How to find a perfect photographer for your wedding?

Planning a wedding comes with many difficult choices for every bride. Many people wonder how to find the perfect wedding photographer and where to look for them.

This will be a mini guide for all the couples that don’t know how or where to start their research. This will help you to save time and minimize the risk of disappointment. 

PERFECT WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER - TELL THEM ABOUT YOUR EXPECTATIONS

Nowadays, thanks to the internet, it’s easy to find any type of service – including photographers. But how do you find the one that’s right for you? First you must consider what kind of wedding photography you are interested in. What style is most aesthetically pleasing to you?

Are you looking for rather darker photos or something more nostalgic? Or maybe you prefer pastel, warm colors? Maybe you want spontaneous reportage where emotions and dynamic moments are captured? Or perhaps you prefer static poses?

Answering those questions will help you define your needs and who you’re looking for. Every wedding photographer has his own style, which he or she has been perfecting for years. They don’t change it with every session. Don’t be afraid – there are lots of photographers, you will surely find someone who is the right fit for you.

Once you decide what style you’re looking for, there are a few more things you must consider before finding the right photographer. What kind of services do you want? An outdoor photoshoot? Do you want photos of wedding gifts, accessories, shoes etc. as standalone pictures? Do you want the photographer to be there during the preparations?

When you figure out all of these elements – Now it’s time to consider the budget. It doesn’t have to be exact, but set a max price that you don’t want to cross. Although it is possible that, all of a sudden, you will find some more money which can be used to increase your budget. Now, you can start looking for the photographer. 

WHERE TO FIND THE PERFECT PHOTOGRAPHER?

There are a few common ways to find your ideal photographer.  First one – through the grapevine. I’m sure some of your relatives or friends had a wedding in the recent past. Check out their photos, if you like what you see then obtain the photographer’s details and contact them. Ask about their workflow, share with them all your ideas from above, and discuss the price etc. 

Another place where you can find a wedding photographer is Facebook. Most photographers are very active there, regularly posting about their recent shoots. Try the search bar to find groups for wedding photography or make a post and get some recommendations from your friends. 

If you decide to post a question in the group don’t forget to write the date of the wedding, what parts of the wedding you’d like to shoot,  your style preferences and your budget. You can also mention the location of the wedding or wedding reception. This will shorten the time of your search. 

Apart from facebook groups you can also check out Instagram. You can check the hashtag like #photographer, #weddingphotographer, #weddingphotography etc. This way you can quickly view many photographers’ work and see if whose style suits you.

Google, of course, will help you find many resources such as photographers’ websites, blogs and forums.

You can check the ranks of the services, choose the region specific, search nationwide or even look internationally. Most of them offer a possibility to register and post an announcement, not only for the photographers. Most of them are free so it’s the perfect place to look.

Lastly, you have wedding magazines. As you can imagine, you can find inside all things related to weddings and planning them, including photoshoots. 

WHAT TO PAY ATTENTION TO WHILE CHECKING THE PORTFOLIO?

To be sure you choose the right photographer, you have to pay attention to a number of things. One of them is the portfolio – look closely at the photos and decide whether the composition and color choices are coherent. Does everything appear bland or does it create a sense of wonder and magic?. 

If every photoshoot is a totally different story, then you can’t be sure what yours will be like. Look closely at the photos from the ceremony or wedding reception. Dark churches are always a challenge. 

Those will be the photos that show the experience of the photographer. The ability to walk between guests on the dancefloor or catching the vows – those are not the moments that you can redo, everything is happening spontaneously. 

If the photographer has a blog there is a chance that you can check more of the photos from weddings or photoshoots than the ones from his website. If not – you can always ask him to show you more.

Now to consider exactly what services they provide and their price. Do they shoot outdoors, are they animal friendly, do they shoot gifts and accessories etc. If it’s not explicitly stated, don’t be afraid to send them a message to find out! Note that often a photographer may not state exact prices on their website as each photoshoot has its own specification.

Now it’s almost time to make a choice! Maybe you’ve whittled it down to one, or you’ve selected a few options. Time to get in touch!

WHAT SHOULD I WRITE IN AN EMAIL?

First and foremost, you must tell them the date of your wedding to make sure they are available. Tell them which parts of the wedding day you’d like photographed, and about any specific items or moments that are important to you. If you still don’t know the price – Now is the time to ask. 

Write a few words about yourselves – what’s your background, how you’ve been together, what would you perfect wedding look like. Believe me – there is nothing worse than an email “how much does the photoshoot cost?”. Photographers are also people, they want to know something about you :) 

Ask about the possibility of seeing more of their work. Ask them to bring a variety of albums to the meeting. In the situation where many photographers work for one company, make sure to find out who is responsible for the photoshoots you liked so that you can arrange a meeting with the person whose work you appreciate the most.

Now there is no point of any further questions. Some of them will disappear after getting the whole offer. If not you can also ask about the additional costs like transport or accommodation and about the reservation requirements. Remember that only sending an email doesn’t necessarily mean that the reservation has been made.. 

The last step is to arrange a meeting. It can be in person or online through skype etc. Now, you can actually see and meet the person that you would like to work with.

MEETING WITH THE PHOTOGRAPHER

This is one of the most important days in your life, you certainly want to feel comfortable in the presence of the photographer. Meeting each other is an important step to see if you connect and share the same vision.

Sometimes, even if the photos are beautiful you just don’t know how to effectively communicate with each other. A photographer's personality has a huge impact on how you look in the photos. Trust us, you can just tell!

Every photographer has a different style. Some people are more expressive and some not. Some have a rather obvious presence and some will be standing quietly at the side, barely noticeable to the guests..

There are photographers that like to create situations and some just catch what’s happening spontaneously. Some are very open and friendly and some will be more reserved and official. 

Thanks to that meeting you can see if this is the person that you’ve been looking for. Do you feel good with each other? Did he make a positive impression and do you want to hire that person?

During the meeting, you will agree to all the business details such as when to pay, when you’ll get your photos, how many hours the photographer will work etc. I will describe those things in a different article.

It may sound silly, but make sure that the person from the meeting is the person that will come to your wedding! It’s that person work you appreciate, and that person you connected with so a last minute change could ruin everything!

PERFECT PHOTOGRAPHER - SUMMARY

Now you know how to start looking for the right photographer for you and what to pay attention to. Remember that the most important thing is to clearly identify and describe your expectations and all should go well!