The wedding photographer: how to make the choice and not regret it!

July 1, 2018

I already introduced myself to you as a wedding photographer so you may think that to take advice from me could be a little like a selling proposition. But I assure you that the advices are well intended and meant to help not me, but you, to make an informed decision

Realise that there is only one wedding day. And each supplied and collaborator has only one chance to do their work perfectly. For you to live a perfect day and have only the best and pleasant memories.

There are a few things you should consider when contracting a wedding photographer.

Before we get to that, let me ask you: How important are to one or the both of you the wedding photos and this service?

If you are aware that the only proof of the important and lovely event left after it’s over is the feeling you get when you turn over the pages of a wedding photo album, or you know that the only memories, 50 years from now, at your anniversary, will be the candid photos and the details in the frames you received, then it’s worth taking your time to analyse and make the right decision. And then decide how much you can and want to invest in this aspect of your wedding day and your story. Because wedding photography is an investment well before it can be considered an expense.

Going back to the things you need to keep in mind in order to make the best choice for you:

1. Your budget and his pricing

If, as we decided above, this service is important to you, let this reflect in your budget allocation. As a general idea, wedding photography doesn’t come with discounts or special offers. The pricing of the packages varies and is made depending on the equipment, availability, demand, experience, hours spent in editing after the event, monthly taxes to maintain the service (marketing fees, editing software, an accountant, community fees).

The package prices can sometimes be above your limit. And here, so you can have some degree of preparation, I’ll tell you that a professional photographer’s prices are stating from above 1300 euros.

But that investment brings you the certainty of a professional, even internationally awarded professional and the result will be the proof to give you the satisfaction of a good choice.

Keep in mind that most of the photographers work with a minimum down payment when the contract is signed. This way, you can have your professional photographer and high class wedding photos with a minimum investment and only pay for the rest of the services after the event. And just like this, you can both afford the best services and forget about the fear of missing out on the best photos of your life.

2. Your experience in photography and his in the field

Could you spot the difference between a spectacular photo and a good one? I’m sure some of you if not all, do. And you can make the best choice after seeing the photographer’s Portfolio.

The choice should also consider other clues of his experience and style. For instance, the answers to some questions like:

How many wedding did he had in the previous season (keep in mind that there are a maximum of 52 weekends for weddings in an year)
How long is he a photographer for and how much time does he put into photography
If he has workshops/classes/conferences he attended and awarded photos
Does he have backup equipment
Can he travel and did he travel abroad for destination weddings
What are his testimonials saying on the website, on the Facebook page or in Google
Who are his collaborators and how is their work ( Make-up Artist, Wedding videographer, Wedding Planner)

The aswers to all these can be given in a few minutes and can help you determine the experience and the profile of the photographer. And because the right answers can lead to having a top class photographer, we’ll get to the next step.

3. When do you book and how free is his calendar

What was your first step in preparing for the wedding day? Getting the dreamed location, I assume. Well, contracting a wedding photographer should come in a close second. Because:

A good photographer will have the main season dates covered with at least 6 months ahead of time
You’ll want to take advantage of the complimentary packages, with Save the date sessions, Engagement or Love story, so the memories will have the same style
To begin the searh is not a 2 hour investment. Not if you want to get it right. From looking at a Portfolio, to meeting the photographer, don’t miss a step in making this choice
Don’t compromise in choosing someone other thatn the photographer whose vision you fell for and ask the same quality result from another photographer

4. Your attention to details and his to moments

Or the other way round. What I mean is that you can envision something when thinking about the perfect pictures. Attention to detail, meaning, shadows, close-ups, they are all crucial in wedding photography. Group photos with the family and then one by one, is not the art of wedding photography. Get a photographer who can make you laugh or cry with his images, after the day is gone. The good kind of tears, of course.

How to know if a photographer has the…eye or the instinct for those special moments? Of course, there’s the Portfolio. But look closely to:

His website and the attention to detail there
His response to your email both in the time it took and the quality of the information
The time he invests in the editing – because most of the times, there you can find the winner memory and not in quantity
See his style and his consistence by looking at the Wedding stories on his profile or website

5. The 1^st conversation, the 1^st meet up, the 1^st photo

While doing research, looking at photos, receiving offers and having conversations with the contenders, you’ll know which photographer is the one for you. I highly recommend to meet him over a coffee or over skype and have an eye to eye conversation and see the man behind the camera. If he’ll make you confortable as a person, he’ll do the same as a professional and deliver the best, the most natural and unscripted photos.

To summarize, the things you should consider before contracting a wedding photographer:

· His experience, style and attention to detail

· His testimonials, awards and membership to associations

· The way he communicates and the way he can make you feel relaxed

The things where you don’t want to compromise and shouldn’t:

· Too little time spent in research

· Thinking that the budget should dictate the quality

· The idea that you can get someone low price to replicate a professional’s style

And if my advices were not very convincing to you, these are the recommendations of an internationally acclaimed magazine, Huffington Post, about How NOT to chose a wedding photographer. I think it’s an interesting and helpful read.

I speak to the brides and grooms to be.

Don’t be afraid to ask and be inquisitive. We are all here for you and for the beautiful stories you live and we can show in memories.

Each new couple foe me is not another page in the portfolio, but a new experience and complete dedication. Because the day and the story are yours, but the responsability is mine when in comes to memories.

And they should offer you, your family, friends, guests and even strangers, the feeling that behind them there is areal couple and real love and a really beautiful love story. For this I try to aim for everytime and try to surpass each nea frame with the next and tell my stories about your stories and be proud, once again, with each one.

I can only hope this blog gives a few indications and a little help to get you started and I wish you good luck in your finds. And also, may your photos be as colourful and meaningful and beautiful as your story!