Why Brides Should Read This

Why bother reading an article on How to Choose a Wedding Photographer? After all, you just look at his (or her) photos and size up their personality, fees and plans, then make your choice, right? Right. And that's how the majority of weddings get ruined - or at least have the "Fun Meter" turned way, way down!

As a wedding videographer, I see this in about eighty percent of weddings I cover. That's right, four out of five weddings are ruined by the wedding photographer. So, if you don't want your wedding photographer ruining your wedding, read on..

Wedding Photographer Styles of Operation

There is a time for posed, formal photographs - at your photo session. Often there are two photo sessions, one held before the ceremony, with guys and gals kept separate, and one held after the ceremony. In my opinion, a wedding photographer should be told that this is the only time there will be posed photos and that he must be good enough to capture all other images as though he were a professional event photographer - oh wait, he IS (supposed to be) a professional event photographer. Event photographers and videographers are supposed to be able to unobtrusively record an event without interrupting it to stage and pose for photographs, etc.

Puppeteers

Unfortunately, most brides are unaware of this little fact. After all, she only has to choose a wedding photographer once in her life (hopefully). So what happens when she hires a wedding photographer who cannot shoot like an event photographer? One who think's he must be in charge of everything and that every shot must be posed. I'm glad you asked, because now we're getting to the whole purpose of this article. These guys act like puppeteers with you and your groom as the puppets. You are never left alone to enjoy your day. There will be no casual photos of you and your groom, friends and family having a great time, partly because all photos will be staged and partly because the wedding photographers will make it difficult for people to have a great time.

I have just finished editing four wedding videos in a row. I've been editing day after day for two weeks and I'm constantly seeing weddings marred by unprofessional wedding photographers. It begins while the bride and bridesmaids are getting ready. Some photographers will come into the room and stay out of the way and quietly get some causual shots, then ask for a few posed shots, then leave. Those are the pros. Unfortunately, most are not pros and will hover over the bride and bridesmaids, constantly harassing them for posed shots, so that the bride and her friends can hardly find any time to chat freely and enjoy the moment.

The Wedding Ceremony

During the ceremony, a time that should have reverence, a time that should belong to you and your groom, I see these wedding photographers continually flashing their cameras and walking back and forth in front of guests. They seem to be doing a much better job of distracting your guests than of getting good shots. A professional wedding / event photographer should be able to cover this from a tripod further back in the room, using a telephoto lens and without flash. He should not be moving about and distracting people. The purpose and focus of a wedding ceremony should be you, your groom and your guests - not a wedding photographer (and not a wedding videographer either).

Photo Session

I've seen after-ceremony photo sessions run two hours and longer. By that time, guests at the reception had grown tired of waiting and had begun leaving. In a couple of recent cases, the couple only had the reception venue for three hours, leaving them only one hour to try and rush everything through. This is not the way you want your wedding remembered! A real "pro" photographer will do a great photo session in well under an hour.

Reception

This is where it really gets bad! Wedding photographers know they need good shots of the main events - grand entrance; first dances; cake-cutting; toasts; bouquet toss; garter toss; etc. A true professional wedding photographer will get these shots "casual style" by staying out of the way, yet close enough to get the shots. You, your groom and guests will see he is there and there will be camera flashes, but he won't be really distracting or obtrusive.

However, the majority I've seen are not pros and they have no confidence in their ability to get these shots without staging them. They will not let you and your groom enjoy things like cake-cutting and toasts without trying to manipulate you both as though you were puppets. Imagine going through your reception while constantly being told what to do by the wedding photographer! This isn't a "wedding reception", this is a "modeling session"!

I am constantly amazed at the way brides and grooms meekly allow this to happen, then rail angrily about it afterward. Sure, you'll get your photos - but will you and your groom really look happy?

These wedding photographers will hover over you so closely that your guests probably won't get a very good view of the major reception events. Your wedding videographers will have to be magicians or use three or four cameras throughout your reception in order to have any chance of getting some shots that don't include your wedding photographers.

I see many 'wedding photographers' actually interrupt the couple during their first dance to pose for a photo - as though their camera's weren't fast enough to get a photo while the couple dances!

But the real "pros" can get great shots without manipulating you through all your events and without unduly distracting your guests. Don't take chances - demand that your wedding photographers and videographers work from a twelve to fifteen foot radius, allowing you some breathing room and your guests some viewing room.

How Does Your Wedding Photographer Dress?

I am constantly amazed at the way many wedding photographers come dressed for weddings. A true professional will wear all black for most weddings, so that he is unobtrusive and so that he is not mistaken for a guest. He may wear light tan at a beach wedding, for the same reasons. Another consideration is that your family and guests will be taking photos and a wedding photographer dressed in loud colors or black and white polka-dots (see photos!) will be quite distracting in these photos.

How is Your Wedding Photographer Being Paid?

Most wedding photography plans are structured so that the more photos they have that you want, the more money they make. I've been told more than once that many wedding photographers consider the wedding videographer as their competition. If the wedding video doesn't come out well, then the photos are the only remembrance products the bride can choose from and the photographer will sell more photos. However, their thinking goes, if the wedding video comes out great, then the bride may not want to buy more wedding photos.

This is why many wedding photographers purposely get in front of the video cameras at every opportunity. I know this sounds incredible, but I have the proof! In eight out of ten weddings, I have video of photographers aggressively getting in front of video cameras. I have many times seen footage from an unmanned video camera where a photographer is standing to one side, looks over his shoulder to see just where the video camera is, then repositions himself to block its view better!

Most wedding videographers plans are flat fees that change only if the hours change. Most videographers understand that we and the photographers are here to do whatever we can to please our client - the bride and groom, and therefore we extend every courtesy to the photographers.

SUMMARY - What Should You Do?

Sit down with several wedding photographers that you've pre-screened and discuss this article and your feelings about it, with them. Listen closely to what they say and how they say it. It takes training and experience to cover an event like a wedding, and get great shots while being unobtrusive. In short, it takes a 'pro'.

Unfortunately, both the wedding photography and wedding videography fields are full of amateurs, hobbiests and even experienced people who have been doing things wrong for years. Finding a real 'pro' is not an easy task. You will have to invest some time and effort, but it will pay off tremendously!

Remember - this is supposed to be YOUR DAY, not the photographer's day! More than anything else, your choice of a wedding photographer will determine how YOUR DAY turns out. "How to Choose a Wedding Photographer" may be the most important reading you do before your wedding.

Comments

Add New Search

Write comment
Name:
Email:	do not notifynotify
	Please input the anti-spam code that you can read in the image.

Copyright (C) 2007 Alain Georgette / Copyright (C) 2006 Frantisek Hliva. All rights reserved.