What to Look For When Selecting a San Diego Wedding Photographer
There are a series of important decisions you will have to make in your life. The kind of decisions that have the power to change the path you are on and to affect the remainder of your days. Things like the kind of career you decide to pursue, how many children you choose to have, and… who you select as your wedding photographer.
OK, obviously I’m kidding. Who you select to be your spouse is probably more important than who you select as your wedding photographer. But don’t fool yourself – the person you choose to take those all-important photos is also a pretty big deal.
Think about it. Those aren’t photos you will ever get a chance to redo. They are the images from what is supposed to be the biggest day of your life, and if you aren’t happy with them – there is no going back and changing your initial decision.
That’s why who you choose as your wedding photographer is a decision you should put a fair amount of time and thought into. Those images will be the one lasting piece of memorabilia from your wedding day. That makes them priceless; likely even more valuable than the food you serve or the dress you decide upon. And trust me, many couples won’t even realize their importance until after the wedding day is passed and it’s too late.
So how do you make such a massive decision, with so much riding on the images themselves?
Well, to start with – you have to understand that you really do get what you pay for in life. If you are looking to do your wedding images on the cheap, hiring an amateur friend or going with the lowest bidder, you need to know that you likely aren’t going to be blown away by the images that are produced. And as the years go on, you are probably going to find yourself facing more and more regret over your unwillingness to splurge just a little on your photographer years before.
You don’t have to break the bank in order to hire a good wedding photographer, but you do have to be willing to set a decent piece of your budget aside for quality images. Because again, remember – this is the only piece of your wedding day that will actually endure with you throughout the course of your marriage. What kind of value are you willing to put on images that last ‘til death do you part’?
The next important factor to consider is that fancy websites don’t necessarily denote quality photographers. Look past the website and at the images themselves. Ask for portfolios of a photographer’s work and ensure their images match the style you are looking for. Schedule an in-person interview or phones call so that you can assess how your personalities mesh, because for better or for worse, your wedding photographer is someone who is going to be spending some intimate time with you on your big day. And perhaps most importantly – verify and verify again that the photographer you are speaking to is the photographer who will be there on your big day.
When comparing pricing, remember more “stuff” is not as important as loving the images you get. Who cares about “stuff” if you hate them? Sometimes settling for a little less time can be a way to get a great photographer as well. Do you really need 12 hours coverage or will 6 or 7 do if you love those photos?
Life happens and there is always the possibility that emergencies come up and your chosen photographer will have to send a backup, so by all means – ensure they have that backup available should the situation call for it. Anyone worth their weight in salt will have backups in place. But barring any major emergencies, be sure to clarify that your photographer is actually going to be your photographer – and that they aren’t double and triple booking weddings with the intent of sending colleagues and employees you have never met along to do the shooting.
Beyond that, ask questions about things like experience, timing and composition. None of those can be faked or Photoshopped, and the more you look at a photographer’s past images – the more you will be able to get a feel for their overall style. A style that will certainly transfer over into your photographs as well.
When you find the right photographer, you’ll know. Just like you knew when you found the person you were going to marry. So don’t be afraid to spend some time interviewing different candidates and asking the questions that will help you decipher the difference between a phenomenal photographer and a photographer who is just good enough.
Your love deserves phenomenal images, so don’t be willing to settle for anything less.