5 Steps Toward Hiring a Photographer for Your Big Day

Wow, your big day is coming! Soon you’ll be marrying the person of your dreams and starting a life together.

You’re thinking about so many things, the dress, the flowers, the cake, the decorations, where you’ll honeymoon, etc. But there is one aspect that is perhaps the most important.

The photographer.

Once the day is over the food and flowers will all fade away. Few people will even remember your color scheme. But photographs last a lifetime. Photographs preserve your day so you can share it with your children and grandchildren years from now.

Thus, the right photographer is essential. Here’s how to go about hiring a photographer that will knock it out of the park.

1. Choose A Style

Photographers each have their own style. Some examples of editing styles might be light and airy, dark and moody, rich and bold, a pastel look, a film look, and the list goes on.

Also, some photographers lean toward capturing candid moments. Others tend to pose their subjects more. During a wedding, there tends to be a lot of room for both but it’s good to know what style your photographer will gravitate towards.

Take some time to browse through photographs online to get an idea what you would like for your photos. Once you know, start looking for photographers. Check out this Brighton photographer for an example of a colorful style with lots of candid shots.

2. Interview Candidates and Look at Their Portfolio

Photographers spend a great deal of time curating their editing style. They also strive to turn out work that is consistently the same style. That way clients can always know what to expect from them.

If you want light and airy, don’t choose a photographer whose portfolio is full of dark and moody. They will present you with a final product in line with their portfolio and you won’t be happy.

Be sure to interview photographers whose portfolio is in line with what you want. If not, you’ll be wasting both your time and theirs.

3. Confirm Who Will Shoot

One of the reasons for an interview is to be sure that you and your partner jive with the photographer. But sometimes, especially in larger companies, the person you meet is not the person who will be shooting.

That’s okay, but be sure to ask who will be shooting. Make sure their work is what you’re looking for and ask to at least meet them if possible.

A lot of times photographers will include an engagement shoot in their packages for this very reason. Everybody gets a chance to work together and see how they get along first.

4. Ask About Pricing

While pricing is not the most important thing to consider, you do need to stay within your budget. If the photographer whose work you love is not in your price range, consider a smaller package.

Many photographers offer several packages that include a certain number of hours. Instead of a full 10-hour shoot, you can pick the 6 hours with the most action.

5. Find Out What’s Included

Be sure you understand what’s included before you sign on the dotted line. Not every photography package includes the same stuff.

Roughly how many images can you expect? Does the package include any prints or an album? Do you have printing rights if you want to take them somewhere else?

A good photographer will go over all this stuff with you and explain everything.

Hiring a Photographer Isn’t Hard

Hiring a photographer for your wedding isn’t hard. It can be a tiny bit time-consuming, however.

But, for priceless memories of the best day of your life, it’s absolutely worth it to take the time to do it right. For more help finding the perfect wedding vendors, check out our blog.

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