Items To Consider When Selecting A Photographer

How long has the studio been in business?
You want to be sure that a studio will be in business and will be financially viable at the time of your wedding and after the wedding. There have been many instances lately of independent photographers and even some studios going out of business, forcing brides and grooms to look at the last minute for a photographer for their wedding or leaving them without pictures or an album after the wedding. Be sure to get a printed contract.

Is the studio based in Chicago or is it a national chain posing as a local business?
Because businessmen in far off cities can contact you via the internet, and pose as a local business, today's bride has to be particularly careful that she is dealing with a real, local business. With a distant corporation in charge of your wedding photography, little problems can become large nightmares. Imagine, if your photographer is late for your wedding or you have to speak with someone about a problem with your album... would it be easier to work with a local company where you would be greeted at the front door, or a distant company that is primarily a marketing operation based all the way out in California or New York. Oftentimes while they pose as small studios, these marketing corporations have a huge volume of business spread out across the country. They consist of a part time, commission based sale staff, and the photography staff is simply a list of available (unemployed) Chicago photographers! This type of deceitful practice is possible since crafty marketers in far off cities (who mask their true lcation) can get your name from Google searches, and then pretend that they are Chicago companies.

Do you have to pay for the entire package (or most of it) BEFORE the wedding?
Beware of photographers (especially independents) who make you pay nearly everything before you see any pictures or before you receive the album.

What is included in the pricing?
It can be difficult to compare pricing because some photographers quote only the photography fee and charge separately for printed proofs, albums, and pictures. Other studios include all of the charges in their package costs.

What happens if there is an emergency and the photographer cannot photograph your wedding?
Make sure that a regular staff photographer is available as a backup on the day of your wedding in case of emergency. Find out what equipment the photographer would bring to your wedding as a backup. If you are considering an independent, what would occur if something happened to him or her either on the day of the wedding or even weeks or months before your wedding? Scrambling to find a qualified photographer at the last minute is often difficult or impossible.

Does the studio have an actual office?
Some photographers try to book weddings in coffee shops or in their homes. Be sure to find out where you will be serviced afterwards, especially if there is a problem and you need to meet with someone.

Are the proofs full-size individual photographs, thumbnail size pictures on a sheet, or just available online?
Only full-size proofs will enable you to see the true quality and color of your photographs and help you determine how well they can be enlarged. If keeping your proofs is important to you, be sure that you know what they will look like if you qualify to keep them.

Can you see sample albums and sets of proofs in the sales presentation?
Do not just look at images on a computer, as these will not show you what your finished pictures and album will look like. Look at the back of the prints to make sure that they are printed on professional photographic paper.

Which photographic laboratory does the studio use?
In order to try to save money, some photographers are trying to print pictures themselves on unprofessional printers and paper. Because some photographers only occasionally photograph weddings, they may be inexperienced in photographing weddings; consequently, they may not know which pictures to take, what lighting to use, where to position themselves for the best photographs, and may not be familiar with wedding customs. Finally, they may not have access to top quality wedding albums or photo laboratories and may thus use inferior products.

Can the studio photograph your engagement portrait in the studio?
Many brides and grooms order engagement portraits for themselves and their parents and also display signature boards at their weddings.

Is online viewing available?
Some clients, especially those with many out-of-town relatives, like to be able to view their wedding photographs online.

Will the studio produce photographs and produce an album for you?
As strange as this question sounds, there are now some photographers who force you to do all of the work by just giving you a CD and telling you to print your wedding pictures at Walmart. This requires a lot of effort on the part of brides and grooms who need to go back and forth to the store to print their own pictures as well as pictures for relatives and friends. Unfortunately, there is now a new generation of "albumless brides", so-named because in spite of their intentions, they never get around to producing a wedding album for themselves. Also, if a CD is lost, corrupted, or if CD technology becomes obsolete, the bride and groom are left without any photographic memories from their wedding day.