Wedding Photography that fits your style and needs!

Long after you’ve said your vows, the food and cake are gone and the reception is over, your wedding pictures will be the only lasting memories of your special day! Finding the photographer that fits your wedding wants and needs may be the most important decision you’ll make in the wedding process, but it’s not always an easy process.

It can be overwhelming when beginning your search for a photographer and you may not know where to start. After you’ve researched the options in your area, looked at local wedding and photographer’s websites and checked availability for your wedding date, you’re ready to begin your interview appointments!

Keeping four important questions in your mind during the photographer selection process will assist you in finding the perfect photographer to capture the images you’ll cherish all of your life.

Do you feel comfortable with the photographer?

This is possibly the most important factor in choosing your photographer! After meeting him or her, do you like their personality and demeanor? The relationship between you and your photographer can take your images to the next level. If you don’t feel comfortable with the photographer during your initial “interview” meeting, chances are you won’t feel comfortable with them on your wedding day. If you don’t feel comfortable with your photographer, your pictures will reflect it! Meet with several photographers whose work you like. You’ll have a better chance of finding one who you you’re comfortable with.

Do you like the photographer’s style?

Most photographers capture weddings in a traditional, modern or documentary style (photojournalistic) or a mixture of the three. It’s very important to talk to the prospective photographer about your particular needs and expectations, if he or she is a traditional style photographer and you want fashionable images of your and your future spouse, you may be disappointed with the images. If the photographer claims to have a photojournalistic style, ask them about their background and make sure to view several of their recent weddings during your appointment. Many photographers will claim this because it’s currently the hot phrase in wedding photography, but not all photographers actually have any type of photojournalism background to support this claim. You may not be happy with the results if the photographer is promising something that they cannot deliver.

Do the collections, packages and contents the photographer offers fit your needs?

You may not know how much coverage time you need when you first meet the photographer. Walk them through your wedding (or at least as much detail as you may have) and ask them for their assistance in determining how much coverage you’ll need. Do they offer collections that meet your needs? The photographer should be able to give you time guidelines for couple, family and other group portraits that will help in the process. Does the photographer include an online wedding gallery for family and friends to view and order your images? How many images do they photograph during a typical wedding? Are there additional options such as an engagement session or rehearsal dinner coverage included in the collections? Do you have the option to purchase the hi-resolution images or negatives to keep at some point and when? Are unlimited locations, time permitting, included with the collections?

Do you like their albums?

It sounds really simple, but the right album can make the presentation of your wedding images look stunning or cheap and tacky. There are many newer coffee style and magazine style albums that can be designed in many different styles and are available in many choices of leather and other options or if you prefer more traditional matted wedding albums they are usually black, white or cream colors too. Ask about designing your album and if you’re able to schedule a design session with the photographer or if the album is available for you to see online and make comments about prior to the ordering process. With some albums the photographer can post the album online so you can approve or make changes to the design prior to actually ordering the album. With this process you know you’ll love your album before it’s even created. You should also ask how long after you’ve selected your images for the album will you have it in your hands. There are horror stories in every city about the couple who didn’t get their album from the photographer for two years. You want to make sure you’re not selecting one of those photographers. Six months to a year is fairly common and most photographers will have your album sooner.

Remember to keep these questions in mind while you’re meeting with photographers. If you can answer yes to these four key questions, in addition to meeting any other criteria you may have after meeting with several photographers, you’ll be on the right track toward selecting the photographer that will capture the memories of your wedding day.