With the power of social media, we now have instant access to thousands of beautiful images at our fingertips. And with hundreds of photographers in your area the choice may seem overwhelming. Below are a few steps you may find helpful when choosing your wedding photographer.
1. STYLE
Dark & moody, bright & airy, Natural & fun. It's important to find a style of photography that speaks to you and you feel an instant connection to. Looking through a photographers portfolio, it should be consistent throughout and have a common theme and feel. If you're not 100% sure you'll be a good fit, perhaps arrange an engagement shoot and then see how you feel!
2. PERSONALITY & PHILOSOPHY
From looking at a their website, your initial enquiry through to your face to face consult, it's important to feel a rapport with your photographer. After all, you'll most likely be spending more time with them than your maid of honour on your wedding day! Having a meeting either face to face or over the phone will give you an idea of whether they are a good fit for you. If your wedding photographer is approachable, friendly and relaxed then you and your guests will feel totally at ease allowing the photographer to blend into the crowd and capture the day naturally rather than in a posed and forced way.
3. EXPERIENCE
A photographer plays a huge part in the structure of a wedding day. An experienced photographer will not only take photos on your wedding day, they will play the role of a co-ordinator, entertainer, people wrangler and master of ceremonies. It is crucial that your photographer helps you with your schedule prior to the wedding day to make sure you get the most out of your coverage and are not feeling rushed or stressed on the day.
4. BUDGET
Ahhh the dreaded six letter word haha! While low budget does not always equal low quality, it's important to remember that photographers charge based on their worth. In other words - quality + experience + demand + hours of planning, consulting and editing = value.
Look at what your photographer is offering -
- The amount of hours
- One or two shooters
- Number of photos (the average is 50-100 photos per hour, remember more photos does not always equal better value)
- Optional extras (additional hours, albums, engagement shoot)
Everyone has a different number they're comfortable with but remember that when all is said and done, photos (and video) are the only way you have to re-live your day. Every bride will tell you their wedding day is a big blur, so spending a little extra to get a photographer you really love will be more than worth it in the end.
5. RECOMMENDATIONS
Whether through social media forums, website testimonials or vendor and previous client word of mouth - recommendations and reviews are a good indicator of a photographers quality of work and service. Combined with their portfolio and your rapport, this is a good indicator for choosing a photographer you'll be happy with.
Read below what a few couples have to say about Swift Hound Weddings
"Ben and Lauren are extremely easy to work with, they create above and beyond of expectations with superb quality of service, staff and product. I would 100% recommend them to anyone who wants to capture the beautiful moments on their wedding day."
"Ben and Lauren made our day so special .. so glad we picked them for our photos them made everything so easy and did an amazing job can not thank them enough for there hard work .. both are super nice would highly recommended them to everyone"
"Literally they made my day perfect! So easy to get along with made me and my husband feel completely comfortable because we are abit camera shy. But my pictures still make me shine with happiness every time I look at them! Couldn’t recommend Swift Hounds anymore. Worth every penny!!! We will be forever thankful Ben and Lauren xx"
"I don’t even know where to begin with this amazingly talented couple! We were so lucky to have them part of our day doing both our photography and videography! I couldn’t recommend them more, from their talented shots and editing skills to their ability to make the mood fun and easy going, we truely have ended up with amazing photos and video of our day! Thanks so much Ben and Lauren!!"