Choosing a Wedding Photographer
A good time to start looking for a photographer and/or videographer is about nine to twelve months in advance. Begin with recommendations from family and friends, looking through albums for quality, style and formats that you like.
Some criteria to keep in mind when interviewing photographers include:
■ Do the photos have a sharp, crisp quality?
■ Can they do retouching? What about special effects?
■ Will there be an extra charge for the proofs?
■ How long do they keep the negatives?
■ Does the quoted price include the finished album?
■ Do you feel confident with the person and feel that he will perform professionally, inconspicuous and deliver great pictures?
■ Check for a mix of shots that are technically good.
■ Look for the emotion the photo projects.
■ Is the person who is showing you the photos the same person who will be shooting your wedding?
■ Discuss costs. Work out a clear payment schedule, and obtain an itemized agreement that lists everything included in the package and the total cost.
■ Can he/she arrive early to capture last-minute preparations, moments with family members, and the little events that make the day complete?
■ Will he/she design your album for you?
■ Can you see the proofs Online? Will the web address be available to friends & family? Can you order online?
A good photographer who has done a lot of weddings and wedding receptions will be able to follow along during the chain of events and will be on the ball.
However, even if your wedding photographer is a real pro, there are a couple of things that you can do to ensure that the wedding photographer takes the pictures and captures the memories that you are looking for him or her to capture.
The first thing that you can do to help your wedding photographer is to make a schedule and stick to it. You should prepare this schedule and give it to your wedding photographer a couple of weeks before the wedding. This will ensure that your photographer will have time to view it and will not misplace it. This schedule should include important events during the planning timetable from arrival at the ceremony location to cleaning up. This will help your wedding photographer stay alert and know when to be where.
Some thing else that is helpful is to provide your wedding photographer with a list of pictures that are must haves. Everyone has a different list and your list may have a different priority that someone else's wedding photo list. Here is a partial list to get you started thinking on what photos that you would like to have.
The Latest Trends
■ Brides and grooms are opting for shots taken in photojournalistic and candid styles. These shots capture the atmosphere of the wedding and leave more time for the wedding party to hang out with guests. However, hardly anyone is doing away with posed photos altogether.
■ Wedding albums are filled with a mixture of black-and-white, sepia and color photos. Many couples are choosing antiqued black-and-white portraits with worn edges.
■ Old family photos are popping up at receptions. It's cool to display guest books with pictures of the bride and groom growing up. It's also trendy to show a video montage of old photos put together by the videographer.
■ Matted engagement portraits (no frames) are also being showcased at receptions. Guests can write on the mats (instead of in the traditional guest book).