An important aspect of planning the events and preparations for
your wedding lies in the selection of a photographer. Some
people are intimidated by the concept of arranging for
professional wedding photography because they fear the cost
will be too exorbitant. Professional wedding photography is
certainly not cheap, but it is one of those things in life
where the old adage “you get what you pay for” is certainly
true. You can use an amateur for your wedding photos if you so
desire, but the difference in the end result will be readily
apparent. Still, there are ways to get good quality wedding
photography, performed by a professional, and still have enough
cash left for the honeymoon.
When selecting a professional to handle your wedding
photography, price will be a factor in your decision. While you
get what you pay for, there is no reason to pay more than you
have to. Before deciding on any one photographer or photo
studio, do some comparisons. Look at the sample photos that you
are shown and ask if they have samples you can take with you.
Compare the look of the photos from each photographer with one
another. If you find two that seem to be of similar quality but
with vastly different prices, then the decision is easy.
Obviously the less costly photographer can do the same or
similar work for less.
Another consideration in selecting a professional photographer
for your wedding is what you get for your money. Most
professional wedding photographers offer package deals that
include a set number of prints of different shapes and sizes
for one price. These packages can vary greatly in terms of
content and price from one photographer to another. Look at all
they have to offer and make your decision after weighing what
you think is the best deal for the money in terms of what you
actually get.
One thing many people do not consider when selecting a
photographer for their wedding is the impact of copyright law.
The photographer may hold a copyright on your wedding
photographs. If so this technically makes it illegal for you to
create additional prints, copies, or even computer scans of the
photographs for reproduction elsewhere. Find out when
interviewing photographers what rights they exercise over your
photos, if any. You’ll find that most photographers do exercise
some form of copyright over the finished product. Others will
sell you the entire package, including the negatives for you to
do with as you please. This is not the most important part of
selecting a photographer, but it is something to consider
carefully.
Professional wedding photography is one part of your overall
wedding experience that will, unfortunately, cost you some
money. There is no way around that if you want the best wedding
photos you can get. With a little investigation and comparison,
however, you can still save money on this most important
feature and make sure that you get the absolute most for your
money that you possibly can.
Kirsten Hawkins | 
