Choosing a candid wedding photographer

So how does one go about the job of choosing a candid wedding photographer?

One of the common concerns is that there is no dearth of amateurs in this field, and the other one is that “anyone with a DSLR calls himself a photographer these days!”. If this sounds familiar to you, here are some pointers to help you choose the right photographer for you.

• Shortlist a list of photographers based on their prior work. Check out their Flickr page/website/personal blog/Facebook pages. It usually shows if they have only been recently bitten by the shutterbug.
• Testimonials. If you know someone whose wedding the photographer has covered, get in touch with them. There’s nothing quite like a personal experience.
• Compare. Almost all of us have our images displayed in the above mentioned sites. Look out for timing – if the photograph has been captured just at the right moment or if it gives you a feeling that it’s a photograph that was taken a moment too late. Timing is more important than any post production gimmick.
• I’d strongly suggest viewing an album of a single event rather than going through a collection of  pictures from multiple events. This is important for two reasons :
  • It’s entirely possible to create an illusion of splendid coverage, when it’s a collection of good pictures from multiple events. After all, you should be expecting several brilliant captures from your wedding. Just a few of them will simply not do.
  • You’ll be able to choose the photographer whose style of work appeals to you. It isn’t just about technical brilliance, but a matter of perspective too, and one style may appeal to you more than the other.
• Flexibility. Different photographers offer different types of packages. See if you are able to customize it to the extent you’d want to. You might not want to go in for a photographer who absolutely insists that you print the album or that you must go in for a casual shoot. These are good to have, but ultimately the choice must be yours.
• Your conversation with the photographer should give you a certain degree of comfort and confidence in his abilities. He should be willing to give you feedback on the trial make up that you went for, or tips on how long an ideal garland is. In short,  he should be willing to work with you to help you get the little things right.
• Reliability and attention to detail. A good photographer has back up options for possible electronic and equipment failure. He or she spells out his/her terms and conditions, even for extreme cases like a cancellation, has several conversations to discuss the events, the people you’d want to be covered, and anything else that would be important in the context.

With these tips, you should be able to book the right one for you. Please do leave a comment if you think there is something else that helped you find the right photographer!