How to choose a Wedding Photographer...

[JonetteA]

Or, more aptly named...putting your memories in the hand of someone you have only met once.

I have been meaning to write this for awhile because it is the most asked question I get. How do I choose the right person to photograph or video my wedding?

In no way is this meant to be an advertisement. I think we have enough of those already, so let's keep this out of this post.

1) You get what you pay for. - This is true. If there is a place to cut your budget it is not here. Remember that this is all that you are going to have after your day is over. This is what your children and grandchildren are going to see. This decision is more important than what your guests eat, and how many flowers you have. These individuals are professionals. I can not stress this enough! They have seen it and dealt with it all so don't have any worries there.

2) View the portfolios of at least 3 different photographers. - Get a feel for their style. Does what they do "turn you on". Can they see the light to make you look the best?

3) Ask for referrals. Look at the threads on here that is a good way to begin.

4) Talk to the person you are thinking of hiring. Can't stress this enough. Have more than one conversation, and go over the vision of the day. If you have some pictures that you want them to recreate, email, or bring them with you to the meeting. The one thing that I did well was establish rapport with both my photographer and videographer. I made sure that they had worked together in the past and that they were used to moving out of each other's way.

5) Make a decision that you are happy with and book. Relax and enjoy your wedding day knowing that the people that you have asked to capture your day will do so to show the beauty that was your wedding.

Other items to note: Don't forget to feed your photographer, maybe more than just a deli sandwhich! They have been with you for hours and they will need a break to recharge so that they can capture your partying!

Just a few thoughts. If anyone else has tips, please add them here. If it does end up being an advertising thread, I will delete those posts. If you want recommendations, there are tons of threads on the board showcasing the talent available.

Thanks!

Jonette

 

[lurkyloo]

Ooh! Good idea for a thread!

Another idea is to actually try out a photographer by scheduling an engagement photo shoot. Some photographers offer them for free or as part of the wedding-day package, but even if you have to pay, it can be worth it. Not only do you get to see exactly how you will look in that photographer's pictures, but you get a chance to spend an hour or more with him or her to see if your personalities mesh.

It's also a great way to see how your hair and makeup will look on film if you schedule a hair and/or makeup trial right before the shoot.

 

[Skylarr29]

We had an engagement session with the photographer that we wanted to do our wedding photos (I won't mention the name because they are popular here) but we did not like the style at all and started looking for someone else.

We were really looking for customer service. We wanted to make sure that we were comfortable with the person we chose. Customer service was/is very important to us so we went with the person who answered all of our questions and always responded promptly to emails. I knew I couldn't wonder if our photographer was going to show up day of.

 

[IndyBride]

It's funny because I am starting to narrow down vendors to have meetings with during my planning session and I started getting a weird feeling about the one I was leaning towards. So, I started my search again and I fell in love with some photos by someone new. I'm glad this thread is here because it made me realize I need to go with my instincts.

 

[Mrsdisneyb2b]

How are the Disney Photographers? We are concerned because we are not sure who to go with and have not gotten such great feedback from other people about the DIS photogs....

 

[Skylarr29]

How are the Disney Photographers? We are concerned because we are not sure who to go with and have not gotten such great feedback from other people about the DIS photogs....

I think a lot of people choose to go with outside vendors for many reasons.

I personally did not want to go with Disney photography because I wanted the option to KNOW who I was going to be working with on my wedding day. I think photography is one of the most important decisions in our wedding planning because they are capturing the memories of the day. With Disney photography you are just assigned a person. That wasn't for us but some people like the convenience of having all of there services provided from one place. Another thing to consider is cost.... I don't think Disney's prices are very competitive... matter of fact I think they are very expensive for what you get. They don't include (as far as I know) the high resolution CD with your proofs so you can print. You have to purchase it for an additional 1K I think. Every photographer that I interviewed or emailed included a high res CD with their packages so I am surprised Disney does not.

As far as the work they do I have read mixed reviews. I have seen some amazing photos and I have seen some just OK photos. I think it depends on who you get and since you can't decide it is just the luck of the draw.

We wanted someone with a more photo journalistic style, we didn't want to be posed all over the place you know.

I would definitely do your research and look at the whole picture - price, what the package includes, customer service. etc. Good luck!

 

[hiwaygal]

How are the Disney Photographers? We are concerned because we are not sure who to go with and have not gotten such great feedback from other people about the DIS photogs....

I used Disney and was very pleased and happy with the results.

I see that Jonetta sort of intended to keep this "vendor" neutral so if you want additional information, or to see samples of the work Disney does, feel free to PM me.

 

[Ember]

- Try to find a style you like (ex: formal, artistic, photo-journalistic, tradtional, etc.). This will help you narrow your search. I knew that I was after a combination of artistic and photo-journalistic. As soon as I saw a lot of formal, set up shots in a photographers portfolio I moved on.

- Ask for recent references. A photographer shouldn't have a problem providing them. Even beyond reviews here (or anywhere else) talking to people who have just had an experience with your potential photographer can help. Also, if you love what you see and you get along with the person, don't let a negative review scare you. Not everyone is going to get along.

- Check what you are getting. Some photographers include prints or albums, others don't. Make sure you are getting what you paid for.

- Get your negatives (now probably on a high resolution DVD) and make sure you have printing rights.

- Ask if you are getting one photographer or two. Two means more shots at different angles and two people to capture moments.

- And most important, on the day of the wedding, let them do their job and don't worry about it.