FINDING THE RIGHT PHOTOGRAPHER FOR YOUR EVENT

Securing the right photographer is one of the first priorities you’ll pursue once you’ve set the date for your wedding, mitzvah or milestone event. With such a wide variety of photographers to choose from in the DC area, the task can seem overwhelming. We’re here to reduce your stress and make it an enjoyable experience.

Where to start? ARJ Productions has relationships with many talented photographers we can recommend with confidence. You will want to choose a professional that matches your unique style and personality. Once you’ve found a few you are interested in, ask to look at their full gallery of photos, not just what you see on their websites. Take note of the types of images you are drawn to. Is it the lighthearted, energetic ones? The more demure, romantic ones? Pay attention to their use of color and light and the angles they shoot from. Which do you find most appealing and most fitting with your style? Which do you feel can capture your unique story best? We can guide you through this process as well as help you make decisions on packages and pricing that works within your budget.

With a phone call or perhaps a first meeting, you’ll want to ensure that this person is someone you’re able to relax around and be yourselves with. After all, you’ll most likely be spending your entire day with them. Make sure it’s someone who you have an easy rapport with and who fully understands your expectations and priorities. They will be sharing some of life’s most intimate moments with you, such as the father of the bride seeing his daughter in her dress for the first time. You don’t want the type of person who will be bossing you and your friends and family around they day of your event. The day should be yours, not theirs.

For our wedding couples, we highly recommend an engagement photo session. Many photographers now require one in order to get a clear understanding of what you want before the big day. It’s a great time to capture the perfect shot for your save the date cards, but also to get comfortable having your photograph taken and to talk about yourselves so the photographer can begin to tell your story as a couple. If there is a location special to you, maybe where you first met or got engaged, have that be your setting. Also consider shooting the “first look” photographs at a time other than right before the ceremony. Many couples find that doing it early morning the day of the wedding or even a different day takes the pressure off and gives them a tender moment to themselves they may not have once the busy wedding day begins.

In the age of digital media and cell phones with cameras in everyone’s hands some may question why have a professional photographer at all? We know there is a big difference in quality when you look at shots taken on professional equipment by a trained eye with years of experience versus those taken on your distracted guests iPhones! Also, take a minute to think forward to when your event is a distant memory, even to generations from now when the photos belong to your children’s children. Your albums will be treasured heirlooms and documentation of your family’s unique history. We’ve all heard it before - when the house is on fire what do people grab first? Photo albums! Allow us to help you find the professional that is the perfect fit for you.