DIGITAL WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHY

Digital photography has now come of age. The resolutions possible with digital easily compare to Film. Digital wedding photography has many benefits that increase workflow and ease of use, which hopefully leads to better photographs. This really depends on the individual digital or non - digital photographer but what can be done with digital files, especially in software such as Adobe Photoshop is extraordinary!

Advantages of digital wedding photography include faster post-production (no film to scan in), ease for posting online, negatives in the form of a DVD, and more photos that can be taken on the day of the wedding. Digital wedding photographers have been known to take 1,000 or more images on a single day.

CHOOSING A PHOTOGRAPHER THAT IS RIGHT FOR YOU!

Think of it in two sections: Performance during the wedding & after the wedding. In other words, you want personality and professionalism (day of) and great photographs (after). Hopefully you get the best of both worlds and here are some tips to making a good choice.

Pre-wedding Interview:
Meet your wedding photographer and get to know him/her... You are stuck with us for the whole day, so it helps if there is a "vibe." Ask as many questions as possible, especially those which define the overall cost of a photography package, especially what is and isn’t included. Make sure the photographer works well with you and others...

On the Wedding Day...
The photographer often has to direct the flow of the day, which can be a serious issue if there is not cooperation with the other vendors. The DJ should be telling the photographer when events happen at the reception (unless there is a coordinator). The videographer should work with the photographer to ensure that both get their footage/photos. The Photographer should act swiftly on your wedding day so he/she understands exactly what’s happening on the day. The last thing you want is a photographer racing around asking for advice at the last minute while you wait for direction.

After the Wedding Day...
Make sure your photographer produces consistent results when you receive your photos. Honestly, the worst photographer will have at least one "keeper" after 1,000 photos. A good wedding photographer will have a large percentage of keepers. It doesn't hurt to check by asking to see an entire wedding instead of highlights from many different weddings, something Dave has on his laptop at time of the wedding interview.
If you get good photos (and the negatives), you can always spend more money on an album later, especially if the photographer is prepared to also offer full copyright release.

QUESTIONS TO ASK YOUR PHOTOGRAPHER

What is your photographic style?
This can be one or more of the following: traditional, photojournalistic, posed, candid, artistic, documentary.

Are you the actual day-of photographer?
If not, can we meet with the actual photographer? Should / Can you meet the assistants also? Some wedding photographers will sell you on them and send someone else to cover your wedding.

Do you shoot in black and white?
If film, do they shoot in black and white? If digital, do they keep the orignals in color and do black and white in post-production?

What is your experience with wedding photography?
How many weddings? How many years? Have you shot at our location? If so, what are the special photographic conditions of our location? Have you done a wedding similar to our size?

Will you have other weddings that weekend?
How will that affect our wedding? If you at the tail end of a weekend (Sunday after Saturday and Friday weddings), can your photographer handle that? Some photographers do not have the physical or emotional endurance.

Can we get negatives or digital negatives?
How long after the wedding date (get this one in print)? Are they full resolution files?

What kind of equipment do you use?
Are there tripods? Wires? Can people trip? Is it obtrusive? Ask about the quality of the cameras, lenses, and lighting. This is to just roughly gauge their understanding of equipment. I can deconstruct most of my own photographs, telling you the light settings and lens I used.

What do you do in case of emergencies?
What if the photographer is ill or cannot make it? Do you have backup equipment? Do you backup photos (for digital photographers)?

Can I see an entire wedding?
This allows you to see the consistency in one day (as opposed to only having a few "keepers" from each wedding).

How are you dressed?
Are they presentable. I've seen photographers show up in gray t-shirts and black lace tank-tops (not guys).