Why Hello there!
If you’re reading this your either a friend of mine who loyally follows my blog posts (best friends ever!) OR your a future bride looking for one of the most important vendors for your wedding….
The Photographer!
There is no shortage when it comes to wedding photographers, but how do you know which one to choose? How can you make sure they will be a good fit for your special day?
I’ve seen a lot of varying advice on the internet, so I decided to do something about it!
I’ve compiled a list of the top 5 things to look for when choosing your wedding photographer
STYLE
There are two main things to look for when it comes to a photographers style:
a) Shooting Style
The main types of shooting styles are known as; photojournalistic/documentary, classic, fine art and traditional. While both classic and traditional styles tend to focus on creating and staging those perfectly composed images, documentary/photojournalistic photographers prefer to capture events as they happen, naturally and without forcing moments. Fine art tends to focus on finding creative framing, lighting and composition throughout a wedding day. We call ourselves storytellers which is why we prefer the documentary approach, capturing events as they happen organically creates more emotion in the images and helps us tell your story the way you want it remembered! We also consider ourselves fine art photographers in that we are always looking for unique angles and light in order to create beautiful portraits that pull at the heart strings. We want nothing more than for you to love your photos forever and ever!
b) Post production/editing style
The 3 main types of post production styles are called “Bright and airy”, “Dark and moody”, or “Natural”. Although there may be photographers that consider themselves to be in-between like “Bright and moody” most photographers will fit within one of these three categories.
a) “Bright and Airy”: Theses photos are either shot over exposed, or brightened during post production so there are very little shadows in the images. This looks very pleasing on skin for portraits and offers a very delicate look and feel . This style often mimics old film styles with natural colour tones.
b) “Natural”: This style means they are very minimally processed in post production. Usually adjustments are made to exposure, white balance and contrast to keep a more natural look and feel to the photos.
c) “Dark and Moody” (This is us!): Some people think this means that every photo we take is going to be dark and underexposed, but this is most definitely not the case! This just means that when light and dark are at play, we embrace the drama of harsh shadows and look for a way to create a beautiful portrait that embodies romance and connection. Usually moody images have warm/rich tones that are pleasing to the eye and focus on ways to draw emotion. If your curious on what this would look like on a whole wedding view one of our blog posts here to see for yourself!
2. PACKAGES - Whats Included?
Do you know how much and what kind of coverage you are looking for? Most photographers packages include the following:
Hourly Coverage
2nd Shooter add on
Online gallery
Engagement session
We offer all of the above except for one thing….
all of our packages include two shooters, Taylor + Moriah
Even despite our best efforts and back up gear, technology can fail us and things can sometimes happen that are not within our control. Having two shooters ensures that your special day can be captured seamlessly from multiple angles even if unexpected events were to occur.
Plus we’re a husband and wife team, so we can like, read each others minds or something. It makes for an awesome team!
BEWARE: always ask how many photos are included in your wedding package, a lot of photographers I’ve noticed recently only include a set number of images in their packages and they will charge extra for more photos after your wedding is done. Although they may appear to be a good value at first, they might end up being a lot more expensive once they’ve made you pay for additional photos.
This is why we never cap how many photos you will receive, all good photos that turn out from your wedding you will receive. You should never have to choose which moments you get to keep!
3. Do they use Professional Equipment?
Believe it or not, a lot of people label themselves as a professional when they do not use professional equipment.
Why is this important? Professional full-frame equipment is designed to handle complex and low lighting situations while keeping the most amount of detail and sharpness in a photo. The larger sensors also mean larger files (and higher resolution) so that you can print your photos on a giant canvas and still have them looking great!
Here is a list of the most common full frame cameras:
Nikon: D610, D700, D750, D800, D810, D850, Z6, Z7
Canon: EOS 6D (Mark i and ii) 5D (Mark ii, iii, iV) EOS R
Sony: A7 or A9 series
Please note this is not a full list of all full frame cameras on the market, but just a list of the most common cameras used by wedding photographers. If you have a question, or feel there is a camera i should add to this list please contact me here.
4. Are they comfortable using flash?
There are some photographers that label themselves as “Natural light” photographers. Sometimes what this means that they only use natural light and they are not comfortable with flash. This will not fly when it comes to dim-lit reception venues. All you’re going to get is very dark, possibly blurry or grainy photos.
This is why it’s a good idea to ask to see a full wedding, you should be able to see if they are comfortable in using flash for receptions.
We always use flash for receptions, after all, how else are you going to get those crazy-awesome dance shots of everyone singing and dancing along to “Don’t Stop Believing?”
5. Personality
It is soooo important to us that we make sure we are a good fit for your special day! You will share more intimate moments with your photographer on your wedding day than you will with your spouse! This is why we offer free consultations via facetime, phone call, or a local meet up. It gives you an opportunity to get to know us, ask any questions you may have, and make sure you’re comfortable sharing your day with us!
I promise, we’re fun people!
Photo of us by the talented Tallya D Photography
I hope this list has proven helpful to all the brides out there looking for their photographer! If you haven’t found one yet and you like our style, send us a message! We would love to set up a free consultation to chat with you about your wedding plans and give you an opportunity to get to know us!