Tips on Hiring a Photographer

Tips on Hiring a Photographer for your Weddings or any event/function.

Most couples don’t really care about the photography part in their special wedding event. Some usually book the photographers at last minutes. Which they in the end found out that their photographers is already being booked. As a photographer, I would like to share some tips on choosing and hiring a photographer.

1. Know what your expectations are.

You must know ahead what you want to photograph during the wedding. Don’t expect the photographer to know it all. There might be something different in your wedding which you think you want them to be photographed. Most wedding photographers know what to capture, but a bit of debriefing on what you want is important.

2. Get a list of photographers that you are interested at.

There must be a few photographers in the area you are staying, get to know their contact information. Of the best is you can just search in the net. Keying in “wedding photographer + (area you’re staying)” will surely provide you a list of your local.

3. Set Your Budget

A good photographer deserves a fair amount of pay too. Some set their price for as high as RM10 000 and some as low as RM300 per day. Whatever the price, it is you who decide according to your budget. Some wedding planner specialist suggests 10% of your wedding budget on the Photo and Videographer, others say more. Why so expensive? Well, your wedding is only held once in a life, a photograph can give sad-happy-nostalgic memories which will impact your future. There are couple who were able to save their marriage from tearing apart just because of a photo of their precious wedding day. Either way, make sure you get good photographs by a good photographer, and make sure you pay them accordingly too!

4. Compare their works

Every photographer has their own style of expressing their art. Although you may notice that all of them have something in common, but every photographer “ALWAYS” practice the same technique they are used at. Thus you will notice the photographer is able to get almost the same picture. Even if this depends on the occasion, but normally, you can see that each photographer has their own NOTICABLE photojournalistic style. So identify which suits you best.

5. Book ahead.

Some photographers require a 50% deposit to secure your reservation. A good/professional/ethical photographer will not reject your bookings just because there is another couple with a better offer.

6. Documentation

Require a receipt from the photographer, if possible, make a written agreement/ contract with the photographer. There is surely no need to go through legal process in a law firm. This contract will be a guarantee on the photographers’ service on your wedding day, including some terms and conditions, copyrights and royalty issues that might arise one day.

7. Keep in touch and make good/close contact with your photographer.

A photographer can be a close friend because of your wedding. They might be able to give advice for you just in case you have problems and needs assistance in planning. Due to attending lots of events, a photographer has their own point of view on their rightly side. All you need is just ask, inquire. A photographer may be one of the friendly people on your wedding… and could be the most hardworking on your wedding day… so appreciate them…

Why A PHOTOGRAPHER for your EVENT?

Photography is one of the most important aspects that need to be considered when planning a wedding or any event. WHY? Well, the answer is just simple, you are willing to spend your energy, time and money planning and prepare for such an important event in your life, and if YOU DON"T GET TO RECORD IT WELL ENOUGH, you will surely regret when you try to recall but fail. Memories may be forgotten, but photographs never.

I always encounter this problem before when I wasn’t seriously into the photography industry. My mind was always on the preparation and planning but not on the photography. Yes, the event run smoothly, yet I missed one important thing- to record the event.

Photography goes along with any event you are planning. Be it huge or simple, a photograph is important for future reference. You can’t bear the cost of running the same exact event twice just because you didn’t record the moment at first event. Even if you were able to hold the same event again, THERE WILL BE NO ONE SAME HAPPENING IN TWO EVENTS.

The simplest way to make it right is have someone specially appointed to record it for you. Be it wedding photography or any event/functions, you do need one specially appointed person to photograph the moments for you. If you are concern about quality, then its best to hire a good photographer who knows what to cover in his photography.

There are wide choices of photographers whom you can find nowadays. From early beginners, amateurs to big profit making professionals, as long as they know how to frame the moment, they are your options. What to choose is all depending on your budget. Well established photographers requires a fair amount of charges, they usually charge you professionally. What differ photographers are their level of experience, skills, style, approaches, techniques, knowledge… to cut it short, their final product which is the photographs itself.

A good photographer will not just have good eyeing, but also know-how at the right moment in every situation. Experience is one of the crucial aspects, but a specific style, knowledge and skills is also needed. That’s why in the process of deciding who, it is better to see their samples of works and compare them with other photographers before concluding.

One trend in photographing events and functions is the “Photojournalistic” approach. Most photographers try to practice this, and it’s not easy. One need keen and fully alert eyes and mind to be able to sense the right moment to click the shutter. Candid is what they describe it, but that’s not all. Behind the candidness, there lies a whole lot of story in memories to tell, and if any is able to get it all in a single photograph… it will be the photographer alone.

KM Street Times

12 June,2008- a mini van crashed into the back of a Peroda VIVA this evening. The cause of the accident is unknown since i'm malas busy body asking here and there... moreover im not a trafic police... so what the heck am i asking questions~#$%^&... Trying to imagine how terible the owner of this newly bought Viva would feel, i myself couldn't think of the level of... anger..or "alamak... my car got hitted" kinda stuff, i'll be walking on foot for least three weeks... PHEW!!

if i was the owner.. i could have MAKI-maki the driver... huargh.

.. but as a good guy... urm... i refrain from doing it.. (ceh). Then the police came and took some shoot. I was almost like "hey, mind if i take it for you?" and maybe the reply could be like "hey, im better than you..." urm.... "no comment sir" I almost wanted to take more photo's but... tiapa la...
I've been into a car accident twice before, and i can tell you how bad the feeling were. I almost died during the first accident, yet i was calm though worried my dad would kill me for it... the second one, was a very ordinary light one but differently i was very worried and... no need to tell much.. my greatest advice for driving blog-torist (blogger-motorist), Drive Safely, remember your love ones...remember us-blog readers... Heh`~

Inanam Street Photography

He, here is another street photography into practice... I am not a pro-street photographer, but its not that hard though to be one. All one need is a little creativity and sense of humour added into a photo-sensitive eye... pluss a camera (ofcoz) and you can be one... SO what makes the photographer stand as a street photographer... urm, first of all, its on the street lah... so? if it isn't, you surelly wont call it street ph*&%$#@!@~..... Some call it Urban Photography.. well if its taken in the city, then it's also categorized in that section. Anyhow, we were actually at inanam to see the Famous Perodua Viva showroom and eventually they stick up this true-to-life prints of two photographers "taking photos(kunun)" of the showroom.. i was quite attracted to the two pictures and thought -of something with a sense of humour... so what i did? take some pictures la... add some sense of humor... kekekekekhhhh.... but maybe it didn't worked for you...
way back home, i edited the pictures to make it look a bit... narative with the saturation cast down...hurm... i think my editing for this photo is a bit too... dull i might say... perhaps... perhapss... perhappssssss......

Anddy & Dorens Wedding

This is another sequence of a wedding which i was appointed to take. The prince and princess of that day was Anddy from Serawak and Doreen from Sabah. The wedding took place in Kg Morion, Tandek, Kota Marudu. Here are some of the hundred pictures which i manage to share with you..

some of the best scene were the fill your tummy hour, lots of nice candids to frame.

I joined PayPerPost

Hey, you know what? i actually joined payerperpost about 2 months ago and this is my first time writing for it. I actually have no idea on how it really works, all i have in mind is that you sign up, you write a review on a product and you get paid.. HUH! what da... i get paid for just simply writing? well im not the good in writing type of person. My composition in writing does not even satisfy the good marks... but when it comes to be paid? well i should give a try.

Hey, if anyone out there who are good enough in persuasive writing, why not try this up. http://payperpost.com/ . Sign up, start writing and get paid... phew.. simply make money
with just words huh?!~

Fadzil & Jessyanie in Black & White

Here's another shoot which i converted into B&W. A Muslem Wedding held in Sabah. I'm happy to be able to serve them with my photography works. Enjoy viewing the pictures.

Fadzil & Jessyanie

This is another event i covered during the Kaamatan heat this May. They are lovely muslim couples and i really feel honored to shoot for their wedding. The 2 day event was held in Kg Laya-Laya, Tuaran and it started from the 31st May night and 1st June afternoon.

This really was my first to shoot such a wedding. I was invited by my friend to photograph her brother's wedding, so here was i making the full effort to produce good quality pictures.

The setting was great. Food was delicious! desserts was really welcoming.

There'll be another sequence of this event digitized in Black & White. This will be in my Next Post.

Special & Costumized Wedding DVD Case

Here's a sample of the works i did for two weddings during last week. This is the DVD cover done especially for the couple. Costumized and printed using good quality paper, this would be another bonus for wedding couples to have.

DVD cover for Azmi & Evone's Wedding on the 30th May 2008 which was held in Tenghilan, Tuaran.
DVD Cover for Fadzil & Jessyanie's wedding on the 31'May & 1'June 2008 in KG Laya-Laya, Tuaran
My current Business card- but will be changed and updated soon!!

Azmi & Evone in B&W