A to Z of Wedding Planning P for Photography

I’m back today for my A to Z wedding planning. Todays letter is P for Photgprahy and my top tips for choosing the right photographer for your wedding.

 

No time to watch the video? Read the transcript below:

Top tips for choosing  your wedding photographer

I’m just popping on today to carry on with my A to Z of wedding planning. Today, I want to talk about P for photography.

I think photography is a really important part of your day, really important factor to think about when you’re coming to plan your wedding. When all the flowers have wilted, the dress has been packed away, it’s often the photography that becomes one of those most cherished things after your wedding day. The day can really fly by, so quickly, and they’ll be lots of moments that you might forget. I think that’s where the photographer really comes into play. Because you’ll be dying to see all the pictures after the day, and just relive all those moments again and I think that’s where the photography is really important.

I just wanted to just a few quick tips about when you’re looking into your photographer and what you need to consider.

Do your research

First off, I would say do your research. There’s so many amazing photographers out there, a few not so good. And some will have varying levels of experience and knowledge and also more importantly they’ll have very different styles. Really look out there and decide what kind of photography do you like. Because there’s a different styles, different editing styles, different ways they shoot.

What kind of photography do you like?

So you really need to have a look around and see what it is that you like. Do you like the very editorial look, someone that really focuses in on taking lots of beautiful portraits of you and really focusing in on the details of your wedding day – are those what’s important to you? Or do you want something a bit more reportage and really capturing the moments, guests laughing, having fun that sort of thing. They will be varied. There’s lots of very different styles, very different ways that photographers work. Really look at what it is you like.

What editing style appeals to you?

Also, think about the editing, are you into light and bright sort of imagery. Fine art photography might be your bag. Or maybe you like the more moody, earthy sort of looks. And again they tend to be more in reportage look. Do have a look around and see what kind of photography styles you like.

Book the best you can afford

When you do come to booking, really I would always say go to book the best you can afford. I wouldn’t say if you can’t afford that photographer, maybe look within your own price bracket but really do go for the best you can afford. I’d always be wary of letting a friend do it for you unless that friend happens to be a professional photographer.

wedding photographer in action

Do you like the photographer?

Do meet them, you really want to be comfortable around your photographer. If you can’t meet them in person at least try and Skype with them, have a little chat, get to know them. What are they like, what do they love, that sort of thing and it’s a chance for them to get to know you a little bit too. I think you want to be comfortable in their presence, you don’t want to feel that maybe they’re bossing you around or they’re not in tune with you and your partner, and who you both are as a couple.

You want to feel comfortable with them on the wedding day. You’re going to spend a lot of time with your photographer on the wedding day, so it’s really important that you’re comfortable in their presence. Because I think that just makes for such better photography.

You’ll feel more relaxed, your guests will feel more relaxed, you almost want your wedding photographer to feel like a guest at the wedding, I have had one of my wedding photographers actually have a couple say their photographer was like a “photography ninja”. Because they didn’t really notice, they didn’t get in the way, they didn’t spoil the flow of the day. And I think that’s really important on your wedding, you just want to feel that they really are just part of the day and capturing that day in the moments as they go along. Really get to meet them, get to know them before you book them.

Consider an engagement shoot

If you’re still feeling a little uncomfortable and worried, you’re not used to being in front of the camera then I do recommend you consider booking an E-shoot. That will really give you a couple of hours just to get used to being directed by the photographer. Experience how they work, how they can makes you feel a bit more comfortable in your photos. So on the wedding day itself you’re already used to being with your photographer. You’re used to how they work, how they’re going to take the pictures. They’ll also be able to give you some directions on the best way to stand, and also when you get the images back if you’re a bit uncertain about anything you can just chat with the photographer about them and just have a conversation with them. Communicate with your photographer and establish what you do and don’t like about your pictures.

Photographers aren’t miracle workers. You really need to be comfortable in your skin, so that’s why it really helps to be comfortable with your photographer and know that they are, you’re comfortable with them, and they’re taking good photographs.

Trust your photographer

Really trust your photographer, let them take creative rein in what they’re doing. If you’ve booked them for a reason, you like their style, you really want to just trust them to do what they do, let them be creative. Let them know the good spots, know what’s going on around them. Know that they’re going to establish what’s going on at the venue. Often people think oh, the photographer has to go visit the venue beforehand. The light will never be the same, except on the day you get married. So for some photographers, they don’t necessarily feel they have to go visit the venue beforehand, because really everything changes on the day of your wedding, be a different time of year, different time of day, everything’s set up in different ways. Just have that trust in your photographer.

Discuss Timings

Do discuss with them your timings. The more time you can give to the photographer the better. If the photography is really important for you and you want to have really lovely images, do discuss that with the photographer. Talk to them about how long something is going to take. Group photos often take so much longer than you think they will. So, don’t try and have too many. Discuss with the photographer what you want and allow that when you’re thinking about the timings of the whole day. Allow time for your photography.

Yeah, and I think that’s kind of it really. Know what you want. Trust your photographer. Again, be comfortable with them. And they’ll take amazing photos of your day, because I think it’s such an important to have those after your wedding. Trust me, when you’ve come back from your honeymoon maybe even before, you’ll be dying to see those images and just reliving all those beautiful moments from your wedding day.

I hope that was helpful, maybe not so quick tips on photography and what to think about when you’re booking your wedding photographer.

Next week it’s Q, I’ll be back and I’ll hopefully if you’ve got any questions be Q, I’m going to open up for a little Q and A session. I hope you like those tips and see you next week.

Take care.

Images by Bethany & James Photography

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