NGU Skyliner

Christine Parks
Staff Writer

“A ring by spring or your money back” is a familiar slogan at North Greenville University. Choosing a wedding photographer is an important decision those preparing for marriage must make.

Stand Alone: Students embrace the French culture at the annual Francophonie Celebration on Friday, March 26“A ring by spring or your money back” is a familiar slogan at North Greenville University. Choosing a wedding photographer is an important decision those preparing for marriage must make. (Photo by Gabe Franco)

As a couple, it is important to select the right photographer and understand the photographer’s needs to help make the wedding day run smoothly.

The first subject to address is how to select the right photographer. Each couple is unique and, most likely, will have their own style. Photographers have a style as well, so explore different photographers and consider the tones, colors, editing and composition of the photographs.

“Look at several different photographers’ work, choose the one that has the look that you like and will like for years to come. Remember this day only happens once. Many of today’s photographers have adopted a more documentary style, and this style may not suit everyone,” said Blake Smith, NGU assistant professor of art. “Also look at different weddings shot by the same photographer. Is the style consistent? If so, you can expect your images to look the same way.”

Smith, who worked as a wedding photographer for five years, also encourages couples to hire the photographer early.

“Most wedding photographers book weddings anywhere from six months to a year in advance,” said Smith. “Their calendars fill up very quickly. Unless you want to be stuck with whoever is available, book as soon as possible.”

Another important aspect to hiring a wedding photographer is the pricing.

“Quality photographic work often commands a higher premium; expect to pay for good work. The typical wedding photographer who is established charges anywhere from $1200 and up,” said Smith. “Do not let price alone dictate whether you go with one photographer over another.”

Remember to value the style of the selected photographer and the photographs will be a beautiful documentation beyond the wedding day. Paying for quality photographic work will be a benefit by maximizing the work put into making the wedding day special.

One last step to hiring a photographer involves having a contract.

“Get it in writing. Most professionals provide a contract that outlines the services and goods traded for. This includes price, quantity of prints and length of time at the wedding,” said Smith.

Once the photographer is chosen, be willing to help with specific needs. A list of the entire wedding party with their relation to the bride and groom is very helpful. If the photographer can become familiar with the wedding party days prior to the special day, organizing the shots will run more smoothly rather than having a relative mediate for the photographer.

Allow the photographer to plan specific shots (bride with bridesmaids, groom with groomsmen, etc.) and write out a schedule of when these specific shots will occur throughout the day. Having planned photographs will help keep the rest of the schedule clear and everyone on the same page.

Tags: Spring 2010, Vol. 110 - Issue 9

This entry was posted on Wednesday, March 31st, 2010 and is filed under Entertainment. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.