How to Choose a wedding photographer - by Aspirations Photography

Your wedding photography represents the memories of one of the most important days of your life. You will only get one chance to get it right. Choose correctly and you will be "happy ever after". Choose wrongly, and it will usually "end in tears". You may get a poor set of photos at best, at worst you may not get any images at all of your wedding.

The photographic industry is not regulated. Any one can claim to be a "photographer". The advent of the digital camera has revolutionised the industry and caused new problems that, as yet, have not been addressed. Every year, a lot of new individuals / companies appear on the scene claiming to be "wedding photographers".They feel that because they can press a button, and have an image appear on the the back of the camera, then somehow this qualifies them to be a wedding photographer.

Professional photographers know how difficult and demanding wedding photography is (done properly). To be a good wedding photographer, one needs to have the right knowledge, equipment and experience. Photography is also an art. Unless one knows about photography, it is difficult for the average person to know what is good or bad photography.

So, how do you ensure you get someone who is a good photographer and not end up having problems? The best way is to look for a qualified member of a reputable professional organisation. This is evidence that someone has attained an industry recognized standard. They are also bound by professional codes of conduct and practice.The ones to look out for are the British Institute of Professional Photography (BIPP) and the Master Photographers Association (MPA). These are considered to be the best professional bodies for the photographic industry in the UK.

Certain organizations such as the Society of Wedding and Portrait Photographers (SWPP) and the Guild of Photographers, operate a "two tier" level of membership. An important thing to watch out for is whether some one is just a "member" (completely worthless as any one can become a member by handing over some money) or a "qualified member". A word of caution, a large number of dubious organizations have cropped up in recent years such as certain web based "Photojournalistic" ones.

Some questions to ask -Are they full-time professional photographers or part-timers? How long have they been photographers? What experience and qualifications do they have? Do they use professional equipment? What happens if the person you have hired falls ill? What happens if their camera equipment fails? Do they carry back-up equipment? Are they insured as photographers?

Something to look for to look for is style of photography. There are different styles such as Traditional, Reportage etc. Photographers generally tend to do one style. Make sure that it is what you want. Also, watch out for excessive digital effects. These are commonly used to hide poor photography.

Don't be taken in by flashy web sites. They may be interesting, but focus on the just the images as that is what you will be getting. Also, watch out for "gimmicks" such as "pre-wedding shoots", a few large prints thrown in, etc. These are not as important as the photography that will be provided on your wedding day.

Check that they are familiar with any religious and cultural ceremonies that will be taking place on your wedding. The photographer needs to be aware of what is important at Hindu, Sikh, Muslim and Christian weddings to ensure that he captures those moments.

Albums are also something to consider. There are different choices available such as the traditional type and also the contemporary "Story books". There are considerable variations in the quality, and therefore in the cost, of albums.

Make sure that you have a contract. This is essential to protect your interests. Everything agreed should be clearly stated on this, and please read the "small print." This will avoid you having to deal with problems afterwards.

You may ask all the right questions, in order to make an informed decision. However, for this exercise to work, you are dependent on getting truthful answers to your questions. Unfortunately, there is a lack of integrity out there, with all sorts of false and misleading information being provided. This means that all your efforts may be a complete waste of time.

I Hope that this article has been useful for you. Your "feed-back" would be appreciated. If there is anything that you feel could be added to this article, please post your comments on our Blog (under the category of INFORMATION.)