High quality wedding photography is an important ingredient in today’s wedding planning process. Indeed it is the one building block that provides the couple with a physical reminder of how wonderful their big day was. The difficulty, however, is what constitutes a high quality wedding photographer? If a couple does not know how to identify a high quality wedding photographer the chances are not good that they will happen upon one.
Indeed, the chances are good they will end up with average or even poor wedding pictures, giving them low value for their money. Even if a couple has the money to simply go out and hire the most expensive photographer around there is no guarantee that they will end up with the best possible wedding pictures, much less the best value for the money. Likewise, hiring the photographer that is booked many months in advance is no guarantee, though both price and popularity are indeed indicators that they might have the requisite skills to do the job that you want.
However, since most soon to be married couples cannot afford to simply go out and hire the most expensive and do not have or want to take the time to engage the wedding photographer that is booked two years in advance it is crucial to find a way to get the best value for your money. Put simply, what specifically are you paying the photographer at your wedding to do or possess?
First, a wedding photographer is compensated for their technical knowledge and to possess the right equipment. This is obvious. To find someone that is really skilled a couple needs to look at a portfolio of entire weddings taken by the specific photographer they are considering, not just a patchwork collection of the best pictures they or their company took from a variety of weddings. Anyone can put together an album of great photos if they take enough pictures. The problem is that an engaged couple are buying an entire wedding’s worth of pictures so compare on that level.
Second, a high quality wedding photography grows out of the photographer’s interpersonal ability. To many this seems absurd, but in truth this is probably the single most important factor in ending up with the best possible wedding pictures. A couple gets the best value from a photographer that sets them and their family at ease because the posed pictures will look most natural and the candid pictures will be more candid.
Third, take into consideration the photographer’s time and labor. If a pair needs to watch their budget this is the primary place to look. By carefully scheduling the wedding day so that the photographer can get in, get the pictures they need and get out, the price should be less than keeping them around all day. By scrutinizing and rearranging the schedule, a couple therefore will likely be able to meet the expense of a more skilled photographer and therefore have better quality pictures as a result.
Fourth, popularity is evidence the photographer might be suitably skilled. If a photographer is popular among brides there might be a reason - or it might simply indicate that they have the right friends. Regrettably, like anything else, the most popular wedding photographers command the highest fees. Still a photographer could be worth a look in the event they are popular. Ultimately, however, no bride should let the prestige of engaging the most popular photographer deter them from taking all factors into consideration when making their decision.
Finally, when a couple finds a photographer that meets their needs in order to make certain they get that high quality wedding photography they are paying for they need to get a written contract that guarantees that the specific photographer they are engaging will in fact be the one who shows up to shoot the wedding.
Of course, the big selling point of the wedding photography industry is that they are not just selling pictures, they are selling memories. It is a valid point. Ultimately when a couple buys wedding pictures they are buying a tangible record of their big day celebrating their union. That has value. Nevertheless, only the couple themselves can come to a decision regarding how much value it has. Still, by taking into account the above four elements of wedding photography and by taking the precaution to get the specific individual photographer named in the contract, a couple ought to be able to uncover a skilled individual to provide that high quality wedding photography that will reflect their big day for years to come.
Madison WI photographer Terry Talbot
http://www.talbotphoto.com/
Indeed, the chances are good they will end up with average or even poor wedding pictures, giving them low value for their money. Even if a couple has the money to simply go out and hire the most expensive photographer around there is no guarantee that they will end up with the best possible wedding pictures, much less the best value for the money. Likewise, hiring the photographer that is booked many months in advance is no guarantee, though both price and popularity are indeed indicators that they might have the requisite skills to do the job that you want.
However, since most soon to be married couples cannot afford to simply go out and hire the most expensive and do not have or want to take the time to engage the wedding photographer that is booked two years in advance it is crucial to find a way to get the best value for your money. Put simply, what specifically are you paying the photographer at your wedding to do or possess?
First, a wedding photographer is compensated for their technical knowledge and to possess the right equipment. This is obvious. To find someone that is really skilled a couple needs to look at a portfolio of entire weddings taken by the specific photographer they are considering, not just a patchwork collection of the best pictures they or their company took from a variety of weddings. Anyone can put together an album of great photos if they take enough pictures. The problem is that an engaged couple are buying an entire wedding’s worth of pictures so compare on that level.
Second, a high quality wedding photography grows out of the photographer’s interpersonal ability. To many this seems absurd, but in truth this is probably the single most important factor in ending up with the best possible wedding pictures. A couple gets the best value from a photographer that sets them and their family at ease because the posed pictures will look most natural and the candid pictures will be more candid.
Third, take into consideration the photographer’s time and labor. If a pair needs to watch their budget this is the primary place to look. By carefully scheduling the wedding day so that the photographer can get in, get the pictures they need and get out, the price should be less than keeping them around all day. By scrutinizing and rearranging the schedule, a couple therefore will likely be able to meet the expense of a more skilled photographer and therefore have better quality pictures as a result.
Fourth, popularity is evidence the photographer might be suitably skilled. If a photographer is popular among brides there might be a reason - or it might simply indicate that they have the right friends. Regrettably, like anything else, the most popular wedding photographers command the highest fees. Still a photographer could be worth a look in the event they are popular. Ultimately, however, no bride should let the prestige of engaging the most popular photographer deter them from taking all factors into consideration when making their decision.
Finally, when a couple finds a photographer that meets their needs in order to make certain they get that high quality wedding photography they are paying for they need to get a written contract that guarantees that the specific photographer they are engaging will in fact be the one who shows up to shoot the wedding.
Of course, the big selling point of the wedding photography industry is that they are not just selling pictures, they are selling memories. It is a valid point. Ultimately when a couple buys wedding pictures they are buying a tangible record of their big day celebrating their union. That has value. Nevertheless, only the couple themselves can come to a decision regarding how much value it has. Still, by taking into account the above four elements of wedding photography and by taking the precaution to get the specific individual photographer named in the contract, a couple ought to be able to uncover a skilled individual to provide that high quality wedding photography that will reflect their big day for years to come.
Madison WI photographer Terry Talbot
http://www.talbotphoto.com/
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