Consistency - Look at a minimum
of three to four sample books. Do they look similar or do you like one in particular,
and the others are so-so? If that is the case, how do you know what you will
get? The sample books should look similar. Look for consistency in quality.
You will always be better off with someone who shoots a "very good" wedding
every time than someone who shoots a "great wedding" sometimes and "so-so" weddings
sometimes. Go one step further and ask the photographer to show you a recent
wedding proof set. While everyone will show their best work in the sample books,
a recent proof set or two will show you if the photographer can consistently
produce the quality you are looking at in their samples.
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Lighting - Is the lighting soft and natural? Are the colors vibrant? Most photographers
have a good eye for light. However some photographers make the subjects look
shiny, almost like plastic, or produce colors that look washed out and flat.
Look for the lighting that is the most flattering for people, soft natural
lighting with vibrant colors.
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Posing - With the exception of the pure photojournalistic approach, all wedding photographs
are posed. Look for poses that look natural and relaxed and, of course, poses
that fit your taste. When people say they don't want "posed photographs" most
of the time they mean they don't want the poses to look stiff or contrived.
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References - Don't be afraid to ask for references. However, keep in mind that no one
will give you the name and number of someone that will say bad things about
them. Remember that celebrities don't know any more about wedding photography
than you do. A photographer that rubs elbows with celebrities and has their
photographs all over the walls may not be any better than the photographer
that has never even seen an episode of Melrose Place.
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Pricing - Every studio, it seems, has it's own way to price packages and no one way
of pricing is really any better than the other. The difficulty comes in when
trying to compare the prices of two different studios with different pricing
structures. How do you compare apples to apples? First of all, everyone goes
to a photography studio to buy photographs, so the logical question would
be "how many photographs do I get for a particular price?" or "how much would
it cost me to put together an album with "x" number of photographs?" If the
photographer side steps the issue with "it depends on what size photos or
what type of album," then ask the question based on an average size photograph
throughout the book in the average album. If the photographer still side steps
the issue, then find someone that will give you honest answers. You have a
right to know your approximate total cost for the album with the amount of
photographs you want.
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Assistants - While assistants may make the life of a photographer much easier on the
wedding day, to some photographers they are a nuisance. The photographer knows
if they work better with or without an assistant and this should never effect
the decision to hire or not hire a particular photographer. While some photographers
try to use assistants as a sales tool, only the photographer's work, personality
and price should matter to the client. If you like the work of a photographer
who does not use an assistant, would you pick them over someone who produces
lesser quality but uses an assistant? The same rule goes for posers and lighting
technicians. Pick the photographer based on the finished end result, not how
they get there.
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Sales - Beware of the "if you book tonight" you will get a free Ginsu Knife Set
or a free photograph of some sort. Any high pressure sales should be avoided.
Photographers that are confident of their product don't mind if you see their
competition because it makes them feel that much better when you call back
to hire them. Also don't hire anyone until you have seen all the people you
set out to see. The appointment that you cancel for next week could be the
best of the bunch, so see everyone you planned to see. If you like someone,
ask them to hold the date for you for a few days until you have seen everyone.
If the photographer won't hold your date for a little while then beware. They
are just trying to get your commitment so you don't go see anyone else.
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Style - The consistency you see in the sample books is the photographers style.
If you like a different type of style make sure the photographer can show
you samples of what you are looking for. If the photographer tells you "I
can shoot that style" but can't show you, prepare yourself for disappointment.
Experience - Most photographers can do well when things go smoothly. When things go wrong,
possibly a piece of equipment breaks or things start running late, the photographer
with experience will keep cool and be able to solve the problem at hand with
the greatest ability. The photographer with the most varied background experience
will probably do better than the photographer that worked for one studio for
six months and then decided to open his own shop.
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