How to choose a photographer

Credit to Kevin H – a photographer colleague. I was about to write this in my own way, but saw that he had something similar and I share the same feelings. So I thought I would share with his permission!  Note: I did personalize few things.

I recently attended a wedding show in Orange County just to see what other photographers are doing. (Side note, I shopped around as a consumer, not a photographer, nor did I ever disclose that I was a photographer.) Guess what I found? Nothing. They all basically provide the same service; 2 photographers on your wedding day, images on CD, a wedding album, and a set timeframe for photographing your wedding. 

They all had the same great looking images in the same albums (at least as far as a bride would know). So why should I consider photographer A vs. photographer B? Which photographer would I hire for my event? After some contemplation I chose one. Which one you ask? It doesn’t really matter. What matters is how I came to my conclusion.

Two features or characteristics stuck out. First was personality. The photographer I chose connected with me. He was outgoing and found a way to be my friend and help me open up. You could say we instantly “hit it off”. Think about this for a moment, whether it is your wedding, or any other photographed event, you want the photographer to capture the “real you”. If you are uncomfortable with your photographer, you will have your guard up all day. But if you feel comfortable with your photographer, like you do with a close friend, he/she will be able to bring out the real you and capture those special moments just as you intended them to be.

Secondly, I found that each photographer had different packages. For this package it will cost this much and for that package it will cost that much. Doesn’t a bride already have enough decisions to make? Does she really know what she wants from her photographer? Maybe she does, but for this reason I liked the photographer that offered just one package. I found this to be an easy decision, this is what he offers and this is what he will charge. Checkmark on photographer, let’s talk to the caterers now. Shouldn’t we, as the professionals in our industry, know basically what a bride wants and create a package for her and make this choice an easy one for her? Sure, we can have add-ons and extra services, but we can talk about that later.

Don’t get me wrong. There are some important questions to ask; how many weddings have you shot? Do you have a second photographer with you? Do you have back up equipment? The list could go on forever. Do your research, know what is important to you and be sure to ask.

When all was said and done, here is what I came away with; 

• Feel comfortable with your choice of photographers, or any vendor you choose. 
• As a photographer, less can be more. Design a package that covers your bride’s needs and put a price on it. Don’t confuse her with half a dozen different packages to choose from. She may just gravitate towards the easier choice. 
• And for the brides/clients out there, know what you want and ask for it.
• What kind of contract does the photographer have? A one-pager that leaves a lot of questions unanswered until the day you need to refer to it? Or a detailed one that everyone understands and agree with? More clarity is better than less. Just a like photo…if it is not in focus, a lot can be left to be desired! So, bride and groom…make sure you have a solid contract. That is also a sign of a professional photographer.

What are your thoughts? I would love to hear what you think on this topic. And please be sure to click the FaceBook share button at the top right.