He asked, you said yes.
Now what?
Congratulations, you're engaged. Now you're
wondering, “what the heck do I do now?” Well, here’s some helpful advice to
help you with the very important area of choosing your photographer.
What style you like
Today's wedding
photography like everything else comes in various styles. You have traditional
which is more posed, journalistic which is more candid, and then you might have
a blend of the two. When it comes to your formal pictures you might like the
traditional, posed, look at the camera and smile look, a glamour/fashion
look, or maybe something really artistic and more of a landscape look taking in
the beautiful surroundings and you are a small part of the pictures. Depending
on your venue location, your personal taste and what the end use (album, wall
art, etc.) these are all things to consider.
What your needs are
We all have different needs. While one bride might want a nice,
leather bound album as a keepsake, another might be a scrap -booker and want
just the digital files. You might be more interested in something for your wall
like a large gallery wrap or a wall grouping. As for the coverage, is getting
ready important to you? Are you doing the First Look? Are pictures of the
entire reception important? How about the family pictures? All of these
considerations affect the hours of coverage. Allowing ample time to cover all
aspects of your photography will mean more in terms of investment, but planning
enough time will make your day much more relaxing.
Know your budget
If you followed our suggestions on on Things To Do After Your
Engagement you probably have a rough budget. Typically we find that our clients’
budget for photography is about 12-18%
of their total wedding budget. Depending on how important pictures are to them
it might be even higher. According to a recent article on Huffington Post, 21% of the brides said they would
spend more on photography if they could do their wedding again.
Searching - The web is
your friend
Use the web to search for photographers. By looking at websites
you can get a feel for the photographer and their style. Think about these
things: Do the images move you? Do you like the presentation? Is there
consistency? Do you like most, if not all of what you see? Choose a style that
you like and if they have pricing or at least price starting points add them to
your list. If there is no price listed and you love their work, add them to
your list anyway.
How much? Is that really
the only question?
So you've never planned a wedding before, much less had to
choose a wedding photographer. The only thing we know to ask is "How
much?" It's OK to ask for package and pricing information in your initial
email but there are a lot of other things to consider when choosing a
photographer. We suggest making an appointment to meet and discuss your wedding
once you have narrowed your choices down to 4 or 5 photographers. A face to
face meeting can reveal a lot of things (both positive and sometimes negative)
that can help with your final decision. And remember the old saying, you get
what you pay for.
How many pictures?
We've heard it all... even that one photographer is going to
deliver 3,000 pictures on disk. Really? Do you think that's a good thing? Who
wants to look at 3,000 pictures? It doesn't take 3,000 pictures to tell the
story of your day and you will go crazy sorting through that many pictures.
Websites. Do they tell
the truth?
Let's face it. Photographers put nothing but their best work on their website.
Sure, it's impressive, but it might be a good idea to see more. When you meet
with a photographer ask if you can see a whole wedding. That gives you a pretty
good idea what you can expect as far as quality, consistency & overall
style. Did they capture the day without gaps? Did they capture the emotion? Did
they capture the ambiance of the venue?
Have they worked at your
venue? Does it matter?
A lot of people ask and think it makes a difference if a
photographer has photographed a wedding at their chosen venue in the past. Does
it matter? We don't think so. We are pretty sure the sun rises and sets the
same and that our equipment will perform as well at any venue. It's about being
prepared... Visiting the venue prior to the wedding and planning concepts and
an outline for your photos. A professional photographer can take exceptional
photos no matter the location.
What do others say?
Ask other people what their experience was with a photographer.
Check reputable website like WeddingWire.com and
TheKnot.com for client reviews. Ask your wedding planner or wedding
coordinator for their opinion or suggestions.
It's a long day. Do you
"Click"?
You will spend more time with your wedding photographer than
anyone else on your big day. That's another reason we highly recommend you meet
face to face. As human beings, our relationships are based on personal taste.
We're all different. While one person might find a photographer to be friendly
and personable, you may not. If you don't "click", it's going to be a
long day and your uneasiness will show in your pictures.
Submitted by:
Rick Bouthiette
Rick Bouthiette Photography
603.483.5355
www.masterevent.com
