How to Avoid Choosing the Wrong Wedding Photographer
An extremely talented and popular photographer could ruin your wedding. In some cases, choosing the wrong wedding photographer might not even have anything to do with their skill or the quality of their work. This can happen when you aren’t sure what to look for in a photographer. In fact, some people think a good portfolio is all it takes to make a decision.
But, that’s not the case at all.
So, what really matters when making a choice and, more importantly, how do you avoid choosing the wrong wedding photographer? Let’s dive in and discuss!
Review Their Best Work
Let’s start with the most obvious way to start the vendor selection process — by reviewing their work. Photography, in particular, has a wide array of skill and experience levels. So while not every photographer will have a website with a portfolio, it’s important that you get the chance to view at least some of their work before hiring them. This can be done through a social media page or even asking them to send you some samples directly.
These types of photos are examples of their best work so you should love what you see. If you don’t love what you see or don’t feel strongly about it, then consider continuing your search for something that you do love.
Review Their Whole Work
Once you’ve gotten a taste of their best work, it’s time to look a little deeper. As I said above, the photos we photographers put on our websites and social media pages are examples of the best of the best of our work. It’s important to see at least 2 full wedding galleries and see what the images look like as an average instead of just the best highlights.
For example, the image to the image of the couple above is something I would post to social media. In contrast, the carousel below includes examples of images I wouldn’t necessarily post but would include in a final gallery. You’ll likely have to ask for a full gallery directly from the photographer, but definitely don’t skip this step!
Schedule a Time to Chat
I’ve had clients chat with me via email and immediately book me for their wedding and I’ve also had clients who’ve wanted to chat a bit more beforehand. Your photographer should be more than happy to accommodate either cases.
I completely understand wanting to feel at ease when you book a photographer, especially because it’s an investment. Not to mention, you’ll have these photos for the rest of your lives!
So, if you’re having doubts or even mild concerns about hiring the wrong wedding photographer, ask each of your candidates if you can schedule a time to chat. They should all say a resounding ‘absolutely!’ (It’s a red flag if they say ‘no’.)
Ask Them The Right Questions
Whether you’re chatting via email or video call, use your time wisely by coming prepared with a list of questions. I recommend asking some basic, but often overlooked questions such as:
- Will you be our photographer for our wedding day or will it be a member of your team?
- What if you have an emergency and can’t make our wedding?
- What is your turnaround time for a wedding gallery? Will I get a sneak peek?
- What equipment do you use and do you have a backup plan if it fails?
- How will my photos be secured during and after my wedding?
- What is it like to work with you?
- How would you describe your communication style?
Schedule an Engagement Session
Some couples opt to skip an engagement session as a cost-saving measure or because they don’t thinks it’s something they need. The misconception here is that the engagement session is just about the photos — but it’s not! It’s a great way to get to know your photographer and their work flow before your wedding day.
During your shoot, you’ll experience first-hand what it’s like for them to direct you, what their general vibe is like, and how they make you feel. You want to be sure their personality meshes with yours and your partners. You’ll also get to experience what you look like with their work instead of strangers.
While you wait for your photos, you’ll learn about their communication style and whether they stick to their timeframes or not. Your photographer should constantly be setting your expectations so that there are no surprises. At the end of the day, you want to be able to trust that your photographer has everything covered and feel like you have one less things to worry about on your wedding day. In fact, treat the engagement session like an interview for your wedding!
I feel so strongly about the importance of engagement sessions that all of my standard wedding packages include one!
Don't Hire the Wrong Wedding Photographer
If at any point throughout the above steps you feel that you might be hiring the wrong wedding photographer, don’t be afraid to part ways and restart the search, even if you’ve already done your engagement session. You can always redo your engagement session, but you can’t relive your wedding!
Have questions for me about your wedding day? Reach out and let me know!