So let’s throw out all those banal, pointless questions and give you some slightly more obscure ones, which will actually be far more helpful in assisting your decision. After all, this person is going to be spending a lot of time with you on, and in the run-up to, the biggest day of your life. Surely you want to know a bit more than whether they’re a Canon or a Nikon fan?
1. What would you do if you weren’t a photographer?
Your photographer’s answer to this one will give you a great insight into their personality, interests and lifestyle as well as their genuineness and passion. You don’t necessarily need to find common ground with the person who sells you your veil and tiara – but it’s crucial to get along with the person capturing your wedding memories. If you’re not comfortable with them (and even worse, if you don’t actually LIKE them!) it will show in your facial expressions and in the general atmosphere of your wedding photographs, which does not make for an amazing album.
Choose someone you like, someone you can picture yourself having a coffee or a glass of wine with and someone with whom you share certain interests or values. Photographers are human beings too, and we’re all different, so spend some time chatting to make sure you’d be happy to have them around on your wedding day.
2. What do you think of the photographer in the next street/town?
This is also a great indicator of professionalism and personality. A real professional will never run down the competition and will always try to be diplomatic. As Mother always said, “if you’ve got nothing nice to say, say nothing”, and in business that’s very important.
"No one has ever made himself great by showing how small someone else is." ~ Irvin Himmel
3. Which part of the wedding do you most enjoy?
The enthusiasm in the answer to this question will determine a lot about the photographer’s attitude and creativity. Usually the best shots are the ones that are enjoyed, both by the people being photographed and the photographer shooting them. If you’re looking for a quirky, fun look to your photographs choose a photographer who enjoys catching the lighthearted, spontaneous moments. Similarly, if natural shots of family are most important to you, choose a photographer who enjoys shooting candid, unposed people shots in between the ceremony and the wedding breakfast while people mill and chat. If you want high-fashion-style bridal portraits, choose someone who enjoys those most and is happy to spend plenty of time with you to get wow-inducing images.
4. How can you help to make me look my best in photos?
A good photographer will be able to offer advice, tips and tricks to make you look your best. Some people want to look slimmer, others may be self-conscious of their ears or teeth for example, and it’s the photographer’s job to put your mind at rest on any issues you might have. If your photographer offers an engagement or pre-wedding shoot, use the opportunity to try out their suggestions. The more at ease you are in front of the camera, the smoother the photography will run on the day and that means more time to spend enjoying yourself with your guests!
5. What contingencies do you have in place?
This is something most often overlooked, especially by couples who are basing their decision on price alone. Don’t risk your wedding photographs to save a few quid – it’s not worth the regret. Make sure the photographer you choose has ample back-up equipment and is fully insured. Also make sure they have a system in place so that if they break a leg, they have a network of potential substitutes able to cover your day to the same high standard.
If you’re getting married in winter, check on their ability to get to your venue if there’s ice and snow.
You should of course take out your own wedding insurance to cover you against any unforeseen disasters, but the more prepared you are against as many eventualities as possible, the less likely any problems are to ruin your wedding day!
If you’re currently planning your wedding, congratulations! This is a really exciting time so enjoy it, and if you’d like help, ideas or information we have endless (*almost) wedding planning resources available including supplier recommendations, etiquette information, seating plan advice... you name it! Just give us a call if you’d like to come and chat about all things Wedding – 01341 28 11 93.
~Sally Marie~
©Sally Marie Photography Ltd – No reproduction, publication or any other use without written permission from the author.
The advent of digital technology has made the route to a career in photography significantly more accessible than it was twenty years ago. This is both a blessing and a curse, as the ‘short-cuts’ provided by instant viewing of a shot taken, lack of developing costs and intelligent automatic camera settings mean that increasing numbers of digital camera owners are portraying themselves as ‘photographers’ without knowing enough about correct exposure, composition, dealing with mixed lighting or low-light, colour balancing and the intricate minutiae of posing the human form.
Setting up as a professional business requires financial investment. It’s not enough to just have a camera and print up some business cards. If you’re shooting weddings, you’ll need at least one back up camera, lenses and flashguns, tripod, reflectors, wireless triggers, batteries, memory cards etc etc. And let’s not forget the decent computer and editing software. Then there’s insurance in case anything goes wrong, your marketing materials and sample albums, training courses, travelling expenses…. Is it suddenly looking less profitable to be shooting weddings for peanuts? Good! This is the bit where most newcomers to the business fall down. They think, “I need to build up a portfolio, so I’ll do some cheap shoots and all it’ll cost me is my time.” Yes, my head is in my hands every time I hear that dreadful phrase. What could possibly be more valuable than your professional time, your expertise, your skills and knowledge? Start strong, and charge a fair price that covers all those costs we just talked about, AND your professional time, AND makes a little bit on top for your business. Once you sit down and do the sums, I guarantee you’ll be surprised at just how much you need to charge to break even, let alone make anything. But don’t feel too bad – it took me at least 2 years of shooting weddings at a loss before realising what needed to be done!
As the rain clouds cleared we headed to the park for some scenic shots, beginning with group posing techniques.
After that the delegates were let loose on the very patient Chloe, in order to put into practice the techniques we'd covered in the morning's classroom session on bridal posing. The delegates concentrated on body angles, correct arms and hand positioning and interacting with the 'bride' to get the best from their shots.
Everyone did very well in the 10-Shot Challenge and it was clear that they were really putting attention to detail into making the shot perfect before pressing that shutter.
After a confetti session with some slightly over-enthusiastic confetti cannons, we set about finding interesting backgrounds around the parklands to add shape, colour and texture to our portraits.
