The search for a fantastic photographer can make a fabulous start on the internet, even if a photographer does not have a website as yet. Fantastic websites like Snupit offer a great platform for all business owners, including photographer, to be easily found and directly contacted.
Supposing you have located a few photographers after an online search, but your best friend wants you to hire her brother, your mum wants you to support your cousin, and all the photographers you found online seem good to you. How can you know which photographer will snap everlasting memories that will be worth keeping? Choosing the right photographer can be a tricky business. Here are some criteria to consider when you making your selection.
Stylized Stills
Photographers specialise in different styles of photography. It is not really a matter of skill alone but also understanding what the different styles offer. A photographer should be selected based on the style they specialise in:
• Documentary: This style requires everyone to continue as they naturally would, while the photographer snaps shots of people sharing happy moments, laughs, and celebrations. These are never posed.
• Fine Art: This style requires great skill and passion. It is very similar to the documentary style but will incorporate more visual effects such as light, shadow and blur effects. The end results also give photos a dreamier feel, while capturing movements in a far more realistic way.
• Portraiture: These photos will require the photographed people to connect with the camera by eye contact. Portraiture pictures are posed, a good example is where group photos are taken and everyone smiles at the camera.
• Edgy and bold is a style typically used for the wedding. It often uses Dutch angles and artistic effects to portray an atmosphere, rather than focusing on the object being photographed. An example would be a wedding shot where the couple would feature in the background, and they would be somewhat out of focus, while an object, such as a bouquet of flowers, or their rings would be in sharp focus in the foreground.
Do a Service Check
Ask your photographer what you can expect to receive included in their fee, how many photos, will they be edited (will there be an extra charge for extensive edits). This is a great way to compare different photographers and their prices for the service. Also, make sure that you tell the photographer where your venue will be, and ensure that they quote you accurately on their travel too, to avoid nasty surprises later on.
Do a Background Check
By this, we mean to look at their portfolio. Most photographers have a website with their previous client's photos displayed which you can browse through to get a good feel for the photographer's style and editing skills. Doing a referral check is also a great idea, asking on social media if anyone has used a photographer you are considering will provide you with feedback on their service level.
The best advice a photographer can give his client is to relax at the event. The more strained you feel, the more difficult it will be for the photographer to capture a happy, beautiful you, because photographers are there to capture what is present, they cannot fabricate happiness into photos for you. Once you have selected a photographer, trust them, and enjoy your special day!
Battling to find a great photographer? Look through our online directory at Snupit to find a list of awesome photographers.
Filed under : Photographers