4/06/2011

Finding A Qualified Wedding Photographer

By Charles Murray


There are many decisions to be made and price points to consider when hiring a wedding photographer. Some of these are the number of hours the photographer will work, the location and any travel time, the people involved, the poses, and prints or albums wanted. Prices and packages can be very different depending upon the photographer, and careful research of both the quality of the work and the styles of the photographer are important.

Contractors such as welders or plumbers are actually quite similar to wedding photographers who do contract work. The outward costs of any wedding albums or prints might seem excessive, but the number of hours required of the photographer throughout the entire event, including planning time, need to be viewed as contributing factors for the costs of the finished products.

Photographers have their equipment costs just as other contract based professionals supply their own materials and equipment, whether it is an electrician with tools or a carpenter with a woodshop. Having friends and family bring their own cameras might help reduce costs, but there are differences that will be seen. Special lights and flashes, multiple camera types to be used in different situations, computers for digital cameras, and more help to make the wedding photographs truly memorable. Typically this specialized equipment will take better pictures than a camera owned by a hobbyist.

The time of year also needs to be considered when looking to hire a wedding photographer. It is not unusual for summer prices to be higher as that is often a peak season for weddings, just as resorts and hotel might raise rates during peak times.

Successful wedding photographers often have developed capabilities to understand and capture personalities and characteristics of the wedding couple and all involved in the wedding. Guests and family members need to form a connection with the photographer and be able to relax while having their pictures taken. It can be beneficial to ask the photographer if there is a public event where he or she will be taking pictures and the style of the photographer can be gauged. Couples can also use the session for the engagement picture as an opportunity to see how the photographer works, his organizational style, and skills. Photographers who are late, preoccupied, or don't deliver on the needs of the couple don't have to be hired for the main event.

Professional wedding photographers will often use professional labs to develop the pictures if they don't have their own in-house processing capabilities. Couples can even go ahead and ask the photographer where the photographs will be developed. When interviewing photographers for the contract it is also a good idea to ask about security measures taken to protect the film. Couples can ask questions about duplicates made or the storage process. Thorough photographers will have plans in place to address these issues.

Wedding couples should meet with many photographers, review their work, get a sense of their styles, and ask many questions. There might be some wedding photographers who will agree to sell the proofs of the pictures so that the wedding couple can have their own prints made at commercial studios or by home printers, but the quality should not be as expected to be the same. A budget for wedding photography does not have to include hiring the most expensive photographer, but it is important to search for a photographer who offers a price that fits and delivers great pictures. The results of hiring a professional photographer can usually be seen in the pictures from that wonderful day.




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