Wedding Photography Check List
Make SURE you book a wedding Photographer who can provide and reassure you on ALL of these vital points!
The following qualities and reassurances you will need to seriously consider. I do not believe these are options and in my professional opinion, these are all essential requirements! Do not compromise of quality, settle for second best or a hit-n-hope amateur - Your Wedding Album and the photographs taken on your wedding day will be all you have to remember your wedding day! - This heir loom piece is a to-be-cherished item! Precious? I think you'll agree this is an understatement! Read my key points and qualities and you will see how seriously and sensitively I approach and consider all aspects of your wedding! This is my job, as a professional wedding photographer I consider it my duty to provide you with excellent images, using the best equipment available and the finest materials, prints and albums to preserve and display your wedding memories in!
Professional Wedding Photographer
A friend or relative may be willing to photograph your wedding day for you, but will they remain enthusiastic the day after, when its time to colour correct and edit and prepare your wedding images and mount them into an album for you? Will they want to remain sober enough o capture the whole event, including the wedding celebrations – that they really ought to be part of!
A dedicated Wedding Photographer (not a hobbiest, or a ‘weekend earner’) A Wedding Photographer must have people skills as well as creativity and photographic expertise!
Full Time Dedicated Wedding Photographer
A full Time Wedding Photographer will be processing your images the days that follow your wedding, so you, your family and friends can enjoy the images within days of your wedding (and not months after!)
Editing every image from an 11 hour wedding takes time! - It isn't really possible to 'juggle' this with another career!
I have images online within a week (sometimes considerably less!) your wedding and usually around 500 online on a printer aligned web gallery and a important speedy response to your final wedding photo selection!
Its YOUR Wedding Day
A simple priority that I will not overlook!
For the reportage to be personal and personalised, this will not happen by accident! I will listen to your hopes and wishes in both our meetings and in the booklet that I have designed for your use which will give me an invaluable insight into your priorities and the details of the day that matter most to you!
We've all been to weddings and seen the photographer boss the guests around and maul the couple into poses and group shots with a bewildering array of combinations (that if you don't want - wy waste your precious day capturing them!)
Sensitivity
Many couples who book my Wedding Photographer Services explain that they are ‘camera shy’ or simply realize that they look better ‘unawares’ rather than in a formal ‘line up’ (if if this is the case, we’ll do one of these of your family to keep your grand mother happy – she’ll have a print for her mantle piece)
My unobtrusive discreet style in which I focus on
‘Capturing The Moment’ and recording your wedding day as it
happened, the details of the day, the wedding ceremony and
celebrations and proceedings.
Prior to Wedding Photography I was a public speaking coach, I worked with close to 900 individuals in small group workshops – many of these were ‘Best Men’ and ‘Fathers of the Bride’. I used to video each participants turn, so I am highly experienced in working with individuals when they are (lets less – ‘Less Than Comfortable’) also worked as a ‘Guest Speaker’ with trainee teachers at Bath Spa University and training other facilitators.
Thanks to the careful planning and the use of our ‘Wedding Photo Ideas’ Booklet, your wished for group shots and portraiture need not ‘eat into the day’ I usually spend 15 – 30 minutes on these – then focus on the natural candid photography
2 Meetings
I like to meet couples to be able to create a wedding package based on your individual wedding photography requirements and the unique wedding plans. Listening to both of your requirements and hopes, your families photographic requests, album requirements I will create a Wedding Photography Package based upon what you want rather than what package is closest to your budget!
No two couples are alike – I will respect your unique wishes and requirements and attempt to tailor my reportage to accommodate the requirements and priorities of each couple.
I have my own ‘Photo Ideas’ Booklet that I have had printed to assist you in listing the important photo details. We use this at our at-the-venue-wedding-meeting.
We meet again at your wedding venue to explore the building and grounds together to make sure that we use your favourite landscapes and parts of the building, gardens and features that you love, and these are incorporated into your reportage as backdrops for the requested group shots and portraits.
Free Portrait Shoot
When we meet at the venue, there is an option to have some portraits taken so you can feel comfortable on the day knowing how I work!
i send you these images on a DVD - so u can use them for announcements or sharing!
Insured Service (public Liability and Professional Indemnity Services)
The essential Insurance needed for Professional Photographers - I am covered by the essential insurance – and therefore reassurance!
© Copyright Free Images
Reproduction Royalty Waived Images and Disks -YOUR Wedding Photos are YOURS
(sounds obvious! - but alas this isnt always the case! I tend to agree with most wedding couples - that their images ought to belong to them (i know i will be demanding this on my wedding day! - So why should i treat anyone differently from how i expect to be treated myself!)
Ownership of EVERY Image on DVD
I provide you EVERY image captured on Disks. Not just the ones im proud of, or as a photographer I think are artistically the ‘best’. The photos will be of your friends, your family, your wedding day and are therefore YOUR wedding memories.
There is even a FREE download facility for your guests visiting your gallery. These are your images to keep and to share - i'll even help you do this with the online gallery and 3 copies of the master Wedding DVD as well as a 4th disk with the images resized for email and web use!
Proficient
Relaxed, spontaneous reportage, is far from ‘an easy option’ it takes, skill tact, sensitivity and tremendous awareness to do this well.
I specialise in Wedding Photography - this requires a broad range of skills and often requires these in a moments notice! Wedding Photography requires enormous 'people skills' in order to capture a group shot, reflex and agility to capture natural portraits (and anticipation of a moment - before it happens) creative awareness for the important detail shots, and skill in both architecture and landscape photography in order to capture all of the details of the day!
Minimum of 2 Cameras
When I started out ‘many moons ago’ I could only afford one camera, (with each camera costing in excess of £5,000 its hardly surprising) I often became frustrated when I was juggling lenses whilst trying to respond to a scene! – There is no ‘pause button’ on a wedding day – especially if you are devoted to the Natural Candid nature of reportage!
I replace may cameras at least once a year, as things DO go wrong, so I always have a back up camera - i don't like to gamble with peoples wedding day!
Professional Cameras.
I use top of the range Professional Nikon equipment – I have 2x Nikon D3 (award winning, industry leading cameras – the fastest in their their field (capturing up to 11 frames per second – ideal for that in-flight champagne cork, a confetti shower or throwing of the bouquet!) and most competent in low light situations)
There is far more to great wedding photographs than a high megapixel count! – a 12 megapixel pocket camera that slips into your shirt pocket will not provide the same results as a full frame professional CMOS Sensor! ‘The litmus test’ is when photos are blown up to enlargements, free of noise and pixilation.
There is FAR MORE to successful wedding photography that a £14,000 camera kit! - As we all know its not the oven that makes a good chef!
Low Light Handling.
I use world renowned Nikon 24-70 F2.8 and 70-200 F2.8, framed for their bright optics, low light handling and image stabalising. There is no substitute for this. Quality does not come cheap – 2 of my lenses retail at £1400 each. I have 4 professional lenses - all 'fast' highly responsive and sensitive. I use 4 lenses: 100mm Macro f2.8 / 17-35mm f2.8 / 24-70mm f2.8 / 70-200mm f2.8
Flash Photography
Love it or loathe it (I prefer to use natural light when
ever possible!) it is essential.
I use 4 top of the range wireless flash guns. Their quality
and professional results speak for themselves. Capable of
lighting the most awkward of venues – be it an 11th century
castle with high ceilinegs and ark tapestries on the walls
- to illumiating the outside of a huge Tythe barn exterior
at night.
Colour Correction & Editing
I ‘edit’ your images to make sure that the colours are ‘flattering’ and pleasing and reflect the atmosphere of your day. Alas, this is a service not offered by many Photographers (I can understand why – it takes HOURS to post edit an entire days reportage) Images will have a universal colour profile for easy and faithful printing.
I use Apples finest 30" Cinema Monitor - this is colour calibrated to assure accurate colour reproduction. I do not compromise on quality at any point in the capture and post production of your precious wedding memories
Professional Lab Printed Wedding Photos
We’ve all been tempted by ‘cheap and cheerful’ print labs – the quality does not compare. I use professional labs who use top of the range archival Kodak Endura Papers.
Home Made Inkjet prints are simply not up to the grade.
Preview Photos online within a week of your Wedding
The complete Wedding Gallery of around 350 - 500 images will be online within 1-3 weeks.
Complete set of your proof prints delivered to you within 2-3 weeks.
Your Wedding Album delivered with professional prints within 2 - 4 weeks of your order.
Anything else is ‘Half Hearted’ and unnecessary. This is why hiring a professional Wedding Photographer is an essential!
Don’t YOU want to see your wedding photos as soon as is humanly possible? ( I know im going to!)
No Hard Sell
Choosing the right wedding photographer to attend your special day is essential - the right photographer can make your day, the wrong photographer, - well we've all been to weddings and seen what CAN happen!, no one relishes being bossed about, barked at, spending hours standing around in chaos awaiting the next group shot from a tireless list of seemingly endless combinations, that even the bride doesn’t recall asking for!!!
This is why I make myself available to you for pre wedding meetings, so we can reassure ourselves of compatibility. - We'll be sharing 10 hours of your wedding day - this is important factor!
I am proud to be able to say that well over 90% of wedding couples ask to book me after our initial meeting.
Booking
Before You Book
You will meet your photographer, to arrange a wedding photography package that reflects your needs, in terms of hours of coverage, time that your reportage starts and the albums and number of photographs that will document your wedding day.
You will always meet the wedding photographer who will
be attending your wedding.
You will always see their work and not portfolios from
other Wedding Photographers.
You will be able to see sample albums, watch slide shows on computer from recent weddings (including complete reportage of 600+ images if you want to)
Every wedding has its own password protected gallery. You can see one of these – to view a ‘typical wedding’ – I can suggest a wedding that is most similar to your own in terms of venue, season, number of guests or even style, theme and activities.
Wedding Booking
You receive a wedding photography contract (legally approved) and detailed bookings forms, that list all of the provisions agreed (in terms of hours of attendance, number of prints, number of CDs / DVDs of all the images and time scales of delivery)
(Deposits for weddings booked in 2010 will be £395. This deposit secures your wedding date and is deductible from your final wedding package price)
The Balance for your wedding photography is payable in 2 installments - 3 months and 1 month before your wedding date.
Alternatively you can opt for an option to pay 1/3 as
the deposit, 1/3 will be due 6 months before your wedding
and the final 1/3 would be due on the wedding day or
alternatively after delivery of the proof images (within 1
– 3 weeks of your wedding date)
Before Your Wedding
You will meet with your photographer again at your venue
(s), to discus the final details of your day and to arrange
the portraits and group shots of your wedding party. We
will use the purpose made Photography Booklet at this
meeting to assist us to plan and prepare the group shots
and portraiture requirements.
At Your Wedding
We have already planned the required photographs and when they will happen, so this is one less thing to worry about – one less ‘detail’ to weigh on your mind!
You have hired a professional Photographer, who will
record your wedding day without dominating it or taking up
the precious and irreplaceable time on your wedding day.
After Your Wedding
Delay isn't something that you will appreciate, so we endeavor to deliver the 'proof' photographs (6" x 4" prints - post card size) copies of each and every one of your wedding photographs, to you within on average 5 - 10 days from your wedding. These will be delivered to most wedding couples before they return from their honeymoon!
At this point wedding couples can also expect to receive every photograph taken by their wedding photographer on full size NON-watermarked, copyright free master DVDs.
Once we receive your order for your wedding album and prints, you can expect these back within 2 - 4 weeks.
More information on Wedding Photographer Dominic Kerridge
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