How to sabotage your wedding memories without even trying
Let me tell you a cautionary tale. A good friend of mine was about to be wed, she and her fiancée have just booked the best florist, caterer, couturier and wedding planner in town. They had it all laid out: every couple’s bucketlist for the big day…everything, except they left out photography. Due to budget restraints, they settled for a photography package which is not only amazingly low, but offers a whole lot of freebies. Come wedding day, everything was perfect. Not one single supplier failed them, until their wedding album arrived few months after. While it’s not exactly bad, most pictures did not reflect exactly how they remember the wedding. It was as if somebody shot it with a point and shoot camera, or trying too hard to make it seem like a ‘professional wedding photo’. What’s worse is some came out as over exposed and some guests appeared bald as shadows seemed to blend well with their dark hair, well some, including the bride herself.
Anyone can be a photographer. With the technology nowadays, anyone can claim they can shoot good pictures. But beyond Photoshop and top of the line cameras, photography remains a skill. Truth is it’s a dirty job that only few can handle. Wedding photographers are craftsmen: they weave happy moments from your wedding and put it carefully in one beautiful book so you’ll look back, years after, smiling and teary eyed. Pictures are the only concrete thing from your wedding day that lasts, aside from your wedding gown. Pictures can be shown off to your family and friends, and even your grandchildren. If there’s one advice I’d give my daughter, it’d be she must invest on good photography on the day of her wedding.
But you may ask, what makes a good wedding photographer?
- He has a pulse of what needs to be captured. It’s not enough that your photographer slings top of the line camera unit on his neck. Make a character investigation. Check out his online portfolio. Most of them maintains a website, or even multiply account where you can view photos of his past gigs, client feed back etc.
- He is not afraid to get down and dirty. He climbs to the balcony of the church or top of the building, some even atop a tree (for garden wedding) to get the best shot as the bride walks down the aisle.. He scurries past guests to catch the fireworks. During prenup shots, he lies on the ground to get your best shot or angle. He directs your poses, unmindful if he looks stupid in public. Do not laugh. His primary assignment is for you and your fiancée to look smashing on your big day. Some of the best works out there are products of sheer madness and crazy ideas. Go ask them.
- He’s maintained a good relationship with his past client. Good feed back, of course, comes from satisfied crowd. No one would want to talk again to suppliers who did a crappy job. Observe, too, if he’s got referrals from friends. Brides talk too, and air rant and raves in cyberspace. A lot of wedding forum and online communities are proliferating in The Internet. You may want to do your research there, I assure it will be of great help.
- He’s open to your suggestions. Ask for an appointment prior to booking him. Tell him how you want things to come out. Scouting for a good photographer is like finding a friend: look for a connection.. A good rapport between you and your photographer will benefit both parties come your big day.
- A bonus: His services are reasonably priced. While a lot of photographers bank on experience, you’ll still find some out there whose charges won’t break the bank. There may be some who give very low rate, but be mindful of their output. They may be inexperienced or you are his first client (re: guinea pig). You may also find a couple of wedding photographers out there whose rates are stratospheric; this is because you pay not only for their services, but also their names. It’s like buying clothes, you not only pay for the clothes and its quality but it’s label too. They have probably serviced in weddings of the society’s elite. Now, lucky you, there are some photographers who produce quality output, but cater to middle economic class (re: weddings on budget). Call them your wedding fairy godmother/father: they are equipped with knowledge (shooting and post processing) and a handful of experience in shooting big events. How do you find them? I’d say Google is your best friend. Shortlist names of photographers who piqued your fancy, and budget, after visiting couple pf wedding forums. Google his name. Get his contact details when you find his website. Inquire for their rates thru text or email. Most photographers would accommodate you once they read your message. Now remember, photographers are your bestfriends. Finding good ones may be like finding needle in the haystack, ride the wave of online research – hey it’s free. In the long run, you’ll get what you want, and you deserve.
