What makes the difference....
Why do so many brides wish they had a do-over for their wedding photographer? Sometimes it's hard to see through all the wedding excitement and see what really makes a great photographer. Find out below all the right questions to ask a photographer and make sure your lasting memories are ones you love!
As with anything you can buy, there's a good, better and best version. Think about the difference between do it yourself or hiring a professional. So how do you make sure you're getting professional wedding photographer, especially when every wedding photographer has amazing photographs? Here are the 3 categories that set apart the good, better, best photographers and know what questions to ask when you meet photographers during a consultation to see the difference between good, better and best in the photography world
1. Photographs
This should be the first item to think about as it's the base-bone of your photography choice. Here's what you should be looking for.
- Does the photographer have good quality images (not too dark, too light, orange, etc)?
- Do the photographs have an altered color or over-effecting to them that's not natural or timeless?
- Does the photographer fit the style of what you're looking for (soft and epic, loud and fun, funky and sexy, etc)?
- Do you notice wrinkles, blemishes, unattractive angles, awkward poses or distracting backgrounds in the pictures?
* A good way to see this for yourself is to ask to see an entire proofing gallery or slideshow and make sure that the quality of photography is consistent throughout like this one of mine.
As with anything you can buy, there's a good, better and best version. Think about the difference between do it yourself or hiring a professional. So how do you make sure you're getting professional wedding photographer, especially when every wedding photographer has amazing photographs? Here are the 3 categories that set apart the good, better, best photographers and know what questions to ask when you meet photographers during a consultation to see the difference between good, better and best in the photography world
1. Photographs
This should be the first item to think about as it's the base-bone of your photography choice. Here's what you should be looking for.
- Does the photographer have good quality images (not too dark, too light, orange, etc)?
- Do the photographs have an altered color or over-effecting to them that's not natural or timeless?
- Does the photographer fit the style of what you're looking for (soft and epic, loud and fun, funky and sexy, etc)?
- Do you notice wrinkles, blemishes, unattractive angles, awkward poses or distracting backgrounds in the pictures?
* A good way to see this for yourself is to ask to see an entire proofing gallery or slideshow and make sure that the quality of photography is consistent throughout like this one of mine.
2. Experience
You simply can't place a value on an experienced professional on a wedding. Your photographer needs to know what will happen before it does, anticipate moments, be flexible on the spot, know how to help you schedule a time-line, and be able to conquer any lighting condition.
- Have you ever done a wedding like mine?
Note, it doesn't matter if they've done a wedding at your venue. Because of changing light and circumstantial situations, that's really irrelevant to an experienced photographer. But having them have experience in your type of wedding (Mexican, traditional, Ethnic, etc.) can mean the difference of them knowing what shots to get.
- What do you do when ________?
Fill in the blank with any crazy thing you think might happen on your wedding day and see if the photographer can think on their toes!
- Do you put together family photos?
Your photographer should discuss with you what family shots you want before the wedding and make suggestions as to what shots to get based on your family members and the amount of time you have for pictures. This shouldn't be your job the day of! I make sure to go over this with all of my brides well before the wedding.
- Do you have a videographer/cinematographer you work with regularly?
You'll want your visual artists to be in-sync the day of so that they don't get in each other's way, but instead better your final product by working together. We do provide simple videography and wedding films, but we partner with experts in the field to provide a polished feature film. I'd say my partnership with Goosefilms and I have this down pat!
3. Customer Service
It’s important to build a strong relationship with your photographer. Do they have an interest in you?
- Are they a boutique studio?
Your wedding is unique and important and you want a photographer that thinks the same way and doesn't just pile you in with one of the 100 brides they're photographing that year. The advantage to having a "Boutique-style" photographer (one that shoots less than 30 weddings a year on average) is that you'll receive more attention and care each step of the way and your wedding photographs will show more of your unique couple personality rather than a cookie-cutter style that is done the same way at every wedding.
- Do you like your photographer?
Is their personality one that you'll love working with over the next year or two - because it's practically like you're going to date them for a few years! Your photographer is one of the wedding vendors that you'll have contact with the most before, during and after your wedding, so make sure they have a personality that's knowledgeable, calm and has pleasant demeanor that you'll want around you for a while.
You simply can't place a value on an experienced professional on a wedding. Your photographer needs to know what will happen before it does, anticipate moments, be flexible on the spot, know how to help you schedule a time-line, and be able to conquer any lighting condition.
- Have you ever done a wedding like mine?
Note, it doesn't matter if they've done a wedding at your venue. Because of changing light and circumstantial situations, that's really irrelevant to an experienced photographer. But having them have experience in your type of wedding (Mexican, traditional, Ethnic, etc.) can mean the difference of them knowing what shots to get.
- What do you do when ________?
Fill in the blank with any crazy thing you think might happen on your wedding day and see if the photographer can think on their toes!
- Do you put together family photos?
Your photographer should discuss with you what family shots you want before the wedding and make suggestions as to what shots to get based on your family members and the amount of time you have for pictures. This shouldn't be your job the day of! I make sure to go over this with all of my brides well before the wedding.
- Do you have a videographer/cinematographer you work with regularly?
You'll want your visual artists to be in-sync the day of so that they don't get in each other's way, but instead better your final product by working together. We do provide simple videography and wedding films, but we partner with experts in the field to provide a polished feature film. I'd say my partnership with Goosefilms and I have this down pat!
3. Customer Service
It’s important to build a strong relationship with your photographer. Do they have an interest in you?
- Are they a boutique studio?
Your wedding is unique and important and you want a photographer that thinks the same way and doesn't just pile you in with one of the 100 brides they're photographing that year. The advantage to having a "Boutique-style" photographer (one that shoots less than 30 weddings a year on average) is that you'll receive more attention and care each step of the way and your wedding photographs will show more of your unique couple personality rather than a cookie-cutter style that is done the same way at every wedding.
- Do you like your photographer?
Is their personality one that you'll love working with over the next year or two - because it's practically like you're going to date them for a few years! Your photographer is one of the wedding vendors that you'll have contact with the most before, during and after your wedding, so make sure they have a personality that's knowledgeable, calm and has pleasant demeanor that you'll want around you for a while.