FOR YOU.. that is!
There is plenty of advice on the internet on how to choose the right photographer for your wedding, and as much as I think you might not need another post on how to find a photographer to suit your needs, I feel inspired this morning while I sipping on my coffee to write this for you. Most of the wedding blogs in the net have talked about this subject, and all of it is actually pretty good and accurate, but seems to me that most of the advice I stumbled upon was for photography savvy people who could tell “Yup, that’s a good image.” But there wasn’t really any info for the ones that really didn’t even know what they were looking for. So here’s IMHO what I think some of you might want to consider:
STYLE is almost like a Genre
What is your personal style?Are you inclined more towards soft images with lots of light, or do you tend to love more colorful images and more sharp elements on photographs? Photography and Photographers all over the world tend to have a personal style, each of them with a unique way to see the world and a different style to document your special day. This is an important element when you are comparing photographers, always make sure that when you are comparing portfolios you are keeping in mind their photographic style. Although every photographer might take gorgeous images not every photographer will be the right one for you, set your style preference first then start your search!
Style has much to do with personality: You might be one of those many brides that need someone to keep you on track or you might be more laid back and careless, a photographer’s style also has much to do with what they will do or won’t do. You have to ask yourself do you want a photographer that will be completely non-intrusive and just document the day as it flows? Or do you need structure and need the help of a professional to plan the special events that will take place and make sure they get documented… So considering your photographers level of interaction with you is also something you might need to consider.
EXPERIENCE is always good to have
If you are paying someone to document your special day, experience is always appreciated. If that said photographer has done a wedding or two on your favorite venue then even better! Keep in mind this doesn’t mean they are disqualified if they have not done a wedding there, venues, usually have preferred vendors and such, and sometimes a great photographer might always be booked on the same particular venues. . . Okay, back to experience, you see, experience helps a photographer build knowledge of light, composition and use of their equipment. Light being the single most important element of this has to be consider, as I’ve said before on my website any photographer can take a beautiful photo on a gorgeous light setting, but the true skill of a professional photographer is their ability to take a photo in a not-so-perfect light setting. So consider this, if your venue is dark and dim, you might want to look for someone with the ability and the equipment necessary to be able to deliver results.
Composition is a little more of a broad subject. It almost goes back to style, but there are certain rules to composing a beautiful photograph, although, many photographers this days choose to forget the rules and just shoot what matters! – The the angles and composition of a photograph are crucial when telling a story.. As you look through portfolios, ask yourself: How does the photographer make things more interesting? Are the moments documented telling the story? Anything that makes you feel like you are in the moment is great photography composition.
Equipment is important but unless you are a photographer buff you might not understand the extends of this particular subject, yes I know Wikipedia and most bride blogs will advice you to ask your photographer what type of equipment they use, I think a more important question is : how comfortable is the photographer using their equipment? And it goes back to experience, an experienced photographer probably has a few hundred weddings under their belt and they know the capabilities of their equipment and how to use it.
An experienced photographer might have opinions but remember is YOUR day and you can design it how you always dreamed it would be. It is always good to keep in mind the advice we give you when it comes to light and timeline if you choose a photographer that helps you guide the day!
And finally …. PERSONALITY,
Yes, personality. You might wonder why, but trust me when I tell you that you will work with your photographer very closely, you will communicate with your photographer a LOT! so making sure you choose a photographer that is easy to talk to is highly important. Make sure the person you choose to spend most of your wedding day around is someone you can stand and makes you feel confident and happy, a great photographer will always listen to you and will be easy to reach in case you have any questions.
There’s photographers that work really hard behind the scenes and you never even notice they are there, while there’s photographers that put their camera down and get on the dance floor with you and there is some that are more focused and structured, this all falls into their personality and style, as you see this two go hand in hand together!
With all the available options, different styles and many photographers available nowadays it is much more difficult to choose this why I will also advise you to meet with each photographer you are considering, chances are you will have a better sense of their ability to connect with you on a personal basis than over email.
Most photographers will be honored that you are considering them, don’t be shy and reach out to them. I am sure once you can narrow down your style, and what you are looking for in a photographer it will be much more easy when looking at wedding portfolios. But at the end of it, it all comes to storytelling, sure, according to many popular blogs and Pinterest links there is a right and a wrong way to take a photo, but when it comes to wedding photography what you truly are looking for is someone with the ability to tell your story and to document your day, in a way that matches your vision.
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Happy hunting!
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