Regardless of where you would have your wedding or what kind of wedding you plan, you deserve a great wedding photographer.
Besides, being a great wedding photographer is not just about taking the most beautiful pictures because many established photographers take Pinterest-worthy images. When it comes to wedding photography, it is about the details, attention, timing, angles, coverage, and editing skills.
The photographer needs to be able to take images of the bride’s father stuffing his face, the groom’s mother dancing, the bridesmaids laughing, and the couple having their first kiss. Even the guests, the wedding decorations, and the buffet table should also get attention.
So how can you ensure that a wedding photographer is the best? Here’s how you can tell the great ones apart from the not-so-great ones.
The Photographer Has a Niche
Suppose you come by a photographer that does wedding photography with senior photography, kids, family, events, shows, products, graphic design, video editing, production, and many other things. Odds are, you might be entering into a mistake. While it is entirely okay for a wedding photographer to take on add-ons like portrait photography, it becomes bizarre when the photographer adds other photography careers including scientific photography, architecture photography, documentary, or even pet photography.
Why? Wedding images require a particular type of related but different skill set; mixing this with other add-ons would mean the photographer is not fully invested in your photos. Is that what you want?
The Photographer Possess a Unique Editing Style
The only way to know whether a wedding photographer works or not for you is when you ask about their editing style or editing approach. For some, it is “true to color” with little or no added filters. There is also “bold and vibrant”, “light and airy” or even “dark and moody” editing style.
While these styles could be unique to the photographer, they must have one, and most importantly, the photographer should know it.
Photos Should Bear Feelings
Many photographers have stunning wedding portfolios littered with thousands of wedding photos from previous clients. Indeed, these photos would be amazing to look at – else, they won’t be uploaded onto their website. But more is needed for a photo to look good. When it comes to wedding images, it also needs to feel good. If you find yourself scrolling through the images and don’t feel anything, the photographer is not the best for you.
When you scroll past the smiling bride, you should feel the happiness that the bride feels on her wedding day. Some spend minutes staring at a wedding photo of the guests, not looking at anything in particular but imagining how joyous the event must have felt for each of the attendees. That’s what the pictures should do to you. If their past projects don’t carry meaning or bear feelings, your wedding photos with them would also be just that – mere images.
The Photographer Must Be Experienced
Another essential key area that tells whether a wedding photographer is one of the best is the experience level. Truly, there are some rare case scenarios where photographers with just three years of experience shoot better than a photographer with 50 years of experience. However, you can agree that there must be some sort of experience. A person cannot just take up their camera today, shoot a wedding and immediately become the best. It does not work that way.
Whether it is two years of taking wedding photos for friends or ten years as a professional wedding photographer, there needs to be a level of familiarity with the job.
Also, note that it isn’t just about the years, but the number of weddings covered. If a photographer with three years of experience has covered ten weddings and another photographer, who claims to have twenty years of experience, has only covered two weddings, you know in your heart the right person for you.
Reviews Help Too
Some photographers fake the reviews on their website, so that might not be a great place to start, but you can surely check online forums and related sites for recommended wedding photographers. Some websites like TripAdvisor, Wedding Wire, The Knot, or even Google Business can also guide you to the best wedding photographer near you.
Conclusion
A wedding is an overwhelming event to plan. So, you shouldn’t put so much effort into planning the perfect day, only to have a not-so-good photographer ruin your memories. Investing in the best wedding photographer might be costly – you should know that. But with this list, you can easily filter out the ones that might not meet your needs, and you’ll be guaranteed a lovely turnout. So good luck finding the perfect camera hands and enjoy your wedding!