You've spent so much time on the plans, then suddenly the day is over in a flash.
Don't take chances with photos and video...

Whatever your style or budget, we'll help you find a Photographer and Film-maker
to expertly capture the precious moments from your special day
- preserving your memories to treasure together forever!

♥

TIPS

How to choose a Photographer and Film-Maker

STYLE
Look at the work of a few different photographers and film-makers as the styles can vary immensely!
(DVD is becoming more popular than video as the preferred format for wedding films so we now call these suppliers film-makers rather than videographers!)

Generally speaking the higher the price, the more versatile the 'artist' is,
for example, a lower budget photographer may only offer a standard set of 'formal posed' pictures.
Those who have higher prices can usually justify their pricing by having lots of experience, qualifications or awards. You can usually see a huge difference and 'personal style' in their work compared to cheaper suppliers.
With photography or film, styles and pricing can vary depending on skills, equipment and background.
Lower-priced photographers and film-makers may use less-expensive equipment which may impact the quality of the end product - this is not always the case, but it is advisable to see a complete wedding to be sure you are happy with the picture quality, editing and presentation.

PHOTOGRAPHY
Personal styles may depend on their background - for example those with a photo- journalism background may excel at informal reportage-style shots and catching funny moments, but they may be less comfortable with 'directing' guests for formal shots.
Those with Fashion, Commercial or advertising backgrounds may excel at capturing the close-up 'Detail' shots.
You need to decide what your preferences are and whether the photographer can produce all the picture styles you require.

LOOK CAREFULLY AT ALBUMS
Are the pictures from different weddings?
Anyone can put together an album with their best shots from different weddings - but you want to see the standard for a COMPLETE wedding package.
Look at the people in the photographs to try to determine when the pictures were taken. You really want to see recent albums to see the types of pictures normally taken.

LOOK AT THE PACKAGES AVAILABLE
Do you like the choice of album style?
Can you choose to have more than one photographer - for instance one who does formal shots and another who takes reportage-style shots of your guests without being noticed.

WEDDING FILM
Some people decide that a video or wedding film is not important to them, but later regret that they didn't have one, or that they didn't get a better quality production.

Your photographs capture a brief moment in time and remind you of that particular instance,
but a film tells the whole story and often captures parts you didn't see on the day.

Marriage isn't always easy... there will be times that your relationship is strained and you will be tempted to focus on how irritating your spouse can be!
At these times put on your wedding film...
♥ Be transported back to when you felt such overwhelming love
♥ See how happy you made each other
♥ Recall the promises you made to each other
... it will help to renew your love and determination to make your relationship stronger each day.

FILM STYLE
Look for things such as Title styles, Introductions / Endings and Fading style.

Where does the film-maker like to film from... does he or she just stand next to the photographer or do they move around to get shots from different distances and amongst the guests?

Are the camera angles interesting? Is there some creativity in the composition?

The extent to which the film-maker 'directs' can be significant.
You may want someone who films discreetly from a distance, or you may want more involvement - to create more of a storytelling.
We have one film company that can create 'Pop video' and 'Hollywood style' films... They are more pricey, but Wow! - rather than wishing the film was over, your viewers will not take their eyes off the screen when they watch!!

PACKAGES
Compare 'packages' available.
What is the format of the end product? Video or DVD etc.
How is this presented e.g. fancy cases.
How many copies do you get?
What does it cost for extra copies?

How long is the camera person present on the day?

Can you have more than one camera?
E.g. one with the groom while he gets ready and one at the bride's home?
One at the front during the ceremony and another at the back watching the bride as she walks down the aisle?

OUR ADVICE

♥ See a few suppliers before you make a decision - to get a feel for different styles.

♥ Be sure to meet the actual person who will be working for you on the day.
Some companies act as agencies so you may get someone you've never met before.
You need to be sure that you get along well with them!

♥ As with all your suppliers, ask for references from recent weddings
- speak to the bride or groom to see if there were any problems.

♥ Make a note of anything you particularly like, such as:
PHOTO PRINT STYLE
E.g. album style, gloss or matt prints, black and white images, black and white with colour accents, sepia etc.
Bear in mind that Black and white pictures can look timeless, but if the photographer only does these, what reminders will you have of all the things you spent ages choosing for colour co-ordination?

CONTENT & COMPOSITION
E.g. Fun shots, group shots etc.
Remember to consider your venue - if there's a wonderful staircase make a note of it - although a good photographer or film-maker will visit the venue in advance to make a note of interesting features, potential for group shots, challenging lighting etc.

♥ Create a list of photos or special shots that you would like to be sure that none get missed... you only have one chance!

♥ Make a note of anything you DON'T WANT in your pictures or wedding film.

♥ To aid the photographer on the day, consider creating a photo list to give to guests with your Order of Service or Order of the Day. That way people can see when they will be required for photos instead of disappearing when you need them!

♥ You can of course put single-use cameras on the tables at your reception. Your guests will take pictures of all the fun they were having!
We can supply these cameras for you - including free processing. See Accessories

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