Weddings are stressful and expensive. And yes a large chunk of your wedding budget is reserved for the photographer. While it is true that you get what you pay for, hiring the most expensive or even the best photographers is not enough. It is important to understand that as clients, you will have to work with us to help us create magical photographs that will be the account of your special day for the rest of your life.
Weddings are, for most of us, once-in-a-lifetime events. To make sure everything goes perfectly, it requires a great deal of preparations and planning. This is true for the photography part as well.
Here are some tips to get the very best out of your wedding photographer:
Only Hire A Professional
A professional is not someone who has all the quality “ticks” present on their website. Neither does it refer to your Uncle Jimmy who is an avid photographer. By ‘professional’ we mean someone whose main source of income is wedding photography.
Check their portfolio and online reviews. If the photographer has already covered a friend’s wedding and they are happy with their work, then that’s a great sign. A professional wedding photographer covers hundreds of weddings during a year, which gives them enough practice to be able to repeatedly capture photographs that communicate everything you are feeling on that day.
Meet Before The Big Day
Get to know your photographer before you book one. After all, you will spending one of the most special days of your life with them.
When the wedding dates are close by, set up a final meeting with them, to inform them about any last minute changes and help them prepare accordingly.
Research And Identify What You Like
Research wedding photos online, but remember you are doing this to educate yourself and not your photographer. Pick out photos that you like and then try to identify what elements of those photos are appealing to you. You can then communicate the same to your photographer to give them an idea of what you like and how you want your photos to look.
Remember to be realistic with your expectations. The photographs you find online are usually the best work of a few photographers. A photographer takes thousand of images, but only puts the best few shots on display. You need to understand that not all of your hundreds of wedding photos will look like that.
Let Your Photographer Choose The Bridal Shoot Location
A professional has a better understanding of light and other elements that make up a photograph. It is thus, smarter to let the photographer decide the location of the bridal shoot. Of course you can specify the setting, for instance, ‘the beach’ or ‘the garden’, but let the photographer choose the specific spots for the shoot at that location.
Don’t Micromanage
Photography involves creativity. It is important that you understand that and grant the photographer, and for that matter all the other artists involved in your wedding, some level of creative freedom. If you get to know your photographer beforehand, it is easier to do this.
Freedom gives way to creativity, and creativity brings magic into art. So let the photographer have some freedom and create beautiful photos that you can cherish for a lifetime.
Let the Photographer Know What’s Important to You
If you’re the type of bride who is really close to her family and wants candid photographs of them, be sure to tell your photographers. Point these people out to your photographers on the big day, or designate someone to do it for you. Also, scheduling your family photos before your ceremony is a really good idea. It allows your photographer to attend your cocktail hour to shoot candids, and learn any other important information. The cocktail hour is also a great time for you to say hello to your guests and take photos with them, especially if they aren’t part of family portraits.
Assign One or Two “Wranglers”
If you have friends familiar with the majority of your family, such as one for each side, they can act as “wranglers” for your photographer. The wrangler(s) will assist during family photo time by letting the people in the next group know they’re up soon and ensure they’re ready when called. Provide wranglers with copies of the shot list so they can check it off along with your photographer. That way, everyone who needs to be photographed will be.
Have the Photographer Eat When You Eat
Your photographer isn’t going to be taking photos while you’re eating. Besides, do you want images of you with your mouth full? The photographer is with you all day, and like you will need to eat and reenergize. If you are not providing meals for your photographers other vendors/staff members, let them know in advance so they can be prepared instead of feeling hungry all night long.
Conclusion
At the end, remember it is YOUR wedding, and that you are the most important person on that day. So have fun and do not let yourself get stressed if something doesn’t go according to plan. It would probably be too late to make any amendments on the wedding day anyway, and the stress will show in the photographs.