Choose A Professional Photographer With Wedding Photography Experience: You've heard the old saying..."you get what you pay for". Why take unnecessary risks with your memories? Trust a trained, experienced wedding photographer. Most importantly, ask your photographers about their contingency plans — how do they protect and preserve.
Know the Style of Photography You'd Like To Have:
Find photographs from magazines and books that are in the style that you like. Then share them with your photographer. Please also share with your photographer if you like special effects like Black & White photography or stylized cinematic photography. Know your own personal tastes and be prepared to communicate that style to your wedding photographer. If a photographer is more concerned about his/her style than yours, look at other photographers.
Ask To See Their Photography Portfolio:
Most photographers have samples of their work. These days, most photography portfolios are online. No doubt, you should ask to see samples before picking a photographer. Compare different photographer website images to each other. Photographers will place their all time best pictures showcased on their websites. Comparing these images will tell you much about what the photographer’s skills.
Know Who is Taking Your Pictures:
Some photographers send apprentices and/or subcontractors. Know who is going to be shooting your wedding before you sign a contract.
Find Out How Easy The Photographer Is to Work With:
Can you trust and communicate with your photographer? Is your photographer someone you can depend on? Will he/she listen to your ideas and help make every picture count?
Set A Budget:
If you have a photography budget, can you share it with your photographer and be confident that he/she will stick to it? Have you found the right photographer for your budget? Do you understand that photographer’s package structure and know how to budget within it?
Know How Your Photos Will Be Packaged:
How are your images prepared and edited? How long will it take until the images will be finished/completed? What about physical prints? How can you get reproductions for friends and relatives? Are high resolution images available for purchase or included in your package? Does your package come with an album or an album credit to purchase you album separately?
Ask For Online Proofing:
Online proofs can save you time, money and energy. This is very important if your photographer takes your images and delivers them immediately to you on a disc with no other products. Once your disc is delivered to you and you accept it before previewing you may have no recourse if the images are not what you expected. Most photographers will automatically offer online proofing. If one does not look at other photographers. What about archiving of digital files? Does the photographer take the proper steps to keep and archive your wedding photographs?
Review the Contract Before You Sign It:
More misunderstandings between photographer and client happen because contracts are skimmed over and not completely read. The contract is important to protect you and your rights. Make sure you know them. If a photographer does not have a legal contract for you to sign when you book them, look at other photographers.
Understand the Payment Terms:
Know what you have to pay and when you have to pay it when you sign your contract.
