Choosing a photographer

In today’s recession-aware world, it’s clear that value for money is more important than it has been for quite a while. However, when choosing a photographer bear in mind that you’re not buying a commodity where you can easily compare features with price. Ultimately you’re buying the artistic ability of your photographer; can he/she interpret your needs in the way that you want. We would summarise it as follows:

Three criteria

Pictures: will their style give you the images you want  with an appropriate balance of reportage, couple images and family shots (and see our description of reportage photography on the About section of our website).

Personality: do you like them; do they like you; will your family and guests get on with them – they are going to be with you all day!

Professionalism: are they flexible in their approach; do they answer emails/calls promptly; do they have a robust work flow for your pictures after the wedding

And what to ask him/her

Can I see a complete wedding

Who will be with us on the day, and for how long; do you charge by the hour

How many images can we expect to see

When will we first see our pictures

Can we choose the pictures for our album

Do you have a back-up plan if you’re sick

How do you back-up the images after the wedding (we’d like to know that they are secure for the long term)

Will you need feeding during the day – we have heard of a photographer who, at the last minute, demanded to be sat with the guests!

Can we have access to the hi-res files

And finally, if you like what you see and hear, ask them if they’d like to photograph your wedding; after all you want them to be as enthusiastic as you are!