How to Choose a Wedding Photographer you Love in Three Steps

Are you just engaged and looking for a wedding photographer? Starting to dive into the world that is wedding photography and feeling overwhelmed? Don’t be intimidated! The first step is to find out what you like, and once you know that, you can find your dream wedding photographer. In the next 5 minutes, learn what the style options are and what you want!

I still remember when we got engaged, and I (Sandra) felt so much excitement about picking a wedding photographer. I was already dreaming up the images that I would own! I wasn’t a wedding photographer back then. But I knew what I liked and didn’t like when I saw it. The problem was it was hard to put words to it, and I needed someone in the industry to break down the options! Keep reading to learn what style of photography is the best fit for you!

Picking your dream wedding photographer

Photographers typically pick one of three editing styles which we are going to jump into very shortly!

But before we do, also keep in mind the two big P’s! Pick a wedding photographer with a Personality you connect with and a Portfolio that you love with galleries that have consistent and well-exposed lighting in every part of the day. Also keep in mind probably the biggest question of all… Are your images going to look dated in 1, 5, or 10 years? Does the style look natural, does it look timeless, and does it capture how you and your day actually looked?

And this is where knowing the style you love comes into play! As a bride, it’s really important to know style options, including editing trends that might not stand the test of time which are also highlighted below.

How to pick a wedding photographer: Follow the 3 steps below!

Step 1: Determine your Style

1. THE ULTIMATE ROMANTIC: Light, bright and airy

You love images that have a dreamy quality. Light bright and airy gives you all the beautiful pastels tones. Think blush, muted greens, dusty blues, and images with a lot of white and cream in them. You love images that are well-lit and favour a brighter and lighter feel. The lighting is always soft, feels natural, and typically there are clean and uncluttered backgrounds in the photographs. Trend alert: Beware images that look blown out or washed out!

2. THE WILD CHILD: Dark and moody

You love images that have drama, feel raw and moody. You probably have a little emo in you, too 😉 Dark and moody images have a shadowy, darker look giving them a brooding quality. The colours and backgrounds are in the darker spectrum, with more of a focus on muted and shadowed deep jewel tones and neutrals. The typical lighting and editing that you’ll see is more golden, but it’s never too light or bright, which adds to the emotion and drama. Trend alert: Beware image that have a lot of grain, a hazy low contrast look, are very dark with little definition, use obvious HDR, or thick presets that make skin tones look unnatural.

3. NATURE GIRL: Bright and contrasting

You love the vibrancy of deep and bright greens and saturated colours. You are also likely a very “glass-is-always full” kind of person! This style has a focus on capturing the world as it is, plus there is typically some extra vibrancy and contrast added in. This boost in colour and contrast makes the photos feel really alive. Trend alert: Beware images that have unnatural glowing, almost neon colours, especially, neon green.

Remember: No matter which mood or editing style you prefer, know what special effects you want and don’t want! Make sure you really love how your wedding photographer edits within the chosen style because it could just be a trend. In the end, you will always love something that reflects you and a style that you will love decades down the road.

Step 2: Determine Your Posing Preferences

Which kind of bride are you? Now it’s time to pick your favourite posing style in Step 2! Most brides have a primary preference, and then secondary preferences. Which posing approach(es) do you like the best?

• TIMELESS SHOTS: You love classic and elegant images… And you are a romantic at heart. You want your photographer to capture images that really are timeless and could have been shot 50 years ago or yesterday. Think grand ballroom dancing images and iconic bridal portraits (that also look great in black and white)!

• KEEP IT NATURAL: You love candid images… You are wild at heart and keep it real. The last thing you want is for your photography to feel fake and posed. You love emotion and authenticity and want things to be captured as-they-happen so that you can relive your day as it truly was. You truly appreciate a photojournalist or documentary approach.

• BRING SOME ORDER: You appreciate traditional and posed images… and love rules and order! You don’t mind posed photos and want those pictures of looking up at the camera with everyone’s face in full view. Some brides love to choose a traditional style just for their family and wedding party portraits.

Step 3: Before you Book Your wedding Photographer

You’ve made it up to this point. Hooray! Now you should have a good idea of what you want in your photographer. Are you the Ultimate Romantic and love classic and candid shots with some traditional photographs, too? A Nature Girl and love it to feel super natural and bright? Or a Wild Child and are all about documentary storytelling!

Now that you know your Wedding Photography Personality, it’s time to hone in your search! You will hear a lot of advice on how to make sure your photographer is the perfect fit for you.

But here’s what we suggest: have a look through your photographer’s website and blog/portfolio to see that their indoor, outdoor, full-on sunlight, low light and reception images are ALL lit well. Why? Lighting is one of the key factors that separates great photographers who will deliver consistent results from someone who does not know how to operate flash or what to do in harsh sunlight. Photography and working with all kinds of lighting is an incredible art form and one of the marks of a professional wedding photographer.

Also, make sure they have a personality you love! Your wedding photographer plays a BIG role in the vibe of your day. Pick someone that you connect with and love as a person, as well as love as an artist.

Bonus points: If your photographer can provide wedding albums, that is a big plus! The reason is because it’s one less thing for you to worry about and it’s so nice to have one quickly after your wedding day! (Trust us… we finally got our album finished 6 LONG years after our wedding!).

Well that’s it for now! We hope this has been helpful! Much love and all the best in finding your dream wedding photographer! D&S

Still looking for a photographer with a style you will love forever? Send us a message and let’s connect!