Thursday, February 7, 2008

Wedding Photography - How To Choose The Right Wedding Photographer

By: Hayden Barile

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)The Best Wedding photographers in Orange County 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 photographer faster.


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