So you are planning a wedding! You’ve shopped around and you are overwhelmed by the number of wedding photographers and the massive variations of price. So, up steps uncle Jack who volunteers to take your photo’s… lifesaver!

A little bit about uncle Jack…

Uncle Jack has his own camera, it is often hanging around his neck, and I’ve seen a few shots that he’s taken of the family and they look okay. I couldn’t tell you whether the camera uncle Jack owns is any good, but certainly looking on the back of the camera they look good. I’ve also seen uncle Jack at a few family weddings recently, so he’s suitably qualified to take my photo’s.

Plus, the biggest selling point for using uncle Jack is that he’s going to save us £0000s.

You see the problem with using uncle Jack, while he may be very enthusiastic, there are lots of people like uncle Jack out there in the market. The digital camera has led to this dramatic rise, and although photograph’s often look great when viewed on the back of a camera, as soon as they are browsed on a larger screen and in print, they often become avarage pictures.  You see wedding photography is a skill and because you’ve only got one attempt to get it right, you really can’t afford to get it wrong! A good wedding photographer, does not come cheap. Like most things in life, good things are not cheap, and a wedding photographer is really no different.

A good photographer will know all the tricks of the trade, they have their signature stock photographs that they know always work, plus they’ll have a really good idea of composition, lighting, camera settings and all the other elements that come to form the basis of a good image. Uncle Jack on the other hand, is way out of his comfort zone, he’s not sure what camera settings to use, so he’s set the camera to auto; and during the group shots, the bride has got a tree growing out of the top of her head…but hey, it looks okay on the back of a camera!!!

If you are going to spend thousands on that perfect wedding and you truly want ever lasting memories in an album that you can look back on for years to come, don’t scrimp and save on the photography, and most definitely do not hire uncle Jack.

David Vidgen is a Birmingham based web photographer. David Vidgen contributes to William Kidd Photography regularly.

Of course when we say ‘shot’ we actually mean photographed. Let’s be frank here, nobody should be shot and certainly not by a kid.

Mastering the art of photography takes time and patience. Choosing a photographer, whether it be for advertising, commercial or weddings, should also take time and patience. The problem with digital camera’s is that everyone now thinks they are a good photographer. For sure, camera settings can be learned quickly, but it takes good practice to be a good photographer – not just any old practice!

It is very important that when choosing your wedding photographer you get it right. It is important that you do not simply choose your photographer based on price. For sure, you will have a budget, but what is more important that you choose the right one. It’s your wedding day and you need to appoint a decent photographer to ensure that you get the pictures you want – they’ve only got one shot at it, so choosing the right one is paramount.

As they say, if you pay peanuts, expect a monkey to turn up with a camera. You don’t want a monkey!

When choosing the right wedding photographer you must do your research. I don’t mean asking for referrals because no photographer in their right mind will give you the name and address of a previous client you will say anything but praise – so this is simply a waste of time. The best way to choose is to ask to inspect examples of their wedding albums, particularly insist on seeing a complete album – all from the same wedding. This is important because it gives you a complete overview of their ability to take pictures from start to finish; whereas if you make your decision based on an album made up of all different weddings, then for sure it will look great. But who’s to say that the other 99 images from the same wedding were also as good!

How much would you expect to pay for a wedding photographer? Well that depends on what they are offering. For full coverage (the whole day) and a quality album, then you are looking at about £2000. Remember it’s not £2000 for just a days work, after the wedding day there will be 2-3 days editing, plus planning and putting together the album.

You should also ask for a pre-wedding shoot, and ask for this to be included in the basic cost. You should NOT have to pay for this because it will assist the photographer and help them gain an understanding of how you and your partner are like in front of the camera; plus it gives you the opportunity to see how the photographer works.

Another factor to consider is whether you are supplied with the digital files. In all honesty there is no reason for the photographer to hold on to these and they should let you have them. Some photographers will charge you for this (and charge a lot of money), whereas I personally think this should be included in the overall package. It allows you the freedom to then print them at your own disposal for family and friends.

David Vidgen is the owner of bigdayphotographer, a Birmingham wedding and family photographer based in the UK.

Another great wedding photographer can be found at jedwardphotographer.com. They are a Sandiago photographer specialising in weddings, family, portrait, child and baby photography sessions. Remember to check out their wedding albums.