Good rapport is the single most important factor to ensuring you get the wedding photos that you want, without it the photographer will be left to their own devices and their own style may not be what you are seeking or have asked for.
So how have I overcome this, over the years? Well as you know it is impossible to hit it off with everyone, all of the time. However I have a very good track record and enhance my initial rapport with a pre-wedding photography session. We include this in the cost of their package and usually do the session at the location/s that they have chosen for the Wedding Photos.
This gives us a dry run so to speak. Maybe the location isnt as good as we first thought, maybe there is some construction going on that we didnt know about. There are several really good reasons to do a recon of the site close to the day.
Having the bride and groom along at the same time also enables them to have further input to the style and type of photos that they are seeking. Looking at these photos with your photographer, will confirm that you are happy with your chosen style, and to make any adjustments necessary.
HAVE YOU DONE THIS BEFORE? When people book us for their wedding photographers one of the questions that we ask them is: Have you ever been photographed professionally before? 90% of the time the couple look at each other and say No.
This for us as photographers raises many points. The first is this: If you have never been photographed professionally then you will be in for a bit of a shock, it is actually work.
Being posed and positioned in uncomfortable ways and places isnt really much fun, in fact often the subjects wonder why the photographers are doing and asking what they are. If you have never been through it, it is sure to be very foreign.
Our experience has shown that the best way to overcome this is with the pre-wedding photo session mentioned earlier.
CHOOSING WISELY I think by now you are starting to see why good rapport is so important to helping you relax whilst being photographed.
Imagine if you just went ahead and booked a Wedding Photographer not knowing how they worked and on the day you found that they were very bossy. Worse still, imagine if you found out on the day that they were very passive and not bossy enough?
You have vested so much time and dedication into your big day the last thing you want is the photographer spoiling it for you, if that happens then you really have no one else to blame but yourself.
After a pre-wedding photography session and after building a good level of rapport between everyone involved my clients always go away feeling confident in what to expect on their wedding day. There are no surprises, no misunderstandings of what is being done or why and there is never any more confusion about what the client is seeking. This has been a winning formula for my business for many years and continues today.
Now can you see why rapport is so important? Without it there will be many uncomfortable feelings for the bride and groom and that can go a long way to spoiling your day. If your initial gut feeling tells you that you dont like the photographer before you then forget it.
Good luck in your search for that elusive wedding photographer, and may your marriage be a long and lasting one.
1. What type of coverage are you offering and for how long? Do you charge by the hour or just for the day?
White Wedding Photographers has only one package to alleviate any confusion. It includes photos at your wedding ceremony and at the location/s of your choice. This package cost $3300 and includes 2 Professional Wedding Photographers, a DVD with all of the photos in high resolution on it, a magazine style album with 20-50 pages as well as a Pre-Wedding Photography session.
We separate the package to give maximum flexibility for all budgets. If you want further coverage say at the brides house before the ceremony or at the reception then it is charged at $275 per hour. We have found that offering this is the best way to allow our clients to decide how long they want to be photographed.
So to answer the question more concisely we charge the flat rate of $3300 for the ceremony and locations photos and $275 per hour for any additional coverage you request. If you want us for the reception or any other part not included in the package we will agree on the amount of time before the day. This stops you from looking at your watch knowing that the clock is ticking. We maintain maximum flexibility to ensure we fit every budget. This has been our winning formula for many years.
2. What is included in your coverage? Which photographer/s will attend my wedding day? What will they be wearing?
Included as mentioned above are the wedding ceremony and location/s photos, any extra coverage is at $275 per hour. I (Susan White) will be your photographer; I have over 15 years experience photographing weddings. I wear black pants and a white button up shirt. It is neat casual and fit in well with the guests. I always have an assistant with me who also takes photos and they to also wear black pants and a white shirt.
3. What style of photography are you most comfortable with? What style are you most effective at?
I love to work with children and babies and over the years I have taken some beautiful photos of these magical little people. Wedding Photography is however how I make my living; I am comfortable in a candid journalistic style standing off with my zoom sniping photos of people having the time of their lives. I am also skilled at working with people on location and positioning them for their best angles! Working at weddings for years has given me many skills, most of all the ability to anticipate what is coming next and to recorded it.
4. What type of experience has my photographer had at weddings? Can you provide some recent examples of work?
As mentioned above I have over 15 years experience photographing weddings. Sometimes the subjects are non-cooperative sometimes they are a dream to work with either way I always manage to capture the essence of their day and this is truly a gift that I possess. I would love to meet with you over a coffee and show you some work first hand but in the mean time you can see some recent photos on my web site, the details are listed in the author bio.
5. I am a little self conscious of some of my physical flaws. What can you do to make the most of my physical attributes?
I can do lots for you: If you have some attribute or something that you just dont like about yourself I cannot stress how important it is to tell me, your photographer. I want to present your memories to you in the most flattering way and the last thing I want for you to say is: Gee I really love that pic except for the ____.
You can rest assured that there is nothing to be embarrassed about when consulting me on this issue. What ever it may be we will simply position and pose you for the best angles. The most important thing however is that you speak up because without this knowledge I may take an entire wedding of something you dont like because of something trivial that you never mentioned.
6. What is included in my package?
Included is coverage of your Ceremony and Location/s photos. As mentioned above any more is charged at $275 per hour with the amount of time pre-arranged before the day to stop you worrying about the time. You receive a DVD with the proofs as well as the hi res edited ones, you also receive a magazine style album and a pre-wedding photography session.
7. If I dont like a particular element of a package can I swap it for something that I do like? How will this affect the price of my package?
Of course, however the coverage of your ceremony and location is fixed. All other elements are interchangeable without any type of penalty to you. You can find our price list on our web site, the details are listed in the author bio box.
We have found that letting the client decide what they want to be the best way to put a package together. The average cost is around the $1200 mark; this usually gets some nice framed photos and a canvas or two. We dont have set packages with this album or that; we leave it up to you to decide what you would like. We can guide you on what works well and what is popular but ultimately you have the final say and you sure wont be getting something that you never asked for.
8. I am in the process of planning my wedding day and we are thinking around (state the date). Are you available?
Yes but usually we fill up well in advance so it is a good idea to pay your deposit to ensure that you spot is not taken by another couple. Our policy is a 30% deposit with 100% paid for 6 weeks prior to your day. We have various payment methods. The most important thing to remember is to book early to be sure you get your day and not a photographer you dont want.
9. What is required of me before my wedding day?
If you decide to use White Wedding Photographers I will personally be working very closely with you.
Initially I will email you a set of questions that will help me understand your needs and desires. They are not detailed, just an overview. I usually meet my clients for coffee to put a name to a face so to speak; this gives us a chance to have a chat and talk about the emails.
I will encourage you to send me emails of photos that you like and I will send some to you doing the same. This also helps us get a better idea of what you are seeking.
If you dont know what you are seeking I will work with you to show you the different styles and types of photos you can have as well as suggesting the best location/s for wedding photos. The questionaries, emails and interaction will get us to a point where you will know exactly how you want to record your wedding.
We will have the pre-wedding photography session where we will do a dry run of your location/s and give you a good understanding of what will be required on your day. This will leave you in no doubt as to what will happen and how I personally work. It is fun and always enjoyed by the couple and we will get some stunning photos.
10. I have heard of some photographers doing a pre-wedding photo session at the bride and grooms chosen locations to make sure everything will run smoothly on the day. Do you offer this service? If not, what will you do to ensure that my chosen locations are suitable for wedding photos?
As mentioned above: We will have the pre-wedding photography session where we will do a dry run of your location/s and give you a good understanding of what will be required on your day. This will leave you in no doubt as to what will happen and how I personally work. It is always fun and always enjoyed by the couple and of course we will get some stunning photos.
If you are unavailable for this session or simply do not want it then I always attend your selected location/s before the wedding, I seek out the best positions and will have a good understanding of where we will take the photos. I never ever turn up on the day and say: that looks good there. I am always prepared and have been to your location before the wedding day. Chances are I already know your location and have worked there before. But if not I will do a little recon to be prepared.
Good luck searching for that elusive wedding photographer and may your marriage be a long and lasting one.
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