Choosing A Wedding Photographer
It's a difficult and bewildering decision when it comes to choosing the photographer for your Wedding Day. Believe it or not some people still pick up the Yellow Pages and simply pick a name believing that all photographers are the same.
Our guide below gives you some pointers to ensure you get the right person for your needs. It is built up from our experience of the market and from customer comments who visit us after having had a bad experience elsewhere.
Your Choice
- Make sure you visit the photographer. Don't rely on a glossy advert or a flash web site as people only put their best pictures on there and they don't tell the whole story.
- When you visit make sure you get on with the photographer. If they are pushy or arrogant during this first meeting there is no reason to believe they will change for your Wedding Day.
- Ask to view their most recent albums, not just one or two prints from each. Looking at the full album will help you to see what you are likely to receive as your album.
- Make sure you like the photographers style. If you're after ultra formal with everyone is a perfect line and all tie straightened and this is not reflected in the photographers albums it's unlikely they will change their style just for you. If you don't agree on style just move on.
- Don't be afraid to talk about costs. It takes us about 10 days work to put together one of our albums because we check and enhance each picture for you. If someone is charging £250 for a wedding then the likelihood is that they are not going to put much effort into your pictures.
- Make sure you know what the total cost will be. To do this you will need to know what you want from your day - an album for you, one for the parents and maybe an enlargement or canvas? These extras could add up significantly so make sure you know what the cost is up front.
- Don't buy on price. Paying a reasonable price doesn't necessarily mean you will get an average photographer - liekwise just because you pay the top price doesn't guarantee your photographer will be the best. Always check the work.
- Check what parts of your day will be covered. It is common for many photographers to only cover the ceremony and the pictures immediately afterwards. If you want pictures of the bride getting ready or the evening reception this could add to the cost. Be clear about your requirements.
- Ask difficult questions - if it's a Winter Wedding ask what they will do if the weather is bad and you can't go outside. Ask them to tell you about weddings which haven't gone well and how they dealt with it. Experienced photographers will be able to fill you with confidence with their answers.
- Finally. You're the customer and you should be treated as such. This is one of the most special days of your life and you should be made to feel special. If you don't feel like you're in charge or can speak freely just walk away.
We hope this guide helps you in your choice of photographer. If you can think of anything else we should add to this guide, or if you want to discuss your wedding plans further you can contact us here.