Finding a professional wedding photographer in County Durham

A quick search of the internet will reveal an unending array of wedding photographers. Type the search term 'wedding photographers' into Google and you will be presented with 985,000 photographers in the UK alone. When you consider that last year there were only 288,000 weddings there appears to be an obvious anomaly. Even if we narrow the search to Durham Wedding Photographers we are still left with 137,000 photographer links. How on earth can a bride make the right decision and find the perfect wedding photographer for her wedding in the North East?

Lets start with the reason there are so many people who fancy their hand at being a wedding photographer. Everyone has been to a wedding and watched the wedding photographer having fun taking pictures of the happy couple and thought what a great job. A few people have also thought I could do that and before they know what is happening they are on their way down to Curry's to buy a digital SLR camera. No sooner as the camera is out of the box, without any training or experience they publicly declare themselves to be a wedding photographer.

Over 80% of wedding photographers are simply amateurs trying their hand. Assuming there are a thousand people in the North East who claim to be a wedding photographer, 800 can be discounted instantly. Of the remaining only 5% are award winning or qualified to a professional level and registered with a trade organisation such as the SWPP (society of wedding and portrait photographers) which gives you 10 photographers in the whole North East who a capable of creating something you would call wedding photography of distinction. Creative, artistic and unique images that really make a beautiful statement about the most special day of your life. Craig Beck is a full time professional wedding photographer and a full member of the SWPP. He has trained with some of the world's best and most awarded photographers including multi award winning Trevor Yerbury.

Finding photographers of this standard can appear to be a daunting task. With all the other parts of the wedding that need planning, normally by the bride on her own. How do you find the proverbial photographic needle in the haystack. Here are a few quick ways to seperate the amateurs from the professionals: 

Website: The first clue is the website, does it look professional. This is the photographer displaying his very best work, remember these are the photographs he is most proud of - if they are not amazing the chances are the ones he doesn't want you to see are nothing short of terrible.

Price: A crude but effective way to tell if the photographer is dedicated to his art or if he works in B&Q during the week and takes snaps at the weekend to make money. Truly great wedding photography is like an ice berg, you only see 20% of the work. For every hour of the wedding there are many, many hours spent in post production for the professional wedding photographer. This attention to detail is reflected in the price, if you are considering a wedding photographer and his very best package in under £1500 chances are he is an amateur.

Availability: Full time professional wedding photographers can cover a wedding anywhere, any day, any time. Amateur 'photographers' have 9-5 jobs and must fit their hobby in around their day job.


Examples: Ask to see examples of their past work. Ensure they show you a full wedding album taken at one wedding and not a collection of single shots. You can also ask to visit the photographer to see his work, if they refuse it's normally because their 'studio' is the back bedroom. A professional photographer will be proud of his studio and happy to show you example of his/her work there.


Selecting the perfect County Durham wedding photographer for your own special wedding day, should start with compiling a shortlist of potential candidates, then go and chat to them in person. Great wedding photography can only be achieved if you can be confident that your chosen photographer will match the style of images you wnat and will work in the way that suits you on the wedding day. Remember you can never go back and taken the photographs again and this is the one part of the wedding that will always be there - so make the right decision at select a wedding photographer who you love the work of.Craig Beck is one of the most sought after wedding photographers in Durham, he covers weddings all over the North East from his base in Darlington and is also available for Yorkshire weddings.

Related Sites

• SWPP
• LinkedIn
• Twitter
• Facebook
• Photography Blog
• Craig Beck Wedding Photography - County Durham
• Diosa Photography - Hull
• Diosa Photography - Cyprus

Engagement portrait shoots

Announcing your plans to marry is an exciting and thrilling time in your life, and having your engagement portraits taken can be fun and enjoyable when the photographer is professional, fun and creative. 

When you're looking for a photographer to take your engagement photos, keep in mind the type of photographs you wish to take. Diosa Photography on Victoria Dock in Hull are not confined by traditional, posed shots of a couple sitting on each other's lap. The pure white background portrait is quickly becoming dated, simply because so many photographers are doing them. Craig Beck has a distinctive low key style and can produce truly unique shots of you and your partner that capture your own style.

The relationship between an engagement portrait photographer and the couple should be a sociable and friendly one. This first meeting also give you an opportunity to get to know Craig and feel comfortable with him. Plus you take away the knowledge of what to expect from him when you do get married later in the year. Taking the portraits will go smoothly and you'll have fun when both you and the photographer are at ease with each other. Allow the photographer to offer suggestions. A good portrait photographer won't be afraid to show you how to pose, and don't be afraid to show your partner affection during the photo shoot, try and relax and almost ignore the camera. It's those candid moments that a professional photographer can capture that may become the most beautiful picture taken during the entire session.

We don't just take pictures any more. Modern technology has made today's photographers publishers. We can create wedding albums - either in paperback or on DVD. DVD slideshows are becoming more and more popular as couples want to be able to see their engagement portraits or wedding slideshow set to their favorite music. We can also supply stunning stretched canvas frame artwork and the latest trend is for wall mounted acrylics. We even offer a £50 print voucher free of charge to be used against any post wedding or portrait purchase. 

We hope that you genuinely enjoy your shoot and we become the photographer that is with you for all of life's milestones. From your engagement to the wedding, from births to graduations. At Diosa portrait photography, Hull we capture images of life in distinctive fine art form. 

Craig Beck
www.DiosaPhotography.co.uk

Finding a wedding photographer you love

Shopping for a wedding photographer in Hull or East Yorkshire isn’t like selecting outfits and bridal shop for one simple reason: you can’t see the pictures you’re buying until after you’ve made your decision. In the end, your decision will be largely a matter faith. For many, price ends up being the primary determining factor, which doesn't make much sense when you consider that there are no second chances. It's your big day and it happens only once, you can't go back and take the photographs again.

Start by building a list of several wedding photographers that you like the style of, forget the prices for the moment. Asking friends and relatives in Hull or East Yorkshire for recommendations is a great way to begin. People who’ve had positive experiences with photographers are always happy to share their photographers names with you, and when you meet with the photographer, you’ll both have an immediate frame of reference from which to proceed.

 
Visit each photographer's website. Carefully review his or her portfolio. Try to concentrate on photos and not on website design. Although it's worth noting that a photographer who can't be bothered to present a professional website maybe not be as dedicated to his art as you need for your big day. Good photographers usually show plenty of their recent work online including full weddings - you will save time by pre-qualifying photographers who have comprehensive online portfolio for possible meeting. Create a list of those photographers. Most important is - see if photographer's work looks appealing to you, if you can feel the "click". If you decide that Diosa Photography, Hull is the right wedding photographer for you, just give us a call on Hull 01482 426381 or call Craig Beck on his mobile on 07917 854667.


Call or email each photographer on your list. A quick phone call or short email will give you a number of key pieces of information, such as the photographer’s availability on your wedding day, type of photography specialties (e.g., candid, traditional, photojournalism, combination, film or digital, etc.), and a rough idea as to how much they’ll charge you and what you’ll receive for that fee. It will also tell you a bit about the photographer’s personality. Remember, this person will be an integral part of the most important day of your life, so be sure you choose someone you feel good about. The speed at which the photographer replies to your email is also something to do, are they a full time dedicated professional wedding photographer or are they just an amateur with a day job (and weddings are their hobby at the weekend).

Make appointments and meet with the photographers who sound promising so you can view their portfolios and discuss details. These meetings should include both the bride and groom as well as the bride's parents, and anyone else who will either be paying for the work or working closely with the photographer. Write down all your questions before you meet, and take notes during the meetings. Set the meeting on your terms if you want to see their work at their studio to prove the are a full time professional photographer that is your choice. If the photographer insists on coming to see you that probably means they work part time from home - warning signs should start ringing.

The more questions you ask up front, the more confident and relaxed you’ll feel on and after your wedding day. If in doubt, ask! And remember, there is no such thing as a stupid question!
There is huge number of possible questions you can ask your photographer. Most professional photographers will provide you with clear explanations about their services prior to any questions even asked. Many of them have full packages that include certain number of prints, digital files, enlargements, etc., so it is very clear what level of service and final products you should expect. Ask to see albums they have done for other couples in Hull or East Yorkshire.

A professional wedding photographer should have spent at least 10,000 hours learning his craft. A trained eye is not something you can pick up from a book. A useful trick to test your photographer: You might want to ask the photographer to analyze your face to learn how he/she will achieve the most flattering images, best angles, and so on.

At this stage, if you've taken the time to ask good questions, you’ll know whether this photographer is for you. By now you've probably spent a good deal of time communicating with your photographer. Keep in mind that photographers are trained professionals and that they deserve to be treated as such. Go to your meeting prepared to leave a deposit to reserve the date. Before you do, however, you may want to assure yourself of a few more last-minute details. Ask about the photographer's policy for wedding-date changes and what happens if he/she is not available on the alternate date. Ask about their policy for an unforeseen cancellation. If the photographer is right for you, if the photographer is available, and if you're convinced that it's worth the price, then make the commitment and relax; this is undoubtedly one of the best and most intelligent decisions you've made in planning your wedding. We hope you choose Diosa Wedding Photography in Hull for your big day but it's important you feel comforble with Craig Beck's style and approach so give us a call and arrange that meeting 01482 426381


Craig Beck
www.DiosaPhotography.co.uk

Cyprus Wedding Photography : Tammy & Ben

10 April 2010

Just back from Cyprus and the wedding of Tammy and Ben, what a really lovely couple. Being a true northerner, orginally from Darlington it is always great to cover a destination wedding and hear a northern accent from the happy couple - always makes me smile!

Tammy & Ben had a small wedding, indeed the guests numbered less than half a dozen but it was a beautiful location and the first time I have covered a wedding at the Elias Beach Resort in Limassol. Despite what the Cyprus Tourist Office would have you belive the weather in Cyprus in April can sometimes be a bit hit and miss and certainly the day before the wedding it was looking almost as though a huge storm was on route. However, as tends to be the case the black clouds disapeared and left us with another day of perfect sunshine for Tammy & Ben's wedding in Cyprus.

The day went perfectly and they were so happy with the results they have now booked me for the home coming party in Barnsley this weekend - can't wait guys and once again congrats!

Craig Beck

http://www.PhotographyCyprus.com