There are so many things you have to stress over on your wedding day, why does photography or videography have to be one of them? Don’t let it be! A good photographer or videographer (in my case both!) should be able to relieve a little bit of the stress for you. They should be able to provide you with stunning images and flawless video without having to ask you about every shot or having to interrupt your makeup artist or florist needlessly. Causing those interruptions can cause an immense amount of stress. That is only one way in which choosing the right photographer for you can make a difference! I want to help you choose the best for your special, once in a lifetime, day.
You Should Connect
One of the biggest things that can help in the search of your best photographer is if you connect. There should be an air of happiness and a stress free feeling. Don’t let the price of a photographer fool you, sometimes those with a lower price may give you more stress and those with a higher price may relieve a lot of stress, and vice versa. You and your photographer should connect on a personal level. This doesn’t mean that you should absolutely adore the person, but you should at least like them and fall in love with their photography and manner of business.
The reason for this is because the photographer will be with you literally all day long. Depending on your contract with them and the agreed upon terms, you could be in very close proximity for 12 hours or more. From the start of the day and the getting ready shots down to the end of the reception and the fun that was had, you will be with them until you leave the party (in most cases). If you are close to them and you both have a good relationship, that will ease a ton of tension on both sides. It will ease the photographer up to take better photos and will relieve you of the stress of having to worry about them or feeling awkward when they are around.
A good rule of thumb that I live by in my business is that I will always try to meet my clientele face to face and have a chat before I even bring out my camera. I find that that helps me to get to know the person and become friends before I deliver my services to them. That just makes the entire process smooth and easy. I recommend asking your photographer or videographer to coffee or a dinner and really just talk to each other. Get to know each other better than you currently do (which is basically not at all!). Even if you’ve stalked their Instagram and Facebook for years, you will still share a degree of discomfort.
Don’t Worry About Gear
As a Wedding Photographer, one of the worst things a couple could ask me is “What gear do you use?” There are so many cameras and lenses out there that are amazing, but they are also super expensive. You can get extremely good images without super expensive and high end equipment. The common thought on photography is that if you don’t have a $5,000 camera and a few $2,500 lenses, you aren’t good enough. That just simply is incorrect. You can use whatever camera you want with whatever lens (though good, quality lenses do make a difference) and get stunning images. Just think of your parents photos. The images are a little worn and discolored probably, but those cameras used in their time brought forth amazing images that your parents love. The gear isn’t what matters. The day is what matters. Take the stress out of worrying about gear and put those feelings towards just enjoying the day. If you are connecting with your photographer and you like their work, odds are they will be using the same camera they always have and get the same quality of images they’ve been getting. Trust your photographer.
If you leave the photos and video to the photographer you have chosen, you should already feel comfortable with them and free of stress! This doesn’t mean that you can’t have a say or ask about a certain style! There are a whole bunch of reasons to have different lenses and camera bodies with you, but most of them are style choices and only make differences in detail. That’s a whole different blog post idea right there so I won’t go over the various different lenses, camera bodies, and reasons for getting them!
Be Yourself
Candid photos are the best! There are a ton of styles and each one brings its own beauty, but I believe candid photos bring out the emotion and love you want in those moments, plus it helps you relax! If you get a photographer who shoots mainly candid (ME!), you are in for a wonderful time. In this category there are typically two types of photographers, ones who stand out and join the crowd and ones who disappear into the background as if you’d never know they are there! That is not to say that you cannot have posed photos and, in fact, I recommend getting a photographer who can do both! But, (!) you want to get someone who can make those posed images feel like nothing. Admittedly I am not the best at posing, but with that information I am adept at creating a candid feel with my posed images. Candid images just give that extra something to the memory of your wedding. Those little moments that you have that no one else would notice.
Ask Them Questions
The best way to feel comfortable with your Photographer of choice is simply to ask questions. If there is something that may be bothering you or that you would like to get handled quickly, just ask them! I have a short list of some questions that you can ask your Photo or Video expert below!
- Do you shoot candid or posed?
- Will you be with me all day or just a select few hours? (probably part of your package!)
- Is my date available?
- Have you ever shot at the venue we have chosen?
- Can I customize my package with other things I want?
- Do you charge to travel?
- Can we get prints or a photo book?
- How long until we can expect our images?
- Do you require a deposit? How much is it?
- How will you be dressed?
