A dream holiday to Thailand started with a mega 14 hour flight to Bangkok. I’m not one for flying, as I don’t enjoy the experience. However, the flight was forgotten as soon as we collected our luggage and passed the Thai immigration control.
Monthly Archives: November 2007
So you need a photographer?
Weddings cost money, and usually lots of it. The wedding is the end product of many months planning, researching, and decision making. All the time, effort and money comes together on your wedding day. A photographer will document all that effort, emotion and investment and keep those memories for years to come.
With that in mind I’m shocked that some potential clients have one question (and often only one question) when enquiring about our services: how much for standard wedding?
If you can show me a standard wedding, then I’ll give you a standard price. From my experience I would say no such thing exists. Every client is different and each wedding is unique, there is no “standard”.
So here are some questions that potential clients may want to consider when selecting a photographer?
- Availability
Please check the photographer’s availability, this is will save you time and unneccessary repetition!
- Expectations
What are your expectations? What are your partners expectations? What about the families? Are these all aligned? Can you articulate your expectations? It’s understandable that clients don’t know what they want with so many options available to them. It is important that clients visit suppliers and see for themselves what is on offer.
It’s important that your photographer understands your expectations, although they may tell you otherwise: most are not mind readers – if you have something in mind, tell your photographer. By all means bring things with you. I have had clients show me posters, albums, magazines to articulate the look they are after.
- Style
If you want traditional images get a traditional photographer, if you want contemporary images then a traditional photographer is only going to disappoint. Photographers do get a feel for ceremonies and the running order of certain events, and some are happy to advise clients whilst others prefer to stay out of the way. What would you prefer?
- Personality
You want to ensure the wedding runs as smoothly as possible. To this end you need to get on with the people who you’ll be spending your wedding day with – this will include your photographer. The level of interaction depends on their style. That’s why it’s important to meet them in person. Photography is a partnership of both the person behind the camera and those in front! Like all relationships, you need to trust each other!
- Budget
Ensure you get a breakdown of costs, so you can compare like for like. Packages can include items that you don’t want, so why pay for them? Always keep in mind what you want out of the photographer. If having an album of the wedding day is all you want, don’t get distracted by offers of extra days shooting and prints. Meeting in person allows for a conversation to clear up any misunderstandings, over email and even over the phone quotes can get muddled.
Having said that, it’s worth seeing what is available before you make up your mind.
- Reliability
The advent of digitial camera’s means many people pick up a camera and believe they are a photographer. Check the photographer’s portfolio for bredth and depth – how many weddings have they shot as the principal photographer (does it show in their work)? what are their turnaround times (what are your expectations?) and most importantly will they still be in business as your wedding date(s) approaches. Also is the photographer you’ve booked also the photographer that will actually shoot the wedding?
What happens if things go wrong? Do they have insurance? What does it cover? Do they have backups of their images? What happens if their camera breaks?
- Products
Not all products are the same. Have a look and touch the products, quality usually shows through.
Do you get a soft copy of the images? Will they be water marked? Will they be tiny pictures or in high resolution? Who owns the copyright?
- Process
How do you get from booking to final product? Do you have a formal contract or it is a relationship based on trust? Does the photographer pick the pictures for your album or do you? Do you have sign off or any input in to the design process? What are your preferences?
These are some of the things I would recommend you consider, but by no means an exhuastive list.
Thanks for reading!
KR,
by Sunny Kalsi
show hide 1 comment
add a comment link to this post email a friend