TullyBoy

Hello All. As an amateur photographer for 40+ years, I have had ample opportunity to take more spontaneous stills during weddings ( at the couples' /families' request or permission). Now, we have the honor of helping to select a wedding photographer for our daughter and her (wonderful) beau. While scanning my own thoughts and the ever present internet suggestions, it occurred to me that Ugly Hedgehog members might have unique and powerful insights and ideas on the topic. So .... what may be the most overlooked but valuable questions to clarify with perspective wedding photographers? Also, what "shots" might go overlooked that could be set up fairly easily? Any other thoughts for unique and "capturing" wedding photos? Any special ideas used when couple likes natural light outdoor pictures if the weather doeasn't cooperate that day? Thanks so much.

markngolf Loc: Bridgewater, NJ

Hi,
If I were in a similar position, I would interview a few recommended photographers in the area and ask to see representative wedding albums they have created. I'd also ask for local references and speak with a few of them.

Good luck! Enjoy the wedding.
Mark

TullyBoy

Thanks Mark for such quick and useful reply. It is going to feel very weird to have an "event" day when I am not taking pictures : )

dsmeltz Loc: Philadelphia

I would ask all of the candidates what they think, based on their experience, the wedding couple should do ahead of time to improve their chances of getting good photographic results. A good photographer with lots of experience will have some ideas that are helpful and at the same time sensitive to the event participants and guests. I would worry about anyone who did not want to answer. Communication is not only important between the Bride and Groom, you need to be comfortably talking to you photographer as well.

markngolf Loc: Bridgewater, NJ

I'm sure it will. Keep your perspective! It's your Daughter's Day!! Relax, just participate and enjoy the experience. This Day does not have a "backup". It's a one time shot. Make sure you don't miss it!!
Mark

quote=TullyBoy]Thanks Mark for such quick and useful reply. It is going to feel very weird to have an "event" day when I am not taking pictures : )[/quote]

Tomcat5133 Loc: Gladwyne PA

dsmeteitz is right. Ask the couple if they want very formal shots. Or candid documentary journalistic shots.
How formal in the group setups. My mother-in-law fainted at my son's wedding. An upscale photo group
took so much time setting the group shots on a stairs that we were exhausted before the wedding.
this will interest you got it last week. Amazing advertising award shots from weddings. Good luck.
https://mymodernmet.com/international-wedding-photographer-of-the-year-2018/?utm_medium=40digest.7days2.20190116.home&utm_source=email&utm_content=&utm_campaign=campaign

TullyBoy

Thanks dsmeltz. Excellent point. And luckily, this couple would be good with listening to the photographer.

TullyBoy

[/quote]

Hi Mark, Perspective ? Wait, what angle, lens, f-stop and depth of field for that perspective ? Seriously, very much looking forward to the day experienced through unaided senses. Thanks again.

TullyBoy

Hi Tom, ah yes, timing effects all. Hope your mother-in-law recovered well enough to enjoy. Will pass along all info. And the website you linked was fabulous! Thanks.

markngolf Loc: Bridgewater, NJ

All those criteria are in your heart!!
Mark

Tomcat5133 Loc: Gladwyne PA

On am more serious point Tully I am still working shooting video and getting paid some of the time.
Asking clients or an event cover what they want is a key. Even at that it is hard to plan. In advertising, content marketing we have to find out what the clients vision. And with couples it becomes more complicated. Every wedding I have been to is pretty much the same. If you are getting video too
it becomes a major event with folks dancing and playing to the still and video shooters. At times
it appears to be the shooters event. Good luck to the couple.

burkphoto Loc: High Point, NC

Questions to ask perspective wedding photographer:

> Can you show evidence you are licensed, bonded, and insured? (You don't want surprises or liabilities!)

> What's in your contract? (Remember, contracts protect BOTH parties and should state clearly, in plain English (or your native language), the deliverables, scope of coverage, costs, time frames for delivery, penalties for non-performance and late payment, payment schedules, contingency plans, etc.)

> Is your style planned/posed, photojournalistic, or something else? (Some photographers just work off of a stock list of posed scenes. They capture the same boring scenes found in nearly all other couples' photo albums. Others will work from a list, AND cover as much as they can, in between. They record a lot of surprisingly good, spontaneous, joyful, funny, and interesting moments. Still others forgo the list and do only photojournalistic coverage, perhaps with a stylistic flair. These people are best employed along with someone who handles the stock list of moments, IF you have a demanding relative who insists on the classic posed album scenes.)

> Will the photographer have an assistant to provide additional coverage? (Often, multiple events are happening at the same time. The lead photographer may be staging couples' photos after the ceremony, prior to the reception, but an assistant could cover the reception.

> Do you provide videography services? If so, will you record excellent audio of the ceremonial vows, music, etc.? (Videography is traditionally a separate service, but more and more "hybrid" photographers are out there. Quality, even among traditional wedding videographers, varies considerably!)

> What sort of pricing structure do you use? Do you make your money from fees or print sales? (Smart photographers charge a fair fee for coverage, and price prints reasonably. Print prices may include post-production image processing, some degree of retouching, the print, and any print treatments such as spray, canvas printing, canvas stretching, mounting, matting, framing, glass, book composition and printing...

A true professional can provide images on CD or DVD, instead of or in addition to prints, but you need to know what level of post-production is performed on those images. Are they simple, unedited JPEGs? Have they been reduced in size for social media use only? Do you have personal reproduction rights? Are the images converted from raw files, retouched, cropped, color adjusted, and ready to print from full size JPEGs? All those details matter! You may think a disc should cost just a few dollars, but what goes onto that disc can vary from less than an hour's post-processing work to a week's worth of careful artistry! The latter can cost thousands.

A "slash and burn" wedding photographer may record JPEGs straight from the camera onto a disc, with no editing or post-processing, charge you one fee to do whatever you want with it, and run. This sounds like a deal, but may prove VERY disappointing.

Whatever you do, be sure to view samples of prints, samples of image discs, samples of video (i.e.; view samples of whatever is offered, and be sure you ask how much it costs!

> Be sure you establish clear boundaries over WHAT can be photographed, BY WHOM, and WHEN. POST notice of those boundaries at the venues. Smartphones are incredible distractions. Many young couples ban them from ceremonies and the posed photography session after. Most encourage smartphone use at receptions. But if you're hiring a pro, be respectful of his/her time and priorities. If 20 people jump in front of the paid photographer to steal the composition or the moment, is that fair to anyone?

Great wedding photography is not inexpensive. Good wedding photography isn't cheap! But in an age of digital everything, it's important to maintain perspective on memories, and what they are really worth in the coming years.

TullyBoy

Hi Tom, Thanks again. Hadn't thought to realize that video presence would increase the tendency for the group to enjoy /perform since I shoot most exclusively stills. The couple will be very interested in that.

TullyBoy

Hi BurkePhoto, Thanks for taking the time for such a thoughtful and thorough response. Lots of good stuff in there! Will not use space thanking for each section (such as the quality of the sound) but rest assured I will be passing ALL of these comments along to my daughter and her fiance.

TullyBoy

Hi BurkePhoto,

Regarding your ending ...."it's important to maintain perspective on memories, and what they are really worth in the coming years", I completely agree. As a first generation American (mother one of eleven, father one of thirteen), I can attest to the power of photography to impact future generations, decisions, lives ... It also happens to be the direct reason I started in photography. "Priceless" has become trite but I cannot find better wording at the moment.