Hiring a wedding photographer is an incredibly daunting task. If you don’t know what you’re looking for, the whole process can be very overwhelming. There are fancy packages to look over, wedding albums to review, canvases to drool over, and contracts to read. I haven’t met a couple yet that didn’t encounter a little stress when choosing their photographer, but to help you decide, there are a couple of things you need to consider that you may not have thought about.
#1 Do you like your photographer’s personality?
Probably one of the main reason’s my client have chosen me over other photographers is that they feel comfortable around me. Before booking a photographer, always meet with them to get a sense of their personality. I remember when Jackie and I went looking for our wedding photographer, and we met with quite a few, and there were certainly a couple of them that registered high on the “Creepy” meter. I mean who wants to be around a creepy photographer during your wedding, right? Quite simply though, if you don’t feel comfortable around your photographer as a person, than how could you be comfortable when they are pointing a camera at you. I’ve heard quite a few horror stories of photographers being complete jerks during a wedding, so it’s best to avoid this by gauging your photographer’s personality beforehand. Not only do you need to see if you like your photographer as a person, you also need to see if you like their shooting style as well. An engagement session is a great way to see if you and your photographer “click”, and it will definitely give you a clearer idea if you want this person as your wedding photographer.
#2 Prioritize pictures over product
When meeting with photographers, some may do a full dog and pony show by busting out album after album, canvas after canvas, print after print, and so on. But don’t let all this stuff get in the way of what you really want, which are excellent pictures. I don’t offer albums in any of my packages (except a PDF file of an album template that you can use to take to any print shop to have your album done) because I want my clients to concentrate on the pictures. What’s the point if all your wedding pictures are terrible and you have none to choose from to print your 20×30 gallery wrap canvas? Pay close attention to the quality of the photography when looking for a photographer, and you won’t be sorry later on. You can always buy your dream leather bound wedding album later on, but if you don’t have good pictures, then you’re out of luck.
#3 Don’t look for a photographer with a cheap mentality
I’m always for saving a buck, but when it comes to wedding photography you shouldn’t always look for the cheapest deal. The phrase, “You get what you pay for,” definitely applies to the world of wedding photography, and if a photographer is offering a dirt cheap deal and you take it, don’t expect huge results. There’s more to a wedding photographer than just good pictures. Not only do they need to be technically sound, but they need to be able to adapt to shifting environments, handle unforeseen catastrophes, be a second wedding coordinator, know exactly where to be at the right moments, and get along with guests. It’s all these intangible things that one tends to overlook when looking for a photographer, and any good wedding photographer will price their packages accordingly based on their level of overall skill.
Jimmy Bui
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