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Selecting The Right Photographer

 

Choosing A Wedding Photographer
By Patrick Rice
Rice Photography 440-979-0770

 

The choice of your wedding photographer is one of the most important decisions that any Bride and Groom will make regarding their wedding. Unlike most of the other choices of vendors for a wedding, the implications of a good or bad photographer are felt each time you view your photographs throughout your marriage. The following tips should help making the right choice easier.

1. Don’t make a choice of a photographer based on price alone. There will always be somebody available that will offer to take your wedding photos for a very low cost. With all products and services, there is always a cheap alternative. In wedding photography and many other things in life, you do get what you pay for.
2. Start your search for a photographer by asking your friends and family for a referral. Word of mouth advertising is always the best and most honest in any field. If your friends were happy with their photographer, look at their album and see if it meets your needs. If you like what you see, you will probably be happy with that studio as well. After getting referrals from your friends, start to check out photographer websites. Although you shouldn’t choose a photographer strictly from what you see on their website, it can certainly help you eliminate some photographers you don’t want to work with.
3. Ask your photographer if their photographic style is traditional, photojournalistic, or a combination of both. Some older studios may have a very entrenched traditional style and like to control the posing and lighting to create technically perfect photographs. Some of the younger and newer photographers are almost exclusively photojournalistic in their approach and rarely pose a photo. The vast majority of experienced wedding photographers are capable of creating both traditional and photojournalistic images to meet the needs of any couple.
4. Ask your photographer if the package is for a defined number of hours or for the duration of the wedding day. Many studios offer “all day” coverage, which translates to photography from the Bride getting ready prior to the wedding through the end of the wedding reception.
5. Ask your photographer if they belong to any professional photographic association. Like so many professions, trade associations are a way for its members to stay current with the latest trends, styles and techniques through continued education. These photographic associations meet on a monthly or yearly basis and give their membership the opportunity to network with other professional photographers.
6. Ask your photographer if they have any professional credentials. There are numerous associates, bachelors and masters degree programs available to photographers as well as certification. Photographers who have achieved these levels of education and/or been certified by a state or national association have proven that they are the best in the field. Remember, anyone with a camera can call themselves a professional photographer. Not anyone will have a photographic degree or certification.

If you follow these simple steps and ask these few questions you will make an informed decision and find the right photographer for you.

For specific questions and help please contact us at help@weddingapproved.com