I recently helped one of my dearest friends find her wedding photographer and the process really opened my eyes to the client’s journey of finding the perfect fit. She asked me to be in the wedding and asked that I be present with her on her day instead of trying to do both, thus began the process of me helping her find someone that would give her a comparable experience to what I would if she had hired me. Now I know that it was going to be a nearly impossible task simply because the love I have for her allows me to see and capture her differently than anyone else, but nonetheless I helped her search.

I was BLOWN away by several parts of this process with her and I wanted to write a series of blog posts addressing what I saw. This is blog post number 1- making sure a photographer is right for you.

This is a heated topic for me because I know wedding photography can be a very large investment. If I am paying for something I need to make sure it’s worth my time – the same can be said about my clients. I want to make sure that I am CLEAR on the experience I am giving my clients because I also want them to know if I am the best fit for their wedding day. 

Each photograph is different in the way they approach their business and wedding day experiences. When you’re looking for someone – they should also be looking out to see if the fit is mutual. With an experience as intimate as a wedding – I have no interest in taking on someone’s wedding that’s looking for an experience I cannot give them. That is just a waste of both of our time and resources. Not to mention it could sincerely ruin your wedding experience to get photos back that you hate. 

So – lets avoid that shall we?!

Here’s 3 tips for making sure your photographer is the best fit

Tip Number 1

You like their style.This is the NUMBER ONE thing I highlight in all of my client meetings and in the contract. If you don’t like my style you will not like the images I give you. If you like my style but want it brighter or darker – I am NOT your photographer. I turn down weddings all of the time because I am not who they are looking for and I will not risk giving them wedding photos they won’t cherish. That’s not fair to them or myself. 

The easiest way to make sure you like someone’s style is to look at their work on social media and website thoroughly. Do they have any photos at your venue or a venue similar to yours and is that what you want your photos to look like? A good example of this is barn weddings – because barns are notoriously warm on the inside with the wood and warm lighting. If you booked a barn venue your photos are going to be on the warmer side. Have you seen how that photographer edits for warm lighting situations? 

If you don’t feel 100% convinced you should ask to see a full wedding gallery. I honestly highly recommend this anyway because the photos on their website and social media is their best work in their portfolio. They may have nailed a few shots they use frequently but if you don’t like the way they edit throughout a gallery then you will be disappointed when you get your images back. 

Tip Number 2

Find someone you actually like outside of their work.

Your wedding day hinges on the vendors you hire and the photographer is a biggie. That is the one vendor you will spend your entire day with. Your hair and make up team will leave, your cake vendor and florists will do their part and leave, but your photographer will be there through it all. You want to make sure it’s someone you enjoy being around. 

Your photographer will also witness you in the most raw and vulnerable parts of your day – make sure you’re hiring someone who can trust with those sentimental parts of you. It’s hard to know if someone is going to be a good fit without being able to look them in the eyes – so I make a big effort to make sure we schedule a face to face consultation before any contracts are signed. If my clients are destination / travel weddings we jump on a virtual call. I cannot judge if I am a good fit for someone by just hearing their voice alone, I want to see their face and body language. 

Even if you know the photographer personally, sit down face to face and have an honest discussion about the decision in hiring them. Make sure you know what to expect, what their payment options are, what the contract will look like, if they have a back up process. Just because you know them in one capacity does not mean you know them in a business sense and this is a business transaction.

 

Tip Number 3

Look at their reviews – especially on Google. 

If you want to know what it feels like to work with someone look at their google reviews. When you’ve had a really good or bad experience I can imagine the first thing you want to do is go leave a review for someone. Or before you buy anything on amazon you’ll go and read the reviews. The same thing applies here.

Reviews should give more than just a few words that say “awesome job, I love my photos”. Look for the in depth reviews that highlight the person’s experience. Some things I always find shocking when I get reviews for my business is when people mention what being in my presence feels like to them. That’s a nuance that you wouldn’t get from just looking at my website. You only see the things on my website that I want you to see – same for every other business. I mean we want to put our best foot forward – so head over to google and check out what other people have to say about the person you’re wanting to work with. 

If they don’t have reviews- reach out to any brides or grooms they have tagged in their images on social media. It can be kind of cringy and you may not get a response back – but if you do get a response I bet it will be an honest account of their experience. 

YOU DESERVE TO BE PICKY ABOUT THIS!

There’s probably a million more tips I could suggest about finding your ideal photographer but I want to make sure you don’t just pick someone who’s “fine”. There’s someone out there for you that’s going to give you the experience you’re looking for – you just have to do a little digging. As I mentioned earlier – I will sometimes have to decline clients’ wedding inquiries because I know we are not a match. That is not, however, common in the industry. There’s many people happy to take your money knowing full well they weren’t the best person to serve you.

I know the search is exhausting. You’re overwhelmed with the conversations about money, you’ve got a million other things to plan, and you just want it to be over. But after the cake is eaten, the DJ plays his last tune, and your guests are leaving – the only thing you have is the photos to remember the day. BE PICKY. Make sure you’re not just settling for good enough. 

Drop any questions you have in the comments below so I can write more blog posts to help you in finding your dream wedding photographer!!