WeddingPhotojournalist.info 9 Tips For Choosing Your Wedding Day Photographer _______________________________ How are your wedding preparations coming along? My wedding day in 1997 was a whirlwind of activity, from trying to appease the bridal party before I could finally catch a glimpse of my wife-to-be, to the church ceremony and reception in the afternoon, and then to a local hotel for the customary dinner banquet. I'm feeling exhausted just thinking about it again! And not to think of the months of preparations that went into it. The wedding day went by so quickly it was, quite honestly, a total blur. But I do recall that I got up way too early that morning (for some inexplicable reason), was ferried from place to place to place, shook too many hands, smiled incessantly (even at people I didn't know), said my vows (thankfully to the right lady), had a morsel of food at the banquet, and finally found myself enervated at the end of it all. Now you're probably wondering why I'm telling you all this, and where it is leading. It is this: given the flurry of activity on our wedding day and how quickly the day went by, our memories of it have always been through the photographs that were taken. We were glad that we had a competent photographer. If you, too, give wedding day photos a high priority, here are nine (unbiased!) tips I've put together to help you choose your wedding day photographer. 1. Ask a friend You may be surprised that a professional photographer is saying this, but you could shave off quite a bit from your budget if you have a friend who's a competent photographer, and who's willing to photograph your wedding as a favour or at a nominal fee. But bear in mind that this may mean that your friend misses out on being a participant in your celebrations, or, on the contrary, may participate to such an extent that he or she misses photo opportunities. 2. Shop around If you're thinking of hiring a professional photographer, shop around to get a good feel for the photography packages that are on offer - how much they cost, and what's included. This is the first and only time you'll be scouting around for a wedding photographer, so ask questions, and ask some more. Be wary of photographers who do not have your interests at heart. 3. Hidden costs Ask if there are any additional costs that have not been spelt out in the packages. For example, are there transport charges? Are there location charges? Is there an additional charge if you'd like to have an outdoor photography session on your wedding day? 4. Hourly rates Ask your photographer if there are additional hourly rates involved. Although almost all wedding day photographers charge a package fee for their services, materials, and expenses, some packages are tied to certain time periods, after which or before which an hourly rate applies. Take note of these rates if any, and if they apply to you. One other point that should be noted here is that an additional service fee typically applies if your wedding celebrations are spilt over two days, as when you hold your dinner banquet on a different day, for example. 5. Photographs Although I've been alluding to dollars and cents, try not to base your decision solely on price alone. At the end of the day, what's ultimately important are your photographs. Schedule a meeting with your photographer to view her or his portfolio, and to let her or him know your needs. Look at the style of photography, the content of the photos, and the quality of the prints. Do these sit well with you? Did you have something else in mind? Do you like how the weddings were covered? Importantly, if you're thinking of engaging a company that consists of a pool of photographers, do check that the photographer whose photos you like will be the one covering your wedding. 6. Quality, not quantity I know this sounds clichéd, but it's worth mentioning again, given our propensity at times to just want more! By quantity I mean the number of photos that are included as part of the photography package. I'm exaggerating here, but 444 'bad' photos will not make up for 88 good ones that you'd be happy to have and show to family and friends. 7. Comfort Feeling comfortable with your photographer is an important consideration. Do you feel that you'll have a good working relationship with him or her? Perhaps more importantly, would you feel comfortable with him or her around on your wedding day? These are questions only you can answer. Make it a point to meet up with your photographer. It's easy these days to communicate through e-mail, on internet forums, and via SMS, but nothing beats a face-to-face meeting. 8. Passion The photographer's passion for wedding photography, that is. Do you sense that your photographer is passionate about what he or she does? Having a passion for wedding day photography can make a real difference in the quality of your photos and the level of service you receive. Photographing a wedding is a highly demanding job, both physically and mentally, and your photographer should have the passion to see it through. 9. It's your wedding! Finally, remember that it's your wedding, so pick a photographer whose photographs you feel will help you recall vividly the fun, joy, tears, and details of your special day. Happy shopping! ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- About the writer: Born and based in Singapore, Tan Choon Huat has been a professional photographer for over 10 years, working in the areas of photojournalism, wedding, event, and travel photography. He considers it a great privilege to have been the photographer at many weddings, to which he brings a distinctive photojournalistic approach that results in a unique visual story of that special day. His website is at www.fspphotos.com Important: Kindly note that the reproduction of this article in any form is prohibited, unless prior permission has been sought from the writer. Contact Choon Huat directly at: choonhuat@weddingphotojournalist.info ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- On a different but related note, if you're thinking of having your very own wedding website, these companies make it easy to build an attractive and useful one yourself.. 1. eWedding.com 2. My Event ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
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Tan Choon Huat Photographer, Singapore |
