How to find your Wedding Photographer
What you really need is a professional photographer who has a wide experience of weddings, someone completely reliable who you can really trust to take the best possible photographs of your day. It’s impossible to re take your wedding photographs if you’re not happy with them so don’t be tempted to cut costs and entrust your photography to an amateur. They are your lasting reminder of your once-in-a-life-time day and if you intend on showing them to the future generations of your family in years to come then you better find a expert photographer who will capture your day just how it is.
You want some one who is very experienced in weddings; they will be familiar with the emotion and stress of the day and will have experience in dealing with tricky family situations. They should be able to ease tension rather than add to it, if you have difficult family situations make sure you advice the photographer before hand. They should also have excellent technical skills, ensuring that your photographs are neither too dark nor too underexposed. If you are opting for imaginative photos then you’ll want someone with creative flair who’s excited about photographing your wedding. They should have a great attitude and want to do the best job possible. Some photographers will visit your venues before hand to scout for the perfect backdrop and to generally get ideas. They may look for places to stop off between venues if they think there’s a good spot to take photographs. If you give them a must-have photos’ list then they should give you feed back on this before the day so you will know exactly what to expect on the day. You want the best wedding album possible but you don’t want your photographer to monopolise the whole day, a good photographer will get the best results as quickly and smoothly as possible.
Ok so now you know what you want you just have to find them. The first thing you need to do is look at each individual’s style. This is how they actually take the photographs and what results the get. Some photographers will work with an assistant who helps them round up the guests and keep everything on schedule. Others will take a more discreet approach mingling with the guests and organising people with out them even realising it. The out come is also very important, look at the various styles and decide which is right for you as it is vital that you like their approach and their portfolio.
When you visit their studio think about how comfortable you feel talking to them, remember that they will be a big part of your wedding day and you will probably spend more time with them than any of your guests so it is essential that you feel comfortable in their company. You should also ask to see complete albums from other people’s weddings this will give you an idea of what your album could look like. A book of twenty great shots from twenty different weddings is easy to put together and not a good reflection of their skill whereas consistently good shots from one wedding will prove that the photographer is talented, this is the best way to gauge their overall style.
Remember to check that the person you meet is going to be taking your photographs on the day. Some photography companies have several photographers on their staff and while this is good back up should disaster strike and your chosen photographer can’t make it, it is advisable to meet the person who will be taking your photographs before the day.
The packages available from different companies vary greatly in both price and content. With a top of the range photography package you’ll look and feel like a film star. You can be photographed from early in the day getting ready with your bridesmaids till late in to the reception celebrating with your guests. An unlimited number of shots can be taken against wonderful backdrops and in a variety of styles. You will be given a large storybook album that will act as a lasting reminder of your entire day. Alternatively you can choose one of the cheapest packages where a few months after the wedding you will be left with a small album of photographs taken in the hour between the ceremony and the reception. Bear in mind that your photographs are one of the few permanent records of your day and its wise to spend as much as your budget can allow.