Weddings are among the most important events in our personal lives. They represent the joining of families, the promise of commitment, and new beginnings. One of the most important parts of a wedding is the pictures so you want to make sure your photographer is up to the job. With that in mind, here is a quick guide to finding a photographer that will help to make this moment last forever.
Budget it Out
Often times cost plays a large part in selecting a good wedding photographer. Weddings are expensive events so an experienced and well-recommended photographer isn’t going to be cheap. Create a budget so you include the cost of shooting the event along with the cost of prints, picture frames, albums and other incidentals. When you have a total in mind, you will be better equipped for finding a photographer in your price range. Just remember that photographers that work for less often do so for a reason so buyer beware.
Find Your Style
What kind of style do you like? Classic portraiture, wedding photo-journalism or candid shots? Every photographer has their own style of shooting so get familiar with their work and style before you agree to anything. Meet with photographers and ask to see examples of their previous work. These meet-ups will help you to understand not only their artistic style, but also there shooting style. Remember that a wedding photographer is going to be present throughout your wedding – it is important you and your guests will be comfortable with them.
Check for Experience
Choosing a wedding photographer is not something you should leave to the roll of a dice. Once you find a photographer who matches your personal style and shoots in a manner that you like, make sure to get at least 3 references of previous clients so you can speak with them about the service they received. Find out how the photographer worked at the wedding- were they responsive, were they on time and how did they respond to any problems?. Experience and credentials are important but nothing is more important than the stories of former clients.
Get Personal Recommendations
Speak with your friends and family about wedding photographers they may have used. Wedding photography is a specific niche so often the best wedding photographers have worked for someone you know. You should start looking for a photographer as soon as you have a wedding date – top-notch wedding photographers often book their schedule months or a year in advance. There’s nothing worse than finding the perfect shooter only to discover they’re booked for another wedding on the same day.
Get it in Writing
A wedding is a once in a lifetime experience so don’t leave it up to chance. Regardless of how talented the photographer is, you are still dependent upon them to show up and get all of the pictures that you want. In order to make sure that there are no misunderstandings, you should insist on having a written agreement outlining the commitment. This contract should cover what you’re paying, when your photographer is expected to be there, what they are expected to do and anything else that is worth noting. If your photographer isn’t willing to put the agreement in writing it’s time to find someone else.
Finding a wedding photographer can be one of the most stressful parts of planning a wedding, but if you start early and cover your bases you should have no trouble finding the perfect shooter for your style and budget. With that out of the way, you’ll be free to worry about the other ten thousand things that a wedding entails!
