These days it can be an overwhelming task to weed through the plethora of wedding industry services out there. Choosing a photographer certainly qualifies as one of the most difficult and often confusing parts of putting a wedding together. It seems everyone is a photographer these days and with a continuously growing band of professional photographers out there, how do you choose one that will guarantee good work and most of all work well with you? The answer? Well there is no guarantee but, there are some things you can do to help find your ideal wedding day photographer.
1. Decide your photography budget and stick to it
The average cost for a professional and experienced wedding photographer in the Richmond, VA area is about $2300.00 with a price range from $995.00 to $10000.00 and even higher. At any price, most photographers offer competitive services and products so, you are going to get what you pay for. At the very high end, expect an award winning professional whose work has been featured in magazines and offers the highest quality album design and portrait prints. At the very low end, expect your wedding to be covered, a hard copy of the images and minimal portrait prints. After you have established a price-point, do a little research on the web and look for photographers who fit your budget. Most photographers’ websites offer pricing. If they don’t offer pricing online, a quick phone call will usually provide you that information. If a photographer insists on a personal consultation before they will divulge pricing, just tell them how much you want to spend and they will most likely have a package to accommodate you.
2. Ask around
Ask your friends about their experiences with photographers on their wedding day. Referrals mean everything and if you can find a photographer who has nothing but rave reviews, chances are you will have the same experience on your wedding day.
3. Look at their work
This one is easy. Go to their website. Do you like what you see? Does their style fit your vision and meet your expectations? If so, then take the next step and meet them in person. Look at their wedding albums and wall portraits on display. Keep in mind that photographers want you to see their best work, so make sure there a several different displays or albums available so that you get an overall feel for what your wedding photography will look like.
4. Talk to them and ask questions
Ask them about their experience in the wedding industry. Ask them to walk you through what will happen during your wedding day regarding the photography process. Ask yourself if they seem knowledgeable and seasoned with the entire process. A good wedding photographer will have their routine well established and should be able to convey to you exactly what to expect from them on your big day.
5. You’re the boss!
This final tip is often overlooked when attempting to book a photographer who meshes well with you, your family and guests. Weddings can be a field day for some photographers. It’s an opportunity to practice, experiment, and create that winning shot for their portfolio or for submission to a magazine publication. Remember, the photographer is working for you! Make sure to establish your expectations with them well before the wedding day. If you don’t speak up, be prepared to be on-call playing the role of model and not getting to be a newlywed. A good way to establish this rapport before the ceremony is to have an engagement or bridal photography session with the prospective photographer months ahead of the wedding date. This will give you the opportunity to establish a relationship with them and get a feel for how they are going to interact with you and your guests on the big day.
As posted on www.richmondweddings.com by Bruce Carrington