How to Choose Your Wedding Photographer - {Utah Wedding Photography, Layton Wedding Photography}
Congratulations! You're getting married! So much to plan, so much to do! This is an exciting time for any bride and groom, and you have some big decisions ahead of you.
Perhaps one of the biggest decisions is choosing a photographer. You have heard this one before: "After the wedding is over, the cake is eaten, the guests go home, the flowers die, the beautiful gown gets hung in a closet, and all you have left are you memories." Now, this is not to say that all of those other things are not important. They are, in fact, little pieces of what make the day so special, because they are a reflection of who you are the and the love you share. The photographer (and videographer) is the one who will capture the story, the details, and and all the love of that special day so you will be able to look back and remember it all.
But here is the dilemma? There are sooo many photographers out there, how can you choose just one? Hopefully, this little guide will help you make the best decision for YOU.
1. Decide on your style. Even though there are a billion photographers to choose from, they often follow a certain sort of style. There are the more organic photographers, where they use mostly natural light and focus more on emotion than posing. They may also use filters that give the images a soft, dreamy quality. The other side of this are fashion photographers. These photographers are likely to use dramatic lighting and posing to create breathtaking images. There are all sorts in-between, and some photographers may even have a blend of styles, so it will really be to you and your fiance to decide what style you would prefer for your wedding day. Please see the list of photography styles with examples of photographers at the end of this post.
2. Decide on your budget. There is a very common adage that has been around since the invention of money - You get what you pay for. This is not necessarily a bad thing, but it is certainly something you should be aware of. A really amazing, professional photographer can be quite expensive - but they will treat you like royalty and you will have amazing images and beautiful products (albums, wall art, high quality prints, etc). They will also have more experience, back-up equipment, insurance, and a license to do business. All of these things will give you peace of mind. If your budget is smaller, you may have to start sacrificing a few things. For example, your photographer may not have as much experience with wedding photography. This does not mean they are a bad photographer, they may just not have as many weddings under their belt. This may also mean they are not as capable at handling a difficult situation if one arises (and they often do at weddings!). Or maybe your photographer does not have a lot of back-up equipment. This can be scary, because if anything goes wrong with the equipment (and it does, all the time!), will this mean you will not get photos of your wedding day, or the quality will not be what you expected? Certainly something to consider. I will give a word of warning: do not hire a photographer based solely on price, even if they are offering it for free. Free or cheap does not necessarily mean awesome. Are they offering a style you like? What is their experience? What products are they offering? Do they have back-up equipment? Insurance? The last thing you want is to hire someone for cheap, only to get back mediocre images (I know, because this happened to me!).
3. Study and meet with your potential photographers. Once you know your style and your budget, you can start making a list of photographers in your area who fit those criteria. Look carefully at portfolios of their work (any pro worth a grain of salt will have an actual website to visit, not just a Facebook page!). Is their style and quality of work consistent? Do they have positive reviews from other clients or vendors they have worked with? Do they have a diverse portfolio, meaning, do they show more than just a few weddings? This will help determine their experience. Once you have a list of a few that you feel may fit your criteria, schedule to meet with them IN PERSON. This is sooo important, because you will be better able to determine if your personalities will work well together. A photographer who does not mesh with the client will likely not be able to capture what the client really wants. An in-person meeting will also help you gain a better understanding of their skills, products they might offer, and determining other small details you may have not otherwise been able to obtain, such as if they have back-up equipment, insurance, etc. And finally, meeting IN PERSON means you are actually meeting a real person! I have heard horror stories from brides who hired a photographer, but only talked over the phone. They sent money and contracts via email or mail. The day of the wedding came, and no photographer, who has mysteriously disappeared. This is a worst case scenario, of course, but it does happen, and this is a great way to prevent it.
4. Choose your photographer! You have decided on a style of photography you love, you have set your budget, and you have met with several photographers who match what you are looking for. Now you are ready to make the final decision! At this point, you may only have one or two you feel will be the perfect fit for you, which is a much easier decision than a hundred. It may come down to some little details, such as a better product line from one, or maybe you simply mesh so well with another. Of course, if you find one that meets ALL of your criteria, plus all the little bonuses, then the decision is really made for you, and you can be happy knowing your wedding day will be in good hands with that photographer:-)
I hope this has helped you understand how to choose a great photographer for your wedding. Simply by breaking things down in to simple steps will help you come to the best decision.
Here are a list of different styles of photography to get those brain juices flowing and give you some great ideas! These are not necessarily photographers I recommend, although they are all very good!
Organic/Lifestyle: usually natural light photography, mostly unposed or with very simple, natural-looking poses, strong emphasis on emotions and the story, very light, often with a hazy, dreamy look.
http://shanea-janese-photography.squarespace.com/
http://sweetmemorygarden.com/weddings/
http://www.loragradyphotography.com/blog/
Classic: clean, beautifully lit, well-posed. May be natural light, or uses other lights. Not overly photoshopped, relying more on natural colors or black&white.
www.sarahstilesphotography/weddings (yes, of course I am adding myself to this list! LOL)
http://dustinizatt.com/blog/
www.mystylephoto.com
http://www.melissapapajphotography.com/
Fashion: Highly stylized. Often uses dramatic lighting and posing to create breathtaking images. May also use a great deal of photoshop to create composites, textures, over-saturated colors, and other interesting and unique effects.
www.camillabinks.com
http://www.scottrobertgallery.com/#/landing/
http://www.kjimages.com/
http://www.jerryghionis.com/
Perhaps one of the biggest decisions is choosing a photographer. You have heard this one before: "After the wedding is over, the cake is eaten, the guests go home, the flowers die, the beautiful gown gets hung in a closet, and all you have left are you memories." Now, this is not to say that all of those other things are not important. They are, in fact, little pieces of what make the day so special, because they are a reflection of who you are the and the love you share. The photographer (and videographer) is the one who will capture the story, the details, and and all the love of that special day so you will be able to look back and remember it all.
But here is the dilemma? There are sooo many photographers out there, how can you choose just one? Hopefully, this little guide will help you make the best decision for YOU.
1. Decide on your style. Even though there are a billion photographers to choose from, they often follow a certain sort of style. There are the more organic photographers, where they use mostly natural light and focus more on emotion than posing. They may also use filters that give the images a soft, dreamy quality. The other side of this are fashion photographers. These photographers are likely to use dramatic lighting and posing to create breathtaking images. There are all sorts in-between, and some photographers may even have a blend of styles, so it will really be to you and your fiance to decide what style you would prefer for your wedding day. Please see the list of photography styles with examples of photographers at the end of this post.
2. Decide on your budget. There is a very common adage that has been around since the invention of money - You get what you pay for. This is not necessarily a bad thing, but it is certainly something you should be aware of. A really amazing, professional photographer can be quite expensive - but they will treat you like royalty and you will have amazing images and beautiful products (albums, wall art, high quality prints, etc). They will also have more experience, back-up equipment, insurance, and a license to do business. All of these things will give you peace of mind. If your budget is smaller, you may have to start sacrificing a few things. For example, your photographer may not have as much experience with wedding photography. This does not mean they are a bad photographer, they may just not have as many weddings under their belt. This may also mean they are not as capable at handling a difficult situation if one arises (and they often do at weddings!). Or maybe your photographer does not have a lot of back-up equipment. This can be scary, because if anything goes wrong with the equipment (and it does, all the time!), will this mean you will not get photos of your wedding day, or the quality will not be what you expected? Certainly something to consider. I will give a word of warning: do not hire a photographer based solely on price, even if they are offering it for free. Free or cheap does not necessarily mean awesome. Are they offering a style you like? What is their experience? What products are they offering? Do they have back-up equipment? Insurance? The last thing you want is to hire someone for cheap, only to get back mediocre images (I know, because this happened to me!).
3. Study and meet with your potential photographers. Once you know your style and your budget, you can start making a list of photographers in your area who fit those criteria. Look carefully at portfolios of their work (any pro worth a grain of salt will have an actual website to visit, not just a Facebook page!). Is their style and quality of work consistent? Do they have positive reviews from other clients or vendors they have worked with? Do they have a diverse portfolio, meaning, do they show more than just a few weddings? This will help determine their experience. Once you have a list of a few that you feel may fit your criteria, schedule to meet with them IN PERSON. This is sooo important, because you will be better able to determine if your personalities will work well together. A photographer who does not mesh with the client will likely not be able to capture what the client really wants. An in-person meeting will also help you gain a better understanding of their skills, products they might offer, and determining other small details you may have not otherwise been able to obtain, such as if they have back-up equipment, insurance, etc. And finally, meeting IN PERSON means you are actually meeting a real person! I have heard horror stories from brides who hired a photographer, but only talked over the phone. They sent money and contracts via email or mail. The day of the wedding came, and no photographer, who has mysteriously disappeared. This is a worst case scenario, of course, but it does happen, and this is a great way to prevent it.
4. Choose your photographer! You have decided on a style of photography you love, you have set your budget, and you have met with several photographers who match what you are looking for. Now you are ready to make the final decision! At this point, you may only have one or two you feel will be the perfect fit for you, which is a much easier decision than a hundred. It may come down to some little details, such as a better product line from one, or maybe you simply mesh so well with another. Of course, if you find one that meets ALL of your criteria, plus all the little bonuses, then the decision is really made for you, and you can be happy knowing your wedding day will be in good hands with that photographer:-)
I hope this has helped you understand how to choose a great photographer for your wedding. Simply by breaking things down in to simple steps will help you come to the best decision.
Here are a list of different styles of photography to get those brain juices flowing and give you some great ideas! These are not necessarily photographers I recommend, although they are all very good!
Organic/Lifestyle: usually natural light photography, mostly unposed or with very simple, natural-looking poses, strong emphasis on emotions and the story, very light, often with a hazy, dreamy look.
http://shanea-janese-photography.squarespace.com/
http://sweetmemorygarden.com/weddings/
http://www.loragradyphotography.com/blog/
Classic: clean, beautifully lit, well-posed. May be natural light, or uses other lights. Not overly photoshopped, relying more on natural colors or black&white.
www.sarahstilesphotography/weddings (yes, of course I am adding myself to this list! LOL)
http://dustinizatt.com/blog/
www.mystylephoto.com
http://www.melissapapajphotography.com/
Fashion: Highly stylized. Often uses dramatic lighting and posing to create breathtaking images. May also use a great deal of photoshop to create composites, textures, over-saturated colors, and other interesting and unique effects.
www.camillabinks.com
http://www.scottrobertgallery.com/#/landing/
http://www.kjimages.com/
http://www.jerryghionis.com/
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