5 QUESTIONS TO ASK BEFORE YOU HIRE A PHOTOGRAPHER.

Hello Blog fans!
Today’s blog is a very important one so I hope you will all not only read it, but share it with your friends.

I read a disturbing article in today’s newspaper and due to the subject matter; it compels me to blog about it.
A (so called) photographer has been arrested for committing multiple crimes to put it mildly! It was later found that this person was only POSING as a professional photographer and not actually a professional photographer.

I'm always very sad when I hear HORROR stories from people about their bad experiences with photographers. One of the first questions that come to mind when I hear these stories is:

Did you ask the photographer the right questions before you hired them?

Many people don't even know what questions to ask before hiring a photographer, be it for their wedding, portrait, baby pictures or anything else. That's why on my website you will find a section with F.A.Q's. Although they are not frequently asked...they should be!

If you want to read those FAQ's, visit my website: http://www.diazdd.com/ and click on the BIO section. There you will see a list of questions that everyone should be asking before hiring a photographer and our respective answers.

The following questions are also just as important and will help you to distinguish an ACTUAL professional photographer from those who just claim to be...

Before you hire a professional photographer, ask, at the very least, these five questions:

1. Do you have a Business Certificate?
All professional photography businesses should have a current valid business certificate displayed in their studio. ($$)

2. Are you registered with the State/Town/City as a business?
A true business needs to register with the city/town they will be doing business in. ($$)

3. Do you have Business Insurance?
You have the right to request a copy of the Insurance Certificate for the studio you are going to hire. ($$$)

4. Do you have any references?
Any successful photography business will most likely have one or more past clients who have volunteered to be used as a reference. Get the numbers and call if you have any doubts.

5. Are you a member of any professional photography associations?
On a national level there is PPA (Professional Photographers of America) http://www.ppa.com/
Locally we have PPAM (Professional Photographers Association of Massachusetts) http://www.ppam.com/.

Most every state has their own professional photography association, where fellow professional photographers join and help each other learn and grow to maintain a higher level of professionalism and quality. It is not a requirement to join, but within the association, you will find those who are serious about the business of photography.  Even though we may be vying for the same clients, we have camaraderie and want to see each other succeed as well. ($$$)

There are several more questions that could be asked, but these are a few of the important ones. If you are thinking about hiring a photographer for a wedding or any other reason, do your part to make sure that they are truly a business, not just someone with a camera that claims to be. That way, you can avoid horror stories and bad experiences. Anyone can buy an impressive looking digital camera these days, but that doesn't make them a professional.

One more thing to note would be the old adage which goes: "You get what you pay for".

If it sounds like an unbelievable bargain...it probably is, so don't believe it. Fine professional photography is like Fine Wine...It costs more money because it takes a lot of time and effort to achieve and maintain such quality. However, it is well worth the higher cost.  (The dollar signs above indicate that there is a cost involved in obtaining these things.)

Well, I hope this blog entry will help to serve people in the future who are looking to hire a professional photographer for their wedding or special event. If you know someone shopping for a professional photographer, please send them my way.  http://www.diazdd.com/

We will take very good care of them and we have the paperwork to prove it.  :-)

Thanks for listening. Tell your friends!

Until next time.

Weddings - FAQ's

Want to know more about us and how we operate our business?
Here is a list of Frequently Asked Questions about our Wedding Photography services.

If you have a question and the answer isn't here, drop us a line or e-mail us and we'll be happy to respond promptly.

Wedding Photography - Frequently Asked Questions

How do you identify your primary photographic style?

Our style is a mix of Traditional and Photojournalistic with an Artistic fun Fashion kick.

Describe any special techniques you offer:
We offer Traditional Black & White, Black & White with Color Effects, Sepia Tone, Fine Art Images, and some of the latest Special Effects.

Which lighting situations do you have experience with?
All lighting situations from Low Light to Direct Sunlight.

Do you have a media preference?
We prefer Digital, but we also use Film for fun and also as our backup plan.

How many photographers do you work with?
We have access to up to 4 other photographers and I can have as many at a wedding as you wish at one time. You are only limited to your wedding photography budget.

Do you guarantee your presence at the actual event?
Yes. I attend all of my weddings as Primary Photographer, unless I happen to be ill. If I am ill, I guarantee that my replacement will be another professional primary photographer.

Do you sometimes book yourself for more than one wedding in a day?
Our policy is currently no more than one wedding per day or weekend! We like to concentrate all of our efforts and energy on one wedding at a time so we can provide our all to our clients without worrying about another wedding on the same weekend. In addition, we photograph only a limited number of weddings (only 25 weddings per year). Our weddings are booked on a 1st come, 1st served basis, reserved with your retainer and once all 25 wedding dates have been filled, we do not book anymore until the following year. This allows us to offer a better quality service to each of our clients with fresh, new ideas and creativity (not the cookie-cutter approach to weddings). Each wedding photographed will have something unique and different about it than the next and each wedding album we design is a limited edition heirloom piece for you to treasure.

Do you have a replacement photographer in case you become unavailable on the wedding day?
Yes. I currently have 3 trusted photographers to choose from...each of them can work on their own as a primary photographer. I also have access to thousands of other professionals through my membership and associations with PPAM (Professional Photographers Association of Massachusetts) and PPA (Professional Photographers of America).

What kind of equipment do you typically bring with you on the day-of?
3 Professional Cameras. 2 Digital & 1 Film for backup. Lights and several other accessories. You never know what you will need, so I arrive prepared for most any situation.

Do you bring back-up equipment to the event in case of malfunction?
Yes. I have 1 Digital camera Backup and 1 (Trusty) Film camera backup. You can never go wrong with good old film.

Do you charge hourly or full day?
Either. Our packages save you money and consist of several hours of coverage or you can use our services ('a la carte') on a per hour basis if you prefer.

If hourly, are you available for shooting overtime? If so, how much do you charge for overtime?
Yes. We are available for overtime. We don't usually charge any extra if your coverage goes up to 1 hour over. After that we charge OT at our hourly rate, which varies depending upon how many hours of coverage you initially requested. The more hours you asked for initially, the less per hour fee is charged for OT.

Do you require a meal break? If yes, do you require that the wedding party provide your meal?
I do not require a meal break but it is nice to have one. I do not require a provided meal, but again, it's always nice when that happens.

How many breaks do you usually take throughout the day?
Zero. I may rest briefly if there is downtime, but otherwise, I am working throughout the day or evening capturing the special moments of your wedding celebration. You are paying me to photograph your event, not to rest. I can rest when I am done.

Do you charge for travel?
If travel exceeds 60 miles or 1 hour from my studio location in Oxford, MA, I charge $50 per hour (round trip). If the distance is less than that, there's no extra charge for travel.

How soon after the event are the proofs ready for viewing?
Typically your proofs will be ready for viewing in approximately 3 weeks. There are usually lots of images to edit through after a wedding and 3 weeks is just about enough time to be ready for viewing.

In what format are the initial proofs offered?
We offer any of the following: Proof Book, Proof Magazine, Printed 4x5 Proofs, CD/DVD Proofs, On-line Proofs. Any of these are available depending on your specific needs.

How long can I keep the proofs?
Preferably no longer than 2 weeks. Then I would like to have your Album picks so I can get started on designing your Wedding Album. All proofs are given back to you to keep after your album images have been selected and your album is delivered to you.

Do you retain the copyright for the photos?
Yes. We retain all copyrights, but we offer a Copy and Usage assignment for an additional fee. This would be a CD or DVD that you can purchase and make unlimited prints from.

Do you reserve the right to publish the photos?
Yes. To show to future clients, on my website, promotional items, contests, marketing and other studio related products.

Do you provide the digital files and/or negatives (or copies of the negatives) to the couple?
Digital negatives are available for purchase but are not included in our wedding photography packages. If you purchase a Package the cost of the Digital Negatives is 50% off the regular cost without a package.

Will images be available for viewing on an online gallery?
Yes. This is optional, but does not cost any more. You may request to have an online gallery of images to be able to share with your friends and family.

What kind of albums do you offer?
Traditional, Matted, Digital, Press Printed, Library Bound, Custom Designed, Trendy, Hip, Modern and many more. Our favorite line of Wedding Albums is the Pictobooks brand.

When will I get the final book?
Approx 6 – 10 weeks after your wedding album photos have been chosen. Once you have chosen your favorite images and provided them to us, we will design a custom wedding album for you using those images. Typically about 6 weeks later you will have your beautiful custom wedding album in your hands.

How long does it take to deliver a book?
Once we have the book, we will check it over carefully for quality and to make sure it is correct and if it meets our approval, we call and e-mail our clients immediately. You can come by and pick it up in our studio, or we can ship it to you. All shipments go Priority Mail which is 2-3 business days.

More About Us
We are located in Oxford, MA but we service all areas of Massachusetts, Connecticut & Rhode Island. We are laid back and we understand that weddings don't always stay on time as planned, so we are able to stay a bit longer at no charge, in order to complete the "story" in photographs.
We work with all your other vendors in order to coordinate our efforts prior to the wedding day to prevent chaos and provide you with the best possible experience on your wedding day.
We visit all venues prior to the wedding day to gain inspiration, meet the venue staff and get the do's and don'ts from the church, or venue prior to the wedding day. This helps to ensure a seamless event for both the couple and the venue as well.
We keep a genuine smile on all day & night and we have fun and make sure you and your guests do too at each and every wedding.

We love what we do...and we feel you will too!