Monday, July 24, 2006

If you knew fabulous Wedding Photographers you would book them - wouldn't you?

If you knew fabulous Wedding Photographers you would book them right now wouldn't you? Problem is you don't [yet] and you've never had to hire a photographer before and it is very daunting.
I have pointed out some pitfalls and added my advice about helping you make the right decision for your Wedding Day - Ten Tips to think about - I hope they help!




1) Please don't approach your choice of Wedding Photographer as an after-thought - a Wedding Photographer should be very high on your list. Selecting the right Wedding Photographer is as important as all the fun details that the guests will see - like the gown, the cake, the flowers and the Wedding Venue and the Wedding Breakfast. Why?



2) Well, the photographer you choose to capture all the moments of your Wedding Day will play a very significant role in what is likely to be the single most important day of your life. A Wedding Photographer is the 'director' for most of the day and then long after the band stops playing, the guests have gone home, the flowers have wilted, all that will remain are memories and photographs. The memories of the day need to be as wonderful as the photography.



3) I would say that it is advisable to begin looking for a Wedding Photographer as soon as you become engaged and plan your Wedding. It is never too early to book your Photographer. During the Summer I get many phone calls to ask if we are free in a few weeks' time - even sometimes in a couple of weeks. I have to say 'no very sorry we are booked that day' and I hear the frustration and disappointment in the bride's or groom's voice as they struggle to find a photographer at all.



4) I know that couples do sometimes randomly pick a name from the telephone book, believing that one Wedding Photographer is as good as the next. That just isn't the case. [Not all Wedding Photographers were born equal!] And then later when that day they've waited a lifetime for has come and gone, and they see the photographs, all of the disappointment begins to set in because they did not place the right emphasis on booking the right Wedding Photographer.



5) And, if you do think of asking a friend to take your wedding photographs you will probably get holiday snap quality and they probably won't enjoy your Wedding with all that pressure. They may be good at one section of your wedding, with the people they know, but they will not capture the full story and they will not know how to run a Wedding Day. A good professional photographer will give you the full story of your day and help it run smoothly and with as little stress and pressure as possible.



6) If you can take the time to visit several different photographers and examine wedding photographs they have taken in the past. Ensure that you are specifically shown samples of their own wedding photography. Looking at pictures of babies, pets, or sunsets won't give you any indication of the photographer's ability to take good wedding photographs! Every Album of a Wedding should be different - see complete Wedding Albums as examples. Also make sure that the photographer you are seeing is the person who will actually be there on your Wedding Day. You don't want a total stranger taking your Wedding Photographs and being a big part of your day when you have not even met them before!



7) It is always a good idea to phone a photographer and see if you have instant rapport - remember you are going to be spending most of your day with your photographer! Will you enjoy spending so much time with him or her? Feeling at ease with your photographer is as important as liking their work. Photography is a passion, but you also need a passion for people to be a good Wedding Photographer.



8) A good photographer will ask you many questions and be happy to spend time with you to learn about what you both want from your Wedding Photography and even the dynamics of your family and get the full picture from you. Taking a Brief which includes timings, transport plans and those extra photographs you would like.



9) Experience is important, not just for the quality of photographs, but also to ensure that your photographer knows how to professionally conduct himself or herself at your Wedding and to deal with the intensity of a Wedding. A Wedding Photographer has to be confident to direct your guests with an appropriate manner. It is essential that a your Wedding Photographer has a sense of humour! Sounds strange - but it is important!


10) The passionate Wedding Photographer will be able to keep up with the pace of your Wedding Day, and be able to deal with the fact that he or she will have an atmosphere of excitement and emotion swirling around him as he or she works. Most importantly, he or she will know precisely how to capture that emotion, fun and sheer uniqueness of the day and preserve it for a lifetime.



Well, those are a few of my thoughts on the role of a Wedding Photographer. I will be putting fingers to keyboard about Wedding Venues next Friday, 4 August. If you go to 'articles' on our main website menu - you can subscribe to my articles [blogs] and whenever I post a blog it will automatically be sent to your email address! Well that is my first official 'tips and advice blog' - I've really enjoyed giving you an idea of the importance of having a good Wedding Photographer there on your Wedding Day.


Warm regards. Julia :-)


I highly recommend "The Wedding Bible" by Sarah Haywood - I bought this book myself as I heard Sarah on the radio a few weeks ago - I thought she was talking so much sense about Weddings and her book is full of that great advice. I asked her if I could mention her book in my blogs and of course she said "yes!". "The Wedding Bible is a pretty rare phenomenon - a book that looks stunning but is also full of very helpful advice... comprehensive and practical whatever planning stage you're at. A brilliant book for anyone who's planning a wedding." Scottish Wedding Directory

Are you new to Blogging?

Hi - if you are new to blogging - let me say so am I! Martin and I went live with our new website a few weeks ago and one of the features we wanted to have on it was a Wedding Blog! So Welcome to my Wedding Blog!
What I will be doing over the next few weeks is offer some advice to prospective Brides and Grooms about - not just their Wedding Photography but also - the Wedding Day!
One publication I was thrilled to see published recently was
'The Wedding Bible' by Sarah Haywood. As you embark on planning your Wedding I would highly recommend you get a copy! It would be beautiful memento of your Wedding planning and preparations. I have Sarah's agreement to my quoting from her Wedding Bible over the next few weeks.
So what I plan to do is this - with my years of experience simply being at Weddings as a Wedding Photographer and talking to couples in detail about their Weddings - I have seen which aspects of a Wedding Day need the most attention, where things can go wrong, what in fact can be done to make sure that a Wedding Day runs smoothly and without stress and with the emotion and fun that such a spontaneous day should have!
Martin and I very much hope that you enjoy our new website - still a couple of images to add - in fact that includes a photograph of us! We manage it ourselves now and are learning as we go along!
Please feel free to post me a question on the contact page and I will reply with my answer. I will be adding a frequently asked questions page soon to the website.
We are in the midst of a very busy Summer Wedding Season and we are also seeing many couples about their Weddings next year. Please come and see us about your Wedding Photography - don't overlook that aspect of your Wedding Day - don't leave it to an after thought. I will be explaining why your Wedding Photographer can make or break your Wedding Day in my first instalment of my Wedding Advice to go live on Friday, 28 July.
Bye for now. Warm regards. Julia Webb :-)