digital files will cause couples to run out and get their own prints made at the local CVS (I should point out here that printing images without written permission from your photographer is illegal) instead of purchasing them from the photographer.
The concern from a customer perspective is – what happens five years later when you want more prints made and find that your photographer has closed up shop and retired to Bangladesh?
If you end up with your heart set on a photographer who doesn’t offer the negatives, one possible compromise is to ask her to provide them after a period of time such as 90 days. In most cases there are very few print orders after the first 30 days have elapsed since the wedding; therefore at 90 days the photographer should have already gotten any print orders he is likely to receive for your wedding and may feel comfortable at that point releasing (or selling) the images to you.
4. Are there any hidden fees?
Make sure to find out if there are any additional charges such as travel costs, printing or shipping charges, etc that will be tacked onto your bill. It’s a good idea to ask what the photographer charges for ordering prints and enlargements, especially if they refuse to provide you with your negatives.
5. Get it in writing!
You want to be sure to get in writing everything that your package entitles you to. The photography business is rapidly changing from month to month and many photographers update, modify or tweak their packages regularly to respond to industry trends. You don’t want to find out when your day arrives 8 months later that the photographer has changed his packages around and now doesn’t remember that you are supposed to receive three signed 16×20 prints as part of your deal!