Wedding & Travel Photography in London, Toronto, Stratford & Southwestern Ontario
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Wednesday January 28, 2009 (12:45) | General, Wedding Photography Tips
As many couples are now booking their wedding photographers for this year and beyond, I wanted to discuss the importance of having a contract with your photographer that clearly outlines the details of your wedding day coverage.
Contracts by their very nature are designed to protect both the consumer and the service provider. A well written contract will clearly spell out the deliverables (products or services) that are to provided and the payment required. The conditions on how both parties will operate are also clearly listed in plain english.
Sadly, I have witnessed some couples who did not have a contract with their photographer, which lead to a disastrous result. And some couples who had a contract ended up paying additional fees for things they “thought” was included such as proofs and digital files.
Here are the four main things to look for before you sign a contract with your photographer.
Deliverables – Make sure that all items that you want in your package are clearly listed in your contract and are included in the fee being charged. These include, but are not limited to the length of coverage, high resolution files, printed proofs, albums, parent books, prints and engagement sessions.
Extras/Options – Make sure that the contract outlines the fee charged for additional options such as overtime, travel charges and what the photographer deems to be “additional products”. If there is an additional fee for items, what exactly is that fee?
Photographer’s Standard Fee – What is the fee, including taxes, for the deliverables in your contract. What are the payment terms? What forms of payment do they accept (cheque, cash, credit cards). Make sure their Canadian GST/HST number is listed as it must be on all invoices and receipts issued by legitimate Canadian businesses.
Terms & Conditions – I often call this the “fine print”. Read this section carefully as it discusses cancellation policies, payment terms, refunds of payments, backup equipment, limits of liability, etc. These terms need to benefit both parties, not just the photographer.
I wish you well for your wedding day…
Tuesday January 13, 2009 (09:03) | Wedding Photography, Wedding Photography Tips
This is a repeat of a post from early last year. I am reposting its content as a lot of couples are now looking for wedding vendors and more often than not, choosing a wedding photographer can be overwhelming at the best of times.
On this blog, you can find the occasional wedding photography tip for those couples looking for a wedding photographer. I have even written a fairly comprehensive list of what to look for when interviewing a photographer who will capture your wedding day memories.
Someone recently asked me what I believe are the 3 most important things when looking for a wedding photographer. And since they asked, here they are:
#1 – PERSONALITY
Do not underestimate this one.
Many couples I have spoken to have told me this is the number one reason they hired their photographer. Why? You will spend anywhere from 6 to 16 hours with this person – they will see you when you are most vulnerable, be exposed to your family and friends – and they will be an integral part of your wedding day.
Ask yourself:
- Can I actually spend my whole wedding day with this person?
- Are they both friendly and professional at the same time?
- Does the photographer listen to me?
- How does the photographer deal with difficult and stressful wedding day situations?
- Is this someone I could actually call a “friend” one day?
The assumption here is that the photographer(s) you are interviewing are technically and artistically competent.
#2 – DO YOU LIKE LOVE THEIR WORK?
You do not need to like your photographer’s work – you must love it!
You will spend an extraordinary amount of time, energy and money planning your wedding. Don’t you deserve to have your wedding day captured the way you want?
#3 – PRICE
OK – let’s face it – not everyone has an unlimited budget for their wedding. Determine how much you want to spend on wedding photography (and related items such as prints, albums, etc.) and stick to your budget. If you *love* a photographer because of their work or personality (or hopefully, both) and they are a stretch financially, cut back on something else and hire that photographer. Really. You’ll be grateful you did after your wedding day as wedding photography is one of the few tangible things you will purchase to remember your day. Realistically, one needs to spend about 10 to 15% of their entire wedding day budget on photography.
Feel free to leave a comment with your own thoughts.
Be well.
Wednesday December 10, 2008 (19:50) | Albums, Wedding Photography Tips
We spend a lot of time designing custom albums and coffee table books for our clients. The key to doing it efficiently and effectively is to have superb software and excellent design skills.
A friend and colleague of mine, Andrew Funderburg (aka “Fundy”), has created a whole series of software tools and Photoshop actions that makes album design and workflow *much* easier for photographers. Our studio uses them and we have nothing but great things to say about Fundy’s products.
“Fundy” is offering a 30% discount on his products to the readers of our blog. When you visit his website, www.fundysos.com, use the code “roelholiday” to get your discount. This offer is good until December 24th, 2008.
Happy shopping!
Friday November 21, 2008 (09:17) | General, Wedding Photography, Wedding Photography Tips
When I was a university student, Cyndi Lauper’s song, “Girls Just Want To Have Fun“, was the #1 hit for the longest time. It is light hearted and just fun to listen to. And as its title implies… well… girls want to have fun.
So a message to all brides to be… have fun on your wedding day! Laugh, play, enjoy the day… and don’t forget to dance and have fun!
Friday October 31, 2008 (16:45) | Wedding Photography Tips
Happy Halloween!
It is that time of year when couples go in search of wedding vendors … and one very important vendor is your future wedding photographer (I know, I am biased).
I wrote an article earlier in the year on what to look for in a wedding photographer which has proven to be useful to a number of people. You can click here to read it.
Enjoy Halloween… and I hope you find a great photographer who will create awesome images for you to remember your wedding day!
Friday September 19, 2008 (14:23) | Wedding Photography, Wedding Photography Tips
For those of you who have seen me photograph a wedding, I use many styles of photography (such as photojournalism, candid, fine art, portraiture… mixed in with some fun/goofy stuff!). I firmly believe that weddings need to be covered using these styles to have a complete record of the day.
Having said that , there is something quite special about a classic portrait of a bride. It is simply timeless and elegant.
Continue Reading…
Friday July 25, 2008 (13:38) | Wedding Photography, Wedding Photography Tips
Many, many years ago, when I was a wedding photographer’s assistant at the age of 16, I walked outside of a church (after a wedding ceremony we had just photographed) and noticed we were about to get a major rainstorm. I said out loud to the main photographer, “Oh no, it is going to rain. I bet you hate bad weather!”. He then said to me, “There is no such thing as bad weather, just different types of good weather!”
Twenty eight years later, that comment has remained with me – and obviously I still remember it to this day.
This summer, we have seen our fair share of rain in Southern Ontario – and of course, it has rained a lot on weekends when weddings are normally held. In addition to rain being a sign of good luck for the newlyweds, it also presents some great opportunities for us wedding photographers. Do you like dramatic skies and lighting in photographs? Do you like “different” and “unusual” shots and poses? Well, rain and thunderstorms can often provide many great photo opportunities and those dramatic lighting conditions – if you know where to look for them.
So, if it rains on your wedding day, please do not worry… simply embrace a “different” type of “good weather”. Let your photographer find those great photo opportunities (and great light) in all types of good weather to help you remember your wedding day for a lifetime!
Thursday March 6, 2008 (17:29) | Wedding Photography Tips
Since I started this blog two years ago, I have offered the occasional wedding photography tip for those couples looking for a wedding photographer. I have even written a fairly comprehensive list of what to look for when interviewing a photographer who will capture your wedding day memories.
Someone recently asked me what I believe are the 3 most important things when looking for a wedding photographer. And since they asked, here they are:
#1 – PERSONALITY
Do not underestimate this one.
Many couples I have spoken to have told me this is the number one reason they hired their photographer. Why? You will spend anwhere from 6 to 16 hours with this person – they will see you when you are most vulnerable, be exposed to your family and friends – and they will be an integral part of your wedding day.
Ask yourself:
- Can I actually spend my whole wedding day with this person?
- Are they both friendly and professional at the same time?
- Does the photographer listen to me?
- How does the photographer deal with difficult and stressful wedding day situations?
- Is this someone I could actually call a “friend” one day?
The assumption here is that the photographer(s) you are interviewing are technically and artistically competent.
#2 – DO YOU LIKE LOVE THEIR WORK?
You do not need to like your photographer’s work – you must love it!
You will spend an extraordinary amount of time, energy and money putting together your wedding. Don’t you deserve to have your wedding day captured the way you want?
#3 – PRICE
OK – let’s face it – not everyone has an unlimited budget for their wedding. Determine how much you want to spend on wedding photography (and related items such as prints, albums, etc.) and stick to your budget. If you *love* a photographer because of their work or personality (or hopefully, both) and they are a stretch financially, cut back on something else and hire that photographer. Really. You’ll be grateful you did after your wedding day as wedding photography is one of the few tangible things you will purchase to remember your day. Realistically, one needs to spend about 15% of their entire wedding day budget on photography.
Feel free to leave a comment with your own thoughts.
Be well.
Roël
Sunday February 10, 2008 (11:07) | General, Wedding Photography Tips
As a lot of you are planning a wedding over the next year or two, there is probably much to do – viewing places of worship, visiting reception sites and interviewing vendors. And probably… there will be a few meetings with wedding photographers.
Lately, I’ve received many calls from people looking for a wedding photographer, which is normal for this time of year. What is not normal was that quite a large number of people were calling as their original photographer “canceled” on them (actually, the most common word they used was “bailed”). When asked what their contract stated regarding their cancellation, most people stated they never entered into a contract with their chosen photographer. So, they were left to find another photographer at the last minute.
Let’s face it – your wedding day is no ordinary day. Not only are you making a lifetime commitment to someone special, you will also spend an extraordinary amount of time, energy and money in the process. The person behind the camera documenting your wedding has a very important job as your photographs will be one of few tangible items purchased for the sole purpose of remembering your day. Contracts are designed to protect both the vendor and the purchaser – and it is everyone’s best interest to have one.
A contract with your photographer needs to include:
- Fee – what is the photographer charging you for their services? Are there “extra” charges and if so, what are they (eg. overtime, travel fees, etc)?
- Payment schedule – what is the deposit to retain the photographer and when are the remaining payments due?
- Deliverables – what exactly are you receiving in exchange for your fee?
- hours of coverage
- events covered
- number of locations
- number of proofs
- are they marked or unmarked?
- are they colour corrected?
- digital files
- enlargements
- albums and books
- engagement session
- Digital files or negatives - do you receive digital files (negatives) with your coverage? If so, are they:
- RAW (unprocessed) or edited files?
- Low resolution (often referred to as “email resolution”) or high resolution?
- Watermarked (or defaced with the company’s logo) or are there no markings?
- Assistants and second photographers – if your coverage includes the main photographer being assisted by someone else, is this explicitly stated in your contract?
- Price guarantees – if you are interested in purchasing an album, prints, etc, in the future, will the photographer guarantee their current prices or will have to pay the prevailing rates at the time of your order?
- Exclusivity – does the photographer allow your family/friends to take photos as well? Also, do they allow other other professional photographers or videographers to be present at your wedding?
- Who exactly will photograph your wedding? If you are dealing with a large photography studio that employs several photographers, will the person meeting with you be photographing your wedding or will it be someone else? If it is someone else, will you get to meet this person ahead of time to view their own work (not the lead photographer’s images) and develop some rapport with them? If so, when?
- Cancellation – if you decide to cancel or move your wedding date, what happens to your deposit and what are the terms? What happens if your photographer decides to cancel?
- Usage rights - are you allowed to print images for yourself or do you have purchase images solely through the photographer?
- Reviews of artwork – if you receive an album or custom designed book with your package, does the photographer allow you have input into the selection of images and the overall design?
- Backup photographer – if your photographer becomes very ill or is not able to perform their duties, is there someone competent to fill in for them?
- Backup equipment – if a critical piece of equipment fails at a wedding (and something usually does), are they required to carry backup equipment that is of the same caliber as their primary equipment?
- Limit of liability – in the event that your photographer fails to show up or all of their images are lost/damaged/stolen (unfortunately, photographers are sometimes the victims of crime at wedding receptions), what compensation are you entitled to receive?
- Artistic licence – will the photographer photograph the wedding day the way you want them to or are they granted “artistic licence” to do anything they want?
- Permits and other fees – some photography locations, venues, etc, require that a fee be paid to them if wedding photography is to take place at their location. Who is responsible for paying these fees? Are there any “hidden” fees you should know about?
There are probably a few items that I have missed, but in my experience, these are the most important items to have in your contract.
There are no guarantees in life, but when you hire a wedding photographer, please protect yourself with a proper contract!
Be well,
Roël
Monday December 31, 2007 (20:00) | Wedding Photography Tips
As some of you know, a lot of couples are busy putting together their wedding plans… and that usually involves hiring a photographer to document the big day. I have given a lot of advice to friends about hiring a wedding photographer in the past – I have also written about it here on this blog. So, I have decided to once again publish my list of what I believe is important when hiring a photographer.
I hope you find these basic guidelines and questions useful. I offer it with the intention of assisting you find that “right” photographer for your wedding day. Continue Reading…
Friday November 23, 2007 (17:22) | Albums, Wedding Photography Tips
At initial meetings with my prospective clients, I am often asked about various types of wedding books an albums available. Over the past few years, the number of options for presenting one’s wedding photographs has increased significantly – and that means a lot more choice for anyone getting married these days.
Most photographers will create wonderful images of your wedding day. You can put a photograph (or several) in a frame and it will look quite good. Take those images, put them in a beautifully printed book designed by a graphic artist to tell your wedding story and now you have something very special.
So, why would anyone pay a lot of money (ranging from a few hundred to several thousand dollars) to have their wedding photographs displayed in a “coffee table book” or a “fine art album”? Simple answer: for a timeless and beautiful presentation of your wedding day.
I’ll talk about a few options available to you:
Basic Coffee Table Books
These are used for simple presentations and are prepared using offset printing techniques. They are not a substitute for an album and are still a tasteful way to present your wedding images. Most coffee table books do not lie flat and some of the image is lost in the gutter (the part where the two adjacent pages are joined in the centre spine) so they are not ideal for two page spreads like panoramic shots. The covers are custom designed and excellent in appearance. Quite often, they are used for guest signing books (using the couple’s engagement photos) or as an inexpensive way to preserve your wedding memories. Continue Reading…
Sunday August 5, 2007 (15:54) | Equipment Tips, Wedding Photography Tips
A number of photographers have contacted me about how I do my off camera lighting. It’s taken me years to get pretty good at it and for me to discuss how I do it would be to reinvent the wheel.
There are (at least) a couple of great web resources that will help those photographers wanting to learn about off camera lighting (aside: I am always blown away by these guys as they put a lot energy and time into educating people for free):
Strobist – this guy has a wealth of information about off camera lighting on his blog.
Flash Flavour – wedding photographer Matt Adcock’s site – he loves off camera flash.
Before I close though, a few words to the wise:
- Take the time to try these techniques out for yourself – experiment. All too often, many new wedding photographers want the dramatic lighting and stellar images that seasoned professionals took years to perfect – but they don’t want to put in the time (or the money) to learn about how to do it. There is no magical “piece” of advice (or equipment) to turn you into a lighting expert or great photographer overnight.
- Again, take some of your free time and experiment. Get your wife, kids, dog – anyone to be a test subject and experiment with different angles, lighting ratios, remote triggers and everything else. You do not want to ruin a couple’s wedding photographs by experimenting on their day (or even worse, not knowing what you are doing).
I frequently get asked about what camera equipment people “should” use. Questions like:
What is the best lens for wedding photography?What is the best camera for weddings?
What settings on my flash should I use for wedding photography?
Which is better: Canon or Nikon?
Can you tell me what you use because I’d like to become a professional photographer?
And more…
I found this quote at John Shaw’s site (a nature photographer I admire):
“Cameras and lenses are simply tools to place our unique vision on film. Concentrate on equipment and you’ll take technically good photographs. Concentrate on seeing the light’s magic colors and your images will stir the soul.”
I couldn’t have said it any better myself. For all photographers (especially us in the wedding industry), these are words to live by.
Have fun with your equipment but see the light – and learn how to use it to your advantage. You (and your clients) will be rewarded many times over if you do.
Be well.
Roel
