My personal "Politics" on Wedding Photography and my work

Dear Bride and a Groom,

Based on many questions that I came across while meeting potential clients I have decided to answer some of the questions that would tell you more about my services and explain why the prices are as they are, what are some important facts to know before booking a photographer, and understand “politics” of wedding photography.

How are your images captured in the camera – JPG or raw?

Most amateurs capture JPG (like your point and shoot). JPG are compressed images, so almost 70% of the image is destroyed in compression. Raw represents the whole image the camera can see. When the raw image is color corrected, the JPG that is created for printing incorporates the color correction. Only then can you take the disk to any photo processor and get the pretty pictures you are looking for.

When do I meet Mark’s second wedding photographer/shooter?

You will not meet Mark’s second wedding photographer/shooter in person before your wedding day. After our engagement photo session I will have a greater chance to get to know you enough and to be able to make the right match based on your expectations. I will choose a second photographer who is best suited to tell your story the way you want it. Also, it is very important for me the way I can work with him on your wedding day without ANY distractions of your special day!

As I already mentioned on our personal consultation, almost every competent photographer is capable of making a great picture some of the time. But what's much more important is how consistently they can take great pictures, and how well they work under the pressure and challenges of an actual wedding. That's why EVERY prospective photographer who works with me must complete thorough approval process.

If photographer passes my stringent initial portfolio review, I will take him/her to at least couple of weddings with (weddings where I have NO second shooter/assistant photographer contracted with the bride!). I then critically review his/her work to assure it meets my standards of quality. Only IF the certain photographer passes my test/high expectations, he/she is ready to photograph wedding together with me; the wedding where second shooter/assistant is contracted with wedding couple and me.

I am so confident about this approach, that I personally guarantee your satisfaction. As mentioned client’s satisfaction is the most important for me and I will not allow a second shooter to ruin the perfectionism and professionalism at the couple’s wedding day.

Some additional info or let’s rather say facts I learned in past 18 years (when making a living from photography) about a real PRO Photographer and just an average “photographer”.

Can I see a whole wedding proof collection?

Many wedding photographers have a wedding portfolio for you to look through, a collection of the two or three best shots from each wedding they've done. Especially if you are looking at a photo journalistic photographer, this is not enough to make an informed decision. You will need to see a full collection of wedding shots from one or two weddings to determine if the photographer is truly talented or just get lucky with his shots every once in a while. If the photographer does not have any former clients or a full wedding of proofs, it is probably better for you to find someone who can rather than run the risk of only having two or three good shots yourself. Also look at pictures the photographer shot at previous weddings to see if he connected with the couple and captured the mood of their day

ü Do you like this person? Not a question you should ask, but something you should consider. Your wedding photographer will be a big part of your wedding, interacting with your wedding party and your guests. Is the photographer pushy? Demanding? High maintenance? Unfriendly? How would you feel about having this person as a coworker? You will need to work very closely with your photographer, and if you feel the two of you have a personality conflict, save yourself the stress and find someone you can work with. Spend enough time with potential photographers to really get a feel for who they are and how they will treat you and your guests at the wedding. You'll want to feel very comfortable around your photographer. If you’re not comfortable with him/her you can rest assure it will show in your photographs.

ü If a photographers photos look just like 'everyone elses' they will often try very hard in other areas to separate themselves from the masses. They throw in a lot of extras in their packages to make up for their photography.

ü I don't feel like I am in competition with every other photographer because I know if you put 3 photographers in a row, taking pictures of the exact same thing, my photos will look substantially different than the other two. Too often photographers that limit what they want you to see only set you up for disappointment later because the reality of what they will do for you won't match the fantasy they lead you to believe.

ü Creative people love to be part of the creative process and I welcome that. There are MANY other photographers and mass production photography Studios on the market that prefer to work with the masses and will herd you into exactly what everyone else got, they will tell you what photos you must use and how... not my style-well-maybe sometimes I will just make a suggestion that is all!

ü In addition - Do not ask the photographer for references. After all, he/she would not give you the name of someone that he/she had a bad experience with. Ask to see thank you letters. If your photographer is a professional photographer, and has lots of experience than his/her past clients should have been satisfied with his/her services and would have sent some thank you letters.

ü There really is a lot more to being a professional photographer than buying a nice digital camera, putting up a pretty web site and charging a fee to take pictures. When shopping for a wedding photographer it's a good idea to consider what demonstrates professionalism and looking for those attributes in the photographers you consider. You may pay a little more for a true professional photographer but, in the end, it will be more than worth it.

ü Everyone can take a great photo, but real Professional makes great photos, and does so consistently.

ü Here’s the thing, photography is very much a form of art. It is much more than a wedding album or the cost prints, you are paying for someone’s talent and time. Looking for an inexpensive way to get a wedding or any event photographed is not a bad thing, hiring a “weekend photographer/part time photographer”, students or assistants for the event is completely acceptable as well. That said, an understanding should be made that when you hire someone like this, you need to accept the fact that accidents could happen, you may not get you the best quality images, they may miss critical elements of the event or be slightly out of focus, etc., these things all could happen, it is the price you pay for accepting someone of lesser talent to save some money.

Remember, it's your wedding, it's all about you, and don't be afraid to ask as many questions as you need so the job gets done right. So if you have ANY more questions please e-mail me and I will be happy to help!

Sincerely,

Mark Fillies