Your wedding day is approaching and its time to start thinking about the most important aspect of this special day; the photographs. If you don't work in the publishing field then finding a great photographer is probably new to you. Heading to Google and typing in "wedding photographer" is like trying to pick a raffle winner. There are all sorts of wedding photographers out there some of which could deliver a nasty surprise.
So how can you distinguish one wedding photographer from another? It can be a daunting process. Selecting a wedding photographer can be like choosing a beautician because you never know what kind of work they do until the job is finished. In the case of a wedding that's not a situation you want to be in.
In our previous articles we showed you how to look at your own living environment and see what kind of art and photos you hang on your walls. You may have traditional or eclectic tastes or somewhere in between. You may be drawn to emotion or you may lean toward a more elegant look. It's all up to you. Once you've dialed into your style you have to pick a photographer to create wedding images for you.
So how can you distinguish one wedding photographer from another? It can be a daunting process. Selecting a wedding photographer can be like choosing a beautician because you never know what kind of work they do until the job is finished. In the case of a wedding that's not a situation you want to be in.
In our previous articles we showed you how to look at your own living environment and see what kind of art and photos you hang on your walls. You may have traditional or eclectic tastes or somewhere in between. You may be drawn to emotion or you may lean toward a more elegant look. It's all up to you. Once you've dialed into your style you have to pick a photographer to create wedding images for you.
This is where you need to proceed with caution. New, untested photographers can be really adept at making themselves look good in their marketing copy and show you only the winning shots from various events. They will claim that they "share and understand your emotion" and will deliver that emotion in their photos. Rarely will they tell you that they started shooting weddings last year after taking a few nice images at a family wedding and now call themselves professionals.
If the photojournalism style is for you there are some things you should know about photojournalists. The true wedding photojournalist most likely worked for years in the publishing business. The sold photos to newspapers, magazines and online outlets where they had to present their photos to professional photo editors.
The photo-editing department of a good publication has years and years of experience choosing photos to illustrate the stories they run. If the photographer you're considering using sells to real publications then you'll know that professional photo editors have scrutinized them. This means you need to ask your photographer if their photos have been published.
The budding wedding photographer will have nice photos to show you from the various events that they've covered or perhaps from test shoots that they've set up. What you need to see are all the photos from a single wedding. This is probably the best way to see if your photographer is a true professional. When showing you a complete wedding shoot all of the competent photographer's images will be well exposed and well framed. It will be obvious. If your photographer can't show you a complete wedding shoot, walk away.
It is expensive to be a professional photographer. A real pro must invest in tens of thousands of dollars of equipment. And, they've spent thousands more on marketing, websites, pr and album development. So, the price a professional photographer charges can often give you a sense of their abilities and experience. It's impossible to stay in this business at bargain basement prices. If the photographer you're considering using is charging less than say $1,500 then you should be cautious.
Expect the best from your photographer and make sure they are confident in their presentation. A real wedding photographer will be happy to show you an entire wedding and the photos will all look great. You can ask your photographer for the names of former clients and they should share a
If the photojournalism style is for you there are some things you should know about photojournalists. The true wedding photojournalist most likely worked for years in the publishing business. The sold photos to newspapers, magazines and online outlets where they had to present their photos to professional photo editors.
The photo-editing department of a good publication has years and years of experience choosing photos to illustrate the stories they run. If the photographer you're considering using sells to real publications then you'll know that professional photo editors have scrutinized them. This means you need to ask your photographer if their photos have been published.
The budding wedding photographer will have nice photos to show you from the various events that they've covered or perhaps from test shoots that they've set up. What you need to see are all the photos from a single wedding. This is probably the best way to see if your photographer is a true professional. When showing you a complete wedding shoot all of the competent photographer's images will be well exposed and well framed. It will be obvious. If your photographer can't show you a complete wedding shoot, walk away.
It is expensive to be a professional photographer. A real pro must invest in tens of thousands of dollars of equipment. And, they've spent thousands more on marketing, websites, pr and album development. So, the price a professional photographer charges can often give you a sense of their abilities and experience. It's impossible to stay in this business at bargain basement prices. If the photographer you're considering using is charging less than say $1,500 then you should be cautious.
Expect the best from your photographer and make sure they are confident in their presentation. A real wedding photographer will be happy to show you an entire wedding and the photos will all look great. You can ask your photographer for the names of former clients and they should share a
The budding wedding photographer will have nice photos to show you from the various events that they've covered or perhaps from test shoots that they've set up. What you need to see are all the photos from a single wedding. This is probably the best way to see if your photographer is a true professional. When showing you a complete wedding shoot all of the competent photographer's images will be well exposed and well framed. It will be obvious. If your photographer can't show you a complete wedding shoot, walk away.
It is expensive to be a professional photographer. A real pro must invest in tens of thousands of dollars of equipment. And, they've spent thousands more on marketing, websites, pr and album development. So, the price a professional photographer charges can often give you a sense of their abilities and experience. It's impossible to stay in this business at bargain basement prices. If the photographer you're considering using is charging less than say $1,500 then you should be cautious.
Expect the best from your photographer and make sure they are confident in their presentation. A real wedding photographer will be happy to show you an entire wedding and the photos will all look great. You can ask your photographer for the names of former clients and they should share a few with you with no reservations. And, beware of photographers advertising unrealistically low prices. Low price is a sure warning sign.
About the Author:
Learn more about San Francisco wedding photography. Stop by John Santoro's site where you can find out all about bridal photography and what it can do for you.