Tips for Hiring a Wedding Photographer

 

When you’re looking to hire a photographer for whatever reason, please, PLEASE, don’t hire your friends cousin that is self taught and has only shot maybe two things!

  • Hire a real photographer who has a website or at least a Facebook page set up just for their photography.
  • Check out their portfolio, their work.
  • Is their style what you’re looking for?
  • Is their work of professional quality?
  • Does their price seem reasonable. (more on this later)

Pricing

Many people think that photographers are over priced and to be honest some are, but some aren’t. Here are some things to think about when looking at prices.

Photograph of a pink piggy bank with coins around it.
Photo by Skitterphoto on Pexels.com
  • Time – the time they are taking to photograph as well as edit or retouch the images.
  • Retouching – is retouching included or is it an added fee option.
  • Equipment – the use of their equipment (camera, lens, lights, stands, computers, software, etc).
  • Level of experience – You’re going to pay more for someone who’s had more experience.
  • Location – are they traveling or do they have a studio.
  • Use of images – They’re giving over the use of the images that they’ve taken for you to use as you want.

This is a business for them, don’t forget that. They need to make a profit.

For example my starting price was at $2,800 and that’s for 1 photographer, full day of coverage, complimentary bridal session, professional retouching & editing, high resolution JPEG images & print release.

Looking to hire

The photographer will have plenty of ideas for posing but you can always come up with some of your own. Check out Pinterest for some fun and inventive poses that you might want to include in your session. I’ve got a Pinterest board called Photography Posing Ideas, where I like to collect ideas for poses.

The best advice I have though is make sure you find someone who shoots in the style you prefer. Don’t just hire anyone and expect them to change their style to fit your preferences. It won’t happen. If you like candid shots find someone who excels at that style. If you like posy shots find someone who excels at posing.

Here are some of my favorite wedding photographs that I’ve taken over the years.