Photos bring back the memories of old events that one cherish and would like to remember for a lifetime. They are also a source of information that keeps a good record for reference. It is not easy for the groom and bride to account for every moment or guests during the wedding. Therefore, hiring an excellent wedding photographer for your wedding is essential. The primary role of the photographer is to capture all events of the day including the attending guests. Here are 10 Simple Steps to finding an Excellent Wedding Photographer.
How to hire a professional photographer
You need to decide on the quality you want depending on your style of wedding. Thus thorough research is required before settling down on your photographer of choice.
1
Decide your style
Knowing the photography style you want is the first step in getting excellent photos. Some of the common styles for wedding shots are fine art, portraiture, documentary and edgy and bold. These styles have their specific or unique manner of final appearance.
2
Do Your Research
Review the social media accounts of the wedding photographers you have in mind. Also, review some of their recent albums and images online. This will give you a feel of the style and type of wedding photographer they are. Is it to your taste? Are they more Rustic and you want a Traditional approach…? Can they achieve this? This can also form the basis of your questioning if you decide to enquire further. The information you collect from their account will help you know the kind of person of you are likely to hire, everything right down to their personality in some cases.
3
Talk to Wedding Photographer…And not just one of them
It is essential to meet more than one photographer to help you make the right decision. Once you’ve done the research, contact 3-4 of them and ask to meet them to know if one is available on your wedding date and the fee they charge for such an event. Have an open mind about your requirements, and the venue of the wedding. Even let them to you what they think and their experiences of the layout of the day, timings etc. Try to gain as much information as possible so you can learn what will be the best choice for you and your wedding day.
4
Ask to see their work
Once you meet the prospective photographer, ask to see some examples of recent weddings they’ve photographed. The galleries will help you know if you are on the right track of your desired style. It is vital to see galleries that match your wedding style.
Ask him to talk you through the details of the shots because it is really important to plan these in advance. Take it from experience, if there was one thing I would do again is the wedding photograph preparation. I’d even practice it and that is no word of a lie. Different positions/ angles/ moments you want to capture during the day. Remember this is your day and you will want certain things achieved that other brides wouldn’t want. This makes it unique to you.
5
An Eye for details
When you get albums(as a portfolio) from the photographer, look out if the key moments were captured. The clarity and sharpness of the images is a significant factor to consider. The photos should capture the mood of the wedding expressed by both the couple and guests. The wedding photos should tell the story of the day. Do they..?
6
Add up the TOTAL Cost
Each photographer will give you details of their packages plus the fee. Take note of any extra services that add up if you are getting extras when hiring their services. After a comparison of different work and packages presented to you by the wedding photographer, settle on a photographer within your budget.
7
Do you like their personality?
Professional photographers have an excellent way of presenting themselves to potential clients. Look out for the mannerism, and the attitude they have towards you. Be honest with yourself, does your personality and sense of humour match theirs? You will be working with them for a day of your life and an important one at that. It is critical to have a photographer whom you get along well with. He should be insistent and understanding of what you want and on capturing the best moments of the day.
8
The number of Photographers
Some photographers have more than one shooter as crew members. Your contact person may bring along another member of staff to help cover the event. However, the person you signed the contract with should be available on this day. Basically just be sure about what is going to happen on the day. Make sure that they are the ones taking the photographs….in my opinion anyway.
9
Know the Post-Production Details
The final product delivered to you should match your discussion before the signing of the contract. Also, know the duration of time you need to wait before you receive the photos. Such discussions should include the following: the final colour resolution used for the final images. What exactly they will be doing during the edit. There is never ever too much information you can gain.
First, read through the contract noting all the details in it. Know your rights and also those of the photographer before signing. If you think there are amendments you need, let the wedding photographer know and find out if this is something they are prepared to change.
10
What are your rights?
Most photographers own the rights of photos taken on your big day. Therefore, you have no rights of publishing them and can only share the watermarked ones with their information on them. They reserve the right of using them for promotional purpose. To fully own the photos, you need to buy the rights from the service provider or negotiate these terms in the package. One way you could get around this is to offer the shots to them for their marketing in return for the right to use and send to friends and family etc.
