Over the last decade, the importance of wedding photography has undergone a huge increase. New brides can now expect high quality magazine style albums, beautiful prints, and DVD slideshows of their images. They also expect hundreds of shots over the whole day, as well as wedding videography to complement the package.
When hiring a professional photographer, brides need to take care to pick the right one. There are thousands of ‘weekend warriors’ who have a digital camera and are trying to get some of the action. Of course among these there are some talented photographers who can produce beautiful images. However there are also some who are just out for a quick buck. To make sure you find the former, here are a few basic steps:
- Ask to see the contract. You should get a contract that spells out exactly what you will get for your money.
- Look at examples of their work. If possible, ask to see some shots from their last shoot as well as just their portfolio.
- If they are a smaller outfit, check that they have backup cameras, flashes, and lenses. You don’t get a second shot at your wedding, so if they drop a camera in the punch they need to be able to go on shooting with another camera.
- Ask for a reference from other weddings they have shot.