Tips on choosing your Wedding Photographer

Choosing the right photographer for your wedding day is very important decision. Who else will you trust with an Access All Areas pass to your special day? And years from now, when you’re sharing your wedding photos with your grandchildren, will those photographs bring the butterflies rushing back?

Put into Google that you are looking for a wedding photographer and you’re likely to find a myriad of choice in your area. So how do you choose who should capture your special day and create photos that are perfect for you?

Now, as you’ve probably found this on my wedding photography website and I’m a wedding photographer, you might expect me to say that I’m obviously that right person, however, in reality, the best photographer for you, might not actually be me.

~ Style ~

Every photographer is an artist whose medium is light. And like all artists, photographers all have a particular style. You may want the traditional style (posed photos, and with big statement pieces), or you may prefer someone who captures the intimate raw connections, or some happy medium in-between. Like other artists, photographers have their favourite tools for creating their style, and it might help you to know that certain photographs require certain equipment. If you’d like your wedding album to look like the pages of a fashion magazine, your photographer and venue may need to make room for studio lighting and larger camera lenses; capturing bigger statement photos means scheduling in more time at your photo locations to get those shots; or having a candid photographer might mean smaller, less conspicuous camera, but your day can largely go uninterrupted. Whoever you choose, you will need to make time ahead of your big day to share your vision so they can create an album that will suit you.  What type of photos do you want to look back on in a year’s time? In two? In five? How relaxed do you feel around cameras? What is your wedding style? If you are having a relaxed wedding, then try to find a photographer who mirrors that in their style of wedding photography. Don’t compromise on your vision just for the sake of a photographer - its your day.

~ Connection ~

It’s worth noting that your wedding photographer is probably the person who will spend the most time with you on your wedding day - sometimes even more than your betrothed. If you don’t have a connection with them, their presence could become awkward or annoying, and you won’t be able to relax around them. You shouldn’t have to worry about tolerating your photographer. If you’re comfortable to, try to meet up with your photographer before you book them to see if they are the right fit for you. This would also give your photographer a chance to know if they can provide you with the kind of experience you want. Most photographers offer pre-wedding shoots, and if possible, I’d recommend you book one in. This is another great opportunity for you to build connections and for you to become more relaxed around each-other. If you haven’t made your mind up about what style of photographs you’d like, it might be worth connecting with a few different photographers to find out what they can offer. Like most artists, photographers love to talk about their work and their reasons for their particular style. While they’re letting you in on their trade secrets, ask yourself; do you feel relaxed around them? Have they heard your ideas? Do they make you feel more excited for your big day?

~ Trust ~

Any experienced photographer will tell you that even the best-planned weddings might be subject to a little unexpected twist; sometimes it’s the weather and sometimes it turns out that the mother of the groom has ordered all the groomsmen’s shoes one size too small, but whatever happens, it’ll still be your wedding day, and your photographer will need to roll with the punches. Ask any photographer you’re considering to share a whole wedding album with you. The photos they choose to showcase on their site may only be a select, curated few. Does the album reflect the quality you’ve seen on their website? You’ll feel more at ease if you can trust their skill to capture your day as it unfolds - whatever happens.

~ Investment ~

Wedding photography can be expensive, so knowing how much you want to invest before you start looking for a photographer will help create a shortlist. Like most things in life, however, you usually get what you pay for. Wedding photography is an investment, so you need to be confident in your choice. A wedding photographer’s job isn’t done when they leave the venue; they will go through their photos, painstakingly sorting & editing them before presenting them to you. How you want to see therm presented might affect the price point. Online gallery? Face to face meet-up? Pre-formatted album? Is there an additional cost for them to lay-out or produce your wedding album? Most, if not all, photographers will now put your photographs on a password-protected online gallery for you to share with your friends and family. It’s worth asking prospective photographers about their turnaround time for this. Some may take weeks to return your photographs, or may charge extra for expedited processing. Some wedding photographers shoot weddings every weekend, or even multiple weddings in a week. Some have a full time jobs and shoot weddings as a hobby, whilst others might limit the amount of weddings that they schedule, so that they can focus on sorting and editing each wedding immediately after the event. Can your photographer give you the attention and turnaround you require? Make sure you ask ahead of time to make sure you’re not disappointed.

~ Professionalism ~

Your wedding day will happen just the once, so it’s important that your wedding photographer has safeguards in place, and that they have your back covered. Nobody likes asking these questions, but always ask; Do they have insurance? Do they have back up equipment? (What if Uncle Bob accidentally tips his wine over your photographer’s expensive camera? Is there a spare?).

Most professional photographers will ask you to sign a contract. This covers what is agreed between you and them so everyone involved knows what is expected. Don’t be put off by this; in fact, be wary of those who don’t have contracts in place. By all means, ask to see their contract before agreeing to sign it - and remember to read the small print. Ask them about their booking process. It is highly likely that you might have to navigate; paying a deposit, signing a contract, communicating the details of your day, and arranging full payment on or before the day of the wedding. Will the photographer allow you to pay in instalments? How much is their deposit? When will the final payment be due?

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When you have finally decided on who you want to photograph your special day, and made sure that they’re available; don’t wait to book them. Wedding photographers can get snapped up years in advance, so make sure you complete their booking process so you won’t miss out.

If you’d like to talk to me about any of the points in this article; then let’s connect.