Photographs are how we remember special occasions for years afterwards. They document our excitement, happiness and sometimes even our troubles. It’s no different with your wedding day – finding a photographer with the right style and way of working is essential if you want to have photos you can look back on with pleasure. Here’s how to ensure you choose the perfect wedding photographer.
Find a style you like
The best way to start is to find a style of photography that you like. Take a look around some wedding photography websites or Instagram accounts to find the style you like best. You might choose one of the following:
Documentary: This typically follows a candid style, with few posed photos. The images capture the day as it unfolds, telling the story of your wedding from getting ready in the morning to family and friends enjoying a good dance in the evening.
Portraiture: This type of photography is more traditional, with lots of classic, posed shots of couples, their family and friends. You can opt for more creative portraiture shots if you like the style but want to move away from the conventional alter or hotel grounds shots.
Contemporary: This style gives the photographer a little more artistic license, with more unusual framing and angles. Some images may be taken from above, or have a grainy, dreamlike quality to them, created by changing the camera’s ISO.
You can, of course, choose a mixture of documentary and portraiture, which many photographers will do.
Create a shortlist
Once you’ve picked a style it’s time to start browsing local listings or attending wedding fairs to find photographers who offer what you want. Check photographers’ blogs and reviews to get a feel for their style and the kind of feedback they have had from previous clients. Create a shortlist of three of four potentials that meet your budget needs.
Meet the photographers
It’s important that you get on with the person who will be shooting your wedding day, and that you understand their way of working. A documentary photographer, for example, might stay in the background more, looking for spontaneous shots, while a portrait photographer would need to actively direct you and your wedding party in order to get the photographs you want.
Discuss their availability, way of working and what they may need from you on the day, as well as what you have in mind for your photos. Don’t forget that they’ll be around you all day, so it’s vital that you like each other and that you feel comfortable with them accessing intimate moments.
Review albums
Requesting to see a couple of full galleries from weddings that a potential photographer has shot gives you a clear overview of their style for the whole day. Basing your decision on highlights from different weddings could be unwise as you may not like the photographer’s style of portrait or the way they shoot the wedding breakfast. By looking at a few full albums, you can be sure that they’ll deliver what you want.
Remember to check technicalities too, such as the sharpness of imagery, the framing of the shots and whether they capture the moments you want to be captured at your wedding.
Wedding photography in London
With a blend of documentary and editorial style imagery, I aim to portray the spirit and fun of your wedding day, providing you with visual memories that you’ll enjoy for years to come.
For details on my wedding photography services in London and the South East, contact me today.