Choosing Your Wedding Photographer
Things to consider when choosing your wedding photographer or wedding photography package . . .
Choosing your Wedding Photographer
Choosing your Wedding Photographer is as tough as it is important. There is such a wide variety of styles, prices and people to choose from that it can become overwhelming and poor decisions can be made. Budget is a huge factor in determining who a couple will book as is the salesmanship of the different photographers they meet.
I am probably one of the least ‘salesy’ people you will come across, to my own detriment I’d imagine as well, but, I’m not in the market to book every couple I meet, just the couples who I meet and have a genuine connection with / whose wedding I like the sound of!
I’ve read so many horror stories about couples who have been disappointed with their wedding photos. These stories usually come about after a couple either choosing not to book a professional Wedding Photographer or they did choose to book a professional but they didn’t really know what things to consider when making their choice.
Take a look below for the 10 things you should consider before choosing your wedding photographer . . .
1 – How long have they been in business? What are the reviews like? Do they have an online presence / trail to prove they’re a credible business?
Before engaging any business services, my standard checks are Website, Instagram, Facebook, Spelling / general presentation etc etc.
This is key. If a photographer is charging what seems like a low price in comparison to other quotes you’ve received, there’s a reason. Thats not to say there’s anything wrong with hiring a beginner but make sure you do your research because it’s all too easy for someone who has never photographed a wedding to take a few pictures and put together a portfolio.
Researching the business as a whole will also give you an idea of a) their attention to detail and b) whether they’re likely to still be around in a year’s time. Look for business history as a business that has been trading for a few years is inevitably going to be a safer option that someone who has been trading for a few months.
2 – Do you like their images and editing style? Look at the colours and skin tones.
It is so important to understand what kind of photographer you are booking. Some photographers are natural light photographers ie. they don’t use a lot of flash (me) where as others may use a lot of flash and will have much higher contrast in their images. Editing styles also differ between photographers. My editing style is soft muted colours, some photographers might edit with very orange filters or have a moody feel to the pictures. Look at a few websites, decide which style you prefer before making your shortlist.
3 – Budget
Get 5 a few quotes from similar quality photographers, use common sense, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. As a ball park figure, anything below £1350 is going to lack quality.
4 – Are they busy?
How many weddings are displayed on their website? Can you see an example of a full wedding?
It’s quite common to be asked for a sample gallery so don’t be afraid to ask to see a full wedding so you can have a realistic picture of what your entire wedding will look like, not just the top picks on Instagram. Blogs are great for seeing examples of real weddings as well because they showcase the highlights of the day (usually around 100 images out of 750 delivered) which should give you an idea of what a full wedding would look like. You can check out my blog here.
5 – How many edited images will you receive?
This differs between photographers. Quantity isn’t everything though. If a photographer is promising to deliver 1000 images, this isn’t necessarily a good thing! I deliver anywhere between 500 and 1000 images depending on the size of the wedding and what happens on the day. I don’t delete good images but I do remove any duplicates / unnecessary images. Going through 1000 images is overwhelming for me as an editor so I can only imagine what it would be like for a bride and groom hence quality over quantity is key.
6 – Do they have insurance and contingency plans to cover every eventuality?
Anyone operating as a Wedding Photographer should have public liability insurance and insurance to cover all eventualities. The sad fact is, that’s not the case. Lack of insurance could affect you as a client in a variety of ways from a camera breaking and an uninsured photographer being unable to afford to fix it to the photographer ruining your wedding photos and you being unable to seek compensation.
I am fully insured and have a network of photographers I can call on should I be unable to photograph a wedding for any reason.
7 – What kit are they using?
I touch on this in my Wedding Photography Prices Explained article. The cheaper the photographer, the worse their kit is the general rule. My camera has a dual memory card slot which provides a second backup of your wedding photos should one card corrupt and is good enough to manage poor light. Those operating at the lower end of the budget may be using less sophisticated kit hence the lower price tag,
8 – Do you get all of your images including within the price or are there any other costs after the wedding?
Some photographers will charge for the day and then charge you for the files / prints afterwards. Make sure you know what your package entails.
9 – In what format and how will you receive your images?
10 – This is crucial. Do you like the photographer and their personality?
You have to spend all day with them, make sure you choose someone you click with!
It’s a lot to take in I know! If you have any questions or would like to arrange a meeting to discuss my wedding photography packages, get in touch here.
