Wedding Layers

How to choose a Wedding Photographer
This Article will Detail 5 Tips you can easily follow to make choosing a wedding photographer a more enjoyable and productive process. These 5 tips can ensure you are better prepared to meet and choose the right wedding photographer and ensure you get what you are looking for.

1) Ask to see a single wedding portfolio . If you want to truly see what you may be getting when you hire a wedding photographer you want to make sure you ask them to show you an entire single wedding they have photographed. As a photographer its easy to piece together many various “Best of ” shots and wow and dazzle visitors with great shots that come from unrelated weddings. But as a prospective client you want to see how this photographer has captures a single wedding in its entirety to give you a better idea of the results they and you can hope to get from your wedding day. After evaluating their portfolio ask yourself is this the style you looking for and does it look like they capture what you expect from your wedding day?

2) Have an idea of what you want in terms of time and number of photos. Wedding photographers offer packages based on number of prints and deliverables. Some by the time they are photographing in addition to the deliverables. Either way you want to clearly understand what you is will be getting in terms of time the photographer will be shooting, and what will they deliver in terms of prints to you. What size will the prints be? Will they make an album for you? Will they shoot Digital? How many prints will you get? Some photographers are still shooting film, however ask you photographer to show you both and the costs associated with going with one or another. Typically a wedding photographer to shoot film will have to spend more than $300-$500 for film and processing which is why Digital seems to be the preferred tool of the modern wedding photographer.

3) Ask the photographer how much Extra Prints and Wedding Album will cost ? Ask your photographer after the agreed package what it will cost for extra prints in the future? Will they hold on to the negatives or original files indefinitely or give them to you after a year or two. Most photographers will never give their negatives away , however some may have a time period which they hold on to them. How much will extra wedding albums cost for the inlaws ? These are questions you need to ask as the photographer will charge for these if they are part of or outside the package you decide on. Extra prints and albums are a lucrative area for wedding photographers. If you are looking to save money buy and build the Wedding Albums yourself

4) Ask about cancellations or backup photographers. In the event of unforeseen circumstances People do get sick and unforeseen events can happen. Wedding photography is no exception. Look at the contract and ask the photographer what happens for cancellation on their or your side.

5)Wedding Photogrpahers Are not Cheap. Photographing a wedding is not as simple as snapping a few buttons. Many very talented photographers won’t step near weddings because of the pressure. Don’t expect to negotiate a cheap price based on this preconception that it’s just pressing the shutter a few times. Good photographers will spend a day scouting location gathering supplies, checking equipment, a day at the wedding, and a few days gathering preparing results from a wedding to present back to clients. Making trips back and forth to the lab for reprints, preparing albums can take more time than one thinks. If they hire assistants this is costing the photographer and you as well. Treat a photographer and their craft with respect and you will be able to negotiate better, and find a package you are happy with.

Keep these 5 things in mind and you will be on your way to finding the right photogrpaher faster.

www.weddingphotosource.com Hayden Barile Copyright 2005 All Rights Reserved

Author: Hayden Barile
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Provided by: Excise Tax

Tip # 1: Knowledge is Key

Arm yourself with some industry terminology, and know what the differences are in the various styles of pictures. Do your research about photography ahead of time. Know the difference between a candid and a posed shot. Know what photojournalism is. Know what you like, and what you don’t like, and do not be afraid to communicate that to your prospective photographers. Make this statement: “We want a photographer who knows how to control the depth of field”. If he looks at you with a quizzical look that says “I have no idea what you are talking about”, it might be time to consider ending your meeting early.

Tip # 2: Ask The Right Questions

I cannot begin to tell you how many times I have been asked questions that must have been taken from outdated sources.

Here are some of the right questions to ask:

• How long have you been shooting weddings?

  I would not have a photographer on my wedding that has been shooting weddings for less than 5 years. Reasons for that are many, but the bottom line is that you want somebody who really knows what they are doing, has an “eye” as well as technical knowledge to make things happen.

• Have you worked at our venue before?

  If the photographer is local, and your wedding venue is local, chances are he has worked at your venue beforehand. Ask to see those pictures. If he has not worked there before, ask if he is willing to go there ahead of time to scout the location.

• Our wedding photography commitment is X hours…do you have a plan that will accommodate that? Are your pricing plans negotiable?

  Most photographers have 3 or 4 plans to choose from (I personally have more than that) because I have not yet found one set of packages that will accommodate everyone. I have also learned that versatility is key.

• Do you bring an assistant?

  I usually bring an assistant to help with lighting etc. My assistant can also double as a second photographer for a small fee. Check with your photographer…this is a very valuable asset.

• What kind of equipment do you have?

  Professional photographers should have high end SLR cameras. In Nikon, those cameras include: the D3, D2X,D2XS, and D2H. In Canon, those cameras include: EOS1D, 1DS, 5D, and 5DS. Of course there are other brands and quality levels, but these camera make up the bulk of the professional wedding photographer’s lineup in today’s market. Be aware: Photographers who proudly say that they shoot with the Nikon D200 or the Canon 10d or 20d are not on the professional level. Those cameras are designed to be sold to consumers, not professionals, and while they are good cameras in their own right, they do not possess the characteristics of professional grade camera bodies.

• Do you have backup equipment?

  Occasionally, a camera goes down, and without a backup, the perfect wedding can be ruined. Don’t leave your precious wedding memories in the hands of someone with low end, consumer grade equipment and without backup. It is a recipe for disaster. Most professionals carry at least 1 backup unit of the same quality as their main unit.

• Do you have any professional affiliations?

  Most professional photographers with more than 5 years of experience will have some sort of Professional Affiliation. Those affiliations can include, but are not limited to: The Professional Photographer’s Association (Nationwide, State Level, and maybe even County Level memberships are available), the BBB (Better Business Bureau), Rotary Clubs, The Wedding Photojournalist Association, and others. Membership in any of these affiliations is not mandatory, but it says something positive about the photographer.

Tip #3: Warning Signs

Whenever I meet with prospective clients, I give them some warning signs to look out for. Look out for any photographer who says “We will shoot some in black and white, some in color, and some in Sepia”. That’s a HUGE mistake. Same thing for “We’ll shoot some in a tight focus, and some with a soft focus”. The main reason for this is that most professional photographers use Adobe Photoshop to edit their pictures. It is much better to shoot everything in color, and make the switch to black and white, instead of shooting in black and white. Once you shoot it with no color information (black and white) you can not convert it to color…no matter how good your Photoshop skills are. Same thing for focus. Look for a photographer who shoots everything with a nice tight focus, and then can selectively “blur” your image to get the desired effect. If the image is shot with a soft (blurry) focus, it can not be cleaned up very easily, and maybe not at all.

My best friend’s fiance ignored this advice and told their photographer (I was in the wedding so I could not do it) to shoot everything with a soft focus. Their wedding photos were worthless, and she was devastated.

Most couples head into Wedding Day knowing very little about photography, and even less about Wedding Photography. This can be a killer. Use the tools I listed above to know what to expect. The entire point of this article is to educate you to the process so that you select the right Wedding Photographer, and that you understand what that photographer will provide.

Magazine Quality Photos

Chances are, if you hire the right photographer, your images will be pretty close to magazine quality. But you do need to understand that there are many variables that can affect the quality of the image, some of which the photographer will have little to no control over.

Something you need to consider is that the images used for advertisement purposes in most major magazines are not actual wedding photos, with few exceptions. They are photos of professional models, in elegant surroundings, with a small army of people around to make the pictures perfect: on-set makeup artists, hair stylists, set decorators, lighting engineers, wardrobe people, and of course, the photographer. This is very different from one can expect on Wedding Day.

Venue

If you have your wedding in someone’s back yard, you are not going to get images with a view like that of a 5 Star hotel. Stands to reason, right? Not to say that there aren’t some elegant backyards around, but a backyard wedding will always photograph differently than a wedding at a resort with sweeping views, grand staircases, etc.

Time of day

If your ceremony takes place 30 minutes before sunset, your images after sunset will all have black backgrounds, no matter how good the camera and lens is.

Amount of Time Available

Most weddings allow the couple about an hour or so after the ceremony to shoot family pictures, and their individual pictures. The pictures presented in magazine advertisements often took many hours to compose, and in some case, may have extended into a couple of days. Cut your photographer some slack…allow enough time for proper composition, and take time of day into consideration.

Quality

We have two schools of thought on this subject. Some photographers believe that if they shoot a thousand images, the client will be able to select a hundred or so to put into an album. Other photographers focus on the details of every image, and that’s great, except that it produces a smaller quantity, and now the client has to select a hundred or so from 300 images instead of 1000. I am not saying that either method is better than the other, but be wary of the photographer that shoots a bunch of pictures, and gives you a CD at the end of the day. Unless you are a Photoshop Guru, what good is that CD really? The images are raw, uncorrected, unsharpened, uncropped, and basically sub-standard in most respects. The differences between a finished image and a proof quality image will astound you. Wedding Photography is an art. Light sources, color temperature, and angles constantly change, and thus provide a constant challenge.

Budget

Don’t ask for the impossible. When you visualize what you want your wedding album to look like, you must consider what is financially feasible. In my experience, there is so much going on during a wedding, and in so many different areas, that many images the bride and groom may want can easily get overlooked. We can only be in one place at a time. The bride is usually getting ready at the same time as the groom, usually in different locations, and if you want pictures of both, be prepared to spend a little extra money for a second photographer. The same applies with candid shots of the guests during cocktail hour, which is when the bride and groom are off getting their personal pictures done. So you have to make some decisions. Can you afford a second photographer so that you can get most of the events covered? If not, you need to choose which events during the course of the day are most important to you, and be able to communicate those ideas to your photographer ahead of time.

Summary:

In the end, you do get what you pay for. If you are extremely budget conscious (and let’s face it…who isn’t these days) and select the lowest bidder, you will probably end up with the smallest quantity of acceptable images. Selecting the most expensive photographer does not guarantee anything either, but if a photographer commands a higher price, and you have seen the beautiful work, and you have communicated your desires effectively, you are probably in safer hands.

Remember this basic rule of photography: The three most important things in a picture are: Composition, Composition, and Composition. Hire the photographer that understands that, and you will be well on your way to getting a beautiful wedding album that you will be proud of for the rest of your days.

Author: Lee Stewart
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Provided by: Bumper guardian

The wedding date is set! Already, the excitement is building for your big day. You want awesome wedding pictures. But the challenge feels daunting. You know your family shutterbug Uncle Ned is not who you had in mind. Chances are you have never hired a photographer before. So where do you start? You know you want to interview the candidates, but what do you ask them? Here are 17 great questions to ask photographers before booking.

1. Are you full-time? When did you start shooting full-time?

The truth is most wedding photography operations are very fly by night. The photographers are doing their photography on a part-time basis with negligible photography experience. Do you believe your once-in-a-lifetime event should be on-the-job training for your photographer? I didn’t think so. A full-time photographer has already made the considerable life-long investment of their energy, time and money to create a valued and trusted service. Your wedding memories deserve your photographer’s 100 percent commitment not a 20 percent commitment.

2. Why do you like to photograph weddings?

This question helps you to gauge who your photographer is as a person and artist. Take stock of the person’s passion and energy. Does he/she seem enthusiastic or kind of flat? People who love what they do have a tendency to be very good at what they do and working with them is always more enjoyable and fun.

Also, knowing a little about what makes the person tick is a good way to feel out what kind of a personality “fit” you may share with the photographer. After all, you will be spending an entire day with your photographer, so do what you can to be sure the person you pick will be genuinely excited to be there and pleasant throughout that day.

3. Will you be the actual photographer to shoot our wedding? If not, who?

It’s not uncommon for photographers and larger studios to have a network of shooters. If you learn the person you are talking to will not be the shooter then insist you talk to the person who will and also insist you see their personal portfolio.

4. What kind of input can we have on the shots? i.e. subject matter, shotlists and ideas from other wedding shots we liked?

A formals/posed groupings worksheet is sometimes necessary when planning when and how to get that part of your wedding completed and done in time. Lots of communication is key here. When working with a good wedding photographer, it is important when capturing the unique qualities and moments of your wedding to keep it open-ended for your photographer. A good photographer cannot produce every photo you can think of, but he/she can produce photos you never dreamed of.

5. (For self-described photojournalists) How much of your candid-looking work is posing and setting-up of shots or do you get shots as they happen without posing or reenactment?

“Wedding photojournalist” has become a buzzword which has lost its specific meaning with its surge in popularity among photographers. Often, the term “photojournalist” means candid-looking when used by photographers and studios to describe their own work. Often these photographers will set up and reenact a few things during your wedding day but rely heavily upon traditional portraiture for a lot of your photos… there is nothing wrong with this approach if you are comfortable with that. However a true wedding photojournalist has the talent and ability to anticipate, observe and “see” moments as they happen without the need to interfere with the natural flow of your wedding day.

6. Are the digital files available on CD/DVD? If so, are they high resolution?

This is a popular request by couples. The discs can vary widely in price. Also ask if there are any discounts applied to the CD/DVD after a certain time has passed from the wedding. For example, the photographer may offer the discs at half-price two years after the wedding.

7. What kind of improvements do you make to the files on the CD/DVD?

It is nice to have your pictures in hand to keep safe and make whatever prints you like. Keep in mind all digital images on the disc should be toned, adjusted and worked a little to make an adequate print. You should have some guarantee of the quality of pictures on the disc.

8. Do you have a list of references with contact info?

This is a rarely asked but very effective question. A real live person who has worked with a photographer will give you valuable, objective information.

9. Who do you carry liability insurance with?

Businesses that adhere to professional practices will deliver professional service and results to you. Chances are slim you will ever have to worry about insurance coverage. But accidents can and do happen. Would you let a roofing company put a new roof on your home that did not have liability insurance? How about a mechanic working on your car? I hope not.

10. What is the delivery time for the various products you offer?

It really shouldn’t take half a year to receive an album, your proofs or any other products. Try to be timely with any input your photographer requires as far as albums, edits to help this process along.

11. With the albums, how does the design and picture selection process work? Are there any fees for changes we would like prior to the album’s production?

You should have some input into important keepsakes of your wedding like an album. Some photographers charge extra for a certain number of changes to the albums they design for you prior to the printing and binding of any album. Make sure such fees are all clearly stated. Beware of time deadlines too, they are necessary to preventing production bottlenecks.

12. When will the proofs be ready? Is there a time limit for the online proofing galleries?

If working with a digital photographer, online proofing (when you first get to see your photos online) should be completed within a couple of weeks of your event. The time period of online availability for those galleries varies among photographers. Some post them for three months, others post for a full year. Check with your photographer.

13. What happens if the photographer is ill? What about back-up equipment?

Any successful, established professional studio should have a network of shooters available for emergency help. You should have a written assurance the substitute photographer will be a competent professional.

14. Should our event last longer than scheduled? Will the photographer stay, are there extra charges?

Most weddings will not exceed a six to eight hour time commitment from your photographer. If you think you will need more time, find out how your photographer handles extra hours.

15. What associations do you belong to?

Another useful way to gauge a photographer’s qualifications and professional commitment.

16. Why should we hire you?

Again, this question is similar in spirit to Question 3. Your photographer’s answer should communicate some excitement about the privilege to shoot your wedding.

17. May we see your second photographer’s entire shoot from a wedding?

Wedding photography studios often promote themselves as two shooter “teams.” They are often a husband and wife duo. They are usually not the 2-for-1 benefit they advertise. For the most part they are maybe one decent photographer and a person who is nothing more than a camera holder with with very little qualifications or experience. Have you seen an entire take of both photographers? Insist on seeing the second photographers entire shoot.

Author: Chris Cummins
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Provided by: Excise Tax

Choosing a wedding photographer to capture one of the most important days of your life can be confusing. Of course you want the best wedding photography available without paying an arm and a leg. You want a wedding photographer who will portray your wedding in the style you envision. You also want someone experienced, competent, and easy to work with as well as talented.

Partnering with the right photographer is easy when you know what to ask. Start by doing a quick phone interview of each wedding photographer to narrow down your choices. Find out first if they are available for your wedding day-if they’re not, it narrows things down immediately. Ask about prices, who will be photographing the wedding, what style of wedding photography they use to shoot weddings (black and white, color, posed photos or candid shots).

After you narrow down your wedding photographer choices, you’ll want to set up a date to interview the photographer. In some large companies, the photographer you talk to might not be the one they send out for your event. Make sure you interview the photographer who will actually be at your wedding and see his/her portfolio, in order to evaluate their style.

You’ll also want to find out what happens if the wedding photographer you choose is fired before or right after your wedding date. It will put your mind at rest if you are assured that your wedding will be photographed even if your photographer is no longer with the company and that you will also have access to your photos no matter what the hiring status of the photographer.

When interviewing the photographer, remember to cover these questions:

1) Experience Level.

On the most important day of your life, you want someone who is an expert at wedding photography to preserve your memories in a professional manner. Therefore, it’s very important to make sure you ask your wedding photographer questions about their experience.

Is this a job or a hobby for the wedding photographer?

Do they have formal training or education in wedding photography?

You might be tempted to save money by hiring a novice wedding photographer, but do you want stunning photos that capture your special day or just so-so ones?

Do they frequently photograph weddings?

Some photographers are better at static and posed studio photography than action oriented and “on location” wedding photography. Photographing a wedding involves capturing spontaneous moments, not just poses, so it’s important to have someone who is an expert.

Does the wedding photographer use professional-grade equipment, and do they have back-up equipment available, just in case?

Have they photographed weddings in your chosen location before?

Prior experience in a location gives the wedding photographer an advantage because he’ll know ahead of time what film, filters or flash he/she might need to get the best results.

2) Ask About Their Portfolio.

Photography is an art, so it’s understandable that you may or may not like the style used by the wedding photographer. Ask to view a portfolio of previous weddings they’ve photographed so that you can get a good impression as to what to expect for your own wedding. To make an educated decision, you’ll want to view an entire wedding portfolio from start to finish, not the best few photos from many weddings. Ask what style the wedding photographer uses. Some photographers tend to like more posed shots while others have what is called a photojournalistic style, which involves more candid shots.

Ask if he/she likes to use color photos, black and whites or a mixture. Also, ask if they use a digital camera and retouch the photos to make them black and white, or if they use film.

3) Will They Dress the Part?

Your wedding photographer will be spending a lot of time with you on you on the most important day of your life. It’s crucial that his or her personality blends in, making it a pleasure to have him/her at your side. If the wedding photographer makes you uneasy in a short interview then don’t hire them for your event! No matter how charming he is, you’ll want to make sure the wedding photographer will dress the part and look professional while taking those important photos.

Finally, ask about any assistants. Ask if you can meet them and ask about how they will dress and conduct themselves to ensure your wedding goes smoothly.

4) Money and Technical Matters.

Though you don’t want to skimp on wedding photos, it is important to make sure this particular photographer isn’t going to break your budget. Find out ahead of time about how much it will cost to have him/her photograph your wedding. You’ll want to know how much time you’ll be allotted, and how many rolls of film they’ll take during that time. If the wedding photographer uses digital cameras, ask how many shots they will take to ensure the event is well-documented.

Most photographers offer packages that specify a certain amount of pictures for a set fee. If you don’t see a size of photograph that you want, ask if those packages can be customized to meet your needs. It’s a great idea to inquire about the price of copies and albums, because you will likely become enchanted with many more of the photos than you bargained!

Ask about deposit and cancellation policies. In order to hold your date, what method of deposit is needed? What are the cancellation policies? If the wedding photographer cancels, will your deposit be refunded?

5) Ask If You Can Get It In Writing!

You’ll want a contract to protect you in case you’re unhappy with the services of your wedding photographer. If you end up going to court to settle matters, the judge will only be concerned with the conditions written in the contract. Therefore, it’s very important to make sure you get all of the details in writing.

The contact should include:

Expected services, fees, cancellation policy, fee schedule and all aspects of your photo packages written in detail.

You’ll also want their name and address, as well as your name and address on the contract. Make sure you both sign and date the contract, and that you get a copy of both sides.

Author: Julie Davidson
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Provided by: Canada duty