Wedding Photographers Naples, FL | 5 Secrets To Hiring The Best

Do you want the truth on how to find and hire the best wedding photographer in Naples, FL? If your answer is yes, then read on! Because in the post, I will give you 5 secrets to finding and hiring your dream photographer for your Naples dream wedding. Are you ready? Let’s do a deep dive!

Secret #1 – You Are Not Limited To Wedding Photographers in Naples, FL

Listen, I would love to tell you that you have to hire a photographer from Naples, Florida, for your wedding. But I have to tell you the truth – you don’t. You may found a Naples photographer whose work you absolutely love. However, you may not have a connection with them. And if you want gorgeous photos of your wedding and have a boatload of fun too, it is paramount that you connect with the photographer you choose.

Furthermore, hiring a photographer outside of Naples will allow you to get some unique photos from different perspectives. Local photographers tend to shoot the same scenes repeatedly and pretty much copy each other’s look and feel. Of course, I may be a slight bias here – you think?

Nevertheless, just know that hiring a photographer based outside of Naples for your Naples wedding could be an advantage for you. So don’t overlook those photographers.

Secret #2 – Set A Budget Before You Start Looking For Wedding Photographers

You would think this shouldn’t be a secret, right? But you would be surprised at how many couples start looking for their dream wedding photographer without a clue how much they can afford to spend.

Hiring an experienced wedding photographer for your Naples wedding could lead to confusion and frustration. Because wedding photography prices can range from $500 to $30,00 and higher, it is easy to get lost in the pricing game.

To be better prepared and to put yourself in the driver’s seat, I highly recommend setting a budget before you go looking for your Naples wedding photographer. Setting a budget before you begin your search will save you time, money, and frustration.

For more information on figuring out your budget, visit my Ultimate Wedding Planning Guide here!

 

Secret #3 – Make Sure You Look At The Photographers Work

Yes, you do need to see the photographer’s work before you contact them. Why? Because while you want to make sure you connect with the photographer, it is also crucial for you to have a sense of what you like. The last thing you want is to hire your dream Naples photographer only to discover that you don’t like their photos. And believe me, you would be amazed at how many brides totally skip this secret.

Often, I would receive an inquiry, and the main objective of the inquiry is my prices. Still, when I start talking to the inquirer, I quickly learned that they have not taken the time to look at my work.

How can you hire a photographer if you have not seen their work? How do you know if you will like their photos? I don’t get it! Make sure you see and love the photographer’s work before you contact them.

Do You Need To Know Wedding Photography Styles?

You don’t need to know wedding photography styles to hire your dream Naples wedding photographer. I know that there are gazillion articles out there telling you that you need to know these styles. But I say forget that! That is a fool’s errand, and here is why!

Photography styles are very subjective, and you can get buried in the weeds trying to learn photography styles. So what you should do instead is ask yourself what it is about a particular photo or group of photos you like.

1. Do you like dark and moody photos, or do you prefer light and airy?
2. Are you attracted to photos with blurry backgrounds, or do you prefer everything sharp and in focus?
3. Are black and white your thing, or would you instead rather all colors?
4. Do you like true colors and skin tones, or does it not matter?
5. Cluttered or clean background?

These are a few of the questions you should know the answers to, and you will find it much easier to decide on a photographer for your wedding. Leave the wedding photography styles to photographers.

Naples Wedding Photographers Online Portfolio?

Ok! Listen up! Just because you look at a Naples, Florida photographer’s website and love their work doesn’t mean that this photographer is the right one for you? If you love the work you see on the photographer’s website and are getting a good vibe, they should be set aside for a deeper evaluation, a consultation.

So here is the thing. The work you see on a photographer’s website is only a tiny fraction of the photos from a real wedding or a styled photoshoot (style shoots are imitation weddings). I typically deliver between 400 and 1000 pictures to my clients. Of those 400 to 1000 pictures, I may post 25 -30 of the best images from the wedding on my website.

25 to 30 images are too small of a sample for you to get an idea of how that photographer will tell your wedding day story. So instead, you want to see a complete gallery of a real wedding. Most professional wedding photographers will be able to share with you an entire wedding. You just have to ask for it.

 

Secret #4 – What’s Included In A Naples Wedding Photographer’s Package?

Some wedding photographers will have their packages listed on their websites. This includes your Naples wedding photographers. However, if a photographer does not have their package listed, don’t be disappointed.

Photographers like me don’t have packages listed on our sites because I don’t offer readymade packages. Over the years, I have learned that no two couples are the same, which can be said for weddings. Therefore, the best way to give couples the most benefit for their investments is to first learn their wedding photography needs and wants.

Knowing a couple’s needs and wants allows me to create a collection of services and products that best suits the couple. This way, my couples are not saddled with bloated packages with benefits and products they don’t want. It’s a win, win for everyone!

General Photography Package

In general, here is a list of items you can expect to see in a wedding photography package:

1. Hours of Coverage
2. Second Photographer
3. Additional services such as rehearsal dinner coverage, engagement session, etc.
4. Albums, Guest Book
5. Save The Date Cards
6. Thank You Cards

Note that these are the standard product and services that are generally found in a wedding photography package. However, your package can include anything that you and the photographer negotiate. That is why it is better to chat with your potential photographer and have them build a custom package for you.

Secret #5 – Understand The Contract

All the secrets that I have shared above are essential to get you to the contract. Still, the contract is vitally important. It is the glue that holds everything together. When signed by all the parties involved, a wedding photography contract is a binding agreement. The contract outlines the parties, responsibilities, deliveries, cancelations, refunds, copyrights, and a whole host of other things.

It is crucial that you read through the contract carefully before you sign it. Make sure that you understand all the terms and clauses and that they are fair to you. If you think a term is not suitable, you can request a change before you sign. Just remember that any change request should be fair to the photographer too.

Here Are 4 Clauses You Should Understand:
Deliverables – many contracts will have a delivery clause that specifies what will be delivered and when it will be delivered. Pay close attention to the word proof in this clause. If a photographer delivers proofs, you want to make sure you understand precisely what they are referring to as proofs. Better yet, they should spell it out in the clause.

Technically, photo proofs mean photos that are not ready to be shown to the public. They are often watermarked and may have limited enhancements so that you can decide on which one of the proofs you want to have made in prints or added to your album.

Copyright – this clause can be confusing to the general public. Basically, the copyright clause spells out who owns the copyright to the photos. Note that copyright should not be confused with print rights. Some photographers used copyrights and print rights interchangeably. Please make sure that you understand what you are getting before you sign on the line. To learn more about copyright, read my blog post-Wedding Photo Copyrights vs. Print Rights.

Force Majure or Act of God – is a clause that addresses the unforeseen circumstances that would prevent you and the photographer from fulfilling the contract agreement. This clause should spell out what happens to your money in the vent, something beyond you and the photographer’s control.

For example, will the photographer honor a rescheduling? If so, how long do you have to reschedule? If you can’t reschedule your wedding, do you get your money back or a portion of it? These are all questions that should be answered in the Force Majure clause.

Indemnification – simply put, this clause holds the photographer harmless for the impact caused by limitations due to venue and or officiant rules and policies.

The Key Takeaways To Consider For Hiring Naples Wedding Photographer

In the end, what really matters is that you book a photographer whose work you love and who has the personality and temperament that you and your family will love. Don’t be discouraged if the photographer you like is not located in Naples.

Most professional photographers will have a travel radius that they will travel to for no additional cost. So, before you say no to a photographer who is based outside the general location of your wedding, make sure you consider all the pros and cons.

 

Have questions? Let’s connect here.

If you like this post, you may also be interested in these other posts:

South Florida Wedding Photographer And 10 Mistakes To Avoid

Are You Looking for The Top Black Wedding Photographer in Miami, Florida?

Five Questions to Ask Wedding Photographers Before You Booked Them!

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