Picking The Right Wedding Photography For You
Picture the scene: it’s a Thursday evening. You’re both on the sofa, drink in one hand and your phone in the other. All week, you’ve been saving photos that you’ve liked the look of and now you’re collating what you have to make that big decision: who are we going to choose to provide the photography for our wedding?
Like all of the decisions for your wedding, this one is important. You will want everything in place to make sure that your big day is the best wedding ever and in years to come, you will want the perfect keepsake that you can look back on and remind yourself of that perfect day. Like with a lot of things, no two photographers are the same and it can be a bit tricky to pick the right one for you.
But fret not, dear reader! I am here to offer you a bit of a steer and help you pick the right photographer for your wedding. I’ll be honest with you: I’m hoping that it’s me, but I completely understand if it’s not!
OOOOO….THAT LOOKS AMAZING!
Let’s start off with the easy one – find a photo that you like, then do a bit of online stalking! Social Media sites like Instagram are a great way to access tons of photos without having to exert too much effort. You will get overwhelmed with what you see, but it becomes a lot easier to drown out the noise once you decide on the style of photography that you want for your wedding.
Do you prefer dark and moody, or light and airy? Would you want a documentary style of wedding photography where you and your guests will be captured in the most natural way, or do you want those epic portraits that will make people take notice? Maybe you want a documentary style complemented by those epic portraits. There are so many styles available, so there is the right style for you out there.
Once you find some photos that you both like, check out the rest of that photographer’s Social Media feed and website to get a feel for them and their work.
YOU’VE DONE THIS BEFORE, RIGHT?
This the bit where I am supposed to tell you that you should only hire a photographer who has shot a million weddings over the last hundred years (OK, I’ve exaggerated there but only to make a point!). Personally, I have a different take on this sort of thing, and it would entirely depend on you. Indeed, shooting weddings is an entirely different beast to fashion shoots or staged shots because weddings are dynamic and a lot must be captured, often in very small windows of opportunity – there’s certainly a lot more to it than just having a nice camera!
An experienced wedding photographer will know how the day will flow, will know where to be and when to be there to get those amazing photos but that doesn’t mean that a photographer who has only shot five weddings won’t do an amazing job for you. I’ve seen photographers who have been shooting weddings for years be completely outshined by some who are just starting out and if you’re a pretty laid-back person, maybe a photographer who takes amazing photos but has only just started making moves in the wedding scene may be the right one for you.
Experience is important, no doubt about that, but it’s not the be all and end all. What is more important is the photographer behind the camera.
WHAT HAS EVERYONE ELSE SAID?
I often let out an audible groan when I see advice online saying that you should ask to speak to previous clients. Even if we pretended that GDPR isn’t a thing, I can’t imagine that there are a lot of photographers out there who would feel comfortable handing over your personal details to strangers and even if that happened, how would you feel if a random person called you up to ask how your photographer was?
Here is the blunt truth when it comes to testimonials: it would be amazing to speak to those who have had their weddings shot by the photographer you are interested in, but the reality is that unless you know those people, then it’s very unlikely to happen. You can read reviews on Google, Facebook and the testimonials on their website to get an idea of client satisfaction and while it’s not as good as speaking to those clients directly, what you can do is combine those reviews with your experience of communitcating with the photographer before you book.
DO YOU COME HERE OFTEN?
A question that I get asked a lot is “Have you shot at my venue before?” Chances are that a photographer has probably darkened the door of your venue before but if not, it’s really not a dealbreaker. A good photographer will do their research on a venue that they are yet to shoot at and maybe even perform a site visit not only to scout out the best spots, but also to familiarise themselves with the staff at your venue and start building a rapport.
You venue will have their list of go-to photographers and you should go and check them out, but what is more important is that you find a photographer who has a style that you love and is someone who you can get on with.
BORING BITS
When you ask the question “Are you insured?” the answer should always be “Yes.” If it isn’t, turn around and walk away. It really is as simple as that.
BELTS & BRACES
Unless your photographer is a bit of a Billy-No-Mates, then chances are that they have a backup plan should they become incapacitated, but it is always good to ask. Sometimes life just happens but photographers are social creatures and will develop an extensive network, so there should be a Plan B, C & D. Get a feel for your photographer before booking them and make sure that you feel confident that they will bust their ass for you should the worst happen.
MOST IMPORTANTLY, DON’T HIRE A NIGEL!
Your wedding will no doubt have family, friends, and maybe a selected few workmates to help you celebrate your big day – people who you have a rapport with and because of that, you can be relaxed and you can enjoy yourself more.
Nigel, the guy who you see on the train every morning on the way to work, isn’t on your guest list. There’s nothing wrong with that because Nigel is a nice guy to say hello to and maybe even have a short conversation about the weather, but that doesn’t mean that you want him at your wedding. You don’t really have a feel for him and you’ve not entered basic ‘banter’ territory, so it’ll be awkward for you both and that’s exactly what it would be like if you book a wedding photographer who doesn’t ‘get’ you.
You should always speak to your photographer before booking them. By all means, ask the questions that you’ve read that you should ask, but throw in a few random questions in there too. Get a feel of not only who they are as a photographer but also who they are as a person. The goal by the end of the conversation is that you feel relaxed and at ease with them. You should also feel confident that this is the right photographer for you.
If you love their work and everything feels right, then go for it! Tick that off the to-do list and treat yourself to a nice meal out for a job well done. If you want to see how we can work together to document your wedding, then please do get in touch.