Excitement is building because your wedding day is approaching. This is probably the first time that you've had the need to hire a photographer. You may work in the advertising or publishing field and have some notion of how to evaluate the quality of a professional photographer. If you're lacking that kind of knowledge then you'll have to wade into the eclectic profession know as wedding photography.
Right now you're probably asking: How can I tell one wedding photographer from the other? There are no easy answers. Choosing a wedding photographer can be as difficult as choosing a physician except in the case of photographers they generally won't have a degree to confirm that they've at least had basic photographic training.
Previously we showed you how to get in touch with your own personal aesthetic by looking at the art in your home. Look at the items you already display will show you what kind of photos you'll want of your wedding. You may side toward an elegant, traditional look or you may have an emotional or eclectic style. The key is to be open to your own look. Once you know your look you can hire a photographer to insert that look into your wedding photos.
This is where you need to proceed with caution. New, untested photographers can be really adept at making themselves look good in their marketing copy and show you only the winning shots from various events. They will claim that they "share and understand your emotion" and will deliver that emotion in their photos. Rarely will they tell you that they started shooting weddings last year after taking a few nice images at a family wedding and now call themselves professionals.
Using a wedding photojournalist may be the choice for you. A genuine wedding photojournalist is a veteran of the publishing business. They sell photos to websites, major newspapers and magazines and have to pass the scrutiny of the publication's photo editing department.
Photo editors are pros that know good photography and they know if the photos they're buying are compelling. If your wedding photographer is or has been a working photojournalist you'll know that they have successfully passed the hyper scrutiny of a photo editor. So, ask your photographer if their photos have been published in the past.
Also, ask your potential wedding photographer to see an entire wedding that they've shot. You'll want to see all the photos, especially the ones that were not in the wedding album. If your potential photographer hesitates to show you a full wedding, again, beware. Good photographers will have a preponderance of great photos from a single wedding. All the photos they show you should be well exposed and attractively cropped.
The cost of equipment, websites, marketing and album construction and be very high. Most professionals will work your wedding with tens of thousands of dollars of equipment and they will have spent many more thousands just keeping their marketing programs going and their offices open. So, the price your wedding photographer is quoting says a lot about how long they've been in business. If the photographer you're considering is quoting you a price below $1,500 then they are probably working almost for free in order to build a business.
Expect the best from your photographer and make sure they are confident in their presentation. A real wedding photographer will be happy to show you an entire wedding and the photos will all look great. You can ask your photographer for the names of former clients and they should share a few with you with no reservations. And, beware of photographers advertising unrealistically low prices. Low price is a sure warning sign.
Right now you're probably asking: How can I tell one wedding photographer from the other? There are no easy answers. Choosing a wedding photographer can be as difficult as choosing a physician except in the case of photographers they generally won't have a degree to confirm that they've at least had basic photographic training.
Previously we showed you how to get in touch with your own personal aesthetic by looking at the art in your home. Look at the items you already display will show you what kind of photos you'll want of your wedding. You may side toward an elegant, traditional look or you may have an emotional or eclectic style. The key is to be open to your own look. Once you know your look you can hire a photographer to insert that look into your wedding photos.
This is where you need to proceed with caution. New, untested photographers can be really adept at making themselves look good in their marketing copy and show you only the winning shots from various events. They will claim that they "share and understand your emotion" and will deliver that emotion in their photos. Rarely will they tell you that they started shooting weddings last year after taking a few nice images at a family wedding and now call themselves professionals.
Using a wedding photojournalist may be the choice for you. A genuine wedding photojournalist is a veteran of the publishing business. They sell photos to websites, major newspapers and magazines and have to pass the scrutiny of the publication's photo editing department.
Photo editors are pros that know good photography and they know if the photos they're buying are compelling. If your wedding photographer is or has been a working photojournalist you'll know that they have successfully passed the hyper scrutiny of a photo editor. So, ask your photographer if their photos have been published in the past.
Also, ask your potential wedding photographer to see an entire wedding that they've shot. You'll want to see all the photos, especially the ones that were not in the wedding album. If your potential photographer hesitates to show you a full wedding, again, beware. Good photographers will have a preponderance of great photos from a single wedding. All the photos they show you should be well exposed and attractively cropped.
The cost of equipment, websites, marketing and album construction and be very high. Most professionals will work your wedding with tens of thousands of dollars of equipment and they will have spent many more thousands just keeping their marketing programs going and their offices open. So, the price your wedding photographer is quoting says a lot about how long they've been in business. If the photographer you're considering is quoting you a price below $1,500 then they are probably working almost for free in order to build a business.
Expect the best from your photographer and make sure they are confident in their presentation. A real wedding photographer will be happy to show you an entire wedding and the photos will all look great. You can ask your photographer for the names of former clients and they should share a few with you with no reservations. And, beware of photographers advertising unrealistically low prices. Low price is a sure warning sign.
About the Author:
Looking to find the best deal on San Francisco wedding photography, then visit www.johnsantorophotography.com to find the best advice on bridal photography for you.
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