Wedding Photographer

Weddings are occasions of celebration and jubilation. They celebrate the coming together of family members and relatives to bless the new bride and groom. The wedding ceremony and reception is one of the most significant social occurrences in the life of a young man and woman.

The wedding ceremony and reception contain wonderful moments of togetherness and merry-making. With the abundant availability of cameras and camcorders today, it is easy to freeze these wonderful moments in time. Later the bride and groom can observe these moments time and again and relive those beautiful memories over and over.

While it is true that, at times, camera wedding favors are given by the couple to their guests, each wedding ceremony has an official photographer. This wedding photographer is a professional chosen after studying his previous works and portfolio. Previously, the wedding photographers may be chosen on the basis of recommendations made by relatives or friends.

However, nowadays weddings are no longer just family affairs. There is a whole wedding industry which has been born that concentrate on helping brides plan their wedding ceremony and reception. These wedding planners often offer assistance in such situations when the couple needs to zero down to a suitable photographer for their big day.

First and foremost, what needs to be done is that the couple should finalize the amount of expenses they can undertake for the wedding and thus decide the amount of money that will be allotted to the wedding photographer. Once the budget has been finalized, the search for the perfect and appropriate photographer begins. Usually, it is necessary to choose a wedding photographer by going through his portfolio which contains some examples of his previous work. Each photographer has his own individual style and that is reflected in his work.

Experience is an essential factor. A wedding photographer without any prior experience in covering wedding ceremonies will always be an unsafe gamble. It is also necessary to ensure the various benefits offered by the photographer and the total costs demanded by him include the charges of extra personnel and additional equipments required. Wedding photographers have the formidable task of capturing wonderful moments of camaraderie and joy on their cameras which will be etched in the memories of all of your participants for years to come.

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Your Wedding Photographer - Its All About The Rapport

The most important thing that a Wedding Photographer can do for their client is to have good rapport with their client. If you come across someone you dont warm to immediately then forget it. Your wedding day can be stressful enough without some squeezer ordering you around for no good reason.

Good rapport is the single most important factor to ensuring you get the wedding photos that you want, without it the photographer will be left to their own devices and their own style may not be what you are seeking or have asked for.

So how have I overcome this, over the years? Well as you know it is impossible to hit it off with everyone, all of the time. However I have a very good track record and enhance my initial rapport with a pre-wedding photography session. We include this in the cost of their package and usually do the session at the location/s that they have chosen for the Wedding Photos.

This gives us a dry run so to speak. Maybe the location isnt as good as we first thought, maybe there is some construction going on that we didnt know about. There are several really good reasons to do a recon of the site close to the day.

Having the bride and groom along at the same time also enables them to have further input to the style and type of photos that they are seeking. Looking at these photos with your photographer, will confirm that you are happy with your chosen style, and to make any adjustments necessary.

HAVE YOU DONE THIS BEFORE?
When people book us for their wedding photographers one of the questions that we ask them is: Have you ever been photographed professionally before? 90% of the time the couple look at each other and say No.

This for us as photographers raises many points. The first is this: If you have never been photographed professionally then you will be in for a bit of a shock, it is actually work.

Being posed and positioned in uncomfortable ways and places isnt really much fun, in fact often the subjects wonder why the photographers are doing and asking what they are. If you have never been through it, it is sure to be very foreign.

Our experience has shown that the best way to overcome this is with the pre-wedding photo session mentioned earlier.

CHOOSING WISELY
I think by now you are starting to see why good rapport is so important to helping you relax whilst being photographed.

Imagine if you just went ahead and booked a Wedding Photographer not knowing how they worked and on the day you found that they were very bossy. Worse still, imagine if you found out on the day that they were very passive and not bossy enough?

You have vested so much time and dedication into your big day the last thing you want is the photographer spoiling it for you, if that happens then you really have no one else to blame but yourself.

After a pre-wedding photography session and after building a good level of rapport between everyone involved my clients always go away feeling confident in what to expect on their wedding day. There are no surprises, no misunderstandings of what is being done or why and there is never any more confusion about what the client is seeking. This has been a winning formula for my business for many years and continues today.

Now can you see why rapport is so important? Without it there will be many uncomfortable feelings for the bride and groom and that can go a long way to spoiling your day. If your initial gut feeling tells you that you dont like the photographer before you then forget it.

Good luck in your search for that elusive wedding photographer, and may your marriage be a long and lasting one.

About the Author

Visit www.whiteweddingphotographers.com to learn more about Robert Brus and his Wedding Photography business.

Article Source: Content for Reprint

How To Choose The Right Wedding Photographer For Your Big Day

Choosing a wedding photographer is a very important part of wedding planning and as your special day approaches this needs to be at the top of your list. If you have already got your dress handled, ordered the cake and set the location its time to lock in a photographer. Here are a few tips to help you with the process.

The pictures that you get from your wedding can really only be taken at the event so it is absolutely crucial that you get a professional wedding photographer, there will be no second chances to get the shots. There are many things to think about including the cost and what kinds of packages are offered.

The price of a good photographer can rival the cost of your honeymoon so you definitely want to plan it into your budget. There will be many options available to you from basic shots of just the ceremony to a complete history of the entire day from preparing for the wedding all the way through the reception. Most people choose for a package that is a compromise somewhere between the two extremes.

Just as if you were contracting a painter or even someone to do work at your home you will want to see samples of the persons work and check out their portfolio. If you are talking to a photographer that is a professional they should have a website available with samples of their work available online. This is how we found the photographer we used for our wedding. I also recommend choosing one who uses digital cameras as this almost guarantees good shots since they get to see the picture as soon as they take it. As I said earlier there are no second chances are and this is supposed to be the biggest day of your life. You want someone who can capture that day for you so you will have it forever.

The next thing you will want to do is decide on the number of prints you will require so that you will have enough for both sides of the family as well as yourselves. Of course, as the bride you will want one large one to frame and hang up in a main room. Be prepared for the prices of larger prints, they are not cheap! Usually the photos taken right after the ceremony are the most expensive as these where the photographer spends most of his time. We were very lucky and the photographer we chose liked us and ended up taking more pictures than we had paid for including hanging out at our reception for two hours.

You can also ask if they do video, if not maybe a friend or family member could do an amateur video for you. Another cool idea that sometimes gets shots that were not seen elsewhere is to give throw away cameras to your guests who can take pictures from their vantage point! Just take your time and you will find the right person to shoot your wedding!

About the Author

Gregg Hall is an author and internet marketing consultant living in Navarre Florida. Find discount magazines wedding photographer at http://www.magazinesubscriptionsdiscounted.com

Article Source: Content for Reprint

5 Points to Consider When Selecting Your Wedding Photographer

The followings are 5 points you need to consider when you are selecting your wedding photographer

1 The budget

The very first thing you need to consider when choosing the photographer is your budget. A higher budget does not necessarily mean that you will have better photos or a better photographer. You should never make the decision only by the price. You may want to get some of the photos the photographers took in the past and see if they are reliable. Considering both the price and reliability will lead to a wise decision.

2 Hiring two photographers

You should spend your money on two photographers instead of one. Two photographers who both charge you a low price can be better than one who charges you a lot.

The reason for hiring two people is that even the best photographer may sometimes make mistakes but you can only have your wedding once. One real case is that I have a friend who works as a wedding photographer. He usually works on his own and in one case there was something wrong with his camera and he did not know that when he was taking the photos. He only realized the problem when the photos are all developed and printed. Due to the problem of the camera, the photos are all in a mess.

In the above case it would be a lot safer if two photographers were hired. It will be really a rare case that the cameras of both of them are having problems. Some photo studios may offer packages of two or even three photographers and you should always ask if they will provide you with more than one photographer.

3 Personality of the photographer

A wedding photographer will need to meet many people and guests in your wedding. His or her personality should play an essential role in order to make your decision. A photographer with bad temper may ruin both your wedding and the wedding photos. Both of you and your guests will suffer if the photographer is very impolite.

You will need to meet and talk with the photographer for a few times so that you can have a rough idea for her / his temper. Of course it is something you need to be careful but most photographers should have good tempers and be very polite.

4 The style

The forth point you need to consider is the style of the photos. Whether you will like snapshots or more journalistic style is totally up to you. However, it will be really a pity if you finally find the style of the photos is not what you like after the wedding.

Making up your mind for the style beforehand is always a good idea. You can even hire photographers with different styles so that you can get collections of wedding photos in different styles. You should communicate with the photographers and take reference to their past works so that you can make your decision.

5 The photo album

You will certainly get photo albums from the photographer when the photos are developed and printed. You should take extra care on the quality of the albums. Quality here means both aesthetic and durability. The album should be beautiful. What is more important is that it should also be durable.

You cannot imagine if the album becomes a mess after one or two years. The album should be something you will keep for your whole life. Again, you can ask the studios or photographers to give you samples of their albums so that you can evaluate if the albums they provide are of high quality.

It is not very difficult to evaluate the photographers. Once you make up your mind, you should inform the photographer as soon as possible. Otherwise if he / she gets another job on the same day as your wedding, you may need to go through the whole process of selecting wedding photographer again!

About the Author

Jerry Leung is a wedding invitation designer with great interest in Chinese Style Wedding cards. His works are in 983 Wedding Invitation. He runs A Wedding Blog and you can find lists of wedding vendors from Wedding Tips Websites

Article Source: Content for Reprint

Six steps to find the perfect wedding photographer

Creating the perfect wedding takes an incredible amount of time, preparation and planning; most people know this and are prepared for the task that lies ahead of them. Although they may have a clear idea of what to look for when choosing the dress, venue or the catering company, many couples are lost when it comes to choosing a wedding photographer.

Choosing the right photographer is vitally important, as it is their work that will be remembered by you, your friends and family for years and generations to come, of your wedding day.

1. Mood boards – deciding your style Before you can find the photographer you really want, you need to know what you’re looking for. An easy, practical and fun way of doing this is using a trick that designers have been using for decades: mood boards. Gather up a big pile of magazines and start going through them, cutting out any photo that you like. Either stick them onto a board or spread them out on the floor and see what pattern emerges: are they posed or relaxed? Formal or journalistic? Colour or black & white? This will help you decide on a photography style, before you begin your search and it’s also a useful term of reference when you meet with the potential wedding photographer.

2. Budgeting – count the cost before you start Before you approach wedding photographers, it’s a good idea to have a rough idea of how much you want to spend. This may sound obvious, but it will save you a lot of wasted time later. At this stage your budget shouldn’t be set in stone, so don’t be scared of by some wedding photographers’ price lists. Most photographers are open to negotiation, or you may want to increase your budget if you find exactly what you’re looking for.

3. Researching and searching Naturally there are photographers with high street shops and there are your local phone books to thumb through, however the Internet is the best tool for this job - with prices and examples of their work, only a click away. A Google search for ‘wedding photographer directories’, will give you dozens of results with hundreds of wedding photographers. It may seem a bit overwhelming at first, but it’s a good place to start your research. A better idea would be to make the search more localized: ‘wedding photographer (your town)’ or ‘wedding photography (your county)’ – the reason for this is that you should meet the photographer, feel comfortable with them as a person, as well as confident in their work. Searching regionally, you can easily find professional wedding photographers in any area you require.

4. Short listing – saving time in the long run With a wedding to be planned, time is in short supply, so draw up of shortlist of half a dozen photographers that you think would be suitable for the job: that have the style you picked out from your mood boards, and are roughly on target for your budget.

Now it’s time to pick up the phone:

• They will need to know the venue, approximate budget and feel for what you want

• You will need to know their availability (good wedding photographers and be booked over a year in advance) From seeing their work and talking on the phone, you should have two or three favourites which you can then arrange to meet and discuss your plans in further detail.

5. Meeting – time to click The advantage of choosing a wedding photography from your town, or county, is that you can easily arrange a meeting.

Some of the larger studios have representatives, but you need to meet the actual photographer who will be there on your big day. The role of the wedding photographer is very personal and it’s important that they have the right personality – in short, you need to trust your feelings, you need to ‘click’ with them.

6. If in doubt – leave them out Some people recommend that you contact the wedding photographer’s previous clients, to hear first hand how they performed on the day. If you have doubts in your mind at this stage, after seeing their work and meeting them face to face – it would be best to walk away. Go back to your shortlist and take your time to find the right wedding photographer for you.

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About the Author: Mark Sanderson is a professional Leeds based wedding photographer. For more information please visit http://www.marksanderson.co.uk

The Way to Interview a Wedding Photographer

You will certainly need to hire at least a wedding photographer. As for your other wedding vendors, you will try to evaluate if their services match what you require and need. You will also need to meet the photographers in person in order to select the most suitable one for you. In fact, interviewing a photographer is not as easy as it seems. In this article, the ways to interview a wedding photographer will be discussed.

Before you contact the potential photographers, you will make a list of them. You can collect the contact information of them from bridal magazines and on the web. You will certainly use search engine to search for the photographers. You should remember to be specific when you are searching. You may use the keywords "wedding photographer" with the place you are living in so that you can confine the search results into your local photographers.

You can start contact the photographers when your list is completed. You will firstly contact them for a brief meeting. This meeting will be somehow like an interview. You will interview the photographer and try to evaluate if a photographer suits you. You may also visit the website of the photographers beforehand and choose some photos you like and request to see the real ones.

As discussed, the purpose of the meeting is to evaluate if a photographer suits your requirement. As a result, it is very important to let him or her know what your thoughts are. You need to tell him or her exactly what you want and need. They should be able to give you some constructive suggestions on your ideas. The input from the photographer is very important since you will know if he or she is good enough for your wedding from his or her opinions. You may even find that the photographer may have some good suggestions which you have never been thinking of before.

The style of the photos the photographer takes is also an essential issue. You will study the portfolio of the photographer during the meeting. You need to make sure that you are not presented with the photos which have been taken long ago. You need to see the recent photos since only these photos can reflect the recent style and works of the photographer.

You may also ask if there can be references from some recent clients of the photographer. This is always important since his or her clients will have first hand experience on the services provided by the photographer. Besides, only by doing this you will know that the photos in the portfolio of the photographer are from real jobs with clients. Although it is important and a good idea to ask for reference, you will have to be very careful about what they say. You need to be critical towards their opinions since they may be in favor of the photographer. You should doubt if you have a feeling that the comments on the photographers are too perfect to be true.

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About the Author: Jerry Leung is a wedding invitation designer with great interest in Chinese Style Wedding cards. He designs Custom Wedding Invitations. Besides, he runs a blog on weddings to share his ideas on items such as Vintage Wedding Gown and Dress. You can also find Indian Wedding Cards and Invitations from his website.

Professional Wedding Photographer – A Wedding Must-Have

Weddings are very special and intimate. Each passing moment should be captured and preserved. This is where wedding photography serves its purpose. Soon-to-be husbands and wives should plan ahead whether or not to hire a professional wedding photographer. Of course there are factors to consider, the budget and where to find a professional photographer. But whatever the situation, taking wedding photos is a must. In the next paragraph, I will mention how a professional photographer can help fulfill the wedding of your dreams.

First in the list, professional photographers would also want to be there in the engagement party. That is, if couples choose to have their photos taken at their engagement, which remains a personal choice for both. There is a very good advantage when photos will be taken at the engagement – the photographer can use that opportunity to “practice” his craft, may be able to observe and decide the best shooting angles. And, both the wedding photographer and the couple will be more comfortable with each other on the wedding day itself, resulting to natural and quality photos.

Wedding photography is an art. Photos taken at a wedding event should not look like a careless snapshot at a slumber party. Professional wedding photographers do have a lot of experiences since they have attended countless weddings. They have gone through a number of wedding disasters from their previous projects like children having tantrums during the pictorials, or guests taking down the camera tripod with them when they tripped and fell to the ground. They are aware that accidents may happen and, hopefully they have prepared for them. They are also knowledgeable when it comes to wedding photography. They can give options if a couple wants photojournalistic/candid, traditional/formal, artistic, or mixed style photography. Couples may choose from black and white to colored photos. Professional wedding photographers can lay out all the creative possibilities and all their ideas to make your wedding close-to-perfect.

Expect that professional photographers use high-quality cameras and photography equipment. Brands of cameras that professional photographers use are Hasselblad, Mamiya, Bronica, Canon, Nikon, and Leica. They also use a variety of cameras like large or medium format, 35mm, digital, and professional cameras. Nowadays, digital cameras are getting more popular and professional wedding photographers also use this option for faster turn-a-round times. Large format cameras are not advisable for wedding days because they are heavy, medium format cameras are more suitable. In the contrary, large format cameras may be used best in a wedding photography studio. 35mm cameras are best for action photos for their faster shutter speed. Just always remember that a high-quality camera plus an excellent photographer will definitely give positive prints!

If your wedding day is coming, come on, it is your very special day. Why not spend on something that is worth your money and your time? Wedding photos are the ones that will remain long after the wedding day is over. So, consider hiring a professional wedding photographer who will help you create enduring photos you will treasure for the rest of your lives.

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About the Author: For more information about professional wedding photographers, visit this site on wedding photography in Maryland.

Amika Jade is a web copywriter for US Website Builder, that is associated with Kovalchek Wedding Photography.

Five Things Your Wedding Photographer MUST Offer

By Paul Kaliher

You’re getting married, right? Congratulations! And, you want your wedding day to be as perfect and beautiful as you’ve always dreamed. But, if you choose the wrong photographer, your day may be a lot less than perfect and you may not be satisfied with the images your photographer captures. Bummer. So, how do you choose the right photographer?
Here’s how. Make sure your wedding photographer offers you these five things. Then you can relax and feel confident the love, special moments and important details of your wedding day will be captured in beautiful images for a lifetime of memories.

1. Do you like the photographer’s work? Look at a fairly good selection of the photographers wedding images, not just a few photos on a web site. It’s best if you can see at least an album or two and a proof book of a complete wedding. The albums probably represent the best of the photographer’s work, and the proof book shows all the typical images he or she captures during a wedding day. How do the images look to you? Are they pleasing to look at? Does the lighting and the color look good to you? Is the photographer’s style what you are looking for? Most of our bridal couples are looking for a mix of photojournalistic images and classic posed traditional ones. Make sure your photographer is capable of, and comfortable with, taking the style of images you want for your wedding. If you don’t like the photographer’s work, there is no need to consider them further. Also, make sure the work you see was done by the photographer who will photograph your wedding. Some studios will show you a lot of good work from various photographers, but will not guarantee you will get the photographer whose work you like the best. Sometimes, a husband and wife team like ours is the best way to be sure the photographer’s work you see is the work you will get.

2. Do you like the photographer’s personality and mannerisms? Is the photographer confident, easy going and not a nervous ninny? Does the photographer have a good sense of humor? Remember, the photographer will be present through most of your wedding day, interacting with you, your wedding party, your family, and your guests. A demanding, inflexible, and uptight photographer can make your day unpleasant. I know you don’t want that! Make sure you and your spouse-to-be get along well with the photographer you choose. If the photographer is going to have a second photographer help at your wedding, meet the assistant photographer and make sure you feel comfortable with them also. To get to know your photographer before you choose them, it is really important you meet with them personally. If it is physically impossible to meet with the photographer, you should make sure some of their testimonials from previous clients make you feel comfortable with the photographer’s personality.

3. Does the photographer have a strong sense of commitment to photographing your wedding and a professional work ethic? Does the photographer use professional cameras, lenses and flash systems? Does he or she have at least some lenses that will produce good images in low light situations (f2.8 aperture)? Does the photographer use a soft box over the flash and keep the flash above the lens on both horizontal and vertical photos to minimize shadows in their images? Does he or she always bring a complete set of backup equipment, or bring a second photographer with another set of equipment, to every wedding? How will the photographer and their assistant be dressed on your wedding day? Ask them. Hopefully, they will professional enough to arrive dressed in a tux, suit, or dressy dress. Although, if your photographer is a man and he says he’s coming in a dressy dress, you might worry a little about that :-). You should get the feeling that your photographer is dedicated to making sure your wedding day is wonderful, and that all of the love, emotions and important details will be captured in images you will be able to enjoy for the rest of your life.

4. Does your photographer have the experience to anticipate all the good things that will happen on your wedding day, and the experience to deal with the bad things that could happen also? An experienced photographer will have photographed enough weddings to anticipate and capture special moments during your day, and the important details that may easily be missed by a “newbie”. An experienced photographer also knows that things do go wrong sometimes and will be able to anticipate and deal with them, often without you even knowing that something went wrong. That’s why a complete set of backup equipment is necessary. My little kit of duct tape, extra cables, pen knife with scissors, and band-aids has been a life saver several times.

5. Does your photographer offer you the right value? Not the right price, but, the right value. If your photographer doesn’t have all of the above four characteristics, it may not matter what their prices are. If the photographer has all four, that’s a big part of the value they offer you. In this case, the price should be less important. Just make sure your photographer will provide what is really important to you and is upfront with you about costs for everything you want. Someone who offers a “low” price up front may sound attractive. But, things change when you find they charge extra for every location stop, for the digital image files, for a studio set up at the reception, and so on. A photographer who charges twice as much, but includes almost everything, can often be a better value for you.

So, there you have it. Choose your wedding photographer based on the above five factors and you will go a long way toward having the wedding of your dreams. Good luck and congratulations again.

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About the Author: Chicago Wedding Photographer Paul Kaliher is a Canon Five Star Master Photographer. Paul has been capturing beautiful wedding images for brides and grooms for over 12 years in the Chicagoland area and other destinations. He and his wife Joan offer their wedding photography and videography at http://www.smsdesign-weddingvideo.com.

Finding Your Wedding Photographer: How to Avoid Three Common Mistakes

by: Nelson Rodriguez

As a recruiting manager for a photography agency that specializes in weddings, I spend most of my day searching for great photographers. I feel a special bond with the thousands of brides-to-be who start their own search every year. I don’t mean to brag, but its tough work. For this reason, I want to share my own experience and ideas on how to avoid the three most common mistakes people make when looking for a wedding photographer. Don’t be ashamed if you’ve already made one… or all of the mistakes I’m going to discuss. That’s the reason they’re COMMON mistakes. Lots of people make them. Whether you’re just getting started, or starting to give up, we hope these tips will help ease the pain.

Tip #1: Know what you’re looking for before you start the process.

Now, you might be asking; “how do I know what I’m looking for, if I don’t do a little window shopping?” I agree completely. I encourage window-shopping, but in this case, that window should be your computer screen, a friend’s wedding album, magazines… anything that you can use to get an initial sense of the visual style that appeals to you. Look at the tone of the images you like. How emotional are they? How intimate? How visually creative? Use this to define what you’re looking for in a photographer.

Look through photos in the comfort of your home, and focus in on the style that really moves you. You may find a few different styles of photography that appeal to you. Try to limit your search to no more than 2 or 3 styles, to avoid image overload. You’ll never find one photographer who is an expert at EVERY style, so prioritize your favorites. Pick one style you care most about, say photojournalistic, or editorial or traditional and look for photographers who can specialize in that style, while maybe having some experience shooting your second and third choices. Armed with this information about YOUR preferences upfront, you will avoid this common mistake and save yourself a lot of headaches.

The process that you shouldn’t jump into right away is making phonecalls, sending emails and setting up in-person meetings with photographers. The time for that will come very quickly, but, believe it or not, starting that too early can do more harm than good. Think about it this way: meeting with a photographer will take you between 2 and 3 hours, including emails, phone calls, traveling to and from the studio, and the meeting itself. If you do this five times, without having a clear idea of what you want, not only will you be susceptible to being sold into a package that may not be right for you, you will find yourself exhausted and probably more confused at the end of 15 wasted hours.

Tip #2: Don’t take friends’ referrals blindly.

Again, this may sound crazy. Referrals from friends are great at telling you about a photographer’s professionalism, their communication style, and how they follow up on issues that come up before, during or after the shoot. That kind of information can take a lot of the pressure off of the interview process. What a referral cannot do is guarantee that the photographer’s visual style or approach is exactly what you are looking for. That is the kind of information you will get from READING the photographer’s portfolio and looking out for the kinds of images you want to see in your own wedding album.

A quick side note here: photographers are no more and no less honest than you or I. They aren’t out to lie to you, but they may be eager to get you as a client. As such, the questions you ask them about their style and approach should be much less important to you than what you actually SEE in their portfolios. And there is no right answer here. Only you know what images will appeal to you. You SHOULD know what you’re looking for… if you followed my advice from tip 1.

Friends are a great way to get help in your search for a photographer, but be sure to use your own eyes to make the final decision. Cousin Mabel may be sweet and smart and charming, and have some great advice for you, but if you don’t share her exact taste in clothing, furniture, or food, you may not share the same taste in photography.

Tip #3: Don’t meet with too many photographers.

You probably didn’t expect a science lesson but unfortunately you’re gonna get one. Studies have found that the typical human brain cannot hold more than 7 pieces of information at one time. So if you’re, say, walking to work AND chewing gum at the same time, you can’t possibly be comparing 10 photographers on top of that. In fact, try it, and you’ll be lucky not to end up walking into traffic.

Speaking seriously, the one word I hear from brides most often is “overwhelmed”. You all know there is a lot of planning to be done, and far too little time, no matter how much you’ve set aside. Some people try to rise to the challenge by OVERbooking themselves. They have to quit their jobs and hire personal assistants just to schedule all the vendor interviews.

What I do for a living is interview dozens of photographers throughout the year. I haven’t gone crazy yet, but remember, it IS my fulltime job. Your fulltime job is something else, and you really do have a limited amount of time and brain power to devote to this.

Limit your meetings to a very short list of photographers whose work has wowed you online, or in a brochure. Also, keep the meetings brief. They’re not job interviews or lie detector tests. Most of what you need to know about a photographer will be found in their photos. How they deal with people can be seen in the level of comfort you see on people’s faces in the portfolio. How hands-on they are will be seen in the amount of posing you see in their work. How intimate they get with the subjects can be seen in the closeness and emotion of the photos. Their technical ability and visual creativity will make itself known right through the quality and artistic style of the images you see. Use the interview just to get a sense of personality, and rapport. Can you connect with this person? How do they deal with questions and follow-up? Make sure you express your thoughts to the photographer, and take note of how he or she responds to your ideas and suggestions.

Finding a great photographer doesn’t have to be the most serious task of your life. There are agencies like my own that help brides manage the work it takes to find the right person, but with a little patience and an adventurous spirit, you can do some of the work on your own. Know yourself, don’t overdo it, and have fun.

About The Author

Nelson Rodriguez has spent the last 10 years as a recruiting manager. He wishes he was perfect, but accepts the truth. Contact him if you have any questions or comments. For more help on finding a great photographer, visit http://www.websterhill.com

NOTE: You're free to republish this article on your website, in your newsletter, in your e-book or in other publications provided that the article is reproduced in its entirety, including the author information and all live website link as above.

nrodriguez@websterhill.com

How to Find, Select, and Afford a Wedding Photographer

by: Dain H. Binder

You are engaged and one of the most important days in your life is fast approaching. Your wedding day will be filled with happiness and emotion. Family and friends will be there; some you have not seen in many years. It will be a wonderful day for you to remember and share. There will be so many things going on of which most you will not even know about until you look at the wedding photographs.

Choosing a photographer may be a difficult and daunting task; and affording it may be even more cumbersome. You may be apt to ask a friend or relative to photograph it for you; this is surely to be a bad idea for many reasons. A professional wedding photographer knows how to capture all the moments of your wedding day with the best results by having years of experience and photography knowledge.

Finding a wedding photographer is not difficult because there are so many. There are many ways to go about finding one and many things you should know. The best way of course is to be referred from another wedding couple that recently had their wedding photographed by a specific photographer. Notice I said “photographer” not business or studio. Your decision should be based off of one photographer’s work; not the work of a group or large wedding photography studio with multiple photographers. Always check who will be photographing your wedding.

There are many other ways to find wedding photographers including the phone book, newspapers, billboards, and of course the internet. Over 70% of all brides and grooms search for wedding professionals online. There are a few things you should know about searching on the internet.

Take your time - The first photographers you will find are mostly because of large advertising budgets. This is not a bad thing but you should see all options available to you.

Be specific - When using a search engine search for your “state” and “professional wedding photographer”. Your search may look like this: Massachusetts “professional wedding photographer”. (Use everything that is italicized.) The part in quotes will eliminate all general photographers and just focus on wedding ones. You could even add your city/town for just local results. (Add the town after the state; do not put in the quoted part.) I recommend using Google (www.google.com).

Ok, so know you know how to find a wedding photographer. Now which one to choose? There are three primary factors that come into play when choosing a photographer; style, price, and personality. Style and price can usually be found on their website so we will start there.

Style – There are many styles such as traditional, photojournalism, candid, formal, etc. Some photographers offer only one style, but the best photographers can offer all of the styles and would normally incorporate them all into your wedding day coverage. It all depends on what you want. When viewing a photographer’s portfolio, remember these are their best shots. Always ask to see a full wedding.

Price – You can spend from $500 to $10,000 on a wedding photographer. The norm is to spend about 10% of your entire wedding budget on the photographer. Most photographers have packages that will include everything from the coverage to the album and final prints. Some photographers have complete al la carte pricing; if you are on a small budget this is the best way to go. You will be able select just what you want. There are two things you need, the coverage and the ability to purchase the negatives or high resolution digital images. Watch out with the coverage; many photographers will charge an hourly fee beyond their normal time offered. When you receive your negatives or digitals images you can print what you want when you want wherever you like. Of course as a professional I recommend using a professional photography lab for your prints but you could certainly use Wal-Mart and save a bundle. Just keep in mind that the quality would be slightly lower. As for your wedding album buy it yourself and put it together yourself. The cost of buying an album from the photographer is usually double the actual cost. Then of course doing it this way you can get it when you want and when you have the money. Visit www.albumsinc.com to view many albums and you can purchase them right online.

Considering style and price select three top choices and schedule a meeting with them. There should be no cost for this. Before you meet with them you should pretty much want to hire them from what you learned about their style and price.

Personality - You want to meet with them to see how they present themselves and if your personalities match. You want someone that is personable and nice so that they will get along well with you, your family, and friends. Never make the decision at the meeting always go home and think about it and wait until you have met with all three. The best in the business will let their work, pricing, and personality do all the talking. The meeting should be a casual conversation to get to know each other and discuss your wedding day in general. There is no need to go into great detail now. Some photographer will try to “sell” you their services; never get sold on something. Remember you already decided you like the work and price before you got there so what are they trying to sell? Just meet with them to get to know them.

Once you make your decision contact the photographer and let them know. Also, be sure to contact the other two and thank them for their time but you have decided to use another photographer. They should be considerate and not try to continue selling you their services; if they do you made a good choice to go with the other photographer. With the photographer you chose go over the details on the phone and have them right up a wedding contract for you to review and sign. Do not pay a deposit until you have read and signed the contract (the photographer should sign the contract also). Read the contract thoroughly; everything you are supposed to receive should be written down and have the price and payment schedule. Always make note of their cancellation policy.

Congratulations you found a photographer and have one scheduled. You should now schedule to meet with them about a month before your wedding date to go over the details again.

Have a great wedding day!

About The Author

Dain H. Binder, DHB Photography
www.dhbphotography.com
info@dhbphotography.com

Choosing a Wedding Photographer – Photojournalist vs. Traditional

by: Vicky Williams

Is your Wedding Formal, Semi-Formal or Informal

Haven't thought of it yet? Well get going! What are you waiting for? Knowing this will give you a better indication on what to look for in a wedding photographer.

Traditional Photographers for a Formal Style

There is no law written in stone, but if you are having a formal wedding, you would probably want to hire a more traditional wedding photographer. Almost all pictures are posed for and perfect down to the last detail therefore accentuating dignity and grace. The downside to this is that the those spontaneous and special moments may not be captured, because candid shots are less likely to be taken.

A Traditional and Photojournalist Balance

If you are having a semi-formal wedding you probably should look for a photographer who has a balance of both traditional and photojournalist styles. That way the photographer can capture the light-hearted moments while still creating that elegant feel with traditional classical photography. Take a good look at his portfolio. Is he equally good at both or does he lean strongly towards one or the other?

Photojournalists for an Informal Style

Are you having a informal wedding? More likely than not, you'll have more light-hearted fun than in a formal setting. These rare moments are captured far better if you hire a wedding photojournalist, because he is capturing your day as it happens. The down side is that he may catch you at an awkward not so pretty moment and its more expensive. Being that you chose an informal wedding, this may not bother you as much.

Check the Photographer's References

This cannot be stated enough. Going by a portfolio is not enough. Call up his references. You'll be surprised at how many wedding vendors give references of clients who were not that happy with their service! Research the national Better Business Bureau. Is there a multitude of complaints? If there was one complaint, was it resolved? (Well at that point you might want to look elsewhere regardless. Why take chances.) Please ask a lot of questions.

Choose the Photography Style You Want

OK so what was the point with all of the above? These are guidelines. It is perfectly legal to hire a wedding photojournalist for a formal wedding and vice versa. If you are looking to capture more candid shots at a formal wedding you could still go with a photographer who has a mix of skills. Your photographs may give off a more semi-formal aura as a result though. Just remember to take your time.

About The Author

Victoria Williams is one of the authors for http://www.nuptialparadise.com. Get more advice on wedding photography at Wedding Photography.

How To Interview A Wedding Photographer

by: Amy Spade

The photographer is going to be your employee in many ways, so you will need to be absolutely sure that this is a person that you can trust with your wedding pictures. Treat him or her like a job applicant and see how you interact with each other.

Making a list

You can find a list of wedding photographers in your local phone book, but it’s much easier to get onto a wedding website and see who local people recommend. This list is much shorter and can lead you to higher quality people without having to call everyone from A to Z.

Once you have a list of photographers, start to call them to set up appointments. Try not to schedule them too close to each other so that you can spend as much time as you need with each one. If you’re rushed, you may forget to ask particular questions and you may also forget which photographer said what.

Make a list of questions that you want to ask. You can ask about pricing, hourly fees, added costs, location costs, various developing techniques, and more. Try to think of every question that you and your soon-to-be spouse can, even if you think they sound silly. No question is too silly, and if the photographer has been around long enough, then they will have heard them all.

Your interview style

One of the things that works best in talking with photographers is to try to make sure that you are leading the conversation. You want to make sure that you are getting your opinion into the talks, rather than being told what other couples are doing and saying about them and how much their fees are.

If you feel like you’re being sold a product, rather than an opportunity to have some great pictures, then you can cut the appointment off and leave. You have no obligation to choose anyone until you’re completely satisfied with your choice.

Look at the samples carefully and make sure that you’re looking at ones that are recent. Sometimes photographers will try to show you older photos, but if that’s not your style, then it’s really not applicable. Study the quality of the pictures and look for poses that you like.

Your pictures will serve as a reminder of the happiness and joy of your wedding day. You need to find someone who will create masterpieces of your photos. Take your time in finding someone, but do it early—if you live in a smaller town, these professionals can book up early.

About The Author

Amy Spade is an expert on planning weddings, and she has written an amazing totally free minicourse on how to make sure that you have the day of your dreams, and avoid wedding day disaster!

Get the free course "Your Special Day from Start to Finish" now at at http://www.weddingdata.com

weddingsmarriage@yahoo.co.uk