What to Look For in a Wedding Photographer

Although finding the perfect wedding photographer to capture your big day may seem impossible at times, it’s crucial to find someone that understands your vision. Your photographs will end up becoming a treasured keepsake to look back on for years to come, so you’ll want them to truly encapsulate the experience. Here are some tips to help find you the right person to capture all the lifelong memories your wedding will bring.

Choose a Photography Style

Choosing a style of photography that you love involves a bit of research. To better figure out your likes and dislikes, trying looking at an assortment of wedding photo collections online. From there, decide what it is you like about them. Do you like classic photos? Or do you prefer artistic snapshots? No matter the style, find 3-5 photographers whose portfolios match the specifications you want.

While it’s tempting to just look at the highlight reel on their website, you want to see their most recent photos, and some of their older images as well. It’s a great idea to look at the full set of albums in a portfolio for the wedding, if possible, to see what you can expect on your special day.

Once you have a list of wedding photographers you’re interested in working with, be sure to reach out as soon as possible to find out their availability. In your email, be sure to include what you’re looking for and what your wedding date is. You can even take snapshots from the Internet that you’d love to recreate.

Interview Your Wedding Photographer

Once you find a photographer whose availability matches yours, you’ll want to set up a time to meet them. Whether you hold a meeting virtually or in-person, you must sit down and discuss your needs with potential wedding photographers.

In your conversation, you can continue to talk about what you’re looking for to see if they’ll meet your expectations. When recruiting a wedding photographer, you want someone honest, has superb organization skills, and has an approachable personality.

You’ll be spending a lot of time with your wedding photographer. More importantly, you’ll be placing your trust in them to capture and document once-in-a-lifetime memories. Thus, you’ll want to be sure you can rely on them so that you’re able to sit back and enjoy your wedding day without worrying about your photos. Plus, if you get along well, your wedding photographer will know what is important to you and see that without you guiding them along the entire time.

An interview would also be a great time to discuss specific details with your potential wedding photographer. While you talk, ask about whether or not they work independently, or in a team, and how that might impact the photos they’ll be taking. This would also be a great time to talk about what types of camera equipment they’ll use at your wedding.

Hold a Test-Run with a Wedding Photographer

To further guarantee that your personalities mesh well, you can do a test-run with your wedding photographer. A good test-run is your engagement photos. When posing for your engagement photos, you can see how your photographer operates in a calmer environment ahead of your wedding day. You’ll also witness more personal examples of their work. If everything goes great, you’ll feel confident in your decision. If not, can still move on with additional knowledge of what you’re specifically looking for in a wedding photographer.

Stick to Your Budget When Hiring a Wedding Photographer

Besides your photography style and your ability to get along, you’ll want to match your photographer to your budget. You’ll also want to consider the different rates and packages that wedding photographers offer. Whether or not a splurge on a skilled wedding photographer will make or break your budget, you’ll want to consider their price-points.

While finding the right wedding photographer can be hard, it’s not impossible. Be confident in your choices and rely on your gut: you know what is best for you. If you need help deciding what style of wedding photography is right for you, contact Knowles Hospitality! Our wedding planners will help you find someone perfect for your wedding day.