For most of us getting married is a once in a lifetime event and it could be the first time that you have needed to hire a photographer. They are different from other people that you hire on the day because of how they get involved. The cake, the flowers and the venue may all be gone at the end of the day. However, the photos will last a lifetime. When you look for a photographer, you are looking for social skills, creativity, professionalism and quality.
Start looking early
Booking your wedding photographer should be one of the first things you do after you’ve booked your venue of course. The best photographers are booked up well in advance. The best wedding photographers usually develop a reputation and may be known locally to your friends and family. Ask them if they have any recommendations, either through personal experience, or word of mouth.
Create a shortlist
Once you have been through enough profiles, then arrange to meet each photographer and view their portfolios. Don’t just judge somebody from a website, try to get a picture of their personality. Photographers love to talk about portfolios, gear, albums and packages so it can all get a bit confusing. Colour schemes, how many bridesmaids you have chosen, who’s giving you away, what the cake looks like, the first dance and every little detail you can think of. It’s vital that the chosen person cares about your big day almost as much as you do. Then you can relax and feel comfortable.
What style works for you?
Think about what style of photographs you like. It could be traditional posed pictures, a more contemporary approach or even a documentary style. You should discuss your ideas with the photographer before you make the final decision, each photographer has their own artistic style. If you are drawn to a particular photographer, make sure you see their full portfolio and check the quality is consistent.
Be patient
Most photographers shoot lots of images, don’t expect every image they shoot to make the final cut. Let them curate their work and trust that you will see all the best pictures after editing. Find out how long post-processing takes so you are not seemingly waiting forever. Countless hours can be spent perfecting your photographs with image enhancement software such as Adobe Photoshop or Lightroom.
An engagement shoot
An engagement shoot is a great idea. You’ll get relaxed fun shots and the chance of working and relaxing in front of both the camera and your photographer. Lots of people are nervous about this kind of shoot scenario, but it’s best to lose the nerves ahead of your wedding day. Make sure your photographer has additional equipment, a cheap photographer may not have invested in a backup camera. This lack of professionalism is unlikely to happen away from the cheaper end of the market but ask the question anyway. It’s too big a gamble to book a photographer who only has one camera.
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Contracts are key
We can’t stress enough the importance of asking for a contract. In most cases, it doesn’t have to be anything more than what you have discussed and agreed. A deal will genuinely improve the situation for everyone and offers protection for all parties involved.
Make sure your insured
Check your photographer is covered by professional liability insurance. In my experience, nothing has ever gone wrong, but if something was to go wrong with the camera or it was to get lost or damaged, then the photographers insurance would cover the entire cost of re- staging the event (This is highly unlikely, but it makes everyone feel much more comfortable).
Enjoy the result
Getting amazing images from start to finish, creating the expected, capturing the unexpected, having a genuine connection with your photographer while feeling relaxed is the least you should expect from any professional photographer.
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