Choosing A Wedding Photographer

Hello - I know picking a wedding photographer can be a daunting task with the sea of people to choose from. Regardless if you pick me as your wedding photographer or not, I feel it's important for any bride or groom to know a few things before they hire someone. Start by determining your wedding photography budget before you start looking. Chances are you may fall in love with a photographer that you won't be able to afford or find availability to book. There are certain characteristics that define every wedding photographer and you should know what these are so you can better evaluate the person you're looking for. There is only so much you can tell from looking at someone's portfolio, so if your wedding photography is important to you, then you should ask the questions.

Experience
Most bride and groom's look to their wedding photographer to capture all those emotional moments that happen during their wedding day. And in order for a photographer to do that they first must be experienced enough to know when and where to be these things happen. Because we all know that we're not going to stop the wedding ceremony to wait for the photographer to get his or her act together. That why I think it's wise for any aspiring wedding photographer to first start out as a second shooter for another experience photographer. I started out as a second shooter and learned all sorts of valuable things about what it means to be a professional wedding photographer, like knowing when and where to be to "get the shot". I start by saying this because it's not until you've have a few weddings under your belt before you can truly understand the importance of not learning on the job when someone is paying you to photograph their wedding day.

Personality

This is something that is easy to overlook when choosing a wedding photographer. That's why I think it's important for every couple to interview the photographer they're interested in face to face. It will be in this meeting that you will better understand if this person's personality will work with yours. Sure, it's just the photographer, but this is the person that you'll be inviting to your wedding and he or she will be interacting with your family and friends. How they act in front of them will ultimately effect the outcome of your day. I'm a carefree guy and enjoy to laugh and keep things relaxed and loose. But I understand that there are times when I know I need to focus and spring into action while continuing to make things fun for everyone involved. I also understand that some people don't enjoy having their picture taken. So the sooner the photos are done, the happier they are. Which calls for the photographer to be able to make quick decisions while being fast on their feet to photograph all needed wedding party or family group photos. This is the moment when you're photographer will be not just talking to you but asking your friends and family to work together to create these shots. I think you'll know when you meet your photographer in person if their personality will fit with yours and everyone attending the wedding.

Style

Style is something that is communicated by every picture the photographer created. It's the way he or she looks at what is happening in front of them and how they choose to capture what the see with their camera. How they compose each photo. How they dress and present themselves to others. Some photographers will shoot in a candid photo journalistic style, some will shoot with a more posed and formal approach. In my opinion, there is no one right way to photograph a wedding. But by understanding the style of photography that you like, will help you better choose the photographer that best suits you. Personally I like a mix of candid photojournalistic style mixed with classic formal wedding photography. The candid shots will cover the spontaneous expressions and emotions of you and your guests and the classic wedding shots will be the ones your family will put in photo albums and picture frames.
 
Quality

Quality is something I take very seriously. Because in the end that's what you will be judged on. It doesn't matter what kind of photography a photographer practices, half of the photographic process lies in the development of the images. How the images are edited, processed and delivered to the client. Sure it's easy to take the picture, but it's another thing to arrange and present those images in an artful way. That means knowing what kind All final delivered photos should be properly exposed and in focus. Black and white photos should have ample contrast and tonality with rich black, good mid tones and bright whites. Color photos should be properly balanced,  color saturation and contrast.

Communication
Having been married as long as I have, I've learned that communication is one of the most important aspects of any successful marriage. So I've applied that same kind of communication to my wedding photography. I believe good communication means listening to what people want and then making sure you delivered what they wanted. Do you have a shoot list and what items on that list do you want to be sure to get.  When people call you, you call them back as soon as you can. It means being calm but in charge while you direct people into position while taking the wedding party and family group shots. Letting people know when and how they will be able to view and order photos after the wedding and then following up to make sure they received the photos. I know these may sound like obvious expectations, but you know what they say about assuming something.

Service

Since wedding photography is a largely a service oriented job, this is something you should keep in mind. Since I'm a one man band and do most of the work myself, I try and only take on as much work as I think I can handle. This way I don't promise something I can't deliver on time. No one likes to hear excuses when all they want is their photos.

Products

It seems like everyone has a different list of photo products they offer. I try not to go overboard on pushing wedding products and let the couple choose what they want done with their photos. And since these products can get pricey, I like to talk about these things up front in the initial interview so people can better decide what they can and can't afford. Maybe they don't want an expensive wedding album, but instead want to spend their money on enlarging and framing certain key photos. The way I see it, once the photos are processed and ready to go, the sky is the limit when it comes to things that you can do with them.

Price
I don't know what it is, I've never like talking about money. Bottom line is though, everyone wants to talk about it and ultimately it will make or break any business contract. If you're too cheap then people think you or your work is cheap. If it's too expensive then people may think you're work is really good or you're just greedy. So the process of coming up with the right number where everyone involved feels it's a fair price, is somewhat of an art. I really comes down to how much you like the photographer and the photos they create. 
You may have heard this classic wedding marketing cliche, "when all is said and done at your wedding, the flowers, food, drink and cake will be gone, the band or DJ will be a memory. What you will be left with is your wedding photographs". If you can look back upon the photographs and be transported back to certain moments of joy, bliss, sadness and laughter, then I think it's money well spent. So how do you put a price on the photography. Some photographers charge less than $500 and other are over $50,000. So figure out your budget and then go from there.