Wedding Photography World

The simple way to find your wedding photographer for your wedding

The advice below is set out to help you make the right choices for you. It's 'wordy' but please read it. You'll be glad that you did. Amongst all the other sound advice we can offer let's start with the basics in the hope previous lessons can be learned. Remember that you are forming a relationship with your wedding photographer, and that the product he or she is producing for you, will be your abiding and lasting memory of your wedding day. It is essential then, given the importance of the photographer's role, that you get on well together. To this end we strongly advise against 'bartering' which some brides have taken to doing recently. It wont endear you to your photographer. Your wedding photographer is providing a service, a skill honed over many years, and works under considerable pressure to provide the very best for you. Ask any professional photographer not engaged in wedding photography why not, and they will tell you it is extremely hard work. It takes a very special kind of photographer to produce great wedding photography, which you obviously want. So don't get off on the wrong foot by driving down his or her prices. Fix your budget and do not be afraid to spend up to it. Above all, your wedding photography is the final record of the day, of family, and friends who will share your day, and will be poured over by generations yet to come. The importance of your wedding photography cannot be stressed enough, so ensure that you charm your wedding photographer for the very best results. There are, of course, times and places for 'haggling and bartering'. This really is not one of them. So, first things first. You need to be prepared to book your photographer as soon as you possibly can. Be prepared to pay anything up to a 50% deposit (this is what I charge after fickle people pulled out on the back of a small deposit. Once bitten twice shy I guess....). Remember deposits are unlikely to be returnable apart from the most extreme circumstances. Once your date is booked your photographer will turn away business for your date, so respect the fact that you are entering into a contract. Don't be rash, don't even feel the pressure, but find, and book, your chosen photographer as soon as you possibly can. To avoid any dissapointment, draw up a short list of two or three photographers so that if your first choice is already booked (and there is a fare chance he or she will be, if you like them, so will everyone else) you have a plan B to move on to. Don't wallow in grief only to find plan B photographer has just been booked too. These are your choices, your wedding photographs, do not allow anyone else to bully you into choosing some one you don't want 'because mum liked him', even if mum is paying for the photography. If you are not 100% happy then you risk it showing in the photographs and not even mum would want that! This is a day that will never be repeated, so you need someone who can capture the best moments without cutting anyone's head off or giving you 'red eye'. Here are a few extra tips for getting what you want from your pictures. Relationships matter Whoever you book to take your pictures will be spending a substantial amount of time with you on the best day of your lives, so you must get on with him or her. You should feel confident and relaxed in their presence. They may be the best photographer in the world, but if you don't feel comfortable it may be reflected in the final images. Always check the small print Once you've found your perfect photographer, get your booking in writing. Check the small print and make sure you know exactly what you're getting for your money. You will likely be expected to sign a contract and pay a deposit at this stage. Decide what they should do A good professional photographer will use his or her creative and technical skills to get the best results as quickly, smoothly and tactfully as possible, but discuss the role you want your photographer to take on your wedding day. Do you want him or her to control events or blend into the background? To shepherd guests into pictures a photographer will have to be assertive, but will also need to be unobtrusive at other times during the day. Discuss your expectations. Do not overload on the formal group shots. Keep them simple, we advise no more than a dozen formal's because almost everyone hates them. Include one large group shot of everyone, so nobody needs to feel excluded. You can always grab a favourite uncle and auntie later in the day for a less informal fun shot. Be prepared to allow your photographer's creative nature and skills to thrive. Control freakery and creative talents rarely produce great photographs! Remember that your family will be charged separately for any copies of images they want. Discuss these prices early on. Look for those nice little extras too. Some photographers throw in a load of thank you cards with a small photo enclosed, as part of the deal. Or a simple portrait of the couple before the big day can be a very thoughtful touch and mark out a time line to the event itself. Parent albums, as a thankyou, are also a great way of achieving the images family expect and the images you personally want yourselves. Dont forget the details If you've spent a long time creating invites, menus, flower arrangements etc, you'll want these little details captured on film too. Use your photographers creative skills. Macro detail shots of the finery can have a wonderful impact within your final collection of images. For more informal photographs, it's a lovely idea to place single-use cameras on the tables at the reception so your guests can capture their version of the day too. Practice makes perfect. Try to meet up with the photographer at the venues for the service and the reception beforehand, so that he/she can get a feel for the best settings to enhance the style of photographs. This can be crucial if the photographer has not photographed at your venue before. This is also a great way to build the relationship with your photographer. Remember you need to check with your minister to seek permission for any photography during the Ceremony. Data Protection prevents photographing the actual signing of the Register. Your photographer will set up these photographs with a 'dummy' register directly after you have signed the real register, if you ( or mum!) require them. Think! Think carefully about what you actually want. Do you just want your photographer to be around for the ceremony with a few formal group shots afterwards and then 'out of your hair?' This is a perfectly reasonable prospect especially if you are on a budget. Or do you want a well documented record of your day, warts and all style, that reflect a truer representation of your day. Perhaps, like me, your favourite images are the relaxed informal's, or the cheeky candid grab shots showing people how they really are, unaware that they are being photographed, mixed with the more formal examples. Character shots of the speaches, peoples reactions to those speaches, the toughest guy on the block crying into his beer, the father's reaction to seeing his daughter in all her finery. The arrivals as people greet each other before the ceremony. Think carefully, choose wisely. This is a one off opportunity in life. We are here on the end of the phone in office hours if you want to discuss your plans or ideas. We genuinely want you to receive the best possible photography your budget allows. So don't be afraid to call us, we don't bite, and we don't charge for our advice. Go on, pick up that phone. Say relax and not cheese! Finally, the best advice any couple can take is try and relax in front of the camera. If you're not used to smiling and posing, or feel unhappy with your usual image in pictures, grab a mirror and spend a few minutes practising until you find a smile or an expression you can live with. Do not be afraid to discuss this with your photographer, so he or she can bring out the best in you. If you look and feel comfortable, your photos are bound to work! And remember, only the meanest photographer charges extra for smiling! Boom boom!