I read an excellent post on mydeejay.com about the process of hiring a wedding photographer. They interviewed the top wedding photographers in the Washington DC/Baltimore areas a bunch of questions that anyone who is looking for a wedding photographer should ask. I took it upon myself to answer the questions in the form of a post on this website so that my potential clients will know more about me and a little insight into the world of wedding photography.

Why is wedding photography so expensive?

At face value, it looks as though the photography shows up and for a few hours of work to take a bunch of pictures, then he's gone and you get pictures in a few weeks. Taking the pictures is only the beginning. A wedding package typically takes 2 weeks of work to complete. There's the initial meeting & engagement session. I offer reception table cards which have to be created and sent off for printing. The actual day of shooting can result in thousands of images that have to be culled and edited. I personally edit every image that makes the final cut, which could be hundreds or even thousands. Those images are prepared and uploaded for proofing. Albums have to be designed and proofed. There's a lot of time and energy that goes into wedding photography that doesn't involve a camera at all. As the old saying goes, "You get what pay for."

If a couple is on a specific budget, what are some ways they can get the most for their money?

With most of my packages, I include a lot of little extras like an iPod Touch with preview images, engagement sessions, family sessions, box of 4x6 proofs, slideshows, digital proofs, etc. The more expensive package include different album options. If a couple of on a tighter budget, I have a very basic package which doesn't have all the little extra goodies but does include half-day coverage of the ceremony and reception. Some people don't necessary want coverage of the entire day, just the main event. I have ala carte pricing for albums and prints as well.

Each photographer handles the rights to their photos differently. Can you explain the differences?

Some photographers will not grant any rights to the clients for the images. They will sell prints but not the digital files. Some photographers will also sell the digital files on a disc and grant either shared or limited usage rights. Shared rights grant rights to both the client and the photographer. Both will have copyright to the images but it can get confusing if the photos are to be submitted for commercial use. Finally, limited usage copyright, which is what I grant, means that the photographer owns the full copyright but the clients can print and use the photos for personal use. This way the photographer is protected in case the images are used commercially.

What are the differences between the major styles of wedding photography?

There are 3 major styles of wedding photography: traditional, photojournalistic, and artistic. Most wedding photographers tend to incorporate all three styles but will be strongly biased towards a particular style. Traditional photographers will do a lot of posing and staging shots. They will spend most of their time on the formal portraits. Photojournalistic photographers try to capture the moments and the details in real time. They try to tell a story in their photos and capture the emotions and the moments of the day. Artistic photographers will be very unique and try to capture shots with unusual camera angles and lenses, and will tend to use very stylized effects on location and in post production. Its sort of a catch all category for everything thats not traditional or photojournalistic. I approach weddings from a photojournalistic point of view, but I always incorporate the traditional formal portraitures, too. My goal is to tell a story and to document the day's events. I like to be creative as well and will often look to the bride and groom for inspiration and have fun in those "artsy" shots.

What exactly does “wedding photojournalism” mean?

Wedding photojournalism is a style that attempt to capture the "real" moments and emotions of the day and document the event as it unfolds. Planned portraits have their place in wedding photojournalism but its important not to force things too much. There will always be a place for formal portraits in every wedding but its important to capture the days events as they happen.

How important is it to meet the photographer before you hire them?

I believe its absolutely essential to meet the photographer before you hire them. Its important that the bride and groom feel comfortable with who they are hiring to photograph them on their most important day. They should be a good match personality wise, no matter how much you love their pictures. It gives you an opportunity to learn their style and how they will approach the day.

How important is it to find a photographer that’s a good match in terms of personality, or is liking their photos enough? I think the photography will be the first thing obviously that attracts the bride and groom to a particular photographer, even before they even realize what style he or she likes. The personalities should click. Its the little things, like how easy is it to communicate or get in touch with your photographer before the wedding. There are telltale signs of how smoothly your photographer will work throughout that most important day. Are they reliable? Do they consider your wants and needs? Are they professional?

Are there any advantages of digital photography over film? Are there any disadvantages?

I can't think of any advantage that film offers. With the post production tools and techniques photographers have at their fingertips these days, anything is possible with Photoshop and Lightroom.

How important is it for a photographer to be familiar with the ceremony or reception site?

The most important thing for a photographer is light. Especially when I'm in a situation when the ceremony is inside and its dark. That really makes it a challenge for me in terms of how I need to work. I prefer to work with off camera flash but most of the time I can't use flash during the ceremony. I like to set up flashes on light stands at the reception and it helps to be able to know what I'm getting into beforehand so I can work efficiently.

What are the advantages of having a “second shooter” to assist the photographer?

I don't always have that luxury but an assistant is a good thing to have for a photographer. A second shooter is even better because you will have complimentary styles and different angles. Two shooters can cover more ground and the chances of missing a moments become less likely. One example with a second shooter is that one can be covering the bride getting reader while the other is covering the groom.

Every couple has a “shot list” for family photos, but what are some unique things they can do besides that?

A shot list is so important to the photographer. One of the best things you can do is to appoint a family member of friend to be "in charge" of the formals and family photos to make sure that all the people are there that are needed, to track down any missing people, and direct people around when its their turn. They can be the "boss" for the day. Its normally very hectic and the photographer is at a disadvantage because we don't know who's who and who's important, etc.

What’s the most efficient way to get formal photos completed before the reception?

Again, its important to have a shot list and a list of immediate family members and wedding party members. And it would be awesome to have that bossy family member who can help corral everyone at this point as well. I know it goes against tradition, but I prefer to have the bride and groom see each other before the ceremony so that I can get all the shots out of the way before the ceremony. If the couple doesn't want to see each other, then I can still get the shots afterwards but it will be more hectic and stressful.

What if the bride and groom really don’t want to see each other before the ceremony?

That's completely up to them.  I would never try to force someone to do something they don't want to do. 

What kind of advice do you give to couples to prepare for an engagement session?

Relax and be comfortable. The location should also allow the couple to be comfortable enough to be themselves and not be self conscience. I want to stand back and capture those real moments and the location shouldn't be so distracting that they aren't given a chance to experience that. I want to blend in so that they forget that I'm there.

What are your thoughts on the current trends in wedding photography, and where do you see things going?

I'm seeing more bride and grooms that are breaking from tradition and seeing each other before the ceremony, which make an easier day from the photography standpoint. One thing I'm a little worried about is the very stylized wedding photographers out there whose photographs may end up looking dated in a few years. I'm mostly referring to the post production aspect. There are a lot of Photoshop actions and Lightroom presets that people are using to get different looks in their photography. Don't get me wrong, a lot of it looks very cool but I would be afraid to go overboard with it because you don't want to look at your photos in ten or twenty years and laugh at how cheesy it looks.