How did you chose your photographer?

I just went through this. Debated a few that had great reviews but all different levels of pricing. I went with the one who asked the most questions in our initial correspondence. She seemed like she really wanted to get to know me and what I wanted on my wedding day. Plus her price was in the middle range of the people I was looking at so I think it turned out well.

We started with what sort of ‘look’ we wanted - natural, formal, relaxed etc and what sort of editing we liked (really smooth, natural light etc) and then stalked Instagram with different hashtags.
the one we picked was the front runner from the start. Also when we started talking she seemed like someone we would get on with which was a big thing for us.
We are trying to use small independent people who are relatively new to the business they are in so she fitted that bill

1. Look up photographers in your area

2. Look at their wedding portfolio. Do you like the "vibe" of the pictures? Weed out the ones you don't like. Ex: I LOVE light, bright and airy photos using natural light, vs the dark, moody & super contrasty photos. They seem overedited to me.

3. Look at their wedding package pricing (you may have to email them for this)

4. Make comparisons for what you pay vs what you get.

5. Decide what your must haves are. How long you will need them day of. 4 hours? 8 hours? Do you want an engagement session? Do you want a copyright release to get your pictures printed anywhere? 2nd shooter? Etc.

*You can also factor in response time to getting back with you, how well you connect with the photographer, etc.

I actually found my photographer on here. I had an idea 💡 of what I wanted to spend and looked at photographers in my price range. I cale across his page and fell in love with his style. I had another photographer that also included videography in their package for cheaper than Won’s photography but the quality was just so different. We went with Won and found someone else to do the videography.

We started with the list of photographers recommended by our venue, then cut down by price, then by “style” and then met with two and chose largely on personality

First, we set a budget. Then I contacted about 20 in my area with great reviews & pictures we liked. Then we figured out what we wanted in a photographer, like one vs. two photographers, a print release, prints from them, how long they are there, etc. Then we decided off our favorite picture, package, and how professional they were.

Just start looking at tons of portfolios and you’ll start to realize what you like and disliked! I learned that I absolutely did not want a photographer with a bunch of posey shots and wanted one that took natural looking photos (even those are posed but the photographer is obviously good enough to make it look natural). The editing style will play a huge part in your decision too. I leaned towards photographers with light and airy editing vs. moody and heavily saturated editing.

I would say to first set a budget. Photographers have a largeeeee range of pricing because different ones offer different packages and a lot of prices are based on demand for the photographer/experience. Decide what is most important to you. Do you want a second photographer to capture various angles (some photographers have assistants)? Do you want engagement pictures to be included? How long do you want your photographer there for the day? Do you want to receive an album of your pictures, or just an online gallery? Do you want your photos to appear more light and airy or dramatic? I would just think about how you truly want to capture your wedding memories through your photographs.

I decided to splurge the most on photography. I am a graphic designer, and (good) photographs are essentially really important to me. I would also recommend doing a short call/video chat with the photographer to get a feel for their personality. After the first chat with my photographer, I could tell that she won't just be my photographer, but will really help me stay on track time wise for the day. Good luck!

One thing I might suggest is that once you've found some initial photographers you might like, set up appointments to meet with them and get information in person. Getting an email with information is great, and you could do it as a way to pre-screen, but this is someone you are going to spend the day with and want to be comfortable around. I might also suggest (if you haven't done so already), booking a photographer for your engagement photos as sort of a trial. This way you can see their work in advance, and how it applies to you and your fiance. I know i;m personally not the most comfortable in front of a camera, so having a good connection with my photographer is one of the most important factors to me.

Hi Alexis! Welcome to WeddingWire and congrats on your engagement! You received some great feedback here in this thread! Budget in-mind, I would start by researching highly-rated photographers in your area whose prior photos & work you like through their websites/social media!

Is there a style of photography you prefer? Others were discussing photography styles here in our Community recently. Figuring out what style you both like best will also help you to narrow down!

Photography styles

I went on the Knot and looked for ones in my area and in my budget. Then I would go to their websites and look at examples of their work. Personally, I hate photos and traditional posing photos where you smile at the camera all day in different spots. So I focused more on finding a photographer that does photojournalism since they are more natural, in the moment photos.

Thank you all ! Such great advice . I'm working on what I like but you all were so awesome I think that will help me so much

My Fiance's sister found ours for us. We looked at reviews, packages they offer and their past weddings and fell in love. I think she found them on here.