Many brides (and grooms) that I meet with have so many questions, and are sometimes even a bit nervous about making a decision on a wedding photographer.  I thought I’d do my best to 
offer up some advice on finding the best wedding photographer for you!
(And NO, I am not the perfect wedding photographer for everyone!) 



DO SOME RESEARCH
In the digital age, you should be able to do some quick research online.  A photographer who is an expert in digital photography should be able to have at least a basic website.  This is a good starting point, but this should just be the first step.  Anyone with a digital camera knows that if you take enough photos you are bound to get a few great pictures. Looking at online galleries is great, but should not be where your research ends. 

LBP’s wedding information can be found here – photo samples and pricing is all available online!


MEET IN PERSON
You should set up a time to meet with your photographer BEFORE signing any contracts or making any final decisions. You must feel comfortable with your photographer – you want to look natural in your wedding photos and you won’t look that way if you are scowling at someone you do not like!

LBP always meets in person with the bride and groom and does not require any commitment is made during that meeting – go home and talk about it before making your final decision.
 

VIEW LOTS OF PHOTOS, AND THEN VIEW SOME MORE
As I said before, anyone can post 10 nice photos on a website.  At your in-person meeting be sure to view at least one full wedding album.  Not every photo taken will be amazing (I know this is a shock!) but I’m just being honest.  By viewing an entire album from someone else’s wedding you can get an idea of what to expect in terms of quality of the photos, editing, and the number of photos you will receive.  

When meeting with LBP to discuss your wedding day you will see at least 1 full wedding from the ‘getting ready’ photos to the reception.


$500 OR $5,000???
You could hire your friend that has a nice camera to take photos. . . or you could hire a large studio’s photographer. . . or anything in between.  A few things to keep in mind:
For a wedding, a photographer has the following time commitments:
1 hour consultation
1 hour equipment prep
8 – 10 hours of wedding day coverage (with travel)
8 – 10 hours of wedding day coverage – photographer #2
30 – 40 hours of photo editing
2 hours of compressing and uploading for online viewing
Plus the time of processing orders and creating photo books

At a minimum there is 50 hours of work for one wedding.  A photographer who charges $500 is making $10/hour (before taxes and equipment purchases and upkeep).  Do you think this photographer will be in business next year?  Probably not.  I would caution working with a photographer that seems to be ‘cheaply’ priced.  You will book your photographer at least 6 months in advance, you may still be ordering prints and books a year after the wedding, so it’s really important that they are still in business!

At LBP we always strive to provide fabulous photos at practical prices, we will for sure be in business in the future, but we don’t want to break your bank account either.


ARE THEY EVEN A REAL BUSINESS?
With facebook and web design being relatively easy and inexpensive there are lots of photography “businesses” popping up all over the place.  Don’t be afraid to ask the question, “Are you a licensed business”?  This is very important.  If someone is operating without becoming a business:
1. They are not paying taxes – this is unethical.  If they are unethical with the government, they may be unethical with you. 
2. If you have any problems, it’s difficult to report them to the BBB (Better Business Bureau) when they are not even a business!
3. If they haven’t taken the necessary steps to become a business, what makes you think they will be in business for the long term? 

LBP is an limited liability company (LLC), EIN# 21-4624370.


ONE PHOTOGRAPHER OR TWO?
I always suggest having two photographers, it’s just really great to get more than one angle and also to be sure you aren’t taking pictures all day because there is only one camera. You need to think about your priorities, if you are having 400+ people at your wedding and you want photos of every table, you may even need 3 photographers.  Be sure to discuss this during your initial meeting with the photographer and be sure they have the capabilities that meet (and hopefully exceed) your desires.

Also be sure that when someone advertises 2 photographers, they will have 2 cameras working at all times – sometimes it just means that 2 people will be present, only one taking photos. . . sneaky!

LBP has 2 photographers (2 cameras) included in all wedding packages.  We do know our limits, and have turned down weddings that were too large where we felt we would not be able to do everything the bride wanted.  


WHERE ARE MY PRINTS?
Digital files are great – they quickly can be shared with family and friends on facebook, they fit on a small disc, and they don’t fade with time.  Don’t forget about your prints!  Be sure to ask your photographer 2 key things:
1. Do they use a professional printer?  (maybe even ask to see the quality).
2. What are the costs of the individual prints?
Beautiful photos printed at a bad printer can look awful (especially black and white and special edits).  You want to be sure you will have a nice photo to hang over the fireplace.  
Print prices – we all know about photographers who charge $300 for a 16X20 print!  In this case you need to be sure you are comfortable with your photographers print prices OR that you know where you will get larger photos printed yourself that are very high quality.

LBP tested about 10 prints before picking the professional printer that we use today.  Print prices can be found on our website here.


PHOTO BOOKS
Maybe you want to make your own fabulous scrapbook. . . or maybe you view this as a daunting, time consuming, frustrating task!  Be sure to ask about photo books and other products, and their prices.  You may decide after all the wedding planning you would prefer to just buy a book instead of doing the work yourself. Oh, and ask your parents too – even if you want to make your own book, they may want to buy one that is custom made.


LBP offers custom designed professional books.  We of course bring one to our meeting to show you the quality.  We love these books, and we think you will too!  You can view some images of the books here. (scroll down)

 

WHEN DO I START LOOKING?
Most photographers book about 1 year in advance for weddings.  I suggest looking early because as you can see from the list of things above, it may be a long process!  

LBP suggests contacting us as soon as possible; it’s no fun telling a fan of ours that we are already booked.


FUN . . . HOW COULD THIS POSSIBLY BE FUN?
After meeting with and picking your photographer you should be excited and you should want to tell everyone about it! Your photographer should put your mind at ease and should make your day fun . . . after all, you are inviting your photographer to share in one of the biggest days of your life.

At LBP . . . well, we think we are fun!  If you think we are a good fit after reading this blog, give us a call! (contact info is here)


I hope you found this blog helpful!

Smiles,
Laura