how to choose a photographer for a wedding?
Wedding celebration is a holiday that is remembered forever, but even the brightest memories fade with time. It is the pictures taken on an important day that help to relive the trembling and exciting, happy and joyful moments. Therefore, it is very important to choose a professional photographer for the wedding.
Where to start looking for your wedding photographer?
1. Decide on your photo preferences
Maybe you want to see classic wedding photos in your wedding album? Or more emotional photos? Or maybe you prefer black and white frames? Do you like reportage shooting more or are you ready to allocate 1-2 hours on the wedding day for a photo shoot together, without guests? Decide which style of photography is closer to you in order to start searching for photographers who work in this direction. Save your favorite frames somewhere for a future meeting with the photographer.
Maybe you want to see classic wedding photos in your wedding album? Or more emotional photos? Or maybe you prefer black and white frames? Do you like reportage shooting more or are you ready to allocate 1-2 hours on the wedding day for a photo shoot together, without guests? Decide which style of photography is closer to you in order to start searching for photographers who work in this direction. Save your favorite frames somewhere for a future meeting with the photographer.
2. Study the portfolio of different photographers
Surely, you have already seen the work of many photographers or just heard different reviews from friends about professional shooting. Ask your friends for the contacts of these people, study their portfolio. If you don't have such friends, then look for wedding photographers from your city on social networks. Many professionals in this field create on-line websites with their works, look at them. If there is no such site, study the work on Instagram or other social networks and identify some of the photographers closest to you in style. Of course, it will be ideal if you have already been photographed by this person or you are familiar with him.
Surely, you have already seen the work of many photographers or just heard different reviews from friends about professional shooting. Ask your friends for the contacts of these people, study their portfolio. If you don't have such friends, then look for wedding photographers from your city on social networks. Many professionals in this field create on-line websites with their works, look at them. If there is no such site, study the work on Instagram or other social networks and identify some of the photographers closest to you in style. Of course, it will be ideal if you have already been photographed by this person or you are familiar with him.
3. Find out what is included in the cost of services
A wedding photo shoot is one of the most expensive types of filming. And the costs of it makes up a significant part of the wedding budget. You have to understand that.
Of course, each couple independently lays a budget for the celebration, so determine in advance how much you are willing to spend on the services of a photographer. Also, immediately study the price list and the services that a person offers for this money. Usually wedding photographers offer the following services to their main job – shooting and processing photos: photo printing, creating a wedding album, additional walking photography. Look at the prices of several photographers (more or less well-known) to navigate the price.
A wedding photo shoot is one of the most expensive types of filming. And the costs of it makes up a significant part of the wedding budget. You have to understand that.
Of course, each couple independently lays a budget for the celebration, so determine in advance how much you are willing to spend on the services of a photographer. Also, immediately study the price list and the services that a person offers for this money. Usually wedding photographers offer the following services to their main job – shooting and processing photos: photo printing, creating a wedding album, additional walking photography. Look at the prices of several photographers (more or less well-known) to navigate the price.
4. schedule a personal meeting
Good contact is very important for wedding photography, because the photographer will be with you for a long time on this day. It is necessary that he be close to you in spirit, so that you feel comfortable with him. It is also important for a photographer to get to know you in order to understand what kind of result you want to get, how best to work with you.
You can discuss all the important points of the wedding shooting during a personal conversation, explain your preferences and show the saved shots, the style and atmosphere of which you like. If the photographer is a real professional, he will give you some tips, explain how you can implement your ideas and tell you the best option. In addition, the photographer can offer you additional shooting before the wedding (for example, Love Story), so that on the wedding day you will be more relaxed. If your photographer does not have such an option, but you are worried that you will be embarrassed on the wedding day, offer to hold an additional photo session or another meeting yourself.
Good contact is very important for wedding photography, because the photographer will be with you for a long time on this day. It is necessary that he be close to you in spirit, so that you feel comfortable with him. It is also important for a photographer to get to know you in order to understand what kind of result you want to get, how best to work with you.
You can discuss all the important points of the wedding shooting during a personal conversation, explain your preferences and show the saved shots, the style and atmosphere of which you like. If the photographer is a real professional, he will give you some tips, explain how you can implement your ideas and tell you the best option. In addition, the photographer can offer you additional shooting before the wedding (for example, Love Story), so that on the wedding day you will be more relaxed. If your photographer does not have such an option, but you are worried that you will be embarrassed on the wedding day, offer to hold an additional photo session or another meeting yourself.
5. draw up a contract
We strongly advise you to draw up a contract with your photographer, this will protect you from possible undesirable situations.
In the document, you can clearly indicate all the nuances that interest you: the date and time of the start of the photographer's work, the duration of the service on the wedding day, the timing of photo processing, in what form you will receive the result, the cost of the photographer's services and what they include, the amount of money paid by one of the parties in case of non-fulfillment of their obligations and other items that are important to you.
We strongly advise you to draw up a contract with your photographer, this will protect you from possible undesirable situations.
In the document, you can clearly indicate all the nuances that interest you: the date and time of the start of the photographer's work, the duration of the service on the wedding day, the timing of photo processing, in what form you will receive the result, the cost of the photographer's services and what they include, the amount of money paid by one of the parties in case of non-fulfillment of their obligations and other items that are important to you.
