Choosing A Wedding Photographer: 5 Top Tips

Karen Thorburn Photography

Choosing a photographer is one of the most important decisions you’ll make when planning your wedding. This person is going to be around you all day on this hugely important occasion, and you’re going to look back on their images for decades to come. If you choose the wrong photographer, you’re going to regret your decision for a very long time indeed. So, here are 5 top tips for avoiding disaster and choosing the right photographer for your special day!

Choosing a wedding photographer isn’t a case of simply admiring someone’s work and booking them. Bear in mind that this person will be hovering around you from the hair and make-up session in the morning right through to the first dance kicking off at night. You need to like the human behind the camera!

Is your photographer going to put you at ease throughout the day? The morning bridal preparations can be quite intimate, especially when you’re wearing your PJs or getting into the dress. Will your photographer slot into this environment, be discreet and make you feel comfortable? Consider your couple’s photo session and your group shots. If your photographer makes you and your guests feel awkward, then this is going to show in the photos; something you’ll surely want to avoid.

Choose a wedding photographer who you can be yourself with; someone personable who can get even the most camera-shy couple to smile in a genuine way (and not like Chandler in his engagement photos in ‘Friends’!).

Don’t underestimate the value of booking a trusted and experienced professional photographer. I recently received an email from a wildlife photographer who had been booked to photograph a wedding. Bad idea! You wouldn’t hire an Indian chef to cook an Italian meal, right? Please don’t ask your Uncle Ronnie to photograph your wedding just because he owns a big camera and loves photographing dolphins.

I can’t overstate the commitment needed to become a professional wedding photographer, and the true value of this expertise. Years of experience feed into every aspect of the day, from creating beautiful compositions; to lighting people correctly and making them look their best; and handling unexpected challenges including the Scottish weather, poorly lit or cramped venues, and crazy scenarios like another wedding taking place in the same hotel at the exact same time and the brides bumping into each other (I’m not joking… this actually happened).

How do you know if a photographer is a trusted, experienced professional? Read Google reviews and ask your married friends for advice. Don’t go searching for recommendations on Facebook – you’ll be inundated with responses from the pro photographers and the Uncle Ronnies of this world.

I firmly believe that a first-rate service and beautiful images are equally important. After all, even the most stunning wedding images would be tainted by a negative experience. When you look back on your photographs, you’re not only going to remember the events of the day; you’re also going to remember how you felt.

You don’t want abrupt, impersonal emails sent from a robot; you don’t want to worry whether your photographer will actually turn up on the day; and you certainly don’t want to be kept waiting for your images for what seems like an interminable length of time.

Choose a photographer who has enthusiasm and energy for your wedding; someone who will make you feel valued; a professional who will step up and deliver for you no matter what.

I didn’t want to state the obvious in this blog post and say, “make sure you love your photographer’s work!” That’s a complete no-brainer. I want to encourage you to develop a critical eye in your search for a wedding photographer. Question why you love someone’s work (or why you don’t).

Remember Uncle Ronnie? Can you see the difference between his images and those captured by an experienced professional? Here are a few pointers for you…

• Are you able to see details in people’s faces, especially in their eyes?
• Are people lit with soft, flattering light, or are there harsh shadows on their faces?
• Do people look genuinely comfortable and relaxed in the images, or can you see lots of strained expressions, clenched hands and hunched shoulders?
• Can you spot wardrobe malfunctions in the group shots? Look at the guys wearing kilts. Have their buttonholes flopped over? Are their jackets riding up? Are their ties squint? Has someone’s sock slipped down?
• Are the backgrounds clutter-free or can you see distractions like fire extinguishers, random people and parked cars?
• Do the photos look straight, or can you see lots of weird angles, particularly indoors? Is the hotel squint? If so, the camera wasn’t level.
• Do you like the colour, brightness, tone and overall vibe of the images? Is the wedding dress white?!

If you’re not bothered by this stuff, then book Uncle Ronnie and save yourself a few quid. However, if these things are going to niggle you every time you flick through your album or catch sight of your wedding photos on the mantelpiece, then book the trusted, experienced, professional wedding photographer.

After your wedding day, you’ll be left with memories, rings on your fingers, and photographs. The cake will be eaten before the last dance, the flowers will wilt within a week and you’ll probably never wear the dress again. However, you’ll have your photos forever.

You’re choosing a wedding photographer, not booking your boiler service! You’re preserving your precious memories to cherish for the rest of your lives and to pass down to future generations of your family. Yes, you need to be mindful of your budget, but this really isn’t where you want to skimp and save. Look beyond the price point and see the lifetime investment you’re going to make in your wedding photography.

Karen Thorburn Photography