Spinoff - Photography advice
Some people know I am REALLY into photography and very passionate about this (where is the LIF soapbox icon when I need it?)...
My opinion- to save you a headache and heartache on your wedding day, I hope-h
Only work with a photography studio at which you can meet with THE photographer you will be working with on your wedding day. You should be able to speak with this person ahead of time in a meeting BEFORE booking and you should be able to view albums of this specific person's work. If an engagement shoot is included or added, it should be with THIS person. Part of the point of the engagement shoot is for you and the photographer to built rapport and get to know each other.
Don't forget that in addition to the fact that photos are among the only things you'll have AFTER the wedding day (the food, the music, etc will all be gone), the photographer is the person you'll spend the most time with all day, so a personality match is also really important. You also need to make sure, as cautionary tales are now showing, that the photographer can be creative in a way that makes you feel comfortable in front of the camera, and doesn't make you direct your own shoot. All you should be thinking about is having a good time, DH, and how pretty you look.
When I was looking at photographers (this was like the first thing I booked), I was really turned off by one particular place where I met with a consultant and I looked at a bunch of books that all looked pretty identical. When I did see a book I liked I asked which photographer had shot it I got an answer like 'They are all trained to shoot the same so they are all equally good.' Is this really what you want? Even if it's true (which it isn't, everyone has different skills and talents, not to mention personaliities), do you really want a cookie-cutter album that looks like everyone elses, and a photographer working off the company shot list? I would prefer to have someone who can be in the moment with me and share my joy, look around the environment and find creative ways to shoot in the moment, and make me feel at ease.
Also, just like your DJ should match the music choices to your tastes, you want a photographer that has a taste and style similar to yours but who can listen and be flexible enough to shoot on your day based on what YOU want.
For us photo was SO important and so we didn't want to go to a huge studio and work with someone 'trained' in a studio's canned shots, but work with someone we clicked with personally and artistically. For us, that road led to Artisan, and we're really happy with the choice. If you haven't booked photo yet PLEASE take all of this into account so you can make the right choice for you.
My opinion- to save you a headache and heartache on your wedding day, I hope-h
Only work with a photography studio at which you can meet with THE photographer you will be working with on your wedding day. You should be able to speak with this person ahead of time in a meeting BEFORE booking and you should be able to view albums of this specific person's work. If an engagement shoot is included or added, it should be with THIS person. Part of the point of the engagement shoot is for you and the photographer to built rapport and get to know each other.
Don't forget that in addition to the fact that photos are among the only things you'll have AFTER the wedding day (the food, the music, etc will all be gone), the photographer is the person you'll spend the most time with all day, so a personality match is also really important. You also need to make sure, as cautionary tales are now showing, that the photographer can be creative in a way that makes you feel comfortable in front of the camera, and doesn't make you direct your own shoot. All you should be thinking about is having a good time, DH, and how pretty you look.
When I was looking at photographers (this was like the first thing I booked), I was really turned off by one particular place where I met with a consultant and I looked at a bunch of books that all looked pretty identical. When I did see a book I liked I asked which photographer had shot it I got an answer like 'They are all trained to shoot the same so they are all equally good.' Is this really what you want? Even if it's true (which it isn't, everyone has different skills and talents, not to mention personaliities), do you really want a cookie-cutter album that looks like everyone elses, and a photographer working off the company shot list? I would prefer to have someone who can be in the moment with me and share my joy, look around the environment and find creative ways to shoot in the moment, and make me feel at ease.
Also, just like your DJ should match the music choices to your tastes, you want a photographer that has a taste and style similar to yours but who can listen and be flexible enough to shoot on your day based on what YOU want.
For us photo was SO important and so we didn't want to go to a huge studio and work with someone 'trained' in a studio's canned shots, but work with someone we clicked with personally and artistically. For us, that road led to Artisan, and we're really happy with the choice. If you haven't booked photo yet PLEASE take all of this into account so you can make the right choice for you.
