Common Mistakes When Selecting A Wedding Photographer

 

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Don’t just settle, select wisely.

 

Ah, weddings! Your wedding day is the day when you walk down the aisle and pledge your undying love; thus marking another important chapter in your life. Weddings are joyous, wonderful events that are cherished by memories ingrained in photographs.

For that reason, selecting the most suitable photographer for your big day is essential yet daunting. In the United States, there are an estimated 100,000 photographers. That number can be quite overwhelming; the more choices you have, the more stressful the selection process.

 

The struggle in selecting becomes even more complicated when you realize that what makes photographers or photography studios stand out are also their weak points. So how can you pinpoint the best one for you without being easily influenced by popularity or number? What are the usual mistakes couples should avoid?

 

 

Mistake #1: Prioritizing the gear more than the skill.

 

Well-off interns can easily purchase high-end photography gears even with very little knowledge and experience of the craft. Think about it. A $3,000 DSLR is just a camera without the proper training and skill to handle it. A well-experienced photographer can ace fantastic shots even with an average or standard gears. Although it is a plus point when the photographer uses the newest, most advanced equipment in the market since it can produce high-definition images, still the quality and content might not be exquisite. Best advice is not to get overly excited and look into what the photographers can do instead of what they have.

 

 

Mistake #2: Choosing friends or family.

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First off, if you have a budget for a wedding photographer, do not settle with family or friends who may have a little experience with photography in general. Second, wedding photography is a very specific occasion that requires very specific sets of skills, variables, and gears. Entrusting your photography needs to just anyone in the family even if it’s free may pose more trouble than relief. Lastly, you wouldn’t want to risk having bad blood with your friends if ever things get jumbled up in the process.

 

 

Mistake #3:  Counting their number of clients.

 

In weddings, this is the part where your quality over quantity principle comes in. An experienced, hands-on photographer knows that wedding photography takes rigorous planning which eats up a lot of time. Choosing a wedding photography studio just because they can do 200 weddings a year is an absurd decision. It’s an actual deal breaker. Imagine how they can squeeze in your event on top of those hundreds of couples who are also demanding a lot from the studio.

 

The outcome would either be a half-baked plan or the photographer would hire other associates and make them do the wedding photography while they “supervise.” You didn’t pay for some associate to do your event. You would want the actual thing, right?

 

 

Mistake #4: Trusting the portfolio.

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While portfolios are good bases to consider for experience and skill, it should not be your only reason to book your photographer. After you’re done being amazed at the portfolio and imagining how similarly exquisite images are going to look on your social media account, the next step is to have an actual conversation with the photographer; not the assistant or the associate but the photographer. Meeting with the photographer and having personal interactions will further strengthen your views before hiring.

 

 

Point to remember

 

Communication is critical when choosing a photographer. After all, the photographer’s going to be beside you most of the time during your wedding, getting acquainted, honest, and comfortable is an advantage to capture all those quality shots.