Engagement Photos Flush Out Bad Photographers
If you are getting married and plan to have a professional photographer record your special day, how will you know you have chosen a good photographer? You can check references. Is that all that you need to do? No, it is not enough.
There are many ways to test the suitability of a photographer who wants to be your wedding photographer. Personality can be a major stumbling block. An uninsured photographer is a risky choice. A small book could be written on how to choose a pro photographer.
Having been a professional photographer for about 30 years and being the owner of The Master of Moments ~ Distinctive photography , in Maine, I do have a little experience that I can share with you. Do your best to narrow you list of potential photographers. When you feel that you have made a decision based on your best efforts, it is time for a test shoot.
A lot of untrained, inexperienced people have bought digital cameras and consider themselves professional photographers. Some pros belong to all the right organizations and have all the right equipment but lack the eye needed for photographing weddings. Wedding photography is a specialty that not every pro photographer is cut out to perform in.
You should get some photos taken before your big day. What better evidence can you ask for that your pro is a good match for your wedding needs? Engagement photos are an excellent idea for this verification process.
No wedding album is complete without both formal and informal engagement photos. Ask your photographer to do a private photo session with you and your loved one for engagement photos. Have the photographer work under similar conditions to those that will exist at your wedding and reception.
If you ceremony will be held outdoors, get your engagement photos done with natural sunlight. Some studio photographers are so used to working under controlled conditions that they have trouble dealing with natural lighting, shadows, harsh sunlight, and so forth.
If you ceremony setting will require on-camera electronic flash make sure you have the photographer work with that equipment while taking your engagement photos. Improper use on an on-board flash can result in "Red Eye". Photos can easily be overexposed or underexposed when a small, portable flash unit is used. When there is no opportunity to use a flash meter for proper exposure readings it all comes down to the experience a photographer has with the equipment being used.
I know everyone seems to say "Don't worry about it I can fix it in my computer." A lot can be done with photo manipulation, but a photographer should be starting with the best photos possible from the beginning. When enlargements are made for printing and displaying, the quality, or lack of it, will come through.
Once you have completed your photo session you will have first-hand experience with your photographer. Look carefully at the proofs your photographer will provide. If you like them, select a few that you will have the photographer enlarge and print for you.
Insist on your images being printed on archival-quality paper. A few photographers print their own enlargements. Most of them use independent companies to make the prints. The equipment cost to own top-quality photo-printing equipment is prohibitive to most photographers.
By commissioning your photographer for engagement photos, you are getting a good look at what you are likely to get on your wedding day. Make sure that the same photographer who does your engagement work will be covering your wedding. The last thing you want to see on your special day is a total stranger with a camera pointed at you.
As The Master of Moments I encourage all of my customers to work with me for a one-hour session at no charge to make sure that we are a good fit for each other. I don't know of any other photographers who offer this free time for potential customers, but I feel it is a critical part of getting to know each other so that my customers and I can work well together during photo sessions.
It is common for there to be a lot more to wedding photography than just showing up at a church and snapping some pictures. There are engagement photos, rehearsal photos, pre-wedding candids, the ceremony, the reception, and sometimes additional sessions.
There are plenty of opportunities to problems to arise. Wedding photography is not like having a passport photo taken. A photographer normally gets only one chance to get it right. If the photographer fails, you won't have your visual memories to share over the many happy years of your marriage.
The cost of a photo session is a wise investment when grading photographers for their ability to save your magic moments in time.
