Finding your Wedding Photographer | Niagara Wedding Photographers
Finding the right photographer for your wedding is probably one of the most important things you will do during the planning process. Your photographer is the vendor that you will spend THE most time with on your wedding day, but more importantly, you will have these images they capture for your entire life.
Maybe we can help make the task a little less daunting.
The most important thing to remember is not all photographers are created equal, so don't be afraid to ask questions to really understand what you are (and are not) getting.
Start by comparing websites.
This might sound really obvious, but there is a little more to it. You need to really look at the work that they are showing and decide not just if you like it, but what it is that you do like about it. If you can't put your finger on it, then look at other websites and compare. Really stop and think what you are drawn to. Is it the locations where the photographs are taken, emotion on the people's faces, or creative and interesting poses that you enjoy most. Do the photographs tell a story in a way that you would want your own wedding to be told? Pin-pointing that unique element of photography is essential to hiring the right photographer.
Don't be afraid to spend time looking around on the same website.
Make sure you take some time to reviewing the quality of work. Often times photographers will post their most recent work on their blog, so make sure you are checking out those posts as well as other areas of the site. Some might have a general portfolio, or some get more specific and showcase galleries. Whatever the case may be, look for consistency in the quality of work. And remember, a website should be some of that photographers best work, so if you are not impressed with their website, chances are you will not be impressed with anything they will show you during your meeting.
Narrowing your search.
Once you've discovered what type of photography you want for your wedding, it should be easy to compile a small list of people to contact. Those are the ones you should be connecting with directly and set up a meeting. Hopefully they will have your date available and you can sit down with them to discuss your plans, and see what they have to offer. Remember that chances are each one will have different items to the table, so try to compare apples to apples. If one company is not offering something you really want, be sure to ask them about it to find out why, or if it is something they are flexible with.
Connecting with your photographer.
We firmly believe that connections are always best created in person. You can really get a sense of the photographer’s excitement for your wedding, when you can see their body language, during your time together. So try to meet with the ones that are most important to you. This often is harder to read over the phone, and especially over email (but those can be good steps to start the process). Also, it is very important to see samples of images in print, especially large format. The quality of a printed photograph is not even comparable to one on a screen. Being able to view samples is a crucial part to knowing exactly what to expect when you get your final product (even if it is just a USB key).
Hopefully this was a helpful read. We would love to connect if you have any other questions about wedding photography, or selecting the right photographer for your wedding. Reach out and see if we can help.