The search is on! Looking for a photographer in the Garden Route to do your wedding or function photos is a daunting task. When it comes to photographers in the Garden Route, you are spoiled for choice. Gerhard Coetzer Photography might just be what you are looking for, since he believes matching his photographic skills with the bride’s expectations, is a recipe for creating stunning images.
Servicing the greater Garden route area including Mossel Bay, George, Hartenbos, Oudtshoorn and surrounds since 2016, Gerhard Coetzer has been a full time professional photographer for 10 years. During this time he has worked with many brides and various service providers and heard horror stories of wedding photographers messing up. Here are some of his thoughts about choosing the right photographer in the Garden Route for your special day.
Four tips by Gerhard Coetzer Photography:
1. Style
Most photographers have a certain style, just like an artist. They see the world differently and therefore frame their pictures differently. Some stick to ‘old-school’ rules, others break them. Different lenses create different effects and so do the settings. Some use off-camera flash, some just natural light. Look at all these factors and delete photographers whose styles you don’t like from your list. Most photographers don’t suddenly change their photography style. Make sure you see more than just a few photos from the photographer. Some do styled wedding shoots for their portfolio, which is great to showcase a photographer’s creative abilities but unlike your wedding day, these styled shoots are mostly controlled with models, not real-life brides. They have time prepping, shooting, re-shooting’ and have control over time and light. Just be sure to see work from actual weddings.
About Gerhard’s style:
When your wedding is at a beautiful venue, on the beach or in a forest, this is part of your day and he will include that. For that reason, he doesn’t blow out or blur the back ground in all the photos, and keep his editing as natural as possible. However he will always create a few extra special edits, but the originals will always be there. Getting it right in camera is best, it saves time post processing, meaning you will get your images faster. Images are supplied in full resolution, so that you are free to print as you please. There is no need to order prints at inflated prices. To browse through his work go to www.gerhardcoetzer.co.za or on facebook.com/Gerhard.Coetzer.Photography
2. Personalities
The photographer will be kind of in your face for many hours. So it’s important you choose one you get along with. Most photographers have pleasant personalities, but you do get those that don’t put heart and soul into their work. By having a confident photographer with a calm personality, it will help to keep you calm. This is very important, because a calm and happy bride is more beautiful than a stressed one.
About Gerhard’s personality:
Gerhard Coetzer is not your average point and shooter. He gets along with most people and believes in mutual respect. He likes to guide the bridal couple rather than giving instructions. This brings about a relaxed atmosphere, creating natural beautiful moments, while still having fun. He is the kind of photographer that will climb a tree, and kick off his shoes and get wet, in order to get those photographic angles not all photographers are willing or able to do. In order for you to put this to the test before the wedding, and not just take his word for it, he offers a free pre-wedding photo shoot.
3. Experience in the field
Because photos are one of the most important parts of your wedding, why would you risk choosing an unexperienced photographer .Someone not being able to adapt when something goes wrong, when the weather suddenly turns into a storm, or a camera malfunction. Experienced photographers anticipate things, and have learned how to deal with them, and have the ability to make the best of any given situation.
Gerhard’s Experience:
For the past ten years, he has been in photography full time, and lived in four different provinces. Through the years gaining experience from the bush veld to the beach, from studio work and thunder storms to commercial photography. Not only is he a wedding photographer, but also specialize in shooting family portraits on the beach, and Real estate photography for Guesthouses. He believes you can never know it all and you are never too old to learn, always striving to improve his skills. Don’t worry if he drops a camera, he has back-up equipment, use licensed software for editing, and is proficient in Photoshop.
4. Price
One of the reasons the price comes last, is that you might find a photographer willing to negotiate. Quantity should never be a substitute for quality. Would you rather have trouble deciding which images to print and frame, or a thousand photos you feel reluctant to share? If photographer A (beginner) charge a certain for a full day at your wedding, and Photographer B (seasoned professional) charge the same amount for only a few hours. Which one do you think are more likely to give you those awesome photos?
Gerhard on price:
“I am not perfect, but I am confident, and good at what I do. I can earn more in the greater cities, but the Garden Route is my home. It is much more than a beautiful place, and the people here is what makes it paradise. When you hire me, you don’t just hire someone to press a button on a camera, you hire piece of mind trusting your special day will be captured with experience, dedication, love and professional equipment. And to save you even more money, I offer complimentary ‘Save-the-Date’ photo magnets.”
Contact Gerhard on 076 480 9191 or visit www.gerhardcoetzer.co.za for more information.
