Your wedding photos are important
Your wedding photos are important – very important. If you’re going to spend money on a professional photographer, do your homework! Remember that these are photos you will want to show off and share for years to come. Quite possibly you’ll frame a few and place them on the mantel, or you might get oversized prints on canvas and grace your entry wall with them. Unlike a studio shoot – you can’t redo the whole day over again if your photos don’t live up to expectation!
ASK AROUND Personal references are always the best – from friends or family who’ve recently had a great result with a particular photographer. That said, don’t rely on one great testimonial from one great job! Make sure the person you choose has a great track record.
QUALIFIED OR NOT Some photographers will have attended photography school, and some may be self-taught. The age of digital technology has seen a lot of wanna-be’s spend a few thousand dollars on camera equipment and set themselves up as wedding photographers. The degree isn’t that important in the scale of things; it’s more vital that they have been around a while and have a reputation that’s untarnished.
DO THE LEGWORK Ask for references and talk to other brides. Check out their website. It can often pay to check your local social media forums and websites that offer ratings. Beware of what you see on their websites though – there have been instances where stock images were used by newbies setting up a business! Ask to see real photos from real people … and then call those people to confirm professionalism in work, attire, attitude etc!