Hiring A Wedding Photographer
What to look for when hiring a wedding photographer.
Written by me- a wedding photographer.
Cheers.
I’m a wedding photographer. I’ve also gotten married and hired a wedding photographer. I’m hoping to provide some insight on what you should look for, and be aware of, when hiring a wedding photographer. I’m going to talk about some of the not-so-fun things like money and goods included and some of the more personal aspects like style.
Before I dive in, please note that this is my opinion. While many may agree with some of the stuff I'm saying, I’m sure there are some that don’t and think I’m off my rocker. Take this with a grain of salt and let it be a tool for your wedding planning journey.
Let’s talk about money.
Money, money, money. Everyone loves it but no one likes to talk about it. Most weddings are literally built around a budget so it seems crazy to not address money. Photographers vary is price from just a few hundred dollars to ten thousand+. In 2018, the national average spend on a wedding photographer was $2,679 (According to The Knot’s 2018 Average Wedding Cost review). That average typically accounts for 10-15% of a couples total wedding budget.
Why do photographers charge so much? Don’t they just show up, take photos, and go home?
Well.. no. What you see at a wedding is thanks to countless hours of studying, practicing and perfecting their craft. See, photographers are artists. Much like actors or painters, you aren’t paying them for the hour and a half performance or the few hours to actually apply the paint to the canvas. You are paying for the 10,000 hours of training that led up to that moment. This gives us our first difference between a “budget” photographer and a professional; pricing (obvious, right?). A professional photographer is giving you a value-based price, meaning they understand the value they are providing to you. A wedding is full of once in a lifetime moments and, trust me, stuff will not go according to plan. A professional understands how to compensate to beautifully capture these moments so nothing gets missed. A “budget” photographer doesn’t necessarily understand this and that should be considered a huge red flag.
Let’s see what’s behind curtain number one!
Okay, so there isn’t a curtain. But I do want to touch on some of the “behind the scenes” work that you don’t realize wedding photographers do. A lot of this is related to running a business, but some directly impacts you, the client, and until you are a client, you weren’t aware that this happened.
A huge benefit to hiring a seasoned wedding photographer are timeline consultations. Think about it… which vendor is going to spend the most time with you on your wedding day? Bingo - your wedding photographer. They typically start the day with you while you’re getting ready, they see your face the first time you look at your significant other, they basically become your shadow for the 6/8/10/12 hours you have them for. They know how long certain parts of the day take. They can keep the DJ on track for your big entrance or your first dance. Heck, my wedding photographer had to help bustle my wife’s dress at our wedding! The point in, your photographer can provide a whole lot of information to help your wedding run smoothly. They are a fountain of knowledge - take advantage of them!
Now onto business. While not interesting or super relevant to most clients, this is another huge difference between professionals and “budget” photographers.
Professional photographers are running a business. As with any business, there are expenses that need to be considered such as equipment, software, taxes and insurance. There is a reason that professionals use professional equipment. It get’s the job done! But with better quality comes a bigger price tag. Sensor maintenance, lens calibration, and normal wear and tear are all things that need to be considered. How are your photos being stored? Are they protected? Does your photographers camera save to two memory cards or just one? For me, all photos are backed up to two external hard drives- one is a working drive and the second is strictly a backup. Lightroom catalogs, which hold all of the edit data, are sync’d with Dropbox so they won’t be lost with a physical drive crash. Memory cards aren’t wiped until your final gallery has been delivered. From your wedding to when your gallery is delivered, there are four copies of every photo (two hard drives and two memory cards). Things go wrong and all we can do is try our best to make that as hard as possible.
“I don’t care, just pick someone.”
Yikes. That’s like going to the car dealer and deciding between a compact, mini-van, or super-duty truck. Sure, they all have four wheels and an engine so you know they will get you where you need to go but your wedding and your relationship are unique- find someone who fits your needs!
Photographers are people too! Crazy, right? Well as it turns out, your photographers personality could have a big impact on your day! This is someone who is going to be with you all day. Do you want someone you are comfortable being around or someone who just stands back in a corner? Trust me, you want someone who is getting right into the action!
Style is another very important aspect to consider. I would classify photos into two basic editing styles, light and airy or dark and moody. Both of which tell amazing stories but showcase everything just a bit differently. Find someone who has a style. If a photographer tells you that “they can do whatever you want,” they clearly have some identity issues and aren’t comfortable in taking creative control over their work. Find someone who values their art!
Value for Money
When I say value for money, I want to speak directly to what you are receiving from your photographer.
The package you choose should have enough time to cover getting ready photos through the last “event” of the reception. The last event is typically a bouquet too or dance- when there is nothing left on the schedule. Thankfully, your seasoned photographer has had extensive experience with timelines and will be able to direct you towards how much time they think you will need.
“But it’s only another two hours, how could it be so much more expensive?” That’s true. It is only two hours at the wedding. When you add time to your wedding day, you’re also adding addition time to back-up and archive your photos, added time to cull those photos, and additional editing time. Kinda like how an iceberg is 90% below the surface, a lot of photography happens after your photographer has gone home.
Is your photographer providing any physical products or just digital files? Maybe they offer albums (which I am a huge advocate for). Ask to see samples! Your photographer should be showing the value of their products. You should be able to touch and feel albums, covers, canvases or metal prints. Understand what you are getting for your money!
TLDR (too long; didn’t read)
In summation, I implore you to really think about the purpose of a wedding photographer. This is someone who is being trusted with capturing, arguably, one of the biggest days of your lives!
“Are they legit?”
How are you holding them accountable to actually show up? Contracts are a definite must. Do not hire a wedding photographer without one. Find out if they have backup gear or what their plan is if they are unable to be there.
“Are they providing great value for money?”
Understand that when you hire a professional photographer, you are buying their art. They do so much more than just point a camera and all those extras make the biggest differences.
“Do they fit my style?”
I would argue that a photographers style is the last thing you should consider. While still important, don’t overlook the big things.
Last words of advice… ASK QUESTIONS! Don’t assume anything. If you have a question for a potential wedding photographer, ask it!