Things to think about when choosing your wedding photographer
Nearly a whole year ago now (where has that time gone!) I got together a bunch of the most incredible vendors around town and ventured out to Washpen Falls for one heck of a shoot, and in that bunch were not one, but two local photographers - Both with totally different styles. You can check the shoot out HERE.
It got me thinking - Do people (that’s you!) know what to look for when it comes to booking your photographer? I know I had a pretty average idea when we booked ours and while I wouldn’t change a thing, I would have looked at things slightly differently if we were to get married again.
This piece has been such a long time coming, but I promise it is totally worth your while!
On your wedding day, there are three vendors you spend most of your time with - Well as a woman anyway! Your hair stylist and makeup artist, and your wedding photographer which is why I say to all of my couples to meet with their vendors to see if they click with them. I’m not expecting each and every one of you to come out of your vendor meetings as life-long friends, but I hope that you enjoy your time with them - Enough that your meeting didn’t feel like a ‘meeting’. We are so lucky in this age of social media that we are able to see the way people behave in their daily lives, but there is nothing more beneficial than a face to face (or Skype) meeting to seal the deal. The more comfortable you are with your photographer, the more natural and honest your photos will be (Thank you for that line, Sarah Clements)
Your photos and video are the only physical memories you will take from your wedding day and I cannot stress this enough to look past what you see on social media from Photographers. What you see on the gram is literally a single snapshot of someone's day. It will be an insane shot, one that captivates the audience and probably is bursting with feeling and emotion - but again, it’s just one shot. Every photographer is going to tell a different story, it’s their point of difference and that’s why you need to find the one who is best going to tell yours. In the images at the top, you can see a perfect example of this. They were taken at the exact same shoot, at nearly the exact same time, but two completely different, yet two insanely beautiful outcomes were produced! Your wedding is not the time to ‘do it for the gram’ - I mean maybe for one shot if there’s an insane idea floating around, but definitely not all! Head to the blogs and check out what the story of a day looks like from the photographers perspective and when you meet with the photographer, ask them if they can bring some portfolio albums that capture even more of a day.
Look at what kind of style they have. You’re going to see adjectives like wild, dreamy, cinematic, documentary style, authentic thrown around allll over the place, and while those words probably ring very true to the photographic style, the average Joe and Jane aren’t going to have a clue what any of that looks like. How do their images make you feel? Do you like the colours they use? There are so many questions you could ask if you really delved into it, but most importantly when it comes down to it, can you picture yourself in their images?
Obviously, price will come into the picture at some point if photography isn’t one of those top three vendor priorities I’m always talking about (feel free to ask me more on this if you’re new here), but I really want to encourage you to switch the conversation from ‘who is an affordable photographer’ and start thinking more deeply. These memories are forever, after all, and you want the best representation of you on what is likely to be the biggest and best day of your lives.
What you see on the Christchurch Weddings directory, are Photographers and Videographers with so many seasons under their belts, there can be too many to count on two hands for some! They are proven pros and bloody magicians and have knowledge of a tonne of venues around town and are totally confident in shooting your day solo. Their prices vary, but they are absolutely worth their weight in gold, whatever dollar figure is thrown at you!
In the background here at Christchurch Weddings and in my role as a wedding planner, I am always working with both established and emerging photographers. Some are totally new to photography altogether, others are switching from one photography game to our favourite - Weddings! If you’re looking to give someone new a shot, or if your budget will only allow for so much, do get in touch - We can talk about some options or even get crafty about how you spend your time on your wedding day so you can make it work with your dream photographer.
Until next,
