8 tips on choosing a wedding photographer

Tips on Choosing a Wedding Photographer – I am often asked at wedding fayres, usually by newly engaged couples, what to look for when choosing a wedding photographer and wedding photography packages. (one couple last week were so newly engaged he asked her on a Saturday evening and forgot to bring the ring along!)

So, here are a few things to think about…

 

1. Wedding Photos and Albums – Real or Models?

When you visit a wedding fayre or a wedding photographer in person, make sure that the albums you see on display are actual real albums with real brides.

Be careful if the brides and grooms look model gorgeous - it probably means they are models, and the albums are samples. (Nothing wrong with gorgeous people by the way, but weddings come in all different shapes and sizes.)

Check that there is a range of bride and groom shapes and sizes. Everyone wants to display their best work, but not everyone is a size 8!

Real weddings = real brides and grooms = accurate sizes and shapes! Remember the average size for a UK female is 16-18

Many new wedding photographers (and many existing ones) will attend "portfolio" building days where models are in dress/suits, and the photos are staged.  This is great for building experience with new kit, new lights, communication, the direction of couples, poses etc.  But they shouldn't be passed off as an actual wedding - so ask the question!

 

2. Is this the photographer who will shoot your wedding?

Is the photographer you see at a wedding fayre or at a meeting the one who will come to your wedding?

Again, make sure and get it in writing. Many low-cost photographers out there use assistants or other part-time photographers.

I've struggled this past few months, doing 135+ in the last 16 months (Covid backlog etc!) and having a total of 12+ left booked for 2022; I go back to my much more normal 35 max for 2023 onwards.

Regularly doing 60+ weddings a year is a significant drain on physical resources and editing (most of which will be outsourced anyway).

 

3. Time Frame to get your wedding photographs and wedding albums back

Who will edit the photos or put the album together – the photographer or someone else? The use of Artificial Intelligence has improved the time frame for being able to edit wedding photographs, so it's worth asking "Is it YOU or AI that edits my photos?"

A full-time wedding photographer shouldn't take more than 4 weeks to edit your wedding photographs fully.

How will the albums take to get printed and get back to you? What do the samples look like for quality, colour range, materials, presentation cases etc?

 

4. Overall Charges

Think about what the photographer is charging AND what is included (or not included)

If the cost seems very low compared to other photographers of the same quality, ask yourself why.

They may not "need" the money as much as some.  I'm getting close to being able to access pension pots (yes, I don't look it!), and that means that I can either reduce the number of weddings or reduce my prices as I don't "need" the money as much.

Be careful of the opposite.  Very young wedding photographers charge ££££ when they will have little experience (less than 4 years, perhaps not including Covid) and will also have a full-time job to boot.  Who will come first - you at £2k per wedding or their £30k + car+ benefits job should the worse happen?

With age and time in the industry comes experience, and that is what you should be looking at. Not just price. In fact price should never be first on the list.

 

5. Quality Wedding Albums - Tips on choosing a wedding photographer

Look at the quality of the wedding albums and check to see if they are extra or are included.

Lots of “Storybook” albums are out there.

Notice how the images merge and feed into each other, how you can really mix the images and tell a true story.

If they are not included, is the price being charged reasonable?  There seems to be a trend amongst lazy wedding photographers to take the cost price of the album (before any discounts they may get!) and multiply that by either 3 or 4 and then add some extra on top.  So an album costing £200 from the printers will actually be sold for £600+

Imagine if mobile phone companies just took the price of the phone and trebled it?  iPhone 13Pro for instance costs $570 to make.  That would be $1710+ in the shops as opposed to a retail price of $999.  Now with Apple, you pay a premium for a premium brand - are you paying for an established, well-known premium wedding photographer?

[source - Investopedia]

 

6. What is included?

The next point is all about what is included. Look for a photographer who includes everything in the package that you want. You do not want to be faced with too many choices and possibly extra payments-especially seeing as though getting married is so expensive anyway. You should, at a minimum, look for the following to be included in your packages or available as added extras depending on your budget:

• Insurance- will they provide proof of insurance is asked?
• License if they are using drones – this is really important!
• Pre-wedding shoot, possibly at an extra cost depending on the photographer
• An album with ‘x’ number of pages and ‘y’ number of prints if traditional
• Smaller parents albums or pocket albums
• All-day photography, getting ready shots, speeches, cake cutting, first dance and beyond. (Some photographers charge extra for first dance/evening shots)
  CD or Proof book so you can choose your images, or possibly an online gallery
• Secure online gallery so your friends and family can purchase prints (at reasonable prices!)
  Online payment – good for extra security and especially so as many couples now no longer use cheques.
• Professionals should use a fully automatic invoicing system – not just ask for a bank transfer or cash.
• Do they recommend group and family wedding photographs? You may not want them, but the chances are your family does!
• Does the wedding photographers work stand out from the crowd? Is it different?

7. Do they have a personality?

Next up is the personality of your photographer. Can you get on with them, can you have a laugh, can you share a joke, are they willing to go the extra mile (take people to the church/venue, help with bridal prep etc). Do they look smart and presentable, will they boss people about or shout at them? Will they help control the crowds to get that big group photograph?

Wedding Photographers personality.

You can get a good idea of what they are like when visiting a wedding fayre. Do they try and sell to you, possibly ‘hard sell’ approach? Do they just offer useful advice and explain what the packages include? Andrew is definitely in the Unconventional Wedding Photographer category!

Out of all my 9 Tips on choosing a wedding photographer, this HAS to be one the most important one.  

8. How long to Wait?

How long after your wedding will you get the finished and edited images is next. (Don’t forget the online gallery!) Do they charge for extras like Black & White or Sepia or Spot Colour?

In Summary on Choosing a Wedding Photographer

Choosing a wedding photographer is one of the big three things at a wedding. If you see the one you like you need to get them booked pronto. Good photographers (those who only photograph your wedding themselves and do not use others) are at a premium. Once that date is gone; it is gone. You can check your wedding date here.

Yes, the price is an issue, but so is the quality of the product and service you are getting.

Ask yourself this question:

“Would I visit my next-door neighbour for some root canal work on my tooth or visit a professional (but possibly expensive), dentist?”

I know what my answer would be!