Organizing a wedding and booking the best wedding photographer for your day may be a very stressful and overwhelming task. Usually, in a few months you and your partner need to create an amazing event which will be one of the biggest moments in your life. How to not go crazy? The most important thing is to stay calm and carry on. Lists of course help here. Below you will find a list of 10 tips on how to choose a wedding photographer who will capture as best as possible your day full of love and happiness.
1.Style
Before you start your research, you need to decide what kind of style of photography is your favourite. You will be struggling between: documentary, portraiture, fine art, edgy, or a combination of those styles. I describe my images as: clean, bright, consistent, and modern creating a cohesive aesthetic which tells a full story of your wedding day.
2. Limit your search
There are thousands of photographers on the market. How to choose the one who will fit your needs? First of all, ask your friends if they know anyone who they can recommend. If not, google photographers in your area. Go on their websites. Read more about them, check their portfolios, blogs and reviews.
3. Meet your photographer personally
This is very important. Remember that this person will be capturing one of the most important days in your life. Your photographer doesn’t need to be your friend but you need to feel comfortable when this person is around you.
4. Ask questions
There are no stupid questions. Don’t be shy and ask about everything on your mind. Before you choose the photographer you need to be sure that you asked all of your questions. Only than will you trust that you selected the right one.
5. Engagement Session
Ideally, book the same photographer for the engagement session and for the wedding. Why? The engagement session will be a warmup. You will have time to speak with the photographer, see the workflow and feel more comfortable in front of the camera lens on your big day. More about engagement sessions you can read here: 4 reasons why an engagement session is such a smart option.
6. Price
We all know that budget is very important when you organizing the wedding. Don’t forget that value is important too. You won’t be able to repeat this beautiful day and you need to be sure that your photographer will capture all of the details which are remarkable to you.
7. Packages
A lot of times you can customize your package. Choose features which are important for you and make sure that all of the information is included in the contract.
8. Portfolio & story
Its not enough to see just the best-of portfolio. Anyone can have a few good pictures from each wedding. The real skill which a good photographer bring with them is a story-telling-eye. When evaluating the photographer’s work, ask to see a full wedding session from start to finish. How well is the story told?
9. How many photographers?
Is two photographers always better than one? I don’t think so. Quality of your final images is not simply related to the quantity of shots taken. However, two good photographers who work in-tune together will produce great results. If your are considering two photographers ask them why they suggest two photographers in the first place. Hopefully the photographers work together to achieve a greater result instead of just taking more shots of the same subjects. Less photographs but greater quality of the overall results.
10. Flexibility
Finally, your photographers should be flexible to your needs. Remember this is about your day! A good photographer will work with you, ask you questions and will be flexible. Perhaps you need to start early or your receptions starts a little late. A flexible photographer, who is genuinely concerned about your success, will understand and will help to keep your day in focus.
As you plan your wedding remember that you are not alone. Many online resources are right there at your fingertips. For example, here is a link to the well respected Canada’s Bridal Directory. A great tool to find everything you need to make your wedding a great success.
Of course, I’m also here to help. If you have any questions, just ask!
You can also read another blog post about 10 very important questions which you need to ask a wedding photographer once you have narrowed your choice to just a few.
Everglow Photography – Voted as Best Wedding Photographers in Toronto, Canada.
International Wedding Photographer for Adventurous Couples.
