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…

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.

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!

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!

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!

Having said that , there is something quite special about a classic portrait of a bride. It is simply timeless and elegant.

I had the opportunity to photograph a wedding with my colleague, Ralph Heinze, and managed to capture a few classic portraits of his client, Heather.

If you wish to see the entire wedding, Ralph will be featuring it on his site.

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!

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