How to ensure clarity between you and your wedding photographer

We were recently featured in Bride Magazine with some of our tips for ensuring clarity between you and your wedding photographer. Here is the article:

Don’t be afraid to probe photographers in the search for your perfect match; here are some words of advice and question suggestions from photography company, Light and Imagination.

In this day and age, there is a very competitive professional photography landscape. This means a few things for you, the brides-and-grooms-to-be: the great deal of choice means that you can get good prices, but also you may quickly reach analysis paralysis.

On the other hand, you are within the target audience for numerous professional photographers or companies and sometimes the messages can be confusing or even misleading. In the flurry of information, can you read between the lines and decipher the PR and marketing code that you get bombarded with? Do you know what you will get for your money from your photographer?

Here are a few words of caution and tips to ensure you avoid disappointment and book the right photographer for your needs.

1. Make sure you understand what your rights are over the images

Most photographers will retain copyright of the images but grant you a license to use them.  Will you receive digital images, if so will they be watermark-free? Are you allowed to share these with family and guests or do they have to purchase them separately? Will you be allowed/able to print them yourself or need to purchase from your photographer? If the latter, what is their price list?

2. Clarify your photographer’s working hours at your wedding

Be clear about the number of hours the photographer will be there on the day and whether they will include travel within the time limit. Is this sufficient for your needs? How much will you need to pay for additional hours? Be mindful that things won’t always go to plan, so you may end up paying for extra hours at increased prices.

3. It is very unlikely that a good photographer will achieve great results without assistance

Is an assistant or second photographer included in the price or is that extra? If there isn’t an assistant present, how will the photographer manage more complex shots requiring additional lighting, especially in dark conditions?

4. Suspiciously low prices are so for a reason

Make sure you review the photographer’s portfolio and ask them to put you in contact with previous clients if you can’t get first-hand objective reviews yourself. Remember it’s not just about the end result but the experience on the day matters a lot too.

5. Steer clear of unnecessary items included in some packages

Small albums, carved boxes for memory sticks etc. Do you want these exact products and will they meet your quality expectations? Or would you rather spend your money on something more tailored to your needs, for example a hand-made album, a large canvas print or a digital slideshow? Seek photographers who are willing to adapt their offering to your exact needs.

6. Read the small print

Last but not least, don’t accept to pay a deposit without understanding the terms and conditions and have these clearly stipulated in an agreement. These should outline all the above points, and also what happens in the worst case scenario (unable to deliver, loss of photos etc).

Remember you are the client. Don’t be shy to ask any questions, as silly as they may seem. If these are met with reluctance or rolled eyes, keep looking.