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Here are some helpful hints when
BOOKING A PHOTOGRAPHER 1. Hire a professional. There are many
affordable professional wedding photographers out there. Watch for
the ones who have never done it. You can not do this over so make a
good choice. Your medium format traditional photographers will
usually cost you more than the photojournalistic 35mm photographers.
Find out what you want first of all.
Color? Black and White? Formal poses? a mix? more photojournalistic?
Do you want the Formal Album or just a proof book? Do you want the
negatives? 2. Compare the prices between the
photographers package prices and ala carte pricing. One package may
work better for you. Find out before hand if you take the ala carte plan,
how much are the reprints and enlargements? 3. The more they cost, the better they are:
NOT TRUE. This is up to you and what you are looking for. You
will pay more for a photojournalist. You will pay more for artistic
pictures, Infrared, and hand tinting. The cheapest might not be your
answer either. They may not have the experience. Don't put your
wedding in the hands of someone who is not experienced. Remember you
can not re-shoot it later. Rates: What you can expect to
spend Traditional - 150-200 proofs - medium format.
$1400-$2000 Photojournalistic - 300+ proofs - 35mm
$2000-6000 Artistic - 300+ proofs - 35mm $3000 -
10,000 4. Do you want a female photographer (they
come with the woman's perspective of course) or a male photographer?
Woman have made great strides in this industry which was dominated
by men. Man or woman it doesn't really matter, what does matter is
that you like the person you are working with, you feel you can trust
them, and you are comfortable with them. 5. When viewing the portfolio: Do you like
what you see? Why would a photographer show something that was not
the best work? Every photographer should furnish you with a standard
portfolio. But what are you going to get? Ask to see a complete
wedding in a real proof book. This will give you an idea of really what to
expect. A heads up: Not every image is the perfect picture! and
there is no photographer who can guarantee picture perfect each and every
shot. Do you see a variety in the portfolio? Is there a mix
of candids and formal portraits? What about black and white? Infrared?
Sepia? Hand Tinting? Do they offer retouching of blemishes? What about
scanning to CD Roms? 6. Meet the photographer. Many companies
have multiple photographers and it is important you get a feel for the
personality and work of the actual person who will be
there. 7. Dress Code: I am always shocked when I see
a photographer dressed inappropriately for the occasion. It is
embarrassing!. If your wedding is formal they should be formal as
well, (or at least wearing the same as the service). Men should
always wear a suit. Woman either black slacks and a button down
shirt (for formal they would match the caterers or the guests).
8. Processing time: Now that you know a
little more about cameras and film, if the photographer tells you 4-6
weeks that is very reasonable. Some 35mm photographers can get the
proofs to you in 3-4 weeks depending on the lab. If you hire a 35mm photographer what lab do they use?
Is it a 1 hour mini-lab? Is it a professional lab? Is it a mail order lab?
A professional 35mm photographer should be using a professional lab.
They should not be going to the mall to have the proofs printed!
Professional labs offer "dip and dunk" processing. This means the
film is dipped into a tank and avoids any possible scratches. It is also
much more archival (it will last longer in time). Ask your
photographer if their lab offers this service as well. 9. The contract: Do you understand the
payment terms? Does the photographer require full payment the day of
the wedding? If so what is the guarantee he/she will deliver the
proofs? What happens if the photographer is
sick? What is the cancellation policy? 10. References: Get a few references which you
can contact. When speaking with the references remember they are
regular people taking time out to answer questions. Be courteous to
them and remember one day you may be a reference. Your gut feeling about a person or photographer may
be a good thing to tune into to. If you don't feel comfortable, they
probably are not the photographer for you. You may end up worrying
about the photographer the day of your wedding. You shouldn't have
to worry.
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