3 Tips for Choosing a Wedding Photographer

3 Tips for Choosing a Wedding Photographer

by Gold Coast Wedding Photographer Jo Lyons

Updated 2021

Feeling a little overwhelmed about how to choose a wedding photographer?

There is a wide variety of photographers to choose from to be part of your wedding day. However, not all photographers are going to be what you want.

There are a number of factors to consider when choosing a wedding photographer. You may find you have to do a bit of research to find the one you’re looking for because even if they are showing up in the first few pages of your google search, they may not be for you.

Some of the things to consider are:

1. The Wedding Photographers Photos
2. Who is the Wedding Photographer
3. The Wedding Photography packages

1. LOOK AT THE PHOTOGRAPHER’S PHOTOS

Their style

• Most wedding photographers have a very distinct style so have a look over their website and through their galleries so you can get a good understanding of the type of images they are taking, don’t just look through one gallery either, look through a few to get an overall feel for their work. For photographers who have been in the game a long time, their style will be more obvious.
• Most of the time you may not even know why you like their photos and that is a good thing. Art is all about how you feel after looking at an image or picture. As the saying goes, a picture tells a thousand words.

Their editing

• Most wedding photographers have their own editing style which is where they put a further stamp of the look on their images, so see if the look they create is a look you like. Editing is what happens to the image after the wedding, back at the photographer’s studio.
• Most wedding photographers are editing images in an Adobe program called Lightroom. This program enables photographers to use an endless variety of looks, so be sure to like the look your photographer is using. For example, is their photography dark and moody or soft and light?

Their images

• Many couples come to us with a specific focus on certain aspects of the wedding, for some it may be getting ready, for others it is reception. Have a think about what is important to you. You may decide as you look through wedding photos and see images you fall in love with. If getting ready photos is important to you, you are probably drawn to detail photos of dresses and shoes as well as time with your closest friends in a relaxed atmosphere. If reception coverage is important, you are probably keen to get lots of laughter and emotions and guest interaction. See what images resonate with you so you get the coverage important to you.

 2.WHO IS THE PHOTOGRAPHER

• Have a read through the ‘About Me’ section of their website and see what the wedding photographer is like. Generally they will share what they’re all about and into and you can get a feel for whether or not you’ll connect with them.
• Email them and tell them about your wedding plans, tell them about your vision and how you see the day going and see if they catch the vision. When couples tell us about their wedding plans, we get excited. Whether it is at our favourite wedding venue on the Gold Coast or a simple backyard wedding, this is your vision and photographers want to hear about it. We also love to hear how you both connected and got to the point of being engaged.

3. WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHY PACKAGES

Of course, at the end of the day, your wedding photography will ultimately come down to which Packages are within your wedding budget.

You will find a wide variety of pricing for wedding photographers so don’t be too surprised by this. If price is something you need to consider, then you are looking for that sweet spot. A good price with good photography.

Generally you will find there are a few levels of photographer. The cheapest will be those who are just entering the market and looking to build their portfolio. There will be those who have been doing it for quite a long time but their prices have remained quite reasonable. There are also those who have become more up market wedding photographers whose price tag reflects this.

Either way you choose, remember, your wedding photography will ultimately be the record of your day long after the partying has finished.

You want to be able to look back with fond memories about your wedding day and the wedding photographs will help you do this.

Happy Wedding Planning!

Jo – Orange Sunshine

Jo Lyons is a Gold Coast based wedding photographer at Orange Sunshine Photography in Queensland.