Choosing a Wedding Photographer
This Bride Talk article has been contributed by Berkshire Wedding Photography.
Choosing a wedding photographer is an important decision, as the wrong choice could haunt you every time you open your wedding album or wedding photo book. The difficulty is that with so many people offering their services, most couples find it difficult to know where to start.
To help you in the process of planning a wedding, we've put together some wedding photography advice that will help you get the right photographer at the right price.
So, whether you are considering using Berkshire Wedding Photography services for your next wedding or not, make sure you read the advice below to get the best wedding photographer your money can buy.
1. Discover the different wedding photography styles available |
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Before you even begin the task of locating the wedding photographer of your dreams, make sure you know what you want from them. By finding out more about the different styles of wedding photography and spending the time to look at a lot of examples on the web, you will be in a better position to decide what you want and what you should expect from your wedding photographer. You'd never buy a car without doing your research on the different car types available, so why settle for less with your wedding photography?
Knowing whether you prefer formal wedding photography (aka traditional wedding photography), photojournalist wedding photography (aka reportage wedding photography) or one of the other casual/modern styles of photography will determine what type of photographer you go with. While most wedding photographers can shoot all three of the above, each will be better at (or just concentrate on) some more than others.
Next to consider are stylistic points such as the use of black and white (B&W), sepia or cross-processing as well as more modern effects such as spot colour. Get to know them and then you can decide what works best for you. Just make sure you choose a photographer who is prepared to work with you on developing your perfect style and not someone who thinks that it is 'their way or the highway'. |
2. Review the prospective wedding photographer's work |
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Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder. Thus always make sure you review and are happy with the photographer's previous work before employing them. The fact that a photographer may be accredited by a photographic organisation is no substitute for looking at the work itself. This has become especially true in recent years as in a drive to increase membership (and thus profits from membership fees) most photography associations have dramatically dropped their standards. |
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3. Is the wedding photographer fully insured? |
Any photographer you choose should to be covered under a professional photographic insurance scheme. This scheme will typically reimburse you if:
- The photographer is unable to photograph the wedding due to illness, injury or worse As these may occur at the last minute, you may not have time to get a replacement.
- You are not happy with the photographer's work and want to sue them to recoup your money. The insurance will ensure that you get it back even if the photographer is not able to pay due to bankruptcy.
- A wedding guest gets injured (e.g. trips over the photographer's tripod) and decides to sue the venue, the photographer or even you (as the event organisers).
- Whilst the above scenarios are thankfully very rare, for your peace of mind you should choose a wedding photographer who is fully insured.
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4. Has the wedding photographer got the right equipment? |
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It is true that a camera does not a photographer make. Any rich kid could spend a few thousand pounds on digital photography equipment, but that won't make them into a wedding photographer overnight.
Nevertheless, having the right equipment is important. A wedding photographer should have a camera that:
- Delivers high resolution images that you can use to print poster-sized prints
- Delivers high-quality low-noise images in very dark situations, so the interior and after-dark part of your wedding album looks as good as the day-time images
- Has a good range of lenses to achieve a variety of imagery
Even more importantly, all wedding photographers should have back-up equipment in case their main camera stops functioning on the day. This is extremely rare but can happen and so has to be planned for. This means that a wedding photographer should have as a minimum two camera bodies and two flashes. Any less and you are placing your wedding album in the lap of the digital camera gods :-) |
5. Watch out for any hidden extras |
Some wedding photographers offer low-priced wedding photography packages which don’t include much, and then sting you with the 'extras' which in reality you have to have. Included in this list are photographers who:
- Do not provide you with the digital versions of the photos that make up your package, but expect you to order overpriced prints from them on an ongoing basis
- Offer you digital copies of your photos on a CD for a substantial extra cost (think hundreds of pounds)
- Provide you with web resolution images only that you cannot use to get your own low-cost prints from a photographic lab of your choice.
Make sure you know what deliverables are included with your wedding package and know what you can do with them. |
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6. Will the wedding photographer spend the time you deserve? |
| Some wedding photographers will simply turn up for the allotted time and do the hours your package includes. Thus they would have performed no or minimal venue investigation and shot-selection work beforehand so the results will unfortunately reflect this. You need to select a professional who takes pride in their work and thus is prepared to go that extra mile to get the best results possible. |
7. The choice is yours |
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Some wedding photographers feel that their 'artistic vision’ is more important than the personal preferences of their clients. Thus they will perform the image selection and create any deliverables (such as a photo book) without seeking input from their clients. You need to select a professional who is prepared to work in partnership with you to achieve your dream wedding album. |
Berkshire Wedding Photographer
 Luben Solev is a Wedding Photographer in Reading who provides modern, creative and friendly professional wedding photography services at prices that will make you smile. Visit the website now to see the various packages on offer.
berkshire-wedding-photography.net |
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