Wedding Photography
There are so many talented photographers in Sussex. Sussex is a county that appeals to creatives and there is a great choice of wedding photographers out there, covering a range of styles from traditional to modern and catering for all budgets. Don’t allow yourself to be pressured into a allowing a friend or family member take your wedding pictures. This scenario will surely appeal to you for economic reasons or maybe to keep family peace, but nothing less than a professional will do for your special day. In this article the Sussex Wedding Guide will provide some valuable advice and things to consider when choosing your photographer.
The first tip is to book your photographer in advance. Unlike florists and caterers who often have a team of people on hand, your wedding photographer can only be in one place at one time and consequently key dates (Summer Saturdays) can get booked up very early.
There are lots of great photographers out there with very different styles and packages on offer. Do your research, look at the internet, go to Wedding Fayres, and most importantly speak to married friends and family, the best advertising for any wedding professional is personal recommendation. When looking at photographers websites make sure you look at complete weddings to give a complete picture of the range of photos you can expect. Anyone with a half decent camera can take a few lovely photos at a wedding but how many can take consistently stunning shots all day in a range of different conditions (dark church with no flash, bright sunlight for group photos, disco lighting for the first dance). Once you have some ideas in mind, you can then start “interviewing” photographers. You can do this by visiting their studios, or they might be happy to visit you at your home. Try to get a general sense of the type of photography he or she will provide. When meeting the photographer one of the most important things to consider, aside from the quality of work, is whether you feel comfortable with them. The photographer will be a major player during your wedding day and will be close at hand throughout all of the key moments and if you feel at ease the chances are your photos will be more natural and flattering.
Other questions to consider are:
How much work is actually involved? At first glance a photographer's rates may appear to be expensive however photographing a wedding is not just a day's work and for most decent photographers a wedding probably represents about a week's work when you consider pre-wedding meetings, the actual day taking photos, selecting which shots to use, 2-3 days digital retouching, possibly presenting the photos on a website or in a book and trips to and from the lab.
What is included in the price? Some photographers will include prints, a cd of images, wedding books or albums and even pre-wedding portraits in the overall price. Make sure you know what you are getting for your money.
Additional charges? Are there any additional or hidden charges for things like travel or print processing?
Off Peak Rates? Many photographers will be more than happy to offer more reasonable rates for out of season or mid week weddings. If you are getting married on a Wednesday in February the chances are that you can get a better deal than on an August Saturday.
Deposit? Does the photographer require a deposit to secure the booking?
Pre-wedding preparations? A good wedding photographer will be happy to visit the venue with you before your wedding day. This gives you an opportunity to look at best photo locations and discuss the itinerary for the day.
Digital or Film? Most photographers use digital cameras now but many still offer film or a combination of the two.
Re-touching? If shooting digitally will they also retouch or enhance the photos to best advantage within the price agreed.
How many photos can you expect? Most photographers will have a good idea of how many photos you can realistically expect within a time-frame.
Website Galleries? Many photographers will now initially present your wedding photos in a website gallery. This gives you, friends and family the chance to view and order photos from their website. This is a definite bonus if you don't want to have to take print orders and payment from friends and family and makes the whole process easier. You don't have to take your wedding album to everyone, they can see the photos in the comfort of their own home on the internet.
Equipment? Make sure that he or she has a back-up option as cameras do occassionally break (accidents can happen) and you will want your wedding photographer to be able to continue working.
Insurance? A decent wedding professional will be insured to cover public indemnity and liability.
Backup? What would happen if the photographer was unexpectedly taken ill on your wedding day and is there a back-up or insurance to cover such an event.
After the wedding? How quickly will the photographer be able to process and deliver your wedding photos.
The final advice in this guide is to get the right price for your budget. Every wedding, no matter how large or small, has a budget. Some photographers offer packages that are all inclusive, some offer off peak rates and most will want to be employed for as much of the year as possible. If you love a particular photographer's work but feel that the price is beyond your budget, make them an offer, you never know, they may be happy to occassionally drop the price. Once you have chosen your photographer all that is left for you to do is look forward to your dream wedding day.
Article by Paul Demuth, Demuth Photography