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Making Memories CLICK
The Photos |
There are so many
options and elements that go along with the photographing of your wedding! You
could easily sit with a potential photographer for an hour or so, just chatting
about the possibilities.
I visited a large wedding show in S.W. Ontario and were
dumbfounded by the number of
excellent photographers on display there. Being absolutely drawn to art and
beauty, I was naturally compelled to ask a million questions. And brides, it's
all here for you...
These are some of the
questions I asked...
What are your
prices?
(there is no point
in talking to someone who's minimum rate is $5000 if my budget for photos is
$2500)
From what I saw this
weekend, prices begin at approximately $1000 (this doesn't usually include
prints of any kind) and go as high as $5000+ (the whole 'shebang'). Things that
can affect the price are the date of your wedding, number of locations, number
of hours, the wedding albums and print you order, the styles you're looking for,
the popularity (aka availability) of the photographer, and more. For the really
in-demand photographers, I found that you needed to book well in advance, and
could expect to spend $3500+ for coverage, with prints and albums an additional
fee.
What type of
training/accreditation can a photographer have?
Photographers can be
trained at college and then start out on their own. They can also learn by
becoming an apprentice under another 'big named photographer', learning the
tricks of the trade by accompanying them to weddings and being taught all of the
different techniques.
Photographers also
have the option of becoming PPO (Professional Photographers of Ontario) member,
which means that they submit their work to be reviewed and competed against.
There is no reason
to say why any one of these different types of training are better than the
other. The reason I say this is because just about all of the photos I viewed
were amazing but often in different ways. Each photographer has his/her own
style, specialties, and approach to photographs. Some are beautiful portraits,
some look like they walked of the page of Brides Magazine and others were more
daring with a bit of an edge.
How far ahead do I
need to book a photographer?
Depending on the
photographer, weekends can fill up rather quickly. For a single photographer
operation, there are only so many
Saturdays in a year
(52, to be exact), so anyone in demand could end up needing 12 or more months
advance notice. If your wedding
is on a day other
than Saturday, in the off-season (winter tends to be less busy than
spring/summer/fall), or more than 8-12 months ahead, you should have an easier
time booking the photographer you really want. Always call to check, however,
because cancellations do happen.
What type of new
artsy options are available these days?
So many different
options on the styles of photos.
• colour vs. black
and white
• portrait/posed vs.
candid
•
traditional vs.
contemporary
• black & white with
painted/digitally added colour
• unique locations
such as photos standing in water, in the middle of
the road, pumping
the gas tank of a vintage car
• traditional
beautiful outdoor locations such as parks, gardens, etc.
• inside photos in
your church/chapel/reception hall
• photos can be
created with different borders and rendering
• different
types/sizes/colours/makes of albums are available - including albums made of
aluminum and glass
• so much more...
Would it be cheaper
to hire a friend of the family who is particularly handy with a camera?
Cheaper - likely.
Better - not necessarily. You have nothing after the last guest leaves, except
your living memory and your photos or videos. These are what you will be showing
your children/future children, what you will give to your parents as Thank you
gifts, and what you will look back upon in future days. Often.
Your friend may be
handy with a camera but your odds of getting the dream photos you imagine in
your head, are not good. There is a reason that professional photographers come
with a price tag. If you want extra coverage of the reception, but can't afford
to pay extra to have your photographer stay all night, consider setting
throw-away cameras on each of the tables so that guests could take shots as well
(these won't turn out very well if guests are having a few drinks beforehand!).
The bottom line is that if preserving your memories is a priority, try to make cuts in other areas
of your budget to compensate for more money where you want it most.
Should a couple
preserve memories in video?
Absolutely, a video
is a terrific addition to your library of memories. Just remember that you need
room in your budget, and that you still want to document the day with
photographs.
- Jennifer Goulden,
TheWeddingRing.ca |
