Finding the perfect wedding photographer to capture your day can be a challenge, not least because there are so many excellent photographers out there with so many different styles. So it’s really important to find one that you feel comfortable with and one that can interpret your own sense of style and make sure you end up with a set of images from your wedding day that you absolutely love! At South Farm we have worked with hundreds of Wedding Photographers and of course even more couples and so we have put together a useful guide to help you make the right decision when choosing the photographer who will have the honour of capturing your day – after all your wedding photographs will be there for you to treasure long after your wedding day itself!
Style
Good wedding photographers really do capture every essence of the day and your own style as a couple, not to mention the pair of you looking fabulous plus your guests in all their finery! But have you thought about the style of photography you’d like to see presented in your pictures? Some couples yearn for romantic, dreamy images to treasure, some want a fun set of pictures that reflects the relaxed vibe of their day, some prefer more stylised images and some want their wedding photographer to capture scenes from their day in a relaxed reportage style. Whatever your style it’s really important to make sure your photographer can reflect what you want in the images of your day. Do your research, check out well established wedding photographers, scour their websites and work out the style that you want and you’ll be sure to end up with a great album of images!
References
This is a great way of checking out your photographers’ track record and experience, so once you’ve looked at their gallery of images check out the references on their website or social media channels – if your photographer is getting good reviews and testimonials from other clients then that’s a great sign!
Venue
It’s helpful (but not essential) to use a photographer who is familiar with the venue you have chosen – that way you know they will take you to all the great (sometimes tucked away) places for perfect pictures depending on the light, season and what’s in bloom in the gardens! Beautiful outdoor wedding photography is high on the list of most couples wedding picture priorities so make sure your photographer is prepared to get familiar with your venue. Many good photographers will visit the venue before the big day if they haven’t photographed there before to have a look around and work out the best spots to capture their shots! It’s worth checking out which photographers your venue recommends too. At South Farm we have a list of recommended photographers to suit all styles and budgets. They are recommended because they are great people, easy to work with and they know the venue as well as we do and can whisk couples off to have a romantic shot under the orchard, a fun shot with the cute piglets or a stunningly lit driveway image at night!
List of Images
Make sure your photographer knows which photos you would like on the day and don’t compromise on your list. A good photographer will work with your venue to make sure the required amount of time is factored into the day for the photos you would like. Don’t forget to mention the confetti photo if you want one and also a group photo of everyone at your wedding is an important one that couples enjoy looking back on years later. Couple photos of course are super important as are family and friend groups. Take advice from your photographer too, group photos can be so important for you to look back on, but can take time and most photographers these days will have a limit to how many they can capture in a certain time frame.
1 or 2?
Some photographers work solo and some work as a team of two or use a second shooter (some solo photographers will offer a second shooter at an additional charge). It’s worth considering a team or a second shooter to back up your main photographer as then you get the formal shots and the relaxed background shots in your album of images plus the perspective of two creative photographers! A second shooter will often capture those unseen moments that you will treasure, a loving look, a nervous smile, a high-five that you didn’t realise had happened, it’s almost like having a fly on the wall perspective of your day that will surprise and amaze you when you flick through your pictures after the big day!
Timings
Check with your photographers how long they will be with you on the day. Some photographers offer limited time packages and leave after the cutting of the cake, speeches or first dance, others offer an indefinite amount of time and can often be found late into the night still snapping away while your guests dance the night away! If you are on a budget think about the shots that are most important to you and make sure your photographers cover your priority list!
What’s included?
Make sure you know exactly what your photographer is offering in terms of images. Some photographers will supply the full set of images taken on the day including raw images with the option to edit where required and some will include a wedding album or a number of mounted images. Make sure as well that you know what kit your photographer will have with them, long lenses, wide lenses, and ladders might all be needed to make sure you get the shots you want!
The Click!
Make sure you’re photographer is available and happy to meet with you before the day – it’s really important to like your wedding photographer and to feel confident that they can offer just what you are looking for and blend unobtrusively into your day. Don’t lose sight of the fact that it’s all about you and capturing your wedding day story with all those unique wonderful bits that make it your very own special day!
Photo Credit: Helen Warner Photography
