Birthday

Well William and Jackson had a great birthday and they are now officially four. The ice cream cake with Lightening McQueen on the top was a hit! So we started off the morning with a long, long bath which by the end of it the whole bathroom was wet.

Saturday

This Saturday, February 14th is, of course, Valentine's Day. Many of you will be planning on going out for dinner, perhaps a lucky few couples will become engaged. My heartfelt congratulations to those of you who decide to make that very special commitment to each other.
I will be watching my boys turn four and also laughing at them as they tear into their presents. Of course photographs will be taken and depending on how they look, a few might be posted here. Headache pills will most likely be taken. But in the end I am sure my boys will have a wonderful day no matter what happens.

Sale!

Yes, Kimberley's Photo West is having a wedding photography sale! If you have not retained the services of a professional photographer and your wedding is coming up quickly then we have a deal for you. Available sale date: April 18th, April 25th, May 2nd, May 16th (yes, the long weekend), May 30, June 6th, and June 13th you can save 25% off our regular coverage prices. No strings attached, no hidden fees. We will even pay the taxes!!

Sale!

Bridal Show

This past Sunday was the Prestige Inn Bridal Showcase in Cranbrook, BC. It was a very busy event with a lot of bride's to be attending. It surprised me that there were seven photographers represented there as they used to cut it off at four. I felt sorry for some of the bride's as it almost seemed like a photographers show. A good point for the bride's with so many photographers is showing that each photographer has their own style and that a bride must be happy with the style of the photographer that they choose for their most important day. A photographers style is enbedded in their being. Which means that if you are looking for a casual, photojournalistic style for your wedding images and the photographer that shoots your wedding is a traditional style photographer you are not going to be happy with your wedding images. So having so many photographers to choose from is a good thing for a bride.
Another thing that surprised me at the show was how many bride's who are getting married this May or June have not retained the services of a photographer yet. The wedding photographs are the only thing that you will have to remember the day. The flowers will wilt and die, the cake will get eaten, the wedding dress that you spent so much on will be cleaned and stored, or sold, all you will have left is the photographs.
Of your whole wedding budget you should spend 20% on your wedding photography. So if you have budgeted $10,000 on the wedding then you should hire a photographer for $2,000, etc. Often the photography is one of the last things on the list and therefore there is not much of the budget left. It is important to have professional photographs taken of this once in a lifetime event and photography should be chosen at the same time as the date and locations are confirmed.

Wedding Contracts

Should you have a contract with you wedding photographer? The answer is an outstanding yes! It protects you, it protect the photographer, it makes sure that you know what you are getting and the photographer knows exactly what is expected of him or her. The below is a reprint by permission by an outstanding photographer from Ontario and it makes good sense. Thank you Roel.

As many couples are now booking their wedding photographers for this year and beyond, I wanted to discuss the importance of having a contract with your photographer that clearly outlines the details of your wedding day coverage.

Contracts by their very nature are designed to protect both the consumer and the service provider. A well written contract will clearly spell out the deliverables (products or services) that are to provided and the payment required. The conditions on how both parties will operate are also clearly listed in plain english.

Sadly, I have witnessed some couples who did not have a contract with their photographer, which lead to a disastrous result. And some couples who had a contract ended up paying additional fees for things they “thought” was included such as proofs and digital files.

Here are the four main things to look for before you sign a contract with your photographer.

Deliverables - Make sure that all items that you want in your package are clearly listed in your contract and are included in the fee being charged. These include, but are not limited to the length of coverage, high resolution files, printed proofs, albums, parent books, prints and engagement sessions.

Extras/Options - Make sure that the contract outlines the fee charged for additional options such as overtime, travel charges and what the photographer deems to be “additional products”. If there is an additional fee for items, what exactly is that fee?

Photographer’s Standard Fee - What is the fee, including taxes, for the deliverables in your contract. What are the payment terms? What forms of payment do they accept (cheque, cash, credit cards). Make sure their Canadian GST/HST number is listed as it must be on all invoices and receipts issued by legitimate Canadian businesses.

Terms & Conditions - I often call this the “fine print”. Read this section carefully as it discusses cancellation policies, payment terms, refunds of payments, backup equipment, limits of liability, etc. These terms need to benefit both parties, not just the photographer.

I wish you well for your wedding day…

Make sure you read your contract prior to signing and if you have any questions or changes to be made do it before signing.

Summer

It seems odd to be talking about summer when it is the end of January and -20 outside but if you are planning a wedding for this summer now is the time to retain the services of a photographer. Next Sunday the 1st of February is the 10th annual Prestige Inn Bridal Showcase in Cranbrook, B.C. It is usually a very busy day with all types of exhibitors there from flowers and cakes to DJs and of course photographers. Shortly after the show many photographers receive calls to see if a certain day is available and if you wait too long that day will be gone.
A few samples from previous weddings are here: