6 Steps To Choose A Wedding Photographer Thats Right For You
We all know there are TONS…and I mean TONS of wedding photographers out there. So where the fuck do you even start when trying to pick one for the most important day of your life?!
Dont worry.. I got you!
Here are some steps to take to help you narrow down your search and choose one that will make your day everything you want it to be!
Before we dive into some actions to take, lets cover some basics about photographers first.
Photogs come in ALL price ranges. You can find photographers out there even willing to do it for free because they are just starting out and dont have experience yet. To photogs who have decades under their belt and charge 10’s of thousands of dollars.
Also keep in mind not every photographer charges the same way. Packages will be different for every photographer so make sure that whatever is included in the package your choosing has everything you want and need.
When we begin step 4, remember more often then not a photographer will travel anywhere to shoot, but everyone has a different way of charging for travel. So when choosing someone, keep in mind their cost may be different for travel expenses.
Overwhelming already? I know….but dont worry, ill make it easy for ya! Here we go!
Step 1: Decide on your budget
This will be the first big eliminator when narrowing down your search. Decide what is the most you would like to spend on a photographer total. Like mentioned earlier some photogs packages might charge extra later on down the line for things like extra photos, prints, books, second photographers etc.
Step 2: Decide on the shooting and editing style you want
Every photographer has a different shooting and editing style. Shooting styles can be things like; documentary, cinematic, editorial, artsy, etc. Some styles are very posed while some are more “fly on the wall”. Decide what style you want, and if you are unsure then take a look on tiktok or pinterest for different style explanations.
Then there are different editing styles. Some are dark and moody, some are light and airy, some are a mix inbetween, some are very vintage or film inspired.
A great idea is to look up “wedding photography” on pinterest and just save whatever photos speak to you into a board. Once you have quite a few, you can review what you have saved and you’ll notice a trend in shooting style and editing style that speaks to you. Then you will know what to search for with keywords when looking later on.
Step 3: Think about the photographer themselves
What do you want from you photographer on a personality and business perspective? Do you want someone who is going to hide in the shadows and just be there to take photos? Or do you want someone who will be more in the action and talking to everyone and being involved.
Do you want someone who is just going to show up day of the wedding, shoot and leave? Or do you want someone who is going to be involved in the planning process, who you have more access to on a communication level etc? This is particularly where your budget will come in as well, typically with photographers its a “Pay for what your get” situation.
Okay so now you have your budget and what your looking for style and personality/business wise. Now the hunt begins!
Step 4: Finding some options
Instagram is a great place to find a photographer as it acts as a portfolio. Remember your style you chose earlier? Use that as a search hashtag when you begin looking. For example you have decided you want a documentary style photographer. You can search #documentaryphotographer or documentaryweddingphotographer and you can even add in your city name as well to help find someone closer.
Local Facebook groups are also a great way to find local photographers. Add yourself to a couple local wedding pages and ask for recommendations in there. Be sure to add you budget, style and edit style you are looking for. You will get a ton of options on there.
Found a few? GREAT! Save their posts so you can check out their website and ask them for pricing as well as if they are available for your date. If they fit in your budget and available then amazing! You can add them to the list of options.
Step 5: Consults
Okay so you have found some really great options (maybe around 5 or less) or maybe you have one or two that you REALLY want to hire, now what? Schedule a consult with them! Every photographer has a different process but typically its a phone call, zoom, facetime or even in person coffee if they are in your area.
Why is this important? You want to make sure you really mesh well with the photographer you hire. Just because they have really great work doesn’t mean they will be the best fit for you. Remember the personality part we talked about earlier? Thats where this comes in play. You want to make sure you wont feel awkward on your big day because you are going to be spending more time with your photographer then anyone else on your wedding! TRUST YOUR GUT! If it feels off and not like the right fit, then they aren’t the one for you.
During your consult make sure you talk about all the details of their contract with them. Click here to read my IG post about all the questions to ask before hiring a photographer.
Step 6: Time to book!
Once you have decided who you want to hire, your all done! Just go through their booking process and donezo!!
And thats it! You have one more thing crossed off your list!
Even though this blog was made for choosing a photographer, the same process can be used for basically any vendor for your wedding day! I hope this helped you out! :)
Happy planning!
- Hailee Todas, House Of Scorp Photography