The internet is absolutely awash with guides to choosing wedding photographers, but as a experienced, full-time wedding studio owner, I want to share some deeper questions I would use to pinpoint the perfect photographer (out of the literal thousands in greater Philadelphia) if I was searching for my own big day.
Weddings are one of the most documented days of a person’s life, and choosing the right photographer makes all the difference. But with so many photographers out there, how do you decide who’s right for you? From finding a style you love to making sure your personalities mesh, there are plenty of factors that go into selecting a wedding photographer who will capture your special day just the way you envision.
Even though you may have different priorities than another person, here are 7 things I’d suggest you delve into as your start interviewing wedding photographers for better answers (from the perspective of a full-time wedding photographer!)
- Does it give you the feels?
- How well do they REALLY know weddings?
- What’s the word about them?
- But do you actually vibe?
- What’s really in it for you?
- How do they keep the excitement going?
- But what happens if things go wrong?
1. Photography Style: Whose Creativity Speaks Best to Your Heart?
When you start looking for a wedding photographer, one of the first things to consider is their photography style, but don’t just stop at the surface level. If you put a dozen photographers in the same set, each would see the scene in a different way. Visually, you’ll want to find someone whose approach aligns with your style. But don’t just trust the language on their website to tell you what their work is about. Style is truly much deeper than a few descriptive words.
However, since there are so many popular catch-phrases in the industry, here is the rundown on how to translate aesthetics into photographer language:
- Traditional/Classic: Photographers who use this style focus on timeless, posed portraits. These shots may be reminiscent of the structured, elegant photography that you’d recognize your parents’ wedding album, but with an update to match modern sensibilities.
- Photojournalistic/Documentary: This style is more candid and captures moments as they happen naturally. Photographers using this approach tell the story of your day in a documentary style, without much posing or directing. (It’s important to note that ALL weddings should have some documentary coverage. For example, you shouldn’t have ANY interaction with your photographer during your wedding ceremony or key parts of your reception when you are just living your best life as they capture it.)
- Fine Art/Editorial: Photographers who ascribe to a fine art approach will tend to emphasize creativity and artistry, often pairing intentional posing and direction with thoughtful use of light or composition in a way that makes the images feel ethereal, lending towards a “magazine worthy” set of images.
In addition to the shooting styles above, editing styles will vary and each of these approaches can take the same image and interpret it in a variety of ways.
- Dark and Moody: If you’re drawn to rich colors, deep shadows, and a more dramatic tone, this is the style for you. It has an emotional, cinematic quality to it.
- True to Life: Looking to be transported right back into the moment in a way that feels authentic and honest to what happened. This is a natural edit designed to look & feel like the best version of real life.
- Light and Airy: On the opposite end of the spectrum, the light and airy style features soft lighting, pastel tones, and a dreamy, romantic feel.
Look through galleries and portfolios to determine which approach resonates with you. You want your wedding photos to reflect who you are as a couple, so take the time to choose a photographer whose artistic approach feels authentic to your vision. But don’t forget to take a moment with the photos to understand exactly how their work makes you FEEL. Because no matter the visual approach, a photographer’s heart & eye will also allow them to amplify the emotional experience of the day n a different way.
2. Experience Matters: Do They Know Weddings?
Wedding photography is its own unique beast, and experience matters. You don’t want to hire someone who’s never shot a wedding before because they might not be familiar with the fast-paced nature and the key moments of a wedding day.
Experienced wedding photographers know how to anticipate important moments like the look on your partner’s face as you walk down the aisle, the fleeting laughs during speeches, or the tearful embraces during the first dance. A seasoned photographer will have a sixth sense for these moments and know exactly where to be to capture them.
Beyond capturing the key shots, a photographer with wedding experience will also be familiar with the logistics of the day, such as how to handle low lighting at a reception or the best angles during the ceremony. Be sure to ask potential photographers how many weddings they’ve shot and how long they’ve been in the industry.
But don’t stop there!
Think deeper about the unique aspects of your own wedding day and don’t forget to delve into those specifics during your conversation. Think about the unique elements of your ceremony. Is there a specific religious element that your photographer will need to be aware of? Or a cultural sensitivity that will help your friends & family also enjoy the day? Will your reception be a hell of a party with a lit playlist or are you hoping for more of an elevated cocktail hour for guests to converse & catch up? Would you like to work with a photographer who is comfortable using adaptive posing techniques during group portraits to accommodate a physical disability or whose inclusive language ensures your entire wedding party feels welcomed during your portrait session?
These are all aspects, both photographic experience AND life experience, that will play into your overall wedding experience.
3. Reviews and Testimonials: What Are Others Saying?
Reading reviews and testimonials from past clients is one of the best ways to get an idea of what it will be like to work with somebody. Although a photographer’s portfolio should speak volumes about their work, the wedding experience goes so far beyond imagery. You’ll need to know more about their communication approach, their ability to interact with guests, and how they bring it all together in the face of a fast-paced event.
As you & your partner talk through your wedding plans, you’ll get to set your own priorities for the day. Once you put words to your desires, you can look for those keywords in the shared reviews of past couples to make sure that you & your wedding photographer mesh on a deeper, values-based level.
Some key things to look for in reviews include:
- How the photographer made the couple feel during the day (comfortable, relaxed, confident).
- Whether the photographer was punctual and organized.
- If the photographer was able to manage a variety of personalities (you never know when an unruly guest or a grumpy family member will need extra patience).
- How the final photos turned out—were couples thrilled with the final gallery?
Of course, when you interview your photographer, you’ll have the opportunity to hear from their own mouth how they approach weddings, but when pairing this with others’ experiencers, you’ll be able to build a fuller, trustworthy vision of the person or company’s reputation.
4. Personality and Communication: Do You Click?
You’ll be spending a lot of time with your wedding photographer on your big day, so it’s important that you actually like them. Enough to have a beer with them. Enough that you don’t mind if they’re in the room when you’re 90% naked getting a lip gloss touch up while you maid of honor fashion tapes your breasts in place while you discuss timeline nuances. Seriously. It’s pretty important that you like us.
But more important than likability is trust. A photographer’s personality can have a huge impact on how you feel throughout your wedding, but truly trusting us will give you an added comfort that no amount of fun small talk can make up for. So go beyond questions about favorite movies and preferred cocktail and don’t be afraid to ask us honest things that go deeper. Let’s talk values, life priorities, and your deepest concerns about your wedding day. (Or hell, marriage in general!)
And once the conversation gets flowing, then it is time to pay attention to how they communicate. Are they friendly and approachable? Does the conversation show a deep investment in who you are as a person or is about sharing themselves? The more you feel comfortable opening yourself up to a photographer, the more likely they will be able to capture your essence & emotion in these photos of the day.
Beyond face to face communication, how will they connect and what do you prefer? If you’re a text at 1am kinda person and your photographer is a business hours only emailer, will you be okay bridging that gap? Do they want to Zoom for all your meetings, but you’d rather hop on the phone and talk things through while you walk the dog? How hard is it to get in touch with your day-of photographer? Will you be talking with someone at the studio for your planning calls or the person who will spend the day with you.
None of it is a bad way to communicate, unless it doesn’t jive with how you want to communicate. One thing isn’t inherently better than another. . . But you know what works best for you.
5. Packages and Pricing: What’s Included?
Good wedding photography isn’t cheap, so it’s essential to understand what you’re actually paying for.
This is not the part of the post where I tell you how much a photographer’s gear, business costs, and staffing costs and why you should care about that. . . Because although there is so much more than meets the eye in a photography collection, most couples are really looking to know how they can maximize their budget for the best experience possible. Many photographers offer collections with different lengths of coverage and add-ons, but looking at a pricing guide will still not give you a full scope of the value they are offering.
It’s easy to compare some things, apples to apples, such as :
- Length of wedding day coverage: How long will your wedding photographer be with you?
- Number of photographers: Will there be one or two photographers for your wedding day? (Or more, as particularly large or intricate celebrations might require.)
- Albums and prints: Beyond the digital files (which you should confirm are included), what else will you receive?
- Travel fees: Not just for destination weddings. Some photographers will charge a fee if a distance is out of their normal travel range or if there are significant tolls & parking expenses that will be need to be considered
But don’t forget to ask about the things that go far beyond the basics:
- What will X amount of hours get me?: Some photographers will tell you that they can do more with less than others. Make sure that you talk through the day in detail to truly understand what 8 (or however many) hours should equal in coverage. Ask if there is any sort of overtime fees and don’t forget to see if your photographer has a genuine recommendation for the length of coverage you need.
- What’s that’s second photographer doing?: There are co-shooters, second photographers, and assistants. And some people will lump all three skill sets into one bucket. What value is that second photographer really offering and is it something that add to your overall experience.
- Planning & Support: Is a photographer incredibly well-connected in the industry, a part of industry organizations, or able to provide you with high value recommendations that will add to your experience? Even though we’re not wedding planners (can I say it louder for the people in the back? “We are NOT wedding planners”), wedding photographers are one of the most involved partners you will have in creating a seamless wedding day experience. And yes, sometimes that can include making recommendations, talking through logistics, and ultimately, helping you plan your timeline. So dig into what level of support and experience you can expect BEFORE and BEYOND your wedding day.
- You have your photos. Now what?: Should you just download the jpgs and let them live on your phone forever? Or do you have your heart set on a beautiful wall display in your home? How luxe are the albums they offer or could you do just as well with a shutterfly self-print? What does the post-wedding process look for if you do want to create an album or order prints?
Truly white glove service comes with a price tag and will go far beyond the expectations of a simple package. So, once you figure out your budget, be sure to clarify what’s included in each collection and what extra services (such as engagement sessions, albums, or prints) are available for an additional fee. And understand that the price range for photography will range wildly, much like you could buy a pair of wedding shoes from Target, Nordstrom, or Louboutin. . . You get to decide what adds value to your life and what doesn’t.
6. What happens after the wedding is over?
You may have found the person that you want to spend your lifetime with, but you probably don’t want to wait that lifetime for the photos of your big day. What exactly will happen with your images after the party ends?
When you pair modern technology advances with highly skilled photographers, today’s turnaround can seem almost miraculous! What do you mean that we’ll get our entire gallery within a day or two!? Although some companies may promise photos is a few days, the truth is that those photos are being batched edited by AI software in almost every case.
On the other hand, some photographers are of the opinion that you can’t rush art – they might deliver a highly curated (read smaller) gallery of hand-edited photos that can still take months in a world accustomed to immediate gratification. I, personally, waited almost two entire years for my full wedding gallery and by the time it arrived, I was too embarrassed to share some of the photos.
You probably don’t want your photos to be a rush job, but when WILL you get to see the images? This is just one piece of the after wedding puzzle you should ask about. But this is where most couples end the conversation. Sneak peeks? Full gallery turnaround? These are all fair questions, but still pretty basic.
Want to take things a step further? Then I’d suggestion asking about post-production processes, whether your images are being used to train AI, and privacy options for online cloud storage or galleries.
And don’t forget to ask about what to do with your images! Album design processes can look dramatically different from one company to the next. Some photographers don’t even offer these types of services, leaving you on your own to figure out how to let your photos live on in an analog way.
7. Have they ever had to put Plan B in place?
One of the most important clauses to review when hiring a wedding photographer revolves around their emergency plans. Not only should you have a written contract outlining the terms of the agreement, including services provided, pricing, payment schedule, and deadlines for delivery, but it’s a good idea to actively ask about their contingency plan. What happens if the photographer gets sick or is unable to attend the wedding for any reason? Do they have a backup photographer in place?
Here’s one place where people will assume that a big company or large group photography studio would have the upper hand, but surprisingly, from a client experience perspective, that assumption may be wrong. Although the larger studios may have a staff of employees (or more likely subcontractors) to call in, the odds are that they will be sending the second string to you. This might mean a lack of interpersonal connection or even a “warm body” showing up to capture your day with the possibility of mixed results.
Most solo or small studios like mine have survived (& thrived) by investing loyally in their crew and building deep relationships along the industry. Because I am such a big fan of planning well in advance of your wedding day and approach each day as a collaborative team with my second photographers, they’re able to seamlessly step into the lead shoes in the case of an emergency. And by nurturing relationships with some amazing photographer friends (& other wedding industry pros), I’ve built an extensive network of talented supporters that are available to help in times of need.
But don’t forget. We’re not the only ones who can have an emergency. And Plan Bs aren’t just reserved for bad weather.
It’s crucial to know how any professional working on your wedding day has ACTUALLY handled emergencies. Have conversations about things that they’ve seen go awry and how they’ve managed them. One of the best pieces of interviewing advice I learned back in my corporate days was to ask situational questions and dig deep to avoid hypotheticals at all cost. It’s much more valuable to know what they have done in a past situation than how they think they’d react if something could happen.
If a photographer tells you that they’ve never worked through an emergency on a wedding day. . . well, maybe they’re not as experienced as you might think. Some day, come grab a coffee & I’ll regale you with the stories of wedding chaos I’ve seen over the years. And guess what?! Every single one of those stories has ended in a five star, ecstatic review from a thrilled couple. It’s easy to shine when everything is going well, but you want a fast-thinking & creative photographer on hand if the s*** ever hits the fan.
At the end of the day, this isn’t really about finding a photographer. It’s about finding the person you trust to witness your wedding day as it actually unfolds, to step in when needed, to disappear when it matters, and to hand you back a set of images that feel like you. Not just how it looked, but how it felt to live it.
If you’ve read this and thought, “okay, this is exactly how I want to approach this,” there’s a very good chance we’ll get along just fine. You can inquire here and we’ll take it from there.
