If you've been to the FAQ section on my website, you will have noticed that I started answering questions regarding Wedding Photography. I eventually realized that there are just so many questions - and that's just about photography! - that it may be better to put all of this info into a BLOG post. So, here we go:
- WHEN should I book my Wedding Photographer?
BOOKING your preferred photographer is easily done a good year in advance. As soon as you have a date set is when I'd start looking.
- HOW will I find THE photographer for my Wedding?
There are lots of photographers out there, some professional, some do it as a side job, for some it's just a hobby. Any of them can be good.
I recommend to first decide what STYLE of photography you like:
traditional, dependable, lasting, …
or more of an untraditional style with lots of fun or funky posing or no posing at all, heavy editing, moody or airy filters > styles that are a thing now though they may not last for the next 5+ decades.
ASK Family, Friends, Google, and Facebook.
LOOK through those recommendations and search results. A professional photographer should have a website with a good portfolio. Do not only rely on social media pages. I believe a website shows more professionalism than a Facebook page alone.
CONTACT your favorites and MEET with them. This will let you get a good impression of the person and business possibly taking care of your Wedding Photography. You’ll want to be comfortable with them - they will be an important part of your Wedding Day Memories.
ASK to see full galleries of Weddings they have done previously. You can see really beautiful photos in a photographer's portfolio. Those are their best and favorite photographs but it doesn't show you what one client's full gallery would be.
The BEST photographer for your wedding will work with and for you. I believe a Wedding Photographer should have at least some experience photographing not just events but especially Weddings. Still every Wedding will have its own 'Personality'. The BEST photographer will meet with you several times before the event to go over all the details to make sure nothing that's important to you gets missed.
- HOW MUCH TIME will you spend photographing my Wedding?
Most weddings need their photographer for 4-6 hours. This will usually cover ‘Getting Ready’, the Ceremony, and the photos of the Wedding couple with their families and Wedding Party. A 6 hour coverage would also take care of at least some of the reception. Some would like to have more or much more coverage.
An experienced photographer can help you carve out a timeline for your wedding day. Sometimes, it makes sense to cut the cake before the dinner instead of waiting till later. Even the First Dance with your brand new spouse does not have to be after the meal! Most weddings today have much more room for ‘changing things up’ that will allow you to really personalize your day.
- HOW LONG will it take to get my pictures?
It will vary depending on the photographer you booked. Some photographers of different levels of experience will hand you a memory stick with all of your digital photos at the end of the day. Some may take a day or two to remove any photos that may be doubles or didn’t ‘make the cut’. Others take longer – yeah, I’m in that category. I’ve tried to make this process faster but it just doesn’t work well for me. One of my reasons that I’ve noticed in the 20 years I’ve been in business now is that Photography is ART and you just can’t rush ART! There’s a time where I need to step away from the photos for a brief time and then dive into that work. I have found that this works well for me, which in turn then makes for the best outcome for my client, even though our patience might be getting tested a bit at times.
Also, Weddings are often planned during the beauty of the fall season. That's busy time for a lot of photographers especially those who also photograph other sessions. So, for us it is not uncommon to wait 4-6 weeks to see your photos for the first time. But here’s a tip to push me for faster turn-around: When you book your Wedding Photography with me, also set a date for a viewing appointment right then. I do work faster under a tight deadline!
- HOW MANY PICTURES will I get?
Small weddings with one photographer usually receive around 300 photos. That can easily double with a second photographer and larger wedding events. Your Wedding Album will contain around 100 photos, unless you want way more or way less.
- WHAT Photos go into my Album and HOW long till I have my Album?
Choosing photos for albums is not easy and can take some time. My recommendation is to let me choose the first draft of photos which you then can edit by adding or removing any of my selection. From there, I’ll create a custom design for your Album. You’ll get a chance to proof that design and make changes if necessary before it would go to print. For your custom Wedding Album to finally be in your hands can take 6 months. I know this can feel like a really long time. However, compared to how long these photographs, prints, and your album will last and will remind you of your perfect Wedding Day, it really is worth the wait.
- Can I get DIGITAL pictures?
All of your photos that you ordered as prints, including the ones that go into your album, you will receive as social media files. These are optimized for fast online loading and to not take up a huge chunk of storage on your devices.
- WHY would you need a second Photographer?
I love having a second photographer with me. It is usually my husband or one of my sons. They all have worked with me for years and know exactly what I need them to photograph. Since they're guys, they can also go where the groom and his guys get ready - I'd be a little uncomfortable with that. While they do that, I can take care of the girls as they get ready. During the ceremony, my second photographer can get the photos from the opposite direction. I'll get the Bride and her Dad as they're walking down the aisle while my guy can get a beautiful photo from behind and also the groom's face as he sees his bride for the first time, trying to hold it together. Then, while we go out for the family and bridal party photos, my second photographer will go to the reception (if it's all in the same place) and get some detail photos of your tables, the decorations you've worked on for the last months, your cake, ... simply the set up ready for your guests. A lot of these photos wouldn’t be possible without a second photographer.
- If I don't book your second photographer will you be by yourself?
No, I will always have an assistant with me. He will help me with my 'stuff', he'll drive the golf cart if we're at the golf course for photos because if I had to drive it while hanging on to my gear... well ya, nevermind that ... He's also great at finding Grampa for the family photo and making sure no one gets left out.
SUMMARY:
DO YOUR RESEARCH!
This is not something you want to leave to your friend's friend's uncle's cousin with the nice camera. If you are planning on this Wedding to be the only one with you as the Bride or Groom, then the quality of your Photography should be able to withstand the test of time.
You can seriously ask us anything about Photography! I will give you honest advice. I want your Wedding Photos the best they can be.
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