Broadway Weddings

News & Articles

Choosing Your Wedding Photographer

Your wedding is going to be one of the most important events in your lives and you and your family will have spent huge amounts of time and effort organising the perfect celebration. But once the champagne has been drunk the cake has been cut, and the flowers are gone, only the photographs remain to remind you of your wonderful day. If memories are precious to you and you appreciate excellent imagery, just who photographs your wedding may prove to be one the most important decisions you will make about the big day.

Wedding Photographers are booked up to 18 months in advance so it pays to start your search as soon as you have your wedding date finalized.

As in any service industry photography has its fair share of cowboys. However by following a few simple guidelines you can be confident of finding the wedding photographer who is right for you.

Many photographers bandy phrases such as qualified or award winning. There are only two professional bodies whose membership is strictly restricted to photographers who must meet a minimum level of ability. The M.P.A. (The Master Photographers Association) and the BIPP (British Institute of Professional Photographers).

If the Photographer has a "Photographer of the year" or "Wedding Photographer of the Year" title from either the Master Photographers Association or British Institute of Photography then you can safely the assume the award has substance.

There is no substitute for meeting you photographer and viewing a wide range of his or her wedding photography. Don't be memorized by the range of albums or products on offer. How much you love your wedding pictures will depend purely upon the ability of the photographer to shoot your wedding and the quality and style of the photographs not upon how cutting edge the album design is. Avoid sacrificing fashion for quality. That acrylic, perspex or brushed metal album cover will look as good as new in the photographers studio but the first scratch will break its spell and a year down the line you may be wishing you'd opted for the quality leather option. Leather wears well and never dates.

Worcestershire and Warwickshire Wedding Photographer, Kevin Smith Photography have had a rash of last minute calls this past year from brides who have been let down by there photographer. In many cases the photographer had been a part timer and his or her job situation had changed and they were no longer available on a Saturday. Or the booking was through a photographer or studio who employed part time photographers and they had been let down.

Ensure your photographer is a full time professional and that you will not be palmed of onto a "stringer". After all if you are booking your wedding photographer on the strength of the wedding pictures he or she has shown you you expect that person to actually photograph your wedding.

Once you have met your photographer you should ask yourself is do you think you will have a good rapport with them on the day. Will he she be over bearing or blend in with the crowd.

A local wedding coordinator shares her experience about a fun -zany duo who on the face of it each couple who booked them thought would be "good fun to have around" After half an hour of the banter and the "cheeky chappies" routine had tarnished and by the end of the wedding day the couple, their guests and the venue were relieved to be left in peace.

Dont be afraid to ask searching questions about the photographers experience, the equipment he uses.

In particular you should ask if the cameras he uses are professional grade. Does he/she use a cameras that use dual cards and are the images are backed up they shoot. Many many wedding photographers in an attempt to cut costs are still using amateur grade cameras that do not back up - this could lead to disaster.

In summary here are some questions to ask yourself before you book.

Qualified - is our photographer a member of the M.P.A. (The Master Photographers Association) and the BIPP (British Institute of Professional Photographers).

Photography - Do we like the photographer’s style, range, quality, experience, etc?

Attitude - Is the photographer putting our needs first and not just going to go through the motions of recording "just another wedding day". Is he/she approachable and skilled at dealing with both ourselves our wedding guests?

Professionalism - Does the photographer have a good grasp of contracts, punctuality,
communication, etc. Is he using professional grade equipment?

Products - Does the photographer offer the albums, prints, canvas and framed prints, etc that we are seeking?

Pricing - What price our memories? Is it in our budget, if not, can we reposition our priorities to fit it in the budget?