It is a must that a bride gets a professional photographer for her wedding day. Wedding pictures will last a lifetime, keeping memories of this very special day. It will live longer than the flowers and the catered food, so therefore you would only want a wedding photographer who understands what you want and can be relied upon to capture every minute of this special day.
Before hiring a professional wedding photographer, look for the following:
1. A valid and legal sales tax license.
2. Ask for latest proof of business insurance.
3. Specialized and well kept professional equipment (includes a medium format camera aside from a professional 35mm camera).
4. Membership in any professional association.
5. A permanent studio.
Things to consider:
Level of experience. Check his background and ask for names of persons that he has photographed. Call them and ask if they were satisfied on the wedding photographer’s work.
Personality. Are his ideas the same as yours? Can you communicate with him easily? Does he understands what you want or what is your idea regarding the style of wedding photography that you want to be achieved.
Style of photography. Do the images that are presented appeal to you? Do you like his style?
References. Ask for references and meet with them personally so you can take a look at his works as well as ask them if they were happy with the outcome of with his work. A person who is hesitant to give references is definitely not the photographer that you should hire.
Packages. Ask about each wedding package that he presents to you. If you are not comfortable with the wedding packages, can he make a wedding package to satisfy your needs?
Accomplished work. Ask how long will it take for him to finish your wedding album, your bridal portrait, and all the photos taken during the wedding.
Price. Can you afford his services? If not, is he worth the price difference as compared to others you’ve met? Take the time to ask all that you need to know and make sure you understand all services and photos include in the cost.
Payments and deposits. Should you cancel, can he give a refund? If he doesn’t show up, what happens? Does he have a partner to take his place just in case? Make sure you clear all of this to him as well as discuss with him all your concerns. His answer should be able to convince you that he can be trusted.
Contract. Check and read it carefully before signing. If there is anything that you don’t understand, ask him or ask that he leaves you the contract overnight so you can study it. Be certain that everything you both had agreed on is in the contract.
When looking at the photographer’s work, look for the following:
1. Each sample album must consist of only one wedding. Does he have a lot of sample albums?
2. Does he have a recent actual wedding that he could have you look at? Look through his most recent wedding album.
3. Study each album well and see if the album is telling the story of the wedding and not just filling the album up with similar photos.
4. Are the portraits clear and did the photographer capture the subject’s mood?
5. Are all the photos done artistically? Is there a play of light and shadow?
6. Are candid shots taken? Are they clear and well composed?
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