In the Picture

Every picture tells a story, but some are more interesting than others. SARAH FRENCH explains how to get the best out of your wedding photographer.

ONCE the confetti has been swept away and the honeymoon is a distant memory, for many couples their wedding photographs are the only lifelong reminder of their special day.

Costing anything from £600-£2,000 on average, the services of a professional photographer don’t come cheap but are still a fraction of the overall cost of a typical wedding.

The skill of the photographer and the quality of his or her photographs, and the choice of images and how they are presented are, however, anything but typical. Like every other aspect of the wedding, couples should take time to find the photographer who is the perfect fit.

Graham Brown, who photographed his first wedding at the age of 14 after following his father Stan into the trade, says personality is one of the two main tests couples should consider, technical competency the other.

“It’s easy enough to find a photographer these days but you can’t know whether they are right for you by talking to them on the telephone or through a website or by e-mail,” he says. “Spend only ten or 15 minutes in their company and you’ll know whether or not you can work with them. If you aren’t comfortable with them at their studio, then you won’t be comfortable with them at your wedding and that will show in the photographs.”

When it comes to working out if they’ll meet your expectations, insist on seeing a full set of pictures from at least one wedding.

“Most photographers will have an album of sample pictures from lots of different weddings but for all you know, they might be the only pictures that are worth showing,” says Graham, who was named North-East Wedding Photographer of the Year three times in consecutive competitions organised by the British Institute of Professional Photographers.

“Seeing a full set gives you a more balanced view of the standard and style of the photographer. You also need to see indoor as well as outdoor pictures, bearing in mind that the weather might not be perfect. And ask if they would set up studio lighting for indoor photographs.”

More and more couples are going for a contemporary look to their wedding pictures. Candid shots of the wedding party and guests as opposed to traditional posed pictures can create a more natural reportage of the day. In these circumstances, the photographer needs to be able to blend into the background to take their pictures.

“These pictures can work well in addition to a small number of the formal posed photographs as long as they fit in with the style of the wedding. For example, if the guests all go and stand at the bar after the ceremony it’s very difficult. But if they spill out onto lawns and are chatting and mingling then it works well,” says Graham.

The success of the reportage also depends on the type of venue – it doesn’t suit weddings at football ground or in a modern conference room, for example.

Couples can help the photographer by having in their mind the style of wedding they’re creating and how they want it to be portrayed in pictures.

This includes looking at the venue in terms of photography and suggesting specific locations you’d like to use for pictures.

If it’s a new venue for your photographer, they should be willing to visit it beforehand too.

“Most people choosing a wedding photographer haven’t gone through the experience before and may not have thought about what they want,” says Graham. “Lifestyle and bridal magazines can help give an idea of current trends but while they might provide some inspiration, they could on the other hand tell them what they definitely don’t want. However, couples should remember it’s their wedding and they should bring something of themselves into it.”

Latest trends are also influencing how photographs are presented, with albums now available in a host of colours, materials and sizes, with pages for single and multiple images or even montages with one image superimposed on another. Then there’s the choice of pictures in colour, mono and sepia. The photographer will need to know all your choices beforehand.

Graham’s advice is to keep it simple. “A mix of colour and black and white pictures, or colour and sepia will work but you wouldn’t want to have all three in one album. It’s the old rule of less is more. All the candid photographs in black and white and all the traditionals in colour can bring some method to it.

“In terms of which images to choose, make it work chronologically so you have a record of the day as it progresses. It shouldn’t be repetitious. And don’t forget to keep the family happy by making sure everyone who should be in the album is.”

Finally, make sure you get a written quotation from the photographer, checking as to whether or not it includes VAT and if the album is included or is extra.

It’s highly unlikely a reputable photographer will let you have the negatives, but do think beyond the album to alternative uses of the pictures for portraits to frame and hang or as digital images on a disc for web use. Graham Brown Photography, Norton Road, Stockton, tel: (01642) 679333 or visit www.boxbrownie.co.uk