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EVERY YEAR I HEAR DISASTER STORIES:
A lady once called me with a tale of
woe. She had hired a photographer for her daughter's wedding. The man showed
up, took her money, took some pictures during the
ceremony, then disappeared―never to be
seen again. I had gone to that
wedding, because the bride's aunt was a friend of my wife. But I didn't taken
any photos
during the ceremony, chiefly because I didn't want to interefere with the
photographer who had been hired for the event.
However, I had a camera with me, and at the reception I took about
50 photos. Later, when I heard what had happened, I made a
small album for the lady containing the photos I had taken. Those are the only
professional photos she has of her daughter's wedding.
Several other friends and acquaintances have
told me about weddings where the people still had not received
their pictures over a year after the event. In one of those cases, I'm sorry
to say, the photographer is well-known with an established business.
WHAT CAN YOU DO TO AVOID THAT?
There is no sure-fire way to guarantee
somebody's performance. When you hire somebody, you are always taking some
degree of
risk. But, there are several things you can do to minimize your risk.
1. Make sure the person you're hiring has an
on-going business. If the vendor you're thinking about hiring has a
continuous history of business right up to the present time, then it's very
unlikely that he is a fly-by-night fraud. Where photographers are concerned,
it helps a lot if they display their work online. If you visit their online
galleries and see photos of past and recent events, you know it's an
on-going business.
2. Make sure that your photographer has a street address and
a telephone (not just a cell phone).
That is something that everybody knows to do―if
they think of it― but you'd be surprised at how
many people don't. If he owns a home and you know where he
lives, then you have recourse. You can send your cousin Vinnie to get your
money back.
3. Ask for references. Of course, if a guy
wants to defraud you, he will already have somebody lined up to use as a
"reference." Much better is a photographer who displays his work online and
invites YOU to pick the event & person you would like to contact for a
reference.
4. Look at the quality of the work. These
days, anybody can buy a digital camera and call themselves "professional"
photographer.
If you take the trouble, you can tell the difference between high
quality professional photographs and amateur snapshots. Again, it's a lot easier
if the photographer's work is online.
5. Find out how long the photographer takes
to deliver the pictures. I don't expect many photographers to work like I
do, but I have all my photos posted online within three to four days after
the event. That way, friends and family can view the photos, order copies,
and even have them in hand within a week or ten days of the event.
And, I always deliver albums within 30 days of the event. In the past five years of shooting
digital, I've never been late. [sound of knocking on head]
6. Last but not least: All professional
photographers will sign a contract with you. He or she should do that without
being asked, and should do that as part of the initial scheduling of the event
and acceptance of your deposit.
7. Worst Case Scenario: If your photographer
gets sick or gets hit by a beer truck on the way to the wedding, does he
have backup? Most pro photographers have one or more friends & associates
who can shoot a wedding professionally. In case something bad happens, they
can usually call on their backup. In the Absolutely Worst Case because of
events beyond his control, or regardless of why, if he doesn't show up
for any reason, then ALL of your money should be returned, and that should
be stated clearly in his contract.
Best wishes for your event.
--Ed Mitchell
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