You are now engaged planning your wedding, thinking about all of the fun you are going to have on the big day and the search has begun for the visionary who is going to capture it all…. your wedding photographer!! It may seem like a relatively simple task but this is one that requires a lot of homework! The photographer is the one vendor you are going to spend the most amount of time with on your wedding day as they are there capturing every moment of your special day. Therefore, doing your homework by researching your choices is extremely important when entrusting someone to capture those incredible unique memories. Today, we are going to talk about what to look for in a wedding photographer.
Style
- Every photographer has a different style in the manner that they approach photographing and editing the wedding day. Some focus more on setting up the moment while others let the moment happen organically. Some rely on the ambient light provided to them by the elements and venue while others will rely on artificial, off-camera lighting. However, your photographer should be extremely proficient in all lighting techniques.
- The editing style is a photographer’s special touch to images. The post production process plays a huge part in defining a photographer’s style. Some of the more common editing styles are light and airy, true to life, and dark and moody or a mix of any of these preferences.
- Finding a style of photography you like is vital to choosing your photographer. After your wedding day is over, other than your memories, the photos are what is left of your special day and what will be enjoyed by you forever and passed down in your family.
Technical Proficiency
- We say all the time that it’s not the camera that makes the photographer but rather the photographer’s vision and talents. Photography is art and like all other artists we are constantly growing and developing our skills. You could have the latest and greatest equipment on the market, but if you don’t understand the equipments abilities to enhance your talents then there is no benefit.
- The wedding day is full of events involving many different lighting perspectives. Having a photographer that is skilled in all lighting scenarios such as indoors at any time of day, outdoors midday, outdoors at the golden hour, low light situations and night time is vital to ensuring that your photos from every portion of your day are captured perfectly.
- Also, it is important to note whether or not the images you see are in focus. A good image starts with a clear and sharp foundation, without this it is difficult to salvage an image.
View a full wedding gallery
- Many photographers will share a certain portion of a couple’s day in their public portfolios. Viewing a full wedding gallery or two will give you an idea of how that photographer will capture your day and what it will look like. It will also give you an insight to their level of proficiency in dealing with different lighting scenarios.
Personality
- Finding a photographer that blends well with your personality is important! Your wedding photographer is one of the only vendors that you will be spending the majority of your wedding day with so you want someone that is easy and comfortable to be around so that your photos will reflect how at ease you are in front of their cameras.
Contingency Plans
- This is a big deal. What if the day before your wedding, the photographer’s camera breaks? Imagine if at your wedding, the photographer drops their lens or what if they become ill and cannot make it to your wedding? Hiring someone with a contingency plan for these life moments is important. Life happens to the best and it’s always good to be prepared for everything that could go wrong. We have multiple levels of security in our process to prevent any of those unexpected life moments to effect your very special day.
License and Insurance
- Okay, this is a necessity for ALL of your wedding vendors. Any wedding vendor that expects their business to be taken seriously must be licensed by their county of residence and absolutely must have operational insurance. No exceptions should ever be made in either of these topics as this is the one and only way you as a couple can feel protected and be ensured you are dealing with a true professional.
In short, deciding who your wedding photographer will be is not a simple task, but making the effort to do your due diligence in choosing the right one for you will be well worth it in the end. Your wedding photographer’s images will be one of your heirlooms to pass down for years to come. These are your memories so make sure they are captured in the perfect way you envisioned.