Thank you to the Wonderful Steve from Studio8 Photography for sharing his knowledge and tips for choosing your wedding photographer.
You can view Steve's website at http://www.studio8photography.com.au/
- How long have you been a wedding photographer?
We have been producing professional photography since 2004.
- How long in advance should a client contact you to discuss their wedding photo's
Although quite a few of our bookings come at relatively short notice, it’s better to book as far in advance as possible to secure your date. This is particularly important from September to March, as these are extremely popular months for weddings. Booking the photographer should be one of the early priorities like the church or ceremony location and reception venue. You don’t want to accept an average photographer because all of the good ones are already booked.
- Do you charge any extra for photos on a disk?
All of our packages include the photos on disc. We don’t charge any extra and very importantly, all of our photography is “free from copyright,” which means the married couple can make as many copies of their photos as they like at no additional cost. This is extremely rare among wedding photographers, but we feel very strongly that people should “own the rights” to their photos once they’ve paid for them.
- What do you recommend people look for when they choose a wedding photographer?
There are a number of key points people need to consider when choosing a wedding photographer.
- Will they place copyright on your photos? The last thing you want is to pay good money for your photos, only to be told you’ll need to pay for copies. This is extremely common in the industry!!! Be aware!!!
- Make sure you will be receiving “all” of your photos from the day and not just a “selection.”
- Be sure to view samples of a photographers work. Do they have a website where you can view their work? If not, it suggests they are more hobbyists than professionals. All professional photographers should have a website!!! A Facebook page is also an important addition, as it allows you to see a greater variety of the photographers work.
- Is the photo editing included in their package price, or will you have to pay an additional charge? You want to be sure that you are not required to pay more to have your photos edited, as it can become quite costly.
- Be certain that your deposit will be deducted from the final balance and isn’t just a “non refundable” holding deposit. Once again, this is not uncommon among some photographers.
There are many other hints and tips to choosing a wedding photographer, which I will be happy to expand on down the track.
- Is it important to have a list of the type of photos you want or do you let the photographer take the lead?
Having an idea of what type of photos you would like is an advantage, but a good photographer will always have ideas to best maximise your location, etc. Just be sure you view samples of their work prior to confirming your booking. The last thing you want are photos that look like they’ve just been taken in the 1980’s!!!
