One of the inescapable facts about the photography industry in the UK is that it is unregulated. The end result of this is that anyone, yes ANYONE, can buy a camera, read the manual and then declare themselves to be a professional photographer.
A few hundred pounds buys a flashy looking website, a couple of hours writing populates it with content and a few paid for training days gets you the images to put in it.
There is of course more, much more, to being a qualified professional photographer and one of the things you may look at to help improve your skills, is to join a professional trade organisation.
With so many around where do you start?
The first thing you need to do is understand that not all organisations are the same. Sadly there are, like any other industry, good and bad out there and this article hopefully will at least allow you to make an informed decision on who to join.
The first type of organisation is those that only allow full time members in. These are generally geared towards those who make a full time living out of photography. Admission is generally by submission of work which is judged. Upon successful completion you are then admitted and accredited as a member. In some cases the organisation is owned by the members.
The next type of organisation is generally for aspiring photographers looking to improve their skills. There are many of these within the UK, often only requiring a subscription to join. When considering joining these types of organisations always do some thorough background checks first, for example on search engines. Many “Organisations” are private businesses and like any business, have to earn a living. Your subscription to their service helps generate their profit margins and sometimes, they may let their own business profits take precedence over member’s welfare resulting in you paying a fee for a service you simply do not receive.
Their websites may make promises of training, qualifications and mentoring but these promises may not fully materialise. Always do your homework prior to joining. Many of these types of organisations though are highly reputable and members do receive the advertised benefits.
The last type of organisation is the bread and butter of the photographic industry, the camera clubs. Over the years these have proved to be invaluable to the development of not only individual photographers but to the photography industry itself. Often owned by the members and run by a committee, camera clubs have been the life blood of the industry allowing both amateurs, part time and full time professional photographers to improve their photographic skills.
So, to summarise. If you are contemplating joining ANY photographic trade organisation, do your homework first. Be brutally honest with yourself in the first instance and write down your photographic strengths and weaknesses. This list will help you identify what, if any, training you need and armed with this information will allow you to make an informed choice on which organisation to join.
Hiring a wedding photographer may seem like a simple task, but choosing someone to capture all the moments and details of that special day can be much more difficult than most couples realize. The professional you select will create a photographic record that will be treasured by your family for generations, and making this decision is a critical step in the wedding-planning process. In some instances, hiring the wrong person might not only result in poor wedding photos, but could also have a negative effect on your entire wedding day (for example, imagine a sloppy-looking photographer running around, blocking the guests’ view and constantly distracting you from enjoying your day).
One of the most common and unfortunate mistakes couples make is hiring a family friend or an enthusiastic relative to photograph the day. Some may even ask guests to take as many photos as possible with the hope of piecing together an album composed of candid shots, most of which are unusable. Keep in mind that even with the proper equipment, photographing a wedding properly is a daunting task requiring significant experience, the finesse’ to be virtually invisible, and most importantly the talent and artistic vision to capture the memorable details and emotions of your wedding day. It is certainly not a job for the faint of heart.
How, then, does one choose an accomplished, professional wedding photographer? The key items to consider are your personal preferences in photography, your budget for the event, and the professional relationship and chemistry you have (or don’t have) with the photographer.
Wedding photography is usually classified as traditional, photojournalistic (candid), and artistic. There is a wealth of information online regarding these categories, if you would like more explanation of each. Although some photographers may declare that they are “hardcore photojournalists” (the current buzz-word in the wedding photo industry), I believe that a good wedding photographer must be able to do all the styles equally well. It is important to review a good selection of the photographer’s work, and you should love most (if not everything) you see. You should insist on viewing complete wedding albums to see how your final album could look. If you don’t feel an emotional connection with the photos, you need to iHiring a wedding photographer may seem like a simple task, but choosing someone to capture all the moments and details of that special day can be much more difficult than most couples realize. The professional you select will create a photographic record that will be treasured by your family for generations, and making this decision is a critical step in the wedding-planning process. In some instances, hiring the wrong person might not only result in poor wedding photos, but could also have a negative effect on your entire wedding day (for example, imagine a sloppy-looking photographer running around, blocking the guests’ view and constantly distracting you from enjoying your day).
One of the most common and unfortunate mistakes couples make is hiring a family friend or an enthusiastic relative to photograph the day. Some may even ask guests to take as many photos as possible with the hope of piecing together an album composed of candid shots, most of which are unusable. Keep in mind that even with the proper equipment, photographing a wedding properly is a daunting task requiring significant experience, the finesse’ to be virtually invisible, and most importantly the talent and artistic vision to capture the memorable details and emotions of your wedding day. It is certainly not a job for the faint of heart.
How, then, does one choose an accomplished, professional wedding photographer? The key items to consider are your personal preferences in photography, your budget for the event, and the professional relationship and chemistry you have (or don’t have) with the photographer.
Wedding photography is usually classified as traditional, photojournalistic (candid), and artistic. There is a wealth of information online regarding these categories, if you would like more explanation of each. Although some photographers may declare that they are “hardcore photojournalists” (the current buzz-word in the wedding photo industry), I believe that a good wedding photographer must be able to do all the styles equally well. It is important to review a good selection of the photographer’s work, and you should love most (if not everything) you see. You should insist on viewing complete wedding albums to see how your final album could look. If you don’t feel an emotional connection with the photos, you need to interview another photographer.
Couples also either under-budget for their wedding photography, or they try to shop around for the cheapest package, forsaking quality. As with any creative service, with most photographers you normally “get what you pay for.” If you see an all-inclusive package with albums under $2000.00, the quality of all the products and services is usually poor. If the package is above $5000.00, you should expect 2 photographers present, at least 8 hours of coverage, and high-end wedding albums (along with some extra items, such as proofs or parent copies). Make sure you compare apples to apples when reviewing various wedding packages, since they can be confusing. In most cases a typical wedding photography budget would be in the $3000.00 – $6000.00 range. Don’t treat your wedding photography as an afterthought – photographs are the most enduring and viewed remembrance of your wedding day (more so, even, than a video recording).
Make sure you feel a personal connection with your photographer. Some of the best photos of the day are usually taken “behind the scenes” as the wedding party prepares for the day, when you will be interacting with your family and friends. You should feel comfortable inviting the photographer “backstage.” As a wedding photographer, I regularly get invited to see the most intimate parts of the wedding day that are normally not visible to most guests or even family. Your photographer should be calm and assertive and have a positive energy about them. Make sure he or she shows a genuine interest in you and your family. Do not hire a photographer that makes you feel that your wedding day is just another job for them. Your photos would certainly reflect that.