How to Select A Destination Wedding
Photographer
Having great photography of your wedding
should be a priority. You'll be spending a lot of money on
travel, accommodations and your wedding. The last thing you
want is to have limited or poor photography of the event.
Let's face it, memories are so much easier to stimulate if
you have first-class photographs to gaze at when you arrive
home.
Should You Hire
A Wedding Photographer?
 Because
the services of a destination wedding photographer can be
expensive, some couples resist the idea of hiring a
professional to shoot their wedding. After all, they have
cameras and they have friends who will be at the wedding
with cameras. And so they reason that they can save a lot of
money simply by having their friends take a lot of pictures.
It is true that you can save money this
way. But you should also plan on having little or no really
decent photographs. I can't tell you how many times I've
been at weddings when the couple did not choose to use a
pro.
I've seen all types of problems for the
amateur photographers. Their memory card is full and they
don't want to delete their own personal shots. They forget
to recharge their batteries. They have absolutely no idea
what makes a picture look good, and you see "everything" in
the shots (that you don't want to see). I can't tell you how
many times I've heard frustrated remarks from the wedding
couple realize that they are not going to have any
photographic wedding memories.
It is often true that you get what you
pay for. Even if you have a wedding photographer friend who
will shoot your wedding "for free", you are not likely to
get the kind of results from someone who knows how to shoot
your particular wedding destination. I've found that many
mainland "pros" have never shot a couple at sunset (and
believe me, it is much harder for a photographer who has not
done it a lot).
So for your own sake, unless you simply
don't care about photography, resist the idea of skimping,
and go with a pro.
How to Select A
Wedding Photographer
Just because someone claims to be a
professional destination wedding photographer does not mean
that they really are. I've been a wedding photographer for
over 11 years in Hawaii and I often see my "competition" at
the wedding sites. While there are some great working
photographers, the vast majority seem to have very little
ability to compose creative images.
So you will want to be discerning when
you choose your destination wedding photographer. Take a
look at his website (if indeed he even has a website). Try
to find out how long he has been shooting weddings, and how
many he has actually shot. That's important, because some
photographers only shoot a wedding every month or two.
 Be
sure to ask what is included in your photography. How many
prints and how will the photographer get them to you? And
can you purchase the digital media? This is very important
if you or your family might end up wanting extra images
later. Many photographers will not sell you a CD with the
images. You have to go back to them for each new print that
you want to purchase.
What About
Wedding Videography?
Many couples don't give much thought to
having a video created of their wedding until it is too
late. Personally, if I had a choice between having a wedding
video shot by a pro and great wedding photography — I would
choose the video.
Why? Because a video will capture the
life and spirit of your wedding and the festivities better
than still photography. I'm not knocking still photography;
remember, I'm a wedding photographer. But a video captures
more of the essence of what the two of you are all about.
Again, resist the idea of setting up your
home video camera on a tripod in an attempt to catch the
action of your wedding. Its very unlikely that you'll
capture any decent sound doing that (the pros often mic the
minister and the groom so they can hear everything). I've
also seen friends holding amateur video cameras and walk up
too close to the couple during the weddings. I can only
imagine how "bumpy" those videos will be. If you don't want
to be disappointed, don't use a friend to video your
wedding.
One of the benefits of using a
professional destination wedding videographer is that they
will edit their footage. Our videographers always take
selected images and edit them to one or more of the couple's
favorite love songs. The actual wedding footage is not have
as interesting or romantic as the shots of the couple as
they interact during the cake cutting, the toast and the
sunset photography that follows our Maui weddings.
If you can get a really first-class
videographer to shoot your wedding you should jump at the
chance. Wedding videography is surprisingly affordable
compared to what you might pay to have a personal video shot
and edited by a non wedding videographer.
Again, if you choose to have a video
shot, ask to see the man's work. Be sure to see a few of his
recent sample videos. Don't settle just for a "demo reel."
That will include just the highlights. Ask to see a recent
wedding. That will show you what he is currently producing
and the level of his skill. . .
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