To choose a wedding photographer, start with your own day rather than with photographers: how much of it you want covered, and how much you want to be directed. Then shortlist from full wedding galleries, not portfolios, talk to the two or three you like, and compare written quotes like for like. Price matters, but it should be the last filter, not the first.
1. Start with your day, not with photographers
Before you look at anyone’s work, get three things clear. They’ll cut a long list down quickly.
- How much of the day you want covered. A short register office ceremony with a walk afterwards needs a few hours. A full day from getting ready to the first dance needs most of the day. My post on how many hours of wedding photography you need helps you count.
- How you want the day to feel. Some couples want to be left alone. Others want time set aside for portraits. That’s what style really means, and my post on wedding photography styles explains the options.
- What matters most. Family groups, the ceremony, the evening party, the people rather than the decor. Write down the two or three things you’d be upset to miss.
2. Shortlist from full galleries, not portfolios
A portfolio or an Instagram grid is a photographer’s best few dozen frames, picked from many days. It tells you what they can do on a good day. A full gallery from one wedding tells you what you’d actually get back.
When you look at a full gallery, check:
- whether the standard holds through the whole day, not just the portraits in good light
- how they handle the hard parts: dim ceremony rooms, grey weather, a crowded dancefloor
- whether people look like themselves, relaxed rather than arranged
- whether they’ve photographed a day shaped like yours, whether that’s a short civil ceremony or a long day with an evening party
Aim for a shortlist of about three. Any more and the comparing takes over.
3. Talk to them before you book
Once you have a shortlist, have a conversation, even a short call. You’ll spend hours with your photographer, often in small rooms and with your family. How they come across matters nearly as much as the photographs.
Notice whether they ask about your day before they talk about price. A good photographer wants to know where you’re getting married, who’s coming and what matters to you, because that’s what decides how they’d photograph it. My post on questions to ask a wedding photographer has ten questions worth asking, and what to listen for in the answers.
4. Compare quotes like for like
Photographers price in different ways. Some sell packages, some charge by the hour, and some add albums, a second photographer or travel on top. Two quotes that look far apart can be closer than they seem once you line them up.
Ask each photographer for a written figure that says how many hours are covered, what you’ll receive and when you’ll receive it. Then compare those, not the headline price. My post on how much a wedding photographer costs goes through what you’re actually paying for.
Be wary of a full day priced far below everyone else. Something has to give, and it’s often the editing.
5. Get it in writing before you pay
Before you pay anything, make sure the booking is written down. It should cover:
- your date, the hours and where you’ll need them
- what you’ll receive and how long it takes to arrive
- how much you’re paying, when, and whether any of it is refundable
- what happens if the photographer is ill or can’t make it
It’s also fair to ask whether they’re insured. Clients often expect photographers to hold public liability insurance, so a good photographer won’t mind the question.
Where I fit
I’m a documentary wedding photographer in High Wycombe, and I’m at the start. I’ve photographed three weddings so far: a ceremony at Beaconsfield Old Town Registration Office, one at the High Wycombe register office with portraits at The Rye, and a full summer day. All three are in my wedding stories, so you can judge for yourself.
I charge by the hour, so you only pay for the part of the day you want photographed, and the figure is confirmed in writing when you enquire.
You can read more about how I work on the day, or if you’d like to check whether I’m free for your date, get in touch here.