Nov 22, 2009

Hey Photographers, Read This!

So it’s official, we’ve lost our photographer because we were to slow to sign the contract. Lesson learned. Now I’m on the hunt for a new photographer and after looking at at least two dozen websites, I have some web-related advice for wedding photographers:
  1. You will be judged on the look of your site so make sure it reflects your particular aesthetic. While it might not be a fair assumption, it’s easy to assume that an ugly site means ugly photos.
  2. At the same time, make sure your site is user-friendly. Flash can be fun but it can also turn a site in a confusing mess that will just turn potential customers off.
  3. Have obvious, always present navigation.
  4. Avoid pop-ups. Yeah, you can include a note about turning pop-up blockers off but many people won’t.
  5. Include a “best of” gallery. Showcasing individual albums is great but a “best of” gallery lets you show off your best work and keeps potential customers from crossing you off their list just because they didn’t like a particular wedding album.
  6. Include thumbnails. This lets the customer get a quick sense of your work and lets them select what photos they want to check out closer.
  7. Make sure your gallery includes “back” and “forward” controls so that the customer can check out the photos at their own pace.
  8. Have a calendar! Showing when you are and aren’t available saves both you and the customer time.
  9. And finally, give at least a sense of your prices. I realize that many photographers adjust their prices based on the date, the location, etc. but if you know that you won’t work for under $2000, put that prices start at $2000.
Are you still looking for your photographer? Then check out this site: www.photographypros.com It has hundreds of listings for all types of photographers, divided by type and region. While it doesn’t list everyone, it’s certainly a good starting point.

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