Part three of ‘Wedding Photographer Basics’ and choosing a professional wedding photographer.
We have already discussed the style of photography that different wedding photographers use, as well as the two basic business models; 1. pricing the service of photography or 2. pricing the service part low but charge a LOT on the prints afterwards. The business model that the photographer uses plays an important roll in determining the price of the final package.
More than likely, one of the first things you’ll be asking yourself in your search for a wedding photographer is “Why is wedding photography so expensive?” Simply put, it’s a matter of supply and demand, and the question you should really ask yourself is: “how much money are my wedding photographs actually worth to me?” Some may feel the photographs are not really that important to them, and will rely mainly on the videographer or their relatives point-and-shoot snapshots for their ‘capturing of the day.’ Others, with maybe a strong love of art and beauty, might consider the importance of their wedding images to be just just below tying the knot itself, and cannot say “I do” without the best photography money can buy.
How much should you spend?
It’s understandable that in this economy most everyone has to watch their budget, however, I am of the opinion that a wedding is truly the most treasured and exceptional of days. It is a time when you really want the BEST — not the cheapest. Most people would not dream of buying a brass wedding ring with a simulated diamond, and this thinking should be true for your wedding photographs as well. This is the irreplaceable record of one of, if not ‘the’ most important of all the days of your life. (Sure, births are important, too, but babies tend not to look as elegant and splendid as a bride and groom and their generations of well-dressed relatives on such a happy occasion. Whatever your budget, finding a photographer that offers a unique perspective and a high level of skill and professionalism should be what you are searching for.
Photography prices in India range from Rs 10 – 15,000 (US $300) for a few hours of shooting by a traditional ‘old school’ Indian wedding photographer, and up to several thousand dollars for an experienced international photographer. So, what to do? Well, a general rule of thumb should be that the photography should be roughly 10-15% of your total wedding cost, and depending on the importance that you place on the wedding pictures, this budget can then be adjusted.
If you are thinking that getting a great bargain price will make you happy, remember that although this might be so in the beginning, this happiness will be short lived as you will have to live with the results long after the wedding is over. At the end of the day, as the saying goes, ‘you get what you pay for.’
more to come . .
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