7 Tips To Consider Before You Hire A Professional Wedding Photographer No comments yet

As you search the internet for wedding photographers, no doubt you will come across a multitude of articles or lists on how to hire a professional photographer; some of the articles may have been either written by a professional or inspired by one, while other articles have been created by either brides or sites that have never worked in the field of photography. As a professional wedding photographer, I would like to inject my experience and professionalism when it comes to creating a list of tips on hiring a professional wedding photographer for your special day.

Regardless of whether you have an idea of the style of photography you like or not, one thing is for certain, the type of wedding photographer you hire should be a personal choice and one you are completely happy with.

7 Tips to Consider When Hiring a Professional Wedding Photographer:

1. Make it a matter of style: Your selection of a wedding photographer should be based on the particular style you like. If you think all photographers are the same, think again. I once had a bride book me online, never seeing my work, and when she received her photos she was a bit upset at my style which was not what she had wanted. I make it a point to show my work and explain to the couple that I am not a “traditional” wedding photographer. I can appreciate the diverse styles other professionals have and so should you. So, my first tip is to make sure that what you want matches the style of photographer you are seeking. You will be able to tell by what they show you in their albums.
2. Personality is paramount: I don’t mean that if a photographer doesn’t have a personality, you shouldn’t  hire them. What I do mean is that the both of you should be able to hit it off and that your personalities should be compatible. You need to feel comfortable on your wedding day and the photographer needs to feel comfortable as well. I can recall a time when I was photographing an engagement session on the beach and the groom was a bit of a problem. He had a horrible attitude about the entire photo shoot, as well as his bride to be. At the end of the photo shoot, I simply told him that it would probably be best if he hired another photographer and that I wasn’t a fit for him. Needless to say, I received a phone call that evening with an apology. I explained to the groom that my roll as a photographer involved a creative process and that if he planned on being rude and disrespectful, it would be difficult for me to provide him with a quality product. He agreed. The point is, personality is important. He would have been better off hiring someone who may have matched his demeanor.
3. View sample work: This may be a no brainer, but you would be surprised at how often brides don’t want to see the work and just get excited at the low cost or what they see on an online portfolio. Most photographers will show you there work. What you want to see is at least a complete wedding the photographer photographed and some nice formals, enhanced work, etc. But for the most part, you won’t have a problem seeing samples. My only take on this is ask how old the weddings in their albums are. The point here is that styles can change or the photographer may not have photographed a wedding in a few years. This may or may not be a problem, but it’s always good to see some fresh work. This will give you the confidence that the outcome is similar to what you may expect. (Side Note: No two weddings are alike and no two brides are alike, so don’t expect to see the exact same image from your wedding as you saw in the photographers book.)
4. Get it in Writing: It’s a good practice for both couple and photographer to get what is being bought and offered in writing and on a contract. This way, there are no discrepancies when it comes time to collect your images and album.
5. Determine who owns the copyright: While this may not be negotiable with many photographers, it’s a good idea to ask anyway. I retain the copyright, while I give limited copyright to the couple allowing them to reproduce the work. Some photographers give up the rights all together while others don’t. So, be sure to ask so you don’t end up with any surprises in the end.
6. Referrals may or may not be a good thing: I make this bold statement because, what one family member or friend may have liked about their wedding photographer, may not be what you particularly like. But, getting a referral from a trusted source is a good start. You will at least know that your trusted source won’t lead you astray.
7. Price is not everything: Because a photographer charges you a rate of $5,000 for a wedding package, does not make him/her the best and the opposite is true; If a photographers has a rate of $1,200 for a package, this does not mean their quality suffers. So don’t base your sole criteria of a photographer on price. Determine your budget range for a wedding photographer, and then seek the ones out that fit the style you like. Often times you may find someone with a slightly higher rate than you budgeted for, but you hire them anyway. The point here is find the style of photography you desire, and then try and find a photographer within your price range, giving consideration to those outside your range as well.

Hopefully this helps you on your quest to hiring a photographer for your special day. If you have any additional tips or questions, feel free to leave a comment.

Affordable Wedding Photography Solutions No comments yet

I had a bride, which has booked me for her upcoming wedding, call me a few days ago in tears. She had just lost her job and her & her fiance where already on a tight budget. She didn’t know how she was going to pay for her wedding, including her wedding photographer and she couldn’t postpone her wedding. After a brief discussion with her, we had worked out a payment option that we could both live with this way she wouldn’t have to compromise her wedding photography.

This phone call made me think; we’re in a recession and I have seen business slide a little. I’ve actually had brides email me trying to barter for services. I had one willing to do a new website for me in exchange for wedding photos. Others try to cut deals or modify packages. Nevertheless, people couples felling the pinch and know other photographers are too. So, I have a brief list of suggestions for both brides and photographers; the former on how to acquire affordable wedding photography, the latter on how not to lose potential business due to price.

Affordable Wedding Photography for Brides:

First, let me preface this list with a note: You should always hire a professional photographer when you can. I have had many brides, where I was not their wedding photographer, contact me asking me if I could fix their wedding photos because their “friend” or ‘”cousin” photographed the wedding and didn’t do a good job with lighting, etc. So, if you can afford it, hire a pro. Because, by the time I get done charging them to fix their photos, they could have hired a professional photographer.

1. If you want to hire a specific wedding photographer, ask if they can take payment arrangements. You’ll find some are willing to help you here. But keep in mind you may not see any images until you are done making payments.
2. If you’re getting married during the week or in the winter, you may want to ask if your photographer offers a discount. Some photographers don’t publicize any discounts, while others may. So it does not hurt to ask.
3. You can try bartering. It may or may not work. Most photographers I know tend to shy away from this, but it’s worth a try.
4. If you truly can not afford a professional wedding photographer, then you can try a photography student. Try your local community college. If you’re in the Azusa area, try Tri-Community Photography School as well. (This is not a paid advertisement, just know of them.)
5. If you can’t locate a student at a college, then you may want to try some online resources. I don’t really advocate this approach, but have seen people use it with success. One source is craigslist.com or another site, guru.com.
6. Or, you can have a friend or family member photograph your wedding. But keep in mind, you may not get the quality you had hoped for. The again, you may have a very talented friend or family member.

Tips to Getting the Wedding Photo Booking:

As a photographer, I’ve had to make concessions when it comes to getting a booking. Especially during times of economic hardship like now. While you as the photographer get to decide your business practices, you’ll find that by being flexible, you may gain more business in the long run. Here are a few tips I’ve learned over the years:

1. If you already don’t, you may want to try taking a payment plan. I have been able to book a few more weddings by doing so. However, put it in your contract and be very specific. I had a couple once take two years to pay. That meant they didn’t receive their images for two years. I don’t take such long payment plans any longer, but do what feels comfortable for you and the couple.
2. While I mentioned this above for the brides, you may want to barter. I personally don’t, but you never know what someone may offer you. It’s worth hearing the offer at least.
3. You may want to postpone the retainer you collect. I do collect a retainer, but when I meet with a couple who may not have the full amount, I will have them sign a contract and let them know that the date is not officially set until I have the retainer. I also inform them that if I get a call for the date they want to book, I’ll call the couple first and see if they have the retainer, if not, I’ll inform them that I do have to meet with another couple for the same date. Typically, I get the retainer from the original couple. However, by doing delaying it, it gives the couple a few weeks or month to get the money together and you really haven’t lost a date since you can book it if you get a request and the original couple could not get you the retainer.
4. Offer a modification of your wedding package. A bride may truly want to book you based on your photography style. However, she may be discouraged on your packages as she may not need everything you offer. So either offer individual pricing or be flexible in your packages.

The bottom line, if both the couple and photographer are flexible, I think they can work out a deal where the couple can afford to hire a professional photographer and the photographer can continue to do business in a down economy. I think it’s a win-win solution for all.