Seattle Wedding Photographer: John Crozier
Wedding tips
Hello Brides and Grooms (and everyone else),
Looking for a wedding photographer? There are a lot of photographers out there and it can be daunting sifting through the pile of portfolios, websites, and wedding sites. And once you get it narrowed down it may be even harder pulling the trigger on the perfect person to photograph your day. After all, besides your spouse to be, your photographer may be the person you interact with most on your wedding day. Here are a couple of tips to finding the perfect photographer, as well as questions you can ask (and not ask) during 1 on 1 interviews.
1. Don’t skimp unless you have to! AKA experience is important.
I could write a whole ‘nother post about why wedding photography is expensive. Lets just put it this way, you aren’t paying a photographer for just the 8 hours he/she may shooting on your wedding day. You may have a strict budget, and photographers respect that. There will always be someone who is starting out. However by hiring an experienced photographer you are guaranteeing (hopefully) a level of professionalism that should translate into amazing photos. There are a lot of unplanned changes; technically, emotionally and physically on a wedding day. These things happen so fast that the inexperienced photographer may miss that perfect moment. It takes a trained eye coupled with excellent anticipation to truly make a wedding day go off without a hitch. Most photographers figure out within a year or two how much they need to charge to make running a business worthwhile. Your average 3+ year veteran wedding photographer can be had for about $2500-3000 for their minimum package. High demand photographers can cost more.
2. Is their portfolio excellent and diverse?
What I mean by this is, are all his/her portfolio images from the same 1-3 events? Are they all taken outside? Are they showing you that they can shoot in any condition, in any weather, inside or outside, day or night? As a Seattle Wedding Photographer, it is important to be flexible and skilled in any circumstance. Here are couple things to look for: Are the skin tones accurate or slightly pink, orange, green? Do the images look sharp? How is the lighting, boring and flat, or beautiful, flattering, and exciting?
3. Ask them about off-camera lighting.
If they give you a blank or terrified stare, RUN. Most pros know a thing or two about how to use off-camera lighting to their advantage. However I have known way too many photographers who will admit, and I quote, that they are terrified putting a flash off-camera. I hate to harp on the importance of knowing how to do this, but it truly can make or break a reception, or turn a boring overcast day into an awesome vibrant shoot. Here are some dance photos I have shot over the years. All but two of them are shot with off-camera flashes.
4. Meet with them in person.
Do you like them? Do you get along with them? Like I said above you will see your wedding photographer a lot on your wedding day. I often find that at the end of the day the bride is hugging me. Awkward, never! Awesome, you bet. I’m a hugger. Take the time in your initial meeting with them to get to know them.
5. Do an engagement shoot.
Same as above, just doing it with a camera. This really lets you get to know each other. Engagement sessions are great. You get awesome pictures of yourself, and you get to feel out your photographer. Test drive your photographer before you buy.
6. Check out their albums.
Besides your marriage the wedding album, and the images in it, are the only thing that lasts after your wedding day. Not all wedding books are created equal. Some photographers use discount vendors for their albums that use inferior products and methods in creating their wedding books. The best example I can think of is bonded leather vs cowhide leather. I did a post here about the difference and longevity of these two materials. So if you don’t want your wedding album peeling and cracking like a fake knock off “leather” purse, spend the money on a real album. Wedding albums from professional photographers should cost around $1500 for a quality book. Often you can get these for a discount if you purchase before the wedding. Why ~$1500? A lot goes into an album: Time designing, time retouching each photo, time to make design revisions, production cost etc.
7. Confirm who your shooter will be.
This may sound silly, but there are multiple studios out there that do not always send their primary photographer. You may end up with an associate who may not be as good. Most people are one man shops and this usually won’t apply.
8. Make sure you like their style.
Photographers put very specific images on their websites. We realize early on that we should post what we love to shoot. If you are on a website and you like a particular style of shot then there is a good chance that the photographer also really loves those types of images. My personal style is casual and interactive. I find the best light and use it to highlight and frame my couples. I always say that if you can smile at your bride I can take a good picture of you.
9. Don’t agonize too long.
Do your due diligence. But don’t get an ulcer over it.
This isn’t an exhaustive list, but it is a good place to start. Good luck.