How to choose your wedding photographer?
With a sea of incredible talent out there, it may feel quite overwhelming to choose a photographer to capture your event, wedding, maternity, or family photos.
“Where do I even begin, how do I know I’ve made the right choice?”
Worry no more, here are a few tips to help choose the best photographer. While these tips are geared towards weddings, really it applies to any type of session.
Look at the style of editing and choose what you LOVE!
With so many photographers, come many unique styles of editing. Do you want posed, editorial photos or more documentary, candid? Do you love dark greens, a warm sunset glow skin tone or are you drawn to very bright photos, true to life colours?
What about black and white - do you like images with grain or none at all? Photographers spend a lot of time making their style unique, so asking someone whose photos are moody or earth toned to make your photos vibrant and light would not be the best representation of their work. Pick someone whose edits and poses you are obsessed with! TIP - Ask to see a few wedding galleries from the photographer so you can see how they capture an entire day.
Trust your gut!
Putting your faith (and dollars) into someone to capture such beautiful moments is a biggie. The same way a business owner might spot a ‘sketchy’ client , you should look for any possible red flags when booking. Is the photographer asking for 100% payment up front, do they have any website or portfolio to show you? How comfortable are you with their contract terms? Do your research, ask friends for referrals.
Look at their experience
Many photographers specialise in a certain area and have developed so much skill and passion for it - whether it’s couples, portraits, commercial work, family sessions …. Have a look at their work and see if they have done weddings before, captured night receptions, or harsh sunlight settings. Choosing someone with experience means you can relax and trust that they’ve got this, hands down! Now, there’s nothing wrong with giving someone a chance - I mean that’s how I got to shoot my first wedding and I’m so grateful my couple took the chance on me! But at that point I was also doing a lot of second shooting for weddings and had built up a steady couples/engagement portfolio.
Know what you are investing in and decide your budget.
Think of this, you buy a shirt from a fast fashion seller for dirt cheap…you’re not shocked when you find a hole in it, or it runs on its first wash! But, if you bought it to wear once, you’re not too upset since it wasn’t a big loss. Photography packages can be expensive, but it is an investment! Think of how long you’re going to look back at those photos or hang them in your home. Literally forever. Decide on how important photography is to YOU and what YOUR budget is for these lifetime memories. Be up front about your budget as well, your potential photographer can help see how to make it work for you.
Most importantly , make sure you vibe with your photographer.
You’re going to spend lotsss of time chatting with us, planning your day and more. We want you to be comfortable enough to show us your true emotions and energy, much like a good friend. From the initial chats, you want to feel sure that we can capture your vision, fully support you and have YOUR best interests for your day. It’s also the time to be honest with your expectations, so we can make sure we are the right person to give you everything you want!
At the end of the day, these are your pictures so follow your heart, do your research and go with what you want!
Did you find these tips helpful? Are there any you would add? I’d love your input!
And of course, if I’m the right photographer for you, don’t hesitate to shoot me a message to inquire about availability and rates!
