Things to consider when choosing a (wedding) photographer…

There are three main "styles" of wedding photography:

The "Traditional" Style The "Photojournalistic" Style THe "Illustrative" Style

The "traditional" approach to wedding photography may begin with a studio session with a professional lighting rig, allowing the photographer to have precise control over illumination. Photographers of the "traditional" school do not look for spontaneous moments but instead strive to create balanced (often posed) photos that are fit to be displayed on an office wall.

A photographer of the "photojournalistic" school looks for opportune moments when the subjects are ideally completely oblivious to the presence of a camera. Emphasis is laid more on photographing the moment than on creative viewpoints or novel effects. Posed and studio shots do not belong in this category.

A photographer of the "artistic" or "illustrative" school makes use of his technical knowledge and creativity to produce imagery that is memorable due to the use of novel composition, strong or muted colors, dramatic lighting, or other unique elements. Unlike the traditional wedding photographer, he or she does not make use of a studio but enjoys strongly interacting with his or her subjects, possibly asking them to strike certain poses or to enact situations.

About the work…

Every professional wedding photographer retouches his or her photos before sending them to the client. This task is, in fact, the brunt of the job and may take 20-30 hours per wedding. Because of this I am usually able to send the finished product one to two weeks after the wedding day. I try to select and process a selection of the best shots that I can then send to the client within a week of the wedding. I would not recommend making use of a photographer who gives you the result "on the spot", since then you might as well just ask a friend with a good setup to take some shots.

I usually end up with 400-800 quality photos per wedding, you should expect similar numbers from whomever you choose. Some promise 1000-2000 photos, but I would recommend focusing on quality not quantity. I usually send the finished work on DVD, and I also share the best shots on Facebook (with the client's permission).

On request I can also create an album of the best shots, or enlarge them for display (I make use of fotosarok.hu, they provide quality service and are willing to work with the client to achieve the desired results).

My most talented competitors…

I find that the following photographers - although I have not worked with them - produce quality, memorable imagery:

Nelli Baráth

Varga Csaba

Ferenc Ludányi (an acquaintance of mine, not a wedding photographer per se, but he does accept weddings occasionally)

Interested? Get in touch!

If you'd like to receive a quote for wedding, or any other type of photography, please give me a call or email me, or message me on facebook. You can find my contact details on the "Liesz...what?" page.

Video…

I don't produce video imagery myself, but I can recommend Ronix Áron, with whom I've worked in the past (they also do photography, but I wouldn't recommend them for that): http://www.ronixstudio.hu

"Vőfély"…

Although I know of no direct translation to English, it is a custom in the region to hire a "professinoal best man" who helps the wedding day run smoothly. His job is to keep the wedding party entertained, to announce events, and in general to keep the day rolling. Although I doubt an english speaker could make much use of a Hungarian vőfély, a young, lively, and humorous person who I can wholeheartedly recommend is Krisztián "Kiki": http://kovacs_krisztian.lakodalomba.hu

Downloadable Materials

List of ideas for group shots