There’s one sure fire way to make sure your wedding photographer does a great job; hire me. Failing that, have a look at how professional your photographer really is before signing them up.
I’ve just paid for 3 things that reflect the minimum requirements for a professional photographer. The three things are:
1. Insurance. Is your photographer insured? A lot of venues now insist the photographer has $10 or $20 million in insurance coverage. Without it, you might be kicked out or denied entry. The what if something goes wrong. Even simple stuff like a bridesmaid breaks her ankle falling over the photographers bag. Who’s going to pay for her medical expenses? Make sure your photographer is adequately insured.
2. Professional Accreditation. I’ve just renewed my membership of the Australian Institute of Professional Photography (AIPP). Membership is more than just signing up. You must prove you have the requisite skills and then commit to ongoing training. Would you use a dentist that was great years ago but hadn’t kept up with his skills? Or would you take the advice of a doctor who was insufficiently trained and ineligible to be a member of their professional body. The AIPP can also mediate in any disputes and also punish the photographer if they have been found to have done wrong. Make sure your photographer is professionally accredited with a body like the AIPP or similar.
3. Ongoing Training. I just grabbed my ticket to a great photography conference that fulfils the AIPP requirements for ongoing professional development. These courses look not only at the creative side of photography, but also the business side including marketing, taxation and other areas. Make sure your photographer is keeping up with their skills development. Personally, I will attend 2 or 3 such courses in any given year plus read books, blogs and take online courses to stimulate any additional areas I would like to learn more about.
As you see, being a truly professional photographer encompasses more than just picking up a camera and hoping for the best. Go to my contacts page and send me an email if you have any additional questions about these things.