Where to start with picking a wedding photographer:
For most people your wedding may be the one and only time you ever hire a professional photographer.
Which means you’re coming into this situation with so. little. information.
We always find we have the best relationships and images when we’re all on the same page.
When you love what we do, and we just click!
So - if you’re getting married (or just after some lush images for the walls) then read on!
Alternatively - if you already know we’re the right photographers for you… then why not drop us a line to chat?
Where to start with picking a wedding photographer:
If you’re starting out on this journey then there are three basic questions we think that you should ask yourself.
1. Do you like their work and approach?
Yeah, it sounds bleeding obvious… but do you actually like the images they are creating! There are so many approaches to wedding photography, and many photographers will provide a variety of each of them over the course of a gallery.
Personally, we love a blend of candid reportage, with a touch of editorial coverage for all those details on the day.
For us - weddings are all about the moments between people. We love big smiles, and shows of emotion. Our edit is pretty warm and we like glowing skin tones! Authenticity and storytelling is absolutely key for us, so we work hard to stay alert, and to capture things that are about to happen. We try to put ourselves in a position to capture those moments without distracting or detracting from the day.
We’re not big on straight faced and serious ‘fashion’ shoots, or desaturated and cold edits. So, if that’s your vibe then please, please, please go and find someone that aligns with your vision. I promise you that they are out there, and they are probably excellent at what they do!
You’ll be happier.
We’ll be happier.
Everyone wins!
Here’s a little primer to help with common terminology:
Candid / Reportage / Documentary
A natural, authentic approach that tells the story of your wedding as it unfolds.
No forced poses, just real, emotive moments.Editorial / Fashion-Inspired
Polished, stylish, and carefully composed.
This style is often more curated, organised, and involves more posed shots and time taken on the day to capture details rather than moments.Fine Art
Often goes hand in hand with an editorial approach, but with a focus on a light, dreamy, and artistic edit.
Fine art photography is all about composition, soft tones, and a painterly feel, creating gallery-worthy images.Cinematic
Inspired by film, this style uses lighting, movement, and composition to create images that feel like stills from a movie. A more contrasty, and possibly moody cousin of fine art photography. Many cinematic photographers will work with haze filters to emulate big budget looks.
Once again, there’s a good chance that you’ll need to work with your photographer on the day in order to pose, and model for certain shots and setups.Traditional / Classic
Your parents wedding photography!
A structured approach with an emphasis on key moments, formal group shots, and classic compositions.
2. Do you like their personality?
Perhaps less obvious, but (we think) equally important.
If there was one thing I wish every couple knew before booking their photographer - it would be that they are probably the person you are going to spend the majority of your day with. They will be there when you are getting ready in the morning, they’ll be there just before you walk down the aisle, they’ll be there as you cry during the speeches, and they’ll be there as you’re raving it up with your besties at the end of the day.
All of that is to say… could you actually spend a day with this person, and are they going to fit your vibe?
Some photographers are shy and retiring, some are bold and energetic.
Some are covered in tattoos, and some are far more traditional.
It’s up to you to make a call on all of that, and the best thing I can suggest is to hop on a call with them and see if your visions line up!
We always organise a call prior to booking with anyone, even couples we’ve met multiple times before, and close friends. Personally I would be veeeeeeery wary of booking someone if they weren’t prepared to go through that process with you.
But then again - you do you!
3. Experience
Trust is really the key word here.
Do you need to have shot 100 weddings in order to be a good wedding photographer… well no…
But, does it help? Possibly.
If you’re booking someone to shoot an elopement halfway up a soggy midge infested scottish mountain, then hiring someone that has shot 50 beach weddings in the Caribbean is probably not as much of a ‘safe bet’ than hiring someone who has shot 5 in the scottish highlands - and the same is true in reverse!
There’s a lot of work out there on social media and online from what are called ‘styled shoots’ in the industry. They often look incredible, with models wearing beautiful outfits, set against huge flower backdrops, outrageous venues, and perfect lighting. What many people are less forthcoming with is how much of those setups came from their vision, how long they took to create, and whether they could do it on a cold, rainy, night in Stoke?
The most important thing is to have trust in your photographer. We’ve shot across the globe from the gritstone edges of the Peak District, to the crazy lights of the Vegas Strip.
I’ll also be upfront, and say that we wouldn’t have been able to gain that experience without our couples placing their trust in us-and-our-process even without necessarily having portfolio from those locations. As a result of our hundred odd weddings across the globe, I feel pretty confident in saying that we could arrive at any wedding venue and smash out an amazing gallery full of incredible moments.
But yep - if your mate has a camera, and you trust them, then that’s really all there is to it.
I’d be a hypocrite if I said anything else.
4. Packages & Budget
Real Talk - Experience, Support, and Quality does come at a cost.
I’m not here to tell you what a reasonable amount is to budget for your coverage. What makes sense for a small wedding of 10 people and a budget of £10,000 may not be the same for a wedding of 300 people and a budget of £200,000. Fundamentally it comes down to whether you love someone’s work or not.
A photographer may cost £100 an hour, or £10,000 an hour (and believe me there are some people that charge significantly more!).
All I can advise is to check out their packages and what they offer, and then hop on a call and see if it all lines up with your vision and expectations.
For example - Some photographers might offer 8 hours, or up until the first dance, or offer additional hours at a bonus cost.
Because of our shooting style, we made the decision early on to simply offer full day coverage with no time limits in order to provide that full storytelling experience with no stress about when we might need to leave. For events where that doesn’t make sense we also offer short day coverage, but we limit our uptake on these shoots so we are fresh for each of our couples!
5. Reviews and Reputation
Let’s not beat about the bush.
A huge amount of our own work comes off the back of word of mouth and reviews.
We are often contacted by couples who have seen us and spoken to us at other weddings, and the recommendation of friends, family, and aquaintances is hugely important. You can even hear from strangers on the internet if you can believe them!
It’s not the be-all-and-end-all, but if you’re still on the fence, then I’d encourage you to check out credentials from places like editorial blogs, awards, etc.
Which is a really a rather unsubtle segue into a mention of our Reportage Awards, Online Reviews, Blog listings, and recommendation as one of the top 50 Wedding Photographers in the UK from Rock My Wedding (one of the biggest UK wedding blogs).
We always want to shoot for couples who want us to shoot for them.
And when you boil it all down, that’s what I think this blog is really about. We try to be authentic, honest, provide help and advice, and work our arses off to provide an incredible service for all our couples. If you’ve read this whole thing, you like the look of our work, and feel there’s a connection there - then drop us a line.
And if you don’t… then no worries!
I promise that the perfect photographer is out there for you, and if you do your research then I’m sure you’ll find them.
