Weddingbee boards

Hello Bees! As many of you know, my primary goal on these boards is to help educate brides on the photography aspect of their wedding so they have an amazing photo experience. This includes helping brides choose the right photographer for them, and clearing up any misconceptions about what they really need from said photographer going in so they don't pay extra for things they don't don't necessarily need or want. That being said, I hope everyone finds this article helpful. I have written certain parts in the first person, just to give an example of how I do things, because for those elements, every photog does them differently! Anyway, that's it for my prologue and I hope you enjoy the information here, as it is very much based on the trends I have seen on weddingbee and from my own brides, and took me a long time to compile!

COMMON MISCONCEPTIONS

1.) "When purchasing a DVD from my photographer I also need the Copyrights to the photos in order to print them." When you purchase a DVD of images from your photographer, you don't actually need the Copyrights to print the images. There is a difference between Copyrights and "usage rights." Most photographers will provide usage rights with their DVDs, giving the client express permission to print the images and/or display them online with a credit to the photographer. The photographer maintains ownership of the images — aka, the actual Copyright.

The only times you as the client would need the Copyrights is if you did not want the photographer to use the images in his or her portfolio, if you wish to sell the images to a third party for personal profit (e.g. sell them to Panasonic to use as a screen saver for their next LCD for example), or if you wish to use them to promote your own private business (aka commercial use). Photographers typically charge FAR more for Copyrights than usage rights — and that's if they are even willing to sell them, which many are not.

2.) "I don't need editing, just the DVD of the RAW images." Many clients expect to save money by requesting only the RAW image files on a DVD, when in reality they are more likely adding to the cost. Many photographers charge extra for RAW files because they don't like the idea of giving clients the ability to manipulate their work in ways that would make it appear unprofessional to other potential clients. Most importantly, most clients are unaware they can't even view a RAW image file on their computers without the professional editing software required to convert the image to a JPG or TIFF, the types of image files consumers are used to seeing/manipulating daily. Professional image editing software is also very expensive and takes time to master, so unless the client is also a professional photographer, he or she will probably just end up paying extra for the RAW files, and then spending additional money later on to pay someone to convert the files to JPG and/or edit them.

3.) "Professional photo albums are way overpriced." A lot of clients look at the price of albums from Shutterfly and assume photographers are overcharging for albums. Professional albums and consumer albums are in no way similar. A professional-quality album that is printed using actual photographic paper — not the cheap press-printed books with thin pages — range from $300-$1000. And this is just what the photographer pays! Are there other slightly more affordable albums out there marketed to professionals? Sure. But having tested several of these options myself, I too eventually had to accept the actual cost of an album. Then you factor in the 20 or more hours it takes to custom design an album, which includes editing every photo before it goes in, and most photographers generally end up making very little on albums.

QUESTIONS TO ASK WHEN HIRING YOUR PHOTOGRAPHER

1.) Were all the images on your site taken by you or are any the contributions of a second shooter? If a photographer hires a second shooter to assist at a wedding, the photographer maintains the Copyrights to all images taken by the second shooter and can therefore include them in his or her portfolio. If you are hiring a photographer based on his or her images, you want to make sure that every image you see, or at least most of them, were the work of your actual photographer as opposed to a second shooter that may or may not even work for the photographer anymore. Or, if you love the second shooter’s work and he or she is still available through the company, the answer to this question may inspire you to factor in the cost of having that person second shoot on your day as well.

2.) May I see a completed gallery of photos from an entire wedding? If any person takes enough images, they are bound to get some good ones here or there. Say a photographer includes the best ONE image from each wedding he or she has done in the last ten years, and has an amazing portfolio. All this tells you is that you can bank on getting at least ONE good image from your wedding day... Is that enough? Probably not. For this reason, it's important to see a complete collection of images that was provided to the client by the photographer from a previous wedding. This will give you the best possible idea of what you are ACTUALLY going to get for your hard-earned money.

3.) Do I get ALL of the images that are taken on my wedding day? If not, how do you determine which images I get and which ones I don't? Most photographers don't give all of the images they take on your wedding day. Different photographers have different methods of determining exactly which photos and how many photos they give to the client. The only way to find out is to ask. For example, I may take ten images that to the untrained eye are exactly the same. As a professional, however, it’s part of my job to sort through each individual image and scrutinize every aspect of it — e.g. which has the sharpest focus, the best clarity, the best exposure, framing or slight difference in expression — to determine which of the photos I give to the client. I focus on giving the client the one or two images from the set that will make for the absolute best photographic prints.

4.) Will I receive the DVD of images with my package and usage rights? How long after the wedding should I expect to receive the DVD? So the package you are looking at purchasing includes a DVD of images; great! However, while many photographers aren’t trying to take you for a loop, it never hurts to be sure. DO ask if the images will be high-resolution (aka large enough files to print) and if the “usage rights” (see above) to print them off the DVD are included. I personally believe the recent public obsession with “rights” is the result of some photographers using the method of withholding the high-resolution images clients think they have purchased and telling them after the fact that they need to buy the rights for files they can actually print themselves. Finally, you want to make sure there is no extended “waiting period” for your DVD, or at least not one you are not comfortable with. For example, a photographer may include the DVD with usage rights in the package, but you don’t get the DVD until the one-year anniversary of your wedding. This is a fine practice, as long as you are aware of and are comfortable with it.

5.) Will all of the images on my DVD be edited? How many will be fully retouched? What is edited? What is retouched? Again, exact definitions here will vary from one photographer to another. One thing, however, is certain, and that is that the images you see on a photographer’s Web site have most likely undergone SOME editing, especially if any have an extra element of artistry to them. Digital images are by nature flat, and while masters of the trade might be able to get perfect exposures straight out of the camera, the extra vibrant colors, bright highlights, vignettes, sepia tones, extra clarity, and perfect skin tones are all the result of digital editing. So if you like these effects, which most clients do to some degree, it’s important to find out how many “retouched” images will come with your package. For all other images —and especially if your photographer is not a natural master of exposure — you do want basic editing applied to all images. For me, this means correction for exposure, color and framing mainly. Of course, you also want to be realistic about the amount of time a photographer is willing to spend on your images. So if you insist on having all 2,000 or so images the photographer takes that day, you probably aren’t going to get them all edited.

6.) What kind of camera do you shoot with? Do you have an equivalent backup? You are making a huge investment in your photographer, so you want to be sure he or she has made the proper investment in his or herself first. Ask for a camera make and model and Google it to ensure that it is a professional camera, not a consumer or pro-sumer one. There is a notable difference in the image quality provided by each camera. Additionally, the photographer should have an equivalent backup camera in case his or her camera should fail. A wedding is a one-time occurrence and cannot be re-shot because an unprepared photographer didn't bring a backup. You also don’t want to sacrifice quality if the photographer's backup isn't as good as his or her primary camera.

7.) Tell me about yourself: what credentials qualify you to be a wedding photographer? In today’s digital age, almost everyone owns some kind of camera, some nicer than others. A lot of people make the mistake of thinking that because they have an SLR, it qualifies them to make money as a wedding or portrait photographer on the side. Learning to use professional photography equipment is no easy task, and acquiring an eye for what makes a good/artistic image is even more difficult. The first thing you want to know is how committed your photographer is to his or her profession? Does he or she have another full-time job and this is on-the-side work? I can honestly say someone who has been doing photography full time for 6 months and is committed to making a living out of it has a good chance of knowing more than someone who has just been doing it “on the side” for five years. It’s simply a matter of having more time to invest in learning and more pressure on learning fast enough to be able to provide a saleable product. Also, someone who has had at least some formal photography schooling shows that he or she is committed not just to making money at the profession, but to being GOOD at it. Though many people may claim to be just “naturals” when it comes to photography, the reality is that if everyone was, all images would be created equal and there would be no need for professional photographers at all.

You always have such helpful posts LB!

Thanks everyone :) I'm glad I could share!

@CorgiTales: Hey Corgi! Thanks! That's what I was trying to say with number 2 under questions to ask your photographer. Hopefully that was clear because I agree 100%!

@CupCakeMeg: I haven't stopped by this thread in a while so hopefully I'm not too late to be of help. I'd be happy to take a look and send you my thoughts in a private message :)

@CorgiTales: Ahh, got it! Yes, I think you absolutely have it right. That HAS to be the most valuable piece of advice in the bunch. Sorry I misread your comment! Good call! :)

@PizzutiStudios: Great Additions! I definitely plus one everything here!

@Georgia Bee: You'll find lots of threads about this on WB if you care to run a search. I tell clients I'll have the blog within 3 days, and the entire gallery within 4-6 weeks. Typical deliverty time for the full set of proofs can range anywhere from 2 weeks to 8 weeks, depending on the photographer. I really don't see any reason for there to be a wait above 8 weeks, and anyone who can get your wedding done in less than two weeks is sort of a red flag that you aren't receiving edited images.

You could certainly contact your photog to see if he or she has a teaser they can send you to tide you over, but I wouldn't rush them on the full gallery. One month is still within a reasonable timeframe for that.

@caszos: I'm all for getting the information out there to brides! Of course you may post it there! I'd be flattered!

And thanks to all the other photogs who contributed to this thread as well! It just makes this a better and better resource :)

This post is sooo good. Every bride should read this thread. I especially agree with checking in on reviews. If there are no reviews to be found that is also a HUGE sign.

While I am still waiting for my images (that I have absolutely no worries about because I did a massive amount of research and have been drooling over the photos that my photographer has been putting up on his blog while I wait for mine) a friend of mine received her photos two weeks after her wedding. I vented about her photographer in another post. I looked through all of them and they're exactly what I thought they would be, not very good. I kick myself for not talking with her a lot more about her decision before she made it final. It literally made my stomach turn, there was dust on the lens in at least half of the photos (this shows up as a black splotch)there are huge exposure problems, focusing problems, and the poses, oh the poses..... I told her that I will edit them myself if they don't edit them for her since I know how. It's just unbelievable. 

@USER876: I would say it depends on two things: 1.) How much is the photographer charging? I maintain that there is no reason for any photographer charging more than $1k to shoot your wedding to not have a professional camera. The image sensor does make some difference (not as much as the lens but a difference none the less), so if you are going to pay a professional rate your photog should be using the best equipment. 

The other thing to consider is 2.) The style of the photographer. Put a natural-light shooter in a dark reception hall with a Nikon D80 or D90 and the images will be too grainy to be usable. If the photographer is adept at using off-camera lighting to compensate for the lack of ISO capabality, then MAYBE you get away with it, but you still wont have as nice a mixture with the natural light as you could by using some ISO as well.

Finally, I just want to throw in there, since we all agree the lens is more important, I would also ask about the lenses. Odds are, though, if a photographer is shooting with a non-pro camera they probably don't have any L-series or Nikkor lenses in their arsenal, as some of my favorite lenses cost more than my professional camera body! Good points to bring up though, definitely for the budget bride. The photographer makes the images, not the camera, so if you are on a serious budget, this is an area where you could realistically sacrifice if necessary.

Also, Amen to a professional camera DOES NOT make a professional photographer!

Thanks for this, LB!  I'd love some clarification on #1 about not needing the copyrights in order to print. A coworker of mine was married recently and was telling me about how much difficulty she had finding a place to print her photos for her since there were copyrights all over them; her key advice was to make sure you have the copyright.  Does this mean her photographer should have given her a disk without the watermarks for printing since she had usage rights, or that NYC drugstores are really fussy, or.... ? We've got our first meeting with a photographer in a few weeks and I'd love to get the questions right.

USER876 and PizzutiStudios, thanks for the info!  I checked in again with my coworker and it turns out it wasn't a watermark issue; somewhere on the disc (no idea where) it said copyright and I guess she didn't have any written permission.  So I'll make sure to check with any photographer we might use what we need to do about usage rights, and get it in writing.

@Frog E. Sorry I missed your question, but it looks like others took care of it. +1 to everything Pizzuto said :-)