HOW TO FIND YOUR WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER?
Updated: Feb 26, 2020
One of the most important and difficult wedding decision to make, aside from choosing the venue, is choosing your photographer. The reason is simple, your pictures are going to be your most vivid recollection of those precious and wonderful moments. After so many months and weeks of wedding planning, you will be surprised how fast your day will go by. Before you know it, you’ll be having coffee with your husband reminiscing about your wedding day. That’s why having the right wedding photographer to capture and preserve your wedding day is very important. Good thing, soon-to-wed couples have a lot of options when it comes to choosing the right wedding photographer.
With so many factors to consider in choosing the right wedding photographer, it always boils down to how important memories are to you. For some, photography is merely a way to remind them of the day. But for others, photography is an art form, a delicate way to tell a love story, your love story.
If you want to look back at your wedding photos after 30 years and still feel like it was yesterday, book a wedding photographer that matches your style. But keep in mind that having a seasoned photographer bears a steep price tag. Here are a couple of things you can do to find the right photographer for your wedding day.
Here are 3 key steps to finding the right wedding photographer :
Start looking as early as possible
When you want to have the cream of the top wedding photographer to capture your big day, you have to book them as early as possible. This also applies when your wedding date is a weekend or scheduled for a holiday season. The truth is, top photographers are always booked all year-round. So start doing your homework and research early. Many brides book their photographer 1-2 years out. It is never too early to start looking and booking your wedding photographer. It will be a big relief once that is done.
A big advantage of looking early is the readily availability of the major wedding vendors, the photographer, the wedding venue, and the wedding caterer. Nailing down the wedding date and these major vendors is often the most difficult task. So what’s the advice, look and book early.
Have a consultation call with your wedding photographers
As soon as you’ve narrowed down your list of potential wedding photographers, you must have a consultation with them. This is an important part of your selection process because it will determine who among the shortlisted wedding vendors fit the bill.
Ask them to share/bring sample wedding albums so you can take a look at it closely, preferably something comparable to the theme and setup of your wedding. Let them know how you envision your wedding and ask them how they will do their part of achieving it.
Lastly, and considered to be the most important reason why you should have this consultation /meet up is, to know if both your personality connects. Not only that it will make working with them easily, but you will be guaranteed that they will work well with your wedding guests as well. Remember that you will spend most of your wedding with your wedding photographer. It will be a super fun day if you all get along, or it will be a super awkward memory if the photographer is a rather bossy and grumpy person, or the personalities just simply clash.
What style of photography are you looking for?
Here are the essential things to consider when it comes to choosing the right wedding photographer. Their Style and Creativity – Many wedding photographers have various styles and tones when they capture events like weddings. Knowing first how do you want your photographs taken is important. So here is the breakdown of the styles you can find amongst wedding photographers.
Photojournalistic Photography/Documentary style – Do you like candid moments and photos with genuine emotions gleaming? This type of photographic style focuses on facial expressions, with subdued hues and black and white photos. This is the approach I take on wedding days, for me it's always been about the raw emotions and moments that can bring you back to the happiest day of your life for many years to come.
Classic Photography – Do you like clean, carefully composed photos with perfect lighting? This type is often associated with what your grandparents’ wedding album would look like, but still widely used today. This is because of its classical approach to important wedding moments such as first look, the bride walking down the aisle, wedding kiss or tossing a bouquet.
Fine Art or Artistic – Do you like photographs taken out of the wedding context? – meaning more on the artsy side or abstract rather than the traditional way of shooting a wedding? This kind of style will surely cut your wedding photos above the rest because it won’t look like anyone else’s.
Lifestyle Photography – Do you like a mixture of photojournalistic and classic photography? If you are aiming to have candid shots mixed with direction and styling, this style is right for you.
Once you have found a style that matches yours, next thing to ask your wedding photographer during the consultation call is :
Their Cost – How much are you going to allocate to the wedding photographer? Are you just hiring their photography service? Or will you get the full package that includes videographer, fine prints, a coffee table book, and a framed portrait?
Their Post-production Details – Ask your shortlisted photographer how long will it take to get the photos and other items included in the package. Usually, it takes a minimum of one month to get all photo proofs. Keep in mind that photographers shoot in raw files, way bigger than the common JPG files. Raw files allow photographer the ability to correct photos, hence, it will take longer to upload, process and edit it. Moreover, ask them how many photographs should you expect? Do you need to select the photos for editing? Is there any additional cost for retouching options or special effects?
So there you have it, I hope these tips will help you in the search of your perfect match! :)
If you feel like our style matches and you would like to find out more about my approach and costs please feel free to book your free consultation today and let's talk all about the two of you and your wedding day plans:)
