Choosing your Wedding Photographer

Words and Images by Marcus Bell, Studio Impressions Photography

Capturing moments. Telling the story. Documenting your day.  These are the ways wedding photographers try to explain what we do, but being a wedding photographer is really so much more than this.

On the day we pin buttonholes in suits, put veils in hair, drop flowers to the groomsmen, whatever may be required. And in the desire to deliver you amazing photographs we might find ourselves running stairs, lying on roads, walking knee deep into the ocean or clinging precariously to a railing just to get the right shot. Most importantly, we record one of the most memorable days in your life.  I was reminded of this recently when looking at my own wedding photos, now 15 years on. Through these images I found myself sharing the day with my children and I know it shows them the love I have for their mother, and reminds me how much I love her too.

This is the start of your life together as a married couple; a momentous day in the timeline of your life.  The images from this day will be one of the few things that will become more valuable long after your wedding. These photos are irreplaceable. That is our huge responsibility and our great privilege, and why I love being a wedding photographer.

There are a lot of inaccuracies about wedding photography. These can be a distraction to couples when choosing their photographer.  Here are my tips for putting the common myths aside and choosing the perfect photographer for you.

Myth 1: It is important to own the copyright to the photos.

Copyright is usually owned by the photographer. It is your wedding and you are the subject of the photograph, however the image itself is the creative work of the photographer.  It reflects their ability, and their reputation. Copyright simply protects the photographer from having their work used by others without appropriate permission. Watermarking of the photographer’s logo across images serves the same purpose – to protect your wedding images from unauthorised reproduction or commercial use. If you are provided with a disk of images from your photographer, then the photographer has also passed on permission for you to use and reproduce those images for your own personal purposes in any way you choose.  Owning copyright does not change that.

Myth 2: Wedding photography is overpriced.

It costs several thousand dollars for just a few hours work. This would be true if the only time that your photographer spent on your wedding was on the actual wedding day. Your photographer will probably spend upwards of 80 hours on your wedding in addition to the coverage on the day. This includes all the preparation for your wedding and days of post-production work to refine your images and create the products that make up your package.  Remove the cost to produce your albums and prints, general costs of running a business, and then reduce what is left to an hourly rate, and you will find that wedding photography is not necessarily as expensive as it may first seem.

Myth 3: I don’t need an album. I can save money by getting the digital files only.

There are many people who, years after the wedding, wish they had purchased an album because their negatives/digital files are still sitting in a box, and they have never quite “got around” to doing any prints for themselves. If you only intend to look at and share your photos electronically, then don’t get an album. However, the cost of the digital files alone is not likely to be significantly cheaper than a wedding album.  This is because a quality wedding photographer will spend countless post-production hours on all the images they give to you, ensuring that if you do choose to print from your files then the images will still display their work at the standard they would produce themselves.

There is only a small additional amount of work required to produce an album. Furthermore, in offering you an album, your photographer is also providing you with their design experience, and will most likely use archival quality paper and only the best materials to create your album. Many of the cheaper retail album services available use lesser quality materials which may result in prints and album images deteriorating. If your photographer is not spending this time in post-production and simply gives you the disk of images at the end of the day – ask yourself, what exactly have you paid for?

Myth 4: Experience isn’t important if you have a good camera and a shoot list.

The right golf clubs don’t make me a professional golfer.  When everything is running an hour late and the rain is pouring on the location shoot, a good camera won’t help.  Experienced photographers bring more than equipment to your wedding. They bring organisation, a back-up plan, the ability to coordinate a large group of people, and they bring calm. Most importantly, they bring creativity and the ability (honed through years of practice) to “see the moment”.  This is why they don’t need a shoot list.  A true professional will be everywhere when all the important things are happening, yet you will never notice them and they will never impose themselves on that interaction. Only when you see the images will you realise just what it was worth to get those moments in picture.

So, my first tip: Hire a professional and trust their judgement. Here are a few more tips for finding your perfect photographer:

1.  Create a shortlist of photographers to choose from. To create your shortlist;

• Get referrals – from your friends, family and colleagues, venue, wedding planner, stylist, dress designer, florist, hairdresser…  When a photographer keeps getting mentioned, it probably means they are good, so check them out.

• Look in wedding magazines and wedding blogs for “real weddings”. Wedding blogs and magazines are often very selective about the real weddings they choose to publish, requiring the photographs to be high quality and tell the story of the day. It takes a professional photographer to produce images to these standards. If you find you are consistently stopping on the work of one or two photographers, then put them on your shortlist.

• Look for a photographic style that suits your personality and the style of your wedding. If you are comfortable in front of the camera and like to have a bit of fun with posing and props, then seek out a photographer whose work is highly stylised and planned. If you don’t like to know you are being photographed and prefer a documentary approach to your wedding (where the photographer is in the background capturing moments as they happen), then choose a photographer whose style is photo-journalistic.

2.  View their work. A lot of it.

Ask to see a full wedding or a full album.  The photographers’ blog is often a good place to start. While their website might show select images from a few weddings, their blog will often profile a whole wedding and can be a good indicator of the quality of their recent work.  Try to also see the actual finished products that will make up your package – whether that is prints, an album or a disc of images.

3.  Meet with them personally – even if this is simply a telephone call, or preferably Skype.

Not only do you need to like their work, but make sure you like the person. They will be spending hours within one of the most important days in your life with you! Meeting with them gives you the added benefit of seeing how they present themselves and their work space. This often indicates the pride they take in their work, and more importantly how much respect they have for you.  Unfortunately I have seen photographers turn up to formal weddings wearing shorts and a t-shirt.  This is not only unprofessional but disrespectful of the couple, their guests and their wedding day.

4.  Notice how much they ask about you.

Many couples spend all their time in an interview with photographers discussing price and package inclusions.  I really believe that this is secondary to your selection process. If you don’t like the photos or the experience, it really doesn’t matter if you have paid $5000 or $500 – you’ve paid too much. A really good photographer will also be interviewing you to ensure they can deliver what you want. They will genuinely want to know about you, your family and friends and your wedding day plans.  They will care and they will most likely get excited.  This is because they are imagining how they can get the kind of photos you will absolutely love. Then they will be flexible with offering you a package that caters to your wedding.  If they don’t ask you questions, they probably haven’t thought about your needs or the finer details.

5.  Check their credentials.

A photographer who is an Accredited Member of the Australian Institute of Professional Photography (AIPP) has met and maintained a professional industry standard. There are different levels of membership with the AIPP so before assuming that your photographer is an accredited professional, check with the AIPP on what the different levels mean.

6.  Finally, seek out value for money.

This means looking at the quality of each product within your package, and the level of experience and service you will receive from your photographer. Make sure there is a contract of service in place and a guarantee on the products within your package.

The investment you make will be worth it for many years to come.

Videography

Many couples are now considering the use of a videographer to help capture the moments of their wedding day. In conjunction with still photography it is a popular option for couples, and a wedding video effectively shows all of the emotion, sounds, and excitement in moving imagery.

Videography, like still photography, is one of the most personal choices you can make for your wedding day. Understanding the process and investigating the professional choices available could prove to be time well spent if it is a service you are contemplating.

Many of us own a video camera, and most families would have an avid videographer in the midst who chooses to dabble in the art of taking moving pictures. Giving a family member the responsibility of taking charge of a wedding video is a big risk on such a special day, one that can prove to be disappointing and the decision needs to be well considered.

Maree Parks recently experienced just that and shares with us her thoughts on taking some time to contemplate the pros and cons associated with opting for an amateur to video the day. “My uncle who is very computer savvy and renowned for purchasing the latest electronic gadgets and camera accessories, volunteered his services to video our wedding day,” Maree remembers. “It was a welcome relief to the wedding budget, but we were devastated with the end result,” recalls Maree. “The first ten minutes of the video was fantastic, but after that the focus turned from photographing us to him enjoying the day, and as the day passed he quickly forgot about his job of videoing our wedding while he concentrated on enjoying the fabulous food and wine at our reception,” explains Maree.

“There was more footage of a wine glass perched on a reception table where the camera took its place for the evening, than any images of my husband and I. We had no record of speeches, cake cutting or the fabulous dancing that took place later that night. I was distraught when I got the chance to play the video and not choosing a professional to capture our wedding was the only regret of the day,” said Maree.

Andrew Wilson from DVdynamics explains the benefits of having a wedding professionally videoed. “A wedding is such an important day filled with excitement and emotion,” says Andy. “To leave those special memories in the hands of a friend or relative can often lead to regret later.” Andy also advises that only by choosing a professional videographer can you be ensured that every special moment is captured, by the professional being in the right position at the right time. “We use professional camera equipment, and with a variety of microphones at our disposal, we can capture beautiful high definition images with great sound to match.”

Andy also explains that the acquisition of the images is only part of the movie-making process and that the actual editing of the footage is equally important and requires creative talent.

Ben Amos from Innovate Media shares his thoughts on the subject. “Weddings are a special time and unlike other types of video production, you only have one chance,” says Ben. “To achieve this you not only need a professional camera operator but also professional-quality equipment including high-definition cameras to ensure that the footage and sound captured is of the highest possible standard. The story of your day really comes together back in the editing suite. A skilled video producer can turn an assortment of shots of your day into timeless cinema that’s a joy to watch,” says Ben.

Of course some couples find it very difficult to feel at ease while being videoed, the thought of a camera following you around can prove to be a horrifying concept for many to consider. Andy understands that couples can often be a little overwhelmed with the intimate nature and transperity of a video, but suggests that the secret to the process is to relax. “A wedding is an emotional day, everything needs to be perfect, and I always tell my clients to have confidence in what you have planned, trust your service providers and enjoy the spontaneity of the day,” says Andy. Andy also suggests a great way to ensure there is a level of familiarity between the videographer and the clients on the day, is to make an effort to really get to know each other so that the clients are not intimidated by the process. “We always try and assist with helping our couples relax, and we welcome extra meetings and when possible, attend rehearsals in order to build a relationship and rapport with our clients.”

Andy Wilson also provided us with his tips and advice on choosing a videographer.

COMPARE AND CONTRAST

“My advice would be to actually visit video companies and seriously check them out. Compare their work, styles, prices and inclusions. Most videographers have highlight clips on their websites and some will even send out show reel DVDs,” says Andy.

Andy also suggests making sure that you view a finished movie that includes a similar theme to your day. “Whatever type of wedding you are planning, whether it includes a traditional church ceremony or an outside event, ask to view a sample movie of the same style,” says Andy. “Checking the quality of the image and sound in the important areas such as the marriage vows and speeches is a great way to gauge the level of quality you can expect.”

MEET YOUR VIDEOGRAPHER

By personally visiting a video company you not only get to check out their work but you will have the opportunity to meet with the videographer and gauge his or her personality. “Couples must feel relaxed and confident that they are hiring the right person for their wedding day. The videographer will be spending a lot of time with you, so make sure you feel at ease with them.”