Some really good news from the USA this morning – I’ve been admitted as a member of the International Society of Professional Wedding Photographers!
This is a real validation of what I’m doing from my peers and some of the best wedding shooters in the world. I’ll leave the description of what the IPSWP is about to them:
Quite simply, the best wedding photographers in the world
The International Society of Professional Wedding Photographers is a rarity among online wedding photography directories. We’re small. We’re exclusive. We’re picky. We are a worldwide group of top professional wedding photographers who have the experience, talent, and reputation to deliver outstanding wedding photography to our clients.
When you hire an ISPWP photographer, you are hiring with confidence because every member has met our high standards for membership:
Experience
Members must have shot at LEAST 50 weddings as a lead or solo wedding photographer. Many of our members have shot hundreds of weddings. Some of our members are Pulitzer Prize winners and finalists. Some of them serve as teachers and mentors for new wedding photographers. All of them are market leaders and are have been dedicated to their craft for years. Wedding photography is not a field where you want your photographer to be learning on-the-job. When you hire an ISPWP photographer, you know you’re hiring the solid experience of a true professional who has delivered quality results week after week, year after year.
Talent
Members must have their website and online portfolio reviewed and approved by a committee of ISPWP members. We look at representative samples from at least three weddings to get a sense of how a photographer sees, thinks, and captures the events of the whole day. As wedding photographers, we look at wedding pictures every day. Most of us are involved in online communities of photographers so we are exposed to thousands of professional wedding photos every year. When a photographer is accepted into the ISPWP, you can be sure they have received a seal of approval from their fellow wedding photographers.
Integrity
Members must have no active complaints with the Better Business Bureau or other consumer protection organization. Sometimes experience and talent don’t necessarily mean that someone follows good busines practices and customer service. Every ISPWP member has a stellar record of providing reliable and trustworthy service to their clients.
Professionalism
Members must operate under the strict ISPWP Code of Conduct. This provides protection for both the client and the photographer. It also ensures that ISPWP photographers operate their businesses with accepted industry practices.
References
Members must provide at least 2 client references and 2 wedding photographer references, or have an ISPWP Sponsor. This ensures that all members have the respect and recognition from their peers in the community.
The fact of the matter is anyone with a camera can call themselves a wedding photographer. But we believe that some clients care enough about their wedding photography to hire a true professional. Someone who has paid their dues and been tested year after year with everything the wedding industry can throw at them. We believe down to our core that wedding photography provides a vital, important function within the family structure and history, and we are dedicated to creating wedding images your family will treasure for generations.
The bottom line is that the ISPWP is your short list of photographers to consider for your wedding. We’ve already done the leg work for you. We’ve reviewed each member, checked references, and cut down the list to the best of the best. You can start your search by looking at our ISPWP wedding photography directory and finding the location of your wedding.
by Guy
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