How to chose your Wedding Photographer

Most of us are getting married for the first time are faced with the uphill task of choosing the right wedding photographer. Like most couples, some set aside a fixed budget that they are willing to spend. Some go beyond that and look deeply into the photographers skills and style. While some search on social media or google. And some make a choice based on recommendations from friends and family. With 11 years of wedding photography experience as a Wedding Photographer and film maker in Mumbai, I have had the chance to talk to a lot of couples and have understood that choosing the right photographer for their big day is not really an easy task.

Here are some few tips that can help one in selecting the right person for the job

1. Understand Types of photographers: Get an understanding of the types of photographers that exist. A) There are the local studios B) There are individuals who go by their personal names and have a team of freelancers C) There are production houses that have several teams who work under them. Photographers can be classified on their own distinct style or a studio or production house that has a very general format that they adhere to. Try and understand if you are looking for a unique style or just generally good photos.
2. Credentials: Check credentials of the Photographer and their approach. There are some photographers who have some achievements or have won awards or have been nominated in some leading wedding contests nationally or globally. While there are some photographers who operate just within the boundaries of the city or are a local business and do not care about achieving accomplishments. Some photographers value photography as an art form while for some it is just a business model. There is the Artist and the Businessman. The Artist will always try to grow and do better. There is always a distinct difference between the two.

3. Having the right Attitude: Does the photographer take an interest in your story? A real artist is someone who loves what he does and will take a keen interest in hearing your story and get involved in the planning process. He will come up with ideas and try to make your wedding special. He will go out of his way to put together your most precious memories and will not have the attitude of “this is how much you get for how much you pay”. You can easily tell if the photographer really cares about your wedding or it is just another business deal for him or her. A good natured and friendly photographer will be easy to work with and will blend with your wedding day. It is important to strike a good rapport with the wedding photographer so that you feel comfortable being photographed on the wedding day.

4. Consistency: Don’t judge a photographers work by looking at just a few attractive images on their website or profile. Ask to see a series of images that they have shot for single weddings that have been covered recently. Go through a few weddings like these entirely to get an idea of consistency in their work. Many photographers employ attractive marketing strategies and advertising but the reality of their work will be much different. Also many photographers will hire freelance photographers and will use work of these freelancers and call it their own. So be wary of such practices.

5.Know the team: Make sure you know who are the photographers and videographers who will be physically present and shooting your wedding day. Ask to see their work and their style. Many times unknown people will be sent to your wedding and you are clueless of and their work which may not meet your expectations. And you will only find out later when its too late.

6. Post production: Understand the time and effort the photographer will put into the post production process. Editing plays a big role in bringing digital media to life. Some photographers will put in a lot of effort and time in their production work flow while some will not. Get a thorough understanding of what happens after the wedding day i.e the photographers workflow.

7. Pre and post wedding shoots: Pre wedding shoots are like ice breakers. They help the photographer understand you as a couple and your chemistry that helps them approach the wedding in the right way. It helps him or her establish the connect between the couple and also helps the couple understand the photographers working style. Post wedding shoots are mainly meant to have those nice subtle couple moments in their wedding attire at beautiful locations that one may not get to go to on the wedding day due to lack of time and place. These kinds of shoots also add to getting valuable content to piece together your story. Find out if your wedding photographer offers you these kinds of sessions.

8. Communication and Service: Is the photographer prompt in replying to your queries or your emails. Does he take out time to respond quickly. Do you like his/her style of communication? Does it have a personal touch or is it very business like and formal? Does he or her clear all your doubts willingly without getting annoyed? Your wedding photographer should be friendly and quick to offer you service before and after the wedding day.

9. Vision: Understand the photographers vision or his plan for you. Does he have something to offer you that will resonate with who you are and what will make your wedding unique. Or does he have nothing. What is his or her approach to wedding photography and what are their goals.

10. Equipment and standards: Try to get a list of their equipment that they will use and see if it matches industry standards. This will ensure that the photographer is not using sub standard equipment on your wedding day.

11. Contracts/Agreements: Does the photographer have his terms and conditions. Is the deal made in black and white. Does he maintain a contract where all the details like rates, advances, deliverables, time for delivery, deliverable details, are mentioned, agreed and signed between photographer and couple. A professional photographer will make sure everything is clear and agreed upon so that there is no room for misunderstanding later on after the wedding day. There should be no hidden costs or surprises.

12. Scheduling / Briefing: A professional wedding photographer will take some time out, do some reccis of the venues and give you thorough plan of the timings and schedules and briefing for the wedding day well in advance. Make sure you have a photographer who will take time to sit with you and come up with a good plan for the wedding day and the same is communicated to you well in advance.

13. Confusing terms/jargons: A good wedding photographer is one who will not mislead but guide. He will explain to you what is what and give you an understanding of the various terms that do the rounds like “candid photography” , “wedding cinematography” , ” traditional photography”, etc. He will first educate before he sells his services and skills.

14. Light: A good wedding photographer is one who understands light. Lighting a key factor in making your photographs stand out. As a wedding photographer it is important for him or her to understand light and its use. There are some who completely rely on on natural light and do not understand how to light. But at weddings there are always times when the lighting is bad or mixed and it is essential for the photographer to know how to tackle such lighting conditions. So if you have a photographer who calls himself or herself a natural light photographer, chances are they don’t understand light.