Your wedding is undeniably one of the most important days of your life. Finding the best professional wedding photographer can be stressful since you can’t see the end product until after the wedding. It's therefore important that you do some research from the word go.
Our five steps will help to make the process less stressful and ensure that you find a professional wedding photographer who is perfect for you as a couple.
Step 1: Find Your Style
Firstly, deciding which photography style you want is crucial as it will help you narrow down the list significantly. Going through different resources such as a fashion blogger’s Instagram, Pinterest, or other creative platforms to find some inspiring images is a good start. You and your partner can then decipher what these images have in common and then work out which kind of photographs captivate you the most. Keep in mind that you don’t have to limit yourself to only one style. There are professional wedding photographers who do a blend of styles as well. However, if you have one style that you specifically love, you can look for a professional wedding photographer who specialises in that.
Step 2: Do Your Research
When you have a list of photographers that you’re both interested in, you can move on to doing your research. Start by reading reviews from previous customers to see if they’re positive. Then you can continue looking through their website for some sample photos of their old work. Just by looking at the design of their website, you will get an idea of the photographer’s personality and sense of style. You can dig deeper by looking at their social media pages like Facebook or Instagram. Think about any potential hire’s professional skills, aesthetic style, and their attitude in general.
Step 3: Meet Them In Person
You can’t judge a book by its cover so it's important that you meet with your potential photographers face-to-face. For an introduction, send them a personal email to see if they’re available for the date of your wedding. If they aren’t free, you can always ask them to recommend other professional wedding photographers with a similar style. Don’t be afraid to share the photos from your research with them so that they know what you and your partner expect. Once you have a few photographers narrowed down, you can go ahead and arrange interviews to evaluate each one of them.
Step 4: Ask For Full Wedding Albums
Wedding photographers present their best pictures on their websites, so you can’t necessarily trust that they'll produce the same quality when it comes to your wedding. Make sure that you ask for a few complete galleries from the weddings they’ve photographed so that you can make a proper assessment. Also, it’s really important that you ask to see the galleries that show similar settings to your wedding. You will want to look at the photos taken outdoors if your venue will be held in a garden, for example. If the outdoor photos look incredible and they’re clearly skilled in the style of photography you’re looking for, then you’re good to go.
Step 5: Be Critical For Final Evaluation
You have to be extra critical when reviewing a photographer’s album as the final step. Look for how well the photographer captures the emotions of the bride and groom as well as the guests. Also, components such as composition and lighting can be deciding factors. For example, too much clutter in the frame or washed-out images can be deal breakers.
Professional Wedding Photographer
To ensure that your final wedding album comes out as perfectly as possible, you will need to work with an experienced professional. Lee Hawley is one of the most reputable professional wedding photographers in the UK. Contact Lee today to see what he can do for you.