How to choose a photographer for your wedding and not regret it afterwards? The article describes tricks that some photographers use to attract unsuspecting clients.
It is common knowledge that a website is the showcase of a wedding photographer. Unfortunately, people looking for a specialist are often exposed to canny marketing tricks, that are oriented on tricking them into making wrong decisions.
Worst case scenario is photo stealing. This can’t even be called marketing action, since it is basically an offence. Luckily these days more and more offenders are exposed by professional photographers, who try to protect their intellectual property. On professional forums there are topics aimed at naming and shaming people, who steal other photographers’ photos, for lack of their own talent. Sadly, some of young couples might get tricked by the cheat company, but in the long term few people can get away with such fraud. Professional photographers often know each other and are aware of specific styles they each have and as a result are able to point out if someone is trying to use their colleagues photos as their own.
Another example – the website gallery only shows carefully selected photos from many different weddings, usually taken outdoors. Theoretically, there is nothing wrong with it, however in practice a few good photos is simply not enough for the customer. It is not difficult to take a decent outdoor photo during beautiful weather, when you have plenty of time and everything is under your control. On a wedding you really want someone who is able to take perfect pictures in different situations – as opposed to someone who can only deal with posed pictures.
Third trick is very commonly used. A young couple comes to visit ‘XYZ Photography Studio’. On the show-case they see beautiful photos for a reasonable price. Apparently the photographer is available on the wedding date, so without much thinking they sign the deal. They walk out of the studio thinking they have made the perfect decision.
Then the wedding day comes XYZ Studio sends their photographers to five different couples who they had signed contract with, for that day. Every couple truly believes that they are being served by the person who had taken the beautiful photos they saw in the studio. Admittedly, they do not know his true identity since they have only spoken to the boss.
Sometime after the wedding the newly married couple receives the album. To their surprise the photos are far from what they expected. Sadly, it is too late now and nothing can be done. They have learn their lesson the hard way.
What went wrong? Well, let me explain it. The beautiful photos in the show-case and albums, indeed belong to XYZ Studio, so they are entitled to show them to potential customers. Unfortunately, the person who’s taken them is either an exception to the rule in terms of professional skill, or is no longer with the studio. The customers encouraged by the quality of photos sign the agreement, not realizing that it is not the person who has taken them, that is going to show up at their wedding. Instead they will get an amateur who is being paid poor money (which in fact matches his skills), that will take as many photos as he physically can and hopes he can pick some good ones afterwards. In the end, even the low price will prove to be just a trick – be sure to expect hidden costs carefully concealed in the agreement.
These were only a few examples of how things can go wrong in terms of wedding pictures.
Because of this, always remember:
· never stop after looking at only a handful of studio’s photos – always ask for a whole wedding album – from preparation and wedding to outdoor pictures. Only after you have seen a few complete wedding albums, you can accurately judge the photographer’s skills.
· the agreement has to state who exactly is going to be the photographer on your wedding.
· the agreement has to specifically point out what you are paying for – read it carefully.
· make sure the photographer has at least to cameras – this is a sign of a professional who is experienced and ready for any situation. You don’t want to find out that there are no photos from the wedding just because the camera malfunctioned.
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