How to choose your perfect wedding photographer?
Are you looking for your perfect wedding photographer but need to figure out how in the world you are supposed to choose one? You are not alone and are definitely in the right place. I am here to walk you through what to look out for, how to choose, and all the steps when choosing your wedding photographer.
Firstly, why is it important to choose your wedding photographer carefully? Well, they will be there with you and your partner throughout the day. They will photograph the most private and intimate moments of your day, so, why wouldn't you choose them carefully? Your photographer will be one supplier (along with a videographer) who will be there from morning to night. So, making sure that you pick the right person to be there, should be on top of the priority list.
But where do you even begin determining what are you looking for? The budget can be one of the first steps to help you find what photographer you’d like. Do you have a set budget?
No? Then you have a wide range of photographers to choose from. You can fly one in from a different end of the world if you’d like. You can skip to the next point at this stage then.
Yes? your search narrows down to the price range that you set. I highly recommend setting a budget and looking for photographers within the range for example £1600-£2000. There you go, you got yourself a very good starting point. Once you set your budget, don’t look anywhere out of that, otherwise, you can end up overspending or finding someone you really like out of your budget and get upset for not being able to afford it. When it comes to budget to spend on wedding photographers, very often you will find that the more you spend, the better quality and client experience you will receive. This is because a more experienced photographer will charge more and in return, you will have an amazing experience, stunning photographs and will not regret making that decision. There are loads of reasons why photographers charge what they do but I won't cover that here. In the end, your photographs, video and memories of course are the only things you will be left with that will remind you of how beautiful the day was and how amazing you felt!
Have you thought about what style of photographs you like? That is a very important part when choosing your wedding photographer and you should look at many styles before picking one that you both like the most. This includes:
Editing and colour palette. Is the colour palette dark or bright, are the colours contrasting or washed out, are they warm or are they cold? For example are the photos dark and moody or bright and airy (these are the most commonly used terms)? Every photographer has a different editing style, so it can be overwhelming when choosing one. Try to imagine in what kind of photographs you would see yourself the best. Maybe you two are super colourful people and so would love bright and colourful photos, or maybe you are colourful people but love a bit of dark and moody aspect to the photos. All of this helps when finding a photo editing style you both can get behind.
Photography style. Are they photographing many candid shots or posed? What do you feel you would like more of? Do you want storytelling photographs or a more editorial style? Would you like beautifully posed group shots as well as being told where to stand and what to do for photographs or are you the person that would rather ignore the photographer and let them capture moments as they happen without you having to pose?
Portfolio. Ask your photographer candidates to provide you with full galleries. Photographers often upload the best of the best to their websites and social media accounts, so, make sure you look at full galleries before booking to see what your gallery would look like from prep to the first dance. If they deny it, it's a huge red flag and you should look the other way.
In my opinion, these three points really help when narrowing down the style. As long as you make sure that you like every aspect of your photographer's style and editing, you are good to go.
Not enough people talk about what kind of person your photographer candidates should be. Think about what kind of person would you like to be there on your day. Do you want them to match your energy? Is it someone who is quieter and more invisible, doesn’t talk much and captures only what they see from the corners of the room? This means they come, do the job and go home. Or is it someone who is giving all the energy and is everywhere capturing moments from up close and far away whilst directing and enjoying the day like a friend with you? There are so many people and I am sure there is a perfect photographer for you out there.
Write down what kind of personality would you like your photographer to have, how do they communicate before and after the wedding, and how would you like them to make you feel on the day. What kind of experience are they providing you with?
Once you narrow down the budget, style and personality, all you have to do is start looking for someone with the description that suits you and get on a call with them. Get to know your photographer to have a much better experience and feel comfortable around them photographing you on your wedding day.
Get on a call with the candidates for your wedding photography. Everything can change once you get on a call with them. You might like their photos, and editing style and they might fit the budget, but, they might make you feel uncomfortable, or they might not communicate enough. Chat with them, ask them questions and get to know them a little. Make sure they pass your vibe check. As much as the photos are important, you also want to make sure they make you feel good, comfortable and relaxed throughout the day by having clear communication, keeping you relaxed and most importantly giving you the best experience ever!
Your wedding day is made for you to enjoy by all of the suppliers who you will see prior to and on your wedding day. You must trust them to make your wedding day the day you will never forget. That is why carefully selecting your suppliers is so important.
Now, go and create your perfect wedding photographer profile and download my Ultimate questionnaire to ask questions to your chosen photographers. If you need more help, feel free to contact me and let's get together on a no-obligations 30 min video call where I am more than happy to chat with you and answer any and all of your questions.
From what I know, to what now you know. Hope this helps.
Your wedding photographer,
Karolina, By Karolina Photography
Download the ULTIMATE questions for choosing a perfect wedding photographer and what to ask them. It is packed with HIGH-VALUE QUESTIONS to get your photographer candidates really think before they answer, and most importantly for you to make the BEST DECISION!
