Does the thought of choosing a photographer stress you out? There are SO many photographers these days, so how do you know you’ll make the right choice? I can help you! I know there are tons of articles from The Knot and other wedding sites about choosing your photographer, but I thought some tips coming from an actual photographer might be helpful!
I’ve seen it happen far to often. Someone hires a photographer with beautiful images on their facebook or instagram feed, but then they end up having a bad experience either because their photographer doesn’t communicate with them, they don’t get their photos back for over 6 months, or the photographer doesn’t seem to be making any decisions the day of the wedding! Your wedding day only happens once, and you do not want to look back on your day and regret your decision! Today I’m sharing 5 things to consider when choosing your wedding photographer!
1. Style
The first thing you want to consider when choosing a photographer is their style! This is obviously the part of your work that catches your eye and draws you to them in the first place! Do you want a light and airy, dark and moody, or classic and timeless style? Are you more of a southern belle or a mountain lover? Choose someone who’s style you ADORE and want to have hanging in your home for years to come!
2. Communication
It is so important that your photographer is good at communicating! I don’t mean simply responding to your questions quickly, but letting you know what to expect as part of the wedding photography experience! There should be some kind of written contract explaining what services will be offered. The more details, the better! If you don’t know when you will get the photos back or when you can expect to do your engagement session before the wedding or what to expect, that is not a sign of good communication from your photographer!
3. Organization
This one is SO IMPORTANT for weddings. A good photographer will be organized with timeline tips, portrait location options, and especially getting group shots organized! I have found that the best photographers have a list of family photos that they will capture ahead of time and have them organized efficiently!
4. Leadership Skills
By nature of the job, photographers have to be able to tell other people what to do! Try to look for a strong leader that will know what she wants and be able to tell others how to achieve that! Lots of photographers are quiet, and that is okay! The important thing is that they are able to get the shots done and communicate what they want!
5. Personality
Since you’ll be spending a lot of time with your wedding photographer, you want someone who’s personality you like! They don’t have to be the same personality as you, but you should definitely take this into consideration! I work with lots of couples from more introverted to extroverted. I know that my bubbliness could annoy some people, and that’s okay! I truly believe there is a photographer for everyone. I think that kindness is also a really important personality trait when it comes to weddings! Weddings can get stressful, and you want someone who will respond kindly to people when they are stressed and be able to handle pressure well without getting flustered!
If you are interested in booking me for your wedding, head over to my contact page to leave me a message! If you are looking for a photographer with a different style than me, I can help there too! I have had the privilege of getting to know many photographers over the years, and I want to help as many people as possible find the right photographer for them! I’m always available for questions!
Happy Planning,
– Christi
It makes sense that you would want to be careful when it comes to choosing a wedding photographer. Finding one that matches your style is important, after all! I think a good way to find one is to ask around for references.