Photographer Help Please!!

Is he planning on having his best friend in the wedding? If the friend is in the wedding then he wouldn't also be able to take photos. I personally don't like the idea of asking friends or family to work at your wedding as I feel they should just be able to relax and enjoy the day.

To me, the main difference seems to be the lighting. The first set looks like they were taken at sunset vs the second set looks like they were in the middle of the day. Does the first photographer have any pictures taken around the middle of the day in natural lighting? There's also the fact that the second set looks like you were wearing more formal outfits vs barefoot on the beach in the first set. Do you think that contributed at all?

The first thing I noticed is that the second set of photos are more vibrant and the 2 of you seem to be “connecting” more in them. Perhaps having the friend take the photos, as opposed to a stranger, allowed the 2 of you to be more comfortable and have more fun?

View Quoted Comment Our friend is in our wedding party but I don’t want him to be the photographer for our wedding. So sorry if that wasn’t made clear!! Just wondering more about what to do with our wedding photographer :/

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Did you get to view his gallery beforehand?

How was the choice between the two photography sites chosen? It may be that your wedding location and reception will provide better backdrops by default -- which seem a big part of the difference between the two sets of photos so far.

The difference jumping out to me is that the first set looks posed, even in the picture of you walking, where the second set looks more natural and candid, even in the pictures where you’re obviously posing. It’s like the photographer just so happened to be passing by and captured a sweet moment between you and FH. So one good thing is that your wedding photos will have both. You’ll definitely have those super posed pictures with the wedding party, family, etc., but they’re also going around snapping candid photos, too. So that might help. Do you have the budget to do another set of engagement pics/a trial with another photographer you’d be interested in hiring? I would make sure you can get somebody else you love lined up before moving on from your current one.

Aside from definite difference in lighting, I think the vibe is different in the two sets of photos. The first set looks like you're just two friends hanging out. Even the third photo of the first set, where you are looking at one another, you both still have big smiles. Smiles are fine for pictures! But, it lacks the "intimacy" one would expect from engagement photos. That intimacy is captured better in the second set, in my opinion.

If your fiance's best friend isn't going to be in the ceremony, I would ask if they'd like to be the photographer. I know a lot of people say not make "guests" work, but they might appreciate being asked, and might enjoy doing that for the two of you. I would of course tell them you'll pay their normal price for such an event, and see how they respond.

Congrats to you both on the upcoming wedding!

My photographer was obsessed with lighting and wouldn’t stop talking about it.



It seems like your photographer should have known the lighting was poor on the beach and suggested a different time of day or different location?

I think it would be worth checking out other photographers. Maybe you can pay for an engagement session with a new photographer to see if you like what he/she does. If you do, then you can let your current photographer go and hire the new one.

Also the scenery of the first set of photos is not as nice as the second set. There seems to be more items, sailboats, dirt, sand clumps, buildings. Where as the second set just has greenery with no other distractions

The first pose seems definitely awkward, where the feet seem to take centre stage. I do like the lighting in the second set and the poses seem joyful. If you truly don't like the photos, then I think looking for another photographer might be best. You're a beautiful couple either way!