Wedding Tips: Choosing the Perfect Photographer for Your Special Day

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Choosing the right photographer is one of the hardest yet most important wedding elements. The problem is that you can’t really know what you’re going to get until after your photos come back from the studio. However, what you can do is conduct careful research of your potential photographer’s style, skills, and experience. Here’s how to ensure you’re getting the real deal.

Find your style

Before you start going through portfolios, figure out what it is that you want from your photos. Do you want documentary-style photos, a more traditional approach with classic portraits or something edgy, bold and artistic? If you’re leaning towards the first option, you can expect to get many spontaneous photos of you and your guests laughing, sharing hugs and kisses and plenty of silly photos from the dance floor. If you want to have traditional photos, portraiture might be the style for you. Artsy photographers, on the other hand, can fill your wedding album with many shots with interesting compositions, outside-the-box angles, and unconventional frames.

Do your research

Once you’re set on a style, you can start your research. One of the best ways to do your homework is to contact other newlyweds who will show you their photos and share their experiences with certain photographers. You can also turn to the Internet and take a careful look at your candidate’s website, Facebook and Instagram profiles. Do they have good reviews? Do they have plenty of material? Are they cooperative and responsive? All of these things can help you with your choice.

Ask about post-production

Most photographers spend around 40 hours on editing and processing your wedding photos. So, make sure to ask when you will get your photos and how many photos you can expect. Sydney photographers usually take about five to six weeks to get you your shots, depending on how busy they are. You also have to ask about the rights. Some photographers tend to retain all the rights to the photos they have taken and can use them for promotional purposes. This also means that you can’t print the images yourself or use another source of additional copies without buying the rights first.

Do you need pre-wedding photography?

For many couples, a wedding isn’t only about that one special day. A good wedding is a journey towards happy nuptials and there’s not a step of it that doesn’t deserve to be captured and immortalized on film. Pre-wedding photography is a huge hit today, especially in Sydney, where couples choose to give photographers a glimpse into their relationship and dynamics before the big day. There are professionals that offer amazing wedding photography in Sydney who can also conduct your pre-wedding photo shoots and provide you with shooting experience and ideas that you can use during your actual ceremony and reception.

Do they have an assistant?

Many professional photographers hire assistants. Bigger weddings that count more than 80 people can be hard to capture with only one pair of eyes, no matter how trained and experienced those eyes are. So, you might want to inquire about an assistant that will help your main photographer capture the complete atmosphere of your wedding. This way, you can get close-up photos of you and your spouse saying your vows, the reaction of your guests and even a wide shot during the ceremony.

Consider your budget

Even though the photos of your special day will be something that lasts forever, you still probably need to think about the budget. Wedding experts from Sydney usually say that setting aside 10% of your total wedding budget is a realistic price.

Start early

As you can see, there are many things you must consider before you find your perfect photographer, so make sure to start early. Actually, booking a photographer should be somewhere at the top of your wedding to-do list. Many good photographers are really busy, especially during the wedding season from late spring to early fall, and they can be completely booked up to a year in advance! So, don’t miss your chance to get a good photographer just because you didn’t start looking early enough.

So, there you have it! If you start early, do some thorough research and take your time to make a decision, you’ll probably end up with amazing wedding photos you’ll gladly come back to even when you’re both in your 70s!

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Diana Smith

Diana Smith is a full time mom of two beautiful girls and a passionate traveler. In her free time she enjoys exercising and preparing healthy meals for her family.