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Picking The Perfect Photographer: A Pro's Secrets
Some weeks after the wedding, while the afterglow of the happy event is still palpably present, you’ll receive something exciting that brings the whole wedding day back into focus (literally): your photographer delivers his or her images!
Are they as good as you’d hoped? In that case, give yourself a pat on the back — you and your spouse did a great job. That’s right: the both of you were instrumental in making it happen. Not only did you pick a pro who captured your special bond (and who made even your great-uncle Marty in his seventies-era polyester suit look good); you also instinctively knew how to make your photographer rise to the occasion.
That’s not as common as it sounds. Working with a wedding photographer means walking a fine line between letting him do what he does best, and letting him know what you expect. Leave him entirely directionless and he may make artistic compositions that will look great in his portfolio, but that leave you feeling slightly seasick because he’s been tilting the camera at all kinds of crazy angles. On the other hand, telling him in excruciating detail what you want from minute to minute isn’t such a hot idea either. It may lessen his enthusiasm for the job; more importantly, such over-direction might squeeze the very creativity from your wedding photos that probably attracted you to the guy (or gal) in the first place.
Here, then, are some helpful guidelines for working with a professional photographer, and for making the most of the experience.
DO know who you hire. For every ten people who call me because they’ve seen my gallery photos or my web portfolio and love my work, there are two or three who want to know my prices without having seen my photography. I always wonder (quietly, of course!) if they’d buy a living room couch or a painting sight unseen. Probably not. Which
leads me to:
DON’T sell yourself short by deciding on price alone, or by picking a photographer because a friend recommends her, or because you want the guy with the biggest ‘name.’ You’re unique. What works for others may not work for you, and not every photographer will be a good match. You don’t have to be a photo expert to pick up on the fact that different shooters have different styles. Some photographers excel at formal, posed shots with multiple light sources. Others shoot in a more natural, unobtrusive, photojournalistic way. Some do work that’s deliberately soft-focus and sweet, while their bolder brethren use pushed, saturated colors and go for a starker, more sculptural look.
DO set aside at least a few hours to view web portfolios, and jot down the names of photographers whose work instantly appeals to you. Then start calling and interviewing.
DON’T expect everything and the kitchen sink. Almost all photographers have multi-tier pricing, meaning that the more you pay, the more extras you get: parent albums, prints, your own photo website, a custom-made DVD slideshow, and so on. The prices for these additional goods and services are rarely cast in stone, and it’s not a faux pas to inquire about possible discounts. But be realistic. Most people wouldn’t bargain with a lawyer about her fee, or with a car mechanic about his. Photographers tend to be pleasant folks, and none that I know are offended if you ask nicely whether they can somehow work within your limited budget. But be prepared to hear no. If the money part doesn’t work out, don’t fret. The photographer who just politely declined to take your job can still be of assistance to you — for free! — if you ask him for the names of (more affordable) colleagues he admires. Nine out of ten times, you’ll get great referrals that way.
DO set priorities. Earlier this year, I had a future bride gushingly tell me about the limousine upgrade she’d just decided on, from a regular stretch limo to an elongated Ford Excursion. The upgrade cost a 500-dollar surcharge. “So you understand,” she said matter-of-factly, “that I want to talk to you about how I can fit you into my shrinking budget.” She wanted me to give her a substantial discount because she’d just spent money on a slightly more imposing limo. I gently explained that she’ll be in that car for maybe 45 minutes on the Big Day; whereas professional photos of her wedding will last a lifetime and beyond. It’s all about hashing out priorities. If those priorities do not include photography, that’s perfectly OK — to each her own. Not everyone cares about pictures as much as I do!
DON’T tear photo pages from a glossy magazine, thrust them at your photographer, and instruct him to replicate those shots. The magazine photos are most likely the result of an elaborate shoot that involved a ton of equipment, assistants, makeup artists, hair stylists, fashion consultants, and sometimes even set builders and location scouts. Your photographer is a natural-born image-maker who aims to please, but he’ll have to work within real-world constraints. Instead of asking him to copy someone else’s high-end work, indicate what general style and mood you like. Do you want your formals to be sultry and sexy, or lighthearted and fun? Quiet and romantic, or exuberant and giddy? Do you prefer rich, striking hues, or a more peaceful, muted palette? Communicate!
DON’T be swayed by well-meaning friends or relatives who insist they can take fine photos of your wedding, no professional needed. I’ve yet to run into the first couple that hasn’t ultimately regretted such a choice. High-quality photos are tangible, treasured memories, and treasured memories are the one thing that no one will ever be able to take away
from you.
DO allow your photo-enthusiast guests to take abundant pictures, and ask them to share the best ones with you and with each other. When the hired photographer sets up a posed shot, he may not mind guests with cameras ‘having a go’ first, as long as he gets to have you all to himself after a couple of minutes.
DON’T wait too long before you begin looking in earnest for your ideal photo-chronicler. He or she could be booked a year or more in advance. You may still get lucky if you call mere months before the big day, but solid planning typically trumps luck. Get it done early: you’re more likely to get your first choice that way, plus it’s one less potential headache to take care of.
DO make a shotlist well before the wedding day. Your photographer needs to know which combinations of guests and members of the wedding party you’d like to have pictures of. Assign one of your most sociable and most trusted friends or relatives to help the photographer find and corral the people on your list.
DO enjoy the hunt. Your perfect photographer is out there. Go find him, and have fun doing it!
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European-born Rogier van Bakel, a wedding and portrait photographer, hails from the land of Rembrandt and van Gogh, but is “neither quite that good nor quite that famous,” he deadpans. Van Bakel runs Eager Eye Photography in Somesville, Maine. His website is at www.eagereyephoto.com; he can be contacted at (207) 244-4473, or by e-mail at vanbakel@gmail.com.
© 2007, Rogier van Bakel. All rights reserved.