Philadelphia Wedding Photographer

How to choose a wedding photographer

How to choose a wedding photographer

Looking for a photographer for your wedding is a very important part of planning a wedding. Many photographers book out as far as one year in advance. But finding a wedding photographer is different than buying a dress. While you can see a dress before buying it, you can't see your wedding photos until after your wedding. You aren't just buying photos, rather you are buying the skills, talent and creativity to capture a wedding on faith. Your photographer should be able to answer any questions you may have concerning your wedding and seem to have genuine interest in you and your future spouse.

The three major considerations for a wedding photographer are:

1. Do you like the photographer's images?
   Do they tell a story of the day? Does the style match what I am looking for? Are the images fresh and exciting or does the photographer have a stale style and a few over used tricks? Does the photographer use formal posing methods or use photojournalistic style to capture candid moments? Do the poses look natural or fake?
   
   
2. Does the photographers personality & style work for us?
   Whether you like it or not, the photographer is the most important guest at your wedding. So, if you can't stand their personality or mannerisms, this photographer is not for you. Ask your photographer what her personality is like. Does she stand far back and photograph the days events or is she more direct? Does she have a commanding presence or is she laid back and easy to work with. You have to know what personality will work for your wedding day. Photographers can produce great images, but if they have an overpowering personality or are unprofessional, it may ruin your memories of the day.

   
   
3. Do the photographer's prices fit within your budget?
   Cost can be a major factor in choosing a wedding photographer. Research can pay off here, some expensive photographers are very good, and some inexpensive photographers are great. Price is not necessarily an indicator of quality. Check out several different web sites of photographers in the area and ask friends for recommendations. So choose wisely. Remember your photos can never be captured again, and after the wedding they serve as the record of your wonderful day. Photography and video wedding costs average $4,210 in the Philadelphia region.

1. Do I get to keep the negatives?
   Some wedding photographers give you the negatives or original files from the camera. Some wedding photographers charge you a flat fee and others won't sell them to you no matter how much you offer.
   
   
   Ask the photographer if they will be shooting your wedding.

   Many larger photography companies use their best photographers as salespeople. This practice has disappointed many brides and grooms over the last few years. If they are not the photographer that will be capturing your wedding, don't sign any contracts until you get to meet with "your" photographer.
   
   
2. Find out if the photographer is medium format, digital or film.
   Digital photographers shoot digital weddings for its speed. Film photographers may not have made the switch or shoot film for reliability. Photographers use medium format for its ability to be enlarged to poster-sized prints. Ask the photographer why they choose either format.
   

We hope that you will choose Allebach Photography. We are committed to helping Brides and Grooms find wedding photographers that meet your needs. If you need a place to start in a no pressure enviroment, we can sit down and discuss what makes a good wedding photographer. Since we were just married in 2005, we realize the stresses of planning a wedding and we are glad to help.

We serve Philadelphia, Montgomery County, Lehigh County, Delaware County, Bucks County, Lansdale, King of Prussia, Allentown, Norristown, Paoli, New Hope and beyond.

Capturing beauty one frame at a time.