Today we continue our “Capturing the Day: From a Photographer’s Perspective” series with 4 photographers who I respect very much and really love to work with.
Part 3 features tips from: Phyllis Lane of Phyllis Lane Photography, Jennifer Bowen of Jennifer Bowen Photography, Ben Quillinan of BQ Photography, Andrea and Greg Reeves of Artisan Photography, and Kimberly Jarman of Kimberly Jarman Photography
Phyllis Lane Photography:
VC: What is your top tip on how people should pick a photographer?
PL: People should pick a photographer by first loving their images/their style and then by feeling connected to the photographer.
VC: Could you describe your style in a sentence or two?
PL: My style woud be described as the combination of fashion and journalism. Capturing essence.
Jennifer Bowen Photography:
VC: What is your top tip on how people should pick a photographer?
JB: I believe the key to picking a photographer is finding one whose photographic style makes you feel something, or makes you feel a connection to the images. I think it is equally important to meet with the photographer to see if you feel comfortable with that person and to get a sense of their professionalism. You will spend a lot of time with him or her on your wedding day and you want to find someone who will be an added value; meaning someone who is professional, respectful, unobtrusive and has a good reputation with vendors and previous clients. The last thing a client needs is a vendor who will make them feel more stress on their wedding day.
VC: What is the biggest mistake people make when interviewing a photographer?
JB: The biggest mistake people make when interviewing photographers is basing their bottom line decision on price alone. I can’t tell you how many calls I get from former brides in tears who hired someone who was “cheap”, or despite not feeling comfortable with them in the booking meeting, had them come on their wedding day only to have an awful experience. Every couple has a budget and there are photographers for all those budget amounts, but like any other industry or big ticket purchase, you need to do your research. What info do they share on their website or blog? What do others say about that person in reviews? Have other vendors you have hired heard of them or worked with them? Did you actually talk to the person before you hired them? Better yet, met with them? If they don’t have a website, active business license, or any web reviews, I would steer clear. You really do get what you pay for. Deals that are too good to be true usually cost you a lot more in the end.
VC: Can you describe your style in a sentence or two?
JB: My style is best described as natural, modern, and timeless. I give my clients the perfect blend of candid and emotive photojournalistic images that truly capture the moment, along with artistically stylish and modern portraits that make them look their best.
BQ Photography
VC: What is your top tip on how people should pick a photographer?
BQ: My top tip for choosing a photographer is style. The look of a photographer’s work should be the main deciding factor because the pictures need to reflect the couple’s personalities. The photographer’s personality is also important but a close look at their work will unveil who they are. Of course, budgets need to be kept in mind but I caution placing too much importance on the package details. Packages are flexible and can be adjusted even after the wedding but the pictures are forever.
VC: What is the biggest mistake people make when interviewing a photographer?
BQ: The biggest mistake people make when interviewing a photographer is not interviewing them enough. We’ve all had clients that just weren’t a good fit and the outcome as a photographer, unfortunately, can be not fulfilling their desires
VC: Could you describe your style in a sentence or two?
BQ: My style is timeless, warm, fun and very natural. I’m unobtrusive yet open and friendly to bring out the best in people and keep the emotions flowing.
Artisan Photography
VC: What is your top tip on how people should pick a photographer?
A&G: 1) Definitely pick someone you like whose personality does not clash with you and your fiancé; after all you are going to spend one entire day with your photographer.
2) Experience does matter, make sure to choose someone that has done it enough times to be able to easily overcome difficult situations, keep their calm and still get you the images you are expecting without losing their temper or upsetting you or your guests in the process.
3) It goes without saying, you have to like the photographer’s work!
VC: Could you describe your style in a sentence or two?
A&G: Our style is dynamic, creative and fun. There is so much happening at weddings that if you just do one style the photos become one-dimensional. So we do a mix of several styles, we document the entire getting ready, we are photojournalists during the ceremony catching that tear coming down the bride’s face during the exchange of the vows and all the other unique moments of each bride and groom, we are classic portrait photographers during the family shots when it is important to get that perfect light for the family photo, we are creative and fun when we take the bride and groom for their own little photo session and finally we are always looking for new angles and different lighting techniques to get great images throughout the day including the reception.
VC: What is the biggest mistake people make when interviewing a photographer?
A&G: 1) Most couples don’t take notes, after meeting with two or three photographers things will start to blur and it will be difficult to remember who said what, making the task of choosing a photographer a lot harder.
2) They are not specific enough on their question, it is all about the details. Don’t assume anything, make sure you ask everything that is important to you even if you think it is a silly question, ask it again if you did not understand the answer. It also will helps set expectations right.
3) Don’t be afraid to voice any concerns during the meeting, now is the time.
Kimberly Jarman Photography
VC: What is your top tip on how people should pick a photographer?
KJ: When choosing a photographer there are a few items that you should look for. 1) Do you LOVE their work? When you look at their website or blog do you love every picture and HAVE to have the same pictures for your wedding? 2) Does the photographer match your ideal photography style? There are a lot of “styles” of photography, photojournalism, traditional, edgy, romantic. Some photographers can have multiple “styles”, but each photographer has something different and unique about them. Make sure you love that about them. 3) Do your personalities match? You will be with your photographer more than any other vendor the day of the wedding. You should make sure that you get along and feel comfortable with your photographer. It’s all about feeling comfortable and trust in getting amazing images. 4) Professionalism. In the end, will you get the products you ordered? Will everything be delivered as said? Will you be happy?
VC: Could you describe your style in a sentence or two?
KJ: My style is Creative Photojournalism. I’m a lifestyle photographer, meaning that I LOVE to capture life, but in a way that is creative, a little edgy, and unobtrusive. I love to look at things differently and provide images that tell a story, but in a way that really hits people emotionally.
VC: What is the biggest mistake people make when interviewing a photographer?
KJ: I think the biggest mistake people make in hiring a photographer is that they go off of price and hire someone because they call themselves a photographer. There are a lot of people that have cameras and are calling themselves photographers, but good photography and quality photography take a lot of work. There are a lot of new photographers out there that are good and I don’t want to discredit them, but I think that there is much more than just owning a camera. There is a lot of work that is involved in photography, it’s an art, a craft, and also takes a lot of business skills to make sure that products are delivered with quality in mind and that people can survive the business side of things. When choosing a photographer make sure you are choosing them because of their work and you LOVE the photographer, not just because their “price” is good.
For Parts 1 and 2 from this series, click here and here!
