Choosing a photographer

In today’s world, it’s clear that value for money is more important than it has been for quite a while. However, when choosing a photographer bear in mind that you’re not buying a commodity where you can easily compare features with price. Ultimately you’re buying the artistic ability of your photographer; can he/she interpret your needs in the way that you want.

The first step is deciding on the style of photography that you’d like. The bridal magazines typically define three different types, and while most photographers will combine aspects of all three, they do tend to specialise in one of the following:

Traditional Photography. As the term suggest this is based on how wedding photography used to be with all of the key moments being captured in a relatively formal manner – the bride with her father before leaving the house, father and bride in the car, the wedding group posed behind the signing table, different combinations of family groupings, and so on. Your photographer will know exactly what he/she wants to capture and will guide you through all such aspects of the day.

Reportage Photography. Also called PJ or photojournalism, this refers to a more relaxed style where the photographer will capture the key moments of the day as they unfold from the bride getting ready through to the first dance. The objective is to tell the story of the day with very little inter-action between the photographer and the couple and their guests.

Contemporary Photography. More difficult to define since trends are always changing, but typically it has fun at its centre with a lot of informal interaction between the couple and their guests and the photographer: the groomsmen having fun before the ceremony; the bride and groom photographed in a number of different environments, perhaps with the use of amusing props, the bride being lifted up by the groomsmen.

As we’ve said, most photographers will combine aspects of two or three of the above. For instance, although we are reportage photographers, we almost always take the couple away for a few minutes for some intimate couple shots, as well shooting a handful of key family shots.

So in selecting a photographer, we would summarise the process as having with three criteria:

• Pictures: is their basic style in line with what you want; are their images artistic in a way that works for you  - do their pictures capture the emotion of the moment.
• Personality: do you like them/trust them; they will be with you all day and it is important that you can rely on them to deliver what you expect
• Professionalism: are they flexible in their approach; is the pricing structure transparent and easy to understand; do they answer emails/calls promptly; do they have a robust work flow to keep your pictures secure after the wedding.

And what to ask him/her

• How would you describe your style of photography
• Can I see a complete wedding (or two) – preferably at the same time of year that you are getting married (this is especially important for winter weddings where the light is gone by 4.00pm)
• Who will be with us on the day, and for how long; do you charge by the hour if things run late
• How many images can we expect to see after the wedding, and when can we expect to see them
• Can we choose the pictures for our album
• Do you have a back-up plan if you’re sick
• How do you back-up the images after the wedding (we’d like to know that they are secure for the long term)
• Will you need feeding during the day – we have heard of a photographer who, at the last minute, demanded to be sat with the guests!
• Can we have access to the high resolution files
• Do you have public liability and indemnity insurance
• And finally, if you like what you see and hear, ask them if they’d like to photograph your wedding; after all you want them to be as enthusiastic as you are!

~Galloway Photography

Surrey Wedding Photographer