Choosing a Wedding Photographer

This is an article about what to consider when choosing a wedding photographer, about how wedding photographers work and what their work entails, nuances and what you should pay attention to so you aren't cheated and aren't disappointed when receiving photos.

Costs

    Good average wedding photographer average costs in Latvia are in the range of 400-500€ (there are, of course, higher and lower prices). On average weddings last 8-16 hours, but remember that the photographer's work doesn't end with photographing. Next come selection, processing, preparation and printing work. If you want to take a photographer for a shorter time (for example, only for the ceremony), the photographer's costs may only decrease partially, not proportionally, because photographers don't like losing potential wedding shooting hours due to a few hours. Wedding photographer prices are determined by demand, experience, technical equipment and recognition.
    If the photographer's costs are lower, then you should be cautious, because you might encounter one of these options:

• Wedding photographer costs outside the capital are lower because demand is smaller, and also salaries are lower. From this follows that it's harder and longer for the photographer to provide themselves with the desired equipment.
• The photographer was offered by an agency, which partially provides the photographer technically and is an intermediary. These agencies keep a portion of the fee for themselves. Often such agencies are interested in offering "their" photographer, from whom they can earn as much as possible. Try to find a photographer independently if possible, without intermediaries, or work with an honest agency.
• The photographer is a beginner who needs to build their portfolio. Often such photographers have unprofessional/semi-professional equipment and little experience. Taking such photographers to weddings is a risk.
• The photographer hasn't yet realized their skill level and values themselves too low. Finding such a photographer can be very advantageous in terms of cost.

    My experience shows that the photographer's costs make up approximately 5-10% of the total wedding budget, depending on priorities. There are couples who, to afford a more expensive photographer, refuse from video.

Most commonly two types of payment systems are encountered:

1. The photographer names a specific price for all the work done. This type has the advantage that the photographer can freely photograph at the wedding as they wish, without economizing frames. Here it's essential to agree on what exactly you'll receive for the agreed amount. How many photos approximately. If the photographer's offer includes prints, then ask how large and how many.
2. The photographer names a specific price per photo. With this scheme the photographer works so that you buy as many photos as possible from them after the wedding. Photo price can be 5-10€ depending on both the photo subject (sometimes group photos are more expensive) and size. This type of scheme has several minuses. First, the photographer will only shoot what might potentially be bought more, therefore many moments will be missed, which the photographer considers frames not worth developing. This policy is often used by "old" photographers and photographers who shoot with film. I recommend asking how many photos are taken on average and calculate how much it would cost if you want to buy all photos. Often it happens that all photos are purchased and additionally films are bought for extra money.

A note about photographers who shoot with film. Find out how many films the photographer will take to the wedding. Calculate how many photos the photographer can maximally take (standard film 36 frames). обязательно ask how much it will cost if you want to buy all films from the photographer. Often films are expensive because then you can copy photos from the films as much as you need, which is impossible when the photographer sells each photo separately. This style of photography is slowly disappearing in Latvia, but abroad it's considered very exclusive and only some photo connoisseurs appreciate it.

I recommend being cautious if the photographer offers wedding photography for free or for just 100€. This type of photographers compensate the low shooting costs with quite high price per photo purchase after the wedding. For example, shooting costs very little, but later they ask a high price per photo. Therefore don't get caught on this marketing approach and clarify everything about pricing. Under no circumstances leave price clarification for after the wedding! This type of pricing is also offered by beginner photographers.

Reserving

    Try to reserve your date with the chosen photographer as early as possible. The more popular the photographer, the sooner their dates get reserved. Not rarely dates get reserved a year before the wedding, therefore it's better not to hesitate and not postpone this matter for later. If we're talking about special number dates, remember, if you're not the only one who thought of celebrating the wedding on that date. On special dates prices will always be higher compared to other dates, because demand for those dates is very high.

Reviews

    You must be very careful when looking for reviews. Any newlywed couple who has already gotten married and the wedding photographer didn't mess up, will recommend their photographer as the best. This type of review isn't objective, because they haven't experienced how another photographer could have shot their wedding. (example, if we have never eaten any other fruit and tasted an apple, but others have only seen and claim that the apple is the most delicious, can you believe it?)
    Very often online you encounter photographers who under different names hiddenly advertise themselves, calling themselves a wedding couple whose wedding has already passed. Often negative reviews are also competitors' work. Such negative reviews are non-specific, no names or dates are mentioned, the review only informs that a specific photographer is bad. Often negative or positive reviews are written from different names but come from one person. Internet and friend evaluations aren't objective. Trust only and exclusively your own eyes seeing the photos and contacting the photographer in person.

Photographer's Portfolio

    The photographer in their portfolio shows only their best photos. I recommend paying attention to the tendencies in photos. First, whether they are posed photos or caught live frames. A good photographer must know how to create both beautiful posed photos and also catch great frames in reportage style. Pay attention to the diversity of photos and creative execution. Pay attention to how the photographer works with "ordinary" people who aren't model type. Some photographers show only young couples "hunks" whom you can shoot from all angles and everything will look great. It can happen that in photos only the young couples change, but the pose, expression and photo composition are the same. This indicates that the photographer no longer works creatively but has created clichés which they follow. Also observe how creative and diverse the work is. Are there details, portraits, close-ups, children, separately the groom and bride, preparation process, emotions, joy, tears, parents, unusual and original frames in the photographer's portfolio.
    If you've liked a photographer, definitely ask the photographer to show at least one wedding from start to finish, to get a complete picture of what you'll receive. Looking at one wedding's photos, pay attention in which season they were shot. If you're getting married in winter, then ask to see winter season photos. Otherwise the photographer might show summer season photos where it's sunny and warm and then the impression of what you'll receive will be misleading. If the photographer refuses to show at least one wedding from start to finish, that should make you think and be cautious. Getting a cat in a bag isn't pleasant! Portfolio is like a beautiful business card, but a complete picture will only show you all photos from one wedding.
    When looking at the photographer's portfolio pay attention to the style or visual style of photos. Whether, you think, the beauty of photos will be possible to evaluate also after 5 and 10 years? Whether the photo isn't saturated with some effect or processing technique that defines this current trend? The photo should be strong on its own, without any additional elements that are characteristic of current fashion trends. Once the photo "bride on palms" was considered very beautiful, but today such a photo is laughed at. The same goes for processing techniques and effects. This needs to be paid attention to, because wedding photos will also be shown after 5, 10 and 30 years!

Receiving Photos

    Find out when you'll receive photos. You should be cautious if the photographer offers photos immediately after the wedding (the same evening or after a few days). No matter how professional the photographer is, any photo needs correction and processing. Even film frames are corrected, but only in the printing process to make the photo more beautiful. Unfortunately digital processing takes much more time and work. The photographer's photo delivery time depends both on the photographer's processing and shooting skills, and on how demanding the photographer is of themselves and photos, and also on how many weddings the photographer has in a season. Fast deadlines are considered 1-3 weeks. Normal deadlines 1-3 months. Already long are 3-6 months. But my recommendation is to better wait and enjoy the photos for the rest of your life, than receive photos quickly and regret it later. Often photographers also offer slideshow, photo prints and photo album creation, which also takes additional time.

Equipment

    Partially about the photographer's experience and level will tell you their equipment list. A photographer's equipment is their work instrument, and any self-respecting photographer wants to buy the best work instrument possible, of course, it all depends on the photographer's priorities where to invest earned money. Whether to buy a better lens or a new wheel. If the photographer earns only by photographing and the camera price is quite high, that means the photographer has been working successfully for some time and earned enough for good equipment. Any photographer strives for a better camera. If the camera price is below 1000€, that may indicate the photographer is a beginner or also economizes on equipment. Equipment has quite a big importance because both quality and the photographer's creative idea execution possibilities depend on it. The more expensive the photographer's equipment, the greater the photographer's possibilities.
    If the photographer shoots with two cameras, then you're protected from cases when the camera breaks. A camera like any electronics tends to break at the most inopportune moment. Also two cameras indicate that the photographer wants to be efficient and not lose moments due to lens changes.
    To evaluate the photographer's technical level simply ask, for the photographer to send their complete technical equipment list. Then calculate using salidzini.lv, how much the cameras and lenses cost together:
 

Photo Equipment Budget	Photographer Level
<500€	The photographer has purchased the cheapest camera, which indicates their unprofessionalism and incompetence in wedding photography. Reliability 1%.
500-1200€	The photographer is a beginner. Be very careful when choosing such a photographer. The photographer is only at the very beginning of their path. Reliability 5%
1200-2000€	The photographer has purchased the minimum to shoot wedding at least somewhat qualitatively. Reliability 30%
2000-3000€	The photographer has sufficiently good equipment to perform wedding photography. Reliability 70%
3000-5000€	The photographer is well equipped for wedding photography. Reliability 80%
5000-10000€	The photographer has chosen very good photo equipment for their work. Reliability 90%
10000-20000€	The photographer has chosen the best digital photo equipment for their work available on the market. Reliability 99%

This table is only informative because in life there can be exceptions. There are cases when wealthy people buy the most expensive equipment and want to try wedding photography. Therefore always look at the photographer's work!
 

Friend-Photographer

    If you want for economic reasons to replace a professional photographer with a friend-photographer who recently purchased a camera, then it may end not too well. A person who has a professional or semi-professional camera still isn't a photographer. If you every day cook food for your loved one that still doesn't mean you're a cook and ready to work weekends as a cook. Professional photographers are characterized by experience, knowledge, skill, sense and intuition. If the wedding budget is very small and there aren't enough finances for a professional wedding photographer, then look for among friends or acquaintances someone who does photography as a hobby, and hire them for a symbolic fee. But I recommend doing this only if there are no finances allocated for a wedding photographer at all, because only from a hired professional photographer can you demand a good result. Receiving unsatisfactory photos from a friend-photographer, the only one to blame is the one who chose an inexperienced photographer for wedding photography.

Multiple Photographers

    Some photographers offer to take two photographers to a wedding simultaneously. That is quite a big plus, because one photographer can't be in many places. Two photographers working simultaneously will shoot events from two different viewpoints. While one photographer shoots close-ups, the second photographer can switch to details and portraits. While one photographer shoots the event, the second photographer can freely experiment without worrying that some important moment will be missed. Such aspects will allow you to get much more interesting and unexpected frames. In posed photos photographers can assist each other, adjusting poses or holding reflectors or lights. Just don't try to take two different photographers to the wedding. They'll start working as competitors and it may end with a big quarrel or even a fight. For both photographers such a meeting will be very unpleasant. This type of service should be chosen if both photographers work independently in one team. Unfortunately three photographers is already too many and they'll start stepping on each other's frames. Don't overdo with the number of photographers.

Film vs Digital Camera

    You have a question, what's better, film or digital camera? Neither one nor the other. Each has its pros and minuses, for example, film has better dynamic range (photos in sunlight direct sun are better), much less time needs to be spent on processing, but the number of frames is limited and you need to think before each button press. Digital on the other hand allows the photographer to shoot more, without economizing frames. This way you don't need to think about the number of frames, about the importance of what's happening and about the remaining film count. Digital processing has a convincing victory over film processing possibilities. Archive possibilities for digital are wider. You can burn photos to discs, send by email, put on various portals, etc. This can of course also be done with film photos, but then the films themselves need to be scanned and that's additional expense. Wedding photography on film, in my opinion, is exclusive, and only true photo connoisseurs who are fans of film will appreciate it.
    It's not a bad thing if your photographer shoots with a film camera, only try after the wedding to get all the films in your possession so you can print or scan them.

Photo Salon or Photo Studio

    Photo salons or photo studios are chosen on the wedding day to create small group and young couple photos on neutral or artificially created backgrounds. In photo salons the number of people who can be photographed simultaneously is limited. If you want to visit a photo salon with all 50-100 guests, I recommend making sure if such a number of people will be possible at the salon. Worth adding that photographing at a salon will take about 1-2 hours. If you want to visit a photo salon for 30 minutes then the result might be very meager or experience shows that the salon photographer won't let you go faster than an hour because photographing at a salon takes time. I recommend scheduling salon photography in winter season, when weather conditions are very changeable and it gets dark around 4 PM, therefore the most important photos can be taken at the salon without worrying about weather conditions.
    Another interesting extra at weddings is setting up a photo salon at the banquet or evening part, but you need to calculate with additional expenses.

Additional Services

    Photographers sometimes offer not only photography services, but also related extras for additional fee:

• Photo viewing at the wedding banquet. For this purpose the photographer brings a portable computer and projector. During the banquet a slideshow shows the photos taken. I recommend using this option if there's no evening host and the banquet will be in a calm atmosphere, which the slideshow will only complement, not distract from.
• Photo printing during the wedding. For this service the photographer brings a small portable printer and portable computer. The price for the service can be constant or also by the number of printed photos. For example, everyone during the day photographed with the young couple, and during the banquet they already receive finished printed photos.
• The photographer offers to create a photo book after the wedding. The price for such service will be higher than if you yourself do the photo book photo selection, layout and ordering. If selecting photos is a problem for you and you lack time to layout the book yourselves, then you can use this offer.
• The photographer offers to use additional lighting. This offer allows the photographer to create different photos, creating salon-type lighting effects outside the salon. The photographer can improve poorly lit rooms and create soft lighting effects in churches, celebration venues. I recommend choosing this service in winter season when it gets dark very quickly. Often this lighting is incomparable with the camera flash.
• As an interesting toy that can be used without a photographer, there are single-use cameras or new generation Polaroid cameras that can be placed on tables for guests to photograph with.

Photo Archiving

    Find out if your photographer after the wedding themselves archives (keeps) photos in their archive. Many accidents can happen that may result in you losing your wedding photos. A dog can chew a disc, computer memory can be damaged by virus or other activity. Therefore it's recommended to yourself create data or photo copies and keep them in another place. Remember that the average lifespan of discs is 5-10 years. Memory cards and flash drives tend to disappear or data gets overwritten. Internal computer hard drives tend to break. Print photos often and share them!

Assembly Line or Individual Approach

    Choose a photographer, if there's such possibility, look at their calendar to make sure the photographer doesn't shoot 3-4 weddings per week. Wedding photography is quite hard work after which rest is needed. And even a young person can be tired after such a marathon run.

Wedding Ceremony Abroad

    If you decided to have the wedding ceremony (marriage) abroad and then there's a trip planned with a foreign photographer, then my recommendation is to take a photographer from your country because

• Costs will be similar or even cheaper
• Communication will be easier
• And the main aspect is the value of photos. The foreign photographer during the trip will be there and will shoot hundreds of frames for themselves, but you being in a new place will direct your attention to completely different places, which for the foreign photographer will seem ordinary and common (this can be compared to watching foreign tourists photographing in Riga completely ordinary and everyday things for us.) If you take a photographer from your country, they will pay attention to the same things that will also interest you.

Where to Find a Wedding Photographer

    Wedding photographer homepages change, therefore the best help is google.lv, just change the keywords variety. The next page I recommend visiting is the Latvian Wedding Photographers Association - www.lkfa.lv , where there is a member list. There I recommend getting acquainted with each photographer and viewing their homepages. Also interesting is the Russian resource mywed.ru, where you can choose photographers from other countries, including Latvia. If that's not enough, you can view these links precos.lv and ss.lv. If someone is an especially demanding photo connoisseur, then useful will be www.wpja.com.
 

Deadlines

    Photo delivery deadline depends on wedding intensity, photographer's processing manner and workload. Be prepared that the photographer might not manage to deliver photos in the promised deadline, because the largest amount of work is photo processing (if the photographer does it). If the wedding is small or less active, then the number of photos is smaller and processing time is also shorter, but sometimes there are very active weddings with many photos and processing can take longer. The photographer always promises an approximate deadline because they can't predict how many photos will be taken. Also at the beginning of processing the photographer can't really predict the final deadline because there are photos that take seconds to process and there are photos that require sitting for hours. Be patient, don't plan a photo viewing party until you haven't received photos. Everything good comes with waiting.

Drinks Money or Tip

    If the photographer has truly delighted you with photos, don't hesitate to leave a tip or drinks money (this word sounds terrible).

Conclusion

    Don't leave searching and reserving a photographer for the last moment. Clarify everything from the photographer you're interested in: prices, times, dates, what you'll receive, when you'll receive it, etc. Sign a contract or at least create an email correspondence with the photographer with questions and answers that interest you. Also agree on photo usage rights after the wedding, because, if the client doesn't allow the photographer to use photos after the wedding, for example, for the photographer's portfolio, contests or exhibitions, it may happen that for many photographers the motivation partially disappears to create unforgettable photos which they won't be able to show. Photographers are artists whose work fruits are extraordinary photos.
    Don't choose the first photographer you come across, don't choose other people's tastes and preferences, look for what's closest to your taste and heart. Remember that wedding photos are tangible memories from your wedding.

Photographer Andrejs Zavadskis

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