Photographer FRUSTRATION- HOW TO CHOOSE?

[Green with Envy]

OMG... for me the HARDEST part of planning a wedding is picking the photographer. I have looked at venue recommendations, recommendations on wedding sites, PS recommendations... and I have NO IDEA how to choose and don''t have time to meet a dozen photographers.

Obviously I can limit myself based on budget... but these photographer websites/ blogs all start to look the same! i try to look for clarity, composition, skin tones, details.... I have no idea what I am doing!!!

Some who have awesome reviews... i just don''t really LOVE the photos... others have awesome photos... with high price tags, or some negative comments about follow through AFTER the wedding.

Anyone else have photographer picking anxiety?

i have figured out we want someone who takes lots of photos (one guy said he would have less than 300 photos of the wedding... another guy said he would have over 1000!)
It seems important to have TWO people to cover everything.
We want someone who will help us put together an awesome book because this is what I will cherish 20 years from now.
We want cool engagement photos.
we want easy to navigate website for us, family, friends.
we want hi-res DVD so in the end we have all our own photos forever.

Am i missing something?

How do you sort through the websites and narrow it down? Help!!! (Thank goodness it is so much more fun picking the dress

)

 

[Rock_of_Love]

I totally hear ya on this one! I''m trying to choose right now, and, of course, I want lots of these things...but these things come at a quite hefty price IMO. I am starting to get quotes and such and photographers seem to be really, really expensive!!! Wow!!! Wasn''t prepared for this one!!

Would love to hear any advice as well!!!

 

[purselover]

Do you know anyone who got married in the same area? I would just find out if they liked their photographer and then go off of their experience. We just booked my sister''s photographer, we figured she liked him, the pictures came out well so why bother searching?

 

[Treasure43]

We''re struggling with this too right now as photographers as so vast and EXPENSIVE! Basically we picked a bunch of photographers in our price range and then decided on our requirements (we want all our pictures and their rights, we want the photographer to be a woman so she can do take pictures of me getting into the dress, and we want lots of coverage time!). I also looked at their websites and determined which ones had a good mix of candid and posed shots and who were able to capture emotion and do interesting things with the pictures. Right now we''re in the process of meeting with the top 4. I''m finding that we "click" with some photographers and not with others. I''m thinking about not worrying about the album in the package and either making our own album later or buying one as a 1 year anniversry gift (as the really nice albums are pricey!) One woman we met with will give us unlimited coverage, all rights to the pictures, an engagement AND bridal session, and a guest book that will be made year book style with our engagementand and bridal pictures. It''s such a unique idea and basically uses some pictures and some blank space so that guests can sign around the pictures and we have something amazing to take away from our special day. Plus I really clicked with this photograher and she was willing to negotiate with us. It all depends on what you want but it can be very hard choosing! I''d reccomend meeting with a few and figuring out what you like and don''t like.

 

[Green with Envy]

Treasure-

WHAT is a bridal session? I understand engagement shots are as a couple and I have seen these pics put into book for guest sighing and that is a cool idea.

IS bridal session just of woman... in dress before the wedding? or not in dress?

 

[vc10um]

Date: 8/31/2009 6:21:14 PM
Author: Treasure43
we want the photographer to be a woman so she can do take pictures of me getting into the dress

I''d reccomend meeting with a few and figuring out what you like and don''t like.

If someone didn''t say something about the sex of the photographer, I was going to! Men are great, but unless you feel comfy prancing around in front of other men in your undies...if you want getting-into-the-dress pics, you''re gonna want a female! (If the lead photog is a guy, keep in mind he may have a female assistant for those shots...)

And there''s definitely something to be said for the personality of the photog as well...if you''re fun-loving, outgoing, and goofy, you don''t want a photog that''s reserved and, for lack of a better word, sterile. If you''re a more reserved couple, you don''t want a photog that''s all about the fun and outgoing type shots...

 

[Treasure43]

Date: 8/31/2009 6:44:27 PM
Author: Green with Envy
Treasure-

WHAT is a bridal session? I understand engagement shots are as a couple and I have seen these pics put into book for guest sighing and that is a cool idea.

IS bridal session just of woman... in dress before the wedding? or not in dress?

The bridal session is just of the woman in her dress and it is done a few weeks before the wedding, right after your final fitting. Obviously the groom is not there