Sammy, I'm trying really hard to be non-confrontational, here, so, if it comes of that way, I apologize in advance.
Okay I'll bite. I'll assume you're being serious. I know I'll get people up in arms over the advice, but you asked and it is genuinely what I believe.
Iam
- Negotiate for what you want. If a photographer won't give it move on. (RAW or full sized files are the classic. If you actually want them and know how to use them and the photographer won't provide them, move on). A photographer unwilling to supply what you want is not work thousands of dollars. If you want other people photographing and the photographer won't allow it, move on. As soon as any photographer starts prattling about not releasing full sized or RAW images because it's not his creative image, move on.
- I would advise anyone to negotiate for all full sized or RAW pictures as they are straight out of the camera, and for the rights to modify them for personal use. These give you total control. If you have them you or anyone else you hire can do amazing things with them. If you like the photographer's post processing skills by all means pay for his creative and post processed images as well if that's what you want.
- Do not judge a photographer based solely on their website or portfolio. Word of mouth is much more important. It would certainly be worth watching how they behave at another wedding (particularly with guests) though this is rarely possible. If you do see a wedding photographer that does a wonderful job at someone else's wedding get their card!
- Don't haggle with a photographer. They know their expenses. They have a good idea of what their images are work. They've priced their work. If they're a decent they've done so reasonably. If you don't trust them or think they're gouging, move on politely. You're not likely to gain anything positive by haggling.
- You want the photographer to be available for the whole day from photos getting ready to the end of the reception. Any compromise on that is a bad idea.
That gets expensive, at $250 per hour for two photogs. Sometimes we have an assistant stick around to the bloody end, at a reduced cost. But we will do this.
- Ideally you want two photographers that work together. You have a backup for everything else. This is no different. If the photographers are related they may work very well together (I've seen one brilliant husband and wife team) but the trade-off is that a family emergency may knock them both out on the day.
It's a pretty difficult task finding a good photographer. Most people don't hire a photographer more than once or twice in their life. With you're wedding you're hoping you only get one shot.
We meet with our clients more than once, and the initial meeting takes about an hour and a half. We make a couple of wedding availble from PhotoSelect, with the permission of the subjects, for the potential clients to look at, if they so desire. Is there anything else we should do?
- Always remaining professional in the respect and manners sense of the word, even if your client isn't. Remember YOU are the professional. You determine what is and isn't reasonable and disengage from the work politely if you don't want it.
- If you charge a large fee explain why in terms of time and materials, not just your artistic talent
- Be flexible. If the bride and groom want something unusual, work out it's value and offer it for that fee. Don't gouge. Don't begrudge them the request
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Sammy
(Edited for brevity and pertinency)
Sammy, you'll be surprised, but I agree with almost everything you say here. The only thing I'm sketchy about is your second bullet point in the second "to the photographer" section. Cost of materials is pretty much the same for all of us, increased cost of our time is what covers the difference between the inexperienced and the ones who've been doing it a while. Another one is the "get all of the files." But we've discussed that. As I'm sure you know, RAW files won't look like the edited ones, and there are copyright issues with someone modifying images. We had a very bad experience with someone who did a horrific job of post, when we turned over RAW files on a commercial shoot we did. We actually asked that our name be taken off of the photo credit. Which is why we're very reluctant to supply those files and relinquish control over how they look. We have a post production style, (and that's what a lot of our clients like about us) and often shoot some RAWs to suit that style, rather than to give a perfect un-edited image. That, too, could result in, ahem, poor image reputations, if you know what I mean. We don't know how good someone is at post production work, and our images are our reputation. On the other hand, there are an increasing number of photogs who do "turn and burn." Shoot on an hourly basis, and hand over a disc. That's it.
I love your "don't haggle" statement. I wish I could somehow take out an ad in the local paper with that in it. If you think we're too expensive, or not worth the cost, move on, you're right.
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Skip M
http://www.shadowcatcherimagery.com
http://www.pbase.com/skipm
http://skipm.smugmug.com/
'Living in the heart of a dream, in the Promised Land!'
John Stewart
). I think the general point of view is that you can do quite a lot wrong while editing (RAW) pictures. Therefore I do think it's reasonable not to give them to the couple (or client in general) if they're not experienced in editing. The photographers reputation (and bread and butter (exaggerated i know)) is on the line.
