More Advice on Choosing your Wedding Photographer 
Tyneside-Durham-Teesside and Cleveland -North Yorkshire

A wedding is a well planned and momentous occasion. Most brides to be will have spent months just dreaming of how wonderful she imagines the day to be.  

Once the wedding has taken place, the dress has been worn, the cake eaten, the flowers withered and the guests have long forgotten about their tasty three course meal, all you will have left to remind you of your special day will be the photographs that were taken. 

It should almost go without saying that the photographs that will capture all the emotions of your special day should be ones that you will treasure forever. Regret is something a bride does not want to deal with especially since those fleeting moments will never be repeated again. 

It may seem like a good idea in the planning stages of a wedding, when you have so many other things to think about, to simply let 'Uncle Bob' or any other well meaning friend or relative, to take the photos. In fact almost  50%  of all  wedding photography  is undertaken by  amateurs.  It  would be a great shame to take a risk with one of the most important jobs on the day and give it to someone not up to the challenge.

 Hire a professional for guaranteed results

 The first choice to make when deciding upon your wedding photography is to hire a professional for guaranteed results. One of the photographers’ professional bodies is the Master Photographers Association (thempa.com). Members will carry all the correct insurances and be full time professional.

 Draw up a short list and then contact each photographer to see if they are free on your wedding day. Some established photographers get wedding bookings 3 years in advance, so please contact them at the earliest opportunity. Most photographers take a booking fee, common fees range from £50 to £250.

An excellent way of determining the professional status of your short listed photographers is to call them. Some freelancers frequently work away from the studio, so don’t be put off by a mobile phone number. Be wary however if they answer by saying hello and not the name of their company. Full time professionals would also be able to see you for a consultation mid week and not just on evenings and weekends! Whilst some weekend photographers are okay, wouldn’t you want a full time professional at your wedding?

Your photography should come high on your priority list and such a position surely deserves an equally relevant position in your budget. It should, (ask your local wedding planner), be the second most important decision after you have chosen your venue.

So now you can decide on how much to invest in your wedding photography. A common mistake made by many couples is to give the photography a lower part of the budget. This is because they cannot see how important those photos will become. Ask any bride whose wedding photos were ruined how she feels now that those precious images of that most special of special days are lost forever.

It would be a great idea to invest a little extra of your budget for quality photos that you will keep for many years, and possibly not as much on the less memorable things such as the choice of menu, entertainment, the flowers or the bridal car. Great experiences, but ones that you will only have for a relatively short amount of time.

The third aspect to consider is which style of photography you would prefer. Every photographer has a different style and service so you should decide on how you want your day to be captured. The main styles offered are classical or traditional, reportage and journalistic. Contemporary which is a modern mixture of both classical and reportage.

Should you would prefer to have formal posed photos of the bridal party then the classical style should be your choice.

TRADITIONAL

If you are having a traditional wedding, you may want traditional photographs. The main characteristic of this style is the posing and the group shots.

Pictures of the Bride and Groom, the Bridesmaids. Then the family members followed by all the other guests. Because they are orchestrated group shots, this is a fantastic way of recording who was at your wedding and getting those important family group shots.

When you meet with the photographer to discuss your wedding, he/she will note down all the group shots you require. This is to ensure none of those important, but shy, people are missed out. It also helps to decrease the time spent organising the groups and makes for a much more efficient and less stressful, picture taking experience.

Talking to many couples, they say that they like the traditional shots, but not just traditional. The most popular is a blend of the old and the new, a mixture of the formal and reportage.

REPORTAGE

Reportage is most like editorial photography, a more relaxed style. The aim is to capture more of the spirit and energy of the day.

The photographs still have an element of posing, but you and the photographer will have more freedom than with the formal style. The ultimate aim is to show people   as  they  are  during the day, but still capturing those special moments.

Key moments such as the Bride leaving the house, the arrival at the Church, that first married kiss, the signing of the register the cutting the cake and the toast.

In recent years this style has been made more popular by the increase in Celebrity Magazines. In general the images the magazines show are in a reportage style.

A main consideration with this approach has to be that; without the group shots of the traditional style, you will need proportionately more pictures if capturing everyone is important to you.

Using this approach also means that the photographer will spend more time at the wedding. The balance of shots is split between the service and the reception.

When choosing this style couples must also be aware that less professional photographers use reportage as an excuse for wandering around taking hundreds of “snaps”. Reportage requires as much skill as any other style if it is to be done correctly. So please be careful of photographers only offering reportage or contemporary photography. After all if snaps were all you wanted “Uncle Bob” could probably do it cheaper!

JOURNALISTIC

This style differs from the others in that the photographs are not posed. In this case the photographer or maybe photographers will seek out pictures as the day unfolds.

This approach is great for capturing the energy and spirit of the day. The photographer moves amongst the guests looking for those small moments; a laugh, a hug sometimes a kiss. It is these small moments which come together creating an emotional storyboard of your wedding day.

As with reportage it is possible to cover the entire wedding in the journalist style. If you were to make this choice please be aware that there will not be any of the posed formal wedding photographs that many people expect. But what you will have is an intimate record of your wedding day.

This approach requires that the photographer spend most of the day with you both at the service and reception. Many images will be taken to ensure good coverage and a good range of photographs for you to choose from.

If you do only ask for a set of formal photographs, this will minimise the length of time the photographer is with you as most shots will be captured at the Church or chosen venue.

The forth consideration to think about when choosing your photographer is their personality. They must be strong enough to organise the   groups    but   sensitive enough to distress any number of situations that may occur. It is therefore essential that you meet with the person who will be taking the photographs at your wedding. After all they will be the one staring back at you all day long and if you don't get along, you are guaranteed not to look your best. The consultation with your professional wedding photographer is also a good opportunity for you to see the style of photography and the albums that are on offer.

When discussing presentation choices, remember that you don’t have to choose an album. Many young couples prefer to have large wall art images which can be montages of the best images from your wedding day. Should you decide on an album to display your images, be aware that  there are many different types on the market. Post bound, book bound, 8 inch, 10 inch and all the way up to A3. The newest style is the designer book, marketed by such companies as Graphi studio and Glorious Books.

Some modern studios have their own graphic designers  who   individually create your wedding album. This gives you a unique product and can also give you the opportunity to help in the design layout of your own album.

Flexibility is the key. Ensure your photographer takes the photographs in the style you want, has a personality you can endure and offers a wide range of products that suit your tastes. Remember that your wedding day is history in the making, your history.

Camera art

 As National Award Winning photographers we can capture your precious memories. Our, style of photography is flexible and adaptable providing you with stunning images.

 We have a large stock of  albums for you to view. For your convenience we have a graphic designer to add those finishing touches to your wedding book.

 The photographer you meet at your consultation will be the one who photographs your wedding.

 Many excellent packages are available and every customer receives the same camera art professional service whatever the price.

 Freephone: 0800 052 0757

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