So now you’re engaged! You have finally decided to tie the knot, and preparations are now laid-out for your grand wedding. You have taken time out together to plan the details for the event – you have chosen the venue, date and time, entourage, music and the design for the dresses. Now it’s time to choose your wedding photographer. This article aims to make you aware of several important aspects of wedding photography that help you to have great photos on your wedding day.
Your wedding photos are one of the most important aspects of your wedding.
Wedding photography covers the photographs you have before marriage (during wedding announcements, portrait displays, thank you cards) as well as the coverage of your entire wedding ceremony, including the reception. Long after the preparations, when the music stops playing, the guests have gone home, the flowers wilted, you would have your memories..and your photos to look back to.
Know the type of approaches the lensman may have so you can have a say on what you want.
There are two main approaches that you can choose from : the Traditional Approach or the Photojournalistic one. Traditional wedding photography deals with classic poses, and is the most in-demand, if not the only, approach until the recent years. Pose and click is the way it’s done. The Photojournalistic Approach is strongly influenced by editorial reporting styles, and concentrates more on candid and unposed shots. This has become popular because it adds romance and glamour to the pictures.
You should be able to choose the right photographer.
The photographer is tasked to document the entire event, so you have to choose him wisely, and to be able to do this with the luxury of time, start shopping around as soon as you become engaged. How do you choose the right photographer?
Ensure that you see samples of his work.
Should you hire a studio with several photographers, make sure they have identified a specific photographer for you, and look at his sample work, not the studio’s.
Know how long he has been in the business, his experience as a cameraman, what equipment he uses.
Experience is important, as taking the job does not end with great photos alone. His professionalism and reliability matters a lot. Bearing in mind that documenting this momentous event does not entail second chances, you would want your photographer to be dependable and unswerving.
Sense his personality.
Your photographer will be spending a great deal of time with you, so ensure that there wouldn’t be any personality clashes in the middle of the shoots.
In looking at the sample photos, you should get a sense of the photographers style – is it a good fit for you or not?
Excellently done wedding photos speak to you, incites a reaction from you. The mood, emotions and sentiment of the scene should be captured. But of course, these ideas are very subjective, and what works for you might not work for someone else. If you’re the type who looks at a thousand photos and can’t really tell the difference, bring a friend who knows to help you decide
You need to communicate with your photographer.
To ensure that the photographer follows through with the things you wish to happen, communicate with him. Make him familiar with your wedding – your preparations, your style, your expectations. Let him know your lifestyle so that he can unify it with the shots he will soon take. Listen to his ideas too. The easier your camaraderie is with him, the better the results will be.
You should set expectations and sign a contract. To ensure that there wouldn’t be hitches to your agreement, come up with a contract that is signed by both parties. How many assistants will he have? What happens if he gets sick, does he have a contingency plan? Can he cover all locations, church, reception and all? How long will he stay? What will you get — how many shots? In what form –web, CD, digital images? Will you see the proofs? Can they retouch the final shots? Cover all these questions and put it in writing.
With the realization that taking your wedding’s photos is a one-time-big-event that absolutely leaves no room for mistakes, knowing the above aspects ensures you ninety-nine, if not a hundred, percent that you would soon get the wedding photos you have always dreamed of.
Photo by pixelens photography
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