Your wedding is a momentous occasion that you’re going to want to remember forever. That’s why capturing the day through photography is such an important task.
You don’t want to just get anyone to do it for you. Instead, you need a photographer who has the skills and experience to capture the best moments of the day.
There are many other considerations if you want to choose the right wedding photographer for your special d
ay.
Photography Style
Are you partial with artistic photography with magnificent backgrounds? Perhaps you prefer natural movements over planned poses? What about lifestyle photography to show more emotion?
Whichever style that you like, you need to understand it so that you can shortlist the wedding photographers who specialize in that style.
Prospective photographers don’t necessarily need to be specialists in a particular style – just make sure that they do the style that you want particularly well.
Availability on Your Wedding Date
To choose the right wedding photographer, the next step is to find the photographers who still have bookings available on your wedding date.
This will shorten your list right away and by narrowing down your choices, you’ll have an easier time deciding.
The Photographer’s Profile
Your next consideration should be the photographer’s profile. Look at each photographers website and Facebook account.
Take note of how the wedding photographer presents their business. A good profile means the wedding photographer is taking their work seriously.
Find out how how they interact with their clients as well, even if it means giving them a call. This will help you determine how professional and client-focused they are.
Next is to find reviews from past clients, wedding bloggers and photography experts.
Read those reviews that detail how their experiences with the wedding photographer went. Particularly, look for write-ups that score how good or bad the vendor’s output was.
If the wedding photographer is included in articles like “top wedding photographers” and you see consistent positive reviews about their work, then you should seriously consider this vendor.
Outstanding Portfolio
You must do your own review if you want to choose the right wedding photographer.
Look at each vendor’s gallery of past projects. Don’t settle for those posted on the website because they are usually a hand picked selection of their best work. Instead, ask for full-galleries of two or three weddings they’ve serviced.
If possible, ask for those with the same photography style that you want for your own wedding.
Also, be sure to check if the photographer has prior experience with your chosen type of wedding venue. If you are having a hinterland, winery or garden wedding it would be helpful to see their full wedding albums with landscape photography.
The portfolios should give you a good idea of how your own wedding photos would end up if you hired that vendor. Shortlist the wedding photographers with an outstanding portfolio who have past work that really impresses you.
Don’t settle for anything less and you will be on track to finding the right wedding photographer.
The Photographer’s Attitude
The vendor’s wedding photos may be outstanding, but you should also see if you like the photographer’s personality. Remember that you will be working closely with the professional for at least an entire day.
You need to ensure that the wedding photographer is easy to get along with, enthusiastic, and excited about your wedding. He or she should also be vocal about his/her ideas but is still respectful and willing to listen to your own.
The photographer should be assertive when it comes to work, to be able to take the best photos. This attitude will also enable the photographer to take good shots at the right moments.
That doesn’t mean that he/she will be annoying for your guests. On the contrary, the photographer should be pleasant with guests and remain professional at all times.
Your Ownership Rights
Some wedding photographers specify that they own the rights to the wedding photos.
That means you have limited liberty in posting them online or printing the pictures whenever you fancy.
The vendors can also use your wedding pictures for promotional purposes even without your permission.
If this doesn’t sit well with you as a couple, then only consider the wedding photographers that will give you the full ownership rights to your wedding photos. You can also negotiate with the wedding vendors to come to terms that will give you more freedom with the photos.
If both are not possible, then choose the wedding photographer that has the contract terms which you’re more comfortable with.
Your Working Budget
After narrowing down your choices with all of the considerations mentioned, you can finally choose the right wedding photographer by determining which one fits your budget.
Most wedding photographers offer a range of packages that include hours or days of coverage, unlimited shots, a physical album, editing of raw files and a large framed print-out of your chosen photo. Some packages may also include an engagement shoot or a second photographer.
Compare the rates of the different packages and based on your budget, get the one that has the most to offer.
Stick to your budget and avoid overspending, you will most likely be able to negotiate with the vendor to determine the right package for your budget.
Hinterland Wedding at Cedar Creek Estate
These considerations will help you choose the right wedding photographer. Once you do, you sleep well knowing that your wedding moments will be captured the way you want.
Your special day will not just exist in your memories, but also in magnificent photos that you can cherish forever. No matter which wedding photographer you choose, you’ll end up having great wedding pictures with any of our three beautiful venues.
To make your wedding even more memorable, why not choose a hinterland wedding at an amazing vineyard venue like Cedar Creek Estate.
We offer unlimited photographic opportunities within one of our three picturesque locations at Mount Tamborine. Contact our wedding planning team today on (07) 5545 1666.
