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Today’s Tips for Brides (and my very first one!) is all about choosing the right wedding photographer. While I could simply say “pick me! pick me!”, there is actually a lot more to it! There are various elements to consider when you are searching for your photographer and today we will explore 4 of them: Image style and quality, Personality, Products and Price.
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Image style and quality
Every photographer has his own style, whether it be traditional, photojournalistic or a mixture of both. Traditional photographers will have a tendency to capture very posed and stiff images. There is absolutely nothing wrong with that; it just depends what you are looking for. Photojournalists move away from that and try to capture the emotions and the mood of your wedding day, without much (or any) posing or direction. Regardless, every photographer should be able to deliver a set of images you will be happy with for the rest of your life. Make sure you check out their portfolio and imagine yourself in the pictures. Does it fit your style, your personality and the overall feel of your wedding? If not, maybe you should look at other options. Plus, don’t forget to take into account the type of photography they specialize in. Wedding photographers have the experience and knowledge to properly document your wedding. They are able to anticipate moments and make sure it’s captured. Just because someone is a photographer doesn’t mean they can shoot anything.
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Personality
One of the most important elements in your search for a wedding photographer is his/her personality and whether or not they “click” with the couple. That’s why it is so important to meet with photographers before booking them. For me, it’s about finding the perfect working relationship. I believe that’s how great photos are captured. As much as you can like someone’s photos, if you don’t get along with the photographer, you won’t get the results you see in their portfolio. The photographer should truly be interested in your special day (the details, the colors, the timeline, etc.) to properly document all of it.
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Products
This is another great reason why it is so important to meet with prospective photographers before signing any contract. What type of products do they offer, if any? Some photographers are more of the “shoot and burn” type. They capture your wedding photos, then hand them over on a disk with basic (or no) editing. So what do you do? You go to a consumer lab at your local pharmacy and get prints done which will come out all green and blue and yellow. That’s great if those were your wedding colors, but I doubt. Professional photographers will have access to high end photo labs that will only deal with photographers. They produce high quality, archival prints that will come out looking their best because photographers calibrate their monitor (or at least they SHOULD) and prepare the files for the lab’s printers. That means blue will be blue, orange will be orange, purple will be purple and so on. Other things to consider is whether or not they offer any other types of products such as albums. Make sure your photographer is able to show you an actual wedding album so you have an idea of what they look like. Not all albums look the same, trust me. Some are more traditional with prints inserted in mattes (think of your grandmother’s album) while some are very modern and up to date like real flush mount albums. Some album companies offer various types of cover options, so make sure you ask to see those as well. Plus, don’t think you can just take your photos and get these types of albums made yourself. Like I mentioned above, most photographers deal with companies who only offer their products through professional photographers.
(To see an example of my albums, click here. You can also check the category “Albums and Products” for more information.)
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Price
You get what you pay for. Period. Sure, you can find lots of photographers on Kijiji for 500$ (or even less!) for a full day coverage with disk of photos. But really, does it even compare to the quality of the professional photographers out there? Of course not. Professional photographers charge what they charge because it’s what they do for a living. They have the knowledge and the equipment to properly capture your wedding day. Just because your neighbour bought a “nice camera” for Christmas doesn’t make him a wedding photographer. What will happen when his camera locks up right before you walk down the aisle? Nothing. What will I do? I’ll simply grab my back-up camera and you will never even notice that something went wrong.
Consider your wedding photography an investment. If there is one area where you shouldn’t skimp, it’s photos. In 5 years, your flowers will be dead, the cake will have been eaten and your dress hung in the closet. What will be left to remember your special day? That’s right, your photos. They should be able to help you re-live all the happy moments and emotions you felt that day. That extra 1500$ might be a bit more than you had budgeted for, but will it be worth it in 5 years?
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Finally, don’t forget that wedding photography is a one-time deal. That’s why you should consider all of these elements when choosing your photographer. Make sure you are happy with the style, you click with the photographer and that you are happy with the final product! I hope this article will help you in your search for your wedding photographer so you can be happy for years to come!
