Medium Format

For many years medium format has been the absolute best option. A medium format camera uses film that is 3 times the size of a 35mm negative– resulting in higher resolution images and beautiful enlargements, however, the cameras and processing costs are very expensive.

Primary advantages: high resolution negatives. Previously, the fact that a person owned a Medium Format camera was almost, in and of itself, a sign that they were a true “wedding photographer” (due to the expense of the system).

Disadvantages: expensive to operate (film costs are so high that some wedding photography books encourage medium format photographers to limit the photos they take); film can be lost or damaged during processing; slower to focus and operate.

35mm

For many years 35mm has had a bad reputation for providing poor quality enlargements — especially when compared to medium format. However, over the past 10 years the quality of 35mm film has improved tremendously. It is now a common format used by many professional photographers, especially those who use the photojournalistic style and shoot close to a thousand or more images on a wedding day.

Primary advantages to 35mm: fast (easy to quickly focus and shoot during), much improved quality of enlargements (many people would have a hard time telling the difference between a 35mm and medium format 8×10 enlargement).

Disadvantages: processing film is becoming more and more expensive, and film can be damaged or loss during processing. Many photographers that shoot film are now having the negatives scanned so that the files become a digital file.

Digital

Professional digital wedding photography has been a viable option since about the year 2000 (although some would argue that date). The quality of digital cameras has now reached a point where I now feel digital has surpassed the quality of medium format negatives. Keep in mind there is a broad variety of cameras, and a “professional” digital camera from 2004 that cost $4,500 new will not capture the quality of images that a “pro-am” (a camera targeted to advanced amateurs and also professionals) from 2010 that costs $2,000 will capture. “Digital camera” covers a massive spectrum of cameras and camera quality.

Primary digital advantages: instant review of images on the back of the camera; no film and processing costs (although the savings is offset by the additional computer time required to process the digital images); more control over the images (i.e., a slight rotation or cropping of an image is quick and easy with digital but requires a custom print from 35mm or medium format). Many digital cameras surpass the quality of even medium format.

Disadvantages: technology changes rapidly over time and cameras soon are outdated (although this doesn’t necessarily effect you, as the consumer). Memory cards are easier to lose than rolls of film (if your wedding photographer uses a digital camera, ask them how they make sure the photos arrive safely back at the studio).

So, which camera system should my photographer use?

No matter what you have been told – all three formats are a viable method for wedding photography. Some might be more expensive than others, but they all CAN produce good results. The fact is that all three systems can result in poor-quality photos, too. Many photographers use several of the camera systems. Some might use medium format for the formals but 35mm for the reception and ceremony coverage. Others will primarily shoot digital, but might bring film cameras as backup equipment.

This is the key: before signing a contract with a photographer, ask to see sample enlargements that were taken with the same equipment that would be used at your wedding. If you like the quality and color of the images, it doesn’t really matter whether 35mm, digital, or a medium format camera was used to record the image!

by Christopher Maxwell

Although you might think of a professional portrait photographer as a frivolous expense, when you consider the fact that your family portrait is more like an investment that will last for generations, the expense seems quite justified. Not only will it give joy and comfort to your kids and grand-kids, when your own children have left your house for college or jobs, you will be able to look back at your family portrait and derive immense joy from it.

Before you set off on your search for a portrait photographer, you have to consider three things: your budget, the kind of photograph you want to get captured, and what you plan to do with it.

Your budget will dictate your choice of photo studio. Most photo studio charge their clients a low fee per session. A busy photographer might have several such sessions throughout the day. The photographs are captured in a studio setting, and you can request anything from formal portraits to high key photographs against a white background, to even ‘action’ shots. A good photographer should be able to work with you to achieve the exact kind of portrait you desire. A quality studio will also be able to supply you with the entire spectrum of after shoot services such as prints and frames.

Next, you must consult your family about the kind of family portrait photograph they want to get captured. You can choose a high key portrait with a white background, a more demure, sober low-key photograph with moody lighting and dull colors, or even an outdoor photograph that captures your family together in the midst of an activity. A quick look at his portfolio will give you an idea at the kind of work your photographer is good at.

Finally, you must decide what you plan to do with the portrait after they have been captured. Do you want a large framed print that you can hang on the wall, or a series of photographs that capture different moments in the family? Would you prefer a printed canvas, or perhaps you want to go a bit trendy with a printed coffee table book? The quality and style of the portrait will vary with its intended use. A quality portrait photographer will be able to recognize what you want, and capture photographs accordingly.

by Shaun Edwards

Your memories of your special day don’t have to be all of stiff smiles and posed gestures. Wedding photography has evolved, allowing newlyweds to express their individuality and capture their big day in a truly unique manner. No longer are you confined to traditional snaps where everyone looks prim and perfect.

You can actually get creative because there are many photographers that have specialties or are willing to experiment and work with couples to develop a personalized theme or look. To jumpstart your creativity, consider some of these popular wedding photography trends.

Candid

Few couples use exclusively candid shots, but many encourage guests to add to their novice photographer skills to the album by leaving disposable cameras on each reception table. Your guests can help you catch moments that the busy pro might miss. You might even find that your favorite photo came from Aunt Martha’s compulsive camera clicking.

Editorial

What woman doesn’t dream of appearing between the pages of a fashion magazine? Many women choose to live out their supermodel fantasy by setting up photo shoots reminiscent of a clothing designer’s spread. This type of photography requires a lot of before and after prep work.

Makeup, clothing, lighting, facial expressions and the background all have to be perfect in order to get that stellar shot. Afterward, the pictures are further touched up by computer to ensure that all imperfections are erased, leaving you with a flawless album. If you want to feel like a celebrity for a day, editorial is the way to go.

Photojournalism

This type of wedding photography is similar to candid shots; however the pro photographer will take all of the photos throughout the celebrations with little to no posing or interference. The photographer attempts to catch moments as they happen; although some couples will ask for a few family or party shots to be posed.

Traditional

Some people may prefer the traditional route, which is posed shots with the family and wedding party; however, be aware that even the traditional approach has changed over the years. Many wedding photographers are using digital instead of 35mm. Computer touchups are also commonly performed. If you’d prefer more natural photos, there are still many companies that work with film and will do minimal or no computer touchups.

Black and White

Many couples choose a mix of color and black and white photos, while some even choose to mix in some sepia or cool toned photos to create a specific look or to compliment a wedding theme. Your photographer can help you choose which colors (or lack of) would best suit your wedding album.

The options are endless, and if you just can’t choose one, it is often possible to combine styles in order to achieve your perfect look. Take into consideration what would be the most flattering for you, your new spouse, and the family as well as the place and time of day.

by Andrew Stratton

Your foundation objectives will cover what it takes to produce the same outstanding quality results time after time, and what it will take to become recognized as a top wedding photographer. You mission should describe what you want to achieve and how you are going to do that. Your keys to success should include how you will fulfill your client’s expectations and how you will accomplish this. How will you be competitive with your services offered? What kind of profits do you need to become successful competition?

Before you start you’re first step is to find your identity. Have you figured it out? Be true to yourself and know your strengths and weaknesses as a photographer. Are you ready to start this financially and technically? Do you know your style and identity, and do you do it well? You should know how to describe your photography and vision. Are you more of a photo journalistic photographer who relies on natural available light and candid moments? Do you pre-plan and pose portraits and incorporate technical lighting skills giving a classic look. Or, do you mix it up with both, showing a full range of capabilities that give you your own modern contemporary style?

If you know what you want your photography and identity to look like but haven’t achieved the look yet, maybe you need more work on your photography before you can establish your business.

Take a look at your photography and decide what level of talent you have and what potential you possess. Be critical of your work, but also have others critique your work for you. Learn how to use constructive criticism to improve your photography. If your identity isn’t where you want it, ask yourself, what needs to be improved? Do you know your equipment (camera, lighting, etc) well enough? Do you know how to read and meter your exposures? Do you have the right equipment, i.e.: hi resolution digital camera and Photoshop? You need a digital camera to stay up with your competition. It is also of great importance to be proficient in Photoshop and Lightroom and your digital workflow. It is up to you to overcome any weakness with proper education and practice before you take on photographing a wedding.

Photographing a wedding is a big responsibility. Someone has paid a large amount of money and trust in you to document this special and personal day. This is why it is so important to be confident enough to step into any wedding that comes your way and do a solid job photographing it. Having your skills fine-tuned are just part of what it takes to build that foundation of confidence. The other huge part to building confidence is experience.

We all start out somewhere. So once you have your photography skills and workflow down, it is now time to test yourself and your identity. The first step is to know your value. Do you think you’re up to shooting a wedding solo for $2000.00? Wait, you don’t have any wedding pictures for a portfolio. How are you going to sell yourself as a wedding photographer? Well either you get lucky with someone who trusts and likes your photography regardless that you have never photographed a wedding. Or you decide to build your portfolio through being a second or third shooter for a more established wedding photographer. This is a great way to get exposure and experience in the wedding photography scene. A great way to approach this route is to call all of the local wedding photographers in your area and ask if anyone is in need of a second or third shooter. Once you find some work ask questions and pay close attention to how they run their business and how they photograph weddings. Everyone has a system. How they shoot the wedding ceremony, portraits, reception, etc. Use this position to your advantage and build relationships within the wedding industry. The more you learn, the faster you will be on your way to becoming competition. Remember to save money for when you make your transition out on your own.

Once you have some weddings under your belt your confidence will lead you at the right time to separate and become that competition that you have been working for. When you do choose, it should be all or nothing. Either stay on as a second shooter or take the risk and become competition.

After you have taken the jump into the unknown and exciting world of being your own boss. Your confidence as a photographer has grown and you now possess an identity as a wedding photographer. You can now start your wedding photography business wherever and whenever.

Hopefully you have invested in your own digital camera, backup camera, lenses, computer, Photoshop, etc. Your investment needs to have insurance. You cannot afford to have it stolen or broken; otherwise all your hard work will be for nothing. Also you should have liability insurance to C.Y.A. You can get photographers insurance through PPA.

Before you place yourself as competition in the wedding photography market you should know your competition. They are your best models to help get started. Take notice of what they charge for packages and what they include with their services. Where and how do they advertise? What niche do they fill and where can you fit in as a new business.

To establish your business you need an address. You can choose a PO Box or another mailbox service such as Mail Boxes ETC. I prefer MBE because you can choose a mailbox with a real street address. Not to mention they have many other services. Next get a separate phone number for your business. To legitimately create your business you should either have a Limited Liability Company (LLC) or a sole proprietorship. You can learn about this through an accountant or through websites like legalzoom.

With the rest of the money you saved you will have to determine how much is to be used for marketing and other expenses. Marketing is going to be the most essential thing for your business to get off the ground. Without marketing you don’t have a business. Your marketing essentials are: to have your identity, your portfolio, and your line of communication.

Through the image library that you have created, pick your best images to use for your portfolio, website and all promotional and marketing materials. Your portfolio can be made w/ inkjet prints that you put in an album of choice such as albums provided by Topflight, photoalbumshop, or you can choose to have one printed by Asuka albums, or other online print labs such as Snapfish or Shutterfly. Your image identity is now established, and will grow over time. However you now need your business identity. What will your promotional materials look like? What font will you use? What colors will be incorporated? Will you use a logo? It may be a good idea to find a graphic designer to help you out with this. Once you figure out your business identity and incorporate it with your promotional materials you should create and print them all at once to distribute them all year. Make sure you have the basics like your business cards, postcards, brochure, contract, 8×10’s and any other promotional materials you can think of. These materials can be ordered through gotprint.com and vistaprint.com.

After your promotional materials are finished and the portfolio is printed, you are ready to create your website. View other sites to get an idea of what style of site you want and how it will look. Search for someone else to create a website for you if you aren’t educated in web development but having a professional do this can get a bit pricey. Some great alternatives are to use Craigslist or look into finding a student at a local college to do it. Make sure you work with your web developer in creating your SEO (Search Engine Optimization) for the site. This is most important and is the best way to insure that you can create a web presence that is optimized for search engines. The template DIY websites don’t work well for SEO. SEO will concentrate on key wording, alt tags, one-way links, and proper site submissions.

You now have a business ready to start seeing some return. People are ready to see your business and it’s your job to reach out and find them. It is your job to know your market and tap it with your presence. I suggest that it is priority to get a creative ad on Craigslist. Why not it’s free? Now that you have all of your promotional materials printed out, where are you going to distribute them? Research all local, state, or nationwide wedding industry businesses, and create a directory of them for your advertising. Create your promotional packets with cover letter, brochure, postcards, and a mini portfolio or something that shows your style in more depth. This is a lot of work and may take a while. Get help from friends, family or again posting an ad on Craigslist for some temporary help. After you have mailed everything, follow up with phone calls to let them know who you are. This will help provide a personal connection to your materials and help start future relationships. Building relationships is very important and will help bring work your way through word of mouth. Another great way to build relationships and get your work out is to participate in any bridal shows that come to your area.

Knowing your business and what you offer to your clients and the industry is the most important thing. Just as it is important to know your self-identity as a person, so is it important to know your business identity. When the phone starts ringing people want to see confidence in you and your images. Just remember that images speak louder than words and that the cream always rises to the top.

Good Luck!

Christian J Stanley

Where traditional photography relies on posed and staged settings, candid or photojournalistic photos take a more narrative approach. Some couples prefer to have candid shots versus traditional wedding photography because it lends a more “human touch” to the ceremony. Others may choose to have a mix of both traditional and candid photos for their wedding album.

A wedding photographer that will take candid photographs should ideally have experience in photojournalism and be capable of shooting a wide range of subjects in various settings and lighting. Your wedding photographer should be well-versed in both candid and formal photos, but some only specialize in one type of photography. Some couples choose to hire a photographer that specializes solely in candids for one set of photos and another photographer who specializes in formal photos for another set.

A wedding photographer specializing in candid photography will seek to create a story through photos. The photos can be taken randomly or in sequence – from you getting prepared to departing the reception – and it makes for a compelling presentation. Weddings are full of activity, and candid wedding photos can also capture the moments you miss.

Before your ceremony, work with your wedding photographer and ensure that he understands your vision. Explain what types of activities you’d like him to focus on, but don’t necessarily limit the photographer’s subject range. Keep in mind that candids are informal and, most importantly, real representations of your ceremony; some light editing may be needed, but it isn’t necessary to completely retouch your photos.

Your wedding photographer should have a long zoom lens on his camera, so he can shoot your ceremony from afar without being noticed. Additionally, make sure that he turns off the “click” sound on the camera when a photo is taken, as well as the flash, which can also be distracting.

Candid wedding photos can be shot at home, during the ceremony, at the reception and even at your rehearsal dinner; the sky is the limit to the number of photos you want taken. The key to candid photography is spontaneity, and your wedding photographer will likely be flitting about throughout your ceremony and reception – try your best to ignore the camera completely so your photos remain candid.

by Albertin Abelmont

In order to capture those moments in the best possible manner you need to make a lot of preparations. You may need to hire a professional wedding photographer, make a list of important events you want to be photographed, choose good locations, gather every relative and what not. Here are some important wedding photography tips which will help you to make your photographs very impressive and unique.

First, you have to hire a good professional wedding photographer well in advance by properly checking his credentials and other details. If you delay the booking you may not be able to find good photographers. Once you have decided on a person you need to work together to make him understand all your requirements. You can give him all the details about the important moments you want to be captured, your relatives, and the various locations to include so that he can be prepared for the job. Make a complete list of shots you would like to be made and hand it over to him well ahead so that he can be prepared for the event.

Quite often, you miss a lot of people in your photographs, especially some of your close relatives. In order to avoid such situations, it is better to appoint a family coordinator who can guide the photographer to take photos of all the important guests without missing anyone. This will be a great relief to the couple as they can continue with the ceremony. To get the best wedding photographs you need to do a lot of preparation. You can make a visit to beautiful locations close by to look for places you want to be photographed. This will also be very helpful on your special day to quickly go to these locations and take shots.

For additional assistance, the photographer can also have a second photographer to help him out on certain occasions. Some moments may be difficult to shoot from a single location. In the presence of a second photographer he can take the shots from another angle as well. This will be very helpful to choose the best shots of the important events. Apart from this the photographers should be well prepared with their cameras which should be in good working condition and include all other necessary items which might be useful in emergency situations.

There might be some moments when something goes wrong in the midst of the wedding. Such situations can be used to capture a lot of fun images which will be appreciated and fun to look at later on. So it is up to the photographer to use his own creativity and initiative to provide the best wedding photography for everyone to remember.

by Jeremy Winters

Here are some questions you should ask any photographer you are interviewing to document your wedding day!

1. When should I book my wedding photographer? Try and book your wedding photographer at least 6 months before your wedding date.

2. What style of wedding photography are you looking for? Focus on what you love, after all, these memories will be with you forever. If you are looking for a more documentary-style wedding photographer – make sure you find someone who shares your vision. Regardless of your style, you should choose a photographer that will document the complete story of your wedding day.

3. Do I need to meet with the photographer before booking them as my wedding photographer? It is strongly recommended that you meet with the photographer before you sign the contract. The wedding photographer is with you every step of the way on your wedding day so it is very important to make sure that you like your photographer’s personality. A good photographer not only takes great pictures; but has handled a multitude of wedding day situations. They can be a calming force on a very hectic day Destination weddings are certainly popular, many brides and grooms flock to the Scottsdale area for the gorgeous scenery and amazing weather. Much of their planning centers around there computer, rendering it sometimes impossible to meet the photographer until the wedding day. If you can’t meet in person, make sure you have a few detailed phone calls – make sure there are no personality clashes!

4. What should be discussed at this meeting? By looking at a photographer’s website, you have a pretty good feel for who they are and what our vision is when photographing a wedding. Meeting in person allows you to touch the work for yourself, view the quality of the finished product. By meeting in person, you can see complete weddings, including proof books and real wedding albums. By viewing these items, you will see the consistency of the photographer telling their client’s wedding stories through photographs, from wedding to wedding. By viewing these samples, you will see whether or not the photographer delivers consistent pictures of the day, the entire day! It is very important to make sure that a wedding photographer is not just showing you his greatest hits collection on their website – you want to see several complete wedding stories – from beginning to end! Make sure the sample coverage a wedding photographer shows you is what you envision for your wedding coverage.

5. What should be discussed when interviewing my wedding photographer? budget, package overviews: what is included in the different packages, album prices, album choices, upgrades, add-ons, a la carte options. You will need to know a general timeline and provide details for the photographer to provide the most accurate quote for your wedding photography needs.

6. What should be included in the contract? The contract should reflect everything agreed upon during the meeting or phone discussion, leave no ambiguity. The contract should reflect the date of the wedding, package choice, the logistics of the wedding day such as where to report, how many hours are included, description of coverage and any other details you would like included. The contract will also reflect the deposit paid, balance due and refund/cancellation policies. The photographer should also include wording in the contract regarding ownership of the images. This is usually one of the more popular questions we are asked!

7. Once I sign the contract and give a deposit, what happens between that day and the wedding day? About one month before your wedding day the photographer should contact you to go over the details of the day – it is important that everyone be on the same page. We prefer to meet in person if time allows, if not, we can certainly go over these items in a 20-30 minute phone call. The photographer should ask for you to identify the key people in attendance and comment about any special stories that may make the images more poignant to the telling of your story. We try and gain as much knowledge as possible, including scouting the wedding location (assuming that is a practical option).

8. What will happen on the wedding day? You will look beautiful, have fun, marry the person of your dreams and we will document it!

9. What happens after the wedding? When should we expect to see the proofs? This varies from photographer to photographer. But industry standard is within a few weeks to a month after the wedding you should have access to your proofs. In this digital age, the first look is usually online in a password protected gallery. Usually, an album of your edited images (proof book) will be available after the online proofs, this of course depends on what you agreed in your contract. Album delivery time is dependent upon the timeliness of image selection and design verification – total time from that point is usually several months.

The most important thing to keep in mind when hiring your wedding photographer is that the images will be part of your family’s history forever – so please choose with your heart!

by Melissa Madden

1. Q. How much should I pay for my wedding photography? A. This often depends on what sort of album you want and how many pages are included. A storybook album can range from 15 pages to 40 pages. THe cost price of these albums range from £150 to £400. That is the cost to the photographer, everything else you pay on top of that is for their services on the day.
2. Q. I have been quoted £3000 for my Wedding Photography, am I being ripped off? A. In a word, most likely. I suppose it depends on what you see to be fair value. A wedding album that costs £400 which is then being sold for 600% profit isn’t great value. I would suggest that you look around and see what is in the £1000 to £1500 market. Very often it is the same album that is being used and the same company that is printing it. Be wary, it is not always sensible to assume that you get what you pay for.
3. Q. My photographer only stays until the cutting of the cake, is this normal? A. In many cases this is the case. Your wedding day is exactly what it says, “Wedding Day” not half a wedding day. Aim to choose a photographer who will stay until after your first 5 dances. This way you are covering your speeches which can offer some great emotions and photo opportunities for your photographer and it also allows for your first dances to be included in your album. If you are paying over £1250 for your wedding album and photography package this should be included as standard. In these hard times of economic recession it is essential that you get value for money. Make the photographer work for it, they are offering you a service. Make sure you get your value.
4. Q. How many pictures should be in my album? A. Again the answer to the question could be how long is a piece of string? However in today’s modern storybook album it is a fact there is more room for photographs than there was in the older more traditional style of album. Previously the photographer would have taken approx 50 photos on your wedding day and you would have been asked to choose 30 for your album. Now the photographer should be taking between 250 and 500 photos on the day with you being able to choose between 100 and 130 for your album.
5. Q. Can I get all the pictures in my album? A. The answer is yes, but the sensible answer is be careful not to make the album look too crowded. Otherwise it will look like a scrapbook rather than your wedding album. Have a mixture of large one page images with pages containing 6 to 10 photographs. Any more than 12 photographs can look very cluttered.
6. Q. Where should I go to find my photographer? A. Check out the latest bridal magazines in your area. Then loot at the photographers website from the advert in the magazine. If the website is well structured and looks good, and shows you some work, including a FULL ALBUM from one wedding, then give the photographer a call and arrange to go and see their work. When you are there make sure you see a full album and ask him/her to show you one that was taken in very poor weather conditions. This will help to sort out the pretenders from the professionals. It is much more straightforward to taking photographs in fine conditions than it is in humid, rainy dull weather conditions.
7. Q. I’m worried I might make the wrong decision, what should I do? A. Well, look for testimonials. But be aware many photographers can make their own testimonials up. Check out a review websites which offer independently verified reviews. It is a much safer and more reliable way to review your photographer from other brides and grooms who have already used them.
8. Q. The photographers work is excellent but I don’t really gel with him / her what should I do? A. Simple answer, forget about them. There are plenty of photographers who offer excellent work and have a friendly and helping attitude. Remember you will be spending most of your day with them, so you want to enjoy yourself and not be under pressure or displeased with the photographers personality. You can find out a lot about their personality by meeting them. Never book your photography over the telephone without meeting the photographer first.
9. Q. I have booked an “Award Winning Studio” to do my photographs, but the photographer is sending out his assistant which is slightly cheaper, should I book them and will the quality be as good? A. Well that question should answer itself. If you book an “Award Winning Studio” that is fine. If you went to a restaurant to “fine dine” would you prefer the head chef to send his assistant down to McDonald’s to bring back your gourmet burger and fries? I didn’t think so. Make sure the photographer or studio you booked sends out the photographer who took the pictures you like. If he is not available dont book them, if you have already booked them, cancel. It is better to lose a small deposit than have an album that wasn’t what you thought you were going to be getting.
10. Q. I want an “Award Winning Photographer” to take my photographs, is this sensible? A. Firstly, let me introduce you to the world of wedding awards. Wedding awards are given by photographers to photographers! Professional bodies who critique individual pieces of work which are taken out of context when compared to an “entire” piece of work. I have never seen a Wedding Album full of “Award Winning Pictures”, I have only seen albums with one or two “Award Winning Photographs” in them. Be very careful of this. Also be very careful of readers awards. Readers awards in magazines are voted by wedding couples who have been asked to vote by their photographers! A wedding photographer who had charged £300 to 90 couples will have a much better chance of being “Wedding Photographer of the Year”, than someone who charges £1250, does excellent work, but has only done 30 quality weddings that year and hasn’t asked his wedding couples to vote for them. In my opinion stay away from awards. Awards should come from word of mouth. Ask your friends, look at their albums and when in a studio looking at albums, stay away from albums that show 20 different brides in them. Remember anyone can get a lucky shot at a wedding. Only a seasoned professional can get a wedding album full of professional images.
11. Q. I want all the photographs the photographer takes on the day of the wedding but he has asked me for an additional £500, should I pay him for these? A. The answer is no. Look for a wedding photographer who will give you the photographs in High Resolution on a disc as included in the package. You pay them enough for their days work. Get the value out of it. Believe me, if it comes down to giving you the pictures in Hi Res on disc or not getting the booking, they will give you them, but you must agree this with them at the start and get it built into the contract.
12. Q. I am looking for reprints from my photographer, but they are looking £25 per 10″ x 8″ reprint. I need 50 reprints but don’t want to spend an extra £1250 what should I do? A. Make sure you have done the deal in question 11 above. This is why it is important to get your Hi Res images included on disc. If you have them, you can take them to your local photo processing lab, who will print them for between £1 and £1.99 each. Now why would you spend £1250 when you could spend £100 at the most and get exactly the same thing! Be aware. Be sensible. Don’t get ripped off.

You can see from above there are a number of pitfalls when choosing the right photographer for your wedding day. There is also an abundance of photographers keen to grab your business. Take the steps above and you will be on the right track to making the right decision for your wedding media package.

Of course if you are a millionaire with unlimited funds then don’t worry about any of the questions and answers above, call the most expensive photographer with the biggest window in the high street and he will happily take your money and laugh rubbing his hands as you walk out the door just having spent a fortune.

by Eddie McDowell

Over the past 25 years I have had the opportunity to speak with well over a thousand engaged couples. I am always surprised by some of the criteria many of them use to choose their wedding photographer. Here are the top 7 mistakes I feel many brides and grooms make when selecting a photographer for their big day:

1. RELYING ON WEDDING VENDOR REFERRALS. This may be the worst mistake of them all. Many wedding vendors trade referrals with other wedding professionals with no real knowledge of the other’s work. And yes, many times it’s an honest referral based upon working a few weddings with one another. But how much can a DJ, for example, really know about the quality of a wedding photographer’s work? Often times this type of referral is just based on the fact that the DJ has worked with the photographer at a number of events and liked him or her. Did the DJ ever see the final result? Did they see the wedding album? Probably not.

2. JUDGING A PHOTOGRAPHER BASED SOLELY ON A “GREATEST HITS” WEDDING ALBUM PORTFOLIO. There is nothing more misleading regarding a photographer’s talent than looking at a sample wedding album that is a compilation of their best shots at 50 different weddings. An album such as this may be useful in understanding just how great an image they are capable of producing, but that’s really all it tells you. Ask to be shown an album of one entire wedding from start to finish. A good wedding photographer should be able to produce a number of complete albums, which will give you a better idea of how your own wedding will be photographed. Virtually anybody with a decent camera can get one great shot per wedding!

3. PAYING TOO MUCH ATTENTION TO THE SALES PITCH. Every photographer can tell you great things about themselves and so they should. But in your initial wedding consultation, look for photographers who are interested in YOU. A good photographer will want to know the types of photography styles you are interested in and what you are looking for in a wedding photographer. A photographer who asks you lots of questions about your wedding and your preferences will probably also be more likely to listen to you and have a better sense of what you
want. If the wedding meeting is just one long lecture from the photographer, move on to the next photographer. Find someone who cares.

4. NOT ASSESSING THE PHOTOGRAPHER’S PERSONALITY. This is a biggie. You will spend the entire day with your photographer. If you don’t get along with him or her, it can ruin what should be the happiest day of your life. Rude and bossy photographers can also cause problems with your guests. Find a photographer who is easy to talk to and who you can establish good rapport with.

5. CHOOSING “UNCLE BOB” TO SHOOT YOUR WEDDING! With digital cameras now in practically everyone’s hands, there seems to be a lot more “wedding photographers” out there. The fact that a friend or relative is good with his new digital camera does not mean he can handle a wedding. And what about file backups? Does your family photographer know how to do a correct backup, or even have the proper computer hardware to do it? In my business, I bring a portable hard drive to every wedding and the images are uploaded and checked on the spot. When I get back to my studio, the images are uploaded to my main computer and then backed up on an external hard drive. Once that is complete, 2 back up DVD’s are burned. Only then will I erase the cards I used for the wedding. You don’t want your memories to go up in smoke along with a burnt out hard drive.

6. CARING ABOUT THE PHOTOGRAPHERS TYPE OF CAMERA EQUIPMENT. In this day and age, a photographer can make great images with any medium to high quality camera. Wedding photographers who spend an inordinate amount of time discussing the type of equipment they use may not be the right person for you. What you really want to know is what type of images they can produce and if they can show you plenty of samples. It’s the final result that matters. If you are happy with what they show you and everything else checks out OK, you can assume their equipment is adequate for the task.

7. CONFUSION OVER PRICING. If you can’t understand the pricing or packages, keep looking. Package pricing, if flexible, is the best way to go. It allows you to have a better idea of what your final bill will be. Ala carte pricing can confuse and be misleading. You may assume that something you thought was included in their coverage costs extra. Like a wedding album! However, a photographer who only offers strictly structured packages should also be avoided. Ultimately, you want to find someone who will work within your budget and give you exactly what you want. If you don’t see a package that fits your needs, ask the photographer to let you design your own.

This list was not intended to intimidate people in the market for a bay area wedding photographer. It should, however, help you understand what’s important. Find a photographer with a style you prefer and who shows you images that you love. Use that initial consultation as a way to get to know your photographer and develop rapport. Talk to some former clients to get a sense of how the photographer behaved at the wedding. If everything looks good, you are ready to make your decision!

by Mike Dubnoff

I want you to be able to choose a wedding photographer with confidence. So let’s answer the basic questions.

Why can’t I tell the difference?

The reason that you and I could not tell the difference, is that most of the work that is put online is the best work of the photographer. All of the photos you see on websites are great photographs. If they weren’t, they would not make it on the website. If you had a camera and went out to shoot a thousand pictures one day, I am sure you could take at least 1 good picture.

This is exactly what some photographers do. They shoot weddings and come up with 2 or 3 good pictures from the wedding. These are the photographs that are posted on their website. You will never see the other photographs. A poor photographer will only be able to take 1-10 good photographs from your day. A good photographer will be able to shoot 30-70 great photographs from your wedding day. A great photographer may be able to shoot 50-100 great photographs.

Real weddings?

Another trick that photographers use to build up their online portfolio is to use fake wedding shots. Some photographers will hire some models and go to a beautiful location and spend a whole day taking photos. They will put these shots on their website and while the shots are great shots, they aren’t from real weddings. The photographer gets the opportunity to spend half an hour perfecting each shot. They may fiddle with the pose. They may take the shot and realize that there’s something distracting in the background. They will not have this much time on your wedding day. You will not get any photos that look like these on your wedding day.

Some photographers may even go to a workshop where another professional photographer teaches them on how to take great photos. In these cases, the teacher is the one who actually poses the model and sets up the lighting. Will your photographer actually be able to create those shots themselves?

Ask to see an entire wedding of photos

So don’t select a photographer merely by looking at the online portfolio. All photographers should have a great online portfolio. (If they don’t, definitely beware.) Meet with the photographer and ask to see photographs from an entire wedding. The photographer should show you 200 or so photographs from an entire wedding and see how many of these photographs you think are great shots. Not all of them will be great. Even the best photographers will have mediocre shots, but if there is a large number that are great shots, you know you have a good photographer.

Know the great photographers

Another way to be able to distinguish the good photographers from the bad ones, is by being familiar with the great photographers. There may be one or two great photographers in your area that charge over $10000 per wedding. You may not be able to afford that, but by looking at their photographs you can realize what good photography really is. Then look for those elements in other photographers. Some of the great wedding photographers are Joe Buissink, Jeff Ascough, Jessica Claire, Nate and Jaclyn Kaiser from The Image is Found, Jesh de Rox and others. Look up those names and peruse their photographs. You will get a sense of what great photography and as a result, you will be able to more easily differentiate the good photographers from the mediocre ones.

by Daniel Lowe