One of the most important days of your life is approaching–choosing the right wedding photographer can be a daunting task! Certainly, you want the highest quality of wedding photographs without going broke. You are looking for a wedding photographer who is in tune with your wedding style as you imagine that day. You also want a photographer who is professional, experienced, talented, and a pleasure to work with.

Partnering with the right photographer is easy when you know what to ask. Start by doing a quick phone interview of each wedding photographer to narrow down your choices. Find out first if they are available for your wedding day—if they’re not, it narrows things down immediately. Ask about prices, who will be photographing the wedding, what style of wedding photography they use to shoot weddings (black and white, color, posed photos or candid shots).

After you narrow down your wedding photographer choices, you’ll want to set up a date to interview the photographer. In some large companies, the photographer you talk to might not be the one they send out for your event. Make sure you interview the photographer who will actually be at your wedding and see his/her portfolio, in order to evaluate their style.

You’ll also want to find out what happens if the wedding photographer you choose is fired before or right after your wedding date. It will put your mind at rest if you are assured that your wedding will be photographed even if your photographer is no longer with the company and that you will also have access to your photos no matter what the hiring status of the photographer.

Be sure to ask these questions when interviewing the photographer:

1) Experience Level.

On the most important day of your life, you want someone who is an expert at wedding photography to preserve your memories in a professional manner. Therefore, it’s very important to make sure you ask your wedding photographer questions about their experience.

Is this a job or a hobby for the wedding photographer?  You need to know this because it will show in the quality of the work and their overall attitude toward the job.  If it’s just a hobby, then you may be put on the back burner when a “more important” job comes along (and I have seen that happen.)

Do they have formal training or education in wedding photography?  While formal school education is good, you mainly want someone with experience shooting weddings and not someone who is using your wedding as “practice”.  an experienced wedding photographer will be able to adjust for the variety of lighting situations that a wedding might entail as well as any other surprises that typically occur on a wedding day.

You might be tempted to save money by hiring a novice wedding photographer, but do you want stunning photos that capture your special day or just so-so ones?

Do they frequently photograph weddings?  The more weddings that they have photographed, the better prepared they are to shoot yours!

Some photographers are better at static and posed studio photography than action oriented and “on location” wedding photography. Photographing a wedding involves capturing spontaneous moments, not just poses, so it’s important to have someone who is an expert.

Does the wedding photographer use professional-grade equipment, and do they have back-up equipment available, just in case?

Have they photographed weddings in your chosen location before?

Prior experience in a location gives the wedding photographer an advantage because he’ll know ahead of time what film, filters or flash he/she might need to get the best results.

2) Ask About Their Portfolio.

Photography is an art, so it’s understandable that you may or may not like the style used by the wedding photographer. To make sure you’re going to love the way your wedding is photographed, request to see a portfolio featuring their work.

To make an educated decision, you’ll want to view an entire wedding portfolio from start to finish, not the best few photos from many weddings. Ask what style the wedding photographer uses. Some photographers tend to like more posed shots while others have what is called a photojournalistic style, which involves more candid shots.

Ask if he/she likes to use color photos, black and whites or a mixture. Also, ask if they use a digital camera and retouch the photos to make them black and white, or if they use film.

3) Will They Dress the Part?

Your wedding photographer will be spending a lot of time with you on you on the most important day of your life. It’s crucial that his or her personality blends in, making it a pleasure to have him/her at your side.

If the wedding photographer makes you uneasy in a short interview then don’t hire them for your event!

No matter how charming he is, you’ll want to make sure the wedding photographer will dress the part and look professional while taking those important photos.

Finally, ask about any assistants. Ask if you can meet them and ask about how they will dress and conduct themselves to ensure your wedding goes smoothly.

4) Money and Technical Matters.

Though you don’t want to skimp on wedding photos, it is important to make sure this particular photographer isn’t going to break your budget. Find out ahead of time about how much it will cost to have him/her photograph your wedding.

You’ll want to know how much time you’ll be allotted, and how many rolls of film they’ll take during that time. If the wedding photographer uses digital cameras, ask how many shots they will take to ensure the event is well-documented.

Most photographers offer packages that specify a certain amount of pictures for a set fee. If you don’t see a size of photograph that you want, ask if those packages can be customized to meet your needs.

You’ll also want to ask about the cost of albums and copies, since you’re probably going to fall in love with a lot more of the photos than you bargained!

Ask about deposit and cancellation policies. In order to hold your date, what method of deposit is needed? What are the cancellation policies? If the wedding photographer cancels, will your deposit be refunded?

5) Ask If You Can Get It In Writing!

You’ll want a contract to protect you in case you’re unhappy with the services of your wedding photographer. If you end up going to court to settle matters, the judge will only be concerned with the conditions written in the contract. Therefore, it’s very important to make sure you get all of the details in writing.

The contact should include:

Expected services, fees, cancellation policy, fee schedule and all aspects of your photo packages written in detail.  Also in the contract, you need to include their expected arrival time and departure time if there are a limited number of hours in your wedding.  For example, if your wedding starts at 3pm, you may want the photographer there at least 30-45 minutes before then…

You’ll also want their name and address, as well as your name and address on the contract. Be certain that the contract has a signature and date for both of you and that you receive a copy of both sides.

I will post the engagement session shots on another post, but on to the wedding pics!

Did I mention that she is a die hard Texas Longhorn fan?

Hook ‘em

The view of the Gazebo and the San Luis Hotel

The weather cleared up just in time to get more shots!

another view of the couple and the Hotel

I could post pictures of this beautiful couple all day!  Congrats again to Brett and Ashley!

Special catered functions are held in Cohen House in the area described above, on weekday evenings (Monday through Friday), Saturday during the day, and Saturday evening. Receptions, open houses, and cocktail parties are often held for 50 to 350 people with an hors d’oeuvres/cocktail buffet, and seated-served luncheons and dinners for 40 to 225 people. Cohen House is the general caterer, directed by Manager Ann Swain, with a professional kitchen staff led by Chef Cari Clark. Fully licensed, the Cohen House will provide most any combination of beverage service desired.
For further information, please contact Office Manager, Frances Zientek at (713)348-4000 or by e-mail: club@ruf.rice.edu

I had the pleasure of shooting a wedding at this location this year while assisting a wonderful photographer, Monique Montoya with Perspectives Photography and here are a few shot so you can get an idea of the layout and what they offer

The can accommodate up to 350 people:

there is an elevated dance floor with plenty of room for a band or DJ

WeddingWire, the nation’s leading wedding technology company, has just announced that Nathan Simmons and Photographics is officially WeddingWire Rated 2009! WeddingWire created the annual Rated program to honor wedding professionals, like Nathan Simmons for their excellence and to help brides and grooms easily find the right wedding professionals to match their needs.

“We are excited to unveil WeddingWire Rated 2009, now in its third year. With hundreds of thousands of reviews, WeddingWire has made it easy for engaged couples to find the nation’s very best wedding professionals,” according to Sonny Ganguly, WeddingWire’s Chief Marketing Officer.  “WeddingWire Rated is an excellent way for businesses to showcase their continued success in the wedding industry.”

Nathan Simmons and Photographics has 9 reviews with an average of 5 star rating, making us eligible to hold the Rated title on the WeddingWire Network. Each review has been written by our former clients and includes detailed ratings and insightful descriptions of their experiences with our services. These reviews not only enhance our credibility, but also help differentiate our business within the WeddingWire Network.

Photographics would like to thank our past brides and grooms for taking the time to review our services on WeddingWire.

If you are a past client of Photographics and have yet to provide us with your feedback, visit reviews.weddingwire.com and review our services today.

There is also an area in front of the ballroom with plenty of space for your guests if you wanted to hold a cocktail reception while the guests wait for you to arrive,  There is also plenty of space inside the ballroom and a very nice sized dance floor.  the staff is very attentive and the food served at the wedding I attended was excellent.  Parking is free in the Hotel garage and you can visit their web site for more information:

Hilton Houston North

Seattle Bride sent local writer and (semi) amateur photographer Cody Ellerd to shoot photos alongside a top wedding professional and set the record straight once and for all: Is it worth it to hire a friend or family member who’s pretty good with a camera for your wedding?

By Cody Ellerd

I consider myself a pretty good amateur photographer. I’ve taken a couple of classes, I have a nice Nikon D60 and, as a professional travel writer, I’ve even had a few of my shots make magazine covers and pages. If you didn’t budget for a professional photographer at your wedding, I’m the friend you might call to take pictures.

So when Seattle Bride sent me to the late-winter wedding of Vicky Wu and Chris Nicoll to shoot alongside Joey Hong of John & Joseph Photography, a local award-winning team of two brothers who have been shooting commercial, fashion and wedding photography for more than eight years, I was curious to see how well I could keep up with a seasoned pro.

From the moment we started shooting in the bride and grooms hotel room, I was floored. Vicky, look down at your shoulders put a gentle smile on your lips. Chris, look straight at my lens no, smile. Relax your forehead. Joeys attention to such minute detail went way beyond Say cheese and brought out the couples absolute best. He knew how to manipulate the rooms light and reflective surfaces in ways I never would have dreamed of, transforming what I thought was an unremarkable setting into a photo studio with endless possibilities.

To read more of this story and see Cody’s and Joey’s side-by-side images, visit Seattlebridemag.com

This was such a cute moment, totally unscripted, Ellerd remembers. They bumped fists and it was clear it was a little habit of theirs, one that conveyed their friendship. Joey was right there to catch it while I was fumbling with my focus ring.

“This image is so painfully inferior,” says our rouge photographer Cody Ellerd about her image. “My angle is bland while Joey’s is creative. His is crisp and perfectly exposed, while mine is washed out and grainy. Joey knew exactly how to take advantage of the sense of motion created by this cool backdrop.”

the wedding ceremony:

the lovely couple

The beautiful bride

I posted a pic of this cake on Twitter a few weeks ago I loved it so much!

the couples table at Demers Banquet Hall:

We shot her session at Hermann park and Mecom Fountains which is near the Hotel ZaZa.  It is a very popular location to shoot both bridal and engagement sessions and we had a great time!  This session was shot close to sunset so you can see some of the great lighting we had to work with as well.

Could you tell she was having a good time?

This shot was my absolute favorite from the whole day

OK, I know what you’re thinking….”He’s going to try and make me choose him.”  Well, yes, but I also want you to know that it’s not just about choosing me.  In fact, I can recommend several great photographers (see the link above about Wedfog -The wedding photographers’ directory), but I mainly want you to see the difference between hiring a professional verses allowing that special friend or your Uncle Bob or Aunt Sally to be your wedding photographer because they just got a real nice digital camera.  I also want you to see why you need someone with experience over someone who just started shooting weddings last month.

Experience

I was talking to a friend of mine recently and she is getting ready for her wedding in a few months.  When I asked her how the wedding planning was going, she replied “great! and I found a wonderful photographer for my wedding!”  I was happy for her, but continued to inquire about the “professional wedding photographer” and found out a few things that worried me.  First, the person had never shot a wedding before.  The photographer was a portrait photographer and according to the bride, had some wonderful portraits on her site, so they should be able to shoot a wedding.  While this sounds good, it’s not always the case.  I am a portrait photographer as well and when shooting a portrait, you can control the client, the poses, the environment (in some cases), and the lighting.  Second, they had no albums to show her.  How can I know how “great” a job you’re going to do for me if I have no proof of it?  Third, they were restrictive in what they were offering.  My friend wanted an image to place in a newspaper announcement and wanted to choose it herself, but the photographer wouldn’t allow it and they insisted that they had more experience in choosing the proper photograph.

Shooting a wedding is completely different.  Each location is different.  The ceremony location may have large windows, or no windows at all, high ceilings with lovely lights, or low ceilings with ceiling fans.  The wedding photographer may be able to use flash, but some places, especially Churches do not allow flash photography during the ceremony or any photography at all and the wedding photographer with experience can adjust to those conditions whereas someone who has never shot a wedding before may not be prepared.

When you meet with the wedding photographer, make sure you are able to view samples of their work from any wedding they have shot.  In fact, that should be one of the first questions that should be asked – how many weddings have you shot?  In this new digital age, many people are becoming “professional wedding photographers”, but you have to ask yourself, do you really want someone to practice and get experience at YOUR WEDDING??

In this present economy, quite a few people are finding “wedding photographers” on places like Craigslist, and while that may seem like a way for you to save money, I can give you several stories of brides that have called me to ask if I can fix the pictures the person they hired shot for them (see the paragraph above about experience).  I agree, cost is a concern in this economy, but most of us can work with you on payment plans to still give you what you want for your special day.  Be careful of those that offer you everything and the kitchen sick for a very low cost.

There are several wedding photography “companies” that have started up recently, that claim to have the best photographers on staff.  Some of them even provide you with a list of those photographers who also have their own studios as well.  The down side is that if you book with one of these companies, the chances are slim to none that you get any one of the wedding photographers on the list they showed you.  the chances are greater that you would end up with someone with little or no experience in shooting weddings.  Even worse, you won’t find out who your photographer is until it too late to do anything about it!  I’ve spoken to some brides that didn’t know who their photographer would be until the day of the wedding!

You also want someone who understands that this is YOUR WEDDING DAY and not their creativity project.  The wedding photographers’ job is to make your memories and not theirs.  Your wants and wishes should be the priority.

Equipment

Wedding photography is far different from most other types of photography and the equipment that the professional wedding photographer carries is essential.  Brand name doesn’t matter (Nikon, Canon, Pentax, Olympus, etc..), but make sure that the wedding photographer has the proper camera bodies and lenses to take care of you.  If they are shooting film (yes, some of us still shoot film), make sure they have enough to cover any issue that may arise.  If they are shooting digital, then they need extra data cards as well.  While not mandatory, it’s always good for the wedding photographer to have at least one “spare” camera as a backup in case something happens to the primary camera and most non professionals only carry one camera body and only one lens and if either breaks or fails to work, then you are left without wedding memories!

This, in a way, goes along with experience, but needs to be addressed separately as well.  As technology advances, the cost of equipment goes down so much so that almost anyone can afford the latest and greatest “digital toy”.  I shoot freelance sports for local local publications and while on the sidelines, I notice a lot of parents with equipment similar to mine and in some cases better!  Often, even with the better equipment, they do not know enough about to be able to adapt to the different lighting or environment issues that come up in weddings (dark churches, candlelit ceremonies, different types of light at the reception, etc.) and therefore can’t make the necessary adjustments on their camera to compensate for it.

Along with shooting digital, professional wedding photographers have the computer equipment, software, and knowledge necessary to produce a good final result, whether in print, album, or CD.  the latest 8-10 megapixel camera, the fastest computer, or the latest software program is no good unless the person knows how to use them properly.  Professional wedding photographers have experience framing, cropping, retouching, and enhancing your images to give you just the look and feel you want.

One thing to consider also when hiring friends or family to shoot your wedding:  they are your friends and family!  During the ceremony and especially during the reception, they could lose sight of the fact that they are “hired” and forget about taking pictures and start having fun.  A professional wedding photographer is there to serve and work for you.  You will only have one opportunity to make these memories and they are too important to trust to someone without experience.  There are wedding photographers in every price range and in every budget so please do not let cost be a factor in deciding whether or not you have someone there to make your memories all that they should be.  We photographers have a saying:

The food and cake will be consumed before the evening is out

The reception hall will be left behind at the end of the night

The flowers will all be dead by the end of the week

But the Photography lasts a lifetime.. plan for that part first.

and in your planning, plan on getting a professional!