Have you ever had to essentially hire yourself? I mean, as a wedding photographer, I’m looking for a wedding photographer! More so now than ever, I know exactly what a bride and groom go through when planning a wedding. We’re doing it all right there with you. With a fresh engagement to celebrate, knowing what the next step is can be tough. The first thing we did was find a venue. We looked online at dozens of locations, made lists of like and dislikes, made a spreadsheet of every pro, con, and expense. We found a venue and we got the date we wanted, now everything else can fall into place.
Outdoor venues like Port Farms in the photos below provide a beautiful backdrop for your ceremony. Choose a venue that you love!
So how am I going to pick a wedding photographer?
First things first, Matt and I agreed on style. There are many photographers out there and so many styles to choose from. Find the style of images you like and it will be easier to start narrowing down your list. Do you like bright and airy? Crisp and vibrant? Dark and moody? Do you favor classic portraits, or dramatic and artistic pieces? Do you like documentary style or minimalistic? Find what you love and what you want to look at for the rest of your life.
One major feature I was looking for was film photography. As a photographer myself, I wanted something really artistic and tangible so I started searching for film photographers. Film is great because it really captures mood and emotion and gives an old style feel to the image. I love the way film grain compliments wedding portraits and it’s something I’d love to begin incorporating into my wedding packages.
Once I found a few film photographers with styles that we loved, Matthew and I started to look through portfolios and social media to see their work. Is their work consistent? Does it give you all the feels? Read their about sections on their websites. Can you relate to them as a person? Would you enjoy working with them?
We found a few who seemed like a good match and then set up personal meetings or skype sessions with them. Do you vibe in person? Ask them the tough questions – what can you expect from your day and what do you get? Do they offer the features you are looking for? What type of lighting do they use? Ask to see a variety of lighting examples if your wedding goes from day into night.
Schedule an engagement session! Feel like you found your photographer match? Schedule an engagement session. This is the perfect trial run to get to know your photographer. They will use this time to get to know you as a couple and you can learn their posing style and get comfortable in front of the camera before your wedding day.
Good luck in your searches my brides and grooms. I’m happy to help if you have any questions!