I recently sat down with a couple who had just gotten engaged. They had been dating a while, and I could see that they were approaching their wedding planning as a team. He was chivalrous, offering her a seat before taking his, and he greeted me with enthusiasm.
She wore a warm but reserved smile when she nervously asked me, “So what should we tell you?” And in that moment I suddenly realized that, although I do these interviews all the time, it's daunting for a newly engaged couple to simply know where to begin!
As I mentioned in my last post, each wedding service has its own considerations. This website is designed to help you wade through it all, from fashion to food to music. As a photographer, I can offer some advice when it comes to booking one of my set for your wedding day.
Start your planning by looking at lots of pictures.
Check out idea websites such as ours and The Knot, blogs like Style Me Pretty and 100 Layer Cake, and photographer’s sites and blogs. Not only will this help you gather up fun ideas for your wedding day, but it’ll also give you a sense of what you like in wedding photography.
There are a lot of different styles, and it’s good to be familiar with the labels, but I would bet that most photographers work within a couple of different genres, given the moment within the day.
Once you have a sense of what you’re likely looking for, start to talk to photographers whose work interests you.
The sooner, the better. It used to be that you could leave off choosing a photographer for the three to six months prior to your wedding. If photography isn’t a huge deal to you, or you’re not that fussy about what you get, this could still be the case.
But if getting the right eye (and demeanor in a photographer) is an important aspect of on your day, then you might want to begin your search as soon as you have your venue and date set. Photographers can book as much as a year in advance or more. I’m already starting to get inquiries about 2012 myself!
When contacting prospective photographers, be sure to include where you’re getting married and having the reception, the date and your anticipated guest count. Pricing is usually dependent upon these factors.
Another thing to figure out before you go into the interview is what products you’d like to have in the end.
Do you want to receive all your wedding photos as proof prints (4x6 photographs, sometimes with the photographer’s watermark) or digital files (on CD, DVD or external flash drive)? And if digital, do you need proof files (also around 4x6– good if you want to make gifts for parents and friends and are having your album professionally done) or hi-res (usually allows you to make up to 11x14 photographs from the files– good if you want to make your own prints for framing and/or a DIY wedding album).
Many photographers also offer thank-you cards and enlargements (photographic prints larger than 4x6). Then there’s the wedding albums and all of the different book styles!
If a photographer offers albums, s/he will probably have sample books to show you featuring his/her work, which is a good way to do a gut check about what you want (and a good way to determine if the photographer’s sense of design is a good match for you).
Ultimately, you’ll want to meet your favorite photographers, and some good questions to ask are:
How many weddings does s/he do a year? The answer to this question will give you a sense of the photographer’s experience level as well as how much individual attention you can expect.
Does the photographer have business insurance and liability? This isn’t always necessary and some artists may not have it. However, some venues require all vendors to have it, so it’s a good thing to know.
What’s the general ETA on final products? This can vary greatly from photographer to photographer. A wedding photographer creates thousands of images each week, which need to be processed before delivery. A good thing to look for, rather than who gets it done the fastest, is whether the photographers you’re interested in have a system in place for dealing with the workflow. This will let you know how organized and communicative they are.
Does the photographer seem flexible? Flexibility in package inclusions or payment plans may indicate an ability to go-with-the-flow throughout the planning and wedding day.
If the photographer has a set way of doing things, ask why. Maybe there are good reasons that s/he’s developed over years in the business.
Is his/her personality a good match for you? The photographer is one of only a few vendors (along with the videographer and planner) who will be with you throughout your entire wedding day (in the room while you’re getting dressed, stealing private moments at sunset with you and your fiancé). Is the photographer someone you can stand to be around on a really stressful/exciting day?
Once you’ve determined the answers to these questions, and decided which photographer you want to go with, you’ll need to let him/her know. Secure the date by signing a contract and putting down a deposit.
But this shouldn’t be the end of your relationship until the week of the wedding! Stay in touch during your planning.
The best ways to do this:
Have an engagement shoot. It’s a great dry run for the wedding day and lets your photographer get to know your good angles as well as what to say to help you relax in front of the camera.
Discuss your shot list. If possible, meet with your photographer at the venues and talk about picture ideas. And be sure to let your photographer know about divorces, deaths and any other family situations that may be helpful in easing the way for the formals.
Discuss your final schedule for the day. Give your photographer the run-down on all the happenings so s/he can be in the right place at the right time.
Explain the ceremony and party particulars. Your photographer may have shot hundreds of weddings, but there are always things s/he might not have seen. Give your photographer a heads-up so s/he can prepare the best equipment to document those moments.
Of course, you should discuss any changes to the plans as they arise, but also just touch base every once in a while.
The more you build a relationship with your photographer ahead of the wedding day, the better your pictures will be.
The photographer will know you and your fiancé, what you’re looking for, and what you’ll like. And the photographer will be that much more confident in making something out of the ordinary for you.
Hillary Harvey is a freelance photographer specializing in wedding photojournalism. Though born in Brooklyn to a long line of Brooklynites, she is a tried-and-true valley girl, having lived most of her life in the Hudson Valley. She also lives online, so catch up with her there!