Marrying the love of your life would be exciting and thrilling. You have been with this person for months or years and realised that you cannot live without them and so, you decide to get married. You have chosen the date, the venue, the location, probably even your outfits and the décor.
Making choices out of these options is easy because you can see the pictures, visit the location, and witness everything through your eyes. But in the case of the photographer, numerous factors can affect your wedding apart from your final pictures.
Also, nothing from your wedding day will remain except for the photographs. So, choosing the right photographer is crucial. And doing so is not an easy task because there are so many options. However, using the steps mentioned below, you can pick the right one from the bundle.
#1 Choose A Style
Before looking for a photographer, you should first know which type of photography style would you prefer. Research online and select the photographs you like the most. Then, narrow down further to locate a style you and your partner like the most. That maybe a photojournalistic, vintage, lifestyle, classic, or traditional photography style. You may even want to include a dramatic feel. Then, look for top wedding photographers who specialise in that style.
#2 Research
After you have picked a style and noted the names of top photographers, begin your search by studying the reviews of their clients, magazines, blogs, etc. Check out their websites and social media handles to look at their work. This will give you an idea about how creative and innovative is the photographer and how uniquely can they capture important wedding moments. Stalking their social media handles will reveal a lot about the photographer.
#3 Time For The Interview
Apart from being satisfied with the photographer’s work, you must meet them in person with your partner. In the meeting, you can discuss various aspects like your expectations, budget, their work, their availability, etc. You can also show them the pictures you like the most. If the photographer you want to hire is booked, you can ask for a reference from them.
You should interview at least three photographers who can cover your wedding. Then, ask them to show more of their work as well as assess whether your personalities blend. Also, let them know about your wedding style, venue, and how you want the photography to be like. You may also ask them about their experience in covering a wedding like yours. For example, an Indian wedding has a lot of rituals and traditions, which need experience and knowledge about Indian wedding culture.
In this interview, ask the photographer to bring an entire wedding shoot done by them. On the websites and social media pages, you are only going to look at selected photographs from different weddings, which may not reveal the truth. If you will have an indoor wedding, there would be no point in looking at their outdoor wedding shoot.
During the interview, you should also try to gather whether the photographer’s vision and personality blend with you two or not. This is because the photographer will be shooting you two closely during your wedding. If you are not comfortable with the photographer, the pictures would end up looking forced. The stress of the wedding might take a toll on you and during that the photographer should be able to make you calm and smile so that your photographs turn out to be perfect.
#4 Be Critical
Even if you do not know anything about photography, there are some things you can observe. We are not asking you to be critical literally but look at the pictures with a critical eye. You may want to check whether the photographer has covered both the groom and bride locking their eyes for the first time. Also, consider how clear is the picture both in terms of quality and frame. There should not be too many things lurking in the background.
Then, you can check how much the photographer can play with the lighting. The images should not look heavily edited. While analysing the pictures, you can also see whether the photographer is capturing emotions candidly or asking people to pose. Through the pictures, you can also know if the clients feel comfortable around the photographer or now. Lastly, check how many guests, elements of the wedding, and other details have been captured.
The Bottom Line
After interacting with 3-5 photographers, choosing your style, talking about everything including, the budget, availability, etc., you will know which one of the photographers you should book. After analysing everything, take into consideration the total amount the photographer would charge for the facilities they are offering. Make sure the package includes your engagement shoot, pre-wedding shoot, wedding day pictures, and other events you want them to cover.
