photography and videography........?

Question

tomorrow i am going to talk to a couple of videographers and photographers for our wedding- what questions should i ask them about their work? i have a bunch written down already but i just want everyones input because you may have something that i may not have thought of to ask.thanks to all who answer

Answer 1

---Photography---

Name and contact information for you and your photographer

Correct date(s), exact number of hours, starting time(s), and locations (rehearsal dinner, home, ceremony, reception) where the photographer will be expected to shoot, with exact addresses

Name of the photographer who will shoot your wedding and the number of assistants

Number and kind(s) of cameras to be used

Number of rolls of film to be shot (color and black and white), type of film, and cost per additional roll (if needed)

Number of proofs you'll receive, and complete package details

Date your proofs will be ready and how long you can keep them

When and how you'll receive your order (albums, prints) once you place it, and any other delivery details

Length of time the photographer will keep your negatives

Total cost (itemized if possible)

Overtime fee, if applicable

Reorder price, if you decide to order additional prints later

Deposit amount due

Balance and date due

Cancellation and refund policy

Name of an acceptable substitute in case of emergency

In the event of equipment failure, a guarantee that a backup camera will be on hand

Photographer's signature

Additional Items to Clarify


Style of photography, such as formal portraits, documentary-style, candid, combination, straight shooting, unconventional composition, and formats.

Subjects to be covered, such as pre-wedding preparations, ceremony, cocktail hour, and reception. Give your photographer a must-take shot list to eliminate any confusion.

Signing the Dotted Line


Once you've made sure that all bases are covered and all information is correct, sign the contract.

Make a copy of the document for your files so that you can consult the contract as your wedding day approaches.
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---Videography---

What's the videographer's style -- cinematic, documentary, or a mix of both? (Then ask yourself: Does this jibe with what you're going for?)


Has the videographer done many weddings before? What's his or her story-telling approach when it comes to taping a wedding? (This clues you in to experience and philosophy.) Ask to view samples of his/her recent work.


Has the videographer won any awards? Is he/she a member of any national and local videography associations?


How does he or she coordinate with a wedding photographer? Has the videographer worked with your photographer before?


Has he/she ever shot a wedding at your ceremony and/or reception site? If so, can you see the tape?


How many other weddings is the videographer doing on your wedding day or weekend? (Make sure there are no time constraints.)


Will the videographer you're speaking to be the one who will be shooting your wedding? If not, make sure you speak to whoever will actually shoot.


What types of cameras, tapes, and microphones will the videographer use? How new is the equipment? Ask him/her to explain how certain effects are achieved and to outline the benefit of using certain technologies. You may not catch all the techno-speak, but it helps to have a sense of what's what.


Ask about editing equipment. Request an explanation of the technological process.


How bright a light do they use? (If shooting requires the room lights to be on all evening, much of the romance and ambiance of your event may be lost.)


Will a backup camera be on hand for the event?


How does the videographer charge for services? Are there packages? Request a price list.

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---Digital Photography---

Get the Right Goods

You know a wedding photographer isn't going to pick up any old 35mm film camera to shoot your wedding. So of course she isn't going to use the point-and-shoot digital varieties that you know and may use. What makes a professional's high-end camera different are resolution and pixel count, and, like any other professional cameras, all the options and settings that allow a photographer to tweak the picture for the very best image possible. These are way beyond basic digital cameras, which means the quality of your pictures will be too.

Sneak a Peek

Photographers agree that one of the biggest advantages of shooting digitally is that you can see results as you go along, on the camera's LCD screen. This means the photographer will know right away if he or she needs to take a shot again, because, for example, the exposure was bad or a bridesmaid had her eyes closed. It also gives photographers more creative freedom, allowing them to compose pictures with different lighting, angles, and cropping, because they can tell instantly if the shot worked or not.

Compare & Contrast

Worried digital files won't produce nice pictures? Thanks to the quality now of both cameras and printers, your 11x14 digital prints may be just as good as 11x14 35mm prints. In fact, you probably won't even notice difference between side-by-side samples. If you're worried, ask your photographer to see a sample of an 11x14 image that they've taken. Make sure you like what you see.

Share the Love

As soon as two weeks after the wedding, it's possible that you'll be able to share your wedding pictures with everyone online. And since the images are digital, it's easy for photographers to offer the option of online viewing (often sooner than it would take to get conventional proofs). As soon as your photographer uploads the images to a password-protected site, you get to see hundreds of pictures from your wedding -- and share them with everyone, no matter how far away they are. Even better, everyone can order their own prints online: less hassle for you, instant gratification for your family.

Know Your Rights

When it comes to who owns the digital files, don't assume that they're automatically yours -- even if they are posted online for everyone to see. Some photographers might give you the files but maintain the copyright, while others might download lower-resolution copies of the images on a CD for you, but keep the original, high-res files that would be appropriate for enlargement. As always, make sure the contract terms are acceptable to you before signing on the dotted line.

Add Special Effects

Think of all the enhancements and techniques photographers use on "regular" photos. Now it's even easier to manipulate images because they're already in a digital format. She can greatly enhance a picture with computer software like Adobe Photoshop and Genuine Fractals (say, if you want a poster-size wedding portrait). A more artistic technique might be printing onto watercolor paper using an Iris printer, resulting in images that look like paintings. Check out photographers' portfolios to see what artistic techniques they might use.

Save Cash Elsewhere

Sure, your photographer saves on film and processing costs. But the actual time spent shooting at your wedding, equipment costs, and printing expenses remain. And because what you're really paying for is the skill of the photographer, no matter her medium, and a package with a set number of images, your cost benefit comes when you get to pick from a better selection of pictures.

Make it Last

Like any pictures printed on high-quality photographic paper, your digital prints are likely to last for decades, depending on which printing system your photographer uses. And instead of worrying about protecting fragile negatives that are easily scratched or lost, you can archive your digital files on DVD or CD -- technology that should last for many years to come -- at which point you (or your photographer) can convert the files to the Next Greatest Thing.


God Bless

Answer 2

I think the most important thing to do is see their previous work. That would be the best way to see the quality of work from photographers and videographers. Have them show you their work, whether is be a portfolio of pictures or a video from a wedding. See their work.

Of course you want to ask for pricing. If there is a particular thing you're looking for from a photographer such as the material theyprint their pictures on you can ask that too. Make sure you ask how many pictures come in the package that you are interested in. You need to have a list of everyone you want to take a picture with. Trust me that is very important because on that day you will be going crazy and will forget a lot of things and then when the time comes to see your pics after your wedding you'll regret not having apic taken with someone. I had a huge list of people that I wanted to take pictures with. Good luck

Answer 3

ask if they have ever worked with eachother some dont mix well with eachother

only pay for the remander after you recived the product

ask if they take photos or film before the services an if they will meet at your home or where u will get ready

tell the photo person to show you samples along with the video person

ask if the video person edits or they only give you a raw copy

do they bring back up cameras

what type of lights do they need will they bring there own

how many hrs do they give for each session

tell them exactly what you want ie do you want a preview slide show of baby pics of you an your mate and do you want the video guy to take still photos an make a music slide show between the wedding an reception

if you want them for one more hour how much is it an if its a photo person will they cut back on pics

will the photo person give you all the prints on a cd you can have a sample book of 200 shots but 500 were taken ask for the remainder 300 also be added on a disk

how many dvd or vhs copys will the video guy give to you



is the photo person going to send away for the prints or do them in there studio

what type of paper do they use for the prints

how many settings do they do like my sis her package was 1500.00 for pics but it had a sitting in studio and one out on location 4 weeks before the wedding and also she did a few days after the wedding still photos in her shop of things that they did not have time for an 2 stops from the church to the reception at a garden an at water fall

hope any of this helps
good luck an congrads

Answer 4

1. What do you charge?
2. How many hours are included with that price?
3. Whats included in your service (photo and video?)?
4. What are your prefrences?
5. How do you order the pictures? (only or hard copy or both)
6. What do you charge per picture?
7. What perks do we get being the bride and groom?

Answer 5

Also ask if they copywrite their images or if you can reproduce them yourself. (Some photographers don't and it can save you money in the long run.)

Definately ask to see previous work. Ask how they feel about working with children (if you have them in your party). Ask if B&W costs more and how much more. What is the studio like? Are they on location, and how much for location?

How much are their collections? If you want to add, how much does it cost? Do they frame?

Have a great day!

Answer 6

Try Trick Photography Special Effects - http://tinyurl.com/W7p8R7KLZD

Answer 7

The other answers are good, and don't forget to make sure that they sign a clause which does not allow them to use your photos. Some people will try to sell photos to magazines if they are really special.

Answer 8

Visit this site http://advancedvideo.50webs.com they have tons of information about video and photo and what you really need to know. Compare and shop around before making any commitments.