No vendor will have a bigger impact on your wedding than your photographer. Not only will they take the photos that document your wedding for years to come, but they will also work more closely with you than any other vendor that day. There are many things to consider when picking your photographer.
1. Budget/Package
2. Style (photojournalism, traditional, blend)
3. Format (film or digital)
4. Personality fit
5. Experience
You will find a wide price range when looking at photography based on the package, the number of photographers and the experience of those photographers. You will find family friends for a few hundred dollars all the way up to nearly $10,000. Most fall somewhere in between. A full time professional with 10 or more years of wedding photography experience will inspire confidence, be organized and prepared for all situations but will not be less than $2000. However, they may have an associate with less experience that works for their studio in a lower price range. You may find someone with less experience but still a quality photographer for a lower price as well. You just need to be sure there is enough experience that you are comfortable. Don't assume that a higher price means more experience or better quality either. It's a good guideline, but not a perfect science.
Packaging may be the most complicated part of shopping for your photographer. The hidden charges can easily double your package price after your wedding. For example, the high resolution dvd that everyone asks for is often not print ready and if it is, is still not the same level of quality as what is shown in studio. To get a professional look to your digital files, your images need to be corrected with software and printed at a professional lab. This can be a major expense after your wedding as there is a huge mark up of sometimes upward of 1000%. It is important to have your high resolution dvd but look out for watermarks and file types that you cannot print from. Few couples really understand the amount of time they will need in their package. If you are headed to a park, then a ceremony site, then the reception and want your photographer to get any candids at your reception, expect to use 8-10 hours or so. The last thing you want is to be rushed through your day because of your photographer’s package. When looking at albums, make sure that the prints, mounting, binding, cover upgrades and design are included in the price you are given.
Nearly every photographer will call themselves photojournalistic because it is popular. It’s up to you to determine if you like their style. Don’t worry about what style they consider themselves. The majority of photographers in this area are digital photographers. If you like the classic look of black and white film or the colors and skin tones in color film, you will need to do some homework to find those who offer film photography. If you prefer the special effects that tend to go along with digital photography, then be sure your film photographer has the capabilities or use a digital photographer. It is wise to look at both a film and digital photographer so you can judge for yourself.
Most importantly, you will be spending your entire day with your photographer. Make sure that you can not only tolerate them, but actually enjoy being around them. Your photos will suffer if you can tell you are getting impatient with the person taking them. There is nothing more important on your wedding day than how you feel.
RSS feed
