The wedding day is the most important day in a couple's life: Choosing a wedding photographer is a moment that must be considered with the utmost attention. In this article I will explain how to choose the perfect professional (and how to be ready for the interview!) to best immortalize this special moment.
Choosing a Wedding Photographer: What to Consider?
Let's start from a simple concept: to choose the right photographer for your wedding, it's not enough to simply search on Google "wedding photographer + your city". Must consider different aspects, from the style you prefer to specific needs.
I have been a professional photographer for more than 10 years and, in my experience in the world of parties and weddings, I decided to create a small vademecum with some useful advice to help you in choosing the most suitable professional to immortalize your most beautiful day. I am not afraid of competition: each photographer has his own style and his own loyal audience. If you want to know mine, I look forward to hearing from you.
A question of style
It's no nonsense at all: First of all you need to decide what kind of photos you want. Wedding photographers specialize in different types of shots: from classic posed photos to more spontaneous and natural ones, through professionals who throw themselves into creative and artistic fields. Based on your preferred style, you can choose a specific photographer.
To understand your favorite style, you may just need to scroll through pages like Wedding Photo Inspiration. The most particular photographs, with graphic elaborations or perhaps particular colours, certainly belong to artistic and creative photographers. Traditional photographers are of a different nature, preferring poses similar to those we have seen in our parents' albums and a ceremonial and classical school of photography. Often the graphic elaborations of classic wedding photographers are full of Orton effect (the classic "mist” in the photos) and vignetting (the photos have very dark edges to help focus better on the subject).
Personally I am a photographer who adopts a very dynamic style, of almost pure reportage: my photographs prefer natural colors, spontaneous poses and simple situations. Check it out here.
It is not a given that the professional photographer has a physical location where you can go: the new photography school is very itinerant and travels with your team throughout Italy or even abroad. At the same time, having no time to do studio photography, he does not need to maintain expensive physical stores.
Needs not to be underestimated
Now that you have a style in mind, it is important to evaluate whether the photographer you choose is able to meet the specific needs of the couple.
What team does the professional have at his disposal? It is always good to know the collaborators. At the same time, check whether the photographer you called will be present at the event or whether the service can be “resold” to other colleagues. In fact, some photography or event planning agencies, they sort out the wedding dates to the various associated professionals, in fact without giving you the certainty of having the same individual at the ceremony with whom you spoke. It is up to you to decide what type of relationship of trust to have with your supplier.
Will there be special moments or surprises during the party? Will the wedding be itinerant? Will there be an after-party? Would you also like a projection, a video of the day or maybe a drone?
How much does a wedding photographer cost?
The cost of a wedding photographer depends on several factors, such as the wedding location, the length of the ceremony and the number of photographs you want to take. Typically, the price of a professional photography service starts at around 2000 euros.
The benefits of having a professional photographer for your wedding
There are many advantages in choosing a wedding photographer. A photographer will be able to capture the best and most significant moments of the day, so that you can relive them again and again: it is in fact an unrepeatable day of immense value: ruining your memory by only evaluating the numbers in the estimates is a mistake that you often regret forever.
Furthermore, a professional photographer will be able to provide valuable advice on how to pose and how to best make your photos. Finally, you will have the certainty that the photos will be stored professionally and which can be revised at will.
What to consider before talking to the photographer
There are some factors that you need to consider before choosing a wedding photographer and, among these, certainly you need to have a clearer idea before talking to the photographer and asking for a quote. Then, once you get to know each other, trust the team that will follow you on your wedding day.
First of all, you need to decide whether the photographer will be present only for the ceremony or also for the reception. Secondly, you need to have a clear style to request or, at least, be able to point to photographs from the professional's portfolio that you liked in some way. Additional services, on the other hand, can usually be agreed upon separately.
Remember: asking for a quote and basing it only on the numbers, as if it were a supermarket purchase, is the biggest mistake there is. A professional photographer is empathy, emotion, a true guest who creates a story captured in an image. If you choose the wrong person for your day, you will regret it forever.
Now, let's get to know each other better. I can't wait to shoot your wedding too!
